Title: Raindrops
Author: Ecruteak
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own CardCaptor Sakura. CLAMP does. Sheesh.
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The silhouette of the winged angel in the soft rays of the moonlight shone over the garden. Yue dipped a finger in the soft cool water of the lake, feeling it ripple slightly under his touch. Clow was away on some business of his, and as usual, Yue was waiting for him to come back. No matter what Clow said to dissuade Yue from doing so, the Moon Angel could not help but do so, partly because of his dislike of being away from his master too long, and also because he couldn't stand Kerberos making snide remarks about how he and Clow would look perfect together.
Slight laughter reached his ears then, and he stood up, spreading his wings. As he alighted on the roof of the mansion, which gave him a fine view of the surrounding country, he saw Clow coming towards the gate, packages in his arms. Behind him-Yue strained to catch a glimpse-was a fair young lady with honey-blond hair. She was dressed in white, and altogether looked like a flirtatious bimbo. Yue gritted his teeth in anger as she waved to Clow, fluttering her eyelashes before she left him there at the gate.
Clow looked up, staring at Yue. A look of something Yue didn't know crossed his face as he strode across the garden. "Yue? Come down, please." He set down the packages on the ground, waiting.
Yue flew down, landing lightly on the grass, staring up at his master, who smiled cheerfully and stroked his hair. "I am weary. Come, let's go in, shall we? I surmise Kerberos is asleep." Without waiting for an answer, he picked up the packages and went inside, leaving Yue to stare after him, lost in his thoughts.
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A week passed. Strangely, the formerly-reserved Clow welcomed the girl, whom he introduced as Akemi, into the mansion frequently. Kerberos adored her and never failed to welcome her intrusion, but Yue made himself scarce whenever she appeared. Pain washed through him whenever Clow greeted her, as though his heart was tearing slowly apart. Did Clow really like her that much? He bowed his head sadly, looking slowly over from his perch by the fireplace in Clow's study, where he'd been for the last few hours. Akemi was sitting on the edge of Clow's desk, swinging her legs in his direction. Her skirt had flipped up slightly, giving both Yue and Clow a fine view of her neon-pink underwear.
"Ah, Akemi-chan, kindly put yourself down, please," Clow suggested. Yue sighed, barely audibly. Clow had never talked to anyone like that, other than him and Kerberos. In fact, he had never really talked to anyone in this part of the country save the two of them before. He couldn't understand the reason for this change. Perhaps………Clow was in love? The thought tore into him, and he fought to keep down the emotions welling up in his throat. Clow had promised before that he would always be there for him and Kerberos. Was that promise just an empty memory now?
"Ah, Clow-kun, I have to go now," Akemi said, smiling sweetly. Clow smiled back. "Shall I walk you to the door, Akemi-chan? We can get together another time to finish what we started, alright?" The way Akemi's face lit up at the idea made Yue wonder again about Clow. What exactly was Clow planning to do with Akemi? What could it be that made her so happy?
A few minutes passed. Clow came back into the room, clearing away the papers on the table before heading over to the silent Moon Angel. "Yue? Is something the matter? Can I help?"
Yue looked up into Clow's eyes, something only he had managed to do in Clow's lifetime. There was sincerity reflected in Clow's eyes, but also a trace of guilt. Yue frowned slightly. "What exactly are you doing with Akemi, Master?"
"That is something you will find out later, Yue," Clow said so calmly that Yue almost believed him, had it not been for the shifty look in his eyes. "Now why don't you go and sleep? It's very late, but I still have a few spells to finish………"
He never finished the sentence. Yue stood up abruptly, twisting his hand out of Clow's. Grief, anger bubbled over him as he backed away. Clow stood up, looking at him. "Yue? What is wrong?"
All the feelings Yue had felt over the last few days broke in a wave over him. What was with Clow? He didn't know, and Clow refusing to tell him just made it worse. Was Clow afraid maybe of hurting his feelings now? Was he planning to wait till later to tell him? He could just imagine the pain he would feel then.
"Yue!" Clow shouted as the winged angel shot off like a silver streak through the window into the rain outside. Shaking his head as he finally understood the cause for the Moon Guardian's hurt, he grabbed the deck of Clow Cards and his key, as well as a small jeweled box on the table, before he hurriedly leaving the room.
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The rain beat down on Yue's face as the angel flew through the skies, ignoring the claps of thunder and the flashes of lightning lighting up the gloomy sky. Somehow it reflected his feelings. To tell the truth, he was envious of Akemi, of all the attention she got from Clow. Clow had never allowed even him to sit the way she had on his desk, even for only a second. Was he really an entity separate from everyone else in the world just because he had been created from the moonlight? Was that the reason why Clow and everyone else around him treated him and Kerberos with such reverence?
