Disclaimer: The characters within this story all belong to CLAMP.
Warnings: Spoilers up to chapter 185. Clean
Summary: Doumeki thinks about the then and now of the relationship between himself and Watanuki.
Completed: January 29, 2010
AN: Sorry this is late, guys. I was having some issues uploading. D: Fortunately, it looks like FF.N managed to get it all sorted out so please look forward to the daily pieces once more. :D

Constant
by: Kagome-reincarnation

Doumeki remembered a time when he'd never held the need to enter the shop. He remembered when he'd waited outside the vacant lot to hear from Yuko or Watanuki, and he remembered when he'd been able to easily knock Watanuki aside when the boy got in too deep.

Doumeki remembered a time when Watanuki had made him lunches day after day despite his constant declarations that he wouldn't. Doumeki remembered a time when he'd been able to take the smaller male out of harm's way simply by being there.

Doumeki remembered, and Doumeki ached, because no matter how much he remembered, he couldn't go back.

Now, Watanuki was confined to the shop and couldn't leave until he saw Yuko once more. Now, Watanuki was the one with the power and it was Doumeki who would grow angry or worried when he found out what it was that the new store owner had done this time. Now, they traded off on who made dinner what day, and now there was nothing Doumeki could do to keep others from entering the shop.

Now, Doumeki could see and move around in the shop whenever he wanted to.

All this and more – it bothered the archer as he studied in class, his eyes wandering over towards the clock to note that there were only five minutes left. Those five minutes flew by and soon Doumeki was moving, packing up his things and leaving. He gave a quick nod – respectfully – to the professor and headed out the door. His gait was smooth as he moved and he still had to avoid throngs of females and so stuck to the less trafficked hallways.

He didn't have to worry about archery since he now practiced in the mornings. Early, when there was no way that Watanuki would be awake and only the benevolent could enter. Instead of working on an organized team now, he'd set up a personal range at the shrine. Several targets stood in a storage room that he'd emptied out on the premises. In the spring and summer months, he occasionally practiced outside. It wasn't much of a hassle to him – far less of one than an archery team might be. He couldn't afford to be away when he might be needed elsewhere.

Doumeki stopped by the store on the way to the shop, remembering that the other had requested he purchase some salt and flour on the way home. While he grabbed the requested items, Doumeki noticed and picked up another, additional item.

He supposed that, without a doubt, he'd be yelled at once he arrived. Still, he supposed it would be worth it. There were times when he grew nostalgic, and having Watanuki actively toss his arms about in the radical gestures he'd once made seemed a rather appealing idea.

Besides, since their positions had entirely switched, their relationship had completely changed. No longer was Doumeki a central focus in Watanuki's life. Rather, now it was Watanuki who took center stage in Doumeki's.

It was nice to think about the old days when he'd been able to protect the younger man, but he supposed that it was okay with the way things were now, too. Now instead of pushing Watanuki out of the way, he was able to work on the many errands either on his own or with Kohane-chan – without Watanuki anywhere near a possible injury. Instead of worrying about the boy on the streets, he only felt the slight ache that was quickly flushed by the thoughts of what Watanuki might be doing, locked up in the shop as he was.

Yes, Watanuki was now caught within the shop, but as Doumeki was one of the few who knew where to find him – and actively strove to do so – he didn't mind at all. The witch had left Rapunzel in the tower, but that was alright. Doumeki had absolutely no intention of taking Watanuki away from it until he himself came to terms with the fact that the witch was gone.

He didn't know when she'd return – none of them did – or if she'd even do so.

Watanuki, when Doumeki had bullied him into explaining, had admitted that Yuko was dead. As far as Doumeki was concerned, it meant that Yuko would only return in a reincarnated form or as a spirit of some sort. He couldn't be sure of when she might reappear, but he could only realize that she would.

Watanuki had said it himself many times. "I will wait for Yuko-san to come back."

And so, because there was nothing else he could do, Doumeki also waited. He waited for the witch to come back to bless their happy little union – even if Watanuki had yet to recognize it – and to set free the obedient Watanuki.

He might be content with waiting for Watanuki, but he was well aware that he couldn't fully claim the now powerful shop owner as long as he was still possessed by Yuko.

Passing through the crescent-brandishing gate of the fence, he nodded to Maru and Moro. It seemed Watanuki had required them to regain the butterflies floating about the yard. He supposed they were from the futon and blankets that they beat the dust from whenever Watanuki had the urge to clean. He was interested to find that their number had grown since the last time. He wondered vaguely how it had happened.

But he had more important things to attend to. Entering the store, he kicked off his shoes and put on the slippers, heading straight for the kitchen where he knew Watanuki would be. It was like clockwork. Every day, between six and seven-thirty, it was certain that Watanuki would be working on the ingredients for dinner. Or bossing Doumeki around when it was the archer's turn to cook. Whether the lithe male was moving around the kitchen with his sleeves rolled up beneath the old-fashioned apron or was sitting at the table sipping tea as he spoke with Doumeki, he would be, without a doubt, in the kitchen.

Doumeki nodded to him in greeting, and Watanuki nodded coolly back. The tea, Doumeki noticed, was already in his hands. Restraining a sly grin, he placed the items he'd purchased on the table. He stepped back, looking at Watanuki almost expectantly.

The boy named after the first of April had gotten to his feet. The cup had been set down before his seat, entirely forgotten as he stared at the third item.

Doumeki wondered if he could catch the heat of Watanuki's obvious anger on tape for later viewing, but dismissed the idea. Watanuki would break the camcorder. And then –

"WHO TOLD YOU TO BUY SAKE?!!"

It began and Doumeki's grin, still restrained, slipped past and he found himself smirking at the younger male's fierce gestures.

Yes. This was how things should be.