Title: Alpha and Omega

Anime: xxxHolic

Pairings/Characters: Slight dou/wata. The usual cast and OC introductions; more characters AND more elaborative pairings once the story progresses. Hopefully.

Rating: T for now (because there will be blood and yaoi. Haha.)

Disclaimer: xxxHolic not mine. But I do own something, amen.

-

Trapped

-

These are chains, although rusty and old;

Chains that will forever keep you in its hold

Struggle not, speak not, there's nothing you can do

Worry not; the day ends yet there's someone for you

-

Ever since Doumeki had met Watanuki Kimihiro, the stoic archer's life had gone from mundane to dangerous. Every step of the way Watanuki was haunted by different kinds of ethereal beings- harmless or otherwise- and since Doumeki had in his veins the ability to ward such beings away- and better yet, the ability to actually kill them- the archer had taken it upon himself to make sure that Watanuki's 'special' soul would not get the young spirit seer in danger.

And so, every once in a while, Doumeki finds his hand automatically stretching out to pull his naive friend out of harm's way- figuratively and literally- and often finds himself at a guilty loss when he fails to do so.

"Watanuki!" Doumeki screamed, letting the usual stoic facade fall, as he flung out his arm in a dire attempt to reach the spirit seer.

He was on his way towards where the bespectacled boy was entangled when something hard hit him across the side of his head, causing him to stumble to the left. Doumeki raised a trembling hand to his cheek, where the monster hit him- and frowned at the blood he found in his palm. He turned his gaze behind him, standing with a new found composure, reaching for the bow that was always strapped on his back- and positioning himself to fire.

The monster was a gigantic tarantula- enough to scar children and adults alike, with each joint of its hairy legs almost as tall as ordinary houses; with eight eyes swirling within their sockets, first glaring hungrily at Watanuki, then at him; and worst of all, the dark ebony fangs glinting from beneath the spider's thin lips, saliva- or something else poisonous, he wasn't sure- dripping from their treacherous points. Something glinted from the underside of the creature's belly- it was some sort of gem, but the archer couldn't find any purpose for it, so stored that information within the depths of his mind. Doumeki himself couldn't help but feel a momentarily spasm of shock and fear lick through his body- but not for too long, since the monster decided it best to attack right then and there.

He let go of the string, and there came an audible hiss as the purification arrow made its way towards the creature's forehead, and for a brief moment Doumeki found himself almost smiling- and praying- that it would all be over, since his arrows had never failed him, even once- but as the arrow fulfilled its purpose, embedding into the creature's skull, nothing happened. In fact the spider swatted it away from its head, and bringing down a massive claw that knocked the astounded archer of his feet.

His head came into contact with a heavy boulder- almost successful in knocking him unconscious, but for some reason, he was able to stay awake. He had his teeth in a firm lock; his hands were balled into fists, one with the slender bow beneath his tense fingers. His cheek started to sting again with pain, and his vision swam; as the monster stalked its way towards him, he wondered idly if this was how he would end.

From the corner of his eye he noticed a slender figure jumping out from the trees and coming full contact with the hissing creature. Something long and slightly cylindrical was being driven into one of its eyes, and the spider's thrashing and screeching resounded in the forest, making Doumeki almost want to cover his ears. Yet his limbs felt like they were heavy with lead, and his eyelids seemed to heavy with tire; whoever that person was, he was doing a better job, and Doumeki was ready to hand over the responsibility for the moment.

"Doumeki!" screamed a familiar, female voice, and his eyes snapped open towards the figure atop the spider's head. The person was, quite expectedly, Haris Manson.

The girl was proceeding to beating the monster's head with a baseball bat in one hand, the other held firmly around the steel pipe jutting out of the creature's eye. She was having trouble keeping her position with all the shaking the spider was doing; it wouldn't be far now to see her fall off.

Well, there was nothing he could really do. The spider was some sort of mutant, something his spiritual powers couldn't defeat yet. Knowing Haris, she might have something else up her sleeve, and she would not stand for defeat- so it was safe to say that somehow, the situation was still under her control. So it wouldn't hurt if he allowed himself to sleep for a while...

"D-doumeki! Wake up, you big oaf!"

Such a statement would not have succeeded in annoying the stoic archer, but suddenly he was reminded of the situation, and the state Watanuki was in. If he were to die, it'd be better if the spirit seer was safe first. The familiar scream jolted him out of his own weakness, and with trembling slowness he moved to look at his ward.

Watanuki was giving him a look that tore his heart apart- eyes narrowed in a surrendering, trapped way; there were tears building in the sides of his bi-colored eyes, and his glasses were askew, and his eyebrows were scrunched lightly in pain. But it was not only this that brought Doumeki entirely out of his reverie- it was the hundred of spiderlings making their way towards Watanuki, clicking their fangs happily for dinner.

