from skybluescramble:
As usual, I`d like to thank all my reviewers: Shanaa12, AmethystCrystals, Oncinlity, momo, wakuwaku p, anonymous reader, James Birdsong,
tomoyo-amethyst, cheng, Paulita, crazypig91, Innocent`s Sorrow (don`t worry, I LOVE reading my reviews :) leave as much as you please, okay?), Haine-91, B.A.K11, KiNoMoTo18, Leafless, JHeyTTernallie, and coolbound; and you who put my fic into your favorite or story alert. I`m so glad :D
Ah ... and I`d like to sent my biggest cheer for my superb (stands for super-busy, haha) beta-reader: Irrevocable Truth :D thanks for your hardwork, girl :)
However, I have to thank you once more for being patient. Yeah, just like the other fanfic writers, balancing your own daily life in reality with your life as a fanfic writer is as easy as beating Hogwarts` Whomping Willow (no need to explain more about that, I`m sure all of you knew J.K Rowling`s Harry Potter) -_-"a
So, I present this chapter. Maybe it`s far from your expectation, but... yeah, this is it.
And could you wait again for the next update? *grinning apologetically
DISCLAIMER:
CLAMP has Card Captor Sakura.
The owner of the original plot is not me, skybluescramble.
::The Proposal::
::::::::::::::
SUMMARY:
"Are you going to answer my question, Daidouji-san?" Another step forward. "…or not?".
.
.
.
CHAPTER #9: You (don`t) Belong With Me
CERTAINLY there was something.
That was Eriol's thought as he drove his way home. He felt a strange thing when he was in the hospital, accompanying Tomoyo for her first pregnancy check. There, surely, was something... but he didn`t understand what. Something that caused a whimsical feeling warmed his heart. Nescience was unfamiliar with the Sorcerer, who was used to knowing almost everything he wanted to know, so he found this troublesome. He then diverted his gaze from the road to a certain woman sitting on the passenger`s seat. His expression automatically softened. She had fallen asleep, somehow, with her blouse unintentionally lifted up, revealing her stomach. Her left hand lay there idly. It was possible that she stroked her own stomach before falling into deep slumber. Reverting his concentration back to the road, he sighed deeply as tiredness washed over him so suddenly. Thirty minutes later, they arrived in front of Tomoyo`s house (rented house, in a practical way). Eriol shifted on his seat, raised his right arm and shook her shoulders to wake her up. She made a small sound of annoyance, but her eyes were kept shut. He tried again but the attempts were all vain. Soon Eriol withdrew his hand, exasperated. It was already ten at night. He stole one more glance at Tomoyo and, after deliberating with himself for awhile, he decided to let her sleep a bit longer. So instead, he drove the car towards Hiiragizawa manor. Nakuru would take good care at her. However, Tomoyo needed some rest without disturbance.
By ten twenty-three they got home. Eriol hit the brake smoothly before spelling a chant to close the gateway. Getting out from the car, Eriol saw Nakuru come, concerns written over her face. He brushed a hand through his hair nonchalantly before lifting the sleeping figure of Tomoyo Daidouji out of the car.
"Help me bring her stuffs in," he said. "Prepare one of the guest rooms, Nakuru. Now."
"O-Okay!" The Moon Guardian rushed back inside the Hiiragizawa manor clumsily—her feet stumbled afew times even though she was able to get her balance again—and somewhat, it brought up Eriol`s astonishment. Being her master for years made him acquainted with all her habits, and he got it into his head when something uncommon happened. Nakuru`s recent act was something considered as uncommon. The only matter is, now was not the right moment to interrogate her.
Eriol laid Tomoyo gently on the bed and pulled the comforter up to just below her chest. He straightened, smoothing a stray lock of hair away from her face. She seemed so tranquil in her sleep, all burden vanished. Pleased, he turned on his heels, headed towards the exit and before closing that mahogany door shut, he switched the light off.
"Good night, Daidouji-san." He whispered.
Now he wanted to talk with Nakuru. He needed to know what was wrong.
BY MORNING, Tomoyo woke up. Only to find her body on an unknown bed, in an unknown room with an unknown smell, but the scenery outside the window still looked familiar. Where was she? Did something happen last night? Did she get kidnapped? Tomoyo scanned her surroundings as she made mental notes about it. The room was clean—super clean, actually. There were some antiques decorating the room, bringing up its minimalist concept. Curiosity struck her. She rose on her feet and tiptoed to the door. She carefully put a hand on the knob before turning it in swift motion. The door swung open, let her off into the world outside.
