Disclaimer: CCS, characters, storyline and so on and so forth are and will always be the property of CLAMP, but it can't be helped if I'm holding Syaoran for ransom hee hee hee.
Fourth Month: In Name Only (part 2)
Eriol had stayed as much away from Tomoyo as Tomoyo did from him since that day. His worry was not because he would be physically harmed, thought it was an increasing possibility that he would be, no, his was more of a basic nature, simple man that he was. He was attracted to Tomoyo, he was no fool and he would not deny this. As he found out through experience, to hide it from your own conscience only meant that the dreams would be ten times worst. Furious little Tomoyo. She would come around, even if he risked having her in his arms again. Eriol shook his head. No, that should not happen again, it only infuriates the woman and would make things a whole lot more complicated, but he sensed that she felt something as well. This was interesting. Cursed woman, things would have been more simple if he was a cold hearted bastard.
Nakuru cornered him again today while he was finishing off his afternoon tea in the dining room, it seemed as if his sister had nothing better to do but hound him. When she asked as to whether he knew what had happened that night, he hadn't answered. He didn't answer because he couldn't answer. He did not remember what happened that night. What he remembers waking up and seeing Tomoyo in his bed early in the morning, but he did not say or do anything, he did not wake her up and to his utter surprise, he wasn't as shocked as he knew he should have been upon finding a naked Tomoyo in his bed. He prayed that nothing had happened and that in the morning, all would be solved but he knew from what his satisfied body was telling him that something did happen and now, four months later, he was five months away from becoming a father. The fates do like to tinker with him don't they?
"When you marry Tomoyo you better not go off traipsing to your little paramours." Eriol came this close to pouring the glass of water he had in his hand over the meddling girl's head. Paramour, he scoffed. He did not have any of those at present, but he would not make excuses like that to Nakuru.
"Listen little girl, I don't know where you get these words and why you use them at any given chance and usually at me. But I can't believe you of all people would think that I would be an unfaithful husband!"
"You are a man."
"And you are far more precocious than I raised you to be." He countered. "I will be faithful to the woman that I marry for as long as I am married to her. Doubt that not."
"Fine, fine. But answer me; what made you change your mind about marrying Miss Tomoyo? I remember a few weeks back that you wanted nothing to do with the word matrimony and the bonds that would tie a man down to one woman for the rest of his life. By the way, you also didn't see it the other way around. You are tying Tomoyo down to you for the rest of her life as well."
"I said three years."
"You insensitive fool."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You don't realize that when a woman marries, she wants it for forever."
"You don't realize the nature in which why we are marrying!" He started to pace in the dining room. Nakuru groaned inside, he didn't answer her question and now they were on to another topic. 'Egads, here we go'
"Brother, you are getting far too ahead of yourself, last time you told me, the lady in question denied your offer not to mention, she struck you because of the absurdity of it all."
"She will come around. After all, her mother is the one who suggested, I am just honoring what her mother asked of me." He returned to his seat.
"That is the boldfaced lie Eriol Hiiragizawa! And don't get cocky, it does not suit you"
"I am not getting 'cocky' and it's a half lie." Nakuru turned to leave her brother in peace, but as always, had to have the last word in.
"I've said this before, but you seem to forget sometimes. You are in over your head Eriol, you are dealing with the Daidouji family."
"Don't need to remind me." He replied underneath his breath.
*****
Eriol dreamt that night, a dark dream. He could only hear a woman's voice, frightened and full of tears. A quiet cry for help and soft sobs. He had a feeling of déjà vu and felt that he never wanted to be in this place again. Feelings of anger, helplessness, fury and frustration filled him to the point that he felt that he couldn't breathe. He only had one course of action in mind and that was to find her, to find her and hold her and make certain nothing ever happened to her again. Her who? His mind asked. His body was moving but his mind was in utter chaos, not knowing or understanding. His dream shifted and he found himself in a dark room, the sobs were clearer and he knew she was near. As if magic, moonlight flowed through an unnoticed window and he saw in a corner, a huddled figure, her knees drawn up, held together by her arms, her head buried in her chest and her hair spilling around her shoulders, as if trying to clothe her the best it can. Quietly he walked towards her, not wanting to frighten her. The closer he got the more he realized that she was naked and dirt marred her originally porcelain skin. The blood in his veins ran ice cold.
