Disclaimer: xxxHOLIC would be mine if I wasn't too lazy to fly over to Japan and blackmail CLAMP. Too bad, really.

Chapter One

Doumeki's eyes widened slightly, taken off guard by the fortune teller's unexpected request. "Excuse me?" he asked, leaning forward in his seat.

Yuuko smiled, refilling her pipe. "Oh, no, Doumeki, you heard right." The strap of her dress slipped down her shoulder as she sunk lower into the sofa.

Maru and Moro scampered past the open doorway, their loud bickering carrying on down the hall. Doumeki's eyes remained fixed with Yuuko's. "You want me to—"

"Kiss him, yes," Yuuko confirmed cheerfully, chuckling at his confused appearance. She sat up, crossing her legs. "That is, if you want your wish granted."

Doumeki nodded, shifting uncomfortably. "I want it granted, but I don't see what it has to do with him," he explained, lifting his arm to scratch the back of his neck.

The shop owner laughed before folding her arms over her knees. "Well, Doumeki, I've never seen you so flustered," she commented. The boy decided it was best not to respond. "Anyhow, you're asking for me to help Miss Himawari, am I right?"

Doumeki nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "I know you can't cure her of the misfortune that follows her everywhere, but this is just one incident."

Yuuko stood up, crossing the room to lift a key off of one of the side tables. "Yes. You mentioned that she knocked a puppy into a chest that won't open, correct?"

"Yes. A stray," the boy added, turning to look at her. Yuuko continued to stare at the key in her palm with guarded eyes. Doumeki looked from her to the key and back again.

The shop owner turned to him suddenly with a broad smile, the key clamped firmly between her index and middle finger. "Right. And for that you will need this," she explained, handing the boy the silver and gold painted key. "It will open any lock it comes across. Just make sure that you bring it back. Don't want it unlocking any wrong doors, now do we?"

Doumeki glanced at it before meeting the fortune teller's gaze once more. Yuuko plopped down on the sofa. "Alright, but I still don't see where Watanuki comes into this."

Yuuko's smile grew impossibly wider; Doumeki considered canceling the agreement. "Doumeki, have you forgotten our Watanuki's feelings for Himawari?"

Doumeki rolled his eyes. "He's in love with her."

To his surprise, Yuuko shook her head, wagging her finger slowly at him. "Nah uh, not quite. It might seem that way from the way he skips around like a flounder on dry land, but his feelings aren't exactly what they seem. He does love her, in a way, but more in a platonic sense. Of course, he still sees it as the deeper kind of love."

Doumeki snorted. "So he is an idiot."

Yuuko smiled. "Yes, he is. He's convinced himself that he is indeed in love with this girl."

Doumeki paused, eyes narrowing in confusion. "And you think that if I kiss him, he'll realize that he isn't." It was more of a statement than a question.

Yuuko nodded, eyes sparkling. "Please be a sport and do it for me?"

Doumeki looked skeptical. "What does this have to do with my wish?"

Yuuko sighed, eyes growing solemn, and she sat back in her seat, hands clasping in her lap. Doumeki took note of the change in atmosphere. "To take away the misfortune that plagues Himawari, the price would be all of her happiness. To undo something caused by her misfortune, the price is only some of her happiness. Himawari doesn't take notice of Watanuki's lavish affection toward her, nor does she notice just how much love he puts into everything he does for her. But she would notice if it stopped."

Doumeki was silent, understanding donning his stoic features.

"Of course, we both know that Watanuki is too good hearted to stop all of it altogether. He'd still make her lunch. He'd still listen to her troubles. He'd still consider her a best friend. Just with less enthusiasm. He does the same thing with you, even if he is convinced he hates you. Only, he would stop skipping to her side every time he saw her. He'd stop doing everything to impress her. He'd stop fighting with you, thinking you were competing for her heart.

