Title: So Be It
Author: Twelf Bell
Type of Fanfic: Regular
Summary: Watanuki is now in charge of this encounter that he by chance, no... inevitably met in the park. But this encounter is much more of a handful than he had imagined. Implied DouWata.
---Pairing: As said, implied DouWata.
Disclaimer: I do own xxxHOLiC. This fic has been completely developed from my lowly brain.

A/N: I have to say... it's been really boring having all those nothing-but-story-alerts-and-fav-alerts-and-author-alerts alerts alerts alerts indeed... be deleted from my inbox whenever they come! So this is the first chapter of this new story I created when I was bored! Finally, I am posting it. Be happy! :O

//;SEi

- - - - - - - - - - - - Ch1. The sea is blue because the sky is blue. But why is the sky blue?

The spring morning was a romantic one but chilly. Flowers of rosy pink to bashful blue stood in tacit gardens near petite benches and massive trees. The air was calm though bits of soft winds blew the sweet aroma of awaking flowers, mixing the morning with the silent beat of wings, chirps of 'good morning', and the ending of a lullaby for a little creature that has already fallen asleep...

A hushed goodbye is not heard by the little creature for it is already enjoying the pleasant dreams of dashing horses and wild flowers. Clogs knock quietly on the dirt ground and they slip away into the mist that had formed itself the night before, telling that winter was now over. The little creature does not wake up for it is tucked tightly in a bed of soft flowers, and covered up to its chin a large fleece blanket with the letters A, O and I on it...

x o x o x o x

"Watanuki!~" a high-pitched female voice called, "Hurry up with dinner! I'm hungry!!~"

Pissed, Watanuki called back from the kitchen, "If you're so hungry, why don't you make your own food!"

"Datte... your cooking is better!"

Watanuki took this as a compliment and lowered his anger level. He muttered to himself more words of encouragement and compliments before calling to Yuuko: "Hai hai, coming coming."

He took the plates of food from the counter and went to where Yuuko was lounging on her chair, looking lazy and whining even though Watanuki had brought the food. He set the plates down on the table and patted his hands together in satisfaction. He then put his hands on his hips and said to the witch, "Yuuko-san, stop being so lazy and come over here. The food's going to get cold."

Yuuko dragged herself off her lounge chair and to the chair that was awaiting her at the table. She blinked sleepily at the food in front of her and sniffed. Her eyes flew open at the delicious smell and her mouth started to drool. Watanuki watched as she transformed herself from her drunken self to her energetic schoolgirl self. He sighed but smiled.

He sat down on the chair across from her and began eating after his Itadakimasu. As he ate, he noticed something. "Yuuko-san... where's Mokona?"

The witch had already stuffed her mouth with rice. "Heh eh ah hehoom."

"What?"

She swallowed and said, "He's in the bathroom."

Watanuki made a face. The bathroom? I doubt he ever needs the bathroom... though... I do wonder... Yuuko grinned as Watanuki's faces changed nimbly. She said, "He's not doing his business. It is his business, but it's not what you're thinking. It's work."

That made Watanuki wonder some more. Work? In the bathroom? What kind of work do you need to do that involves the bathroom? … Is he cleaning the toilet or something...?

Yuuko smirked. She placed down her chopsticks in the rightful position over her bowl and said, "Gochisosama." And at that moment, Mokona jumped in the room. "Yuuko! Yuuko! I got it! I got it!"

The witch grinned her childish grin. "Yay! Let me see, let me see!"

Mokona jumped on the table. He handed her the paper envelope that he was holding, and then opened his no-end mouth to get something out. A large treasure-like chest flew out and landed softly on the table. It was cerulean with a golden outline and lock. On each side of the chest, there were beautifully-painted flowers of every imaginable color and of every type. On the lock, there was a three-letter alphabetical combination on it with a carving of a horse on it. It looked recently-made despite the fact that the lock was rusty and that the golden outlines of the chest were losing its luster by the passing minutes.

