L-chan's notes: I still can't believe how this story has caught on. Thanks so much, everybody, for giving my favorite non-canon couple a chance. I really appreciate all the great reviews.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Shadows

Chapter 10—Not Dating

"Are we still on for tonight?"

"Yes. We're all meeting at seven-thirty, and it starts at eight, so...."

"So, sometime between seven-thirty and eight."

"Not too early, though. Not too late, either."

"And you don't think it will seem suspicious?"

"No. Why, do you think it seems suspicious?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe we shouldn't do this."

"But I've been looking forward to it all week."

"I know. So have I. But it might be too risky."

"You can't back out now. It's all planned."

"God, you'd think we were involved in some top-secret plot to take over the world. It's just a movie."

"Exactly. It's just a movie."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I want to go. Really."

"So, we're going?"

"Yes, we're going."

"Because we don't have to."

"I want to."

"Good. Oh, no, can you hold on a second?"

"What's wrong?"

"My mother's home. I have to go."

"Tomoyo?"

"Hmm?"

"Never mind. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Touya?"

"What?"

"Nothing. See you later."

Tomoyo stared at the receiver for a moment before hanging up the phone. I wonder what he was going to say. Before she could think too much about it, her mother knocked again, and she went to answer her bedroom door. "Sorry, Okaa-sama. I was on the phone."

Sonomi nodded. "I came to tell you that dinner is ready."

Tomoyo followed her mother downstairs to the dining room and sat down at her place at one end of the table. The housekeeper set their plates in front of them, and Tomoyo tried not to eat too quickly, since dinner was being served later than usual. "How was your day, Okaa-sama?" she asked, just barely remembering to chew before she swallowed. She'd never been this excited about going to see a movie before. She didn't even know what movie it was. But that didn't really matter.

Sonomi also attacked her plate, but it seemed as if she were picturing someone's face as she made sharp slices with her knife. "Don't remind me. I just found out that I may have to go back to Los Angeles. Incompetent fools," she muttered.

"When?" Tomoyo was used to her mother's frequent trips, but she knew how much Sonomi hated traveling, especially overseas.

"Next month. I was hoping to take some time off finally and spend part of your summer break with you."

The past was littered with such broken promises. "It's okay. There's always winter vacation."

After effectively mutilating her chicken, Sonomi set her knife down and looked across the table at her daughter. "It's not okay," she said. "That's why I think you should come with me."

"To Los Angeles?"

"We could be stereotypical tourists, wandering around with our over-accessorized cameras and taking pictures of everything. Wouldn't that be fun? We could even go to Disneyland and Hollywood. You said you wanted to see the American movie studios."

That was when she was eleven, when making videos was her favorite pastime. She'd grown up a lot since then. But that was beside the point. She simply did not want to go. Not now. "But remember the last time I went with you on one of your business trips? You were in meetings all day long. Any place I wanted to go, I had to go alone. I saw you even less than I normally do." This was her first argument. If it didn't work, she had others.

"It'll be different this time. We could turn this into a nice vacation."

I've heard that before. Tomoyo mentally went to the next point on her list. "I was going to do some studying this summer. The entrance exams are getting closer every day. You're always telling me how difficult the exams are and that I don't study enough." Okay, so that's a weak excuse. She was making it sound like she was planning on studying the entire time, but maybe her mother would be impressed by that.

It appeared to be working. Sonomi lightly tapped her spoon against the rim of her coffee cup as she thought. "You're right. But, you know, you could bring some books along."

She didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings. Any other time, she would have loved to go on a trip like this. But not now, not while she and Touya were trying to figure out how to be together. She didn't want to be away from him for a whole month. Maybe the truth would be best. Or as close to the truth as I can get, anyway. "Okaa-sama," she began quietly, "it sounds wonderful, really. But I'd just rather stay home this summer and be with my friends."

Sonomi's disappointment didn't show, but Tomoyo knew it was there. "I understand," she said calmly, using her unemotional business tone. "Maybe next time."

Her mother had sounded so excited about her idea. They really didn't get the chance to spend much time together lately. "Can we do something tomorrow?" Tomoyo asked. "We can go to lunch and go shopping and get our hair done and everything. A real girls' day out. Can we?"

Sonomi's violet eyes sparkled once again. The two were so alike in that way. "I'll clear my schedule, and we'll spend the whole afternoon together. How would that be?"

"That'd be perfect." Tomoyo stood up from the table, leaving her dinner only half-finished. "May I be excused now? I'm meeting Meiling-chan and the others at the park soon. The Tomoeda Classic Film Series starts tonight, and we want to get a good spot."

