Title: It's Just a Cold

Rating: T

Pairing: Doumeki x Watanuki

Category: xxxHolic

Summary: Sequel to the story Gloves. Doumeki hasn't seen Watanuki at all today and secretly fears a spirit might have gotten to him but when he visits Watanuki's apartment, he is reminded that Watanuki is human.

Disclaimer: I still do not owe xxxHolic expect for what they have allowed use consumers to buy.

~~ Story Begins ~~

Doumeki started the long climb up towards his best friend's apartment balcony window, his face neutral but if anyone was to know much about him and notice that his eyes were more narrow than usual, it's because he was angry. Watanuki was visiting with an elderly woman and started to get sick, didn't he remember last time what happened when he started visiting elderly women and than started to get sick? Doumeki got on the balcony and took his shoes off glaring at the window, first the idiot doesn't wear gloves and now he''s talking to a spirit that makes him sick again, doesn't that idiot know when to learn a lesson about not disappearing or to put it more bluntly, not dying!

When Doumeki entered the apartment, he started to take his coat off but when he felt the air in the apartment being colder than the winter air outside, he decided to keep it on, his eardrums can suffer a little damage over the greater chances of him getting sick and not being able to protect Watanuki. He looked down at the floor futon where Watanuki was sleeping, his black hair was sticking to his sweaty face that was pale, his mouth was opened in order to try and breath but his breathes were short and sounded like they hurt.

Doumeki put his school bag down, "Moron, your apartment is colder than it is outside." He looked around the small apartment trying to find something, "Heater."

"Don't have one," a labored and hoarse voice answered causing Doumeki to look down at the sick person in the room, "Now leave through the door like a normal person and let me sleep."

"Moron," Doumeki responded, "Blankets?"

"They are all on me," Watanuki responded before covering his mouth as he sat up to cough. Doumeki watched and kept his emotions on a tight reign as he saw Watanuki cough out blood. Once Watanuki was done coughing, he proceeded to talk like that never happened, "Now if you would be so kind as to -"

"Coat, where is it?" Doumeki interrupted. Watanuki with blood coming out of some part of his body didn't go well with Doumeki since the last time Watanuki almost died so yes Doumeki was a little on edge.

"Let me -"

"Where is your coat? You coughed up blood which is not normal!" Doumeki said walking to the closet door opening it. He grabbed the coat that Watanuki always wears and blinked feeling how thin it was and than seeing how many different shades of black it was that wasn't noticeable until it was up close.

Doumeki turned around when hearing a soft thud and saw Watanuki leaning against the wall, one hand on his chest while the other was supporting him against the wall, "Get your dirty hands off of my coat!"

"Call her," Doumeki said.

"Why should I?"

"Call her now!"

Watanuki started to cough, his whole body shaking with each cough, more blood coming out and it wasn't until Watanuki's eyes closed and his body started to fall forward that Doumeki gave up on trying to be cooperative.

~~Three Hours Later~~

Doumeki sat in a hard, uncomfortable, plastic chair next to a hospital bed where Watanuki was sleeping at. Doumeki wasn't surprised that the fool had gotten a terrible case of phenomena after figuring out that Watanuki had no heat in his apartment and the only true thing Watanuki had procession of was the black gloves that he made for him.

His eyes moved to the door where a small little elderly lady shuffled her feet in, the kimono being of a gray color that her silver hair outshines, her green eyes looked worried and concern at the sleeping body of Watanuki. "Don't come closer," Doumeki said staring at the lady.

The lady ignored Doumeki and walked closer Watanuki, her voice was small but powerful as she spoke, "This isn't the first time that Watanuki had phenomena this severe. Good heavens no, the first time was when his kind folks were still alive. His father's brother was supposed to take care of him during a winter month, his father was called to help those in another country while his mother was schedule to appear at class to be a guest speaker about how important knowing the traditions and cultures of different countries were to gain respect and knowledge about our world and the spiritual world. Watanuki was thrown out of his own house with the only clothing being a t-shirt and short during a terrible snowstorm because his uncle was throwing a party. Watanuki was only sitting out there for only an hour but in a blizzard, that's too much time. His mother had came home early due to the weather and saw her baby boy out in the snow sleeping curled up amongst himself to try and stay warm. She was furious at her brother-in-law, but she wanted to make sure that her son survived so she took him to the hospital first. When his father found out," Doumeki watched as the old lady looked at Watanuki like he was a little boy again, "he pressed charges and was making sure to do everything he could as soon as he could to make sure his brother couldn't come near his family again. When it became rough for his parents, his father would ask me to look after Watanuki to make sure everything would be okay while they were busy fighting for justice."

The old lady placed her hand on Watanuki's forehead gently with a soft smile on her face. Watanuki's eyes opened slowly and turned to look at her, "Ayame?"