Watanuki was amazed greatly by the work. Even the treasures in Yuuko's treasure room couldn't compare to... this! As Yuuko read the letter silently to herself, Watanuki fingered the chest from top to bottom, side to side. The chest was not made from steel apparently. From the outside, it looked strong and heavy but it was actually made from a special type of wood Watanuki couldn't name and was very light but still strong.

He slowly moved his fingers to the lock, but before he could touch it, a sharp pain came to his fingers. He grimaced and drew back. He looked at his buzzing hand. What was that? It felt like static shock...? Maybe because it's rusty, it creates static? He drew his fingers closer to the lock again and drew back when he felt the pain come again. His fingers buzzed with electricity; his hand turning pale as if all the blood cells had disappeared. He looked at the lock with puzzlement. Is it just me...? He clapped his hands to get the blood flowing again and got ready to touch the lock again. He put on a fierce face and moved his hand closer to the lock. This time, instead of drawing his hand away, he pushed further closer to the lock to fully touch it. By the time he couldn't hold his place anymore and took his hand away, his hand was bleeding slowly though there were no exit from which it could come from.

He got out his handkerchief from his apron pocket and wrapped his hand tightly with it. His hand was really stinging now. It felt like he got electrocuted and the pain was just an after-effect of the numbness. It's not me... he thought. There's a barrier or something surrounding the lock... But why is it there? He looked at the harmless box and wondered, Just what is inside...?

"You shouldn't touch the lock or else you'll get stung."

Irritated, Watanuki glared at Yuuko. "You should have said that earlier!"

Yuuko, who had finished reading the letter, was grinning with an amused expression on her face. It seemed as if the contents of the letters was the source of her cheeriness. Watanuki shivered as if her happiness was the evil kind and that it meant that unwelcoming things were going to happen to him. He hugged himself to shake off his goosebumps and looked at his employer with suspicious eyes. His mind then transported back to the box after getting a brighter smile from the witch.

"What was written in the letter?"

"Secret."

"What's in the box?"

"Secret."

Watanuki furrowed his brows. "Why is there a barrier on the lock?"

"Secret."

"Who's the box for?"

"Secret."

Wrinkles began forming on the seer's forehead. He snapped, "Why is everything a secret?!"

Yuuko smirked. "You'll find out soon enough!~"

Watanuki couldn't help but shiver again. That's the part I'm afraid of...

Yuuko was walking away with the box + letter now, her long red kimono sash gliding on the floor behind her. Suddenly, Watanuki remembered one last question and asked it with haste, just when Yuuko was in the doorway. "Who was it from?"

The witch turned around to face Watanuki and said, "Zashiki-warashi." And then she turned back again and walked away from view.

Zashiki-warashi...? Watanuki thought for a minute. Well, that kind of makes sense... The only way to get things from her would be the bath tub or her giving them in person. No wonder Mokona was in the bathroom... He began clearing up the dinner dishes and plates off the table and brought them to the sink to wash them. But why.. from her? And.. why.. that box? He stopped scrubbing the plate he was holding. Just what's going to happen? He started scrubbing again and put on the most confident face he could manage to make. But whatever it is... I'll get through it perfectly well.

...I hope.

o x o x o x o

Ding!... Dong!... The school bell rang to notify students that the period had come to its end. That was also the last bell for the school day. Teachers spoke last minute words to their students, which concluded in groans or yells of triumph. Locker doors slammed and opened, making a metallic clang. Students piled out of the school and into the yard, standing near trees or fences to wait for friends, or walking away to meet up with others.

One of these people was Doumeki Shizuka. Today was a break day for the team since the day before was the archery competition between their school and X Gakuen. He had awaited this day because he had wanted Watanuki to go somewhere with him. It had been bothering him for a long while. And now, he stood near the school fence waiting in anticipation though it didn't show on his face. He stared at the direction of the school building doors. And as he suspected, Watanuki came walking slowly out, looking at the floor as he always did when he was going to go home. The seer walked closer and closer and did not notice the archer until Doumeki said, "Hey."

