Author's Note:  This story is blatantly and exclusively Syaoran and Eriol.  I've been begged by some of my favorite authors to write more for this couple, so who am I to argue?  This has nothing to do with Solace, my first E+S fic, sorry to disappoint if that's what you were looking forward to.  Don't worry, it will happen eventually.  I promise.  This fic is humbly dedicated to my favorite E+Sy authors, especially those who have sent me IM's over time...Lady Kazune Kikenshi, Six Underground, and Emily-chan specifically.  I hope this story is worthy.

Okay, look closely at the first sentence and you'll figure out the warnings/disclaimers ahead.  Shounen ai, and I don't own.  Don't flame me, and don't sue me.  Consider yourself duly warned.

Magician's Apprentice Out of the Blue

Syaoran looked down at the slip of paper in his hands again and cursed.  He couldn't believe he was doing this.  It was the last thing on earth he really wanted to do.  This was the address though, there was no doubting it, and if he turned back now he would have wasted a trip and his mother would find some new way to keep him away from Sakura.  At least this way he'd be around someone he knew, even if they hadn't gotten along that well.

Syaoran lifted his hand slowly to ring the doorbell, resigning himself to his fate.  A moment before he reached it though he heard a familiar voice on the other side of the door.  The door opened to reveal another teenager, one who seemed his own age, calling over his shoulder that he'd be back in an hour or so.  Syaoran moved to dodge out of the way, but somehow the other guy moved in the same direction without looking and as he turned ran right into Syaoran's chest.

The two lost their balance, though the collision hadn't been that hard.  Each grabbed on to the other for support, steadying themselves.

"Li-kun?"  Deep blue eyes behind wire-rim glasses met Syaoran's chocolate brown eyes with surprise and confusion.

Syaoran nodded, too stunned to speak, or even think clearly.  After a few tries he managed to stutter, "H-Hiiragizawa...."  He blushed furiously at their proximity.  This was hardly what he had expected.  "I'm sorry, it looks like I'm here at a bad time.  I'll come back."

Eriol smiled, shaking his head gently.  "I'm just going for a walk until the chaos dies down.  Come with me, and you can tell me what you're doing here, okay?"

Syaoran scowled down at his feet, but realized he didn't have a choice.  If he had called ahead of time, this wouldn't be an issue, but he didn't like speaking about matters of magic over the phone, and he wasn't sure what to say in this case anyway.  Maybe he had been hoping that if he showed up, no one would be there and he could quit but be able to say he had tried.

No, that couldn't be it.

The two walked in silence for a while, Syaoran still glaring at his feet while he thought about what he was wanting to say.  He finally looked up to find Eriol smiling over at him, still taller, and still more composed and serene than Syaoran ever would be.  That, in itself, was irritating.  "So, what's the chaos we're walking away from?"

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you," Eriol said, chuckling.  "I'm not sure I believe it actually."

"After all that we've seen, all that we've been through, I find it hard to accept there's something too strange for me to believe going on back there."

Eriol gave him a 'you asked for it' look.  "Kaho and Ruby Moon conspired to give Spinel Sun some chocolate because they agreed he was being too stuffy lately."  The delivery was perfectly deadpan, he didn't even blink as he said it.

Syaoran choked.  "Y-you're right.  I don't believe it."

"We should stay away for another hour or so, after that it will be safe enough."  Eriol smiled, then steered them into an ice cream shop.  Syaoran was surprised, but graciously accepted a chocolate cone while Eriol ate his own mint chocolate chip scoop.  Silence ruled them for a time, and Syaoran was happy with that.  Soon enough though, the question was asked.  "So, why are you here?"

Syaoran sighed.  "Mother suggested," he began in a tone that implied an order rather than a suggestion, "that I need to learn more about Western magic.  When I pointed out that I didn't know anyone who would be willing to teach such things to me, your name came up.  I understand that you must be too busy though, so at least I tried.  Thank you for the ice cream, it's been nice seeing you again, but--"

"I'd love to," Eriol interrupted.

"--you have better things to...wait.  You'd love to?"  Syaoran blinked in surprise.

"Of course.  Why shouldn't I?"

Syaoran was trapped in a stunned silence for so long that he lost track of time.  He was vaguely aware of something cold and wet running across the back of his hand and some of his fingers, but it wasn't until Eriol handed him a napkin that he realized he had allowed his ice cream to melt all over the place.  He was instantly mortified, especially as he saw the patient smile that remained on Eriol's face.

What am I getting myself into, Syaoran wondered silently as he cleaned his hand off carefully. 

 "I just didn't expect you to agree to this," Syaoran admitted finally.

"I thought I made it clear that I like to help my 'cute little descendent'."  Eriol had his usual, infuriating smile upon his face.

