~~ A Cappella ~~

A Card Captor Sakura Fanfiction by Kit

All characters portrayed here are the property of CLAMP, Kodansha, a bunch of other Japanese media companies, and a certain Canadian dubbing company that will heretofore go unnamed. I don't claim to own these characters, but the situations I put them in belong to me. I would rather this wasn't posted anywhere without my permission (right now it can be found on my site, the CCSFWML groups site, the CCSFWML website, and fanfiction.net), so email me with questions. Don't steal. I bite.

Part Seven -- Duet

duet -- n.> -- 1: Music a. A composition for two voices or two instruments. b. A group of two singers or two instrumentalists. 2: A pair.

Tomoyo's mind was full of the scent of Sakura's hair as they sat together on a bench in Eriol's garden. Sakura had her arm slung around Tomoyo's shoulder and her head nestled against Tomoyo's. Six months ago, soon after her arrival in England, Tomoyo would have given her right arm to hold her best friend like this. Now, she was merely confused.

"I can't believe we've been here a full week already," Sakura commented idly to her boyfriend, who was sprawled on the neatly clipped grass a few feet away.

"I can," Syaoran replied, settling back against the springy turf, shading his eyes from the late afternoon sun with his hand. "I haven't done so much touring in my entire life. I'm going to need a full week of sleep once I get back home."

Tomoyo glanced over at the amber-eyed boy and suppressed a smile. Syaoran's complaint would have been much more convincing if he hadn't been grinning sheepishly the whole time. He and Tomoyo exchanged a wink.

Eriol rolled his eyes from his position on the other bench. There had been far too much winking going on between Tomoyo and Syaoran for his tastes. He had the nagging feeling that they were somehow laughing at him. But as he couldn't really prove his theory, he could only put up with the perceived slight. "I don't see why you could possibly be tired, Li-kun," he responded with a slight lift of one fine brow. "You two have been sleeping in until nearly noon every day that Tomoyo-san and I have been in school."

Sakura giggled at the slightly offended expression on Syaoran's face.

"We only slept that late because you and Daidouji kept us up all night playing cards," Syaoran retorted.

"That was only once," Tomoyo corrected smoothly.

"Twice," Sakura noted.

"Okay, twice," Tomoyo conceded. "And it was much worse for Eriol-kun and me, I assure you. I had a math exam one morning after a night of cards. I don't even want to think about how poorly I fared on that test." She shook her head slowly, stirring Sakura's hair with the movement.

"Now remember that the next time you suggest a gin rummy championship tournament at one o'clock in the morning, Daidouji," Syaoran muttered.

"Why are you complaining, Syaoran?" Sakura asked him, a little piqued. "You seem perfectly alert right now and you were energetic enough last night . . ."

Syaoran stared at Sakura for a long moment, then blushed to the tips of his ears. "Sakura!" he said in a strangled voice.

Tomoyo burst into silvery laughter and nearly fell off the bench.

Eriol cleared his throat. "I'm not even going to ask, Li-kun," he declared primly.

"But that doesn't stop you from wondering," Tomoyo finished between gales of laughter.

Sakura blushed a little too. "It's not what you think, Tomoyo-chan," she protested weakly. "Syaoran and I were just . . ."

"Sakura!" Syaoran looked torn between horror and embarrassment. He also looked ready to tackle his girlfriend if she dared to say anything more on the subject.

Sakura, perhaps sensing the danger, wisely kept her mouth shut.

"When does your flight leave tomorrow morning?" Eriol asked, neatly diverting the conversation.

Tomoyo wasn't sure he was changing the subject for his sake or Sakura's. She merely contented herself with eyeing the dark-haired boy with thinly-veiled suspicion.

"Ten," Sakura replied.

"Ah," said Eriol.

The four fell silent once more. Tomoyo sighed inwardly.

Even after a week there was still a kind of awkwardness between Tomoyo and Sakura. They never talked about it, but it was assumed. The two boys didn't question the social dynamics of the group; it was probably safer that way.

Tomoyo wasn't sure how she would react if Eriol asked her, point blank, how she felt about Sakura. If Tomoyo was the type to be prone to violence, she might deck Eriol for such a prying question. But as it was, Eriol gave her plenty of space. Maybe too much space, Tomoyo pondered. Eriol had continued to play the charming host to his guests, but Tomoyo knew he'd withdrawn somewhat from the situation. They still had occasional moments, instances when they seemed to connect on a level that was far beyond merely physical or emotional.

He's almost kissed me at least half a dozen times, Tomoyo realized, But each time he pulls back. It was damned frustrating. And to top things off, he was wearing his smiling mask again. For the first time in the history of their acquaintance, Tomoyo couldn't read Hiiragizawa Eriol. As soon as Sakura and Syaoran are safely back in Japan, Hiiragizawa-san and I are going to have a little chat . . .

Of course, if Tomoyo asked Eriol point-blank what was going on between them, then Eriol would undoubtably answer her with a question of his own. There were two possibilities, Tomoyo decided. Either he'll ask me how I feel about him, or he'll ask me how I feel about Sakura. She didn't know which would be more difficult to answer.

I love Sakura, Tomoyo reminded herself, tilting her head to rest more comfortably against Sakura's shoulder. I always have, and I always will. Some truths are immutable. Sakura was safe. Sakura was a constant in her life.

Tomoyo suddenly realized that Eriol was gazing thoughtfully at her. That, in and of itself, was not unusual, since he'd recently taken to watching her like a hawk. It was the expression on his face that made Tomoyo want to run away as fast as she could. His blue eyes were dark, despite the sunlight, and his long lashes shaded his eyes into smokey shadows against his pale face.

Things are changing, his eyes told her. Sakura won't be your crutch for much longer. Will you be ready to sing on your own, Tomoyo-san?

No! Tomoyo's thoughts were almost panicked. I'm not ready. I'll be left all alone . . .

Eriol's expression didn't change as he mouthed, Not alone . . .

_______________________________

The ride to the airport, the next morning, was an elaborate affair. Eriol, with Tomoyo's willing assistance, had refused to allow Sakura and Syaoran to take a cab to Heathrow. Instead, Eriol hired a car which, despite Nakuru's wheedling, was driven by Eriol himself. Nakuru, after deciding that the world was against her and that Eriol was the ringleader of the conspiracy, bid farewell to Sakura with a kiss, fondly goosed Syaoran, and then scampered back into the house to sulk. Spinel's farewell's were rather more dignified.

The rental car was a relatively spacious affair, but Tomoyo and Sakura were still relegated to the back seats. They graciously allowed Syaoran the front passenger seat since he could use the leg-room. Syaoran claimed the shotgun seat ostensibly for the purposes of making sure Hiiragizawa didn't crash the car. Despite the fact that Eriol proved his legal right to drive by presenting a license, Syaoran still had a hard time trusting his one-time rival. Sakura noted, from her spot directly behind Syaoran, that even if Eriol was a lousy driver, Syaoran wouldn't really have the right to complain since the closest he'd ever gotten to being behind the wheel was the Tomoeda Video Game Arcade. Syaoran remained slightly grumpy for the duration of the journey.

