Are You Gonna Let Her Get Away?
Chapter 7: Before the Ball 2
Boys Will Be Boys
Syaoran was a bit frustrated. Not only hadn't he been able to contact Sakura the whole day—she had sent him a text message saying she was with Tomoyo and Mei Ling and could not talk—he had overlooked something important, something which would annoy his mother in a bad way: what was he going to wear to the ball?
Mentally he rummaged through his closet, and remembered he had a black tuxedo. Pathetic, but it would work. He hoped.
Now he was rummaging through the refrigerator in his office; he'd just realized that he had forgotten to eat lunch when Eriol came in. Hard to miss the booming voice; it grated across his consciousness like nails on a blackboard. Syaoran pulled out a chicken salad sandwich and some bottled iced tea as he tried to ignore Eriol. He sat down at his desk and unwrapped the sandwich.
"Syaoran my boy," Eriol began mock-pompously.
"Quit the crap," Syaoran growled. "I'm busy. With work. Plus I'm trying to have a peaceful lunch. Shouldn't you be taking care of coordinating the payments with Tomoyo?"
Eriol blanched a bit, but recovered quickly. "Oh, she said she assigned her assistants to take care of it."
"Irresponsible, as always," Syaoran sniped as he sank his teeth gratefully into the sandwich and gulped some iced tea.
"Oh, dear. Didn't we get any last night?" Eriol needled.
"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," Syaoran snorted.
"Well, you're testy. The obvious conclusion: society girl didn't put out for you?" Eriol was enjoying himself; Syaoran was clearly getting annoyed.
Syaoran gritted his teeth. I am not going to lose my temper. I am not going to lose my temper. I am going to lose my temper with Eriol…dammit...I am not going to lose my temper! "None of your business," he ground out.
Eriol grinned a feral grin; since Syaoran was attending to the last minute details of the guest list, he was on tenterhooks. "Dear me. Ah well. At least I have that dance with Sakura to look forward to. I'll invite her back to my apartment afterwards. After all she told me earlier," and Eriol watched for Syaoran's reaction, "…that she would like to spend time with me." A blatant lie, but worth it, because he thought he saw Syaoran flinch.
Yeah right, Syaoran thought. Like Sakura would talk to him like that. He suppressed a smile, then realized Eriol had misinterpreted his action.
"Don't worry; I'll be sure to bed Sakura enough for you later," Eriol smirked. "I wonder how loud she is in bed? Do you think she's a virgin?" He leered at Syaoran, and winked playfully. Syaoran didn't look like he was going to react anyway. How wrong he was, he would find out in an instant.
It was too much for Syaoran. To Eriol's shock, Syaoran grabbed him so fast he had no time to react. Eriol found himself pinned to the wall, his toes an inch off the floor, and Syaoran had an iron grip on his shirt front. On one hand, good, he had made Syaoran lose control for the first time in five years. On the other hand, bad, because Syaoran was nearly red with anger…and when Syaoran was angry, no one could beat him in a fight. He'd once taken on four guys in college and won when he was angry at them for harassing his then-girlfriend.
"Don't you dare talk about her that way," Syaoran snarled, his copper eyes flashing dangerously.
Eriol wasn't stupid, but he couldn't resist. "I thought you went to Hong Kong with that other woman?" he asked. "So you rebounded with her when nothing happened with Sakura when you two were trapped in this office? Of course I'm going to bug you about that other woman!"
This idiot is never going to figure it out, Syaoran thought, but the thought doused the anger in him somewhat. Eriol felt the tight grip on his shirt loosening, and found himself lowered to the floor. Syaoran, breathing hard, turned away from Eriol. "Get out," he said quietly. "Get out before I do something I regret."
The two young men stood quietly for a few moments, one shaking his head, the other staring stonily out of the window.
"I may have gone too far," Eriol said after a while. "But I'm not apologizing." Syaoran whipped around, fists clenched. Eriol gulped, but plunged on recklessly. "You're consoling yourself with someone who's no better than a free-for-all, believe me. Why don't you just go for Sakura?"
