Are You Gonna Let Her Get Away?
Chapter 5: In Which the Terrible Trio's Conspiracy Begins to Unravel
Disclaimer: Still don't own Syaoran, or Eriol. Darn it :(
Sakura had been volunteered by Mei Ling to help Tomoyo with the decorations for the Seasons Hotel Ballroom, where the Nippon Picayune ball was to be held. It was the only ballroom big enough for the occasion—plus the Lis owned it—which attracted Japan's best and most beautiful, and Tomoyo was panicking about her décor.
Elegant large-scale masks, "cobwebs" with glitter, and glass décor and accents shone in the ballroom, which had been transformed into a Venetian dance floor, complete with heavy velvet draperies. Though it was exquisite, Tomoyo was agitated; the Swarovski crystal favors in the shape of small masks had not arrived yet, and the silver crepe streamers had not been intertwined with silver mesh before being hung. It was already four in the afternoon, the ball started at six thirty the next day, and workers were frantically carrying out Tomoyo's design plans.
Sakura cheerfully hung up glittered crepe streamers and silver mesh along the wall. She was also exchanging messages with Syaoran on their private phone, and the thrill kept her smiling happily. The last message? "I want to kiss you so bad, little blossom. I can taste your lips right now...and anything else you'll let me."
She blushed, giggled, and decided to torture him by not responding. Sakura knew he wouldn't be able to resist, and would call in a while; she wanted to hear his voice. Tonight Syaoran was dropping by, and she sighed, thinking of a way to make him stay over so that she could sleep in his strong arms again. She closed her eyes and touched her lips, looking like she was far away.
This did not escape Tomoyo, who nudged Mei Ling.
"Look at her. She looks absolutely blissful. Who is she texting?" Tomoyo asked.
"Probably the grey-haired guy," Mei Ling shrugged. "I'm calling Eriol to 'help' us and I'll make him drag Syaoran over. Might as well do some damage while we're here. I'm heading for the coffee shop; want anything?"
Tomoyo shook her head, and as Mei Ling left, she realized something. Wait a minute...Tomoyo remembered Mei Ling telling her that Sakura had called her a few weeks ago to describe a 'dark-haired' guy. And 'grey' was not 'dark'. Something was amiss.
Across town, Syaoran waited impatiently for Sakura's response. When none was forthcoming, he locked the door to his office and dialed her number.
Ring. Ring.
Sakura fled outside the ballroom, muttering a hasty "excuse me" to Tomoyo. Tomoyo, torn between overseeing her décor and following Sakura to listen in on her conversation, chose the latter. Sakura had hidden behind one of the large draperies outside in the corridor, and was murmuring into the phone. Tomoyo crept up quietly to better hear the conversation.
"...ran. I miss you," Sakura breathed. "Come home to me tonight. Please. I want your arms around me." Her voice was husky, and Tomoyo smiled. 'Ran'? Who was 'Ran'?
Silence, because Sakura was listening to the man on the other end of the line.
"You have no idea. I'll see you in a while, then. If you get there ahead of me, just use your keys. Bye."
Keys? The guy has keys to her house? That's serious. Tomoyo pretended to be walking towards the bathroom when Sakura came out from behind the draperies. "Sakura! What are you doing behind those draperies?"
Sakura looked flustered, then said, "Ah, just checking them out."
Tomoyo's cell phone trilled out her favorite aria from "Tosca", and she noticed it was Eriol. "Pardon me, Sakura, I have to take this." She walked off to where she knew Sakura could not hear her, flipped the phone open, and said, "Eriol."
"I'm coming over with Syaoran," Eriol said without preamble.
"And are you going to try and court Sakura under his nose?"
"No better time than the present to ruin his day," and Tomoyo could almost hear him smirking.
"All right then. But don't expect to be let off easy. You have to work with us. But I'll assign you to work with her. Then you will buy us dinner."
"No problemo," Eriol laughed. "I'm going to enjoy this."
As he ended the call, he banged on Syaoran's office door. "Hey hermit! Your mother wants you to come with me."
"What?"
"Open the damned door, Syaoran!"
It slid open, and Syaoran stood there, looking annoyed.
"I have somewhere to go in a bit," he began as he put on his coat and slid his wallet and cell phones into the pockets, but Eriol head-locked him and dragged him to the elevator.