Tomoyo was torn between embarrassment and abject terror for the whole trip. Eriol amused himself by making eyes at her through the rear-view mirror. Sakura noticed, of course, and amused herself by winking at Tomoyo and waggling her eyebrows suggestively. To make things even more exciting, Tomoyo wracked her brain in an attempt to remember what the legal driving age was in Britain. She suspected that whatever the legal age was, Eriol hadn't reached it yet. Perhaps there were at least some practical applications for mystical powers.

Finally, Eriol managed to smoothly direct the car into one of the satellite parking lots at Heathrow, soothing Tomoyo's fears about his driving ability, and the four began the trek towards the terminal. Sakura and Syaoran didn't have much luggage, but Eriol still offered to carry most of it. Another bickering match ensued between Syaoran and Eriol until Sakura and Tomoyo grew bored and simply collected the baggage themselves.

Tomoyo got the impression that her friends were trying to keep the mood light as they approached the Departures entrance. Tomoyo laughed lightly along with Sakura at one of Syaoran's poorly executed 'stupid gaijin' jokes, but it really seemed that the others were carefully trying to avoid upsetting her. Am I really that transparent? Tomoyo wondered, bemused. Do they think I'm going to burst into tears because Sakura's going back home?

Syaoran and Eriol cooperated long enough to locate the registration counter, allowing Sakura to present her tickets to the agent. As Tomoyo watched Eriol and Syaoran exchange casual insults, she realized that despite their cheerfully juvenile display, both boys had changed tremendously over the past several months. So had Sakura, in a way. None of them were children anymore, and at times, it was painfully obvious. Tomoyo felt a sudden sharp longing for the days when she was simply the faithful videographer for Sakura and Syaoran's heroic battles against Eriol's minions, who generally manifested as giant teddy bears, plush sheep, or possessed bicycles.

"Eriol seems a bit more . . . mellow," Sakura murmured in Tomoyo's ear as they followed the boys toward the gate.

Tomoyo started. "Pardon?"

"He was really fidgety when Syaoran and I first got here," Sakura explained. "But now he's . . . well, he seems a little less edgy." There was a slight smile on Sakura's face.

Tomoyo chose to ignore the smile and all it suggested. "Maybe he is," she admitted. "I haven't noticed."

Sakura hooked her arm around Tomoyo's. "Tomoyo-chan, it's probably rude of me to ask," Sakura began hesitantly, "But what's been happening between you and Eriol-kun?"

A quick glance forward told Tomoyo that neither Eriol nor Syaoran had heard Sakura's rather blunt question. "Sakura-chan . . ." She bit her lip. "This isn't really the best time to talk about this."

Sakura flushed a little. "Probably not, but I haven't gotten a chance before now." She had an almost absurdly determined expression on her face. "And you need to tell me. Because if you're not interested in Eriol-kun, then you need to tell him."

"What difference does it make?" Tomoyo asked curiously. Sakura was agitated about something, and Tomoyo was almost afraid to find out what it was.

"He's in love with you, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura explained slowly and quietly. "I recognize the signs, dear. He stares at you just like Oniichan stares at Yukito-san. I've had to threaten Syaoran quite severely to keep him from saying something rude to Eriol-kun about it. Eriol-kun is used to being in control and I think he's a bit self-conscious about the whole thing."

Somehow, Sakura's declaration of Eriol's love wasn't all that surprising to Tomoyo. It wasn't that Tomoyo was somehow aware of Eriol's feelings. Quite the contrary, she was baffled by his behavior most of the time. No, Sakura merely fancied most of her friends in the same sort of relationship she enjoyed with Syaoran. But Tomoyo knew better than to make an issue of it with Sakura. Doing so just might result in bringing Eriol into the conversation.

"I'm not so sure . . ." Tomoyo temporized.

"I am," Sakura said firmly. "And I don't know if you feel like you need my approval of him or what . . ." There was a brief pause while Sakura reorganized her thoughts. "You shouldn't need my approval, Tomoyo-chan. You already know that I adore Eriol-kun. I love him almost as much as I love you." The expression on Sakura's face was full of understanding.

Tomoyo still felt like she was dangling unsteadily from a fifteenth-storey window-ledge, but tears came to her eyes despite her confusion. She came to the sudden realization that Sakura knew. Sakura had always known about Tomoyo's secret feelings, about the longing that had kept her a silent sentinel in Sakura's life for so many years. To top things off, Eriol had been right, Tomoyo realized. Maybe she owed him an apology . . .

Tomoyo was still trying to compose herself when she and Sakura caught up to the boys at the gate. If Syaoran or Eriol noticed the slight puffiness around her eyes or the faint crease between her eyebrows, they didn't comment or change expression. Eriol located a group of seats together and once they were settled, dragged Syaoran away in search of a coffee-shop. Sakura's determined expression was enough to send Syaoran peaceably off with his one-time rival with barely a frown.

"So do you like him?" Sakura asked suddenly, after the boys had disappeared back into the main terminal.

Slightly off-balance by Sakura's sudden question, Tomoyo heard herself faintly whisper, "Yes, very much."

Sakura's face blossomed into one of the smiles that inevitably set Tomoyo's heart aflutter. "Wonderful!" Sakura enthused.

"But I don't think I love him," Tomoyo added quickly.

"Hmm," Sakura said, clearly a little skeptical.

"It's all come so suddenly," Tomoyo continued, her voice quiet and still painfully unsure. "And Eriol-kun's behavior hasn't been helping at all."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Should I even ask?"

Tomoyo felt her cheeks heat up. This is ridiculous, she thought. Memories shouldn't be able to make me blush like this. "Probably not," Tomoyo replied. "But . . . he keeps trying to kiss me."

"And you won't let him?!" Sakura looked aghast.

"No!" Tomoyo said quickly. "That's not it!"

Sakura's mouth quirked into an adorable little half-smile. "Then what's the problem?"

"We keep getting interrupted!" Tomoyo half-wailed in frustration. "First it was Nakuru, then the tea kettle, then Nakuru again, then Syaoran, then the mailman, then Colin on the phone . . ." Tomoyo shook her head. "It's driving me crazy."

Sakura's smile turned mischievous. "Just imagine what it's doing to Eriol-kun."

Tomoyo found herself laughing. It felt good.

It took a minute or two for the two giggling girls to calm down, and once they did, the spotted Syaoran and Eriol returning, loaded with goodies.

"Hot cocoa for everyone," Eriol proclaimed with a smile.

"And biscotti to share," Syaoran added.

"What are biscotti?" Sakura asked curiously.

"I have no idea," Syaoran admitted with a vague shrug. "Cookies of some sort. Hiiragizawa made me buy them."

"They're Italian," Tomoyo and Eriol said in unison, prompting further laughter.

In the twenty minutes before the flight to Japan began boarding, the four of them managed to make a serious dent in the cocoa and biscotti. Then it came time for final goodbyes.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura sobbed as she flew into her friend's arms.

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo's weeping was only slightly more dignified.

Syaoran and Eriol declined to hug.

"I missed you so much after you left," Sakura said between sniffles, "And now that I've visited you here, it's going to be ten times worse."

"I know, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said, her tears trickling down to soak into Sakura's hair. "I know."

"Promise me you'll write more often!" Sakura demanded.

"I promise," Tomoyo answered.

Sakura flung her arms tighter around Tomoyo's neck. "And promise me you'll be happy!" she said fiercely.

Tomoyo hesitated, then nodded, her face muffled against Sakura's shirt. "I promise, Sakura." And she truly meant it.