"Shhh sweetheart. I promise I won't harm you." His voice above a whisper, as soothing as he could make it. She moved her head at the sound of his voice, but he couldn't make out her face, covered by shadow and her hair. In a cracked and strained voice, a voice he could barely make out, he heard the words.
"I know." Then she fell to the side limp, exhausted and to Eriol's relieved heart, which stopped for a whole second when she fell, only unconscious. He could hear her breathing and sense her heart beating. She was not dead. Before he could rush to her he found himself staring at his ceiling. He was back in his own bed, in his own house. No longer night, but morning. No longer in some dark room with barely any windows, but his own where his large windows allowed November sunlight to pour in.
He ran a hand through his tousled hair and slowly got out of bed, his mind disoriented, and walked to a window, opening it, hoping that the cold winter air would make him snap out of it. It had felt so real, and he felt that it had really happened. He was sure that he would remember something like that if it truly had happened, but what on this earth could trigger such a dream? He remembered the emotions washing over him in his dream, the woman in the corner, helpless and frightened, but at the sound of his voice, responded with hope.
Long ago, he found that his dreams were not to be ignored, despite how insignificant they were. They affected his life whenever he heeded them. Such was part of having the soul of a sorcerer. Little knew of this of course, just Nakuru, Syaoran, Sakura and Tomoyo. He so seldom fell back on his past life as any excuse to decide how he lived his present one and it rarely did affect his life now. Except when it really mattered, and at this moment, he just couldn't shake the fact that that dream did matter. He just couldn't shake off this odd feeling. He continued to stand there, staring out of the windows, looking at the brilliant blue sky, not a cloud for miles. He looked at the frost that had accumulated on the lawn and on the nearly bare trees, and felt nothing was amiss save his most disturbing night. Looking at the clock on his dresser, he realized that it was already 12:30 in the afternoon. Thank goodness it was Saturday. He supposed that Nakuru had gone out again since she heard no sounds coming from any part of his house. Suddenly he felt something warm and furry walk over his feet and realized that Spinal had let himself in his room. Nakuru must have checked on him before she left because he never left the door ajar. Eriol picked up the cat in his arms.
"Morning Spinel, or Good Afternoon, I should say. Did the nosey lady decide to give us some peace?" The cat purred and Eriol chuckled. He neglected to put his shirt on because he was the only one in the house for the time being, besides, despite that it was almost winter, the house was warm, despite its large size. So with only his pajama bottoms on and cat in hand, he decided to go down to the kitchen and make some lunch. Over the railing he noticed a figure heading up the stairs and realized with some surprise that it was Tomoyo Daidouji. 'How the hell did she get in?' He silently wondered.
He noticed that within a week and a half, her stomach has become quite obvious. It is after all her fourth month. Strange that he would actually know that.
Before he could act towards his unexpected guest, he found himself face to face with her, for she had already reached the top of the stairs. For a pregnant woman, she was fast.
"Good Afternoon" He smiled. Smiling he was because he noticed that Tomoyo noticed that he was without a shirt. It was most improper to greet a lady half clothed, this he knew, but he found entertainment in watching the proud Daidouji blush. Tomoyo released an exasperated sigh.
"Good Afternoon. Your sister said that you would be in your office." Tomoyo could say nothing more and had to use all her willpower to try to not let her eyes roam over his chest. Easier said than done. 'He knows' She thought. She wanted out of there. She was here to talk about his offer, but not in his present state! "I also suggest you get some clothes on before you catch a cold."
"Worried are we?"
"Not a bit. For Nakuru who will have to nurse you back to health while you whine and complain. Yes."
"Hm." And with a wink turned around and headed back into his room to shower and change, a smirk on his face.
