[Fanfiction] [Cardcaptor Sakura] The Eriol and Tomoyo Collection
Title: Giving You the Stars
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Humor
Status: Complete
Published: 07-02-07
They stayed in the garden. It was midsummer and the evening was warm. They didn't let any of the servants open the lights so they can savor the taste and feel of dusk. There was a crescent moon in the sky. Stars twinkled and smiled on the velvety darkness of the sky. The blooming flowers scented the air. It was romantic, beautiful and perfect for any love confessions. But it was so sad. No love confessions for tonight because they were friends.
"I think we're wasting Nature's handiwork," Hiiragizawa Eriol said calmly. He twirled a rosebud on his hand. "She laid out a pretty setting and we're not using it."
The young woman beside him scoffed. Daidouji Tomoyo's eyes burned with violet fires. "It's not our fault. We're not going to sing to that corny John Elton song."
"Can you feel the love tonight, it is where we are..." he sang gently.”It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer... That we got this far..."
"Watch it," she said with a smile.
"You don't have to believe me," he murmured as he slid closer to her. He could smell the delicate vanilla scent from her alabaster skin. His fingers itched to touch the silken waves of her hair. She was wearing a lovely dress made of soft white material that echoed her every move and settled when she stilled. On her hair was a little butterfly clip reminded him of a coronet worn by queens in the past.
The beautiful night must be appropriate for this elfin queen then. He had never found a more comforting situation. A mage from the ancient past sitting with a young woman who had a soul just as old as his. He understood her refusal from love because he can see himself reflected in her actions. They were too broken for a true and pure love.
Tomoyo was the perfect companion. She was beautiful, smart and wise beyond her years. Her wealthy life had molded her into a young woman of perfect manners and lovely spirit. She was just like him. They gravitated towards each other; they were true kindred souls. Tomoyo was the first woman to truly understand him in a way that was almost frightening. The beautiful amethyst eyes held truths that he wished to know. When they just glanced at each other, they knew what the other wanted to say. Nakuru had kidded him that they had an almost telepathic connection. It was.
"What's on your mind?" he asked gently when he noticed her silence.
"Is there a God?" she asked.
His eyes softened and he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Do you believe in Him?"
"Of course I do. But I want to know if there was really someone up there." Tomoyo pointed up towards the heavens. A sigh escaped her lips. "I want to ask him why the stars are too far away from earth."
"There's always a reason for everything. God knew what He was doing because he placed the apple up the tree instead of a pumpkin. Imagine if the trees bore fruit too heavy for their branches. It's a good thing because human skulls are already thick enough as it is. If it was too thick, learning might never really get through..." Eriol said in a teasing tone. She pinched his side and he howled in pain. "You can't take a joke, can you?"
"Don't joke with me right now, smartass."
"You're no fun," he pouted like a little boy.
Tomoyo laughed softly. Nobody can really resist Eriol. She let him hold her hand as they settled in the sweet silence. Eriol was a nice young man despite his "evil" tendencies. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Eriol-kun, I want to have a star..." she murmured as she held his hand.
"What do you want a star for?" he asked gently as he leaned back for a more comfortable position. He could smell the sweetness of her hair.
"Ever since I was a girl, I've always wanted one. But when I found my star, it was snatched away from me." Tomoyo said as she held his hand tighter. "I guess that must be why stars must remain in the heavens. It must always be there to remind us that we can never have what we always want..."
He reached up and smoothed her dark curls. Because of the intimate closeness of their bodies, he can feel her trembling and her hurt. It wouldn't surprise him if she started to cry. Tomoyo was stronger than most girls. She did not spend herself easily and kept up a perfect facade until her bottled feelings finally reached the brim. That was when she needed him.
"I'll never have her, Eriol-kun. She will always be out of my reach..." She turned her face up to look at him. He saw the universe in her violet eyes. "I'm never going to be enough."
Eriol wrapped an arm around her. He wished that she would understand that he was there to be her rock and strength. He wanted to her to feel the warmth and solidity of his presence. She needed to remember that she was too beautiful, too wonderful and too lovable to be sad. Her value went beyond existing as the best friend, comforter and unrequited lover. She was born to be herself.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "That divine little star is there because it is meant to be your inspiration. It's true that my former life hadn't anticipated your role but that didn't mean he wanted you to get hurt. My darling Tomoyo-san would like her Sakura-chan to be under her loving for a longer time but that is not possible anymore. Your star needs to shine."
"I cannot shine. I'm her best friend and shadow... She needs me in a way that Syaoran doesn't understand. We have an understanding," Tomoyo argued through angry tears. Stubbornness is indeed a family trait, he thought ruefully.
"Yes, you do. But for you to find out your purpose you have to step out of the shadows. You have to find your star and destiny. That chapter is done because Sakura-san has found hers. Yours is starting because you need to find yours. Tomorrow is the start of your life. And although you may not have her to cheer you on always and forever, you can make use of me." Eriol pointed to himself with a cheerful grin.
