"Kumiko Heart"

"Do you have to go?" Watanki asked softly, eyes full of anxiety.

Yuuko had her back to him, a massive black half moon sat on her head, with ornaments draping down to her wide, black cloaked shoulders. She was peering over a tome of strange runes. Mokona hopped about stuffing artefacts into a suitcase. "My duties as an inter-dimensional witch have been requested." She said, closing the book and setting it into the case.

"Is it Sakura-Chan and the others?"

"Yes."

"I see." Watanuki dropped his shoulders, smiling gently. "I hope they're doing well."

Yuuko turned and cupped his cheek. "Will you watch the shop for me? Maru and Moro will be lonely."

"Yuuko-San..." He could sense her grief though she had muted it as much as possible throughout this whole ordeal. He held her gaze and straightened up. "I will stay here, and wait for you." He would never admit it out loud, but he was afraid to go home and to be alone.

"You should try to learn how to channel your new powers. You may need them." She said, her cryptic darkness returning.

"I'm ready to accept my powers now. I want to protect Doumeki."

"OOOOoooooo~?"

"A-Ah! N-No! No no no no! What I mean is I need to protect him and Cho! I-I-I did get them into this mess after all!" Watanuki flailed around in an embarrassed wobbly tangle of limbs and shifting kimono fabrics. His cheeks were beetroot.

Yuuko laughed deeply, her and Mokona falling together in glee at Watanuki's flustered display.

"Watanuki wants to protect Doumeki! Watanuki wants to protect Doumeki!" Mokona chanted.

"Hey, come on now! You know what I meant!" His ears were turning red now.

"Idiot."

Doumeki's flat monotone cut through the chiding, and Watanuki bristled with deepening mortified embarrassment.

"Get out, you! Yuuko-San is preparing to leave!"

Doumeki's lazy gaze fell on the witch, with an edge of frustration.

"Doumeki-Kun, don't look at me with such poor feelings! Watanuki will be staying in the shop, I would not leave him totally unprepared. Besides, you are more than advised to stay here with him."

She cast him a half lidded, weighted look.

"I think you mean, "welcome", Yuuko-San..." Watanuki cringed.

Just then, Cho entered the room. His wings trailed behind him along with the tails of his Monarch garb. He came to rest beside Doumeki. "We will stay with you, Watanuki." He said, then cast his eyes to the archer. "Right?"

Yuuko cast him a sidelong look.

"Right."

"Well that's settled then!" Exclaimed Yuuko happily. "Now - time for some sake to see me off with! Watanuki~!"

He sighed. "Yes, yes..."

Night felt like black velvet. Yuuko and Mokona had departed, leaving a slew of empty sake bottles for the boys to clean up. Watanuki was pacing in the room he slept in when he stayed over at the shop. The tatami matts crunched under the pressure of his bare feet. And the shifting coo of his lavender kimono followed each creak like an echo.

I have to figure out how to use these wings - how to manifest my spiritual energy.

The sense of impending danger was beating in his mind like distant drums.

He stopped and stood still, taking a deep breath. Clenching his fists and concentrating, he focused his energy into his back. It was like controlling his blood flow, it felt impossible.

But suddenly - he felt his shoulders spasm. With a juicy gasp his swallowtail wings sprung free from the kimono, leaving it patternless and blank.

He huffed and gripped his knees, doubling over under the weight of the huge wings above him. Their shadow loomed over him as the floor became peppered with sweat.

"Watanuki's pretty!" Maru and Moro chanted, dancing around with joyous faces. "Watanuki's pretty!"

He threw them a tired smile.

"Oi."

Doumeki appeared at the door forcing Watanuki to straighten up. A bead of sweat ran down his chest.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?!" He spat.

Doumeki ignored him, eyes fixed on the towering wings behind the svelte seer. The arches weren't as wide or round as the Monarch wings, they were tall and slim, coming to a pointed, inky tip. The lower sections were crimped with spiking edges, and two longer tails, or tendrils, with a flat spade like tip dragged against the floor like a dress's train. The flesh was a pale yellow, like soft sunlight. Watanuki was dwarfed by them, the lavender of his kimono was equally as soft; he didn't look ready to defend himself against any kind of revenge.

Doumeki's eyes finally fell to the deep V of flesh at the opening of Watanuki's kimono. Seeing his skin, glistening white as frozen milk, made his heartbeat suddenly quicken its pace.

Watanuki noticed where his friend's eyes lay and blushed, pulling his kimono together at the throat. "W-What are you looking at? I-Idiot!"

"Cho and I will be guarding the main entrance." Doumeki quickly changed the subject, eyes down. "Nothing will get in."

"O-Okay. Thank you." Watanuki stammered. The silence lingered. Neither of them looked at each other. The heat in their faces remained.

"Umm...goodnight."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight! Goodnight!" Maru and Moro sang.

Midnight approached as a fog drew in from the west, snuffing out the stars. It was as thick as peaks of meringue. The moon was the one defiant light in the sky, it's white grinning glow illuminating the decking which framed the shop. Doumeki and Cho sat at either side of the entrance doors, like bookends.

Cho stretched and yawned, staring up at the slip of moon.

Doumeki watched him.

Cho noticed and smirked at the archer, as if he could tell what he was thinking. "You want to know why I chose Watanuki to be the new Monarch."

Doumeki shook his head. "No, I want to know why you want to pass on the mantle in the first place. Why not be King yourself, you're certainly strong enough."

Cho shrugged. "It's a treacherous job, Monarch's are perceived as weak so you are always hunted. I'm a coward at heart. The only way I would be Monarch is if I could guarantee my safety."

"Hn."

Cho smirked. "Why don't I take first watch? You look like you could use some rest after looking after Watanuki all day."

"Hn." Doumeki settled against the door, folding his arms and closing his eyes.

In the dark of the spare room Watanuki slept between Maru and Moro. The three were nestled together with familial closeness, a cocoon of warmth and security. His glasses sat folded on the tatami matt beside his head. The butterfly wings had morphed back into his kimono, at rest.

Then, the silence of the sleeping household was disturbed as two spiders crawled from beneath the door and into the room...

Holy shit I have neglected this story so much. Having read through it again though, just on a whim, I got my inspiration back so I'm going to try and conclude it in the next few chapters for anyone out there who still cares haha, make yourself known!