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fractal_mirrors2007-02-23 08:19 pm
laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com) wrote in fractal_mirrors2007-02-23 08:19 pm
Unusual [xxxHOLiC/Card Captor Sakura; English]
Title: Unusual
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Characters: Yuuko and Nadeshiko
Pairings: Fujitaka/Nadeshiko, implied Clow/Yuuko
Summary: Nadeshiko knows perfectly well what she wants.
Notes: This one comes from a mix of several theories and bunnies. :) Manga canon for CCS, of course.
Unusual
The young woman who entered the shop wasn't like Yuuko's usual customers. She didn't look confused at all; curious, yes, but not surprised or uncomfortable. She was there on purpose. There was a faint air of magic about her, a bit of moon power that might have lead her to that place. And she had bright, bright green eyes.
Yuuko didn't need any of those hints to recognize her. She had always known they were going to meet someday. It was hard to believe that she was already there, however, that so many decades had passed. It hadn't felt like such a long time.
“My name is Nadeshiko Kinomoto,” the woman introduced herself. “I heard you could grant wishes.”
“I can,” Yuuko replied, while she invited her to come in.
Nadeshiko proved to be as confident as she looked. She wasted no time in small talk, and went straight to business instead.
“I am going to die very soon.”
“I cannot help you with that,” the witch warned her.
“I know. I came for a different reason,” she said. “I'm not worried about my children. They have their father, and each other. But...”
She trailed off, thoughtful. For a moment, she didn't say anything. Yuuko didn't interrupt her silence; it was her wish to tell. After a few seconds, Nadeshiko looked up again.
“I want my husband to be happy,” she said.
“What do you mean by that?” Yuuko asked her. “Do you want him to fall in love again? To remember you only? It's a very broad thing to wish for.”
But Nadeshiko shook her head, smiling a little.
“I don't want to decide for him,” she decided. “I just need to be sure that he will be happy... whatever that means for him.”
Yuuko couldn't hold back a small smile at that.
“You have an unusual wish,” she told her, “but it's a good one. I can do that, for a price.”
“And what is it?” Nadeshiko asked, for the first time looking a little uneasy. Yuuko looked at her in the eye.
“He mustn't shed any tears.”
The young woman paled a bit.
“But,” she said quietly, “if it is my wish... shouldn't I be the one who pays for it?”
Yuuko was very good at hiding her emotions; she had plenty of experience with that. And now, once again, she was grateful for it. In spite of everything, her face showed no expression when she answered.
“You are the one who must ask him to do that.”
Nadeshiko closed her eyes. It took her a moment to reply, but when she did, her voice was steady; and she held the witch's gaze.
“It's a fair price,” she said. Then she seemed to doubt again, and asked her something else. “Do I have to do it right now?”
“No. You may choose the moment you think best,” Yuuko told her. “But keep in mind that if you don't, your wish won't be granted.”
“I understand,” said Nadeshiko. “I am willing to pay that price, for him. And... thank you.”
She stood up and began to leave, but Yuuko stopped her when she had only walked a few steps.
“He deserves to be happy,” she said.
Nadeshiko turned to smile at her.
“I know.”
Only a few weeks had passed when the small crystal phial that stood on one of the shelves appeared to fill itself, and Yuuko knew that Nadeshiko had kept her part of the deal. She held it in her hand and stared at it for a few moments, and then she hid it in the depths of her treasure room where she had no chance to find it ever again.
There were, she reflected, too many of Clow's unshed tears in her house already.
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Characters: Yuuko and Nadeshiko
Pairings: Fujitaka/Nadeshiko, implied Clow/Yuuko
Summary: Nadeshiko knows perfectly well what she wants.
Notes: This one comes from a mix of several theories and bunnies. :) Manga canon for CCS, of course.
The young woman who entered the shop wasn't like Yuuko's usual customers. She didn't look confused at all; curious, yes, but not surprised or uncomfortable. She was there on purpose. There was a faint air of magic about her, a bit of moon power that might have lead her to that place. And she had bright, bright green eyes.
Yuuko didn't need any of those hints to recognize her. She had always known they were going to meet someday. It was hard to believe that she was already there, however, that so many decades had passed. It hadn't felt like such a long time.
“My name is Nadeshiko Kinomoto,” the woman introduced herself. “I heard you could grant wishes.”
“I can,” Yuuko replied, while she invited her to come in.
Nadeshiko proved to be as confident as she looked. She wasted no time in small talk, and went straight to business instead.
“I am going to die very soon.”
“I cannot help you with that,” the witch warned her.
“I know. I came for a different reason,” she said. “I'm not worried about my children. They have their father, and each other. But...”
She trailed off, thoughtful. For a moment, she didn't say anything. Yuuko didn't interrupt her silence; it was her wish to tell. After a few seconds, Nadeshiko looked up again.
“I want my husband to be happy,” she said.
“What do you mean by that?” Yuuko asked her. “Do you want him to fall in love again? To remember you only? It's a very broad thing to wish for.”
But Nadeshiko shook her head, smiling a little.
“I don't want to decide for him,” she decided. “I just need to be sure that he will be happy... whatever that means for him.”
Yuuko couldn't hold back a small smile at that.
“You have an unusual wish,” she told her, “but it's a good one. I can do that, for a price.”
“And what is it?” Nadeshiko asked, for the first time looking a little uneasy. Yuuko looked at her in the eye.
“He mustn't shed any tears.”
The young woman paled a bit.
“But,” she said quietly, “if it is my wish... shouldn't I be the one who pays for it?”
Yuuko was very good at hiding her emotions; she had plenty of experience with that. And now, once again, she was grateful for it. In spite of everything, her face showed no expression when she answered.
“You are the one who must ask him to do that.”
Nadeshiko closed her eyes. It took her a moment to reply, but when she did, her voice was steady; and she held the witch's gaze.
“It's a fair price,” she said. Then she seemed to doubt again, and asked her something else. “Do I have to do it right now?”
“No. You may choose the moment you think best,” Yuuko told her. “But keep in mind that if you don't, your wish won't be granted.”
“I understand,” said Nadeshiko. “I am willing to pay that price, for him. And... thank you.”
She stood up and began to leave, but Yuuko stopped her when she had only walked a few steps.
“He deserves to be happy,” she said.
Nadeshiko turned to smile at her.
“I know.”
Only a few weeks had passed when the small crystal phial that stood on one of the shelves appeared to fill itself, and Yuuko knew that Nadeshiko had kept her part of the deal. She held it in her hand and stared at it for a few moments, and then she hid it in the depths of her treasure room where she had no chance to find it ever again.
There were, she reflected, too many of Clow's unshed tears in her house already.
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