"You've been bad Kimiharo," the lady scolded in a gentle voice but with a hard edge causing even Doumeki to flinch, "making your friends worry about you. You know you are prone to severe illnesses in the cold. I also know you didn't follow your father's orders and mine!"

"I don't like coffee and I don't like sake so I don't like them together in the morning like my father," Watanuki responded, his eyes closing again as he started to fall back asleep, "Uncle isn't giving me any of my allowance anymore ever since he discovered I have a job at Yuko's and before even he wouldn't give me more than what he would thought cover my rent and groceries."

Doumeki swore that the old lady just mentally snapped something in half and it wasn't no weak little twig, something along the lines of a study metal support beam. "Oh, if Doctor Watanuki and his wife was still alive that would not be tolerated!" the old lady looked at Doumeki, "What is Yuko's favorite sake?"

Doumeki shrugged, "That's something Watanuki would know. How do you know so much about his past? He never talks about it."

"I was his father's personal nurse. His father was a very sought after doctor that would make house calls to the wealthy and the poor and treat them all the same. When his father was gone on call to another country, he would entrust me to look after his regular patients and his family. His family treated me like I was a part of their family and allowed me to call them by their first names and in return, I allowed them to do the same. Now please excuse me, I have a wish that needs to be granted."

"And what exactly is you wish," a female spoke, a red halter top stopped above her pale waist that was shadowed by long black hair put up in a single pony, black leather pants lead her long lean legs down to black platform sandals.

"For Watanuki's uncle to be haunted," the lady said.

The new female eyes looked at Watanuki before traveling over Doumeki, "Why?"

"Watanuki's uncle is in charge of his parents will, something his parents couldn't change before they passed away. It says that if Watanuki needs money before he turned of age than he will receive it along with getting weekly allowances. His uncle has kept telling him no to anymore than what his uncle thought would be sufficient. Since he got a job with you Miss Yuko, Watanuki no longer receive his money that his parents had requested in the will."

"I see, your payment will be four bottles of your finest alcohol towards the shrine," Yuko responded. "I will deal with our Watanuki's uncle myself."

Doumeki blinked slowly as Yuko and the old lady walked out of the room talking like they were good friends, "Whatever the man gets, he deserves," Doumeki spoke to the sleeping Watanuki.

When Watanuki awoke a coupe hours later, he stared at the ceiling before closing them again letting out a sigh.

"Oi, you awake." Doumeki said causing Watanuki to look at him.

Watanuki nodded before sitting up, "Yes, Ayame was here, wasn't she?"

"Yes, she brought you something when she brought over the sake Yuko told her to give to me," Doumeki responded pointing to the other empty plastic chair. A small bag held four big bottles of sake that was sitting on the seat of the chair but over top of the head of the chair was a much heavier black winter coat, "She said the hat is in the pockets and the gloves are on the table by the door."

Watanuki looked at them before looking back at Doumeki, "Why did Yuko visit?"

"You do no want to know."

"True, the less I know, the better. When can I go home?"

"They said today since you actually healed pretty fast since you actually got rested in a place that had heat."

Watanuki closed his eyes, Doumeki thought he had fallen back asleep, "I'll fix you bentos for the next two months and a scarf if you want to go to my apartment and grab the gloves that are in my desk." Watanuki offered opening his eyes.

"What's wrong with the gloves here?"

"They aren't warm."

"You haven't worn them yet."

"Idiot," Doumeki grumbled, "You can wear those gloves on the table."

"The ones at my apartment are warm and comfortable. I'm asking you for help here Doumeki," Watanuki hissed.

A small smirk escaped onto Doumeki's lips as it clicked in Doumeki's mind, "The gloves in your desk are the ones I made for you aren't they?" He took the slight redness in Watanuki's cheeks and the quick avoidance of the eyes as his answer and stood up. "Very well, I'll get them. I'm expecting you to also make me breakfast in return."

"Fine, just go get them you idiot!" Watanuki said crossing his arms over his chest.

~~Somewhere else~~

A guy jolted awake in bed at feeling someone watching him, his breath slowly calming down as he laughed to himself, "Just my imagination. My brother and his wife are dead, gone! They can't touch me."

"You're right," a female voice said as cranberry eyes seen before the lights flickered on and off, "They can't touch you."

"Who are you?" the man asked as he pulled the covers closer to to his body with every step the lady took towards him.

"You may not know me, but I know you and for denying Watanuki what belongs to him rightfully, you must pay a price for making me almost lose my employee." She reached out and grabbed the man's face with one hand, "To most people, I am known as Yuko but to you, I'm your worst nightmare come to life."

The lights in the house flickered off before the shadows could even imagine the horrors were soon to be seen by those who followed her, because there is a good reason as to why no one has seen Yuko be angry or speak out their experience of facing an angry Yuko.