Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura Im not nearly that brilliant P
Recap: "What on earth are you two hyena's laughing at?" She screamed. Making them laugh even harder.
"You!" Touya said through laughs "You're such a Kaijuu"
Sakura realized just in the nick of time, that she was acting foolishly and restored her grace and silence. She gave them one last look, this one emotionless, and then she stalked off to her room.
"Well, It was fun while it lasted" Touya announced walking off to his room.
"Yes" Fujitaka said "And maybe, It will last longer"
FALLEN ANGEL
Chapter three:
"Watcha got there Princess?" Syaoran asked Sakura sitting next to her under the cherry blossom tree.
"A sketch book, what does it look like?" She replied.
"Watcha sketchin?" He wondered aloud.
"That tree over there." She answered briefly nodding her head towards a large Sakura tree on the inside of a fenced in mansion. It was quite pretty he'd admit. The cherry blossoms trickled to the ground from the branches that over looked the side walk, and the black fence had a pretty nice contrast with the pink flowers and shaded bark.
"There's no way you can do that scene justice." He teased. Sakura's face colored in anger and she shoved the sketch book in his face. The drawing was complete.
"I stand corrected." He laughed. Sakura hrrmphed.
"You'd better, I've been working on that all day. I've even got stages see?" She flipped the pages back and showed him one by one the colour difference between morning to mid afternoon.
"Why am I showing you this." She asked frustrated before getting up and storming off again.
"Wait up Sakura!" Syaoran called after her.
"It's Kinomoto. Ki-no-mo-to!" She argued still walking. "And stop following me!"
"But you're so cute!" He replied chuckling.
"And you're not!" She replied, even though it was clearly a lie.
"Don't lie honey, you know that you've thought of me naked." He laughed.
"I keep you out of my thoughts as often as I can."
"Which obviously, isn't that often." He countered. Sakura stopped arguing and just concentrated on getting home. She was trying not to grumble under her breath. Syaoran smiled at the girl. She had such a short fuse. She was nothing like any of the other girls at his school. She was nothing like anyone he'd ever met. He wanted to make her the same person she used to be. The person her father and brother missed so much. He wanted to see that part of her. He wanted to see her smile.
"I'm home." Sakura said monotonous. "And a stray followed me home." Fujitaka poked his head out from the kitchen to see Sakura on her way towards the stairs and Syaoran standing by the couches.
"Ah, Syaoran, care to stay for dinner again tonight?" Fujitaka asked warmly. "I was going to make spaghetti."
"I'd be honored, anything I can do to help?" Syaoran asked.
"No, No just make sure you keep Sakura entertained." He laughed. Syaoran, chuckled.
"I'll try my best. She's a hard nut to crack." Syaoran and Fujitaka both had a good chuckle at that, before Syaoran took his chances and ascended up the stairs.
"Sakura…. Princess Sakura." Syaoran called from the top of the stairs. Sakura poked her head out from her door.
"Go away." She said. But she didn't close her door, she just kept staring at him as he walked closer to her.
"You're very pretty." He whispered in her ear and then kissed her cheek. Sakura froze in the door way, giving Syaoran the moment he needed to slip into her room.
"You've got a very comfortable bed." He complimented laying on it his head in her pillows. Sakura snapped out of her daze and closed her door. Turning around she glared at him.
"Get off of my bed." She demanded.
"Um. No." Syaoran replied. He closed his eyes and just laid there. He felt the bed move and assumed Sakura was sitting on it.
"I hate you." She said suddenly. Syaoran opened his eyes and looked towards side of the bed he felt move. Sakura was laying beside him staring at the ceiling.
"And why's that?" He asked.
"1. you're annoying. 2. You violated my personal space and 3. you wont leave me alone." She answered.
"Annoying, I can understand. That's co-ordinates with not leaving you alone. And Yes, I have violated your personal space. And I apologize ahead for all the future times I may also violate your personal space." He chuckled. Sakura sighed. And then she pounced. She jumped up and onto Syaoran in the speed of light, strangling him with one arm and punching him with the other.
"No boy has ever been in this room. Or this close to me. Or has ever touched my skin, let alone with their lips!" She continued to punch him.
"Okay, Okay. Okay!" Syaoran said in mid laughter. "Stop punching me, it's beginning to hurt. I'll get out of your room." Syaoran easily lifted Sakura off of him and walked out of her room, muttering.
