"Stigmatized"
By: Na-chan
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me. The characters in this fic were merely borrowed without permission.
A/N: They WILL meet again, and this time, they won't just be friends ^_^
"talking"
'thinking'
~song~
Chapter 7: Together
*******************************************************************************************
~...Stigmatized~
It was cold. The wind blew ferociously against her in the dawn of the morning. Last night's rain still left an imprint on the wet and slippery pavement as they splattered her mercilessly.
Tomoyo rushed hurriedly towards the shrine. She wore a yukata instead of her prissy kimono to help her run through the awful weather that was threatening to ensue.
Black nimbus clusters filled the autumn sky, covering the sun. She cringed as they darkened.
'I hope I get there in time...' She prayed silently. The shrine was not locked, and the upcoming storm would have devastated it in mere minutes. But that was not the only reason for her haste.
"Eriol-kun..." She whispered to no one in particular. She was following her heart on this one. Her most current dream haunted her.
The one with blood.
Eriol-kun.
*******************************************************************************************
He shivered as he tumbled wearily towards the open building to the left of the structured altar. Dry blood stained his jacket and was continuously being renewed every time he jerked suddenly. Eriol opened the sliding door hastily, and closed it silently, his face ragged with cold sweat. He dropped the luggage he had been carrying incessantly down on the wooden floor and propped himself against the wall, taking deep breaths.
'How could I have been so careless?' He asked himself, as he surveyed his wound with distaste. The blood had stopped coming for the moment, but the lack of color from his hands were testament to the loss. They were as pale as a sheet.
He left the support of the foundation and picked up one of the bags, pulling out a piece of cloth from one of them. He took of his jacket and his shirt, both tarnished by the incident, and started bandaging himself with the cloth. His strength was being drained from him by every movement, and as he managed the last layer, he felt his eyes become heavy.
'Not now...' He thought, as he fought to keep his consciousness.
A futile attempt.
His eyes fluttered to a close, as the abyss took him, whilst gravity played.
*******************************************************************************************
Tomoyo barely reached the confines of the shrine before the rain started lashing out furiously. She shivered slightly at the cold and entered the shelter, taking off her muddy sandals and placing them on the side to dry.
"It's a good thing they used a strong foundation to build this pl--"
The comment was lost on her, as she noticed a prone figure on the ground. His back was against her, but his clothes were unmistakable.
"Eriol-kun!" She gasped, hurrying to his side. She shook him but there was no response so she checked his pulse, then breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't a strong pulse, but it was one nonetheless.
'He's still breathing,' She noted, as she lowered her ear to feel the air coming from his nose. Her brow furrowed as she took into consideration the color of his cheeks. A glimpse at his bandaged side meant he was injured, leading to the loss of his blood.
He was going to die if she didn't do something now.
She searched the cabinets that were on the far end of the room where the incense and candles used for ceremonies were kept. The first on held nothing, but she was able to find a blanket in the second one. She placed it gently on top of Eriol and whispered to him almost pleadingly.
"Don't die on me, Eriol."
Tomoyo charged into the rain.
*******************************************************************************************
The first thing Eriol's mind comprehended was that his head was aching painfully. The next was that he was on the floor, covered by a blanket.
"Amamiya Jinja..." He whispered while taking in the surroundings he had failed to notice in detail a few hours ago. The room in which he was in was almost empty, except for several cabinets on the north wall. There was also a small table in the middle of the room where his glasses lay. His suitcases were left leaning on the wall.
All the events of last night came back to him in a flash. Saying goodbye to his friends, running from hordes of policemen...his injury.
Eriol clutched his side at the memory and found out that the wound was properly bandaged and was treated. He tried to stand up but his feet failed him.
'I strained myself too much,' He berated himself as he came to a conclusion that he was too tired. His eyelids closed but he heard her voice in his head.
'Don't die on me, Eriol,'
Tomoyo's voice...
He frowned as he opened his eyes, the sunlight penetrating the almost transparent material of the door. Why did Tomoyo-san say that? Was she here?
Another minute passed, and Eriol sat there, the serenity engulfing him. This was their place... His and Tomoyo's. Maybe it was the memories doing this.
"Tomoyo-san," He said, liking the way it rolled out of his tongue, as if it was the most natural thing to say. Daidouji-san was just too formal.
