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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 11. POV still switched to Doumeki.. This will be the last chapter I write for this for a while, since Volume 12 hasn't actually come out yet.. so until then, enjoy!

Chapter 10
Chapter 9
Chapter 8
Chapter 7
Chapter 6
Chapter 5
Chapter 4
Chapter 3
Chapter 2
Chapter 1
Prologue

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Watanuki had finally returned to school almost a week later. After that day, his mom told him he needed to rest as well, but Doumeki only missed one day of school, he had to ba back to kyudo club as soon as possible. He had Kunogi had waited for Watanuki to walk him to school that day, and it frustrated him to no end that the bespectacled teen had given her a magical bird that he had hatched.

But was it just him, or had Watanuki blushed when he had told Doumeki thank you. A thank you from Watanuki was rare enough, but he had blushed too. Watanuki had tried hard to cover it up, but Doumeki saw anyway, and he wasn't sure what to think. But he knew just how the little pipe fox felt, when it had found out Watanuki named the little bird, and still had not named him. Granted, it was a completely different situation, but each revolved around a certain bad luck girl.

Only a few days after Yuuko had given Doumeki an egg, that she said to keep as payment for help with the water, Watanuki was planning a date with Kunogi. Doumei would be going as well. True, he had invited himself, it's not like it would be anything special, but he was not going to let Watanuki be alone with that girl.

So, they had taken Doumeki's suggestion, and were now eating at Kanmiya. Sure, he sounded like a lame advertisement, but he felt at the time it was the best way to step into their conversation. For a few reasons of course, not just because he didn't like Kunogi, but because bad things happened to Watanuki when she was around. He was good at pretending to be indifferent when it came to her, considering he acted that way around everyone.

"Doumeki! Is there a problem?" Watanuki asked, when he saw the stoic teen staring off into space. Doumeki looked up.

"Huh?"

"Can't you say more than one word when you talk?" Watanuki yelled. Kunogi was clapping her hands together and stating that they were such good friends in that annoying voice of hers, and Watanuki was using his signature flail attack again.

This place was a rather large shopfront with a little restaurant. He was told it had great food, and had been wanting to come here with Watanuki for the longest time. Of course,he had wanted to come here alone with Watanuki, but there was no way Watanuki would go out alone with Doumeki on anything similar to a 'date'.

The waitress was taking Watanuki's order now, and Doumeki ordered the same thing, much to Watanuki's displeasure, then the oh-so-cheerful Kunogi smiled and also ordered the same thing. Watanuki swooned. Doumeki rolled his eyes.

After a few minutes of eyeing (Well glaring really) Doumeki, Watanuki got up and walked off, saying he had to go to the bathroom. It was at this time that Kunogi finally decided to talk.

"Doumeki-kun, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Well, you and Watanuki are together, right?"

"Huh?"

"You're not? Everyone thinks you two are dating."

"Well, kind of, but no one was supposed to know, at least Watanuki didn't want them to."

"Really? That is nice to hear."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because of how Watanuki has been acting. Since he fell from the window. It seems he has been giving me much more attention than usual. You said he didn't want people to know you were dating?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I think since then he is trying to cover it up more then. I mean, you do so much for him and he is probably sure other people will notice. Too bad he doesn't know they already have."

"Hn."

"Doumeki-kun, please don't be mad at me."

Doumeki had always had a hard time holding grudges, so he sighed, looking at Kunogi and said, "I'm not mad at you."

This was just as Watanuki was coming up behind them.

"Why would you be mad at her!" he yelled, hiting the back of Doumeki's head. The action went completely ignored as Kunogi began talking about school related activities. Some sort of festival or something coming up.

After a few minutes of her rambling on and Watanuki being fixated by each word, their waitress came back with their food.

"I should bring something to Yuuko-san when I go back to work later."

Doumeki made a suggestion of something he thought that she would like. Watanuki flailed about momentarily before finally agreeing that she probably would.

