Author's Note: No, I'm not in a gloomy state. This fic will break my oh-so-monotonous-ideas-about-happy-ending. Bear with me because it's hard to make this fic if you're happy. XD Before you read my fic, I warn you that you might not want the present pairings in my story although this is an ExT fic. You might also notice the big OOCness of the characters. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own the following: Clamp's CCS, Hinder's Lips of an Angel, and the facts I used from Wikipedia and cherryhouse web
Thanks to: my rain, who helped me by giving insights regarding the hard-to-explain ideas and moral support. XD
Lips of an Angel
By Cladixe
--
"I love you." I whispered as I stroke her silky long hair. We were sitting at my couch while watching a DVD of Anne Hathaway's The Devil Wears Prada.
Those three words were used by others to express their profound emotion. Those magic words make women giggle and this one was not an exception. She giggled gently, flashing her dimples. Whispering something like that to her, gave a sudden thug in my heart. Somehow, I managed to play cool and continue calling her endearments.
I may be the reincarnation of the powerful Clow Reed but I wouldn't need his power to sense my untruthfulness hidden behind those three words.
--
I smiled as he looked intently through my eyes.
"How I wish I could read your eyes, Tomoyo." He chuckled while watching my baking demonstration.
"You're not helping." I remarked while beating the eggs on a stainless bowl.
Togetherness is not something you can find by being with someone you chose to be with but by having a feeling of comfort, security and love, even if the two of you are away. Having him with me right now gave me a feeling of emptiness. Surely, he is fun to be with yet I don't really feel chemistry between us.
I have been alone ever since I am a child. Unfamiliar people surrounded me in my early years so that my mother could continue working. There is only a point in my life where I felt that I'm with someone. For the very first time, I felt that I am not alone. Yet, harsh as I recall, everything didn't work out.
--
"Eriol, stop it." She continued to giggle as she started to throw popcorns on my head.
I laughed as I tried to dodge each of the flying popcorns by covering myself with a pillow.
"Kaho." I called her attention as she continued menacing me. "These popcorns will give me a hard time cleaning the carpet."
"Then I'll help you later." She answered. Her long auburn hair was tied in a ponytail and she was wearing a simple tee and a jeans.
I sighed as I continued to evade her popcorns.
--
"I heard from Sakura that your favorite recipe is omelette with fried rice and fried noodles." I commented as I took the cake from the oven. "Perhaps, you could teach me tomorrow on how to cook that. I'm quite bored with the spatulas and piping bags."
"We have planned a dinner date tomorrow, don't you remember?" He reminded me while taking a sip from his juice.
"Oh." I apologized instantly. I was embarrassed to forget something like that. "I'm so sorry."
"That's fine." He answered. "Sometimes, people forget."
I smiled because of his good consideration regarding my forgetfulness. "So how about Saturday night, Touya?"
"That would be great." He exclaimed.
"Okay, Saturday night it is."
"I should be going." He said as he took a glimpse from his wristwatch and stood up from his seat. "I still got a part-time job."
"At this time?" I asked as I gently dropped the bottle of sprinkles on the table and also took a glimpse from my watch. "It's nine in the evening."
"I know."
He approached me and gave me a peck on the cheek. "It's nine to eleven."
I smiled as I carried the strawberry cake to the fridge. "Okay, take care."
--
"How about you start to pick up those popcorns on the floor and I'll cook for a late dinner?" She smiled gently as she stood up from the couch and placed the bowl she used for popcorn on the table.
"You told me that you're going to help me here." I smirked as I started picking the popcorns piece by piece.
"How about something Italian…" She suggested.
She opened the fridge and took a look from the available resources.
"Like Spaghetti or Lasagna?" She continued as she looked at me. "Ne, Eriol-kun?"
I looked back at her yet I held my tongue, as if I didn't know what to say.
The word Italian suddenly made me stop thinking. Italian cuisine is her favorite recipe and one of her greatest recipe hits along with her baked goods. These matter bring back something I was trying to forget.
"How about something simple like shrimp tempura?" I stuttered as I shook the idea from my head. "I believe, I still have some shrimps on the fridge."
"Okay." She smiled as she looked for the shrimps. "Found it!"