"You know you liked being on top of me."
"What did you say?!" Sakura dashed out of her room after Syaoran.
"Sakura!" He started running down the stairs in mock fright. Fujitaka just smiled as Syaoran ran past the kitchen with a wink and Sakura hot on his tail.
"You little perverted … loser!" She shouted. Syaoran laughed heartily. Then suddenly, he wasn't being chased anymore. He sighed and collapsed on the couch smiling.
"She went up to her room" A voice came from above him. Syaoran looked up and came face to face with Touya.
"Well, It's better that way, she can't murder me if she's up there." Syaoran announced. "Hey, you're Sakura's older brother aren't you?"
"Yeah, what of it?" Touya questioned. Syaoran stood up casually before bowing. Deeply and standing tall again. Touya was flabbergast.
"I'm sorry that you've had to deal with the pain of losing your sister. I can see it in your eyes and your father's eyes when you look at her. It's like a sort of deep sorrow that you try to hide for her sake. As if you're trying to hold you're pain away from her afraid she'll become more distant if you don't. You're more likely in more pain than even your father. Fujitaka seems capable of seeing through despair to the hope at the end. You love your sister and it's hurting you more than anyone else to see her like this. I'm guessing you were around a lot more than your father while Sakura was growing up, being her older brother you were most likely obligated to play with her and keep her safe. I'm sure you're pin pointing a lot of this, her, on yourself. I just thought you should know, that I'm truly sorry for your pain and loss." Syaoran bowed again. Touya wasn't sure what to say.
"Thank you." He said finally. Syaoran lifted from his bow. "Thank you, for saying that. No ones ever been able to see through me quite like that. I haven't really even opened my mouth to talk to you and it's really generous of you to show me sympathy and kindness when I showed you none." Touya in turn bowed to Syaoran in deep respect.
"She's hurting to." Syaoran told him. "She's not stupid. She can feel your pain as well as your fathers and her own. It's written all over her eyes. All of her secrets, she doesn't know how to hide them anymore. She doesn't realize I can read her. When I first saw her, she seemed like a Fallen Angel of sorts, and I still think she is. But when I saw her eyes, I couldn't red them, they were dull and emotionless. And then each day, they break down. Too many secrets, too much pain. She can't keep them all hidden anymore."
"How do you read someone like that?" Touya asked surprised at him.
"Some kind of gift I was born with I guess." He shrugged. "Your father, Fujitaka, for example. Is hurting much less than all of you. Having dealt with many more things throughout his youth. He sees this as a bump in the road and sees a light of hope at the end of it. What I find interesting, is that he sees that hope in me. Because when he first opened the door his eyes were dull, lost of all hope until I mentioned knowing Sakura. Then his eyes flashed with a new light. It was quite remarkable. I just want once, to see your eyes and her eyes, flash the same way."
"Syaoran, can you please tell Sakura for dinner?" Fujitaka hollered from the kitchen. "Is Touya in there? I need him to help me set the table. Oh and Syaoran, don't be surprised if she refuses to come down, it'd be a miracle if she came down two nights in a row."
"Coming Dad." Touya called. "Better get the Kaijuu gaki."
"Right" Syaoran said. He walked to the bottom of the stairs and screamed up.
"Princess Sakura! Dinner Kaijuu!" He winked at Touya who was shaking his head smiling. Syaoran ran up the stairs as silently as he could, and stood outside Sakura's door. No sounds of foot steps came from the other side. He knocked on the door and when no answer came, he opened the door. It took him two seconds to notice that Sakura wasn't in her room. Then he did hear something, the sound of a shower. He rolled his eyes at her obvious girliness. He knocked on the bathroom door.
"What?" She screamed from the shower.
"Hey! Oh cool one. Dinner's ready, your dad made spaghetti just for you, least you could do is show up." He heard the shower shut off and waited outside of Sakura's room in the hall for her to come out. 5 minutes later, Sakura emerged, still wearing white, just this time, a white night gown.
"This is the last time I come down for dinner, I'm only going down because dad worked so hard and he knows it's my favorite." Sakura held her head high and walked in front of him down the stairs.
"And her royal majesty the Princess of Angels, makes her grand appearance." Syaoran shouted down the stairs after her.