"Dammit Eriol! Why do you have to keep doing this crap?" Syaoran snarled. "I have a commitment later!"
"Aw, Syaoran. I'm sure your society girl can wait." Syaoran's brown eyes widened as he managed to push Eriol's arms off him. What society girl is Eriol talking about? Suddenly he realized that his farce with a disguised Sakura had worked, and he fought the urge to laugh.
"Where are we going?" Syaoran asked.
"Seasons. Your mom wants us to pitch in and help Tomoyo decorate. Mei Ling and Sakura are already there."
Syaoran barely managed to stop a smile. This was a good opportunity to confuse the Terrible Trio even further. "Fine! Mother wants me to help Tomoyo, then fine. You drive." And Syaoran placed his hands behind his head, smirking at Eriol.
As they walked towards his car, Eriol decided to try an opening salvo to irritate Syaoran. "Surely you aren't meeting up with Sakura later, because I know where she is and I plan to invite her for dinner. You're not invited, though."
Syaoran only grunted, and Eriol was disappointed. Lately Syaoran had stopped blushing or hemming at the mention of Sakura. Which can only mean he's found someone to rebound with. Eriol started the BMW, turned on the heat, and reflected on Syaoran's odd behavior.
Crap. I'm going to make sure he's jealous! He has to wind up with Sakura or Yelan is going to make sure I can't have children of my own!
Time for drastic measures. "Ever noticed how kissable Sakura's lips are?" Eriol baited.
Syaoran looked at him calmly. "Yes, she's very beautiful. Just like the woman I love." And his eyes went soft as he smiled.
Eriol fought to keep his jaw right where it was. Just great.
"If you're interested, you could try courting Sakura," Syaoran suggested politely. "No harm there, unless she rejects you."
"Uh, yeah," Eriol said. They had reached the hotel, and Eriol allowed a valet to park his car. Mei Ling met them in the lobby, looking and sounding subdued. Another weird-acting cousin, Eriol thought. Give me a break!
They let Syaoran walk ahead of them, then, "Auntie was nagging at me to get married too," Mei Ling sighed when Eriol shot her a quizzical look. He smiled sympathetically, then whispered, "Let's take it out on Syaoran then, ne?"
Mei Ling brightened. "I already have a plan for tomorrow. Tell you later," she said, as they arrived at the ballroom.
Tomoyo immediately put them to work, assigning Sakura and Eriol to continue hanging streamers, Syaoran to oversee the workers doing the stage, and Mei Ling to harass the suppliers for the party favors and the food over the phone.
Eriol was trying subtly to always be near Sakura, but she was distracted and elusive, smiling at some memory. He'd started using flimsy pretexts, such as assisting her by holding the other end of the streamers she was hanging on the walls, but she was polite and clearly not even realizing what he was doing. It was only when Mei Ling glared at him that he guided her near where Syaoran was, and began flirting more aggressively.
"You're very pretty, you know?"
"Oh, thanks." She blushed lightly, but continued working.
When Eriol turned to see Syaoran's reaction, his cousin merely smiled, then turned his back on them to pick up a bolt of drapery silk.
"Ne, Syaoran," Eriol called. "I think I should ask Sakura to the ball!"
Syaoran turned, still smiling. "I think you should ask her, not me." Sakura giggled.
"I already have a date," she said. "You guys made me draw from the basket yesterday, remember?"
"Well, save me a dance," Eriol gave her a sexy smile, and she merely nodded.
Tomoyo watched the entire exchange, and thought something was fishy. Syaoran was too calm, and Sakura was too casual. They were polite and friendly with each other when, in the past, Syaoran couldn't stop mussing his hair and clearing his throat when she was around. Sakura, for her part, had stopped looking anxiously at Syaoran whenever he did or said anything. And she had stopped checking her cell phone when Syaoran arrived.
No, it can't be. Can it? Tomoyo wondered. But there was no way; how could they have found the time?
Maybe how they behave at dinner later will tell me more, she thought.
Mei Ling returned, and told Tomoyo the favors were arriving in a few minutes, and that she had made reservations at Ritual Spa for the morning before the ball. "That includes you, Sakura!"
"Ho..." and Sakura quickly choked off the expression. "Erm, me? Why?"
"Hey, it's the event of the season. You have to look good. Who knows when love..." and Mei Ling blatantly turned to Syaoran and grinned before looking back at Sakura, "will find you?"
