He walked through, rearranging and dusting as he went. Putting things neatly on the shelves he could have sworn he had properly cleaned and arranged just the other day, every once in a while coming across something he didn't recall seeing before. None of it really caught his attention, though, most of if was what he considered junk. Odd little crystals, children's toys, very out of style clothing from decades ago. Why Yuuko called it treasure was well beyond him, but he had learned not to question his employer on things like this, her answers made even less sense.
As he continued on, he stepped on something covered in a layer of dust, he pulled back his foot as if burned, praying to any deity that would listen that he hadn't broken it. Almost reverently he picked up the object in question; it was a small, silver worked, handheld mirror. A mirror that was, blessedly, free of any damage.
Tucking his feather duster into one of the pockets of his apron, he pulled out a rag from another, wiping away the dust that had obscured the fine silver work. The glass was of high quality, and free of dust, shown like a calm lake in moonlight. It was absolutely mesmerizing. This, of all the junk he had seen, was a treasure.
When he held it up to the little light coming in through the doorway, the glass seemed to waver. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had hallucinated it. But no, it was still rippling, like water. Shocked, he almost dropped it onto the ground, but his fingers felt glued to the silver framing.
And then images began to show. It looked like his school, but it was somehow…dirtier. Sort of like a rough and tumble look, as if it had seen itself through a small war and survived mostly intact. The glass rippled again and zoomed in onto the back of a boy that strode along with purpose and pride. His black hair fell down to his waist and was tied in a braid, letting it flap with every confident step. And while his clothes were clean and pressed, it appeared as if they weren't quite as neatly worn as the school regulations required. Fingers were slim as he lifted them to run over his pouty lips that just begged to be smothered by kisses. The students around him tended to back away or give him a respectful distance, as if they either admired or feared him. He cut a lean figure and it wasn't until he glanced to the side that Watanuki could get a look at his face and a gasp filled the treasure room.
That was him!
What was this mirror? He was tempted to turn away to ask Yuuko, when the mirror-Watanuki had reached his destination. Another back, this time, but this one was far more muscled. His arms were as muscular as his back, and, by the way the fabric hung, he had the few top buttons of his uniform jacket undone, clearly defying school rules. Watanuki couldn't hear anything, but when mirror-Watanuki called out the other boy turned.
DOUMEKI SHIZUKA!
Could no form of himself ever be free of that jerk?! Stupid total ass-wait…Watanuki's eyes narrowed as he watched. His other self in the mirror didn't seem to be detested by Doumeki, and even smiled at him.
He felt as if his hands were suddenly burning when he watched in horror as the Watanuki before him was pulled possessively into his archrival's arms and kissed with obvious passion. And he was ENJOYING it! NO, mirror-Watanuki was far more than enjoying it, as he had wrapped his arms around Doumeki and one hand slipped beneath the untucked shirt.
Somehow, Watanuki had the feeling that if a few other boys hadn't interrupted them, they would have had sex right there in the middle of the school grounds. Whatever it was that the boys said, he didn't know, but they gave Doumeki, and by extension mirror-Watanuki, great respect bordering on awe. Mirror-Watanuki frowned and pulled away from mirror-Doumeki, and by the other students going their separate ways, class had begun. As the not-real Watanuki turned to leave, the not-real Doumeki swatted him playfully on his behind.
Watanuki almost literally gagged at the scene. That couldn't have been more disgusting. Oh, it wasn't two boys having sex or being lovers that bothered him; he considered himself very open minded about the whole thing. No, it was this look-alike of himself kissing the look-alike of his archrival with obvious relish.
The mirror's glass rippled again, for at least a minute, before settling back to normal. Judging by the amount of students leaving, the day was over for school. Doumeki was standing by the gate, surrounded by other boys and even a girl or two, and was obviously waiting for someone. What, was Doumeki the leader of some huge gang? All those gathered around the archer seemed to have a tattoo on the backs of their hands, but he couldn't make out what it was.
When mirror-Watanuki showed up, some life sparked in mirror-Doumeki. And while he didn't seem to be all that different from the Doumeki the real Watanuki knew, there were far more emotions displayed. Watanuki of the mirror seemed to laugh as he was pulled into another intimate kiss and with an arm slung around his waist; the couple, surrounded by the "gang" of students, strode down the streets as if they owned them.
Mirror-Doumeki started talking and after a few minutes, the rest of the group separated, leaving the couple alone in the empty street. Watanuki said something and whatever it was, it set off a roguish, sexy smile from Doumeki even as the real Watanuki watched. And without warning, the mirror Watanuki was pressed up against the nearby wall lining the sidewalk, rather forcefully, but it didn't seem to injure his other self.
In fact, his other self seemed excited! He was even panting in anticipation!
Mirror Doumeki smiled in an almost predatory fashion and dropped his bag to pin both of mirror Watanuki's wrists above the bespectacled boy's head, while the other plunged itself, without preamble, straight into his pants, disregarding the fact that at any moment, someone could come by and catch them. Mirror Watanuki seemed to cry out in delight, arching into that hand as it ravished him, while real Watanuki screamed, high pitched, in horror, and tossed the mirror away from him. He didn't care if it shattered on the ground, or if he had to take Yuuko's punishment!
He fled the back room of the shop, half running, half stomping angrily. Yuuko was responsible for this some how; he knew his boss, she was probably giggling madly somewhere right now over what she had done. Well, he wasn't going to put up with that.
Stripping off his apron and the bandana in his hair, he tossed them aside and went to the front of the shop, almost violently pulling on his shoes. "I'm leaving!" He shouted into the shop. "You can make your own dinner tonight!" With that he slammed the door and was gone.
Yuuko, coming out of one of the various back rooms, rubbed at her eyes sleepily. Taking a few moments to come into complete consciousness after her nap. Mokona bounced up on her shoulder, looking slightly confused, and, with a long-suffering sigh, she regarded the black creature with a serious expression. "He found something that showed him a world he wanted to see, but I'm not sure if he's ready yet."
"Oh." Mokona said, as if understanding perfectly. "So he won't be making us dinner tonight."
"No." Yuuko paused, then turned a smile on Mokona. "But he won't be telling us to stop drinking either."
I created this story with a friend of mine, Orochimaruhan on the xxxholic and the doumekiwatanuki livejournal communities