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A Wish in England	By : Blanche_Conrad Category: +S to Z > XXXholic Views: 1804 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Disclaimer: Neither Doumeki nor Watanuki or any of xxxHolic are of my creation. That honor belongs entirely to CLAMP. I'm just rearranging some of the pieces to my liking.
A/N: I won't be using honorifics. If anyone seems a little OOC let me know please. This is my first fanfic (and will 99% likely be my only xxxHolic fanfic), so constructive criticism will be appreciated.

Watanuki opened the door and slammed it behind him before falling to his knees. Eyes. Glowing eyes. Where was Doumeki to protect him? Oh, right... He was kissing Himawari.
With a grumble, Watanuki got up and made for the kitchen. He walked through the door to find Yuuko and Himawari cooking ramen.
"Wha..." he didn't really know what to ask. Where was Doumeki? How'd they get back before him? What did they think they were doing in the kitchen? Shaking his head to clear it, Watanuki spoke again, "I'll do the dishes I dirtied already but you guys are cleaning up your own mess."
Watanuki ran the water for the dishes and watched as Yuuko did very little actual cooking. Himawari flitted about the kitchen as though she were used to it, although to Watanuki it was painfully obvious that she doesn't cook often.
"Don't you ever cook with your mom at home?" He asked as she fiddled with one of the knobs for the stovetop, failing to turn on the correct burner twice.
"Not really, she doesn't like having help in the kitchen."
Yuuko drifted over to the sink and pulled a glass Watanuki had just rinsed from the drain board, filling it with brandy. "Did Doumeki explain himself to you?"
"What? No. I didn't even see him."
"Pity. He hadn't intended to pull Himawari's ribbons from his pocket, you know?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure that's exactly what he meant to do, and he could have waited until I wasn't around to do it."
"Wasn't your handkerchief also blue...?"
"And just what are you...? WHAAAAAA?! What?! That's crazy!" Watanuki yelled at Yuuko and waved his hands about in shock, sending dishwater flying everywhere. "Doumeki wouldn't want a kiss from me." Watanuki blushed furiously, again, and thrust his hands back into the water to rummage around for the silverware.
"I think when you see him you should apologize," Yuuko said before drifting away to rescue Himawari from a near disaster with a towel and the stove top.

Doumeki was just about to give up searching for Watanuki when he heard a very familiar yell. Knowing Watanuki had seen something to frighten him, Doumeki pinpointed the sound and made a mad dash through the forest towards it. He dodged stray limbs, roots, bushes, and fallen logs with ease; his sole focus was getting to Watanuki to rescue him. He suddenly burst into a clearing. He stopped and looked around but saw no sign of Watanuki.
Figuring that Watanuki was probably well away from this forest by now, Doumeki turned to leave when he noticed that the grass to his left was disturbed. He knelt down to study it. It looked as though something, or someone, had been dragged through the grass to the far left edge of the clearing. His heart suddenly pounding, Doumeki followed the drag marks at a fast walk. He didn't want to lose the trail when he got back into the forest.
After some amount of distance, Doumeki found himself standing before a small hill. It wasn't all that tall. Were a grown person to stand inside, their head might brush the top of it. The marks had disappeared at the edge of the trees and so Doumeki walked slowly around the hill. When he was almost around to the other side, he saw what appeared to be a doorway. It looked as if people had built it and yet there was no actual door, no door frame, and no sign of any kind explaining this random doorway in a hill.
Shrugging, Doumeki wandered into it thinking he would find himself in a small circular room. To his surprise, he walked on and on in the darkness, never coming to the other end of the hill. Perhaps this was good. Watanuki would have had plenty of time to cool down by the time Doumeki returned to the cabin.

As the shadowy fingers of dusk began to stretch into the sky, Yuuko knew that everything had gone according to plan. Doumeki was now in position to fulfill the wish that the fey princess had made. It was time to set something else into motion. This was nobody's wish to be granted, but Yuuko would be responsible for its fulfillment nonetheless.
"Watanuki, it's almost dark. Aren't you worried about Doumeki?"
"Why would I worry about that jerk?"
"He may be able to defeat the evil things that often hunt mortals...but he can't defeat them if he can't see them, can he?" Yuuko watched as the color drained from Watanuki's face.
"I can't do anything to find him. I don't know how... I'm useless."
Yuuko detected the note of panic in Watanuki's voice. "You brought the pipe fox with us didn't you? He can find Doumeki. All you need to do is ask." With those words, the pipe fox emerged from Yuuko's sleeve and launched itself at Watanuki. "Go," was all Yuuko said before Watanuki flung open the door and raced out into the darkening countryside.

