Twin Strangers
Written by: Ciuline Ihmenjo
Cardcaptor Sakura does not belong to me. The characters in Cardcaptor Sakura do not belong to me. CLAMP owns CCS. Besides, even if you do try and sue me, I have no money.
This story seems to update faster than my others no? Anywho, that's just me running with a great idea. I'll finish this one up and have room to branch off it! Stay on the look out 'cause this will finish up soon! [And thank you everyone who has reviewed my fiction "Fallen" and for giving me those wonderful 143 reviews!] I love you guys!
Italicized words are thoughts; Bold words are emphasis; CAPS WORDS are shouting;
= = Seven Months Later = =
We finally make it to the Li clan household after about an hour's drive from the airport.
The minute I find where we would be staying, I run toward the room and flop back on the bed. "We're supposed to be relaxing, right?" You nod, looking about three seconds away from complete unconsciousness. I have the urge to kill the next thing that enters the room. "Then why the hell don't I feel relaxed?"
You are too tired to say. After about five minutes of complete silence, I finally hear your voice. It's strained and thin. "Jet lag?" I crack a smile and roll over onto my stomach. "It could be that neither of us have slept for two days," you add.
"Weddings are too much of a damn drain!" I cry out. I hear you grunt from you are sprawled out on the chair, and I take the noise as agreement. "But still, I can't believe I'm back in Hong Kong!" I shift into a sitting position.
"And I don't believe that I went with you," you mumble from the chair.
"Well, it was Sakura who asked you to come." I look out the window of my old room and sigh.
"Told," you mutter.
"Not much difference. You would have come no matter what she said."
"Good point."
I yawn, stretching my arms over my head. "I'm sleepy. Can you believe we actually have your sister's wedding in a week?"
"Yet we're here about four days too early for both the rehearsal and the actual event." You push your body upright with your feet.
"Well, I wanted to spend some time with my family, that's all."
"So you have ulterior motives then?"
"I'm back home," I reply.
"You're also hogging the bed," you say, abruptly changing the subject.
"I'm wha—?" My question is never completed. You stagger over and pick me up in a fierce hug.
"I said you're hogging the bed. Now make some room." A stupid grin is plastered on your face.
"TOUYA KINOMOTO, IF YOU DON'T PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT…" I shout.
"You'll do what?" you whisper in my ear. I feel a sudden warm wetness and melt under it. My brain sets off fireworks.
"I'm not that easy… too…" I falter. My brain is turning quickly into something along the lines of steamed spinach. My thought process is crawling along like a dying snail. I've nearly stopped thinking coherent thoughts. All because of your breath on my neck and your tongue in my ear.
You nuzzle against my neck and my world explodes. Pulling my body closer to your chest, you fall backward and onto the bed. You somehow manage to turn me around in midair so I am facing you now that we have landed. "Y'know, you can make room for two on a twin bed."
My capacity for speech is about nil at the moment, so I just sputter helplessly. I never needed room for two on this bed… the exact reason I bought the damned thing in the first place: one person only!
"Meilin?" You wave a hand in front of my eyes. "You in there?" You rap my skull lightly with a knuckle and I grimace above you. I perceive it as an annoyance before snapping into full awareness.
"Ow."
"Profound thought my love."
"Quit it you." I rub my head. "I just zoned out." I place my palms on the mattress to support myself so you no longer have to.
"You had me scared for a moment there." You brush my bangs away from my eyes and kiss me gently.
"God, I feel like such a ditz." You choose the smartest action. You remain silent.
"Going to sleep now?" you ask me.
"Yes, and you would not make a good mattress, no matter what you believe." I roll off the bed and stand, completely ignoring your boyish smirk. "I'll go and sleep on the couch."
"The couch?" you exclaim. The smirk is gone and shock replaces it.
"Yes, I said couch. Do you have a problem with that?"
"I believe the question would be: do you have a problem with that?"
"No." I turn around and being to root though the hangers in my closet. "Night clothes… night clothes…"
"Night clothes?"
"I don't own 'pajamas,'" I respond from inside the closet.
"So this means that you're not going to wear my t-shirts anymore?" I can swear you almost sound relieved.
"No, you're getting all your clothes back before we get married, so I vowed to stop wearing them."
"Then sleep naked since you can't seem to find anything."
"On the couch?" I chuckle, "not a chance."
