MS

This is going to be my valentine’s day fic for this year. Hopefully, I was able to get this done on time. It is a one-shot and a very small one at that. I hope you enjoy it. And yes, it is an AU.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CCS characters.

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Two Dozen Roses

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It was too much of a coincidence for her to not take notice.

Just days before, she had been bemoaning the fact that she had never received a rose for white day, or for whatever event they could be associated. She had been seeing too many romantic movies and had realized somehow that she had never really developed it.

Her friends had teased her over the fact that she never took confessions seriously. She was always happy and while close to the touch, somehow she was also out of their reach as far as they were concerned.

She had wondered how special one had to be to have someone spend the time and effort to impress someone.

The first one of course had been a surprise. A beautiful surprise that had also left her a bit disconcerted. She had tried to decipher the writing of her name as it was scripted on a small note card tied to it, coming up empty to any guesses she had tried to make.

The second one, on the next day of course, had made her pause on her way out the door for school. The gesture would seem romantic if it wasn’t for the factor of someone watching her, laying in wait for her. Although the fact that this one didn’t have a note or calling card, did leave a different sensation.

Of course it had started a couple of days before Valentine’s day, so she really didn’t know what to make of it. There was no message with them. Maybe they were for someone else.

She had to giggle at the thought of them being for her brother. Of course, she didn’t tell him or she was sure she would pay it in tears of resignation if he decided to make her life miserable for trying to have a bit of fun at his expense.

The teenager really didn’t know what to think or do. Well, except to take each rose each morning as she found them. If it was a school day, then she took it with her. If it was a personal day, then she put it in a vase on the kitchen.

Her brother and father had asked her about them when they had spotted them, which had her thinking fast on her feet of an excuse. If she told them she found them on the doorstep each morning, then they would become alarmed most likely.

“That’s probably what I should be thinking instead of letting my imagination run wild,” her voiced thoughts had her snorting at her own thoughts. She had no choice but to assume the roses were for her. And if she assumed that, then that meant that she had a secret admirer.

Someone who would send her roses each and every day couldn’t be a bad person. But really, who could it be? Her friends hadn’t bee much help. She had sought Tomoyo’s help to see how she should feel about the situation only to find her smiling like a cat who just got into the creme.

Somehow that had put any thoughts of reassurances out of Sakura’s head.

This was the real world. She was a normal girl with a normal family and a normal life. There was no prince charming, frogs that needed kissing, or spells to blame a wicked stepmother and be rescued from.

These were the times of working different jobs for your upkeep. You went to school, you studied, you did your activities, and somehow you tried to advance in the world of academics so that you would be able to give your parents the satisfaction of knowing that you could accomplish something.

This was also the time of her life in which she was supposed to find herself a boyfriend. That was looking to be her hardest tasks. She had many friends that were boys, and had since she was a young girl, but not someone that would qualify as a boyfriend or that she would think to give the job to.

She had to smirk at her errant thoughts. This is what happened when you had too much time on your hands before starting your chores for the day. It was the big cleaning day of the month and she also had other plans for the rest of the day for school projects she needed to do. She was going to have company over to study for an upcoming Chemistry exam and she really needed to give it her complete attention so that she would feel at least comfortable in the fact that she studied as much as she could.

Her thoughts came back to the rose she had found tucked with the mail this morning. It had been a close call as her brother usually took the mail. It was a good thing he had overslept or it would have been a theatric performance to try to explain or feign ignorance to the blue rose that was strapped in between the envelopes.

A blue rose.

That in itself was a quandary. Were there such things? That was one of the reasons why she had spent so much time fussing over this particular one. What would blue symbolize? She had assumed that they would come to bear a message themselves.

If not, then she really needed to start a hobby that would take her time since she obviously had too much in her hands to waste away. Maybe if she had a special someone then she would spend that time on him and this whole thing could be avoided.

That type of reasoning only made her laugh at herself and her idiotic processing of information.

She fiddled with the petals of the rose as she stood before it on her kitchen table. It was an exhilarating feeling. Somehow, she also felt powerful. There had to be a certain power involved when it looked like someone was trying to impress you. Sakura had to admit that whoever it was that was leaving her roses each morning, they were succeeding in keeping her attention.

