Visiting Tomoyo (Syaoran and Tomoyo gen)

[storypaint]

Title: Visiting Tomoyo
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Subject: Li Syaoran and Daidouji Tomoyo
Theme(s): 14. Fair weather friend, rainy day friend
Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP.

Warning: main character death by vague causes.

Summary: When Sakura and Syaoran came back to Japan, they always spent time with Tomoyo. And Syaoran might be alone this time, but he goes to see Tomoyo anyway.

When they were in Tomoeda, Syaoran and Sakura took tea with Tomoyo, rain or shine. It became a tradition during their infrequent trips back to Japan. When Syaoran watched Tomoyo pour the cups and chatter away, he always thought it would be hard to be so lonely.

It was strange to be taking tea at Tomoyo's without Sakura. It was his first trip in years that she hadn't been by his side, giggling and holding his hand the whole plane ride, squeezing just a little when they were landing.

He'd had a break from work and his daughters had seemed so quiet lately, missing their mother, even as they were surrounded by his mother and sisters and cousins. They missed Sakura, and his toddler's Chinese was ever so faintly accented by the Japanese her mother had taught her from the cradle. Perhaps, Syaoran had thought, it wouldn't hurt so much to go back.

It had still hurt, of course, but when Tomoyo had called him up with an invitation to tea, he'd only hesitated a little.

And now she was talking baby talk to his toddler, and cooing at the baby, and his tea was growing cold but he was laughing and playing as well.

"And he used to run away when he saw your mother, mm-hmm," she said, making a funny face, "and his face would get so red..."

"Daddy!" Nadeshiko said, giggling, "why were you being so silly?"

He wondered at Tomoyo's ability to make these bittersweet memories sweet again, and then he picked her up and tickled her and told her that she would have been silly like that too if she'd seen how beautiful her mother was, even then. He glanced at Tomoyo and caught her nod, just a little, and then she smiled that familiar smile that didn't reach all the way to her eyes.

Syaoran's tea was cold, but his heart was light when he left Tomoyo's, promising to bring the girls back again next year. And though the wind blew coldly through the cherry blossom trees, he looked down at his wife's sweet legacies and smiled.