Title: Alpha and Omega
Anime: xxxHolic
Pairings/Characters: dou/wata; a one-sided dou/haris; the usual cast and my OC characters (I don't know if I'm planning to add any more characters, heck, these people are good enough. 8D);
Rating: T for now (should I raise it now? Oh well, the blood isn't that bad. xD)
Disclaimer: I only own what's mine; xxxHolic, sadly, is not one of them.
-
Rain
-
Bloody skies will soar and stay that way
So sunrise, will you wash away the rain?
The crows will cry and time will drain the day
And so the sunset shall bring forth the pain
-
It was cold.
Or at least, she felt that way. No matter how much she pulled her jacket around herself, the icy feeling would still sink in, and almost often she found herself shivering involuntarily even in the thick sweater. As she made her way down the stairs leading out of the plane, she could feel the bottle of phosphorous liquor in her pocket. The said liquid was entirely poisonous, yes, but the alcoholic properties mixed with the deadly element nullified its effects, so if a human being drank it, only the essence within that person would be killed, and not the person himself. She brought a hand towards where the bottle bulged in her jeans and gave it a brief pat; this would surely save Watanuki from the spiders within him.
Haris dared herself to look back at her companion who, all the way, had kept silent. He was tall and well-built, slightly tan in color. His expressionless eyes were an unusual shade of yellow, somewhat gold, always half-lidded and unfazed by almost everything that went on. He had in his veins the ability of repelling spirits, something she thought only she could do before, and he made up for the lack of seeing such supernatural entities with his excellent skills in archery. He had a heart of gold, always prepared to put his life on the line for others, but despite this, she couldn't help but hate him. After all, he was someone even she couldn't decipher, couldn't reach; someone she couldn't keep for herself.
She had never felt so selfish in her life.
"Haris," she heard him say, and since she had her head back and her eyes on him, she lowered her gaze; "Hm?"
Doumeki raised his right arm and pointed at the figure of a girl approaching them. "It's Iris."
Indeed. Iris' had a slightly morose get-up today; usually she would have tied her hair back into two firm tails, but now she had them down, and the only ornament she had on her head was a plain violet headband. She wore a lose yellow jacket over a violet tee and above-the-knee shorts, but even such showed how less cheery the girl was feeling. Of course, only Haris would know.
"Haris! Doumeki-kun!" The girl waved at them, even as they slowly approached her. "Aoh, I've missed you guys, especially you, sister!"
"Likewise, Iris." Haris replied with a small smile, before looking down at her watch. "It's a miracle you made it early. It's only six am."
"Well, I was awake for school, but since I knew you guys were arriving today, I decided to ditch the morning half and attend later on or something." Iris told her sister. Then, turning to Doumeki, she said; "I hope Haris wasn't much of a bother, Doumeki-kun."
"Ah, not quite." the stoic archer shrugged. "And Watanuki?"
Iris' features stiffened, and with her finger busy with a strand of her chest-nut brown hair, she replied; "Well, he's at school right now. Never been better since you left, I guess."
Haris glanced at Doumeki before she had her eyes rest on her twin. Something was up. But she was tired, and since it wasn't a good idea to discuss such things in public, she gestured to the line of taxi cabs waiting at the exit. "We better go to that Dimensional witch where Doumeki brought Watanuki," she said, then raising the bottle of poison in her pocket. "And give him this."
Doumeki was eyeing her, and she could feel the doubt and threat swimming in his eyes. He hadn't come along when she left to retrieve the potion from Theodore the alchemist, and since he was aware it was poison...well, he must be sick to his stomach.
Nevertheless.
What mattered was the spiders' death, and nothing more. If drinking the acid would pain Watanuki, she wouldn't mind. Why should she? After all, he was a burden not only for her but for Doumeki as well. Besides, if it weren't for him, Doumeki would have at least returned her feelings. Somewhat. And even if he didn't, at least she wouldn't have to be jealous over someone else. Watanuki meant nothing to her, period.
She could almost picture the spirit seer doubling over and spitting out blood and the dead spiders. Somehow, it made her want to smile.
