By SibylSofiana
All about Teddy Bears
Reincarnation was not a new concept for him. Many Eastern religions believed that the soul continued on long after the death of the body, and that it would be reborn in a new vessel.
He did not know exactly when he became Aware of what he had been in in a past life – it had only come to him in visions and dreams. But it was not a complete picture. There were gaps in the alien memory that was his, but not his.
He had a purpose. Before he could move on with his new life, he must complete what his old one had set out to do. With powers he somehow knew he possessed, he gathered his allies around him. And waited.
Soon the individual jolts he felt was replaced by a collective burst of energy that reached out for him. But the energy faltered, for he was no longer the Old Awareness, but the New.
It was time to go to Tomoeda.
000
"Ah, Hiiragizawa, you may sit next to Li-kun," Terada-sensei directed him.
Giving the teacher a polite bow, Hiiragizawa Eriol made his way to the seat in the back row. He could hear the excited buzz around him, but paid it no mind. He only had eyes for one girl, and that was Kinomoto Sakura.
When he came by her seat, he finally had the opportunity to look at the Card Mistress up front. Emerald green eyes met his cerulean ones, and they were open and trustful, if a little anxious at this sudden encounter.
After some time, he raised his eyes from hers, only to encounter a set of fierce amber ones. Eriol gave a small smile, before moving to his seat.
Ah, so The Li is here. This was going to be interesting.
000
Ohayo gozaimasu, Sakura-san!
A flower for you, Sakura-san!
You look very pretty today, Sakura-san!
That cheerful voice grated heavily in Xiao Lang's ears and he could barely stop himself from growling bad-temperedly. THAT boy was just too familiar with her name!
And it rankled that within a day of their meeting each other they were now on a first name basis, while he was still Li-kun and she was Kinomoto.
Xiao Lang stomped over to once again interrupt Hiiragizawa's cozy little party – ignoring Kinomoto's hoee! he just blathered anything that came to mind. He hardly made any sense, but anything was preferable to Hiiragizawa commanding Kinomoto's full attention.
Xiao Lang refused to consider the underlying reasons why his blood boiled at the sight of Hiiragizawa. He just knew that when she wasn't looking, the new boy kept looking at Kinomoto with an intensity that was not healthy.
Xiao Lang's brain faintly registered Daidouji's gleeful interest in the proceedings, but he was much too busy glaring at Hiiragizawa to pay much attention.
That boy really looked suspicious. He needed to be further observed, Xiao Lang thought as he nodded to himself. His face took on a determined expression, having made a decision. He was going to stay in Tomoeda.
Indefinitely.
000
"Demo, demo...it's not very good. Promise not to laugh?"
Sakura-chan really was cute, Eriol mused. She was showing him the lopsided bear she made for Yukito. Sakura-san had started a teddy bear project a few days back, and the rest of them had dutifully trooped inside the store to accompany her in buying a kit. The bear she showed him distinctly looked like a certain Sun Guardian in miniature.
"The ears need to be a little smaller, and higher up. I can help you," he offered with a smile. As she watched him skilfully ply his needle, his thoughts were elsewhere, grinning at the domesticity of it all.
The most powerful magician in the world, sewing a teddy bear. It made him feel like a normal person, one whose life didn't hinge on making sure a certain girl transformed a set of magical cards or leave the world in darkness and without love.
He finally finished the bear and handed it over to Sakura for inspection.
"Oh!" Sakura clapped her hands in delight. "You're really good, Eriol-kun. Arigatou! Hey, if you ever need anything, just ask me!" she offered back, eyes shining.
Eriol looked at her thoughtfully.
"There is one thing..." he said finally.
Sakura. Her name brought back pleasant memories and half-forgotten dreams, and he was suddenly sorry of the trouble he was bringing her way.
As she looked at him expectantly, Eriol went down on one knee and gently kissed her hand. I hope this will serve as an apology, Sakura-san.
And then he walked away, leaving a stunned Sakura behind him.
000
"Oi, don't be shy – eat!" the other boy urged, and Xiao Lang nodded.
Tsukishiro had climbed over the school fence with a huge bag of food and offered to share lunch with him. Xiao Lang was distinctly uncomfortable with the older guy beside him, but that didn't stop the other boy from wolfing down his lunch. As Xiao Lang slowly took a bite from a bun, Tsukishiro spotted something. "Hey, can I see?"
