Glance at Me

'kay. i'm sorry. computer crashed, couldn't find my files, etc. etc. this is the rough draft (i guess) and i'll make a few revisions here and there. this chapter contains some graphic imagery. so...yeah. please read and leave a comment. i love comments. =D
disclaimer: xxxholic and characters aren't mine.

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"Mother!"

Watanuki suddenly found himself on his hands and knees in the leaf litter in a dark, silent grove of trees. His body felt like one big mass of fiery pain and at first he didn't know where he was or how he had come to be there, until everything came back to him with crushing reality.

Surging to his feet, he shouted into the seeming oblivion. "Doumeki!"

There was no reply. He was alone.

Alone. He didn't want to be left alone. Again.

Panic gripped his heart with icy tendrils as he stumbled forward, searching for his friend. "Doumeki!"

"Stop yelling," came an irritated, but faint voice from behind a nearby cherry tree.

Relief flooding out the dread in his chest, Watanuki ran over and rounded the trunk with a grin.

"Doumeki! You're o-" He froze, his words dying on his lips as he took in the scene.

The archer was sitting propped up against the trunk of the bare tree, his broken bow still clutched in hand, and a cocky, pained smile on his face. His black shirt was ripped open and shining with blood. His chest had three grisly gashes lacerating the flesh there, though it was hard to tell throught the mess of dried blood and leaves stuck to it. His arm looked as if it had been bitten several times and his right thigh was punctured with what looked like a chunk of wood.

Doumeki wheezed a short, breathless laugh, crimson ribbons trickling from his mouth and nose.

"Damn. I must look a real mess to you, huh?"

Watanuki fell to his knees, trying to fight down the rising bile that burned his esophagus. He felt as if he had lost the ability to speak. This...couldn't be happening.

As if reading Watanuki's thoughts, Doumeki started to explain.

"Yuuko-san came just as I was receiving the worst of it, and Mokona swallowed it after she placed a seal on that...thing."

"Where-where is she now?" Watanuki asked, finally finding his voice.

"Went to get help."

"How long ago?"

Doumeki shrugged one shoulder, winced, and continued. "Dunno. Lost track of time."

Watanuki swept his eyes over his friend's broken body and felt tears well up in his eyes. "Doumeki...I..."

The other boy looked sideways at him, his smile fading. "Do you hate me, Watanuki?"

The boy in question shook his head fitfully, sending the tears flying in sparkling droplets. "That's not it! Just...why? Why did you do something like that for me?"

Doumeki stared at stared at him with unreadable eyes, then slowly, painfully, lifted a hand to Watanuki's face, wiping the tears away with his thumb.

"For the same reason why I walk you home, though you may not need it, the same reason why I choose to stay by your side, though you may not want me there, the same reason why I protect you, though you may not appreciate it." He paused as his chest rose and fell with an uneven tandem, fighting for breath and closing his eyes against the pain.

"Because...because that's what love is."

Watanuki stared, again finding himself at a loss for words. He reached up and enclosed Doumeki's cold fingers with a trembling hand.

"Doumeki--"

A sudden light flared, and Watanuki recoiled as he raised a hand to shield his eyes.

"They're here!" an unfamiliar voice called. Hurried footsteps told him that there was a number of people making their way toward them, and Watanuki abruptly found himself in the midst of a forest of legs.

A man's voice cut above the jumble of murmurings and addressed the supine pair.

"You gave us quite a scare, you two. If not for this young lady..." at this, Yuuko waved from behind the speaker, Mokona perched on her shoulder. "...we would've had no idea you were out here."

"'Tou-san," Doumeki weakly acknowledged from beside Watanuki, who still had a tight grip on Doumeki's hand.

In the stray glare from a lantern, Watanuki could see the face of his classmate's father. Though he must have only been in his middle years, gray had started to encroach on his black hair, his countenance was careworn and lined, and his eyes were hooded, lending him a perpetually sleepy air.

As he continued to stare, Doumeki-san turned his gaze on him and smiled. "Let's get you two inside."

It took about fifteen minutes to get Doumeki onto a stretcher and into the temple, and though it seemed to Watanuki that they would never get there in time, he was loathe to relinquish his hold on Doumeki's hand when he was told that he wasn't allowed to follow them into a room.

