The Jist: In which a great deal of stress teaches Watanuki how to let go of his pride.
Standard Disclamer: Sometimes borrowing other people's characters is more fun.
Rating: PG for scariness? Watanuki X Doumeki. Shounen-ai in later chapters, if I write any. Which of course depends on reviews.
Vulnerability
An xxxHolic fic by Tyigra
Chapter 1: A Splash of Cold
The night's storm had been ferocious, but by the next day things looked to be just another pleasant spring afternoon. All the better, in Watanuki's opinion, because he wasn't spending it playing Mahjong at Doumeki's family's temple like last week. Not that it had been so bad a memory; the good fortune that came from the sound of shuffling tiles had at last been enough to help the lady ghost of the sakura tree to cross over. Watanuki smiled to himself at the memory of the storm of petals that washed over the players as she vanished, finally at peace. He and Kohane-chan had been worried for her, and the news had made the child-medium's sad countenance lift into a soft, gentle smile. Those fond memories almost made up for the fact that he had lost horribly at Mahjong and been scared out of his wits when Yuuko demanded, with a wicked glint in her eyes, that the loser had to strip. The thought of being completely exposed in front of Yuuko made him think of predators approaching cornered prey. The thought of being naked in front of Doumeki, however, made him burn with humiliation.
"What a fascinating string of expressions," said a deep, deadpan voice directly behind him. Watanuki leaped high, high up into the sky before collapsing on the ground again and pointing an accusatory finger shakily at the object of his last thought.
"D-D-D-D-D-DOUMEKI!!!" The stoic man had his fingers in his ears already, knowing perfectly well the high-volume response he was about to receive. "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SNEAK UP OUT OF NOWHERE????"
"Since when has walking back from school been considered sneaking?" he retorted, eyes staring off to the side in disinterest. "Just because you were having so much fun making strange faces doesn't mean you should lose all awareness of your surroundings."
"I was NOT making strange faces!" Watanuki spat back, looking for all the world like an angry cat with its hackles up. The thought amused Doumeki, and the tiniest bit of a smile curled the corner of his mouth. "I WASN'T! Stop SMIRKING!"
"If you say so," he replied, the bored expression back as if it had never left. Watanuki burned with fury and shook his fists animatedly at Doumeki's back as the taller teen walked past him.
"Why are you walking home now, anyway? What happened to archery practice?"
"Canceled."
"Student Council?"
"You know they only meet once a month."
"NOO! Why is Himawari-chan always busy and not you? Why does the world try to push my darling Himawari-chan and I apart? Why does the world always try to push YOU and I together???"
"Who knows?"
"It's not fair!!" Watanuki finished with a resigned sob, his head and hands drooping towards the ground. They walked in silence until their paths diverged, one heading to a temple and the other heading to a job. As the distance between them grew, however, one of them came to a stop and turned, watching the other's retreating figure until it was out of sight. Seeing no danger come to the other, he resumed his walk, face as unreadable as always.
As Watanuki entered the shop that could only be seen by those who needed it, he was immediately bowled over by a blast of Yuuko's pipe smoke and an overly affectionate Pipe Fox. Laughing against the tickling fur and barrage of kisses the tiny creature was inflicting upon him, he waved the smoke away and looked up at his employer, resplendently dressed as always in sultry, flowing garb. "What's up, Yuuko?" he asked with surprise. "You don't usually greet me at the door."
"I have a very special errand for you to run, and you'll have to leave immediately if you're going to make it in time," she replied, her eyes dark and serious despite her smile. She was holding a folded piece of fine-quality paper, folded shut and sealed with a wax. An insignia of a butterfly was pressed into the wax: Yuuko's sign. "Do you remember how to get to the fortune teller I introduced you to?"
The memory of a butterfly shaped handkerchief flying by itself, and a kindly old lady with gently smiling eyes popped into Watanuki's mind. "Ah, I think so."
"Then please deliver this to her without delay," she commanded, handing the letter to him. It felt oddly heavy. Watanuki's brow wrinkled slightly. "What is your question?"
When Watanuki first started working for Yuuko he might have jumped at that, but now he was used to his employer reading him like an open book. "If you really need to get a message to her quickly, wouldn't it be faster to use the telephone or a message spell? Or even the Fan of the Tengu?"
Yuuko gave the boy a knowing smile. "Who said that this paper contains a message that can be spoken? Who said that it is something that can travel by magic? You need know only this: that you must deliver that letter and place it into her hands as quickly as possible. When you have completed that task, you are free to leave for the day."
