Darker than Ebony
By mikim
Standard disclaimers apply
Chapter 1. So, welcome home.
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The girl danced and whirled like a ballerina in her box, her wild hair reflecting the blazing morning sun and her pink summer dress hiding barely the high of her thighs. Laughing and singing, the girl annoyed her two companions to no end. "Yah! Tomoeda! This is life! Yah! Home, home, home, home, home!!" Nakuru singed, at the top of her pitch-high voice, while Eriol rubbed his forehead, eyebrows brought together in a fierce and painful frown, his eyes closed under the pain of the headache.
Spinel Sun, the winged cat-like creature, flew out of his master left pocket to settle on his head, circling Eriol's forehead of his tail to secure his position. Spinel yawned and stretched, itching to shut the other guardian, but glad to be out of the tight pocket of Eriol's light blue jacket, he had been wearing in the plane, now tossed on the top of one of his luggage. "I thought you preferred England to Japan."
"Who ever said this monstrosity?" Nakuru whirled around, horrified and indignant. "I love Japan way better than England!!" She announced proudly, then threw her arms in the air as she enumerated. "Here there's Touya-san! And Yukito-san! And Xiaolang! And Sakura-chan! And Tomoyo-chan!"
The trio was standing in the entrance of their long abandoned Tomoeda mansion and after getting their belongings out of the taxi, which had driven them from the airport to their home, Nakuru had decided it was time she celebrated her comeback. Eriol sat heavily on one of the biggest suitcases and sighed: the flight had been exhausting. "Ruby Moon, here's your luggage." He told her, nodding towards a mass of suitcases, bags and other items, on which several butterflies had been painted, each in flashy colors.
"Yah, Eriol-sama, thank you!" Nakuru said, as she danced to her luggage.
Nakuru had been so wild since they had left their house in England and Eriol had been the one who had supported it all by himself since Spinel was comfortably sleeping in Nakuru's bag at her feet. Spinel had a thing, something, whatever, that made him fall asleep as soon as the plane would take off. Each time, the guardian would fall asleep, quicker than if he had a sleeping spell cast on him.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Eriol answered, as he stood up, stretching, thinking at all the tasks they had to do, as soon as they were inside the house, like cleaning, shopping, cleaning more, unpacking, calling Sakura and Xiaolang…
Nakuru's wailing voice interrupted his mental list. "Mou, Eriol-sama is grumpy this morning." She complained loudly.
Spinel snickered, from the top of Eriol's head. "Probably because you used him as a pillow in the plane, ate half his food, prevented him from sleeping and shouted all the way here."
Nakuru quickly came forward and immediately started arguing with Spinel, but as the other guardian was on Eriol's head, it looked like she was arguing with Eriol as he was a head taller than she was. She standing nose to nose with him, her eyes up and defiant, her mouth turned in a pout, shaking her head, making her hair fly once more in Eriol' face, who considered sitting once more, so that Nakuru and Spinel would be eye to eye.
"Liar! I did not!" Nakuru screamed and Eriol gave in and sat down, therefore bringing Spinel to Nakuru's height level.
Eriol felt Spinel stand up on his four on the top of his head and feared the argument would take a while. "Did!" The small creature yelled back.
"Did not!" Nakuru screamed, stomping her foot in annoyance.
"Did!" Eriol propped his cheek in one of his hands, his elbow resting on his knee. So, he loved his guardians, he was like their father, but sometimes, they were threading on a really thin line.
"Did not!" Not that he was about to lose his temper, but then, they were increasing his headache, while all he wanted to do was to lie down and sleep for twelve hours, without an interruption, but then they had so much to do…
"DID!"
"DID NOT!" The sound level of the argument suddenly seemed to have increase by a thousand, and Eriol decided it was time to end it, otherwise, they would stand all day on their doorstep. So he stood up and towered other Nakuru who squealed and backed away a little. Eriol quickly reached for Spinel on his head and took a breath.
But, then, an unexpected new voice startled them all. "Hiiragizawa-san?" The voice was soft and familiar, a voice they hadn't heard in a long time. Eriol turned around to find a woman, in a yellow summer dress, her hair tied in a loose bun at the base of her neck. Her smile was familiar too, he remembered suddenly how often he had gazed upon her. "I heard voices from the street and I thought it was you." She said, walking further towards them, her purple eyes glinting happily.
Eriol blinked and was suddenly aware that he was staring like a teenaged boy all over again. "Ah! Daidouji-san." He exclaimed, letting go of Spinel who flew on Eriol's shoulder, while a blur of pink and hair ran past Eriol.
"Tomoyo-chan!!!" Nakuru squealed happily, engulfing her in a hug, which would have made a bear proud. Nakuru jumped up and down, her arms till tightly around Tomoyo, while the latter choked.
"Na-Nakuru-san!"
"Tomoyo-chan!" Nakuru pulled back, keeping her hands on Tomoyo's shoulders and looked at her. "So pretty! So grown up! So beautiful! Cute!" She blabbered, unable to say more due to her excitement.
Tomoyo laughed lightly. "Thank you, Nakuru-san." She patted the other girl's hands gently.
A small boy, squeezing Tomoyo's yellow dress as if his life depended on, looked up to the strange woman and his dark eyes met her exuberant ones. He stiffened at being caught staring and retreated quickly behind the protective form of his mother, but Nakuru kneeled down in front of him, squealing. "Oh! And who is this?"
Tomoyo smiled and walked a little on the side to let everyone see her son. "Ah, Rei-chan, say hello." She told him gently, her hand taking his own in hers.
"Kaachan." The boy answered, gripping with his other hand her dress once more. He walked right behind her leg once more and looked up, scared, at Nakuru.
"Ah!" Nakuru exclaimed, her hands flying to her face. "This is your son?" She screamed, jumping back on her feet, surprising both Tomoyo and Rei at her sudden action, looking at Tomoyo with huge eyes.
"Scary!" Rei almost screamed and hugged his mother's legs. "Kaachan! The old lady is scary!"