"I thought you wanted her?" Syaoran said coldly.
"Bullshit, Syaoran. You're not stupid and neither am I. Yeah, I wanted to see how you would react. But you haven't even said anything about her!" Eriol bravely took a step towards Syaoran, who didn't budge.
Syaoran was slowly calming down as he realized how close he'd come to blowing the careful concealment he and Sakura had created around their relationship…and to think it had been his idea!
But he had to be careful now. His reaction had betrayed him to Eriol. One wrong word and Eriol would go running to Yelan with information Syaoran definitely did not want his mother to have.
"Eriol. Just drop it," he sighed. "Please."
"Syaoran," Eriol began. "I would gladly bug you until you beat me up. Let's just say I have a vested interest in seeing you two together. I just wish you wouldn't end up with a dumb society girl."
Syaoran carefully stayed silent and kept his face blank as he stared Eriol down.
Eriol looked at Syaoran. The pause meant Syaoran was thinking of something. Of all his cousins, Syaoran was the hardest to read when he was determined to hide something. But the evidence pointed to Syaoran rebounding with another girl; Sakura was with someone else, Mei Ling had confirmed it just a while ago.
Could Eriol be in league with his mother? Syaoran wondered. But Yelan had been fairly normal lately, and had even found time to nag him about not coming home regularly. If Eriol had told Yelan about Syaoran liking Sakura, his mother would probably have demanded to meet Sakura within the hour.
Yeah, and then she's going to judge Sakura on the sole basis of not being Chinese, Syaoran thought angrily. Well, I'm not going to let that happen. If Mother refuses Sakura, I'm going to tell her to go to hell.
A part of him was perversely thrilled at his own plans of disobedience. The other part, the dutiful son part, understood that there would be grave consequences if he defied Yelan. He was, after all, the only son of the eldest son of the main line, and none of his cousins were ready to take over his duties if he ran away. What will happen to my family then?
But he thought of Sakura's smiles, her scent, her kisses, her voice, the way she had of soothing his worries, her laughter…and decided it would be worth it, if it meant she could be his forever. Someone who cares about me not because of what I have, but for who I am.
It all depends on what she'll say when I tell her tonight. Syaoran turned away from Eriol to hide a smile. Sakura made him smile, and it gave him a warm feeling inside.
Then he decided to shift the offensive.
"Look who's lecturing me," he said sarcastically. "Mr. I-have-a-new-girl-every-two-weeks. What makes you think you have the right to tell me who to end up with?"
To his surprise, Eriol looked away. "Don't start, Syaoran."
"Oh yes I will," Syaoran said, sensing he'd hit a sore spot. My turn to rub in the salt, he thought. "Do you find any fulfillment in bedding that many women? Can't you commit at all?"
"Sure, like you have," Eriol answered back.
"I know I have a track record for committing. In case you haven't noticed, I've only had a few relationships. I don't know about your record for commitment, unless you define commitment as dating only one girl per week instead of two." Syaoran knew he was holding the whip now, and was more than willing to use it; he was ready to remind Eriol of the public fight between two women, whom Eriol had been dating simultaneously, at a big department store about a year ago. They'd met in the lingerie section, talking to their friends about what underwear would please Eriol best, and overheard each other.
What a mess, Syaoran thought. He'd had to clean it up, and he shuddered at the memory. One woman had been the daughter of the owner of the biggest brewery in Japan, and she'd threatened to pull all their advertising from the Picayune. The other was the daughter of the Japanese finance minister, and she threatened to have her father audit the tax records of the Lis. Syaoran was forced to get Mei Ling's and Tomoyo's help to smooth things over, and had to dodge suggestive invitations from both women who decided he was hot. The incident had landed in the tabloids and earned Eriol a serious tongue-lashing from Yelan.
Plus Syaoran had had to have his cell number changed after both women started pursuing him; he remembered not being able to eat out for several months afterwards because he was terrified one of the two would turn up and pressure him into dating her. Hm, haven't paid Eriol back for that yet. Must remember to do that.
