Doumeki didn't think of himself as a jealous person by nature. In fact, he'd had nothing to be jealous about in his life. It was not until Watanuki had entered, or rather crash landed, into his world that everything had become upset and changed. Ever since that boy had shown up, he began feeling things he'd never really felt before: anger, love, jealousy…they all were woken up by that strange boy in glasses.

So when he saw those two figures standing in the distance talking, his anger had to fight with his jealousy for dominance. Watanuki and Totoro. His fist clenched and the urge to just run and pull them apart nearly defeated him. Gritting his teeth, he began to stalk in their direction, not quite wanting to be noticed until he heard what they were talking about.

Totoro had never made it a secret to the school that he was gay. Nor had he kept it a secret that he was somewhat lecherous and constantly bragged in the boy's locker room about his conquests. Everyone knew he was gay…except Watanuki, apparently. Even if it seemed like they were innocently talking, Doumeki didn't think that Totoro had anything as simple in mind for later.

"As I was saying, I've always actually wanted to talk to you, but with Doumeki-san always around, I didn't want to approach."

Doumeki did not miss the surprised look that came over Watanuki's face as he hid in the shadows of a nearby building. School was out and Watanuki had obviously been heading home before Totoro had accosted him.

"Why would Doumeki stop you?"

Totoro feigned surprise. "Well, aren't you and he…? You know, dating?"

Even from the distance he was at, he could see Watanuki flush. "Of course not! Hell no! Why would you think that?! I would never, ever date Doumeki!"

The archer winced, his heart breaking a little and his resolve wavered, before he forced himself to calm. He had known that there would be problems, obstacles, to deal with before Watanuki could love him and one of those obstacles was the boy's reflex action of "hating" him. But even if he could never love him, he would not leave Watanuki to someone like Totoro, who didn't care if a boy was straight or gay, so long as he got what he wanted.

Sometime during his introspection, he had lost track of the conversation until he picked it up again with a painful beat of his heart. He had to do something and fast, as Totoro was asking to study with him, which could only mean one thing would happen during the study session.

"It's too bad Doumeki-san is away at his cousin's, otherwise I'd invite him to." Totoro gave a charming smile. "But as it is, why don't we just study together?"

"Watanuki has work every day after school, so he can't."

Both boys jumped in surprise at Doumeki's sudden entrance and he almost smiled. He could be exceptionally quiet if he wanted and right then, he wanted it. Watanuki was his to protect and damn if he wasn't going to do it.

"Well, on the week--"

Watanuki shut up as Doumeki leveled him with an almost dangerous look, even if his expression didn't change. Totoro visibly deflated, eyes studying "Reilin" before shrugging, as if Watanuki wasn't worth fighting for. The boy really was an idiot then, because Doumeki couldn't imagine anyone worth fighting for more.

"What the hell was that all about?" Watanuki demanded as Totoro was out of earshot and they were walking to Yuuko's shop.

Doumeki's face didn't change, but Watanuki could not forget the look that had been sent his way when he'd been nice and tried to offer the weekends to study with Totoro. His lips thinned and he glared at his rival. "It's all your fault that everyone thinks I'm gay now and dating you!" he yelled, heedless of the people in the street. "Just by being in your presence, you make life harder for me! It's probably because Himawari thinks we're dating too that she hasn't had the courage to ask me out!"

The archer pulled his fingers out of his ears when Watanuki wound down and there was a tightness around his mouth and eyes that the bespectacled boy did not miss. He blinked in surprise, but something in him told him not to comment on it. He'd learned to listen to that little voice since working with Yuuko, because if he didn't, he usually got into a lot of scrapes.

"Who cares what other people think? It just means they're wrong, that's all."

"Your tone of voice says you wish they were right," he muttered, looking away and missing Doumeki's wince.

He slashed off another day and frowned at the little mini calendar he had decided to keep for the week. Four days left. He hadn't realized how quickly a week passed, nor how used to this female body he was becoming. Biting his tongue, Doumeki sat down on the edge of the futon and wondered what on earth he could do to catch Watanuki's eye. Nothing seemed to have changed: Watanuki was always still yelling at him, and school kept getting in the way.

What he wouldn't give to just kiss that boy and just hold him. To know what it would feel like to touch and fondle that pale skin and run his hands through his hair. But not in this body! He dropped down to lay on the bed, thumping his head against the pillow several times. He wanted to kiss him and love him and hold him as a boy, not a girl.

"Doumeki?"

The archer blinked and lifted his head as the door opened a crack and Watanuki poked his head in. "Yes?" He sat up as Watanuki entered, obviously having just finished getting ready for bed that night. He looked so adorable in his pajamas, even if they were just the standard cotton kind, but he didn't look nearly as sexy without his glasses.

"It's nothing, nevermind."

"What is it?" he asked, standing up. It couldn't be a spirit, not with him staying in the house and all the wards that Watanuki himself had set up. And somehow he doubted it was a burglar, and the boy didn't seem panicked in the slightest of any of those possibilities.

"I was just wondering how you were feeling, is all."

And though the words were tinted with that same annoyance he had gotten used to directed his way, it still had that awkward quality. It was like lunch the previous day, when they'd had that moment of Watanuki finally trying to reach out to him. His hope renewed, the faintest of smiles touched his stoic face. Maybe he was finally getting through to Watanuki. He just hoped that right now was not a momentary aberration, or a dream.

"I made some hot chocolate if you want some," the boy added and all but fled the bedroom. Not exactly what he'd have preferred, but still…it was progress all the same. Perhaps having been changed into a girl was what had been needed, to provide the spark to change their relationship.

With that feeling of hope and love, he left his bedroom to follow Watanuki to the kitchen for some hot chocolate.