Daphne:
*ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
~READ BELOW, PLEASE! IT'S VERY IMPORTANT!!!!~
I have changed my E-mail address, but I will keep my old one up for a while, just in case! Please send all your comments/questions/reviews to the following address:
violet_rain303@hotmail.com
Thank you, and I hope you like this chapter!
~*~*~*~
Avalanche Kisses
By: Daphne Li
Chapter 7.
"So...how long do you think it will be before they get the pass open?" Tomoyo asked softly, a week later. Eriol's heart dropped when he heard this question. They had not spoken of the kiss at all since that day, and she was doing all that she could to avoid it. At the present, they were sitting in the dinning room, eating lunch. Nakuru and Spinel had abandoned them again, so they could play in the ravine.
"Well, it depends on how fast that snow melts. It could be anywhere from February to April." He stated. Tomoyo's face fell. She knew that Sakura and her mother had already began to loose hope that she was still alive, she could feel it. Without warning, tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. Eriol felt his heart clench.
"I'm sorry. It's just, they think that I'm dead and I am causing them so much grief..." She whimpered.
"And you must miss them horribly." Eriol added, trying to get the horrible blow over with. She wanted to leave. She hated him so much that she wanted to go and never come back! To his surprise, she gave him a watery smile.
"Surprisingly...not as much as I thought I would. You, Nakuru and Spinel have helped me greatly with that, and for some reason, I find that I can cope without having them here quite well. But the grief I am causing them hurts me so much." Her voice quivered at the end, but Eriol didn't notice. His face had lit up when she said this, and he smiled.
"Tomoyo, I am sure that in their deepest hearts, they know that you are still alive. Sakura especially." Eriol soothed, causing the young woman to turn another tiny smile on him. Eriol's heart jumped and he grinned.
"Now. How about a rousing game of 'dodge the snowball'?" He laughed, pulling her up from her seat. Tomoyo giggled and ran for the door.
"Last one to the ravine is a cold turkey!" She cried, grabbing her coat and running for the exit. Eriol chuckled and followed her out the door.
~*~*~*~
"Tomoyo? Can I come in?"
Tomoyo looked up from her book and smiled.
"Of course, Nakuru!" She answered, marking her page and shutting the book. The next minute, Nakuru bounced into the room, her eyes sparkling. Tomoyo was in her room, sitting on the window seat with a good book, the french windows wide open to let the crisp air in.
"Tomoyo, its March twentieth! The first day of spring! Eriol says that the deer are starting to come out with their babies, and all the little birds are coming back!" The older girl cried happily. Tomoyo laughed at her enthusiasm. She had been with them for almost four months but she still could not get enough of the antics of the two guardians. The time had passed by quickly, and everyday she discovered something new about the house or in the valley around it.
"Wonderful! I have already spotted some tiny green shoots coming up in the ravine, and the ground is starting to unfreeze." She commented, looking out the window. Outside, the snow was quickly melting off the ground, and green grass was starting to appear in its place. The pass was still closed, though.
"I am going to take Suppi out for a walk in the ravine, this afternoon. Would you like to come?" Nakuru asked, clasping her hands. Tomoyo laughed again and nodded.
"A walk would do me good. Just let me tell Eriol where we are going, and see if he wants to come." Tomoyo said, getting up gracefully. Nakuru gave a happy squeal and raced out of the room.
"SUPPI! Guess what! Tomoyo's coming, and she is going to ask master..." The older girl cried, running down the stairs. Tomoyo giggled and then quietly made her way to Eriol's small 'study'. She gently knocked on the door and waited.
"Come in." Eriol's voice was muffled by the door, but Tomoyo's heart sped up anyway. She opened the door and poked her head into the room, smiling.
"Nakuru, Spinel and I are taking a walk in the ravine. Would you like to come?" She asked. He looked thoughtful and then nodded.
"I would like a rest. Wait for me a moment." He commanded, getting up from behind the desk and shuffling some papers around. She leaned against the door and waited patiently. Over the past two and a half months, Tomoyo and Eriol had become quite comfortable around each other, though both were far from revealing too much about themselves to the other.
"All right. Let's go." He linked his arm with hers, and led her down the stairs and out the front door. Nakuru and Spinel were already traipsing through the rapidly growing grass, laughing and calling to Tomoyo and Eriol to hurry up. Then the four of them paraded down into the ravine, keeping a close eye out for wildlife.
"Oh! Eriol, look!" Tomoyo gasped, pointing to a fallen tree-trunk. Inside, there were two tiny pairs of eyes peaking out. Then, without warning, a small, brown baby rabbit hopped into view, followed by a second. Nakuru held back a shriek as the baby rabbits bounded across their path and began to chase each other around some tall bushes. Tomoyo had her camera out, taping them, while the other three held their breaths so as not to frighten the little creatures. Soon, though, the two tiny things hopped away.
"Kawaii!" Tomoyo cried softly, her eyes shinning. Eriol laughed at the familiar word and then they continued away down the trail.
~*~*~*~
Late that night, they finally returned, laughing and talking about all the things they had seen. Many animals had returned to the valley, and the trees were beginning to bloom with color. They had gone quite deep into the ravine, and had only turned around when it had begun to get cold. Now, Nakuru had dragged Tomoyo up to her room to dress for supper.
"This is the perfect dress, Tomoyo-chan! It is a fancy occasion, after all! It is the first day of Spring!" Nakuru reminded her, holding up a dress that she had selected. Tomoyo had once again been instructed to close her eyes, and at Nakuru's words, she became quite nervous.
"Nakuru...just how fancy is that dress?" She questioned. Nakuru giggled and shook her head.
"You'll see! Now, let me put it on you..." With this, the older girl pulled the dress over Tomoyo's body and zipped it up. Then she led Tomoyo over to the vanity and did her hair.
