Chapter four: For ever after.
Some time later, after Sakura and Yue had changed into warm dry clothes and had a hot dinner, Sakura and her father were washing the dishes. Sakura looked at him and said. "Otou-san, what do you think of Yue-chan?"
Fujitaka looked at his daughter and smiled. "I think he is a very special man and I think he likes you very much."
"I thought I heard him say he loved me as I came to," Sakura said shyly.
"He did," said Kero.
"He did?"
Fujitaka and Kero nodded. Sakura put down the dish she was drying and ran from the kitchen, although her head immediately appeared back round the doorframe, saying, "I'll be back in a minute to finish off."
Fujitaka watched his daughter go. "I don't think you will be, my daughter," he murmured.
Kero smiled at him and Fujitaka smiled back, both knowing the surprise Yue had in store for Sakura: after all, he had plotted it with them earlier that day and now they had set her up for it.
Sakura knocked on Yue's door, but there was no answer, so she pushed it open and walked into the room.
Sakura's eyes scanned the room for her moon guardian and she immediately spotted Yue. He wasn't difficult to miss, for he was lying on the bed top naked, revealing skin that was so white it seemed to almost glow, his hair spread out around him. Some of it was even falling off the edges of the bed, making white pools on the floor. His huge white wings were unfolded but behind him and his long arms were above him on the bed. He seemed to be asleep.
Sakura blushed as she looked at Yue like this, but at the same time she felt a desire rise in her and Sakura knew it was a woman's desire for a man. Her eyes fell on his soft cherry blossom lips. Sakura quietly ventured further into the room and eventually made her way over to the bed.
As she stood by the edge of the bed, Sakura's eyes travelled over the well- defined muscles in Yue's arms and chest, then her eyes went up to his face, which was gentle in sleep, and then her eyes took in the effect of the waterfall of hair that, made Yue look as if he had just arrived on earth from heaven and fallen asleep after his long journey to the earth.
Sakura leant over the sleeping angel and gently placed her lips on his, he stirred beneath her and his long lashed eyes opened. Yue's arms came up round Sakura and drew her down to him. Sakura's green eyes flew open and met his cool ones.
He stopped kissing her. Sakura felt the loss of his lips on hers keenly and just wanted him to kiss her again. "Yue," Sakura said, dazed, wondering if she had done something wrong to make him stop kissing her so suddenly.
"Yes, Sakura?" he asked, relaxing his grip slightly.
"Do you love me?"
Her green eyes shimmered with long-concealed hope.
"Yes, Sakura, I love you, I have done so for a very long time." Sakura squealed at Yue's answer and hugged him very hard. When Yue had finally managed to regain his breath, he looked into her green eyes. "And you, Sakura, do you love me?"
Sakura noticed the question was asked very tentatively, as if Yue were awaiting rejection.
"Hai," she said, and watched Yue's reaction to that simple statement with pleasure. Yue's eyes filled with joy, a smile spread over his lips. Gently he put a hand on her cheek, his eyes glowing at her.
"I'm so glad you love me," she murmured.
"I am just as glad that your heart is mine," he replied in a whisper. "But what about Shaolan-kun?"
Sakura looked distant for a moment. "When he tried to hurt you, I was so angry that I realised I loved you, not him. My heart has been very confused, but I knew right there that it was you, just you, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."
Sakura blushed at her last words and went to take them back, but Yue placed a long finger gently on her lips. "I have waited to hear you say such things to me for a long time, but I convinced myself that you felt only friendship for me nothing more. . ." Yue took a breath and then continued. "I was speaking to your father earlier as we made dinner together . . and I asked him something."
Sakura looked at him, her eyes begging Yue to continue. Seeing this, he carried on. "I asked him if he would allow me to marry you when you were a bit older." Sakura took an inward breath. "He said I had his blessing, and we could be engaged from whenever I decided to ask you if you wanted it. Now I know you're too young for such a thing at the moment, and I'm a fool if I ask but I wanted you to know."
Yue took his finger from her mouth, Sakura grabbed hold of her moon guardian's shoulders and shook him slightly.
"I want you to ask me."
Yue played dumb. "Ask you what Sakura?"
Sakura batted him on the shoulder, Yue sat up and his white hair surrounded Sakura. She reached out and touched it. It was soft like silk, and cool. Yue watched her with soft eyes, then stroked her hair in turn.
After some time of this, Sakura looked down at his chest. She moved her hands down to it and Yue took an inward breath. Sakura grinned mischievously and ran her hands over the muscles. Yue took hold of her chin and glued his lips to hers. Sakura ran her hands round his shoulders, feeling his soft ivory skin beneath her fingers. This kiss was more than she had been expecting, filled with love and gentleness. Sakura closed her eyes, immersing herself in the feelings his kiss gave her not even bothering to wonder were he had learnt to kiss like this.
After a time he drew back and Sakura sighed happily. "Yue that was wonderful."
"I'm glad that's only the third time I have ever kissed someone." His eyes were filled with adoration for the young woman before him.
