A/N: I wrote this for a person on tumblr who gave me the prompt: Hmmm…What about Sakura and Syaoran sneaking out the night before their wedding (CCS or TRC) to talk about how they feel about taking such a huge step? If you're still doing the prompt thing. :)
So this happened. Enjoy!
Sakura held his hand, leading him through the slightly overgrown trail behind the shrine. There was a sort of glee to her as she did so, similar to how she'd been when they were children. It was dark already, the lavender shading to the clouds fading quickly as the sun set. It would be night soon, but Sakura led him on.
"We're almost there," Sakura said, turning a quick smile to him.
"Where?" Syaoran asked again, knowing she'd refuse to answer as she had before.
And she did; her smile shifting into more playful than bright.
After a few more minutes, she stopped and took his other hand, facing him. "Close your eyes, alright?"
"W-what?"
Sakura reached up, cupping his face with her hand. "It's okay, I'll be your eyes. Trust me."
Syaoran blinked at her, then shut his eyes, letting her pull him along. He stepped blindly with her, trying to ignore the discomfort he felt at the loss of sight. Being half blind most of his existence, he valued the sight he had. It was disconcerting when he couldn't see. But he did trust her, so he kept his eyes shut, trying not to trip on the twigs and roots in the ground.
It wasn't very long that she led him, then she pulled him close to her as she clung to his arm. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
He did, and was nearly blown away by the beauty before him. It was a hidden garden, filled with wild flowers and greenery, the wooden structured beams built above were draped in vines, purple flowers dripping from them. A becalmed pond reflected the natural light of the moon in its mirrored surface.
"It's beautiful, Sakura. But… why did you bring me here?"
Sakura walked forward, pulling him gently towards the water. "This pond doesn't have any fish in it, you see? It's supposed to be used to tell fortune, by the light of the moon. I wanted to bring you here, on this night before we take this new step into our future."
"To tell our fortune?" Syaoran asked, finding himself smiling with her.
She laughed, the sound like bells chiming. "No, I don't know how. But it's pretty, right?"
Her face was perfectly lit by the full moon above them, nearly glowing. Her hair shone like pale gold, framing her perfect face. He pulled her close, gently brushing her bangs from her face. "Yes, it is. But not much is prettier than you are."
Sakura laughed again, her cheeks heating up underneath his fingertips. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face in his neck. He couldn't help but sigh, feeling the perfection of the moment. Sakura was here with him, they were breathing, their hearts beating. Living this life and this second chance out with each other. Syaoran felt his smile fade, suddenly his life giving blood feeling cold within him.
It was sort of frustrating, how all of these soft and lovely moments he shared with her were tainted by his memories of the past. Those demons he carried with him; his sins like blood staining his hands.
He sighed, letting his face drop to her shoulder. "Sakura…"
"What is it?" Sakura whispered against his skin.
He pulled back, taking her hands with his own. Her serene face fell as she looked into his, and he was annoyed with himself at ruining this moment.
"Are you sure you want this?"
Sakura frowned. "Want what?" The words were a question, but her tone was far more wary, as if she already knew what he was about to say. She probably did.
"Want to marry… a man like me…" he said quietly, looking down.
He heard her sigh, then she freed her hands from his and brought them up to hold his face. She stepped close, waiting until he looked her in the face. She didn't say anything, as he expected her to say. Instead, she tugged his face forward and pressed her lips to his firmly.
It startled him, his breath halting in his lungs. She kissed him gently, but behind her softness was an intensity he hadn't felt in her kisses before. It was different, jarring. Syaoran wasn't sure what to do except return her kiss, moving his lips with hers.
Eventually, she pulled back, leaving him breathless as their lips parted. When he opened his eyes, he could see the tears brimming in her eyes, just barely overflowing.
"S-sakura…" he stuttered out.
She took a deep breath, then looked up at him. "I love you. I have no doubts about you becoming my husband. We already made this choice, Syaoran. Are you telling me you don't want this anymore?"
"No!" He said emphatically. "I- I just…"
Sakura waited, tears streaming down her face now. Syaoran gently touched his fingers to her skin, wiping at the moisture with his thumb. "You're all I want, Sakura. I want this, but… what I've done… Sakura, I'm- I'm broken..."
His eyes burned and he let his hands fall, looking down at his feet. He didn't have doubts about Sakura or the wedding, it was himself he had doubts about. And he found that was turning out to be difficult to explain that.
With another frown, Sakura turned to the pond once again, her hands clasped underneath her chin. Syaoran watched her, blinking hard to keep his own tears at bay. After a few moments of silence, Syaoran decided that it seemed like she didn't want to talk to him anymore that night. As he turned to leave though, she spoke.
"I take it back," she said simply, and Syaoran felt his heart clench. Take what back? Her words? Wanting to be married? Her love? He was frozen, waiting for her to continue.
Sakura glance at him. "I can read our fortune in the pond." With that, she reached out, extending her hand to him. Slowly, he walked back, grasping her hand in his.
"What do you see?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of her.
She took a deep breath, squeezing his hand with hers. "I see… our wedding tomorrow. We'll both smile and laugh as we celebrate our union with our families and friends."
Turning to him again, she took his other hand. "As the years pass, we will fill our time with every joy, and we'll make memories and love and everything in between. We'll cry and our hearts will break, but we'll be together to mend each other. I will trust you, and you will trust me. I will love you, and you will love me."
Gently, she brought his head down to press her forehead to his, wiping away his overflowing tears with her fingers, just as he'd done minutes before. "Is that a future you want?"
Syaoran shut his eyes, trying to control his uneven breaths. "Sakura… I would do anything for that future."
Sakura pulled back, smiling softly. "Then marry me."
With trembling hands, he pulled her close, holding her tightly as if her were afraid she'd disappear and leave him alone again.
"I will."
A/N: So yeah, this ended up a lot more angsty than I'd intended it to be... ain't that just the way though.. Clone Syaoran is way too good at making stuff angsty, the jerk. Anyways, reviews are like, the best thing in the world. SO much. I love you.