"You?" she giggled through fresh tears. "You make me cry. You make me think too much. How can you make me learn to smile?"
Eriol pulled out his handkerchief and wiped away the wet trails of her face. His expression was unbelievably tender. "I can give you all of the stars of the universe except that one. Can you accept that?"
She smiled despite her tears. "Arigato, Eriol-kun. Maybe I can take that one."
"It's hard to let go when you've learned to love long and hard. But you'll learn to smile again, Tomoyo-san. Remember that." Eriol tucked her hair behind her ears. She looked young and vulnerable. She was no longer the strong and almost invulnerable young woman before.
Tomoyo smiled shyly. Her eyes spoke volumes of how much she appreciated his advice.
"I'd give you all the stars in the sky if only to make you smile," he whispered as she kissed his cheek.
"I know," she agreed "so you owe me a galaxy or two."
They laughed together and held hands. Nature was right to give them this evening. Maybe they weren't too broken for love and companionship after all. In their beautiful and romantic garden they learned that although all the stars in the sky may fall, they'll still have each other.
oOoOoOo
Title: I'm Sorry
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Humor
Status: Complete
Published: 08-19-06
I'm Sorry
"I'm sorry." He whispered to himself as he paced in front of the phone. Spinel Sun looked at him inquiringly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
"Why don't you just pick it up and call her?" it asked. Trust Spinel to be reasonable.
"Well, for one thing, I'm scared she'll sic her bodyguards on me by having each of them threaten me with all sorts of crafty tortures." Hiiragizawa Eriol said seriously. The black winged cat snorted. That wasn't funny considering that it came from the world's most powerful magician.
"Why is she mad at you anyway?" it asked again.
Eriol stopped carving his antique carpet and plopped down on it. He sighed helplessly before lying down on it on his back. The cat's peppermint-blue eyes widened. "Uh, Master, you do know that Ruby Moon has not yet vacuumed that for three months?" it remarked.
He got up immediately. This time he looked on the verge of insanity. (Spinel should know as it had seen his master in many of his moods and this one was a particular favorite whenever he was frustrated. Apparently, to this mage insanity was one step away from frustration.)
"It's a long story." Eriol said, looking defeated.
"I have all day," it replied and abandoned the book it was reading. That was why it was created. It's sole purpose was to listen and understand Eriol more than himself. It settled on his shoulder as he walked towards his favorite chair.
Silence settled around them like a comfortable blanket. Eriol took his sweet time in how to tell his miserable tale. Spinel observed its master with a critical eye. It was rare to see something do as much as disconcert his usually passive master. And to make him miserable was quite a feat too.
"Well, I forgot it was one of those month-sarries thingies today and made her wait for three hours in that coffee shop while I read in this stupid study. She called me and told me I had three minutes to explain. I did, Sweet Lord, she forgave me! I was so happy because I thought she was so angry! I promised to take her out to dinner tonight but then something came up and I left her waiting again! And then she got fed up with me and screamed every single crime I've done and am guilty of doing before leaving me stranded in the rain! Right after she slapped me, she took my umbrella!" Eriol put his face on his hands.
Spinel nodded wisely. "So that is why you were wet?”
He nodded morosely. "And that lecture I exchanged her time for was a stupid waste of time. I feel bad Karma hitting me for all those times I was an evil jerk."
"If you mean you're testing of the Clow Mistress, you're being an idiot." The cat said tartly. "But you are evil so maybe your bad karma is finally slapping you on the face."
Eriol glared at it. "You're being annoying."
"Well, you were being stupid."
The mage's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, but that's what makes being a mortal fun and interesting. The idiocy is amazing."
"I'm starting to think a trip to the psychiatrist is needed." Spinel never resolved to violent solutions. But he did.
"OWWWWWWW!"
Eriol's scream reverberated in the house. Spinel had bitten his index finger.
It flew away, satisfied. "That's more affordable. Now, please return to your intelligent self, oh great Mage of Clow."
He sucked the blood off and wondered why the hell he made something so rational and reasonable.
"To keep you in track and to stop you from jumping into the loony bin," it said as if it read his thoughts. Damn. "Now, please call your woman and stop whining."
He made no move. So it decided a more radical but effective approach.
Eriol yelped as the wireless phone dropped directly on to his crotch. "SPINEL!#!$&!"
It smirked. "Now, that will get your mind off the bodyguard's threats."
Still cursing to himself, Eriol dialed the number. It rang several times before it was picked up. He recognized the maid's voice. He put on his coolest and huskiest voice to persuade her to bring the phone to her Daidouji Tomoyo-sama.
He was kept on hold.
Spinel watched keenly. This was going to be interesting.
Finally! The phone was picked up!
"Hello? Tomoyo-san?" he asked tentatively.
"Why hello Hiiragizawa-kun. This is her mother."
Ack! Eriol gulped. He wasn't scared of THE Daidouji Sonomi... He was the world's greatest mage... He wasn't scared...