Eriol turned his back on Syaoran. A long pause, then, "The reason why you can't go for Sakura? It's kind of like mine. You probably think you don't deserve someone like her. I date many women to substitute for the one I can't have, like the way you did with the woman you took to Hong Kong and rebounded with," Eriol said, then immediately regretted it. Don't say that, not to Syaoran! his mind screamed at him. Syaoran will figure it out! He's too smart!
Syaoran's jaw fell open. It wasn't like Eriol to say something like that.
"And who do you think you don't deserve?" Syaoran asked, the hostility gone from his tone.
"None of your business." It was Eriol's turn to snarl.
"Ah, so you can ask me to spill about Sakura, but if I ask you the same thing, you have the right to remain silent?" Syaoran took another bite of the chicken sandwich he had almost forgotten when he'd flown across the room to grab Eriol. Boy, it tasted good. Come to think of it, who had put the sandwich in his refrigerator?
"Can I have some?" Eriol indicated the sandwich.
"Hell no. Go get your own," and Syaoran took another bite, chewing it slowly and deliberately in front of Eriol, grinning wolfishly when he swallowed.
Eriol collapsed into a plush seat in front of Syaoran's desk. "Whatever."
"Someone you think you don't deserve…" Syaoran said softly. He quickly began a catalog in his mind of the women who were close to Eriol…the ones he had asked out, the ones he hadn't…he pretty much made a pass at anyone female who was pretty…except Mei Ling, but she was his cousin, duh…and Tomoyo, Eriol seemed immune to Tomoyo's beauty…but she was his type, with a beautiful face, a generous body and bosom…except she was intelligent and sweet…but hadn't Eriol once said he preferred to date and dump dumb women because they wouldn't be hurt easily?
It's Tomoyo! Syaoran realized with a start. Eriol had never asked her out, and rarely made a dirty comment in her presence. He had never gone against any of Tomoyo's recommendations and ideas; he'd even backed her up in that insane Channel 88 takeover idea. He always took her calls, was always casual around her…too casual.
When Syaoran looked over at Eriol, Eriol's heart sank. He knows. "Goddamn you, Syaoran. You're too smart for your own good." But there was no heat in his tone; deep inside, Eriol was relieved to finally have someone to tell about the woman who tormented him every day without knowing.
"Yeah, and you better hope I don't open my mouth. Not that you don't deserve it, not after what you put me through," Syaoran said.
"I wasn't alone," Eriol protested weakly.
"Don't pin this on Mei Ling or Tomoyo. I know the stink of three people conspiring," Syaoran allowed himself a small grin, and Eriol, after a few seconds, responded with a tiny smile. "Now. What's up with you and Tomoyo?"
"Absolutely nothing." Eriol sighed, stood up, and looked out of Syaoran's office's bay windows. Outside, Tokyo Tower loomed over the rest of the city, which was slowly being covered with snow. Snow as pale as Tomoyo's skin. As he watched his cousin struggle with himself, Syaoran couldn't find it in himself to needle Eriol further, and so he sat down and waited patiently for Eriol to start talking.
Eriol fiddled with his glasses, then, "Ever since you brought her into this office, I've been interested. But she's special; it's how she looks at you, the things she says and does…you don't jerk around someone like her because she's the kind you worship, the kind you marry."
He is an idiot, Syaoran thought. He's putting the weight of his expectations on her.
"I treat her like a friend, like she doesn't mean anything to me. I'm nothing but a friend to her; you can see it in those gorgeous violet eyes." Eriol sighed then continued. "She knows about what I do—God, who doesn't know how I date—and she…I don't know. She can never see me as someone for her because I'm a jerk with other people. But I keep doing what I do because every time there's a new girl I can forget about her for a while, just for a while. But after a while even the new girl starts to remind me of her, so I break it off."
"Ah, so you use those women to forget about her?" Syaoran asked, incredulous. "Talk about accumulating major bad karma, man." He couldn't imagine being that way, and he suspected this was self-destructive behavior on Eriol's part. Eriol nodded sadly. "Plus…two years and you haven't made a move?" Syaoran said, his voice rising a bit. "Then you accuse ME of being indecisive when it comes to Sakura? And…why can't you say her name? Tomoyo. Tomoyo. Tomoyo!"