“I have to say Sakura, that you really do have an efficiency streak on you when you put your mind to it,” the coming chuckles from her side as she said it to herself had her blushing.

“I think this is a new side of you I’ve never seen before,” just because of how it was with him, she didn’t feel any qualms before putting her elbow through his stomach, connecting faithfully at the right place as she heard him suck in air and groan.

“You also do always have true aim,” his chortled response as he recovered himself lifted her spirits. If you couldn’t play around with your best friends, then who could you play with?

“You’re kind of early.”

“I thought I’d get here on time,” he smiled as she motioned for him to follow her through the doorway inside. She was mentally check listing the preparations she had started to ready herself for the day ahead.

“Are we going to get to business?” Syaoran asked, putting his shoes in the cubicle as he came inside, watching a side of Sakura he seldom got to see. He winced as he saw her stumble down, a cry of dismay coming from her as a load of items flew through the floor.

He had to smirk, coming very close to laughing. Self preservation did win in the end though, so he was able to keep it to himself as he came to her aid. This was the Sakura he knew. She gladly accepted his offer, knowing that if he helped with the last things, she could be done that much faster.

“For your help,” she took his arm, leading him to the kitchen, “I am going to offer you some snacks. I will of course be joining you.”

He couldn’t help but to follow her. He was happy. Maybe then the drumming in his chest would settle down some. He wanted to grimace as she pulled away, pulling a plate of warm cookies and milk and setting them on the table.

“These are great,” he complimented them, knowing full well that Sakura liked it when people complimented her cooking. She was proficient at it, but true be told, he had better luck in the kitchen with half as much effort as she had to put in.

“I tried to remember which you liked best,” Sakura reached for one herself after he had seemed to inhale his first. “Although I must confess that my father did help me a bit with the batter and such.”

“Well, I am very easy to please,” Syaoran watched intently as she herself devoured the chocolate cookies. It was loaded in every way. He loved the recipe that had small chunks of dark chocolate inside the batter of chocolate cookies and she had definitely gone all out. “Anything with chocolate in it is bound to get me in your good graces.”

They giggled at how true the statement was.

Syaoran ate more than half of the plate, steeling himself to stop before eating the whole thing since these were their snacks. He saw it when he reached for his milk.

He had been one of the people Sakura had consulted about the roses when she had first started to receive them. This one was blue. Contrary to public opinion of a lot of their friends, he was not the one sending them to her. He had also racked his brain many a night since it had started a week before, and brought to his attention, only to find himself without a clue as to what was going on.

Every time he saw one of those flowers, he had the urge to throw something. It was a good thing he was able to restrain himself as he had grown. If he had been as impulsive as he had been while ten years old, then there would have been hell to pay because of his tendencies.

“Is that today’s rose?” he tried very hard to keep his tone normal.

She nodded, her fingers lightly caressing the petals as she watched it longingly. He set down his milk, almost done, he couldn’t drink anymore. His stomach was unruly, groaning and acting up as he saw her.

He had to berate himself silently. He had no one to blame but himself. He had always wavered to put himself on the spot in the past few years when the chances had presented themselves so he could actually confess of his feelings.

He knew that he was losing any chance he might have had as she became enamored with the thought of a secret admirer. Syaoran had to allusions as to how things were progressing. He could see it in the way she treated, talked, and looked at the roses. While he had the urge to mangle them in his fists, she lovingly treated them.

He was sure that she was keeping each one too. She might be placing them in a notebook like he’d heard some people preserved their flowers.

He had to smile at that. It would be just like Sakura to preserve them too. And roses, they had their own meaning. They were pretty enough, but with February getting underway, he could not be too sure of the guy actually showing up and telling Sakura of himself just so they could celebrate the holidays together.

He knew he would have committed some very harsh crimes to receive a chocolate from her on the 14th that wasn’t obligation chocolate. He and every guy knew the distinction between them. It was bittersweet to have the girl you liked give you chocolates on Valentine’s Day and know that it was the friendly chocolate she had mixed in with the rest of the guys in her list since you weren’t considered special enough.

