Intention
3rd May 2008
Series: The Taming of the April Fool
Summary: Lunch.
Warnings: Silly girls.

"If it's alright with you, Doumeki-kun," said the nervous girl in a soft voice, "then please take this lunch I made for you."

Shizuka didn't remove his hands from his pockets, eyes slipping down toward the pretty lunch box the girl held out to him, a blue plastic case with plum blossoms across it.

Wasn't he past this sort of thing? Well, the girl was a freshman and probably didn't know any better. How daring of her. Most of his own classmates and those of the same year as he knew that the only thing he did accept was Valentine's Day chocolates. But that was because they were normally heaped on his desk before he got to it or anonymously stuffed into his shoe locker.

"Thank you but I'm sorry. I cannot accept this," Shizuka said firmly, meeting her eyes again to convey how seriously he took her question. His intensity usually cut off the follow-up queries like—

"But it's just lunch," she said in that forced casual manner Shizuka so well recognized. "It can't do any harm, can it?"

Like that. "Thank you for the gift," Shizuka repeated, "but I cannot accept it."

"But you didn't bring any lunch with you," she protested, eyes flashing to the left where her clique of friends stood out of earshot and watching.

Shizuka pressed his lips together in minor irritation. Did she just want to look cool for friends? It didn't matter to him either way but he found it unpleasant when people tried to make moves on him just for the sake of it being a popular thing to do. He seemed to be a fad that never went out of fashion. How annoying.

"I have lunch waiting for me," Shizuka said blandly. "And we don't have much time left. Don't you want to go have lunch too?"

"But Doumeki-kun--"

Ah yes. Time to go. He nodded politely and turned to leave.

"Do you have someone who makes lunch for you then?" She called desperately. "You never accept lunch from anyone. Ever!"

"Enjoy your lunch," he replied easily. He didn't have to answer her questions. He passed near the girl's friends as he left, ignoring the awe-filled gazes.

As he walked, he wondered where Watanuki had hidden himself. Himself and that unagidon he had requested.

Front park grass and garden gazebos were always out. Someone had been talking about the roof, so not there and not the stairwell near the roof either. Not the side stairwell near the library, as today was a Thursday and four girls from their class went there to watch the traffic of senior boys leaving for the lunch slot halfway through their own.

Hmm… not the kyuudo field gardens or the fourth floor vacant hall for a few similar reasons. The back of their own building wasn't any good today since someone had been talking about going for a smoke –illegal on school grounds.

Silly rebels. But that meant behind the gymnasium was the last option and by process of elimination…

"You're late," Watanuki hissed, a plastic weave sheet spread down and the layers of lacquered wood lunch box already laid out.

He didn't bother answering and simply sat himself down, snagging up the laid out chopsticks and picking up the covered box obviously set out for him.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Watanuki growled. "I, the great Watanuki, worked to make you this lunch and you can't even spare a word of thanks? You ungrateful, arrogant--"

Shizuka chewed the bite he'd just taken, the eel soft and almost melting in his mouth. It was just… "Delicious."

"Well of course it's delicious!" Watanuki scowled, the expression marred by the pink of his cheeks. "I made it, didn't I?!"

Shizuka merely gave an agreeable nod, eyes glancing over his companion for the reaction—there, that twitch of a nerve below his left eye –before going back to his meal.

"So?" Watanuki asked in a most put-upon tone of voice, as though the question were being asked more for the sake of conversation than anything else. "Why were you late? Your class got out a full ten minutes before mine did."

"There was a freshman girl who wanted to give me a lunch she made," he replied, continuing with his meal. He noticed when Watanuki froze and took the opportunity to snatch a slice of his unagi.

"Oi!" the Seer hissed, snapping out of his motionlessness, shaking a fist at Shizuka. "That was mine!"

"Not anymore." He popped the slice into his mouth, momentarily shutting his eyes with bliss. He's managed to grab one of the belly pieces, and it had been nicely doused in sauce too. Perfect bite, if there ever was one.

"You thieving, over-bearing, impossible idiot!" Watanuki snarled, theatrically waving his arms. Shizuka made to take another piece, seeing as how those arms were otherwise occupied but Watanuki quickly snatched his box up, curled his arms protectively around it and scooted away.

Shizuka sighed. There had been one more slice of belly there left too.

"You didn't answer my question either!" came an annoyed hiss. "Honestly, you make me wait then don't even bother to finish explaining yourself or apologise? What an ungrateful lout."

Accustomed to such noisy slander against his character, the monk merely placidly answered, "She wanted to give me lunch. I refused."

"I don't know why you didn't accept since what I make never seems to be enough for you," Watanuki growled, turning to give Shizuka his back.

"It wouldn't have been made by you," the monk corrected. It wouldn't have been as carefully or lovingly made, would not have been as delicious or as perfect; would not have been made with the intent of making him enjoy it.

"You just want to make me suffer!" Watanuki yowled, pointing accusingly. He curled back to his corner of the mat and mourned, "If only that witch hadn't made me agree making you lunch would be a good way to express my thanks…" He sniffed, "And it's never even appreciated, either."

Never appreciated because Shizuka wanted Watanuki to always strive for his best at cooking, never truly given vocal appreciation because then the Seer would feel he'd won… and maybe never make them quite the same way. At least with Shizuka criticising him (if only by the tiniest points) then he would always work to do better.

So true to form, Shizuka commented, "The sauce should be a little thicker."

"Why you..!"

Shizuka ate his lunch gratefully, ignoring the rest of the fireworks. He could remain calm under the most pressing of situations anyway.

And that blush across Watanuki's cheeks meant he knew Shizuka's intentions –and real meaning –regardless of what the monk said.

TBC