Disclaimer: xxxHolic, by CLAMP

Fanfiction by Rachel

The Umbrella and the Riceball

Part 1

!!The Spirit's Assistance!!

I glided down one of the many empty streets in Japan, the rain falling around me in sheets, not seeming to touch any part of my slim, gangly form. The water, to any normal human, just disappeared a few yards above my black head. But to my eyes, the spirit of the riceball towered above me and sheilded me by shadowing every one of my steps.
I am Kimihiro Watanuki, seventeen-year-old high school student and slave to Yuko Ichihara's magic shop. I have one hazel and one blue eye because I gave the sight in my right eye for a wish as compensation and Shizuka Domeki offered half of his own eye's sight to help me. So, now he can see ghosts as well.
I smile softly as I push open the gates to Yukko's shop, looking up at the faceless triangle of ghost rice,
"Thank you."
The spirit bowed and, disappearing into the mist, left the street open to where Domeki stood with two umbrellas, one over his head and the other at his side.
He turned his gaze to me blandly,
"Watanuki, you need an umbrella?"
As drizzle began soaking my hair and I laugh, I hold up my hand in a greeting,
"Hey, Domeki."
He thrust the straw rain-blocker at me, and I catch it and open it,
"Don't need you sick."
I blink as he turns and disappears. Why does he care all of a sudden?
"Watanuki!" "Watanuki!"
Two identical voices rang out from the shop doors,
"The mistress needs you!" "The mistress, the mistress!"
Shrugging it off, I turn on my heel to face the small shop amoung taller buildings as tall as sky-scrapers, in it's uniqueness, and head for the two soul-less girls,
"I'm coming!"

Part 2

!!The Witch's Package!!

I tied on my white apron and bandanna, darting to Yuuko's side, "Sorry I'm a bit late, a spirit kept me."
A beautiful woman in her twenties with long straight black hair and sharp red eyes lay stretched out on a long red couch, a black kimino draped over her slim form, pouted up at him, "Watanuki, get my sake!"
I groan, "Yuuko! You drank your weight in liquor last night! And plus, I'm out of advil." She moaned, "Fine! Then make me some herbal tea!" I scowl, turning and heading to the kitchen. "Oh, and make dinner, too, Watanuki!" She calls after me.
"FiNe!" I yell back as I shut the door with a loud clack! Yuuko sighed heavily, "That Watanuki. He may complain up a storm, but he really does his job well."

I slide the kitchen door open a few minutes later, holding a tray with Inari-sushi and tea in little white tea cups, and stride over to Yuuko.
She sips at her tea as I set up dinner for her at the pine table in front of her little couch, "Inari-sushi? Yum!" I sigh and cross my legs on the floor, leaning my chin in my hand and leaning my elbow on my knee.
My crystal blue eyes stare absentmindedly at the wall as she eats, and she looks up with a black roll sticking out of her mouth, "Oh, Watanuki? I have a job for you. Tomorrow night, bring that green tea cup over there on the flower table to the nice fox child that helps his father with the oden shop."
I snap from my trance, looking over to the tall oak table with the pink cloth over it to where a cup and saucer sat wrapped in white paper and tied with a rubberband, blinking, "Why? Whats in it?"
Yuuko just chugged the last of her tea, "You'll see, I made it especially for him." I rose from my spot on the thin white carpet and walked over to it, picking the fragile ceramic in my hands, weighing it.
My eyebrows fly up, "It's heavy enough to be five pounds!"
Yuuko just smiled, "That's it's ideal weight." I set the package down gently, staring at it. The next full moon was tomorrow night, and although I knew you could only get to the fox's oden cart on a full moon, I had a feeling something very special was going to happen on that same night. Now what could it be?

Part 3

!!The Dream of Fate!!

