Title: Rumors

Pairing: Doumeki/Watanuki

Warning: Not beta-ed.

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who enjoyed reading "Teddy Bears". I've been told that I kept them very much in character, and I hope that this story would be the same. I'm hoping I can still do that. This plotbunny dived into my creative juices and voila. It's not as fluffy as "Teddy Bears" but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Shock. Disgust. Confusion. Rage.

The emotions that overwhelmed Watanuki flashed through his face, refusing to settle on just one facial expression. He was just about to have lunch alongside the girl of his dreams after she had denied him her presence for the last two days to settle some issues with the Student Council. To Watanuki, two days felt like an eternity. It was incredibly difficult to endure especially since he spent his lunch with the bane of his existence: Doumeki Shizuka. Of course, Watanuki tried his damnest to avoid and ignore his elusive classmate, but Doumeki had some uncanny way of finding him.

And now just when Watanuki thought his day was getting better, a classmate of his had interrupted his lunch and asked the most baffling and nauseating question he had ever been asked in his entire life. It was so incredibly bewildering that Watanuki couldn't help but conclude that some nasty demon scooped him up and thrown him into another dimension. And whatever world he had been thrown into was certainly the most outlandish one yet.

How could anyone in this world or the next ever think that he and Doumeki were lovers?

Watanuki's facial expression finally settled on a spasmodic scowl. The idea of him and Doumeki together that way was just…criminal.

"Um, Watanuki-san?" His classmate, Izumi, waved his hand in front of Watanuki.

Watanuki threw his arms in the air, gawking almost crazily at his classmate. "How could anyone think of that?! We're not even friends, let alone ... that!" He gesticulated, a little color dusting his face. He wouldn't dare say the word.

A corner of Izumi's lips turned downwards and refused to say anything more. It was obvious to Watanuki that his classmate didn't believe him. If he didn't find a way to quell the rumors now, people would confuse the two of them together as intimate partners! And if Himawari started to believe the rumors, he'd just die. He wracked his brain for a solution.

I know I'm usually stuck with Doumeki because of Yuuko-san! And at school, Himawari-chan is always so nice to him and invites him to join us for lunch, so I can't refuse! That idiot—

The sound of raucous munching filled the brief silence and interrupted his thoughts. Watanuki facepalmed and bristled at the noise. There was only one person who had such impeccable timing to disrupt his train of thought. With great annoyance, he spun on his heel and pointed to Doumeki who ate at his bento.

"You eat too loudly!" Doumeki continued munching loudly, annoying Watanuki further. "Stop eating and say something! This is your fault after all!"

"What's my fault?"

Watanuki blew his top. "AREN'T YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Watanuki flailed his arms in the air then pointed at their classmate, Izumi.

"Oh." Doumeki paused eating and looked over to Izumi. He raised a hand in greeting. "Yo."

"DON'T JUST SAY 'YO'! TELL HIM THAT WE'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT TOGETHER, YOU IDIOT!" Watanuki grabbed Doumeki by the collar, shaking him while Doumeki just kept mumbling how noisy Watanuki was being.

Izumi chuckled nervously and said, "Well you two are always together—"

"I'm also with Himawari-chan! See!" Watanuki cried, frantically pointing at Himawari sitting beside him.

"Oh." Izumi looked from Watanuki to Himawari. "I never noticed."

Watanuki gaped. A vein in his temple was threatening to burst.

Himawari laughed. "It's okay Watanuki-kun. You two are very close after all."

"You have it all wrong, Himawari-chan!" Watanuki wailed, gloom evident on his face. He waved his hands in front of her, crossing them while he did so to indicate that she was gravely mistaken. "We're really not close at all!"

Regardless of what he said to Himawari, she only chuckled obviously disbelieving his words on the relationship between him and Doumeki. The thought only made him tear up. Watanuki certainly didn't want to ruin his chances at becoming intimate with her! He clenched his fists, determined to convince Izumi that there was nothing between him and Doumeki!

"Izumi-san!" Watanuki puffed up his chest and began sputtering reasons why the rumors were false, "Doumeki and I are not l-l-l—what people are saying! He and I just happen to be mutual friends of Himawari-chan! And she invites him to lunch because that's just how Himawari-chan is! He's just lucky that I'm so thoughtful to take pity on him and make him lunch too! I—"

Watanuki was suddenly yanked backwards by the collar of his shirt. A ghostly touch against his left cheek sent an electric tingle over his skin before callous fingertips turned his head. At that moment, everything moved in slow motion. His eyes widened as Doumeki's face was mere inches from his own. Even though one of Doumeki's hands held his face firmly, Watanuki felt as though the dull archer had frozen him in place. And then almost as if time changed its gears to fast forward, Doumeki's pliant lips took his. The electricity between them greatly alarmed Watanuki who quickly tightened his lips closed while struggling to push his assailant away. Doumeki was far stronger than his demon-attracting counterpart. Another hand snaked its way down his lower back eliciting a startled, incensed gasp from Watanuki. The archer took that opportunity to delve his tongue inside Watanuki's mouth, and to Watanuki's surprise there was a rather sweet and luscious taste dancing around his taste buds.

When Doumeki pulled away, Watanuki was well aware that he was flushed from head to toe. His mind was numb with the echoes of his rapidly beating heart which was likely to beat out of his chest. The sweet taste still lingered in his mouth, and oddly enough there was something rolling around inside as well. Watanuki furrowed his brows. He experimentally chewed and the sweet sensation flourished about his taste buds. It was a cherry tomato that he had packed in their bento lunches. Watanuki was still greatly mortified at what had just happened but he found a way to alter his shock and embarrassment to downright indignation. He flailed one of his hands while another pointed at aloof man.

"Y-Y-Youuuu—What is WRONG with you? Why—"

"You forgot to take out the cherry tomatoes." Doumeki shrugged and continued eating away the rest of his bento. The blasé response only enraged Watanuki.

"IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THEM, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO EAT THEM!" Watanuki argued. The original cause of his anger was forgotten as he was aggravated at Doumeki's indifference.

"I want salmon tomorrow."

"WHAT! I'M NOT TAKING ORDERS FROM YOU!" And Watanuki proceeded to shake Doumeki again.

As Watanuki bickered at Doumeki who only covered his ears at the tirade, Izumi nervously looked at the two and back at Himawari.

"Are they always like this?"

"They're always doing their dual comedy acts!" She giggled. Then she tilted her head and furrowed her brows, thinking. "Although this is the first time I've seen them do anything like that. Ah, well they are very close friends after all."

And the rumors continued.

End!

I hope that I kept them both in character, or at least close enough to it. And I don't have any official proof that Doumeki dislikes cherry tomatoes, it was the first thing that came to mind. And I hope the details of the kiss wasn't too much for you guys. I hope you enjoyed!