Suddenly, he felt his strength being renewed at the thought of her. It was this warm, inexplicable feeling of euphoria that enveloped him. All the negativity in his situation left him and he stood up, opened the door and went outside.
The light blinded him for a second, but he focused his eyes, reminding himself to wear his glasses later. It felt fresh outside, the rain gone after cleansing the earth. His azure orbs trailed to the altar where she stood.
Megami-sama.
Her cream-colored hands were forced together in the form of prayer while her long, raven hair covered the intense expression she wore. Silent words were on her lips and her wondrous pools of amethyst were closed in concentration.
He watched for a while until she clapped in finality and raised her head. His face broke into a smile as he caught her expression when she saw him.
Tomoyo's mouth was upturned, her eyes dazzling. A single solitary tear rolled down her cheek. She ran to him like a child, all dignity forgotten. He waited for her to come closer and she wrapped him in an embrace. They held each other closely in silence.
No words were said, but both understood.
Finally, Eriol's heart felt whole again.
*******************************************************************************************
"Ohayou, Morino Arashi-san."
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Yoshimune-san."
"Where you the one who requested for the information regarding a Hiiragizawa?"
"Hai. Sonomi-sama's orders."
"Ah. Here it is. It's not much but it was all I could get."
Hiiragizawa Eriol, born March 23, 1856. Half-British, half-japanese. Adviser and close friend to the Emperor Mutsuhito. Residence, Tokyo.
"This isn't much to go on."
"That guy is a high-ranking official. Rich. His grandmother left him quite a fortune. I couldn't get a clear picture--"
"Thank you. Here's what I promised."
"Pleasure doing business with you."
*******************************************************************************************
He was all right.
He was safe.
He was so...
...handsome
"Tomoyo-san...? Is there something on my face?"
"N-No. I'm sorry," She apologized quickly, bowing her head to cover her lightly stained cheeks. 'Now where did that come from?' She mused as Eriol continued to hold her, seemingly content on the position. He burrowed his face into her hair, savoring the sweet scent of vanilla.
She smiled at his sudden show of affection, something rather rare in their friendship. "I missed you too," she whispered to his ear, in a teasing yet sincere manner. He only hmmed lazily as a response.
"You're too hurt to be standing around like this," She said, garnering the upshot she wanted.
He raised his head to regard her with his imploring midnight eyes before returning to the silky tendrils of her dark hair. "Just for a little longer..." He replied.
"All right," She conceded willingly. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she felt him smile against the long strands.
What was this feeling? It felt so warm and fuzzy...
It was alien to her and a welcome emotion at the same time.
'Maybe...I'm in love with him.' Tomoyo thought, 'no, that can't be it...it's too early. But--'
"Hmm? Did you say something Tomoyo-san?" Eriol asked.
She reddened, trying to conjure an excuse to satisfy him. "It was nothing. I was just talking to myself."
"Ah."
*******************************************************************************************
She clutched the bento boxes tightly as she walked calmly along the dirt-paved streets. The morning vitamins from the sun had expired, only to be replaced by scorching rays, making the ten-minute walk from the mansion to the shrine worthy of a few beads of sweat. Tomoyo wiped an offending vapor from her forehead and tucked a strand of loose hair behind an ear.
"Konnichiwa, Daidouji-ojousama," The townsfolk greeted her gaily as she passed by.
"Konnichiwa," Tomoyo replied, giving the occasional smile.
"Ara...back again for your duties?" An old lady questioned as Tomoyo walked past her.
"Hai. I have to do better to convince the elders of my dedication."
"My, my, aren't you a hard-working one? Even bringing along lunch to save time. Are you going to give the other one to someone special?
"Obaachan," Tomoyo said, embarrassed. "I'm going to become a priestess remember?"
"Ah, so you are. Well, gambatte ne."
"Gambarimasu," Tomoyo bowed slightly before walking away. The old lady's words kept ringing in her ears as she continued on her way.
The steps to the shrine would be just around the corner. The mere thought of them distracted her for the moment. She knew well that they would pose no challenge to her, but a daily routine of exercise.
He stood by the torii. His injuries were partly healed but he had no strength to leave the shrine just yet. He had been staring into the town below when he had spotted her coming up the steps. He leaned against the red gateway of the shrine, almost hidden, as he waited in anticipation. She, however, did not notice him until he spoke.
