Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura is the property of CLAMP. I'm just borrowing their creations for this little bit here.
Author's Notes: A small, simple one-shot set 12 years in the future. I believe Tomoyo should be around 2224 years old in this fic. Since this came out of the top of my head, I apologize in advance for any glaring errors.
Updated September 13, 2005: Thank you for all your kind reviews. :cheers: Smoothed out some minor errors and put in suggestions by Convoy Butterfly. I've actually never gotten a chance to watch the dub, so I wasn't clear on a few things. Thanks for helping me out, though. )
However, I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this story past this chapter yet, since this was really something that came up as a spur of the moment thing. Currently, I'm drawing a blank as to what to write next (sorry, Elvirna!). O.O Additionally, I haven't seriously touched base with CCS for...about a year now, so I'm rather rusty with the characters. Sorry about that! o
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Springtime in London was nothing like Tomoeda, Daidouji Tomoyo decided as she leaned back against the solid park bench. For one thing, it liked to be cold and gray. For another, cloudy days were as common as sunny ones. Yet this trip to the foggy city was unavoidable if she wanted secure a contract with a high-class fashion magazine. If the deal went through, the young fashion designer mused, then her clothing line would gain access to a much broader audience.
Still, she had been forced to come to this meeting just a day before she was scheduled to view the cherry blossoms with Sakura-chan—and Li-kun, she reminded herself—which had been a cause for disappointment. Tomoyo wondered if the couple was enjoying themselves...perhaps even now they were having a picnic under the flowering trees, with Kero sitting by the side and stuffing his face with sweets. That would have made such a cute video, too...
A small smile crept onto her delicate porcelain features. Tomoyo's videotaping days were the stuff of history books now—she had stopped altogether when Sakura and Li-kun started officially going out in their second year of high school, convincing herself that the pair deserved their privacy. But it was difficult to let go of the hobby that was her sole passion for all those years.
It was even harder, Tomoyo admitted, to stop making costumes for Sakura after she had become the official Card Mistress—because there was really no point for Sakura to dress up just for Tomoyo's sake. Certainly, during the years when Sakura was still in school, Tomoyo had eagerly made all of Sakura's dresses—with a matching suit for Li-kun, of course—for those yearly school dances. It was all perfectly fitting and beautifully romantic, to be sure, especially as the two made the cutest couple that Tomoyo had ever seen. Her smile grew wider as she gazed into the grayness, finally finding a sense of peace within herself.
"Ah. What a pleasant surprise."
Tomoyo's head turned towards the voice, and was surprised to see the face of an old friend. "Hiiragizawa-kun," she said softly. "Yes, indeed. Quite a surprise."
He seemed to be the same as he ever was, Tomoyo noted; serious and solemn, with unreadable blue eyes behind his glasses and neat black hair. Then again, Eriol had always been mature for his age.
"You seem to be doing well, Daidouji-san. I've heard that you're a very successful designer now," Eriol said politely. He stood straight and tall, but held a sturdy brown walking stick in one hand. "Allow me to offer my congratulations."
"I'm far from prominent," Tomoyo replied pleasantly, mildly surprised that Eriol knew of her fledging enterprise. "You seem to be doing well yourself." After spending years studying fashion, Tomoyo had developed a knack for recognizing brand name clothing—and Eriol was wearing the top of the line.
"But enough of this standing business," the young woman continued briskly, gesturing to the empty spot beside her. "Please, have a seat." It would be nice to have some company.
Eriol smiled cordially and sat down by Tomoyo, who noticed that he had a distinctive fragrance about him. It was like...cinnamon and vanilla—the scent of hot chocolate by the fireplace in the wintertime.
It's strange... Tomoyo breathed in deeply. He can be so warm, but still...
She became distracted as Eriol smiled and spoke. "How are dear Sakura and Syaoran doing?"
Tomoyo instantly brightened at the mention of Sakura. "They're engaged." Her features softened. "They've scheduled their marriage for June...and I've already had Sakura promise me that I'd be the one to make her wedding dress."
"I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job," Eriol replied, still wearing the same gentle smile. "And I suppose you'll be there to videotape all the charming details of their big day?"
"..." Tomoyo glanced away. "No. Not anymore."
Eriol looked at her face for a moment, noting the faraway look in her eyes. "Mmm. I see."
A few seconds passed before Tomoyo blinked and managed to smile warmly at her companion. "Ah. It seems like I lost myself for a moment. So...how have you been?"
Eriol laughed. "I've been doing fine, as are Spinel and Nakuru. As for Mizuki-san...well, it is as much as I would have expected."
"Mizuki-san?" Tomoyo cast a questioning glance at Eriol, who smiled again and shook his head.
"It's nothing," he said simply.
Tomoyo nodded slowly, realization dawning in her mind. So Hiiragizawa-kun too...
The two friends sat side-by-side on the bench in quiet companionship, saying nothing more, as the fog slowly started to lift and sunlight finally broke from behind the clouds.
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