Agent08 Reporting for Duty!

"..." - talking
italic font - thoughts

Now...on with chapter fifteen!

Touya's Surprise Inspection

Sakura woke up on her bed. Well, not her bed, but she woke up on a bed. She lifted her face, and saw Syaoran, still fast asleep, with his arm around her tiny waist. Sakura smiled, and cuddled closer to him, and all the things that had happened the previous night came flooding back to her. She yawned in delight, and fell back into a deep sleep into Syaoran's arms.

Feeling her head fall, Syaoran lifted his, and saw Sakura, already asleep. He smiled also, and tightened his hold around her waist. A feeling of comfort that Sakura was never scared or shy to feel. Especially if that comforting feeling came from Syaoran.

Then he remembered what had happened. It was funny, really. After the ball, things just seemed to get better between the two than before. And Syaoran was extremely glad about that. So, in such a good mood, Syaoran didn't feel like working that day. He simply lowered his head onto Sakura's, pulled the blanket higher onto their two bodies, and fall asleep.

It was yesterday, at about midnight, when Syaoran and Sakura left for the cottage. They had a splendid time at the ball, and couldn't, and wouldn't stop smiling. Being in such a happy mood, Syaoran sent away the other coachman with the carriage, so him and Sakura could just ride in one. Neither of them wanted to be alone on such a great night.

Still pumped up after the ball, Sakura sighed loudly, and looked over to Syaoran, who was watching her intently with a smile on his face also. His cheeks were pink from dancing so much, and that made him look incredibly adorable. Sakura didn't seem to fail to notice.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Sakura asked.

"I had a great time! What about you?" Syaoran replied, turning the conversation towards Sakura.

"The feeling is mutual!"

They both began to laugh, as the carriage made it's way through the village, past the dimly lit houses, and the closed stores. During the evening, the houses seemed like sleepy buildings, all in rows, ready to hit the hay because of such a long day. The village seemed even more beautiful in the night than it did in the morning or afternoon.

As the carriage turned a corner, and passed one of the only open stores, Sakura glanced out her window, and looked back at Syaoran. He didn't seem to be tired at all. Sakura didn't seem tired either. That's when it hit her. She thought that if neither of them were feeling tired, than they would make...Certain stops at certain stores. The open ones of course. It was just a way to make the evening more fun than it already had been.

"Stop!" Sakura said, immediately after the idea struck her.

The carriage suddenly stopped abruptly. Sakura lunged forward because of the impact, and within the blink of an eye, found herself in Syaoran's arms. Not knowing how to react to his, Sakura lifted her head, and just stared into his amber eyes, not saying a word. Feeling the same way as Sakura, he stared back into her emerald ones, and didn't speak. She saw his cheeks turn pink, but just as quickly as she had fallen into his arms, the colour had gone.

"I...I..." Sakura began. She had absolutely no idea what to say.

Suddenly, Sakura heard a voice at the back of her head. More like the front, but whatever. Syaoran heard it too. It sounded like a cough. More like a clearing of the throat. Kind of like both happening one after the other.

"Ahem!" They both heard. "Cough, cough. Ahem!"

Shaking her head back and forth more quickly than a humming bird's wings, Sakura snapped out of her thoughts, and ripped her gaze away from Syaoran, to behind him. She realized that it was the coachman making all the noises, trying to get their attention.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. You told me to stop?" the coachman addressed politely.

"O - Oh, yes! I did," Sakura replied, getting back into her original seat, away from Syaoran's arms. "You wouldn't mind if we made a few stops here and there, would you, kind Sir?" Sakura asked.

"Not at all, Miss Sakura. After all, it is my job to take you where ever you wish to go," the coachman replied, bowing only his head down, since there wasn't enough room to actually stand up and bend his upper body.

"Thank you! What may I ask is your name, Sir?" Sakura said.

With his head still down, the coachman replied, "Richard Malick, Miss."

"Oh..." Sakura said, stroking her chin. "Malick-san, would you please wait out here, while Prince Syaoran and I go into that store?"