That’s what rankled truly. “Something wrong Syaoran?” Sakura had to ask, seeing him wrapped in his own thoughts.

“Nothing,” he gave her a small smile, allaying her curiosity as they left the room, the rose blooming in the kitchen table, and getting down to business. They had a lot of things to do.

::~::

It was exhausting. Sakura’s head was about to implode if she had to look at another formula. Sensing her distress, seeing as they had been going at it non stop for over four hours, Syaoran declared a break.

He knew her too well to not know how she was feeling at a particular time.

“You are going to be staying for dinner, aren’t you?” she wanted to make sure as she moved her strained limbs.

“Is your father and brother going to be here?” he had to ask. He really couldn’t feel to comfortable if Touya was around. Somehow they had both taken a dislike to one another since he had met Sakura and while they tolerated one another, being in close quarters only aggravated matters.

That mutual dislike was the only understanding they had for one another. “I really don’t know, but I don’t think so. Father sometimes surprises me and comes home but from what I know, Touya has plans himself.”

“Then sure,” she had to giggle as he soon agreed to her offer. Having company would be nice. It wasn’t long before he had ingrained himself in the process, making the preparations run smoothly as they both cooperated in different aspects. With the pots boiling and the ingredients prepared, they settled down to a pleasant chat as the cooking process continued in the background.

“So, any plans for Valentine’s day?” she always teased him at this time of the year. Syaoran didn’t know why or how, but he had become one of the most popular guys in his year and was always getting confessions and inundated with chocolates in the coming day. He was glad of the fact that the faithful day fell on a Sunday this year since it meant that he didn’t have to be at school. There were less chances of said chocolates making their ways to him.

Of course, there were two reasons why he wouldn’t turn any of them down. One of course was because of his respect of those who actually took the time to prepare the sweets, and the second is his own love of the chocolate.

“Valentine has to be your favorite holiday,” Sakura understood his weakness for it. She had always assumed it was so. As she saw him shake his head, she blinked.

He sighed as he saw her expression. He shouldn’t have impulsively shown the truth of his feelings. She was not going to let it go. His smile was rueful, both to himself and the conversation. He could tell her the truth. It would exactly reveal anything he wouldn’t want to reveal anyway.

“Well, the fact that the girl I like doesn’t know of my feelings does kind of put a bit of damper into the proceedings,” his low voice was hard to hear, but Sakura was able to get the gist of it.

“What do you mean? You’re one of the most popular guys in school. I’m sure she likes you. She’s probably shy and hasn’t been able to bring herself to confess,” her tone was instructional. “The girls aren’t the only ones that have to take a chance you know.”

He couldn’t help but smile sincerely as she pointed it out. “The thing though Sakura, is that in my case I’m very sure she only sees me as a friend. I really don’t want to make a fool of myself and maybe loose the comfortable relationship we have in the process.” It was very ironic that he was having this conversation with her of all people.

“You do have to take a chance sometimes Syaoran,” it was as if she was speaking from experience.

“Have you ever confessed to someone Sakura?” he had to ask her. By her shuffling eyes, coming to rest on her hands, and her change in attitude, he could say that it hadn’t gone well. The slight hesitation was gone though, her bright smile returning as she looked him in the eye once again.

“I have. You remember I had a girl’s crush on Yukito, Touya’s friend, when I was ten,” he could very well remember that. The pang of jealousy of her continuing to have feelings for the older guy hit him square in the chest, which was stupid for the sole reason that he hadn’t felt anything more than akin to friendship when they had been at that age.

“I confessed after getting my courage only to be refused. He did it quite gallantly too. While it hurt for awhile, I can tell you that it passed and we’re still as friendly as we used to be. Maybe more so over the fact that he treats me as a little sister,” he watched her carefully, her mannerisms trusting her words.

“It really does depend on how much you are willing to risk for her Syaoran,” her tone was warm and trusting. She really did believe her words. “And remember that Valentine Day’s is tomorrow so if you want to get some chocolate from her, you don’t have a lot of time to make yourself heard.”