Eriol was more than surprise, even though he didn't let it be known as loud as Nakuru did. Sakura had never mentioned that Tomoyo had married or had a son. He blinked quickly and his gaze fell down on the small boy: Rei was a dark-haired boy, with brown eyes so dark that they almost seemed black. His chubby face was contracted in a fierce expression, mixed of worry and fright and possession. Eriol had never lost the ability to read auras, even after the separation of his powers by Sakura and he was suddenly surprised when the fierce red aura emanated from Rei, directed against Nakuru, who had put her hands on his mother again, on her shoulders, her eyes huge and shaking her a little. Eriol let a small smile grace his lips: Rei was to be a very protective little boy of his mother and no doubt his father had some trouble coming near Tomoyo. Weirdly, the thought of the boy prevented his father coming close to Tomoyo actually pleased him.
Nakuru had put her hands on her shoulders and was asking questions a mile a minute, demanding to know the father, asking Rei's age, his birth date, his size and why, oh why, they hadn't been told that dear Tomoyo-chan was a mother, now. Tomoyo's head felt a little dizzy but she smiled a little embarrassed and detached Rei's arms off her legs. She then kneeled to be at his level and he quickly put his arms around her neck, his dark eyes demanding and scared. "Rei-chan!" She protested gently, as Rei tightened his hold on her neck.
"Kaachan!" Rei said again. "I want Papa Touya!" He declared as Tomoyo stood up, Rei in her arms.
"Hey?" Nakuru screamed. "Papa Touya?" She repeated, shocked and flustered. Tomoyo and Touya? Then what about Yukito? And then, Tomoyo AND Touya?
To Nakuru, the world seemed to spin faster and faster, her whole body felt suddenly light and she couldn't tell exactly the right from the left. Behind her, Eriol sighed and sent her gently a wave a power, stilling her and then restored her, preventing her from fainting. Ruby Moon was so extreme sometimes, it was almost annoying. But, he couldn't honestly say, he wasn't flabbergast to know that Daidouji-san and his almost son had a son together and were apparently together.
Tomoyo didn't notice Nakuru's signs of fainting as she focused on reassuring her son. "Rei-chan, don't worry, these persons are old friends of Kaachan." She told him gently and he frowned, narrowing his eyes, doubtful.
"Really?" He asked, suspicious.
Tomoyo laughed lightly. "Yes, promise." Rei nodded, as if accepting her answer and turned to observe his mother's strange friends. His young eyes roamed on the form of the strange old lady, then went further behind her to find a tall man, with glasses, looking shocked, his white polo and a black creature on his left shoulder.
"Ah!" Rei exclaimed suddenly, pointing at Eriol's shoulder. "Black Kero-chan!" He screamed happily and squirmed in his mother's embrace, without looking at her, his eyes locked on Spinel's form, who jumped at the name.
"What?" Spinel said, upset at being referred as "Black Kero-chan", as if he looked the slightest like that glutton.
Eriol finally came nearer the newcomers and smiled in greetings. "Daidouji-san… Or should I call you Kinomoto-san?" He asked, his blue eyes glinting in curiosity.
Tomoyo blinked in surprise and wondered. "Uh? Why?"
Eriol was a bit taken aback by her question and obvious surprise. "Well…" He started to explain, his eyes falling on Rei, who had squirmed his way out of his mother's arms and was standing right in front of him, staring intensely at Spinel, who carefully retreated to his master's head, eyeing wearily the small boy.
Tomoyo followed his gaze and exclaimed, waving her hands quickly in denial. "Ah! No, it's a little more complicated than that." She smiled sweetly and Eriol told himself he was lost. Really, Sakura-chan could have told him.
Nakuru stepped closer, biting her lower lip, as if under deep thinking, and painfully, she started. "Tomoyo-chan… Are you…" Nakuru paused once more and bit her lip again, then taking a deep breath, she asked in a rush. "Are you their surrogate mother?" Tomoyo opened huge eyes and stared speechless at Nakuru.
"Moron." Spinel snorted finally.
Tomoyo burst in laughter and denied again. "No, no, Nakuru-san. It's not exactly that." Her cheeks were pink of laughter, pearls of tears, caused by her laughter made her eyes shine with a light he had rarely seen. Only in his dreams. Eriol blinked and shook his head inwardly. What the hell was he doing? Attracted to Daidouji-san? Well, of course, she was beautiful, she was wonderful, she was incredible, but so fast? No, no, no, no.
Taking a short breath, Eriol smiled, wiping any image, as vivid as they could be, of Daidouji-san and turning half towards the house, he gestured her to come in. "Well, we can't let you on our door step. Please, come inside and enlighten us." He smiled mischievously: if he remembered it, Daidouji-san wasn't one backing out of a challenge. He remembered she used to be cunning, when she was ten. So, almost twenty years after, he wondered if she still was.
Tomoyo hesitated. She was supposed to be at Sakura-chan's in a hour to plan the anniversary party but… "Well, I…"
But Rei cut her and decided to let her know of his existence. "Kaachan!" He called, excited, his brilliant eyes fixed on Spinel. "I want to play with Black Kero-chan!" He announced, pointing at Spinel, whose fur dressed on its neck and the small winged-guardian snapped.
"I'm not a black Kero-chan!"
Rei, surprised by the violence of Spinel's reaction, shrieked. "Kaachan!"
"Suppi-chan!" Nakuru admonished him. Sure she knew the black guardian hated to be categorize the same as Cerberus, but still, reacting this way was really extreme for Spinel, who was always a model of cold-blood and self-control…
Nakuru's eyes trailed up to her master's face as a devilish suspicion dawned on her. Eriol was staring directly at her, a small smile on his lips. That smile. A smile he had often used when planning schemes. Nakuru rolled her eyes to him: Eriol had influenced Spinel to make him snap, therefore, using this as an excuse to keep Tomoyo-chan longer. Eriol's smile shifted and turned into one of genuine concern, while he squatted down in front of Rei, his left hand quickly, but almost absent-mindedly, reaching for Spinel and holding the squirming guardian in a vice-like fist.
Rei hadn't burst in tears, but they weren't far from falling. The boy had been deeply hurt by the yell and even his mother's best attempts to soothe him was stopping the coming flow. "Rei-chan! There, there." Tomoyo had knelt next to him and was rubbing his back, hugging him, holding him dearly to her heart.
Then, Eriol squatted down in front of them, offering Spinel to Rei, smiling "Here, Rei-chan. You can play with him." Spinel squirmed and moaned pitifully but Eriol either had a trouble with his ears or decided to ignore his guardian.