Tomoyo walked back downstairs. She rang the doorbell half an hour ago and was welcomed by the sable haired girl she saw a few weeks back. She now felt utterly ridiculous for feeling something akin to jealousy when she saw her jump into Eriol's arms. Jealousy because of what? She hadn't figured it out yet, but there it was. It was Nakuru, Eriol's adopted little sister, not so little anymore, that was for sure. She figured guys came on their hands and knees at her beck and call, but over all, the years hadn't changed the cheerful Nakuru, if anything, she was a bit more perceptive.
"Miss Tomoyo! Good morning!" Pulling the somewhat shocked Tomoyo into a tight embrace. "Why this is a surprise. Come on in." Tomoyo smiled in return as Nakuru continued to cheerfully ask about her health. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing alright, I can't really complain" Nakuru then bent down to Tomoyo's belly and said in a little baby voice,
"And how are you doing?" Tomoyo just laughed. There was no pretence when it came to Nakuru, being around her easy-going attitude was very comforting for Tomoyo, which is more than she could say about Nakuru's brother.
"Is Eriol home?"
"Yes yes, he should be upstairs in his office by now. He was asleep when I checked on him an hour ago, but he isn't the type to sleep in too late so he should be up and about by now. Actually I was just on my way out, Eriol should be down for his lunch any minute now, you just try to feel at home and I'll be back as soon as I can."
And with that, Nakuru was out of the house and Tomoyo was left alone in the vast entrance hallway. Tomoyo made her way to the living room, barely noticing the windows, the vaulted ceilings, the paintings, the mirrors, the piano and the chandeliers. She'd been here too often in her days past to feel dwarfed by the Hiiragizawa Mansion, not to mention that the Daidouji Manor pretty much equaled it in size. So she sat on the nearest chair and waited. And waited and waited. Then she realized that this pregnancy sliced her patience right in half. So she decided to make her way up the large, curving stairway up to the second floor to tell Eriol that she was here. She didn't know why she didn't think of that in the first place, after all, the man didn't even know that she was here. Silly girl.
The next thing she knew, she was face to face with a bare-chested Eriol, just roused from sleep, his hair disheveled, with a black ball of fur in his arm, a boyish grin on his face and an amused sparkle in his eyes as he looked at her.
Well hell.
She wanted to pummel him. If she didn't know better, he was flaunting is flawless frame before her, but no, he really was just out of bed because the glasses that rarely left his face were not on now and, God save her, those blue eyes of his were bluer without those spectacles. In the future, definitely come well past the afternoon, she noted. Or call. She didn't know why, but she woke up and decided that she would talk to him, she didn't even think about calling first and confirming a time or place. It was one of those 'act now, think later' moments. Well it was later, and she certainly wasn't thinking. The man was certainly a distraction.
*****
Eriol whistled as he got ready and wondered what brought Tomoyo to his place after they've been avoiding each other for the past two weeks. Impractical thoughts started to flit in and out of his head. Perhaps she was here to say that she wanted nothing to do with him and wanted this child of theirs to have nothing to do with him. He scratched that off as absolutely ridiculous because Tomoyo, he knew, had a heart.
A stubborn and proud one, but a heart nonetheless.
Quickly throwing on a dark blue polo, buttoning it from the bottom up and gray slacks, he took the stairs down two at a time. It was, after all, impolite to make a lady wait. By the time he got downstairs, he only had three of the six buttons down, pausing awhile, he finished the rest. He found Tomoyo staring out one of the windows in the living room. What he didn't notice was that she eyed him as he made his way down the stairs, buttoning up his shirt. Distractions indeed.
"Sorry about that." He started, startling her out of her feigned fascination of the now quiet garden outside the window..
"I should have called." She replied, standing up, still grateful that her stomach wasn't quite so big that she needed help getting up or that it wasn't churning at the moment, which usually meant that she would have to make a break for the washroom.
"Would you like to go into the office? I would offer the garden, but it is November, and I certainly wouldn't like to have you catch a cold." Always the gentleman, Tomoyo wryly thought not missing what he meant by that last comment.
"The office will do." Eriol felt uncomfortable. This was all too formal, all too emotionless except for Tomoyo's initial reaction to his bedraggled state when she reached the top of the stairs.
