Intertwined : Chapter 16

"Sakura-chan! Are you alright?!"
Tomoyo rushed through the front door and pounced on Sakura and immediately searched for any wounds. Sakura sweatdropped.
"Tomoyo-chan, I'm okay," she said nervously. Tomoyo let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness!" she said. "I mean, if that kaitou did anything to you…" She had a dangerous gleam in her eye. Sakura sweatdropped.
"Iie… I'm okay," she said nervously. "Come on, Touya said we can eat in my room,"
They ran up the stairs and Sakura urgently pulled Tomoyo into the room. After settling Tomoyo on her bed and hastily handing her a bento box, she ran back to her door. Looking back and forth down the hall and checking the whereabouts of her brother, she shut the door and locked it. Tomoyo gave a slight smile.
"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura panted slightly, and grabbed another bento nearby. After taking a big bite of rice, she chewed hungrily and swallowed. She had a sort of frantic look in her eyes.
"Tomoyo-chan, promise me that you won't tell anyone," she said breathlessly. Tomoyo smiled broadly.
"What is it, Sakura?" she asked. Sakura suddenly blushed as red as a tomato, and felt her voice become small.
"Daisuke-san… ano…" she said hesitantly.
"Did he confess?" Tomoyo finish, grinning even wider.
"HOE! You knew?!"
"I know everything, Sakura," Tomoyo said, chuckling.
"Then you already know he kissed me?!" Sakura asked, a bit surprised. Tomoyo was taken aback.
"Actually," Tomoyo said. "I didn't know that,"
"Hoe?!" Sakura exclaimed. "Oh no…"
"So he kissed you?" Tomoyo asked excitedly. "Did you kiss back?"
"Tomoyo-chan!"
"It's a very simple question, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Sakura glared a bit, before muttering under her breath.
"'Hai'?!" Tomoyo exclaimed, her fine tuned ears picking up every word. "Really!"
Sakura's face burned. "Honto," she whispered. Tomoyo clapped her hands eagerly.
"That's wonderful!" she exclaimed. "How was it?"
Sakura's tenderly touched her cheeks as they burned so much that it hurt. "…Okay,"
"'Okay'?!" Tomoyo said, a bit indignant at the lack of information. "Sakura-chan, tell me more! O-hohoho! Maybe I can catch it next time on camera!"
Sakura sighed wearily. "Hai hai, Tomoyo-chan," she said. Tomoyo seemed to calm down a little and watched as Sakura looked up at the ceiling with a dazed expression. After quietly observing for a minute while taking a few bites out of her bento box, Tomoyo smiled gently.
"How do you feel, Sakura-chan?" she asked.
"I don't know," Sakura said. "It just happened so fast… I still can't believe it happened."
"Who kissed who?" Tomoyo asked.
"Well…" Sakura began, a bit nervous. "It's complicated."
"Then please discuss it. And you better eat or your food will get cold," Tomoyo said handing the bento box to Sakura.
So Sakura explained the situation to Tomoyo without omitting anything, and nearly choking from embarrassment as Tomoyo expressed peals of delight. Tomoyo noted the bemused expression on Sakura's face as she recalled her night there and Daisuke's confession as well as the genuine sparkle that somehow found its way back into her eyes. Faint, but apparent. Tomoyo felt a surge of relief and great thanks towards Daisuke. Perhaps she'll make him something to wear on their first date together. And she could film it! How exciting! She thought. Sakura's first date in elegant clothing! She nearly swooned with delight.
"Where is Kero-chan, by the way?" Tomoyo asked, once Sakura had finished relating the tale. Sakura grinned sheepishly.
"Well, he's probably downstairs with Onii-chan arguing over how much dessert he'll get…" she said. "And I told him Onii-chan might make a cake so he's probably down there harassing him…"
Tomoyo giggled. "Tricky, Sakura," she said.
"Heh," Sakura said. "I didn't want Kero-chan to eavesdrop and then freak out over it. Onii-chan will do that,"
"Touya-san doesn't know?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura shook her head vigorously.
"Oh no no no…" she said. "Onii-chan would hunt Daisuke, or prevent me from seeing him. Or … do other things," she said, looking off into the air. She squinted hard, and then rubbed her head roughly. "Ah, forgot," she said meekly.
"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, looking at her with concern.
"Ah, I was just trying to See what Onii-chan might do to Daisuke if I ever told him," she explained. "It used to come naturally, but last night… ano, Dark-san took some of the cards' magic,"
"What?" Tomoyo asked. "How?"
Sakura sighed and began to explain to her what had happened, not forgetting to show her the blank cards. Tomoyo frowned as she listened to Dark's actions. She let out a sigh of disappointment.
"I always admired Dark-san for his gorgeous costumes," Tomoyo admitted. "But to have hurt Sakura-chan! That is very odd, since he doesn't seem like a violent person,"
"He wasn't very violent," Sakura interrupted. "Just very annoying."
"Maa," Tomoyo said, blinking. "He seems like a very interesting person."
"No," Sakura said with an irritated expression. "He's someone who deserves to be slapped,"
"But Sakura," Tomoyo said. "He had a chance to take advantage of you, or seriously hurt you. Yet he left you on a park bench, untouched."
Sakura did not comment at this. Instead, took a few contemplative bites of her bento.
"Maybe you should talk to him rather than resort to violence," Tomoyo said gently.
"What if he resorts to violence?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo smiled.
"He looks like a very gentle person," Tomoyo said. "He may not show it, but he seems to be a very sad and lonely man,"
Sakura stared. "…You really do know everything, Tomoyo-chan," she said with awe.
"O-hohoho,"

