Disclaimer- Tsubasa Chronicles and all its characters belong to Clamp.
SPOILERS for chapter 189 and onwards.
A/N- Sakura and Syaoran are 12 years old in this story.
~KUMA-CHAN~
A valentine's day fic
"There's just something about a Teddy Bear that's impossible to explain. When you hold one in your arms, you get a feeling of love, comfort and security. It's almost supernatural."
-James Ownby
A six-year-old boy looked up at the two teddy bears sitting on the shelf. One was a plain chocolate brown; the other was pink with wings on its back. As long as he remembered, those bears had been given a special place. He knew they were important to his parents, but he didn't know why.
Pushing his chocolate hair out of his eyes, (already his bangs had grown too long and messy) he looked up at his mother. Usually he wouldn't be so daring, but he was going to be seven soon. Plus his parents were surprisingly indulgent lately….
"Mother?" he ventured hesitantly.
The emerald-eyed woman smiled down at her son, as he looked up at her with those familiar intense eyes.
"Mother…. why are those teddy bears so special?"
His mother's smile widened. Her eyes gazed into the past as she asked him a question in turn, "Son, do you know when a teddy bear's birthday is?"
He shook his head.
"Its when you tie a ribbon around its neck and give it a name. There is a legend about teddy bears. If you tie a ribbon around a teddy bear you made, name it after yourself and gift it to that person, you and your important person can stay together forever."
She pointed to the brown bear, "Your father gave me that one and," her finger moved to the pink bear with wings, " I made that one for him when I confessed my feelings."
She looked down again at her son, who was listening with wide eyes.
" One day, I'm sure you'll find someone who's as important to you. And maybe you'd want to give them a teddy bear too."
"And then we could stay together forever?" he asked.
Inexplicably, his mother's eyes saddened. He looked at her worriedly, wondering what could have made her unhappy.
She laid a gentle hand on his head." Yes, I'm sure you will. Everything will surely be all right." She whispered, more to herself than him.
Then she smiled her usual cheerful smile. "Say, why don't I teach you how to make a teddy bear? For when you meet your important person." She teased.
He blushed and stuttered, "B..but Father might call me for more training!"
Lately his father had been taking special training for him, for everything from cooking to magic.
"Syaoran-kun will understand. This is important too!"
So hand in hand, they walked of to make a teddy bear for his most important person.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Syaoran opened his eyes and blinked slowly at the ceiling, feeling disoriented. He didn't remember falling asleep. The dream he had seemed important too, but he was already forgetting the details. All he remembered was that his mother had been in it.
His mother. He rolled to one side and glanced at the picture of his parents, kept on a side table. He hadn't seen his parents for five years now. Five years since he had entered the Dimensional Witch's shop, come to Clow and met Princess Sakura…
He sat up and yawned, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. He must have been more tired than he thought. He had just arrived back home last night, after visiting a neighboring country. It had a vast and ancient library, and he had hoped to find some information about the black seal.
A sudden knock on his door startled him out of his musings. Surprised, he went to open it. He wondered who it could be. Hardly anyone came to visit him in his house near the market place, and no one knew he was back yet.
"Syaoran!" Princess Sakura exclaimed," You're back! How are you? You look tired. Have you been ill, Syaoran?"
Syaoran stepped aside to let her in, holding up a hand to stop the torrent of questions. "Whoa, Princess. Did you come here alone? You shouldn't be wandering out alone at night."
"I saw the lights at your place, so I came to check if you were back," Sakura said, dismissing his worries with a wave of her hand.
Then she narrowed her yes at him." You're doing that again."
"Doing what?" he asked, confused.
"That. Calling me Princess. We've been friends for five years now Syaoran." Sakura pleaded. "Can you please stop being so formal? Call me Sakura." She ordered.
"Of course. As the princess commands." He teased, giving her a mock bow.
She pouted cutely.
Syaoran laughed, and Sakura watched him in awe. He looked so carefree when he laughed.
"I'm sorry. Sakura." He smiled at her gently.
She smiled back happily as her heart fluttered.
They sat on his bed, and Sakura looked around eagerly. She rarely got a chance to see Syaoran's home. Most of the time they played at the palace or in the marketplace.
Syaoran had come to live on his own since he was nine. She worried about him sometimes, but respected his privacy.