"Eriol-sama!" Spinel whined, as Rei's hands closed on him and the little boy rubbed his cheek against Spinel's soft fur.
Eriol straightened, but still looked at Rei, smiling broadly. "He likes being tossed like that." He told him with a wink, demonstrating a little.
"Really?" Rei asked him.
"Yup!" Eriol nodded.
"Eriol-sama…" Nakuru sighed: her master was mad at Spinel for falling asleep so easily on the plane, that was why he had used Spinel, but still… Her master would always do such practical jokes. He was so childish sometimes.
Eriol looked up at Tomoyo, who had stood up also and smiled at her. "So? What about some iced-tea? We bought some on the way here." He proposed. "We also bought cookies and muffins."
"Well…" Tomoyo trailed, her hand caressing Rei's soft hair as the boy looked up at her so pleadingly, he knew he wouldn't play with 'Black Kero-chan' if his mother left.
Eriol waved her excuse away. "The house may be a bit rusty, so we'd better have it outside, in the garden and so Rei-chan can throw Spinel as far as he wants and Spinel will come back, each time." He finished eyeing Spinel who shrank three sizes.
"Eriol-sama! How cruel…" He whined as Tomoyo finally agreed and Rei jumped in happiness, holding Spinel to his chest.
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The little group quickly parted the chores to be done among them: Nakuru and Tomoyo to take care of the kitchen, where Nakuru sighed big at the amount of work, while Eriol would find, take out of the storage room and primarily clean the garden table and of course Spinel was to watch over Rei-chan and if necessary play with him, which of course Rei-chan happily forced the poor guardian to.
Seeing the state of the kitchen and the rest of the house, Tomoyo and Nakuru quickly agreed to only wash what they needed, meaning two plates for the cookies and muffins and five glasses. Nakuru happily asked her details about Rei, thinking that maybe Tomoyo would mind telling her story twice. So, she only bombarded Tomoyo with questions like Rei's age, his birthday and favorite cake. Then, the two set out to find Eriol in the garden, laughing loudly, sprinkling water on a little laughing runaway, Rei holding dearly on Spinel who shrieked and pleaded with his Eriol-sama to stop watering them.
Upon the scene, Tomoyo sighed loudly but then shook her head. After all, they were in summer, the weather was so hot and his clothes would dry quickly. Besides, it wasn't like that Hiiragizawa-san was pouring water on him and his clothes were only a little wet. Until now. The garden table was still dripping water and Nakuru, annoyed, made it known to her master how bad his handwork was. Smiling sheepishly for being caught, Eriol waved her complaints away and the table was suddenly dry. Tomoyo blinked but Nakuru whined even louder, to which Eriol paid no attention and rather went to shut down the water.
They all sat, minus Rei and Spinel, at the table. Eriol had chosen to place it under a big, old-looking tree, hiding them from the street or the neighbors, under the cooling shade of the colossal tree. The place seemed unreal: out of time, out of the town, the only sounds those they made. So relaxing, Tomoyo thought. Tomoyo watched over Rei from the corner of her eye while asking Nakuru who tended the garden when they were in England as the garden had obviously been cared for. Nakuru was explaining to her they had hired an old man, lover of trees and birds to take care if it and thanks to that, they needn't to cut electricity and water in the house. Tomoyo was only listening with one ear: Rei was running after Spinel, laughing. The small guardian could have easily outrun the boy, but apparently, he had taken a liking to the boy and let him caught up with him.
Eriol took a sip of his drink, watching Tomoyo. She was barely listening to Nakuru, who didn't mind, though, watching over her son. She had grown into a beautiful woman. When Rei had put his arms around her neck earlier, he must have had deranged her hair, which had been held in a loose bun: her dark haired were spilling on one of her creamy shoulders, almost caressing the surface of the table and his hands, around the glass, itched to touch them. The sun, playing hide and seek among the leaves of the old tree, when falling on her hair, made them shone quickly purple. Her chin propped in her right hand, her elbow on the table, her laughing eyes on Rei, it was a scene he had already seen somewhere. But, where was the question. Tomoyo laughed to something Nakuru said and her cheeks took a light shade of pink, her dark eyes in the shade lightening up, turning warm purple. Eriol took another sip of his drink quickly. He was attracted to Tomoyo Daidouji. Too long without a girlfriend, he growled inwardly to himself.
Posing his glass gently on the table, Eriol asked her gently, attracting her attention. "So, would you explain us, Daidouji-san?" He asked her carefully. Judging by her earlier reaction, it wasn't a painful secret or event as she had laughed, but with Tomoyo Daidouji things weren't always what they seemed to be at first. "To tell you the truth, I'm extremely eager to hear your story." He added with a smile.
Tomoyo smiled gently to him, seeing his attempts to be considerate. "I thought Sakura-chan had written it to you. Guess that I was wrong." She shrugged, her eyes laughing. Eriol could have groaned aloud: she was going to make the truth hidden a little longer just to tease his nerves. When had she turned in such a tease? Sure, she had always teased Xiaolang gently; but then, it was Xiaolang!
"He's so cute!" Nakuru suddenly said, she was engrossed in the staring at Rei. "Rei-chan!" She called, standing up and waving at him. "Do you want some strawberries muffins?" Rei stopped and looked at Nakuru and shook his head in denial and quickly resumed his run after Spinel.
Eriol leaned towards Tomoyo and raised an eyebrow. "So?" He asked, impatient. He was the one making secrets.
Tomoyo laughed gently again and took a sip of her drink. Eriol rolled his eyes at her and she started to explain, a small grin on her face. "Every Christmas, the Daidouji company gives toys to a nearby hospital and it's up to mother and I to distribute them." She started and Eriol bit back the question on how the Daidouji Toy Company was involved in the birth of a small boy. Nakuru turned her attention back to Tomoyo and, sitting down, listened quietly.
Tomoyo's face suddenly lost all its warmth, as she remembered, her eyes staring something vague. "That year, the day before we went giving the presents, a woman gave born to her son, but died in labor, due to losing too much blood. The father's child had abandoned the mother and the doctors said it was probably because of the stress, added to the lack of food and rest and general tiredness, as if the woman didn't want to go on, that the labor had been so painful and so resulting in her death." Tomoyo sighed sadly and Nakuru cooed sorrowfully. A small smile suddenly made its way to Tomoyo's lips, even if her eyes remained downcast and sorrow swimming within them. "However, the baby was full of life and healthy." Tomoyo raised her eyes and met Eriol's neutral ones. He knew what she was going to say. "Since he had no family to be given to, he was about to be given to an adoption center. But, then I asked if I couldn't adopt him." Tomoyo smiled broadly.
