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Disclaimer: Clamp's characters, my story

Reality's Dream

Kimmikat

Chapter 7: Learning to Just Flow

Sakura walked into the training room spotting Syaoran already in the corner stretching, waiting for Sensei Ming to enter for instruction. She joined him on the floor sitting down to a split and leaning over. "Howdy partner," She jokingly acknowledged.

"Well hello there to you too." Syaoran said. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine." Sakura replied trying to figure out the odd expression on Syaoran's face. "What?"

"Well I just thought the locker door might have done more damage than you claimed." He said casually but Sakura didn't miss the mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Sakura growled slightly as she remembered the little hallway incident where she and him were walking down the crowed corridor of school when they turned the corner and she went smack into an open locker door. Luckily Syaoran caught her before she landed flat on her butt, but that didn't stop people from laughing. "Thank you so much for reminding me. Just what I need is for my nose to be rubbed into my flaws."

"I was only concerned for your well being." Syaoran protested but Sakura wasn't buying his innocent routine. "Besides I don't find your lack of coordination to be a flaw, more like an adorable characteristic." Sakura's heart somersaulted. 'He thinks it's adorable!' Her mind exclaimed before quickly pushing away such thoughts.

"Well it wasn't so adorable when Tomoyo rushed me to the nurse's office to make sure I didn't have a concussion." Sakura snorted. "She acted like I'd just been sacked by the star football player or something." Syaoran chuckled slightly before growing more serious.

"Sakura…Thank you for-" Syaoran began before she cut him off.

"Don't worry. You know I would do anything for you." Sakura replied. "You would do the same for me."

Syaoran smiled.

"So how did it go?" Sakura asked casually as she stood up to bend over forward to the floor.

"Amazing and awkward." He admitted truthfully. "Sakura?"

"Hmmmm?"

"How do you know when it is alright to kiss someone?" Sakura nearly fell over at this question. "See I didn't try to kiss Tomoyo at all, though I wanted to so desperately, but I feared she would think I was being to forward."

Sakura struggled to find the right words both due to her lack of experience in this matter and the rampaging emotions swirling inside her screaming for him to notice her. "Well, the simple fact that Tomoyo wanted to go out with you is a good sign that she's interested. But as for timing I wouldn't really know; it's not like I've ever been on a date. I guess just whenever it feels right to you just go for it. It's better to try and fail instead of spending forever wondering." 'If only I would follow my own darn advice,' Sakura bitterly thought.

Syaoran noticed that same look of sorrow streak across her face before it was quickly masked. What pain was she hiding from him? He wanted to help, but if she didn't let him in…what could he do? "Sakura…is something bothering you?"

Sakura found her eyes locked in a powerful stare down as Syaoran's gaze slowly tore away at the walls her secret lay behind. She could feel her resistance crumbling as he reached out and took her hand in his while his warm brown eyes encouraged her. How she wanted to just let it all out, to tell the truth. But the moment was shattered when Sensei Ming marched into the room commanding their attention.

The next hour and a half was spent practicing tai chi. Sakura loved it for its grace and beauty, showing also the hidden strength of the element of water, the trick of learning to just flow.

After thanking Sensei Ming and heading out to Syaoran's car Sakura remembered, "I think I left my cell phone back in the dojo. Be back in a sec."

Sakura dashed inside and found the front room filling with new students for the aikido class. Sneaking through to the back room she found her cell phone half hidden by a mat where she had placed her backpack earlier. Grabbing it she turned to leave only to discover the room occupied by another being.

The guy standing in the door way looked to be about Sakura's age. Tall, dark hair and eyes, slightly on the beefy side. Sakura didn't appreciate his lingering gazes as they hovered at every other place than her face. 'Oh please.' Sakura thought. 'Not another "hey baby" wanna be player or I'll gag.' Her insulting description was not far off track as he slithered up to her.

"Hey sweet thing. I'm Alex. What's your name?" Alex asked giving a little smirk as he ran his hands through his gel slicked hair. 'Gelled hair for aikido practice…need I say more?' the little voice in her head chuckled.

"Not interested." She replied coolly as she stepped to her right to get around him

"Whoa, whoa! Not so fast there," Alex said stepping in front of her path. "No need to run. It's not like I bite…hard." He grinned wickedly as Sakura grimaced. 'Ugh. Somebody call the pound. There's a dog on the loose.' Her mind thought as she once again tried to leave his company.

"Awww come on. I'm just being friendly." Alex commented then reached out and grabbed her arm in a solid grip. "Lighten up."

"Let me go." Sakura commanded while thinking 'Bleck! He's actually touching me. Any one got some Lysol or disinfecting spray?'

No movement was made.

"Are you deaf or just plain ignorant? Now let me go." Sakura quickly thought over which maneuver would best release he from his grasp when an icy voice stopped her.

"She said to let her go."

In the doorway stood Syaoran his eyes hard and pointed, filled with a deep anger at the slime touching Sakura. Alex quickly looked from Syaoran's menacing glare to his hand releasing Sakura as if he hadn't known what his hand had been doing.