"Really? I couldn't tell." Sakura leant against him, almost forgetting about the conversation for the moment, before she was recalled to what she really wanted.
She looked up at him: his head was bent forward, his lilac eyes watching her. "Please Yue. . ."
Yue held out his hand and in it appeared a small white box with a silver moon on the top. "Sakura, will you marry me?"
Sakura smiled up at her moon angel. "Yes, Yue." Carefully she opened the box: inside it was a gold ring toped with a diamond shaped like a star. Yue took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger: it was a perfect fit.
Sakura inspected the ring with a gentle expression on her face.
"I guess we'd better tell everyone," said Yue gently.
Sakura simply nodded and then she looked up at Yue. "My moon angel."
"Hmmm, what?" Yue said, looking down at her. Sakura caught his face between her hands and kissed him, her ring glimmering in the moonlight that was just starting to come through the window.
Yue relaxed into the kiss, it was soft and undemanding, he held her about the waist whilst her own hands were on his back again, placed each side of his wings. He liked her nickname for him, moon angel was something he could definitely live with.
Yue suddenly remembered that the moon and the star are always constant companions and smiled for the first time at the fate that he had been miraculously given. The fate that had always meant some day Sakura would be his, for the moon and the star can never be separated. With this thought in mind he silently thanked Clow and wished his spirit peace.
Sakura and Yue drew away from their kiss and she leant into his chest.
"We'll get married when you're ready, there's no rush, you know that, don't you, Sakura?"
"Yes I know." Her green eyes looked up into his eyes soft with love. "But I want to marry you soon, in fact as soon as possible."
Yue looked very shocked. "Why?"
"Because I'm not letting my moon angel escape me." Her voice was filled with determination.
"And who says I want to escape?" Yue asked her teasingly.
Sakura's lips found his again: the full moon watched them through the window smiling benedictions down on them both.
Two weeks later Sakura and Yue were married at a small private ceremony, with just friends and family present.
Yue thought that Sakura looked beautiful in the dress that had been designed and made for her by Tomoyo: it was long and flowing with a tight bodice and long gauzy sleeves. Tomoyo was also there as Sakura's bridesmaid in a purple dress that was almost as stunning as the bride's. Yue himself was in a white tuxedo with lavender waistcoat, a lavender top hat decorated with lavender ribbon, and some actual lavender in his breast pocket.
The two of them said their vows, and Yue kissed Sakura very gently on the lips to seal their promise, at which point the audience burst into cheers. Sakura and Yue turned to face them, holding hands and smiling very happily. It had taken a long time, but they had finally found each other, and now they were never going to let go.
Some time later, after Sakura and Yue had changed into warm dry clothes and had a hot dinner, Sakura and her father were washing the dishes. Sakura looked at him and said. "Otou-san, what do you think of Yue-chan?"
Fujitaka looked at his daughter and smiled. "I think he is a very special man and I think he likes you very much."
"I thought I heard him say he loved me as I came to," Sakura said shyly.
"He did," said Kero.
"He did?"
Fujitaka and Kero nodded. Sakura put down the dish she was drying and ran from the kitchen, although her head immediately appeared back round the doorframe, saying, "I'll be back in a minute to finish off."
Fujitaka watched his daughter go. "I don't think you will be, my daughter," he murmured.
Kero smiled at him and Fujitaka smiled back, both knowing the surprise Yue had in store for Sakura: after all, he had plotted it with them earlier that day and now they had set her up for it.
Sakura knocked on Yue's door, but there was no answer, so she pushed it open and walked into the room.
Sakura's eyes scanned the room for her moon guardian and she immediately spotted Yue. He wasn't difficult to miss, for he was lying on the bed top naked, revealing skin that was so white it seemed to almost glow, his hair spread out around him. Some of it was even falling off the edges of the bed, making white pools on the floor. His huge white wings were unfolded but behind him and his long arms were above him on the bed. He seemed to be asleep.
Sakura blushed as she looked at Yue like this, but at the same time she felt a desire rise in her and Sakura knew it was a woman's desire for a man. Her eyes fell on his soft cherry blossom lips. Sakura quietly ventured further into the room and eventually made her way over to the bed.
As she stood by the edge of the bed, Sakura's eyes travelled over the well- defined muscles in Yue's arms and chest, then her eyes went up to his face, which was gentle in sleep, and then her eyes took in the effect of the waterfall of hair that, made Yue look as if he had just arrived on earth from heaven and fallen asleep after his long journey to the earth.
Sakura leant over the sleeping angel and gently placed her lips on his, he stirred beneath her and his long lashed eyes opened. Yue's arms came up round Sakura and drew her down to him. Sakura's green eyes flew open and met his cool ones.
He stopped kissing her. Sakura felt the loss of his lips on hers keenly and just wanted him to kiss her again. "Yue," Sakura said, dazed, wondering if she had done something wrong to make him stop kissing her so suddenly.
"Yes, Sakura?" he asked, relaxing his grip slightly.
"Do you love me?"
Her green eyes shimmered with long-concealed hope.