"Your ready." Nakuru whispered in an awed voice. Tomoyo opened her eyes and gasped. Again, Nakuru had shocked her. This time, she was attired in a lovely cloud of creamy silk, embroidered on the edges of the skirt and neckline with pearls. The skirt flowed to the floor and spaghetti-straps held the dress up. The creamy white of the dress showed off her pale skin- tone wonderfully, and accented the violet highlights in her hair. Nakuru had pulled her hair up into a lovely crown of coils, and secured them with pearl hair-pins. A tear-drop amethyst hanging on a silver chain finished the picture.
"You did a lovely job, Nakuru-chan." Tomoyo sighed, her eyes sparkling. Then she turned with a mischievous look in her eyes.
"Your turn!" With this, Tomoyo shoved Nakuru onto the pouf and did her hair up into an elegant french-braid. She then went to her wardrobe and pulled out a dress she had just finished working on.
"Here." She said, handing it to Nakuru. The older girl gasped. The dress was a crimson so dark, it was almost black, but since it was made of some velvety material, it seemed to shimmer with both colors. It was off the shoulder and it had a slit running up the right side of the floor-length skirt to the knee.
"Oh, Tomoyo! It's lovely!" She cried, hugging the younger girl and then quickly slipping into the dress. When she was through, she slipped on a pair of high-healed red shoes, while Tomoyo put on a pair of creamy satin stiletto shoes. The girls did one last check-over, and then walked down the stairs arm-in-arm. When they got to the bottom, they spotted Eriol dressed up in a fancy suit of dark blue, and Spinel wearing a little bow- tie of dark purple.
Tomoyo's heart nearly stopped when she caught sight of him. He looked so regal yet comfortable in that suit, and it made her feel intimidated. The past few months they had treated each other like friends and equals...but this was not fair! He had no right to look that good, especially when she had just begun to feel completely comfortable around him. Well, all comfort there had been was now blown away by the wind!
Eriol glanced up as Tomoyo and Naoko descended, and his mouth fell open. Shock coursed through his veins. Sure, he had been able to suppress all the feelings he had for Tomoyo after that kiss on Christmas night...but having to sit through an entire dinner, with her looking like that, right next to him, in arms reach...well, lets just say it would take all his self control to keep himself from revealing all those feelings to her!
~*~*~*~
"LET'S DANCE!!!"
They had just finished dinner when Nakuru squealed this out, and pulled Tomoyo out of the room. Eriol smirked and followed them, but his smirk faded when he saw just where they were headed. Nakuru led them into the dark ballroom and pulled Tomoyo over to the piano. Spinel seemed to be in on this little plan, because he flew right over to the heavy draperies and pulled them open, allowing the light of the full moon to pour into the room from the huge windows.
"Eriol, why don't you play on the piano a while?" Tomoyo suggested, changing the subject quickly. Eriol flashed her a grateful look and sat down at the piano. First, he played a flighty little ballad, and then moved on to some longer, more classic pieces. Tomoyo listened with her eyes closed, enjoying the music as it wafted over her.
Eriol glanced over at her, and nearly stopped playing in his awe. Her face was peaceful and angelic as the moon shone brightly through the windows onto her face. The creamy dress was even more accented in the moonlight, and something foreign stirred in Eriol's body. It was a need beyond anything he had ever felt before, stronger than anything he had ever faced in his life...and it was luring him slowly but surely, into the enticing grip of Daidouji Tomoyo.
"That was lovely, Eriol-sama!" Nakuru whispered a few minutes later. Her voice jolted him out of his thoughts, and he frowned. Nakuru, however, took no notice and walked over to the battery-powered CD player in the corner. She sifted through a pile of CD's, and then grinned as she picked one out.
"Dancing time! Come on, Suppi!" The older girl cried, grabbing the other guardian by his tiny paws and swinging him around as the music began. Tomoyo smiled sweetly. Nakuru had put in the 'Moonlight Sonata'. Eriol looked hesitantly at Tomoyo, and then held out his hand.
"May I have this dance, My Lady?" He asked teasingly. Tomoyo grinned and took his hand. A flash of electricity flowed through their hands, but they both ignored it and began to dance to the lovely song. Eriol twirled her out and then back in again, holding her closer. Neither questioned their movements...it just seemed right at the time. Tomoyo choked back a giggle as Eriol dipped her, and then she really did laugh as he spun her around again.
"So, my Lady, are you enjoying yourself?" He teased. She grinned.
"Yes, my Lord, I am." She answered. Neither of them realized that Suppi and Nakuru had disappeared from the room, and they were alone in the room.
"Oh, really? Even though you are in the company of the 'Lord of Evil'?" He chuckled. Tomoyo rolled her eyes and put her head on his shoulder.
"Don't flatter yourself, Eriol. Of course I am enjoying myself." She laughed. Eriol grinned, but a thought filled his mind and it quickly disappeared. Tomoyo saw this and a slight frown came to her face.
"What is it?"
"The pass will be open soon. You will be able to go home soon." He commented, pulling away. Tomoyo's heart dropped.
"Yes...I suppose I will. But I will miss you all. Nakuru, Spinel...you. And I promise to visit you." Tomoyo floundered, trying to make herself feel better. For some reason, the thought of leaving here...of leaving them, caused her stomach to churn uneasily. Eriol had now walked over to the windows and was gazing out, his face in shadow. Tomoyo walked over and stood next to him.
"I'm sure you will, Tomoyo. I hope that you will, at least. But I must say. It will be lonely here without you." He commented, refusing to meet her gaze. Tomoyo sighed and looked out the window. Something still pulled at her conscious...something that bothered her highly.
"Eriol...what really happened with Kaho? Why did she leave you?" Tomoyo asked. She could feel Eriol tense beside her, and the shadows around his face darkened.