"Tomoyo-san."
Her eyes became alarmingly bright for a split second before they reverted back to their usual state, recognizing the voice which uttered her name.
"Eriol-kun! You surprised me," She scolded, but her upturned lips said otherwise.
He gazed at her intently for a second, before he said anything else.
"Angels."
Tomoyo looked at him oddly. "What?"
"Nothing."
Tomoyo let him deny it. If Eriol said it was nothing, it most probably was. She changed the topic immediately.
"I brought lunch," she announced, holding out a bento box towards Eriol. The lad looked at the wrapped parcel uncertainly.
"Don't worry, I made sure there wasn't any shrimp."
"Thanks," He said, as he took it from her and unwrapped it. A smooth black box lay in the middle of the wrappings. Cherry blossoms adorned the sides. It was a simplistic design but it surpassed many flamboyant boxes when it came to its beauty. He averted his eyes to her smiling face.
"Pretty isn't it? Okaasama bought it from Osaka. This one's from Kyoto," She pointed at her own unwrapped lunch box, which was pink and had white plums.
"Osaka soshite Kyoto. Yesterday's box was from Okinawa right?
"Yup. We collect them," Tomoyo said proudly as she tied the wrappings of her box once again. She held it by the cloth and took Eriol's hand in hers. Her cheeks turned pink when he squeezed her hand tightly.
"Sa, let's eat."
*******************************************************************************************
They were together. It was apparent, but none of them would acknowledge it. When did it begin? When did it end? Everything was a fuzzy image. But everything made sense at the same time.
Eriol's wounds were almost gone. He could travel and yet he had not left. It was paradoxical, yet quixotic.
Tomoyo made excuses for him to stay. No, she was an excuse in herself.
Together, they were strong yet uncertain. Their hesitancy would be their downfall.
He was not a free man.
She was not the one who controlled her life.
If they would be together...
If their love ever survived...
Stigmatized.
*******************************************************************************************
Eriol forecasted the weather that day as sunny, so both teens went into the Vale of Wild Blossoms. Lunch had past by uneventful, the only highlight being Tomoyo's new bento box which this time, came from Nara. They hadn't been to the valley since their third meeting at the shrine but Tomoyo confessed to taking the herbs she used to heal Eriol from the pathway leading to the secret paradise. Eriol, in turn, guessed the plant correctly.
"It was the hyssop, right?" He asked. He had his back turned to her, leading the way.
Tomoyo nodded. "It was the only thing that came to mind that night," she said, as she walked along the path, following him. Her eyes turned a glassy color of purple as the events flooded her consciousness. She clutched her chest as pain seared through it. These newfound emotions were too much for her to handle all at once.
He could have died.
"Thank you," He replied obliviously, shifting his sight towards the light that signaled the end of the wood. The flowers were near--he could smell their scent. But his attention was suddenly diverted to Tomoyo as his ears picked up her ragged breathing. He tilted his head to look at her.
She had stopped walking and was breathing heavily. Her face was the color of white, images of her old nightmare now invading her head. She held it, trying to stop the throbbing.
He grew alarmed at her state. He moved towards her quickly, assessing the matter. He pried her fingers from their fixation on her dark head and placed a hand on her forehead to check for a fever. There was none.
"I couldn't leave you there to bleed to death. I just couldn't..." She choked back a sob that seemingly came out from nowhere.
"Tomoyo..." He whispered, concern laced around her name. He tried to embrace her as if to console her but she resisted him.
"No, I'm fine." She moved away from him, ashamed at her behavior. This was not her. She could restrain herself. No, that was only her illusion of herself. She could never restrain herself when it came to him. She did her best not to feel anything towards him but platonic friendship, but...
"I'm perfectly fine. Just a little shaken." A little was such an understatement. He knew it. She knew he knew. She tried her best not to look into his eyes lest she wanted to feel guilt. Sadly, the temptation was stronger, but as she sneaked a glance, Tomoyo instantly regretted it. Those pleading pools of midnight blue spoke to her in volumes.
Don't push me away.
Don't leave me alone.
I need you.
"No..." Tomoyo blinked back the tears. It was all a lie. She couldn't get emotional with someone like him.
I don't want to be rejected.
But do you love him?
I-I don't know...