"I think it already has," Sakura smiled softly, not noticing the dismay crossing Eriol's and Mei Ling's faces. Tomoyo wore a thoughtful expression, shifting her gaze from Sakura to Syaoran and back.
Syaoran fought to control himself. She said it, not me, he rejoiced inwardly. I think I'll tell her that I love her, tomorrow. He was proud of not blushing, of keeping a straight face when he said, "That's great, Sakura. I hope it finds me too."
It will, Sakura thought. Because I plan to tell you I love you during the ball.
"How much is this spa thing going to set me back?" Sakura worried.
"It's complimentary for editors," Mei Ling lied, kicking Tomoyo's shin quickly when the other woman was about to say something. "You just handle the tips. You get a massage with scented oil after a body scrub, a manicure and a pedicure, a honey facial, and a hair treatment, then a makeup session with the resident makeup artist. Don't fret; she doesn't do heavy makeup! It's a special occasion..."
"...and that's why I made a gown for you," Tomoyo inserted. Sakura was surprised, and showed it.
"Not that I'm not grateful, Tomoyo-san, but I can't..."
"I need someone to model it for me," Tomoyo said smoothly, "and all you have to do is fit it tomorrow morning before we head off for the spa. Okay?"
"I..." and Sakura quickly shot a glance at Syaoran, one which everyone but Tomoyo missed. "Okay. But you really must let me make it up to you guys sometime."
"Glad I don't have to go to a spa," Eriol smirked. "I'm already perfect."
His cousins and Tomoyo groaned, and Mei Ling threw a crumpled-up streamer at him.
"Okay. Let's have dinner at the Captain's Restaurant in ten minutes. Bill goes to me, dear people," Tomoyo said, "because this is my show. All right?" She flicked off most of the lights in the ballroom.
"I was hoping to ask Sakura to dinner at the Patisserie," Eriol said, naming a popular lover's hangout.
"Sorry, guys, but I have to get home," Sakura said. "Rain check?" She smiled at Eriol and the others.
Before he could respond, Eriol's phone suddenly rang, and as he answered it, he turned pale. He looked at Mei Ling and Tomoyo, then said, "We have to go for a while. Please excuse us, Sakura, Syaoran." As they exited, he hissed, "Yelan," at the two women with him. Mei Ling squeaked, and Tomoyo clapped a hand to her mouth.
"Is anything the matter?" Syaoran asked.
"Oh, no, no. We'll just be out for a second. See you tomorrow, Sakura. Syaoran, you go on ahead to the restaurant." The three fled down the corridor quickly, and Syaoran finally laughed.
"About time. Bless whoever called. I," and he pulled Sakura close to him, "have been waiting all day," and he brushed her lips with his, "for you."
Syaoran pulled Sakura into a dark corner of the ballroom, in the shadow of one of the draperies, and his lips sought hers out hungrily. They wrapped their arms around each other, Sakura stroking his back gently as they kissed.
They did not see Tomoyo, who had come back for one last obsessive-compulsive check on the ballroom prior to heading to the office where Yelan Li waited.
Tomoyo had never seen Syaoran that way with anyone, ever. He was trailing passionate kisses up and down Sakura's cheeks and neck, returning to her lips every now and then. His eyes were closed, and he was almost purring Sakura's name. She was arching himself into him, calling his name back in response.
After a while, Syaoran rubbed his cheek against Sakura's, then said softly, "We should be getting to the restaurant, sweetheart. They might wonder we've gone."
"Yeah, but before that..." Sakura reached up to pull Syaoran down again, and sighed as his tongue entered her mouth.
They are in love, and they fell on their own, Tomoyo realized.
She pulled out her phone and was about to call Mei Ling and Eriol when she thought, I can't do this. What they have is beautiful. Those two will just make fun of this. This will be their secret- and mine!
Her decision was made. Tomoyo quietly crept out of the ballroom, and made her way to the office. Yelan, whose beauty belied her age, nodded when Tomoyo arrived.
"I hear you arranged for Syaoran to escort Sakura to the ball," she said without preamble.
"Yes, we fixed it!" Mei Ling said enthusiastically. "He drew her number because her number was the only one in the basket we gave him. Same with Sakura."
"And you couldn't come up with a better plan?" The corners of Yelan's lips curled. "It saddens me that you think Syaoran is no smarter than a high school boy."
