[Fanfiction] [Crossover] Why Did I Fall in Love With You?
Title: Why did I fall in love with you?
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Ouran High School Host Club / Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: T
Genre: Romance/ Angst
Status: In-progress
Disclaimer: The song is by DBSK and the characters are made by CLAMP and Hatori Bisco. Support them, please!
Summary: Some of us seek second chances. Will we be brave or will we be cowards again? There is only a choice to do what is right and what is true. Why did I fall in love with you? -KyouyaxTomoyo-
Chapter XI
Tomoyo shivered in the cold December air. She pulled her coat closer as she stepped into the pavement. They were in front of her apartment building. Her eyes widened when she saw Kyouya remove his scarf and tie it securely around her neck. She looked at him with a surprised smile. It was an unexpected gesture from him and she cherished it. It must have taken a lot of courage for him to step outside of his boundaries to touch her. "Thank you, Kyouya-san."
"You're welcome," he said quietly.
They walked inside the posh reception area without speaking. It was still surreal to them. They had started the evening as close acquaintances and ended it as an engaged couple. It was an amazing turn of events. The beautiful ring on her finger was the only thing that confirmed the change.
Kyouya still kept an eye on her. She was very quiet. He wondered about what was going through her mind. It was hard to read Tomoyo when she was quiet and pensive. He wished that he knew what to say and what to do to avoid mistakes. Their connection was so fragile. Their engagement was built on eggshells.
He wanted her to be sure.
After his unexpected proposal, they excused themselves from the party. Everyone was applauding and talking about them. The Host Club was right behind them. All of them offered their congratulations. He nodded and smiled as he steered her into their waiting limousine. Tomoyo didn't speak at all. They didn't talk on the long ride home. They were waiting for each other to get used to it. But he felt like a thorn had been extracted from his chest. He could finally breathe freely.
Tomoyo was finally his.
They arrived at the front door of her penthouse suite. She turned to him, smiling, after she extracted her keys from her purse. Violet-blue eyes were uncertain. Her fingers lingered on the doorknob as she stared at him. He knew instinctively that she was assessing his readiness to assume his new role. Even in the dim light, he saw how her engagement ring shone. It filled him with pride. She was his. He was hers.
The vagueness and ambiguity of their relationship was truly set aside.
Since they've gone out for more than a year, they had established a routine that they were comfortable with. Their dates were composed of society functions, dinner parties, amusement park dates and the low-key coffee date. He would usually fetch her from her condo, bring her back and leave her with a courteous "good night". She was always gracious. He was always polite. They never discussed their relationship. It never went beyond what could be loosely termed as "friendship".
Yet they were comfortable with each other and they shared secrets. They can live under one roof. They can create a marriage together because of an inexplicable reason that bound them together.
"Would you like to come inside?" she asked politely.
"Yes please," Kyouya replied. He followed the heiress inside her spacious apartment. It was a prettily decorated place with plenty of delicate feminine accessories paired with sleek modern furniture. He liked Tomoyo's aesthetic sensibilities. He could bet that she would extend the same to their future home. "I'm sorry for intruding."
She told him that the maids were on vacation. He sat down on the couch and studied a pretty painting in the wall. It took a moment before the face registered in his mind. A smile crept up his lips. It was a beautiful little girl in a white dress with long dark hair and huge violet eyes holding a basket of lilies in her lap. She was so angelic and innocent. If Tomoyo was going to be in charge of interior decorating then he was going to ask her to bring it with her...
Tomoyo busied herself with making coffee and pulling out a petite chocolate cake from the refrigerator. She did not realize that he had followed her inside the kitchen. He stood behind her, watching her every move.
He smiled as he noted her enthusiasm for household chores. Tomoyo was an only child so he guessed that she had to learn to do things for herself. It was endearing.
"Kyouya-san!" she exclaimed. Her eyes were enormous. "What are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask if I could help you out," he retorted smoothly. "But you have everything under control."
"That was nice of you." Tomoyo chuckled as she sat down across him. In her black cocktail dress and heels, she didn't look like she belonged to the kitchen. Her beauty still took his breath away.