"You're guilty of something very serious Hiiragizawa-kun." Oh yes, he was scared. "You made my Tomoyo-chan cry. You will---"
"Hello?" Eriol felt his insides unfreeze as he heard his girlfriend. Then it froze up again at the ice in her voice.
"I don't want to talk to you." she said coolly.
"Well, I want to." He replied slyly.
"You're mean, obnoxious, egotistical, and an evil jerk."
"Why, thank you."
"Nothing matters more to you than your STUPID WORK, your STUPID POWERS, and your VERY STUPID SELF! I hate stupid people so I'm going to start hating you."
Eriol winced. First Spinel was calling him stupid and then Tomoyo? Were the two conspiring against him?
"Why hate me when you can love me?" he said softly.
"I already did but hate seems like a better option." Eriol could feel her glaring at him.
"I'm not stupid too," he argued "Because if I was then I won't have the bravery to be your boyfriend anyway."
"You were foolhardy, Hiiragizawa." Tomoyo reminded him. He knew she was smiling.
"Well, can you blame me for being so stupid because of love? I, the great Clow Reed Reincarnation, most powerful sorcerer on earth put down my intellect for you to understand me..."
She cut him off, "you're being an egotistical jerk again."
"But my point is, can you blame me?" He asked, knowing he had her full attention. She was melting already to his charms.
"I can't but I can blame you for almost breaking my heart by ignoring me."
Eriol perked up. "So that means I haven't broken it? Do I hear a chance for taking you back?"
"Why you--!"
"Okay... So, please, Tomoyo-san, don't leave me." Eriol said softly.
"I won't. But I haven’t heard what I want to hear so I won’t forgive you just yet." Pride really makes everything impossible. But he knows she still cares, even if he ignored her almost completely.
His practiced words went out the window.
"I'm sorry, Tomoyo-san, I'm really sorry... I won't do it again." She snorted. Eriol chuckled at the adorable unlady-like noise.
"You'll still do it because you're an idiot for forgetting that lesson." Tomoyo muttered but he wasn't offended as she said it in a gentle manner.
"But I won't forget I love you." Eriol said tenderly.
Spinel Sun decided to fly back to his book and leave the humans in peace. He'd heard enough of their drivel. But it was funny to know that the greatest magician on earth could still be brought down on his knees by a force as beautiful and as terrible as his love for his woman.
oOoOoOo
Title: Left Behind
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Angst
Status: Complete
Comments/Warnings: Written for fallen-dreamz. :)
Published: 07-21-05
Left Behind
It was like this when she left. Raining and cold and silent… and I were like this too. Sitting and watching the rain fall through the glass panes of the window. The garden is alive with spring unlike that deadness of winter.
The house is quiet. I am alone.
No one can hear me.
It is the solitude I crave when with other people. But when I am alone I want her to come and wrap her arms around me.
I need her warmth, her smell, and her presence.
This is not normal for someone who’d just broken up with his girlfriend three months ago.
I should’ve moved on… to forget about her.
But how could I? I lived and built my dreams around her. She was everything.
And I left nothing for me to hold on to.
It was a heartfelt sacrifice. One she failed to appreciate and see.
I’ve replayed that memory so many times I don’t need to close my eyes.
The door opening, her waving to me, and the cold winter wind against my tearstained face… It’s a little jumbled now. I see a flash of red, a long gaze from sad golden eyes. Maybe I couldn’t see her anymore.
Her face remains in my mind. I wonder if she still has me in hers.
What she did was like it closed a door in front of me.
I am left behind as she moved on.
This is the pain all men feel. I am a mage but I am not exempted from it. After all, I am still a man.
The stairs are cold as I sat on the steps, staring blankly at the old wooden door. The mansion is vast and cold and hollow.
It used to stay alive and cheery with her sweet rosy scent. She was the bittersweet autumn gracing my home.
Finally the door opened to let in a raven-haired girl wearing a purple dress. Her boots were splattered with mud and her hair was curling because of the raindrops. She was smiling and her eyes were like the sweet violet of forget-me-nots.
“There you are!” she exclaimed and went towards me. She tracked mud on the marble floor but it was all right. Her presence was always welcome in this house. “Come walk with me!”
“In the rain?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, silly!” she giggled as she pulled me to my feet. My legs had fallen asleep and it hurt. Her hair had fallen away from its ribbon to frame her face. She was like a porcelain doll sometimes, delicate and lovely.
I allowed her to drag me outside and seek shelter from underneath her umbrella. My home was like a traditional English estate with a long avenue and a paradisiacal garden abloom with spring’s bounty.
It was a slow rain and we enjoyed the silence as we walked on the gavel pavement.
“Let’s go!” she laughed and went out into the open.
“Tomoyo…” I said softly as I watched her embrace the rain. Her laughter filled my ears as she twirled underneath the sky, extending her hands to catch the raindrops.
“Please Eriol-kun, join me!” she urged and laughed again as she bathed and danced like a child. It was a harmless game; I let go of the umbrella and joined her underneath the rainy sky.
“Come with me.” She pulled my hand and took me to see the rosebushes. The roses were bejeweled with raindrops. The redness of their petals didn’t ache.