"Come with me, Tomoyo." He commanded, turning away and walking out of the room. Tomoyo looked confused, but followed him anyway. They climbed the staircase to her room, but this time, he led her to a different door, a few doors down from hers and across the hall. He pushed the door open and walked inside, indicating Tomoyo to follow.
They entered a dark room, but with a flick of his hand, long, heavy draperies along the back of the room pulled back to reveal huge windows, reaching from the floor to the ceiling and to each wall. Tomoyo gasped in awe, as the watery moonlight poured into the room, revealing that it was actually a large bedroom. A four-poster bed with midnight-blue hangings stood at the right hand side of the room, while a large wardrobe stood at the left hand side, in between two doors. A small bed-side table rested beside the huge bed, and a small sitting-room like place was set up directly to her right, complete with a huge fire-place.
Tomoyo looked around the room, gaping. Then she realized that this must be his room, though she had never seen it before. Small, subtle hints gave it away. Not only the blues of the room, but also a few pictures of Sakura and their other school-days friends rested on the desk, while a chair resembling the 'chair of evil' stood near the windows. Plus, the place had a distinct feeling of Eriol to it.
In silence, Tomoyo finished her survey of the room, and then watched him walk over to the desk and open a drawer. He took something out of it and then shut it again. Slowly, he took off his suit-coat, still holding the paper firmly in his hand. He silently motioned to the seat across from him, and she obediently sat down and waited. His face was still in shadow, but the little she could see of it was darkened like a thundercloud.
"What I told you was true, Tomoyo...but not fully. A month after Kaho left, she sent me a single letter. I want you to read it." His voice was dry and brittle. Tomoyo looked at him with veiled fear in her eyes, but she took the paper that he was holding out to her. After a moment of staring into his hidden face, she opened the letter and began to read.
//My dearest Eriol:
You don't know how much it pains me to write this letter, but it must be written, or I shall never forgive myself.
I lied to you about finding someone else, Eriol. There was never anyone but you. But you see, my dear, I couldn't live with the thought of having you...but not really having you. I know that this may sound confusing to you, so I will elaborate.
I saw you that last day in Japan, when you were talking to Daidouji-san. I heard all that you said to her...and saw the kiss. You don't know how that tore at my heart, to see you kissing another woman, and actually doing it on your own free will. Wasn't I supposed to be your one-and-only? Wasn't I supposed to be the one you would hold in your arms and love forever?
YES. Why then, did you so willingly kiss that Daidouji girl? Was it some mistake? Was it just the heat of the moment? I think so.
That is why, Eriol love, I left. I had to give you the space so you could see just how much you loved and needed me. And I promise you, I will wait for you forever, because I know that we belong to each other, no matter what you may think right now. I know that you will come to me sooner or later.
I love you, Eriol, with all of my heart. You know that and I know that. Now, please quit listening to your mind and lust, which are telling you that you care for Daidouji-san, and start listening to your heart, which I know belongs to me!
I know that our love will not be accepted by the public for a while, but I will wait until you are older for my return. By then, I know that you will be ready for me, and will welcome me with open arms.
I love you, Eriol dearest. I will see you in a few years and then nothing will keep me from you!
Lovingly yours forever,
Your Kaho//
By the end of the letter, unstoppable tears were coursing down Tomoyo's face. The letter dropped from her limp fingers and Tomoyo looked up to see that Eriol had crossed the room, and he was now standing, gazing out of the windows. Her soft sobs caused him to look at her, and she saw that his eyes were filled with pain.
"Don't you see now, what a fool I was? I actually believed that I was in love with her. But in reality, I never was and I never could be." His voice was sharp. Tomoyo flinched and walked over to him, tears still falling down her cheeks.
"She is horrible. She deliberately wrote you that letter so you would feel guilty and come back to her." Tomoyo sobbed, horrified that she had been used as a tool for Eriol's pain. Eriol spun around and grasped her shoulders.
"Don't you dare think that this is your fault, Tomoyo. Kaho was selfish. That was the only letter she has ever written me, thankfully. But I know that she is going to come someday, expecting me to take her back. And I am not going to do it." He said, his eyes boring holes into hers. Tomoyo couldn't help but meet his gaze, and her heart beat faster as she caught the look in them.
"Eriol? Why did you kiss me...when you had her? Why did you always do it? Even the kisses on the cheek were never as innocent as they should have been. Even when we were young, there was always something behind them." She stated, tearing her gaze away. Eriol's face cracked into a small smile.
"I never meant them to be that way, they just were. But to tell you the full truth, even when we were that young, I was quite interested in you. You always had the air of a little lady around you, like you could do no wrong. I wanted to discover what was behind that cover. So I kissed your lips that first time." His hand lifted as he said this, and his fingers trailed over her lips. Tomoyo shivered but she refused to look away from the window.
"I realized that I shouldn't have done that, so I just kissed you on the cheek after that, but it was still the same thing. But that last day, I realized that I may never see you again...so I tried one last time to find the person underneath the 'lady'. The same thing goes with that kiss I gave you just before we left Japan for the second time, years later." His fingers were now tracing delicate paths along her bare arms.
"But...but no one else ever found me during those games only you...why?" She asked. Now he smirked.
"You think that those other boys would only try to kiss you on the cheek? I could tell what they wanted from you, Tomoyo, even though they were so young. They wanted to take your first kiss. I kept that from happening." He chuckled. Tomoyo frowned.
"Yes, you did. By stealing my first kiss yourself." There was gentle reproach in her words, but also a bit of humor. He grinned.
"But what about that time..under the mistletoe?" She asked. Now he stiffened.
"That, my dear girl, is a different story. I had wanted to do that ever since you first came here. I can't tell you the exact reason, but I will say that I enjoyed it, I won't hide that from you. Even though, mere seconds later, you threw it back in my face..." His voice had a tinge of bitterness to it, and Tomoyo flinched. His fingers were still making delightful patterns on her arms, and he had moved so he was standing behind her.
