Chapter 11

Dedicated to rusalkaz

Normally, the room of apartment 204 was quiet, almost abnormally so, especially when the occupant was a lone high school student. The neighbors surrounding the apartment in question always gossip about such a well-mannered and mild teenage boy, who always took care of his duties at home with such dignity. He was a very nice boy, who always helped the older residents as well. Many thought it was a pity that someone like him was in such dire straits as to live in such a rundown building in the near-bad section of town.

It was on a Thursday night that everything of their opinions of the boy changed. Anger and yells, banging all around. It sounded like a fierce argument, but not just two people. If the neighbors listened hard enough, they could make out for distinct voices: that of the neighbor living in the apartment, Watanuki Kimihiro, but a tone much like his, if a little lower. Then two deeply toned ones that weren't quite as piercing in sound as the others.

"Should we call the police?" an older lady wondered to her husband.

"Don't worry, I'll calm them down."

Surprisingly, the woman who appeared was a beauty, like a model. Her skin was pale and free of any marks of age or abuse. Long black hair was tied in a braid that went down to her waist and wisps of it danced around her face in a beautiful way. She was radiant, a calming aura around her as her smile was friendly. Her clothes were fashionable, but not overwhelmingly expensive and of a modest cut, unlike most of the new models that thought more skin was better.

"I-If you say so…"

"Yes, please go back to sleep."

It appeared as if she didn't need a key to enter the apartment and did so without even knocking or ringing the doorbell…

Yuuko leaned in the doorway to the bedroom, not missing the fact that all four occupants that were yelling at the top of their lungs didn't even notice her. My, her little Watanuki was looking handsome with his cheeks so flushed, his clothing mussed up and showing a bare shoulder. She knew, naturally, what happened, but nobody else did.

"Watanuki, you're looking so like a man tonight!" Her cheerful, motherly tone caused silence and the subject in question to freeze like a deer caught in headlights. Four pairs of eyes slowly fixed on her and she inwardly basked in all the attention. She loved being a heroine in such dire straits. "Those cheeks so prettily red, and you've gotten more muscular lately! No wonder Doumeki-kun fell in love with such a beauty!"

The sheer astonishment in the atmosphere made it very, very, very hard to not laugh and giggle until her stomach ached and she could no longer stand. Mokona, sitting on her shoulder, kept making strange little coughing noises in her ear, as if he too was having trouble controlling his amusement.

"Y-Y-Y-Yuuko-san? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"But Watanuki! I felt a disturbance in the spiritual energies surrounding me, giving me pains in my belly and my throat became so parched that I thought I'd die! And you were the only one who could save me, so I rushed right over!"

"In other words, you're hungry and you want sake."

She laughed at his flat and no-argument tone of voice. She couldn't help it. Her little Watanuki was truly so adorable now that he was just hitting adolescence and getting himself one hunk of a beau.

"Sorry, Yuuko-san, but right now is not the best time at all for this. I'll make you something tomorrow."

"Oh, so you mean that you're not in the midst of a huge argument that's waking up your neighbors, who want to call the police, because you're having an argument with your boyfriend, your best friend, and your best friend's secret love, who all rushed over here because they were worried about you and got into a misunderstanding because your best friend tried to protect you from the spirit that was hounding outside your window until your lover's presence merely banished it?"

My, what a mouthful, but it was just too much fun! The expression on all the little dearies' faces of all the boys was too good an opportunity to pass up! Boys…! When you were that age, so young, there were always complications. Always so much excitement over misunderstandings! It was impossible to ignore and play with them!

"Uhhhhhhh…"

Yuuko gave her best mysterious smile and…well, there was no other word for it: she wafted into the room like the powerful, mystifying Dimensional Witch she was. Taking pity on all four bewildered and upset boys, she sat in the chair next to Watanuki's desk, crossing her legs so prettily that a princess would have been jealous.

"Truly, do calm down. All of you are making a mountain out of not even a mole hill." She paused. "I'd ask for tea, but until I calm you all down, you're likely to start going at it again." Sighing, she turned to Mokona. "It's not as good as Watanuki's, but get us something to drink?"

Mokona smiled in that adorable way he had. She hadn't told Watanuki just the extent of Mokona's abilities. It was a simple matter of getting Mokona to get tea for the rest of them. After all, if a staff could be transferred through his mouth between worlds, and eat a whole bunch of spirits, what was a little tea?

The cups were from the most perfect china, from her own storeroom that she had yet to show Watanuki. They were actually a remnant of her former life before she became the Dimensional Witch, which was another story altogether.

"There's some tea, if you all would like some. First off, let's get a few things settled. There was indeed a spirit outside of Watanuki's window. It was not a strong one, but Watanuki's wards have gotten old and were not from Doumeki-kun's shrine, so it would have broken through. Doumeki-kun's presence dispersed it. Secondly, Kudou-kun was indeed only trying to protect Watanuki, and had the spirit gotten in before you both arrived, it would have indeed injured Kudou-kun instead." She paused and sipped her hot tea, noticing that no one else bothered to get a cup. What a disappointment! So serious these boys were!

"And that's all! Now you can all discuss it in a calm manner without misunderstandings. Me? I'll just sit here and have my tea and referee!"

What was with the astonished silence again? She smiled prettily and made herself a bit more comfortable, with every intention of staying to observe the fun. Really, what was the use of being thousands of years old if you didn't get a chance to enjoy it?

"Y-Yuuko-san…"

"Kazahaya, is that true? You just shielded him!" Rikuou interrupted, green eyes staring fiercely at his partner.

"Yes, you damn jerk! What the hell did you think I've been saying this whole damn time! And what does it matter! It's not like you like me anyway, so why are you acting so damn jealous!"