"I can't," Eriol said simply. "You don't want to be like me." Eriol put his glasses back on. "I can't stay away from her but I can't be with her."
"Ever tried just asking, for crying out loud?" Syaoran asked.
"Come on. You know what she thinks of me."
"I don't. And from the looks of it, neither do you," Syaoran retorted. "You over-idealize her; that's part of the problem. You should get to know her first—really know her, not just project your fantasies on her. If you put her on too high a pedestal, you just open the door for you to be hurt, and you will hurt her too in the process. For once, think about someone other than yourself, for God's sake!"
"I don't know," Eriol started.
"You have no right to tell me what to do about Sakura until you do something about Tomoyo. You won't know unless you at least ask."
Eriol sighed. "And what do I do if she can't see past the whole playboy crap?"
"Take a chance, Eriol. And if she can't see past it, it's your own fault for not showing her who you really are. How else can she judge you but from what you've shown her? If you really care about her, then show her, and drop the crap. At the very least, QUIT dating others!"
"I don't know…"
"Obviously." Syaoran snorted. "Make you a deal," he grinned, struck by inspiration. "I'll find Sakura tonight, and take a chance on telling her what I feel. But I only move after you move. Ask Tomoyo to dance, and ask her out."
Eriol sat looking thoughtful. If Yelan saw Syaoran approach Sakura of his own accord, then it would be points in Eriol's favor with Yelan. But if Tomoyo told him off, what then?
No better time than the present to find out, then. But before that, one last shot at Syaoran…
"Who'd've thought you would be giving ME relationship advice? I mean, your last girlfriend was in college…" Eriol smirked.
Syaoran decided to let it pass, and turned back to his sandwich.
"Are you going to let me starve here?" Eriol said plaintively.
"That would be lovely; you heartbroken and starving." It was Syaoran's turn to smirk.
Both Syaoran and Eriol jumped when a knock sounded on the door. It was Tomoyo, and she smelled wonderful. Obviously, she'd been to the spa, as her hair and skin glowed.
Syaoran's eyes slid to Eriol, who was transfixed. Boy, has this guy got it bad. But Eriol quickly regained his composure, looking for all the world like Tomoyo was just another person.
She was carrying a large white package, and she smiled at Eriol then said, "Hey Eriol. I need to talk to Syaoran for a while. Hope you don't mind." She gave him a conspiratorial wink, which he failed to return, as he was deep in his own thoughts. Eriol nodded, then left Syaoran's office quietly.
"Bit down, isn't he?" Tomoyo asked. Syaoran merely grunted.
"What is it, Tomoyo?"
"I wanted you to see this." And Tomoyo held up a printout of the photo of Sakura in her costume. Syaoran failed to prevent an admiring gasp from escaping him. She looked like a princess.
Tomoyo smirked then closed the door to Syaoran's office. "Syaoran. I know you're dating her."
Syaoran groaned. He should've known that if any of the Terrible Trio were to figure it out, it would be Tomoyo. He borrowed a line from Eriol, and said, "You're too damned smart for your own good, Tomoyo." But he was grinning.
Tomoyo watched Syaoran's face curiously. He never broke into those expressions unless he knew something. But her task at hand…she decided to press him for an explanation later.
"I know you don't have a costume for later," she began, and Syaoran groaned again.
"Tomoyo, not a costume! I can't wear some fluffy white costume…"
"I don't want Sakura to be looking like a fairy princess while dancing with some commoner in a dorky suit his Victorian grandmother wouldn't pick out for him," Tomoyo said fiercely, and knew she had hit home when Syaoran shuffled uncomfortably. "And this costume isn't stupid. I based it on what Chinese princes wear when they get married."
So predictable, she thought with a small smile, as Syaoran's eyes widened.