"Tomoyo-san, it's all right." Eriol said soothingly as he continued to walk to her. Every step she took that moved away from him was like a knife in his heart.
"I...I don't know anymore..." Tears ran down her face and she turned away from him and ran towards the multitudes of flowers that let her pass, almost as if she was their queen.
He followed in pursuit. He wasn't going to let her go. Not this time. Not ever.
The chase ended swiftly. Tomoyo's pace was fast but Eriol's strides covered much more distance. He caught up to her in no time, grabbed her arm, and caused both of them to lose their balance. They both fell to the ground, gravity being such a pain and all. The flowers around them were deprived of a few petals.
She fell on top of him. She tried to stand but he grasped her wrist tightly.
"Don't go," He said. It was a command.
She stopped trying to resist, as he brought his thumb to wipe away her tears. She stiffened at his touch but relaxed after he tucked a lock of her hair. They were surrounded in colors, both sitting down on the soil.
"I'm sorry," He apologized, as he pulled her closer to him, embracing her. He buried his face into her raven curls. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, Tomoyo. I love you."
I love you
Eriol abandoned her hair and faced her, waiting for a reaction from her. "I've always felt this way about you."
She stared back at him, new tears flowing from her amethyst eyes. She was smiling.
Tomoyo never looked so beautiful. And suddenly, Eriol was pulled by an impulse so strong, he gave into it.
He leaned in and kissed her.
Everything seemed to fit into place. Time stopped for both of them.
"I love you too, Eriol."
^____TsUzUkU_____^
A/N: Yipee!!! Finally, this long-awaited chappie is over! It took me months to find the inspiration to write this one. Got to hand it to the composer of Chrono Cross's soundtrack for setting the mood while I was writing this. That soundtrack has to be one of the best RPG sountracks ever! Oh, yeah, this isn't the end yet people! There's still two or three chapters. Warning, an overprotective Sonomi in the following chapters! Review or there'll be no more.
*Japanese Terminology
yukata-almost like a kimono but allows more movement.
megami-goddess
bento-lunch/ lunch box
gambatte ne-Do your best/Try hard
gambarimasu-I'll do my best/I'll try
soshite-then
obaachan-auntie or something like that.
By: Na-chan
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me. The characters in this fic were merely borrowed without permission.
A/N: They WILL meet again, and this time, they won't just be friends ^_^
"talking"
'thinking'
~song~
Chapter 7: Together
*******************************************************************************************
~...Stigmatized~
It was cold. The wind blew ferociously against her in the dawn of the morning. Last night's rain still left an imprint on the wet and slippery pavement as they splattered her mercilessly.
Tomoyo rushed hurriedly towards the shrine. She wore a yukata instead of her prissy kimono to help her run through the awful weather that was threatening to ensue.
Black nimbus clusters filled the autumn sky, covering the sun. She cringed as they darkened.
'I hope I get there in time...' She prayed silently. The shrine was not locked, and the upcoming storm would have devastated it in mere minutes. But that was not the only reason for her haste.
"Eriol-kun..." She whispered to no one in particular. She was following her heart on this one. Her most current dream haunted her.
The one with blood.
Eriol-kun.
*******************************************************************************************
He shivered as he tumbled wearily towards the open building to the left of the structured altar. Dry blood stained his jacket and was continuously being renewed every time he jerked suddenly. Eriol opened the sliding door hastily, and closed it silently, his face ragged with cold sweat. He dropped the luggage he had been carrying incessantly down on the wooden floor and propped himself against the wall, taking deep breaths.
'How could I have been so careless?' He asked himself, as he surveyed his wound with distaste. The blood had stopped coming for the moment, but the lack of color from his hands were testament to the loss. They were as pale as a sheet.
He left the support of the foundation and picked up one of the bags, pulling out a piece of cloth from one of them. He took of his jacket and his shirt, both tarnished by the incident, and started bandaging himself with the cloth. His strength was being drained from him by every movement, and as he managed the last layer, he felt his eyes become heavy.
'Not now...' He thought, as he fought to keep his consciousness.
A futile attempt.
His eyes fluttered to a close, as the abyss took him, whilst gravity played.
*******************************************************************************************
Tomoyo barely reached the confines of the shrine before the rain started lashing out furiously. She shivered slightly at the cold and entered the shelter, taking off her muddy sandals and placing them on the side to dry.