My eyes softened as Tomoyo sat down on the grass and lay down, enjoying the rain. She was a child then a woman. Her beauty was something that Kaho never had.
Tomoyo was innocence and wonder; beauty and mystery woven together. I lay down beside her and closed my eyes.
It felt hot but it was okay. The rain washed the burning away from my cheeks. The roses were watching us.
She laid her head on my chest and listened to my heart beating. Her scent was like the sweet and intoxicating lavender. Her warmth was so different from the one I was used to but it was okay.
The sun chose that moment to shine and we sat in the sunshine while feeling the rain.
I opened my eyes again and saw everything in color again.
It is beautiful…
Tomoyo smiled and got up as the rain started to stop. But she didn’t run away as I expected she would.
She took my hand and helped me up. Tomoyo always made sure I am never left behind.
She is both beauty and mystery.
oOoOoOo
Title: Love is Forever
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Drama
Status: Complete
Published: 02-03-09
Love is Forever
In the first place, they were happy.
People often came forward to tell them that they looked perfect. They looked as if they belonged together; she heard the muted notes of envy, of course. They were shaped and molded by Fate for each other; they had hints of the other person, even when they were alone.
She was born for him; he had come back from the dead for her. Centuries had passed before she came along. He’d waited for her, he often said, because her birth was his beginning. The Cards were one thing. She was his everything.
Companion, lover and best friend were names that they used interchangeably.
Most of the time, they changed and transformed to fit whatever was needed in the moment. He was happy to find someone so mercurial, so quick and so exciting under the veil of dark hair and flash of violet-blue eyes. She was happy to find someone so stable, so devoted and so mischievous in his porcelain-white skin and challenging smile.
To find her is to love her, he promised before. Seeing dreams of a petite young woman with wisps of black curls and pretty laughter haunted him. He had no doubt that the universe was telling him something. Lifetimes might pass before he finds her, he knew, because his dreams never left anything specific. All he knew was that he loved her and he would find her.
He saw her behind his cute little daughter-in-law on the first day back in this sleepy little town. And then he barely kept composure when waves of the greatest magic of all washed through him. Love, his soul screamed, is her. You must love her.
Then she was there.
Meeting again after many years in an old library with the dust of centuries they found each other. Neither denied the need to cling and to embrace the sensations of meeting lips and pressing fingertips. They were meant for this.
Sinking back on old hard wooden floors, drinking in creamy skin and marveling at dark wisps of curling black hair-
In their first time and that first place, Hiiragizawa Eriol and Daidouji Tomoyo were very happy.
oOoOoOo
Title: Lullaby
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Drama
Status: Complete
Written: 06-27-03/ Edited: 10-26-08
He sat with her, holding hands. Singing a soft song, he made a lullaby. The cool, autumn wind blew to play with her dark hair. The wet trails cooled in her cheeks to be replaced by new and hot tears.
Wiping it away, the droplets lingered in his fingertips. He tilted his head to look at her as the precious tears were blown away.
Her eyes, once sweetest and gentlest, were the saddest in the world. A smile and pout played a tug-of-war with her supple lips. She was so beautiful in her brokenness. He stared at her hard, analyzing her.
She grew up in a wealthy family and a rich place with famous people all around her. Refined, elegant and cool she was the epitome of perfection. Beautiful voice, artistic abilities and creative outlook in life were blessings in her charmed life. But she grew up lonely.
He knew that she had a reputation and can’t do anything about it. She was safe and relaxed around him; she wasn’t like that with everyone else. But putting up a façade was hard. So he was the only person she could cry to; he was the first person to let her tears dampen his shirt and heart. She always let him know about her hurts, pressures and frustrations.
When she did, he sang a lullaby.
“Everything’s going to be all right, rock a bye, rock a bye…”
In their city, her classy friends said she was so pretty.
He privately thought that she was prettier if she smiled. If she grinned with her heart, it lit up her eyes and lips. Even when she pouted, he could’ve mistaken it for a smile.
Inching closer, he pushed her head gently to lean on his chest. He stroked her dark curls and whispered soothing words. To fight against warring emotions, hateful uncertainty and bottled frustrations was difficult. He had to get her ready, no matter what.
“Sing to me, so I can sing to,” she whispered in his ear.
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. Praying that she would hear his heart and see his eyes, he started to hum. He gathered all of the broken shards that were his heart to make her whole.
“Everything’s going to be all right, rock a bye, rock a bye…”
It was tension at first. She can’t perform well if she was tensed and angry. The crowd looked horrid and terrible, she said. Don’t make me sing anymore. He knew that she’d heard the rumors and the whispers. They were chipping away her fragile façade.
“Everything’s going to be all right, rock a bye, rock a bye…”
Leaning down, Hiiragizawa Eriol kissed her forehead and her nose. He kissed her lips gently, sweetly.
His love would wipe away her anger and hurts. His passion would drive away her pain. Lullabies would calm her and chase away her terrors. He wished, after all of this, that she would be his.