He took a sip of his tea before looking at the food in front of him. Nothing was ever as good as Watanuki's cooking, and even his own mother's cooking couldn't compare to Watanuki's. He glanced at Kunogi who was already happily eating.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Watanuki asked. Doumeki looked up and nodded, before saying, "I want tokoyaki and tempura rice with shrimp for lunch tomorrow."

"WHAT!!!" Watanuki yelled. He began flailing in his seat once more, ready to jump up, but Doumeki had pulled him back down.

"WHAT'S WITH THIS!! YOU KNOW I DO NOT TAKE ORDERS!!" Then he went out on a long rant that Doumeki ignored, while Kunogi giggled. People were starting to stare at them, and when Doumeki finally pointed that out a few minutes later, Watanuki quieted down, looking around a bit. His face had turned bright red.

That was when Doumeki picked up his chopsticks and began eating.

"Do you EVER listen to anything I say?" Watanuki asked, sounding very serious.

"Rarely," Doumeki said ans Kunogi giggled more, proclaiming that they were great friends for the second time during the outing.

"We should go to the movies some time," she added before Watanuki could start yelling that he and Doumeki most certainly were not friends.

"That would be nice, but does he really have to come?" he asked, pointing at the still eating Doumeki. He didn't even look up, pretending Watanuki had not said anything.

"Of course! Since you and Doumeki are such great friends, you should always hang out?" She smiled, tilting her head slightly to the side. Watanuki side, picking up his own chopsticks and eating now too. Kunogi laughed.

"Doumeki-kun, there is a tournament coming up?"

Doumeki nodded.

"May I cheer for you?'

Watanuki's jaw dropped as Doumeki answered, "Sure."

"You can come too, Watanuki-kun!"

"I will sit next to you!" Watanuki said, swooning again. If this had been a cartoon, Doumeki swore there would be little red hearts swirling around the other boy. He rolled his eyes again.

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A few days later, Doumeki sat on Watanuki's couch, waiting for him to get home from work. They had seen the kitsune earlier that had given Watanuki oden. Doumeki went with Watanuki to return thei bento box, and he also gave the little kitsune a pair of mittens. Doumeki complained a bit, asking where his thank you present was, and Watanuki had yelled that there wasn't one. But the next day, Watanuki had surprised him with a set of gloves, and he had also given some to Kunogi and Kohane.

That was only earlier today that they were out with Kohane, and her mother appeared later, sounding very angry that she was seeing Watanuki again. Watanuki thought he would see her again because she had said that she would, so he decided he would make her a bento, and began listing off what he was going to make. Of course, Doumeki had to invite himself as well. If Kohane's mother saw her with Watanuki again, the outcome would surely be bad.

It was starting to get very late when Watanuki turned the key and walked throught the door, saying he was home as he took off his jacket and shoes.

"You... cooked?" Watanuki asked, seeing the table set in the middle of the room. His eyes were slightly wide.

"As a thank you present for the gloves."

Watanuki blushed, a smile appearing at his lips. There it was. Just what he wanted. Doumeki couldn't help but smile as well, and then Watanuki was sitting next to him, clinging tightly to his shirt.

"Thank you."

"Kimihiro, I love you," it was the second time he was saying it, and this time with more meaning than the first. A tear rolled down Watanuki's cheek as he was clinging even more tightly, burrying his head in Doumeki's chest.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I made you jealous, didn't I?"

"No."

"Don't lie, I know you were mad."

"Maybe a little."

The sat there in silence for a few minutes, Watanuki still clinging to Doumeki's shirt. He put an arm around the smaller boy and ran a hand through Watanuki's short, dark hair.

"What did you make," Watanuki finally asked, looking back at the table.

"Nothing special."

"You always say that."

"Do I?" Doumeki asked raising an eyebrow. Watanuki punched his arm, playfully, before Doumeki pulled him into a kiss.

They pulled away after a few mintues, Watanuki was blushing furiously, "We should eat before the food gets cold."

"Hn."

"Is that all you ever say?"

Doumeki laughed, kissing Watanuki again.

"If you keep kissing me, we will never eat."