"What is the exact reason, Eriol." She demanded, trying to keep her voice steady. His frown increased.
"That is none of your business..."
"It is my business! It was me you were kissing!" She snapped, turning around abruptly to face him. Her eyes were flashing, but they calmed when they saw the unbearable emotions in his. His hands grasped her upper arms, and his eyes forced hers to gaze into their stormy depths.
"Fine. You want to know? It was because I knew something then...something Kaho won't ever understand. I really was in love with someone back then, but not her. It was you. It has always been you. You in my dreams, my thoughts, my head...you. It was you who made me regret having to test Sakura. It was you who has caused me all this pain...not Kaho. You hated me. You rejected me. You walked all over me...and yet I couldn't stop loving you. I never will..." His voice cracked here, and his eyes faltered. Tomoyo stood, astonished, a lump of sorrow and tears clogging her throat.
"I know that you are trying your best to be kind to me, and I thank you for that. I am sure the pass will open soon, and then you can leave this nightmare behind. But please...may I just..." His voice caught here, and his eyes turned away.
Tomoyo looked desperately for some saving grace...something that would pull her out of this hole of confusion they had fallen into, but nothing could be found. Tears cascaded down her porcelain cheeks. She felt like she was drowning under the weight of his confession...but she wanted to answer him so badly. To tell him that she felt...but what did she feel? It was all too much! Too much and too sudden...WAIT! What did he want? He wanted something, she could tell, but what was it? Her mouth opened, and she breathed out the two words that she was sure were farthest from her mind at that time:
"Kiss me."
Eriol did not hesitate. His lips crashed into hers and urgently coaxed them open, allowing his tongue entrance. Tomoyo gasped as she felt his tongue massage hers, and his hands gently found their way around her waist. Pain, longing, desire, passion, love...all rolled out of him into her. Little did she know, the same emotions were pouring out of her as well. Blessed surrender! Eriol gently pressed Tomoyo's body against the window, causing her to gasp at the cold sensation trailing down her back.
Tomoyo let out a disappointed moan as Eriol finally pulled away, his eyes desperately searching hers for some hope for him. She let out a soft sob, and buried her face in his shoulder. This was something she had never experienced before. The love of someone other than a close friend or family member, and even then, had she ever really been loved to the extent he loved her? Sure, Sakura loved her as a friend and perhaps Syaoran, Naoko, Rika, Chiharu and Yamazaki did too...even her mother loved her to some degree, but was it as enough to put them through unbearable pain, like he had gone through? Most likely not...
"You never said anything." She stated, her voice muffled by his shirt. His arms tightened around her as he looked for a place to sit. They needed to talk. He slowly led her over to the nearest thing, the bed, and sat her down, still holding her close.
"I couldn't. You were so happy. You had everything that you wanted and you were content with what you had...you didn't seem to want anything else to mess up your life. Then I came back, and that just seemed to infuriate you." He said. Tomoyo frowned into his shoulder.
"No. The thing that infuriated me was the fact that you acted as though you had never even met me. Even Syaoran never suspected anything." Her voice shook as she looked up, gazing out the window. He groaned and buried his head in her shoulder.
"Tomoyo, you were content. Plus, you hated me. That first day when I talked to you alone...you acted as if you wanted nothing to do with me." He groaned out. Her eyes softened.
"I never hated you, Eriol. I was angry. You acted as if you were above me. I know now that you are the reincarnate of Clow Reed, but you were acting as if you were the Prince of England or something. And besides. Clow Reed is just the base of who you are, Eriol. You are you, no matter what or who you originated from. You are Eriol."
Her tone was soft and sweet, and it caused his heart to wrench. Again, his lips pressed against hers, all the pain accumulated over the years melting away with each second. Tomoyo sank into a pool of bliss as his warm lips cajoled hers open once more. Heat settled at the bottom of her stomach, and her heart pounded as his hands gently trailed up and down her spine. She moaned as his lips left hers, only to find their way to her ear.
"But what are your feelings for me?" He murmured, gently nipping at her ear. Tomoyo gasped and fell limp in his arms, her mind reeling.
"I...I..."
She got no further than this, as his lips trailed down her neck and stopped right on one of her sensitive spots.
"Eriol." She choked out, her breath catching. Eriol smirked at her response and mouthed the skin at the base of her neck. Tomoyo writhed with the sensation and happy tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. Somehow they had ended up lying side-by-side on the bed but she was not about to point that out now...
Soft, warm hands beyond anything she had ever felt before gently massaged her neck and back. Loving lips trailed kisses along her lips, neck and shoulders. Unconsciously, she had unbuttoned part of his shirt and her hands were now hesitantly exploring this new and previously forbidden territory. To her surprise, her lips found his neck and were gently laying sweet kisses along his pale skin. Eriol groaned and took her chin in his hands, forcing her to look up at him.
"Tomoyo, please. I need to know." He murmured, his midnight eyes boring into hers once more. Tomoyo's breath caught and she shivered under his gaze and touch.
"Eriol...don't look at me like that." She whispered, burying her face in his neck. He drew a shaky breath. Her lips gently pressed against his skin once more, causing both of them to shudder with delight. His hands slid from her chin, down to her shoulders and gently pushed the straps of her dress down her arms. He placed a soft kiss on each shoulder where the straps had laid, making her gasp.
"Please, Tomoyo! Please?" His voice was pleading. Tomoyo took a deep, shaky breath and then let it out. Then she decided to give in to her heart and his will.
"I...I love you, Hiiragizawa Eriol. Now and forever."
With a flick of his hand, the drapes around the bed closed partway, and his lips captured hers once again in a passionate embrace.