The two girls gently disentangled, and turned to the boys.

"I'll miss you too, Eriol-kun," Sakura told the bespectacled boy solemnly.

"Of course you will," Eriol agreed as he folded Sakura into a tender hug.

"And if you hurt Tomoyo, I'll come back to England, rip your heart out, and dance on it," Sakura added cheerfully.

Somewhat taken aback by Sakura's bloodthirsty threat, Eriol barely managed to mumble something appropriately humble. Then he remembered what he'd forgotten to tell Syaoran earlier. "Oh, Sakura-san," he began earnestly. "I hear you have been having difficulty getting Syaoran to progress to the next level of your relationship . . ."

Sakura's cheeks flamed. Syaoran pretended not to hear.

"Here's what I suggest," Eriol whispered. "Handcuffs, Sakura-san."

"Handcuffs?" Sakura repeated, her expression completely blank.

Eriol smiled. It was not an entirely innocent smile. "Why don't you ask your brother. He can probably provide both the handcuffs and instructions. Tsukishiro-san might even offer to help demonstrate." Then he kissed Sakura on the forehead in an oddly paternal manner and let her go.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" Syaoran murmured to Tomoyo.

"Don't worry about it," Tomoyo told him, wrapping him in a gentle hug.

Syaoran's arms slid around to hold her as though she were fragile spun-glass. "Good, I'd rather not," Syaoran confirmed.

Tomoyo's laughter was musical as she rose up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Be a good boy, Li-kun," she instructed fondly. "Take care of Sakura for me."

"Of course," Syaoran replied, bending down to kiss Tomoyo's cheek in response. His face was scarlet, but he managed without too much embarrassment.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Tomoyo rummaged in her handbag. "Here," she said, presenting Syaoran with a flat, cardboard box, perhaps a little longer than his hand. "Give this to Sakura some time when you're alone together. It's my present to both of you."

"Ah . . . thanks," Syaoran said. He wasn't sure he liked the way Tomoyo was smiling at him. It was almost a smirk. It also reminded him of Hiiragizawa.

And finally, it was time to board the plane.

Sakura dashed back and kissed Tomoyo. Full on the mouth. Eriol nearly choked.

Tomoyo . . . didn't feel the earth move below her feet. The world didn't spin. There were no fireworks or violins or roses. There was just the soft warmth of Sakura's lips against her own. Tomoyo smiled and pulled away. "I love you too, Sakura-chan," she said sweetly.

Syaoran gave Eriol a glare. "I'm not going to kiss you, if that's what you're wondering," he said firmly.

Eriol pouted adorably.

Then they were gone.

Tomoyo and Eriol stood in silence next to each other and watched the plane take off.

Aboard the jetliner, Syaoran was curiously inquiring about Eriol's whispered instructions at the gate. Sakura flushed. "You really want to know?"

Syaoran nodded and she told him.

"Whoa," said Syaoran. That was about all he could manage as a response. He was caught between wanting to stomp on Hiiragizawa's face for speaking to his Sakura like that, and feeling an embarrassing surge of . . . something, something that involved Sakura. And handcuffs.

"What did Tomoyo-chan give you?" Sakura asked, breaking up his little fantasy.

Syaoran drew out the box and peered at it. "I don't know. She said to open it when we're alone. It's supposed to be for you, I think."

"We're alone now. Sort of." Sakura gestured to the half-filled flight. With a shrug, she pulled the lid off of the box and stared at the contents. Whatever it was that was inside, it was fabric. And lace. Mostly transparent. Actually, there wasn't much there at all . . .

"Whoa," Sakura said.

Syaoran was speechless. He'd had no idea that Tomoyo's fashion skills included lingerie.

"You know," Sakura commented as she recovered the box and stashed it in her carry-on. "Those two deserve each other."

Syaoran's eyes were slightly glazed, but he managed to nod. "Yes, they certainly do."

_______________________________

"You're staring, Tomoyo," Sin noted rather smugly in math class.

"I am not," Tomoyo denied quickly. It was true; she wasn't really staring at Eriol. Her gaze was fixed on something distant, something beyond the top of Eriol's head. In truth, she was fascinated by how frequently his own gaze drifted toward her. It gave her the chance to sneak glances at him. She was currently puzzling over the exact color of his eyes.

Tomoyo had always assumed that his eyes were a sort of indeterminate blue, with perhaps a hint of the violet that shone in her own eyes. But now, as she carefully didn't stare, she realized that his eyes were neither blue nor violet nor something in between, really. There was a silver-gray cast to them that astonished her. I've never met anyone with pewter-colored eyes before, she thought.

"Definitely staring," Justin confirmed with a nod of his head.

Tomoyo ignored him, focused more on the fact that Eriol's head had whipped around at the sound of Tomoyo's friend's voice. He was also carefully not staring at her. Had Tomoyo herself not been involved in the little drama that was unfolding, she would have undoubtably found it hilariously funny. Unfortunately, seeing as how the boys seated around her had no true involvement, they all immediately erupted into a fit of sniggering.

"Stop it!" Tomoyo hissed, barely moving her lips.

"Stop what?" Colin asked, his expression the picture of bafflement. He was also studiously doodling on his math homework.

"Stop laughing at me," Tomoyo said stiffly.

"Why would I laugh at you?" Colin's eyes were wide with innocence and Tomoyo couldn't quite tell if it was feigned or not. Finally she decided that he too was laughing at her since his math doodles featured a disturbingly realistic sketch of Eriol wearing only a strategically-placed fig leaf, complete with a tiny, drooling caricature of Tomoyo off to one side.

"We're not really laughing at you, Tomoyo," Bertie attempted to explain. "But you'll have to admit that the situation's pretty humorous. I mean, you and Hiiragizawa can't keep your eyes off each other, but you're both still in denial. You two need to sit down and have a talk."

Justin raised an eyebrow. "A talk?"

Bertie blushed. "Yes," he said pointedly. "A talk."

"I've never heard that referred to as a 'talk' before," Ben noted, his face nearly as flushed as Bertie's.

Tomoyo looked disgusted. "You boys have sick minds, you know?" she commented.

Sin smiled serenely at Tomoyo. "Of course, darling," he confirmed. "That's what boys are like. Just ask Hiiragizawa . . ."

Tomoyo resolutely turned her gaze to the teacher and made a show of taking notes on the lecture. It was quite difficult, since she could feel six pairs of eyes on her now that Eriol's attention was fixed firmly on her and the other boys. Eriol's gaze was practically burning a hole through the back of her head. She could almost smell the singed-hair scent.

Which brought Tomoyo's mind unwillingly back to the main problem at hand: What, exactly, was she supposed to do with Eriol? A sly, generally carefully suppressed portion of her mind provided a few startlingly graphic suggestions, but she squashed the thought immediately. She certainly didn't need her subconscious creating elaborate, decidedly sketchy scenes featuring the bespectacled boy seated behind her. Tomoyo definitely didn't need any assistance from her inner-hedonist in the imagining-Hiiragizawa-naked department. Colin's doodles were assisting quite admirably, in fact.