-
Yuuko's shop came as a real surprise for her since it was her first time to lay her eyes on it. It was intricately designed in the utmost unworldly way, and as she stepped into the front lawn she could almost feel the energy swirling around her. Her steps were firm, though, her purpose set; when she reached the front porch, two children ran out the door and greeted her with big grins and flailing skirts and hair; they said in unison, "Welcome! The mistress is waiting!"
Haris cocked an eyebrow at the two, but Doumeki walked into the house after giving brief nods at the girls. Iris followed suit after glancing worriedly at her twin, but was held back for a moment when her sister held her hand.
"Let's go in together," Haris said, and though her face betrayed nothing at all, there was a hint of worry in her sleek hazel eyes. "Okay?"
And so they did. Hand in hand, the two made their way through the long corridors and past the swirling smoke; there came a voice from behind one of the paper walls, and with slight reluctance Haris brought her hand over the door and slid it open. Before them, sprawled somewhat lazily upon an elaborate divan, and dressed in a more intricately designed kimono, was Yuuko Ichihara herself. Haris could feel the power and knowledge mist around the woman, with only her beauty to rival such prowess. Doumeki was already seated before the said witch, and slowly Haris sat beside the archer with Iris next to her.
"You must be Haris and Iris Manson," began Yuuko, tracing an opium pipe between her fingers with an elegant thumb; "I am Yuuko Ichihara, Dimensional Witch and employer of Watanuki Kimihiro. I suppose you have something he needs, Haris?"
Haris was tempted to flinch at the mention of her name, but instead she withdrew the bottle of poison from her pocket. "He should drink this," she said. "And puke out the spiders afterwards."
"Hm," mused the Time witch, taking the bottle into her right hand, observing it with her mysterious crimson eyes. For some reason, Haris held her breath, and she could feel Doumeki tense beside her. Yuuko didn't say anything, but returned the bottle to Haris with a curt nod, then turned to accept the tray of sake and tea from the two children who had somewhat entered the room without anyone's notice. The silence continued long, with Yuuko pouring each of her guests some tea, until Doumeki decided to speak.
"How's Watanuki?" he asked, taking the warm cup before him, and bringing it to his lips. All the while, he had his gaze fixated on the Dimensional witch. "Has he been well?"
"To be honest, no." Yuuko said quietly. "He's been acting differently. Does it have anything to do with the monster inside him?"
It was Haris' turn to take a sip from her cup, and to look sober. "Monsters, actually." She paused. "The sooner we get him to drink this, the better."
Yuuko pursed her lips, fingering the white laces of her dark kimono, then reaching for the remote control of the television lying somewhere across her. Silently, she turned it on, and a news report about a bloody murder in an alleyway nearby flashed on.
They all watched in silence for a while, though Iris wasn't, only fiddling with her own jacket strings. When the news report ended, Haris was the first to speak.
"The murder was done with a pair of garden shears, correct?" she said to no one in particular.
Although Doumeki did not speak to her directly, he responded; "Yes, and the body was found in an alleyway not far off from Watanuki's apartment."
Even if she would have wanted to glare at the archer (maybe again he was only conversing with her since it was related somewhat to Watanuki), Haris noticed her twin take in a sharp breath, and with a comforting smile she placed an arm over her quivering sister. "Don't worry, they won't show the body." She said quietly.
But Iris was not taken by her words, and started to shake her head. All the while, she did not say anything.
There was something incredibly wrong here.
-
It felt so different to be lounging in a Dimensional witch's shop all day, all the more with the said witch smoking at your side. Haris was sprawled on the floor, her legs spread out before her, wearing nothing but the usual vest jacket and loose jeans she had since earlier. Yuuko had offered to lend her a kimono, but she had politely declined- she had long learned ago that clothes like such did not suit her, nor was she comfortable in them.
If it weren't for the afternoon sun and the fresh breeze that occasionally swept a little harder at time, she would have gagged at the thick fumes of opium coming from the Time witch's pipe. It didn't carry any particular unpleasant smell, of course, but it wasn't normal oxygen, and Haris wasn't used to smoke- if she was to be really honest with it, she couldn't bear dark and thick fumes. She hated the way it obscured and hid things from view, and how it came to snake into her throat and choke her as if there was an invisible hand grasping at her neck. She hated, despised, and avoided smoke.