Funny.
If she was kidnapped, like hell it would be this easy to get free.
What did she do yesterday?
Oh yeah. She went to the obstetrician with—
Her thought was cut off because the churning feeling at the pit of her stomach hit her oh-so-suddenly. Tomoyo dashed forward instantly, looking for the washstand with haste. When she saw one near the washing machine in the laundry room, Tomoyo rushed there, stooped above it, hands gripping the edge of the basin as she threw up whatever was left in her stomach. The dinner had been completely digested, so she only spewed the gastric fluid. She really felt terrible. Her head was spinning. She coughed a few times before starting spitting up again. God, was this the`morning sickness` that every single woman—who had ever been pregnant—mentioned?
Tomoyo was too busy dealing with her very first morning sick experience. She didn`t even realize when a brunette stood behind her, gently pulling her long dark hair away from the side of her head.
"Are you okay, Tomoyo-chan?" the brunette spoke. Her facial expression reflected concerns.
Tomoyo didn`t give an immediate reply. Remaining quiet, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, her breath ragged.
"I`m fine." Finally she answered, wiping her mouth with a clean towel near the washstand. "Nakuru, I`m fine. Stop slapping my back."
"Sorry. But... I`ll walk you to the room, okay?"
When they reached her room, Nakuru helped Tomoyo sit on the bed. She pulled one chair closer and took her seat there. "Are you really okay, Tomoyo-chan? Shall I call a doctor?" Worry was hinted in her voice as she held Tomoyo`s hand in a soothing way. "I am no human, even though I`ve been living in their form for years and know much about them, but I think I will never really understand pregnancy." Grabbing a glass of water from the nearest desk, Nakuru offered it to Tomoyo.
"No. I am completely fine," Tomoyo answered, giving the brunette her reassuring smile, though this time was weaker than usual. "Thanks for the water."
"It`s nothing."
"So," Tomoyo said again after her feeling got better, "Where am I?"
Stupid question. It should be obvious.
"Hiiragizawa manor." Nakuru said in a more jolly tone. She knew at least she had to cheer Tomoyo up or at least bring up the good mood. "Last night you looked very tired, so Eriol decided to bring you here because he didn`t want to wake you up. He does not know yet where you put your house key."
Well... now and again that bossy Sorcerer did show a slight generosity.
"Where is he now?"
Nakuru grimaced. "Ngg—I don`t think he wants to be disturbed by anyone right now."
"What`s the matter?" Tomoyo couldn`t help but ask. Nakuru`s expression was turning weird.
"Nothing in particular." The Moon Guardian replied, a second too fast to lessen the young Daidouji`s suspicion. "I will be right back, so stay here, okay? I`ll grab your breakfast." She dashed outside hurriedly without turning back. Tomoyo could tell that the brunette was nervous from telling a lie. But today, just today, she won`t bother to push the Moon Guardian for answers. She was deadly tired. Tomoyo turned her attention to her handbag which was abandoned on the bed and started to dig up in order to find her cellphone. Her own cellphone, not the thing that she received from a man named Eriol Hiiragizawa. She pressed the button to activate the device—her phone remained off for yesterday's duration. Well, the hospital and obstetrician`s office weren`t such good places to switch the phone on when it could beep oh-so-suddenly with the loudest volume.
Five missed calls.
"I see..." she sighed. It should be obvious. She pressed another button to check the caller`s name.
Sakura Kinomoto.
Her brows twitched. Okay, so this time she was definitely getting curious.
Tomoyo checked her mailbox. A new message appeared.
-x-
Sender: Sakura Kinomoto (09052xxx)
Message:
Did you get the invitation, too?
I can`t still believe it! Mizuki-sensei will get married this weekend!
How about going to England together? Dad said if you say yes, he`ll buy you a ticket so that we can sit beside each other.
Call me right back after reading this, kay? You didn`t answer my calls…
-x-
Shocked, Tomoyo stared blankly against a huge curtained window. Mizuki-sensei? Wedding? This weekend? Invitation? Those words (which strangely, sounded like they were being uttered by Sakura`s voice) floated inside her head, repeating themselves over and over and over again. Tomoyo tucked some loose strands behind her ear as she felt her heart rate shot up.
Oh God.
