Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.
The smile on Tomoyo's face vanished. She raised her head and pushed herself slightly away from him. "How do you know that?" she asked, breathless.
"I was at your party."
"Who are you?" It was hard to breath.
"It's best if you don't know."
Tomoyo's hands fell limply to her side. Eriol wanted to tell he so badly that she needed be sad because they'd be spending the rest of their lives together, but he told himself again. There's a reason she doesn't know about the wedding.
Eriol looked at Tomoyo. Her shoulders quaked. She was crying. Eriol held her face in his hands. "What's wrong my dear?"
"I...I'm...I'm getting married too. But, I don't know to who or when. If only I knew who you were, the two of us might have had a chance!" She sobbed into her hands.
To this, Eriol could not respond, except to hug her, and kiss her forehead and hope that she would understand when she found out. When she calmed down, she looked up at him and said, "I'm not coming tomorrow. I'm not going back ever."
"That was the other thing I was going to ask you to do. Never go back to the Underground."
She nodded. "Kiss me again?" He did. She kissed him back with more hunger and fervor than ever before. "I'll miss you so much," she whispered into his ear when they parted.
"Don't worry. I'll never be very far away. I have to go now. One more kiss my love?"
Tomoyo shook her head and backed away from him. She shifted into her Phoenix form, never breaking eye contact with him. She flew into the air, circling above him a few times before she flew away. Eriol watched, captivated and left when his Phoenix was no longer in sight.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Two days later, Tomoyo woke up to find her mother weeping over her. "Mother, what's the matter?"
"Never mind, my child, get dressed. Wear that sky blue dress, the one that leaves off at your shoulders. And those new silk gloves. Oh I got you something. You'll like them," Sonomi said, handing Tomoyo a box.
She opened it to find a set of opal earrings and an necklace with an opal, tear drop shaped pendant. "What's the occasion?"
Sonomi sat down next to her daughter. "Tomoyo, my dear, you must not be angry at me for not telling you earlier."
"Promise."
"You're getting married today."
Tomoyo sat in shock. Today! Well, after Eli, she really didn't have anything else to look forward too. "All right mother," she said curtly. "Let me get dressed."
Sonomi quietly helped her Tomoyo ready herself. "What's going to happen?" asked Tomoyo.
"It's going to be a quiet ceremony. Just me, you, the boy, and his family."
"Where?"
"Your new house."
"And then what?"
"There'll be a banquet the next day."
"Why is it so early?"
"It's not. I was afraid of your reaction, so you're going to go see the house first. The boy has already seen it. That and I let you sleep in today...It's one in the afternoon."
One in the afternoon, no wonder she felt so refreshed. "Who is the boy?"
"Eriol Hiragizawa."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sonomi and Tomoyo's car stopped in front of a huge mansion, a moving truck was right behind them. Tomoyo gaped. "I'm going to live here?"
"See why we came so early?"
Tomoyo nodded sadly. As Sonomi directed the movers, Tomoyo looked around. It was a good thing all the stairs led back to one main staircase, or else she would have had on heck of a time finding her way around the house. Had she any siblings, this house would have been perfect for Hide-and-Seek. Her mother walked past her with two movers, carrying the makeshift closet she had packed all her clothes in. "Come, Tomoyo, let me show you your room."
Sonomi threw open the doors to a luxurious looking room. Tomoyo walked over to the windows and drew back the curtains. The windows went from her waist to the ceiling. There were six of them in a row. There was a door that led to a balcony overlooking a garden. Tomoyo looked in the closet; her husband-to-be had already settled himself in. She was almost finished unpacking when the doorbell rang. She couldn't hear what has being said, but did she really need to? Who else could it be except for the Hiragizawas?
Tomoyo sighed, got up, and soothed her nerves. She walked to the main stair case without being noticed. She decided to call some attention to herself. "What? No priest?"