"Eh! Just like that?" Nakuru asked, her eyes round.
Tomoyo smiled to her and said, her voice livening up. "Mother and I went to see him, the day we went to hospital. He was so…" She paused, looking for her words. "There was something, I don't know, something that had pulled me to him. I asked for his custody and after proving myself, he was given to me."
"You adopted him?" Nakuru said.
"Yes." Tomoyo answered, smiling.
Nakuru blinked and asked quickly. "So, why does he call Touya Papa?"
"Ah, don't worry, Nakuru-san." Tomoyo waved the matter away, with a soft laugh of hers. "In fact, it's natural for a child his age." She explained. "As there aren't any male figures in his environment, he's calling every men he knows Papa. He calls Yukito-san, Yuki-Touchan."
Nakuru didn't quite believe her. "Really?"
"Yes." Tomoyo confirmed.
Nakuru pondered a moment, then thrilled. "So cute!" She clasped her hands together, her eyes shiny for a moment, before looking completely miserable and sighing, she added. "But, what an unromantic story…"
Confused, Tomoyo couldn't help but ask her what she meant. "Nakuru-san?"
"I thought you had run away with Touya and eloped!" Nakuru said quickly, excited.
Tomoyo laughed again lightly. "Hum, no, not really, considering the fact that Touya-kun is still really deeply in love with Yukito-san." She smirked at Nakuru playfully. She remembered Nakuru's ways with the Kinomoto elder brother.
"Ah! No fair!" Nakuru complained loudly. "I wanted to play with him a little!" She decided to pout and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ah, Nakuru-san, you haven't changed a bit." Tomoyo shook her head gently.
Nakuru beamed and confirmed, her chin held high in the air. "Nope!"
But, another, who was watching the pair talking, without talking made some quick thinking. Sure, Tomoyo Daidouji was known for her gentle heart and generosity.
But, that was a bit far. She wouldn't adopt a child just because she saw him once and found him cute in a hospital nursery. There had to be a deeper reason. And then, Eriol remembered.
He remembered the girl who loved her best friend so much that she stepped aside to let the boy of her best friend's dreams come forth and sweep her off her feet. He remembered and wondered if the girl had been hurt enough to decide she had nothing to hang on. He wondered if the girl had been even aware of it. Eriol smiled to himself, probably not. He thought, she probably didn't know about the void she felt inside of her, a void she only knew existed, but how it came was either a mystery to her, either a carefully avoided at-all-cost place. Probably the latter, he mused. Eriol smiled over the rim of his drink and before taking a sip he said. "So, Daidouji-san is now a mother." Tomoyo flashed him a quick smile, before her attention got attracted to a nearby tree.
Tomoyo quickly spun on her chair and called warningly. "Rei-chan! Not in the trees!"
Eriol looked over her head: Rei, Spinel on his shoulder, was trying to climb up a tree and had successfully made it around half of the way till the first branch, when his mother had forbid him to go further. Apparently, he was pondering what he should do: either jump down and obey his mother, either go on and make it. "He looks like he didn't hear you." Eriol told her.
Tomoyo turned back to him and smiled. "He did and he knows better than to disobey me directly that way." Eriol looked again and saw that Rei had jumped and was sighing, looking up sorrowfully to the branch.
Eriol chuckled. "Daidouji-san, you haven't changed either."
"Huh?" She paused, surprised, a cookie half way to her mouth. If it hadn't been for the incredible control he had on himself, Eriol's eyes would have popped out of their sockets. She looked… She looked… So divine. He thought. And time froze as he stared. Her pink lips, chocolate on the upper own, as if daring him to wipe it away. Damnit, he was attracted to her. Really.
"Nothing." Eriol shook his head.
Tomoyo eyed him oddly, before biting in her cookie. "So, I think you are here to celebrate Sakura-chan's and Syaoran-kun's 10th anniversary." She asked Nakuru, running a pink tongue on her lips to wipe away the remaining chocolate. Eriol swallowed hard. He was feeling that his body was slowly but surely reacting to her. His hands around his glass were itching harder and harder to touch the creamy skin and he was wondering if that skin tasted as delicious that it looked, if her lips still had the taste of chocolate on them, if her hair would feel like velvet between his fingers.
"Indeed." Nakuru replied, cutting like a knife through his dreaming. Eriol blinked quickly, fortunately unnoticed, and berated himself with some control. He took a breath, a sip of the cooling iced tea and tried to catch on the conversation.
"Oh! That's wonderful!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "Finally, everyone will be here: Chiharu-chan, Rika-chan and Naoko-chan of course, with their respective other halves." She winked at Nakuru who giggled in response. "It will be fun. Nakuru-san, would you like to help me decorate the party?" She asked eagerly.
"Oh, yes, yes, yes." Nakuru beamed. "Where is it going to happen?"
Tomoyo smiled proudly. "At mother's mansion. I hope the weather will be fine, otherwise, we will be forced to do it inside the house and the garden is so beautiful at this time of the year and so much cooler, don't you think?" She sighed, sending a quick prayer that the weather would remained as beautiful.
"Oh, yes." Nakuru agreed before asking. "Do you have a theme?"
"A theme?" Tomoyo repeated, before telling her quickly. "I didn't think of that! What a wonderful idea, Nakuru-san!" She said excited. "Oh, are you busy this afternoon, I have to meet Sakura-chan to plan everything."
"When is the party?" Eriol asked.
Tomoyo turned to him, as if just remembering his presence. "Oh, in two weeks." She answered.
Eriol's eyes widened a little. "You are a little short on schedule." He smiled deviously. "It surprises me coming from you, Daidouji-san." He snickered a little. How could women always prepare so late?
"Now, Hiiragizawa-san, be nice." Tomoyo admonished him, making him smile. "I have been so busy between all the collections and Rei." She justified herself before telling them, thrilled. "But, now, I'm officially in holidays and I plan to spend them organizing Sakura-chan's party."
"And Xiaolang's." Eriol corrected.