Shizuka Domeki's grandfather Haruka stood before me, smiling happily in the darkness, hands hidden in his wide sleeves and black hair neatly trimmed down, "Kimihiro, welcome."
I smile back, "Evening, Haruka."
Haruka chuckled, "I see you are in a much better mood tonight. How are you feeling?"
I blink, smile disappearing from my face, "Fine. Why do you ask?"
The spirit studied me for a second, then sighed, "Your fainting spells have Shizuka on edge lately, I can't explain it."
I almost laughed at how serious he was, "Domeki? Worried about me?"
Haruka's doubtful expression made me pause, "He really cares about you, Kimihiro. Though it might not occur to you quite yet."
I cock my head and open my mouth, but my eyes open as well and I see ceiling above me once more.

It was morning at Yuko Ichihara's magic wish-granting shop, a bright and cloudless Friday to cheer and bad mood. I grab my black suitcase bag and sit on the porch steps to tie my shoes. Hearing tap-tap-tap on the front walk across from me, I assume Domeki's here to annoy me to death on our way to school.
I finish with my shoe laces and look up at him. He rests one hand on his hip, holding his own case in the other, and stares down at me with dim hazel eyes, "Hey." I scowl, standing and taking my case, "My name is not 'hey' Domeki." He just turns sideways as I pass and falls into step behind me, "Whats for lunch?" Just his voice gets on my nerves, but I remember something, "Inari-sushi," I mumble.
As we pass through the shop gates and scross the street, he stares at the back of my head, I can feel his eyes, "You ok?"
I turn my head so he can't see my flush, "I... wanted to... ask you something... Domeki..."
He quickened his pace in a few wide strides. Damnhis long legs. "Yeah? What is it?"
I grip the handle of my black pack tightly, trying not to faulter my steps too much, "W-What would you do if... if I ever... died?"
Domeki leaned forward, desperatly trying to get a glimpse of my face, "What, are you going to commit suicide?"
I dip my chin down a bit, "Well, no, but..." He straightened up and faced forward again, "Then I don't know."
That's when I turned to look at him, "What's that mean?"
We patter through the school doors into the hallway.
Domeki shrugs his broad shoulders, "I mean I'll never let anything take your life."

BBBRRRIIINNNGGG!!
My face feels hot and I know I'm blushing as I watch him turn away to walk off down the hall, but I reach out and grasp his wrist. He freezes in mid-step, "Yes?" "Why?" My voice is shaking, yet I held his wrist tighter.
"Why what?"
It was my turn to study the back of his head, "Why wouldn't you let anything kill me?"
He turned slowly to face me, wrist limp in my grasp, "...Well, you don't want to die, do you?" I'm at a loss for words.
He stared at me as I let his hand go, my heart in my feet, "Besides," he turns and continues down the line of black lockers, "I don't know what I'd do if you died."
Himiwari rounded the corner at a run and appeared at my side, "Watanuki-kun, I was just sent out looking for yo-" Her eyes widened, "Oh my gosh, what's the matter?!"
I glance in the window beside me in the hallway, seeing my reflection blurred with tears. Quickly, I use the palms of my hands to try to wipe them away, "H-Himiwari-chan, I-I..."
Her green eyes are tight with worry, and her long curly black hair flows out behind her as she takes out a hankercheif and lowers my hands, gently blotting at my damp face, "What happened? Are you hurt?"
I sniff, smiling, "N-No, I'm just being dramatic. It's fine." By this time, my heart has risen to my throat and I have butterflies in my stomach.

Part 4

!!Realization For One!!

