Flexible Strings Attached

By MoshiMoshiQueen

New York's streets buzzed with conversations dealing with business, gas prices, celebrity gossip, and a mixture of other topics that blended together and sounded like a loud stream of noise to outside listeners.

The sky was light blue, and no cloud was in sight. Today the smog and air pollution was at a minimum, and you could actual smell something other than toxic waste and smoke. Cars honked obnoxiously at one another, the people bickered viciously while holding up their favorable finger, and taxis wove brilliantly in-between it all.

At this time of the morning everyone drowned themselves in coffee, crowded themselves with pastries, and woke themselves up to the sounds of their cell phones and pagers.

One of the many coffee addicts was Syaoran Li, businessman and workaholic. The thirty-year-old bachelor loved the busy environment of New York and rejoiced as the sounds of the local hot dog sealer beating the crap out of a punk who tried to run off without paying.

What he didn't rejoice in was the fact that his boss was impossible. Couldn't he just die all ready and let Syaoran take over? Of course not… that would make life way too easy, and, of course, that should never happen.

His body structure screamed I'm a pleaser, his eyes could melt a woman's heart, and his smile… well, let's just say it could do more than please and melt a woman.

The man was one hundred percent hunk, and all of the women at his workplace noticed and fantasized. His popularity was known through out the building, but the only person who didn't realize he was the main attraction was Syaoran himself. Although he didn't pay much attention to the female population of his building he didn't live the life of a martyr. He had plenty of women, but none could satisfy his long-term needs, so they came and went frequently.

His stress levels were overwhelming, and his boss's needs never seemed to cease. If he wasn't working on a project or smoothing over deals, he was traveling to create more deals just so he could smooth them over in the future. The never ending cycle kept Syaoran from having a real outside life, but he wouldn't have it any other way… after all he is a workaholic.

Tensing up, Syaoran ran a hand through his chocolate colored locks in frustration and let out a soft curse.

Man, his stomach was killing him. He knew he should have eaten something other than a small muffin from the coffee shop near his apartment. Rubbing his hand over his stomach, he continued to shift through the endless stack of papers on his desk.

As much as he wanted to rip the sheets to shreds, Syaoran just continued to fish through it all and end deals with a clean head.

He loved his job, didn't he? That's what he was starting to ponder about lately. Maybe he was going through some kind of mental breakdown or mid life crisis. He had worked hard to reach this position, hadn't he? So, why would he decide to change jobs now?

Shaking his thoughts from his head, he picked up the phone and dialed his best friend, Eriol, who happened to work on the floor under his.

"Homajii Technologies, no we can not help you get a life. For that you will have to dial another number."

"Haha, Eriol. Very funny."

"I thought it was since it's very true."

Winching, Syaoran continued to groan about his stomach as Eriol replied, "Guess you ate another stale muffin instead of a real meal this morning."

"A muffin is a real meal, and it wasn't stale."

"Sure it wasn't and I'm a drag queen."

"Well…"

"Shut up and go eat a real meal, Syaoran. I'm sure you didn't even eat a decent dinner."

"Does old Chinese rice count?"

When Eriol only huffed out a reply Syaoran said, "I guess not. It didn't smell so good, but it did the job."

"Apparently it did a good job at tearing your intestines apart."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll eat an apple for lunch."

"That's not going to help. I'm sure your stomach lining is all ready deteriorated, and if your eating habits haven't destroyed you then your stress levels have."

"I'm not that stressed, mother."

Ignoring the comment about Eriol being a mother figure he continued, "Seriously Syaoran if you don't start treating your body better…"

"I'll work on it. Anyways, I didn't call for you to fuss about my health."

"Then what did you call me for?"

"I called to ask about the Johnson deal."

"What about it? Having more trouble? Are they complaining again about the price? We can't go any lower. They are just going to have to deal with that amount or leave."

"That's the problem. You're aloud to state that, but I on the other hand have to smooth everything over. The customer is always right."

"Well, the customer is usually an ass. I don't make miracles happen, Syaoran. That's not my job remember? We aren't going any lower."

"Great. Thanks for all the help."

"Eat that apple, Syaoran."