"Then let's eat."

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

"Rikuo! I can't find the perscription!" A light-haired boy called from the other side of the counter. A taller man with darker hair emergerd from the backroom, a similar expression on his face as Doumeki.

"What perscription?"

"For Doumeki... " He read off the first name of a woman, while Doumeki leaned up against the counter. His mother had asked him to come pick up her medicine. She had some sort of virus that was going around, nothing big, and he agreed to go and get it at the Green Drug Pharmacy. He watched the two boys bicker for a few minutes, and couldn't help but think that the light-haired boy reminded him a lot of Watanuki.

"I'm sorry, here is your perscription," the light-haired boy said a few minutes later, handing him a tiny box with the medicine inside. He rang up the order and Doumeki paid, walking out of the store.

Watanuki was standing outside, looking more than a little lost. Doumeki was sure Watanuki had been here before, considering it was the closest drug store to his apartment, so why was he looking so confused?

"Hey."

"My name is NOT 'hey'!" Watanuki snapped, pulling a bag closer to himself, in his other hand he held his usual school bag.

"Why are you here?"

"Yuuko asked me to get more hang over medicine."

"Before school?"

"Well yeah! Why else would I be here? And what about you?"

"Perscription for my mom."

"Oh, is she sick?"

"She'll be fine. Just the flu or something."

"Oh, well okay."

"Just got back from Yuuko-san's, or going?'

"Going."

"Let's go then."

"I didn't invite you to walk with me!"

"Hn."

Watanuki blushed as they walked the familiar route to Yuuko's shop. He dropped off the medicine, then they were on their way to school, stopping at Doumeki's to drop of the perscription for his mom.

The school bells were ringing as soon as they reached Cross Private High School. They were lucky they had made it in time for the bells, meaning they had a few minutes left before they had to be in class.

Lunch was particularly exceptional today. Doumeki smirked, it had to be because he had made Watanuki dinner last night, though he knew Watanuki would not tell him that now. Funny how this was the lunch he asked for last week. Watanuki hadn't made it then because he didn't have the ingrediants. That was fine, at least he got this lunch.

Kunogi was off helping a teacher with something, much to Watanuki's dismay. Students kept walking by them, some staring, and he could tell that Watnanuki was more than a little uncomfortable.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, though one of the students in his class had acted up and was sent out at some point. A rare event, but the rest of the class seemed to think it was funny. Doumeki, however, hadn't been paying attention, and didn't know what was going on until the student was sent out.

The walk home started out normal. The rants from Watanuki, Kunogi harping that they were awesome friends, Tanpopo chirping, the usual. Until Watanuki collapsed in the street.

"Watanuki-kun!" Kunogi yelled, rushing over to the fallen boy. He was unconcious.

"Don't touch him," Doumeki reminded the horrified girl. He walked over and was lifting Watanuki off the ground already.

"We have to get him to Yuuko-san's."

Kunogi nodded, and at a more quickened pace they found their way to Yuuko's shop. He strode through the gate, Yuuko was on the porch, smoking. Normal enough, though the fact that she seemed to be waiting for them was quite annerving.

"What's wrong with him?" Kunogi asked.

After Yuuko looked him over for a minute, she said, "He's exhausted, he must have been up all night. He will be fine, let's get him to bed then, shall we?"

The tall woman led Doumeki and Himawari to one of her guest rooms, and instructed Doumeki to lay him on the bed there. It was a rather comfortable looking bed with a canopy of black lace and butterflies.

"I'll keep him here over night, you two remember what tomorrow is, right?"

"His birthday," Doumeki replied without thought.

"Right, and I want to have a party. You both are invited of course."

"I can't wait!" Kunogi exclaimed. Doumeki just nodded.

"Well, you two should go home, see you tomorrow then!"

"Yes!" Kunogi said, happily.

"Hn," was all Doumeki said in response.

After Kunogi went off in the direction of her house, Doumeki started thinking about why Watanuki had been up all night. Was it because he had been studying? Or something else?