While the gesture was appreciated, it also made his hackles rise. She knew something, or was planning something that he didn't know about, and that was never good.
"Now, I've already got the place all cleaned up for the two of you, so you can just relax while you are there. Try to have fun, and don't worry yourself to death." She tucked something else into the suitcase before closing it and zipping it shut. "I thought about sending Mokona with you, but decided against it. So when you get back at the end of the week I expect details." Watanuki could feel his face heating.
"I'm not going to tell you anything--"
"Here, take lots of pictures." Yuuko shoved a disposable camera into his hands. "It's about a twenty minute walk to the closest town, so there will be a festival going on, I suggest you attend it one night. Also some of the local food is to die for, not to mention the sake."
"I.. but…"
"Be sure to bring me back some would you?" She smiled at him as if he had already agreed. "Now you need to get going, you don't want to be late to meet Doumeki!"
Watanuki gave up on speaking. It was useless. Yuuko already had everything figured out for him, even things he wouldn't agree to if he could get a word in edgewise.
Oh this is going to be fun, he thought sarcastically. He never knew how right he was.
The train ride was interminable, and it was packed as tightly with people as it could manage and still was bursting at the seams. Which meant that he and Doumeki had to sit very close together. At one point, an older, somewhat overweight, lady came to sit in the back with them and he was forced to sit in the taller boy's lap to accommodate her. Which while a good thing, also left his cheeks burning red for the rest of the ride.
Getting off was easier than getting on and the walk was mostly silent. There was little he could find to say, and his stomach was tying in knots at the prospect of spending a week alone with Doumeki. Yuuko's words about how girls who liked boys tended to cling to their crush, but there wasn't any way that he could think of to casually do so.
When they reached the summerhouse, his jaw dropped. Yuuko hadn't told him how large the house would be, or how modern it was. It had a western style to it and it was clear it was built in the last twenty or so years. If he peered at just the right angle around it, he could see porch on the edge of the sand as it spread out to meet the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful.
It was a two story building, but for all that, it didn't take them long to explore. What most attracted him was the outside and the ocean that lapped in soft, smooth waves. And the best part was that there were no spirits whatsoever.
He was already taking off his shoes and digging his toes in the sand when Doumeki stepped up behind him so close that he could lean back and rest against Doumeki's legs if he wanted.
"There are no spirits here."
"How did you know?" he spluttered, shocked and wondering if his ruse was over with. Part of him was glad. Was Doumeki actually beginning to notice things?
"I didn't, but now I know. I guessed, since you seemed so relaxed, that there weren't any here. Especially since it's Yuuko's house."
Watanuki almost winced. Was Doumeki mad? Did he think that Watanuki purposefully lied or that he just hadn't been sure if there were going to be spirits?
"So you didn't ask me along to guard you against spirits in the house."
"Not really," he answered, cheeks slowly turning pink and his toes making little designs in the sand in front of him.
Doumeki didn't say anything right away. "Is Yuuko having us fetch something for her nearby?"
His hopes shattered and he almost fell over in shock. My god, how dense you can be! You almost had it, idiot! God, why do you hate me!
"Not that I know of." He kept his voice even. "Though she did ask me to pick up some sake as some point during the week, but it was more of a side note. Other than that I wasn't told to pick up anything for her or do anything for her."
"Oh." The presence at his back disappeared as Doumeki walked a little way off and took off his own shoes. Watanuki silently cursed himself for being a dead giveaway about the no spirits thing right off. Doumeki didn't seem to be angry about it, but it was near impossible to tell anything with him. After all, if things where that easy they probably wouldn't be here now and he wouldn't feel like he had butterflies the size of cats in his stomach.
They sat on the porch for a while, feet dangling off into the sand as twilight slowly faded into night, and the stars began to come out. The near all day train ride had been worth it, and even though nothing had happened, Watanuki already felt like it was worth it just to see this place. This was the first time he had been able to go on vacation, let alone visit somewhere like this, and with Doumeki of all people too.
He had to pull himself away though. Standing up and brushing the sand from his feet. "I'll go start dinner." Doumeki nodded, standing as well to follow him into the house.
The kitchen was the largest he had ever worked in, and the refrigerator easily accommodated all the groceries he had to pick up to make the foods Doumeki had asked for. He stared at what he had, mentally going over the list of things that had been requested, before deciding on a dish and pulling things out.
Spaghetti was an Italian dish he could only recall making half a dozen times before, but it was one of his favorites, and apparently on the list of things Doumeki liked as well. It wasn't necessarily too difficult to make, but it also wasn't the easiest to get the ingredients for either.
By the time the food was done, Doumeki was back on the back porch, staring out at the ocean and star speckled sky, finished with his unpacking. He stood in the door way for a moment, admiring the scene presented to him. It really was something worthy of awe, seeing his crush outlined by the perfect background.
He shook his head, clearing it of whatever his thoughts had been about to turn to and stepped forward. Doumeki looked up at him without him having to say anything, and he handed the plate down, before taking a seat next to the archer and digging into his own food.
"It needs salt." Doumeki stated after swallowing his first bite. Watanuki felt the need to yell at Doumeki, but decided it would be working against his plans.