Syaoran felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach.  This wasn't the way things were supposed to be going at all.  He wasn't sure how they should actually go, but this was the last thing he expected when he agreed to go to England.  This was the last way he thought events would unfold if he ever saw Eriol again.

~~~~~@~~~~~

 "It should be safe to return now," Eriol said, still amused by how the day was going.  It was a wonderful feeling to be taken by surprise like this, and he couldn't seem to erase the smile from his face.  Everything about this day had been fun, and Syaoran's arrival had only served to remind him of how wonderful life was now.

Syaoran just nodded, looking thoughtful and almost glum.  He followed silently, walking as if to his execution.  Eriol nodded to himself, remembering how strict and formal those in the Li clan could be.  He wondered how to cheer his cute little descendant, but only one thing came to mind.  Sakura.  It would be out of the question to bring her here, however, so he would have to be patient and try slower methods.  He would do his best though to get Syaoran smiling, even while he taught him.  If nothing else, the friendly chaos around his house would cheer the boy up...it always cheered Eriol.

"Don't be so gloomy.  We're almost there!"

Syaoran's frown deepened.  "I noticed."

Eriol almost laughed out loud at the predictable response, but knew that it would be counterproductive.  He then realized he had lapsed into Japanese at seeing his old friend, an automatic response.  It was time to remedy that.  "How well do you speak English?"

"Well enough, I suppose," he replied with slight hesitation, but a rather heavy accent.

"I'll be teaching you in English then.  There are some concepts that don't translate well, and I want you to use the right mindset."  He kept his tone matter-of-fact, making it clear that Syaoran's instruction in magic would begin now, with this.  He resisted the urge to tell Syaoran that his accent was cute, though his grin increased in size at the thought.

"It makes sense," Syaoran agreed, looking up now.  The promise of learning seemed to animate him.  He looked over at Eriol with a half formed smile on his face, but stopped himself as if remembering who he was with.

Eriol shook his head, amused but exasperated at the same time.  "If I didn't know better, I'd think you really didn't want to be here," he stated in a teasing tone.  He didn't give Syaoran a chance to lie and say something polite contradicting the young reincarnation.  Instead, he hurried the last steps up the walk to his front door and threw it open with a slight bow and cheery smile.  "Come in, come in, let's see if it's safe."

The sight that met them both amused Eriol and seemed to stun Syaoran.  Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun sat, in the middle of the living room, on the floor, in their full forms.  Spinel Sun was in the middle of a giggle fit while Ruby Moon was counting down.  When the pink haired moon guardian reached zero she said "Suppi-chan" in a horrid exaggeration of an American accent, and they both redoubled their laughter.

"They seem to be winding down," Eriol observed, knowing that they would be content to sit and giggle until they passed out, or until one of them got hiccoughs.  At that point insanity would rule again as the other tried to "help" the unfortunate victim stop.  It only happened one time in ten though, so it was safe to assume that this night would end calmly, with both guardians collapsed in a heap on the deep carpeting.

"This is...normal?" Syaoran asked, shocked.

"Not quite.  Usually Kaho is egging them on still.  She enjoys instigating chaos between the two."

"Well, someone had to prepare the guest room."  Kaho's voice called from behind them, making Syaoran jump.  Eriol smiled over at her and she walked closer, ruffling his hair in a motherly gesture.  She gave him a wink, sharing a personal joke between them with the simple gesture, then sat on the floor with the guardians.  "Ne, ne!  Sa-koo-rah!"

The three of them collapsed on the floor, literally rolling with laughter.  Eriol smiled fondly before turning away.  "They'll be like that for a while, I'm afraid.  I could show you to the room that will be yours, and you can stay here tonight, or return to your hotel for the night."

"My luggage is all at the hotel.  I wasn't really expecting--"

They were in the hall at the foot of the stairs, Eriol's hand rested lightly on the banister, but he hadn't set a foot on the bottom step yet.  He froze.  "You don't really want to be here," he said softly.  He turned around, still smiling, but it was a softer smile.  He hoped that it put across kindness and understanding rather than showing just how wounded he was.

"It's not that.  There's just some place else I'd rather be."  Syaoran looked down at his feet yet again that night.  Eriol thought it was rather...cute of him.

"You'd rather be in Tomoeda, with Sakura."

"Yes."

"Your mother forbids it?"

"Until I am old enough, yes."

"They say that time flies when you're having fun.    Of course, time also flies when you're kept busy.  When you return tomorrow, I'll see what I can do about making sure that the wait doesn't seem too long."

Syaoran looked up finally, scowling.  "The way you put that, Hiiragizawa, it isn't very reassuring."

Eriol just laughed.