Could It Be?
by Hidden Tala
x. one fine morning
He knew it was his turn to cook that morning. But the apartment already smelled of eggs and bacon when he got out of his room. Confused, he walked directly to the kitchen and found his best friend working on her coffee.
"Hey," he greeted, taking his seat at the dining table. "I thought it was my turn to cook today."
Tomoyo turned to him, sipping from her cup. "I got up early. I was itching to do something so I cooked."
He noticed the bags beneath her eyes. Instead of annoying her about it, he collected the plates in the cabinet and began to set the table. She helped him with the spoon and fork.
"I know you're still upset about the lovebirds leaving," he said in that light manner of his, "but I'm not that bad of a company. We can still have fun."
She picked at her food.
"Now you're insulting me," he mock-accused.
She grimaced, still picking at her food. "It's not about them. I'm just having girly problems."
"And I'm a pretty little girl," he said offhandedly.
The "confession" earned him a toothy grin. "Haven't we established that already?"
He smirked at the girl who had the frizzy, bed head hair. "You're throwing me off-course. Come on, spill it already."
She stuck a slice of bacon in her mouth and chewed, purposely ignoring him.
He pulled at her hair.
"Ow!" She glared at him but he paid no heed.
"Ponce," she muttered darkly.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." He drank from his glass then peered at her closely. "And you can pull that girly issue on me. I wouldn't even budge an inch."
He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Besides, I think I still have two weeks to worry about said issue since it always falls on my turn to grocery shop."
Tomoyo looked positively livid. He was prepared to duck.
But he only heard an irritated sigh.
"Okay fine," she grumbled reluctantly. "But promise me you won't laugh!"
He put a show on drawing a cross on his heart.
She kept grumbling under her breath. His lips curled in amusement.
"I remembered what Sakura told me before they left," she explained, toying with her nose. "It was about me not being thrilled about them getting married."
"Hey." He took her hand off her face and put it firmly in his. "You're getting your nose all red."
She felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment. She wriggled her hand out of his. "I'm just uncomfortable talking with you about this. You're a guy, for god's sake."
"I didn't know you were a sexist."
"Shut it," she snapped, clearly agitated. "What really bugged me was the real reason why I don't want them to get married."
Eriol Hiiragizawa faked a look of shock. "You were secretly pining for my little cousin?!"
"Don't mock me." She threw him a bored look before sipping from her cup.
"Fine, fine. Then, what's the real score, Daidouji?"
She sighed and shifted her gaze to the window to her right. "That whole college thing was just an excuse, I think. The real score is, maybe, I envy them and what they have together. They're so happy. It's not that I don't want them to be happy because I really do. It's just that I'm single and, apparently, with no luck since I got myself stuck living with you."
That explains the impulsive dating, he thought dryly.
He shook his head. "You sure do know how to melt a man's heart."
She laughed at him, suddenly feeling at ease.
He rested his chin on one hand and looked at her solemnly. "You're not expecting me to start spouting Shakespeare, do you?"
"God, no!" She was laughing still. "If you start giving away soppy lines, I would have socked you!"
She continued to laugh and he rolled his eyes and got the used plates to the sink. Seconds later, he heard the laugh die down. He started to wash the dishes when she called out.
She was at the window; her wild, unbrushed hair, sticking out in all directions. And she looked at him with those dark circles under her eyes.
"Do you think there's someone out there for me, Eriol?"
The question shook him and caught him off guard.
His heart squeezed. And her eyes looked sad.
"Who the hell wouldn't want you?"
Author's Notes: Go on, don't be shy. Give me that review; you know that'll make me happy. :)