~*~*~*~
*ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
~READ BELOW, PLEASE! IT'S VERY IMPORTANT!!!!~
I have changed my E-mail address, but I will keep my old one up for a while, just in case! Please send all your comments/questions/reviews to the following address:
violet_rain303@hotmail.com
Thank you, and I hope you like this chapter!
~*~*~*~
Avalanche Kisses
By: Daphne Li
Chapter 7.
"So...how long do you think it will be before they get the pass open?" Tomoyo asked softly, a week later. Eriol's heart dropped when he heard this question. They had not spoken of the kiss at all since that day, and she was doing all that she could to avoid it. At the present, they were sitting in the dinning room, eating lunch. Nakuru and Spinel had abandoned them again, so they could play in the ravine.
"Well, it depends on how fast that snow melts. It could be anywhere from February to April." He stated. Tomoyo's face fell. She knew that Sakura and her mother had already began to loose hope that she was still alive, she could feel it. Without warning, tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. Eriol felt his heart clench.
"I'm sorry. It's just, they think that I'm dead and I am causing them so much grief..." She whimpered.
"And you must miss them horribly." Eriol added, trying to get the horrible blow over with. She wanted to leave. She hated him so much that she wanted to go and never come back! To his surprise, she gave him a watery smile.
"Surprisingly...not as much as I thought I would. You, Nakuru and Spinel have helped me greatly with that, and for some reason, I find that I can cope without having them here quite well. But the grief I am causing them hurts me so much." Her voice quivered at the end, but Eriol didn't notice. His face had lit up when she said this, and he smiled.
"Tomoyo, I am sure that in their deepest hearts, they know that you are still alive. Sakura especially." Eriol soothed, causing the young woman to turn another tiny smile on him. Eriol's heart jumped and he grinned.
"Now. How about a rousing game of 'dodge the snowball'?" He laughed, pulling her up from her seat. Tomoyo giggled and ran for the door.
"Last one to the ravine is a cold turkey!" She cried, grabbing her coat and running for the exit. Eriol chuckled and followed her out the door.
~*~*~*~
"Tomoyo? Can I come in?"
Tomoyo looked up from her book and smiled.
"Of course, Nakuru!" She answered, marking her page and shutting the book. The next minute, Nakuru bounced into the room, her eyes sparkling. Tomoyo was in her room, sitting on the window seat with a good book, the french windows wide open to let the crisp air in.
"Tomoyo, its March twentieth! The first day of spring! Eriol says that the deer are starting to come out with their babies, and all the little birds are coming back!" The older girl cried happily. Tomoyo laughed at her enthusiasm. She had been with them for almost four months but she still could not get enough of the antics of the two guardians. The time had passed by quickly, and everyday she discovered something new about the house or in the valley around it.
"Wonderful! I have already spotted some tiny green shoots coming up in the ravine, and the ground is starting to unfreeze." She commented, looking out the window. Outside, the snow was quickly melting off the ground, and green grass was starting to appear in its place. The pass was still closed, though.
"I am going to take Suppi out for a walk in the ravine, this afternoon. Would you like to come?" Nakuru asked, clasping her hands. Tomoyo laughed again and nodded.
"A walk would do me good. Just let me tell Eriol where we are going, and see if he wants to come." Tomoyo said, getting up gracefully. Nakuru gave a happy squeal and raced out of the room.
"SUPPI! Guess what! Tomoyo's coming, and she is going to ask master..." The older girl cried, running down the stairs. Tomoyo giggled and then quietly made her way to Eriol's small 'study'. She gently knocked on the door and waited.
"Come in." Eriol's voice was muffled by the door, but Tomoyo's heart sped up anyway. She opened the door and poked her head into the room, smiling.
"Nakuru, Spinel and I are taking a walk in the ravine. Would you like to come?" She asked. He looked thoughtful and then nodded.
"I would like a rest. Wait for me a moment." He commanded, getting up from behind the desk and shuffling some papers around. She leaned against the door and waited patiently. Over the past two and a half months, Tomoyo and Eriol had become quite comfortable around each other, though both were far from revealing too much about themselves to the other.
"All right. Let's go." He linked his arm with hers, and led her down the stairs and out the front door. Nakuru and Spinel were already traipsing through the rapidly growing grass, laughing and calling to Tomoyo and Eriol to hurry up. Then the four of them paraded down into the ravine, keeping a close eye out for wildlife.
"Oh! Eriol, look!" Tomoyo gasped, pointing to a fallen tree-trunk. Inside, there were two tiny pairs of eyes peaking out. Then, without warning, a small, brown baby rabbit hopped into view, followed by a second. Nakuru held back a shriek as the baby rabbits bounded across their path and began to chase each other around some tall bushes. Tomoyo had her camera out, taping them, while the other three held their breaths so as not to frighten the little creatures. Soon, though, the two tiny things hopped away.
"Kawaii!" Tomoyo cried softly, her eyes shinning. Eriol laughed at the familiar word and then they continued away down the trail.
~*~*~*~
Late that night, they finally returned, laughing and talking about all the things they had seen. Many animals had returned to the valley, and the trees were beginning to bloom with color. They had gone quite deep into the ravine, and had only turned around when it had begun to get cold. Now, Nakuru had dragged Tomoyo up to her room to dress for supper.
"This is the perfect dress, Tomoyo-chan! It is a fancy occasion, after all! It is the first day of Spring!" Nakuru reminded her, holding up a dress that she had selected. Tomoyo had once again been instructed to close her eyes, and at Nakuru's words, she became quite nervous.
"Nakuru...just how fancy is that dress?" She questioned. Nakuru giggled and shook her head.
"You'll see! Now, let me put it on you..." With this, the older girl pulled the dress over Tomoyo's body and zipped it up. Then she led Tomoyo over to the vanity and did her hair.
