A/n: I'd written all the way to the end of the story… when I thought of an adorable scene. I was like 'where can I slide it in? But could find NOWHERE to put it. So… I made it into a whole new chapter and slid it in.

Chapter 3:

Doumeki was, as always when on the archery field, in his element. Today he tuned out Himawari's over enthusiasm, and Watanuki's death glare every time he hit the target. One thing he could not tune out however, the very familiar blue eyes boring into his back. Everytime he looked around, she was there, looking in awe. She was standing at a safe distance, her left hands pale fingers through the fence, her right hanf clutching tightly to her doll. Strangely… she wasn't putting him off. He felt compelled to shoot… for her, she seemed to be enjoying it so he saw no problem in showing off a little for her. Though, if Watanuki accused him of it, he'd deny it. Speaking of Watanuki… he was hungry.
"C'mon." He nodded at the girl, indicating to the bleachers. She grabbed her doll and followed close behind him. No sooner were they there he greeted the two friends with "Oi, Food."
"My name is not 'Oi, food', nor does my name contain 'Oi' at all!" Huffed Watanuki, holding the bento hostage until he was addressed properly. He had learned that Doumeki was a little like a dog, blindly loyal with a bit of a bite, so therefore he should be disciplined as such.
"It does if you muddle the letters up." Mused Himawari, not actually trying to offend.
"I do not exist solely to feed that lumbering freak of an archer." Doumeki had to admit Watanuki was a lot cuter when he wasn't complaining so loud… and barely cute at all when he was confiscating food.
"Watanuki." He said bluntly, putting his hand out expectantly. All the other boy could do was growl, and thrust the bento box at him.

With ease Doumeki unwrapped it, normally he'd place the wrapping cloth beside him, but since the unnamed child was beside him, he just pocketed it, making a mental note to return it later. As expected, Watanuki had not followed through with Doumeki's request for dinner, but it was worth asking anyway as on the rare occasion he did comply.
"Why is she here again?" Sighed Watanuki, crouching down to stare the little girl in the eye. She stared right back as though daring him, which came off as slightly cocky for such a small girl, however she had ulterior motives. The staring contest with Watanuki distracted Doumeki long enough for her to steal a sushi roll.
"She's so crafty!" Clapped Himawari as the little girl nibbled. Doumeki smirked and Watanuki looked astounded.
"Does it matter why she's here?" Doumeki asked with a shrug, not bothering to shield his lunch from the girl.
"Well I don't mind her being here." He admitted. "But isn't her moth… godmother, worried about her? Is it really safe to just let her wander around in a strange time zone? As far as I know, none of us are murderers or perverts." At this point the shot Doumeki a glare. "But she could run into anyone or anything here." Doumeki shrugged and grabbed his bow, making to go to the field again, instantly the little girl followed. He stared at her for a moment, surveying her.

"Do you?" He asked her, indicating to his bow and arrow. She smiled and nodded, and he looked across the field, the other archers had gone home by now, as the practice had officially finished. "Here." He took a crossbow from the shed wall and handed to her. Even though it was the smallest size, it was much too big for her, he knew that, but he could also see by the look in her eye that she wanted to try it anyway. He kneeled behind her, putting his arms around her to help grip.
"Don't do that you moron!" Watanuki snapped from on the bleachers. As most inexperienced archers did, the girl turned into the pull back of her arrow.
"You have to keep your body straight." Was all Doumeki said, whispering in her ear. She nodded slowly, and drew back, releasing a little too early. She didn't hit the target in the center, but she did hit it. He was on his way to retrieve the arrow when a sharp slap caught the side of his head. Watanuki, no one else would have the gall to hit him. In fact… normally Watanuki didn't, and Doumeki knew that he'd done wrong.
"Are you a complete idiot? It's dangerous, if she gets hurt Yuuko would kill me six ways from Sunday!" He fumed. With a lousy excuse such as that Doumeki thoroughly intended to continue practicing, with or without Watanuki's consent, but the little girl had hung up the arrow and gone instead to marvel at a butterfly. Both boys, and Himawari, who had joined them, watched her with mixed emotions. She looked so delicate and fragile, as though she would break, but they knew, without having to hear her words that she had a fiery spirit and a strong heart.

"Aww, she's chasing butterflies." Himawari said with a sugar sweet smile.
"And you thought she was evil." Scoffed Watanuki, kneeling beside her to stare into the flowers at the tiny, beautiful creature.
"Evil people can like butterflies." Doumeki said simply. That went against Watanuki's code of conduct. Being a notorious spirit magnet, he learned long ago that evil did not like salt… nor did it like pink, butterflies, or fuzzy little kitties named Tinkerbell. It was a rule of the bad guy handbook.

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It was already evening, the sun was setting once again, and again the girls movements seemed slower and tired.
"How do we get her home?" Doumeki wondered out loud, his bow slung over his shoulder. Yesterday Yuuko had taken her, but he had no clue where the girl lived.
"She can go herself." Watanuki said without thinking, she'd gone home alone before.
"In the dark? At night?" Himawari asked worriedly. Even the little girl looked scared at the thought.
"Idiot." Doumeki grumbled.
"Fine. I'll take her, you can show me the way, right?" Watanuki offered.
"Idiot." The archer said again. "You think YOU'RE safe to walk the streets alone at night?" Watanuki blushed. The little girl suddenly did something that surprised them all, she grabbed Doumeki's hand and clung to it very tightly.
"Why don't both of you take her?" Suggested Himawari. "I have to go home, goodbye." She waved them all off then disappeared into the darkening distance.