She sat there just breathing in and out, taking in morning air, still unable to do anything even though she knew that this fettle had `bad` written all over it. `Bad` with all the letters capitalized, and she was a hundred percent sure about her predicament. Tomoyo had to force herself to breathe again or she would suffer because of a sudden migraine. Slowly, she tried to decipher the current situation. She, Tomoyo Daidouji, the only daughter of the Conglomerate Hiroshi Daidouji and his well-groomed wife Sonomi Daidouji, who was famous for her elegancy, intelligence and gracefulness, the one who had been accidentally knocked up by Hiiragizawa Eriol, received a message from her best-of-the-best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, telling her about Kaho Mizuki`s wedding that would be held this weekend in England. Honestly it wasn`t that troublesome if only...
If only...
The Kaho Mizuki woman wasn`t the love of the Sorcerer`s life.
Tomoyo unconsciously stroked her belly with her free hand as she pressed button 1 on the cellphone`s keypad. It was a speed dial, directly conected to Sakura`s mobile number. She waited for awhile, but then hung up abruptly before getting any answers. Not now, her inner self suggested. Sakura can wait a little longer. The door reopened, revealing Nakuru with both hands busy carrying a tray of food, right after Tomoyo pushed her cellphone back into her bag. Smiling like nothing happened, she thanked the Moon Guardian.
"It`s alright, Tomoyo-chan. Because I like you so much." Nakuru answered with noticeable honesty. She put the tray near Tomoyo and sat beside her, making herself comfortable. "You know, this manor needs someone like you to make it more alive. Suppi-chan is always being a meanie to me, and Eriol is too busy for some nice talk. He`s kind, I know that, but sometimes I feel that he becomes like a householder more and more each day. Working, working, working. His recent life is around work, nothing else. Sometimes I even forget that he is my master, a powerful wizard who created me."
"And Spinel," Tomoyo added, sipping her warm tea slowly. She then helped herself buttering a piece of huge toast. Wonder where people sell this kind of thing...
"Yeah, and Suppi-chan. The evil small cat who is never tired of scolding me everday."
"I suppose Spinel just wants to get along with you, Nakuru. Maybe it has its own way to say that it cares about you."
Nakuru puffed her cheeks as she nodded three times. "Ngg... well, that makes sense. That`s why we need a person like you here, Tomoyo-chan! I myself cannot have that way of thinking. I bet I'm useless. Since last night I can`t even make Eriol comeout of the library... I wonder what he's doing there... Perhaps sitting on his favorite Throne of Evil while staring outside with glazing eyes..."
"Hiiragizawa is what?" Placing her toast back on its plate, Tomoyo was suddenly interested in Nakuru`s latest murmur.
Nakuru stared right into Tomoyo`s eyes, cupping her palms over her mouth. "Did I say that out loud?"
A nod from the raven-haired girl was enough. "What happened with him?"
A guilty look was now all over Nakuru`s facial expression. "I shouldn`t have said it..."
"It`s okay." Tomoyo gave the Moon Guardian an understanding smile, the genuine one. "Don`t worry about telling me something. Anything`s fine. Besides... speaking of truth, you don`t seem to beable to bear that alone. Now, care to share what`s wrong with Eriol?"
The brunette sighed gloomily. "I don`t know much either..."
Tomoyo said nothing, she waited instead. She knew Nakuru hadn`t finished.
"...what should I do?"
"Is it because of me?" Carefully, Tomoyo asked. She had tons of presumptions floating inside her head but only two which stood out the most. She already said one. "Does it have any relation with my pregnancy?"
Nakuru expressed her disagreement with the idea. She might claim to know almost nothing, but surely she knew something. Noticing this, Tomoyo decided to take out her second biggest presumption. "So, I guess it`s in connection with Mizuki-sensei`s wedding..." She hung her sentence, waiting for Nakuru to give reactions, no matter how small it was, and when she saw the brunette flinch, she knew she had thrown the dart to the right spot. "...isn`t it?"
"How-how-how do you know that?"
Bingo.
"Let`s say I received one, too."
At this, Nakuru slumped on her feet. "Tomoyo-chan… I`m sorry you are involved in a situation like this…"
"It`s not your fault," she tried to calm her down, because Nakuru, if Tomoyo might say it frankly, looked like—uhm—shit right now. "It was me who was so careless when I was reunited with Hiiragizawa. This," her palm moved to touch her stomach, "wasn`t supposed to happen. But it did, right? You have nothing to worry about, Nakuru. This pregnancy is me and his mistake."
"But…"
"You`re worried about him, aren`t you? Maybe I`m no help, but at least by telling me something can lessen the burden on your mind."
