Disclaimer: I own no Tomoyo or Eriol
Dedication: To Atruyai-san... thank you for your review...
CLOSE CALL- The Lullaby
An ET Fic by the lazy Akizuki Sai
Her eyelids were heavy giving her a hard time to open them. The memory of her fall was still freshly etched in her mind and she knew for a certain fact that she is not dead. She could hear the rain slightly hitting the glass windows combined with the time to time thunder and a certain air of coldness enveloped her and she yearned to wake up.
Finally succeeding to open her eyes she examined her surroundings concluding for a fact that she was in somebody else's home. Confused she tried to stand up fighting the dizziness conquering her body. Hey eyes sets on the wall clock that read one in the morning. Just as another lightning struck a frown was formed on her face as she heard a muffled cry.
Slowly, she walked out of the room in search for the source of the cry struggling every now and then. She can hear the cry somewhere by the end of the hall where she came out of and like a thief sneaking at night she tiptoed searching.
The hall was dark and she groped the walls for support. Stopping by a door she carefully grabbed hold of a knob and peeked at what is inside. It was a totally blue bedroom and by the corner she could make out a bed with a small body hidden within the covers. Another lightning struck and the cry became louder. Inviting herself inside Tomoyo cautiously walked to the figure to see gray blue eyes in tears.
Upon sight of such eyes something inside her ache that she rushed to the figure and cradled him in her arms.
"What's wrong?" she asked afraid that the boy would throw a fit.
"I…I…Mama's gone… I… I…" the boy stuttered as another lightning struck and he clung to the young woman's neck like as if his life depended on it and burst into more tears.
"It's okay, I'm here. Stop crying now, I'm here…" she said soothingly as she strokes the boy's back hushing him.
She could feel the little boy's body shake and she knew that the boy was afraid of thunder. Hearing such cries broke her heart that she aches to pacify him.
Softly, she started to sing a lullaby rocking the boy gently in her arms…
----
Hearing the thunder Eriol bolt up like a jack-in-a-box from his office table. He was running over some papers needed the following morning and he fell asleep. He has left the window open and gave the strong wind liberty to send his papers flying in different directions and crumpled ones lying by the floor. Quickly he stood up not minding to fixed the mess the wind has done to his office and dashed his way too the second floor.
"Eriol-sama…" Spinel Sun started as he flies his way to the stairway catching up with Eriol's phase.
"I know Spinel… I overlooked the weather today, it seems like I have to make use of the Illusion again…" Eriol said worryingly as they turn left by the hall.
Eriol stopped on his tracks.
"What is it, Eriol-sama?" Spinel asked.
"Sshhh…." Eriol said silencing the winged creature, urging him to listen.
In the night sky, they twinkle
The far stars of gold
The same color as the small bird
that looked up in my dream last night
"An angel?" Spinel said dumbfounded. Eriol smirked. It wasn't everyday that Spinel his mighty and knowledgeable sun guardian to be totally confused in a situation.
Eriol motioned Spinel to follow him. They walked to the slightly ajar door and there they found the Daidouji heiress lulling the young Minoru to sleep. She was cradling little Minoru like as if he was a doll that can be easily broken and as her raven stresses lined her pale face Eriol remembered an image of a famous painting with the goddess of beauty in it.
"What is she…" Spinel started only to be muffled by Eriol's firm hands as they walk down the stairs to the living room.
"What was that for?" Spinel demanded indignantly. "I almost turned blue!"
"You are blue, Spinel." Eriol said with his usual smirk as he settled by the grand piano and glided his fingers to the ivory keys.
Then, Spinel understood. They no longer need to check on the young Hiirigizawa for the Daidouji heiress has already took care of him.
----
Tomoyo carefully covered little Minoru with the dark blue comforter and watched him sleep, admiring the young features she knew she has known a long time ago. Her brows creased once again as she tried to remember while surveying the room. She need not have to think much later on when her eyes fell on a framed photo of her classmate back in fifth grade together with their Math teacher.
"Hiirigizawa-kun…" she said with a smile at the idea of her fifth grade classmate and her Math teacher settling down. Her smile was then replaced once again by a frown upon recalling the statement of the young boy earlier about his mama being gone and she wondered if the boy just had a bad dream or what.
Running out of ideas on how to answer her own questions, Tomoyo walked out of the room upon ensuring that the young boy was asleep to find the soft playing of the piano downstairs.
"Yoru no Uta…" she said recognizing the tune and walking down the stairs like as if to trail its source.
"Konbanwa Daidouji-san. How are you feeling now?" Eriol greeted her not ceasing from playing.
"A little bit dizzy, but I'm okay now. You saved me earlier, thank you." Tomoyo said with a smile as she sits next to Eriol by the piano bench to get a better look of his playing.
"Some luck you have surviving the tenth floor if you ask me," Eriol smirked.
"It was some luck indeed. Imagine, due to that fall of mine from the tenth floor I get to see my classmate and fellow matchmaker over a dense cherry blossom and Chinese gaki back then in fifth grade," Tomoyo chuckled.
"It's almost two in the morning, why are you still up anyway?" she asked.
"It was raining and the thunder keeps on striking and I was to check on Minoru when I found out that you have already taken care of him," Eriol said continuing to play.
"I heard him crying when I woke up. He's really scared of thunder, how do you pacify him?" Tomoyo asked.
"He got it from all the shows he's been watching, the doctors said he will get over it as time goes by, only Kaho can pacify him," Eriol said.
"Speaking of Mizuki-sensei, where is she? How is she doing?" Tomoyo asked rather excitedly shoving aside the statement of the young Minoru earlier.
"She's happy…" Eriol said his voice stiffer than normal.
"That's good to hear," Tomoyo said with a smile relieved of hearing such and not noticing the change in Eriol's voice.
"…In heaven…" Eriol finished ceasing from playing.
"I…I-I… I'm sorry…" Tomoyo said feeling a certain lump on her throat upon hearing such news.
A pregnant pause enveloped them and Tomoyo did not know how to break such awkward silence.
"It's okay… it's been more than a year since that happened. Minoru and I've somehow moved on." Eriol said breaking the silence returning that certain air of comfort in the room.
"I really don't know what to say… you are a strong man… Mizuki-sensei must be proud wherever she may be…" Tomoyo said gently and profound sincerity as she reaches for Eriol's hand.
Eriol smiled thanking the lass and starting to play another piece as Tomoyo listened.
In the sleepless night,
I sing this song alone
Together with the blowing wind,
I fly riding on my thoughts
In the night sky, it sparkles
The distant moon of silver
The same color as the wild rose
that was blooming in my dream last night
In the gentle night,
I sing this song alone
Let me sing with you tomorrow
Riding the wings of dreams
In the gentle night,
I sing this song alone
Let me sing with you tomorrow
Riding the wings of dreams
Listening, the sandman slowly casts its spell to the raven haired lass and she fell asleep in the English gentleman's shoulders.
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