"These little things are so small, things that Himawari never noticed, but still big enough to make an impression on her as a person. She'll feel something missing at first. She'll feel the loss. It will take her quite some time to become accustomed to it."

Doumeki lowered his eyes.

"And you are forgetting that Watanuki was the first person to accept her when he found out about her misfortune. He nearly died from it, no less, and he still doesn't blame her for it. When he did this, a part of Himawari fell in love with him. The part is growing, too. She already has more feelings than he will ever have for her. If he stops believing he's in love with her, it will hurt."

Doumeki nodded. "But couldn't anyone kiss him? Why me? Why a boy? Wouldn't a girl have better results?"

Yuuko gave a few puffs on her pipe. "Yes, well, I'm not exactly sure about the boy's sexuality. It has nothing to do with the fact that he's the perfect wife, despite how true that fact is. I've seen plenty of men who are as straight as they come and still do all the housework. No, it's something else. Probably the fact that the Zashiki-warashi loves him so much and he can't find it within himself to actually feel for her.

"Well, whatever it is, sexuality aside, this is part of the payment. You see, the kiss kills two birds with one stone. There are two parts to this wish. One being the issue of Himawari's happiness. The other is the key I just handed you."

The boy opened his fist to look at the piece of steel in his palm.

Yuuko pointed to it with her pipe. "That is extremely powerful. It's true that you need it for this, but the cost of using such an item is far greater than the reason you are using it for. Great compensation is needed for turning it in a lock, or Himawari will lose a lot more than just Watanuki's love."

Doumeki lifted his gaze to hers. "But it's my wish."

Yuuko nodded. "That might be true, but Himawari is the one it affects. The key is quite complicated. Usually, it would choose to affect the wisher, but that key is different than other items. It chooses the one is affects most. Only a few other items in my storehouse are like that, really."

Doumeki placed the key on the table in front of him. "And how will me kissing Watanuki—"

"Do you understand the deep connection between a protector and the one he protects?" Yuuko interrupted, resting her chin on her upturned palm. "It's far greater than either you or Watanuki can comprehend. Just the fact that you met caused a rift in the universe. Remember the Monster Festival?"

Doumeki nodded.

"The reason all the monsters were saying that it was such a great year was because you were seeing and speaking to Watanuki almost everyday. A close relationship between protector and protected is rare, and when it does happen, it is excellent for all worlds." Her eyes suddenly glinted with mischief, and she leaned forward, chuckling lowly. "Now, how good do you think a kiss between you two would be for the universe?"

Doumeki sighed, moving his feet underneath him as he stood, slipping the key into his pocket. "I understand. I'll make sure to... get it done."

Yuuko nodded, giggling behind her hand. "Please do. Oh, and one other thing," she added, standing as well. "Make sure to do it before you use the key. It won't work unless you do."

Doumeki looked back at her questioningly. "I was just about to head over to her house."

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of Maru and Moro, screaming on the top of their lungs, "Watanuki's back! Watanuki's back!"

"Yes, yes," followed the boy's voice. "I'm back, I'm back. Now help me with the groceries, okay?"

"Okay!" the girls chanted, and Doumeki and Yuuko watched as they passed the doorway, each holding a bag on their head.

"Hey, be careful with those!" Watanuki called after them, stopping at the door. He turned to greet Yuuko when he spotted Doumeki over her shoulder. He gave a start. "Doumeki? What are you doing here?" He entered the room, sliding the door shut.

Doumeki, for the first time in his life, gulped. He had agreed to kiss Watanuki, yes, but now that the other boy was in the same room, he was rethinking it. He didn't hate the kid, it was more that Watanuki was going to throw a fit when it came to doing it. He could only imagine the things that would come out of that mouth.

"Doumeki?" Watanuki asked, eyes narrowing as the other boy continued to ignore him. "I asked you a question, you know! You skipped archery practice to come here, of all places?"

A yelp escaped his throat as Yuuko backhanded the side of his head. "What do you mean, `here'? Is this place not good enough for you?"