Xiao Lang followed his gaze and flushed. Tsukishiro had caught sight of the bear he had been hiding in his bag.
"Did you make it?" the other boy asked, and Xiao Lang could only nod stupidly.
"Are you going to give it to someone?"
Xiao Lang had grabbed the teddy bear kit for himself at the crafts store, and he had been thinking of making a teddy bear for Tsukishiro at the time. But now that Tsukishiro was here, he found himself hesitating. Flashes of Kinomoto streamed in his mind, which confused him and made him jump up.
"Why would i give it to HER?!?" he said out loud, startling the other boy. To Yukito's surprise, he dashed off, running to the other side of the building.
And then SHE was unexpectedly there in front of him. He stood stock-still, everything frozen except his heart, which was beating so madly. What is wrong with me?
Kinomoto suddenly turned her head and saw him.
"Li-kun..." Her eyes were soft on her face, and he could feel his tense body relax.
Kinomoto...He suddenly froze again, and for the second time that day, he ran away. He heard her call out but he ignored it and kept on running. And running. Running away. He soon reached the park, but he still kept on running. He only stopped when someone barred his way, and he fell back as soon as he saw the Moon Guardian.
"Yue!" The Guardian hovered in front of him, then slowly folded his wings.
The silvery being looked at him expressionlessly before speaking. "You are confused. The Li magic is based on the power of the moon. You are only drawn to Tsukishiro because of me and my magic. When you disregard that, you will find who is closest to you."
Xiao Lang started. Was that all there was to it? It made perfect sense when you thought about it, but he was hardly less confused. What about Kinomoto? But before he could ask more, Yue soon transformed himself back to his false form, and soon it was Tsukishiro who stood blinking in front of him.
"O-re?" Tsukishiro looked around, then spotted him. "Here, you forgot this," he said, handing him the bear. Xiao Lang could only stare.
ooo
Eriol did his own watching.
The Card Mistress was getting stronger daily. Eriol nodded with approval as she met his every challenge. Some were difficult, others frivolous, depending on Eriol's mood. She was making good time that he could afford to relax now and then.
And the side-story was getting interesting. Maybe he could work on that for a while...
There were some things that not even Clow could predict – he looked at the boy reluctantly walking beside him and smiled.
And the Li Clan was hardly predictable now, were they?
Today, he found himself going to a teddy bear exhibit with Daidouji-san, Sakura-san and Li-kun. His bland expression hid his amusement at how The Li was pretending not to be interested in what Sakura-san was doing.
He and The Li had come to a nonverbal truce of sorts. As long as he didn't approach Sakura-san without the other boy protectively hovering over her, he would be safe from bodily harm. At least, that was what he could read from those baleful eyes, Eriol chuckled silently to himself.
But that didn't mean he couldn't amuse himself with prying into the other boy's feelings. He never missed the chance to needle his cute descendant. He coudn't seem to help himself. Sakura-san was simply a spot too vulnerable in Li-kun's defenses.
"So, have you finished your teddy bear yet, Li kun?" Eriol asked innocently, as they were having refreshments at the snack bar at the end of the day.
Before Xiao Lang could hastily deny anything about a teddy bear, Sakura was quick to pick up Eriol's conversational gambit aimed at her.
"Nani, you have a bear too, Li-kun? Have you given it to anybody yet?"
Trust that Hiiragizawa to put him in a tight spot. Xiao Lang flashed a quick dagger look at the other boy before awkwardly standing up, nervousness making him spill all his words at a rush.
"Um, it's already late, I have to get home..." before turning and walking away briskly, ignoring Kinomoto's cry of dismay.
Watching him walk away with Sakura-san running after him, Eriol grinned quietly. Clow Reed had not been above a little bit of matchmaking from time to time. His latest reincarnation was certainly not an exception.
Politely nodding to Daidouji, who smiled conspiratorially, the two of them stood up and leisurely followed in the wake of their friends.
000
Xiao Lang just wanted to run away and hide. He fumbled with the elevator switch, hoping the doors would close up on his embarrassment. No such luck.
"Li-kun, wait up!"