So as the Dimensional witch continued to breathe into her opium pipe and release swirling purple fumes, Haris felt somewhat drained and intoxicated. Such signs were evident at the way she laid her head on her arms, the way her eye lids dropped a notch, and the way her mouth refused to shut fully. She wasn't comfortable with looking like this, but she wasn't in any position to say so, or she didn't feel like it. Besides, she felt vulnerable this way, and it reminded her of too many things at a single moment. That wasn't, and would never be, a comforting thing to face.
Despite the rather uncomfortable circumstances, she enjoyed the scene of tranquility before her; the cool wind caressed her face whenever it passed by, also carrying with it the intoxicating smell of the opium. She felt somewhat at peace with the sounds playing before her- the symphony of birds and the rustle of leaves, to be accurate, and even the soft scratches of pencil against paper as her sister Iris worked on a sketch she wanted to cosplay sometime soon was soothing. She allowed herself a sigh, but it was one of relaxation and not of anything else.
A soft tinkle of glass, a pouring of liquid, and the presentation of a small porcelain disk broke her from her reverie.
It was Yuuko. "Do you drink?" She asked, handing the short-haired girl the disk of alcohol before settling herself with her own. "It's sweet, but I'm sure you've already tried drinking this."
No I haven't, Haris wanted to say, but instead she took the cup gratefully and helped herself to its content. It was warm and sweet, yes, and it left a satisfying sensation dwelling in her mouth. "It's good." She complimented quietly, sitting up.
"Of course it is," smiled the Dimensional witch, "I made sure of that personally."
Haris nodded, pouring herself another cup. "I suppose you want to discuss something with me?" She asked.
"Obviously," was the reply; "First of all, Watanuki had been acting entirely strange in your absence. He's...well, he's more than strange, actually." A pause. "He's been terrifyingly different."
"Aah, as I have said, and as you've already known, it's the monsters. They're controlling him as we speak. Sometimes it's really Watanuki we see, but most of the times it isn't." Haris allowed herself another cup. "And gods, think of all the things those monsters inside him can have him do. It'll be a riot."
Yuuko, her face changed, stared at her companion. "Well, I can't disagree with that." She downed a cup. "I had consulted with an artifact, and lo, it's not exactly a bright future we have here." She gestured to the pale blue skies and drifting clouds with the cup in her hand; "Despite what we see."
Haris fiddled with her cup. It wasn't surprising to find out that there were probably more troubles in the future, since now it wasn't looking good at all. She glanced (although briefly) at the stiff form of Doumeki- who was sitting before the table with a thick book in hand, his back to her- and allowed herself to nod. "Yes," She replied. "Despite what we see."
Yuuko turned to see what had taken up Haris' attention, and realizing it was the stoic archer, she leaned in closer to whisper: "Something happened, yes?"
Haris sighed, moving her gaze away from the man who had attracted so many feelings from her, and away from the mysterious woman looming over her. She wasn't the type who'd blurt out all her problems to a stranger, and though Yuuko wasn't entirely mistrusted, it didn't feel like a good idea, and Yuuko wasn't really keen on finding out. The said witch pulled away, getting to her feet, the bottles of sake and her own disk forgotten at the folds of the draping fabric of her kimono. "Don't pick the flames, Haris." She said quietly, frowning sadly at the short-haired girl before her; "Do not force what cannot be."
Haris watched the Time witch go, pursing her lips and damning hitsuzen to hell.
-
The skies had turned a shade darker when she chose to finally confront him.
She had passed Doumeki in the hallway- as expected, he didn't say anything else, perhaps too busy with the bowl of food in his hands or too annoyed at her to acknowledge her presence. Whatever the reason, she had grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards her, fixing him with a burning glare. Doumeki returned her gaze, unaffected, and they stood in silence for a while.
She was the first to speak. "I don't like being at fault," she told him, her arms trembling slightly and her voice hinting emotion; "But I always find myself in such a position."
Doumeki neither said anything nor indicated any movement that he wanted to get away from her touch, but then again, it wasn't entirely a good thing. His nonchalance only succeeded in infuriating her all the more, and before she knew it, she was in tears.
"And I can't help it," she sobbed, her head still held high, her wet eyes searching his. "So help me."
He raised a hand and gently pried her fingers surround his wrist. "If you know you shouldn't," he said quietly, tone balanced; "Then don't."