Tomoyo clenched her jaw almost to the point of pain. What really matters, she decided, quashing visions of silky black hair, pewter-glinting eyes, and a lot of bare, ivory skin, Is that Eriol is, for some unknown reason, interested in me. Hell, he was practically stalking her, his expression alternately melancholy and slyly suggestive as he watched her speculatively during school hours. Fortunately, he was managing to behave himself tolerably during their regular practice sessions. Yet even those were fraught with barely suppressed tension and Tomoyo found herself breathless with both anticipation and dread on those afternoons. Too bad she couldn't think of a polite way to get out of practicing. Eriol had effectively argued his point, and therefore they continued down the bumpy road to the concert.

The concert was what was keeping her steady. She could deal with singing. It was comfortable and familiar and utterly without surprises. Music was enough to distract her from Eriol's baffling attentions. Unfortunately, it didn't keep Tomoyo from wondering. In fact, she spent a good portion of her waking hours wondering about Eriol. What did he really want from her? Did she want the same thing? Why on earth was she even pondering some sort of liaison with Hiiragizawa? Was it a symptom of some rare, mental disease?

Worst of all, her surreptitious examination of Eriol led her to surreptitiously examine other young males of her acquaintance. For years Tomoyo had been perfectly comfortable being in love with a girl. Now, flushed with teenage hormones, she was beginning to actually notice boys. It was bad enough that she was actually physically attracted to someone as infuriating as Hiiragizawa Eriol. Now and then she caught herself staring at Justin or Ben, or sometimes even Colin. Colin would probably faint if she told him how cute he was. Tomoyo had to admit that he had lovely green eyes, much like Sakura's, in fact. He also had the silkiest blonde hair she'd ever seen on a boy, or even a girl, for that matter. Tomoyo gritted her teeth to keep from turning to peer at Colin.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, depending on one's viewpoint) Tomoyo's interests were, for the most part, firmly held by the bespectacled young magician seated a few rows to her right.

Math class passed with the speed of a rampaging slug.

Music class was even worse.

_______________________________

"Breathe, Tomoyo," Colin murmured the next morning.

Tomoyo was not-watching Eriol as the boy casually made his way toward the school, Nakuru in tow. "I'm breathing," Tomoyo said, but she didn't sound too sure of herself.

"If you say so, honey," Colin replied, his eyes fixed upon Eriol's lanky form. "He is looking awfully yummy this morning. I certainly don't blame you."

Tomoyo stared at Colin in disbelief.

"What?" Colin looked a little embarrassed.

"Did you just call Eriol 'yummy,' Colin?" Tomoyo sounded torn between horror and laughter. The concept of Eriol being 'yummy' or 'tasty' or 'delicious' was something she wasn't prepared to deal with this early in the day.

"I suppose I did," Colin admitted.

Tomoyo decided that laughter would be safer and began to giggle at the boy she could almost call her best friend. Except for Sakura, of course. Oh, and except for Eriol. Sometimes.

The two of them were seated comfortably in the shade of an ancient oak near the wall surrounding Clef Academy. They were technically on school grounds, but no one seemed to notice them. This was probably a good thing considering how close together they were. And casual passer-by would undoubtably assume that they were a couple. Ostensibly, they were working on math problems, but since Tomoyo's head was nestled against Colin's chest, his arm was slung companionably around her shoulders, and their legs were tangled together, they weren't getting much work done. Perhaps the talking was more important anyway.

"Do you still want him?" Tomoyo asked curiously. She'd been getting all sorts of mixed signals from Colin over the past couple weeks. He still gazed longingly at Eriol when he thought no one else was looking, but he also seemed more cheerful than he had when he'd found out about Eriol's preference for girls. Tomoyo had even caught him checking out some different boys, which the thought was probably an improvement.

"Hiiragizawa?" Colin rolled his eyes. "Not really, I don't think." He pursed his lips in a way Tomoyo would have found irresistible had he not been almost as gay as Sin and therefore not at all interested in her.

"But you still watch him," Tomoyo noted. Then she smiled up at Colin, dimples appearing briefly in her pale cheeks. "If you wanted, I could probably knock him out and then drag him over to your house. I might have to get Bertie to help me, but I think I could do it."

Colin gave her a haughty look. "I prefer my men conscious, Tomoyo," he said. "I also prefer men who aren't in love with my favorite girlfriend."

Tomoyo sighed. "Love? What makes you say that?" It was a subject she dreaded and anticipated with equal fervor.

"Oh, Tomoyo!" Colin hugged her close and kissed the top of her hair. "You are so terribly wise in some ways, but you're a child in this." Colin's smile was slow and sweet now, his eyes warm with flecks of amber amongst the green. "He loves you a great deal, even if he's not totally aware of it yet. And I think you're falling in . . ."

"Don't bother," Tomoyo cut him off sharply. "I know. Believe me, I know. And everyone seems to delight in rubbing my nose in it." She hid her face against Colin's shirt. "It's mortifying, Colin. Sin can barely look at me without snickering, Justin's taken to calling me Mrs. Hiiragizawa when no one else can hear and even Ben thinks it's hilarious."

"I'll try to talk with them," Colin told her soothingly. He patted her head the way one would caress a cocker spaniel. "I think they just tend to get carried away. I doubt they have any idea that it upsets you." There was a significant pause. "It's not just the teasing, though, is it?"

Tomoyo winced and gave Colin a wry smile. "No, it's not." She nibbled on her lower lip, trying to figure out how to phrase what she wanted to say. "You remember in math class yesterday, how Bertie was saying that Eriol and I need to talk?" At Colin's nod, she continued. "Well, we haven't. I see him all the time at school and at practices, but we never really talk. The suspense is killing me, Colin."

"So corner him during lunch and make him talk," Colin suggested. "Or I could chase him down and tie him to a tree so he can't escape, if you wanted me to."

Tomoyo was visibly horrified. "You mean, just ask him what's going on? Are you crazy?"

"Wouldn't that be the simplest way to iron out all the kinks between you two?" Colin was completely unruffled.

"But that's so . . . direct," Tomoyo said lamely. "I can't just . . . well, you know. It would be really awkward . . ."

Colin grinned down at her. "Tomoyo, you are Japanese to the core," he pronounced.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tomoyo demanded with deceptive calm. She had a nagging suspicion that he was laughing at her.

"You're always complicating things for the sake of politeness," Colin explained. "Instead of dancing around the subject of romance, you could simply ask Eriol why he's been stalking you. Or you could ask him out on a date."

"I don't think I could do that," Tomoyo muttered.

"Hmm, maybe not," Colin admitted, "But you need to do something. By delaying this little talk, you only increase your stress level."

"I know, I know . . ." Tomoyo sagged against Colin again.

"Besides," Colin continued, "If you don't make the first move, then you'll have set yourself up as the subordinate in the relationship. Do you really want to give Hiiragizawa any more dominance?"

Tomoyo wrinkled her nose adorably. "Hmm, you could be right, Colin." She flashed Colin a slightly suspicious stare. "Where on earth did you get all that talk about dominance from?"

"Biology," Colin replied with a smirk. He began untangling himself from Tomoyo and gathering up his books. Classes would be starting in a few minutes.

"Biology?" Tomoyo was fairly certain there wasn't an 'interpersonal relationships' unit in Colin's biology class.

"We're on the animal behavior chapter," Colin said as he rose to his feet. He reached a hand down to help Tomoyo up. "In some groups of animals, like sea lions, a single male may be dominant over a whole harem of females, while in other animals, like hyenas, a single female tends to be dominant over the rest of the pack. Now wouldn't you rather be a hyena than a sea lion?"