“Everything’s going to be all right, Tomoyo-san…”
oOoOoOo
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Humor
Status: Complete
Published: 07-02-07
They stayed in the garden. It was midsummer and the evening was warm. They didn't let any of the servants open the lights so they can savor the taste and feel of dusk. There was a crescent moon in the sky. Stars twinkled and smiled on the velvety darkness of the sky. The blooming flowers scented the air. It was romantic, beautiful and perfect for any love confessions. But it was so sad. No love confessions for tonight because they were friends.
"I think we're wasting Nature's handiwork," Hiiragizawa Eriol said calmly. He twirled a rosebud on his hand. "She laid out a pretty setting and we're not using it."
The young woman beside him scoffed. Daidouji Tomoyo's eyes burned with violet fires. "It's not our fault. We're not going to sing to that corny John Elton song."
"Can you feel the love tonight, it is where we are..." he sang gently.”It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer... That we got this far..."
"Watch it," she said with a smile.
"You don't have to believe me," he murmured as he slid closer to her. He could smell the delicate vanilla scent from her alabaster skin. His fingers itched to touch the silken waves of her hair. She was wearing a lovely dress made of soft white material that echoed her every move and settled when she stilled. On her hair was a little butterfly clip reminded him of a coronet worn by queens in the past.
The beautiful night must be appropriate for this elfin queen then. He had never found a more comforting situation. A mage from the ancient past sitting with a young woman who had a soul just as old as his. He understood her refusal from love because he can see himself reflected in her actions. They were too broken for a true and pure love.
Tomoyo was the perfect companion. She was beautiful, smart and wise beyond her years. Her wealthy life had molded her into a young woman of perfect manners and lovely spirit. She was just like him. They gravitated towards each other; they were true kindred souls. Tomoyo was the first woman to truly understand him in a way that was almost frightening. The beautiful amethyst eyes held truths that he wished to know. When they just glanced at each other, they knew what the other wanted to say. Nakuru had kidded him that they had an almost telepathic connection. It was.
"What's on your mind?" he asked gently when he noticed her silence.
"Is there a God?" she asked.
His eyes softened and he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Do you believe in Him?"
"Of course I do. But I want to know if there was really someone up there." Tomoyo pointed up towards the heavens. A sigh escaped her lips. "I want to ask him why the stars are too far away from earth."
"There's always a reason for everything. God knew what He was doing because he placed the apple up the tree instead of a pumpkin. Imagine if the trees bore fruit too heavy for their branches. It's a good thing because human skulls are already thick enough as it is. If it was too thick, learning might never really get through..." Eriol said in a teasing tone. She pinched his side and he howled in pain. "You can't take a joke, can you?"
"Don't joke with me right now, smartass."
"You're no fun," he pouted like a little boy.
Tomoyo laughed softly. Nobody can really resist Eriol. She let him hold her hand as they settled in the sweet silence. Eriol was a nice young man despite his "evil" tendencies. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Eriol-kun, I want to have a star..." she murmured as she held his hand.
"What do you want a star for?" he asked gently as he leaned back for a more comfortable position. He could smell the sweetness of her hair.
"Ever since I was a girl, I've always wanted one. But when I found my star, it was snatched away from me." Tomoyo said as she held his hand tighter. "I guess that must be why stars must remain in the heavens. It must always be there to remind us that we can never have what we always want..."
He reached up and smoothed her dark curls. Because of the intimate closeness of their bodies, he can feel her trembling and her hurt. It wouldn't surprise him if she started to cry. Tomoyo was stronger than most girls. She did not spend herself easily and kept up a perfect facade until her bottled feelings finally reached the brim. That was when she needed him.
"I'll never have her, Eriol-kun. She will always be out of my reach..." She turned her face up to look at him. He saw the universe in her violet eyes. "I'm never going to be enough."
Eriol wrapped an arm around her. He wished that she would understand that he was there to be her rock and strength. He wanted to her to feel the warmth and solidity of his presence. She needed to remember that she was too beautiful, too wonderful and too lovable to be sad. Her value went beyond existing as the best friend, comforter and unrequited lover. She was born to be herself.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "That divine little star is there because it is meant to be your inspiration. It's true that my former life hadn't anticipated your role but that didn't mean he wanted you to get hurt. My darling Tomoyo-san would like her Sakura-chan to be under her loving for a longer time but that is not possible anymore. Your star needs to shine."
"I cannot shine. I'm her best friend and shadow... She needs me in a way that Syaoran doesn't understand. We have an understanding," Tomoyo argued through angry tears. Stubbornness is indeed a family trait, he thought ruefully.
"Yes, you do. But for you to find out your purpose you have to step out of the shadows. You have to find your star and destiny. That chapter is done because Sakura-san has found hers. Yours is starting because you need to find yours. Tomorrow is the start of your life. And although you may not have her to cheer you on always and forever, you can make use of me." Eriol pointed to himself with a cheerful grin.
"You?" she giggled through fresh tears. "You make me cry. You make me think too much. How can you make me learn to smile?"
