Disclaimer: *rocks back and forth* Damn. I don't own CCS. I don't own CCS.
I don't own CCS. I don't own CCS. I don't own CCS....
A/N: AH! So many complications! After a writers' block, my mouse not working, my keyboard not working, and procrastination in studying for midyears, I bring to you *dun dun dun* CHAPTER 11!! *gets pelted with rotten vegetables* Thanks. I love you guys too.
Chapter 11: An Extended Invitation
"I hate morning, I hate mornings, I hate mornings," Tomoyo repeated over and over as she tried desperately to pull the skirt towards her waist with one hand and finish typing a letter with another. She had gotten home at about midnight and practically collapsed on the bed. Now that she thought about it, she is eternally grateful to Syaoran for driving her home, carrying Kara up all those stairs, and then locking the door on his way out as she laid fast asleep. "Yup, Sakura-chan sure knows how to pick'em."
"Mom! I'm going to be late!" Kara said as she waited by the door with her pigtails tying back her rich, dark hair. She mocked her mother's lack of patience as she looked at her non-existent watch. "Let's go!" She was almost jumping with frustration when the document printed and her mother picked her up and jogged to the shoe compartment.
"Just put on your shoes, hon. Mommy will be out in like, three seconds," Tomoyo said, almost going insane as she ran back into her room with one shoe on and struggling to get the other on her right foot. Grabbing an envelope and the letter that finished printing, she ran back out just in time to hear her daughter's count down of three seconds. Immediately, she placed her hand over Kara's mouth to stop her reminder of the amount of time they had. "I know, sssshhhh. Let's go." With that, the Daidouji's were out the door.
Tomoyo bit her lip as she slowly approached her boss's office. It seemed that time was passing ridiculously slow and she just wanted to get this over with. However, words are always easier said than done. Clutching the envelope tightly, she took a deep breath and knocked. With the voice of approval, she walked in. She was surprised and taken back when she saw Eriol's smiling face staring at her straight in the face. "Tomoyo-san! What a pleasant surprise! What can I do for you today?"
Behind that fake smile, a migraine was boiling over in his head. 'That's what you get for drinking like hell the night before you have to go to work.' As always, however, seeing her face was all worth it. As much as it pained him, he had to follow her wishes.
"You're, not angry with me?" Tomoyo asked in a timid voice. By the little. performance last night, she was almost sure that he'd return to being cold and emotionless towards her.
"Well, of course not, Tomoyo-san. After all, we are. friends," he sighed, emphasizing the last word. "I just want all of us to be happy," he said, once again putting up that smile.
Her brows knitted together, however, for she saw straight through his façade. She used to be like that everyday. After all, it takes one to know one. She decided to stick with her decision. Hesitantly with a shaking hand, she placed the letter she had been clinging onto on his desk. He looked from the letter to her with an inquisitive look. "It's. it's my letter of resignation," she said in a voice as low as a whisper.
Eriol took this as a hard hit. Was he really that intolerable? 'I will change! As long as I can see her everyday, I.' "Tomoyo-san, why? Honestly, I just. Was it something I did to make you uncomfortable? Please, just tell me what I can do."
"It's just. too difficult to stay here," 'with you,' she added mentally. "I want to spend more time with Kara, and I want to be able to just have some time alone, you know? I already thought this thing through so I. I just going to work for Rika-chan. She's pregnant now and she can't run the nursery for long, so I'm just going to substitute for her for a little and I."
"Please stay, Tomoyo-san. What am I going to do when Kana-san comes back and find his favorite secretary gone? I promise you, Tomoyo-san, I'll make this easier. Just please stay. There's no way I'm going to accept this letter," he said as he pushed the envelope across the desk, back in her direction.
Her eyes met his and she saw that he was being genuinely concerned about her. That was what she was afraid of. She knew that now she's caught in his web, all over again. "I understand. Well then. Eriol-san, since we're friends, would you like to go camping with us over the weekend? It'll be like the old days." She knew it was wrong to just extend an invitation to him with Syaoran and Sakura's consent, but she just couldn't stand the silence.
Eriol's mind worked quickly and thought the situation over. He was flattered that she would invite him, but would it really be beneficial for the two of them to be side by side for an entire weekend.? To know that she's right there, but completely out of reach. "I would love to, Tomoyo- san. And I would love to get better acquainted with Akira-chan and Kara- chan, although it seems that the former had taken after his father for his dislike of me."
A soft giggle escaped from Tomoyo's lips and flew straight into Eriol's heart. "Yes, and starting the relationship with punching his father in the jaw wasn't exactly advantageous for the two of you." She felt like a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulder, knowing that they could joke and tease like old times. How she missed those afternoons when they would just lie on a field of grass and talk about anything and everything.
