A/N: Set post chapter 119. Naturally, contains reference to some large spoilers for recent events.
When Watanuki was well enough to go back to school, everything and nothing had changed. The broken window had been repaired over the weekend, the courtyard swept clear of broken glass. If Watanuki was staying a little further away from the windows than usual, if Himawari was sitting just slightly forward to keep her back from pressing against the chair and if Doumeki was hanging around more than his timetable really required, no-one drew attention to it.
Himawari caught up with the boys for lunch, almost as usual; though for once, Watanuki couldn't find the energy to complain that Doumeki stuck with them the whole time – even in the dubious privacy his own head. They ate sushi and egg rolls and talked about the weather (sunny, though with a suggestion of rain on the horizon), the exam coming up next week (maths, and if it didn't look like being a killer), Yuuko's latest customer (a young man who's dying grandfather had left him a very peculiar item) – inconsequential things.
They were on their way home before Doumeki said, "Is it really okay this way?" Which was far too close to what Watanuki had been trying not to think all week to be taken remotely well.
"Okay like what?" He snapped automatically.
"You were nearly killed."
"Well I'm sorry if I don't want to treat her like a leper and I know you'd be a lot happier if I never went near her again…"
"I didn't say that."
"…and just because you're lucky enough that she's not bad luck for you…"
"You think she's not bad luck for me." It was barely a question.
"…doesn't mean I have to spend the rest of my life never talking to her again even if I have to have you hovering the whole time like the world's worst excuse for a chaperone and…" Watanuki's brain took time out from rant status to check the progress of the other side of the conversation. "What do you mean she's bad luck for you?"
"Nevermind."
"I'm the one everything happens to! When has anything bad happened for you?"
"I said nevermind."
Oh, he was going to be like that, was he? How typical, Watanuki tried to think, but his heart wasn't really in it. Something that seemed to be important nagged at the distracted side of his brain. "Hey, don't you usually have archery today?"
"Not this week."
"Why not?" Practice was definitely still on, they'd passed some of the other club members heading in the other direction on their way out, his memory supplied helpfully.
"Blood loss. Wrecks your concentration. I'm not up to archery yet." Doumeki stopped a couple of paces ahead. "Are you coming?"
Watanuki realised his legs hadn't moved since Doumeki uttered the first word. He shook himself.
"Yeah. I'm coming."
The rain didn't come in that afternoon after all, which only went to show that, hitsuzen be damned, the weather still had no sense of mood or drama whatsoever.