At lunch, I sit with Himiwari on the white steps to the second floor to the school eating the sushi I had made for Domeki. He had a teacher to plan something with, so he couldn't make it. Usually I would rejoice and thank God he wasn't there to bug me. Not today.
I munch absentmindedly on a peice of fish, staring at the wall as Himiwari eats her portion of the meal and flashes me her dazzeling smile, "This is delicious, Watanuki-kun!"
I don't respond. My head is screaming, Find him! Come on, tell him! But I swallow and let my arm drop, still holding the other half of the fish.
Her smile fades to be replaced with a worried stare, "Watanuki?" I blink and look over at her, "Huh? Oh, sorry, Himiwari-chan."
She frowned. Not the right look for her pretty face. "Watanuki, are you upset about Domeki not being here? That's a new one for you."
I feel my cheeks grow hot and turn away, "I-I just wanted to talk to him, I'm not upset!" I hear a giggle from behind me, whirling around to face her.
She smiles, "Just by saying your not upset proves that you are. Normally, we do that as girls. Whats up you wanted to talk to him about?"
My shoulders slump. Should I ask her for advice...? I hesitate. What would she think? Himiwari waits patiently for me to start, folding her hands in her lap.
I shift my gaze to the floor on the far side of the hall, "I... I was wondering if... Domeki... l-lov--" I grit my teeth, dropping my head and gripping my hair in my fingers tightly, "God, I don't even know how to ask him!"
Himiwari froze for a second, then her brow smoothed out, "I see." She said. Her voice shook slightly.
I don't look up. "Do you... understand?"
Himiwari sighed, nodding, "Yes, I do. I thought you'd wait a bit longer, though."
Ok, that got me to lift my head and look at her, "You knew?"
She smiled sheepishly, "Well, sort of. Just the way he looks at you when your back's turned kinda made me suspect, but... I didn't think you'd catch on for awhile..."
I pause to ponder this. "How, exactly, does he look at me?"
Himiwari shrugged, "Just like he's paniced you might get hurt again like when I made you fall out that window, other times like he wishes you would just stop seeing ghosts to keep you safe from everything."
I stare up at the ceiling and smile as I imagine that look on his face. Pretty hard. "I wonder... Do you think... he might...?"
She set her hand on my shoulder, "He just might. But I think he wants to be the one to protect you, too."
BBRRRRRRIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!

Part 5

!!Yuko's No-Umbrella Rule!!

For the first time that day, I open my locker in the senior hallway. As I shove a few notebooks hurridly into the cramped space and take a deep breath, a peice of torn notebook paper flutters to the tile floor. My eyes wander down to it after a second, and I close my locker and bend to pick it up, suitcase for home in my free hand. My fingers gently grasp the thin white light-weight with curiosity. I turn it over to see Yuko's neat cursive handwriting engraved on the back,

Don't use an umbrella today.

-Yuko

A groan escapes my throat and I tuck it into my shirtpocket in frustration, whirling around to face the hallway windows. My shoulders slump. It's raining in sheets as thick as my Geology textbook, and neither Domeki nor Himiwari are in sight accompany him. Shaking my head as if I already have rain in my thick black locks, gripping my suitcase handle, and turning sharply to face the steps to the first floor and front doors, I take off at a stomp down the hall.

I hesitate at the double doors to my school. Not really looking forward to running in the rain, but know it can't be avoided. With Yuko, her advice is well followed, since she can predict the future.
BBBBBBBBRRIIINNNNNGGGGGGG!!
"Whoa...!" I'm swept up by a huge crowd with third bell students in seconds and am carried out the door in the wake of millions of umbrellas, fighting to stay on my feet as I'm jostled about. After a few minutes, it calms down a bit with the rowdy students dispersed. We're passing stores and resturants now. I hold my bag above my head, glancing in bakery windows. How oh how I longed to be warm and comfortable with all those workers inside. I shiver. Rain slicks my hair to the sides of my face, blurrs my glasses, runs down the back of my shirt and I sneeze suddenly. People widen my space now. That's one plus. My steps faulter as my crowd brushes passed the door to a small ramen shop and a warm hand grasps my elbow. It pulls me inside, away from the rain, and down onto a stool.
"I thought idiots couldn't catch colds."

Part 6

!!The Unexpected Escort!!