"Oh…okay," he replied, not feeling quite as enthused at the thought of getting off early as he usually would be. "What will you be doing for dinner, then?"
"We will manage," she laughed. Watanuki turned and headed for the door, which wasn't far considering that he hadn't even stepped out of the entryway. "Oh, and Watanuki…"
"Yes?"
"The Pipe Fox will be needed for a different task this evening."
"…Oh." Watanuki felt a little hesitant as the little guardian gave him one last peck, then twirled down his arm as he handed it back to Yuuko. That meant that he would be completely alone for the journey, with no way to protect himself from hungry spirits. Well, there was nothing special about the moon's phase or today's date that he knew of, so maybe it wouldn't be too bad.
Yuuko's half-closed eyes gazed into his. "You could always ask Doumeki for company if you're scared…"
"LIKE HELL I WOULD!!" he exploded, his nervousness forgotten. In a huff, he spun back to the door and flung it open, ready to begin his errand at full speed.
"Don't forget, Watanuki," the Space-Time Witch called out in parting. "Rather then worrying about that which we cannot change, we should instead focus on doing whatever it is that we can."
For a second, Watanuki had the most peculiar impression that it was not him that she was referring to.
Having already passed the shop where the fortune teller used to conduct business, Watanuki was trailing down the path that he remembered taking when they had followed Yuuko's handkerchief spell. Warily he glanced at an oozing blob as he passed it, but it was too weak to cause him much grief. A black spot darted across the street from one shadow to another, making him jump, but he breathed a sight of relief when it contented itself by just watching him pass. For some time now Watanuki had felt hungry, cruel eyes on the back of his head, but whenever he turned to look there was nothing there. Quickening his pace once more, he rounded another corner, getting closer to his goal. It was very close now, not much longer…
"Beautifulllllll…"
He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes darting wildly. He could see nothing, and yet his skin was crawling against the presence of something horribly evil.
"Skin like cream, does it taste as sweeeeeeeet?"
Watanuki felt himself break into a sweat and begin to shiver at the same time.
"Let me taste your flesh so soft, let me drink your tears so hot…"
"Oh no…oh no, oh no, oh no!" Finding his feet once more, Watanuki broke into a run. "I'm so close! Where is it?"
"Your cries are like fragrant wisps of the ecstasy to come."
Houses whizzed by, their occupants blissfully unaware of the darkness that was rolling over the streets like a fog, chasing a lone figure in a black uniform. Watanuki clutched the envelope tightly as he sprinted, terror threatening to rob him of his senses. Whatever was chasing him was very powerful, and he knew in his heart that if it pinned him down there would be no escaping this one. Struggling to keep his fear from turning into panic his wild eyes darted back and forth, looking for something familiar. In the far distance he could see the taller buildings of a shopping district, which at least gave him a vague idea of where he was. He was still on the right track; it had to be around here somewhere! Fog rolled around his feet and began to rise higher and thicker.
"Don't run, my succulent morsel. I shall cherish you, every bite."
Suddenly, in the corner of his right eye he saw a shimmering light. Turning his head he saw none other then the house he was looking for! It was surrounded by a glowing nimbus that he didn't remember seeing when he had been there with Yuuko. Something Yuuko had said recently flickered through his mind.
"Splitting that right eye in half didn't just improve your vision."
Could it be that he could see that welcoming light now only because Doumeki had given him half the vision in his own right eye to make up for the loss of Watanuki's? "We'll share the burden," he had said.
Watanuki felt a strange feeling wash over him like a cool wave, a feeling of being defenseless and unresisting. He was so helpless. "How is it that Doumeki is always saving me, even when he's not here? I can't…"
As he crossed the boundary into the fortune teller's yard, the evil presence vanished in an instant. Falling to his hands and knees, Watanuki gasped and shivered with remembered fright. Normally he reacted to aggressive spirits with anger, but for some reason, this one made his stomach knot and twist. The last time he had felt such evil was in the presence of the Master of Spiders, but back then the Pipe Fox had been with him, and he had been concerned only with saving Zashiki-Warashi. This time he was alone and…those whispered words seemed to promise far worse then mere pain.
Finally Watanuki's breathing slowed and the strength returned to his legs. Picking up the paper, he returned to his feet only to realize that the fortune teller was standing right in front of him, her face gentle and sympathetic. "Will you be alright, dear?"
