Title: Wooing my Wife.

Summary: AU It was an arranged marriage and there was no way out. So, what can a girl do? Accept her husband's 'wooing acts' of course! SxS. Fluff, Fluff...

Disclaimer: It's CLAMP's. And I thought this story line myself. So if it resembles any other story, please believe me when I say that I don't steal other's works for the sole fact that I myself hate stealers.

Ages: Sakura: 23. Syaoran: 25.

"Blah" Talking.

'Blah' Thinking.

Someone's P.O.V.: Changing points of view.

Here continues….

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Previously:

They stood awkwardly in the master bedroom, neither knowing what to do or what to expect. She was nervous, afraid that they will have to spend their first night as newly weds together. While he was awaiting for any gesture from her that can help him decide what to do with the situation at hand.

What are they going to do?

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Chapter one: First Night

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Normal P.O.V.

"Um..." Syaoran hesitated as he wanted to cut through the tension they were living in that moment in their bedroom. But it seems that there is nothing that can be said in this situation to make things better. And so, Syaoran decided that it's safer to go to sleep and let this night pass. Collecting his courage, he suggested for them to change first. "You can change in the bathroom. I'll just change here."

"O... ok." She answered, looking down shyly while thinking of what may happen later tonight, not knowing what Syaoran was thinking at all.

Slowly, as if they were afraid to disturb the silence of the room, the moved to get their things and their selves ready for the night. If only that silence was comfortable!

Getting out of the bathroom, changed into a cute night dress, Sakura peered cautiously around the room looking for him. Her husband!

He sat at the edge of the bed, his head bent down and his elbows resting on his knees. He appeared to be deep in thoughts and so she just stood there not wanting to disturb him and at the same time not knowing what to do.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, he looked up, only to have his eyes widening and getting the breath sucked out of him. He couldn't help it. She just looked so cute. So beautiful. She stood there looking at him, her expression showing confusion and wonder. For what? He doesn't know, but he can always come up with some guesses.

Maybe she wanted to sleep but didn't know what to do since they didn't agree yet to any sleeping arrangements. Or maybe she just didn't know what to say to him, her stranger husband? That thought hurt him, and a flicker of pain appeared in his eyes which he couldn't hide quickly. And so he wasn't surprised to hear her next question, asking if he was alright. Or maybe he was? I mean, if she didn't care about him why would she even bother to ask. Thinking of that gave him a beam of hope which allowed him to smile at her. Even if it was a small one, it still was a smile nonetheless for Sakura. So she smiled back at him then slowly walked over to him and sat a few inches away from him, which he took as a good sign.

He didn't know where to begin or what to say. I mean, what do you say to your wife who was pretty much forced into marrying you and was sitting beside you on your honeymoon night wanting to know where will she sleep because, of course, she wouldn't share a bed with him. He, who was pretty much a stranger to her. And to top it all, he was in love with her.

Syaoran sighed. What the hell was he supposed to do?

It was Sakura who relieved him from further hurting his brain with all the thinking he was doing, and from further confusing himself with all the ifs and maybes his mind was sporting. "I can sleep in the next room. I don't think that either of us is ready for this." She was barely whispering the words as her cheeks burned red. She didn't know what to say either.

It relieved him just a tiny little bit seeing that she also didn't know what to do. So that means that they'll have to explore this together. They'll have to try together, if she wanted to that is. To learn this together, to get through these days together. No that didn't sound right, they'll live together throughout their lives. That's more like it.

He suddenly turned to her, startling her a bit. He looked serious, his eyes sharp with a light of determination that she was surprised to see. What was he up to?

"I know that you were pretty much forced into this. And I know that you don't want anything to do with this marriage since it is kind of binding you," it hurt him like hell to say those words, but he have to. He have to say them to establish some kind of agreement between them. To understand what she's thinking about this whole thing. He needed to know if she's willing to give it a try or if she doesn't want anything to do with it. And so he continued, "but if there is any hope, even if it's a tiny little one, if there is any at all I want us to give ourselves a chance at this marriage. See if we can live with each other, if we can get along. I ... ah... " he stopped talking altogether since he didn't know what more to say, and he didn't want to sit there stuttering like a loser in front of his beloved.

Sakura's P.O.V.

My god! Syaoran is stuttering?. And he seems at a loss of what to say. I wonder what he's thinking right now.

Come to think of it, what he said is somewhat realistic. I mean, away from ideals and hopeless romances and fictions, what he says is the nearest thing to be able to live in peace without the 'happily ever after fairy tales' that are what they are. Fairy tales.

I know that you're thinking that it's strange of me to think this way since I'm a girl, but life taught me to expect as little as one can so as not to be disappointed with the consequences. But I have a simple heart. I'm satisfied with what I get in my life, because I know that god is fair and so he'll not give anybody anything more or less than he deserves.

I didn't oppose greatly to this marriage because I didn't have any one that I loved or that I wanted to be with that strongly, so I thought that living with someone who'll be gentle with me, who'll take care of me through my life is better than being alone. Loneliness hurts. You may think that this is a harsh thought, but that's all the options you get when you're alone, your family demanding you to settle down and you're already engaged to someone even without your knowledge.

Sigh. Looking back now and regretting will get me nowhere. All I can do now is try to make this work. To create my happiness with my own hands, with my efforts. So I guess that what Syaoran says is the best we can do for the time being. And if God is merciful enough with us, we'll be able to find love and contentment along the way through this life.