"I know you love her. And based on what I've learned, you love her enough to want to marry her. I saw the necklace you gave her; she said her boyfriend asked that she wear it constantly. By the way, you owe me."
"Whaa?" Syaoran was confused by the sudden change in topic.
"She insists on wearing your necklace, so I had to go to my jeweler and get earrings to match it. Here," and she handed a blue and silver box to Syaoran.
He opened it gingerly to find a pair of butterfly-shaped drop earrings dusted with tiny diamonds. Syaoran had to admit they matched the necklace he'd bought Sakura in Hong Kong.
"I…what?"
"You want Sakura to lack the correct accessories later?" Tomoyo asked, hands on hips.
"Er, no. Of course not."
"Good. Here's the bill," and Tomoyo thrust a credit card charge slip at Syaoran, who yelped.
"WHO PAYS THIS MUCH FOR EARRINGS?" He almost clutched at his heart; not that he couldn't afford it, but he couldn't believe jewelry could cost that much.
"Sakura has to wear them tonight! I'm telling her it came from you, which will be true once you pay me back. I won't even tell her how much it cost! But they're platinum and diamonds, so they aren't cheap."
Syaoran breathed in and out several times, a calming ritual he'd learned from a sensei in college. Then he regained his composure. "She had better look really gorgeous, or this goes back on your tab," he told Tomoyo sternly.
"Excuuuuse me. Are you questioning my fashion sense?"
"Of course not," he said hastily, and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Too bad for you, I've known you for a long time. That you've hidden this from us…Sakura spilled without knowing it. She said," Tomoyo smirked, "something like, 'when he holds me in his arms the world goes away'. Or something like that. She also said you were a great kisser. You should see how she looks when she talks about you."
Syaoran blushed faintly, and Tomoyo pressed her advantage. "You must love her very much because you two haven't been intimate. I know it takes a lot out of you to hold back…hell, you should probably be the King of Restraint by now. Sakura told me and Mei Ling that her boyfriend sleeps with her nearly every night." She grinned as Syaoran started. "Relax, she never identified you."
"How did you find out about us, then?"
"I know because I saw you two making out in the ballroom. But the way she talks about you two…I know she's still a virgin, and it's not like you to hold back."
Syaoran ran his hands through his hair in agitation. Dammit, I wish she didn't know the details of my last relationship from my ex!
"Have you told her yet?" Tomoyo asked. "About how you feel?"
"That I love her? No, I thought I'd wait for tonight, after the ball."
"And Yelan?" An entire conversation in two words.
"If Sakura accepts me, I'll introduce her to my mother. If not, then I won't say anything. No sense exposing her to my mother unless necessary."
"You want to protect her. Aw, that's so sweet," Tomoyo's eyes were sparkling. He'd been softened up when she introduced the topic of Sakura, and he was ready to accede to her wishes. "Now. Try this on," and she shoved the box into Syaoran's arms.
"I can't wear…"
"Oh, but you can and you will," Tomoyo grinned evilly. "You just admitted you love Sakura, and all I'm asking is that you wear a non-frilly costume to complement, not match, hers. In exchange, I promise not to let anything slip to your mother."
Syaoran sighed. "Has anyone ever told you you're the devil?" he said defeatedly as he headed into his toilet.
When he came out, Tomoyo clapped her hands. The dark green tunic-like top was accented with an embroidered wolf in gold thread, and fitted itself perfectly to Syaoran's toned body. The pants were also a perfect fit, allowing him to move freely. He looked like a young warrior-prince, a fit escort and guardian for a delicate fairy princess.
"See? You don't look stupid at all," Tomoyo said gently. Syaoran turned to the large mirror in his office, looking at himself. She was right; all he needed was a sword in a scabbard, and he would look like one of those Chinese princes from ancient times. As though she had read his mind, Tomoyo had walked over to the wall where Syaoran's bronze-hilted sword with the red tassel was displayed. He removed it from the case, and fastened the belt around his waist.
"Perfect," Tomoyo clapped. "Now I have to go. We're having our makeup done."
