"Damn!" Eriol muttered when he slammed the phone down, startling the slumbering Suppi.
"A prank call?" asked the feline sympathetically. Awhile back, its master –who was not in a very good mood then- got a call from someone asking whether their electricity was running in the house. Eriol said yes, and the caller told him to run after it before it gets away. Since then, that caller started to have a series of bad lucks orchestrated by who else but the reincarnated Clow Reed himself?
That was before, when sense of humor was non-existent in his vocabulary.
But after he met Daidouji Tomoyo and became somewhat involved with her, Spinel discovered the little boy struggling to get out of Hiiragizawa Eriol's personality. Tomoyo was like a mother who woke up the infant in his body, the Hiiragizawa Eriol who can readily smile at life's simple pleasures or be constantly fascinated about the way the world works.
"Tomoyo's not home," said Eriol, breaking the cat's thoughts.
"Maybe she went out to see the Clow mistress," it shrugged.
"Right, right," he muttered, raking his hair with his fingers. "Check on Sakura." He reached for the phone and dialed.
"You look tensed. You're worse than Nakuru freaking out because she says she has dysmenorrhea," it said, rolling its eyes.
"I'm NOT tensed, dammit!" he yelled.
"I can see that."
"I said I'm not!"
"Alright, alright, you're NOT!" The feline decided to shift its attention back to its interrupted nocturnal escapades when it heard the phone slam down again. It groaned once more. Where else could a cat get some place decent to sleep in anyway?
"The line is busy!" he yelled. "Sakura's definitely holding the line up because she knows I'll call!"
The cat rolled its eyes. "Master, listen to yourself. You're so paranoid! Why would Sakura do that to you, for Pete's sake?"
Eriol sighed, the exhaled deeply. "Yeah. I know. I have to calm down."
"Maybe she's using the internet," suggested the feline.
"Yeah, you're right."
"And I think you better go to the Clow mistress' house and see for yourself that you have no reason freaking out like that."
"Right." Eriol got up and picked up his jacket. "By the way, where is Nakuru?"
"I'm not a bundy clock, sorry." The cat didn't look agitated that the other guardian was missing.
"I'll worry about her later. First thing's first." He headed out of the house.
"Syaoran-kun, these are amazing!" squealed Sakura as she went over the files the little wolf was able to copy. "Wow, Tomoyo-chan, Eriol-kun is sure thinking of you a lot. This can't possibly be brotherly love, you know."
Kero nodded as he read the document entitled How do I break a Nakoudo's Spell. "Young Master Clow just won't admit it."
Tomoyo smiled. "You think so?"
Sakura laughed. "You've been through these a lot of times already as a nakoudo, a lovers' diplomat. You've seen the signs. How can you not tell?"
"That was different," she said softly. "I was then in the outside looking in. I can afford to be objective. Now I can't, because I am the subject of the problem. It will hurt me badly if I act too rushed."
"Tomoyo-chan…"
Nakuru, who was sitting on Sakura's bed, laughed. "Mistress Tomoyo, there's too much at stake to be afraid. I don't understand it…your fear. If you tell Master that you love him, he'll eventually realize that all along, he loves you too…or why else will he write those things, especially those replies to the pretend love letters?"
"What if he doesn't love me?"
"You'll break your heart," replied Nakuru, shrugging. "But what's the worst that can happen? Broken hearts still beat, and they mend. Time will heal you."
"However, if you lose your chance to tell him the most important feeling you had ever have, you will forever live in regret, and Time won't be able to help you. In fact, it will only make the pain worse. Especially when you learn that all along, he loved you too. Think about all those times you've wasted," said Nakuru.
"She's right," said Yue, earning startled looks from everyone but Tomoyo. "Why would you rather be certain that you're miserable when you can always risk being happy?"
"Yue…" Tomoyo got up, smiling tearfully.
"You go, Yue!" cheered Nakuru. "That was nice! Now you can be a love doctor too!"
Kero-chan smirked. "Wai! Order your Yue Lonely Love Blues Doctor now, and see why the world is suddenly falling in love. We accept all major credit cards, checks, and CODs."
Syaoran grinned. "Order now, and get a free flying stuffed toy. Batteries not included."
Kero growled, but tried to still look unaffected. "But wait, there's more! If you order within thirty minutes, you'll get a butt-kicking, ass-pretty Chinese talking Kid. Push buttons to hear him call out in authentic Chinese accent things like "Rai tei sho rai kyu kyu jo Ritsu ruo!". Dictionary is available for a thirty yen upgrade."
Li's face flamed. Sure, his summons sound cool back when he was eleven years old, but that was more than five years ago.