Her teasing was accompanied by a scolding with the ladle moving in her hands. She really made a pleasant picture that had him bursting into laughter. She joined him, her mission accomplished to have him relax again.

“That’s one of the things I love about you Sakura. You’re always able to find the silver lining on whatever it is that bothers me.”

“It’s one of my jobs as a best friend,” she saluted him with said ladle, making her burst into giggles as he reciprocated with one of his own.

“All we’ll have to do is set the table then,” she announced after all the plates were ready for presentation. Their close bodies kept brushing as she told him of various items and how to reach for them.

“Sorry,” she apologized as she turned to his chest while he reached for an implement on a high shelf. She was smirking, bemused as one of his arms had her caged. She didn’t have the urge to move though, waiting for him to finish.

Syaoran gulped down his indecision as he placed the object on the counter, freeing his other hand to come to her other side. She was completely restrained. Sakura looked at him, inquiring as to why he was in that present position.

The sun was slipping outside, the afternoon hours waning earlier as they came closer to spring. Neither spoke as she felt him come closer. It was just a step, but it completely overwhelmed her.

She had to notice just how tall he was compared to her. She ad to crane her neck another notch to keep her eyes on his face as he seemed to struggle with himself as he opened his mouth to speak to her.

“Sakura,” his tone was formal which had her blinking. “I like you.”

She couldn’t help but to continue blinking, caught unawares of the subject. She heard him clear his throat, his struggles continuing. She kept silent, her eyes wide in greater proportions that she thought possible. It was almost inevitable.

“I like you more than a friend,” he stressed the words, a bubble of contempt building up in his abdomen as he finally got the words out. “I’ve been feeling like this for quite some time, I just couldn’t build up the courage to actually say it to you.”

Sakura couldn’t help but keep silent as she tried to process the words. There were so many questions and thoughts rumbling through her mind. One of her best friends, whom she had known for over five years, was telling her that he liked her.

“Are you sure?” she wanted to bite her lip as soon as the question left her mouth. She couldn’t read him. He was closed off from her.

“Yes, I’m sure,” he didn’t move, waiting for her to digest his words. The delay was a double edge sword. He couldn’t fault her that since it meant that she was taking it seriously. At the same time though, it just made his turmoil increase in epic quantities which made him lightheaded. He literally felt sick to his stomach.

“Alright,” the single word was guarded. “I’m going to ask you one question.” She saw him nod, his gaze still strapped to a point behind her face. “Are you the one who has been sending me roses?”

It was a punch to his stomach, almost physically. What could he say but the truth? “No, I’m not.” His expression was sardonic, awaiting.

“I just wanted to know,” the touch of her cool fingertips to his jaw made his eyes return to her own. “I had always wondered you see.”

She didn’t elaborate on the point. She really could say or mean whatever she wanted as long as she continued to look at him with that expression, her touch firm and warming on his body. “Just now, my heart took off like a locomotive.”

Their short exchanges of small sentences, pointed with slight grins as they came closer, just settled them back to their comfortable positions. “Will I get some chocolate tomorrow?” he had to ask her, his tone passive, but Sakura could read from his still tight muscles as he still leaned against her, that her response was crucial.

She had to laugh, her arms coming around his waist, closing in on a hug of familiarity. She gave him a slight peck on his cheek before settling against his chest. This warm enveloping her was unlike anything she had felt before.

“Look forward to them. They’ll have a different shape and meaning this year,” she felt his frame relax against her, both of them enjoying the closeness.

The rest of the dinner was spent in a comfortable silence as they settled down to eat. They continued with their plans, as the evening wore on. As Touya came home, his eyes narrowed for a different reason. There was a slight change. He could see a difference in the air between them, but chose to keep his mouth shut as they continued on with their studies. He was very familiar with his sister’s struggles with Chemistry.

“Would you like for us to go to the dinner together tomorrow?” he asked her before he departed. They had already made plans with their friends for them all to spend the day together. She nodded, her blushing face highlighting her happiness over his question.

He held onto her hand for longer than necessary before they said their good nights. Sakura leaned against the door as she heard his steps disappear. The blue flower forgotten in its vase as she concentrated on her plans for the next day.