I jerk my head up and squint through water droplets clinging to my bangs to see Domeki standing over me. His hand still gently holds my arm, as if he was afraid I'd fall over onto the wooden floor, and his expression was blank as usual. Suprise slides away from my face and I blink. Then my temper kicks in.
"Whats the matter? I was on my way home, ya know, Domeki." I snap.
Worry flickers across his face for an instant, then it's gone. My anger fades like a fire doused in ice water.
"I heard you sneeze. Are you sick?" He replies, unphased.
I break our gaze to stare at the floor.
"I'm ok," I mumble.
He pulls up a stool beside me, "You look like you have something on your mind."
I glance up at his hand on my arm. He softens his grip, but doesn't let go.
"I-I'm just wondering why Yuko told me not to use an umbrella today."
He leans forward and I turn my face away,
"You want anything to eat?"
I shake my head, slipping out of his grasp to stand on my own two feet and shifting my suitcase to my other hand,
"No. I've got to get back to the sho- ACHOO!"
My sneeze racks my entire body with pain and I swear under my breath, lifting my arm to wipe my nose.
"Damn it..."
Domeki rises beside me, handing me his hankercheif,
"Would you mind if I joined you? My temple's that way." I blow my nose and sigh.
"Sure, I don't mind." He is out of my view now, but I feel a slight tingle at my shoulder like there's a hand hovering over it, and I tense. The tingle fades.

Part 7

!!Chaperone!!

Domeki and I stand on Yuko's porch in the rain, taking off our shoes. He had refused to use an umbrells because I couldn't the whole way there with his usual stuborn attitude. What an idoit. By this tme, I'm shivering and sneezing like crazy, and my head feels so light, I could almost float away like a balloon. Domeki slides the door open for me, letting me in before following and shutting it behind him. As I head for Yuko's lounge room, he catches my arm,
"Dry clothes first," This is an order, not a suggestion.
"I'll talk to her for a minute." I don't argue at the tone of his voice and nod, turning down my own hallway.

Changing into an extra school uniform with a sigh of weainess at my errand to run tonight, I let the warmth of the clothes soak up my body and close my eyes, sitting on my bed mat. Taking a deep breath, I rise to my feet and slide open my door.
As I enter Yuko's lounge catiously I see Domeki sitting across from her on a cushion and join him on the floor. They both turn to look at me. Yuko smiles,
"Ah, Watanuki. It seems you've caught a cold. Unfortunate." She heaved a sigh, lifting her tea cup to her lips,
"I guess Domeki just has to go with you tonight."
Domeki jerked his head to look at her, leaning forward,
"He's still going?"
The worry in his voice made me stare at him.
Yuko sipped her drink, then smiled,
"I know you're worried about his health, but he has to do this tonight. Besides, you can be his chaperone if he faints and ward away spitits." She turns to me as Domeki lowers his gaze to the floor,
"The two of you may go after dinner for the fox's oden cart."
I gazed at Domeki for a minute more, then headed for the kitchen.
It was a full moon, and I think Yuko has something big planned for our little trip.

Oden is a Japenese stew with meats, vegetables, and a few fruits cooked by only special traveling carts. It is very delicious.

Part 8

!!Company!!

The three of us stand on the porch in the cool night, listening to owls hoot and grasshoppers chirp under a full moon. I gaze up at the sky. The colour of the moon is a brilliant orange, the color of a sunrise, and the stars shine brightly. I absentmindedly tighten the black gloves on my hands and Yuko holds out the cup,
"Now hurry along, you only have a few hours to deliver this."
I blink from my trance and lift the package gently in my hands, examining it from behind my glasses. It was still wrapped in it's white cloth, but now it had a small red bow on the top. I scowled. Yuko trying to disguise another payment delivery.
Domeki lets me get ahead by a few steps before turning to Yuko,
"Can I at least give him something?"
Yuko nods, handing him a tablet,
"For cold symptoms."
She leaned towords him,
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
He looks after me, then back to her,
"Yes."
She hands him something,
"Good. Now go, and watch him."