"Tomoyo," Syaoran turned to her. "Please don't let them put too much makeup on her. She's already perfect."
"Dammit, do you have to say mushy stuff when I don't have my camera?" Tomoyo complained. Syaoran smiled, and laid a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Tomoyo?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," and he smiled.
"Just promise me one thing," Tomoyo said.
"What is it?"
What do I tell him? Love Sakura forever? Never let her go? Take care of her? He'll do that anyway. Stand up to your mom for her? Looks like he will. Anything I say along those lines will be melodramatic and mushy, so…
"Don't spill anything on it," she said impishly, and the two old friends grinned.
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Ball goodness next chap (whee!) Here's a preview:
Mei Ling was delighted at how easily she'd won Fai Flourite over. The sensitive young artist gladly accompanied her to a dark corner of the ballroom, behind the thick velvet draperies. They exchanged numbers and addresses happily, Mei Ling flirting with him aggressively by touching his collarbone, stroking his arm suggestively. He closed his eyes, enjoying her caresses. I'm in control, she thought triumphantly, just the way I like it.
But nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.
"I know you're flirting with me, Mei Ling Li," the handsome blond told her sternly. Then he put his arms on either side of her, pinning her to the wall, leaving her breathless. "But I don't want to be another one of those guys you flirt with then drop after a while."
Mei Ling felt her defenses falling. How is this guy reading me so easily? Why can he see right through me?
He brought his face closer to hers, so close that their noses touched, and he was speaking against her lips.
"You are going to love me, Mei Ling. You are going to want me the way I have wanted you for all these years, even if you don't remember me. And then," he seized her lips with his, almost biting down in his passion for her, giving her a kiss that made her realize almost fearfully how much he wanted her, "you are going to become my wife."
His brilliant blue eyes stared into her burgundy ones. Mei Ling could feel the heat from him; her mouth was still open, and it felt swollen. Part of her wanted to pull him back onto her lips. But the other part of her began to scream at her: don't be like a deer in headlights! Stupid!
This can't be! Mei Ling tore herself away from him and ran. Why, she did not understand, only that she wasn't in control, and she was scared. She never wanted to be scared again, not after what happened in college. Control a man and he would never reach your emotions far enough to hurt you, ever.
Fai watched her run, his eyes darkening.
"I love you, Mei Ling Li. And I'm not going to let you get away this time," he said softly.
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Thank yous! Hugs! Hearts! And as you can see, the next chap is almost ready as well, just editing now : )
hearts-stars (Amen to that. I can't remember a night out with my girlfriends in which boys were not the topic!), Nightmares of Love (Hey! I find myself laughing at several fics, especially the TRC ones in which Fai torments Kuro-puu! Here's the next one!), jennycuenca (The title now applies to all three girls, although Sakura will be captured very soon! Haha), RileyS (And throwing popcorn at the TV—yeah, sounds like him all right. No S&S in this chap, just Syaoran and Tomoyo), Teruna Hime (Here's their side! Feel sorry for Eriol now? Hee hee), AngelEmCuti (sigh, spa days…I wish I could afford them everyday! Yeah, their pasts kinda suck. Hint, one of them tells a story from my sucky romantic past!), ccsread (here's the next one, enjoy!), Akane Naomi (ooh, Pocky! I wuvwuvwuv Pocky! Enjoy this and the next chap!), lhaine07 (I'm so happy to hear that. You know, I believe that "therapists" for guys are harder to come by and I wish they would realize that!), KibumiWong (Hey, your English is not a problem, m'kay:) Syaoran's back! Mei Ling finds herself on the receiving end next chap!), Hououza (They will resolve it soon. No thanks to the latest TRC chap, I think I may have to bleed to finish my other two fics, darn it! X ), Lolalaie89 (aw, thanks again!), Pipi-chan (I am tempted to DARE you to continue that as a fic, mwahaha! And…so many clones, why can't I have one of Syaoran, dammit? XD), SakuraLover (Enjoy!), iNuQTpIe (wait till Fai gets his hands…or lips…on her!), and Patches19 (enjoy!).