Not Alone (XXX Holic Christmas Special)

Disclaimer: I do not own XXX Holic or the characters.

I wanted to write a Christmas special so bad and this is what I came up with. I hope everyone enjoys it! I also plan to draw a Christmas picture with Domeki and Watanuki cuteness! 'Yay' for the holiday season.

Christmas is a time when families get together to celebrate and share a time of warmth and happiness. But what is Christmas if you don't have a family? What do you do if you're all alone?

Watanuki sat on the cold bench in the snow-strewn park. It was nearly 9 a.m. now, yet there was not a soul to be seen. Snowflakes drifted down from the smoke-gray sky. They clung to Watanuki's clothes and stuck in his eyelashes, making him blink. They were cold and had tinted his cheeks pink long ago but Watanuki hardly noticed. He let out a sigh. This would be yet another Christmas day he spent alone. For as long as he could remember it has always been this way. His parents had died long ago and he had no other relatives he could visit during the holiday season.

This year, since he had acquired friends, he had had an inkling of hope. A small hope that maybe, just maybe, this year would be different. Watanuki laughed softly at himself – at what a fool he had been.

Himawari was with her family today, Yuko had left on some unknown errand, as usual, and Domeki? Watanuki didn't care about what that jerk did but he bet he was busy too. And, so, Watanuki had ultimately faced the same outcome as every other year.

Solitude.

He slid off the bench and kneeled down. Watanuki took a small mound of snow in his gloved hands and molded it into a small ball. He repeated this step two more times and stacked the balls on top of each other. Then he fashioned a face for the thing he had created using whatever debris he could find close by. Watanuki rested his head on his legs once he was finished and stared down at the miniature snowman.

"I guess you're the only company I have," he said, smiling sadly. He sat there, staring at it for what felt like hours, though in reality Watanuki knew that it could not have been more than a few minutes. It was then that the cold started to set in. His fingers were numb from manipulating the snow, his cheeks nearly frost-bitten. Watanuki rubbed his hands together, trying to return feeling to them. Then he wrapped his arms around his torso, hoping to warm himself. But, try as he might, the cold did not go away. Watanuki knew why. It was not the temperature outside that was giving him the chills. It was his heart full of longing. It was his soul yearning to feel like he belonged somewhere. He wanted to finally enjoy Christmas with someone this year. He was tired of being alone and it made his heart ache. But it was already too late. Christmas was coming and going right before his very eyes with every single snowflake that touched the ground. Another cold Christmas – another day among innumerous others spent by himself.

"Are you trying to catch a cold?" a voice asked from behind him. Watanuki jumped in surprise and spun around to look up at the person who had spoken.

"Domeki…" he said staring up at the taller black-haired boy. He was holding and umbrella over them, shielding them from the falling snow.

"You know, I'm pretty sure idiots can catch pneumonia," Domeki said, looking at Watanuki's frozen appearance. The other boy stood up in one swift movement and, seeming to find himself, cried, "I am not an idiot, you big oaf! If anyone's an idiot it's you!!" Domeki had his fingers in his ears, drowning out the boy's antics.

"Shut up," he said flatly as Watanuki flailed about like a madman, cursing him. After he had exhausted himself he contented himself to merely glaring in Domeki's general direction.

"Why are you here?" he asked, trying not to sound too curious, even if he really was. Watanuki was also a little relieved, though he'd rather die than admit it.

"Let's go," Domeki said, ignoring his question completely as he turned around and began walking away. Watanuki blinked then said indignantly, "Answer a guy when he's talking to you!!"

Domeki stopped then and turned back to stare at him. Watanuki stared back, absolutely stumped as to what the heck was going on. Finally Domeki said, "I want Yaki Soba." Then he was walking again.

"What!!" Watanuki screeched, "You came all the way here to demand food of me, you glutton? Why should I even have to make you anything?"

"You don't think you can do it?" Domeki asked, raising his eyebrow mockingly as they passed beneath the archway leading to his home.

"Of course I can!" Watanuki snapped, "And once we get inside I'll prove it to you!!"

They sat in silence, sipping on their steaming mugs of hot chocolate as they watched the snow outside slowly drift to the ground. Watanuki glanced at Domeki out of the corner of his eyes. The other boy didn't seem to notice. Watanuki wasn't sure what he felt right this moment, but it wasn't a bad feeling. He looked about the room. There were no lights, no decorations – no Christmas tree in the room or cheery music humming in the background. And maybe Watanuki wasn't exactly spending Christmas with the person he wanted to…but, for the first time, he wasn't alone. His eyes shifted from Domeki to the ground as he mumbled two words into his cup of hot chocolate, blushing slightly.

"M-merry Christmas."

"…Merry Christmas."

Woo! It's done. I hope you liked it! R&R.