"No, I meant in here. I'm sure this bed would hold two people."
"As appealing as that is I'm not sleeping with you."
"Why not?"
"Because, I don't feel like having sex for once."
"That time of the month?" you tease. I grab an empty hangar and hurl it at your forehead. It misses by mere centimeters. "Guess so."
"Actually no, it is not." I sigh. "I don't get moody anyhow. You should know that."
"Well, you're moody now." You roll over on my bed to stare at me. I choose a spot on the wall and lean back against it. "Tell me about it."
"I missed home, that's all."
An enlighten look come across your face. "I know," you say, "it's because you feel strange now that Syaoran is getting married." By the look on my face, you know you've hit home. "I understand. I mean, after all, he is marrying my sister."
"But he was my fiancée," I growl. I'm not successful in keeping my tone neutral.
You only shrug. "I'm not you. I can't say that I know what you are feeling. But I'm sure that you're frustrated. You have every right to be." You pause. "I know what I was feeling when Yukito got married to Nakuru though. They were both good friends. I was afraid. Afraid of what would happen next. And I was frustrated because I felt like I didn't do enough to keep us together."
"You, scared?" I murmur with a hint of disbelief creeping into my voice. I feel my legs carrying me, on their own power, toward the bed until I'm standing right in front of you.
"Yes, I was scared of an uncertain future." You grab my hand in bring it to your lips, kissing my knuckles. "I'm scared right now. I'm scared for us."
"I'm scared too," I whisper. "We still haven't gotten the approval of the elders."
"If they don't approve us, they can rot," you murmur.
"And if they hear that, our love will rot for sure," I say. "But I'm sure that Syaoran and his mother can convince them."
"I hope so." You turn my hand different ways. After a moment, you smile at me. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
I look down at the object in question. "I love it." I slip the ring off my finger and hold it in the light. The four rubies surrounding the single diamond in the middle sparkle in the artificial light. "But, I'm tired. I need sleep." I yawn and take a seat on the bed.
"So, you're going to sleep in here?" you ask, your eyes closed.
"The couch seems too cold without you."
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
"Take it however you want." I shift so I'm lying on my side. Using my nightstand for a small bit of leverage, I use my body to push yours toward the edge of the bed. I hear no loud thump, so I smile and wrap myself in the sheets. "But I'm still going to be comfortable." I don't get a response. But then you wrap an arm around my chest and hug me to your body. Satisfied, I close my eyes and drift toward sleep.
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
I feel stiff when I wake in the morning. You must have gone back to your chair sometime during the night. I walk over to you and begin lightly shaking you. "Hey, wake the hell up!"
"Ten more minutes," you grumble. You open your eyes half way to stare at me with bleary eyes. Then you shut them. Your head lolls onto your shoulder.
"It's the middle of the morning! Get," I tug your arm, "up!"
You pull me toward you. "I'm up, now why in the hell can't you do this at my apartment. That whole waking up early thing. I'm usually waiting all morning for you to move."
"Well, I get better sleep in your bed." I look at the clock. "And anyhow, we've slept for about ten hours. Plus Syaoran came in and woke me up."
"He woke you up?" You chuckle. "Is he still standing?"
"I hit him pretty hard. Three times I think." I giggle, remembering my cousin's surprised look. And my equally shocked one. "It doesn't matter. It is his fault for trying to rouse me before I want to be roused."
We head down the stairs to the familiar site and smell of pancakes. Sakura is standing at the stove
"Where's you're husband?"
Her cheeks flush. "He's taking care of Nadeshiko." I smile. You named her after your mother… I swear I can see tears in your eyes, but you hide them behind a smile.
"Well, at least she's not a kaiju like…" He doesn't get too far with the statement before Sakura turns to him with weary eyes. She flings the spatula at him, hitting him square in the chest.
"For the love of…" She storms over and picks up the fallen utensil, washes it off, and flips the pancakes smoking in the pan on the stove. Syaoran enters the room, holding the baby in his arms.
"You sure you're up to this?" he asks her, his face full of concern. "You've haven't slept in days." He stabs a fork into the plate of pancakes by the stove and feeds her a bite. The fork is practically shoved down her throat before she begins to chew and swallow. "You're eye are beginning to look like a panda's." She makes a rude noise and picks up two plates. Handing them to me, she leans back against the counter.