"Free character song for twenty yen upgrade," smirked Yue.
Sakura laughed as Li steamed. He never liked singing, but Kini naru aitsu was especially done for Sakura. How it was released commercially, he didn't know. Eriol Hiiragizawa's fault maybe, that idiot who didn't have to undergo the recording shame.
"Wow, I never knew humor existed in your vocabulary, Yue, my man!" whistled Kero.
"Don't gang up on Syaoran-kun!" But Sakura was smiling from ear-to-ear.
Li reached for his jacket and took out his incantation cards. "Die, you stupid flying stuffed toy!"
Kero whooped gleefully. "Chinese talking Kid, however, is rated for Mature audiences only, because of its tendency to be violent!"
"Violent? I'll show you violent!" Syaoran aimed his cards at the laughing guardian.
Sakura smiled at Tomoyo. "Hey, you better go see Eriol-kun now. I would love to come with you and all, but I don't want bloodspill here. Dad won't like it."
She nodded. "Bye, and thanks." Tomoyo left quietly.
When Li was able to hit a water spell on Kero and drench him, the stuffed lion vowed revenge. "Take this!!!" He aimed fire attacks at Li. Sakura tiptoed out of the room, in a hurry to make snacks for everyone. She was hoping that sweet cakes would calm Kero and Syaoran.
Yue, on the other hand, wordlessly stood in front of Nakuru to protect her from the attacks thrown back and forth by Li and Kero.
Nakuru tugged at Yue's wings. "I'm glad you started to loosen up a bit. They like it."
He looked at her blankly.
She beamed. "I like it a lot too."
Slowly, he smiled. "Me too."
At that moment, water and fire slammed on Yue's face.
Li and Kero looked at each other nervously. "He did it!" said the two at the same time, pointing at each other.
Yue clenched his fists as a vein popped on the side of his head. Nakuru jumped up cheerfully. "Yue, let's cream them!" She turned to her Ruby Moon mode. "Shall we, Yue?"
"We shall," said Yue, taking out his bow and arrows, making Li and Kero a living shooting gallery.
Eriol ran into the gates hurriedly and crashed on to someone.
"Oof!" He landed on the ground. "Hey!"
Tomoyo, who was leaning on the wall, blinked. "Eriol-kun?"
"T-To…Daidouji-san!" He smiled, relieved. "Hey, I wanted to see you. What a coincidence…" Be still, my beating heart. I always see Daidouji Tomoyo.
"Sakura's inside," she said, smiling awkwardly.
"You're not listening. I said I wanted to see you."
"But you went here…"
"I was hoping I would see you here-" He looked up. "Was that my cute little descendant screaming 'Rai tei sho rai…'?"
She smiled. "Uh-huh."
"Adorable, fluffy Li Syaoran." He grinned at her. "Let's go."
"W-Where are we going? Where are you taking me?" she asked nervously.
"Away from here. We need to talk." He turned to her. "But first…" Without prelude, he cupped her face and kissed the fullness of her mouth. And before she could even react, he let her go, panting, but grinning widely. "I missed that," he whispered huskily. He then pulled her with him. "Let's go."
They ended up back in his house. Tomoyo blinked when she saw the dining table set like one of the tables in a fine restaurant in the city that she and her mother frequents.
"Let's eat," he said, assisting her to her seat.
"This is for free?" she asked, surprised.
He chuckled. "That's pretty surprising to hear, considering you are the daughter of one of the wealthiest people in Japan right now."
She shrugged. "I don't live as one."
"Hai." He began to place food on her plate.
"H-Hey, I can do that," she said.
"Let me."
"I-Is this my last meal or something?" she asked nervously. She felt like a death row convict being given her last meal.
"I want to put you in the mood before I start talking," he explained.
"J-Just go straight to the point. I won't be able to eat in anxiety anyway," she said.
"Oh, alright." He went back to his seat and gazed at her.
"Y-Yes?" she stammered. She couldn't stand his intent gaze.
Carefully, he brought out a small box. He handed it to her quietly.
With trembling fingers, she opened the small velvet box.
Her purple eyes shook when she saw what it was. A 24-k gold bracelet with little moon and stars hanging delicately on it.
Eriol took it and placed it around her small wrist. It glittered beautifully against the pale creaminess of her skin.
"F-For me?"
He laughed nervously. "Yes, of course. You think I was just trying it on you?" he kidded.
"B-But what is this for?" she asked breathlessly, overwhelmed by its beauty.
"I…Will you be my girl, Tomoyo?" he asked huskily.
She froze.
tsuzuku