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Fandom: xxxHolic
Pairing: Watanuki x Doumeki
Rating: PG-13
Notes: I do not claim these characters, they belong to CLAMP! This chapter takes place during Volume 2 of the manga.

Chapter 1
Prologue

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"Shizuka, you get jealous much to easily."

"Do I?"

Doumeki Shizuka was sitting on the tiger chair he always sat in, Watanuki standing up, his arms akimbo.

"She said we were compatible, not that we are soulmates. Compatibility doesn't always mean love."

"So?"

Watanuki shook his head. It had been just earlier that day, he had been sitting with Himwari having lunch, and she had read their horoscopes out. He acted all giddy when she had read it. After all, he wanted people to think that she was his love interest, even if she would never notice that herself. She was nice, but so dim.

"Gah! You know I don't really like her like that!"

"I don't care. You shouldn't be flirting with her anyway."

"But.. Shizuka! I'm not trying to get with her! It's harmless."

Doumeki gritted his teeth, "I. Don't. Care."

Watanuki sighed, "I have to get to work. We'll talk later."

"Whatever. Get going."

"Shizuka..."

"Leave me alone." Then it was the archer that got up, leaving Watanuki alone in the park. He sat down even though he had to get to Yuuko's shop. He would have cried right then, but the thought of someone noticing kept the tears at bay. Somehow he found a way to perk up on the way to the shop. He wanted the idea of him being compatible with Himiwari to be what Yuuko saw, but instead...

"For that you need the positions of the moon and Venus and such. In fact, you need an entire horoscope made to see if you're compatible."

Yuuko's words rang in his head. So much for that. He wondered if one were made to show his compatibility with Doumeki what it would say. He wondered if even that could cheer him up right now. And then Yuuko told them that they were off to get his fortune told.

"Why does this always happen to me..."

--------------------------------

Doumeki had not been at his apartment that night, and he seemed to be avoiding him the next day at school. Well, at least some of the day.

Physical education was almost over, and he reached for a towel after washing his face. One was handed to him, and he looked up to see Himawari.

"You looked so cool playing soccer today!" She exclaimed, and only seconds later added, "but the goal keeper on the other team was also impressive!"

Doom. He almost felt like he heard the sound a clock would make when it struck an hour.

"Doumeki Shizuka, right? He is popular!"

I know he is, Watnuki thought. He was still mad.

"It had to have been a miracle! No one can block my shots!"

He jumped when he heard a voice behind, "That's b.s., and you know it."

He turned around to see a very angry looking Doumeki. He was obviously still mad at Watanuki. Why did he have to pop up now? There was no way Doumeki would talk to him later after this, and he wouldn't be surprised if he was sleeping alone that night. It didn't help that he had added that he pittied Doumeki when he asked why Watanuki would let him block those shots.

Why did it hurt so much to hear those words come out of Doumeki's mouth? And it hurt even more to watch him walk away.

"It must be great to have friends," Himawari said as if she had seen nothing wrong.

Watanuki sighed, "Where do you see friendship in that?" And while he had been trying to make it look like they weren't friends to begin with, no one really knew how much it hurt to say those words.

When he reached Yuuko's shop later that day, she seemed to be dying from heat exhaustion. It was hot out, very hot; it was almost unbearable. She seemed like she would pass out from heat soon.

After getting her something cold to eat, he had explained to her what happened that day. Well kind of.

"So the girls like this Doumeki guy, right? And he's athletic."

"Yeah. He's a chick magnet," he found himself saying, his gaze shifted toward the ground. It was true, all the girls loved him. But... well he liked Doumeki too, damnit!

"If it bothers you so much, why don't you ask her out?"

Because Doumeki would kill me, he thought. Doumeki was mad enough at him already.

So instead, he just said, "I'd be too nervous too."

"Then that calls for a group date! A Hundred Ghost Story Night! But we will need Doumeki's Temple!"

Watanuki's eyes went wide for a second, then narrowed "What! Why would we do it there? Group date? He will say no! There is no way he will let us use the Temple!"

He waved his arms back and forth.

"The two of you are friends, aren't you?" She asked, as if she knew all. He hated the way she talked, he hated the way she acted like she was all knowing. And she probably knew a lot more than he had told her.

