storypaint | Christmas in Vienna (Tomoyo/Sakura) *repost*

Comm: 20_inkspots, 100_leitmotifs
Words: 702
Title: Christmas in Vienna
Series: Cardcaptor Sakura
Pairing: Daidouji Tomoyo/Kinomoto Sakura
Author: rhap_chan
Artist: sky_pirate_tat
Theme Set: Dark themes, #19
Rating: G
Warnings/Spoilers: shojo ai
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: "All over the world," Eriol said, waving out the window to the nippy Italian winter, "and you've never found anyone to replace her in your heart?"

She ran into Eriol near Christmastime in Vienna, a strange chance on a sidewalk far from home for them both. She was wearing a black wool coat that echoed winter uniforms in elementary school, along with spike heels; he had a suit but the same goofy smile.

Since they had almost been friends he kindly offered to buy her a coffee, and she accepted. His Italian was enough for two caffeinated beverages that they drank in a small cafe a block down the street.

"How have you been?" she asked. Of course she already knew; everyone nowadays knew who Hiiragizawa Eriol was: forward-thinking politician, owner of a small corporation, billionaire. She'd expected nothing less.

"Well," he said. She had expected his relationship with Kaho to hit the papers about the same time that he was up for election the first time, but it never had. A few discreet inquiries had revealed that there was nothing more between a young office-seeker and a Japanese elementary school teacher, and hadn't been for years.

"And you?" he inquired. He already knew how she was; he had kept up with news from Japan through various sources. He knew when she had left the country and moved to New York to found a designing company; he knew that Sakura had gotten married coincidentally around the same time, and seeing Tomoyo had confirmed that it wasn't a coincidence. Heartache was etched into the fine lines around her face. She resembled her mother more now than when she was young.

"Well," she said. They sat there with the silence of near-strangers, sipping coffee and thinking about the coincidences that had brought them together again thousands of miles and decades from the place and time they had first met. Tomoyo doubted if it was coincidental, knowing the magician.

"How is Sakura?" he asked, pretending to be stupid, and her gaze informed him he wasn't fooling anyone, but the question hung in the air. Tomoyo looked away.

"Expecting her third child in the spring," she said. "A boy this time, though as I am sure she sent you an announcement, you know this."

He was surprised at her forwardness and for a moment fumbled for words. "Yes," he admitted finally. "And how are you, Daidouji-san?" he said again.

"Well as can be expected," she said with a listless smile. "It's back to New York next week to prepare for the next season. Never a rest in the fashion world, you know."

"Most vacationers return home at Christmas, you know," he said. She frowned. She wasn't in Tomoeda for a reason, and he knew the reason, so why was he poking at her?

"Why would I go home to an empty house?" she said softly.

"Why is your house empty?" he answered.

"Yours is too," she said, evading the question. He shook his head.

"I have Nakuru and Spinel, remember?"

She was surprised and thought that those two were probably pretty hard to keep secret for a man so often in the public eye. But if anyone could do it, Eriol could.

"All over the world," Eriol said, waving out the window to the nippy Italian winter, "and you've never found anyone to replace her in your heart?"

"Never," she said firmly. His gaze on her was sad.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I'm not."

"Isn't it about time you found your own happiness, Daidouji-san?"

"Isn't it about time you stopped meddling in other peoples' lives, Hiiragizawa-san?"

They finished their coffee in silence and when he got up to pay he also tucked a slip of paper in her hand.

"You don't have to be lonely," he said. "Come be with me for Christmas."

The paper had the address of a small house not far from the cafe that she assumed he'd rented for the season. She was tempted by the promise of warmth and Nakuru's smile and a home with life in it.

"No one likes to be alone at Christmas," he said, and she thought that Christmas wasn't any different than any other day when she was alone.

"Okay," she said finally, and for one day at the height of the holiday season, Daidouji Tomoyo let her happiness be her own.