For a moment, Tomoyo could do nothing but stare at Colin. "A . . . hyena?" she said faintly.

"Yep." Colin looked rather proud of himself.

"Those are the ones that laugh, right?" Tomoyo's face was expressionless.

"Sort of," Colin admitted.

"Are you trying to make a joke, Colin?" Tomoyo raised a single eyebrow in that way she always did. Both Colin and Eriol tended to find it maddening.

Colin glanced nervously at his watch. "Oh, my, it's almost time for class! I really need to go." He began to edge out of striking distance. "I'll see you at lunchtime, Tomoyo." Then he bolted for the main building of the Academy.

Tomoyo had never seen him run so fast, save for the times he was being chased by Nakuru. She smiled at his retreating back. Hyenas aside, he could have a point, she decided as she followed him at a more leisurely pace.

Of course, Tomoyo's revelation didn't save Colin from a particularly biting comment about his own romantic successes (or lack thereof) later on after lunch.

_______________________________

"We need to talk," Tomoyo announced once she was firmly ensconced in a wing-backed chair in Eriol's study. They were taking a break from the music room for a little while and Tomoyo decided that it was as good a time as any for Talks.

Eriol finished pouring the tea. "What would you like to talk about, Tomoyo-san?" he asked mildly.

"I think you should explain why you're stalking me," Tomoyo said, a little severely, as she added milk to her tea.

"Stalking?" Eriol's smile was slightly strained. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Well, stalking is really the best word I can think of to describe your behavior," Tomoyo said. "You follow me around, stare at me whenever you can, get jealous when I spend time with other people . . . Are you getting the idea, Eriol-kun?"

For a moment, it looked like Eriol might argue with her, but he finally nodded. "Fine, then. If you want to call it stalking, then that's what I'm doing."

"Now explain the 'why,' if you please." Tomoyo sipped demurely at her tea. Eriol was off-balance and she was realizing that this was great fun. She should have tried this weeks ago.

"I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how fascinating you are, Tomoyo-san," Eriol temporized. "Anyone with half a brain would be mad for you." He was waving his hands. Tomoyo suspected that this was a nervous gesture and hid her smile.

"You have more than half a brain," she told him. "Why are you stalking me?"

The silence was thick enough to serve sliced on toast.

Tomoyo sipped her tea some more and awaited Eriol's response.

Eriol cleared his throat. "Well, to put it bluntly," he began, his voice deeper and a little hoarse, "I adore you."

A flush of warmth rose to Tomoyo's cheeks and neck, then settled firmly in the pit of her stomach. It was a nice feeling, but it made her a bit nervous.

So she rewarded Eriol's honesty with a winsome smile, the kind that made her eyes shine. "Okay," she said simply.

Eriol gaped at her.

"This is excellent tea, Eriol-kun," she noted. "Is it new?"

"Yes, Nakuru ordered it from a catalogue and . . ." Eriol cleared his throat. "But that's not the point!"

"Hmm?" Tomoyo was all innocence.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" His eyes were a bit wild.

Inwardly, Tomoyo was laughing. This was much more fun than baiting Colin and the Boys. She'd never seen Eriol quite so agitated. "Like what?" she asked curiously.

"Like . . . like . . ." Eriol was grasping at straws. "I don't know, dammit!"

"Language," Tomoyo murmured reproachfully.

Eriol looked at her suspiciously before draining his tea in a single gulp. The tea scorched his throat and he began to cough.

"Are you ready to finish practicing?" Tomoyo asked gently once his coughing had trailed off.

"Sure," Eriol croaked.

"We've only got a few more days until the concert," she noted.

"Yes," Eriol agreed vaguely.

"I think I'm finally getting the hang of this." Tomoyo smiled and swept out of the room.

"Yeah," Eriol muttered as he followed her out. He had a feeling she wasn't talking about getting the hang of the music.

_______________________________

"You know, I feel completely relaxed now," Tomoyo declared as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was already applied and she looked fabulous. She wasn't humble enough to deny that.

Colin was carefully running a brush through Tomoyo's hair, gently untangling it and smoothing it to a silky shine. "Weren't you the one who was pacing earlier?" he commented mildly. "And your hands are shaking." He, of all the Boys, was the only one allowed backstage to help Tomoyo in the final stages of her primping.

"That's different," Tomoyo explained airily. "I always get nervous right before a show. Right now I feel like a good sneeze would knock me over and I could pass out at any moment. But that's not what I'm talking about." Tomoyo's berry-red lips curled into a small, feline smile. "No, I'm completely relaxed about the whole Eriol issue. I had that little talk with him, you know."

Colin paused momentarily in his brushing. "What, you told him how you felt?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Tomoyo scoffed. "Keep brushing, Colin," she ordered mildly.

"So . . . what did the two of you talk about?" Colin was having difficulty containing his curiosity.

"I made him tell me how he felt," Tomoyo replied, looking entirely too pleased with herself.

Colin chuckled. "That's my girl," he murmured fondly as he began to coil her hair up around her head. "Bobby pins," he told Tomoyo, who promptly passed him a handful.

"Have I ever thanked you properly for being so nice to me?" Tomoyo asked after a brief silence.

"What, for doing your hair?" Colin continued to anchor Tomoyo's hair in place with the pins. "I think we're going to need some hair spray too."

"Well, for the hair too, but mostly just for being my friend," Tomoyo said with a warmer smile. "If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have made any friends here at Clef. I was so lost when I got here after Mother died and all. You really mean a lot to me, Colin."

"Close your eyes," Colin ordered sharply as he pushed the final pins into place.

Bemused, Tomoyo obeyed and waited while Colin liberally sprayed her hair into place.

"Okay, you can open them now."

When Tomoyo glanced up into the mirror, she realized that not only was her hair beautifully coiffed, but Colin had tears in his eyes. "Colin?"

"You shouldn't make me cry when I'm in the middle of doing your hair," he complained, dabbing at his eyes with his sleeves.

"Oh, Colin," Tomoyo said with a little sniffle, her own eyes prickling with tears. She hurled herself into Colin's arms, hugging him with all her adrenaline-pumped strength.

"Don't cry!" Colin shouted around tears. "You'll mess up your makeup, dear one. And be careful of your hair because it's not too secure and . . ." He sighed into Tomoyo's ear. "Aw, bloody hell," he muttered. "I care a lot about you too, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo hiccuped. "Colin, you're probably one of the best things that's happened to me here in England," she declared.

"Yes, but I'll never forgive myself if you're late for your act in the concert." Colin gently pulled back and fiddled absently with the curls piled atop Tomoyo's head. "So go put your dress on and come back in here so I can see it, okay?"

Tomoyo gave him a watery smile, grabbed her plastic-encased dress on its padded hanger, and scampered off toward the girls' dressing room.

Colin smiled after her for a minute or two then turned to peer into the shadows off to one side of the wings. "How long have you been standing there, Hiiragizawa?" he asked curiously.

"Long enough," Eriol said, stepping out into the brightly lit staging area. He looked quite dashing in his tuxedo but the image was ruined by the goofy smile he wore. "So she really does want me too?"

"I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," Colin said primly.