"Bah, Syaoran-kun made a face when Sakura-chan told him she wanted a party." Tomoyo shrugged. "Men are such killer joys." She rolled her eyes to him and Eriol felt another smile coming to his lips.
Nakuru recognized the smile he was sending her, the one he reserved before a good argument and quickly intervene. "I'd love to go with you, Tomoyo-chan." She didn't want another discussion, even a friendly one, on the nature of men and women right now. She wanted to plan the party with Tomoyo-chan and Sakura-chan, that would be much, much, much funnier.
"Hey!" Eriol said, annoyed. "Ruby Moon! You'd abandoned your good master alone in this dusty house to do the cleaning all alone?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" She positively beamed, that was an added bonus.
Eriol turned back to Tomoyo and shook his head at her. "Daidouji-san, would you please stop contaminate my servants, please." Tomoyo blinked at him, a bit surprised and Eriol pointed at Nakuru with his chin. "See, this one already shows some rebellion." Tomoyo giggled lightly as Nakuru huffed in indignity. "Without talking of the other one whom I ordered to play willingly with your small son and who is actually flying like a rocket as far as it can away from your son." Nakuru and Tomoyo turned around to see that Rei was chasing a wet dripping Spinel around the garden, the water pipe abandoned and opened in the middle of the garden, as if a little someone had decided to give a bath to another one.
"Oh, Hiiragizawa-san, spare Spinel-san." Tomoyo turned to him again, her eyes pleading. Eriol made a weird flick of his wrist and the water pipe closed on his own, then, satisfied, he turned his eyes to Tomoyo. "Rei-chan can be a little monster and Kero-chan only knows peace when he transforms in his real form." She looked over her shoulder again and sighed.
"Is Rei-chan afraid of him?" Nakuru wondered.
Tomoyo quickly denied. "No, not at all. In fact, Rei-chan adores Kero-chan's real form and whenever he transforms, Rei-chan cuddles him like a big plush toy and promptly falls asleep."
"Spinel, did you hear?" Eriol asked, not raising his voice.
"Did he?" Tomoyo asked him, her eyes round.
Eriol pointed behind her. "He did." Tomoyo turned around to see a gracious black panther, with huge butterfly wings, was standing proudly in the middle of the garden. Rei had stopped running and was staring open mouth at Spinel, then with a squeal, he ran to the magical beast and hugged it tightly. Spinel then made his wings disappear and bent his neck and back enough for Rei to climb on his back, which Rei, after a quick hesitation, did. Carefully, Spinel made his way around the garden.
Rei was riding proudly on Spinel, balancing himself on his back but he was moving to much and he lost his balance and fell on the ground. Tomoyo quickly stood up and ran to him. "Oh, Rei-chan!" She gathered him in her arms and kissed his brow. He had scratched his left knee and his wound was bleeding a little.
"Kaachan…" Tears quickly appeared in his eyes and threatened to fall.
Spinel transformed back in his small form. "I am very sorry, Daidouji-san."
Tomoyo shook her head at him, smiling sadly. "It's not your fault, Spinel-san, if my little devil is too excited sometimes." She hugged Rei tightly, making her way quickly to the table, where her bag was, at the feet of her chair. She must have some tissue and maybe a band-aid or two.
Nakuru and Eriol had stood up when Rei had fallen, but had remained near the table and when Tomoyo returned, her precious burden in her arms, Nakuru kneeled at her feet, keeping Rei attracted while Tomoyo rummaged in her bag to find either a tissue or an band-aid. "Do you want a muffin?" Nakuru proposed Rei and the boy sniffled and nodded. Nakuru handed him a muffin, but his hands were scratched too and when he opened them, he turned on his mother's lap to show them to her.
"Kaachan…" He whined again and tears fell. He sniffled again, his tears growing to sobs.
Tomoyo hugged him with one arm, the other still looking through her bag, thinking to herself that was why she needed to tidy it sometimes. "Oh, don't cry, sweetheart." Eriol quickly rounded the table and squatted down in front of Rei, next to Nakuru who was making faces at Rei, trying to stop his tears, while Spinel was rubbing his cheek against his own, trying to comfort him.
"Hey, Rei-chan, let me show you something." He said, approaching his left hand to his small wounds. With a quick gesture, a flick of his right wrist, while his left hand touched his left knee lightly, he made thousands of bubbles appear, bubbles which created hundreds of little rainbows, in front Rei in awe. Without Rei noticing, Eriol also made his hands and knee wounds disappear, but Tomoyo did and when her eyes met his, she mouthed a thank you, her eyes shining in gratitude.
A bubble rested on one of Rei extended and unharmed palm and Rei exclaimed loudly. "Whoa! Kaachan! See, see!"
Tomoyo smiled at his exuberance. "Yes, Rei-chan, I saw." He wasn't moving his hand, for fear the bubble would explode. The bubbles all exploded together and Rei clasped his hands, laughing.
"Again, again!" He asked, excited, jumping from Tomoyo's lap to Eriol's neck. Everyone gasped, Tomoyo jumped on her feet, Nakuru squealed in fear, Spinel fell from Rei's shoulder but avoided the ground thanks to his wings and Rei too the ground again, as Eriol's hands instinctively secured around him. But the sudden weight made him lose his balance and Eriol fell on his bottom.
"Easy, easy!" He pleaded as Rei, excited, asked for more bubbles, tugging on his neck.
"Whoa, Eriol-sama!" Nakuru squealed. "Cute!" Eriol actually blushed as Tomoyo nodded with Nakuru. He stood up, holding Rei, who had stopped jumping and tugging on his neck.
"Eriol." Rei suddenly said, surprising everyone again.
Eriol blinked, but quickly recovered. "Yes, Rei-chan, that's my name." He smiled gently to the boy and Rei's face lit up with a beautiful smile, which could have competed with the morning sun.
"Touchan." He said firmly again. Everyone fell suddenly silent, staring at the dark-haired pair. Eriol was looking at Rei with huge eyes. Rei had just called him 'father', a name he had thought never hear from anyone. A bubble, as light as the bubbles he had earlier created raised in his chest and burst in an explosion of warmth and Eriol blushed again, speechless, maybe for the first time of his life.
"Rei-chan!" Tomoyo said in reprimand but Rei was stubborn and turning in Eriol's arms, he shook his head wildly to his mother.
