F.B: Sorry for the extreme late update! I've lost my creativity and passion when my grandmother passed away a few months ago. It had a really big impact on me because I was really close to her.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own CCS!
I'm really to those who reviewed this story, and thanks for sticking by my story. I also deeply apologise, as I didn't update for over a year! You guys must want to kill me, so I made the chappie longer than I was planning it to beto compensate!
Kit: Thanks for the review!
Lexi Aarons: Thank you! Syaoran has finally made his appearance in this chappie.
SulliMike23: Thanks for the review!
Wolfwarrior: Thanks for answering my question! Now I'm not confused anymore. Lolz. Thanks for reviewing!
AnimeLover: Well you have to read on to see if I make it E+S and S+T! Thanks for reviewing!
Sakuzha: Thanks for reviewing and Syaoran makes his appearance!
Here's the chappie that you all are waiting for! Keep those reviews coming!
New Acquaintances
Tomoyo groaned, and her hand flew up to cover her eyes from the blinding sunlight.
"Finally awake eh? I thought you were dead for sure!" a voice chuckled.
The solid surface bumped gently under her, and she groggily looked up at the voice.
A pair of amber eyes gazed at her curious ones, and he grinned.
"Where am I?" she managed to croak through her dry lips.
The cowboy just smiled, and tipped the mouth of a water skin to her dry lips. Her throat felt dry and her voice sounded very hoarse, as if she had stayed in the desert for too long.
His smiled grew wider when she choked on the water from drinking too quickly.
"You're in my coach. My friend and I are visiting my cousin," he explained, his deep voice captivated her very essence. She was intrigued that a stranger would even help her.
"What happened to me?" asked Tomoyo. Her own voice had finally got a lot more smoother, since the water nourished her parched throat.
"Ah," he looked sheepishly. "Ah, well…"
"Well, what?" she firmly asked. She really wanted to know why she was in the coach. Tomoyo started to rack her brains to remembered what happened before she blacked out.
Pain and sorrow filled her eyes, when she remembered how Eriol had asked her to ask Sakura to meet him privately.
'Privately. Eriol Hiiragizawa I WILL NOT forgive you this time!' she thought angrily.
"Never," she whispered feverishly.
"Huh? Did you say something?" the masculine voice asked.
"No, sorry. I was thinking," she meekly whispered in embarrassment that this handsome guy had caught her talking to herself.
He didn't seem fazed, as he continued on to explain Tomoyo's current condition.
"Well, you just appeared out of no where, and bam the horse's hoof nicked your head, and here you are," he grinned. He was quite charming, though his constant grinning did make you suspicious…
Tomoyo unconsciously touched her forehead to feel rough cotton bandage on her head.
"Oh," she murmured, and licked her lips.
She didn't notice that the amber eyed guy was looking at her mouth, and eyed her up and down.
'Quite beautiful I must say. Lovely woman figure, luscious wavy hair, and amethyst eyes. Porcelain skin…delicate hands…' trailed Syaoran's mind, as he forcefully swallowed the lump in his throat.
He didn't notice that he was leaning in to kiss those plump pink lips…
Tomoyo was lost in her thoughts until she felt warm breath tickle her face, especially her lips. She looked up to see this stranger leaning in to kiss her! When she thought for sure that his lips will crash onto hers, another masculine voice interrupted the moment.
"LI! We've arrived, and you may as well get your butt outta the coach and help me unload. Also, STOP flirting with the poor girl! She might as well live a short life with you breathing in all her air!" yelled the voice.
Crimson spread across Tomoyo's milky white skin, as she ducked her head to hide the blush.
The guy called Li mumbled an apology of sorts, and pushed the fabric aside. Tomoyo's breath caught in her throat when the sunlight illuminated Li's face more clearly.
His messy hair was the first thing that caught her attention. It was a lovely mess. It made her want to reach out and touch his dark oak coloured hair.
'Oh my,' thought Tomoyo when her gaze reached his eyes. Lovely amber eyes that sparkled in the sun, but now they held an annoyed glance that was shot into the other person's direction. She still continued to gaze at his face, as they travelled to his face as a whole.
'Chiselled face, with strong jaw bone, strong nose and well sculptured mouth.'
The breath that was held in her throat was finally released without her realising. She inwardly sighed in contentment, and let the sunlight caress her delicate skin. She didn't notice the other man until he said gruffly, "Are you just going to sit there all day and get burnt or are you gonna come in?"