Eriol pulled out his handkerchief and wiped away the wet trails of her face. His expression was unbelievably tender. "I can give you all of the stars of the universe except that one. Can you accept that?"
She smiled despite her tears. "Arigato, Eriol-kun. Maybe I can take that one."
"It's hard to let go when you've learned to love long and hard. But you'll learn to smile again, Tomoyo-san. Remember that." Eriol tucked her hair behind her ears. She looked young and vulnerable. She was no longer the strong and almost invulnerable young woman before.
Tomoyo smiled shyly. Her eyes spoke volumes of how much she appreciated his advice.
"I'd give you all the stars in the sky if only to make you smile," he whispered as she kissed his cheek.
"I know," she agreed "so you owe me a galaxy or two."
They laughed together and held hands. Nature was right to give them this evening. Maybe they weren't too broken for love and companionship after all. In their beautiful and romantic garden they learned that although all the stars in the sky may fall, they'll still have each other.
oOoOoOo
Title: I'm Sorry
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Humor
Status: Complete
Published: 08-19-06
I'm Sorry
"I'm sorry." He whispered to himself as he paced in front of the phone. Spinel Sun looked at him inquiringly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
"Why don't you just pick it up and call her?" it asked. Trust Spinel to be reasonable.
"Well, for one thing, I'm scared she'll sic her bodyguards on me by having each of them threaten me with all sorts of crafty tortures." Hiiragizawa Eriol said seriously. The black winged cat snorted. That wasn't funny considering that it came from the world's most powerful magician.
"Why is she mad at you anyway?" it asked again.
Eriol stopped carving his antique carpet and plopped down on it. He sighed helplessly before lying down on it on his back. The cat's peppermint-blue eyes widened. "Uh, Master, you do know that Ruby Moon has not yet vacuumed that for three months?" it remarked.
He got up immediately. This time he looked on the verge of insanity. (Spinel should know as it had seen his master in many of his moods and this one was a particular favorite whenever he was frustrated. Apparently, to this mage insanity was one step away from frustration.)
"It's a long story." Eriol said, looking defeated.
"I have all day," it replied and abandoned the book it was reading. That was why it was created. It's sole purpose was to listen and understand Eriol more than himself. It settled on his shoulder as he walked towards his favorite chair.
Silence settled around them like a comfortable blanket. Eriol took his sweet time in how to tell his miserable tale. Spinel observed its master with a critical eye. It was rare to see something do as much as disconcert his usually passive master. And to make him miserable was quite a feat too.
"Well, I forgot it was one of those month-sarries thingies today and made her wait for three hours in that coffee shop while I read in this stupid study. She called me and told me I had three minutes to explain. I did, Sweet Lord, she forgave me! I was so happy because I thought she was so angry! I promised to take her out to dinner tonight but then something came up and I left her waiting again! And then she got fed up with me and screamed every single crime I've done and am guilty of doing before leaving me stranded in the rain! Right after she slapped me, she took my umbrella!" Eriol put his face on his hands.
Spinel nodded wisely. "So that is why you were wet?”
He nodded morosely. "And that lecture I exchanged her time for was a stupid waste of time. I feel bad Karma hitting me for all those times I was an evil jerk."
"If you mean you're testing of the Clow Mistress, you're being an idiot." The cat said tartly. "But you are evil so maybe your bad karma is finally slapping you on the face."
Eriol glared at it. "You're being annoying."
"Well, you were being stupid."
The mage's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, but that's what makes being a mortal fun and interesting. The idiocy is amazing."
"I'm starting to think a trip to the psychiatrist is needed." Spinel never resolved to violent solutions. But he did.
"OWWWWWWW!"
Eriol's scream reverberated in the house. Spinel had bitten his index finger.
It flew away, satisfied. "That's more affordable. Now, please return to your intelligent self, oh great Mage of Clow."
He sucked the blood off and wondered why the hell he made something so rational and reasonable.
"To keep you in track and to stop you from jumping into the loony bin," it said as if it read his thoughts. Damn. "Now, please call your woman and stop whining."
He made no move. So it decided a more radical but effective approach.
Eriol yelped as the wireless phone dropped directly on to his crotch. "SPINEL!#!$&!"
It smirked. "Now, that will get your mind off the bodyguard's threats."
Still cursing to himself, Eriol dialed the number. It rang several times before it was picked up. He recognized the maid's voice. He put on his coolest and huskiest voice to persuade her to bring the phone to her Daidouji Tomoyo-sama.
He was kept on hold.
Spinel watched keenly. This was going to be interesting.
Finally! The phone was picked up!
"Hello? Tomoyo-san?" he asked tentatively.
"Why hello Hiiragizawa-kun. This is her mother."
Ack! Eriol gulped. He wasn't scared of THE Daidouji Sonomi... He was the world's greatest mage... He wasn't scared...
"You're guilty of something very serious Hiiragizawa-kun." Oh yes, he was scared. "You made my Tomoyo-chan cry. You will---"
"Hello?" Eriol felt his insides unfreeze as he heard his girlfriend. Then it froze up again at the ice in her voice.