Domeki catches up to me after awhile and paces me in unison. He hands me the tsblet, and I swallow it,
"Thanks."
We tap-tap-tap down the street for awhile in silence.
"Have you fainted at all today?"
I keep my eyes ahead,
"No, I'm sure you'd hear about it if I had."
He plugs his ears like he usually does to block out my screaming, but I don't scream. I just quicken my pace and walk a few steps before him.
He looks after me, only leaning forward,
"Whats wrong?"
I turn my head away as he tries to glimpse my face,
"Nothing, I..."
I lift my eyes to see a hole in front of me in the asphalt. It's pitch black and about the size of a basketball. I gape at it, I've seen these before! I stumble backwards, and Domeki catches me, "This hole! Stay from it, it'll suck you down!"
He pulls me out of range of it as a hand popps up and grabs his leg. I land on my back, scrambling over to him as it pulls him slowly down into it's deep darkness, and grab his hand,
"Domeki!"
He's pulled farther and farther down, me with him, so he shakes me off,
"Stay back, it'll get you too!"
He shouts.
I grit my teeth, lunging forward again,
"No way!"
He glances behind him. Both of his legs are already down the hole. His hazel eyes bore into mine,
"Get back, Kimihiro!"
Suprised, I just sit there on my knees and he yanks away again. Hands empty, I gaze in horror after him as he slid deep down into the monster's hole.

Part 9/1

!!Vison!!

I sweep my fingertips over the bumpy street in panic,
"Shizuka!"
My eyes franticly searched the empty sidewalks to my left and right for any sing of my lost friend, finding nothing. I look up, seeing the moon a new blood-red. How can it be such a beautiful colour?! My hands begin to tremble and it creeps up into my arms and across my entire body. In a minute I'm one big shaking leaf. I hug myself and hang my head,
"D-Domeki... No..."

My eyes fly open. There's a warm hand gripping one of my own, but all I can see is the orange moon overhead. Domeki leans a bit into my view and stares at me,
"Watanuki?"
Seeing his face shocks me a little, so he helps me sit up and I just gaze at him. He studies me to make sure I'm not hurt,
"You fainted again, how do you feel?"
I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head. I am such a loser. That must've been what I feel on, my head.
"F-Fainted?" I managed.
He softens his grip on my hand like he had been holding my life to earth by it.
"Yeah. You told me, 'Nothing,' and just kinda crumpled to the ground."
I drop my head into cupped hands, and he startles,
"Are you alright, Watanuki?"
I leaned my head against his chest sideways,
"I-I thought you were dead..."
He senses my releif, watching my shoulders rise and fall unevenly under his chin.
"I heard you mumbling my name. Was that what you were so worked up about?"
My head shakes back and forth slowly,
"Yes..."
I don't know what made me say it. Just, it had been so real...
His free hand draped across my shoulders,
"Your releived I'm not dead?"
Shakily, I lift my head a few inches, nodding silently.
He helps me get up off the sidewalk where he had layed me, releasing my hand gradually.
"Are you alright to keep going?"
I take a shaky breath, setting my open hand over my heart and looking up at him with a smile,
"Yeah, I'll be ok now."
We continued in silence, Domeki hugging the package to his chest.
Then, after a minute, I sigh,
"Thanks, Domeki."
I can sense the motion of his head as he looks at me,
"For what?"
This time I turn my head to smile,
"For always being there for me."

((Part 9/2 (2/2) ))

