Tattooed

Summary: "I've lost everything to drugs, do you know that?" Sakura told him with tears in her eyes. "The funny thing is I've never even touched a drug in my life and yet it destroyed me. It took everything." She turned to face him then. "Please, don't let it take you away from me. I won't be able to handle it, not this time, not again." S x S.

Author's Note: xXBlossomofShadowsXx, teru21, petiteTRINH, deadflo: I promise, it is necessary. It's a cruel, selfish world out there. Lets face it, what we read so far was a child's storybook.

Disclaimer: I can't even bring myself to write something innovative here. You know none of this is mine.

xx.

Immobilized by the thought of you
Paralyzed by the sight of you
Hypnotized by the words you say
Not true but I believe 'em anyway

- Shiver/Maroon 5

Syaoran stood with his professor as the representative from the council of Exhibition speculated his work. He'd known this day was coming for weeks now, and while the work he'd managed to present was decent enough, it still wasn't the best.

The man with long gray hair and beady cat eyes stood in front of all three of his paintings and watched closely for... who knows what? He spent most time on the third. Syaoran gulped.

That was the one of Sakura in the rain.

Syaoran hung his head low as the man announced he was done and moved along to the next student's work. His professor merely patted his shoulder before leaving without a word.

After all the paintings had been observed through a magnifying glass of scrutiny, the man spoke. Syaoran thought of what his name was... but he couldn't remember. He was so nervous. This was his best chance.

"The selected students' names will be put up on the notice board by the end of the day. Please note that the exhibition is on December 23rd at Glasgow hall. If a student withdraws his/hers name, the next best will be selected."

If his name was not on that list, he may as well pack up and go home.

*.*

"Syaoran Li,"

Syaoran turned around to the voice in the middle of the courtyard.

"Nakuru," Syaoran rolled his eyes. "What're you doing here?"

Nakuru Akizuki walked over to the boy in the way that a snake would, ready to pounce and poison. He'd always felt that about her, with her dyed hair and strange piercings. Somehow, he'd never liked her and yet...

He sighed when she stood too close and took a step back.

"Aww, Syaoran, did you not miss me?"

"What do you want Nakuru?" he asked, now irritated.

"Really, is that any way to talk to an old lover?"

Once upon a time, something close to three years ago, Syaoran had been in a rather toxic relationship (if you could call it that at all) with the girl who stood before him. There was no appeal to her, really. He was high and she was good company which was it. Now he wondered what the hell he'd been thinking.

Most days he spent avoiding her. Other days she wasn't in town anymore. She was two years his senior and had left Glasgow to work... not in Glasgow. Syaoran didn't care enough to keep tabs on her.

Right now though, she was galling as hell.

"I'm leaving," Syaoran turned to leave.

"Having a bad day, little wolf?" she asked in her irritatingly deep British accent.

"Don't call me that!" he screamed. She knew it would get him riled up. She knew what she was doing. That witch always knew.

"You're different..." she observed as she made to touch him. Syaoran flinched away. "You used to love it when I called you that."

"No, I didn't, and I always told you not to do that!"

"Well, there were other things you loved." She told him, sliding a bit of her thumb into her mouth with that disgusting look in her eye. Syaoran felt nauseous. He turned around and walked away. Saying anything to her would be fruitless.

"I see," she said, walking behind him. "So you've someone else to toy with now, do you? Who's the lucky lady?"

Syaoran kept walking.

"Alright, let's talk about something else. What do you prefer these days?" she asked. "Still good old Cristina, I hope?"

Syaoran turned left and left the premises. He was too nervous about the results in any case. He decided to call it a day and leave for home. He'd find out if he'd been selected. Someone would let him know.

Nakuru dragged him by the arm into a deserted alleyway. Syaoran struggled but it was hopeless. Damn, the girl was strong.

"Let me go," he told her as she pinned him to the brick wall. Nakuru grinned.

"Now that I have your attention, I'll ask you nicely. There's a party at Luke's house, remember Luke? You used to be so close." She told him as she licked the shell of his neck. She continued speaking as she brought her hands to his jeans.

"Remember the good old days when we'd hang out, smoke and fuck?" she whispered in his ears. He groaned. Involuntary as it was, Syaoran remembered.

"It could be better this time. I haven't fucked you while on a high in so long, and I remember how good it was." She dipped her hands into his jeans, her eyes on his. Syaoran narrowed his before grabbing her wrists and shoving her away.

"Fine, I'll put it in a way you'll understand," she told him with the flick of her hair as she turned around. "Find me at Luke's house, or I'll find you and I'll find this new muse of yours and I will make sure to put an end to your silly little love story.

"I assure you, I'm a woman of my word."

Syaoran stood there wondering how the hell he'd been blackmailed into something so sickening. Is that how he'd been before, with Nakuru, with the others? God and he'd kissed Sakura with the same mouth he'd put on Nakuru. If Sakura ever found out...

Before he knew it, he was shoving through the crowd at Luke's party to find Nakuru. He would clear things up and leave, simple as that.

Often simple plans turn very complicated.

Nakuru stood on the first floor, looking down at him with a smirk. She gestured for him to come with one finger, a motion that used to excite him so easily. Now, it just brought the sick feeling of bile to his throat.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Nakuru questioned mockingly.

"Nakuru," he said to her as she shut the door. "Look, I—" Whatever he wanted to say died at the back of his mind. The smell was so unbelievably inviting. At first he'd been able to resist it but now... it was just too tempting. He had to leave.

She brought a very familiar pipe to his lips and Syaoran couldn't bear to oppose, he sucked in the sweet devil that was crystal meth. His breathing slowed as he puffed out and brought his lips forward for another drag.

Nakuru moved away the pipe and brought her lips to his instead.

I shiver when I hear your name
Think about you but it's not the same

Hate me already? Don't worry, I cried when I wrote the next chapter.

QUESTION: Where do guys usually sit when you're reading my story?

Come join me at my CCS Fanpage on Facebook called 'Hiiragizawa's Archive of Bolting Cardcaptors'. Link on profile.

Do you like my work? Want to discuss it? Join my group called GP06FR. Link on profile.

TEASER for chapter xxi up on profile.

Read and Review. Thank you!