Brushing the dirt off his knees, he found his smile and restored it to his face. "I'm better now, thank you," he said softly. Extending his arms, he placed the sealed letter into her hands. "But I would appreciate it a lot if I could stay here for a while."
"Of course! Come in and have some tea. You've had quite a fright, and it will help calm your nerves."
Inside, Watanuki settled onto a cushion beside the low table. A teacup was already placed there, and the tea was already hot and ready. The fortune teller poured the steaming drink into his cup, waiting for him to finish it off before she poured one for herself and a refill for him. Satisfied that everything was all right, she turned her attention to the letter, breaking the wax butterfly and unfolding the thick paper. Curious, Watanuki peered over to see what was inside. It was a drawing of a flower, beautifully rendered in flowing ink.
"What is it?" he asked, eyes wide. The fortune teller smiled at him and placed two fingers over the drawing's stem, as if she could pick it up. Then, to his surprise, she was picking it up! As he watched, the graceful drawing transformed into a real flower, of a color so beautiful and indescribable that it brought tears to his eyes.
"This is a 'Flower of Saints.' It has the power to bring comfort to the dying, easing their pain and sorrow so they can cross safely to the other side." She stood and began to walk towards the back of the house. "Would you like to come see?"
Watanuki followed her out the back door, into the quiet fenced yard. It was very small, dominated almost entirely by an enormous sakura tree. It must have once been a sight to behold, but apparently it had been struck by lightning in last night's storm. The massive trunk had been ripped in two, the lines of its rings clearly exposed inside the two jagged halves. It had been in the flush of its bloom when the storm hit, but now every petal that had not yet fallen was dry and wilted. He could feel the tree's pain rolling toward him in waves that made him clutch his head. The tree was dying, painfully and slowly.
The fortune teller gestured for him to stay still then approached the injured tree. Placing the Flower of Saints at its base, she clapped her hands together and said a prayer over it.
As he watched, the flower twitched slightly then ever so slowly began growing roots that reached into the ground. Picking up speed, the roots grew stronger and leaves began sprouting from the stem. Suddenly the flower was growing like nothing he'd ever seen: vines reaching and climbing around the tree, higher and higher, clinging to the splintered edges and wrapping itself lovingly around the split trunk and every branch. When the tree was completely captured in the green embrace, hundreds upon thousands of breathtaking blooms sprouted and blossomed over its entirety, granting the dying tree a second spring of unparalleled beauty. The flowers began to glow with their own radiance, brighter and brighter until, like a celebration of fireworks, the sparks exploded and scattered in a thousand glittering stars, falling up into the sky. The tree was gone.
Watanuki realized that he was crying freely. The fortune teller took his hand and led him back into the house as he made a token effort at wiping away his tears even though he didn't really feel embarrassed. Another cup of tea was presented and gratefully accepted, both staring into their cups with faraway expressions. At last the little old lady picked up the dishes and Watanuki stood up to leave, still lost in thought. They bid each other farewell, she with greetings to Yuuko and a promise to repay her with a fortune, and he with thanks for the tea and the beautiful sight. On the streets once again, Watanuki was surprised to discover that only an hour had passed. If felt like he been there all evening.
So lost in his thoughts was he that it wasn't until he was three blocks away that he felt the evil aura return, black fog rolling in around him.
"How the HELL did I forget?!" the teenager gasped as he turned around to run back to the shop, only to be cut off by a wall of oppressive blackness.
"You will not escape that way again, my delicious delight." The voice seemed to come from the blackest part of the fog. Choking down the returning terror that threatened to overwhelm him, Watanuki spun around and took off away from the spirit at top speed. Wind rushed around his face as the scenery blurred around him. He ran like his life depended on it, which it most certainly did, but still creepers of fog were catching up to him.
"Your resistance fuels my hunger! Scream, that I may taste the first of all you have to offer!"
"Why didn't I ask the fortune teller for a charm?" he cursed himself, even though he doubted a mere charm would hold against this monster's power. "Why didn't I insist that Yuuko let me borrow the Pipe Fox?" In his peripheral vision he could see the fog roll higher around him. His head swung wildly from side to side as he searched for anything that could help him, but the street was deserted and stretched on for eternity. "Surely there's something! Anything! Anyone!"