--
Usually after baking a cake, I would take a taste test to see how perfect my creation is. That was before. That was when I still have a boyfriend who's not so busy and would take his time to take a bite from my baked goods.
I was walking on the hallway when a lady in a black and white lacy uniform came out of the door. She closed it gently.
"Ma'm." The maid approached me politely. "You told me to clean your room and I compiled the junks on a corner. Please tell me which one should I take along with the trash."
"Thank you." I said gently with a smile. "I'll tell you later, don't worry."
She left as I opened the door to my room. Aside from the extravagant wallpaper, marble flooring and cherry wood furniture, a pile of assorted things was piled at the corner of the room. I recognized everything on the floor. It's his.
I sat near the pile and started picking out pieces when I came cross with a black umbrella. I picked it up and memories were starting to come back.
It was a rainy day, gloomy as ever. Before the heavy rain fell, I had decided to pick up some baking materials on my way as I walked on the busy pavement of Tokyo. It never occurred to me that I would encounter a sudden rainfall so when I was walking back to my house, the heavy rain fell from the cloudy sky and there I was, stranded in the middle of the rain, soaking wet along with my L.V handbag and the plastic bag which contained few of my shopping items
"Hey."
When I recognized the voice, I looked back and saw a man in a black cloak and a black umbrella. His cerulean eyes were quite hidden behind the eyeglass and his bangs.
"Hiiragizawa-kun, a pleasant day to you." I said, full of pride.
"Quite a heavy rain, isn't it?" He smiled as he offered his umbrella.
"No, thank you." I smiled. "I'm perfectly fine."
"Suit yourself." He smirked as he continued to walk beside me.
"Why are you following me?" I asked gently as I tried to control my annoyance to the English gentleman.
"I am not following you, Madame." He answered politely. "It is just a coincidence that we have to take the same path."
I remained my silence for quite a long time as he told different stories about his experience in England when he suddenly grabbed my hand and gave his black umbrella to me.
"You still have to walk several blocks before you reach your house." He beamed. "Might as well take my umbrella or else, you'll get a terrible cold."
"But how about-"
"My house is just around the corner." He interrupted. "The rain won't hurt me."
It has been a year since that happened. It was our first real conversation after he left Japan although it was not the first time we saw each other again. The first time we saw each other again after he left was on Sakura's eighteenth birthday. We greeted each other casually and that was all. After that wet incident, I forgot to return the umbrella to its rightful owner.
I got up and slowly took the telephone at the side table. I nervously dialed his number.
I have no idea what made me do that somehow, there was an urge that kept on saying that I should call him. I should.
--
I was done picking up pieces of popcorn when the phone suddenly rang. I quickly threw the popcorns on the nearest trashcan and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey." The voice on the other line greeted. In an instant, I recognized her melodic voice.
"Hey, To-chan." I whispered as I looked at the wall clock. It was 9:30 in the evening. "What made you call here?"
"Nothing." She muttered. In the tone of her voice, she was obviously crying.
"Hey, are you crying?" I asked softly.
"No." She lied. "No."
"Tomoyo, this is not a good time for us to talk on the phone." I gently said. "Kaho's here. She's in the kitchen"
"Oh, I'm sorry." She remarked. "So, that's the reason why you are whispering."
"Yeah, she might hear us." I whispered again.
Honey why you calling me so late?
It's kinda hard to talk right now.
Honey why are you crying? Is everything okay?
I gotta whisper coz I can't be too loud.
Well, my girl's in next room.
"I guess, this is a bad timing." She muttered. "Maybe, I should call some other day."
"No. Wait." I muttered as I went inside my room and shut the door. "There. Is everything fine? Why are you crying?"
"I just wanted to say to you that I found your black umbrella." She murmured as I sat on my bed. "Along with other things that you really own."
"Wow." I exclaimed. "Kaho suggested Lasagna for dinner."
"Eriol…"
"But you know that Italian cuisine reminds me of you." I continued. "Because Italian is your favorite recipe."
She remained silent.
"Besides, you're a better cook than her so I'm still adjusting my taste buds to her cooking." I continued with a laugh.
"Eriol." She called my name again.
Sometimes I wish she was you.
I guess we never really moved on.
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name.
It sounds so sweet.
