Titel: Trust
Summary: Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS. Even if I said I did, you wouldn't believe me anyway. Hell, I wouldn't even believe that myself, I'm not that brilliant…! XD
Answering reviews (that's new…):
Kryuzei: Of course it is short, it's an intro. They are supposed to be short! (I hope…) Is this chap long enough, though? XD
FlowerLover: Fast enough? I think so! Pretty fast for my doing XD
Dbzgtdan2004: Thank you! Not much S&S in this chap, but you'll survive… XD
Chapter two
Christmas on my own
Sakura walked out the school, where her friends already stood. It was her Third year on this school, and she was doing pretty well. Her grades were high, for she had enough time in the evening to study. She carried her schoolbag, with again lots of homework for the next day. But she was already half finished with that, because of her free time.
She heard her friends talking about going to the mall, to buy presents for Christmas. They didn't ask her to come anymore, just waved her goodbye when she walked over to them.
She hated that. It hurts. But she accepted.
It was a strange rule in this friendship. They didn't ask, she didn't lie. Sometimes she wondered why they accepted her as a friend anyway.
She waved back, looking at Syaoran for the last time that day, and started walking home, the same route as every other day. She could walk it with her eyes closed. Or skate. Normally she would skate, but it was snowing today, so she walked. She loosened her scarf a bit, she wasn't one to get cold that easily.
The streets were covered with snow, that was still falling. She loved snow, it was so beautiful! But she hated it to. Her foot-marks were visible in the snow, and she could be easily tracked down. Not that it happened often, but it did happen.
She shivered when she recalled the capture of the Mirror. The card had chased her for hours in the snow, and Sakura couldn't get rid of her, surprise or capture her because of her foot-marks. It took hours to capture the Mirror.
Sakura walked on, when she felt a faint power, coming from a Clowcard, immediately followed by an earth quake.
Being on guard as always, she went into the forest behind Penguin Park, that she was just passing by. In this forest, there were no people, and she could be the card captor without anyone knowing. She had captured more cards in this place and it had always been save.
xxxxx
Walking with his friends, Li Syaoran had his thoughts elsewhere. Emerald eyes looked at him, from his mind. He liked her, a lot, but he couldn't understand her, at all. This angel had classes with him about twice a day, this angel with auburn hair.
Kinomoto Sakura…
They were friends, as were the rest of the group, but they never were together. She was always gone. He didn't know why she had to go home this early, but he never asked, knowing she wouldn't speak the truth anyway. Her first year here existed from lies, lies, lies.
Luckily, that had stopped, but still, no one knew the truth behind her. A thought that had struck him before, passed again. Maybe she is being abused…But he didn't really believed that.
He had seen her before, though she didn't know that. At a moment when there was a great amount of sand nearby the Penguin Park, that had destroyed numerous things, he had seen her pass by very rapidly. He didn't follow her that time and walked home. But when he returned an hour later for shopping, the sand was gone, the police was everywhere, and he had seen Sakura struggle away from the mess, pale, weak and dirty. Luckily for her, not being seen by the police and bystanders.
He hadn't followed her that time, nor the next time when he had seen her, pale, weak and dirty all over again. That time, the trees where doing weird things, for they grew very rapidly and overgrown the entire penguin park. Why she had been there, he didn't know, but it was something to think about.
It had to do something with magic. Sand and trees didn't appear just like that in a normal world. Only when there was magic. He had promised himself he had to check out, the next time something like this would happen. If there was a next time.
Walking to the mall, they all heard a voice crying 'Wait for me!'
Syaoran winced hearing that voice. He always hoped secretly that it would be Sakura calling for them, or him. But it was never her, it was always the same irritating person.
Li Meilin.
Yes, Li. Meaning family. A cousin to be exact. A cousin, hunting for him. Why? Simple, she wanted to marry him. That's why she was so irritating. She always went along, joining in whatever he did, never leaving him alone. Except for school, because she had different classes then him.
Honestly, that was one of the only reasons why he didn't like her much. He had to admit, she was very popular in school, had many friends, boys going crazy around her. Not very strange, for she was a beauty, and quite intelligent to.
But strict. Very strict… She always obeyed the rules of the Li-clan, and she had figured out, that the family wouldn't complain if Meilin and Syaoran were to get married. Damned family…
As the rest turned around to wait for Meilin, Syaoran spotted Wei nearby, his personal butler and friend. Though Wei was shopping for tonight's dinner, Syaoran figured Wei wouldn't mind to help him out a bit.