He remembered the night that they spent together. She frowned slightly when she saw him avert his gaze. "Are you all right?"
Kyouya nodded. He watched her lift her right hand up to inspect her ring finger. A pleased look crossed her face. His heartbeats slowed down. He felt better now that he knew that he made her happy.
"Thank you so much," she said quietly. "It's a beautiful ring. I knew I could count on you."
He chuckled. "I'm very reliable. Didn't I tell you that I'll take care of it?"
A nod answered him. Her expression became soft and pensive. She lowered her hand to look at him. Her eyes were deep and dark like the sea. He couldn't look away. "Kyouya-san, what are we doing?"
"We're getting married," he replied gently. "I asked you. You accepted me."
"But what about-?"
Her statement was cut short by the whistling kettle. He watched her get up to serve coffee and cake. A whiff of her sweet perfume filled his nostrils when she leaned down to set the plate in front of him. She was so close...
"Kyou-"
She found that she welcomed his interruption.
It was a soft and tender kiss. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the sensation of his warm lips connecting with hers. Her body felt light and weightless so she was grateful when he pulled her closer to his embrace.
They slowly pulled away from each other without breaking eye contact. Her arms were around his neck and his hands were on her back. She shivered at the palm that warmed her bare flesh. He smiled slowly.
Tomoyo stared, mesmerized. She had never seen him smile like that. It was full of joy and contentment. All of the smiles that she'd seen were formal, stiff and condescending. She realized that it was his smile for her. It was the grin of an infatuated teenager or a passionate man. Her heart fluttered inside her chest. "Let's go to the living room," she said in a small voice.
They transferred without any trouble. He carried the tray of cakes and coffee for her. They settled down on the couch and started to eat. She could feel his eyes on her face. A light blush colored her cheeks.
"Tomoyo-san, do you trust me?"
Kyouya's question startled her. She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "I do."
"I'm glad to hear that. I do not want to think that I forced you into it," said Kyouya. His expression was earnest. It touched her to know that he was very serious. She reached for his hand without realizing it. Their fingers laced tightly together. "I want you to trust me. You have to believe in me. I can't promise that I'll be perfect but I will try my best."
Tears welled in her violet-blue eyes. She bit her lip quickly. He didn't break his intense gaze nor loosen his grip.
"I don't know what happened between you and Hiiragizawa-san but I don't care. Let's start again. I want to know if we have the chance to make it possible," said the dark king. His fiancee jumped when she felt his hand on her face. Blue-gray eyes were tender. "I'm so sorry for making you cry all the time..."
Tomoyo wiped her cheeks hurriedly. She was smiling and crying at the same time. Kyouya offered his handkerchief. She took it with a grateful smile. "I-I'm crying because I'm happy. Thank you so much, Kyouya-san."
She surprised him when she sat closer to him. His arm draped shyly over her shoulders while she laid a hand on his leg. They sank back into the couch to savor their new closeness. She felt protected and secure with him. He felt like himself around her.
"I can still remember the first time that I saw you," he whispered into her hair. She sighed and snuggled closer. "You were beautiful."
"Me too," she murmured into his chest. Exhaustion was seeping into her body. She didn't realize that he had gotten up so that she could lie on the couch comfortably. She was fast asleep when he laid a blanket over her slim body.
"Good night," said her fiancée as he kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Tomoyo-san."
He let himself out.
-0-0-0-
Shall we replace "Jingle Bells" with Wedding Bells?
It seems that the Crystal Voice of Tokyo got her present early this week. According to our sources, she received a spontaneous and unexpected proposal from none other than the famous Kyouya Ohtori in a welcoming party hosted by two new professors from the prestigious Ouran High School. It's still a week before Christmas but she's got a generous gift in the form of a large Tiffany's diamond engagement ring!
A short interview with the songbird confirmed the rumors that she had been going out with the businessman for more than a year now...
