As with the usual disclaimers I do not own nor do I have the rights to any of the characters of Card Captor Sakura.

Color Coordinated

"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions." -Pablo Picasso

Chapter One: Color

Swirling red liquid. Tomoyo listlessly stared at her glass against the weak light. "That's not how it's supposed to happen." Her skeptical eyes locked momentarily with her neighbor's, and then return to the dark red liquid.

"What isn't?" Eriol asked, faced way from his company. He made a glance at the pretty redhead at the other end of the bar. Reverting a quick glance at Tomoyo, "Love?" Yes, Miss beautiful redhead has finally caught on - eye contact at last.

Tomoyo's eyes still locked on the red liquid's whirling motion, "I always knew redheads were your type."

Eriol jerked his head back to face Tomoyo, attention now completely taken away from his former preoccupation. "What do you mean?"

Tomoyo looked unphased, and her eyes never left her glass. She smirked cynically. "Don't ruin the game, Eriol. She was so into you." Her head motioned ever so slightly in the direction of the redhead. "You could've had her, but now she's going to think you're with me." Swirling the red liquid a little faster, her eyes unfocused and glazed over. "She looked fun. You could've had fun with her tonight."

"I feel mildly offended." Eriol chuckled. "If you were not so beautiful, I would surely refuse your company." Eriol glanced back toward the redhead who was seemingly disinterested in him now. With a smirk he turned back to Tomoyo, "I could never refuse the company of Helen of Troy."

"I'm not sure that I'm a face that can launch a thousand ships." Tomoyo downed the rest of her red beverage.

Before the ice in his drink could dilute the brownish alcohol any further, Eriol lifted it up and drank the contents as well. "So, what's not fair? Love?"

"Life," she answered as she turned in her seat to lock eyes with him. Uncrossing her long legs, she leaned in so close Eriol could smell the alcohol on her breath. "Life's unfair." She didn't go any further in explaining her answer. "I think it's time to go."

Eriol stood up to help balance Tomoyo's shaky stance. They both exited the bar as heads turn to watch them leave. As they exited Eriol grimaced as he remarked to Tomoyo, "And what a perfect couple we appear to be."

A drunk Tomoyo firmly wrapped herself around Eriols waist as she scoffed, "If only, if only."

"If only, if only," Eriol repeated Tomoyo's words wearily. He slickly pulled Tomoyo's body upward, her head off his abdomen to resting on his chest. Holding her firmly, they exited the bar and crossed the street. Tomoyo clumsily moved one foot in front of the other. She stared downward at the blackish-grey asphalt and it's rough slightly uneven texture.

It was a pitiful sight for no one but Eriol to see. Eriol thought to simply pick her up and carry her, but he knew she would protest. "Walking you home is always my favorite part of our inebriated occasions," he jested backhandedly.

"Oh shush," Tomoyo leaned her entire body weight onto Eriol. "I'm so little. I'm sure someone as big, strong and brawny as yourself could never... be bothered to escort me home." Tomoyo gasps as her foot tripped on the sidewalk step.

Eriol lifted her again and swapped her to his left arm, helping her onto the sidewalk.

Tomoyo continued to drunkenly babble, "But as you can see," pushing her index finger forward into the air, "You. Of all people should not be complaining... You, my friend, are a very powerful magician. You could just..." In a quick circular motion, she released her right arm from his waist, snapped her finger, and replaced her arm again around his waist. "Pop me home without any difficulty."

Eriol didn't answer. He only kept walking, helping Tomoyo along as he went. It had become their thing.

Becoming very serious, now. Tomoyo stared upward to watch the magician expression as she whispers in an almost sober manner, "You don't have to walk me home, you know." she paused in thought. "Really. Just a snap of your fingers, and I'd be home in bed." with a sense of finality, "I know you can do that."

Silence ensued.

The clicking of Tomoyo's heels was the only audible sound as they walked down the street to Tomoyo's apartment.

Silence was broken by a rhetorical question. "Are we still in the city?" Tomoyo asked. She sounded like an innocent child, confused by the world She pulled her eyes from Eriol's strong chin to look at their surroundings, "I've never seen the city so empty before... It's as if we're the only ones."