"I know. We're one of the sponsors. Is Sakura-chan going?"

"Yes, and Li-kun and Tanaka-kun, too." It made her sound like a fifth wheel, but if things worked out the way they'd planned, she wouldn't be. And it was all true, so she wasn't technically lying to her mother or breaking her no-dating rule.

"You'll be home by eleven?"

"Yes, Okaa-sama."

"Have a good time."

-----

"What time is it?"

Meiling checked her watch and gave Tomoyo an indulgent grin. "It's seven-forty-one. Quit being so anxious."

"I can't help it." The two girls were sitting on the large picnic blanket Meiling had brought, saving their spot on the grass while the others went to get sodas and snacks. "We're going to get caught."

"No, you aren't." Meiling's ruby eyes darted quickly to the right before meeting Tomoyo's again. "Shhh, they're coming back now."

We're never going to pull this off, Tomoyo thought as Syaoran handed her one of the cups. She smiled politely in thanks, but her heart was pounding. She'd finally convinced Touya that their plan would work, but now she was having serious doubts of her own. He's right. It's going to look suspicious. Why did I think this was a good idea?

She sat quietly while everyone else talked about the calculus test they'd suffered through earlier, and she tried not to be too obvious as she looked around the park. The sun had gone down, and the lights that had been set up didn't provide enough illumination to see well. The crowd for the eight o'clock movie continued to grow, but she was just looking for one person. Please get here soon.

"Didn't you think so, Tomoyo-chan?"

She looked at Sakura and hoped that the test was still the topic of conversation. "Yes, it was really tough."

"I'm sure you did fine," Syaoran said as he put an arm around the honey-haired girl next to him. "After all, you studied with me, and you had that stuff down cold last night."

"I hope you're right," Sakura replied, leaning against him. "Because I can't remember a thing now."

"Can we please talk about anything but school?" Hiro asked jokingly. "It's bad enough that we have to go there every day. I don't even want to think about school until Monday."

Tomoyo and Meiling exchanged glances at this, but no one noticed. Then Meiling's eyes shifted to the right again and widened briefly. She gave Tomoyo an otherwise imperceptible nod and started to raise her arm to get someone's attention, but Sakura beat her to it.

"Onii-chan?"

"Well, good evening, everyone," Touya said casually as he stopped near the group. "Nice night for a movie, isn't it?" He sounded just like any other teacher running into some of his students outside of school, or even like any older brother meeting his sister and her friends. Why shouldn't he be at a public event like this? It was perfectly legitimate and coincidental, or so it was supposed to seem.

Tomoyo could barely hear the others reply over the frenzied beating of her heart. She didn't dare look at Touya. They're going to know. Why did we think we could get away with this?

"Are you here alone, sensei?" Meiling asked, doing her best to hide her amusement. She knew her friend was panicking.

"Looks that way," he answered with a slight grin.

Now Tomoyo shot him a look, but he ignored it. Was he laughing at her? He didn't think this would work, but now that he was going along with it, he was giving the best acting performance she'd ever seen. And she knew he couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag. She had the videotapes to prove it.

"So, anyway, don't let us keep you," Syaoran was saying, protectively inching closer to Sakura. Or maybe he was looking for her to protect him.

"Why don't you sit with us, sensei?" The glares Meiling received from her cousin and his girlfriend could have burned a hole right through her.

"Thanks. That is, if no one minds." He saw that Sakura was about to protest. "Oh, don't worry, kaijuu. I'm not going to spoil your date. I'll sit way down here by Daidouji, okay? You won't even know I'm here."

"Yeah, right. And I am not a kaijuu," she muttered.

Touya settled himself on the edge of the blanket next to Tomoyo. He kept an appropriate distance between them as he shrugged out of his jacket. "It's a little warm tonight," he said, placing the jacket in the space between them, and when she turned to him with a confused expression, he just smiled innocently.

He'd made it in the nick of time. The event's organizer approached the microphone to thank everyone for coming and to rattle off the names of the film series' sponsors before the movie started. It was probably all very interesting, but Touya didn't hear a word. All of his senses were acutely attuned to the girl sitting beside him. We got away with it. I don't believe it.

But as nice as it was to be out together for a change, he still wished they had stayed in. At least at his place, they could curl up comfortably on the sofa while they watched television. Here they had to maintain a level of indifference, even as he could feel her warmth next to him and smell her floral perfume. Other couples would have their arms around each other and snuggle close in the dark as the movie flickered on the makeshift screen, but they had to pretend that they didn't care. It was almost as bad as being alone.