"Kimihiro!" He started, standing to his feet with shaking legs; his voice was hoarse, trembling, weak; "H-hold on..."

It took him much willpower to conjure up another spirit arrow, and another, and another...but somehow, even if the spiderlings were being pushed back by his pursuit, it wasn't enough. There was too many of them.

"Doumeki, destroy the mother first." He heard the steely voice of Haris over the deafening screeches of the giant spider; "Aim for its vital point! One shot would be enough."

Her voice was like hope brimming in the darkness; her advice was like a savior to him. Nodding, and regaining his archery composure, he aimed at the underside of the spider- where he had first caught sight of a glinting gem- and fired.

The result, unlike earlier, was instantaneous. The spider reared up, thrashed around a bit, and fell to the floor after Haris had safely jumped of its back. As immediately, the spiderlings fell to curl up and die, and Watanuki's screams of pain was lessened to a still audible breathing. Doumeki dropped his bow and ran to the other boy, tearing apart his silk prison with his bare hands- not caring if there was another grudge to be formed- and held the whimpering boy in his arms.

With all the wounds and blood, he couldn't identify Watanuki any longer. His smooth face was laden with scratches across the cheeks, his precious blood sliding down his face, mixed with sweat and tears. Every movement to the boy was like a whip lashing at his skin- and the saltiness of his own tears only pained him much more. Doumeki stared, unbelieving, and hated himself for being so weak. The spirit seer's breaths came in slow intervals, as if his lungs were still forcing him to breathe a lot of air, and the eyes- those usually bright and wonderful golden and blue eyes- were screwed shut, in disappointment or in tears, he did not know.

He held Watanuki close, trembling terribly with self-hate and worry, as Haris made her way towards them. He couldn't bring himself to look up- Watanuki's state was as blinding as it was haunting- and was thankful that Haris didn't bother breaking the silence for even a little while.

There was a comforting hand on his shoulder, yet he disregarded it.

"He'll be fine," was Haris reassurance, and somehow it was the only thing he needed.

-

Haris was polite enough not to disturb Doumeki while he was fussing over the spirit seer, and quietly proceeded to collecting her steel pipe and baseball bat before approaching the two.

In her sight, they were pathetic. Sometimes she's surprised by her own coldness, that she never really seems human anymore. Seeing Doumeki break down like this shook her to the core- if he could lose all his stoicism over someone like Watanuki, what much more if Iris falls the same way? The emotionless twin frowned at the thought, and yet resulted to putting a hand on Doumeki's shoulder. They were still human, for goodness' sake.

"He'll be fine," she had told him, before he buried his face in the crook of Watanuki's neck, before she turned to fetch a cure hiding in her bag.

"The spiderlings aren't poisonous, Doumeki. Only the mother was," she nudged the bottle on his shoulder. "You need proper care too, with that gash on your cheek. Drink this."

His hands were trembling as he brought the medicine to his lips, but since then Doumeki had finally scavenged enough of his facade, he frowns instead of winces. The liquid is thick and bitter, and it slid uncomfortably down the archer's throat, who wished to spit it out immediately, but since Doumeki is Doumeki and he's certainly unlike Watanuki, Doumeki swallows it down with silence, looking up expectantly at Haris as if waiting for her to explain.

But she was planning to, anyway, so she complied.

"Those things aren't the only ones in this forest," She said quietly. "There are more."

Doumeki grunted, shifting a bit, letting Watanuki settle on his crossed-legs.

"Watanuki's lucky the spiderlings didn't get much from him," a pause. "It would be...terrible if they did."

Haris earned a look that clearly stated, "please-elaborate-you-heartless-bitch", yet she sighed instead. Sometimes, it was better to leave statements like hers hanging.

"And Himawari?" Doumeki voiced out, finally, and Haris found herself looking away, not because she was affected or anything; only because she found it necessary, and to a desired dramatic effect.

"She's home now," she replied, making her way to leaving the forest.

"Is she alright, Haris?" Doumeki called after her, but he's not the only one with control, oh no. Haris doesn't even bother looking back; much less did she bother to reply.

-

A/N: Aww, It's short. Dx I got real lazy all of a sudden, and since it would spoil the chapter if I would add the cut for the next, well. You'll just have to make do with this. Seriously. I hate this chapter. (sighs) Oh well. Reviews people, don't forget. xP

OMG I'VE REACHED CHAPTER THREE. This looks promising. Wahaha!

Oh yeah, thanks to the people for pointing something out. You know, Doumeki calling Watanuki with the suffix –kun. Haha. Now that I think about it, he's never called Watanuki like that. DX Oh well.