"Baka!" She screamed up at him. Syaoran laughed down the stairs and took an empty seat beside Sakura at the dinner table.
"Untraditional much?." Syaoran scolded. Sakura glared at him before her melodic voice said.
"Itadakimasu" Dinner was rather silent, besides the occasional kicks Sakura gave Syaoran under the table after he did or said something stupid. Touya and Fujitaka just smiled.
"You know, if you want her to talk to you, you might need to say something to her." Syaoran said randomly to the two spectators. Both seemed to be caught off guard by the sudden remark. Sakura looked up at her father and brother.
"Are you, afraid…" She whispered. ".. To talk to me."
"Of course they are baka, you're a princess, they're supposed to bow first" Syaoran laughed. Sakura glared at him,
"I am not a Princess." She said venomously. "Stop calling me one."
"Sakura." Her brother said suddenly. Sakura turned to him. "Is he the only one you can have a conversation with?"
"No." She answered simply.
"He's the only one you talk to." Touya pointed out.
"He's irritating." Sakura said.
"So we have to be irritating to get your attention?" Touya asked.
"Touya please." Fujitaka warned.
"No, I want to know why she can't even utter a simple hello to us, but she can have a full on conversation with him."
"It's not like I want to have a conversation with him! He's annoying and irritating and he knows just how to make me talk to him." She protested angrily. "You should be thanking him not accusing him. And definitely not getting mad at me."
"I already have thanked him. But that doesn't mean that Im not upset that you can't talk to me." Touya countered. "And dad to."
"Touya…" Fujitaka tried.
"No Dad. She needs to know." Touya.
"Know what Touya" She asked.
"That you're killing us. Me." He said.
"Touya, you're not helping her any." Syaoran's voice cut through the thick conversation. His voice was soft like a comfortable blanket that you just wanted to cuddle up with, but sharp like a knife cutting through the condensed air like scissors to string. Touya sat down and sighed.
"I'm sorry Sakura." He said not meeting her gaze. Sakura didn't answer, she simply got up from her chair and left. Her footsteps echoed on the stairs. Touya raised his fist and smacked it hard on the wood table.
"Don't worry Touya, she'll come around." Syaoran said. "Give her some time to process what you've said."
"She'll never heal." Touya said. "We don't even know why she's sad. She just came home one day and decided not to feel every again."
"It's unfixable." He whispered. His sobs could be heard from across the room.
"I should be going." Syaoran sighed. "Maybe I'll see you all tomorrow. There's some homework I need to complete, being in 12th grade isn't easy."
"That's understandable." Fujitaka said. "Please don't hesitate to come by whenever, you're always welcome."
"Thank you for your hospitality. Please, for all your sakes. Leave Sakura be for the night. She'll be in a lot of agony after this." Fujitaka nodded.
"Goodnight then." Syaoran said. As he walked out of the house he stopped a few steps from the house, and he looked to the stars, and then to a window he knew to be Sakura's.
"Good night." He whispered. "Sakura." He placed two fingers to his lips and blew a kiss.
Syaoran walked up the hill as usual, and as usual Sakura was there. But this time, she was sleeping. He smiled at the serenity of it all. Her white skirt flowing around her legs on the ground, only showing her ankles. Her feet covered by her usual white heels, how you can wear heels all the time was beyond him. The white halter top like turtleneck covering up her stomach and then a white bag laying beside her. Her auburn hair spread out around her shoulders and head. Her one cream like coloured arm was resting oh her stomach and the other was resting near her head. The cherry blossoms took no note that someone was sleeping under them, and just continued to fall onto her.
"I'm going to regret doing this" He whispered to himself. But he walked across the street and picked her up bridal style, bending down to grab her bag after he had a firm hold on her. He walked slowly and carefully back to her house, knocking on the door with his foot. Touya answered the door. His eyes settled on his sister.
"No, nothing happened. School ended and I saw her sleeping under the Sakura tree and decided that letting her sleep there could be dangerous, so I carried her home." Syaoran explained.
