Hello hello!

Is anyone else stuck in this snowstorm?! It's crazy! Last night when I turned off my lights it was still so bright in my room from the snow reflecting all the streetlights. It was really beautiful though, also quiet, which is always nice.

Anyway, the title of this chapter is a reference to the ocean receding before a tsunami, which I think will make sense as you read it. I hope you enjoy it despite the tension!

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to xxxHolic and am making no money from this.

Unfortunately, Yuriko and Renjiro weren't at dinner, nor were they signed up for any of the evening activities when Doumeki asked the front desk.

"I hope they're all right," said Watanuki, his chest squeezing painfully around his throbbing heart.

"Me too," said Doumeki, and Watanuki knew a totally foreign but strangely comforting rush of solidarity.

"They're probably just having dinner in their room, right?"

"Most likely. Let's eat and decide what to do from there."

"You're such a glutton…"

They returned to the dining hall and sat down at a table with three other couples in varying stages and flavors of conflict. Observing from a distance, Watanuki felt sorry for all of them, trying to reach the person they love and getting rebuffed, seething with resentment or else just having grown apart so much that bridging the gap seemed impossible. At some point, Doumeki placed his hand on Watanuki's thigh under the table, but he didn't fight it off. The solidarity was again weirdly comforting: in the face of all this conflict, it was nice to know that he was on a team with someone, even if it was someone he'd never actually want to be on a team with and was forced to be by circumstances.

They stayed for dessert, hoping Yuriko or Renjiro would appear, but no such luck, and Watanuki could barely enjoy the strawberry shortcake for worry. "Yours is better anyway," Doumeki reminded him under his breath, still holding tight to his thigh.

"Shut up," Watanuki replied, because as usual he didn't want to admit Doumeki was right. They hung around until the evening activities were due to start, then returned defeated to their room, the lanterns in the courtyard glowing especially brightly under the clear, starry sky.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Doumeki, unlocking the door to their room. Watanuki sighed, his stomach churning fearfully.

"I don't know. I almost want to just go knock on their door, but-"

"-that probably won't be received well," Doumeki finished the sentence for him. Their one futon was laid out for them, along with a tray of sweets, a bottle of chilled sake and two glasses. Doumeki picked up the bottle at once, but Watanuki knew a pang for those couples who were still struggling. Such a presumptuous gesture would surely seem like a slap in the face. "Have some," said Doumeki, pouring two glasses and thrusting one at Watanuki.

"Why are-"

"Didn't Dr. Sakurai say you should stop questioning my motives?" asked Doumeki, his expression and tone as bored as ever. Watanuki's face burned and he cried out in frustration, immediately and completely distracted from his worry about the other couples.

"You are such a- I don't even- IDIOT!" However, he seized the glass and drained it. At least it was good sake. "I'm going to take a bath! You-" he pointed threateningly at Doumeki, "-stay here!" Doumeki said nothing, just fixed him with his usual deadpan gaze and let out what might have been a sigh.

"Can I at least drink my sake out on the porch?" Watanuki just replied with another furious cry and stormed into the bathroom.

Just like last night, Watanuki took as long as he could, then emerged, clean and dry in his yukata and climbed under the blankets, staying as close as possible to the edge of the futon while Doumeki got ready for bed. Tonight, however, before he turned out the lights, he laid his bow on the floor beside the futon. "What's that for?" asked Watanuki, rolling over in spite of himself as Doumeki got into bed beside him.

"Just a feeling I might need it," he replied. The soft glow of the porch light illuminated Doumeki's face through the blue black night.

"Without arrows?" Watanuki asked, and the corner of Doumeki's mouth actually twitched.

"Only magic." Outside, a motorboat drove past in the distance, sending wake crashing onto the shore.

"Well good. Keep me safe. See? I'm asking you to this time!" said Watanuki, though his tone made it clear he absolutely did not think Doumeki capable of such a thing.

"Good night," said Doumeki, still with that almost smile. Watanuki rolled over grumpily, uncomfortably aware of how close he still was to Doumeki but not bothering to move. He closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly, despite how much he'd slept that afternoon.

'Keep me safe. See? I'm asking you to this time!'

'From who?'

'From you.'

'Me?'

'You.'

'But I need you! Please! You're the only one who can help me!' Yuriko was standing before him in the same white nightdress, looking gaunt and exhausted, her necklace glowing eerily about her throat. 'Please! Come find me! I'm by the beach!'

Watanuki's eyes flew open and he sat up, gasping, Yuriko's calls for help still echoing inside his head and chest.

'Please help me!'

Please be careful, Watanuki!

I think of reviews when I summon my kekkai, leave me some!