Suddenly he was falling, the fog wrapped around his legs like a solid appendage. He hit the ground hard, only barely shielding his head with his arms to keep from cracking his teeth on the ground. He thrashed his feet but they were held fast by limbs that felt both burning hot and freezing cold. As the fog crept higher he tried to strike it with his hands, but the fog surrounded him and pinned them down too. Watanuki realized that he couldn't see the street anymore. He was in a world of fog, with no escape.
Something like a hand pressed against the nape of his neck. "So delicious…where should I start?" The top button of his black uniform jacket was suddenly ripped away.
"Someone…somebody…h..h..he…" For some reason, a memory popped into Watanuki's head of the time Yuuko took him, Doumeki, and Himawari-chan on a vacation to the beach. The whole trip they persistently tried to make him ask his rival for help, even going so far as to terrify him speechless, but somehow he had managed to save his pride and never say those two words. Finally they told him that if only he had uttered them, and Doumeki responded, a contract would have formed between them that would have kept away all the spirits for the day. Watanuki had almost forgotten about it, because he knew there was no way he would ever, ever come crawling to that jerk.
The last button popped, and the terrifying spirit started in on his white shirt. He could feel breath as repulsively moist as a bog and as deathly dry as the desert blowing against the bare skin of his chest. Something like a wet tongue rasped across his pale skin, leaving a vivid red burn and causing him to shriek in pain against the acidic touch.
"Delicious…truly delicious! Nothing else can compare! Such screams! Such flavor! I shall never find another meal as perfect as you!" the monster roared in ecstasy. Suddenly Watanuki forgot what pride was. Tears of pain, sorrow, and unbelievable fear were coursing down his face. If only he could see those glaring, annoying eyes once more! Once again he felt that defenseless, unresisting feeling that he had felt before, that splash of cold as his heart leapt into his chest. There was nothing else he wanted in the whole world more then for Doumeki to be here, right now!
"DOUMEKI!!!" he cried out with all his strength. "HELP ME!!"
The monster laughed.
The boy's burning chest shook.
The monster's grip tightened on spread-eagled limbs.
Its head lowered once more.
His eyes clenched shut.
And then the darkness was pierced by a radiant light.
Opening his eyes in disbelief, Watanuki watched as blast after blast ripped holes in the world of darkness. The evil creature screeched in pain and surprise, but the attacks continued relentlessly, giving the monster no chance to recover or escape. The view of the street returned as the fog burned away, but the arrows of light did not let up until the last shred of darkness evaporated with a fading scream. Silence rushed in to fill the void.
In the sudden silence, he could hear footsteps running towards him. They grew louder quickly, and in a few moments a human figure entered his vision, standing over him with a longbow in his hands.
"Dou…meki?"
The bow was tossed to the ground as the figure fell to its knees over him, fingers curled in agony as they hovered over the boy, unsure of where to start. The figure on the ground was a sight to see; disheveled hair soaked in tears, eyes large and red, shirts ripped open to reveal pale skin with a large, blistering burn.
"How…did you…find me?"
Doumeki's usually half-lidded eyes were wide open for once, his brow wrinkled so tightly that Watanuki wondered if he was mad with him.
"The eye we share," he said curtly, his voice so tight it was a wonder he could speak at all. "I couldn't reach Yuuko, so I've been trying to find you by the locations you've seen, ever since the monster first appeared."
That long, Watanuki thought. The moment I was alarmed enough for him to see what I see. As Doumeki helped him to sit up, he was once again afflicted by that splash-of-cold feeling. It made his heart twinge, that feeling. Complete and utter willing vulnerability. All his anti-Doumeki defenses were gone, and he didn't try to work them up again. Instead, once he was sitting up, he twisted enough to wrap his arms around the man he so stubbornly disliked, buried his face in Doumeki's uniform, and shook with wracking, tearless sobs. He would have cried, but he had no tears left.
What felt like an eternity later, Doumeki overcame his surprise and wrapped his arms comfortingly around the physically and mentally exhausted boy. They sat that way, in the middle of the deserted road, for a very long time, letting the purifying powers of the one slowly wash away the evil taint that was still poisoning the other.
He finally asked for my help, he marveled. I don't know if I would have found him in time if I hadn't heard his voice. I don't think I could have defeated that monster if we hadn't formed that contract.
Dusk was settling in before Doumeki moved and, seeing that the spirit's burn was all but gone, carried the sleeping Watanuki on his back to his family's temple. Surely his treasured friend would appreciate not being alone for once, especially tonight.