A small hand crept into his, causing Watanuki to jump back and let go of it. She looked almost slightly offended, then shook it off, choosing to cling only to Doumeki instead. He felt bad, he honestly did, he'd not intended to upset her, he just wasn't used to people touching him, not including the pipe fox, nobody really touched him since his parents had died.
"Left?" Watanuki asked, to break the silence as they reached a crossroad. She nodded and began pointing. She led them up 83rd street, past the closing stores, she led them down by the canal, over the bridge. Then everyone froze still. Watanuki widened his eyes, he knew this area was bad for the supernaturally inclined, but in front of them stood a spirit… if 'stood' was what you could call it. On one bare leg it balanced, a large furry giant with arms twice as long as its leg and eyes so wide they could have been murky swimming pools. Doumeki felt the two beside him tense.
"Where?" He asked, standing protectively in front of them and raising his bow. The girl fell to her knees, choking, as did Watanuki who was surrounded by the accompanying smog. "WHERE!?" Doumeki repeated, louder now. Watanuki pointed at the creature, and although the archer could not see, although he had now arrows, although one of the people behind him was a stranger, Doumeki shot. The arrow seemed little more than a needle prick to the giant who roared menacingly. "Get out of here." Doumeki ordered. Watanuki struggled to his feet and made to grab for the child, but her breathing was harsh, she could not stand, and in Watanuki's condition he could not pull her up.

"D…Doumeki I can't…" He coughed. Doumeki shot again, having no more effect this time than the last time.
"You go. I'll protect her. I can't watch both of you." Doumeki ordered, feeling something pull on his ankle as he drew back a third arrow. He felt strangely empowered as he let it fly through the air.
"But you two can't even see the thing!" Watanuki snapped irately. Then he realised, his breathing was settling. He glanced up, the third 'arrow', no different than the others, had hit the giant in the ankle, and was absorbing the monstrous spirit. "How did… you do that?" He asked, the looming oppression fading with the monster.
"I… don't know." Confessed Doumeki, who was unaware what he'd done, but knew from the calm expression that the thing spooking Watanuki had left. However, the little girl lay crumpled on the floor, her hand on Doumeki's ankle. Her breathing was still ragged and she was crying.
"Are you okay? I thought at first she went down because of the demon-thing but…" But this didn't seem to be a spirit attack, her face was flushed red and tears streaked down it. Despite her obviously poor health, when Doumeki picked her up, he felt a strange sense of power from the touch. As though with her there holding him, he was ten times stronger.

"I've seen this before." He said eventually, rubbing her back. "Asthma."
"Asthma?"
"Yeah, I had it when I was younger, I was very weak… but I outgrew it. It's a breathing condition, sometimes hereditary." She was making odd choking noises. "Do you have an inhaler?" He asked her. She nodded and fumbled through her pockets. Watanuki could only watch as Doumeki gingerly sat her down, taking a blue object from her and tilting her head back a little. He put it in her mouth and pressed once, rubbing her back at the same time.
"Will she be okay?" Watanuki felt a pang if concern over the child. He had not been able to protect her, having had his own problem at the time.
"She should be." Doumeki said, pressing the button on the inhaler again and spraying it into her mouth. After a few minutes of silence, the gasping became gulps, as her lungs opened up again ready to accept the cold night air, and gradually her sounds turned into silent sobs as she cried. Doumeki searched his pockets and found the cloth that had been used to contain his bento, he leaned forward and wiped her eyes. Watanuki had never seen Doumeki look so gentle as he did now.

"Are you okay?" He asked eventually, looking at Watanuki. The little girl stood up shakily, having to hold Doumeki's shoulders to balance herself.
"I'm fine." Watanuki whispered, slightly scared of interrupting the magic of the moment, it seemed so unreal. She had stopped crying almost completely now, and freed herself from Doumeki. She walked right up to Watanuki, then flung her arms around his waist, hugging him close. He was shocked, but she quickly let go. Instead she reached for his hand, and this time, he took it.

They were forced to leave her at the garden gate, per her silent orders. They saw a flash of dark hair as a woman ushered her indoors.
"I'm walking you home." Doumeki said firmly, he did not want another incident such as the one that had just occurred.
"I can walk on my own!" Was the growling response he received, but he followed him anyway, making sure to walk him all the way up to his apartment. There was a moments awkward pause. "I'm not inviting you in or anything, so you can go home."
"Kay." Shrugged Doumeki, turning to leave.
"Doumeki?" Watanuki said softly, and the archer looked back. "You might say you don't like her… but you're good with kids." And with that very rare compliment, Watanuki darted into his home.

A/n: Now to those who theorized… there are some big hints in this chapter (one HUGE hint) that may prove some of you wrong. Have fun wondering.