Syaoran couldn’t stop himself from whistling a tune under his breath as he made his way to his apartment. He was going to do things his own way.

::~::

Sakura was breathless as she opened the door, almost tripping on her way to it. Her father kept on commenting as she primped her appearance before opening the door. Seeing Syaoran on the other side, blushing with a hesitating smile in his face was the only clue he needed to piece things together.

After acknowledging both, he dismissed himself from their presence. He was sure they would like to have a few moments alone before they had to depart.

“Here,” Sakura’s eyes widened as she saw the whole bouquet emerge from his back. There were so many flowers, the mix of colors and fragrances overwhelming her as she accepted them. There weren’t just roses, but also peonies, which she knew where his favorites. Tulips, lilies, carnations, irises, daffodils and some elusive sakura blossoms mixed in between.

She couldn’t help but wonder just how much trouble he had to go through to do this. “I know it’s customary for you to give me chocolates on valentine’s day only, but I wanted to give you something as well.”

She pressed her nose to each flower, closing her eyes as she let herself get immersed with the fragrances. “Do you like it?”

She didn’t hesitate on throwing her arms around his neck, pressing herself as close as she could. His expression bashful, he placed a finger beneath her right ear before leaning forward to kiss her. Sakura felt her eyes closing as he closed in, pressing his lips to her own.

Her strawberry flavored lip shine over her pink lipstick mixed in as she opened her lips, inviting him to press closer. It was the sweetest kiss for them both. Nothing could come close.

They were short of breath, blushing madly as they stepped away. “I’ll go put these in water,” she excused herself, mentally hunting down one of the big vases that were stored in the attic. Her father offered to keep the flowers and arrange them while pushing them out of the house.

She didn’t have to say anything before pulling out a box, wrapped beautifully. He didn’t have it in himself to undo the bow as she eagerly awaited for him to do so.

He marveled at the miniature heart figures inside. “Thank you Sakura,” he took one of the rounded hearts from inside, popping it in his mouth, moaning as he broke into the sphere and found bits of strawberry inside.

“My father helped me with them last night,” she was sure to tell him as he savored the contents. “Are they really okay?” She hadn’t had the courage to try one for herself. Touya and her father had complimented her, but since their own chocolates would be mixed in, she knew that they wouldn’t tell her otherwise either. On that note, Syaoran probably wouldn’t either.

“Here,” he extended one, his fingers brushing her lips as she opened her mouth at the incoming object. She returned his stare. She savored both the feel of his eyes on her as well as the sweet. They had definitely turned out marvelous. She would have to thank her father for all his help in the preparations.

“You’re beautiful,” her intake of breath was slow and steady as she turned red at his compliment. She could only smile in return, basking in the warmth his presence was permeating. You’re beautiful too, she thought it, keeping it to herself as a gust of wind blew through his unruly locks.

He closed the box of chocolates, asking her to keep them in her purse through the day. They didn’t waver before pulling their hand together, their fingers lacing as they made their way to their destination.

This Valentine’s Day had been the best yet. Syaoran had already wondered what he would do for White Day for her. The thought of arriving at school with an armful of dozens of roses sprung to mind. He knew that she would gladly accept them, and everyone would know.

His grip tightened in his hand, wondering if a single rose had arrived this morning. He didn’t have to ask though. Sakura leaned into his arm, their coats brushing at the close proximity. It didn’t matter.

Maybe two dozen roses would be better though. With that thought, he gave himself to starting a conversation with her, the topic meaningless. The day was beautiful and all was right with the world.

This is my Valentine’s Day fic. And I actually have it done on time, it is a miracle! :)

I was going to go in another direction when I started, making Syaoran the one who was indeed sending her flowers, but decided against it halfway through. That’s how it got so long in the end which I’m sure you guys appreciate.

Yes, I am working on the next chapter to Sugar Daddy, but I’ve been having schedule problems so I haven’t been able to devote myself to it. I will try to get it out tomorrow morning or afternoon, so you guys can eagerly wait for it.

Leave a review! :-P

MS

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