| Chapter Three: Tomoyo looked around the airport terminal, searching the crowd. She had two bags packed, enough clothes to last her a week. Her purple eyes scanned every face that passed, every dark-haired man. He was late. And she was beginning to get nervous. "Tomoyo." She stiffened momentarily and then turned, ever so slowly. Eriol stood behind her, a carry bag thrown over one shoulder, another bag in his left hand. Next to him stood Nakuru in her false form, long brown hair tied back into a full braid. And in her arms she carried a tiny cage from which Spinel Sun peeked out. But her eyes strayed to Eriol and stayed on him, caught. He smiled faintly at her, eyes hooded. "It's been a while," he said quietly. She found herself nodding thoughtlessly. "Yes. Yes, it has." And she finally managed to pull her gaze away and look toward Nakuru. "Konnichi wa, Nakuru." And she looked down at the cage in her hands, "Oh, Suppi-chan! They have you locked up!" Spinel Sun meowed, sounding just as indignant as she. "You poor thing…" Tomoyo reached out and poked her fingers through the mesh, scratching the underside of Spinel Sun's jaw. Eriol glanced at Nakuru and nodded faintly. "Well, our plane leaves soon. Perhaps we should get Spinel Sun accustomed to flying without us?" Tomoyo looked sad as Nakuru pulled the cage back and then turned to wander off. Eriol watched her go off and then slowly turned his attention back to Tomoyo who had put down her bags. "Looking forward to the party?" Tomoyo nodded slightly. "Very much. It's been a while since I've seen Syaoran," she answered. "He didn't sound very…together when we spoke last week. I'm worried about him." Eriol nodded in understanding and looked over his shoulder once more awkwardly. You always worry about everyone else… "I don't regret what I said to you. On the phone," he said quietly. He didn't meet her eyes, seemingly focused on something off in the distance. Tomoyo didn't reply to that, bowing her head and looking at her bags. "In fact, I've never meant anything more." This time he did turn to face her but she didn't lift her gaze. He cocked his head, trying to get a better look at her face. "And I still mean it now." Tomoyo swallowed, almost trying to hide behind her hair. "Mean what?" she asked hoarsely. Eriol gazed at her. "What I said about me taking care of you," he answered her. And he lifted a hand, reaching toward her chin. She turned her head slightly, as if to dodge his hand. But at the same time he knew she didn't want to. He felt that she wanted him to touch her, wanted him to comfort her. His fingers came in contact with her chin, thumb pressing against the softness of her bottom lip. And she exhaled shakily through those lips, the gentle breath caressing his fingers. He gazed at her solemnly, dark eyes lowering to her mouth. His thumb lifted upward, pushing against her top lip and then slipping down the curve to the corner of her mouth. Her eyes met his and she stared at him, looking absolutely frightened. It hurt, to see such a look of terror on her face and to know that it was directed at him. "I don't want to do this now. Not again," she whispered, frame trembling faintly. "If not now, when?" he asked her softly. She blinked slowly at his question and then finally recoiled away from his touch, head bowing. "Never." Eriol stared at her, fingers still held out, pain flooding his body. A pure, hot agony that caused him to stiffen to the point of breaking. His hand dropped away, falling to his side and he also bowed his head. "All right," he murmured. And he nodded, mostly to himself. At least now he knew. He had always wondered why they had broken apart, why she blamed herself. And now he knew that they wouldn't be together. It was almost a strange relief, knowing the truth. And yet… It hurt. Tomoyo inhaled, making a small noise and he felt, more than knew, that she cried. He kept his head down, not wanting to look at her, not wanting to see the tears that had gathered and fallen from her eyes. Maybe to allow her to save face. Or perhaps to allow himself the same respect. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her come close and he caught her scent before he felt her. Lilac. Juniper. A mixture of the two. It lifted from her long, dark hair, assaulted his senses. And then she was lifting her hands to his face, standing on tiptoe to press a small kiss to the corner of his lips. "I missed you…so much…" she whispered against his jaw, her tears rubbing off on his own skin. He dropped his bag, hands lifting to grasp her wrists, and he turned his face, brushing the smallest kiss against her lips. "I missed you just as much..." he replied gently and he pulled her close, releasing her wrists to wind his arms around her, embracing her to him tightly. She allowed it, taking hold of his shirt with frantic hands, molding herself to him. She felt as if she needed his warmth, his strength. And yet she said, "We can't ever be, Eriol. We can't." He frowned, not wanting to hear it, not another excuse to rip them apart. Not then. "It isn't fair to anyone. Especially not to you," she said softly against his collar. To me..? "Because I wouldn't put all of me into it. I can never give all of myself again, I can't," she shook her head stiffly as if looking for another way to put it but she couldn't find other words, couldn't make him understand. "I can't…" He tightened his embrace, willing her to stop, to stop saying what she was saying. And she seemed to whimper against him, arms trembling from gripping his shirt so hard. He hesitated before saying against her hair, "I want to take care of you. I want you to give in…" "I won't give in," she said and she said it firmly even though she trembled. "I won't." He felt her slipping away once more, falling out of his grip. "Sakura wouldn't want this," he uttered. "She wouldn't want you to be alone-" "Sakura wouldn't want to be dead right now," she replied and it was enough to freeze him in place. The iciness in her tone as she had said it. When had she ever been so callous? He suddenly felt very cold. Stiffening, he released her, allowed her to step away. Her hands left his shirt mangled, his heart even more torn. He stared at her and she didn't meet his eyes, one clenched fist lifting to her mouth and wiping away fallen tears. A loud, feminine voice suddenly announced their flight and he almost didn't hear it through his haze. But he became aware when she lifted her head and looked around. "That's our flight," she said quietly and she looked at him. He averted his gaze after a moment, blinking at his bag on the floor. How had that ended up there? Feeling detached from his body he bent and took hold of his bag once more, straightening. "What about Nakuru?" she asked as he turned away slowly, heading for their gate. "She'll catch up," he murmured faintly and he left her gazing after him. |
| All images and works done/altered by ShiNoFuriko and TasogareBan. Please do not steal and always give credit to where it is due. |