Meilin reached the group. 'Hey, what are you guys going to do?' She smiled sweetly at them, her black hair hanging loosely around her face.
'We're going to get Christmas presents!' Chiharu beamed at her. 'Want to join us?'
Without thought, Meilin agreed. 'Sure, I'd love to! I have to get my presents for my family to.' She winked secretly at Syaoran. As the group snickered, Syaoran just rolled his eyes.
They had walked just a few steps, when Syaoran's phone rang. 'Hello, Syaoran here.' He said as he had picked up the phone. After a moment of listening, he answered. 'Sure, I'll come right away.'
Looking at his friends, he pronounced: 'I've got to get home. My mother wants to speak to me.'
Meilin pouted at that, as the rest simply nodded and mumbled things like 'okay' and 'Till tomorrow'. Meilin didn't try to follow, she couldn't. Not only had she agreed to go shopping, but she new the family rules. If Yelen wanted to talk to her son, and she wasn't invited, she could better not come.
The group waved, as Syaoran walked in the opposite direction, waving back just once.
Alright, maybe it wasn't so nice of him to signal Wei as Meilin didn't look, to call him. Wei had understood perfectly fine what Syaoran had meant, and came up with an excuse for him to leave. His mother didn't want to talk to him, he was just trying to escape from Meilin. It had worked, of course, as always. And Meilin still didn't suspect a thing.
Luckily the group of friends had known of his escapes, and always covered for him. He thought about his friends for a moment, when he got the feeling he missed someone there. Chiharu, Rika, Naoko, Takashi, Eriol…
Where is Tomoyo?
Okay, it wasn't strange for Tomoyo to disappear time by time. She always did that, for she was enslaved in videotaping. No one knew what she taped, for she had said it was a secret and they would find out when it was finished.
Walking in the direction of his house, he felt an earthquake. No, not only felt, also sensed it. Things like this had happened before. A disaster would strike, and he would sense magic. And sometimes he would see...
Sakura...!
Remembering his own promise, he followed the sense of magic, wondering if he could finally figure out what Sakura had to do with this. It took him a while to reach it, for an earthquake appeared every minute, throwing him a bit of balance, slowing him down. When he reached Penguin Park, he knew for sure she would be here.
Why always this place?
Running into the forest behind this, he saw a blinding light, and then the earthquakes stopped. He leaped into a tree to have a better few, and after a few minutes, he saw Sakura struggling forward.
Pale, weak, dirty and with a few wounds on her arms and leg, and one on her side, she looked horrible. She cursed at no one in particular. It sounded like... she had failed on something. The earthquakes had stopped, so that couldn't be it. Maybe... she had caused all this...
He didn't really wanted to believe that, but he had to see it as an option. Seeing the object of his affection struggle to stand, he wanted to go to her, help her, but he didn't. She was trying not to get noticed, and going to her, meant she failed at that.
But seeing her in this condition, he just had to help her get save. He had just decided to help her, when someone came into the forest. He recognized that aura immediately and stayed where he was.
Kinomoto Touya.
'Sakura? Sakura!' Touya called as he ran through the forest. Kero flew besides him, in his small form.
'I'm here, nii-san.' Sakura answered weekly.
Touya reached his little sister and picked her up. Though already 19 years old, Sakura was still a petite and fragile looking girl. Being small and light made it easy to carry her in these circumstances. 'You okay?' He asked, as she nodded slightly. 'Which one was it?'
'Earthy...' she coughed a bit.
As Touya walked away, carrying his sister, Syaoran followed them silently, hopping from tree to tree, so they wouldn't notice him. But it didn't take long, for Touya to notice something was wrong. 'Someone is here.' he said quietly. He looked meaningful at Sakura, who almost fell asleep in his arms, while Kero put on his stuffed-doll-mode.
'Nobody saw me, that I know for sure. Must have come afterwards.' She mumbled. Touya nodded and walked further, leaving Syaoran behind, who didn't dare to follow anymore.
I don't get it anymore... Did she just do a good or a bad thing? What did she do anyway? What the heck is Earthy? And the yellow little thing?
Syaoran waited a bit, and then returned home, pondering over the mystery that Sakura was.
xxxxx
Sakura lay in bed, sleeping fast but turbulent. By sleeping, she restored her energy, which was almost gone with the capture of the Earthy card. She dreamed of her cards and the capture of the last one.