"I'm sorry I just let myself in. Nakuru said she'd be right back and was certain that you'd be awake by now." She spoke as they made their way up the stairs.
"Usually I am. I just had a hard night." She noticed that something flashed in his eyes when he mentioned the last few words. Dreams. They were fickle things, this she knew.
"I see." And that was all that passed between them until they reached to the office.
Once seated, Tomoyo started without preamble.
"Professor, I've decided to accept your offer."
Eriol was surprised but he did not let himself show it. Instead he bit his tongue because all of a sudden he felt a bit lighter and wanted to laugh. This was no laughing matter and he knew that if he let his amusement show, Tomoyo would level him there and then, regardless of the fact that she was pregnant. Instead he kept his head down on his lap, waited a second for the moment to pass and then looked up at her eyes, which almost looked indigo in the afternoon light. He smiled, that boyish grin of his and said only one thing.
"Thank you."
"Only in name."
"Of course, but you must understand that it would make sense if we stayed under the same roof if we are to share the same name. That, and you can no longer call me professor or doctor no matter how angry you are with me" He smiled.
"Oh okay on both." She paused and thought. Months; years in the same roof as Eriol Hiiragizawa. That was sure to get dangerous. She eyed him intensely. "I will expect that you will be the gentleman that I know you are?" Eriol sighed.
"Look, Tomoyo…" He wasn't able to finish his statement because Tomoyo did not give him time to answer.
"And I have one more condition."
Eriol stopped and looked at her, wondering.
"Not three years Eriol, it is not fair to either you or me. I will agree to one."
"I disagree."
"Eriol, we're both doing this for this child's sake, not ours. It would be, as I said before, unfair to you or me."
"Until our child turns one."
That stopped Tomoyo. He really was willing to give this family business a try. Twenty-one months of co-existence. Then what?
"Fine. Then what?"
"We'll face it when it comes." He paused and then spoke again, a question curious to him. "Do you suppose that love will be a factor?"
"Baaa-ka!" Using her native tongue, Tomoyo got up and started pacing. Strange, he was always the pacer, not the observer. She stopped and faced him. "We are friends, we have been friends for years. We are getting married out of convenience. If we were to fall in love, we would have done so years ago. Besides, I know your type and I'm not one of them."
"I suppose you're right. I was just curious. Do you remember what happened that night?" He saw Tomoyo go rigid as she sat herself back down.
"Just feelings, both bad and odd feelings, nothing concrete. You?"
"I'm afraid not, everything is a blur." And he meant every word. He hid this from Nakuru and Sonomi because he knew that somehow they would not believe him. Honestly, he could not believe it himself.
"How can neither of us remember a thing?!" Tomoyo spoke out in frustration.
"I would like to know the same thing." He replied softly.
"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" She asked
"Oh I remember things alright, but as to what led to those things, I'm at a loss I'm afraid."
"Oh be quiet." She glared at him and got a smirk in return.
"You asked."
An awkward silence followed after. They faced each other, not really seeing the other person; they were so deep in thought.
"You know this will be sudden for a lot of our friends." Tomoyo finally spoke.
"Oh let them be shocked. I do so love surprising people." The smile was back on his lips again. It really was a devastating smile.
"They'll have questions."
"My dear, you and I are two of the best liars in this fair city. I'm sure we can conjure something up."
"Ha. I'd like to see you try to get past Touya." That shut Eriol up for a moment. Finally he said.
"For him, we'll have to settle for the truth. I want to be in the hospital to help you deliver this child, not because I'm in ICU, thank you." That got a smile out of her reminding her that even if he weren't the father, as a friend, he'd be there by her side. For a moment they sat there smiling at each other, reminiscent of the days when they were friends and things were not this complicated.
"So, it's settled then?" She held her hand out across the desk to shake his. Eriol eyed the hand before him and tilted his head to the side.
"Shall we seal it with a kiss?"
"Hiiragizawa, don't bait me else you'll be sorry." She growled.