"She's quite light." He said. "But I think that she'd be much happier if she woke up and was in her bed, instead of my arms." Touya nodded and stepped out of the way. Syaoran walked up the stairs and opened her bedroom door. He placed her on her bed before hanging her bag on the wooden chair by her desk. He turned to Sakura again and then sighed. He thought about it and decided that if it were him, he'd hate to wake up with shoes of any kinds on, especially if he was in a bed. So he walked over and gently took off Sakura's heels and placed them beside her bed. Then he decided, that she'd be more comfortable under the covers and once again lifted her up and as best he could with one arm, pulled down the covers and placed her on the cold sheet. Making sure her head was softly on the pillow. He then took the pink covers and pulled them over Sakura and up to her chin.
"Sleep well, Princess." He smiled.
"Well, she's all tucked in and sleeping." Syaoran said emerging from up stairs.
"Very generous of you to show these wonderful people such kindness Syaoran." A firm voice came from the living room.
"Mother." Syaoran said surprised.
"We've been worried about where you've been spending your time, Me and Wei and Meiling."
"Sorry for worrying you mother." Syaoran said.
"I find it odd, that you can find the time to try and melt a cold girls heart, when you cannot find the time to melt your own." Touya and Fujitaka seemed genuinely surprised at this declaration.
"I'm not cold hearted Mother." Syaoran said.
"Then why wont you agree to be married to Meiling?" She asked.
"Because I don't love Meiling. She's my childhood friend, I cannot feel for her that way Mother." Syaoran sounded very aggravated. "We've been over this."
"So we have." She sighed. "You're free to do as you wish." His mother smiled.
"Thank you." Syaoran smiled back.
"I hunted you down, because I'm heading back to Hong Kong with your sisters and Meiling. Wei will stay with you. Please be well my son."
"Bye mom." Syaoran hugged his mother goodbye.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion." She said to Fujitaka.
"It's no trouble at all. Farewells are always the hardest."
"Yes, they seem to be." She replied with a smile. Before leaving the house.
"Will you stay for dinner again tonight?" Fujitaka asked. "I would be honored if you would stay. I feel as if you're stay last night, wasn't very pleasant." Syaoran just smiled.
"I'd be happy to stay for dinner." He said.
Dinner was made pretty quickly, it was homemade pizza.
"Hey brat, go check on Sakura, and ask her if she'd like to join us for dinner. And mention that Im sorry while you're at it." Touya ordered.
"Sure thing." Syaoran said climbing the stairs. He reached Sakura's room soon enough, knocking lightly with no response. He signed and opened the door. Sakura wasn't in her bed. He listened closely. The shower wasn't on. He knocked on the door anyways. "Sakura, you in there?" No answer. He opened the door, the bathroom was empty. He checked under the bed, in the closet. Nothing. Then he walked over the head of the bed.
"Of course, white note on a white pillow." He mumbled. "Oh…. Two notes on a white pillow." Syaoran picked up the first note,
To: Onii-chan and Outo-san.
He placed that one in his pocket and picked up the second one.
To: Li-kun.
"Ah, ha." He tore the note open and read it.
I hate you. And don't come looking for me.
-- Kinomoto (that's KINOMOTO. Not Princess and Not Sakura)
"Right Sakura. Right." Syaoran slid the note into his pocket and turned towards the window.
"She had to have gotten out of here somehow." He said. It was then that he noticed the window was open a crack, barely enough to be of any notice, something he was sure Sakura would have thought of.
He climbed out of the window and onto a tree branch, doing what she didn't, closing the window completely.
"That was a challenge Sakura, I'll find you." Syaoran said climbing down the tree and sprinting down the side walk, first place to check the Sakura tree. He ran down the darkening street. And across the grass through the park until he reached the Sakura tree. He knew she wouldn't be there, but he checked anyways. He knew she wouldn't make it an obvious place for him to look.
"Back to the park." He said. Syaoran looked around the park, the stores, the schools, through the neighborhoods, the alley ways, and then he finally came to the last place, and he didn't think of it earlier, because it was on his property and therefore, no one really knew how to get into it. He never went back there, it was a strange place for a guy to go by them selves. But the rain had been pouring for hours now, and he was out of places to look. He walked towards the black gates. Black gates were very popular it seems. There was a default in one of the rods though, it came loose when you pushed it. So under the cloud of rain, he pushed the metal rod and walked into the garden. He designed it when he was a boy, he had imagined him and some beautiful lady standing on the bridge over the river and he would propose to her on it. So his mother had it created for him. He went with her, and Described it to the workers and soon enough, it was built. He looked around. It was still has he had pictured it. The vast amounts of green grass. The Sakura tree that over looked the bridge over the river, the river with three large rocks in it, not visible unless the water was calm. Syaoran could see the coble stones that lead through a garden to a sitting area. He looked around once again, making sure to take in everything. And that's when he saw her.