Tomoyo felt her patience fray with this man. She couldn't stand rudeness in the male species, and prefer the gentlemen of the desert town.
She looked at him with open contempt and scrutinised his features. Ebony hair framed his face, and dark coloured irises. She couldn't decide whether they were black coals or a rather dark shade of a colour. She couldn't but notice his finely chiselled cheek bones, and his rather athletic body.
'Aren't I lucky to be in the presences of so many gentlemen today,' she thought sarcastically. 'Now I sound like Sakura.'
"So are ya getting off the coach or am I going to help you?" he asked. Tomoyo blinked a couple of times, and decided that she would get off the wooden coach instead of him helping her.
"I can get off myself, thank you very much," she said in a prissy voice.
Males weren't in her good books for today, no matter what.
"Very well Miss," the guy mocked her, and turned to walk into a hostel of some sorts. When he was about to walk through the door, he heard a soft cry, and saw dust floating around him lazily. Looking back he saw the girl crumpled in a heap on the floor.
Blowing out a frustrated sigh, he went to help her get up.
'I don't understand why Li can't just leave her to the locals. We don't even know where she lives, or who she is. She's such a burden!' thought Touya, as he bent down at Tomoyo's level.
Syaoran went to check in for two rooms for the three of them. The interior of the hostel was all made of wood, as well as the clerk's desk.
'Better than staying at the saloon. Meiling will have my head if I stayed at that place, and start yapping away my ear, like my ma.'
"Howdy, I would like two rooms for one week," said Syaoran.
"Yup. Just one week eh? There's a gold rush going on near one of those mountains. It'll take more than a week," smiled the clerk.
"Gold rush aye? Hmm. Hold on a sec, and I'll ask my partner," Syaoran said, and went to find Touya.
He found that Touya still haven't come in with the rest of their luggage, and looked outside to find Touya crouching in front of the pretty girl.
Bell tinkling again, Syaoran walked out into the dusty sunlight, and yelled, "If you're gonna be as slow as that, you might as well stay out there for the vultures to get ya."
"Tomoyo here's got an ankle sprain. Care to help me?" Touya yelled back.
"Who in the tarnation is Tomoyo!" said Syaoran, as he loomed over the pair.
"I'm Tomoyo!" Tomoyo managed to bit out, while suppressing the urge to cry out in pain.
"Oh," Syaoran looked embarrassed, and scratched his head. "Here lemme carry her you buffalo!" said Syaoran, as he bent down and picked Tomoyo up in bridal style.
"Me a buffalo! What in the tarnation ARE YOU are you then, Syaoran Li!" retorted Touya.
"A cowboy who helps out fair maidens such as you, sweet Tomoyo," winked Syaoran, as he pushed the door open with his foot. Touya followed behind grumbling.
"Touya, wanna stay longer than a week? There's a gold rush going on, and I thought it might be a good idea to stake out for a while ya know?" Syaoran went to explain.
Touya looked thoughtful with a slight frown dawning on his face. "How long Syaoran? Gotta find my lost cousin of some sorts. Heard she ran away to this town. I'm not too sure though…" he trailed off, looking quite upset.
"We'll find ya relative in time. How bout it Touya? She might be here in this town, and you can go find her. Got a portrait of her?"
"Naw. She's in me head. Perfect picture. She's a beautiful girl, with lovely green eyes as green as ma's emerald!" Touya was lost in his thoughts.
"Well then," Syaoran turned to the clerk and said, "Give us one month. How much do I owe you?"
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Sakura wrote into her hard leather bound diary rather enthusiastically. She sighed as she dropped her pen on her bedspread and looked at her entry. The rain was tapping against the window with a constant rhythm, and she was feeling rather tired this 'fine' afternoon.
Tomoyo wasn't back either, which proves that everything went ok, and there was nothing to worry about. Or maybe not. A voice inside her head said.
Oh wouldn't Sakura like to punch Eriol in the face repeatedly for annoying her every damn day she sent foot in this place. But her cousin had to fall in love with the idiot, and she would never hurt Tomoyo, therefore Sakura cannot do what she wanted to do.
She clenched her fist in frustration and punched her pillow forcefully, making her bed groan in protest.