"Yeah, sure mommy," Syaoran crowed as he hung up the phone.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Syaoran crunched up his face and frowned at the Johnson's file. He really didn't feel like dealing with any more temperamental investors who always wanted more then they ever agreed upon.

"Mr. Li," his secretary called.

And if you were expecting his secretary to be some leggy blonde, then you are a completely wrong. How could he ever function and complete deals if some chick was constantly drooling over him during the working hours of the day? Lanai happened to be a forty-year-old miracle maker with four adult children, two grandchildren, and another one on the way in January.

She had been his secretary for over ten years, and she was more efficient then any one he had ever known, even his exasperating and aggravating boss. She was probably the only woman on this earth that Syaoran could actually have a real conversation with, and she was the only one he could stand… including his mother.

"Yes, Lanai?"

"Your mother is waiting outside your office. I tried to stop her, but she didn't believe that you were in, yet, another meeting and refuses to leave until you see her."

"Thanks for trying, Lanai. Just send her in please."

"Just what I need another lecture about marriage from my mother," Syaoran complained quietly as she entered the room.

Yelan pinned for her only son to be married, and Syaoran believed that she would be pinning for her whole life because there was no way he was going to marry one of the many prospects that his mother approved of. She was only fifty-one years old, but she would never admit to being over forty. Considering the fact that he son was thirty years old, it probably wasn't the best idea to say you had your youngest child of five at the age of ten.

Amazingly Yelan really didn't look a day older then thirty-five. Wrinkles were nothing she worried about since her skin was a rich creamy color that was known as complete perfection. Every woman that passed her lusted after her long onyx hair, and a gray was never ever found in her rich locks.

But, just because she looked like a goddess didn't mean she had her doctor on speed dial. She actually does work out to keep her body in shape, and did get lucky in her gene pool. Her doctor was only number nine on her phone, but plastic surgery was never used on her body. Some botox on the other hand…

"Syaoran, how nice of you to actually see me."

"Hello, mother. What brings you?"

"What else would bring me to this place?"

"I don't know mother. That is why I asked."

"Well, if you must know. I need you to come to my charity ball, and yes, you must bring a date. It is not an option. I do have some choices in mind. There is that lovely… Syaoran are you listening to me?"

Suddenly Syaoran became weak, and his skin turned a pasty white with the under tones of a green shade. His vision started to blur from the pain that was vibrating from his stomach. It felt as if a black hole was eating up his body, and sucking him into the darkness.

"Syaoran… Syaoran are you all right…"

The voice of his mother slowly faded away completely as he toppled over onto his office floor.

"I told him that he should have taken better care of himself."

"Oh, don't badger, Eriol. He's seriously ill."

"He wouldn't be like that if he had just listened to me."

"We are here for support, baby, not so we can criticize."

Fighting against the drowsiness that clouded his mind, Syaoran tried to focus on the two people that stood before him. His head felt like it had been hit by a ton of bricks, and his stomach felt even worse. What the hell happened to him?

"Look, he's opening his eyes. Can you hear me, Syaoran? It's Tomoyo and Eriol. You fainted in your office yesterday."

Trying to focus on the worried face of Eriol's wife, Syaoran rubbed his hand against his eye sockets, so they could begin to function properly. Tomoyo's amethyst orbs were filled of worry and her long, dark locks were tied back in a blue hair ribbon. Her stomach was full with the spawn of Eriol, and her gentle hand rubbed in circles upon the mound.

Eriol had met Tomoyo years ago on a train ride through New York. He had actually split coffee all over her bran new suit, and then when he was trying to clean it up, he accidentally knocked her down and she fell on a little toddler's throw up. As you can see they were meant to be the second they had locked eyes.

"W-What's wrong with me," he asked, his voice hoarse from the lack of usage and moisture.

"It seems you have a stomach ulcer," Eriol explained.

"A stomach ulcer?"

"Yes, it because you haven't been taking care of your self, and over stressing."

Stinking back into the darkness, Syaoran's eyes closed and his head sunk deeper into the hospital's pillow.

"He needs to rest for now. I wonder how he is going to take the idea of not only taking time off from work, but also joining a yoga class for his stress levels."

"I can just envision it now…"

Punching Eriol in the arm playfully, Tomoyo then pulled the blanket closer to Syaoran's sleeping form, and then said, "You never know. He might actually enjoy it. I enjoy them."