Domeki steped up to walk beside me,
"Well, we are sorta connected,"
he pointed to my hazel eyes he had given me.
I look away, blushing,
"I guess we are. Besides, it really is nice having you with me. I mean,"
I sigh, looking out to my right where he wasn't,
"Yuko never lets me even leave the shop without either you or Mokana."
Domeki's tone changes,
"Oh?"
"Yeah, and I prefer you over that black cream puff."
As he appears standing in front of me, I scuffle to a stop,
"Why?"
I lift my hands in front of my face to block his view and turn my face away,
"W-Why what?!"
In one swift motion, he takes both of my wrists and pins me up against one of the concrete walls next to the sidewalk and turns me so I'm facing him, leaving my hot face exposed.
"Why do you like having me around?"
He's so close, I feel his sweet breath wash over me and smell his calone. I weaken in his firm but gentle grip,
"W-Well, u-uh, since I got used to the names, I kinda see how often you're watching out for me."
He presses closer to me until the toes of our shoes touch, face dangerously close to mine,
"And?"
"A-And what? What do you want from me?" I sputter.
His fingers are locked around my wrists,
"The truth, that's all I ask."
My glasses slide down my nose,
"I-I, well..." I swallow, "I really like you, ok? Happy?"
Nope. His grasp didn't faulter.
"Just spit it out."
"Why?! You know what I mean!" I burst.
He leaned forward and slid his nose by mine, pressing his lips to my own, melting any anxiousness or anger I had left. I closed my eyes, letting his scent fill my senses and relaxing. Our fingers found spaces for the other's as the cool breeze rustled our hair.

Part 10

!!WoW!!

Walking side by side, Domeki and I reach the oden cart steamingwith freshly made stews. We meet the older fox outside and bow respectfully,
"Hello, sir. Yuko sent us here tonight."
Domeki turned slightly to face the small fox as he darted out from under the cloth door, clinging to my waist,
"Watanuki!"
I petted his small furry head,
"Hello, little one."
The older fox smiled,
"What brings you boys out here so late?"
I step up beside Domeki, gently lifting the package from his hands and holding it to my chest,
"A package for the little one."
The elder fox reached out and took it from me, swiftly moving to the inside of his cart and setting it on the counter. Domeki, the younger fox, and I joined at the stools staring at it.
The elder patted the young fox's head,
"Open it."
The child used his small orange paws to gingerly tear the wrapping paper off.
We all gaped at it but the elder.
It was a startling grass green, with beautifuly painted Japenese Sakuras(cherryblossoms) and twisted darker green vines. Shinning brightly in the lanturn lights, it looked brand new, and hand-made.
The young fox jumped for joy,
"A fortune cup, a fortune cup!"
Domeki and I exchanged glances,
"Fortune cup?" I asked.
The old fox nods,
"Yes, if used correctly, you can predict the future very vaugly."
Domeki startled, taking out the small black silk pouch from his pocket tied with a gleaming silver ribbon,
"Yuko told me that these go to the cup as well."
The fox took the bag and untied it, handing the ribbon to the younger fox and taking a pinch of ashes from it's contents. He sprinkled about a milimeter of the burnt stuff over the bottom of the cup,
"These are special ashes, made from a bible caught in a church fire. Very rare, but they work perfectly."
I watched intently as the fox swished the ashes about the rounded cup bottom, a silvery black against the pure white bottom - and spat in it.
I flinched. Disgusting!
He slid the saucer from under the cup and held it over the top, shaking it three times, then setting both down beside each other.
The three of us lean over to see inside it. A pile of saliva ashes. I wrinkle my nose,
"Is that it?"
As an answer, the fox snatched up the cup and dumped the ashes into the garbage behind the counter. He set the cup back down in front of us.
My eyes grew wide.
There was the symbol of a sunrise, the Japanese flag, in sticky ashes on the bottom.
"This means I will have no more coustomers tonight."
The fox chuckled.
I blinked in confusion,
"Is it always so short on time?"(early to where the user is now)
The fox shook his great ears,
"No, just this one telling me the next thing to happen. Usually it's more interesting than this, maybe you should try it next."
I nod,
"Alright."
After washing the cup, it was my turn to sprinkle the ashes perfectly and spit into the cup. I shook it three times, then dumped the remaining ashes into the garbage.
We all gazed down at the symbol in shock.
I froze,
Domeki jumped up from his chair and slammed his hands on the counter top,
the little fox hid behind his father,
and the elder fox sucked in a gasp.
A black snake wrapped around a skull with narrowed eye holes and vampire teeth stared out at me from inside the cup.
Domeki jerked his head to look at me in angry horror
"Watanuki, the-"
"The vampirism symbol of death."
My voice was barely a whisper.

Part 11

!!Involvement!!

