STANDARD DISCLAIMERS: Don't own. Don't sue.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As promised, here is the third installment of Through a Camera Lens. All concerning Eriol. Isn't that grand? The scenes here happened prior of the events in Chapter Two. In case you haven't read Chapter Two yet, though I cannot imagine why, please read that immediately. Otherwise... this chapter won't make any sense at all. Or maybe it will. Whatever.
I now prompt you to read. (Ain't I a little too demanding today?)
Through a Camera Lens
Carelle
The room was dimly lit, a single office lamp being the only source of light in the dark castled room. A single photograph paper was hung to dry right above a wide oak office table. Behind it, a man sat, relaxed, his arms comfortably resting on the armrests of his plastic, inexpensive gray swivel chair; so unlike his taste in furniture. His wire-rimmed glasses augmented the all too satisfied expression on his face. He was staring at the slowly drying picture in front of him. His lips curled up in a very pleased manner.
"It was nice seeing Daidouji-sama again, wasn't it?" a black feline, which oddly enough has wings drawled from his prone position, commented.
"Yes, yes. Indeed," Eriol absently mumbled.
The photo shoot had been dismissed hours ago. As soon as it was over, Eriol immediately proceeded to his makeshift studio in the mansion to have the film used in the said photo shoot to be developed. He has, after all, a deadline to meet. But it seems as though all the hard work have paid off. Well, it should. He thought, a smile once again stretching his lips.
For the past year, Eriol had been working as a freelance photographer for an elite magazine. Why he ventured in that kind of job, he would not know. True, being the reincarnation of the most powerful sorcerer in the world may have its advantages; say, having enough wealth to last you a lifetime without even trying to lift a finger, but ever since, Clow wasn't idle, and so was he. And he presumed that if ever he opted to stay behind with his creations: Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun, he would eventually go mad. Moments come when his fingers would just itch for his staff when the two start fighting and promptly summon noise around the neighborhood. He could just see himself melting in shame. Or maybe, he would gladly roast his creations in an open fire.
"That wasn't a very nice thing to say, Eriol-sama. Roasting us in an open fire!" an auburn-haired woman gasped in mock horror.
"Have I said that out loud?" Eriol blinked in a show of innocence.
"Yes, yes but only the 'I would roast my creations one day' part. But you have to admit your momentary carelessness, was to OUR advantage. At least, we could save our lives if ever things get ugly," Nakuru answered.
"You're the only one who makes things go ugly in this house," Spinel Sun commented dryly, glaring at Nakuru.
"You make me sound so evil," Eriol muttered.
"You are," she said, as-a-matter-of-factly.
"Oh shut it, you two," Spinel yawned.
"Suppi! Show respect to our morbid master!" said Nakuru.
"Yeah, how could you? You wound me," Eriol mimicked a pained expression.
"You knew she is in Winchester, am I right master?" Spinel vaguely asked.
"Affirmative," Eriol simply nodded.
Nakuru furrowed her brows at the sudden change in topic.
"You do know it is absolutely unnecessary to set an 'accidental' meeting, do you?" Spinel added.
"I know that. Now will you stop lecturing me?" Eriol sighed.
Nakuru quickly interjected, "She? Who? Who's in Winchester?"
"I swear, you do not have a single brain cell left in your nut sized brain," Spinel glared.
"Stop bickering. It is Daidouji-san. She's in Winchester," Eriol answered.
"Tomoyo-chan! Mou! Eriol-sama! Why didn't you tell she's here?! I could've visited her, and baked her a cake for a present, and I could've also took her out for a tour here..." Nakuru sighed wistfully.
"That is exactly why I didn't tell you. Daidouji-san would have had a glimpse of Hell if ever you visited her. You would've ransacked her poor home in shambles, poison her with your cake and get her utterly lost by taking her to places she does not know, knowing that you have the poorest of poor sense of direction. And besides, she had been here for a year now," Eriol replied.
"You are too cruel, master," Nakuru complained.
The sorcerer looked up, his neck resting on the chair's headrest and grinned, "Isn't it obvious?"