"It doesn't matter to me! You're the one who confessed to me! You want me to sit idly by when I see you in a position like that! Making me think that your confession really didn't mean much to you!"

"It meant more than you'd know, you jerk!" Kazahaya yelled back, getting on his feet in anger. "Do you have any idea how much courage it took to just tell you, let alone kiss you! You even made me cry, damn you! Your answer was as close to a no without saying the actual word as could be!"

"I didn't say no! You expected me to give an answer right then! You just sprung it on me! How was I supposed to know right on the spot how I felt about you!"

"If you don't know, then don't act so jealous!"

"How can I not when I saw you like that! You're just so oblivious to everything! Do you even know what not coming home tonight, not telling me where you were going, did to my heart? I was dying of worry over you!"

"Stop it, just stop it! Don't tell me things that might give me hope if you have no intention of following through!"

"Damn it, you stuck up brat!"

Yuuko watched with satisfaction as suddenly, with those words, Rikuou's hand shot out to grip Kazahaya's wrist and drag him closer for what proved to be a very satisfactory kiss. It seemed to drain out all the fight in Kazahaya and her smile widened at how the boy melted in the arms of his new boyfriend. Kakei would be so very pleased! She would take pleasure in describing every. single. detail. to him.

"Rikuou…?" asked a dazed Kazahaya when they drew away.

"Just shut up for once, okay?"

But the voice in which Rikuou spoke was soft and it seemed to melt Kazahaya even more, until he was burying himself into his partner's embrace. Yuuko sighed silently, remembering those kinds of holds: they were so warm and fulfilling, giving such a joy to your heart that you just hold on tighter and tighter until you couldn't breathe, but that didn't matter because the air you needed was right in front of you and all you had to do was tilt your head up for those life-giving kisses…

Ahhh…what an old sap she was becoming.

"Now, your turn Watanuki, Doumeki-kun!"

Her words intruded into the suddenly lovey-dovey atmosphere and Watanuki choked. Rikuou and Kazahaya seemed to come back into the real world and instantly, Kazahaya's face turned beat red. There was a flash and Mokona giggled, holding a disposable camera in one little hand.

"Good shot, Mokona! You're so cool! I'll have to sell the prints to Kakei!"

"Yuuko-san, that's a bit much!" protested Watanuki. "It's their private moment, how could you--"

"Watanuki."

Yuuko's eyes slid to Doumeki, who had interrupted the soon to be furious tirade of his boyfriend. This promised to be good. Doumeki rarely said a lot, but what he did say, he meant and she meant to listen to it all. After all, she did have a tape recorder in her pocket, recording everything they said. This opportunity was too good to pass up! She had to have pictures and a record of all the embarrassing things they said.

"Y-Yes?"

"I was jealous."

"Wh-what!"

"That's why I was acting angry. I was jealous because I don't want to lose you. I will do whatever it takes to keep you. Whatever it takes." There was a pause and Doumeki looked away, as if he couldn't meet the gaze of his stupefied lover. "I was jealous of Kudou-san, because you hit it off so well from the time you met. You've been seeing him the past three days after school and I…When I heard you call him Kazahaya-kun tonight, it was like all my fears and apprehensions came out all at once. I won't lose you, Watanuki."

This was the part she was most interested in and Yuuko's eyes snapped instantly to Watanuki's reaction. Slowly, that thin but not quite so frail form stood, wavering on his feet, before coming to stand a few inches away from his boyfriend.

"Doumeki…"

"I guess it's because our relationship was so new that my insecurities from seeing you two get along so well got out of control when we got together." Doumeki's eyes lifted to glance at Rikuou and it seemed they shared a silent understanding. Kazahaya just seemed stunned that anyone would feel jealous over him, but because he was nestled so perfectly in Rikuou's arms, and Rikuou's hand over his mouth, he didn't say anything.

"I didn't know…you don't tell me what you think, so how was I supposed to know?" Watanuki snapped, in full form again. "You idiot! If you don't tell me what you think, how am I supposed to know what to do!"

"You want to know what I think?"

"Yes, you great lump!"

"I think I want to kiss you."

Yuuko nudged Mokona with her elbow and the camera lifted a little. Watanuki's cheeks were flushing red prettily and he had effectively forgotten the rest of the guests as thoroughly as Rikuou and Kazahaya had moments ago. She would not miss this shot.

Hesitant lips touched a firm pair and Watanuki truly did look like a fainting violet like that. It was no wonder Doumeki had fallen for such a creature. He was like a wild and rare unicorn, only to be tamed by one hand alone, though it may not necessarily be a virgin…But that impression was only when he wasn't his usual, uptight and excitable self. If he'd just calm down a little and toned down his antics, he'd be quite the idol.

Snap!

The picture taken, it jerked Watanuki out the little world they'd been in and the chaste kiss stopped instantly. Doumeki seemed slightly put out about it, but Yuuko didn't care. She giggled insanely and immediately grabbed the camera to hide it so Watanuki couldn't get it. She stopped recording the tape, which would bring her many laughs in the future, and stood.

"Thank you so much for a lovely evening! I had quite a lot of fun being here, surrounded by all the love you boys have been spewing. Kudou-kun, Himura-kun, Watanuki does have that extra futon you can drag to the living room to use and it is only right that Watanuki and Doumeki-kun use his bedroom."

"What are you talking about, Yuuko-san?" Watanuki asked, bewildered. "Use my bedroom for what?"

Mokona hopped on her palm as she passed out of the doorway, glancing back at her part-time employee with the smile he hated most. "Why, for sex, silly!"

"3, 2," she whispered as she walked. Silence followed her and she was already at the front door when she heard it. "1."

"YUUKO-SAAAAN!"

End