Earthy was a difficult card to catch. Earthquakes weren't the only thing earthy produced. Luckily no one was nearby at that time, for the earth had his own will. Pillars of earth had raised, rocks were being thrown at her, cloves appeared on the spots where she was standing.
It was a dangerous battlefield, and she had used fly and jump to escape it all. She had used Watery against it, and Earthy had dissolved into mud. Being mud, earthy was powerless, and Sakura had captured him at that point.
Defeating him wasn't so hard, but before she actually had the time to defeat it, she had been hit several times. A pillar had hit her on her side, and it had been bleeding pretty much. The stones, flying around, had hit her on her arms and legs and caused several wounds there.
This was one of the times she was truly thankful for having her brother with her. He had treated her wounds, so tomorrow, in school, nobody would notice, with a bit luck of course. And luckily, cards only came once a month, sometimes even skipping a month, so she had all the time she needed to recover.
When the fight with Earthy had passed her dreams several times, she started to dream of Syaoran, and her sleep became a lot more peaceful.
xxxxx
It was Friday now, and it was snowing, again. Sakura walked to school, trying to act as if nothing was wrong with her body. She ignored the stinging pain on her side and walked without limping.
In school, she greeted Syaoran and Chiharu, who she had her first class with. Tomoyo came in shortly after her. Syaoran greeted her and secretly checked if she was okay. At least she didn't show it. Long sleeves covered it all.
'Did the present-hunting go well, yesterday?' Sakura asked cheerfully to all three of them, hiding the pain of not being able to come with them.
'Sort of.' Chiharu answered. 'Tomoyo had disappeared, again, and Syaoran had to skip because Meilin wanted to come with us.' She shot Tomoyo an accusing look, and sniggered at the face Syaoran made. Sakura had to laugh about this. 'We finished buying presents for Rika and Naoko, and half for me and Meilin. Eriol is planning to go with Syaoran, in the case Meilin wants to come as well. Takashi and I are going again somewhere next week.'
'I presume you're going to buy your presents with Touya tomorrow?' Tomoyo asked innocently.
Sakura faced changed to thoughtful. 'I guess so. Don't know when to buy the present for Touya, though...'
'Why's that? You can go alone too, right? Or with one of us...' Chiharu asked, but clapped her mouth shut, as soon as she realized what she had said.
Sakura's face darkened and saddened for a moment, but she managed to hide it very fast with an soft expression. Her friends, of course, could see right trough that. 'Can't do so...' Sakura answered, and turned her face to the front of the class, letting her friends stare at her back, so they couldn't see her sad face.
Syaoran shot daggers at Chiharu, who wanted to disappear that instant. They all knew something was wrong with Sakura and her social life. She wasn't allowed to do anything with her friends, and especially not alone. Not that Sakura had ever told them that, they just knew. All had met Touya, and they all knew parts of the rules he made.
But no one understood.
Class began, and they forgot what had happened for a while. Syaoran stared at Sakura's back, wondering about her mysteries. Sakura was with her own thoughts, trying to forget them, push them back, to not return.
Class ended, and another class started. It didn't take long and school was over. Her friends waved her goodbye, wishing her a merry Christmas, as she returned all the best wishes. Sakura walked home, all alone, as usual. Her friends were going to their favorite spot to relax, as they did every Friday.
At home, she found Touya and to her happiness, Yukito as well.
Yukito lived in a dorm nearby. He used to live with his grandparents, after his parents died, but unfortunately, they died as well. His birthday coincided with Christmas, which meant he would stay those days with the Kinomoto's and have a double party.
Yukito often came over, or lets say, he was more often at the Kinomoto-residence then at his dorm. Sakura secretly thought he liked Touya. Well, that wouldn't be a surprise, they had been together since forever, and their band only grew closer, after she and Touya found out Yukito had a second personality: Yue, The Guardian of the Moon. After Yue arose, he became the guardian of Sakura as well, together with Kero.
Not that he often showed himself. Normally he wouldn't even show himself when a fight was very difficult. He only came when he thought she couldn't handle it anymore. He had said once, in a argument with Touya, that she wouldn't become stronger if she got help every time it was hard for her.
Strange enough, Touya had agreed with that, and let her struggle on her own. But afterwards, he was always there to help her, and he was still very overprotective on all different parts on her life. Guess that will never really change.
On this moment, both boys were cooking dinner for that night. 'Hello, Sakura-chan! How was school today?' Yukito asked, as Touya observed her, to see if the bruises still hurt.