"No! Touchan!" He said louder, daring his mother to deny him again.
"Rei-chan, stop that." Tomoyo demanded but Rei would have none of it.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" He yelled, shaking his head.
Tomoyo was more embarrassed than angry, but still Rei shouldn't behave like that, what would Hiiragizawa-san think? But, Eriol actually didn't mind. In fact, he was actually honored and somewhere, deep within, he was even feeling grateful than Rei had decided to call him like that. He would never confess it to anyone, not even to his guardians, but he had always been a little jealous of Kinomoto-san, the other half of Clow Reed's soul. Fujitaka Kinomoto had been allowed to grow up, like a human, even without parents, he needn't to hide somewhere in England, in the depths of an old manor. He had been allowed to lead a life, meet a woman, to get married and, most of all, have children.
Eriol remembered when he had felt the first heartbeats of Touya, the first born. He remembered the tears he had tried to blink away, but failed and he had wept in happiness, just like his other himself. But, then, after some time of happiness, he had realized this little bundle of pure joy and happiness wasn't his to rejoice. A freezing water bucket. Then, had come the second light, a small daughter and before being the next mistress, Eriol had rejoiced her simple coming to life. Just for her and not for her future mission. Children, something he had never thought to have and now, in his arms, right now, another warm light was calling him 'father'. Not because he really was the biological father, but because Rei wanted to call him like that, to consider him like that.
"It's okay, Daidouji-san." He said, looking gently down at Rei in his arms.
Rei smiled again, staring up at Eriol. "Touchan, Touchan, Touchan, Touchan, Touchan!"
"Yes, yes." Eriol answered. Something had happened, something weird, something unexpected. A surprise that was called, but it was more than a surprise, almost a miracle in his eyes, which, behind his glasses, started to water. He bent his head and hugged Rei gently, who returned it easily.
"Cute!!!" Nakuru squealed somewhere, breaking the mood.
"Ruby Moon, stop that." Eriol snapped, but Nakuru knew how embarrassed he really was to be caught like that by his guardians and by someone else, displaying his emotions like that.
Tomoyo apologized again. "I'm sorry, Hiiragizawa-san, it's so embarrassing. And thank you for…" She added with a smile gesturing towards Rei's knee. Eriol was grateful to her as she acted she hadn't seen the sudden burst of emotions which had raised in him.
Eriol smiled sheepishly. "Well, I don't know if I really did you a favor for that, but really, it's alright, Daidouji..." A pair of small hands actually slapped his mouth and he gasped in refusal at the pain. But Rei didn't pay attention.
"No, Kaachan." He said firmly.
"Rei-chan…" Tomoyo sighed, he always did that. She sat down heavily and prayed Hiiragizawa-san wouldn't understand.
Eriol pried Rei's fingers from his mouth, while the little boy said, tranquil, locking his dark eyes with Eriol's dark blue ones. "Kaachan is Kaachan, Touchan."
Eriol frowned, not understanding what Rei meant but he nodded anyway. "Yes, your Kaachan is your Kaachan." Tomoyo looked aside. Hiiragizawa-san hadn't understand that Rei didn't want him to call her so formally. Again, she wondered if she could get Yukito-san to smack Touya-kun for teaching such things to her son. Sure, it was well-meant but Rei was always pushing it too far.
Tomoyo sighed and turned her eyes back to Eriol and Rei. "Well, I'm sorry." She told him quietly and quickly explained. "He usually doesn't like strangers much, but he seems to like Spinel and took a liking to you, too, Hiiragizawa-san."
Eriol smiled and only said. "Please, Eriol."
"What?" Tomoyo didn't see what his name had to see with Rei…
Eriol smiled again and repeated. "Eriol, after all, we've know each other for a long time and you are one of the few who actually know the real me." Tomoyo sighed, nodding recalling the trials and the cards, Sakura-chan and the costumes, her whole childhood.
"The real you?" Tomoyo said wryly, before adding with a smile. "I'm not so sure about that." She said following him with her eyes, as he moved to sat down back to his earlier seat, Rei on his lap.
"So, Tomoyo-san…" Eriol paused. "You don't mind, don't you?" Tomoyo looked up at him: she was handing Rei the muffin Nakuru had given him earlier, but he had been unable to take it, as his hands were hurting him.
Tomoyo smiled a little. "No… Not at all." She said, tilting her head on the side. Spinel flew gently over to Rei and sat on the small boy lap, rubbing his cheek against Rei's ones, making him giggles as Spinel's fur tickled his nose.
Rei tried to crumble the too big muffin for his mouth, but failed. Almost without looking at it, like he had been doing it all his life, Eriol reached for it and cut a smaller piece for Rei to eat. Rei accepted quickly and munched on it, while Eriol cut several other little bits, which he placed on his open palm, in front of Rei. Meanwhile, he asked Tomoyo, who was staring bewildered at the facility Eriol was making Rei eat while she or her mother would fight a war with him, every dinner. "Good, then Tomoyo-san, are you still intending to steal my guardian to Sakura-chan's house, this afternoon?"
Tomoyo looked up quickly as his voice broke through her staring. "Yes, she could be of a great help."
Eriol smiled sheepishly. "Then, you have to promise coming helping us cleaning this house." Tomoyo rolled his eyes at his deal when Nakuru whined.
"Why didn't you order a maid, Eriol-sama?" She complained.
Eriol turned to her and told her. "Because we left in a kind of hurry, Ruby Moon, or don't you remember?" He mostly remembered that they had the choice between leaving the very night of the day they had received Sakura's letter or the day after, on which Eriol and Spinel had agreed, but Nakuru being high, had decided they would leave by the night fly and booked them on that flight rather than on the next like she was supposed to do. He also remembered the mad rush they had been then sent into to pack.
"Yes, but…" Nakuru started to whine.
"Hurry?" Tomoyo picked up, a bit surprised. Sakura-chan had said she had sent her letter ages ago.
"We received Sakura-chan's letter yesterday." Eriol informed her.
"That Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed, smiling. "She always forget how much times it takes to get to England."
They all laughed lightly and Eriol waved it away. "It doesn't matter, Tomoyo-san." Then, he added slyly. "Besides, I would have trouble explaining a flying cat and a butterfly girl to a maid."
"So true." Tomoyo nodded, taking a sip of her drink.