"I had a wish," Doumeki butted in, answering Watanuki's question.

Watanuki stopped swatting away Yuuko's hand, blinking at the taller boy. "Really? Couldn't you have just come back with me?"

"Enough talk," Yuuko interrupted, looking at Doumeki with an air of seriousness. Doumeki nodded gravely.

Watanuki looked between them nervously. "Should I leave?" he asked, his voice smaller than usual.

Yuuko shook her head. "No, but I should." She nodded to Doumeki. "I'll leave you to your payment," she told him.

Watanuki watched her as she left the room. "I stay here? But why?"

The fortune teller only smiled at him, winking before sliding the door shut once more. Watanuki stared at the doorway for a few moments, scratching his head. "What was that about?" he asked no one in particular, blinking a few times. "Did she just wink at me?"

Doumeki watched him closely. Watanuki always had this way of thinking aloud, sounding like a complete lunatic to those around him, Doumeki included. The archer had always found it to be one of the very few actual good qualities the boy possessed.

"Watanuki," Doumeki called, preparing himself for what he had to do.

The shorter boy turned to look at him curiously, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

The archer sighed, taking a step forward. "Come stand in front of me."

"... Why?" Watanuki asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Just do it," Doumeki ordered, fighting the urge to role his eyes.

Still suspicious, Watanuki came to stand a few steps away from Doumeki. He frowned. "Now what?"

Doumeki paused, knowing what was to come. "Now I'm going to kiss you."

The archer could practically see the shock crawling down Watanuki's spine. He plugged his ears. "W-W-W-WHAT?" the boy screeched, face turning such a deep red, it could rival Zashiki-warashi's. He hugged himself, covering up his chest and crossing his legs as if he had just been violated. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?"

When it seemed that Watanuki had paused to take a breath, Doumeki unplugged his ears. "Shut up, idiot. It's not that I want to." Then the shorter boy opened his mouth and Doumeki's fingers were back in his ears.

"What do you mean, you don't want to? WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF YOU DIDN'T—"

Doumeki, rolling his eyes once more, scoffed and clamped a hand over the other boy's mouth, the other curling around the back of his neck. "I said, shut up." To his surprise, Watanuki grew even redder in his hands. The boy lifted his hand to curl around Doumeki's wrist, but didn't try to pull it away. Doumeki's eyes went down to the pale hand then back up to Watanuki's bespectacled eyes. "I made a wish, and this is my payment."

Watanuki's eyes softened slightly, and Doumeki was sure he saw a hint of disappointment in them. Maybe it was his imagination. When it looked like Watanuki had calmed down enough, the taller boy let him go. "So, you have to kiss me as payment?" the boy asked, voice back to its normal level. He was still hugging himself.

Doumeki nodded. "Yeah."

There was a moment of silence. "Why?" Watanuki asked, eyes lifting from the ground curiously. "How does that even—"

Doumeki raised a hand. "That's very complicated, and I don't feel like explaining it to you, so..."

Watanuki nodded, looking away. "Oh. Okay, well... you know..." his blush deepened. "Just, um... do it, or whatever."

The archer raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You're really going though with this? I thought you'd put up more of a fight."

Watanuki's hair stood on end as his eyes hardened, glaring holes into Doumeki's. "That's just because—because this is payment! Why would I let you kiss me otherwise?"

"Let me kiss you?" Doumeki parroted, smirking. "What, are people falling all over themselves to kiss you that you have a choice?"

"N-No!" Watanuki yelled defensively. "But if I did, I wouldn't choose you!"

"Of course not," the archer agreed sarcastically, taking a step forward.

The other boy shrank back. "H-Hey, wait a minute!"

Doumeki ignored him, taking another step. "What? You said to just do it."

"But I'm not ready!" Watanuki complained, eyes widening in panic. "Give me a moment—"

The archer shook his head, reaching forward to grab the boy's arm. "Let's just get it over with."

