Reality's Dream
Chapter 19: Dangerous GroundSakura shivered as she entered her house, drenched from head to toe due to the torrential downpour that was presently pounding the ground outside.
"Who knew the walk from the car could be so hazardous?" Syaoran joked as he followed behind her, shutting the door in their wet wake. A storm that had initially been predicted to break tomorrow had arrived a day early catching the teens unaware and unprepared for the water that now fell in buckets from the gunmetal gray sky.
Sakura managed a weak smile at his attempt at a normal conversation. But although they managed from time to time to have a decent conversation, things were definitely still way off between them as another awkward silence hung in the air. Sakura fumbled for something to do or say that would release them from this tension.
"Ummm…we can just grab some of Toya's clothes and then stick your wet ones in the dryer before you leave." Sakura suggested as both removed their sopping shoes and socks so as not to trail the dirty water about the floors of the house.
"Where is the tyrannous Toya anyway?" Syaoran asked looking around for any sign of the sibling. He was not up for another night of defending his right to be around Sakura or trading insults with a guy who obviously irritated to no end by his existence.
"He's out with friends. Probably gonna be back late." Sakura replied as they climbed the stairs and went into her brother's immaculately clean room finding a fresh pair of pants and a t-shirt for Syaoran to borrow. 'It's a good thing Toya's not here,' Sakura thought with a tiny smile, 'If he saw Syaoran in his clothes World War Three might just start.' She left her friend there to change as she went to her own room.
Sakura peeled off her wet clothes and traded them for a pair of black sweats and a loose tank top. She was occupied with brushing her wet mess of hair when she heard a soft rap at her door.
"Sakura? Is it safe for me to enter?" She heard Syaoran's voice questioning on the other end of the wooden border. She could not explain why her heart was racing as she told him she would be down in a moment to help with fixing dinner. As she listened to his fading footsteps she let out a sigh relaxing the tensed muscles of her body. 'What in the world am I doing? I'm acting like a complete idiot.' She chided herself. 'We're just friends!' But no matter how many times she chanted that mantra she could not truly convince herself. Friends definitely do not kiss each other like they had over a week ago.
Sakura was placing the brush on the mirrored dresser when she was plunged into a startling darkness. She let out a little 'eeep' of shock and then realized that the power had gone out, her eyes adjusting to the shadowy dimness. She whimpered as thunder began to rumble ominously in the sky above. It was like being transported back ten years, and she was a little lone girl quivering with fear and looking for protection.
Sakura wandered down the dark hall, lit only by the dark gray murk produced from the window, the falling rain seen trickling down in the meager light it cast. As she crept down the stairs, holding onto the railing tightly in case she tripped, she heard a noise coming from somewhere nearby. Her skin prickled, brain alert, adrenaline rushing through her veins causing tremors with the immense power it lent her body. "Syaoran?" Sakura whispered weakly, her paranoid mind having visions of an intruder in the house and was afraid to alert them of her presence. But instead of a response, all she could hear was the harsh drumming of the rain on the roof and the occasional call of thunder. She tiptoed to the kitchen, eyes flickering to and fro, and peered inside. A flash of lightning revealed a room full of electronic appliances but not a human presence. 'Where is he?' She wanted desperately to find him. He would keep her safe.
"Sakura."
The girl with such a name jumped out of her skin with fright before whirling around behind her to discover Syaoran standing there. Her face shone with relief then was rapidly clouded with anger as she marched up to him giving a slight punch in the arm. "That's for scaring me." The scowl then disappeared when a clap of thunder exploded, and she threw herself into his arms. How she hated thunderstorms and the power they had over her.
"Shhhhh." Syaoran soothed, rubbing Sakura's back, knowing how scrambled storms made her. Once she had calmed enough to be reasoned with, he spoke. "The storm just knocked out the power. I'll go check the circuit breaker and see if there's anything I can do. Why don't you find some flashlights or candles or something? Okay?" He looked down into trusting eyes. Scared as she was, Sakura knew that he would protect her. For a moment they stood there, unsure in the darkness what each other's eyes were saying. Another clap of thunder broke them apart, reminding them of their tasks. "Be sure to leave the door unlocked so I can get back in,' Syaoran said, his voice a little rough like it was hard for him to speak. Sakura merely nodded in response, finding her voice to be beyond her reach.
As Syaoran went outside, Sakura went back to the kitchen to search for matches, remembering that the flashlights and battery powered lanterns were in the garage, a place she definitely did not want to venture into alone. So candles became the logical solution for the moment. Rummaging through the drawers and cabinets she came up empty handed. 'We must be out.' Then she remembered the pack that she kept in her room. It was one she had snagged from a restaurant when she had had to double with Eriol for Tomoyo and Syaoran. She cringed a little at the painful memory as she once again ascended the stairs.
Sakura pushed open her door a little hesitantly. She almost followed the childish impulse to jump into her bed and hide under the covers. Instead Sakura made her way to the mirrored dresser, pulling out the top drawer, her fingers searching blindly among the contents for the sharp cardboard edges of the box of matches. As her hand brushed its smooth surface she heard Syaoran enter the room.