Sonomi was reading the Lifestyle section of the newspaper when her daughter entered the kitchen. She took a sip of dark coffee while the younger woman made her own. She realized with a small pang that they won't be able to do their morning routine anymore.
She wondered if she made the wrong choice of being a working mother. All of those wasted years and missed moments hit her. She was going to lose her daughter so soon...
"Good morning, Mother!" Tomoyo said as she kissed her mother's cheek. Her eyebrows knitted together when she noticed her expression. She was happy that her mother was home from Australia. She really missed her. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," said the older woman with a dismissive tone. Her brown eyes twinkled mischievously. "I was reading the paper. Your engagement is the talk of the town."
The dark-haired girl groaned. She pulled the paper towards her to read and blanched after the first paragraph. Her mother was laughing when she finished. "I can't believe the things that they wrote! Kyouya-san will be furious..."
"He won't. He knows it's good for your sales," Sonomi said soothingly. "You're the Little Queen. Everyone looks up to you, darling. When a queen gets married, the peasants have to know everything. That's why he allowed them to print it."
Her lips twitched. "I know. I just wanted our wedding to be a private ceremony."
"It will be," promised her mother. Her brown eyes were fierce. "It will be full of the people you love and people that love you."
"Thank you," Tomoyo said in a laughing tone. Her violet-blue eyes were twinkling. "I'm glad you didn't have anything scheduled on Christmas Day next week. Kyouya-san wanted us to meet his family for dinner. It will be a small engagement party."
"That's a great idea!" the older woman said enthusiastically.
"Kyouya-san really wants me to meet his older sister but his mother heard about it. So they offered to host the whole thing," explained Tomoyo. "I'm happy that you could come, Mother."
Sonomi felt her throat constrict as she stared at her daughter's grateful expression. She was her only child. Now she was all grown up and getting married. It was like losing Nadeshiko all over again. She did not realize that it was going to be hard to let go of her little treasure.
Tomoyo felt sadness wash over her when her mother started crying. She got up and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Mother, I'm just getting married. I'm not going to be executed."
"You're all grown up now," sobbed the Daidouji matriarch "You don't need your mother anymore. A-And you're going to be a mother someday..."
"You wanted me to get married, remember?" She giggled. Tears started to fall down her cheeks. She tried to keep her voice cheerful "You'll be a grandmother soon. You will have lots of fun with your grandchildren because you'll teach them lots of sports. It's not a bad thing, Mom."
Sonomi nodded as she wiped her tears. "I just didn't realize that I will really let you go. If it wasn't Kyouya-san, I would really torture the foolish young man who wanted to take you away from me!"
"I'm still your daughter," Tomoyo said in a reassuring tone. She was glad that her mother truly trusted her fiancee. "It's a good thing that you really like Kyouya-san."
The older woman hugged her only daughter tightly. Her voice was soft and sad. "I couldn't say no because I know that he really loves you."
+0+0+
"Sakura-chan, I'm here!" Tomoyo called out as soon as she arrived in the Li residence. She removed her shoes and set them aside neatly on the shoe rack. There were several pairs of shoes scattered in the entryway but she simply stepped over them.
She walked towards the living room where she saw her other second cousin. Touya Kinomoto was playing with the children on the carpet. Yukito Tsukishiro was eating a plate of snacks on the couch. They smiled as soon as they saw her. They were her friends. "Hi guys!"
"You're early," Touya said as he got up. She kissed Kimihiro and Sayuri before she turned to inspect the older Kinomoto. Touya was taller, more tanned and more muscular. They smiled at each other because they also treated each other like siblings although he was Sakura's older brother.
He worked as an archeologist like their father, Fujitaka Kinomoto. It often took him and Yukito to different parts of the world for a long period of time. He was also involved in a number of minor businesses so he was always busy. Sakura often told her that she missed her brother very much.
"I'm free," she replied as she dropped her bag on the easy chair. "I'll be glad to look after them."
"Yeah," agreed the older man "I'm glad that Father is home from Africa. It's not every day that we can have dinner together in a restaurant. But it kills me because we can't bring the little monsters."
