Rivals
Getting Yuuko and Meiling in the same room was never a good idea. In fact, it was the worst possible thing you could do as Watanuki realized too late when they came over to celebrate his fifteenth birthday.
"Pass the soy sauce, please," Meiling asked Yuuko in a sugary sweet voice.
Yuuko responded in an equally sugary voice. "Of course."
The rest of the family had to sit by awkwardly and watch the leaser beams they were directing at each other. The tension in the air could be cut with butter knife.
Watanuki had to suppress a groan at his aunt's and his boss's childish rivalry. Why they were this way he didn't have a clue. He recalled the first time they had met each other. Actually, the meeting hadn't been much different from now accept back then they hadn't even tried to pretend to like each other. Meiling had been more direct with her scorn but Yuuko had caught on quite fast.
Why did two of the three most important adult females in his life have to hate each other? Why couldn't they get along? Why did they have to make his life just that much more difficult?
There was a clatter and Yuuko's innocent, "Oops. I'm sorry. My hand slipped."
Watanuki flinched as he saw his aunt's dress stained dark with sauce. He could see the absolute rage radiating off her skin. It was strong enough to scald his dad and Himawari who both moved slightly away from her.
His mother laughed loudly and tried to defuse the situation.
"Don't worry Meiling. I'll clean that right up."
"Don't bother," Meiling said. She stood up calmly, like a queen.
Yuuko also stood and the two stubborn and strong willed women stared at each other.
Doumeki, that idiot, was calmly eating his second bowl of noodles.
His mother was babbling about something but she was ignored and it was then that Watanuki decided to intervene or else there would be blood.
"Ladies," he said but was cut off when they both snapped to look at him. They weren't glaring at him persay. He hoped they weren't anyway because they were scary powerful. He'd seen his aunt in action when a couple of thugs had tried to mug them. And he'd also seen Yuuko perform magic. He'd decided long ago that getting them mad was probably not the smartest thing to do. They were like a volcano and typhoon.
They must have noticed his sudden fear because their faces immediately changed, one into worry and the other into amusement. His aunt rushed over and immediately coddled his head.
"Kimihiro-kun!" she cried passionately. "I'm not mad at you. Don't flinch from me!" If he'd had time to think about it, he would have been extremely embarrassed to be held like this in front of his crush and his frenemy.
Yuuko came to his side slowly and leaned her body onto his shoulder. That Cheshire smirk was back on her face and he felt himself blush because his face was directly in line with her bosom.
"Watanuki-kun," she whispered. If she'd been smoking, this would have been about the time she would have blown it on his face. Watanuki gulped.
She didn't need to say anything else. The smile said it all.
Meiling of course, did not like this one bit. She tightened her hold on his head and drew him closer to her body. He was starting to have trouble breathing and he mentally cursed the laughing Kero and the amused face of Doumeki. His mother and father were trying to not to get involved because that would mean they would have to take sides and Himawari was watching everything with a smile, too innocent to realize that this could get ugly pretty fast.
Yuuko just laughed, her hand covering her mouth and her red eyes sparkled with a challenge. Meiling puffed her cheeks but finally deflated. After another moment she let go of his head.
He gasped for breath, clutching at his chest. He pushed his glasses back on his face and he stared openly as Yuuko and Meiling made their way back to their seats. He saw them sit down and proceed to pretend nothing had happened.
What the h—
"Oh Meiling. Could you be a dear and pass the bottle of sake over."
"Of course dear Yuuko."
Himawari continued smiling, his mother was beaming, his father was more weary but relieved, and Doumeki was stuffing his face along with Kero's. He sat gaping like a fish out of water for a moment before he slumped slightly in his seat.
This was going to be the worst birthday ever.
A/N: Sorry if this wasn't good but I really wanted to write about how Meiling and Yuuko are incapable of getting along. In my head, this is how I imagine their relationship would be like. No idea why.