"Hmph," said Eriol, folding his arms over his chest. "You're no fun."

Colin gave Eriol a long, measuring stare. It wasn't the usual heated, do-me gaze he used to throw the dark-haired boy. Colin almost . . . glared.

"What?" Eriol asked, a little worried.

"You do realize that I love that girl," Colin pointed out casually.

"Er . . ." said Eriol.

"Not the way you do, of course," Colin continued. "But I love her just the same."

"That's . . . nice to know." Eriol wondered if Tomoyo had been sharing tips with Colin from her 'How To Freak Out Hiiragizawa' list.

"And if you break her heart," Colin added firmly, his glare intensifying, "Or even upset her, I'll rip your pretty face off and shove it where the sun don't shine. Understand?"

Eriol blinked. "Perfectly." Was there something about him that made Tomoyo's friends suspicious of him? Did he look like a thug or a child molester or a jaywalker or something? He was baffled by the eery similarities between Colin's threats and Syaoran's.

"How do I look?" Tomoyo called as she darted out from the dressing room, her dress swirling around her lithe form like live silk.

Eriol turned and stared at her. Yes, you should always wear red, Tomoyo, my dearest, he whispered silently.

Tomoyo startled when she spotted Eriol and froze in place. Her blood-red dress, airy and light with layer upon layer of filmy chiffon, suddenly felt too revealing. A blush rose from the low neckline of the gown to heat her face. "Oh, Eriol-kun, you're here." She paused to adjust the fitted bodice. Why on earth did I even contemplate wearing a strapless dress? she berated herself furiously.

Eriol stopped staring immediately. "Red's a good color for you," he commented quietly. "It brings out the red in your hair."

"There isn't any red in my hair," Tomoyo said.

"Hmm," said Eriol.

Colin contained his laughter and snuck off into the shadows. He needed to get back to the seat his friends had saved for him. There wasn't much time before the show would be starting.

_______________________________

"It took you long enough to do her hair," Ben grumbled when Colin returned to his seat.

"Tomoyo has a lot of hair," Colin replied with a self-satisfied smile.

Farther down the row, Sin winked at Colin, pointed at Ben, and mouthed, "He's just jealous."

Colin rolled his eyes and absently stole Ben's program.

A tall, red-haired woman and her equally tall, dark-haired husband settled down in the seats next to Colin. He recognized her from somewhere, but he wasn't really sure where.

"Did you pick up a program, Greg?" the redhead asked. "I think I forgot to grab one." She glanced briefly at the stage. "Tomoyo mentioned that she and Eriol would be singing last, but I'd like to find out who else is performing."

"You can borrow mine, Ms. Mizuki," Colin said, handing her the program he'd snatched from Ben. Kaho Mizuki's mention of Tomoyo aided Colin in remembering who she was. So this was the woman who'd captured Eriol's heart and held it for so long. Colin met her gaze squarely.

"Thank you," she said with a smile that made Colin shiver. Colin, who had no interest in women, was deeply affected by the warmth she projected. "Have we met before?"

"No, but I've heard a lot about you." Colin tentatively returned her smile. "I'm a friend of Tomoyo's. My name's Colin."

"Ah, Tomoyo told me about you," Kaho exclaimed. "You're the one who she went to Eriol's concert with, right?"

Colin winced, remembering his ulterior motives for accompanying Tomoyo to that long past concert. The idea of stalking Eriol like a mad fanboy seemed ridiculous now. "Yes, that was me. But tonight I'm here to hear Tomoyo." Colin settled back into his seat. "She really does have one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard."

For a moment, Kaho's eyes grew distant and unfocused. "A beautiful Voice, eh?" She pursed her lips. "Now why didn't I think of her earlier?"

"Pardon?" Colin didn't quite follow her train of thought.

"Once upon a time," Kaho began, her hand slipping over to cover her husband's, "There was a powerful but lonely sorcerer. Prophecy told him that someday he would find his true love, but he couldn't wait. Love touched him in many ways, but never that prophesied One. He grew cool and distant, his heart locked in ice, waiting for the hot thaw of his fated love."

Colin's gaze grew speculative. He knew she was describing something terribly important, but he just wasn't sure what it was. It was on the tip of his tongue . . .

"Then, one day, she came," Kaho continued, her voice rising and falling with an almost musical cadence. "She came to him, not with a flash of light or a roll of thunder, but with a breath of song."

"And they lived happily ever after?" Colin asked softly. "The sorcerer prince and his musical princess?"

"We'll just have to find out, I suppose," Kaho murmured. Her smile turned from dreamy to mischievous. "Do you believe in prophecy, Colin?"

"I don't think so," Colin said.

"How about fate?" Kaho's eyes were much older than her face as she gazed at him.

"No," said Colin. "Definitely not."

"I don't either," she said as the lights lowered, signaling the start of the concert.

Colin puzzled through her cryptic comments through the first half of the concert, barely paying attention when intermission came and went.

"Stop staring at the ceiling, Colin," Ben muttered to Colin. "Tomoyo and Hiiragizawa are up next."

Colin blinked and peered at the stage. Two guitarists and a beautiful blonde flutist were stomping through an energetic classical piece that he didn't recognize. "They're next?" he murmured in surprise. It was quite obvious that he wasn't paying much attention to the performers.

"You've been eyeing the chandelier for the past half-hour," Justin noted from Ben's other side.

"It's a very nice chandelier," Colin defended himself, looking a little abashed. Was he supposed to explain that he'd been thinking deep thoughts for most of the concert?

"Whatever," Justin said dismissively.

"Now be quiet," Bertie instructed.

Colin obediently shut the hell up, as did Justin and Ben.

The trio on stage finished their piece and took their bows to the polite applause of the audience. Colin supposed they were pretty good, but he wasn't musical enough to be terribly discerning. He was mostly just glad they were done. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to sit still. It was a good thing the last performance, Eriol and Tomoyo's, was ready to begin.

"Oh, what a lovely dress!" Sin murmured to Bertie as Tomoyo and Eriol appeared on the stage. "And you did a great job on her hair, Colin."

Colin had enough time to grin proudly at Sin before Eriol took his place at the piano, Tomoyo took her place before the microphone, and the audience fell utterly silent.

The piano accompaniment wasn't terribly complex or difficult, but Eriol had an uncanny knack of projecting multiple layers of meaning into the music. Then the vocal line was picked up by Tomoyo and an almost-audible sigh rippled through the audience. Colin realized that he'd never actually heard Tomoyo sing before and was astonished by the transformation that took place. In school, she tended to be quiet, withdrawn. Despite her ethereal beauty, she preferred to remain in the background and was rather successful in that endeavor. Now, as she stood within the silvery glare of the spotlight in the red silk dress she'd spent a month making, she had a presence. Colin understood, perfectly, why nearly half the school was in love with her.

There's a saying old
Says that love is blind
Still we're often told:
"Seek and you shall find"
So I'm going to seek a certain lad
I've had in mind

Looking everywhere
Haven't found him yet
He's the big affair
I cannot forget
Only man I ever think of with regret
I'd like to add his initials
To my monogram
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?

Now, to Colin's astonishment, Tomoyo angled her body just enough that she could make eye-contact with Eriol at the piano to her right. Her voice dipped and rose, richer than he would have imagined it would be. And her eyes, glittering darkly in the brilliant stage lights, were fixed smokily on Eriol's. Colin smiled to himself. He suspected Eriol was having trouble keeping his composure.


