Watanuki, Doumeki has decided, is an idiot and shouldn't go anywhere without spirit-repellant supervision.

Actually, Doumeki had decided that a long time ago, but he was reminded strongly whenever Watanuki wandered off on his own in a snit of anger, apparently forgetting that Yuuko had sent them on an errand in an unfamiliar town and Doumeki didn't know his way around.

Like now.

Leaving Doumeki to not-frantically scour the town for any sign of his spirit-appetizing companion.

Watanuki, Doumeki thinks, is an idiot.

It's while he's searching in a more crowded part of town that he sees the other boy, the half-worried, half-agitated expression on his face mirroring what Doumeki is feeling himself. After a moment in which Doumeki simply watches him- tanned skin, dark hair, dark eyes, obviously searching for someone-, the boy looks towards him sharply and their eyes meet.

He and the other boy eye each other for a moment before he says, "He disappear?"

"Not if I can help it," comes the other boy's reply. "Yours?"

"He tried;" says Doumeki, and something that isn't quite annoyance shifts behind his eyes, "I wouldn't let him."

There is a moment of silence, and the other boy finally says, "What's he look like? I'll keep a look-out."

"Dark hair, tall and thin, blue eyes, wears glasses. Probably noisy," Doumeki describes, and the other boy nods. "And yours?"

"Pale hair, brown eyes, and wears glasses- probably eating or sleeping, or passed out on the ground," the other boy replies, and the agitation returns to his expression.

Doumeki nods and is returning to his search when the boy asks for his name, and Doumeki asks for his in return after he gives it.

"Touya Kinomoto," he says, and adds, "See you later," before continuing his own search.

--

It isn't too long after that that Doumeki finds the person that Kinomoto was looking for, sleeping with his head on his arms at an outdoor café table. There's a small mountain of sweets in front of him, but it looks untouched- he must have fallen asleep before he'd had a chance to eat anything.

"Oi," Doumeki says, and when the boy doesn't stir he gives him a few shakes.

The boy begins to stir then, and when his eyes finally flutter open the first thing he does is smile sweetly at Doumeki.

"Hello," he says brightly, if a bit sleepily, as he straightens in his seat and adjusts his glasses.

"Your friend is looking for you," Doumeki replies simply, and the boy blinks in surprise before smiling again and saying, "Hold on a minute, please, and I'll get a sack for my food and be right back."

A moment later the boy is back and loading his food into a large paper sack, but not before politely offering some of the sweets to Doumeki, who declined. Soon they're on their way, the boy trusting Doumeki not to lead him astray, and Doumeki can't help but wonder if Kinomoto's having the same luck with Watanuki.

"So how do you know Toya?" The boy asks as they walk, and Doumeki hesitates before replying, ". . . Similar circumstances."

Laughing, the boy asks, "Do you have a sister complex, too?"

"I don't have a sister," Doumeki answers, feeling that he's missing something but not minding.

The boy makes one last amused sound before suddenly exclaiming, "Oh, I've forgotten my manners!"

He smiles at Doumeki again before continuing, "My name is Yukito Tsukishiro! Toya's my best friend. Nice to meet you!"

Doumeki nods and replies, "Shizuka Doumeki. Nice to meet you, too."

Tsukishiro keeps up a conversation as they walk, and at one point asks, "How long have you known Toya, Doumeki-san?"

"A day," Doumeki replies, and Tsukishiro laughs again.

"Toya doesn't usually make friends so fast! You must be very special," he says, and Doumeki makes a noncommittal noise, which apparently prompts Tsukishiro to continue.

"We've been friends for a long time, ever since we met," he says, his voice a mix of nostalgia and affection. "I like a lot of people- Sakura-chan and my grandparents and Toya's dad- but Toya's always been special."

Doumeki is silent, and Tsukishiro looks at him and asks, "Do you have someone like that, Doumeki-san?"

". . . Un."

Tsukishiro beams at him and says, "I hope I meet your special person some day, Doumeki-san! Maybe they could meet Toya, too, and we could all go somewhere together!"

"Maybe."

They make the rest of the trip in a comfortable silence, and when they reach the place where Doumeki first saw Kinomoto, he and Watanuki are already waiting for them.

"Yuki!" Kinomoto calls, striding over to Tsukishiro.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Toya; I fell asleep again," Tsukishiro apologizes, and Kinomoto frowns.

Doumeki gives them a little privacy and approaches Watanuki, who isn't ranting in his characteristic manner and is instead watching Kinomoto with a thoughtful expression.

Doumeki simply takes note and waits patiently for Kinomoto to finish up with Tsukishiro, which doesn't take too long. Afterwards, Tsukishiro and Watanuki introduce themselves the each other, and Kinomoto and Doumeki thank each other for finding the other's companion.

At one point, Tsukishiro looks from Doumeki to Watanuki and smiles, asking, "Maybe if you two come to Tomoeda again, we could all go somewhere together sometime?"

". . . Maybe," Doumeki says, and Tsukishiro's smile upgrades to a beam.

"That would be nice! I hope we get to do that." Watanuki agrees, and Doumeki rolls his eyes when he hears Watanuki mutter, "But why does he have to come?"

Not long after, good-byes are exchanged and each pair goes their own way, and Doumeki waits until he and Watanuki are out of earshot to ask, "What was it?"

"Hmm?" Watanuki asks, uncharacteristically calm.

"You were watching Kinomoto," Doumeki explains, and Watanuki hesitates.

"He's . . . like me. With the spirits," he answers falteringly, and it's obvious that whatever he and Kinomoto had talked about is on his mind.

"He said that it's probably a little different though, because he can see his mom, and he somehow uses it to protect the people he cares about. He mentioned Tsukishiro-san . . ." Watanuki pauses again, and Doumeki watches him carefully, noticing the way Watanuki glances at him out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't know why he thinks he has to protect Tsukishiro-san; I'm sure he can protect himself," Watanuki finishes, and Doumeki rolls his eyes again.

Watanuki is an idiot, he thinks, and he doesn't hesitate to say so.

-Fin-

Oh god. So nervous here. First Donuts (actually, first xxxHolic anything) fic and all. Also, fic is unbetaed, so any edits or constructive crit would be awesome.