special thanks to Sunnivaixchel for reviewing my story so often! :D *hugs* also to anyone who reads this i can only update on school breaks and on the weekends maybe...
Disclaimer: i don't own XXXholic, I'm not clamp. this disclaimer is for the whole fic...because i forgot to add it to the other chapters...
The night had ended as quickly as a chaste kiss. it lingered only for a moment, only long enough to be noticed, then it left, making room for the sun. during the fleeting moment Watanuki had been moved. a bed was not the best place for a fish, by any means. he needed water. the admiral knew this and as the fair beast fell into sleep the admiral filled his personal bath with moderately hot water. he walked back into the main room and gazed at the elegant boy sleeping peacefully in his bed. he knew he shouldn't, but he stared, captivated by the elegance held in such a different creature. even as it snored and grumbled rather ridiculously, he was still marvelous. Doumeki inched closer. at the time the moon was still slumbering high above, waiting it's bright chasing lovers' return. the moon cast small pools of white light across the porcelain skin and shimmering jeweled tail, and for a moment he thought that maybe he shouldn't give Watanuki to the king.
Doumeki pause. did he really just think that? yes he did, but he threw the thought aside. this mermaid was his ticket to a new, peaceful life in the new world. a nice sea side house, a wife, maybe a child, a pet. he wouldn't give up that dream because he felt a sudden sting of pity for a weak powerless fish. his hands moved over his face and through his hair, clearing his thoughts. he picked up Watanuki and took him over to the bathroom. the water was hot now, which he hoped wouldn't wake the sleeping boy, but would cool as the night passed on to day.
The water added a sort of luster to the glow of the moonlight skin and lightly shinning scales. the heat did not wake him, rather it seemed more like to lull him deeper in slumber. again he stared. he noticed, this time, how the scales overlapped one another until they reached his skin, where they seemed to fade into him like roots in the ground. his back had scales running its length as well. they ran up the sides of his back, avoiding the spin, up over his shoulders and up his neck. no one scale was the same color as another, and they seemed to move with the water and light. a wonderfully exotic gift indeed.
soon the admiral became weary of marveling and stood and walked back into the main room. he was tired. he disrobed and climbed into bed, exhausted. he covered up, rolled onto his side, and began to think of the things that needed to be done when they reached port tomorrow. fix the hull, fix the fish hold, find a large portable confinement for Watanuki, restock supplies...and he was out before he could finish his list. he just hoped his sleep wouldn't be disturbed again that night.
he woke the next morning hungry and thirsty. he stretched a bit and got out of bed to get dressed in his clean admiral uniform before going to the bathroom to primp himself up. hygiene was very important on a ship when land may not be spotted in weeks.
he opened the door to the bathroom and turned on the faucet to his left the door open, confident that no one would walk in on him. he washed his face, hands, and hair in the sink and went to brush his teeth but paused when he someone said, "your a freak..."
Doumkei turned towards his tub and the sound of the voice to see the merboy, lounging awkwardly in the water. his elbow was propped up on rim of the tub holding his head up and his tail was billowing over the edge of the tub draping onto the floor. it was a sight for sore eyes. it was like seeing a woman in an elegant English dress in his tub rather than a male mercreature. so gorgeous. and very distracting. he didn't realize that he had been staring and neglecting to reply to the looked away before quietly asking, "why?"
"You wash your face and hair, but not the rest of your body. i think it's a bit...weird..which makes you a freak."he stated blatantly. "if i were you, and thank goodness I'm not, i would bathe."
"someone is taking up residence in my tub."
"you could just put me back in the ocean where i belong and then take a bath."
"don't want to..." Doumeki stated reluctantly. Watanuki flushed red with anger and Doumeki smirked, only managing to anger the already flustered boy. the small, rude, twist of the lips sent the other into a frantic yelling spree. screaming about Doumeki being, "such a rude obnoxious ass," and, "i hate you!" kinds of things. Doumeki just smirked some more, until a thought rose in his head suddenly. he put down his brush, walked over Watanuki, wrapped his arms around the lithe boy, only to drape the wet, dripping body over his shoulder.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" he yelled much louder than needed into the admiral's ear before being plopped onto his tail outside the bathroom. Doumeki turned around and walked back into the lavatory, locking the previously open door behind him.
"I'll bathe now. Feel better merboy?"he said calmly through the door. he smiled contentedly when Watanuki began to rant and rave outside the door. who knew he could be so interesting.