"Yes, Sakura, I love you, I have done so for a very long time." Sakura squealed at Yue's answer and hugged him very hard. When Yue had finally managed to regain his breath, he looked into her green eyes. "And you, Sakura, do you love me?"
Sakura noticed the question was asked very tentatively, as if Yue were awaiting rejection.
"Hai," she said, and watched Yue's reaction to that simple statement with pleasure. Yue's eyes filled with joy, a smile spread over his lips. Gently he put a hand on her cheek, his eyes glowing at her.
"I'm so glad you love me," she murmured.
"I am just as glad that your heart is mine," he replied in a whisper. "But what about Shaolan-kun?"
Sakura looked distant for a moment. "When he tried to hurt you, I was so angry that I realised I loved you, not him. My heart has been very confused, but I knew right there that it was you, just you, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."
Sakura blushed at her last words and went to take them back, but Yue placed a long finger gently on her lips. "I have waited to hear you say such things to me for a long time, but I convinced myself that you felt only friendship for me nothing more. . ." Yue took a breath and then continued. "I was speaking to your father earlier as we made dinner together . . and I asked him something."
Sakura looked at him, her eyes begging Yue to continue. Seeing this, he carried on. "I asked him if he would allow me to marry you when you were a bit older." Sakura took an inward breath. "He said I had his blessing, and we could be engaged from whenever I decided to ask you if you wanted it. Now I know you're too young for such a thing at the moment, and I'm a fool if I ask but I wanted you to know."
Yue took his finger from her mouth, Sakura grabbed hold of her moon guardian's shoulders and shook him slightly.
"I want you to ask me."
Yue played dumb. "Ask you what Sakura?"
Sakura batted him on the shoulder, Yue sat up and his white hair surrounded Sakura. She reached out and touched it. It was soft like silk, and cool. Yue watched her with soft eyes, then stroked her hair in turn.
After some time of this, Sakura looked down at his chest. She moved her hands down to it and Yue took an inward breath. Sakura grinned mischievously and ran her hands over the muscles. Yue took hold of her chin and glued his lips to hers. Sakura ran her hands round his shoulders, feeling his soft ivory skin beneath her fingers. This kiss was more than she had been expecting, filled with love and gentleness. Sakura closed her eyes, immersing herself in the feelings his kiss gave her not even bothering to wonder were he had learnt to kiss like this.
After a time he drew back and Sakura sighed happily. "Yue that was wonderful."
"I'm glad that's only the third time I have ever kissed someone." His eyes were filled with adoration for the young woman before him.
"Really? I couldn't tell." Sakura leant against him, almost forgetting about the conversation for the moment, before she was recalled to what she really wanted.
She looked up at him: his head was bent forward, his lilac eyes watching her. "Please Yue. . ."
Yue held out his hand and in it appeared a small white box with a silver moon on the top. "Sakura, will you marry me?"
Sakura smiled up at her moon angel. "Yes, Yue." Carefully she opened the box: inside it was a gold ring toped with a diamond shaped like a star. Yue took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger: it was a perfect fit.
Sakura inspected the ring with a gentle expression on her face.
"I guess we'd better tell everyone," said Yue gently.
Sakura simply nodded and then she looked up at Yue. "My moon angel."
"Hmmm, what?" Yue said, looking down at her. Sakura caught his face between her hands and kissed him, her ring glimmering in the moonlight that was just starting to come through the window.
Yue relaxed into the kiss, it was soft and undemanding, he held her about the waist whilst her own hands were on his back again, placed each side of his wings. He liked her nickname for him, moon angel was something he could definitely live with.
Yue suddenly remembered that the moon and the star are always constant companions and smiled for the first time at the fate that he had been miraculously given. The fate that had always meant some day Sakura would be his, for the moon and the star can never be separated. With this thought in mind he silently thanked Clow and wished his spirit peace.
Sakura and Yue drew away from their kiss and she leant into his chest.
"We'll get married when you're ready, there's no rush, you know that, don't you, Sakura?"
"Yes I know." Her green eyes looked up into his eyes soft with love. "But I want to marry you soon, in fact as soon as possible."
Yue looked very shocked. "Why?"
"Because I'm not letting my moon angel escape me." Her voice was filled with determination.
"And who says I want to escape?" Yue asked her teasingly.
Sakura's lips found his again: the full moon watched them through the window smiling benedictions down on them both.
Two weeks later Sakura and Yue were married at a small private ceremony, with just friends and family present.
Yue thought that Sakura looked beautiful in the dress that had been designed and made for her by Tomoyo: it was long and flowing with a tight bodice and long gauzy sleeves. Tomoyo was also there as Sakura's bridesmaid in a purple dress that was almost as stunning as the bride's. Yue himself was in a white tuxedo with lavender waistcoat, a lavender top hat decorated with lavender ribbon, and some actual lavender in his breast pocket.
The two of them said their vows, and Yue kissed Sakura very gently on the lips to seal their promise, at which point the audience burst into cheers. Sakura and Yue turned to face them, holding hands and smiling very happily. It had taken a long time, but they had finally found each other, and now they were never going to let go.