"All in jest Tomoyo. I promise." He stood and took her hand, but did not shake it. He just held it for a moment and then bent his head, lightly touching his mouth to her smooth skin. Before Tomoyo could pull her hand away, he let it go. She then stood up.
"Wait." Eriol spoke. "Just one moment. Stay here, I have to go get something." And with a hand in his pocket, he sauntered out of the room. Before Tomoyo could even conjure up a decent thought that had nothing to do with violence towards the man who was clearly teasing her, said man walked back in the room with a box in his hand. Closing the distance between them he opened it before her. The content of the box took her breath away; all agitated feelings were washed away by the brilliant sparkle from within the box.
A princess cut, one and a half-carat diamond solitaire set in a pale gold.
"It was my grandmother's. Now it is yours."
"Eriol, no I can't. This belongs to the one who will truly be your wife, the one who you give your heart to, not because you have an obligation towards her." Eriol shrugged at this.
"At the moment, you're the closest thing to that, so I'll keep it with you for the time being. But rest assured, once I find this someone that you speak of, I'll be quick to ask for its return. Now wear it without protest unless you want me to kiss your mouth shut"
"Do that, and you won't be able to walk for a week."
"I'll risk that."
"Two weeks. Remember Hiiragizawa, we'll be under the same roof for a long period of time. I want to make sure we come out of this alive. It won't help if one of this child's parents is missing a limb or two."
"I don't do well with threats Miss Daidouji."
"Then don't give me reason to threaten you Hiiragizawa."
"I'll try. No promises though." Reaching for her left hand, he placed the ring on the appropriate finger. "It suits you."
"Something this beautiful would suit even the ugliest of women." She noticed that he still hadn't let go of her hand; he just lowered it, but held on to it.
"Well then, lets hope that this true wife of mine that you say I'll find one day is the ugliest of women just so I can see how the beauty of this ring affects her own." Tomoyo just rolled your eyes.
"So do you want to tell my mother?" Knowing the reaction that would get out of him.
"Are you mad?!"
"Well, it was she who suggested it to you."
"Oh so that gives you every reason to make me walk straight into the tiger's den."
"Give over Eriol, you are one of the few people that isn't at all intimidated by my mother."
"Ha. That was before I gave her reason to want my head on a stake."
"Fine, fine, I'll accompany you, you little coward."
"Fight fair, no name calling."
"Heh." Her hand still in his, she dragged him out of the room. "Come on, we're going now. I called my mom and told her that I'd becoming by in the afternoon." Eriol only groaned in response.
*****
When Sonomi Daidouji opened the massive oak door she did not expect to see what she saw. It was her daughter, standing next to Eriol not touching or holding hands, but that ring on her daughter's left hand almost made her go blind. She embraced her daughter, noticing how her stomach was growing and truly felt time weighing her down. It seemed only a few years ago when she herself was carrying her beloved daughter in her womb. And now to see her daughter, grown up, with a child in her own. It made the dauntless Sonomi Daidouji want to cry. To Dr. Eriol Hiiragizawa, she just smiled and nodded to.
"Well, this is a surprise. Come in you two, I'm was just in the veranda having tea."
When they were all seated, and served with tea and cake, Eriol spoke without any ceremony.
"I have asked for your daughter's hand in marriage Ms. Daidouji. She has accepted and now we only wish for your blessing." Tomoyo glanced at Eriol from the side quickly then to her mother who was sitting across from them, her form graceful but firm. Her mother was always a tower of strength as Tomoyo grew up, she still was.
"I suppose there is nothing that I can do about it? After all, it was I who suggested it. I am sorry for going behind you on this my girl." She reached out and took Tomoyo's hand.
"You want me happy and taken care of. I understand that. You would not have done something so immediate if you did not know that Eriol would not be suitable for me." It was Eriol's turn to glance at Tomoyo. Such words. Immediate was surely an understatement and he didn't know if he liked being described as 'suitable' but he remained silent. "I'm sorry I let you down Mama." The tears were back in her eyes.