+++

Are you daydreaming again? Dark asked.
Daisuke snapped out of his reverie. He blinked and hurriedly began scribbling randomness onto his papers. He cursed in his head as Dark laughed at him.
Is she a good kisser? Dark asked snidely.
"Shut up," Daisuke said. "This coming from a guy who wants her for herself. I thought you were heart-broken,"
Now why would that be? Dark asked. I have a fair chance now that you two are together.
"What do you mean by that?!" Daisuke exclaimed.
Just saying, Daisuke, just saying. If you ever want to rid yourself of me, she'll have to like me too. Dark said.
"She has to accept you, not like," Daisuke snapped. "And who says that I want you to get rid of you?"
Well, you obviously would want to, unless you always want me to be around when you're with Sakura-chaaan. Dark said. When you're hugging her, kissing her, thinking dirty thoughts about her…
"…"
Aha! Pervert.
"You're the pervert!!" Daisuke cried. Dark cracked up again, Daisuke groaned.
You do want to get rid of me, admit it.
"Just because I want you out of my head, doesn't mean I don't want you around," Daisuke said. "You made me who I am. You are me,"
Hmm… well then, you'll just have to wait around to have a son to see me again.
"I wish it didn't work out that way," Daisuke said.
Well, you don't get to decide.
"I can't believe after thousands of years, you still haven't found a way out of this curse," Daisuke said. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling as he conversed with Dark.
It was a pretty strong curse.
"How did you get cursed like this?" Daisuke asked.
Don't remember.
"Liar,"
You think I'm going to tell you?!
"Must've been really bad then," Daisuke said, laughing. Dark scowled. Daisuke smiled. "Well don't worry. I'll take good care of you once you're my son,"
Unless you get a girl.
"Eh, well grandson then. Ojii-chan had to wait to see me become you, so I'll just wait like he did,"
Well, what if your daughter has a daughter too?
"…Yeah, what would happen?" Daisuke asked, suddenly realizing how little he knew about Dark. "Where do you go? What will happen to you if our whole family died out without an heir?"
Stop asking stupid questions. Dark said. I'll just sleep until then.
"Will you disappear?" Daisuke asked hesitantly.
Shouldn't you be doing your damn homework?
"Will you disappear?" Daisuke repeated forcefully. Dark didn't respond.