Doumeki-san put a heavy hand on his shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. "Only members of the temple may be admitted into this healing room and witness the procedure. You'll have to wait outside."

Watanuki blinked helplessly and bit his lip until he felt Doumeki's hand give his own a feeble squeeze and offer a small smile of encouragment.

As he, his father, and several attendants proceeded through the doors, he gently slipped his hand out of Watanuki's and disappeared into the darkness within.

The young seer watched the doors slide slowly together and shut without a noise, then sadly turned away. To come nose-to-nose with Yuuko.

"Gyaa-mmf!" Yuuko stuffed Mokona into his mouth and put a finger to her lips, chiding him softly.

"Shh! This is a temple after all, Watanuki!" She turned away and sat down on the steps and smiled, patting the spot next to her.

Yanking the madly giggling Mokona from his mouth, he eyed his employer suspiciously before taking a seat next to her.

"You showed some unusual courage today, Watanuki. Honestly, I couldn't be prouder."

The boy blushed modestly in the light of her praise before shooting a worried glance over his shoulder at the silent doors.

"Doumeki-kun? He'll be fine." Yuuko rested her chin in her palm, smirking lazily at Watanuki. "Now, to discuss your fee..."

"Take whatever you want. I only want Doumeki to be okay." Watanuki finished for her, clasping his hands between his knees. "It's my fault he's like that in the first place."

The witch's eyes narrowed slightly in conceding acceptance as she smiled a cheshire smile. "And thus we see the beginning of the inevitable change in you. You're developing beautifully."

Watanuki only stared, puzzled at this statement. At that moment, there were soft footsteps behind them and they turned to see a young woman who looked to be about Yuuko's own (apparent) age, bearing a tray with drinks.

Kneeling and setting it down, she bowed politely.

"Hajimemashite. I'm sorry it took so long, but here are your drinks. There was a bit of commotion when word came that my son had arrived back home."

Watanuki gaped in stunned silence at her as she poured a glass of beer for Yuuko.

"You're...you're Doumeki's mother?! But-but, you're so young and pretty!"

Demurely covering her mouth with her hand, she chuckled musically. "I've been told that. I had Shizuka when I was fifteen. His father and I married two years prior to that."

Watanuki held his head with both hands, trying to get his mind around this strange new revelation as Doumeki's mother proceeded to pour out drinks for Mokona and him.

"I've heard so much about you from Shizuka, Watanuki-kun. He couldn't stop talking about you, not even at dinnertime."

Watanuki tried to imagine a chatty Doumeki, but that made his head ache even further, so he stopped and gratefully accepted the proffered glass of iced tea from his hostess. She turned to talk to Yuuko and Mokona and he studied her from over the rim of his glass.

Her dark brown hair was done up in a simple, yet elegant bun at the back of her neck, and her face was always smiling. He wondered vaguely where exactly Mr. Perma-Scowl got his personality from. His father had seemed fairly easygoing, and certainly not from this angelic woman.

'Maybe the grandfather...' he mused silently. 'That would fit. He inherited his powers from him, after all.' His thoughts were broken as he saw Yuuko stand.

"Oh. Are you leaving already, Yuuko-san?" he questioned, his brow creasing together.

"No, I'm just going exploring. These grounds are magical," she added, smiling mysteriously. She inclined her head toward Doumeki's mother. "Thank you for the drink, it was perfect."

The two of them watched her make her way across the moonlit courtyard, eventually losing her from sight among the evergreens.

Doumeki's mother turned to Watanuki with a smile. "I want to thank you, Watanuki-kun. You're the only one Shizuka really considers to be a friend."

At this, Watanuki felt his face begin to burn. She probably didn't know about the kiss. She probably never would, if he could help it. She continued, not taking notice.

"He tended to isolate himself when he was younger. I--" She lowered her head, her eyes full of sorrow. "I think he was afraid of being hurt." She turned toward Watanuki with a sad sort of smile. "You see, he was very attached to my father-in-law, and when he passed away, he changed. Shizuka became...almost reclusive, and perhaps, just a little bit resentful. But you..."

She leaned forward and clasped his hand fervently within hers. "You opened him up again. You made him feel needed again. And for that, I thank you Watanuki-kun."

As the boy raised his gaze to her face, he saw tears sparkling in her eyes and returned her smile gently.

"You're welcome."