She sighed tiredly, and flopped onto her bed after she signed her journal entry, and hid her secret friend under the mattress. Cuddling the soft pillow, her constant swirling thoughts hypnotised her, she felt her eyelids growing heavier and closed leaving Sakura sleeping peacefully on her bed.
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Tomoyo rubbed her painful ankle, and bit her lip to stop herself from crying. It hurt a lot, and Tomoyo has never injured anything until now. She was too stubborn to accept Touya's assistance.
Finally she was introduced to both males, and discovered what had happened. Then memories flooded back, and apologised profusely for troubling the two males with her presence.
"I'm glad to have met such an angel as yourself," flirted Syaoran, and smirked in response to Tomoyo's shyness. "Oh that reminds me," he said looking at Touya, "I've got some goods to get from the local store." Syaoran got up and winked at Tomoyo and disappeared out the door.
Tomoyo grimaced when Touya put his hand on her ankle, despite the fact that her foot was resting on a cushion. Syaoran had booked a lovely room for Tomoyo, with nice furniture, a rug and lovely big windows. It was magnificent compared to the boarding house that Tomoyo lived in.
Touya grabbed some cloth from one of the two trunks that were grouped on the floor.
He then in turn examined her foot, when he gently took off her shoe and socks. She could feel his slightly calloused hands gently twisted her foot left then right, causing soft cries to erupt from Tomoyo's mouth.
"You definitely sprained your ankle. Keep off it for a week or so, and don't take off the bandage unless I'm changing it or you're taking a bath,' Touya announced, and started to bind her ankle firmly.
Tomoyo groaned out loud in exasperation, causing Touya to sharply glance up at her. "If you don't want it to get better then you can walk on it!" he snapped at her, misinterpreting her loud groan.
She looked at him in surprise for his outburst, and saw that his back was facing towards her as he started to unpack his things from the many trunks.
'What in the tarnation is wrong with this cowboy! He's got anger problems, like he's an angry buffalo out to kill something or shall I say in this case, someone,' thought Tomoyo, as her gaze bore into his back.
Smoke bellowed out of Touya's ears, as he grabbed a few cotton shirts and leather breaches. His taunt muscles rippled under his sweat soaked shirt, as he stiffly walked across the room feeling Tomoyo's gaze bore into his back.
"I-I didn't m-mean to offend you," Tomoyo's soft voice stuttered, travelling through the thick, tense atmosphere. "I've got s-something to take care of at home. I j-just want to g-get home."
"I'm very grateful for both of you to look after me despite the fact that you didn't know me, and that you could've left me to the locals around that area," her voice strongly finished for her.
Touya felt guilt seep through his being, as this was the very thought that Touya was thinking of.
'I don't understand why Li can't just leave her to the locals. We don't even know where she lives, or who she is. She's such a burden!'
He cringed at the thought, and how hurtful his comment had been if he spoke it out loud. Touya was glad that he kept his opinions to himself, it prevented him from getting into trouble.
"It's our pleasure," he managed to mutter, as he put his clothes neatly in one of the drawers.
'Might as well keep her company, since her leg is in bad shape,' Touya thought, as he pushed the heavy, wooden drawer back in.
'Is that the only reason why you want to be alone in a room with a beautiful girl such as Tomoyo?' his mind teased. 'Yes,' he strongly said, but that didn't prove much. He was quite doubtful as to why he wanted to look after Tomoyo. It wasn't like she was crippled.
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Syaoran lowered his leather hat to shade his eyes from the blinding sunlight.
"You might thought we've gone blind by now," he muttered under his breath as he carried some pick axes, ropes and other equipment to assist him and Touya in finding some sort of fortune.
Touya crossed his mind, and he thought how remorseful that cowboy really was. He was out to find himself a long lost relative, and Syaoran himself was trying to find a life. There was no specific reason why he allowed himself to help Touya to find his relative. Maybe it gave him a sense of direction that he lacked so much. He sorely wanted to get hitched one day with a girl that wasn't too girly and could stand up on her own two feet.
'But Tomoyo isn't like that is she? She's more reserved, yet stubborn with her own willpower, but can also be weak at times. Just like Touya,' Syaoran thought as he pushed through the hostel door.
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Dread filled the air around him. Fear lurked in the shadowed corners, and the fire licked the logs in the fireplace, causing light to dance suspiciously surrounding him.
