Winter Flowers 5: Heroes [T&E drabble fic]

[aileth]

The fifth of the series.

Title: Heroes
Fandom: CCS
Characters/Pairing: Tomoyo, Eriol.
Rating: G
Notes: Five of ten. Takes place in England.

The cathedral was crowded that day. It was Sunday and the people had gathered for mass, and today a guest choir was singing. He had managed to get a good seat next to the altar so he could have a good view of the performance and of the girl in the front middle of the group. Today she was radiant and more beautiful than ever, perhaps because she saw he was there, or at least that's what he wanted to believe.

When it ended, Eriol went out and rounded the building until he reached a lateral exit from where the choir was coming out. When Tomoyo finally came out, they met and walked to the gardens. None of them seemed to feel the bitter cold as they walked arm in arm.

"Did the kittens find good homes?" Eriol asked while they walked.

"Yes. All of them were adopted the next day luckily. When I told Sakura, she was really happy. She said it was an extraordinary coincidence." She looked straight at him. "Or was it something you did?"

"I just gave them a little help so that they'd be found by the people who wanted them." He looked back at her, smiling. "But I didn't know if it'd work. My powers are not what they used to be. There are things I can't do anymore."

"Like what?"

"Well, I can't predict the future. I didn't loose the power completely, I sometimes glimpse what's going to happen in a certain situation, but it's not frequent. I can't heal any sickness or play with time and space as I used to either." He smiled playfully at her.

"Do you miss it?" She asked after a pause.

"No," he answered without thinking. "I want to live a normal life with surprises, finding my own future with my own hands and making mistakes like any person. Even if I have to loose my powers for that. Besides, if I hadn't decided to loose my powers, I never would have bothered meeting Sakura, and I never would've met you."

He looked at her tenderly and she returned the look with added sweetness. They walked a little more in silence, just enjoying each other's presence.

"I asked for a short leave at school to spend some days here." Tomoyo told him finally.

"Really? Then you accept my invitation." He smiled.

"Of course. I'll stay with you until your birthday. My things have already been sent to the address you gave me, but I guess you already knew that." She answered with a playful smile.

"Is that what you think?" He looked into her eyes. She gave him a wordless answer. She understood.

They had entered the cathedral and they were under the main dome. They had walked so much without realising it. They stopped in front of an opening on the wall containing a sculpture.

"To think that the people buried here were considered heroes for their contributions to humanity." Tomoyo commented.

"Do you have any particular heroe in mind?" Eriol asked her.

"Sakura-chan. She's always doing her best to help others and she doesn't like anyone suffering for anything. She fights for all of us regardless of who they are, she wants everyone to be happy. She is my heroine." She smiled happily. "What about you? Do you have a heroe, someone you admire?"

"Yes, there is someone." He answered without further comment and just stared in front of him. Tomoyo decided not to ask about it; he'd tell her when he's ready.

"It's been very cold lately and the lake near my house is frozen over. This will probably be the last frozen spell of the season. Would you like a sledge ride over it tomorrow?" He asked her a couple of minutes later.

"I'd love to." She answered with a smile.

They got out of the cathedral and headed to Eriol's house where her luggage had already arrived. Nakuru and Spinel greeted her at the door.

"Welcome! I knew you'd come! Eriol was anxious for you to come." Nakuru hugged her tightly.

"If you keep squeezing her you'll choke her." Spinel chided her.

"Thank you very much for receiving me here." Tomoyo said once she was released.

"You are welcome for all the time you want to stay here. Nakuru will show you to your room and you can change there."

Tomoyo thanked him and followed Nakuru to the upper floor.

Eriol watched her going and thought about the conversation in the cathedral. A person he admired, someone who worked for others, always happy at everyone else's happiness, who never complained or regreted what they do and help build other people's happiness. Yes, that would be the definition of the person he admired, his heroe.

The person who was now in his house.