"Your ready." Nakuru whispered in an awed voice. Tomoyo opened her eyes and gasped. Again, Nakuru had shocked her. This time, she was attired in a lovely cloud of creamy silk, embroidered on the edges of the skirt and neckline with pearls. The skirt flowed to the floor and spaghetti-straps held the dress up. The creamy white of the dress showed off her pale skin- tone wonderfully, and accented the violet highlights in her hair. Nakuru had pulled her hair up into a lovely crown of coils, and secured them with pearl hair-pins. A tear-drop amethyst hanging on a silver chain finished the picture.
"You did a lovely job, Nakuru-chan." Tomoyo sighed, her eyes sparkling. Then she turned with a mischievous look in her eyes.
"Your turn!" With this, Tomoyo shoved Nakuru onto the pouf and did her hair up into an elegant french-braid. She then went to her wardrobe and pulled out a dress she had just finished working on.
"Here." She said, handing it to Nakuru. The older girl gasped. The dress was a crimson so dark, it was almost black, but since it was made of some velvety material, it seemed to shimmer with both colors. It was off the shoulder and it had a slit running up the right side of the floor-length skirt to the knee.
"Oh, Tomoyo! It's lovely!" She cried, hugging the younger girl and then quickly slipping into the dress. When she was through, she slipped on a pair of high-healed red shoes, while Tomoyo put on a pair of creamy satin stiletto shoes. The girls did one last check-over, and then walked down the stairs arm-in-arm. When they got to the bottom, they spotted Eriol dressed up in a fancy suit of dark blue, and Spinel wearing a little bow- tie of dark purple.
Tomoyo's heart nearly stopped when she caught sight of him. He looked so regal yet comfortable in that suit, and it made her feel intimidated. The past few months they had treated each other like friends and equals...but this was not fair! He had no right to look that good, especially when she had just begun to feel completely comfortable around him. Well, all comfort there had been was now blown away by the wind!
Eriol glanced up as Tomoyo and Naoko descended, and his mouth fell open. Shock coursed through his veins. Sure, he had been able to suppress all the feelings he had for Tomoyo after that kiss on Christmas night...but having to sit through an entire dinner, with her looking like that, right next to him, in arms reach...well, lets just say it would take all his self control to keep himself from revealing all those feelings to her!
~*~*~*~
"LET'S DANCE!!!"
They had just finished dinner when Nakuru squealed this out, and pulled Tomoyo out of the room. Eriol smirked and followed them, but his smirk faded when he saw just where they were headed. Nakuru led them into the dark ballroom and pulled Tomoyo over to the piano. Spinel seemed to be in on this little plan, because he flew right over to the heavy draperies and pulled them open, allowing the light of the full moon to pour into the room from the huge windows.
"Eriol, why don't you play on the piano a while?" Tomoyo suggested, changing the subject quickly. Eriol flashed her a grateful look and sat down at the piano. First, he played a flighty little ballad, and then moved on to some longer, more classic pieces. Tomoyo listened with her eyes closed, enjoying the music as it wafted over her.
Eriol glanced over at her, and nearly stopped playing in his awe. Her face was peaceful and angelic as the moon shone brightly through the windows onto her face. The creamy dress was even more accented in the moonlight, and something foreign stirred in Eriol's body. It was a need beyond anything he had ever felt before, stronger than anything he had ever faced in his life...and it was luring him slowly but surely, into the enticing grip of Daidouji Tomoyo.
"That was lovely, Eriol-sama!" Nakuru whispered a few minutes later. Her voice jolted him out of his thoughts, and he frowned. Nakuru, however, took no notice and walked over to the battery-powered CD player in the corner. She sifted through a pile of CD's, and then grinned as she picked one out.
"Dancing time! Come on, Suppi!" The older girl cried, grabbing the other guardian by his tiny paws and swinging him around as the music began. Tomoyo smiled sweetly. Nakuru had put in the 'Moonlight Sonata'. Eriol looked hesitantly at Tomoyo, and then held out his hand.
"May I have this dance, My Lady?" He asked teasingly. Tomoyo grinned and took his hand. A flash of electricity flowed through their hands, but they both ignored it and began to dance to the lovely song. Eriol twirled her out and then back in again, holding her closer. Neither questioned their movements...it just seemed right at the time. Tomoyo choked back a giggle as Eriol dipped her, and then she really did laugh as he spun her around again.
"So, my Lady, are you enjoying yourself?" He teased. She grinned.
"Yes, my Lord, I am." She answered. Neither of them realized that Suppi and Nakuru had disappeared from the room, and they were alone in the room.
"Oh, really? Even though you are in the company of the 'Lord of Evil'?" He chuckled. Tomoyo rolled her eyes and put her head on his shoulder.
"Don't flatter yourself, Eriol. Of course I am enjoying myself." She laughed. Eriol grinned, but a thought filled his mind and it quickly disappeared. Tomoyo saw this and a slight frown came to her face.
"What is it?"
"The pass will be open soon. You will be able to go home soon." He commented, pulling away. Tomoyo's heart dropped.
"Yes...I suppose I will. But I will miss you all. Nakuru, Spinel...you. And I promise to visit you." Tomoyo floundered, trying to make herself feel better. For some reason, the thought of leaving here...of leaving them, caused her stomach to churn uneasily. Eriol had now walked over to the windows and was gazing out, his face in shadow. Tomoyo walked over and stood next to him.
"I'm sure you will, Tomoyo. I hope that you will, at least. But I must say. It will be lonely here without you." He commented, refusing to meet her gaze. Tomoyo sighed and looked out the window. Something still pulled at her conscious...something that bothered her highly.
"Eriol...what really happened with Kaho? Why did she leave you?" Tomoyo asked. She could feel Eriol tense beside her, and the shadows around his face darkened.
