storypaint | Family (Fujitaka/Nadeshiko, Sonomi/Nadeshiko)

Comm: 30_lessons
Words: 586
Title: Family
Author: rhap_chan
Pairing: Kinomoto Fugitaka/Kinomoto Nadeshiko, hints of Amamiya Sonomi-->Kinomoto Nadeshiko
Theme: 5. Social Sciences
Genre: gen/angst
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP.
Summary/Notes/Warnings: When she found out she was sick, Nadeshiko called Sonomi, but family ties are conflicting. Touya is too much his father's child.

When she found out that she was sick, Nadeshiko called Sonomi. It took almost a week to persuade her to visit, and she would only come when Fugitaka was gone. As she sat on the living room couch, Nadeshiko could see her sneaking glances around the room. She wrinkled her nose every time her eyes crossed over something of Fujitaka's-- a set of reading glasses, their wedding photos prominently displayed on the coffee table.

She had come to Nadeshiko's wedding, but her cousin hadn't been in her house before.

Little Touya toddled into the room. When Sonomi saw the boy, Nadeshiko saw with sadness the emotions that crossed her face. Simple joy for her beloved cousin's child, and then disappointment, that the boy so resembled his father, even at this age.

He has my father's eyes, she wanted to say, but knew it wouldn't matter. This boy was the physical representative of how thoroughly Fujitaka had taken Nadeshiko from Sonomi. Sure, Sonomi herself had married, but she held something back from her husband that she had always given Nadeshiko, and the marriage was constantly on the rocks.

So instead of saying anything to Sonomi she cooed at Touya and took him into the other room and gave him crayons and paper. Sometimes he drew himself with strange people, girls with no feet, and old men. Nadeshiko knows what that means-- that he has inherited her gift-- but she simply tells her son that she is proud of his imagination. There would be time enough for that later.

Or maybe not.

When she came back and tried to talk to Sonomi about her sickness and the possibilities, her dearest cousin couldn't listen for very long.

"Don't talk to me about death. I'll be the one to die before you because without you I'm as good as dead!" Sonomi burst out. The room became too silent. Nadeshiko hoped that Touya hadn't heard. She hadn't found the way to tell him that there is a good chance that she may be joining the people that he sees that no one else can.

They sat and talked, but not for long, because an awkwardness had grown between them since they had married, and its name was Fujitaka, who was due home soon. Sonomi kept an eye on the clock and knew when it was time to go.

Touya came back into the room when she rose to get her purse, and without a word he thrust a piece of paper into her hand. Out of habit Sonomi glanced at the page. There were three stick figures standing next to a scribbled yellow house. The stick people had heavy crayon smiles.

"Mommy and Daddy and I are happy," he said in a serious child's voice. "Very happy, Aunt Sonomi."

"I am glad to hear this," Sonomi said uncomfortably.

"No, you are not," Touya said, and without any prompting from his mother he went back to the other room.

Nadeshiko walked her cousin to the door, and let Sonomi embrace her, feeling the girl's slim form shake with quiet sobs. When she stepped back, she wiped her eyes and sniffled.

"I love you, Nadeshiko," Sonomi said. "Good-bye."

It felt like a concrete good-bye, a true one, even though Nadeshiko's condition wasn't serious yet. There were a few more precious years. But this was what Sonomi wanted. Nadeshiko wouldn't interfere with that.

"I love you too," Nadeshiko said, and shut the door.