Everyone looked up at her as she slowly descended the stairs. Eriol had decided not to wear contacts today. She had not recognized him at her party when he was without his glasses; today, he wanted to be recognized. Eriol kept his eyes glued on Tomoyo. There was his Phoenix, more beautiful than ever, what would he say to her?
She came down the steps, she could feel the heated gaze of the younger Hiragizawa, Eriol, focused on her. Her cheeks burned with shame at being objectified so. What she didn't know was that Eriol was putting her up on a pedestal, but not in the negative manner she imagined. He watched her closely drinking in all her girlish movements and blessed them. He worshiped her, he wanted her, he craved her.
Sonomi introduced Tomoyo, who lowered her eyes out of respect. Eriol held out his hand. "Ahhh, yes. The Pheonix girl," he said with a slight emphasis on the Phoenix that caused Tomoyo to look up. What she saw took her by surprise. Eli? She couldn't believe it. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart. A light blush rose in her cheeks as Eriol/Eli's stare seemed to penetrate her to the very core of her being.
What he had said to her two nights ago, "I'll never be far away," came to mind. He must have known then, the little traitor. Her light-headedness was replaced by irritation as she realized that he had kept a little secret from her.
"I've seen you before...else where." A question and a statement to confirm what her mind told her.
Eriol chuckled. "You probably have." He nodded his head ever so slightly to acknowledge her unspoken question.
Harold Hiragizawa coughed. "Well, Miss. Daidouji, there's no priest because technically I have the power to marry the two of you."
"And a priest could leak information. If Harold leaked information, I'd make sure he'd have boiled tripe for dinner every day for the rest of his natural life," added Mrs. Hiragizawa.
Tomoyo passed the rest of the day restlessly, she really just wanted all the little formalities to be over and have a chance to speak with Eriol or Eli or whoever else he was, but their parents just kept talking and talking, so finally, Tomoyo pleaded fatigue and went to bed.
Eriol noticed that Tomoyo was restless. Her shifting eyes, her irregular breathing, her hands that refused to keep still. He had an idea of what she was thinking about. He wanted to talk to her, to apologize for hiding the truth, but that simply was impossible with their parents around. Geez, their parents sure like to talk. And it didn't exactly help that Edith and Sonomi were friends.
Try as she might, she could not fall asleep. She wanted a chance to be alone and talk with her new husband, so she waited.
When Eriol did come up later, he thought she was asleep, and she almost was, but the door squeaked when he walked in. Tomoyo sat up in bed. "You needn't try to be so quiet, I'm not asleep yet."
Eriol turned around. "Were you surprised my dear Phoenix?"
Tomoyo nodded. "Did you know about this beforehand?" she asked suspiciously.
"Well, yes," he came and sat down on the bed next to her. She hit him with a pillow.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" She hit him again.
"There must have been some reason your mother was keeping this a secret from you. I didn't know what it was so I decided to keep it to myself," Eriol smiled apologetically and got up to dodge her attacks with the pillow. He walked into the bathroom and Tomoyo buried her head into her pillow. "My request still stands though, Tomoyo," he called out. "Please, don't go back to the Underground."
"I won't," she said, but her voice was so muffled, Eriol couldn't tell what she was saying.
"Isn't this wonderful Tomoyo? What a coincidence!"
"Eriol. Eli. What ever. Do you have any other secrets?" Tomoyo asked cautiously.
"Don't you think I should be the one asking you that?"
"I don't. I was Phoenix, a spy, that's all."
"And I was just Eli, wanting to get away from my troubles."
"Am I part of your troubles?" Tomoyo asked, tracing the design on the head board of the bed.
Eriol looked out of the bathroom. "No. You're a blessing." He came out without Tomoyo noticing. He leaned over her and touched her back.
Tomoyo let out a surprised yelp and turned around. He sat down, resting one hand next to her shoulder and the other on her hips. Lips meet, bodies touched, passions fulfilled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The bed was so soft and the covers so warm. Her eyes lazily fluttered open. Someone's arm was around her naked waist. She almost panicked, but then she remembered where she was. She could feel his breath on her neck. Tomoyo ran her fingers up and down Eriol's arm. Eriol woke up and she turned around in his embrace.