"Come with me, Tomoyo." He commanded, turning away and walking out of the room. Tomoyo looked confused, but followed him anyway. They climbed the staircase to her room, but this time, he led her to a different door, a few doors down from hers and across the hall. He pushed the door open and walked inside, indicating Tomoyo to follow.
They entered a dark room, but with a flick of his hand, long, heavy draperies along the back of the room pulled back to reveal huge windows, reaching from the floor to the ceiling and to each wall. Tomoyo gasped in awe, as the watery moonlight poured into the room, revealing that it was actually a large bedroom. A four-poster bed with midnight-blue hangings stood at the right hand side of the room, while a large wardrobe stood at the left hand side, in between two doors. A small bed-side table rested beside the huge bed, and a small sitting-room like place was set up directly to her right, complete with a huge fire-place.
Tomoyo looked around the room, gaping. Then she realized that this must be his room, though she had never seen it before. Small, subtle hints gave it away. Not only the blues of the room, but also a few pictures of Sakura and their other school-days friends rested on the desk, while a chair resembling the 'chair of evil' stood near the windows. Plus, the place had a distinct feeling of Eriol to it.
In silence, Tomoyo finished her survey of the room, and then watched him walk over to the desk and open a drawer. He took something out of it and then shut it again. Slowly, he took off his suit-coat, still holding the paper firmly in his hand. He silently motioned to the seat across from him, and she obediently sat down and waited. His face was still in shadow, but the little she could see of it was darkened like a thundercloud.
"What I told you was true, Tomoyo...but not fully. A month after Kaho left, she sent me a single letter. I want you to read it." His voice was dry and brittle. Tomoyo looked at him with veiled fear in her eyes, but she took the paper that he was holding out to her. After a moment of staring into his hidden face, she opened the letter and began to read.
//My dearest Eriol:
You don't know how much it pains me to write this letter, but it must be written, or I shall never forgive myself.
I lied to you about finding someone else, Eriol. There was never anyone but you. But you see, my dear, I couldn't live with the thought of having you...but not really having you. I know that this may sound confusing to you, so I will elaborate.
I saw you that last day in Japan, when you were talking to Daidouji-san. I heard all that you said to her...and saw the kiss. You don't know how that tore at my heart, to see you kissing another woman, and actually doing it on your own free will. Wasn't I supposed to be your one-and-only? Wasn't I supposed to be the one you would hold in your arms and love forever?
YES. Why then, did you so willingly kiss that Daidouji girl? Was it some mistake? Was it just the heat of the moment? I think so.
That is why, Eriol love, I left. I had to give you the space so you could see just how much you loved and needed me. And I promise you, I will wait for you forever, because I know that we belong to each other, no matter what you may think right now. I know that you will come to me sooner or later.
I love you, Eriol, with all of my heart. You know that and I know that. Now, please quit listening to your mind and lust, which are telling you that you care for Daidouji-san, and start listening to your heart, which I know belongs to me!
I know that our love will not be accepted by the public for a while, but I will wait until you are older for my return. By then, I know that you will be ready for me, and will welcome me with open arms.
I love you, Eriol dearest. I will see you in a few years and then nothing will keep me from you!
Lovingly yours forever,
Your Kaho//
By the end of the letter, unstoppable tears were coursing down Tomoyo's face. The letter dropped from her limp fingers and Tomoyo looked up to see that Eriol had crossed the room, and he was now standing, gazing out of the windows. Her soft sobs caused him to look at her, and she saw that his eyes were filled with pain.
"Don't you see now, what a fool I was? I actually believed that I was in love with her. But in reality, I never was and I never could be." His voice was sharp. Tomoyo flinched and walked over to him, tears still falling down her cheeks.
"She is horrible. She deliberately wrote you that letter so you would feel guilty and come back to her." Tomoyo sobbed, horrified that she had been used as a tool for Eriol's pain. Eriol spun around and grasped her shoulders.
"Don't you dare think that this is your fault, Tomoyo. Kaho was selfish. That was the only letter she has ever written me, thankfully. But I know that she is going to come someday, expecting me to take her back. And I am not going to do it." He said, his eyes boring holes into hers. Tomoyo couldn't help but meet his gaze, and her heart beat faster as she caught the look in them.
"Eriol? Why did you kiss me...when you had her? Why did you always do it? Even the kisses on the cheek were never as innocent as they should have been. Even when we were young, there was always something behind them." She stated, tearing her gaze away. Eriol's face cracked into a small smile.
"I never meant them to be that way, they just were. But to tell you the full truth, even when we were that young, I was quite interested in you. You always had the air of a little lady around you, like you could do no wrong. I wanted to discover what was behind that cover. So I kissed your lips that first time." His hand lifted as he said this, and his fingers trailed over her lips. Tomoyo shivered but she refused to look away from the window.
"I realized that I shouldn't have done that, so I just kissed you on the cheek after that, but it was still the same thing. But that last day, I realized that I may never see you again...so I tried one last time to find the person underneath the 'lady'. The same thing goes with that kiss I gave you just before we left Japan for the second time, years later." His fingers were now tracing delicate paths along her bare arms.
"But...but no one else ever found me during those games only you...why?" She asked. Now he smirked.
"You think that those other boys would only try to kiss you on the cheek? I could tell what they wanted from you, Tomoyo, even though they were so young. They wanted to take your first kiss. I kept that from happening." He chuckled. Tomoyo frowned.
"Yes, you did. By stealing my first kiss yourself." There was gentle reproach in her words, but also a bit of humor. He grinned.
"But what about that time..under the mistletoe?" She asked. Now he stiffened.
"That, my dear girl, is a different story. I had wanted to do that ever since you first came here. I can't tell you the exact reason, but I will say that I enjoyed it, I won't hide that from you. Even though, mere seconds later, you threw it back in my face..." His voice had a tinge of bitterness to it, and Tomoyo flinched. His fingers were still making delightful patterns on her arms, and he had moved so he was standing behind her.