The bespectacled teenager knew that voice really well. He looked up, revealing a pissed expression. Doumeki continued on speaking, "You going to work now?"

"... What, are you an idiot?" Watanuki paused before answering his own question. "Oh wait, you're already one. Yes of course I'm going to work. Yuuko-san would kill me if I skipped!"

"Do you think you could skip work today?"

"Were you even listening to me?!"

"..." Doumeki waited for the answer to his question, not bothering to answer the other teenager's question.

Watanuki glared and then sighed. "It depends on what it is."

"It's really important."

"More important than me going to work?"

"Yeah."

"..." Watanuki thought about it. Could he risk his life for this idiot? Hm... Curiosity got the best of him. What could be so important that he would want me to skip work? He looked at Doumeki before saying, "Fine."

Doumeki smirked and turned to start walking. Watanuki immediately yelled, "What was that smirk for?!" and ran to catch up with the archer whom was smoothly gliding along the path.

x o x

When they got to their destination, Watanuki's mouth dropped in 'disappointment'. He swallowed in the scene before him. Little kids screaming as they slid down the kiddy slide; more kids calling to their parents to push them higher on the swing; more kids making sound effects as they bashed each other's sand castles; kids crying because their icecream dropped from the cone; kids laughing from the fun they were having on the spring-riders... and so forth.

"What are we doing at the park?!" Watanuki exclaimed. But when he turned his head to face the archer, Doumeki was already gone. The seer looked around and around and when he finally spotted the idiot at a food cart, he ran up to him and hissed, "You brought me here just for this?!"

Doumeki paid the seller for the taiyaki and dango sticks and said, "Yeah." He opened the taiyaki box, handed Watanuki one taiyaki and walked towards a bench to sit down. Watanuki stood there, his anger level rising as he held the hot taiyaki in one hand, and the other scrunching up into a fist.

He looked at the fish-shaped cookie in his hand and his face softened when he bit into it. It was amazingly delicious. The pancake-like outside and the red-bean paste inside melted nicely together in his mouth, leaving a sweet and floury taste when he swallowed. In bliss, he walked over to where Doumeki sat eating on a pale white bench that was shielded from the sun by a tall tree from behind.

"Th-This is.. delicious..." Watanuki couldn't help but voice his thoughts. "Even more delicious than those I've had before... Or maybe it's because I haven't had one for so long..."

"Yeah."

"Skipping work was worth this..."

"Yeah."

Watanuki munched on his cookie some more before he stopped entirely and stared into space with wide, dull eyes. "She's gonna kill me if I don't have a good excuse..." He looked at his taiyaki. "I should go and buy some for her and Mokona as an apology..." He got up to go but a force pulled him back. He looked down his arm to another arm and to Doumeki. "What?"

Doumeki yanked Watanuki's arm, forcing the seer to sit back down. Watanuki held his arm when Doumeki let go. "That hurt, you know?! What the hell do you want?"

The archer handed the box of taiyaki he had bought to Watanuki. "Here."

"Wh-What?"

"There's two more in here. You can give them to them." He placed the box in Watanuki's hands. "There's even dango in there." And then he stopped talking altogether and began eating again, leaving a dumbfounded Watanuki staring at him.

"W-W-W-W-Wh-Wha...??"

Doumeki glanced over at Watanuki and smirked. Watanuki's blushed. He snapped, "I'm not going to say thank you, you know!"

The archer's smirk grew. "You just did."

Watanuki's cheeks turned redder. "Sh-Shut up! It's not like I wanted to–"

Doumeki had his ears covered and was not looking at Watanuki so he didn't know if Watanuki had stopped talking or whatnot. After a few minutes, he slowly took his fingers out of ears to make sure that the time had passed. What met his ears was not Watanuki's voice but silence. And then a rustle. He turned to Watanuki but he was not where he had been sitting; the box of taiyaki was in his place. He turned his head this way and that, his face growing tenser and more alert as minutes passed. Finally, he felt a small tinge on the back of his neck and when he turned his head around, he felt Watanuki's presence hiding somewhere in the trees. He got up, took the box of taiyaki that Watanuki had left on the bench, and walked closer to where Watanuki supposedly was.