"Sakura." He whispered. He walked over to her. She was sitting under the Sakura tree, shaded but soaked. As he approached, she spoke.
"I told you not to come looking for me." She said. Syaoran stopped in front of her. He ignored her.
"I was worried about you." He said. "I've been searching for hours. Who knew you'd be here."
"I was hoping no one." She replied.
"Well, come on, let's get out of the cold. Time for Miss Runaway to go home where her brother and father are probably worrying about her.
"Im ruining their lives." She protested.
"No. You're making it harder for them to talk to you." Syaoran said. Sakura looked up at him.
"They love you so much Sakura. If something were to happen to you, if you just disappeared do you think they'd actually be happy? They'd be in despair for the rest of their lives thinking it's their fault. Especially Touya after the confrontation he had with you last night. He's probably beating himself up about it right now. How would you like that to be on your shoulders? That you plunged your family into eternal despair."
"I already have." She mumbled.
"Then fix it instead of sitting here in the rain arguing with me."
:How?!" She screamed. "How can I make them happy?" Syaoran fell to his knees in front of the crying girl.
"Just be you. Not this you. The you that you used to be. The one they miss with all their hearts. The one they love." Syaoran whispered.
"I don't know hoe to be her anymore." Sakura sobbed. Syaoran pulled her into a hug.
"Smiling, would be a good start." He said. But he felt Sakura shake her head.
"It'll take time for your heart to heal." He said. "But, it wont if you don't let it. And people can help you. And despite they're relation to an alien like you, they are people. Good people."
"Im not an alien." Sakura said.
"Then be a human, and let them into your life." Syaoran countered. He said it with such a soft voice that it was hard for Sakura to argue with him.
"I'll try." She said finally. "Because I love them, and I don't want to hurt them anymore."
"You're an Angel Sakura. A Fallen Angel, and I'll continue to tell you that, until I'm out of breath."
The walk back to Sakura's house was long and cold. So Syaoran stopped at a café along the way.
"Here." He said handing her a cup of hot chocolate. "I thought you could use it."
"Thank you." She replied taking the cup great fully from his hand.
"I hope your father knows that I would've gone out after you." Syaoran said.
"Didn't you leave my note for them?" She asked.
"And make them worry that you'd never come back, nope."
"Li. Why do you care what happens to me?" Sakura asked. Syaoran looked at her.
"Because, I want to see the you, that they used to see." He answered. "Now drink up, I want to get you back before they call the police thinking I kidnapped you or something. Sakura obliged and drank the hot chocolate happily.
The door opened as soon as the door bell rang.
"Sakura!" Fujitaka said hugging his daughter tightly. "We were so worried."
"Don't worry about me dad. You should know that I'll always be fine. Syaoran convinced me to come home." She said.
"Where is he?"
"Home." She answered. Fujitaka ushered his daughter inside. Touya hugged his sister in relief.
"Daddy." Sakura said. "Onii-chan." Both men looked at her. "I've decided to try… and be me again. I'm sorry I've put you through so much." Sakura's eyes began to tear up. And then she smiled. A small smile, but a smile.
"I love you both so much."
Flashback
Syaoran dropped Sakura off at the front door.
"Sakura, they're waiting for you in there. And they love you. They wont be mad so don't worry." Sakura nodded.
"And Sakura, Don't forget to smile. And tell them you love them." Sakura nodded again.
"And one last thing Sakura… being yourself, will get easier in time. If you let them help you." Syaoran smiled. "Now get inside before you get a cold."
Sakura sunk into the shower, going over the memory.
"I owe you a thank you or two. Li Syaoran."
--
AND I KNOW. I'm horrible, I actually…. That I had chapter three done already, so I did chapter four and then I realized, I didn't have chapter threee so I had to write it…and then my wrist decided it hates me.. so I finally got this done.. and it's midnight.
So.. Im going to bed. Happy Thanksgiving.. and… don't foget. Review or not.. thanks for reading.
- Jiade 103.