"I'll be fine in time for the wedding."
"No, you'll get better now," he says. His tone is full of irritation.
"I said I'll be fine," she says in an equally irritated tone.
"You're absolutely sure?"
"Positive. And even if I still have black circles then, Tomoyo can always patch them up with make up."
"Okay then. When you finish this, you go back to sleep." I know just as well as Syaoran does that she won't quit cooking breakfast, even if he pleads with her. She's stubborn like that. Being a mother will probably make her even more stubborn.
"But I have things to do!" she says.
"They can wait until you get sleep." He sighs. "Now, I can't say this is bad for Nadeshiko, but this is bad for your health."
"But…"
"I'll take care of it," I pipe up. "You and I have about the same measurements. At least, according to Tomoyo we do. So I can fit your dress and the like."
"I'm not going to let you do that."
"Sakura, if we have to tie you down to the bed, you will rest," you say. "You can't argue with the logic of three people who love you very much. So go and get some sleep now."
She nods and puts down the spatula. She begins to pick up the pan, but Syaoran places a hand on hers. "I'll take care of this," he says softly. He hands Sakura their child and she seems to have some renewed energy. She makes some cute noises and kisses her on the forehead.
"This is really wearing her down. With the baby and all, she's barely gotten an hour of sleep each night. Then again, I've barely gotten any sleep either." He takes a few more bites of his pancakes and sets the plate down. "I've got to get going. Tomoyo is fitting me for my tuxedo," he adds with a grimace, "or whatever she has planned, this morning."
He sets the half-eaten food by the window and I stare at my food, trying to get this one thought off my mind…
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
I check the package again, still in complete disbelief. I franticly read every last word – twice. I am attending a wedding in two weeks! I don't have time for this! I'm not even married yet!
"Two circles…" I say to my wide-eyed reflection in the glass. "Two circles…" I repeat and looked curiously at myself in the mirror. I look down at the package and back at the test strip. And then I scream, but only because the house is empty. I let the sound rattle against the windowpanes and roll out into the street. I care little for who hears it.
And, for once, I am thankful that you have already left for work…
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
I am deathly positive that this is the hardest thing I have ever attempted in my life. How does one go about telling her lover that she is pregnant? Sakura and Syaoran found out together. She wasn't sure so she tested herself. And then they waited patiently for the results. I wish that I had thought to get your support before I noticed those two blue circles. Those two damned blue circles…
"Hey Touya?" I say meekly, nearly choking on a mixture of spit and air.
You fidget, your knuckles involuntary on the table in front of your wooden chair. "They're taking long enough," you mutter, glaring in the direction of the gated doorway. Looking up at me, you flash a nervous smile, "Did you say something?" You're gaze darts back to the entrance of the inner chamber. I steal a quick glance at my watch. The hour and minute hand are both just near the two. Which means we've been sitting here for almost an hour and a half…
I recover myself after a coughing fit. "I can tell you later."
"You seem to have wanted to tell me now."
"Well, thinking about it now, I have decided that it can wait until later."
"It'll pass the time." You interlace your fingers and place them behind your head.
"Well Touya, y'see…" I am cut off as the door opens. Syaoran sends a relieved look toward me out of the corner of his eye. He looked completely and utterly tranquil, collected. Very much unlike the two of us.
He looks up, sweat beading on his forehead and rolling down his face. There are stains of it on his ceremonial robes. "They approve of your marriage." I turn to you and we share a smile. "Of course it's for the same reasons they approve of my marriage. We're both marrying magic. As stupid as it seems, they are still concerned about power."
Mother chooses to interrupt. "And we must respect that," she says calmly. "I have preparations to complete with Daidouji-san, so if you will excuse me."
Syaoran watches her walk calmly out the door. "Mother is something else when she's angry." He smiles. "You two are in good hands." He faces you and jabs a finger into your chest. "Now you remember, she's family. 'Cause if you do anything to hurt her, there will be hell to pay."
You chuckle, rubbing the back of your head sheepishly with the palm of your hand. "I'll remember that." You walk over to me and give me a kiss on the lips. "Let's go finish that conversation. I trust it's something you wouldn't like the brat to hear."
"I heard that." You just ignore him.
Leading me out of the room, you place a hand on the wall. It hovers protectively over me. "What is it you wanted to say?"
"I-I-I can't say it here," I stammer, watching my cousin's retreating back.