Finally Nakuru spilled out everything. She started from the day she found the red envelope in their mailbox, got herself freaked out, had a discussion with Spinel (even though practically they just silently sat in front of each other), and her failure to pretend like her usual chirpy-cheery self when Eriol was back home. Tomoyo listened to every single word carefully, making no sign of interruption. She nodded in understanding when Nakuru told her he bombarded her with plenty of questions until she gave up and showed him the invitation. Then, after spending less than five seconds to identify what the envelope and who the sender was, Eriol locked himself inside the library and did not show his nose until morning came.
"He must be so shocked," Nakuru ended her long explanation. "If I were him, I would be more than sad, too. Master loves Kaho-san like crazy."
I can see that, Tomoyo replied mentally. But knowing the Londoner, instead of being sad, he was probably going to be mad. Realizing she had nothing to do with the recent circumstances, she patted Nakuru`s shoulder while the other hand grabbed her bag. "It`s going to be all right, Nakuru. Trust me." She flashed the brunette her trademark enigmatic smile, giving a hint that she wasn`t sure herself, but somehow Nakuru didn`t manage to catch it. "I`ll leave now."
Nakuru rose on her feet before she could blink. "No! Your house is five miles from here! I won`t let you walk, and the nearest bus stop is a fifteen minute walk... so I will prevent you from doing that, too."
Taking her cellphone, Tomoyo said. "No problem. I`ll get myself a cab."
Nakuru got silenced for a second, then, "Alright. I forgot about the cab thing."
After calling her favorite taxi service, Tomoyo sent Nakuru a good-bye. The Moon Guardian hadn`t done her cleaning task, so she couldn`t lead her to the doorway. But truthfully, Tomoyo preferred to be left alone for now. She was walking down the dim corridor when her eyes caught a glimpse of a slightly open door. It was so hard not to stop her pace and peek inside, and after minutes of self-battle, Tomoyo let her curiosity win. She looked through the small space between the doorframe and the threshold, unconsciously holding her breath. The room was empty. Tomoyo inhaled, trying to relax herself before pushing the door to open wider. From that position she could see the Throne of Evil, in front of a small, yet elegant desk. And then, separated by a distance of two meters long there was the sheer size of a library; hundreds of books, tens of narrow rows, dozen of shelves. It was as though Tomoyo was possessed by something that wasn`t herself, but anyway she stepped inside and made her way towards the desk. Kaho Mizuki`s wedding invitation laid there, its red velvet envelope was ripped open.
"He really saw it..." That line came in a mere whisper as she bent down to pick it up. She was about to return the invitation to its actual place and leave but—
"Who says you`re allowed to come in?"
Turning on her heels, Tomoyo quickly found Eriol, whose face was hardened with fury and anger as he took steps to approach her. She gulped. She was speechless, and felt like being tongue-tied more when the man before her said in a dark, sinister tone, "And days ago you called me `nosy`."
"I…" Tomoyo struggled to explain herself but failed. A moment later, she cursed her stupidity for not paying attention of her surroundings, because now Eriol Hiiragizawa was only a meter away from her. By instinct, she took afew steps to remake the distance between them. She could tell her guards were going up.
"Are you going to answer my question, Daidouji-san?"
Another step forward.
"…or not?"
One more step, then another. In every step Tomoyo made, he took two. At this, Tomoyo found herself backed up against a huge, high, mahogany bookshelf. She was so alert now until it was hard to believe that her lungs could hang on without enough air, because she practically almost stopped breathing. Eriol put both of his hands on either side of her head, trapped her there, and he leaned in… inch by inch, and soon Tomoyo could feel their breaths mingling. Her brain went numb.
"Get out."
The way he spoke created goosebumps on Tomoyo`s scruff. He said every single letter so clearly with a low, dangerous tone that reminded her of a leopard; sleek, unpredictable, enigmatic, lethal yet beautiful at the same time. In this proximity, she was able to see all the details of his face, which was as though it had been sculpted by God himself. But there was no time to think about it, not when his voice already made her feel like being undressed.
When he removed his hands to free Tomoyo, she dashed forward, not bothering to have a second thought or anything similar. His invitation fell on the floor as she ran outside. Slapping the door shut, Tomoyo leaned her back against it, calming down her raging respiration. As realization hit her, she had her left hand caressing her slightly swollen stomach.
She had understood.
Eriol Hiiragizawa would not attend Kaho Mizuki`s wedding party. Never in his life.
.
to be continued.