Today and Tomorrow
AN: Warning for my friend who hasn't finished Tsubasa/xxxHoLic: MAJOR SPOILERS, don't read this yet. I'm writing this to clear up loose ends, and express my interpretation of the last few chapters. I consider Yuuko and Watanuki's relationship a mother-son relationship, but with Freudian subtext, just so you know. Yeah, I should be working on Broken Angel, but I have exams and really want to write this. Also, about only 5 people read Broken Angel… =(
To avoid confusion, Haruka and Shizuka Domeki will be called by their first names, people whose names we don't know in the Domeki family will be called 'Domeki'.
This fanfic takes place just before or just after the last chapter.
Days and weeks passed as the leaves turned yellow, orange, red, and then finally fell. Watanuki had watched the seasons pass so many times, but autumn was still so very beautiful. Watanuki wished Yuuko was still around to see the brightly coloured leaves falling. Even the already brown leaves had a certain beauty to them. The smoke from Watanuki's pipe mixed with cold air. It used to be Yuuko's pipe. This shop used to be Yuuko's too. How many years has it been? How many years since Yuuko had asked for more sake? Or treated him like a servant? Back then, what's now a faraway memory, these things had been a nuisance, an annoying part of everyday life. But nowadays, to Watanuki, they were nostalgic, special.
Watanuki was sitting next to Shizuka Domeki's grandson. They were drinking tea. The tea was a little bit too strong for Domeki's tastes. Watanuki had seemed to be preoccupied with non-tea related things, and had added too many tea leaves. But still, the tea was made by Watanuki. To Domeki, anything Watanuki had made was a real treat.
Watanuki was handsome and kind, he also never aged. Domeki's grandfather had fallen in love with Watanuki so many years ago, so had Domeki's grandmother Kohane. Watanuki had charmed both males and females, and some beings of neither. When Shizuka Domeki was married and visibly aging, Domeki's father replaced him, and then Domeki replaced his father. They were all so alike, that Watanuki didn't even notice the generation changes. His grandfather, father, and now Domeki had fallen in love with that effeminate housebound man. Watanuki was beautiful and interesting, and work at the wish shop was strange, but fascinating.
Domeki acted like a husband to Watanuki. He wanted to be Watanuki's forever. But he knew that he couldn't. Watanuki often spoke of the woman who ate a mermaid's flesh, she looked for love, but was always hurt. She was unchanging, immortal, but her heart was broken. Domeki knew that Watanuki compared himself to her. Domeki wanted to heal Watanuki's heart, but that could only be done by the elusive Yuuko. Yuuko was a dead witch, whom Watanuki was awaiting the return of.
Haruka Domeki was Shizuka's grandfather. He was a ghost that Watanuki could talk to in dreams. Ame-warashi and Zashiki-warashi were sprits who came to visit sometimes. But Domeki couldn't see any of them. Watanuki would sometimes talk with people who weren't there, at least Domeki couldn't tell if they were, did he even want to know what bizarre creature was in the shop today? But still, the whole Domeki family had seem so much weirdness it didn't faze them at all.
As the awaited tomorrows become passing todays, Watanuki continues to wait for Yuuko. And the current Domeki waits with him, hiding his affection in sarcasm and stoicism. Watanuki will die one day too, but the skyscrapers will become ruins before he does. Our lives may fade, that's inevitable, but the impression that our lives made on the many worlds will remain forever…