"They're not monsters," admonished the Card Mistress. She entered the room wearing a pretty green dress. Her emerald green eyes were shining with mirth. "They're my kids!"
"Exactly," Touya deadpanned.
"To-ya!" Yukito scolded in a teasing tone. He nodded to Syaoran who came in. "Don't start."
The older Kinomoto sighed before he picked Sayuri up. He rocked her up and down in the air. The little girl burst out in delighted giggles. The adults smiled when Sayuri hugged Touya's neck lovingly. "They might be monsters but they're still kind of cute."
"You're such a softie." Syaoran smirked.
Touya's eyebrow went up. He growled but he turned his back to continue playing with his niece. "Don't be so smug. You're lucky that my sister is pretty. I'll pity the children if they're ugly like their daddy..."
Yukito stepped in front of a livid Syaoran to prevent further damage. Sakura and Tomoyo were laughing. Some things never changed.
Sakura turned to her best friend. "Thank you for coming over. You're an angel, Tomoyo-chan! I'm so glad that we didn't have to hire a babysitter."
"No problem," smiled the Daidouji heiress. She patted Kimihiro's head fondly. "I'll take care of them. You have to go now or you'll all be late!"
They followed her suggestion immediately. Yukito pushed Touya out of the door while Syaoran helped a chattering Sakura into her coat. Tomoyo was left with various instructions that she took with good humor. The Card Mistress kissed her second cousin goodbye then she skipped out of the gate.
Tomoyo went back inside to see Keroberos playing video games with Kimihiro. Sayuri was quietly coloring in her corner. The Seal Beast turned to her with a large grin. "Hi! I'm so glad you're babysitting. I can't stand it when they hire a babysitter!"
She sat down beside Sayuri and stroked the little girl's dark hair. A laugh escaped her lips. "I know. We'll have some pancakes later. How does that sound?"
Keroberos cheered. Kimihiro clapped his hands too. "You're the best Tomoyo-chan!"
A loud ring interrupted their conversation. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered the call with a smile. Keroberos smirked before he returned his attention to his video game. "Hello Kyouya-san!"
"Hello, Tomoyo-san. Where are you tonight?" Her fiancee of two weeks asked smoothly.
"I'm in Sakura-chan's house. They went out so I volunteered to look after the kids. I thought you had plans tonight so I didn't want to bother you," she said casually. Sayuri pulled her skirt to get her attention. "That's so pretty, Sayuri-chan. Are you making a picture for Mama? Aren't you a thoughtful little baby girl? Who's such a little sweetie?"
Kyouya seemed amused with her cooing and baby talk. "I decided to skip the party. It's a Saturday night and I'm free. What do you say?"
"You can come over," she said with a giggle. Her niece was bored with her drawing so she was now drawing on her arm. "You can keep me company."
"I'll be there in ten."
Tomoyo took her nephew, niece and Keroberos to the kitchen to make pancakes. She was so focused on her task that she jumped when she heard the doorbell ring. Keroberos waved her away while she removed her apron.
"Kyouya-san!" she greeted as she let him in. He was wearing jeans and a sweater. She caught a whiff of his unique smell when he passed her. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "I'm so glad that you could make it!"
"Me too," he said. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding. I just had to see you."
Tomoyo blushed. "K-Kyouya-san! We just saw each other last week..."
"I had to see you," he repeated gently.
She was locked in a warm, intimate gaze when she heard a familiar shriek.
"TOMOYO-CHAN!"
They jumped.
Keroberos flew into the entryway, looking distressed. He didn't see Kyouya. He headed straight to the young woman that he loved second only to his Mistress. "The pancakes are going to burn! Please hurry up!"
"Oh no!"
Kyouya watched her run to the kitchen. He turned his gaze to the yellow stuffed toy that was hovering in front of him.
"Shit!" Keroberos swore. He didn't realize that Tomoyo had a guest. He was so careless! Sakura was going to be so mad. His existence was supposed to be a secret.