"But Auntie! They'll be together!"
"Only for the night. How does that bring them together? You should have arranged for Eriolto draw Sakura's number, so that he could have annoyed Syaoran to the point where he would have felt compelled to step in," Yelan said.
The Terrible Trio were silent. Eriol's face was scrunched in determination; he was determined to annoy Syaoran further, while Mei Ling, whose eyes were flashing, wanted to throw the plan to hell and simply force the two together in one room again. Only Tomoyo was not thinking along the same lines as the other two, and her pretty face was calm and placid.
"You two can go. I need to discuss the ball with Tomoyo," Yelan said. Mei Ling and Eriol fled as quickly as decency would allow, while Tomoyo remained behind.
Turning to Tomoyo, Yelan said, "You were always a good observer, Tomoyo. You know, don't you?"
"I saw them kissing in the ballroom," Tomoyo said quietly.
"Good," Yelan said. "Will you help nudge things along then?"
"I will," Tomoyo smiled.
"If I didn't think Eriol might not deserve you, I would ask you to consider him as a possible suitor," Yelan said to Tomoyo. "But if he grows up, I hope you will reconsider. You can provide much-needed balance to his life."
Tomoyo blushed. She'd always thought Eriol was cute, if irresponsible. Perhaps it was time to look at him with different eyes.
"Good luck tomorrow then. And may I assume," Tomoyo could have sworn the older woman's eyes twinkled, "that you made Sakura a costume for tomorrow?"
"Of course!" Tomoyo lit up, pulled out her SmartPhone, and showed Yelan photographs of the floaty white dress she'd made for Sakura.
"Lovely. Your taste is exquisite," Yelan said. "I'll see you, then."
Tomoyo hurried to the restaurant, and was not surprised to see that Sakura had already left, begging some excuse or the other. Syaoran had not moved, even when Eriol offered to take her home. Instead, he was eating his dinner calmly.
It was Eriol who cut the quiet dinner short and said for them to just meet up in the lobby the next day at six. "We're tired," he said. "Want a lift, Syaoran?"
"No, I'll just cab it home."
Tomoyo knew he was going to Sakura's but kept quiet. The Terrible Trio sat in their seats, having coffee, when Mei Ling said, "Maybe we should just give up. This isn't working."
"No," Eriol said calmly. "I think we can still get them together."
Tomoyo remained silent.
Syaoran quickly found a cab and hurried to Sakura's house. She was waiting at the door, and flung herself at him when he arrived.
"Hey, hey, little blossom!" he laughed. "I missed you too for the last hour."
"Don't be cute," she chided gently. "Please stay over?"
"Want me to sleep with you?"
"Well, since you already have a change of clothes here..." Sakura smiled at him.
"I..." Syaoran was dying to tell her, but stopped himself. It can wait until tomorrow, he thought.
"What?"
"I know you drew number 126 as your date," he said.
"And I know you drew number 211 as yours," Sakura said.
"Hey, 211, would you dance the night away with me?"
Sakura suddenly blushed a bright red. "I...I don't know..."
"You don't want to dance with me?" Syaoran's brown eyes held hers in their gaze.
"No...I just...I've never been to a dance before," Sakura sighed, and drooped a bit. "Nobody asked me in high school."
"You?" Syaoran was surprised. How could someone so pretty be dateless?
"Yeah, I was a dork in high school. No one liked me," Syaoran could hear the regret and pain in her voice, and though he wanted to know what had hurt her so, he decided she would tell him in her own time.
"Poor baby," he said gently. Then he walked over to her laptop, downloaded something, and set it to play on a loop. It was a waltz from a popular movie about a young wizard; Sakura vaguely remembered watching that movie, because she had thought the actor was handsome; he also had messy chocolate brown hair, although his eyes were blue. Harry Porter?
"It's from Harry Potter," Syaoran answered her unspoken question. "It's an easy waltz to dance to."
Sakura raised an eyebrow as the music played, but Syaoran merely smiled. He put one hand on her waist, taking her left hand and placing it in the same position, and took her right hand in his own, raising it to about shoulder level.
"Dancing a waltz is easy," Syaoran began, thanking the gods for having paid attention in his 'gentleman's classes' in high school. "It's a bit sexist but you follow my lead. You don't have to follow the beats. The most basic step," and he guided her, "is just pretty much shuffling from side to side, like so...one-two, one-two. Usually this is the step used when women are in long skirts that sweep the floor; it lets them move without making them fall."