"W-Wait, I—!" the shorter boy began, but he cut off when a strong hand gripped his chin. His breath caught in his throat.

Doumeki stared down into the boy's uncertain eyes, and he took a moment to consider what he was doing. He was actually going to kiss him. When he agreed to it, it was just something on his agenda, but now, looking at the naked emotion in Watanuki's eyes, it seemed so much more real.

Lifting the chin in his grasp, Doumeki took a deep breath before leaning forward, turning his head slightly so as not to bump his nose against Watanuki's. The smaller boy seemed to stop breathing, face heating up even more. Doumeki paused, his lips a centimeter away from Watanuki's. "Seriously," he commented in a monotone, startling the boy in his grasp. "How red can you get?"

Watanuki's eyes narrowed indignantly. "Shut up! That's only because—!"

Doumeki chose that moment to close the distance between them, pressing his lips to the smaller boy's. Watanuki's body went rigid.

It was awkward to say the least. Watanuki's mouth was open because of his yelling, and Doumeki's was closed in order to kiss him properly. The difference caused the connection to be rather uncomfortable. Doumeki, trying to ease the strangeness of what they were exactly doing, opened his mouth, because he had absolutely no hope that Watanuki would close his. Hesitantly, he slipped his tongue past the other boy's parted lips, and Watanuki finally came to life. The smaller boy began to struggle, hands pressing on Doumeki's chest. The archer growled, knowing that they couldn't stop now, because it probably wouldn't work if they did, and moved his hand from Watanuki's chin to the back of his neck, pressing his lips more firmly against the other boy's.

After a few moments, the shorter boy gave up on trying to be free, letting his eyelids flutter shut, and he began to push back. Doumeki's eyes opened only for a second of surprise when he felt the hesitant touch of Watanuki's tongue on his before he closed them, holding the boy's neck in place.

They remained that way, tongues sliding against each other, for a few more moments until Doumeki released the smaller boy, panting slightly. Watanuki was in a different shape, gasping for air as he stumbled back, almost tripping over the table in the center of the room.

He glared at the archer, face still a deep red. "Not everyone has your lungs, you know," he spat, voice lacking its usual bite. "Jeez, you could've at least let me breath."

"I'm sorry," Doumeki apologized, eyes locked on the smaller boy's bruised lips. "I didn't realize I made you so breathless."

Watanuki's eyes widened, mouth gaping as words evaded him. He looked like a guppy. Doumeki almost found it amusing. "You did not make me breathless," he corrected, irritation growing across his features, "Your kiss did."

Doumeki raised an eyebrow, not bothering to point out how wrong the sentence sounded. He realized he didn't have to, as the blush on Watanuki's face deepened, if that were even possible.

"I'm," the boy stuttered, turning on his heal. "I'm going to make dinner! We're never to speak of this again!"

Doumeki watched him go, shoving his hands into his pockets. Feeling the cold steel of the key prick his fingertips, he started across the room to grab his coat off the coat rack, slinging it across his shoulders. He had stepped into the hall silently, sliding the door shut, when the sound of Watanuki's bickering brought him to a stop outside the kitchen.

He turned his head to glance inside, spotting the bespectacled boy on his haunches, scolding Maru and Moro about something or other. The boy must have spotted Doumeki out of the corner of his eye, because he turned to look at him. When their gazes met, Watanuki blushed again, but only slightly, before nodding at him in acknowledgment. Doumeki returned the gesture, continuing on his way towards the door.

As he was slipping on his shoes, he remembered Watanuki's words. Never speak of this again. He didn't see how that was possible.

A/N: … Yeah. What else can I say? I gave up on my DNAngel fanfic, and I barely stick my head out of the TVXQ/DBSK fandom to write anything that's not YunJae, so I have no idea when this will be updated, but I plan for this to be a very slow and sweet fanfiction. Slowly developing relationship, and all that Jazz. Review, please! Tell me what you think ^^