Syaoran is still silent. I guess it took a lot out of him to suggest that when he is a newly wedded man sitting in front of his wife who he barely knows. It seems that I have to say something because I think that it'll take him a while to collect his thoughts. Heh. Looks like even guys, oops I mean men, like Syaoran get speechless once in a while. Though he looks kind of cute this way.

Gasp.

What did I just think of? Bad Sakura. Bad. I know that he is good looking and cute and handsome but I shouldn't be thinking like that. Stop, stop. What are you thinking?.

Normal P.O.V.

Sakura who was absorbed in her thoughts didn't notice that she gasped out loud. And so, she didn't see the reaction that she got out of the man sitting beside her.

Syaoran, who was still holding his head down, thinking of what to say after he stumbled over his own words, looked up the moment he heard her gasp as she broke his chain of thoughts. He looked over her frantically, searching for anything that was out of place or if she was uncomfortable in anyway. But he couldn't find anything so he decided to ask her instead of trying to locate any misshapen.

Gently, like a feather's touch, he lifted her chin up with his fingers. So softly as if he's afraid she'll break from the slightest caress. And when she looked up at him and their eyes met, he couldn't help but notice the red blush staining her lovely cheeks. That got him wondering.

Syaoran's P.O.V.

Eh? Why's she blushing? It's not like I said anything embarrassing, did I? I was blabbering about god knows what, maybe I slipped somewhere? Oh God, please don't let this be the case, or I'll be in one hell of an embarrassing situation.

But she looks so cute when she's shy. Makes me want to give her a bear hug while squealing about how cute and delectable she looks. Man, it seems that I'm affected by my crazy sisters more than I consciously know. Sigh.

Back to the topic at hand, she didn't say anything to answer me or to indicate her consent. What should I do?

Normal P.O.V.

"I –" they started at the same time.

"What is it?" it seems that they are on the same thought waves.

Looking at each other, they looked into each other's eyes for a brief moment before bursting into laughter.

It was when they calmed down that Syaoran finally seemed to be able to form some coherent words without sounding breathless. "Ladies first." Was all he said.

Looking up at him, Sakura thanked the God that even if all this was arranged, he was a gentle and kind person who will care for her.

"About what you said. Umm, I .. uh.. I, too, want to g-give us a chance." She trailed off in a whisper that he had to bend down a bit to hear her. And how glad he was that he did.

He could not stop the smile that spread over his lips and had to strain himself from hugging her or even to kiss the daylights out of her. "Really? Do you really want to do this?"

"Y-yes."

He succeeded in stopping the laugh that was about to break through. He stood up and brought her to her feet with him, then he did something that she did not expect or even thought he would do.

Syaoran kneeled before her while still holding her hands, lifting his head to stare at her eyes, he smiled at her bewildered look. But he didn't stop what he had to do.

"I want to make a vow. Well, other than the one at the ceremony because this one is only for you." Tightening his hold on her hands as he spoke his next words, "I vow to always do the best I can to make you happy and to never cause you any sadness or grief intentionally, to see you smile every day, to hold you dear every hour, to care for you every minute and to always be there for every second of this. I'll do whatever I can do to make this work. So please, Sakura, walk this way with me to the end."

Speechless. That's what his vows reduced her to. She couldn't find her breath to reply. Sakura barely nodded her head in response to his vows that he swore in all seriousness and solemnity. He was just so good to her even though they were as good as strangers, that's why she was willing to give them a chance. He wouldn't disrespect her in anyway. He will take care of her to the maximum extent of his abilities. All in all, he was a good man indeed.

She caught herself smiling when she thought of that.

Moments later, Syaoran was pulling the covers over her form lying on the bed. He persuaded her that he'll be fine sleeping in any of the other rooms in their new house.

How he wished he could bend down to caress her cheeks or kiss her forehead goodnight, but he was restricting himself. He wouldn't hurry her or push her into anything she wasn't prepared for. She didn't deserve disrespect from him. She deserved to be loved and held with care and passion. And he swore that he'll be the one to give he that.

He left the bedroom after his gently whispered goodnight to his wife, heading to the next room. Sighing, he didn't want to tell her that the other rooms in the house had barely any furniture. It was his idea after all. To choose the décor of their home together. He thought that was only fair, since they were going to be living together.

Sigh. Well, he'd have to be patient. He'll sleep on the floor naked if that's what it takes to have his beloved look his way in admiration and love.

'I wonder what she'd have done if she knew what I'm doing?' was the last thought roaming in his head before succumbing to sleep. Hopefully, their days together will bring them closer in some sense for them to have a start threshold.

TBC

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Sorry, sorry, sorry. God I'm so sorry. Please forgive my lateness. But it can't be helped since I posted the first chappie right before my finals and they took about three weeks. Then I took a summer semester for extra credit so that I'll be able to graduate early. After that, just the next day I finished the summer course, I took off straight to the airport and got out of the country.

This chapter took a lot out of me because I was studying and trying to write. It just seems that exams and imagination don't mix well. I'll try to update faster in this summer holiday. Any ways, I hope that you're happy with this chapter. If you have any comment or opinion that you think will make this story better, please tell me and I'll be so thankful.

Next chapter:

Back to daily life.

They get back to their daily life and back to work after a week's break as newlyweds. What'll they do to keep trying with all of the life's obstacles? And how'll Syaoran proceed with his wooing to make Sakura see his true heart? Will he be able to capture her heart or will some colleague of hers get there first?

Take care,

Lantern, signing off.