Sakura got it quickly, and they waltzed around her living room. Sakura had never thought dancing a waltz would be fun, but with Syaoran teaching her, it was. He taught her how to twirl herself, his hand providing the pivot point; he also showed her how to time it if he were to pick her up by the waist and lift her with the music. And he showed her other variations on waltzing. It was easy, because she was a willing and eager student.
Syaoran is wonderful, Sakura thought, as she looked up at him. He was perfect in every way, even when he was less than perfect; she loved it when he crinkled his nose, or when he was awkward, or when he laughed at himself when he made a mistake. I want to tell him now, but tomorrow might be better.
Outside, the snow fell as they began to laugh. Syaoran had stopped counting; Sakura had easily picked up the steps, and was happily following his lead. It was as though she had been born to dance with him. Sakura was enjoying how the dance allowed them to be close, and after a while, she became hyper with happiness, speeding up and spinning until they collapsed, laughing, on the floor.
She really is the one for me, Syaoran thought happily, as he bent down to kiss Sakura. She wiggled out of his embrace, grinned, then headed for the bathroom. He used the guest bathroom to wash up and change, and since he was faster than Sakura, he waited for her outside her bathroom.
Sakura came out, yawning, in a fleecy pink nightgown that would keep her warm. Syaoran smiled, then picked her up and brought her to bed, sliding her between the sheets then following. She sighed; she'd gotten her wish. She would wake up on Christmas Eve with him by her side. She easily drifted into sleep after Syaoran pulled her into a spooning embrace; that way his arm didn't have to go numb. Though he'd been hoping to kiss her again, he didn't mind, and a goofy grin was on his face.
I'm going to tell her tomorrow. I'm never going to let her get away.
Two blissful lovers spent the night in each other's arms as the snow turned the world outside into a winter wonderland, not knowing the pleasant surprise in store for them the next day.
Happy Shout-Outs
Thank you, thank you (hugs and kisses) to all who reviewed, favorited, and placed this story on alert! ccsread (Sorry, more suspense, haha), Pipi-chan (I think that because Syaoran loves her, he wants not to rush her into anything. Besides, he's getting MORE than his share in the other fic, mwahaha), Lolalaie89 (I like to write about the sweet side of Syaoran—some people have said he's more like the TRC than the CCS Syaoran XD), lhaine07 (aww, thanks so much, and that means a lot to me, if you can read this and want to dream it), AngelEmCuti (here you go!), Hououza (Definitely those plans are so gonna backfire, again And yes, Syaoran is enjoying getting the better of them), rosedreamer101 (sorry if I confused you, I meant that Syaoran doesn't want to push Sakura into making love yet, that's all), iNuQTpIe(I mailed it to you using the addy on your profile page; hope you got it), jennycuenca(I love Tomoyo, and if I ever make a sequel to this, it will be about her and Eriol--evil laughter), hearts-stars( :) ),animelover0328(here you go!), Adelaide MacGregor (aw, thanks!), Riley S (I swear, I like Discovery too, and sorry if it sounded like Syaoran was pathetic for watching it! Only, I meant he is addicted to that channel), and MysticMoonEmpress(next one should be up in two days, enjoy!)
(Darn, why does FFN remove certain kinds of smileys?)
Just a little bit to go, but the fluff continues to fly! Suffice it to say Syaoran will surprise everyone, even himself, during the ball. The Terrible Trio's three different plans will definitely create problems even Yelan could not have foreseen!
Borrowing Fai for the next chapter, heh heh.
As for those who are also reading my other stories, (hearts, hellos toPipi-chan!), thanks to the latest TRC development, "Body Memories" (M because of two, erm, necessarily explicit chapters) will finish ahead of "Intersections". The twist in the latest chapter helped the first fic big time, while forcing me to rewrite the ending of the second (argh). Please bear with me.
When "Are You Gonna Let Her Get Away?" ends (which will be soon), I'm still figuring out whether to upload the angsty story featuring Mei Ling, or another fluff story that involves the terrible trio—but this time, in high school—or the story of Clone Syaoran (yeah, yeah, I'm stuck on him, sorry). Any votes will be taken seriously :D And if anyone has an idea, let me know!
Thank you so much!