A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed for, well, reviewing. ^_^ I wasn't going to continue this fanfic, but SacredWings kinda convinced me to. ^_^ Well, please keep reviewing....
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Athena Winner~ Thank you for reviewing! Here's the next chapter and I hope it's just as interesting.
lilangel~ Thanks for reviewing!
Tomoyo-chan~ Thank you for the encouragement.. here's the next chapter. ^+^
Tofu Angel~ hehe... what an interesting user name. Thanks for reading and reviewing..
SacredWings~ Thanks for all your encouragement and good luck on your own fanfic!
Winnie~ I completely agree with you, Eriol is the coolest.
Fuu~ Sorry I took so long to write this next chapter, but thanks for your review!
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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story... yet.
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Tomoyo took the rest of the day off. She deserved a break, she told herself on her way home. She hadn't taken a day off in an eternity, and surely it was excusable when the one you loved is on her honeymoon. And you know, no matter how much you've thought it through, that she must be happier she is now than she's ever been with you. And you know, that because you love her, you want to give her happiness, and it would pain you to see the look in her eyes if she knew how devastated you were. So you assure yourself that her happiness is your happiness, and that you'd be content just to watch her live her life with her beloved. You are living through her, in a way. And now, now you realize, on the way home, that the one person who might understand what you're going through right now, the one person who's always understood what you were going through, even when you didn't want him to, the one person that can make you forget about everything, if only for a second, that person is hurt by your careless words. And you just want to go home and never crawl out from your covers again. But, of course, you can't that. That's because you're Daidouji Tomoyo, and you are expected to be perfect. You expect yourself to be perfect; you become disappointed at anything less. Those and quite a few others were the bitter thoughts that ran through Tomoyo's head as she rode the elevator up to her apartment. Right after she'd started college, both Tomoyo and Sonomi had agreed that Tomoyo needed develop and meet people on her own, and she couldn't do it with her mother at her elbow. So now, although every once in a while Sonomi would shove some random colleague's son at her, Tomoyo's mother pretty much let her live her own life. They barely saw each other in the office, and both liked it that way, though they would never tell the other. Tomoyo had a nasty suspiscion that Sonomi saw Sakura as Nadesico all over again, and disapproved of Tomoyo supporting Sakura in her marriage, and even befriending her beloved's lover. Though the words were never said, Tomoyo could feel the dissatisfaction radiating from Sonomi whenever Tomoyo should mention Sakura in the same sentence as Syaoran. But Syaoran, being the person he was, would never say anything to either Tomoyo or Sakura, even though he was more than perceptive enough to detect Sonomi's increasing coldness to him, so that by the time the wedding arrived, she was almost downright rude. If it hadn't been for Eriol stepping in at the last moment.. Tomoyo still shuddered to think of what might have gone wrong. Tomoyo sighed. Of course her treacherous thoughts would lead her back to Eriol. The trouble of their almost-fight was still digging at her.
Although Tomoyo had never thought of Eriol in a romantic fashion despite the office rumors, he was still one of her oldest friends, and currently the only one she could talk to without having to listen politely as they chattered happily about their happy love and family lives. Even though Tomoyo felt happy for Chihari and Yamazaki, who were engaged, Rika and Terada-sensei, (Tomoyo still thought of him as her teacher, even though he was married to Rika now; she couldn't help it) and Naoko and her newest admirer, it was easy to get tired of your own life, which was full of business and efficient people and sleeping pills and business trips and coffee, especially when you heard that Rika's baby was toothing, Yamazaki had to sleep in the garage when he brought home a dog who'd been sprayed by a skunk, and that Naoko's boyfriend surprised her at the library with a bouquet of roses. So it was only natural that Tomoyo didn't feel like getting in touch her friends. At least, that was what she told herself as she glanced guiltily at the blinking message machine and the envelopes with familiar handwriting scrawled across them, which she didn't even have time to open, let alone read. Tomoyo was successful, making a name for herself in the business industry, and finally stepping out of her mother's shadow within the company. But sometimes, just sometimes, when Tomoyo had the time to think quietly, she would wonder if it was all worth it. Tomoyo dropped her briefcase next to her bed and quickly changed into clothes that were more comfortable, though, her being her, still as stylish. She sat on her couch and flicked on the television. Staring blankly at one meaningless show after another, Tomoyo finally had enough and tossed down the remote. She had to admit it, she was feeling guilty about her last encounter with Eriol. He really was just trying to help.. even if he did so by being mockingly obnoxious.
