Title: A Goodbye Kiss
Character/Pairing: Watanuki, Himawari
A/N: Another old story I found digging through the computer. Set around volume 9-10 (I think), when Watanuki found out about Himawari's...curse. Bad luck. Whatever. Anyways, it's slightly AU.
Summary: She tasted like goodbyes and for that, he isn't surprised at all.
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"I don't care," he tells her. His words echo in the room and she wonders when he got to be so loud. A white figure on whiter sheets, he looks terribly fragile, a small flame.
And she will be the one to snuff him out.
"I don't want to hurt you," she repeats, trying to drill this into his mind. She will be his downfall, already has caused it in part, and no amount of sweet words can make her think otherwise. His death will not be another on her hands.
"I will keep trying."
"Don't." It's frustrating and she almost feels like screaming. Doesn't he get how precious his life is?
"Please-"
She holds up a hand to silence him, realizing the futility in her words. Striding across the room, she (struggling not to flinch) raises her hand to stroke his cheek. It will be the only time she can touch him, while he is in the protected domain of Yuuko and she relishes the feel of another person. His cheeks are soft but she can feel the bones beneath them.
Feel the life flowing in them. Hesitating, she makes up her mind and quickly presses her lips against his before leaving the room.
Watanuki says nothing, surprised and quiet for once. "I'll see you tomorrow," he finally says when she is closing the door. Her figure stills before it moves again and is gone.
"I will," he repeats. Gently, he touches his lips, recalling the feathery brush and the bittersweet taste of it, the sorrow in the gesture.
"I will see her tomorrow, at school, and she will have a smile on her face." He is now convincing himself.
-x-
The next day she isn't at school. He finds out she is moving and for some reason he isn't surprised.
It might have had to do with how her kiss tasted like goodbye, more than anything else.
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