A/N:So far, this is a pretty typical 104 story. It'll get a little crazier soon though, I promise! Sorry about not updating over the weekend, I was working on school junk. Thank you all for your kind comments! All my college applications got sent successfully, so now I've got much more time to doodle around on the computer and write fanfiction. Hooray!

WARNING!!!This chapter has a tiiiiny spoiler for xxxHolic chapters 140 and up. Nothing to worry about really, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Chapter 2: Awakenings

From the moment Doumeki first met Watanuki, he had felt strangely attracted to him. Of course, everyone was attracted to Watanuki (manjuu buns, psycho witches, floating eyes, and pipe foxes included), but there was something about the boy other than his ability to see spirits that drew the archer in, something different – the way he chewed the end of his pencil during math tests, the way he looked in an apron, the way he talked to himself when he thought no one was paying attention…

But Doumeki was always paying attention. (1)

He couldn't help picking a fight that one day, the day that he had first spoken with Watanuki. It was after gym, and Watanuki was fumbling around blindly for a towel to wash his face with. In an uncharacteristic act of sensitivity that had the nearby boys staring, Doumeki tossed his to the seer, who instead of catching it let it hit him smack dab in the face. Spluttering and outraged, Watanuki grabbed his glasses to confront his provoker, only to find the dull face of Doumeki staring out at him, an amused smirk tugging at the side of his mouth.

"What the hell do you think you're doing??" Watanuki had screamed in a shrill voice. It had been impossible to take him seriously with the towel hanging off of his head, and water dripping all over the shirt of his school uniform, and for a few moments, Doumeki actually thought he would laugh.

"Idiot." He had mumbled instead. The screaming that followed attracted the attention of the gym coach, and they were both asked to stay after school.

From then on, the blue-eyed boy was a constant source of amusement to Doumeki. The bentos, the name-calling, the condescension and the 'Oi's were all his way of getting a rise out of Watanuki, and he was willing to put up with the yelling and the insults if it meant getting to spend more time with the seer.

But lately, things had been getting a little strange (stranger than usual, anyway). Doumeki had been feeling…things…towards Watanuki. Things that would scare the other boy if he knew, the archer had no doubt. Things that scared Doumeki, if he were perfectly honest about it. Too many times had he woken up in the middle of the night from a dream, covered in sweat and painfully hard, gasping Watanuki's name. The guilt he felt after these dreams was immeasurable. It was wrong for him to be thinking these things about Watanuki, the same Watanuki who had probably never been kissed, never thought about sex, and most certainly never stayed up late at night jacking off to images of his best friend underneath him. It was wrong, and Doumeki knew it, but he still couldn't help staring when Watanuki took off his shirt after gym, couldn't help occasionally running his hands through the other boy's hair while he was unconscious after one of their more difficult missions. But Watanuki was his first real friend and he didn't want to lose him over something like this, so he had no choice but to keep his new-found feelings to himself. He was schooled in hiding his emotions, so hiding his feelings on this particular subject shouldn't have been very difficult.

However there had been one day where he had almost given everything away.

The day itself started off normal - Watanuki was practically dead on his feet at the end of a rough fight with a pair of restless twin spirits, and Doumeki had, despite the boy's tired protests, insisted on walking him home.

"Don't you have anything better to do, Doumeki? I mean seriously, this whole babysitting routine is getting old." Watanuki yawned and stumbled a bit.

Doumeki reflexively reached out an arm and grabbed him before he fell. "Maybe if you were less of a baby, Yuuko wouldn't find me walking with you necessary." Glaring at him, Watanuki jerked his arm away and walked faster. Doumeki accordingly sped up his own pace, which frustrated the other boy considerably.

"Don't you have anyone else to hang out with?? Get a girlfriend or something!!"

"I don't want a girlfriend."

"What, you're too good for the girls at our school? And don't lie, because I know you're after Himawari, you bastard!"

Doumeki rolled his eyes.

"I'm not after Kunogi, and I don't want a girlfriend."

There was a pause, and after a few seconds, Watanuki turned to Doumeki, his bright blue eyes as big as saucers.

"You're not….you don't…like anyone?" The idea seemed completely preposterous to Watanuki. "Do you even have feelings?"

"I didn't say I didn't like anyone."