"Sorry man. Didn't know she was yours." Alex amended as he practically raced through the room, squeezing by Syaoran.

Sakura would have laughed at the sight but instead reprimanded Syaoran. "I could have handled that you know. We haven't been taking martial arts for years just so I can play the damsel in distress."

"But you know how I love to play the knight in shining armor. You wouldn't deprive me of that simple joy now would you?" Syaoran pleaded pouting his lips and giving the puppy eyes.

Sakura laughed, "One day this rescuing complex you have will get you into trouble."

"Ah, but I only protect you and considering how many messes you find yourself in, I think my services will always be required." Syaoran said.

The two headed back to the car. But this recent incident had sparked a memory in Sakura.

It was freshman year of high school and a senior had begun to show particular interest in her, following her around, flirting, the usual. One day it all stopped and she discovered it was because Syaoran had scared him away. To this day Sakura still did not know exactly what Syaoran had done or said to scare the senior away but it must have been quite effective for not only did the senior avoid her but almost no other boy at school had dared to approach Sakura in more than a "just friends" manner.

Sakura had nearly died of joy when she had found this information out. Surely it meant that Syaoran had some romantic feelings toward her if he didn't want her to be with other guys right?...Wrong. Sakura remembered how her heart had deflated when she overheard an interesting conversation between Syaoran and Eriol.

XxXxXxXxXxXx(flashback)xXxXxXxXxXxX

"Did you see him trip on his own two feet when trying to get away from you?" Eriol laughed at the priceless image of the big tough senior fleeing from a freshman and falling flat on the pavement in the process.

"Well at least he listens. He won't bother Sakura anymore." Syaoran stated proudly.

Eriol paused a moment trying to find the right way to broach this subject. "Syaoran…you seem a little, well, gung-ho about keeping him from Sakura. He just wanted to go out with her."

"The guy's an ass." Syaoran said as if that explained everything.

"Still are you sure there aren't any other motivations behind your reason to keep away guys from Sakura. " Syaoran looked at him, confusion etched on his face. "Maybe, just maybe you wanted to keep the pathway clear… for yourself." Eriol suggested.

"Come on man. She's my best friend. We talk and hang out. It's nothing like that." Syaoran said with a shake of his head.

"Still you're very zealous about guys not being with Sakura. Remember how you warned me about messing around with her before you introduced us. I seriously thought you had a thing for her." Eriol persisted.

"She's like a little sister to me. She's so naïve to the world, always trusting everyone. I'm just looking out for her to make sure she just doesn't get hurt." Syaoran affirmed.

"So you're saying that Sakura, the girl who knows you through and through, whom you've said you would trust with your life is one you have absolutely no interest in?" Eriol inquired as if trying to make Syaoran see what he was really saying.

"None." Syaoran clarified. "Now come on. Let's go eat. I'm starving."

Unbeknownst to either Syaoran or Sakura, Eriol at that moment was shaking his head thinking what a fool Syaoran was and wondering when the day would come when Syaoran would eat his own words. Who would have guessed it would be years away and require a little push from Eriol himself.

XxXxXxXxXxXx(Present)xXxXxXxXxXxX

Sakura gave a silent chuckle at how she had continued to hope that one day Syaoran would see she had grown up, was no longer that innocent child he pictured her as. 'One day' her mind harrumphed. 'That damned 'one day' never seems to arrive and maybe it never will.'

She brought her focus back to the car and realized they were stopped once again at that eternal signal. She looked at the street sign realizing that in all the years she had driven by, not once had she glanced at its name.

"Dream," Sakura read out loud. 'Huh. Odd name.'

"What did you say?" Syaoran asked.

"Dream," Sakura said a little louder. "The name of the street," And she pointed to the hanging blue sign with its bright white writing.

"Odd name," He replied.

"Thought that too," Sakura replied giggling.

"Never noticed it before." His mouth tugged a little at the side, "Funny how you can miss things until you take the time to actually see it."

"Listen Sakura," Syaoran started again as the signal turned green allowing them to pass. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind…well…going on another date…with me and Tomoyo?"

'I can never escape it can I?' Sakura thought. "You know a date is supposed to be this romantic nice couple thing. Not to be bombarded by two crashing friends." Sakura said, the excuse flying from her mouth with it the hope that she could run from the suffering of watching her love swoon over another.

But that hope was not answered. "Please Sakura," Syaoran asked his eyes pleading. "I need you. I feel so much more confident when you're around. And you're so good at breaking those nervous silences."

Sakura was deeply moved by his words. She always felt fluttery when he spoke of how much she helped him. "Alright. I'll go. Just tell me when and where." Syaoran flashed her an appreciative smile as they continued their way to the Kinomoto household for dinner. All the while Sakura kept wondering yet again 'Why me?'

XxXxXxX

A/N Thank you to all who reviewed, it makes me smile. I would write more personal responses but not knowing if that's what got me deleted I'm hesitant to write more than a few sentences total. I love hearing what you have to say though.