Doumeki was annoyed. Watanuki was being an idiot and not asking for help, although he obviously needed it. The baka had fallen for their trap and went into the secret room alone. Now it was time for him to pay the price. He cried out when Mokona grabbed his ankle, and was just about to call for help when Doumeki appeared. "Say it." he demanded. Watanuki told him to get that thing off of him. "Even with this, you still won't say it, huh?" Yuko asked.

Watanuki was mad that they'd tricked him. "Honestly," Doumeki thought. "that idiot is going to hurt himself one day, and he still won't be able to ask me for help." In spite of himself he felt his heart twist at the thought.

Watanuki was furious. How dare they trick him! Especially when they knew how terrible it would be for him! Only the adorable Himawari-chan is forgiven by the mighty Watanuki-sama! Doumeki, Yuko, and the black manju will have to find some way to apologize to him properly! Somehow, he doubted it would happen. His frowned deepened. His chest felt strangely tight. He realised he was clutching at it involuntarily. He looked over at Yuko and saw her staring at him as though he were transparent.

"Watanuki lie down right now!" she ordered. "B-but I feel fine Yuko-san." As he protested, he felt his chest constrict, forcing him to gasp for air. He fell to his knees, and wrapped both arms around his chest. Doumeki was at his side in a flash, in the back of his mind he resented this fact, but he was too focused on trying to get in a proper breath to think about it anymore. He heard Himawari-chan cry out his name, and he felt bad for making her worry about him like this.

"Oi, lie down, you idiot!" Doumeki said. Watanuki tried, he really did, but somehow he couldn't remember how to do anything but gasp. Then he felt hands on his back, and someone lowering him gently to the ground, laying him on his side so he could breath better, the jerk's lap becoming his pillow.

"What's wrong with him?" Doumeki asked, worried.

"An evil aura is affecting him," Yuko replied softly. "we need to get him out of here right now." although her tone was calm, she too seemed a little concerned.

"How will we get him out without moving him too much?" asked Kunogi. Yuko waved her hand, and Watanuki rose a few feet off the floor. Watanuki looked over at Yuko weakly before blacking out.

Thanks to Yuko they had him downstairs in a few minutes, and his breathing improved a little, but Doumeki could see he was still in a lot of pain. "What do we do now?" he asked.

"When he wakes up, he will probably be sick. Himawari-chan, could you please go and get something for him to throw up in?"

"Why?" Doumeki asked as the girl left.

"It's like smoke inhalation, his body will try to get rid of the offending substance anyway it can. Doumeki, you must stay close to him, your purifying aura will help."

Doumeki nodded, resigned to taking care of the idiot.

Sure enough, after half an hour of waiting, Watanuki groaned, shivered, and started to retch.

Doumeki stayed with him the entire time, making sure he didn't choke. Watanuki groaned again, and his eyelashes fluttered. "What happened?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"There is a particularly bad spirit aura in this house, it appeared when we were playing the prank on you, or I would have realised the threat sooner." Yuko explained a little apologetically.

"You won't recover right away, and until you do it would not be wise to move you. However, if you stay in this house it is likely you will be in great pain. I will erect a barrier so it will not affect you so much, and Doumeki will stay with you."

Watanuki nodded once, then began to cough, rendering him breathless.

"Doumeki, put your hand on his chest."

He complied, and was gratified to her a sigh of relief from Watanuki, his face relaxing a bit.

"Mokona," Yuko called, "have you prepared it?"

"Absolutely! We cannot let darling Wata-chan suffer!" He open his mouth and out flew a giant tent.

Yuko pinned the curtain back and helped Doumeki carry Watanuki gently into it and set him on a futon that just happened to be inside. "The tent will act as a kekkai, and it will keep the aura at bay, so try not to open it."

Yuko stepped outside for a moment to talk with Kunogi, and she returned with some water and a cloth. She wet it, and instead of placing it on his forehead, she wrung it out so the water dribbled into his mouth. "He needs to stay hydrated," she warned, "but don't give him too much at once. Give him a little every once and a while. I must go and take care of the spirit, Mokona will stay and help." Mokona bounced in "That's right!" She turned to go. "Oh, and Doumeki, do not let Himawari-chan come in." He nodded, and she left.

After a few hours of dripping water into his mouth, Watanuki woke up again.

He was feverish, and cried out from the pain in his chest, but he calmed down once Doumeki started rubbing his back.

"Doumeki… thanks..." he whispered. "I-I'm so thirsty."

Doumeki gave him a little more water, tilting his head back so he could drink it easier.

"You're going to be okay, you idiot, so just deal with this for a little while more."

Watanuki smiled. "I don't doubt it, you jerk."

When he woke up the third time he screamed. His voice was already shot, so it came out a strangled gasp that turned into a low moan half way through. Doumeki, who had been resting beside him, woke in an instant. He saw Watanuki in pain, and tried to calm him down. He found himself blabbering reassurances, not knowing what to do

"Hey, i'm here, it's going to be okay," he mumbled. He didn't know what to do, and Watanuki was writhing in agony, crying out silently. Then he remembered Mokona! The black manju was napping in the corner!

"Oi, Mokona!" he woke him up with a shout. " Watanuki needs help!"

"Oh no~! Doumeki, you have to cuddle with him!" The black thing somehow managed to be silly even when it was worried. "Your aura thing will help, remember? Now, cuddle with him!"

Doumeki cuddled. Watanuki stopped thrashing, but he was still grimacing with pain.

"It hurts so much." he whimpered. "I can hardly breath!"

"Where does it hurt specifically?"

"M-m-my chest. It feels like something is squeezing my lungs closed with their nails dug all the way in, and my throat is practically dead. You help a bit, so thank you. I'm sure i'd be in much worse condition if you started being your regular jerk self again."

Doumeki felt a little relieved that Watanuki could still insult him, at least he had enough strength to do that.