Re-edited.
Italics = Flashback
bold = Lyrics
"..." = Speech
//...// = Thoughts
Song: 'The Rose' by Bette Midler
One-shot
Some say love it is a river
that drowns the tender reed
The grey sky darkened, threatening an outpour of rain. Several mourners stood before a burial in the cemetery, a deep silence passing between them.
Tomoyo watched on solemnly as the gold outlined wooden coffin ever slowly descended into the hollowness of the ground.
Not being able to hold on any longer, Tomoyo's body began convulsing violently as the sobs she had tried so hard to conceal, began to escape her lips. Tomoyo ran towards the coffin, her arms outstretched, the endless tears affecting her vision.
Some say love it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed
//No you can't leave me Eriol! Not now. Not when I need you the most. I haven't even told you that I... I...//
A grip by the arm held Tomoyo firmly in her place, stopping her from going any further.
"No! Leave me be! I just... I want to be with him!" She yelled, struggling to have her arm released, refusing to look back stubbornly.
With no such luck in pulling away, Tomoyo abruptly turned around angrily with tears burning in her eyes, ready to slap the offender. But halted, as she was met with a pair of cerulean orbs, that was filled with a mixture of concern, sadness, anxiety and grief.
Her voice cracked, eyes widening slightly.
"Sakura-Chan..."
Sakura closed the distance between the two, as she held onto Tomoyo, providing the console that her best friend and cousin so desperately needed.
Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
The rain outside heavily poured down from the darkened skies as Tomoyo sat down at her desk and began to unpack the items she needed for the lesson. The rain was all that was heard through the silence of the classroom.
Being the first one there, she patiently waited for the other students to arrive. Every so often casting glances outside the window, Tomoyo watched the every drop of rain that slid down the large windows. A small yet rarely seen frown appeared.
//Whom am I kidding? Sakura-Chan's heart will never be mine. It hasn't been that way from the start.//
She winced as her heart constricted painfully.
//I'm destined to be alone for the rest of my life.//
I say love it is a flower
and you it's only seed
As she averted her gaze from the window towards the door, she gasped, almost jumping back in complete surprise. There, stood leaning casually against the desk, was none other than Hiiragizawa Eriol smiling warmly down at her.
"Your beautiful Daidouji-san, but even far more beautiful when you are smiling."
Tomoyo calmly settled herself down, and then glared warningly up at him.
"Just leave me alone Hiiragizawa, I do not need your pity nor anyone else's."
Eriol walked towards her desk and kneeled before her, so that their eyes were almost levelled. His eyes showing not pity but concern. Concern for whom he had most cared about.
"Why? Why do you do this to yourself?"
Tomoyo defiantly looked at him squarely.
"Why would you care?"
It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
//Stubborn.//
Eriol slightly smiled, then took out a rose that he had hidden behind his back and held it before her. Tomoyo's eyes widened, once again Eriol had managed to take her by surprise, but it was short lived, as she soon raised a delicate brow in question.
"Take it Daidouji-san. It is just a little reminder that I'll be there whenever you need me. You are not alone." Then averted his gaze to the classroom door and looked back at her once again, giving her a knowing smile.
Eriol stood up with ease and went to greet Takashi and the others when they had just arrived. Tomoyo stared at the rose on the desk, then looked up at Eriol, where he was idly chatting with the others.
It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance
"Eriol, you can't, you just can't be dead..."
Tomoyo muttered repeatedly as she cried, her faced buried into Sakura's shoulder.
"You promised me. You said I would never be alone."
//Liar...//
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give
The room in the hospital was dimly lit, as Tomoyo opened the door. Eriol looked so peaceful as he laid on the bed, his arms neatly folded over his chest as he slept soundly amidst the eerie silence. Tears of anguish threatened to fall; as she noticed the slow difficult breaths he took to breathe.
Leaning her head against the doorframe, she sadly took note at how deathly pale he had now become. Tomoyo felt so helpless as she watched her most treasured love and friend wither away slowly.
This was the person who remained by her side through her ordeal with Sakura.
This was the person who lent his shoulder for her to cry on.
