Nervous
Watanuki twiddles his thumbs when he is nervous and doesn't look people in the eyes. He always gets like that when strangers talk to him, in particular those at school. He knows he should know their names, having been in the same class for nigh on two years but he'd always been so preoccupied with malicious spirits and trying to keep himself afloat financially. Now that he isn't as worried about the spirits and has a steady job (Yuuko doesn't pay him, but he uses materials from the massive volume of food he makes so he has no fear of being left hungry) he feels guilty every time one of them talks to him. He's polite enough, but now that he has time to think about it he has nothing in common with any of them. They do indeed approach him hesitantly from time to time but he is never anything more than distant and reserved because Watanuki is hardly the most observant person.
Even while he complains about being unpopular he just cannot find himself able to open up to these people.
Lies
He lies to Himawari. He always assures her that he's fine every day but she sees new splotches of color on him. And she knows that they are aren't her fault but even so can't help but to exchange a worried look with Doumeki.
He lies to Shizuka. He flails, wails, rants, raves and screams his antipathy. But even as he stomps angrily away from the archer he always slides a surreptitious glance backwards to him and slows down as though to make sure he is still there.
He lies to Yuuko. He claims that he would leave at any given moment if he had the chance but he always comes back. Even when she drinks herself into oblivion he is always standing there in the morning with eki-kyabe and a cold pack.
Watanuki lies. To himself and to everyone, because he's been hurt and it is his defense, the only one he knows. But slowly, oh so slowly, they will teach him what it is to be healed.
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(Eki-kyabe is Yuuko's staple hangover med, that is from the Midori-drug store.)
A/N: This one focuses mostly on what Watanuki feels because I thought he was being neglected. I hope I didn't just repeat content, (ugh Himawari's thoughts are so hard to write, it turns out to be angst every time!!) And tell me if you don't like the format change, I thought it was getting a little trite, or do you think its better. Comments? Criticism? Questions? Requests? Review.
+Andy