"Morning you," she said.
"Morning you," he repeated, "I am very tempted to think this is all a dream," he said teasingly.
"If I pinch you you'll know it's not a dream."
He wrinkled his nose. "I think I'd rather be kissed."
Tomoyo leaned over and gave him a feather-light kiss. Eriol grinned and caught her face, kissing her lovingly. Tomoyo sighed, "Won't our parents be surprised at how adoring we are of each other?"
"Oooooh...I forgot about the banquet tonight."
"I never got to hear the details, like time and place?"
"My parents house, six. There's gonna be press coverage."
"I figured," she sighed and then her eyes sparkled mischievously as she leaned over him, "you know, I can't seem to remember what happened last night. Would you care to show me again?"
Eriol's grin grew even wider. "I'd love to."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We are live at the Hiragizawa mansion where the Admiral and his wife are throwing a lavish party celebrating their son's marriage. His lucky wife remains a mystery..." All of the reporters were saying practically the same thing. Tomoyo and Eriol had decided to make an entrance and come a few minutes late. All the guests had arrived except for the bride and the groom. Edith and Sonomi secretly wondered if they had killed each other or something along those lines.
"ooooo...Sonomi...here's another car!" Edith cried looking out the door.
A huge stretch limousine pulled up to the mansion. The chauffer stepped out and opened the door. "Ok, peoples," said the Common-Net reporter, "this is it...we get to find out who is the new Mrs. Hiragizawa!"
Eriol stepped out of the car and turned his back to the crowd, helping out his wife. "Oh, my gawd!! Eriol Hiragizawa has gone and married Tomoyo Daidouji!!!! The most gorgeous Elite man has married the belle of the Elite!" The Common-Net reporter fainted. She was not the only one.
Tomoyo looked around at the fainting and swooning reporters. "Is this good or bad Eriol?"
"I think it's good. I'm not sure. I think we just keep walking," he whispered out of the side of his mouth. Their mothers ran out to welcome them.
"Tomoyo, Eriol! Late!" Sonomi said.
"Sorry mother, we lost track of time," Tomoyo said gazing up at her husband.
Edith and Sonomi looked surprised. "Never mind, never mind mother, let's just all go in and shock the hell out of everyone else. What do you say my dear?" asked Eriol.
"Of course," Tomoyo smiled and leaned slightly against Eriol's arm.
Eriol went to hang up their coats. Sonomi took this chance to ask Tomoyo, "this is an unexpected change, what happened last night?"
"I'll tell you later, mother dear." Tomoyo winked. Eriol came back and offered his arm, Tomoyo took it and they walked into the dining room.
"Ahhh...they're finally here!" boomed Eriol's father waving at them, "Come here, come here, we've been waiting." As the couple walked to their seats, a murmur arose from the seated.
Tomoyo and Eriol sat down and as soon as it was polite to do so and when the clatter of utensils against plates would drown out their talking, Eriol leaned over and asked, "so, what are people saying?"
Tomoyo giggled and replied, "the single ones are wondering how they let us get away and wondering about my dress. The married ones are wondering if we really are in love, since we act like it."
"Well, whether or not they believe it, we are married and we are madly in love with each other."
"Mother is wondering what happened to illicit such a change in me. What do we tell her?"
Eriol thought for a moment. "We'll think of something, darling."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Eriol watched as his wife moved from group to group. She was so alive, but in a different way than when she was Phoenix, when she was with him. "They're wondering if we're really in love," he recalled Tomoyo's whisper and for the hundredth time since he first realized who Phoenix was, he asked himself, what if this is just an infatuation? Lost in thought, he didn't hear her calling to him.
"Eriol!" Tomoyo dragged him over to Greta and Melly who immediately started bombarding the couple with questions.
a/n: is this happily ever after for our two lovers??? heck no! well...not yet at least...stay tuned ;) i personally like that part where the reporter fainted.