A short fanfic
Sakura loved to give hugs to her loved ones: her mother and father, the young priest Yukito, even to her brother, when he wasn’t being mean to her. (That wasn’t that often, though.) She even gave hugs to townspeople, although she gave fewer and fewer as she became older. (That was not to say she was never affectionate with them, though.)
The person she loved to give hugs to most of all, however, was Syaoran. She was always amused by his reactions, ranging from surprised squawks and jumping three feet in the air to blushing furiously and stumbling over his words as he gently scolded her. She enjoyed wrapping her arms around him, expressing her affections for her most cherished friend with her words and her actions, conveying it twice as much as she would have by just her words or her hugs alone.
There were times when Syaoran returned her hugs as well, but they were always a little stiff, as if he was afraid of not doing it properly. It was a silly concept, now that she thought about it; how could someone mess up something as simple and wonderful as a hug? The very notion seemed so outlandish to her! But on the occasion when he returned her hugs, Sakura felt her heart swell with happiness, skipping a beat or two as well.
When all was said and done, and they had returned to their home amid the endless yards of sand and ruins, the familiar hot sun shining down on them, Sakura mustered up the courage once more to tell Syaoran her feelings. What she wasn’t expecting, however, was for Syaoran to put his arms around her, speaking the words that were lingering on her lips. “I love you.”
A smile breaking out across her face, Sakura returned his embrace, burying her face into his shoulder as she nestled into Syaoran’s loving presence.