"Of course, Miss!" Richard said, as he opened the carriage door, and closed it behind the two as they stepped out. They headed towards the store that Sakura had seen as they passed by it in the carriage.

"What is this?" Syaoran asked, obviously curious as to why she had made Richard stop. "I thought we were going back to the cottage,"

"Oh no," Sakura said, taking his hand to quicken his pace. "We're going to the candy store!"

"C - Candy store?" Syaoran asked. "What for?"

"To keep us in our happy mood!" Sakura replied. She began to run, and with Syaoran's hand in hers, he ran also.

They entered the store, and a little ding was heard from the bell above. Sakura sucked her breath in loudly, and gaped at what she saw. This was her first time going to a candy store in so many years. Being a Princess, she wasn't exactly allowed to roam around the village and go to the candy store any time she pleased. Syaoran would have been able to do those kinds of things. If his Father were alive. But ever since his Dad died, his Mother became abnormally over protective.

Both still gaping at the sight infront of them, Syaoran and Sakura ran their hands through glass jars filled with candies. Colours and colours of different kinds of candies were seen throughout the whole store, and newly rapped and placed sweets were lined across the many shelves. A children's fantasy home, and one of Sakura's favourite places.

"What would you like to buy?" Syaoran asked Sakura.

"Oh my goodness...There are so many things to choose from!" Sakura replied.

"I want these," Syaoran said, as he picked up a jar filled with purple squared candies. It had been Syaoran's favourite candy since he was a little boy. He'd never tasted them in a very long time.

Sakura examined the jar, and shook her head in disagreement. "No, no. I want these," Sakura said, as she picked up a jar also. Inside the jar were circled candies, with all the colours of the rainbow. They looked a lot more tastier than Syaoran's choice of candy, but they all tasted equally sweet, and equally yummy.

"No," Syaoran said, shoving his jar into Sakura's face. "These!"

"No!" Sakura screamed, shoving her jar into his face. "I want these ones!"

"No!"

"No!"

They argument went on and on. They didn't stop fighting until the store clerk had broken them apart. He asked them if they wanted any help, and they asked him which candy tasted better. He couldn't decide. If he chose one over the other, either the Prince would get mad at him, or the Princess would get mad at him.

"These ones, right?" Sakura beamed, as she shook the jar.

"No! These ones!" Syaoran protested.

Exasperated, the store clerk rubbed his wrinkled forehead. He seemed quite tired of their arguing. He was already working very late. So, he helped them make a decision. If they didn't like it, the night would be longer than he had hoped.

"Please!" the store clerk begged, as he held his hands up for them to stop. "Why don't you just buy them both?"

"I -"

"I -" They both began at the same time. Turning to face each other with the jars still in their hands, they both blushed tomato red, and nodded in agreement. The store clerk sighed in relief, and walked back to the counter so they could buy it.

"Wait!" Sakura said, as she grabbed Syaoran's shoulder. "Is this seriously all you want to buy?" Syaoran nodded. Sakura's mouth dropped, and she gaped at him for the maximum of about five seconds. "You can't be serious! I don't know about you, but I'm getting more!" she said, as she bounced away from Syaoran to other parts of the store where she selected what she wanted to buy. Money was one of the many advantages you had when you were a Princess.

Syaoran smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. The night was going to be a very long one.

When Sakura had finally finished, both of them were carrying large bags filled with Sakura's candy. They hoisted them onto the carriage, and once seated, they both began to rip the bags apart, chewing and biting like wild animals. It seemed this did not annoy Richard, but he was actually quite amused. It wasn't often he got to take Prince's and Princess' around the village with such great attitudes.

"To the cottage!" Sakura said dramatically, as she pointed into the direction of the cottage. Richard laughed, and so did Syaoran. The night was turning out to be a pretty good one for all three of them.

After arriving at the cottage, Sakura and Syaoran hopped out, with their left over candy. Surprisingly, they had eaten more than they had meant to, and only had about three bags left. Disappointingly to Sakura, one of them was only half-full.

