The insane musings of the authoress: Enjoy "Glass Roses" chapter three!
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Glass Roses
Chapter three ~ What Happens When: Candles are involved
When Tomoyo had walked back to the bakery that day, she felt as though she knew Eriol Hiiragizawa that little bit better. And the more she got to know him, the more he intrigued her, and the more she liked him. He was interesting and parts of him seemed almost like her.
She had been absolutely lost in thought so was quite amazed when she discovered that her feet had managed to carry her back to the right place. As she walked into the bakery and that little bell rang, she smiled, as it already seemed so familiar that it felt as though she had been hearing it all her life. Perhaps this tiny town was where she belonged.
"Successful delivery?" Ms Chase asked from her position behind the counter, the corners of her mouth twitching.
"Very funny, Ms Chase," Tomoyo said sarcastically with a roll of those violet eyes.
"You know," Tomoyo continued, "you have got to be one of the strangest employers ever. You don't even get mad when your employees are really late, then, when they finally do get in, you send them on a fake delivery to someone that hasn't even ordered a cake, giving them a big, long break!"
Ms Chase shrugged.
"I don't mind, so long as I'm helping people," she said.
"What do you mean? And why are you pushing us together?" Tomoyo asked.
"I'm not 'pushing you together', as you called it. I'm just nudging you in the right direction because you don't need a boyfriend and he doesn't need a girlfriend, but you both could sure do with a friend."
Tomoyo was surprised at how perceptive Ms Chase was, especially as the two had only met a couple of days earlier.
"And you know, Hiiragizawa and you would make quite a pair. Like you, he's worth a second glance."
Tomoyo had locked up the shop and gone home that night feeling a little… Confused, to say the least. Having to get to know people was a shock, because living as she had done in the city meant that all she had to do was learn someone's name then forget it, because she would probably never meet that person again.
She had been walking quickly, head down when she heard someone call her name. She looked up to see Eriol running towards her.
"Hello, Daidouji-san," he said upon catching up to her. She smiled.
"Hello, Hiiragizawa-san. What brings you out here?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Just out for a walk. I'm surprised to see you. You shouldn't be out walking on your own at night."
Tomoyo giggled.
"Hiiragizawa-san, it's only six P.M.!"
He shrugged again, but a smile was starting on his face.
"Well, it's quite dark."
Tomoyo shook her head in disbelief, but had to smile all the same.
"I appreciate the thought, anyway."
They walked in silence for a few minutes, but it wasn't an awkward, 'Oh-no-I-can't-think-of-anything-to-say-this-is-so-embarrassing' silence, it was a comfortable one. Tomoyo looked all around her as they walked, watching as corners giggled with shadows as the night grew darker around them.
He remarked upon a cherry blossom tree that they passed, and soon a whole conversation was in full bloom, Tomoyo happily telling him about her city childhood and the way she adored cherry blossoms, and how the city people always seemed to have them in their gardens.
He was an attentive listener, and, unlike most other men, every third glance wasn't thrown in the direction of her chest. He watched her face intently and smiled when her face lit up as she touched upon memories that were particularly dear to her.
He, in turn, told her how his favourite flowers were plum blossoms, and that was one of the reasons why he liked her name so much. He told her happily about his childhood spent with his grandmother, his memories of fields filled with long grass and wildflowers, trees spilling flowers and sweet fruits…
She was fascinated- his childhood was as different from hers as it was possible to be. His grandmother's house had amazing grounds, with an apple orchard. They spent many a happy summer riding ponies through the orchard, and making jelly and pies with the apples.
She told him of the cold, often empty Daidouji Manor and of Christmases and birthdays spent with servants. Her mother had been a very busy woman, she had said. He said that he thought it was impossible to be so busy that you couldn't take a few days off a year with your child. She replied that somehow her mother managed it.
She told him how she would have longed for his country upbringing as a little girl. She hadn't been unhappy, she was certain to tell him that, but she was envious of friends with normal houses in little streets, with parents and siblings who were always there.
He listened through all of this, even when the conversation took rather a melancholy turn. But then she looked up and realised that they had walked straight past her house. They doubled back and soon reached her modest house, like one that she wished she lived in when she was younger.
She paused at the gate, she on one side of it and Eriol on the other.
"Er… Would you like to come in?" she asked.
He appeared to think about it for a few moments, if his silence was any indication.
"I probably shouldn't," he said eventually, "if I don't come home then Nakuru will wonder what has happened to me."
"Surely you could just come in quickly? I must repay you for all your kindness to me recently. It'll only take a minute- we can have tea and a slice of... Cake..." she finished wickedly, violet eyes shining with amusement.
"Ha ha ha," Eriol said sarcastically, "you know I'm sick of the sight of cake now."
"Seriously, though. Please come in and I'll make you a cup of cocoa or something. Anything to repay you, or I'll feel awful."
Eriol sighed in defeat.
"How can I resist an offer like that from such a beautiful lady?" he asked, obviously not expecting an answer. Instead he opened the gate, walked on to the path and fastened it behind him again, following her up the little path to the house.
She rummaged in her purse for her keys for what seemed like hours before Eriol eventually plucked them out of a pocket. Tomoyo was simply amazed.
"How did you know that they were in there?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"Lucky guess."
They entered her little hall and he flicked the light switch, then frowned when he realised that it wasn't working.
"Oh," Tomoyo said when she realised that he was flicking her light switch on and off repeatedly, "the lights don't work. The electrician should be coming out to fix them soon."
