rlm@2: Changing Seasons rlm@2: by tehwalrus, a Card Captor Sakura fanfiction rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: Winter gently, slowly makes herself known. She creeps up in that first cold rlm@2: wind, in a guise as she first introduces herself to you, her long fingers rlm@2: playing through your hair, brown locks waving in the... rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: Tomoyo closes her notebook with a happy but also regretful sigh as class rlm@2: finishes. She wanted to keep writing, but now she gets to go on her date with rlm@2: Sakura-chan! Of course, not a real date... She smiles at the brown haired rlm@2: bishoujo sitting in the desk next to her. "How is your poem coming Sakura-chan? rlm@2: Is it going to be excellent or spectacular?" The second girl blushes very rlm@2: cutely as she finishes packing up. "Tomoyo-chan... it really isn't as good as rlm@2: you say it is." rlm@2: rlm@2: Naoko, Chiharu and Rika walked over just then, each of the girls carrying thier rlm@2: schoolstuffs. Tomoyo smiles softly to the three, "Hello Naoko, Rika, Chiharu. rlm@2: Could you tell me how good this poem is?" She struggles just a little to bring rlm@2: up her memory of it, then begins to recite. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Sakura blossoms and Spring are two parts of the same thing. One just another rlm@2: flower without the other while Spring would be never seen without pink and rlm@2: green..." rlm@2: rlm@2: "Oh, very nice Tomoyo!" All three of Sakura's friends congratulated, Sakura rlm@2: blushing deeply. Tomoyo shakes her head a little bit, looking dreamily at rlm@2: Sakura. "Oh, that was Sakura-chan's great poem, not mine. It is very good rlm@2: Sakura-chan, everyone agreed." The girl nods, still blushing. "Hai, arigatou rlm@2: everyone. Tomoyo-chan and I were going to get ice cream before the store closes rlm@2: for christmas. Would you like to come too?" rlm@2: rlm@2: Tomoyo frowned only very slightly. She wanted to spend time alone with her rlm@2: genki friend, but wanting to make everyone happy and feel included was part of rlm@2: what made Sakura-chan Sakura-chan. Chiharu noticed the little disappointed look rlm@2: on Tomoyo's face, and quickly shook her head. "Sorry Sakura, we were all going rlm@2: to go over some homework together so we'll have it all done for the break." The rlm@2: other two nodded after a second, realizing what was going on. "We'll come next rlm@2: time." rlm@2: rlm@2: Tomoyo whispered a small thank you as the three friends left and felt bad... rlm@2: Sakura had confided in her, saying how she wasn't happy about how she and the rlm@2: other three girls were growing apart, not realizing everyone had taken to rlm@2: leaving the brunette alone with Tomoyo for the heiress' sake. Sonomi kept rlm@2: saying that Sakura-chan was definately having more fun with just Tomoyo... but rlm@2: Tomoyo always felt guilty anyways, though not enough to give up this time with rlm@2: her Sakura-chan. She felt even more guilty for not acting on her guilt. rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: ...wind. She stays the same inside, but over time her intensity grows unable to rlm@2: hide itself and she snows down, showing her true colors, ruining your happiness rlm@2: with her frozen tears. rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: Tomoyo smiles as Sakura tells her about how Christmas had originated in the rlm@2: South Pole, but then Santa had to move since his wife was allergic to penguins. rlm@2: Tomoyo takes a bite of ice cream, shaking her head ruefully. "Did Yamazaki-kun rlm@2: tell you that Sakura-chan?" She giggles as Sakura nods emphatically. "I think rlm@2: maybe he was making it up." rlm@2: rlm@2: Sakura blushes deeply again, embarassed at herself. "I always believe him..." rlm@2: Tomoyo reaches across the table, taking Sakura's hand in both of her own and rlm@2: smiling softly at the brunette. rlm@2: rlm@2: "Sakura-chan is sweet and trusting. Don't be ashamed about it, those are some rlm@2: of the things that make Sakura-chan so perfect and wonderful." Tomoyo cringes rlm@2: inwardly... I have to tone it down some, not even kawaii Sakura-chan is rlm@2: completely naive. Of course, she was going to tell Sakura her feelings soon rlm@2: enough. If the poem Sakura was going to open on Christmas morning wasn't rlm@2: enough, Tomoyo wrote at the bottom "I love you Sakura, as your mother loved rlm@2: your father." Not even Sakura's naivety could escape the blatance there. rlm@2: rlm@2: Sakura paled, her eyes going wide. "Tomoyo-chan... you love me?" Her speech rlm@2: comes out a bare whisper, but it more than enough to startle the heiress out of rlm@2: her introspection. She... she must have said the words aloud? Tomoyo nods once, rlm@2: slipping the poem out of her notebook and setting it on the table, then running rlm@2: quickly out of the building. She wasn't expecting this, she wasn't prepared... rlm@2: she didn't know what to say, so she just ran and kept running, not noticing rlm@2: where she was going. rlm@2: rlm@2: Eventually she stops, finding herself on the bridge, and takes a seat along the rlm@2: edge of it, tears streaming down her face. "I ruined the whole plan, I was rlm@2: supposed to be at home when Sakura opened it, to give her a chance to reject me rlm@2: and never see me again. I was..." She stops midsentence at the sound of the so rlm@2: familiar voice behind her. rlm@2: rlm@2: "That's not fair Tomoyo-chan, I... you should have done as you did, and tell me rlm@2: to my face." Sakura puts a hand on Tomoyo's shoulder, sitting down beside her rlm@2: friend and pulling the sobbing girl into a comforting hug. "We're best friends rlm@2: Tomoyo-chan, you know you can tell me anything. I love you too..." Sakura's rlm@2: face lights up as she comes to that realization, and Tomoyo's sobs stop from rlm@2: where she's tucked agaisnt the brunette's shoulder. rlm@2: rlm@2: She looks up, most of her tears wiped from her cheeks. "Y-You do?" Sakura nods rlm@2: a little, grinning. "I do Tomoyo-chan... I didn't know it, but I do." rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: rlm@2: And the brunette wipes the frosty tears away with a gentle kiss, holding Winter rlm@2: tight to herself and revealing Spring, still wet with sadness but joyful as rlm@2: happiness begins.