A/N: I just want to say that that I am definitely a Sakura and Xiao Lang fan, so to all those Sakura and Xiao Lang fans out there- sorry for anything that upsets you. :D please R&R. Thank you :

Inveiglement by Water Chapter 1

"Peh. How much longer, Mokona?" Kurogane asked grumpily. He ripped of a large branch of the tree he sat under and started drawing in the mud. Aw, how cute- a dog.

"Mokona can't sense the feather from here." Mokona wore a sad expression on his face, ears flapped down and all. Suddenly, he perked up and so did his feather-sensor.

"Kuro-pi! It looks like you! HAHAHA! Down to the nose and everything! Who knew our little Kuro-chan was so talented in art!" Fai laughed.

"Pikkyou!" (A/N: That's my assumption of the sound he makes.)

"The feather's nearby, mina! Let's go!" Xiao Lang announced. He brushed off the dirt and leaves stuck to his butt and went towards the direction Mokona was facing when he sensed it.

As he was helping Sakura up by the elbow, Fai and Kurogane were still yelling at each other (well, Kurogane was doing the yelling and Fai was just smiling).

"Are you guys going to go with us or…?" Xiao Lang asked, politely.

Kurogane, being in a bad mood, roared. "OF COURSE WE'RE GOING WITH YOU! IF WE DIDN'T YOU'D PROBABLY GET EATEN BY AN OVERSIZED BEETLE!"

Fai hunched over on the ground, hugging his knees, laughing.

He laughed some more.

He was still laughing.

Still…with the addition of tears.

"Kuro-rin! AHH HAH HAH HAH! AN OVERSIZED BEETLE! WOW. I WONDER WHERE YOU LEARNED ALL OF THAT! A BEETLE? A BEETLE!" Fai tossed his white-blonde hair in laughter at his reverie of Kurogane fighting a human-sized beetle.

Sakura walked over to Fai and stood in front of him. She tapped his arm. "Ano…Fai-san," Sakura began, "daijoubu?"

Fai looked up at Sakura. "Hai, hai! Ikimashou-ka!" He got up and brushed of his knees and coat.

The 4 of them (besides Mokona, who sat atop of Kurogane's head) continued to walk down the dirt road.

"Mokona-haven't we been walking for half a day already? We haven't even begun to see civilization yet…" Sakura asked, a bit worriedly. The scenery of the forest still looked the same…the trees, the bushes, the occasional rabbits and deer. The only difference was that the road was harder to see since the sun began to set in the mountains behind them. She glanced around at those around her. Yup, definitely tired. Well…except for Xiao Lang.

"Hai, Sakura-san. Demo, we need to get a move on. This feather is moving as we move."

"HUH!" Kurogane, Fai, and Xiao Lang exploded, "WELL THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO SOONER!" Mokona bounced off of Kurogane's shoulder and hopped around on the ground as the three of them chased him, with the intention to burn him at the stake. Roasted Mokona didn't sound half-bad since they were hungry.

Sakura, though slightly disappointed to hear the news late, didn't agree with the guys.

"Minna-san! Please stop chasing Mokona. I don't think it'll help us with him…gone (dead)."

They stopped. Mokona hopped back on to Kurogane's shoulder and poked him with his finger. "Te-he!"

"Uh oh," Fai stated.

Uh Oh was right because Kurogane picked Mokona up by the ears and tossed him into a tree.

Xiao Lang wandered off into a clearing with Sakura behind him. He poked the grass with a stick and figured they should sleep there for the night.

"Kurogane-san, Fai-san, Mokona. Let's sleep in this clearing off to the right for the night."

"Hai, Xiao Lang!" Fai cheerfully agreed.

The 4 of them set up camp with branches and leaves, making quite a nice, temporary house.

Kurogane started the fire in front of the house.

Fai brought back a rabbit for dinner, as well as 30 fish.

"How did you…30…10 minutes…" Kuro stuttered, eyes wide, "ah, forget it. Hey, Mokona. That little rabbit…doesn't it look like someone we know?" His eyes glimmered with evil intent.

"Who?" He leaped up and down around the dead, WHITE rabbit.

"Baka! YOU! " At that, Mokona kicked Fai with is feet, hard.

And so the night wore on.

"Sakura-hime."

"Nani, Xiao Lang?"

"Are you tired yet?"

"Hai, demo…I feel like taking a bath…"

Xiao Lang, at first embarrassed, looked around the forest and decided it to be dangerous.

"I'll go and guard you!"

Sakura, mouth open, at loss for words, simply nodded. "A-Arigatou."

Sakura told Fai and Kurogane that she and Xiao Lang were headed off to the river.

Kurogane smirked in acknowledgment and Fai just nodded. The two of them headed back into the house.

Sakura began to take off her clothing, starting with her skirt. Pretty much, from the bottom up.

"Xiao Lang."

"H-Hai."

"Don't look, but don't go too far, onegai."

"Hai." He said, with resoluteness in his voice. He stood facing the road about 50 feet away from her.

Sakura hung her clothes on the branch of a willow tree. Oh no…she couldn't take off her shirt. The tie at the back wasn't working, and neither was the zipper. Ask Xiao Lang? No, she couldn't! But how…? She tried reaching from over her shoulder and from her the base of her back. I wish my arms were longer.

A hand grabbed hers and a voice oh-so-silkily whispered, "If you can't reach it, I'll reach it for you." And with that, the person wrapped a cloth around her eyes and secured it, loosely, but still she was unable to see. He led her by the arm slowly into the water.

How can Xiao Lang not have noticed this man? Or…was he here all along? She wanted to yell out, but something stopped her.

"Shh. Don't speak…One foot at a time, that's good, Hime." He dipped his toes in sync with her toes. Once they were in the water, he put his cheek onto to hers and brushed his lips to her ear. "Now let me help you with that."

He unzipped her shirt, slowly. Where Sakura expected him to remove it and such, he didn't. He just left it there.

He, being behind her, turned her shoulders just enough so that he could look at her.

And he kissed her.

Chapter 1 End

A/N: so…how was it? Well anyway, I have to go to my part time job now. See you guys! Please R&R and I hoped you liked it :