storypaint (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
storypaint) wrote2009-11-23 08:59 am
storypaint) wrote2009-11-23 08:59 am
Times Have Changed; We Are Made New (Meiling/Tomoyo)
Title: Times Have Changed; We Are Made New
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Length: 866 words
Prompt: For various: Meiling/Tomoyo fluff.
Pairing: Meiling/Tomoyo; background Syaoran/Sakura
Other: n/a
Excerpt: When she'd left Japan, they'd barely been more than strangers. Now Tomoyo was practically her best friend, but all she could remember standing here was the way her shoulders shook, the way that Tomoyo held her, when she was crying, all those years ago.
It had been a long time since Meiling had seen Tomoyo-- not since she'd spoken to her, but since she'd seen the other girl in person. When Meiling had returned to Hong Kong, a letter had arrived only a couple of days later. There was nothing in it about Meiling's tears or the evening they'd spent together; it was simply Tomoyo's cheerful handwriting, detailing the classes she had missed, the antics of their friends, and offering in her casual script the warmth of comfort.
And Meiling had written back. By the time that Syaoran had returned from Japan, Sakura's promise shining in his eyes, she was over her loss. It wasn't that she had forgotten what Syaoran had meant to her; she was simply learning how to make that relationship new.
Somehow, no matter how boring she thought her days were, there was always something to tell Tomoyo. Syaoran was curious at first, but after a while the two of them settled into a Sunday afternoon ritual. They would sit in Syaoran's living room and write, in a comfortable air of concentration, before eating dinner with the family. Their letters would be posted Monday morning.
Ever after Syaoran went back to Japan, Meiling continued writing to Tomoyo. The Japanese girl was bright, insightful, and sometimes funny. Meiling found her extraordinarily easy to confide in. Tomoyo coached her gently through a couple more heartbreaks, and listened to her stories about family and duty and life.
Meiling was seventeen when Sakura and Syaoran got engaged. She was terribly proud of her cousin, but surprised when she received an invitation that week from Tomoyo to visit, separate from the engagement announcement (which Tomoyo had of course crafted herself).
The day before the party, Meiling arrived on Tomoyo's doorstep, a little uncharacteristically uncertain. When she'd left Japan, they'd barely been more than strangers. Now Tomoyo was practically her best friend, but all she could remember standing here was the way her shoulders shook, the way that Tomoyo held her, when she was crying, all those years ago.
Tomoyo opened the door and captured Meiling in a hug, and Meiling forgot her worries entirely. Tomoyo was taller, older, but the same person. She took Meiling's bag before she could protest, insisting that Meiling stay with her instead of at a hotel, and led her into the next room, talking all the while. She was sparkling and sweet when she spoke about Sakura and Syaoran; there was no sadness or regret in her at all. Meiling was glad to see it, but unsurprised. Whatever Tomoyo felt for Sakura, she would not let it interfere with Sakura's life. She had taught Meiling how to be selfless with her own love for Syaoran.
When tea had been served and Meiling settled next to Tomoyo on the couch, the flood of chatter ceased abruptly. Meiling looked at the other girl, for a moment uncertain. Tomoyo smiled back.
"Li-san," she began, but Meiling interrupted.
"Daidouji-san, really, you can call me Meiling, if you want."
"I would like that very much," Tomoyo said. "And you must call me Tomoyo, then." She leaned forward and brushed a stray hair from Meiling's face. Her fingers on Meiling's skin were somehow cool, or perhaps Meiling was warm. She was surprised by that, her mouth curling a little into a smile.
"Meiling-chan," Tomoyo said, "I need to tell you something. I told Sakura-chan that I would tell her what I really meant, when I confessed to her, when she was older. But the time for that has passed."
Meiling blinked. She hadn't realized that Tomoyo had honestly confessed to Sakura. Of course, she wasn't surprised that Sakura had misunderstood. Sakura was a little dense in that way; hadn't she told Syaoran that herself?
"I would like you to understand," Tomoyo continued, her voice soft enough that Meiling leaned closer to hear, "that when I say that I love you, I mean that you are my number one, Meiling-chan."
Meiling exhaled in surprise and Tomoyo didn't move. She smiled brightly. "I didn't think you'd know unless I told you. You and Sakura-chan can be quite alike sometimes."
Meiling laughed and then she leaned forward and threw her arms around Tomoyo's neck. She breathed in Tomoyo's soft lavender scent and felt the comfortable way that their bodies fit together. It was not the same hug that she'd received when Tomoyo greeted her. It was more of a promise.
She was amused with herself for not realizing. And here she'd always thought that Sakura was the clueless one when it came to romantic feelings. But now that the words had been spoken, it all made sense. She pulled back and pressed a kiss to Tomoyo's forehead, enjoying the radiant smile that the other girl gave at the touch of her lips.
"You are my number-one too, Tomoyo-chan," she answered, folding her into a hug again.