Now on a sugar-high, Sakura jumped up and down on her bed, making the springs make a squeaking noise. The squeaking noise was soon accompanied with her voice. Syaoran watched her in amusement, as her yellow dress lifted with her, everytime her feet touched the bed. And then he began to wonder. During the ball, his Mother told him that Sakura was wearing her mother's wedding dress. It was the oddest wedding dress he had ever seen. Was it actually a wedding dress? He wasn't sure, so he asked Sakura.

"Sakura!" Syaoran said, trying to get her attention. He was trying his best, but through the squeaking noises the bed springs were making, and Sakura's singing, his voice simply wasn't heard at all.

"Sakura!" He screamed once more, "Sakura! Get down from - AHH - mmff!"

Suddenly, Sakura came toppling down on him. He fell to the ground with a loud thud, and Sakura on top of him. She gave out a loud yelp, but was soon silenced when her lips suddenly fell on Syaoran's - something she didn't think would happen.

They lay wide-eyed, frozen in that one position. Sakura found herself getting enticed by Syaoran's amber eyes more than often during that night. The same for Syaoran. She didn't know what to do. Was she supposed to move her lips, and make it an actual kiss? After all, her lips were only on top of his. It wasn't really a kiss...But not if she made it one. But was that what he wanted? Was that what she wanted? She didn't know. Whether or not she was going to move her lips, she never got the chance, as Syaoran placed the palms of his hands on either side of her cheeks, and lifted her face.

"Um...Um...I - " Sakura began. It was deja vu all over again.

"What the hell was that?" Syaoran asked calmly, as he stood up and dusted himself off. Sakura followed suit, and began to explain what exactly happened.

"Er…The…The bedsprings! T - They k - k - kind of b - b - broke..." Sakura stuttered, still dazed and surprised of what just happened. Syaoran seemed to be acting normally. Why was that, when she was acting like a total ignoramus?

"Oh..." Syaoran said in realization. "Are you okay?" he asked, remembering that what had just happened actually was kind of dangerous. Not really, but he still had to make sure.

"Y - Y - Yes! I - I'm fine! Of course I am! Why - Why wouldn't I be?"

Syaoran shrugged. "I don't know. Just wondering,"

Sakura laughed nervously. Being uncomfortable in his presence, Sakura moved away, and walked towards the bedroom window, with her back away from him. She could feel his eyes on her, watching, waiting for what she would do next. That didn't make things any better.

Sakura sensed him move toward her. "So," Syaoran began, taking more stepts closer to her. "My Mother told me that that's your Mother's wedding dress. Is that true?" he asked, suddenly appearing beside her. He looked down to the top of her auburn hair. He was quite taller than her.

"U - Um, y - yes. It is,"

"Oh really?" Syaoran asked, now interested in what they were talking about. "No disrespect or anything, but that has to be the most peculiar wedding dress I've ever seen. Aren't wedding dresses supposed to be white? Silky? And not yellow with a corsette on the top?"

Sakura felt her cheeks grow hot with the memory of her Mother. Her Mother was such a free spirit. Always rebelling from what other people thought was in style. Always doing her own thing, and not what other people wanted her to do. Sakura had always taken pride in inheriting that from her Mother. It was something she hoped was hereditary.

"Yes, well," Sakura began, turning to face Syaoran. "She liked to be different. She didn't want to wear what was so common back then. My Grandfather had made this dress for her. He died before he ever got to see her wear it. And because she knew he was going to be there for her wedding, watching over her, she thought she'd wear it, and let him know how much she really loved it. My Father didn't agree to it at first. He thought she should've worn what most Brides do."

"Oh..." Syaoran said.

"When he found out what it meant to my Mom to wear that dress, he gave in."

"Wow..." Syaoran sighed. "You're parents must've been really in love."

A blush found it's way onto Sakura's cheeks once again, as she thought of how her parents were so deeply in love. From what she could remember, her parent's marriage could've stayed strong until a new life form appeared on earth. They could never break apart. It was the exact marriage that Sakura wanted to have. With any man at all, just as long as she loved him like her Mother did to her Father, and vice versa.

"They were," Sakura replied.