She picked up the phone.
"Hiiragizawa."
"Eriol-kun? This is Tomoyo." She strained to hear his reply, for the background was a blur of various voices and sounds.
"Daidouji-san? Hold on a moment."
A click, and suddenly the noise was silenced.
"Eriol-kun?"
"Sorry," he breathed. "Had to get away from Nakuru and Spinel."
"Were they eating sugar again?"
"Actually, Naruku is trying to play the piano and Suppi is begging her to stop."
"That would explain the crashes."
"Yes." An uncomfortable silence. Then, "Did you need something, Daidouji-san?"
"Eriol," she paused. "I'm sorry."
There was another silence, and for one horrid moment Tomoyo was afraid that he'd hung up on her.
Then his voice sounded, and it was so heartbreakingly gentle that she almost cried. "Whatever for, Daidouji-san?"
"For.." she struggled to find a suitable word. "For my rudeness in the office today."
There was a soft sigh. "Well, what you said was true. And it's certainly something for me to think about, isn't it? Daidouji-san, don't you find it slightly humorous that we are in practically the same situation?"
Tomoyo sniffled. "Well, you are certainly handling it better than I."
A wry chuckle. "Years of practice, my dear. You know what you need?"
"I'm sure you'll tell me."
He ignored the sarcasm and continued. "You need a couple of weeks off. What do you say we go on a vacation? Strictly as friends, of course." The last sentence was said with a hidden smile. "A vacation?" Tomoyo echoed doubtfully. "I'm not sure I can leave my work."
"Yes you can." Eriol said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. "You will take three weeks off from the office, and I will do the same for myself. We are going on a cruise."
"A cruise?" Tomoyo repeated. "Li-kun and Sakura-chan went on a cruise for their honeymoon."
"Well," Eriol said patiently. "I find it highly unlikely that we will join the same one. I will ask Spinel to pick one at random, and we will go on that."
Tomoyo frowned indignantly. "You can't tell me what to do, Eriol-kun."
"You need to heal." he said with finality. "And, as you've so kindly pointed out, so do I."
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Ending Notes: Wow.. short chapter, ne? Ah well, it's sort of a second teaser to see if this story is going anywhere. ^_^ Reviews? Please? Please? Because I'm not quite sure if I'm continuing, so please give me your opinion, okay? Thank you!
1/2/2002
C
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Athena Winner~ Thank you for reviewing! Here's the next chapter and I hope it's just as interesting.
lilangel~ Thanks for reviewing!
Tomoyo-chan~ Thank you for the encouragement.. here's the next chapter. ^+^
Tofu Angel~ hehe... what an interesting user name. Thanks for reading and reviewing..
SacredWings~ Thanks for all your encouragement and good luck on your own fanfic!
Winnie~ I completely agree with you, Eriol is the coolest.
Fuu~ Sorry I took so long to write this next chapter, but thanks for your review!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story... yet.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tomoyo took the rest of the day off. She deserved a break, she told herself on her way home. She hadn't taken a day off in an eternity, and surely it was excusable when the one you loved is on her honeymoon. And you know, no matter how much you've thought it through, that she must be happier she is now than she's ever been with you. And you know, that because you love her, you want to give her happiness, and it would pain you to see the look in her eyes if she knew how devastated you were. So you assure yourself that her happiness is your happiness, and that you'd be content just to watch her live her life with her beloved. You are living through her, in a way. And now, now you realize, on the way home, that the one person who might understand what you're going through right now, the one person who's always understood what you were going through, even when you didn't want him to, the one person that can make you forget about everything, if only for a second, that person is hurt by your careless words. And you just want to go home and never crawl out from your covers again. But, of course, you can't that. That's because you're Daidouji Tomoyo, and you are expected to be perfect. You expect yourself to be perfect; you become disappointed at anything less. Those and quite a few others were the bitter thoughts that ran through Tomoyo's head as she rode the elevator up to her apartment. Right after she'd started college, both Tomoyo and Sonomi had agreed that Tomoyo needed develop and meet people on her own, and she couldn't do it with her mother at her elbow. So now, although every once in a while Sonomi would shove some random colleague's son at her, Tomoyo's mother pretty much let her live her own life. They barely saw each other in the office, and both liked it that way, though they would never tell the other. Tomoyo had a nasty suspiscion that Sonomi saw Sakura as Nadesico all over again, and disapproved of Tomoyo supporting Sakura in her marriage, and even befriending her beloved's lover. Though the words were never said, Tomoyo could feel the dissatisfaction radiating from Sonomi whenever Tomoyo should mention Sakura in the same sentence as Syaoran. But Syaoran, being the person he was, would never say anything to either Tomoyo or Sakura, even though he was more than perceptive enough to detect Sonomi's increasing coldness to him, so that by the time the wedding arrived, she was almost downright rude. If it hadn't been for Eriol stepping in at the last moment.. Tomoyo still shuddered to think of what might have gone wrong. Tomoyo sighed. Of course her treacherous thoughts would lead her back to Eriol. The trouble of their almost-fight was still digging at her.
