Disclaimer: you know it, I know it, the owners of CCS know it. That all rights belong to them, not me. Just borrowing the character, nothing else.
A/N: Sorry about taking a while. Tragic thing happened. I typed up like two to three chapters, saved it on my fic disk, and now the disk is corrupted. Or something. I have yet to figure it out. I think it got formatted for Macs somehow. So yes I had to do a rewrite. Or retype rather. I had a hard copy, but just the basics, filled in a bit in the type. So that's why it took forever. But its here now. So enjoy.
What She Needs- Don't put me on your pedestal
Tomoyo gathered her hair into her hands and piled it atop her head. Many strands immediately fell from her grasp and went to graze her face and shoulders. She turned her head from side to side, analyzing the look in the mirror from every possible angle. With a sigh she let the mass of raven hair tumble down over her.
She felt so restless. She couldn't sit still. She could find anything to do. She couldn't relax. She wished she had a better reason why she was feeling this way, but unfortunately the best she had was her coming date with Eriol. It was still hours away until he would be by. But she already had her dress steam cleaned and it sat flawlessly draped over the chair in the corner by the sunlit window. She showered and hour ago, and dried her hair straight. It was much too early to apply her make up. And she didn't dare eat anything more than some fruit.
She glanced at her nails. They could use a new coat. She picked up the nail polish and set out to work. She hated what was happening to her. She couldn't care less how she looked to these people. She would go to this ball in a tube top and mini skirt if she was just going to go. But she was going for him. And she knew it was the reason she was primping like crazy today.
"I tried to seduce him. I was resolved to seduce him. I have already decided I will do this. So lets go through with it Tomoyo." She only spoke softly to herself the words that had been running through her mind all day. But saying it aloud seemed to make it more concrete, less susceptible to change.
She sat on her bed and held her hands out, letting the polish dry and set. Too often today was she left with her thoughts. She hated that. More so this time because she couldn't control her thoughts. She couldn't convince herself of anything and that was the last thing she wanted tonight. If she didn't believe she was every bit the cold temptress she wanted to be, there was no way she could reflect it. And he would see right through it. He would pursue whatever vulnerable side he saw until he ripped away that wall she spend so many years building, releasing the flood of emotions that would leave her in turmoil.
She looked up at the mirror again. She sat with her legs crossed on the bed, one cleanly shaven leg hanging out of the silk robe. The front opened low, revealing one subtle curve of her breast and elongating her slender neck. She could have been the image of a legendary goddess, perfectly composed and stone cold just like the limestone statues that represent such an immortal being.
She exhaled gently, "Up, definitely up."
Eriol waited rather impatiently on Tomoyo's doorstep. Boy did she like to take her sweet time answering the door, or maybe it just seemed like it had been forever. Finally the large door clicked and swung open. Eriol was greeted by a short middle aged woman he had never seen and for a second he took inventory of his surrounding. It wasn't possible that with so much anticipation for the night, he had ventured to the wrong house had he?
"Good Evening Hirizagawa-san. Daidouji-sama will be just a moment. She asks that you come in and have a seat." The woman pulled the door open and gesture that he come in. Eriol gave a quick nod of thanks and followed her to the familiar living room area. He still watched the serving woman, slightly surprised to see her. He had taken Tomoyo to be very independent and even had this image over her hair wrapped up in a hair scarf, decked in overalls on a Sunday morning ready to the a weeks worth of chores.
The woman must have seen the confusion in his eyes. "I am Daidouji-sama's part time housekeeper Toruni. I tend to things when the Mistress has her hands full."
Eriol nodded in understanding and took a seat while the woman scurried back up the staircase.
Moments later she return and said with a slight bowing motion. "Miss Daidouji is ready."
Eriol rose to his feet and straightened out the wrinkles that had made there way to his tuxedo while he sat. Soon after, he could here the clicking of ladies heels on the hard wood stairs. It was then that Tomoyo came into his view and Eriol's breath caught for just a moment.
