storypaint: (Default)
storypaint ([personal profile] storypaint) wrote2008-02-06 04:03 pm

Mother's Visit (Eriol/Tomoyo)

Title: Mother's Visit
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Characters: Hiiragizawa Eriol/Daidouji Tomoyo
Theme: 03. little red bird
Leitmotif: feather
Warnings/Ratings: G, no warnings
Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP. All fanfiction archived here is a derivative of canon material that is not my property. I do not profit from these writings. The opinions and actions expressed in these stories are not necessarily the views and beliefs of the original author or me.

Excerpt: In the hallway, Nakuru was chattering Sonomi's ear off as Sonomi attempted to ascertain the whereabouts of her daughter, her son-in-law, and that terrible noise.

"I wish you would have told me earlier that your mother was coming to visit," Eriol said distractedly, fishing his key out from underneath his shirt.

"I wish she would have told me," Tomoyo said, keeping a firm grip on a curly tail.

*

In the hallway, Nakuru was chattering Sonomi's ear off as Sonomi attempted to ascertain the whereabouts of her daughter, her son-in-law, and that terrible noise.

"I'm Akizuki Nakuru, and I'm Eriol's cousin. Can I take your bag, show you the house?"

"I really can't stay long. I was just hoping to see Tomoyo for a few minutes before I have to go to a business meeting..."

"She's a little... busy right now," Nakuru said, attempting to imply something she really didn't know much about. Sonomi raised an eyebrow and something in that confident stare curbed Nakuru's exuberance.

"She is here, isn't she?"

"Oh, yes, but... but... I'll go get her. You stay right here, okay?" Nakuru said, pelting down the hall.

Sonomi sat down on a chair near the door and wondered whether Nakuru was male or female. At the wedding, s/he had definitely been wearing a dress (and why a flowergirl for a Japanese wedding anyway?). But now s/he was clearly dressed in a man's sweatshirt and blue jeans, long braids pinned up out of the way, and the effect was decidedly masculine.

And what was all that drunken shouting about? What sort of TV did the British have over here? Didn't sound nice to Sonomi.

*

"Don't open the door!" Eriol hissed as Nakuru opened the door and slipped in, catching Spinelsun in one palm as he did. The pause didn't dissuade the guardian from singing at the top of his lungs.

Nakuru clutched the cat-creature tightly and said, "Daidouji-san is here to see you!"

"We know," Tomoyo said. She looked flustered and disheveled, much like Eriol did. The staff loomed over the three of them and glowed slightly, illuminated a room that seemed to have been hit by a localized tornado.

"Must have been a good sweet," Nakuru said brightly, not letting go of a squirming Spinelsun. "Usually he doesn't get this riled up."

"Perfect timing as usual," Eriol said. The staff shrunk back to size and he tucked it in his pocket, looking at his wife.

"Why didn't you make him sober?" Nakuru asked curiously.

"I don't have as much magic as I used to," Eriol said, "and sobering up this guy is pretty difficult once you get him going. Better to let him wear down."

"Yep!" Nakuru agreed cheerfully. Spinelsun slipped free from his grip and floated up towards the ceiling, humming the Hallelujah Chorus at an exaggerated tempo.

"I think you'd better go out there, Tomoyo," Eriol said. He wasn't upset, exactly-- torn between amused and frustrated-- but not angry. Spinelsun was Spinelsun. Nakuru would always be feeding him sweets. Tomoyo and he had long grown used to it, sometimes welcoming the excuse to chase him around the house as though they were still children.

Tomoyo nodded. Nakuru reached up and caught hold of a curly blue tail, pulling his brother back into his arms. He began to hum along with Spinelsun, and Eriol laughed.

"Let's just say we have a parrot," he said, taking Tomoyo's hand and emerging into the hallway. Sonomi jumped to see them. Tomoyo ran to hug her mother.

"It's lovely to see you, dear," she said, "but what is that terrible racket?"

"Ah, it's Nakuru's parrot," Tomoyo said, sparing a glance at Eriol, who was wearing a composed smile and seemed quite like he wasn't hearing the noise at all.

"It doesn't sound very friendly," Sonomi said doubtfully.

"Nakuru just needs to calm it down a bit. It's been a busy morning. How are you doing, Daidouji-san?" Eriol said smoothly.

Tomoyo pulled out of the hug and instead led her mother to the kitchen to pour her a cup of tea. The room was near the back of the house and that deadened the noise a little.

They had a good visit, though it had to be cut short. Sonomi had a meeting in London and had just stopped by for an hour or two.

"Perhaps you could get the bird trained," she suggested as she stood at the door. Spinel had fallen silent not ten minutes before and the place seemed to ring with the silence. Eriol suspected that when he went back into the room he'd find both his guardians sprawled out, asleep.

"Oh, and you have a feather in your hair," she said, leaning forward and picking a bright red shaft from Tomoyo's dark locks. She looked at the feather and smiled.

"Perhaps it's good luck," she said, her face suddenly light, and she threaded the feather into Tomoyo's hair above her ear and took her leave.

When the car left, Tomoyo turned to Eriol in surprise, her hand reaching up to brush the feather. Eriol grinned.

"Wanted to seem authetic, don't you think?" he said, and his wife smiled, and then yawned.

"Maybe it's time for a nap of our own," he suggested, his hand on her waist, and they went back into their quiet home.

[identity profile] suppis-tenshi.livejournal.com 2008-02-07 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
Oh Lord this had me in stitches the entire time I was reading it. The mental image of Tomoyo holding onto Spinel's tail as he trys to fly away is absolutely priceless ♥! A definite fav for sure! xD

~^__^~

[personal profile] pleonasm 2008-02-08 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
♥ Thank you. I was hoping for amusing...