The shadow king was still staring. He wondered if it was a prank or if he was hallucinating. There was a talking (swearing!) stuffed toy in front of him. It was floating at least five feet off the ground. He wondered if it was a prototype of a new toy that Tomoyo was developing that she forgot to tell him. Or maybe it was really a flying plushie...
He followed the strange toy to the kitchen. An affecting sight met his eyes.
Tomoyo was tending to the children. She was wearing the cute apron over her clothes again. Kimihiro was eating a stack of pancakes with a bit of honey on the side of his lips. Sayuri's face was spotless but her arms were full of black markings. The dark-haired woman smiled wryly. They made a mess without meaning to while she was away.
"TOMOYO-CHAN~!"
"Keroberos!" she exclaimed in shock. Her eyes widened like saucers when she realized that Kyouya was following the Seal Beast. "What happened to keeping our secret?"
"Tomoyo-chan! Please don't tell Sakura that I was discovered! I'm ashamed! I put my Mistress in danger!" The Seal Beast wailed. Kimihiro and Sayuri laughed at his silly face. He flew out of the room with a red face. "Waaah!"
"Kyouya-san," said the Daidouji heiress in a calm voice. "I can explain."
-0-0-0-
"Daddy!"
The men watched the cherry blossom throw herself at her father with amused smiles. Fujitaka Kinomoto hugged her back. She was filled with happiness.
"Where are the children?" the gray-haired man asked cheerfully. He looked around the restaurant as though he was hoping to see them. "I thought that you're going to bring them."
Sakura smiled mysteriously. "Tomoyo-chan offered to look after them."
The men in her life exchanged uneasy glances. When Sakura smiled like that, she resembled Tomoyo in all of her sweet cunning.
"I know that look. She did something." Touya said quietly to his brother-in-law.
"Yep," Syaoran agreed.
"It's her secret," Yukito murmured under her breath. His hazel eyes twinkled with merriment. "What are we going to order for dinner?"
-0-0-0-
Kyouya was exhausted by the end of the night. He decided that he would rather work on a large stack of spreadsheets than take care of a couple of hyperactive kids.
They kicked up a fuss when they brought them to the bathroom to give them a bath. Kimihiro screamed and wailed when he tried to remove his clothes while Sayuri's black marks refused to be soaped away. They even ran away when they tried to dress them. (Keroberos was nowhere in sight.) But they conceded in the end.
It was obvious that they were used to being fussed over by their parents and that they reveled in it. His childhood was stricter and more formal so he was surprised by their easy shows of affection for every small thing. It warmed his heart.
He was also amazed at Tomoyo's serene face. She never lost her calm smile or her gentle tone. The kids actually calmed down when Tomoyo coaxed them into her arms. They behaved like angels when she dressed them up in matching green and pink pajamas. She loved them and they loved her back. As he watched her help them brush their teeth and sing silly tunes, he realized that Tomoyo was going to make a wonderful mother someday.
"It's time for good little angels to go to bed," she told them. "You've been so good that you deserve a nice story!"
"Story!" Sayuri squealed in delight. "I want story!"
"Cardcaptor!" Kimihiro said decisively. "Aunt Tomoyo, please?"
Kyouya chuckled when he picked her up. She smelled like baby powder and flowers. He carried her to the nursery while Tomoyo held Kimihiro's hand. The children ran to the bed without a second thought for the adults. He blinked when he saw the stuffed toy sitting on top of the covers with a grave expression.
"Kero-chan!" He was swept up into a tight hug. The little girl obviously loved him with all of her might. "Sleepy time for Kero-chan."
Tomoyo sat down on the bed. She gave him an encouraging smile. "Come in, Kyouya-san. Please turn down the lights."
He did what she asked. The shadow king stepped inside the yellow nursery tentatively. He crossed the room that was littered with coloring books, crayons, stuffed toys and toy cars. Kimihiro scooted over to make space for him. He sat down at the other end of the bed.
Keroberos looked at him warily but did not say anything. He settled down on top of Sayuri's pillow when the little girl replaced him with her favorite white bunny from Yukito. The dark-haired woman smiled as she stroked Sayuri's hair. Her sweet voice filled the air. For the first time since he was a child, he was treated to a bedtime story.
