Disclaimer: If i were CLAMP, and writing Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, there's a whole lot of things that would've been different, and this is one of them.

Pairings: Sort of Tomoyo/Akiho, references to onesided Tomoyo/Sakura and Akiho/Kaito, references to SyaoSaku in the last chapter.

Continuity: Set during Clear Card, but nothing more specific than that.

Prompt: CCS Pride Week 2019 Day 1 – L is for Love

Tomoyo wasn't all nerves as she cleaned up her sitting room. Not at all. Her friend and classmate, Akiho Shinomoto, had asked if she could come over this weekend, because there was something she wanted to talk about, that was all. If Akiho wanted advice, Tomoyo was happy to give it.

And if they were going to talk, Tomoyo's rooms should be nice for Akiho. It would never do to welcome her in a room that was cluttered with sketchbooks full of new clothing designs, swatches of fabric, and other things that naturally accumulated as Tomoyo was absorbed in a project.

She had just gotten her room looking more or less presentable when the front gate buzzed, and a servant alerted her that her friend had arrived.

Tomoyo took a deep breath, and smoothed down her skirt. She'd been so panicked about the state of her room, she hadn't had time to worry about what she was wearing. Tomoyo made a habit of dressing well, so hopefully this was suitable. She went out to meet Akiho at the door.

Akiho's eyes were wide as she looked up at Tomoyo's house from the outside. Her path up the front drive weaved a bit from side to side as she turned to look all around.

Tomoyo ran out to meet her. "Akiho-chan!" she called.

"Tomoyo-san!" Akiho exclaimed, and trotted to meet her. "I didn't mean – that is, your home is very lovely. I didn't know–" She cut herself off, flushed red in the face.

Tomoyo smiled gently at her. "That's all right," she said. "It is rather grand, isn't it?"

"Yes," Akiho admitted, the tension leaving her shoulders.

"I could give you a tour later, if you like," Tomoyo offered. "Or now, if you'd prefer. I know there was something you wished to discuss, and i'm sure you'd like a rest since you just got here, but if you'd like . . ." She trailed off.

Akiho had blanched, then flushed again. Tomoyo watched with interest. "Yes, ah, i . . . i guess . . . we should talk first?"

She was kind of adorable when she was flustered. She was a lot loke Sakura in that way. Tomoyo almost wished she'd brought her camera out with her, instead of leaving it in her room. "Whatever you like," she said gently. "I have tea and snacks in my room."

Akiho brightened. "That sounds nice. You're sure it's not an imposition?"

"Of course i'm sure." Tomoyo smiled warmly. "You're always welcome in my home, Akiho-chan."

Akiho went red again. Tomoyo could watch this all day. "Th-thank you," she stuttered.

"Shall we?" Tomoyo offered her arm. Akiho laid a hand on it. "Y-yes, all right. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it." Tomoyo led the way up to her room. "I'm always happy to have you."

Akiho seemed a little bit overwhelmed, and Tomoyo supposed that was her fault. She couldn't help the grandeur of her home, but she didn't really need to tease Akiho so. It was just that it led to such lovely reactions.

"Here, have a seat." She pressed Akiho down onto her sofa, and settled beside her. A maid had brought up the tea while Tomoyo was fetching Akiho, and it sat gently steaming on her little table. Tomoyo drew the service closer to her, and poured tea into the two rose-patterned cups. "Do you take sugar? Milk?"

"Yes," Akiho replied. "Ah – that is, both."

Tomoyo sweetened the tea and passed Akiho hers. Akiho took it gently, holding the warm cup close to her face in both hands. She didn't drink right away. "Thank you," she murmured.

Tomoyo didn't press, or even look directly at her. She instead sipped from her own tea, and waited.

Akiho continued to hold her teacup like a lifeline, but eventually she spoke. "There's something i was wondering about, and i wondered . . . that is, i'd like to ask you . . ." She trailed off, bowing her head – in embarrassment? Uncertainty? Tomoyo wasn't sure.