She frowned, but in a while her lips curved into a smile. "But I want to," she mouthed, then wrapped her arms around his neck before he could protest.
She was already pulling him down to a kiss when--
-
Watanuki stepped into the shop without any greeting or whatsoever to the woman standing at the end of the hallway, somewhat confronting him.
"Doumeki's back, and so is Haris." Yuuko stated blankly. "I thought it'd be nice if you knew."
The spirit seer didn't smile, as he normally would, but instead walked past the Dimensional witch and into another room. Iris was there, reading a book on costumes, when the door opened and the bespectacled boy entered without a word.
"A-ah, Watanuki-kun," she said, forcing a smile, as she got up to her feet and walked back from the approaching spirit seer; "Is something the matter?"
Watanuki smiled this time, eerily and maliciously. Iris only had enough time to lean away as something cold and sharp pressed threateningly against her throat, drawing from her a piercing scream and--
-
-- Haris' lips only brushed softly against his, but stayed like that as someone screamed.
The sound brought home Haris' common sense, and she whispered her twin's name before disappearing around the corner, obviously towards the sound. Doumeki did not dare to allow himself spare time and quickly ran to the source at once, bolting after the short-haired girl.
As expected, Yuuko was already there. She had Watanuki hacking away in her arms, one hand clutching at a bottle of table salt; quickly, Haris went to her sister and enclosed the quivering teen in her embrace.
The bespectacled boy stumbled towards the archer who had only recently gotten there, crocodile tears in his eyes. Yuuko did her best to hold the boy back- but Doumeki's grip was strong, and since he was too concerned about the spirit seer, he ignored the protests Iris was screaming at him and the smile spreading upon Watanuki's face.
Pain. It was the only thing evident right then, even as he clutched at his stomach and the sounds around him registered as only a blur; he stumbled unsteadily on the floor, catching a glimpse of the red liquid staining the front of his shirt and his hands, and suddenly nothing mattered anymore. Goodbye, he thought, as the pain became too much to handle. Goodbye-
Meanwhile, Haris had pounced at Watanuki at the first chance she could get, knocking him down onto the floor and hitting him with a series of blows until Yuuko and Iris could pry her off. She realized she was crying. A disheveled and bruised Watanuki lay at her feet, eyes slightly open and provoking, and it took her every ounce of her strength to keep herself from pummeling his pretty face into a pulp.
"Haris," Yuuko's voice came, loud and demanding; "Haris, bring Doumeki to a guest room. Iris, prepare the futon, treat his wounds. Maru and Moro will be with you shortly," she nodded at the twins hurrying to bring a weakened Watanuki away. "I will deal with him."
Haris nodded, pushing the bottle of poison into the witch's waiting hands, before turning towards Doumeki and supporting him with all her weight to drag him carefully into a room Iris had left to prepare; she could feel her hands tremble and shake under his superior height and weight, but she held still, holding him close.
"Doumeki," she whispered, tears still coursing down her cheeks; "Doumeki!"
For a moment, he stirred; he opened an eye, searching her face, and she could feel herself tremble with an all too familiar emotion- anger- as the name he had been meaning to say died on his lips.
Watanuki.
-
A/N: OH GODS IT'S CHAPTER NINE. Something strange had happened only recently: I checked my email and saw that someone had submitted chapter nine without my permission. It's not entirely wrong, yeah, but that copy was…well, it wasn't fixed yet. So I'm resubmitting. I bet the culprit was a friend of mine who cared too much but thought too little- AND YES I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU MICHAEL, YOU ASS. Haha. Somebody tell him I love him before dying. xP
Anyway, notes. I figured people would try to kill me after graciously pairing off Haris with Doumeki, so I would like to clear this out- NO, they're NOT ending up together, for Christ's sake. Haris is a character of mine from an original, called 'Monster Twins' (or something of the sort, since I've never really had a hand for titles), and she's supposed to end up with someone she deliberately hates. So NO, Doumeki's not hers. But a little teen angst plus adultery is good, yes? And sexy. I HAVE ISSUES.
Sorry it took me some time to correct this though, I'm sure by now you guys have read it. SO I'M SORRY. The exams have just finished and after some time of studying my ass off, well, I didn't bother A&O for a while. I'm so mean. DX
Besides that, the usual. Reviews and rants always welcome. Always. xD