Author's Note: This story is a departure from my usual. It's a haunting love story. It is the essence of the forbidden. It is a dance of seduction that not many would appreciate. It is also NOT your typical CCS story.

If you are an E+T fan, don't bother flaming me. I didn't come up with the concept in the first place, the creators of your beloved characters did. I'm just pushing the very limits of my tolerance and imagination to figure out how. Why these two? How can it possibly be excused?

If K+E squicks you, run now. I mean it. Don't bother reviewing this to tell me how sick I am, or what a pervert I am. I already know these things. As a side note, if you are squicked by K+E and think Rika-chan and Terada-sensei are made for each other I'd like to take this moment to call you a damn hypocrite. Thank you.

These are NOT my characters, don't sue me. If they were my characters Eriol would be a heck of a lot older before he ended up with someone like Kaho. Better yet, he'd end up with Syaoran. ~giggles~ (wait, this *is* part of the same universe as Solace, so...)

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Moon's Dance and Shadow

A Kaho and Eriol story

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Chapter One

The Moon Through Cloudy Skies

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It was a large mansion, old and dark in the rainy afternoon weather. The lush, green countryside surrounding the estate obviously thrived on the weather, but I was a little bit depressed by it. Tomoeda had rarely been so gloomy. England seemed to be an entirely new world from Japan, and I was still a touch off balance.

I smiled though as I stepped out of the taxi, and I could feel his smile echo mine from one of the windows. He stood in shadow and thought I was his light. I blinked back the sudden insight and paid the driver. My luggage was at the hotel still, I wasn't sure if I had the job yet. I simply pulled out my black umbrella and proceeded to the door.

It opened a moment before I would have knocked. I wasn't surprised, but I was surprised at what greeted me. It appeared to be a beautiful young girl with long brown hair, layered in front. I knew immediately that it wasn't human, or a girl. I didn't know what it was aside from made of magic. It behaved perfectly human though, so I bowed and smiled.

It smiled in return. "It's four-thirty, so you must be Kaho Mizuki, right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Follow me, the Master is waiting."

It politely took my umbrella and my coat, setting them at the coat rack by the door. I followed it through the dimly lit hallways, taking in the many bright decorations, paintings, and fine rugs. This was a home that had obviously seen many generations and been loved through them all. I smiled, already liking the place, and I hoped almost desperately that I'd get this job so I could spend more time in this place, even if it had been taken by the shadows as late. There was a warmth and happiness under the layer of gloom that would be so inviting to be a part of, even if just for work.

We entered a warm and comfortable looking study. As soon as we entered my guide suddenly became more animated and bounced over to a large red leather chair that was tall enough to hide its occupant. "Eriol, she's got beautiful hair! Can we keep her?"

A deep voice answered, sounding patiently amused. "We'll see, Ruby Moon. Thank you."

The creation, Ruby Moon, gestured to the couch that faced the high backed chair and gave me a huge smile before it left. I walked over slowly, sitting down gracefully, then turned to look at my prospective employer. The smile on my face became frozen, almost hiding my shock, but not quite.

There was a long silence while he gauged my response. I blinked a few times. I had been expecting an older man, probably the age of my last boyfriend's dad. I'm not sure why I thought of him when the age issue hit me, but that's exactly what I realized I had been expecting. Instead, I found a little boy, around 10 or 11 years old. I wondered how it was possible that the deep voice I had heard, had recognized from phone calls, would come from a child his age. I decided that it wasn't important. I could already tell there was much more going on here than the casual observer could see, so I just waited. I'd know when I needed to know, like all things.

"Hiira--Eriol Hiiragizawa?" I winced inwardly, reminding myself that this was England. Family name last.

He smiled and nodded. This was, indeed, my potential employer, no matter how young he appeared. "Don't worry, surname first is acceptable form here. It's just more formal."

I nodded, feeling better. "Beautiful work. Yours?" I smiled, inclining my head in the direction Ruby Moon had retreated.

"Yes, I'm very proud of her." The smile that met mine was gentle, proud, and much older than fit his face.

Ah. He referred to his creation as "her".

"Yes, and I suggest you do too if you want to avoid upsetting her."

I laughed. He was a mind reader. Of course. How many times had I surprised people the same way? I was delighted to be so surprised for once. "Do we have time? Could you tell me about her?"

"I've already concluded the interview. You have the job if you want it. So yes, we have time." His dark blue eyes danced with mirth, glittering behind his glasses.

I blinked. My smile faltered for a moment from surprise, but I recovered quickly. "Thank you," I said softly, then waited to hear what else he had to say.

"Years ago, when my parents died in a plane crash, I wished with all my heart that I wouldn't be left alone. The words and images of a spell came to me in that place where dreams and the waking world meet, and I ran to follow those instructions. Many things happened all at once, and I looked up to see Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. They are technically my guardians, but they are also my friends."

