Chemistry and Culinary Skills (Syaoran and Tomoyo gen)

[storypaint]

Title: Chemistry and Culinary Skills
Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura
Subject: Li Syaoran and Daidouji Tomoyo
Theme(s): 21. Common ground
Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP.

Dedicated to Tat-chan. Thanks for everything, my little chef friend.

Summary: Syaoran and Tomoyo have to work together on a chemistry project, but Syaoran fears that he won't be able to talk to her-- they have nothing in common. (friendship fic).

"Find some common ground," Sakura encouraged when she learned that Syaoran had been assigned to work with Tomoyo on their final Chemistry project. "You'll get along fine."

Syaoran knew Tomoyo, but not well at all. Little beyond the time they spent together when Sakura was capturing cards, all those years ago. She was obsessive, he remembered, and overly friendly, and very polite. Nothing in common with him.

But it wasn't really like they had to hang out or something. It was just a Chemistry project. They had Chemistry class in common, and that's what really mattered.

But Tomoyo suggested that they meet at a cafe to discuss the scope of their project. Reluctantly, Syaoran agreed. (Sakura encouraged him with a few kisses.) A cafe would require small talk. Syaoran was terrible at that.

And so he sat, carefully stirring his hot chocolate so he wouldn't have to meet her eyes.

"How are you and Sakura?" Tomoyo asked after a long moment of silence. Syaoran wondered if there was a wrong answer to that question. He was a little afraid that there was. Would she report the details of this conversation back to his girlfriend?

"Fine," he stumbled out. "We're... good."

"Mm hmm," Tomoyo said. There was another silence.

The waitress brought their dessert and Syaoran was thankful for another conversational reprieve. Tomoyo bit into the pie thoughtfully.

"I wonder how they made this crust so flaky?" she asked. Syaoran wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question, so he offered an answer.

"Extra flour, I think," he said, biting into his own pie. "And maybe some honey."

"Li-kun," Tomoyo said, clearly surprised, "I didn't know that you cooked."

"I live by myself," Syaoran said, taking another bite of pie. It was pretty good, but he'd made better.

"But you make desserts and everything?" she inquired. He nodded, feeling a little bashful.

"You don't happen to have a good recipe for strawberry soup, do you? My mother says that she doesn't like the apple juice very much."

"I don't either," Syaoran replied, feeling a little more comfortable in Tomoyo's presence. "I use less apple juice and I add some raspberries."

"That's a good idea!" Tomoyo said. She giggled.

"Hmm?"

"I didn't think I'd be able to find anything to talk to you about, Li-kun. Besides Chemistry. We haven't really hung out much-- all of us together-- since elementary school."

"Yeah, I know," Syaoran said, and a trace of smile graced his lips.

"So what were you thinking about our project? I was thinking something in organics..." Tomoyo said.

"Sounds good to me," Syaoran said, nodding. Their conversation flowed easily after that.

When Syaoran saw Sakura next, he kissed her twice for her advice.