"But then…"

"We're here." They had made it to the apartment complex, and Doumeki stood by the stairs pointedly, waiting for Watanuki to go up. But Watanuki refused to give up.

"Who do you like?"

"That's none of your business."

The blue-eyed boy grinned, recognizing an opportunity to get under Doumeki's skin.

"It's Takamura-chan, isn't it? You know she's been after you for ages."

"Takamura…" Watanuki stared at the archer incredulously.

"Are you so wrapped up in yourself that you don't pay attention to ANYONE AROUND YOU?" I pay attention to you Doumeki thought, but remained silent.

"You're insufferable." And without another word, Watanuki collapsed. Doumeki managed to catch him by his collar right before his head hit the ground.

"Idiot." He muttered, worried about Watanuki, but relieved that the awkward conversation was over. This wasn't the first time Watanuki had passed out like this. Lately the boy had been falling asleep at strange (and sometimes dangerous) intervals (2). Tucking one arm behind the boy's knees and the other bracing his back, he lifted Watanuki like a baby and carried him up the apartment stairs. The key was hidden (predictably) in the soil of a potted plant, and Doumeki somehow managed to unlock and kick the apartment door open without disturbing the sleeping boy.

The apartment was as sterile as always. Watanuki's domestic skills never failed to amaze Doumeki, although he took care not to let on as much. His own cooking and cleaning abilities paled in comparison. Ever since Watanuki had begun to make him bentos, Doumeki had grown lazy and stopped cooking altogether- his food tasted like dirt compared to even the simplest of Watanuki's lunches, so it just wasn't worth it.

He carried the sleeping boy to his room, and gently lay him down on his futon. Watanuki gave a soft moan that made Doumeki jerk away in surprise. If the boy woke up and caught him this close, there would be hell to pay. But his lips…oh god, they looked so soft…hard to believe that those were the same lips that had been cursing at him only minutes before. As the moonlight streamed in through the partially opened window (Doumeki made a mental note to close it before he left) Watanuki's pale skin seemed to glow with an unearthly light. The shadows that played across his face accentuated the boy's almost elven features in a way that made the archer catch his breath.

"Doumeki…need…"

What? The archer leaned forward, trying to catch Watanuki's softly mumbled words.

"…need…you."Need…me? Doumeki felt a hot blush creep up his neck and tint his cheeks. Is Watanuki having…that kind of dream about me? Doumeki had never before considered that Watanuki might return his feelings. True, he sometimes fantasized himself and the seer together, but those were only fantasies. But this… a tiny spark of hope flared up in the archer's heart.

"Doumeki…I want you…" the boy said again. Doumeki could never say no to that voice. Before he knew what he was doing, he had climbed over the restless sleeper and was leaning in close until his lips and Watanuki's were only centimeters apart. It was like his body had a mind of it's own. They were so close…

"…to STOP STEALING MY SHRIMP GODDAMNIT!!!" Watanuki's scream startled Doumeki so much that he threw himself backwards, landing on the hardwood floor. Watanuki sat up abruptly, narrowly avoiding slamming Doumeki in the face, and slowly blinked his eyes.

"Doumeki?" Doumeki froze. Oh shit. For a few moments, the two stared at each other. Busted…was all Doumeki could think, and slowly began counting down in his head. 20 seconds passed before Watanuki's eyes closed again, his head fell back onto the pillow and he began to snore. Loudly.

Oh.A flood of emotions surged through the archer, the predominant one being disappointment. So he wasn't dreaming about me like that after all. It had been foolish to get his hopes up. Even if Watanuki did go for guys (which he certainly did not, judging from his obsession with Kunogi) he hated Doumeki's guts. There was no way the two of them could ever be anything more than friends. Maybe one day, when Watanuki finally got his wish, Doumeki would confess his feelings, but until then, it was best to keep them to himself.

Once he had fully composed himself, Doumeki rose, gently shut the window and left the apartment, taking care to lock the door behind him.

1. This is meant to be romantic, not creepy.

2. Spoiler! (Kinda.)

This chapter was interesting to write, and took a lot more time than it should have. Apparently, I get nervous writing lemony-ish stuff.

Speaking of which, I'll bake a cyber cookie for anyone who can tell me where the lime/lemon reference comes from. What does sex have to do with lemons? I don't understand...

Thanks for reading!