Domeki was the first to shove open the shop's doors and dart inside, me lagging behind.
He had eventually coaxed me off the stool at the cart, but my legs took a bit longer to recover from the shock of my fortune.
"We have a problem,"
I hear Domeki state to Yuko as I stumble into her lounge.
He turns to me as I enter, worry creasing his features, and helps me sit on the carpet, sinking down beside me.
Yuko lay on her long couch, a loose red kimono across her slender body, pale and legs exposed while srteam from her candles and pipe envelope her,
"He used the fortune cup, did he?"
A simple question.
Domeki pressed closer to me inconspicuously,
"What do we do?"
She sighed and sat up slowly,
"We can do nothing. It is up to him to change his own destiny."
I didn't care if Yuko saw anymore, I leaned gently sideways until my shoulder was against Domeki's, eyes on the floor.
My glasses shimered in the lighting as he looked down at me.
"Can't I do anything?"
He asked, voice steady.
Yuko shook her long black hair so it waved down her back,
"All you can do is protect him, for now. Be his bodyguard."
Domeki was at a loss for words.
I felt his eyes on the top of my head,
"Becoming a vampire, then getting killed... is that really my fate?"
My voice was small, insignifigant.
And I already knew the answer.
Yuko swooped down to me, tipping my chin up with her finger,
"I'm sorry, that's what the fortune cup predicted, so it shall be."
Domeki looked away.
I could tell he was frustrated.
This was the guy who always seemed to save my life, even when it looked hopeless.
Yuko left to check on Moro and Maru.
It was just me, and him.
"I don't want you involved," I whispered.
He jerked his head to look down at me,
"What?"
I struggled away from him, sitting upright and leaning away,
"I don't want you getting hurt because of my fate. Leave this to me."
My voice was a bit louder.
He rose to his knees and set a hand on my shoulder,
"Watauki?"
I gritted my teeth,
"Every time something is to happen to me, it's my friends who get hurt."
"Watanuki."
He's crept closer, I can feel his breath down my neck now.
I clench my fists on my knees,
"I want to do this by myself."
He shifts so I turn my head to look up at him and he kisses me.
After a few seconds, he pulls away and looks down at me,
"I can't let you."
I hung my head.
Swayed by a kiss.
"But..."
He shakes his head,
"No, Watanuki."
I fall silent as he rises to his feet and looms over me,
"Think you can survive the night without me?"
No answer.
Then he's gone.

Part 12

!!From Now Until Forever!!

The next morning, I'm sitting on the porch out back staring over the open yard.
I tug at my school uniform sleeves, leaning against a wooden pole sideways.
Yuko is inside with black Mokona eating the breakfast I had made earlier.
Moro and Maru are asleep in their room, coating the shop in protective shells.
"Is he still here?"
Domeki's voice drifts from behind the paper door.
My ears perked.
"Yes, outside. But may I have a word with you first?"
Yuko sounds very mysterious.
"Sure."
I hear him sit down. Probrably in front of her breakfast table.
"Watanuki is in mortal danger, as you know."
Silence.
"But there is a way to save him."
A sharp intake of breath.
"How?"
I can feel Yuko smile.
"You must wish it first. Will you pay the price to save Watanuki's life?"
"I will."
"No hesitation, hm? Alright. To save him, you must take the hit of the stake to kill his vampire self."
My jaw drops.
"How?"
Domeki sounds skeptical.
"Don't worry, since you have made the wish, it shall be. And when you get hit, I suggest following your instinct."
I bolt up from the porch edge, striding angrily into the garden.
How could he just kill himself like that? For me, on top of it all! I used to hate hi-
My feet freeze in spot.
I used to hate him... But... I love him...
I hang my head, standing near the back fence where Yuko had me plant violets last week.
They thrived in the sunlight, wet with dew from the nightly shower.
I know he must love me too, but this!
This is too much.
I hook my hands on the top of the fence, heaving myself over and disappearing into the city beyond.
I had caused enough pain.