Syaoran watched her look around, smiling contentedly. He was glad she had come to visit, even if it was a risk.
Together their gaze landed on the opposite wall, where a sort of chart with grading had been set up. A calendar, one from his own world. It was foolish and unnecessary, but he never grew out of the habit. Keeping track of dates and festivals was his one link to his world.
"Ne, Syaoran, what day is it today?" Sakura asked eagerly, like always. Clow country kept track of time through the moon, and she found his method fascinatingly different.
He scanned the calendar to check, and his eyes grew wide. Speaking of festivals…
"Feb-February 14th". He stuttered.
"Syaoran?" Sakura looked at him questioningly.
He blushed and looked away. It wasn't that he didn't know it was coming…. he had been unable to check the date for some time now, and Valentine's Day had caught him by surprise.
"Um…Princ…Sakura."
"Yeah Syaoran?"
"I-uh-have something for you."
He turned away from her, digging through his bag, wishing he would stop blushing. He couldn't give her the traditional chocolate, but….
Pulling out a simple paper-wrapped package, he pushed it into her hands before he lost courage.
"For me?" Sakura sounded delighted.
He nodded mutely, his heart thundering in his chest as she opened the paper folding.
He had been surprised when he had first found it among the few positions he had brought from home. Surprised and touched. His mother must have slipped it in.
" One day, I'm sure you'll find someone who's as important to you. And maybe you'd want to give them a teddy bear too."
The rustling of paper beside him stopped and silence ensued.
Panicking, he looked up and quickly started to explain. "Its…It's a toy. I made it as a kid with my mother. I know its not much but…. It's called a Kuma-chan, a teddy bear."
Sakura looked down at the stuffed toy in her lap. It was made from dark green velvet with black beady eyes.
"Kuma-chan…." She said slowly.
"It's so cute! Thank you so much, Syaoran!" she squealed happily as she hugged the bear.
He watched her, relieved, as she smiled at the bear. A smile that was startlingly similar to his mother's, and yet so different.
It meant so much more.
He noticed suddenly that Sakura had stopped smiling, and was now scrutinizing the bear carefully.
"What's wrong?"
"Something's… missing." Sakura said hesitantly, not wanting to offend him.
Slowly, she reached up and pulled something out of her hair. Gently, she tied the ribbon around the teddy's neck, finishing with a neat bow. The pink and green looked like they belonged together.
"Is it ok?" she asked him worriedly.
She didn't know what prompted her to do it. It just… seemed right.
"If you tie a ribbon around a teddy bear you made yourself…."
He looked at her, astounded. "It's perfect." He whispered, wondering how she knew.
She blushed, and looked back at the bear. "A Kuma-chan made by Syaoran…. I'll treasure it forever! Say, we should give it name, shouldn't we? What do you think, Syaoran? What should we name it?"
"I…." He paused.
"… name it after yourself…"
But she didn't know his true name, just as he didn't know hers. And for some reason, he didn't want her to use the name he carried now.
"Lets name it… Nozomi." After all, what better to describe their relationship than hope?
Sakura looked startled, and then thoughtful. Hope. Yes, that sounded right. There was a lot to hope for with Syaoran there by her side.
She smiled, touched. "Thank you, Syaoran." She said softly, and reached up.
Syaoran stiffened in surprise as her kiss gently landed on his cheek, her hair tickling his ears.
Surprised herself, Sakura pulled back, a hand on her mouth. They stared at each other for a moment, before jumping up simultaneously.
"I…I think I should head back!" Sakura squeaked, beet-red.
"Yes, its getting quite late." Syaoran agreed, his face just as crimson.
He paused, then said " I'll walk you back."
"Nah, I'll be fine." She smiled reassuringly. "Bye, Syaoran! Thanks again!"
He watched her walk away, and thought about the black symbol he could see growing on her everyday. The doom that was inching closer. He would do anything to protect her.
Sakura stopped at the end of the road and turned to wave at him, and he waved back, smiling.
"…and gift it to that person, you and your important person can stay together forever."
He certainly hoped the legend was true.
The end
A/N- The noun "hope", as in "I have hope", is 望み (nozomi). I'm not japanese though, so I had to google for it. I hope its correct.
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