The two remained in silence for a few minutes. Through the darkness, Sakura was able to hear the burp of a frog, and a cricket singing. The moon shone as brightly as ever on that October night. It was definitely a sight to see.

Tired of being in such a silence, Sakura sighed loudly, and made her way towards her drawer. "I guess I'm off to bed!" she said, grabbing some pajamas out of the top drawer. She started to pull the dress off of her, but stopped. She lifted one eyebrow at Syaoran, and said, "Do you mind?"

Realizing what Sakura meant, Syaoran turned around, and waited until Sakura gave the "okay". Suddenly, he began to take his shirt off, and Sakura gave out a loud yelp. "What are you doing?" she screamed.

"I'm getting into my underclothing...What?" Syaoran replied, confused as to why she was being so childish.

"Well...You could at least warn me so I won't think you're stripping!"

Syaoran chuckled. In just a few seconds, he was in forest green boxers. He blew out the dimly lit candle on his bedside table, and tucked himself in as tightly as he could. October was starting to become a rather cold month.

Sakura stood at the foot of his bed, watching Syaoran. He noticed this, and sat up on his bed. "What?" he asked.

"My bedsprings are broken. Remember?"

Syaoran gave out a groan. Sakura heard him shuffle over onto the other side of the bed, and she saw the movement of his blanket being lifted from one side, so half of the bed was not covered. "Come on," Syaoran said, as he motioned for her to join him. "I guess you're in my bed tonight,"

"What?" Sakura asked, sitting down beside him. "No, I can't let you. Where are you supposed to sleep?" She refused to let him give his bed to her to sleep on. She wasn't that selfish.

"I'm fine on the floor," he replied.

Sakura shook her head. "The floor? No. That wouldn't be fair." She shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting across the room back and forth. "Why don't you just sleep in the bed with me?" Just as Syaoran pulled a face as if to protest, she spoke again, "It's not like we're so immature as to not be able to sleep in the same bed together as...you know, just...people."

"You won't be uncomfortable with that?"

Sakura bit her lip. "Well...no."

Syaoran shrugged. "Alright then."

"Alright then," she repeated briskly, as she got into bed beside him, and threw the blanket covers over top of her. She waited in silence for a while, just in case Syaoran was going to move around because he was uncomfortable. He didn't. She took that as her cue to wrap her arm around his waist.

"Sak - " Syaoran began.

" - I'm sorry," Sakura interrupted, her arm going back to its original place beside her. "I shouldn't have done that. I should've known that it would make you uncomf - "

"- No," Syaoran said, cutting her off, and taking her arm and wrapping it around his waist again. "I was just going to say goodnight," he explained.

"Oh..." Sakura said in realization. "Well...Goodnight,"

"Yeah," Syaoran replied, a hint of sleepiness in his voice. "Goodnight,"

xxxxxx

Which brought them to where they are now, wrapped in each other's arms, snug and sound asleep. The morning sun shone brightly through the windows, and the burping frog and the singing cricket could be heard no more. Only the content laughter of the blue birds. Besides that, it was a quiet morning.

And that's when they both heard it. The front door opened and closed. Large, heavy footsteps roamed around the cottage...Their names being called. They had such little time to react when their bedroom door suddenly burst open, revealing a surprised Touya.

Their eyes snapped open, and they sat, bolt up straight on the bed. "What in bloody hell is going on in here?" Touya bellowed loudly, seeing Syaoran's clothes on the floor, him only in boxers, and his little sister in bed with him. Their arms automatically retracted from each other's waist, and both were speechless.

"Listen here you Chinese-gaki," Touya hissed, "You have to the count of ten to get out of that bed with my sister,"

Hearing the warning, Syaoran slowly swung his left foot over his side of the bed. "One," Touya counted. Syaoran cautiously swung his other foot over the bed. "Two," He heard Touya say. He was just about ready to stand up, when all of the sudden, he heard, "TEN!"

That's when Touya lunged at him.

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Happy Early St. Patrick's Day!

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Signing Off,
Agent08 - My life as a secret agent xD