Sakura yawned for the hundredth time that day. Daisuke smiled, and let her rest her head on his shoulder as they stood up against a tree. It was the lunch hour and Daisuke had hoped for some free time with Sakura to counter Dark's conversation with her for an entire night. However, she seemed to have a serious lack of sleep seeing as before Daisuke could even kiss her, she yawned widely in his face.
"G-gomen…" Sakura mumbled. "I was up late,"
Daisuke lovingly patted her head. "It's okay. Sleep for awhile – I'll wake you up when it's time for class,"
Sakura began to blink tiredly and she immediately drifted off into sleep, mumbling another apology to Daisuke. Daisuke sighed as he listened to Dark's chuckles.
"This is your fault you know," Daisuke muttered. Dark continued to chuckle.
You get to spend all day with her. he said. Don't be so jealous.
"How can I not?!" Daisuke exclaimed. "You have no self-control, even when I am around!"
I'm not going to jump her or anything…
"I still don't entirely trust you," Daisuke said.
What? You don't trust yourself now?
"…" Daisuke twitched, and proceeded to hug Sakura tighter. "Why exactly are you trying so hard to get to Sakura?"
I've told you, Dark said impatiently. I need to get close to her so when you tell her about us, she won't get freaked out.
"But why exactly are you so eager to confess to her?" Daisuke asked. "Once we confess, you'll disappear,"
Eh… I'll be back. Dark said.
"I still don't see why you're really pushing this," Daisuke muttered. "Do you want to go so badly?"
Considering that I've been hanging around you for the longer than anyone before, Dark said. Yeah.
Daisuke scoffed, "Is disappearing what you really want?"
Dark began to sigh. Do you really wanna know?
Daisuke looked at his watch. "Can you sum it up in ten minutes?"
He could feel Dark twitch. Disappearing for a few years is better than being tied down to a Niwa. No offense.
"I see," Daisuke said. He paused, thinking about the next question in his head. "Does it hurt?" he asked tentatively.
Does what hurt?
"To see the person you love… to not be able to hold them?" Daisuke asked.
All the time.
"This seems like a pretty heavy curse then," Daisuke said. "You know, we could always adopt and lay off having a son," he joked.
Now that's an attractive idea, Dark said, without any sarcasm. Daisuke frowned a bit. He sat underneath the tree contemplating to himself about Dark's dilemma. He knew that Dark went through it before, but was still concerned for this man… or, his other self's, well being.
…You should get going, Daisuke.
"Geh? A-Ahh!" Daisuke hurriedly shook Sakura. "Sakura! Wake up! We're going to be late!"
"H-Hoee?"
Sakura blinked in surprise, as Daisuke quickly pulled her to her feet. "Lunch hour's over!" he exclaimed, tugging her arm.
"HOEE~"
+++
Sakura yawned widely again and her head drooped tiredly onto her locker. Tomoyo chuckled from behind her.
"Sakura-chan," she said. "You should've skipped cheerleading practice today,"
"N-no… way…" she muttered, yawning again. "Sensei would've killed me. I already missed three practices…"
Tomoyo chuckled again. "Then tonight, promise me you'll get some sleep," she placed a finger to her cheek, "You should just ignore the kaitou,"
"I can't," Sakura said, languorously doing the combination to her lock. "He won't leave me alone. And I want that stupid orb," she said angrily. Tomoyo grew starry-eyed.
"When it comes to the day when the heroic Sakura-chan steals the dangerous magic-stealing orb back, promise to contact me!" Tomoyo said. Sakura immediately shook her head.
"No way!" she exclaimed. "I'm not going to get you in danger too,"
Tomoyo smiled. "If I'm with you, I'll be safe,"
"But I'm not sure I can beat him if he has that stupid artifact with him…"
Tomoyo firmly clasped Sakura's hands with hers. With adoring eyes, she said, "'Because it's Sakura-chan, everything will be alright,'"
Sakura sighed. "Alright, fine," she said, sending Tomoyo off into glees of delight. "But you'll have to hide or conceal yourself, you promise?"
"Absolutely!" Tomoyo said eagerly. "I can't wait!"
Sakura shook her head in exasperation as she opened her locker. To her surprise, placed neatly between her shoes was a small envelope with her name written on it. Tomoyo peered over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow.
"An admirer?" she asked. Sakura opened it with unsteady fingers.
"'Tomorrow night, 7:00 at King Penguin,'" Sakura read. She rolled her eyes, "Why is it always King Penguin?"