"No Tomoyo, I love you and want to see you happy. I'm proud of you for the person that you have become." Tomoyo lifted her head and smiled. Eriol just looked on wondering what it would be like if he had a mother like Sonomi. Tomoyo was indeed a lucky person.
"Eriol." Sonomi's voice became stern when she addressed him. "You will promise to me here and now that you will protect my daughter no matter what, that you will be faithful regardless of the circumstances and that you will take care of her and my grandchild and make them happy to the best of your abilities or you will have to answer to me. Do I make myself clear young man?"
"Yes ma'am." Eriol answered in all seriousness. He did not doubt Sonomi's words; anyone would be a fool otherwise. "I promise to protect, take care and be faithful to your daughter and your grandchild. To my best of abilities, I will try to make them happy. They are my world now" Tomoyo lost her breath at those last words. Perhaps they were too much; surely the man did not mean that and she was sure her mother would have seen through such grand words, but apparently, due to some luck, she didn't.
"Thank you Eriol." Sonomi replied the sternness in her tone gone for she trusted the man's words. She knew that Eriol could lie as well as her daughter could, she could see through both of them when they did, so when they spoke from their hearts, she knew it and would bet her life on it. Perhaps that last statement was a bit too much, and perhaps at this moment, he did not mean it, but in time, he would. Call it a mother's intuition. She stood up, as did the other two. Embracing her daughter again she whispered to her "Be happy." This time, she embraced Eriol as well.
"Welcome my boy, make me proud." Were her words to him. Reflecting on those words later on, he realized that they were great words to live up to, making the renowned Sonomi Daidouji proud. "I do however," she continued, after she stood facing them, "have one condition before I give you my blessings."
Eriol almost groaned. What was it with the Daidouji ladies and their cursed conditions?
"I want you two married before the end of next month." Eriol and Tomoyo just looked at her too shocked.
"That's not possible." Tomoyo started.
"Oh believe me child, with me overseeing this, it is possible and it will be done." Eriol said nothing, merely mouthed the words "wow" while he looked down. The doorbell rang again and Sonomi gave a puzzled look.
"I wasn't expecting visitors. Hmm, I'll be back." Sonomi left them in the veranda to answer the door. The house staff was usually given the weekends off since Sonomi was almost always home during those days of the week.
Eriol and Tomoyo walked out of the veranda into the living room of the house.
"One month." Tomoyo whispered. "I think I won't make it to that altar. I'll die from exhaustion before I do."
"You? Miss Workaholic? I don't think so. Besides, come hell or high water, your mother will make sure both you and I make it there."
"In case you haven't noticed Mr. Hiiragizawa, I'm not as I used to be."
"Oh I noticed." He winked at her.
"Insufferable man." She said underneath her breath, leaving Eriol by the door the just entered to look out one of the windows in the living room.
"Well, well, well, look who we have here." Both Eriol and Tomoyo looked up at the sound of a deep voice practically dripping with sarcasm. Tomoyo did not need to turn around to see who it was, but she did anyway and found that not ten feet away from where Eriol was standing was the formidable Touya Kinomoto, with a wry grin on his lips and fire in his eyes, glowering at Eriol.
*tsuzuku
A/N: That was better than four months! Hahahaha. Hmmm, what did I put in here. Okay, yes, Eriol does have a bit of magic in him, but like in my other stories, he leads a normal life, for the most part. As to whether he knows about what happened that night or not, just in case there is any confusion, he's in the same state as Tomoyo. Complete utter fogginess. What I did in this chapter was try to incorporate the relationship that Eriol and Tomoyo had in the past as good friends and their present relationship expectant parents and betrothed to each other. Guys, thank you, thank you, thank you! Your reviews make me smile and they truly warm my heart! I appreciate it so much. For those who recently reviewed Kimi Wo Sagashiteita (MidnightBlue-sama and NotApplicable-sama) I do intend to finish that story but I don't know if it's going to be while I'm writing this one or after this one is done, it all depends on how the inspiration flows ^.^. If you want I can e-mail you when I do! Oh yes, we are all familiar with this term, but I'll just put it here for reference:
Baka – stupid (person)
Again, my many many thanks! Happy Holidays!