There was a loud clatter and they turned to see a boy no older than Watanuki appear in the doorway behind them. "Okyaku-san! It was a success!"

Pan!

Doumeki-san came up behind the boy and hit him over the head with a roll of bandages, rebuking him sternly.

"Don't yell in the temple, Ransei. Here. Put these away."

As Ransei obediently ran off down the hallway ("Don't run, either!"), Doumeki-san turned to his wife wearily. Putting a hand on his cheek, she looked into his face, concerned.

"You look terrible, anata. Get some rest." Doumeki-san shook his head dismissively and kissed her on the forehead while Watanuki looked away, embarrassed. He had done the same thing to their son not an hour ago.

Guilt gnawed away at his insides until he felt a shadow fall across him. He looked up into Doumeki-san's eyes, and found them to be a light hazel.

"Why don't you go see Shizuka now? I'm sure you must have been worried about him. He's in his room, sleeping."

Smiling nervously up at the man, he bowed to the two of them before heading down the hallway, some innate sense guiding him directly to his friend.

Doumeki-san and his wife watched him go, cognizant smiles on their faces.

"They were meant for each other, weren't they?"

"Yes. I'm happy for them. They've finally found the one person who completes themselves."

"Haha. That's true. Now, what have we got in the kitchen? I'm starving!"

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Watanuki slowly shut the shoji door behind him and carefully treaded over to Doumeki's still form. He was intensely relieved to see that his breathing was deep and even, and that his countenance showed no signs of pain. All of his wounds were neatly bandaged and incense and sprigs of black pine stood in urns at the head of his futon.

He knelt down and watched Doumeki sleep, feeling a sense of peace settle over him for the first time in a long time. He took hold of his schoolmate's right hand and smiled to feel that it was warm, brushing it tenderly with his lips before reaching out with his other hand and sweeping a few stray hairs from Doumeki's forehead.

Watanuki blinked and inhaled sharply through his nose when he saw those eyes open slowly and turn to him, their vivid hue muddied and unfocused with the lethargic aftereffects of the healing.

"Kimi...hiro..." Doumeki mumbled.

Though taken aback by the unexpected use of his first name, he leaned forward and caressed Doumeki's brow with two slim fingers, shushing him soothingly. "You shouldn't be awake, you dummy. Rest."

Doumeki opened his mouth, closed it, and began to write on Watanuki's hand with a finger.

"'Need...answer...'? For what?" He watched the finger slowly trace characters over his palm and read them aloud.

"'Told...you...I...loved--' When you told me you loved me?"

A slight nod and Watanuki felt his heart ache with joy.

"Oh...you big- You should know what my answer is!"

Doumeki's eyes closed and Watanuki felt his finger on his hand one last time. "'Say it?'"

Tears flowing freely down his face, Watanuki laughed gently and lay down next to Doumeki's futon, clutching at his friend's hand.

Bringing his mouth next to his ear, he whispered, "I love you, Doumeki Shizuka, you idiot."

A smile appeared on the archer's face as he turned his head so he was facing Watanuki, and fell into a deep sleep.

Watanuki continued to watch him as he settled himself on the floor, feeling finally at ease with the world into which he had been led, so long as he was always by his side.

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yeah, when i was writing doumeki's mom, i just couldn't get that woman from vol. 6 out of my head. so there she is again. incarnate. XP there will be one last installment to this series, then i will start on either my eyeshield 21 or kekkaishi fics. please look forward to it!

Melonbutterfly: aw thank you! i love creating spells! um, i still can't think of anyway to fully explain why Doumeki was ignoring him. my head's just...bleah. lol don't worry, there will be pointless porn...next time! muwahahaha!
ani: woot! you're back! ermm...yeah. i hope to get those three weeks covered in the revision. gomen!
silverlook: @-@ aaarggh! okay, okay, i'll get that revise up soon! i promise! XD watanuki is much loved by all of us, ne?
Ryuu_chan: thank you! XOXO back at ya!
Mazy3261: thanx! i 'preciate it! i'll definitely try to update soon(er).
Flaxen_Wings: i'd love it if my works became the actual anime. but don't we all? XD are they in character? if so, then i have done my job correctly (for once!) (Flaxen_Wings...what a cool name!)
Reppu: ow. Q_Q well, thanx to your comment, i've gotten the motivation to finally put this chapter up! everyone thank Reppu-kun!