"It's a good thing they used a strong foundation to build this pl--"
The comment was lost on her, as she noticed a prone figure on the ground. His back was against her, but his clothes were unmistakable.
"Eriol-kun!" She gasped, hurrying to his side. She shook him but there was no response so she checked his pulse, then breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't a strong pulse, but it was one nonetheless.
'He's still breathing,' She noted, as she lowered her ear to feel the air coming from his nose. Her brow furrowed as she took into consideration the color of his cheeks. A glimpse at his bandaged side meant he was injured, leading to the loss of his blood.
He was going to die if she didn't do something now.
She searched the cabinets that were on the far end of the room where the incense and candles used for ceremonies were kept. The first on held nothing, but she was able to find a blanket in the second one. She placed it gently on top of Eriol and whispered to him almost pleadingly.
"Don't die on me, Eriol."
Tomoyo charged into the rain.
*******************************************************************************************
The first thing Eriol's mind comprehended was that his head was aching painfully. The next was that he was on the floor, covered by a blanket.
"Amamiya Jinja..." He whispered while taking in the surroundings he had failed to notice in detail a few hours ago. The room in which he was in was almost empty, except for several cabinets on the north wall. There was also a small table in the middle of the room where his glasses lay. His suitcases were left leaning on the wall.
All the events of last night came back to him in a flash. Saying goodbye to his friends, running from hordes of policemen...his injury.
Eriol clutched his side at the memory and found out that the wound was properly bandaged and was treated. He tried to stand up but his feet failed him.
'I strained myself too much,' He berated himself as he came to a conclusion that he was too tired. His eyelids closed but he heard her voice in his head.
'Don't die on me, Eriol,'
Tomoyo's voice...
He frowned as he opened his eyes, the sunlight penetrating the almost transparent material of the door. Why did Tomoyo-san say that? Was she here?
Another minute passed, and Eriol sat there, the serenity engulfing him. This was their place... His and Tomoyo's. Maybe it was the memories doing this.
"Tomoyo-san," He said, liking the way it rolled out of his tongue, as if it was the most natural thing to say. Daidouji-san was just too formal.
Suddenly, he felt his strength being renewed at the thought of her. It was this warm, inexplicable feeling of euphoria that enveloped him. All the negativity in his situation left him and he stood up, opened the door and went outside.
The light blinded him for a second, but he focused his eyes, reminding himself to wear his glasses later. It felt fresh outside, the rain gone after cleansing the earth. His azure orbs trailed to the altar where she stood.
Megami-sama.
Her cream-colored hands were forced together in the form of prayer while her long, raven hair covered the intense expression she wore. Silent words were on her lips and her wondrous pools of amethyst were closed in concentration.
He watched for a while until she clapped in finality and raised her head. His face broke into a smile as he caught her expression when she saw him.
Tomoyo's mouth was upturned, her eyes dazzling. A single solitary tear rolled down her cheek. She ran to him like a child, all dignity forgotten. He waited for her to come closer and she wrapped him in an embrace. They held each other closely in silence.
No words were said, but both understood.
Finally, Eriol's heart felt whole again.
*******************************************************************************************
"Ohayou, Morino Arashi-san."
"Ohayou gozaimasu, Yoshimune-san."
"Where you the one who requested for the information regarding a Hiiragizawa?"
"Hai. Sonomi-sama's orders."
"Ah. Here it is. It's not much but it was all I could get."
Hiiragizawa Eriol, born March 23, 1856. Half-British, half-japanese. Adviser and close friend to the Emperor Mutsuhito. Residence, Tokyo.
"This isn't much to go on."
"That guy is a high-ranking official. Rich. His grandmother left him quite a fortune. I couldn't get a clear picture--"
"Thank you. Here's what I promised."
"Pleasure doing business with you."
*******************************************************************************************
He was all right.
He was safe.
He was so...
...handsome
"Tomoyo-san...? Is there something on my face?"
"N-No. I'm sorry," She apologized quickly, bowing her head to cover her lightly stained cheeks. 'Now where did that come from?' She mused as Eriol continued to hold her, seemingly content on the position. He burrowed his face into her hair, savoring the sweet scent of vanilla.
She smiled at his sudden show of affection, something rather rare in their friendship. "I missed you too," she whispered to his ear, in a teasing yet sincere manner. He only hmmed lazily as a response.