+++

"Tomoyo-chan, you won't stay for dinner?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo smiled as she stood in the threshold of the Kinomoto household.
"No, it's fine," she said. "Okaa-sama is cooking dinner tonight, and I haven't seen her for awhile,"
"Ah, okay then," Sakura said. "Then good night, Tomoyo-chan," she said.
"Good night, Sakura-chan!" she said, waving as she walked away. Sakura smiled as she watched her friend walk off towards a black limousine. They had spent the entire day talking with each other. It was something that they had not shared together for a long time, and Sakura forgot how much she enjoyed Tomoyo's company. Her steadfastness and calm countenance could always keep Sakura down-to-earth.
Sakura cheerfully walked to the kitchen to help Yukito prepare dinner. He smiled down at her as she immediately began peeling the potatoes for the curry that night.
"Sakura-chan, you look cheerful today," Yukito commented.
"Hai," she said meekly. "I feel good,"
"Did anything in particular happen?" Yukito asked, wiping his hands on his apron as finished slicing the carrots. Sakura blushed.
"I'd rather not say… Onii-chan might get upset," she said. Yukito looked at her with kind eyes.
"Did you find him?" Yukito asked. Sakura gave a small, mirthless chuckle and looked at him with a saddened look.
"You asked me that once before," she said. "And I said that I did,"
Yukito looked down guiltily. "To-ya said he never wrote or called,"
Sakura licked her dry lips, and nodded. "Hai,"
"But it's been four years," Yukito said. "Has your heart healed?"
Sakura placed the peeler down and touched her chest where her heart was, looking down. "It still hurts sometimes, when I'm alone," she said. Yukito gave her a sad smile.
"But you met someone?" he asked. Sakura nodded. "Are you in pain?"
Sakura gave a slow, faint smile. "He makes me feel good. Something about him makes me warm inside," she said.
"Is he nice?" Yukito asked. Sakura nodded. "Does he treat you well?" Nod nod. "Handsome?"
Sakura blushed at this and gave a very small nod.
"What's his name?" Yukito asked. Sakura looked up at him, and held out her pinky finger.
"Promise not to tell Onii-chan before I do?" she asked. Yukito smiled and hooked her finger with his. Sakura gave a relieved sigh. "Niwa Daisuke-kun," she said, blushing faintly. Yukito grinned, and then resumed cutting some celery.
"It's good to see you smile like this again, Sakura-chan," he said.
"It's good to be able to," she responded.

+++

"Where the hell is the cake?!" Kero exclaimed.
"Just eat your damn curry," Touya snapped as he spooned the spicy stew into a bowl in front of Kero. He growled.
"Sakura said that you made cake! Where is it?!" he shouted. Touya twitched and turned to glare at Sakura, who sweatdropped.
"TELL him that there isn't any cake!" Touya exclaimed. Sakura looked from Touya's dangerous glare to Kero's indignant disbelief. Scared of the outcome of whatever she might say, she quickly scooted her chair closer to Yukito and jabbed her spoon into her bowl.
"You're HIDING it, aren't you?!"
"Why would I hide it if I knew a glutton like you would be chasing after it?!"
"Because you want it all for yourself! C'mon, 'Nii-chan, SHARE!"
"Sure okay. I'll share the invisible cake with you!"
Kero glared at Touya, who glared back. Sakura laughed nervously.
"Kero-chan, I'll bake you a cake tomorrow, okay?" she offered quickly as soon as she saw Kero get up with the fork with a murderous glint in his eyes. The glint turned into a bright twinkle and he rushed towards Sakura with a starry eyed expression.
"REALLY?!"
"Hai hai…" Sakura muttered. "Otou-san's coming back home tomorrow too, so I'll give him a piece of cake too,"
Touya sat down in his chair, relieved that Kero wasn't pestering him anymore. "Thank god," he said. "Otou-san is coming back. I can't handle taking care of the house alone,"
Yukito chuckled. After promptly glaring at Yukito, he turned to Sakura and said, "So you'll be telling 'tou-san about your new friend tomorrow?"
Sakura nearly dropped her bowl onto the ground. After quickly turning to Yukito who had a bemused expression as well, she blinked and tentatively asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well," Touya said, avoiding eye contact in fear of burning holes into her face with his intense look, "That gak… kid yesterday that you stayed with. Aren't you two friends?"
"Um…" she began nervously, struggling to think of something to say, "H-Hai,"
Touya took nonchalant bites of the curry, before raising an eyebrow at his little sister. "Name's Niwa?" he asked.
"Hai…"
"Why didn't you introduce us?" Touya asked, his voice frosty.
Sakura laughed nervously. "Um… maybe next time Onii-chan…"
Touya snorted. "Why not tomorrow after school?" he asked. "Invite him over for dinner,"
Sakura felt a shock of electricity run through, and warning signs appeared all over her head. What's he planning? She wondered frantically. She pouted inwardly, He knows I can't read his emotions right now, so he's taking advantage of the situation.
Sakura hesitantly brought her spoon to her mouth. Trying to appear cool and calm, she asked, "What is the occasion?"
"Just want to meet your new friend, Sakura," he said, just as cool.
"I'll introduce you at school," she said tersely.
"Why don't you introduce him to Dad as well?" Touya asked. "I'm sure it's okay, I mean, he's nothing but your friend."
Sakura screamed loudly in her head, and repressed her bottled up feelings. She felt genuine fear in what her brother would do if he realized what Daisuke really was to her.
Nothing I can do, she thought morosely. He can survive through one dinner… hopefully.
"Ah… hai," Sakura said timidly. She didn't catch the glare Yukito shot at Touya who glared back.
"I want more!" Kero shouted angrily, not even listening to the conversation, and shoving his bowl into Touya's face.