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