She wore a fit halter dress of deep crimson that hung low in the front and lower in the back. Two long ties caressed the ivory skin of her back ending just above the spot where the dress resumed. Her hair was swept up in a mass of raven ringlets (which could only have taken a matter of unfathomable time) so that all the advantages of that particular dress could be seen from any angle. The whole ensemble was completed with a small diamond stud that hung from a silver chain about her neck.
Eriol could only imagine that he looked the fool just then, standing there with mouth agape and eyes wide with wonder. She was like looking at the moon. The bright light in a dark sky, captivating onlookers with her beauty.
He once again found feeling surging through his numbed body when Tomoyo's ruby lips smiled at him and he was sure that he saw stars dancing in her eyes.
Eriol smiled in return and bowed deeply, an action that only seemed appropriate at the moment. "I was not aware I would be escorting a goddess tonight. I feel very honored."
The room shined with Tomoyo's reaction. A flush crept slowly to her cheeks, making her seem too innocent to wear the sensual dress.
"You flatter me Eriol. But I am inclined to say that it seems I have the honor of being accompanied by a dashingly handsome young man myself. Might those be for me?" She gestured to a long forgotten bouquet of white lilies in his arms. "They are quite beautiful. It would be a shame to waste them in Madame Chatlier's ridiculously monstrous mansion where they couldn't be appreciated."
Eriol quickly offered the bouquet to her which she accepted gratefully. A slender hand reached and pulled a single flower from the bungle and inhaled the crisp scent. "They are lovely." She handed the rest of the flowers to Toruni who brought them to the kitchen. Tomoyo, still holding the single flower, walked to Eriol and slid her hand in the crook of his elbow, efficiently linking their arms. "Shall we go since you insist on being punctual?"
Eriol nodded. "Yes, we should get going."
They began to move for the door when Tomoyo stopped for a moment. "Toruni, could you please put the flowers in my bedroom? When you are done, please take the rest of the night off. There is a bonus on my nightstand and a bag on the floor with some things for the children."
Toruni appeared quickly with her head bowed. "Thank you very much Daidouji-sama. But really, you must stop giving my children gifts, you'll spoil them. They already ask me everyday if Miss Tomoyo sent them any gifts."
Tomoyo smiled. "Well they are good kids. And they deserve to have all the fun they can at their age. Let them enjoy it. Have a goodnight Toruni."
"Thank you Daidouji-sama. Enjoy yourselves as well."
"Beautiful and generous." Eriol smirked as he opened the door to the stretched town car provided courtesy of the hotel.
Tomoyo proceeded into the vehicle and took her seat as she began to explain her rational. "Well, thousands of toys are left unsold day after day, and the assembly line never sleeps. You wouldn't believe the surpluses in our inventory. And the losses from me giving away toys is nothing compared to the money brought in by those ridiculously expensive tech toys and stock. I just don't see why I can't bring a little happiness to kids that don't have filthy rich mommies and daddies."
"Your heart is truly as pure as it ever was." Eriol replied, taking his seat beside her on the supple leather.
Tomoyo gave a sad smile. She couldn't have felt any dirtier than she had at that moment. Eriol only ever saw the flawless Tomoyo, prim and proper. Save for their first reunion, she had always been the perfect lady in front of him. He had never seen the filth beyond that glossy layer.
She felt like crying out to him, 'you can't say that. You don't know me. You don't know what I have done, what I still do. I am far from pure. Pure are the people I surround myself with. I pretend; I pretend so that maybe they will stay near me, without fear that my filth with dirty their lives like a permanent stain upon their white bedsheets."
But she only smiled, afraid to move her lips or murmur a sound for fear that her words would come flooding out.
To be continued.
A/N: Yes, I admit, there was a whole lot of waff in that one. Can't say I really enjoyed writing that. If some of you have stuck with some of my fics, you might notice I like to take the tragic side as opposed to Waff. But hey. It just fits this particular story.