There's a somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that he
Turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me

I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
I know I could
Always be good
To one who'll watch over me

Although he may not be the man some girls think of
As handsome
But to my heart
He carries the key

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead
Oh how I need
Someone to watch over me
Someone to watch over me

All too quickly, Tomoyo fell silent. Then she bowed.

The audience erupted into a sea of applause. It was thunderous to Colin's ears, though perhaps he was more affected than most. To one side, Ben and Justin leapt to their feet and were soon followed by Sin and Bertie, both of whom were whooping and cheering like madmen. To Colin's left, Kaho Mizuki and her husband rose to their feet in unison, applauding, beaming with pride and admiration.

So Colin joined his friends in applause, in support of his best friend and the boy who loved her.

Eriol stood from the piano bench and stood next to Tomoyo in the center of the spotlit stage. They bowed together, then gestured for the rest of the performers to join them for the curtain call. This process took several minutes, during which Colin managed to worm his way out of his seat, down the aisle, and to the front of the stage. He grinned and held up two bouquets of rich crimson roses.

"Catch!" he shouted over the din of the audience.

Tomoyo seemed to hear him. She briefly met his gaze then caught the bouquet as he flung it toward her. Her small, red mouth curled into a small, red smile and she blew him a kiss.

Eriol, on the other hand, was still obliviously beaming at the audience. He's enjoying his fame way too much, Colin decided firmly. So he threw the final bouquet as hard as he could at Eriol.

The roses smacked into Eriol's face, petals fluttering in every direction.

"Whoops," Colin mouthed to Tomoyo who was having difficulty retaining her demure smile in the face of Eriol's wide-eyed bafflement. Colin was close enough to the stage to recognize the laughter that shook her bare shoulders.

"How the hell did you get up here so fast?" Justin demanded as he finished elbowing his way to where Colin was standing. The other boys weren't far behind, though Ben was slowed down by the rapturous looks he kept throwing in Tomoyo's direction.

"Not everyone's as little and sneaky as you, Colin," Bertie noted once he and Sin made it to Colin. Bertie seemed to have the most difficulty moving through the crowd due to his size and unwillingness to use Justin's forceful crowd-maneuvering methods.

"I see you threw them the roses," Sin commented blandly as he eyed the battered bouquet, lying in a puddle of rose petals at Eriol's feet.

Colin just smirked.

"I think I'm in love," Ben said dreamily when he finally made it to where Colin still standing by the stage. His whole face was flushed, from the tip of his snub nose to his freckled ears, and he was still gazing soulfully up at Tomoyo, resplendent in her red gown.

"Me too," Colin murmured fondly. He'd never seen Tomoyo look so content, so whole. She looked strong enough to deal with her mother's death, strong enough to take on Eriol Hiiragizawa and win.

"Our work is done here, boys," Colin said jovially to his friends.

"Eh?" said Justin. Even he was looking a bit flushed from his spate of Tomoyo-watching.

"Come on," Colin continued. He linked his arms with Justin and Ben's. "Let's get out of here."

_______________________________

Tomoyo and Eriol graciously accepted the praise of their fellow performers as they waited backstage for the furor to die down. Eriol perched precariously on a crate of lighting equipment while Tomoyo sat amidst the pooled skirts of her silk gown. Eriol was still watching her like a hawk.

When did she learn to do that? He wondered. She manages to hold court even back here in the dim recesses of the school auditorium. He noted, with the inevitable flare of jealousy, that most of the students who stopped by to extol the virtues of her performance were young, male, and blushing furiously in her presence. Silly little boys.

Then Tomoyo turned toward him and smiled and Eriol was so startled that he forgot his jealousy.

"Would you wait here while I change out of the dress?" she asked. Tomoyo's circle of admirers had vanished and the stagehands were beginning to dismantle the stage setup.

Eriol was inwardly pleased that she was assuming he'd be staying with her for a while. "Of course, Tomoyo-san," he said with a smile that he hoped wasn't too goofy. "And did I mention that you look ravishing in that gown?"

"A couple of times, yes," Tomoyo replied with a tiny, satisfied smile. She collected her clothes from her bag. "I'll be right back."

Eriol sat patiently for several minutes, his gaze fixed glassily on the door to the dressing room. He could plainly hear the rustling of silk and tulle and was having trouble keeping his imagination in check. Just as he was preparing to knock on the door and offer his assistance, Tomoyo reappeared dressed in a pale green sundress that Eriol was particularly fond of. He wondered if she knew how beautiful she looked in it, particularly with her hair still piled atop her head in an artfully tousled manner and her face still aglow with accomplishment.

"Let's go," she said after hanging the scarlet silk dress back in it's gray vinyl hanging bag. Eriol hoped she would wear the dress again sometime soon. It only emphasized the way she'd grown since Tomoeda.

"Where are we going?" Eriol asked once they had walked out of the auditorium and were approaching the gates of the school. The yard was almost abandoned; only a few stragglers from the concert, like themselves, were still ambling toward home.

"You'll see," Tomoyo replied in an infuriatingly smug tone.

"Oh," said Eriol. He remained resolutely silent for the rest of the walk.

It wasn't until Tomoyo led him up a grassy hill toward what appeared to be a large pile of boulders that he realized where they were. "Oh," he said again. "The park."

"I brought Colin here to tell him about you and Kaho," Tomoyo explained. "It's a good place to talk."

"Is that what we're doing?" Eriol asked mildly. He was somewhat miffed that Colin had spent time with her in such a place. The ruined hillfort was like something out of Arthurian legend. All the scene needed was some swirling mist threading amongst the boulders and the birches. And perhaps a medieval gown for the fair Tomoyo. As it was, the nearly-full moon illuminated the clearing and the starlight hollowed out shadows in the hill that seemed to move as they walked. Had Eriol not been as intimately acquainted with the realities of sorcery, he might have been tempted to call the evening "magical."

"Yes," Tomoyo said firmly as she lead the way toward the tallest pile of rubble. "We need to talk."

How on earth does she make that sound appealing and ominous all at once? Eriol wondered, bemused. Tomoyo shucked her sandals off at the base of the boulders and began to clamber upward. Eriol pulled off his shoes and socks and did likewise.

"It's easier to climb barefoot than in heels," Tomoyo noted as she finished her scramble to the top. "Better than school flats too," she added as she settled into the slight hollow of the boulder's top face.

"I'm just impressed that you can climb in a dress," Eriol added.

"Me too, actually." Tomoyo arranged her skirts around her as Eriol sat down next to her.

"So we were going to talk?" Eriol prompted mildly.

"Yes," Tomoyo said then fell silent again.

Some sort of nocturnal bird called from the shelter of a nearby ash.

"What did you want to talk about?" Eriol was overcome by his curiosity. Did she want to discuss their relationship? He certainly did. Or at least, he wanted her to discuss their relationship enough so that he could feel comfortable kissing her.

"You still love Mizuki-sensei." It was a statement, not a question. Tomoyo's face was veiled in the shadows of her hair; Eriol had no idea what she was thinking.

"Yes," Eriol replied truthfully. "I still love her. I think I always will. And you still love Sakura-san. What's your point?"