"I couldn't find anything wrong. I think the power's down for the whole area."
Sakura nodded as she pulled one of the candles on the dresser closer to her. It was a pure white studded with glittery moons and stars, definitely not the resembling the night sky in its current condition. She was about to strike a match on the box's edge when she felt Syaoran standing behind her, his body heat radiating in waves across her back making it very hard for her to focus. When he did and said nothing she tried to relax her body that had automatically tensed when he had approached. She took a deep breath and raised the match to the box but her hands were shaking so much that she could not put enough force into striking it, and it merely scratched harmlessly on the side rather then igniting. Sighing in frustration she tried again and again to no avail. Suddenly Sakura felt Syaoran brush against her back as he reached around her, his hands resting over hers, steady and strong, guiding them.
The match hissed as it was scraped along the scratchy side of the box, a small flame poofing into existence casting a very feeble glow on the room followed by a hint of sulfur permeating the air. Syaoran moved their hands toward the awaiting wick of the candle watching the flame double as the wick lit. He guided the still lighted match to his face, blew it out and then they dropped the box on the dresser. But he didn't remove his hands or pull away. Instead they stood there, his hands over hers, looking into the mirror ahead of them, staring into the reflection of one another's eyes. Sakura felt a burst of trepidation, different then the panic of the darkness or the thunder. Rather an exciting fear of the unknown. She wanted to run away, but she once again knew that she was safe with Syaoran. Wherever this was leading, they would go together. And she trusted in that.
Sakura became aware of his right hand slowly making its way up her bare arm. Her eyes closed on their own accord, relishing in the gentle slide of his fingers, feeling the shiver of delight that course through her as he reached her neck brushing his fingertips up the side to rest at her jaw. Sakura felt herself turn to face him, her eyes searching his for some explanation, but she noticed as her hand moved up to his face on its own accord, and watched as it slid across his cheek in a gentle caress.
Syaoran began to bend his head down to hers and she rose to her tiptoes. Just as their lips were about to meet, Sakura pulled back an inch, unsure. Was this the right thing to do? But pushing doubt aside she was then drawn back in. She leaned in to find Syaoran hovering behind a little, also uncertain of the possibilities that lay before him. The two continued this battle of near kisses, their breaths mingling, their hearts racing until that blissful moment when they felt their lips barely brush, finally leaning in to solidify the kiss. Their lips met in a tender and achingly sweet kiss. One filled with promises and growing desires and love, most of all.
Soon the sweetness grew into a hunger, gentleness swept away by passion. Syaoran's arms drew her in, pressing her small form tightly to his. Sakura trembled in delight as his tongue trailed her bottom lip, her knees quivering, heart aching, wanting to give way from the delirious ecstasy of it all. She opened her mouth, allowing for the kiss to deepen. Her hands tightened their grasp on the back of his shirt as she felt the room drop away. Not breaking their kiss, Syaoran bent down picking Sakura up under her thighs, he lifted her onto the dresser behind her. The candle beside them extinguished by the draft they created.
Sakura broke from the kiss breathless resting her palms against his chest, feeling the stampeding of his heart beneath her fingers. Syaoran's eyes questioned, 'Was this too much? Did she want to stop?' She responded by sliding her hands up his shoulders, behind his neck, guiding his face back to hers. Sakura emitted a small moan when she felt his hand trail up her back under the shirt, eliciting shivers to race down her body. Her mind blanked as her senses went on overload at the simple touch of his hands on her back and stomach. The next thing she knew his fingers were waiting at the bottom of the tank top giving it a tentative tug. Sakura lifted her arms so that Syaoran could lift the cottony material above her head. She repeated the action with Syaoran's shirt, enjoying the delicious feeling of skin on skin when they embraced again. She couldn't get enough of the hot smooth touch of his skin against hers and never wanted it to end.
Sakura felt Syaoran begin to pull back. In protest she wrapped her legs around his waist securing him to her. A little voice in her head mentioned that this was far beyond just a little kissing and that they should probably stop and figure out what was going out. But neither wanted to let go, both lost in the feeling of being with one another, sucked under by the growing drive to be closer. Sakura felt the world shift as Syaoran lifted her up, carrying her over to the bed, gently lowering her onto its covers. Syaoran hovered over her, his brown eyes vibrant, brushing a strand of hair from her face with his hand and whispered, "Sakura…I…I…"…'love you.' He had discovered it when they had kissed in the dojo, realization running over him like an 18 wheeler on a rampage. The girl who had always been in his life, was the one person he never wanted to leave it; but he couldn't say how much she meant to him.
Unable to confess the words he felt, he hoped she could feel them when he pressed his lips to hers again. The next moments were a whir as they continued to kiss, the desire mounting, both recognizing that they were headed toward dangerous ground but trusting in one another entirely. Syaoran began to trail butterfly kisses from her jaw, lingering at her neck, down to her collarbone…
"Sakura I…"
A voice cut like a knife through the air slamming the two painfully back to reality.
They broke apart and looked to find Eriol standing frozen in the doorway, uncomprehending blue eyes wide, stunned at the scene before him: Sakura and Syaoran embraced, legs entangled and shirtless.
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