"Once upon a time, there was once a powerful sorcerer named Clow Reed. He was so powerful that he made a deck of magical Cards that brought the elements to life. He also created two magical Guardians named Keroberos and Yue," Tomoyo paused playfully. The children were staring at her with wonder and awe on their faces. Her heart fluttered as she gazed at her best friend's children. They looked a lot like their parents. "Clow Reed was very wise. He left his Cards to a cute little girl who accidentally scattered them all over the world when she found them. Why do you think that happened?"
"Windy!" Kimihiro piped up in an important voice.
"That's right. She read Windy on the Card at the top of the deck. The Cards flew all over the place. Who woke up?"
"Kero-chan!"
Kyouya listened. Realization dawned on his face.
"Very good, Kimihiro-chan. Kero-chan appointed the cute girl as the new Cardcaptor. What's her name?" Tomoyo suppressed her smile as the children jostled for the honor. "Okay, it's Sayuri-chan's turn. Who was the new Cardcaptor?"
"Mama!" Sayuri laughed happily. "Cardcaptor Sakura!"
Kyouya's eyes widened when Tomoyo winked at him.
"Yes, she was. She went on an amazing adventure to capture all of the Cards. Who did she meet on the way?"
"Daddy!"
"Aren't you the smartest kid on the block? You're right! She met a really angry transferee from Hong Kong. He was the real heir to the Clow Cards so he didn't think that the cute girl in his class was worthy enough. They went on a marvelous adventure to capture the Cards together…"
-0-0-0-
"And they lived happily ever after," Tomoyo said very quietly. She watched Sayuri's eyes flutter before they closed. (She was more stubborn than her elder brother. It was obvious that she wanted to see the story to its very sweet end even after the Sleep's dusted them.) Keroberos had also fallen asleep. "Good night, my darling."
Kyouya released a breath he didn't realize that he was holding. The dark-haired woman turned to him and pressed a finger to her lips. They tiptoed out of the nursery. When they got to the hall, she glanced back to look at the darkened room. Kimihiro and Sayuri were tucked together with their heads close to each other. Moonlight washed in from the window. But the Glow filled the room with small glowing fairy lights because Sakura didn't want her children to be scared and the Shield protected them from harm.
If she squinted hard enough, she could see the outlines of two beautiful young women sitting at the edge of the bed. It was wonderful that Sakura's Cards worked without their Mistress. They loved and cared for her family without hesitation.
A satisfied smile escaped her lips. She followed Kyouya to the living room where he plopped down on the couch without wasting a moment. The dark-haired man ignored her amused laugh. His fiancée sat down beside him and laid her head on his chest. They were more comfortable with their bodies now.
"That was a beautiful story," he told her.
"Thank you," said the dark-haired woman.
"Was that just a fairytale?" asked Kyouya curiously. He didn't dare ask if it's true.
She laughed. "You won't believe me if I said it's true. You saw Kero-chan. He's alive."
"I thought that he was a new toy that you were developing," he chuckled sexily into her hair. She moved slightly to accommodate his hard body. "It's well-made, that's for sure."
"That's actually a very strong magical creature," said the heiress. "I have the videos to prove it."
"I believe you."
His fiancée actually laughed out loud. It was so lovely that he couldn't help but smile. Tomoyo's voice was serene. "There is magic in this world, Kyouya-san."
As a man who believed in cold hard facts, he found himself agreeing. It was definitely magic that brought Tomoyo into his world.
They heard a car pull up in the driveway followed by Sakura's energetic voice. The couple got up and prepared to greet them. It was late already. It was time for them to go home. Kyouya looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You have to tell them."
"Oh, I will." Tomoyo said cheerfully. "They think of you as family anyway."
Her fiancée choked. She went to greet her cousins with a lovely laugh.
-0-0-0-
A/N: I'm sorry it's short! I'll make it up next chapter... I'm pretty swamped. Thanks for reading!