Kinomoto soon caught up with him, and he just hung his head as she came over and asked him why he was in such a hurry. He was about to make up some weird excuse when suddenly the elevator started acting up. He barely caught a glimpse of Daidouji and Hiiragizawa making their way into the corridor before the elevator suddenly closed its doors and all the lights went out.
After some time, he could hear Kinomoto sniffling in the darkness. He finally muttered an incantation and light gently flared in his hand as he tried to cheer her up.
"Don't worry. I'm sure Daidouji and Hiiragizawa are going to get some help." He saw that he had succeeded as she slowly nodded and wiped away her tears.
As they waited, Kinomoto took out her handkerchief and laid it on the floor for her to sit on. He thought it was probably a great idea to sit down – it might be a long wait. He was about to set himself on the floor when she stopped him.
"Li-kun, your pants might get dirty. Why don't you sit here with me?"
On that small square beside her? He gulped. But as he didn't want to hurt her feelings, he gingerly sat down beside her. With the light in front of them, they sat in silence for a while. Kinomoto suddenly rummaged in her bag and brought out a small cookie and offered it to him.
"Yukito-san brought a big bag of cookies last night to thank us for dinner. It was such a big bag!" she exclaimed at the memory. "But I forgot all about Kero-chan – he ate all of them! But I managed to save this one – you can have it, Li-kun."
After a slight hesitation, he declined politely. "It's alright. He made them for you." After all, he had accompanied Tsukishiro-san in buying the cookie molds yesterday. He had selected a small one in the shape of a teddy bear because he knew she would like it.
After a quick decision, she broke the cookie in half and offered the other half to him.
"Please take this one. I'm sure it's delicious!" she assured him, and as he had no reason to refuse, he took it from her hand and so they munched in silence.
The elevator lights suddenly came on and they quickly stood up, thinking the elevator was fixed. But Kinomoto suddenly was pulled backwards, and then she fell away into a void that wasn't supposed to be there.
He tried to grab her hand but it was too late – she had disappeared.
It felt like time had frozen. He didn't know how long he stood there, immobilized, a shout welling in his mind, then making its way past his lips unbidden.
SAKURAAAA!!!
He shouted down to that abyss where she fell. He clenched his hands in frustration – he had to do something! As he was contemplating what to do, he raised his head to see her suddenly rise from the hole, seated on a balloon.
She smiled at him, slightly embarrassed. "I used Float Card...."
He couldn't find any words to say. Relieved beyond words, he threw caution to the winds and pulled her into his arms. Surprised, Sakura didn't step back from his embrace, and he held her gently, fiercely glad that she was safe.
000
Eriol laid down his Staff, and made his way back to Daidouji just in time to see the elevator doors open up on Xiao Lang with Sakura-san in his arms.
His eyes crinkled in amusement. A productive day, indeed.
000
Xiao Lang went straight into his room once he got home. He didn't bother with the lights, but just stood there by his bed, thinking about what had happened. What a day – he felt so drained, like he had been a rollercoaster ride at the theme park. He was confused but strangely glad at how things turned out.
The cellphone that Daidouji had given him suddenly rang, and he answered it absentmindedly.
"Moshi-moshi."
He almost dropped the phone when he heard her voice.
"Li-kun!" She thanked him for going with her to the Teddy Bear exhibit. "I really had fun. And thank you for helping me earlier. I was really afraid in the elevator, but you made me feel better! Arigatou..."
He managed to mutter something to the effect that it was no trouble at all.
"You called me Sakura in the elevator, and it made me feel like we're really friends now," she added breathlessly, "so.. is it okay if I call you Syaoran-kun?"
He was stunned, but then managed to say, "Whatever you like."
"Yay! I'll see you tomorrow then, Syaoran-kun. Good night!"
As she hung up, Xiao Lang just looked at the phone in his hand. He just couldn't believe it. Syaoran-kun. Sakura called him Syaoran-kun.
He felt like shouting and jumping. Instead, he opened the door to the balcony and breathed deeply as he watched the sky.
Life was good.
Authors' Notes: Went over the last chapter and thought it was a little too choppy. There was so much to tell and we tried to cram it all in one chapter! Ah well, we writers are our own worst critics! Thanks for leaving nice reviews anyway, we finally got the urge to write again. Sorry if it was a long time coming. Meiling and Sakura up next!