"You can't?" You carry a puzzled look on your face. "Is everything okay?"
"I don't know."
"How can you not know?"
"I really don't know right now," I reply, almost exasperated.
You begin to panic. "Something didn't happen, did it?"
"It's just that—" I try to find the words that are eluding me.
I'm cut off when you interrupt me. "Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"
"Touya… you can never do anything wrong. It's just that you… you're going to be a father." There, I said it finally! It's over and now he knows. My jittery nerves calm down and I can finally keep my voice somewhat level.
But you seem to not have heard me correctly. "I did what?" The puzzled look is back and you forget that you are in a panic. "Wait a minute, can you say that again."
"Touya Kinomoto, you are going to be a father," I say, my voice as steady at possible.
You blink a few times. "I heard you right?" you say slowly. "You're pregnant?"
I nod, unable to find my voice.
You blink a few more times and I can see the arm supporting you on the wall begin to shake.
"Is something wrong?"
I get a wonderful view of your eyes as they roll back into your skull. You make an odd noise and faint. You're body slams into me. I am too stunned to do much of anything. I just wrap my arms around you and support your weight.
"At least you took it better than I did." I smile and sink to the floor, cradling your head in my lap.
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
The next six months seemed to pass in a blink of my eyes. But the events replay in my dreams as the happiest moments of my life.
Tomoyo insisted that her cousin has a very American-style wedding. In fact, she was already planning the second wedding: mine. It would be one with bridesmaids in red dresses instead of the pink color of the current ceremony. Sakura and I both raised hell – for different reasons, of course. My reason was because I didn't want to be married so soon. And hers was because she was getting married so soon. And she was getting tired of pink. She wouldn't let Tomoyo forget that fact. But it was all in vain. In the end, it was Eriol who had the entire thing planned out from the start. At least, he was the one to ensure that his wife's plans went correctly. God do I hate him sometimes…
They surprised every single one of us with their marriage. It was a private ceremony in England. They didn't invite us. Just showed up in Japan with wedding bands and a furious Sonomi Daidouji trying to strangle poor Eriol. And Kaho, damned stupid Kaho, oversaw the ceremony. I guess she was over him after all. And that's probably why none of us were invited…
I did cry when Sakura said, "I do" to my cousin. Of course, when her daughter came into the world… I couldn't stop the waterworks. But I am finished with tears. At least I am until my own child enters this realm called "Earth". I put on a brave face. As nervous as I was, I was prepared for my new life. A life with you by my side forever.
I was tired of seeing my friends getting married and myself being left behind.
But, after I put on the flowing white dress and went through the entire ceremony, I felt somewhat relieved. At the same time, I was nervous. Actually, I was incredibly nervous; I was so nervous I was quivering during my entire wedding. And then it was over. We were now joined in holy matrimony.
I didn't know quite what to do, how to act, what to feel like now that we were happily married. And then you kissed me gently on the forehead and told me to relax and to just be myself. So I took a deep breath and soothed my jittery nerves. All my stress and nervousness blew away with that one breath.
I know you will truly always be there for me. I can confront anything with you: all my fears and all my pain from the past.
Clutching your hand in mine, I take my first step. No longer a girl, now a married woman…
= = Closing Remarks? = =
MY FIRST FINISHED SERIES! Thank you all who have reviewed and all who have stuck with me since chapter one!
Big thanks to Li Mei-chan, author of some great fiction – which means go check out her works, all of them! They are all worthy of praise! – for all her help with this and recommendations she has made to people to read this. I kowtow before her greatness. Thank you very much Mei-chan, this fiction is dedicated to you. More thanks to amethyst sweet angel – go and read her work too, they are simply wonderful! – who has given me some wonderful support. Your reviews are wonderful and informative.
And thank you both for the recommendations in your own fiction! You and Mei-chan are the best friends an author can have.
Big thanks to all of those who have reviewed me! I'll keep up the wonderful work for you!
I'll see you guys with the next post! I'm doing another Meilin/Touya fic for the future. It's still in the planning stages, but I'll post it once I have a few chapters written. And if I get enough response for an epilogue to this story, I can and will write one. I'm sure I can think of something. I mean… I already have some stories [that are in progress] that are set in the realm of Twin Strangers. But, that's in the uncertain future…
Ja matta ne!
Ciuline Ihmenjo