Tomoyo was unsuccessfully trying to concentrate on the movie when she felt something brush against her arm. She jumped a little before realizing that it was Touya's jacket. Why was it moving? She turned to look at him, but his eyes were focused on the screen. Then she felt the jacket move with a little more determination as his hand groped for something, finally closing around her arm. He pulled it under the jacket with his and linked their fingers. She did her best not to give anything away by looking at him, but she couldn't hide the smile that played at her lips as he held her hand out of everyone's sight.

If someone had asked them later what the movie was about, they wouldn't have been able to answer. She was only aware of his thumb slowly brushing back and forth across her knuckles, and he was otherwise occupied with the somewhat inappropriate scenes being created within his mind.

If they could just get away for a few minutes of privacy.... "Let's go get some ice cream," Touya whispered to her, squeezing her hand.

Tomoyo got the message. She nodded and leaned toward Meiling. "We're going to get some ice cream. Do you want any?"

Meiling looked at her friend, and then at Touya, who had forgotten to let go of Tomoyo's hand as he stood up. Those knowing ruby eyes fixed on their linked fingers, and he dropped it immediately. So much for being discreet. "Ice cream," Meiling repeated skeptically, a sly grin on her pretty face. "As much as I'd love a little... ice cream... I don't think he should be the one to give it to me, do you?"

Tomoyo knew Meiling was implying something, and when she figured it out, her cheeks burned. "Meiling-chan, that's not what—"

"Sure it isn't," Meiling whispered. "But you'd better be back soon. And get some... ice cream... for everybody, or your cover will be blown."

They had almost made it to the ice cream cart when Touya pulled her aside. "Come here for a second."

"What are you doing?" Tomoyo whispered loudly. "Someone will see."

"No, they won't. It's too dark. Besides, they're all watching the movie." Now that he'd gotten involved in this little secret scheme of hers, it might be fun to see what else they could get away with. There was something exciting about doing things you weren't supposed to. And the tree they'd ducked behind was large enough to hide them from anyone who might pass by. "Kiss me."

"What? You're crazy."

"I know." I must be. He pulled her closer. "Just a quick kiss. Please? I'll buy you some ice cream."

He was teasing her, and she couldn't resist that cute little-boy smile he gave her. She stood up on her toes to give him a light peck on the cheek, but he wouldn't be satisfied with that. His arms wound around her back as he pressed his lips to hers, firmly and insistently, until she gave in. "It better be darn good ice cream," she whispered, opening her mouth to kiss him properly.

He enjoyed it way more than he should in such a public setting, and he reluctantly stopped it before it went too much further. He leaned back against the tree and held her to close him, twining his fingers through her lavender ponytail. "I'm glad I listened to you. I needed a night out like this."

"Want to try it again next week?" She tried not to get too comfortable, because they only had a couple of minutes before they had to go back. But it felt so good just to be in his arms.

"We'll see. We haven't quite made it through tonight yet." He was still twirling her hair around his fingers. "Leave your hair down tomorrow. I like it down better."

He actually thinks about things like that? She felt a warm glow spread through her, but it was quickly dampened when another thought occurred to her. "I can't come over tomorrow. I'm spending the day with my mother."

"Sunday, then?"

"Sunday," she agreed. "For our next lesson. And I'll try to stay for dinner, too, if you want me to."

"Of course I want you to." Touya wished she hadn't brought up her mother. He hated lying to everyone. Especially Sonomi, especially after she'd trusted him to look after Tomoyo for her. I'll bet this wasn't what she meant, he thought wryly. But they really didn't have much choice. We'll have to tell her eventually, when the time is right. For now, we have to be careful. "We should go back now," he said, finally letting go of her. He didn't want to think about all that right now. "We're missing the movie."

"Okay. But you promised me some ice cream, and I told Meiling-chan we'd get some for everybody."

"Then I hope you've got some money, because I am not paying for that ga—Li." He hadn't slipped in a while, and his tongue had almost healed.

"What if I asked nicely?" she teased. She went up on her toes to kiss him again. "Please?" she whispered, softly nibbling at his lips. "Please?"

"That's not fair, Tomoyo."

"Please?"

"You can't just—oh, God. Fine. But for future reference, this won't—I said fine. You can stop—" Oh, well. It wasn't that good a movie, anyway.

-----

More transitional stuff. I'm sorry about my plans to get Sonomi out of the picture for a while. That's a cop-out, isn't it?