Coming from the lips of an angel.
Hearing those words makes me so weak.
"I guess, I'm not yet over with you." I muttered. "You know, it was kinda awkward to chat on the phone with your ex-girlfriend."
She chuckled. "Yes, quite awkward."
I remained serious, "To tell you the truth, I'm not yet over with our break-up."
"We both decided to remain friends." Her voice became serious too.
"I agreed to break-up with you because your mother doesn't want me, Daidouji." I said forcefully.
"And you did not fight for me." She answered back. "Hiiragizawa, sometimes I doubt if you really loved me."
"There's no single moment that I did not love you." I replied.
"Anyway, it's over, Hiiragizawa." She lightened up the topic. "Even if we make fuss about it, we can't turn back time."
"I know. We are both in a relationship." I mentioned. "So how are things between you and Touya?"
"Everything's ecstatic!" she exclaimed.
"Does he know that his girlfriend is making a phone call to her ex-boyfriend?"
"No." Her sweet reply made me smile.
"Touya's quite possessive." I chuckled. "He'll kill me if he knew this phone call."
"Does Kaho know that I am on the other line?" She returned the question.
"No. She's busy cooking dinner."
It's funny that you're calling me tonight.
And yes I've dreamt of you too.
And does he know you're talking to me?
Will it start a fight?
No I don't think she has a clue.
Well my girl's in the next room.
Sometimes I wish she was you.
I guess we never really moved on.
"This is really awkward." She laughed as I listened to her soft laugh.
"Very awkward."
"How about I drop by tomorrow morning so you can have your things back?" She asked. At that moment I could hear a faint noise of piano.
"Kaho's still here at that time." I muttered hesitantly. "You can't come here."
"Live-in?" She asked.
I remained silent. Kaho is my girlfriend and we are staying in a same roof. Technically, it is live-in although she has reasons for staying in my house.
"Oh my God, Eriol!" She blurted out. "Are you out of your mind?"
"What?"
"I thought that you're against that idea." She was shocked. Obviously.
"It's for a week only." I defended myself.
"A week of mad sex!" She accused.
"Hey, hey." I frowned. "I am a gentleman."
"My God!" She reacted. "I don't believe you."
Her reaction made me happy. It was obvious that she still care.
"Believe what you want to believe." I muttered. "Besides, you react as if I am your boyfriend."
"S-sorry." She apologized.
"You know me, Tomoyo." I continued. "More than anybody else."
"How about your stuff?" She changed the topic.
"I'll drop by at your house tomorrow afternoon and pick it up." I answered. "Hey, To-chan."
"Eh?"
"I still…"
Suddenly, it struck to me that saying those words would make it more complicated, now that we are both in a relationship with somebody else.
"I still need that black umbrella." I continued. "Thanks."
"No problem, Hiiragizawa." She replied.
"I-I got to go."
"Ok, Bye."
"Bye." I muttered before she finally hung up the phone.
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name.
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel.
Hearing those words it makes me weak.
And I never wanna say goodbye.
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
--
After I hung the phone. I took a plastic box and slowly threw every piece in the pile into it, including the black umbrella.
I cried. Hearing his voice made me realize how much I love him. It was too late. I thought that after the break-up, everything shattered along with my deep affection for him. I guess I was wrong.
It was too late.
--
I cried. I can't help it. My tears fell suddenly from my eyes. I slowly opened the drawer on my side table and took out a picture of her. Tomoyo.
I went out of the room with cold sweat. I was holding the phone on my left hand while the other hand was holding a picture.
I instantly threw the picture on the trash bin.
"Dinner is ready." Kaho smiled as she prepared the table.
I smiled as I approached her and hugged her tightly.
"What's the matter with you?" She asked with a bit of confusion.
"Nothing." I whispered to her ears. "I love you."
And it was another lie. A lie to her and I lie to myself. Yet, that's life. We made choices and we have to face the consequences.
Owari
Author's Note: I made it. Yey for me! To be truthful, it was hard for me to do this because everything was against my usual thing (consists of ET madness and happy endings) – the genre itself and pairings (ET forever). I know, there is a naughty accusation in this fic so surely; I'll categorize this under T rating.
Constructive criticisms are welcome. Please read and review! Thanks.