On cue, a lone pewter-colored car drove by. Eriol held Tomoyo protectively, almost possessively as he reproachfully stared down the car full of college boys eying Tomoyo and hooting. Tomoyo didn't notice at all, and so they continued walking.

Without looking down, Eriol drolled bitingly, "It'd be a delight for you not to always dress so suggestively for our little rendezvous, ma chère - or to dress so suggestively at all. "

Tomoyo caught sight of her complex in the distance; she kept her eyes fixed on the awning and lamps. Amused by Eriol's remark, Tomoyo stated profoundly, "Beauty is a curse in itself." Tomoyo could sense Eriol's chagrin intensify as they continued to walk in silence. "But if I have it, I might as well use it."

"Cut the crap, Daidouji." He gripped a handful of her dress, hiking her hemline to a daring length to prove his point.

"Stop it. I was just joking around," she unraveled Eriol's hand as they finally walk through the lobby doors to the elevator, "Next time," she pressed the elevator button, "I'll look a little less scandalous."

Tomoyo leaned half her body against the wall next to the elevator, waiting for the elevator and watching the activity in the lobby. A young man from her building walked into the lobby, and immediately focused intently on Tomoyo. Eriol didn't notice this at all as he stared at the red numbers decreasing until it turned to an L. The elevator opened. Eriol turned to help Tomoyo walk, but Tomoyo roughly shoved Eriol into the open elevator and up against the back wall. She pounced in to kiss Eriol fully and sensually.

The doors closed, and Tomoyo immediately pulled away, pressing the button for the top floor as though what she did never happened. Breathing in deeply, Tomoyo leaned back against the elevator wall next to Eriol. The mirrors in the elevator reflected their images a thousand-million times.

Eriol, wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "What was that for?"

"There was an audience - a pest actually." The doors reopen. Tomoyo walked out and down the hall holding the wall as she went. Eriol followed behind, waiting for Tomoyo to clarify. "Some guy from my floor I needed to... get rid of." At her door, Tomoyo's outstretched her palm towards Eriol while focusing full-heartedly on the doorknob. "Keys."

"If only Sakura could see what you have become," Eriol muttered. Scooting in front of her, he turned the shiny doorknob magically and walked into the apartment.

"Please." Tomoyo retaliated, annoyed. "What would Kaho think of you?" The enchanted door slammed shut and clicked as it locked behind her.

"Touchè," Eriol retorted, handing her a glass of water before sitting down on her couch.

Tomoyo downed the glass of water. She started walking towards her room, "You're going to have to stay tonight. That man in the lobby can't see you leave; he's kind of a stalker."

"Should I be alarmed?"

Tomoyo laughed. "No, but just stay, yeah?"

"Stay in your room?" Eriol mused sardonically. Dim light filtered through windows, and grey shadows cast all over the apartment and across both their faces. "It's much bigger than your guest room." His eyes twinkled with amusement.

Tomoyo spun her head over her shoulder, long hair flying in a wave as she continued to strut down the hall, "Such an ungentlemanly proposition, Eriol." Turning fully to face Eriol, she knocked off her heels and walks slowly backward, "You know I have to refuse."

"Of course, of course." Eriol set the glass down, he walked in Tomoyo's direction, following her down the hallway. "No hard feelings." He smiled boyishly, amused.

He would always ask half-heartedly, and she would always say no. It was their meaningless routine.

Eriol followed Tomoyo to the end of the hall. Face-to-face, he stared amused at Tomoyo leaning against her bedroom doorframe. He took her hand and lifted it up. "Goodnight, my lady." Sapphires locked with amethysts as he kisses her hand.

"Goodnight." Tomoyo smiled the first time that night. Eriol turned to walk back the other direction as she watched his figure recede down the hall. Noting his wardrobe choice in respect to her own, she called out to him. "Let's not match every time time we go out. It's awkward."

Eriol had already disappeared down another hallway, but Tomoyo could still hear him chuckle as his door clicked closed.

[tbc]