Although Tomoyo had never thought of Eriol in a romantic fashion despite the office rumors, he was still one of her oldest friends, and currently the only one she could talk to without having to listen politely as they chattered happily about their happy love and family lives. Even though Tomoyo felt happy for Chihari and Yamazaki, who were engaged, Rika and Terada-sensei, (Tomoyo still thought of him as her teacher, even though he was married to Rika now; she couldn't help it) and Naoko and her newest admirer, it was easy to get tired of your own life, which was full of business and efficient people and sleeping pills and business trips and coffee, especially when you heard that Rika's baby was toothing, Yamazaki had to sleep in the garage when he brought home a dog who'd been sprayed by a skunk, and that Naoko's boyfriend surprised her at the library with a bouquet of roses. So it was only natural that Tomoyo didn't feel like getting in touch her friends. At least, that was what she told herself as she glanced guiltily at the blinking message machine and the envelopes with familiar handwriting scrawled across them, which she didn't even have time to open, let alone read. Tomoyo was successful, making a name for herself in the business industry, and finally stepping out of her mother's shadow within the company. But sometimes, just sometimes, when Tomoyo had the time to think quietly, she would wonder if it was all worth it. Tomoyo dropped her briefcase next to her bed and quickly changed into clothes that were more comfortable, though, her being her, still as stylish. She sat on her couch and flicked on the television. Staring blankly at one meaningless show after another, Tomoyo finally had enough and tossed down the remote. She had to admit it, she was feeling guilty about her last encounter with Eriol. He really was just trying to help.. even if he did so by being mockingly obnoxious.
She picked up the phone.
"Hiiragizawa."
"Eriol-kun? This is Tomoyo." She strained to hear his reply, for the background was a blur of various voices and sounds.
"Daidouji-san? Hold on a moment."
A click, and suddenly the noise was silenced.
"Eriol-kun?"
"Sorry," he breathed. "Had to get away from Nakuru and Spinel."
"Were they eating sugar again?"
"Actually, Naruku is trying to play the piano and Suppi is begging her to stop."
"That would explain the crashes."
"Yes." An uncomfortable silence. Then, "Did you need something, Daidouji-san?"
"Eriol," she paused. "I'm sorry."
There was another silence, and for one horrid moment Tomoyo was afraid that he'd hung up on her.
Then his voice sounded, and it was so heartbreakingly gentle that she almost cried. "Whatever for, Daidouji-san?"
"For.." she struggled to find a suitable word. "For my rudeness in the office today."
There was a soft sigh. "Well, what you said was true. And it's certainly something for me to think about, isn't it? Daidouji-san, don't you find it slightly humorous that we are in practically the same situation?"
Tomoyo sniffled. "Well, you are certainly handling it better than I."
A wry chuckle. "Years of practice, my dear. You know what you need?"
"I'm sure you'll tell me."
He ignored the sarcasm and continued. "You need a couple of weeks off. What do you say we go on a vacation? Strictly as friends, of course." The last sentence was said with a hidden smile. "A vacation?" Tomoyo echoed doubtfully. "I'm not sure I can leave my work."
"Yes you can." Eriol said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. "You will take three weeks off from the office, and I will do the same for myself. We are going on a cruise."
"A cruise?" Tomoyo repeated. "Li-kun and Sakura-chan went on a cruise for their honeymoon."
"Well," Eriol said patiently. "I find it highly unlikely that we will join the same one. I will ask Spinel to pick one at random, and we will go on that."
Tomoyo frowned indignantly. "You can't tell me what to do, Eriol-kun."
"You need to heal." he said with finality. "And, as you've so kindly pointed out, so do I."
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Ending Notes: Wow.. short chapter, ne? Ah well, it's sort of a second teaser to see if this story is going anywhere. ^_^ Reviews? Please? Please? Because I'm not quite sure if I'm continuing, so please give me your opinion, okay? Thank you!
1/2/2002
C