The more he felt Watanuki's presence, the faster he walked. He had walked out of the park and into some kind of... wonderland. There were flowers growing all around and many butterflies and bees flew from one beautiful flower to another. The sky looked more blue and clearer than it was back in the park and the sun felt... soft. Doumeki wondered if he had just stepped into another dimension.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew and pushed him in the direction of a sparkling lake that he had briefly glanced at when he looked around. The wind was so strong that he felt like he was being lifted off his feet and flying in the air. When the wind dispersed and he regained his composure, he blinked away some of the pollen that had gotten into his eyes and tried to adjust to the bright scene in front of him. The lake was quite large now that he saw it up close and it was full of clear water. Then, a moving figure caught his attention. He squinted and tried to see what it was. When he realized what it was, he walked towards it calmly.

He stepped on a few flowers and apologized silently to them in his head but he kept on walking. And the closer he walked, the larger the lake grew and grew. Finally, when he was a little distance from the figure, he stopped and said, "Hey."

Watanuki didn't answer; he was kneeling with both knees on the dirt ground, and softly brushing something that Doumeki couldn't quite see from where he was standing, and he was... singing. Doumeki couldn't quite make the lyrics out. The archer moved closer and what he saw shocked him. It was a child. And it seemed to be about three years old. It was sleeping peacefully, with a blue fleece blanket covering its body. At the bottom-right corner of the blanket, there were the letters A, O and I. Doumeki wondered, Aoi? Is that its name?

It felt weird calling the child an it but since he couldn't tell if it were a girl or boy, due to the cute appearance of shoulder-length black hair, long eyelashes and soft pink cheeks... well, Doumeki stuck with it for the time being. Eventually, he came back to reality and to what he was doing before. He kneeled down next to Watanuki and called to him again. "Hey."

Watanuki slowly turned his head to look at Doumeki. '...I want to be a wild horse, prancing through sweet ashes...'

When Doumeki looked at the teenager's face, he noticed that the seer's eyes were glazed over. Doumeki furrowed his brows in impatience. Che! This wasn't Watanuki. It was, but it was not him. Watanuki was being possessed by someone... or something.

'...I want to heal your broken heart with my rich berry patches...'

"Who are you?" Doumeki said sternly.

'...I want to see the world beyond my two round little eyes...'

The possessed Watanuki smiled and that surprised Doumeki. The smile was warm and loving. It was.. so out of character for Watanuki to smile like that. '...But I don't want to say them yet – my many sad goodbyes...'

Then, turned back to the child and leaned forward; he gently picked it up and into his arms, putting a sad expression on. 'Oh sorry my love, but goodbye goodbye... sorry my sweet, goodbye goodbye... I want to see your smile one last time... but sorry my child, goodbye goodbye...'

Doumeki watched and listened to all of this with caution. When was back on his heels, he smiled again after singing the end of the song. Doumeki couldn't help but stare at the pale teenager's face. It somehow looked... beautiful.

The face looked at him and that caught him off guard. He was about to look away when their eyes locked tightly. Cerulean and gold eyes burned themselves into him. Then suddenly, they came closer and closer... and before Doumeki knew it, his lips were being touched by the mix-match-eyed teenager's own lips. It was a light touch and not a true kiss. drew back and then the lips moved. "Please take good care of him."

Him? Surely not Watanuki himself right? So that means... the kid? So it's a he. Take care of him...?? Doumeki looked at the possessed Watanuki for more say. But what left the seer's mouth was a plea: "Please let Aoi grow up to be a decent human child... I couldn't bear for him to live with me where there's more danger than here with you..." gave a sad smile and then, tears began sliding down his cheeks. "Please..."