"You're too hurt to be standing around like this," She said, garnering the upshot she wanted.
He raised his head to regard her with his imploring midnight eyes before returning to the silky tendrils of her dark hair. "Just for a little longer..." He replied.
"All right," She conceded willingly. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she felt him smile against the long strands.
What was this feeling? It felt so warm and fuzzy...
It was alien to her and a welcome emotion at the same time.
'Maybe...I'm in love with him.' Tomoyo thought, 'no, that can't be it...it's too early. But--'
"Hmm? Did you say something Tomoyo-san?" Eriol asked.
She reddened, trying to conjure an excuse to satisfy him. "It was nothing. I was just talking to myself."
"Ah."
*******************************************************************************************
She clutched the bento boxes tightly as she walked calmly along the dirt-paved streets. The morning vitamins from the sun had expired, only to be replaced by scorching rays, making the ten-minute walk from the mansion to the shrine worthy of a few beads of sweat. Tomoyo wiped an offending vapor from her forehead and tucked a strand of loose hair behind an ear.
"Konnichiwa, Daidouji-ojousama," The townsfolk greeted her gaily as she passed by.
"Konnichiwa," Tomoyo replied, giving the occasional smile.
"Ara...back again for your duties?" An old lady questioned as Tomoyo walked past her.
"Hai. I have to do better to convince the elders of my dedication."
"My, my, aren't you a hard-working one? Even bringing along lunch to save time. Are you going to give the other one to someone special?
"Obaachan," Tomoyo said, embarrassed. "I'm going to become a priestess remember?"
"Ah, so you are. Well, gambatte ne."
"Gambarimasu," Tomoyo bowed slightly before walking away. The old lady's words kept ringing in her ears as she continued on her way.
The steps to the shrine would be just around the corner. The mere thought of them distracted her for the moment. She knew well that they would pose no challenge to her, but a daily routine of exercise.
He stood by the torii. His injuries were partly healed but he had no strength to leave the shrine just yet. He had been staring into the town below when he had spotted her coming up the steps. He leaned against the red gateway of the shrine, almost hidden, as he waited in anticipation. She, however, did not notice him until he spoke.
"Tomoyo-san."
Her eyes became alarmingly bright for a split second before they reverted back to their usual state, recognizing the voice which uttered her name.
"Eriol-kun! You surprised me," She scolded, but her upturned lips said otherwise.
He gazed at her intently for a second, before he said anything else.
"Angels."
Tomoyo looked at him oddly. "What?"
"Nothing."
Tomoyo let him deny it. If Eriol said it was nothing, it most probably was. She changed the topic immediately.
"I brought lunch," she announced, holding out a bento box towards Eriol. The lad looked at the wrapped parcel uncertainly.
"Don't worry, I made sure there wasn't any shrimp."
"Thanks," He said, as he took it from her and unwrapped it. A smooth black box lay in the middle of the wrappings. Cherry blossoms adorned the sides. It was a simplistic design but it surpassed many flamboyant boxes when it came to its beauty. He averted his eyes to her smiling face.
"Pretty isn't it? Okaasama bought it from Osaka. This one's from Kyoto," She pointed at her own unwrapped lunch box, which was pink and had white plums.
"Osaka soshite Kyoto. Yesterday's box was from Okinawa right?
"Yup. We collect them," Tomoyo said proudly as she tied the wrappings of her box once again. She held it by the cloth and took Eriol's hand in hers. Her cheeks turned pink when he squeezed her hand tightly.
"Sa, let's eat."
*******************************************************************************************
They were together. It was apparent, but none of them would acknowledge it. When did it begin? When did it end? Everything was a fuzzy image. But everything made sense at the same time.
Eriol's wounds were almost gone. He could travel and yet he had not left. It was paradoxical, yet quixotic.
Tomoyo made excuses for him to stay. No, she was an excuse in herself.
Together, they were strong yet uncertain. Their hesitancy would be their downfall.
He was not a free man.
She was not the one who controlled her life.
If they would be together...
If their love ever survived...
Stigmatized.
*******************************************************************************************
Eriol forecasted the weather that day as sunny, so both teens went into the Vale of Wild Blossoms. Lunch had past by uneventful, the only highlight being Tomoyo's new bento box which this time, came from Nara. They hadn't been to the valley since their third meeting at the shrine but Tomoyo confessed to taking the herbs she used to heal Eriol from the pathway leading to the secret paradise. Eriol, in turn, guessed the plant correctly.