"He's had every streak of cruelty in his veins. Imagine, he requested for an early morning photo shoot from Miss Smith just so he could execute his plan. And when he meets Daidouji-sama, he would go all rude and shaky, though I don't know whether Daidouji-sama saw this, and then he would go all nice on her. You should've seen master, he's a complete wreck," Spinel, for the rarest of times, chuckled.
"You seem to have seen quite a view from my coat pocket a while ago, I see," Eriol commented, "Ms. Smith consented, of course she was oblivious of my plans. And everything worked out just fine," Eriol continued.
Perhaps a minute later, Nakuru replied. "That was really cruel of you, Master."
"Now how many times have you mentioned that 'I am so cruel'?" he scowled, absently running his fingers through his dark hair. "Yet, Daidouji-san, was not the same person I expected to see. She was still the same Daidouji-san that we all knew, but something changed in her. Distinctly," He shook his head slowly.
"What a very profound observation, my oh-so-observant master," Spinel mock sighed, "admit it. Even nice persons have tempers. And she's loosing hers quite often now. Contrary to what she was years back," Spinel whispered.
"Good for her," Nakuru shrugged.
Eriol shrugged, his eyes still fixated on one point. "Maybe. Now Nakuru, what is this that I hear, you have visited my office then started playing off with my office mates, the male ones I might add, and started scaring them out of their wits?"
"What?! I was looking for you, Eriol-sama. And besides, you office mates are cute," Nakuru giggled.
"As far as I know from experience, a few days from now, they will start cursing their valued faces because it led them to their ultimate damnation, which is YOU," Spinel glared at Nakuru, "You have them all wound around your little finger so that they squeal like girls and run in absolute terror when they see you coming," Spinel rolled his eyes.
Nakuru pouted while Eriol chuckled.
"Eriol-sama, you are weird," Nakuru observed as she stared at her creator who is indeed laughing, but is not taking his eyes off the now dried hanging photograph paper above his office desk.
"So, if I'm not evil, I'm weird?" Eriol answered in a question. He still had not taken his eyes off the picture.
"Eriol-sama, stop staring at her... Blink, for goodness sakes!" Nakuru exasperatedly sighed.
"Eriol-sama, I would rather hang myself than admit this, but, Ruby Moon is correct. You are literally staring at her while talking to us. May you explain what caused this phenomenon?" Spinel Sun asked.
A faint thud rose from the background, as Nakuru lost all control of her senses and fainted, the word 'phenomenon' incredulously escaping her mouth.
Eriol did not bother to comment with all the fuss. He just kept on staring... and staring... and staring...
"Eriol-sama! Stop staring at Daidouji-sama's picture!" Spinel Sun finally yelled.
Printed on the photograph paper above him, was a candid shot of Daidouji Tomoyo that had been accidentally taken a while ago. Her face was in visible shock and pre-empts a future bout of anger. Still, as it was God's will that she must look beautiful no matter what situation she's in, she was undoubtedly beautiful on that picture. Her beauty mixed with almost rage, was almost incomparable. ALMOST. Yes, that shot. That stolen shot was what Hiiragizawa Eriol was staring the whole time now.
"If you would like to see her again, stop staring at that picture. Act accordingly," Spinel absently commented.
Eriol's face suddenly lightened, and his already all too satisfied expression was amplified into a greater level. He stared at Spinel and muttered, "Brilliant, Spinel Sun, brilliant. Perhaps... I should set another accidental meeting?"
"Did I just say what I thought I said? Oh, forgive me, Daidouji-sama," Spinel lowered his head in dismay.
"It happens, Suppi, it happens," Nakuru nodded her head in mock sorrow.
Still, Spinel tried to push his luck. Spinel gave Eriol a suspicious look, "You're planning something, aren't you?"
"Yes," Eriol said shortly. He was in deep thought.
Spinel gulped then asked wearily. "Do I really want to know what it is?"
"Probably not," Eriol replied honestly with a ghost of a smile.
"Amen," Nakuru laughed.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, that's Chapter Three. An Eriol-centric one. Frankly, I do not know what to do with this chapter. Hopefully, the fourth chapter of this fic won't take long. Hopefully. (I sense you cringe.)