He examined a forkful of noodles and sauce before setting it down and the plate aside. "You're right, I'll go get some." He stood to retrieve the saltshaker from the kitchen and came back to see Doumeki staring at him with one eyebrow raised in question. "What?" He couldn't help the slight bit of venom in his words, and was more than thankful for the darkness covering the tint to his cheeks.
Doumeki just shrugged, and took the salt, sprinkling a little on his food before handing it back to Watanuki so he could do the same. Watanuki had to admit it felt odd not yelling over every little thing. It was his nature to do so after all. He just wanted other things enough to push his nature aside and work for what he wanted. It would be a lot easier though, if Doumeki would notice his efforts instead of being so dense. Love was taxing.
There were enough rooms to accommodate at least ten people, with one bedroom on the ground floor and the rest on the top floor. But Yuuko had been there because when they went upstairs, there was a sign that said the rooms were being renovated and the door was locked. Since Yuuko had given him the key to every room but the upstairs, there was little to do except share the one bed in the room downstairs.
That wasn't hitsuzen, that was Yuuko!
Doumeki didn't even seem to question it as he pulled off his jacket to get ready for bed. Watanuki blushed and immediately fled to the bathroom before the archer could notice. He'd give the boy his privacy and he didn't quite dare to be in the same room if he was undressing. He was already worried about his dreams during the night and waking up to find Doumeki staring at a bulge in his pants.
"Oi, you ready yet?"
Watanuki quickly changed and went back to the bedroom, sliding gingerly on the right side and under the covers. Doumeki didn't seem to mind at all, but the bespectacled boy knew that he wasn't going to be sleeping at all that night. He dropped his glasses on the bedside table and sighed, turning out the light.
He was wrong and was asleep in seconds. The next two days were like a dream and neither left the summerhouse for any reason. They played in the ocean, though "play" would probably not be the be the best word to describe Doumeki as he waded in the ocean and even went so far as to meditate! Annoyed, whenever that would happen, Watanuki would dump handfuls of water over Doumeki and always seemed to shatter his concentration. He especially enjoyed Doumeki's retaliation, as it involved a lot of chasing, water, and attempts at grabbing the smaller boy. Had he finally gotten past the barriers to see the free-spirited, almost child-like Doumeki? His face was as stoic as ever even in his retaliation, but there was just something about the archer that became different.
It was on their third night there that was the last night of the festival, which he knew he had to go to, at the very least to buy some sake for Yuuko or he'd never hear the end of it. When his eyes touched on Doumeki wearing his yukata, he wanted to swoon. Doumeki really was as handsome as they came.
They walked to the festival in relative silence, heading fairly early. While there were no spirits at the beach house, Watanuki knew there would be some among human created things at the festival. It was just the way things went. He wasn't worried though. He had Doumeki there with him, and Doumeki had never failed to keep him safe from such things before. Though he may still never admit that much out loud.
It was fun being able to go from stall to stall, and just generally enjoy himself. He wasn't any good at the games they had set up all over the place, but Doumeki won his fair share of them.
It didn't take long to find the sake Yuuko had mentioned wanting, and they picked up a double order of it. Doumeki wanted to try it to, and since they were there on vacation, Watanuki didn't see the harm in it, even if he wasn't much of a drinker.
The night wore on, and Watanuki began to grow more anxious, if only for the fact that he was just now realizing how quickly the week was passing by and how little had happened. And by little, he meant nothing. Sure dumping water on Doumeki and then running from him was all well and good, but it couldn't really be counted as anything.
He didn't know what he would do if something didn't happen by the end of this week. The thought alone was enough to tie his stomach in painful knots. So, he came to a decision.
They had just finished off some ice cream they had picked up at one of the many food vendors scattered about and were now wandering around out in a grassy area. Watanuki had seen a cherry blossom tree out here earlier, and while it was terribly clique, it was the place he had chosen.
So he directed their wanderings in that direction, casually, as if he wasn't planning anything at all. In his stomach the butterflies had returned, and were now the size of wolves instead of cats, and were fluttering around as if their wings had caught fire. He considered rethinking his decision, but firmly told himself now or never.
So now, they were standing under the cherry blossom tree, some of the pale pink petals falling around them like snow. He stared at Doumeki, working up his courage.
"Are you getting tired?" Doumeki asked, giving him a once over like he expected Watanuki's legs to give out on him or something.
"No, I just wanted to get away from everyone else for a minute." Watanuki chose his words carefully, trying to get him meaning across.
"Spirits, or bad auras?"
Watanuki shook his head, and took a step closer. "No nothing like that. I just wanted to spend a minute alone."
"We can head back anytime you know." Doumeki didn't seem to be getting it, at all! It was so frustrating.
"I'm not ready to head back, I'm not bothered by anyone or anything out here. I wanted us to spend a minute together." He couldn't keep the exasperation out of his voice. The butterflies were quickly being swallowed by it.
"We've been alone for days," Doumeki pointed out, as if Watanuki didn't know that.
"Aah! You are so dense!" Before he knew what he was doing, Watanuki had grabbed the front of Doumeki's yukata and pulled him forward into a kiss. His own eyes went wide as he realized what he was doing, but he wasn't going to back down, and he wouldn't apologize later either.
Oh my god, I'm kissing him… And he just melted.