//I don't want to go back,// he thought to himself. //Master will be happy with Akemi. I don't belong there. My being around would only disturb them, and I don't want to see Master being annoyed with me. Kerberos likes Akemi. I don't think she'll mind if he lives with them. But I don't. I can't stay there.//
He felt a chill tug at his skin, and his flight involuntarily slowed down. The rain was cold. Too cold for even his liking. He brushed away a warm tear that had unconsciously crept from the corner of his eye and flew on, disappearing within the cover of the lowest clouds………
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Clow sighed as he pulled out the Sleep Card. A warm glowing powder scattered over the street, rendering those within a ten-mile radius asleep and unaware of the magician striding down the road. "Fly!"
Wings appeared at his back, and he spread them quickly, keeping in view the tiny silver speck now more than three miles ahead of him. //Yue. Whatever have I done to make you so full of hate? You don't understand what I'm doing. How would you know what my heart really says? I'm coming, Yue.//
He soared into the air, dodging a startled nightingale. The rain was heavy, and he took out the Shield Card, while feeling a pang of guilt that his Moon Angel didn't have anything to protect himself from the onslaught of the weather. //Hold on, Yue. I'm coming after you, and I'm going to pull you back to me.//
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Exhaustion finally took over, and Yue fell from the skies, descending into a clearing in the middle of the forest. His wings flapped weakly as he struggled to stay conscious. Rain and Yue didn't go very well together, and he shivered, curling up within his wings, little comfort though they gave. However, the physical discomfort he felt compared nothing to the pain in his heart. He thought of Clow as someone only he could enjoy. Even if these feelings weren't requited, he was content to simply be with his master, to hear his voice, to see his smile. And he hated Akemi because she took most of this attention he craved.
He hugged himself, trying to stay warm, but the cold pressed in around him, and his vision faded out, then in, then out. The clover under him, the trees around, even the very air laced with the raindrops, seemed all so distant, unable to reach through the angel's tired mind.
//Clow………//
A shadow alighted near him at that point, and he stared with glazed eyes, confused, as Clow landed neatly on his feet, coming over to him. Yue braced himself for any harsh lectures Clow was prepared to give, but Clow simply knelt down, lifting Yue onto his lap. "Baka," he whispered affectionately. "What possessed you to run away like that?" Deep down he knew the cause for Yue's behavior, and he sighed. "Yue, I want you to know………I do not love Akemi. She is simply a friend of mine. I have made a promise to you and Kerberos, and I intend to keep it, you know. Why do you imagine what is not real?"
Yue stared at him with surprise reflected in those purple-silver orbs. //Clow………//
Clow shook his head and simply hugged Yue tightly. The Moon Angel tensed up, then relaxed slowly. Things were alright now. Clow hadn't changed. He reached out tentatively, feeling the warmth resounding in Clow's embrace. Silver hair flowed around them, threads of moonlight materialized.
"Master………" Yue whispered slowly as he leaned on Clow's shoulder. "Akemi-san………what is her purpose?"
Clow smiled as he lifted from within his robes the jeweled box. "She is the famous jewel craftswoman of this country. Your birthday is fast approaching, so I asked her to come and help me make something to commemorate the occasion. Here." He slowly opened the box, revealing, lying amongst purple silk, a single earring. "I poured my magic into this. If you have it with you be sure I will know where you are. It is something that would bind you and I together."
Yue sighed softly as Clow affixed the earring onto him. "Thank you, Master………" Then before Clow's eyes the Moon Guardian fainted, worn down by the onslaught of the rain.
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Warmth flooded Yue's senses as he awoke. He lay in Clow's bed, and the magician himself was seated next to it on a chair, reading a book. "Master?"
"Yue." Clow put down the book quickly, smiling serenely down at the angel within the blankets. "You had a fever the last few days. Are you alright?"
Yue nodded, sitting up, wings appearing. "Master………I apologize." He bowed his head. "I should not have been so rash."
Clow sighed as he wrapped his arms around his Moon Guardian. "Next time I'll be sure to let you know when I have a plan involving another human, alright?"
Yue nodded, and Master and Creation shared a deep, timeless embrace, each entwined with the other, feathers fluttering all around. The rustle of silk, soft and cool, floated around them. Yue snuggled within Clow's arms, peacefully closing his eyes.
Kerberos burst into the room at that moment, looking shocked at finding his master and fellow Guardian cuddling on the bed. But he didn't linger on it.
Instead, he yelled, "Where's Akemi-chan!?"
~owari~
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