"I don't want to talk to you." she said coolly.
"Well, I want to." He replied slyly.
"You're mean, obnoxious, egotistical, and an evil jerk."
"Why, thank you."
"Nothing matters more to you than your STUPID WORK, your STUPID POWERS, and your VERY STUPID SELF! I hate stupid people so I'm going to start hating you."
Eriol winced. First Spinel was calling him stupid and then Tomoyo? Were the two conspiring against him?
"Why hate me when you can love me?" he said softly.
"I already did but hate seems like a better option." Eriol could feel her glaring at him.
"I'm not stupid too," he argued "Because if I was then I won't have the bravery to be your boyfriend anyway."
"You were foolhardy, Hiiragizawa." Tomoyo reminded him. He knew she was smiling.
"Well, can you blame me for being so stupid because of love? I, the great Clow Reed Reincarnation, most powerful sorcerer on earth put down my intellect for you to understand me..."
She cut him off, "you're being an egotistical jerk again."
"But my point is, can you blame me?" He asked, knowing he had her full attention. She was melting already to his charms.
"I can't but I can blame you for almost breaking my heart by ignoring me."
Eriol perked up. "So that means I haven't broken it? Do I hear a chance for taking you back?"
"Why you--!"
"Okay... So, please, Tomoyo-san, don't leave me." Eriol said softly.
"I won't. But I haven’t heard what I want to hear so I won’t forgive you just yet." Pride really makes everything impossible. But he knows she still cares, even if he ignored her almost completely.
His practiced words went out the window.
"I'm sorry, Tomoyo-san, I'm really sorry... I won't do it again." She snorted. Eriol chuckled at the adorable unlady-like noise.
"You'll still do it because you're an idiot for forgetting that lesson." Tomoyo muttered but he wasn't offended as she said it in a gentle manner.
"But I won't forget I love you." Eriol said tenderly.
Spinel Sun decided to fly back to his book and leave the humans in peace. He'd heard enough of their drivel. But it was funny to know that the greatest magician on earth could still be brought down on his knees by a force as beautiful and as terrible as his love for his woman.
oOoOoOo
Title: Left Behind
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Angst
Status: Complete
Comments/Warnings: Written for fallen-dreamz. :)
Published: 07-21-05
Left Behind
It was like this when she left. Raining and cold and silent… and I were like this too. Sitting and watching the rain fall through the glass panes of the window. The garden is alive with spring unlike that deadness of winter.
The house is quiet. I am alone.
No one can hear me.
It is the solitude I crave when with other people. But when I am alone I want her to come and wrap her arms around me.
I need her warmth, her smell, and her presence.
This is not normal for someone who’d just broken up with his girlfriend three months ago.
I should’ve moved on… to forget about her.
But how could I? I lived and built my dreams around her. She was everything.
And I left nothing for me to hold on to.
It was a heartfelt sacrifice. One she failed to appreciate and see.
I’ve replayed that memory so many times I don’t need to close my eyes.
The door opening, her waving to me, and the cold winter wind against my tearstained face… It’s a little jumbled now. I see a flash of red, a long gaze from sad golden eyes. Maybe I couldn’t see her anymore.
Her face remains in my mind. I wonder if she still has me in hers.
What she did was like it closed a door in front of me.
I am left behind as she moved on.
This is the pain all men feel. I am a mage but I am not exempted from it. After all, I am still a man.
The stairs are cold as I sat on the steps, staring blankly at the old wooden door. The mansion is vast and cold and hollow.
It used to stay alive and cheery with her sweet rosy scent. She was the bittersweet autumn gracing my home.
Finally the door opened to let in a raven-haired girl wearing a purple dress. Her boots were splattered with mud and her hair was curling because of the raindrops. She was smiling and her eyes were like the sweet violet of forget-me-nots.
“There you are!” she exclaimed and went towards me. She tracked mud on the marble floor but it was all right. Her presence was always welcome in this house. “Come walk with me!”
“In the rain?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, silly!” she giggled as she pulled me to my feet. My legs had fallen asleep and it hurt. Her hair had fallen away from its ribbon to frame her face. She was like a porcelain doll sometimes, delicate and lovely.
I allowed her to drag me outside and seek shelter from underneath her umbrella. My home was like a traditional English estate with a long avenue and a paradisiacal garden abloom with spring’s bounty.
It was a slow rain and we enjoyed the silence as we walked on the gavel pavement.
“Let’s go!” she laughed and went out into the open.
“Tomoyo…” I said softly as I watched her embrace the rain. Her laughter filled my ears as she twirled underneath the sky, extending her hands to catch the raindrops.
“Please Eriol-kun, join me!” she urged and laughed again as she bathed and danced like a child. It was a harmless game; I let go of the umbrella and joined her underneath the rainy sky.
“Come with me.” She pulled my hand and took me to see the rosebushes. The roses were bejeweled with raindrops. The redness of their petals didn’t ache.