Doumeki guessed the one who had possessed Watanuki was the mother of the child. So that meant... she was from the spiritual world.. and the kid... Doumeki felt his heart being squeezed by some unknown force from the words that 's voice spoke. There was a desperation in his voice too. Doumeki hesitated before saying, "Okay."

gave a laugh in relief and thanked Doumeki over and over again. He then kissed Doumeki lightly once more before whispering, "Thank you... you're just like him." Then, the glaze of Watanuki's eyes slowly disappeared; his eyes closed and he collapsed onto Doumeki's strong body. The child that Watanuki held in his arms stirred from the discomfort it was getting, being squished between two bodies.

As Doumeki gently shook Watanuki to wake him up, he wondered about what the spirit had said. You're just like him. Doumeki couldn't help but wonder who? Watanuki moaned and gradually, he woke up from his possessed state. He blinked and sat back on his heels. "Huh...?" His vision was blurry and his cheeks felt like there was dry paint on them. He touched his cheeks and felt something wet. Tears? "Wh-Why??" He still did not know of Doumeki's presence, and Doumeki kept silent. Then, Watanuki noticed there was something heavy on his lap. He looked down and when his vision got back to him, he shrieked. He looked up to see Doumeki's face really close to him and he shrieked even louder.

Doumeki covered Watanuki's mouth, muffling Watanuki's next cry. "Shh.. he's sleeping."

Watanuki looked at the child and then at Doumeki, child, Doumeki, child and then finally, staying at Doumeki. Doumeki felt his hand vibrate from the sounds that were trying to escape from Watanuki's mouth. He took his hand away. Watanuki whispered, "Wh-What is this?!"

"You tell me."

"W-Well, for all I know... I was talking to you and then I heard this beautiful woman's voice singing a lullaby and so I wanted to hear it closer... s-so I walked through the trees and then it brought me to this clearing.. and then.. I.. don't remember anything after that..."

Doumeki sighed in relief. That means he doesn't know he kissed me. Twice.

Watanuki forgot to whisper. "Wh-What?"

"Nn..."

Doumeki hastily covered Watanuki's mouth with his hand again. Watanuki didn't dare complain. They both looked down at the child. He was now waking up. The child yawned, revealing baby teeth, and then rubbed his eyes with his chubby hands. His eyes then opened and stared up at Doumeki and Watanuki. He then smiled and said, "Mama! Daddy!"

EHH?? This was a great shock to Watanuki. The child had looked at Watanuki when saying Mama and at Doumeki when he said Daddy. Does that mean... that we're his parents?!

Doumeki was unfazed by the Daddy statement. What he was most shocked about was that the eyes of the child were the same blue as Watanuki's original cerulean eyes. The child looked like what Doumeki thought to be the child-version of Watanuki himself.

Just what was happening?

o x o

"Welcome home, Watanuki! Welcome, Doumeki!" said Maru and Moro in unison. And when they saw the child hiding behind Watanuki's legs, they grinned. "Welcome!"

The child fidgeted and hesitated before nodding in reply. Maru and Moro then said with seriousness, "Yuuko has been waiting for you."

Watanuki nodded slowly before following the twins into the large room where Yuuko sat with a sly grin on her face. She was in a kimono like this morning, but this one's design was of flowers and horses. It was a weird combination to Watanuki, but to Aoi (the child), he laughed happily when he saw it.

"Welcome home, Watanuki," the lady said - though it sounded more like an announcement to the world. *

Watanuki held up his guard for he was immediately suspicious. "I'm... back..." he said slowly, as if he was repeating something he just said and was of obviosity. *

"So I see you've brought a child back..." She closed her eyes so calmly that Watanuki couldn't help but step back. But when he stepped back, the lights went off. Nobody dared move a centimeter. Then suddenly, a spotlight came on and what... or whom it shone on was the great Yuuko!... in a... grandma's dress?!

She put a hand on her forehead dramatically, leaned back which made a nice curve and sighed... oh-ever-so dramatically. "Ah~ so love has finally blossomed between you two and you have finally did it! But since you knew that two men cannot born a child, you've adopted one! Oh my heart!~" Out of her eyes came what Watanuki thought to be (and he was right) fake tears (made of eyedrops, to be exact). "Ohh Mother is so happy right now I could die!" She clutched her heart like it was hurting.