"The point is," Tomoyo began, choosing her words slowly and carefully, "That you . . . and I . . . well, what do you expect from me, Eriol? We, neither of us, are truly free to love others." Tomoyo shivered and turned her face to stare at the stars. She wasn't quite ready to look at Eriol yet.

Eriol ran impatient fingers through his dark fringe of hair. "I don't know what I expect from you. I don't think I have any expectations of you. You know how I feel about you, Tomoyo." For a brief, horrible moment, Eriol realized how ridiculous he sounded.

"All triteness aside," Tomoyo continued, brushing aside Eriol's decidedly corny comments. "We both love other people. Our hearts have already been claimed." She paused and tucked her legs in to her chest, wrapping her pale arms around her knees.

The silence was almost painful. Then Eriol sighed and pulled his coat off, settling it around Tomoyo's bare shoulders. "Does it really matter that I love Kaho and you love Sakura?"

Tomoyo finally looked at him, her mascara-daubed eyes enormous in the twilight. "I've always thought that preexisting loves might be a bit of an impediment to any sort of relationship," she said with mild sarcasm.

"I don't know about you, Tomoyo," Eriol said, "But I have a big heart. There's room for more than one person in there. True, Kaho certainly has a piece of my heart, but I'm sure there's quite a bit of it left for you. If you'll have it, that is," he added hesitantly. "If you'll have me . . ."

Tomoyo stared at him, her expression unreadable.

"Do you really think that we're only allowed to love one person, Tomoyo?" Eriol's voice was slightly strained. Why wasn't she answering? Was he just making a complete ass of himself? "Do you?"

"Hmm," was all Tomoyo said as her gaze shied away from Eriol.

That's it, Eriol thought gloomily. I've lost her for good, now. He felt like pounding his head against the boulder they were seated on. I am an idiot. An unmitigated ass. And any moment now she'll tell me so . . .

"Maybe you're right," Tomoyo conceded, still looking off toward the shadows of the trees.

Eriol paused in the process of tearing his hear out. "What?"

"I think I can keep on loving Sakura and still have room for someone else," she mused. The moon outlined her profile, limning her delicate features with silvery light. Eriol watched her purse her lips thoughtfully.

"Someone else?" he prompted hopefully.

"Yes," Tomoyo confirmed. Eriol couldn't tell if she was smiling or not.

"Like me?" he asked, a little louder.

"Perhaps," Tomoyo replied coyly. Eriol caught a flash of white teeth as she grinned briefly at him. "You are truly a wise man, Eriol Hiiragizawa," she noted, half-serious. "You know that?"

"Of course I am," Eriol said. "I'm terribly wise."

"And clever," Tomoyo added, shifting a little closer to him.

"You forgot to mention charming," Eriol said with a winning smile.

"And sexy," Tomoyo murmured.

Eriol was startled into a blush. I don't think I've ever heard her say that word, he pondered. It sounds almost naughty, coming from her. He hoped that it was dark enough to hide his flushed cheeks. If she noticed how red he was, he'd never live it down.

Tomoyo began to laugh. "You're blushing!" she said between bouts of bubbling laughter.

"I am not!" Masculine pride wounded, Eriol set about retaliating by pulling the pins out of Tomoyo's hair, sending it tumbling about her shoulders.

"What was that for?" Tomoyo asked curiously. She slid herself close enough that he could feel the head radiating from her body.

"I like your hair," Eriol said with a pout. "But I like it better down."

"We're going to have to go find all those pins, you know," Tomoyo reminded him as she watched him toss the handful of hairpins off into the darkness.

"Later," Eriol assured her as he slipped an arm cautiously around her shoulder, pulling her head down to rest on his shoulder. He marveled at how well she fit against his side, soft and slim and beautiful against the silver light of the evening. He tended to forget how small she was, but now, with his hand delicately cupping her shoulder, he couldn't help but remember.

They sat in companionable silence for several minutes. Eriol inhaled the scent of her hair and closed his eyes. This is what I've been waiting for all my life, he decided, his mind fuzzy with bliss.

Then Tomoyo suddenly pulled back and gazed up at him. There was a question in her dark eyes but for the life of him, Eriol couldn't figure out what she was asking.

"What?" He hoped she hadn't changed her mind or something equally horrifying.

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" she asked him seriously, her brow furrowed slightly.

Eriol gaped stupidly for a moment.

"Well?" Tomoyo looked impatient now.

"I was just waiting for the kettle to interrupt," Eriol said once he recovered his equilibrium. "Or maybe Nakuru. Something. Something always interrupts us . . ." He was only half-joking.

"Idiot," Tomoyo said fondly before pulling his head down and kissing him soundly.

When Tomoyo finally let him come up for air, he had a goofy grin on his face and he was having trouble focusing his gaze on her. Her face was a silver-shaded blur framed by the wild shadows of her hair. "I may be an idiot," he began, somewhat breathlessly, "But I'm your idiot."

Tomoyo laughed again and it sent shafts of warmth through Eriol's soul. She sounded truly happy. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard her laugh like that. Not even for Sakura.

"Damn straight, you're my idiot," she replied before dragging him close again and shutting out the moon, the stars, and the rest of the night for the both of them.

_______________________________

Author's Notes:

Phew! I'm finally finished. For a while I considered planning an epilogue for this story, but I don't think it'll happen. If anyone out there really wants an epilogue and can come up with a darn good reason for one, then email me and I'll consider it. I think I cleared up pretty much all of the loose ends in this final chapter, but please don't hesitate to bug me if you feel otherwise.

More comments. Yes, this took me a long time to write, but now that it's over, I'm realizing that it was, indeed, a fairly major accomplishment. The series is over a hundred standard pages long and nearly 60,000 words deep. It's certainly not my greatest piece of literary work, but I'm proud to have completed the damn thing. Now maybe I can get on with Nadesico's Daughter. *grumbles* Yes, CCSchleuter, I'm going to finish Nadesico's Daughter. I promised, didn't I? *cackles*

Anyway, now comes the part of the fic where I thank everyone who helped me with this:

- To Sakura, Tin, and Meg for the inspiration. If it wasn't for you three, I would never have attempted or even contemplated the Eriol x Tomoyo pairing. *sniffles* I love you guys!

- To Jae for her energetic poking over the past few months. I still need to write that dueling omake for her. Yeah, the one where Tomoyo and Colin fight over Eriol, who gets to wear a dress. Cuteness!

- To Jay for caring more about my art than my ficcage. I think I'm flattered but I'm not so sure.

- To the assortment of people who accosted me on AIM to chat me up about my writing. Their not-so-subtle attempts at prodding me into action assured the completion of this fanfiction.

- To those people who emailed me with comments and suggestions for A Cappella. I got some really helpful editing comments from these. My writing would be a lot less coherent without these people.

- To the general population of the CCSFWML for their wholesome influence and generous tolerance of my laziness.

- To all the folks who reviewed A Cappella on fanfiction.net. You guys are way too nice to me.

- And finally, to my sister for refusing to read my fic after the first chapter. I'll still kick her ass one of these days. Eddings my cute little butt! *gnashes teeth*

Next Up: I'm going to finish Nadesico's Daughter! Honest! *waves crazily*

- Kit Spooner
November 28, 2001
[email protected]
http:// www.envy.nu/fruitbat/
http://fruitbat.pitas.com