She pressed her knee gently against Akiho's in support. "It's okay. Just think of what you want to say."

Akiho nodded. She drew a shaky breath, and then took a quick drink from her teacup. This must be more serious than Tomoyo had realized beforehand. She set her own cup down in its saucer on the table.

"Do you – do you know . . ." Akiho was blushing so brilliantly it might actually be interfering with her voice. "Doyouknowwhatit'sliketolovesomeonewhodoesn'tloveyouback?" Her voice got softer and softer as her words started to run together. Tomoyo had to lean close to hear her.

Once she was sure she'd understood what Akiho said, Tomoyo blinked. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but this wasn't it. So this was about Kaito-san, then? Sakura had said she thought Akiho might have feelings for him.

At Tomoyo's reaction, Akiho leaped to her feet. "I mean – i didn't mean to presume!" she exclaimed. "Or to pry! I simply thought–!"

"It's all right." Tomoyo patted the sofa beside her. Akiho sat back down, stiff with embarrassment.

"I do know the feeling," Tomoyo said softly. "There is someone who i love, very much, but who doesn't feel the same way about me."

Akiho's lips parted as she looked at Tomoyo. "How can you bear it? To be near them, and know they don't love you?"

"She does." Tomoyo didn't mind using the pronoun. If it bothered Akiho, then at least she would know. Akiho's eyes widened at her words, but she didn't speak. "There are many kinds of love, and she doesn't love me in the way i want her to, but i've never doubted that she cares for me."

"Even so . . ." Akiho trailed off. Tomoyo could see her rethinking her relationship with Kaito. "It must be lonely. To see her, and to know that she doesn't feel the way you do."

"It is," Tomoyo acknowledged.

"Did you ever . . ." Akiho hesitated. "Tell her?"

"Once," Tomoyo replied softly. "I don't think she understood what exactly i meant." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. She's happy, and so everything will be all right. Perhaps i . . ." She wasn't quite sure how to finish the sentence, and so she let it go.

Akiho picked up Tomoyo's empty teacup from the table, and stared into it. "I don't understand."

"There's a kind of happiness that can only come from seeing someone you love happy," Tomoyo told her. "If it's not what you want . . . If it only comes from their happiness, then it's different from other kinds, but it's no less for that. Unrequited love brings its own comfort when the other person is happy."

Akiho gazed off into the distance. Tomoyo could guess where. "I suppose you're right." She reached out hesitantly and laid her hand on Tomoyo's. "But i think there's a lot to be said for love that is returned as well."

Tomoyo's fingers curled around Akiho's. "It would be wonderful to have your feelings returned."

Akiho nodded. "Is it . . . really enough?"

"That depends on you," Tomoyo told her. "It's different for everyone, i think."

"I'll think about it," Akiho said softly. "About everything you've told me."

Tomoyo heard what Akiho truly meant, and nodded gracefully. "I hope i was able to help you."

"Yes, i . . . i think so." Akiho smiled hesitantly.

"That's good." Tomoyo returned Akiho's smile with a warm one of her own. "If you want to talk this over again, i'll always be here. You can talk to me anytime."

"Thank you," Akiho replied. Her face was still charmingly pink, but she didn't seem as panicky as she had ever since arriving. "I – i think i might."

"Anytime," Tomoyo repeated. She meant it. She would always be available for those important to her. And somehow, before she'd even realized it, Akiho had become one of those people.

She poured another cup of tea, and waited until Akiho was ready to change the subject. Perhaps she could give her that tour after all, or show Akiho some of her projects – some that she was ready for someone to see, at any rate.

Akiho deserved to be happy, and Tomoyo was willing to do her part to make that happen.

A/N: This is a holdover from CCS Pride Week 2019. I tried to be good and write about a variety of characters, but it turned into just a bunch of TomoAki. And then i didn't even finish it in time and then forgot about it for years anyway.