Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Well, except the idea. but nothing else! if i did *evil smile* Watanuki would never had inherited the shop after Yuuko's...disappearance...and DouWata would have had a happy ending. Copyright goes to, of course, CLAMP.

~x*x*x*~

Watanuki knew it deep down in his soul. He knew it, even if Yuuko had never told him. Not that she had ever told him much of anything anyways. He was supposed to die long ago. No, he wasn't even supposed to be born in the first place. But Syaoran's wish had changed that. And meeting Doumeki had prolonged his life just a little more. However, Watanuki knew. He knew it was only a matter of time before the store released him.

"Maru, Moro. Come here," Watanuki said gently to the two crying girls; one with blue hair, the other with pink.

The two soulless girls ran to his side and sobbed into the shoulder of his loose kimono.

"Mistress has left us," Maru sobbed. "Left us," Moro whimpered. "Don't leave us too," they begged.

Watanuki felt his heart break. "There's nothing I can do," He whispered softly. "I'm glad I met you, Maru, Moro. I'm sorry I have to leave soon." The two girls cried harder and even Mokona came hobbled in on his little legs. Mokona sat down and tried its best not to cry.

"Are you going to tell Doumeki?" Mokona asked quietly.

"…" Watanuki didn't know what to say, or for that matter, what he would say to Doumeki when the time came. He felt himself losing his appetite day after day, and sleeping more and more. Like Maru and Moro had done before Yuuko passed away. When they were merely concentrating on just keeping themselves, and the store, together.

"Watanuki," the black manjuu bun pleaded, "please don't lie to him."

Watanuki gave a sad smile and looked out at the garden. He sighed and stood carefully. His bare feet touched the cold grass as he stepped down, but to him it felt nice. There was a full moon and so many beautiful stars. He walked slowly, ever so slowly, towards the gate that enclosed the garden. His hand brushed against the cool wood, he sighed again. Memories floated like clouds as they danced around his mind for him to ponder and get lost in.

The first day he had met Yuuko, when she'd practically stolen his pocket watch for a price he wasn't even sure he agreed to. He laughed a little at that. The first day he met Doumeki. When he'd sent that flying kick towards his head. Watanuki smiled. He remembered that day, in the rain, where Doumeki had waited ten hours for him to resurface above the hydrangeas. The day when Yuuko had taken him to that apartment complex where Yuuko had destroyed a computer with her red baseball bat just to grant a wish a woman had to stop using the computer. All the memories came flooding back, no longer a wall to them at bay. Tears threatened to fall, but he kept them there.

Simply put, Yuuko had been the mother Watanuki had lost, and the pain of losing a loved one never went away. Watanuki knew his wish had been granted, maybe not in the way he'd expected, but granted and paid for nevertheless. He had promised to wait, and wait he did, until she came back one day. But as Watanuki realized he'd see her a much faster way than just waiting. He slowly began to change. Grow older. Age. The bonds that restricted him were no longer in place. He'd made his decision. He would delay the inevitable no longer.

Watanuki opened his eyes to see Doumeki, off to the side, staring at him. Watanuki blushed, madly. "Haven't I told you to enter through the front door like a normal person?"

Doumeki smirked, "Hn."

Watanuki rolled his eyes, but then he smiled softly as a wave of nostalgia washed over him.

"I haven't seen you this close to the gate in years," Doumeki commented.

Watanuki gave another sad smile, "I suppose not."

~x*x*x*~

Doumeki knew something was up when he strolled into the shop's garden that evening and saw Watanuki touching the gate with his eyes closed. Of course, he didn't say anything but he was worried. This behavior was not only odd, it was…sad, somehow, Doumeki concluded. Truth be told, he didn't know what had possessed him to seek out Watanuki so late at night, but he shrugged it off. If it was because he had sensed whatever was wrong with Watanuki then he was glad to be there.

Doumeki silently followed Watanuki into the shop, and eyed Mokona as he went in. His eyes saying, "I'll make you talk later." Mokona gulped, and then began scrambling its thoughts on how to…delay the information Doumeki received from him.

Watanuki was headed for the kitchen, Doumeki realized as he followed him. Although…something wasn't quite right…

"Watanuki."

Watanuki turned to look at Doumeki and swallowed. He hoped Doumeki hadn't realized that he'd grown taller and that his face probably looked more mature. "What?" he asked cautiously.

"Snacks."

Watanuki mentally face-palmed himself. He found himself instantly wound up just like he used to get all those years ago. 27, he laughed, 27. I'm aging quicker than I thought, Watanuki thought glumly. Doumeki narrowed his eyes.

"Did you change your hairstyle or something?"

Watanuki chuckled. Not quite, he thought, not quite.

When Doumeki didn't get a reply he stared suspiciously at Watanuki, a sense of déjà vu eating at him. He grimaced, but didn't let it show on his face (as always). All those years ago, he thought, Watanuki would make that face when something was bothering him. And, since he hadn't seen it in so long, Doumeki figured it must be something else. Still…he couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that came with that averting gaze Watanuki was giving him now.

"Watanuki."

Watanuki looked pointedly at him and grumbled, "No. No saké."

Doumeki frowned, a sad—almost puppy like—look crossing his face.

"Oh, no. NO. Do NOT make that face at me, Doumeki."

Doumeki smirked; he could practically feel Watanuki cracking. He wanted to give himself a big pat on the back, but that's just not the kind of guy he is so he settled with a:

"Hn."

Watanuki twitched. His anger boiling now, and he had to struggle to not only keep it off his face, but to severely restrain himself from going into full-rant mode and flailing his arms. Damn these hormones! Watanuki cursed. Watanuki's facial features went through about a dozen different emotions before he turned to face Doumeki with a mild scowl.

"No," Watanuki grinned evilly, "you're being punished."

Doumeki, for once, had nothing but confusion plastered on his face. And that was pretty much all it took for Watanuki to crash to the floor, laughing—and rolling—and pounding his fists into the floor; hold his stomach, catch a few breaths, and then go into another fit of giggles. Doumeki face grew even more perplexed, if that was even possible, as he watched his best friend look like he was going insane.

"Watanuki, are you sick?" Doumeki asked tentatively.

Watanuki froze, all traces of laughter gone now. He sighed and glanced at Doumeki.

"No. You're such a buzz killer, Doumeki."

Said person lifted an eyebrow at this. "You're drunk?"

Watanuki laughed again, clear and hearty, "Nope, never been more sober!"

Doumeki let the smallest of smiles cross his face before it disappeared behind his usual stoic expression. He hadn't seen Watanuki laugh in a long time. In fact, this was the most life Doumeki had seen in him since…since the incident. Perhaps, he hoped, perhaps Watanuki was learning to live again. Bit by bit.

Watanuki brought out the platter of snacks. He told them that when they finished not to worry because he would get it in the morning and to just head on to bed. Watanuki shuffled to his bedroom and collapsed onto the four-poster bed. He sighed. He couldn't remember being this tired since his first couple of months as Shopkeeper—now that had been a disaster. As his thoughts turned to the past, as it was inevitable, he thought of how he had missed Kohane's and Doumeki's wedding. The thought made his heart clench and he felt sorrow, regret, and remorse. But then, he smiled. He'd be able to see her soon again. Just like he'd meet Yuuko.