"Do you know who it is?" Tomoyo said, with surprise.
"Yeah," Sakura muttered, throwing the envelope back into her locker and putting on her shoes. "It's that baka,"
"Dark-san?" Tomoyo said, with both eyebrows raised. "…Are you going to get the orb then?"
"We'll see," Sakura said darkly. Tomoyo brightened.
"Great! Then I'm coming too!" she announced. Sakura facefaulted.
"Are you sure about this…?" she muttered.
"Of course! I won't miss the chance to film Sakura-chan's grandeur as she defeats the mysterious kaitou…" Tomoyo trailed off, singing the entire plotline for her video. Sakura shut her locker, and stood up, and then fell back to the floor at the words, "Of course, I'll be making the costumes,"
"COSTUMES?!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Absolutely!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "No movie is complete without a gorgeous wardrobe!"
Sakura sighed and began to walk off with Tomoyo following her ranting dreamily about what type of fabric, color, and design to use on the costume that she'd make for Sakura the next day.
"Maybe I could try out this new type of lace I was experimenting with… against some blue cashmere…?"
Perhaps I can get Dark to answer some more questions… Sakura pondered. Like why he is so old… and why he talks tohimself…
She watched Tomoyo continue to rant mindlessly, occasionally giving Sakura measured stares as if imagining how a certain outfit would look on her. I just hope Tomoyo-chan doesn't get hurt.
She gave a small twitch. And that Dark won't start flirting with her if he spots her.
Sakura tripped slightly. Tomoyo, of course, noticed out of the corner of her eye at Sakura's confused expression as she stumbled.
But… why would I care? Sakura wondered. Tomoyo placed a small mental note in the back of her head.
+++
"Busy?" Daisuke said, pretending to look disappointed in front of Sakura the next day after school. Sakura looked at him breathlessly. Cheerleading practice was finished, and Sakura had just bumped into Daisuke on her way into the locker room. He had been watching her from the stands.
He watched Sakura's face look at him in horror. "G-gomen," she said. "But I promised Tomoyo-chan I'd go to her house after school…"
Daisuke gnawed at his lip. "Ah, I see," he said. "Uh… then I'll just go then…" He gave a nervous shrug and prepared to turn when Sakura grabbed his arm.
"Iie!" she exclaimed. "I'll make it up to you,"
He forced down a smile at her predictability, and turned to look at her pleading face. Daisuke shook his head, "N-no, it's okay. I don't want to be a chore for you…"
"You're not a chore!" Sakura exclaimed. "I want to spend time with you too!"
Daisuke suppressed the warmth he felt in the pit of his stomach. "It's okay if you don't want to," he said, now forcing a wistful smile onto his face. She immediately leapt up and hugged him tightly, shaking her head.
"No, no… That's not it," she said. She kissed him. "Please don't feel that way," she begged. He felt a smile appear on his lips, despite all efforts to control it.
"Alright – we'll just have to go out on another day," he said, faking a sigh. Sakura brightened.
"Really? Then it's okay?" she asked.
"Well… I might need some more persuading," he said. Sakura smiled and kissed him again. She giggled as he hummed with content.
"Are you persuaded yet?" she asked. Daisuke gave her a grin.
"Nope. Try again," he said playfully. Sakura laughed and lightly pushed him away.
"Daisuke-kun, I promise this Saturday afternoon we'll go to the park together," she said. She smiled at him and then ran off towards the locker room, waving to him.
"Right after school!" Daisuke shouted after her. He smirked to himself.
Sly, Daisuke. Dark muttered moodily. I didn't know you to be the manipulative type.
"Guy's gotta do, what a guy's gotta do," he said. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "I deserve some time with her, after all, since you're gonna hog her for tonight,"
"Hog"? …Have you come down with something? Dark asked, incredulous.
"Love?" Daisuke murmured, savoring the taste of Sakura's lips on his. "It makes you do crazy things…" He doubled over, clutching his waist, and Dark soon took over his body.
"Hmm…" Dark muttered. "Four o'clock. I still have three hours until the meet,"
He tugged at Daisuke's uniform distastefully. "Why are the clothes you wear so tight?"
I'm shorter than you, so obviously…
"But why there…?" Dark's gaze shifted south and he laughed as Daisuke began to scream hysterically.
"Easy, easy," he said. "I'm just kidding,"
But as he began to casually walk through Seijou High's field towards home, he winced a little along the way.
XD I borrowed the last scene from one of the manga--one of those short excerpts from the end that are really cartoon-y... O-hohoho...