"Who's a cat?" Spinel exclaimed outraged.
"I could have cancelled my wings!" Nakuru retorted.
Eriol beautifully ignored them both and asked Spinel. "So, Spinel, what are we going to do, this afternoon?" Spinel was currently tucked under Rei's arm, who was eating the last muffin crumbles in Eriol's hand.
"I don't know but I don't think Rei-chan is going to let me go, anytime in the near future." Spinel replied.
"I'm sorry, Spinel-san." Tomoyo apologized.
"Don't worry, Tomoyo-san, Spinel likes him, in fact." Eriol told her, winking.
"Eriol-sama!" Spinel protested and Tomoyo giggled. Rei hugged Spinel again, playing with his tail, quietly on Eriol's lap, giggling from time to time as Spinel would brush his tail against Rei's nose to tease him.
"I want to stay with Touchan." Rei suddenly said and silence followed his quiet declaration. Eriol looked in awe at the small boy. Tomoyo had told Nakuru earlier he was only two years and a half but he was talking extremely well for his age. Eriol didn't know much about babies, but Rei seemed quite advanced for his age.
"Rei-chan." Tomoyo said with a warning tone.
"No." Rei answered, stubborn.
"Rei-chan!" Tomoyo wondered how she would pull out of this one.
"Quite a character, isn't he?" Eriol remarked and Tomoyo sighed aloud.
"Yes, he discovered the 'no' a little too early for my taste."
Rei beamed on Eriol's lap: he knew they were talking about him, even though he didn't understand everything. But, one thing he knew, he had won this one against his mother. Tomoyo frowned at him, how would she drag him to Sakura-chan's? "I don't mind babysitting him, Tomoyo-san." Eriol suddenly said.
"Eck!" Nakuru coughed in her drink, she had been sipping on. "Eriol-sama, you're all right?" She screamed aloud.
Annoyed, Eriol shot her a look, but Nakuru only stood up and ran to his side, putting her hand quickly to his forehead to feel his temperature. Eriol glared down at her, but she didn't pay attention, saying to Tomoyo. "Besides, I don't think Spinel is very keen at seeing Cerberus, right now."
"Oh, no, he will try to shove sweets down my throat again!" Spinel loudly confirmed.
"Kero-chan?" Rei asked, looking at Eriol, on whom Nakuru was fussing.
Eriol tried to bat Nakuru's hand away from his forehead, while his other was still open in front of Rei. "Yes, Rei-chan, Kero-chan." He confirmed.
"But, I…" Tomoyo hesitated. That could solve all her problems: with Rei between her legs, she would have never been able to plan this party as she wanted to, but…
"It's no problem, really, Tomoyo-san." Eriol said again.
"Well, I don't want…"
Spinel cut her, as if they wouldn't take her excuses. "We won't be able to stay here, though. The house is all dirty." He informed his master.
Eriol nodded in acknowledgement. "We could stay in the garden, the day is too hot to stay in a house, anyway." He shrugged lightly and looked at Tomoyo. After all, the decision was all hers.
Tomoyo eyed them, then suddenly an idea popped out of nowhere in her head. "Oh! I've got a wonderful idea." She said, happily, clasping her hands.
"Tomoyo-san, why do I feel suddenly scared?" Eriol said wryly.
"Oh, come on, now, Eriol-san." She smiled to him sweetly and Eriol told himself he wasn't sure he liked that smile. "Why don't you, the three of you, come to stay at my home, with Mother, for a few days, until we can clean this huge house, since you won't be able to clean it all today."
Eriol was astonished, he hadn't expected that at all. He had been expecting at her to ask them to come with her at Sakura to plan the party with her and Sakura, something Eriol really didn't any part in. Planning a party with three, if not more, excited women… More like a living nightmare. Actually, now that he thought about it, accepting her offer sounded really tempting. Their house was really dirty, he wasn't, really wasn't feeling like cleaning it. "But, what about…" Eriol started looking down at Spinel.
Tomoyo put her elbows on the table, her chin in her cupped hands. "Do you really think Mother doesn't know?" She asked dryly. "With Rei-chan always blabbering about Kero-chan zooming around his head?"
The last objection lifted, Nakuru let her opinion known and she pleaded. "Oh, please, please, please, please, please, please…" She repeated, doing her best puppy eyes at Eriol. Puppy eyes Eriol had never been able to stand.
"Ok, ok. Stop." He gave in quickly. That was how Nakuru had talked him into turning her into a full woman, after that they had left Tomoeda for the first time.
"We go?" Nakuru insisted, jumping on Eriol's neck.
"Ruby Moon!" Eriol protested. He really should tell her to stop doing that.
"Ah, sorry, Eriol-sama." Nakuru quickly said, waving her hands.
"So, I take this as a yes." Tomoyo intervened slyly.
"Wait, Tomoyo-san, I don't…" Eriol started to protest again, but Tomoyo didn't accept it, like he did a little earlier. Payback time, Tomoyo told herself.
"Nonsense, Eriol-san. Besides, you are not going to my house as a guest, but as a hired babysitter for Rei-chan, as I will have a lot to prepare for Sakura-chan's party."
"Eh?" Was all he could say.
Tomoyo smiled and explained quickly. "I didn't know how I would manage to prepare this party like I wanted it, because I would have had Rei-chan with me all the time and I can't leave him everyday in Yukito-san's care. After all, I think he would manage to have a much more pleasurable time, now that Touya-kun is also in vacations." Nakuru giggled and Spinel sighed. Rei looked up and stood up on Eriol's legs. Eriol cringed a little but secured Rei by placing his hands around his waist, while Rei reached out to play with his glasses.
"Hum. I heard Yue was a teacher, now." Rei took off his glasses and turned them carefully in his hands, placing them on his nose. Nakuru giggled when the too big glasses slipped a little and made faces to him to make him giggle.
Tomoyo's breathing stopped. He was so handsome. Really. His features were so thin, almost like some of a girl. His dark hair and now that Rei had taken off the glasses, the dark blue eyes. So beautiful. He had changed since their first meeting. They all had, but Eriol in more way than another. He had lost that melancholic almost sad look in his eyes, it had been replaced by an eagerness to live. Sometimes, when he looked at his guardians, a gentle look was playing in his eyes. Oh Eriol loved them, more than he maybe admitted to himself. Tomoyo blinked and told herself to take a hold on herself, that wasn't the time nor the place and he was waiting for an answer.