When they arrived at Syaoran and Sakura's party the next afternoon, holding hands, the engaged couple exchanged a knowing, amused glance. Meiling and Tomoyo didn't even notice.
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Length: 866 words
Prompt: For various: Meiling/Tomoyo fluff.
Pairing: Meiling/Tomoyo; background Syaoran/Sakura
Other: n/a
Excerpt: When she'd left Japan, they'd barely been more than strangers. Now Tomoyo was practically her best friend, but all she could remember standing here was the way her shoulders shook, the way that Tomoyo held her, when she was crying, all those years ago.
It had been a long time since Meiling had seen Tomoyo-- not since she'd spoken to her, but since she'd seen the other girl in person. When Meiling had returned to Hong Kong, a letter had arrived only a couple of days later. There was nothing in it about Meiling's tears or the evening they'd spent together; it was simply Tomoyo's cheerful handwriting, detailing the classes she had missed, the antics of their friends, and offering in her casual script the warmth of comfort.
And Meiling had written back. By the time that Syaoran had returned from Japan, Sakura's promise shining in his eyes, she was over her loss. It wasn't that she had forgotten what Syaoran had meant to her; she was simply learning how to make that relationship new.
Somehow, no matter how boring she thought her days were, there was always something to tell Tomoyo. Syaoran was curious at first, but after a while the two of them settled into a Sunday afternoon ritual. They would sit in Syaoran's living room and write, in a comfortable air of concentration, before eating dinner with the family. Their letters would be posted Monday morning.
Ever after Syaoran went back to Japan, Meiling continued writing to Tomoyo. The Japanese girl was bright, insightful, and sometimes funny. Meiling found her extraordinarily easy to confide in. Tomoyo coached her gently through a couple more heartbreaks, and listened to her stories about family and duty and life.
Meiling was seventeen when Sakura and Syaoran got engaged. She was terribly proud of her cousin, but surprised when she received an invitation that week from Tomoyo to visit, separate from the engagement announcement (which Tomoyo had of course crafted herself).
The day before the party, Meiling arrived on Tomoyo's doorstep, a little uncharacteristically uncertain. When she'd left Japan, they'd barely been more than strangers. Now Tomoyo was practically her best friend, but all she could remember standing here was the way her shoulders shook, the way that Tomoyo held her, when she was crying, all those years ago.
Tomoyo opened the door and captured Meiling in a hug, and Meiling forgot her worries entirely. Tomoyo was taller, older, but the same person. She took Meiling's bag before she could protest, insisting that Meiling stay with her instead of at a hotel, and led her into the next room, talking all the while. She was sparkling and sweet when she spoke about Sakura and Syaoran; there was no sadness or regret in her at all. Meiling was glad to see it, but unsurprised. Whatever Tomoyo felt for Sakura, she would not let it interfere with Sakura's life. She had taught Meiling how to be selfless with her own love for Syaoran.
When tea had been served and Meiling settled next to Tomoyo on the couch, the flood of chatter ceased abruptly. Meiling looked at the other girl, for a moment uncertain. Tomoyo smiled back.
"Li-san," she began, but Meiling interrupted.
"Daidouji-san, really, you can call me Meiling, if you want."
"I would like that very much," Tomoyo said. "And you must call me Tomoyo, then." She leaned forward and brushed a stray hair from Meiling's face. Her fingers on Meiling's skin were somehow cool, or perhaps Meiling was warm. She was surprised by that, her mouth curling a little into a smile.
"Meiling-chan," Tomoyo said, "I need to tell you something. I told Sakura-chan that I would tell her what I really meant, when I confessed to her, when she was older. But the time for that has passed."
Meiling blinked. She hadn't realized that Tomoyo had honestly confessed to Sakura. Of course, she wasn't surprised that Sakura had misunderstood. Sakura was a little dense in that way; hadn't she told Syaoran that herself?
"I would like you to understand," Tomoyo continued, her voice soft enough that Meiling leaned closer to hear, "that when I say that I love you, I mean that you are my number one, Meiling-chan."
Meiling exhaled in surprise and Tomoyo didn't move. She smiled brightly. "I didn't think you'd know unless I told you. You and Sakura-chan can be quite alike sometimes."
Meiling laughed and then she leaned forward and threw her arms around Tomoyo's neck. She breathed in Tomoyo's soft lavender scent and felt the comfortable way that their bodies fit together. It was not the same hug that she'd received when Tomoyo greeted her. It was more of a promise.
She was amused with herself for not realizing. And here she'd always thought that Sakura was the clueless one when it came to romantic feelings. But now that the words had been spoken, it all made sense. She pulled back and pressed a kiss to Tomoyo's forehead, enjoying the radiant smile that the other girl gave at the touch of her lips.
"You are my number-one too, Tomoyo-chan," she answered, folding her into a hug again.
When they arrived at Syaoran and Sakura's party the next afternoon, holding hands, the engaged couple exchanged a knowing, amused glance. Meiling and Tomoyo didn't even notice.