"Fully sentient?" He nodded. "How old were you?"

He gave me a small, sad smile. "It was only a month until my twelfth birthday. I haven't aged since."

I tilted my head to the side, searching for the truth in his words. It was easy to see that he wasn't lying, but I also saw that he hadn't told me anything near what the full truth was. I just smiled and nodded. We had just met, and I knew that his secrets would be unraveled as I needed to know. Not a moment before.

That was a refreshing change.

"Ruby is almost human in the form you saw. She won't age or die though, so it's not quite a human form. She has control of her magic abilities in her human form, though she's stronger in her true form. I also, well, I made a mistake." He looked embarrassed, but smiled and shrugged. "I was too young to know anything about female anatomy, and I really wanted my new best friend to be a pretty girl, so that's why she's touchy about that subject. She's a boy, but she looks and acts like a girl."

"Will you be able to fix that? If that's what she wants that is."

"Eventually." He blushed.

I giggled.

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At one point we were joined by a small creature that looked like a dark blue-gray kitten at first glance. It flew over to a bookshelf and grabbed a book before floating out again. As I looked closer I saw that it was a dark blue and had small wings. I had the impression that this was Spinel Sun, but I was soon distracted again by our conversation.

Some time later Ruby came in with a plate of sandwiches and tea. This time I offered her a seat and asked if she'd like to join us while we talked. I did it without thinking, but I was suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude from both of them. Ruby squealed with delight and hugged me for it. Eriol simply smiled, not really showing his emotions, but I could feel how happy that simple gesture had made him.

We just continued talking though. I'm not sure how long we actually talked, but I ended up falling asleep on the couch. What seemed like moments later Eriol was bending over me to wake me up.

"Your taxi is here. You'll want to sleep in your hotel room tonight, then I'll have a room set up here for you by tomorrow night. Is that okay?"

I nodded sleepily. It had been a strange day. I stood, trying to remember falling asleep and failing. We were talking, and then I was being woken up. "I'm sorry for falling asleep like this. It's been a long few days though."

"Don't worry, I understand." He walked me outside where the car waited, he politely held the door open for me, then gently grasped my hand and bent over it slightly, brushing my knuckles with his lips. The action made me feel slightly uncomfortable, but that was nothing to the shock that went through me on a more magical level. The direct contact of flesh upon flesh sent tingles through me and it felt as if the person touching me was not a little boy, but a much older man.

I lost track of the world, of everything around me, stunned by what I had felt. I shivered involuntarily, then sat quickly and withdrew into myself as the door closed between us. I looked up once to see those dark blue eyes pierce through me, looking deep into me, and I shivered to know what was behind them. What had I gotten myself into? The shadow I had felt in the house was him. Not the child-like Eriol who was just a few years older than me in reality, but part of him that was much older and darker.

And much more powerful than anything I had ever sensed before.

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My mind ran non-stop the entire way back to the hotel, but I didn't hang on to any of those thoughts. They were too mixed and jumbled to do anything with yet. I rushed to the safety of my temporary haven, showering quickly and then forcing myself to slow as I dressed in the clothes I wore for meditation. I needed my mind to be clear, I needed to know what was going on. I needed to have some glimmer of what I was getting myself into.

The next time we see each other you will be in love with someone else, and so will I.

My words to Touya just a few nights ago.

Touya.

He loved me so sweetly. I could not clear my mind suddenly as I let myself feel his heartbreak one more time. I had loved him too, he had been so much more than other people. I just couldn't let myself fall in love with him. Yes, it was that simple. He was a student, I was a student teacher, and I just didn't let myself fall in love.

No, that's a lie.

I fell in love with him. I just didn't let myself act on it.

Much.

We held each other. We kissed. We admitted love under dark skies littered with enchanted stars.

And each moment we were together I knew it would end. So I told myself not to fall in love. Over and over again I told myself not to fall in love.

Now I could admit to myself, now that we were on two different islands separated by entire continents that I had fallen in love with that darkly beautiful boy. I felt so selfish for it, but in the end even I couldn't control my heart. I had realized too late that it was doomed, and this heartbreak was my reward.

I didn't want to think about how it compared to his. I had known we were doomed. He hadn't had a clue until I told him I was leaving. Which was worse?

At least he hadn't suffered like I had late at night the last few months. I had made sure he had been happy every moment we had been together until the end. I liked to think that it made up for my selfishness in being with him in the first place. Now I wasn't so sure.

I blinked back the tears I had been holding back for months. It was just a transition, a change, and I had to be able to carry on. In private I could be heartbroken, but tomorrow...tomorrow...

I fell asleep, wrapping my arms around the dream of tomorrow being the new beginning I needed.

~~~~~tbc~~~~~