"Oh, but that means we can't have cocoa," he said, sounding slightly disappointed. Tomoyo sounded puzzled when she next spoke.
"Of course we can. Why not?"
Now Eriol was puzzled.
"But- but you said that the electricity…"
Tomoyo looked relieved as she said,
"No, that's not it. The light circuit in the house has short-circuited. There's still electricity going through the house, but there's something wrong with one of the wires connecting the lights, so although my cooker works, for example, my lights don't."
Eriol nodded in understanding.
"So what are we going to do then? Just blunder around in the dark?" he asked.
"No! Don't be ridiculous, Hiiragizawa-san."
She brushed her hand over the table that stood to one side, triumphantly picking up two candles and a box of matches.
"I've got a supply here. Actually, we'd better pick up a few spare candles in case any of these burn out."
She picked up a few extra and put them in her pocket before warning Eriol to stand back and stroke a match, her face immediately illuminated by the flames.
She lit a candle for herself then lit one for him, then made to blow out the match. Unfortunately, she ended up blowing out both the candles as well.
"Sorry!" she said. "I'm not great with all this candle stuff."
"Then let me," he said, reaching out to take the candles from her, but he couldn't see in the dark, so he ended up grasping her hand instead of the candles. They stood for a few seconds, neither breathing, moving nor saying a word, Eriol marvelling at how soft Tomoyo's skin was, Tomoyo trying not to think about the fact that she could smell his aftershave, he was so close.
Eventually Eriol pulled away, glad she couldn't see his flush.
"I'm sorry, Daidouji-san. I only wanted to help."
"It's okay. It is awfully dark in here," she replied, pausing to hand over the candles to him, careful not to let her fingers so much as brush his.
He simply moved the objects around in his hands before striking a match and successfully lighting the two candles, handing one to Tomoyo and blowing out the match.
They each held one and walked into the kitchen by candlelight, Eriol following Tomoyo, the flickering shadows cast on the wall both eerie and yet somehow beautiful. The darkness outside was intensifying and they became more dependent on the small light of their candles.
Eventually they settled themselves at the kitchen table; or rather Eriol sat at the table while Tomoyo began to boil hot water by candlelight. Eriol felt that this was one of the oddest things he had ever done, and yet it was strangely… Interesting was he supposed the best way to describe it.
It was weird, but he loved it. It was unusual, but definitely something worth doing. Sort of like Tomoyo, then. She was sort of odd, but yet she fascinated him.
Tomoyo turned to him and giggled.
"What?" he asked indignantly.
"I'm sorry… This is just so… Strange…" She said as her violet eyes looked over him, taking in how the candle illuminated hollows of his face.
"You mean you don't like it?" He asked. She shook her head at his question.
"Of course I do! It's… Lovely. It's so nice to sit in the darkness with someone else for a change."
As a child she often sat in the darkness. But nobody else ever sat with her. Until now.
"Did you often used to sit in the darkness, Daidouji-san?" he asked softly, those cerulean eyes staring deeply into hers again. They seemed to dare her to lie. They seemed to say 'go on. Try it. Lie, but I'll find you out.'
"Did you read my mind?" She answered his question with one of her own.
"No. I can't- you know that. Your tone of voice told me everything."
"Am I that transparent?" she asked desperately, her arms flung wide.
"No, Daidouji-san. I'm just perceptive," he answered, his tone still soft and sympathetic.
"Yes. I did. I sat alone for hours and waited for someone to come find me. But they never did. Nobody came and sat with me."
"I'll always sit with you," he answered simply. She turned so that he wouldn't see her cry.
"Daidouji-san? Daidouji-san, are you okay?" He asked worriedly. She had turned away from him rather abruptly; perhaps he had said something wrong.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said hurriedly.
"But you're not," he said shortly, getting up form his seat and moving to her, candle still burning brightly in his hand.
"You're crying," he said, being a fan of pointing out the obvious.
Tomoyo crossed her arms, one finger hooked in her bottom lip.
"I met you yesterday. Just yesterday. And I care about you already. I feel like you know me. I feel like you care about me. But I didn't know your name three days ago. How is that possible? Am I such a pathetic person that I will latch on to anyone who expresses an interest in me?"
"Of course not, Daidouji-san. We all need someone to care about, and someone who cares about us. You know, I'd hug you, but I'm holding a candle."
His remark made her smile briefly through her tears, but not for long.
"You know what, to hell with it," he said and blew out the candles and set them down on the table before reaching out and hugging her in the darkness.
She was really crying now- each tear left an imprint on his shirt. He hugged her and comforted her as best he could, trying to ignore the vanilla scent of her long hair.
"We're insane," she said finally, laughing through her hiccoughs.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean we're not going to be able to find the candles again," she said. She felt him laugh, felt the vibrations from his body against her own. It frightened her and made her want to pull away, but glued her to the spot at the same time.
"I only met you yesterday," she protested.
"So? Sometimes people just… Click."
"It still… It seems… Weird that you… That I… That I care about you already. It's weird that you understand. Weird that… We're close already."
People usually had to work hard to get close to her. He just slipped in and found a place.
"I'm glad you're here," she said.
"Ditto," he replied, arms still tight around her waist, face still hovering inches above her head.
"You know, I think that the water will have gone cold again," she said, and he smiled.
A.N. Actually, this chapter was meant to go somewhere TOTALLY different… This chapter had a mind of its own, I think! I think perhaps this was another sad chapter, which wasn't intentional, but I think I can do a little less drama next chapter. Hopefully, anyway. ^_^
Shattered Midnight Dreams