My eyes softened as Tomoyo sat down on the grass and lay down, enjoying the rain. She was a child then a woman. Her beauty was something that Kaho never had.
Tomoyo was innocence and wonder; beauty and mystery woven together. I lay down beside her and closed my eyes.
It felt hot but it was okay. The rain washed the burning away from my cheeks. The roses were watching us.
She laid her head on my chest and listened to my heart beating. Her scent was like the sweet and intoxicating lavender. Her warmth was so different from the one I was used to but it was okay.
The sun chose that moment to shine and we sat in the sunshine while feeling the rain.
I opened my eyes again and saw everything in color again.
It is beautiful…
Tomoyo smiled and got up as the rain started to stop. But she didn’t run away as I expected she would.
She took my hand and helped me up. Tomoyo always made sure I am never left behind.
She is both beauty and mystery.
oOoOoOo
Title: Love is Forever
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Drama
Status: Complete
Published: 02-03-09
Love is Forever
In the first place, they were happy.
People often came forward to tell them that they looked perfect. They looked as if they belonged together; she heard the muted notes of envy, of course. They were shaped and molded by Fate for each other; they had hints of the other person, even when they were alone.
She was born for him; he had come back from the dead for her. Centuries had passed before she came along. He’d waited for her, he often said, because her birth was his beginning. The Cards were one thing. She was his everything.
Companion, lover and best friend were names that they used interchangeably.
Most of the time, they changed and transformed to fit whatever was needed in the moment. He was happy to find someone so mercurial, so quick and so exciting under the veil of dark hair and flash of violet-blue eyes. She was happy to find someone so stable, so devoted and so mischievous in his porcelain-white skin and challenging smile.
To find her is to love her, he promised before. Seeing dreams of a petite young woman with wisps of black curls and pretty laughter haunted him. He had no doubt that the universe was telling him something. Lifetimes might pass before he finds her, he knew, because his dreams never left anything specific. All he knew was that he loved her and he would find her.
He saw her behind his cute little daughter-in-law on the first day back in this sleepy little town. And then he barely kept composure when waves of the greatest magic of all washed through him. Love, his soul screamed, is her. You must love her.
Then she was there.
Meeting again after many years in an old library with the dust of centuries they found each other. Neither denied the need to cling and to embrace the sensations of meeting lips and pressing fingertips. They were meant for this.
Sinking back on old hard wooden floors, drinking in creamy skin and marveling at dark wisps of curling black hair-
In their first time and that first place, Hiiragizawa Eriol and Daidouji Tomoyo were very happy.
oOoOoOo
Title: Lullaby
Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Drama
Status: Complete
Written: 06-27-03/ Edited: 10-26-08
He sat with her, holding hands. Singing a soft song, he made a lullaby. The cool, autumn wind blew to play with her dark hair. The wet trails cooled in her cheeks to be replaced by new and hot tears.
Wiping it away, the droplets lingered in his fingertips. He tilted his head to look at her as the precious tears were blown away.
Her eyes, once sweetest and gentlest, were the saddest in the world. A smile and pout played a tug-of-war with her supple lips. She was so beautiful in her brokenness. He stared at her hard, analyzing her.
She grew up in a wealthy family and a rich place with famous people all around her. Refined, elegant and cool she was the epitome of perfection. Beautiful voice, artistic abilities and creative outlook in life were blessings in her charmed life. But she grew up lonely.
He knew that she had a reputation and can’t do anything about it. She was safe and relaxed around him; she wasn’t like that with everyone else. But putting up a façade was hard. So he was the only person she could cry to; he was the first person to let her tears dampen his shirt and heart. She always let him know about her hurts, pressures and frustrations.
When she did, he sang a lullaby.
“Everything’s going to be all right, rock a bye, rock a bye…”
In their city, her classy friends said she was so pretty.
He privately thought that she was prettier if she smiled. If she grinned with her heart, it lit up her eyes and lips. Even when she pouted, he could’ve mistaken it for a smile.
Inching closer, he pushed her head gently to lean on his chest. He stroked her dark curls and whispered soothing words. To fight against warring emotions, hateful uncertainty and bottled frustrations was difficult. He had to get her ready, no matter what.
“Sing to me, so I can sing to,” she whispered in his ear.
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. Praying that she would hear his heart and see his eyes, he started to hum. He gathered all of the broken shards that were his heart to make her whole.
“Everything’s going to be all right, rock a bye, rock a bye…”
It was tension at first. She can’t perform well if she was tensed and angry. The crowd looked horrid and terrible, she said. Don’t make me sing anymore. He knew that she’d heard the rumors and the whispers. They were chipping away her fragile façade.
“Everything’s going to be all right, rock a bye, rock a bye…”
Leaning down, Hiiragizawa Eriol kissed her forehead and her nose. He kissed her lips gently, sweetly.
His love would wipe away her anger and hurts. His passion would drive away her pain. Lullabies would calm her and chase away her terrors. He wished, after all of this, that she would be his.
“Everything’s going to be all right, Tomoyo-san…”
oOoOoOo