'Hey Yuki! A good day as usual!' She beamed. Who cared she lied about that as well?
'That's my girl, always cheerful!' Yukito smiled his famous smile, that would made all the girls crazy. It had made her crazy ones to, but not anymore, after she met Syaoran. 'Are you going Christmas shopping tomorrow?'
Sakura looked at Touya for confirmation, who answered: 'Sorry, kaijuu. I've got to work tomorrow.'
Opportunity! 'Oh! Can I go with my friends?'
'Like hell you could. Maybe Yukito can go with you.' Touya answered agitated.
Sakura face fell a bit and then looked hopefully at Yukito.
'Sorry, no can do. I've more work then you tomorrow, Touya.' Yukito said sadly, jet a bit playfully.
'Well, then we don't have a choice, since the day after tomorrow is already Christmas.'
Sakura and Yukito both looked at Touya and yelled terrified at the same time: 'Don't say no presents!'
'Wha…' There was no space for Touya to say more.
'It's double party, onii-san!' Sakura exclaimed angrily.
'Actually…' Touya tried.
'I always get more food as presents for my birthday and Christmas!' Yukito wailed.
'I WASN'T GOING TO SAY "NO PRESENTS"!' Touya yelled between Yukito's wails.
Yukito stopped and smiled again. 'Knew that would work…' he mumbled, as he winked at Sakura, who sweat dropped.
'As I was going to say, we can all go tonight, it's shopping night.'
'All? But then you will see your presents!' Sakura cried.
'You can go into the shop alone, kaijuu, within reachable time.'
'Wai!' Sakura made a little dance around the room, as the boy sweat dropped. Sometimes, it was really easy to make her happy… Sometimes…
'Yuki, can you finish dinner? I'll have to clean Sakura's wounds.' Touya asked Yukito, as he motioned Sakura to go upstairs.
Yuki nodded and was left alone with dinner. He made a few extra rice balls as he was getting very hungry all of a sudden.
xxxxx
Sakura walked in front, carrying two bags: one present for Touya and three for Yukito, as it was his birthday. There weren't any other persons to buy presents for, as she wouldn't see them anyway.
But she did always send cards to all of her friends, so they didn't think she'd forgotten them, and she got cards back as well. But on this rule was one exception. Every year, she would buy a present for Syaoran, and use the Clowcards to get it in his room, so he wouldn't know who gave it to him. And he had never figured it out, as planned, or so she thought…
This year, she still had to buy something for him. Entering a shop, one of the last that was left, Sakura immediately knew she would find her present here. Touya and Yukito wobbled behind her, as she searched for this one special thing.
This time, it was a little fake sword, a bit shorter then her forearm. Made of a weird, glistering metal, and a wolf embedded in the hilt. It was a weird, useless, yet cute little thing, and she just felt like it was the right present for her special someone.
Buying it, Touya looked suspiciously at it, wondering for who it could be. Of course, he knew she would buy one present to much every year, but she had never told him for who it was.
They went home again, with Yukito, who was staying over, as usual. With the little money they had, they thought it was easier to use the cards to create a Christmas tree, and they started to decorate this special tree.
Normally, it was forbidden to use the cards unnecessarily, but with Christmas, the cards allowed it. Because at this special day, all cards returned to normal and celebrated with them. Making a party of tree people crowded with strange beings. A strange, yet special Christmas.
xxxxx
It was Saturday, the day before Christmas, and Syaoran went shopping with Eriol. To their luck, Meilin hadn't showed herself yet, making this shopping a peaceful one.
Syaoran had to buy lots of presents. Not only for his friends, with whom he spend first Christmas day, but also for his four sisters, mother, and close family members, with whom he spend second Christmas day.
That's right, he flew over to Hong Kong in the night between first and second Christmas day. Normally, he wouldn't have done that, and had flown right over, as soon as the holiday started. But after the first Christmas here, he had discovered after coming back from Hong Kong, a present on his bed.
A present for him.
And not just some present. Somehow, this present seemed perfect. He had immediately felt that this came from Sakura, but knowing she wanted it to be a secret, he never talked about it. Instead, he always bought her a present, and put it on first Christmas day on her windowsill and returned to Hong Kong in the night.
He had already bought her a present this year, which he thought she would like. With, of course, a bit help from Eriol, because with his crooked mind, he knew exactly what he should absolutely not give. In the end, this always resulted in a perfect present, which Syaoran had chosen anyway.