"It was the hyssop, right?" He asked. He had his back turned to her, leading the way.
Tomoyo nodded. "It was the only thing that came to mind that night," she said, as she walked along the path, following him. Her eyes turned a glassy color of purple as the events flooded her consciousness. She clutched her chest as pain seared through it. These newfound emotions were too much for her to handle all at once.
He could have died.
"Thank you," He replied obliviously, shifting his sight towards the light that signaled the end of the wood. The flowers were near--he could smell their scent. But his attention was suddenly diverted to Tomoyo as his ears picked up her ragged breathing. He tilted his head to look at her.
She had stopped walking and was breathing heavily. Her face was the color of white, images of her old nightmare now invading her head. She held it, trying to stop the throbbing.
He grew alarmed at her state. He moved towards her quickly, assessing the matter. He pried her fingers from their fixation on her dark head and placed a hand on her forehead to check for a fever. There was none.
"I couldn't leave you there to bleed to death. I just couldn't..." She choked back a sob that seemingly came out from nowhere.
"Tomoyo..." He whispered, concern laced around her name. He tried to embrace her as if to console her but she resisted him.
"No, I'm fine." She moved away from him, ashamed at her behavior. This was not her. She could restrain herself. No, that was only her illusion of herself. She could never restrain herself when it came to him. She did her best not to feel anything towards him but platonic friendship, but...
"I'm perfectly fine. Just a little shaken." A little was such an understatement. He knew it. She knew he knew. She tried her best not to look into his eyes lest she wanted to feel guilt. Sadly, the temptation was stronger, but as she sneaked a glance, Tomoyo instantly regretted it. Those pleading pools of midnight blue spoke to her in volumes.
Don't push me away.
Don't leave me alone.
I need you.
"No..." Tomoyo blinked back the tears. It was all a lie. She couldn't get emotional with someone like him.
I don't want to be rejected.
But do you love him?
I-I don't know...
"Tomoyo-san, it's all right." Eriol said soothingly as he continued to walk to her. Every step she took that moved away from him was like a knife in his heart.
"I...I don't know anymore..." Tears ran down her face and she turned away from him and ran towards the multitudes of flowers that let her pass, almost as if she was their queen.
He followed in pursuit. He wasn't going to let her go. Not this time. Not ever.
The chase ended swiftly. Tomoyo's pace was fast but Eriol's strides covered much more distance. He caught up to her in no time, grabbed her arm, and caused both of them to lose their balance. They both fell to the ground, gravity being such a pain and all. The flowers around them were deprived of a few petals.
She fell on top of him. She tried to stand but he grasped her wrist tightly.
"Don't go," He said. It was a command.
She stopped trying to resist, as he brought his thumb to wipe away her tears. She stiffened at his touch but relaxed after he tucked a lock of her hair. They were surrounded in colors, both sitting down on the soil.
"I'm sorry," He apologized, as he pulled her closer to him, embracing her. He buried his face into her raven curls. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, Tomoyo. I love you."
I love you
Eriol abandoned her hair and faced her, waiting for a reaction from her. "I've always felt this way about you."
She stared back at him, new tears flowing from her amethyst eyes. She was smiling.
Tomoyo never looked so beautiful. And suddenly, Eriol was pulled by an impulse so strong, he gave into it.
He leaned in and kissed her.
Everything seemed to fit into place. Time stopped for both of them.
"I love you too, Eriol."
^____TsUzUkU_____^
A/N: Yipee!!! Finally, this long-awaited chappie is over! It took me months to find the inspiration to write this one. Got to hand it to the composer of Chrono Cross's soundtrack for setting the mood while I was writing this. That soundtrack has to be one of the best RPG sountracks ever! Oh, yeah, this isn't the end yet people! There's still two or three chapters. Warning, an overprotective Sonomi in the following chapters! Review or there'll be no more.
*Japanese Terminology
yukata-almost like a kimono but allows more movement.
megami-goddess
bento-lunch/ lunch box
gambatte ne-Do your best/Try hard
gambarimasu-I'll do my best/I'll try
soshite-then
obaachan-auntie or something like that.