"Oh I'm so bloody stupid to not see that coming!" he said, as he slapped his forehead. "Sakura is going to have my head if Tomoyo doesn't come home tomorrow. Oh death is me!"
His lean figure paced the room, as his irregular breathing finally came to a standstill resulting in Eriol taking a deeper breath in to calm his nerves. He hasn't been this nervous since…since leaving home to a new destination. New life, new identity without constraints that came with his previous life.
He moaned and collapsed onto a wooden stool near the fireplace. Running his hands through his now messy blue hair, and his deep blue eyes expressed worries that are crossing his mind. His mother loved the colour of the sea, which was probably the sole reason that she married his father.
He snorted at the thought. 'That was the only reason that she had married father.'
Putting his head into his hands, he thought of the numerous ways Sakura could kill him.
'Ah lovely Sakura. Eyes as green as the emerald that could make the Princesses envy the very colour that has captured my attention, skin as soft as silk that use to create my very clothes, pink flushed cheeks that remind me of a lovely rose that blooms in spring, creating a lovely aroma of sweetness.'
With thoughts of Sakura sailing across his mind, his eyes closed upon him in no time at all. Only thoughts of lovely Sakura.
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Lying on the soft mattress of the hostel, Tomoyo glanced at Touya's sleeping form on the makeshift bed that was placed next to the bed, just in case Tomoyo needed help.
Touya's long lean form stretched out on the white bed sheet, and his chest rising gently up and down with each breath he took.
'He looks so peaceful asleep, yet such a pensive man when awake,' sighed Tomoyo.
She bent over the bed and allowed her long slender finger trace Touya's strong jaw line, gently. She marvelled how strong it really was. Then her gaze travelled to his naked torso, which usually was covered by a shirt. By tonight was too hot to be wearing a cotton shirt. Tomoyo herself has to borrow one of Touya's shirts to act as a sleeping gown. Syaoran had offered his shirt, but Touya beat him to it.
Tomoyo had to cover her legs with the thin blanket because she felt too bare naked without it. Anyways, when she did change into his shirt, she felt his gaze swept over her body. She didn't like that one bit.
Too caught up in her thoughts once again, she didn't know that her finger was travelling over Touya's hard body, and that she had woken him up in the process.
Touya closed his eyes, and try to steady his breathing so that Tomoyo wouldn't notice that he wasn't asleep. He had felt her curious exploration of his body, and was controlling himself not to break loose and do something stupid.
"Short tempered with a fiery personality, just like a bull. Yet you can be gentle and caring. Touya why do you confuse me so," whispered Tomoyo. "Why can't I seem to understand you? You are very different to Eriol. He was obvious, manipulative in his own way…"
He heard Tomoyo take a deep breath before forming her next sentence. "I could read him like a book. I could see his desire for Sakura. I knew that he liked her, not me. Yet I was stupid enough to follow my heart, and continue my infatuation." Up to this stage, Tomoyo's emotion overwhelmed her, and she sobbed brokenheartedly.
"I'm so STUPID!" she cried with her heart. He felt her finger went limp, not moving, not continuing its journey where it had stopped. Her finger was brushing softly against his cheek now.
Despite all, his own heart felt like it was ripped out. He knew the feeling of unrequited love, and he hated feeling this way. She reminded him of his own pain, and now he hated her for digging up the past.
Out of the blue, he felt her soft lips press against his nose gently.
'Like butterfly's wings,' mused Touya, yet shocked at the sudden action of affection.
"Thanks for listening Touya even though you must be sleeping and dreaming, and not hearing any of this," she murmured sleepily.
"But I feel so much better…" she trailed off.
Touya just stayed still until he could hear her soft even breathing. He sat up, leaning against the wooden wall pondering on what Tomoyo just told him. His skin felt like a trail of fire swept the surface of his skin where Tomoyo's touch had travelled.
He stood up and looked at Tomoyo's sleeping form which was still in the uncomfortable position where she had opened part of her heart to him.
Gently he rolled her over and straightened her up, pulling the blanket over her form.
Yawning, he slept in his uncomfortable bed with troubles thought of the past looming in his mind.
How was it? I rewrote this chappie three times till I was satisfied, but this chappie may not be good. Anyways, I can't wait till I hear your thoughts. Please be gentle if ya gonna flame me. Ja ne till next time!