The person who wiped away her tears,
The very same person...
who showed her happiness...
... and love.
//Eriol...//
Tomoyo began advancing towards him, her fingers longing for his touch.
And the soul afraid of dyin'
that never learns to live
Eriol awakened as he felt soft fingers languidly brush against his face.
"Hey there..."
"H-hi..." He said weakly in a hoarse tone. "Dai-Daidouji-san..."
Tomoyo sat down on the small wooden chair beside Eriol's bed and held onto his frail hands with both of hers.
"Sshh, don't speak." She looked deep into his tired eyes; ones that used to shine with so much light, now seemed so dull.
"Daidouji-san... w-would you stay with me for a while please? I don't want to be alone anymore..." Eriol intertwined his fingers with hers, and looked up at her, hoping that she would.
Tomoyo's gaze softened, and she smiled sadly.
"Of course."
When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
Tomoyo slept soundly as she rested her head against the side of his arm, Eriol slowly playing with the ends of her soft velvet hair between his fingers.
He had felt that he could now die happily, no longer was he alone anymore.
Eriol smiled regretfully.
And you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
"Tomoyo-chan, you have no idea how much you mean to me..." He said in a whisper as he looked down at her sleeping form.
Her beating heart had rapidly picked up it's pace as she heard his every word. Unfortunately for him, Eriol did not know she was a light sleeper.
Tears slowly welled up in his eyes.
"There are so many things I have wanted to tell you..."
Eriol raised a hand to brush away Tomoyo's hair that was obstructing his view of her porcelain face, and then fingered her jaw lightly.
"... and there is one that I have been afraid to say to you for so long..."
Inching his head closer and slowly closing his eyes, Eriol gently placed a soft feather kiss against her forehead.
The tears now began to fall.
He whispered shakily, his warm breath brushing against her skin. Eriol's voice holding so much emotion, that Tomoyo had almost found herself having difficulty breathing, her body much too afraid to move.
"Aishiteru Tomoyo... I hope you will always remember that."
Eriol slowly turned his head and stared up at the white ceiling of the room above him.
Then closing his eyes, the sounds of the heart monitor slowly began to fade as Eriol spoke his last words in a whisper.
"I hope you find your happiness soon."
And then there was silence.
Just remember in the winter
far beneath the bitter snow
//I cannot believe it has been a whole year...//
Her long hair flailed restlessly in the cold breeze as Tomoyo now stood before the beautifully engraved tombstone, fingering the delicate rose she held in her hand. An all too familiar voice was heard, the same voice that even beyond the grave was still teasing, yet taunting her.
Aishiteru Tomoyo ...
... I hope you remember that.
Tomoyo stared at the grave solemnly, then bent down and gently placed the rose atop the patch of grass. Standing back up, Tomoyo looked up towards the heavens, the evening sky rich with the colours of orange and yellows.
I hope you find your happiness soon.
"Aishiteru Eriol-kun... it was you who was my happiness..." A single droplet of a tear slowly fell, as she smiled sadly.
//You'll always have a special place in my heart and I'll never forget you, but... it's time for me to move on.//
Hoping that wherever he was, she hoped her heartfelt words would reach out to him.
"Arigatou... for everything..." She whispered.
And with that said, Tomoyo walked away.
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose
A familiar pale hand slowly touched the rose, then picked it up.
Gentle azure eyes travelled to Tomoyo, watching as she walked further away from the grave.
"... Your welcome." The voice said in a whisper, and vanished as a strong breeze swept by.
Authoress: T_T My first story where I killed off Eriol-sama...
But I want to thank Aurora Starcrystal and not applicable again for reviewing it last time! ^___________^
KyteAura actually brought my attention to this song, so a big thank you to her too! ^___________^ The song is very beautiful... [but sorry for making a death fic with it -_-]
The whole song:
Some say love it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
and you it's only seed
It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give
and the soul afraid of dyin'
that never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
far beneath the bitter snow
lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose
Started: 02.07.03
Completed: 03.07.03
Edited: 28.07.03
Standard Disclaimer applies.
Sweet-Innocence
amaya_chan@hotmail.com
escape.to/sweet-innocence