"What is the exact reason, Eriol." She demanded, trying to keep her voice steady. His frown increased.
"That is none of your business..."
"It is my business! It was me you were kissing!" She snapped, turning around abruptly to face him. Her eyes were flashing, but they calmed when they saw the unbearable emotions in his. His hands grasped her upper arms, and his eyes forced hers to gaze into their stormy depths.
"Fine. You want to know? It was because I knew something then...something Kaho won't ever understand. I really was in love with someone back then, but not her. It was you. It has always been you. You in my dreams, my thoughts, my head...you. It was you who made me regret having to test Sakura. It was you who has caused me all this pain...not Kaho. You hated me. You rejected me. You walked all over me...and yet I couldn't stop loving you. I never will..." His voice cracked here, and his eyes faltered. Tomoyo stood, astonished, a lump of sorrow and tears clogging her throat.
"I know that you are trying your best to be kind to me, and I thank you for that. I am sure the pass will open soon, and then you can leave this nightmare behind. But please...may I just..." His voice caught here, and his eyes turned away.
Tomoyo looked desperately for some saving grace...something that would pull her out of this hole of confusion they had fallen into, but nothing could be found. Tears cascaded down her porcelain cheeks. She felt like she was drowning under the weight of his confession...but she wanted to answer him so badly. To tell him that she felt...but what did she feel? It was all too much! Too much and too sudden...WAIT! What did he want? He wanted something, she could tell, but what was it? Her mouth opened, and she breathed out the two words that she was sure were farthest from her mind at that time:
"Kiss me."
Eriol did not hesitate. His lips crashed into hers and urgently coaxed them open, allowing his tongue entrance. Tomoyo gasped as she felt his tongue massage hers, and his hands gently found their way around her waist. Pain, longing, desire, passion, love...all rolled out of him into her. Little did she know, the same emotions were pouring out of her as well. Blessed surrender! Eriol gently pressed Tomoyo's body against the window, causing her to gasp at the cold sensation trailing down her back.
Tomoyo let out a disappointed moan as Eriol finally pulled away, his eyes desperately searching hers for some hope for him. She let out a soft sob, and buried her face in his shoulder. This was something she had never experienced before. The love of someone other than a close friend or family member, and even then, had she ever really been loved to the extent he loved her? Sure, Sakura loved her as a friend and perhaps Syaoran, Naoko, Rika, Chiharu and Yamazaki did too...even her mother loved her to some degree, but was it as enough to put them through unbearable pain, like he had gone through? Most likely not...
"You never said anything." She stated, her voice muffled by his shirt. His arms tightened around her as he looked for a place to sit. They needed to talk. He slowly led her over to the nearest thing, the bed, and sat her down, still holding her close.
"I couldn't. You were so happy. You had everything that you wanted and you were content with what you had...you didn't seem to want anything else to mess up your life. Then I came back, and that just seemed to infuriate you." He said. Tomoyo frowned into his shoulder.
"No. The thing that infuriated me was the fact that you acted as though you had never even met me. Even Syaoran never suspected anything." Her voice shook as she looked up, gazing out the window. He groaned and buried his head in her shoulder.
"Tomoyo, you were content. Plus, you hated me. That first day when I talked to you alone...you acted as if you wanted nothing to do with me." He groaned out. Her eyes softened.
"I never hated you, Eriol. I was angry. You acted as if you were above me. I know now that you are the reincarnate of Clow Reed, but you were acting as if you were the Prince of England or something. And besides. Clow Reed is just the base of who you are, Eriol. You are you, no matter what or who you originated from. You are Eriol."
Her tone was soft and sweet, and it caused his heart to wrench. Again, his lips pressed against hers, all the pain accumulated over the years melting away with each second. Tomoyo sank into a pool of bliss as his warm lips cajoled hers open once more. Heat settled at the bottom of her stomach, and her heart pounded as his hands gently trailed up and down her spine. She moaned as his lips left hers, only to find their way to her ear.
"But what are your feelings for me?" He murmured, gently nipping at her ear. Tomoyo gasped and fell limp in his arms, her mind reeling.
"I...I..."
She got no further than this, as his lips trailed down her neck and stopped right on one of her sensitive spots.
"Eriol." She choked out, her breath catching. Eriol smirked at her response and mouthed the skin at the base of her neck. Tomoyo writhed with the sensation and happy tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. Somehow they had ended up lying side-by-side on the bed but she was not about to point that out now...
Soft, warm hands beyond anything she had ever felt before gently massaged her neck and back. Loving lips trailed kisses along her lips, neck and shoulders. Unconsciously, she had unbuttoned part of his shirt and her hands were now hesitantly exploring this new and previously forbidden territory. To her surprise, her lips found his neck and were gently laying sweet kisses along his pale skin. Eriol groaned and took her chin in his hands, forcing her to look up at him.
"Tomoyo, please. I need to know." He murmured, his midnight eyes boring into hers once more. Tomoyo's breath caught and she shivered under his gaze and touch.
"Eriol...don't look at me like that." She whispered, burying her face in his neck. He drew a shaky breath. Her lips gently pressed against his skin once more, causing both of them to shudder with delight. His hands slid from her chin, down to her shoulders and gently pushed the straps of her dress down her arms. He placed a soft kiss on each shoulder where the straps had laid, making her gasp.
"Please, Tomoyo! Please?" His voice was pleading. Tomoyo took a deep, shaky breath and then let it out. Then she decided to give in to her heart and his will.
"I...I love you, Hiiragizawa Eriol. Now and forever."
With a flick of his hand, the drapes around the bed closed partway, and his lips captured hers once again in a passionate embrace.
~*~*~*~
