r.e.a.s.o.n
"Why does this always happen to us?"
Watanuki cleared the hurdle of the bench, stumbling to stay on his feet. As usual, he was running. Because, as usual, he was being chased by spirits. And, as usual, Yuuko-san hadn't told them what to do with this monster so what was he supposed to do about it?!
Doumeki didn't respond, as usual. Because, as usual, Doumeki was there with him. And, as usual- wait, no, not usual that the spirit was chasing them. Usually Doumeki repelled them, which meant this spirit was either an exception to Doumeki's rule, or really, really powerful.
Watanuki didn't like his chances and errand or not, he was not getting killed over this thing! If Yuuko-san wanted him to do something about it, she was just going to have to give him a hint or something because he didn't know what to do.
He was impossibly tired, though. They'd been exploring the forest near the park before finding the spirit, and they had been running every since it was clear that this was not the usual spirit. Memories of lesser spirits latching onto his back and pushing him to the ground in their suffocating way came to mind. If lesser spirits could do that, what could this spirit do? Suck out his soul? Consume his body? Did spirits do that? For all of his life being chased by spirits, he ought to have known but he didn't, okay, he didn't!
He couldn't keep up this running thing, though. He wasn't out of shape by any means given that aforementioned life being chased by spirits, but he could only handle so much turmoil in one day. His legs felt weak, throbbing in time with his pounding heartbeat that he could hear over the huff of his breath. It was all consuming, his pulse and his breath, and his footfalls against the cement as he ran ran ran. He had to breathe, he had to run, but, no, his feet were heavy and his lungs were burning and he couldn't keep this up, he couldn't, he couldn't-
Doumeki grabbed his hand.
Watanuki inhaled softly, looking up at him.
"You can't stop," Doumeki said in lieu of an explanation, although it was an explanation in itself, Watanuki supposed.
"Doumeki-"
"You can't stop," came the repeated reply, fierce. Loyal. Dedicated in a scary way that made Watanuki's heart do an awkward ba-thump, irregular against the pounding in his chest.
"I can't run forever!"
"Save your breath and run."
Watanuki sucked in a deep breath, fully prepared to bellow Doumeki into comprehending the fact that he was too tired-
but Doumeki's fingers seized around his and Watanuki was not going to be let go.
He wanted to groan but couldn't bring himself to do so; instead, he gripped back at Doumeki's hand tightly and let him half-drag him back towards Yuuko-san's, back to safety, away from danger.
He still wasn't sure if they were going to die or not, but the warmth against his palm gave him something else to keep running for.
I can't stop writing clamp trash ;o; i just love it so much okay
As usual, I do not own xxxHoLic. And, as usual, thank you for reading! Support from this lovely fandom means a lot ^^