"Yes, a great one." Tomoyo confirmed, looking at Rei. Eriol reached out to take his glasses back and after placing them back where they belonged, he sat Rei once more while the boy and Nakuru made faces at each others giggling together. "He is loved by all his students and last year he got more chocolate than Touya-kun did at office for Valentine Day, last year. Touya-kun was a bit grumpy the following days." She added with a giggle. That giggle won him.
Smiling to himself, Eriol decided. Why not, after all, he was attracted to her, she was gorgeous, had spirit, her son was wonderful and she also had a spark in her eyes that he wished to see again. A spark he had seen so long ago, a spark directed to someone else, but it had made an incredible impression on him.
"So, are we going to baby-sit?" Spinel asked his master.
Eriol looked down at him, first, then locked his eyes with Tomoyo, who actually gaped at the bluntness of his actions, as if… As if… As if telling her, he also out for something else, something else described in his eyes, something that pinned her. "I guess so, Spinel." Breaking off the eye-lock with Tomoyo, he rolled his eyes suggestively. "Besides, I have to give my almost-son and former guardian a bit of privacy sometimes." Tomoyo giggled at his air of false importance he gave himself and he chuckled with her. Something, she found quite… pleasing. Shaking her head, she took a small breath, calling herself silly, she told them.
"Well, I'll call Mother to have rooms arranged for you and someone to pick up your luggage. So, why don't we all go to Sakura-chan's?" She proposed, to the horror of Spinel.
"Eh… Eriol-sama… Please…" Spinel turned almost teary eyed and whined. Rei, in order to make faces with Nakuru, had released him and Spinel had flown to the top of Rei's head, and like he did Eriol, wrapped his tail carefully around Rei's head, to secure his position and had sat down. Rei was still laughing with Nakuru, sitting on the grass: she was mimicking animal to make him laugh.
Eriol considered his small guardian and nodded. "Hum, Tomoyo-san, if you don't mind, Spinel and I will just walk you there and after we will go to the park." He added to himself, he really didn't want to plan the party with three excited women. Really not.
"I promise Kero-chan won't touch you, Spinel-san." Tomoyo also said, to which Spinel snorted.
"And how exactly, do you intend to realize this miracle?" He asked her dryly. Cerberus was fond of food, sweet food was like a dream to him, lots of sweet food was heaven on earth. So, whenever, him, Spinel, who was drunk with a sweets, was around, Cerberus would smirk and together with Nakuru would try to choke him with sweets.
"I am a much better cook than Sakura-chan for sweets." Tomoyo's announcement was followed by a revered silence.
Spinel finally turned to Eriol and shrugged. "Then, I guess, we can go, Eriol-sama."
Eriol sighed. Well, he could always have some fun and he grinned standing up, holding Rei. "Let's go see Xiaolang, then." Nakuru thrilled, snatched Spinel, shoved him in her bag and danced her way to the house, juggling with three glasses, while Tomoyo took the plates and the other two glasses, and Eriol the bottle, Rei still in his arms.
"Eriol-san?" Tomoyo called sweetly behind him.
"Yes?" Eriol turned back, innocently.
"Be nice."
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**
The whisper made the cat-like creature tingled and Spinel looked up quickly in wonder and distrust. "Eh, Suppi."
"Who's Suppi?" The usual answer came, but Nakuru paid no attention to it, as her gaze was fixed on the couple in front of them: Eriol was still holding Rei, who was talking a mile a second, while Tomoyo laughed lightly and smiled a lot.
Nakuru nodded towards them. "Do you see what I see?" She whispered, excited.
Spinel sighed and answered on the same tone, a little more ironic than hers, though. "Of course, I do, moron."
"They'd be great together, no?" Nakuru asked him, too used to pay attention to the sarcasm, and this time, she turned her gaze to the creature in her pocket, her eyes shining.
Spinel scowled. He perfectly knew that look by heart. "Ruby Moon, don't start with that." He would try to fend off her matchmakers attempts, but he had to say that the other guardian was right: they did look good together.
"But, isn't it our duty to make sure our master is happy?" Nakuru pressed urgently. "You know as well as I that he's still pinning after mistress Kaho." She went on.
Spinel considered the things and bent a little. She was right on the happiness point and the whole failed and disastrous plan with Mistress Kaho, but he wasn't too keen on a matchmakers' plan. "Hum."
Nakuru, despite the obvious hesitation her companion was showing didn't give up and pressed her point. "Don't you think it's about time he let go?" She sensed she had a point and she turned it to her advantage.
Spinel sighed: Nakuru was right. Their master's happiness was their duty, but he still had doubts. "Then, what about her?" He asked Nakuru.
A silence followed his question, before Nakuru asked him for confirmation. "Tomoyo-chan?" She frowned.
"Hum." Spinel nodded, deep in thoughts. Thoughts he was sure his master had already thought of.
"What do you mean, Suppi?" Nakuru asked, interrupting his line of thought.
In annoyance, Spinel rolled his eyes at her. "Moron, do you adopt a child just because you feel a string to it?" Then shaking his little head quickly, he kept on, without letting the time to Nakuru to answer. "No, there has to be a deeper reason."
"But, why?" Nakuru was confused. Spinel was right, but, couldn't Tomoyo-chan did what she had done purely for the reason she had confessed?
Spinel frowned and crossed his little paws in front of his chest. "I don't know, maybe to have something." He mumbled.
"Suppi?" Nakuru asked and Spinel gave in.
"Let's see how they interact for a week, then we'll see if we do anything." He told her and Nakuru positively beamed.
"Yes, sir!" She cried out happily, making Tomoyo, Eriol and Rei turn back to watch them in wonder.
Spinel shook his head and only whispered. "Moron."
**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**
author's note: well, here's the first, what do you think? They're all 28, so I can't make them still act like a bunch of teenaged kids, now can I? Anyway, I had fun writing this part and preparing the next. I hope you'll like it and tell me what you've thought of my newest creation.
Well, there's an OAV which is called "Read or Die", well, my motto would rather be "Read and Review" (yes, I know, that was extremely lame, but I'm tired, it's 02:41 in the morning. But please review, anyway!)
Hugs and kisses, mikim.