"Syaoran? Enjoying a class full of calm females twisting their bodies into pretzels? Well, he might enjoy the women, but the time off is going to kill him. He lives to work."

"Well, that's going to have to change or else he's going to kill himself."

"Like I said…"

"Yes, yes, but now it's our job to make sure he goes to those classes, eats right, and takes better care of himself. I have a friend who runs a yoga studio. Maybe she can help us out."

"You know a yoga instructor?"

"Yes, so?"

"How do you know so many random people?"

"Well, Eriol I am a designer. I make clothes, and everyone has to wear clothes at one point in their lives. Plus, I've taken a class or two there before. It helped in the beginning of my pregnancy."

"You've taken a yoga class?"

"Yes, why do you seem so shocked?"

"I'm not shocked. You just never told me, and plus I just want you to show me from of your flexibility," he said grinning wickedly.

Rolling her eyes, Tomoyo simply responded by saying, "Yeah, I'm going to be real flexible with this belly."

"You never know."

"Eriol," she whined.

"Okay, we'll contact the yoga instructor. What's her name anyways?"

"It's Sakura. Sakura Kinomoto."

I just couldn't resist this plot… I really did try hard. I tried to remind myself that I need to finish up all of my other fanfics, but this idea just kept screaming at me. I just really couldn't resist going with it… and plus writing something it better then not writing at all, right? ;; I know Motherhood, This Is It, and yeah… everything else is still waiting for me to return, but hey… Review please?

Question and Answer Section

(Beware the Answers. They Might Be Incorrect or Blunt)

Q: Moshi-san, really? A Yoga instructor?

A: Hey, it could happen right? Ulcers are common things.

Q: What are ulcers exactly?

A: Well, in this case it's a stomach ulcer (AKA a peptic ulcer). There are skin ulcers that are open sores on your skin caused by infection. Stomach ulcers are pretty much the same. They are sores, but in your stomach instead of on your skin.

Q: What are the causes?

A: In some cases you get them because of your family history. Interesting enough people with type o blood are more prone to them. Also ulcers are caused when your stomach lining deteriorates, for whatever reason. You could also get them because of smoking, drinking, or taking aspirin.

Q: Are they caused by stress?"

A: Actually it has been said that stress if only a factor, but who really knows. A lot of stressful people do, indeed, get stomach ulcers though, but I wouldn't be worried about it. Doctors aren't really sure why some ulcers pop up.

Q: They pop up?

A: You know what I mean. They appear, but then again I think ulcers can kind of explode if not taken care of.

Q: Explode!

A: Well, maybe that's no really the word. It's sort of like when you get pancreatitis. When your pancreas ruptures it excretes really bad toxins into your body. I think an ulcer works the same way. (My brother had pancreatitis, so that's the only way I know that )

Q: It's very cruel to make Syoaran suffer like that.

A: It's really cruel to make me suffer through S&S fanfics that have old and over used plots. I like doing things different. I'm tired of Syaoran being a prince, Sakura being a geek, either/or being a punk. I've used some of those plots myself, but it's old. Please people let's just admit it.

Q: Tough critic.

A: I'm an even tougher reader, and that's why I vowed never to give a flame.

Q: So, how can the ulcer be treated?

A: In Syaoran's cause I'm making him take medicine, and take a break from his job. Yoga is going to help his stress levels but it might raise his blood pressure.

Q: I'm sure we are looking forward to that.

A: I would hope so because if you aren't then you are in the wrong type of fanfic!

Q: Are you going to finish your other fanfics?

A: Yeah, I've been meaning to get to those. I just ended Bounty Hunters, so give me some credit.

Q: Any last words to the readers?

A: Unless you have a really GREAT idea leave all the punks, nerds, geeks, skaters, princes, and princesses alone please. Oh, and if you start having stomach pains and cough up blood… please call a doctor. Ulcers of any kind are nothing to joke about… unless you are making Syaoran suffer that is.

Q: Oh, also. I like the title of the fanfic.

A: Thanks. I'm not sure if I'm really attached to it yet, but it seems interesting enough. Plus it's unique. Have a happy holiday everyone!