"Resentment"
It was a week before Watanuki came back to school.
And he was very different than before.
He put on his usual rosy and inflated excitement around Himawari when he was with her, but whenever he was alone - in class or between lessons - the seer was surrounded by an air of thick, black resentment. No one dared ask him about the bandages covering his hands, or why he was hobbled as though walking on knives. Everyone kept their distance.
His aura might have been gloomy but now Watanuki was a veritable stormcloud of emotions.
On the few occasions he had spotted Doumeki he quickly turned on his heel and went in the opposite direction. Doumeki let him. Silently, he also turned around and walked away. The space between them grew long, each stride pulling their previous relationship taught. Both knew it would snap soon, but Watanuki couldn't find it in his mortified heart to forgive Doumeki, and Doumeki understood completely. So he stayed away, even though it grieved him sore.
"He's really suffering, Watanuki-Kun." Himawari said softly, carefully. "Couldn't you talk to him?"
His eyes filled up at the memory of Doumeki looming over him, of the first pin being driven through his hand, of his agonised cries and pleads to stop, and of feeling utterly, utterly powerless.
Watanuki clenched his teeth. "He has no idea about suffering."
At archery practise Doumeki pulled back his arrow. The feathers grazed his cheek and he held it there, vision narrowing so all he could see was the target.
Hold - Focus - Aim
A sudden image of Watanuki replaced the target before him.
No!
Doumeki released the arrow in surprise. It hit Watanuki in the throat, shattering the black choker around his neck with a piercing smash.
The recoil of the bowstring whipped back and struck Doumeki on the face, leaving a curving laceration on his cheek.
When he regained his senses the cruel memory was gone.
"Doumeki-San! Are you alright?" Another archer came to him in worry.
Doumeki began to tremble and covered his face with his hand. Blood smeared across his skin. "I'm fine." he said somewhat shakily. "Just caught me on the recoil."
"Are you sure? I can get the first aid kit-"
"No, I'm fine. That won't be necessary. I'm not that badly hurt, I'm not...that badly..." His voice was shaking too much to finish. He turned his back on the boy and bowed his head, reeling, and suddenly overcome.
His eyes were hot. There was water on his hands. Watanuki...