Happy that the most important gift had already been bought, he continued the present-hunting, for him and for Eriol. Second most important present was Eriols present for Tomoyo, on who he had a crush, for a long time already.
But knowing Tomoyo, she was always gone, and never gave Eriol the chance to confess any of his feelings. So what he gave her as a present was always very important.
And so the boys went on shopping, hating shopping more and more with every step they took, but continuing until they had bought every single present.
xxxxx
It was first Christmas, and Sakura woke up early for once. She heard a little snore coming from the drawer beside her bed, and stood up silently to not wake Kero, her lion-like guardian, momentary in his stuffed-animal-mode.
Opening the curtains, she found a little package on her windowsill. A happy smile split her face, as she grabbed the present and examined it.
Every first day of Christmas, a package was lying on her windowsill, containing one of those 'perfect presents'. She new very well that this present came from Syaoran, although she didn't understand how he could get it in her room: her window was closed, locked. She did that every year, just to see if the window would stop him.
But it never did.
It was sad, though. Giving her a present, could mean he liked her, but he never showed her that, he never made a move for her. Maybe he gave all of his friends gifts, and hers was on the windowsill, so he could avoid Touya.
Sounded pretty logical.
The thought that he knew she gave him the present every year, didn't cross her mind once.
Opening the present she squeaked happily. Inside was a pretty carved cherry blossom of wood, as big as her two hands. It was painted in soft colors, and could hang on the wall. It obeyed to the rules of every year: Weird, useless and cute. It was beautiful, and she immediately found a place for it, besides the other gifts from him.
Now she was truly happy again and she hopped down from the stairs, getting the kaijuu-treatment from Touya.
He cursed and hopped around on one foot as well, after she stomped it.
Yukito was making breakfast, and it smelled deliciously and special. And it was. (Can't explain, don't know any Japanese food)
After breakfast, the cards were set free for the day, and they spread around the house, doing the things they couldn't do when being a card: it became a mess inside.
It was present time, and they gave each other what they had bought. Yukito gleamed with happiness, as he got all kind of food from his two friends. Touya got things he needed for the house, as he always complained about having not enough money to buy necessary equipment. Sakura got a picture album from Yukito, so she could always see her friends. At this Yukito glared at Touya for a moment. He had never agreed to the overprotective treatment Touya gave Sakura.
From Touya, Sakura got a poster. And not just a poster. It was a family picture, of the time their parents were still alive, adjusted, so Touya and Sakura stood on the picture in their present age. It was a huge poster, and it warmed Sakura's heart. This was one of the times, that Sakura new very well that Touya wanted the best for her, and, most of all, that he had a difficult time as well.
They had to go trough this together.
In the end, Christmas was the same as every year, together with the cards, her brother, Yukito and Kero. The cards didn't want any presents. Sakura had tried to give them ones, but they only wanted some affection from Sakura now and then. Kero got a lot of food, and fought with Yukito over the last pieces.
But she felt lonely nonetheless. She had two weeks vacation, and she wouldn't see her friends at all. Touya and Yukito had to work both, which meant she was home alone for two weeks during the day. Kero was there to accompany her, but all he did was playing games.
She couldn't sneak out, for Touya would know immediately. He always knew. Al she could do was the house shores and her homework. Working ahead of everyone, again…
New year came and went. They partied with each other, but nothing special. It was a good night, but she just missed something.
On January the third, it was Fujitaka's birthday, and Sakura and Touya went to visit his grave, bringing fresh flowers with them. Touya had took the day of for this, and they spend it together.
A week later, school started again, and Sakura looked forward to it. She had finished her school work for the entire trimester already, but she didn't care. At least she would get good grades.
xxxxx
Syaoran had a great two weeks vacation. Being with his family was fun, his sisters and mother had missed him greatly. That's what you get of going to College in a different country.
They had a lot of good times together, which they only did on these special occasions. Even Meilin was bearable these days. The had given each other present, and he had to say, it wasn't as good as the one lying in Tomoeda at the moment.
The miniature sword with the wolf on the hilt was something he gave a special place in his room, and in his heart. He had to say, each present he got from her, was even better then the last one, but he had given them all a special place in his room.
xxxxx
Whiejj I've made my own record of the length of the chapter…!
Hope you liked it! I sure had fun writing it XD
Read and Review! Don't forget!
Kawaii-animal