A/N: AH! So many complications! After a writers' block, my mouse not working, my keyboard not working, and procrastination in studying for midyears, I bring to you *dun dun dun* CHAPTER 11!! *gets pelted with rotten vegetables* Thanks. I love you guys too.
Chapter 11: An Extended Invitation
"I hate morning, I hate mornings, I hate mornings," Tomoyo repeated over and over as she tried desperately to pull the skirt towards her waist with one hand and finish typing a letter with another. She had gotten home at about midnight and practically collapsed on the bed. Now that she thought about it, she is eternally grateful to Syaoran for driving her home, carrying Kara up all those stairs, and then locking the door on his way out as she laid fast asleep. "Yup, Sakura-chan sure knows how to pick'em."
"Mom! I'm going to be late!" Kara said as she waited by the door with her pigtails tying back her rich, dark hair. She mocked her mother's lack of patience as she looked at her non-existent watch. "Let's go!" She was almost jumping with frustration when the document printed and her mother picked her up and jogged to the shoe compartment.
"Just put on your shoes, hon. Mommy will be out in like, three seconds," Tomoyo said, almost going insane as she ran back into her room with one shoe on and struggling to get the other on her right foot. Grabbing an envelope and the letter that finished printing, she ran back out just in time to hear her daughter's count down of three seconds. Immediately, she placed her hand over Kara's mouth to stop her reminder of the amount of time they had. "I know, sssshhhh. Let's go." With that, the Daidouji's were out the door.
Tomoyo bit her lip as she slowly approached her boss's office. It seemed that time was passing ridiculously slow and she just wanted to get this over with. However, words are always easier said than done. Clutching the envelope tightly, she took a deep breath and knocked. With the voice of approval, she walked in. She was surprised and taken back when she saw Eriol's smiling face staring at her straight in the face. "Tomoyo-san! What a pleasant surprise! What can I do for you today?"
Behind that fake smile, a migraine was boiling over in his head. 'That's what you get for drinking like hell the night before you have to go to work.' As always, however, seeing her face was all worth it. As much as it pained him, he had to follow her wishes.
"You're, not angry with me?" Tomoyo asked in a timid voice. By the little. performance last night, she was almost sure that he'd return to being cold and emotionless towards her.
"Well, of course not, Tomoyo-san. After all, we are. friends," he sighed, emphasizing the last word. "I just want all of us to be happy," he said, once again putting up that smile.
Her brows knitted together, however, for she saw straight through his façade. She used to be like that everyday. After all, it takes one to know one. She decided to stick with her decision. Hesitantly with a shaking hand, she placed the letter she had been clinging onto on his desk. He looked from the letter to her with an inquisitive look. "It's. it's my letter of resignation," she said in a voice as low as a whisper.
Eriol took this as a hard hit. Was he really that intolerable? 'I will change! As long as I can see her everyday, I.' "Tomoyo-san, why? Honestly, I just. Was it something I did to make you uncomfortable? Please, just tell me what I can do."
"It's just. too difficult to stay here," 'with you,' she added mentally. "I want to spend more time with Kara, and I want to be able to just have some time alone, you know? I already thought this thing through so I. I just going to work for Rika-chan. She's pregnant now and she can't run the nursery for long, so I'm just going to substitute for her for a little and I."
"Please stay, Tomoyo-san. What am I going to do when Kana-san comes back and find his favorite secretary gone? I promise you, Tomoyo-san, I'll make this easier. Just please stay. There's no way I'm going to accept this letter," he said as he pushed the envelope across the desk, back in her direction.
Her eyes met his and she saw that he was being genuinely concerned about her. That was what she was afraid of. She knew that now she's caught in his web, all over again. "I understand. Well then. Eriol-san, since we're friends, would you like to go camping with us over the weekend? It'll be like the old days." She knew it was wrong to just extend an invitation to him with Syaoran and Sakura's consent, but she just couldn't stand the silence.
Eriol's mind worked quickly and thought the situation over. He was flattered that she would invite him, but would it really be beneficial for the two of them to be side by side for an entire weekend.? To know that she's right there, but completely out of reach. "I would love to, Tomoyo- san. And I would love to get better acquainted with Akira-chan and Kara- chan, although it seems that the former had taken after his father for his dislike of me."
A soft giggle escaped from Tomoyo's lips and flew straight into Eriol's heart. "Yes, and starting the relationship with punching his father in the jaw wasn't exactly advantageous for the two of you." She felt like a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulder, knowing that they could joke and tease like old times. How she missed those afternoons when they would just lie on a field of grass and talk about anything and everything.