"We are NOT friends! We are always fighting! We don't get a long at all!" Watanuki yelled, accompanied by more flailing.

"That is one kind of connection you know. And I'd say that you and Doumeki have a deep connection."

Under normal circumstances, he would love hearing that. But he was agitated, and in the middle of a fight with his secret boyfriend, "Why do I have to be connected to him?!"

"I said connection. It doesn't have to mean love."

Love huh? Is that what it was? Neither had ever told the other that before. But was that what this feeling was? Maybe. He didn't know.

"Just remember what she said to you: 'There's a friend of yours who you are always getting into fights with. You'll find yourselves thrown together more and more in the future.' "

And just that fact was a bad thing. He wasn't ready for people to know about his relationship with Doumeki. To start off with, they were both boys! He was already unpopular. What would people think of him then? And Doumeki, probably the most popular boy in school. His reputation would most likely be ruined. And Watanuki didn't want that to be his fault. But for some reason, he could never bring himself to tell Doumeki this. Though it probably would be the right thing to do.

And then he was flailing again.

"Watanuki always has so much energy!" Yuuko exclaimed.

"Lots of energy!" The souless twins echoed.

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"Why do you have to use my place for your play-time activities? And why does she have to come," The second part said much more softly than the rest, and Watanuki barely could tell what he said.

He knew that was what Doumeki would say. The other boy was obviously still mad at him, and this request seemed to irritate him more. They were standing outside of the school, and there were a few groups of girls watching them as other people walked by. He felt Watanuki felt very uncomfortable right now. And even though he was standing at least a good ten feet away from Doumeki, he felt they were still too close.

Watanuki wasn't ready for what happened next.

"Okay."

"Ah?"

"But..."

"Ahh?"

Watanuki was leaning foreward listening now. Anticipation rouse up as he waited to hear what Doumeki would say next.

"You owe me."

Watanuki almost fell over.

"What do I owe you this time?"

And now Doumeki was actually looking at him for the first time in days.

"You'll see," Doumeki said, and was that a smirk?

That jerk!

"You pervert! Don't talk about stuff like that at school!"

"You were the one thinking that," Doumeki replied, walking away. He was still smirking.

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Watanuki was finally going to bed, after a very awkward 'date' with Doumeki earlier. He had invited himself over to Watanuki's apartment, and told Watanuki to cook. After that things he would never tell anyone else about ever.

His first thought at school that day had been right. Doumeki was a pervert, and even if he did enjoy himself as well, he wouldn't even admit that to Doumeki himself.

And that jerk had the most smug expression on his face when he left. He didn't know how many times he told the archer that night just how much he hated him. But he was sure he couldn't count them on both hands and feet. It made him even more irritated when Doumeki just smirked each time. The nerve of that guy!

He sighed, laying down and staring at the ceiling. He was alone again. Even though he was mad at Doumeki right now, he wished the other boy was still here with him right now.

He kept glancing over at the other side of the bed, it felt so empty.

He stared at his clock every couple of minutes, and a few times almost got up to get the phone. At the same time, he wished that there would be a knock at his door, and Doumeki would be outside waiting for him. But he wasn't having any such luck tonight. Maybe he should call Doumeki.

He stood up, and was about to walk out of the bedroom when he looked at the clock again. He couldn't call Doumeki now. It was much too late, he would probably wake everyone up. Watanuki didn't want that.

He sat down beside his futon, just staring at the floor. There was no way he could go to sleep like this.

Watanuki stood back up, deciding to go for a walk. It was still hot outside, and sticky at that, but it didn't matter much to him.

Maybe ten minutes later, he found himself at the park, sitting on the tiger chair and looking up at the moon. Three days until the Hundred Ghost Story Night that Yuuko insisted they have. Stupid group dates, stupid ghost stories! He hated ghost stories! He hated everything paranormal, and he hated it even more that he could see and be bothered by spirits.

"You shouldn't come out at night," he said aloud. And now he was talking to himself. He must be crazy. He didn't want to draw the attention of spirits right now. And.. Doumeki didn't know what he could see spirits yet. Why hadn't he told Doumeki? Was it because of the fight? Well they weren't always in the middle of a fight, though they did fight a lot. Well, Watanuki fought, it was all one-sided. Doumeki rarely interjected.

Not long later he found himself being chased home by hungry spirits.