"No!" Out from the darkness, Watanuki stepped into the spotlight with a sad look on his face, his clothes changed as well. He was now wearing what you would call a farmer boy's clothing with a dull colored t-shirt under a tan jumper (**), white knee-high socks and dress shoes. Doumeki was so shocked that he left his mouth hanging open the whole time Watanuki performed his scene. Even though he was shocked, his mind kept sending signals to his bottom, saying: cute cute cute cute cute cute cute...

"No, Mother! Don't die on me!" Watanuki's eyes produced (fake) tears as well as he sobbed, collapsing on the floor with his knees tucked lazily under him.

"My son...!"

"Mother...!"

Doumeki's mouth twitched as Watanuki hugged the air in front of Yuuko and Yuuko doing the same. An air hug, you would call it. Then, Yuuko collapsed and Watanuki screamed like a girl. Then the spotlight disappeared and darkness covered the room like a heavy fog. When the store lights finally came back on, he noticed that Watanuki and Yuuko weren't where they were when they were doing their small performance. He turned his head and saw that the room had changed entirely - they were in the dining room now. Watanuki and Yuuko were sitting across from each other at the dining table, with their normal clothes on and speaking calmly to each other.

Doumeki felt his hand sweat. Then, he noticed that he had been holding Aoi's hand the whole entire time that the performance was going on. Doumeki stared at Aoi and the child, noticing his papa's stare, stared back. They sent mind signals to each other, not caring how it worked and whatnot.

You saw that, right? Doumeki said in his mind.

Aoi nodded and said in his own mind: I did. Did you?

Doumeki nodded and then returned his eyes to the table where Yuuko was saying something that made Watanuki blush furiously. Then Watanuki, feeling a stare on his side, returned to his normal pale color, looked at Doumeki and called to him: "Come over here and sit down. Aoi, too."

The two went over to the table and sat down; Aoi to the left of Watanuki and Doumeki to the left of Aoi... making an Aoi sandwich!... I mean, the seat arrangement was like in a parent-teacher conference in which the child sat between both parents so as to be able to get spoken to by both. Aoi folded his chubby hands and placed them nicely in his lap. He felt that it was appropriate since the "teacher" (Yuuko) was smiling like she had something bad to say.

"Well," started Yuuko, "I just told Watanuki about taking care of you." It was obvious that she was speaking directly to Aoi.

Aoi made a face and said, "Mama is Mama! She is not Watanuki!" He folded his arms and pouted. For some reason, he seemed to mind now that the witch had said Watanuki's name. It was as if he hadn't been listening properly from the start.

Watanuki chuckled lightly from being called a "she". Doumeki let out a small smirk. Yuuko just kept her smile steady. She then continued, "Aoi... is your name, isn't it?"

"Yes! Mama named me it after my true blue eyes," he announced proudly. He looked at Watanuki for support and all the seer could do in return was to give a weak smile. Aoi also means 'inexperienced', Doumeki thought as he smirked.

Yuuko turned a bit serious and that made both Aoi and Watanuki sink in their seats... for a reason they couldn't really explain to the archer who was looking questioningly at them. Yuuko said, "Aoi. Your mother has left you in our care... especially Watanuki's, who looks exactly like your mother. You could say... that she is the Watanuki in a parallel dimension. We hope that you will cooperate with us as much as you can, for we will need your full cooperation to smoothly ensure your own safety. Do you understand?"

Aoi couldn't really understand the big words that Yuuko had spoken, but he caught a few words that made sense: Aoi, mother, safety, Do you understand?. So he said with the most serious face he could muster up: "I understand!"

Yuuko gave a grin and said, "Good!"

A/N: LOL. That OOC scene was weird eh? Don't mind me. I just wanted to add something interesting in it xD

A new chapter may be late since I wrote this a long time ago but since I have too many not updated stories... I didn't post this up. But since I'm kind of stalling in iSLAND, I posted this up. Hope you enjoyed it ^^

//;SEi