Thoughts whirled in Watanuki's skull as he ran, watching the pipe fox for any indication as to when he should change direction. When he had returned to the cabin, Yuuko had implied that Doumeki had not wanted a kiss from Himawari. She hinted that it was Watanuki Doumeki had wanted the kiss from, but that was crazy talk... Wasn't it? Why would Doumeki want a kiss from him? They're both guys, Watanuki's always yelling at him, and they have no reason to even be around each other besides Himawari being friends with both of them and Yuuko often requesting Doumeki's help.
However, a hidden part of Watanuki's mind chimed in. Doumeki is always rescuing him (even when he doesn't want to be rescued), always making odd meal requests and heartily eating whatever Watanuki cooks (even if he didn't cook it for him), and always seems to be around when Watanuki...needs...him. The pipe fox turned its nose to the right, so Watanuki adjusted his path as he tried to adjust to this new perspective his brain had decided to take.

Doumeki wandered on, with no sense of the passage of time, deeper into the tunnels. Suddenly he saw light ahead and, thinking that it must be the other end, rushed toward it. He was eager to get back to the cabin and apologize to Watanuki. It would take him more time to get up the courage to explain what was supposed to happen.
Doumeki was mildly surprised to step into a cavernous room lit by dozens upon dozens of standing candelabras. There were tables all lined up and set for a feast, but not a single person or living creature in sight. No waiters, servants, and no diners. Along one edge of the room was a single row of tables pushed against the rough stone wall and piled high with heaping platters of various foods. Doumeki's stomach rumbled. It wouldn't do to return hungry if he couldn't placate Watanuki. Cook your own food tonight! Watanuki's parting words rang in his head.
With a shrug, Doumeki picked up one of the silver plates stacked at the end of the table closest to the tunnel. He walked down the row of tables and served himself portions of familiar looking dishes until he could fit no more on his plate. Not wanting to disturb the tables he plunked down on the floor and began to eat. His focus entirely on the food in front of him, he didn't really notice as human figures began to materialize around him. In fact he didn't even notice as chatter grew from a whisper to a din until someone seated in front of him laughed.
Doumeki jumped to his feet, sending the plate (with little food left on it) clattering. "Where am I?" He asked no one in particular. He jumped when someone behind him ran their fingernail lightly down his neck.
"You are in the Seelie Court, my dear," a female voiced purred in his ear.
"Mother, you'll frighten him. Behave. This must be the warrior the wish-granter promised to send us," a girl spoke as she rose from her seat at the head of one of the rows of dining tables.
"Yuuko granted you a wish?" Doumeki addressed the girl.
"Yes. We have a problem here and unfortunately even our most skilled warriors can do nothing to resolve it. They do not have the type of power required for this task. You do, though, and Yuuko said she would send you to us."
"Let me guess, you need me to shoot something?" He drawled in his normal monotone, having regained some of his composure upon finding out that Yuuko had something to do with this.
"Dear warrior," the woman stepped around in front of him, "we need you to vanquish a monster for us. A giant bird has been preying on my kingdom for the past month now. Every week it swoops in and takes one of my devoted subjects back to its lair to devour. Unfortunately we cannot see it. We only see when it carries someone through the air, but still we know not where to aim. Can you help us, warrior?"
"No."
"No?!" the shock and indignation was easily apparent in the woman's voice. "Why in the name of Gaia can you NOT help us?" the demand set Doumeki's teeth on edge.
"I can't see spirits or monsters either. My friend Watanuki can. I just shoot them to keep them from eating him."
Doumeki covered his ears as the woman let loose a shriek. "What trickery that witch thinks to betray us with, I do not know."
"Since I can't help you by myself, may I leave and I will return with Watanuki tomorrow afternoon?"
The woman studied him for a moment before smiling coldly and giving her reply, "No, you cannot leave."
"Why not? I'm of no use to you by myself. Who are you to try to keep me here, anyway?"
"I am the Seelie Queen, you impudent little imbecile! As for you leaving, well you ate our food. Thus, you are bound to our realm for the rest of your life. You can only leave if someone takes your place. Since the witch probably knows you are here, I am guessing she will send someone to do so. You must be valuable to her indeed for the price she asked of me. You might as well eat some more. It may be a long wait."

Watanuki panted as he finally broke into a small clearing completely dominated by a small hill. He walked around it warily and saw an entrance crudely carved into the hillside. He looked at the pipe fox questioningly. It nodded its head at him and shot forward into the tunnel. "Hey...wait!" Watanuki took off running again. He came to a sudden stop when the pipe fox transformed to its larger, more powerful version. The subtle glow it gave off provided plenty of light and Watanuki had to admit he felt a lot safer with the pipe fox in this form.
It seemed as though they had been walking forever when Watanuki heard voices talking loudly and saw light up ahead. He sprinted forward and burst into a dining hall full of odd looking people. Spying Doumeki at the far end, he scrambled around the tables and skidded to a halt in front of him. Without thinking Watanuki wrapped his arms around Doumeki's waist. "Thank God you're safe," Watanuki gave a sigh of relief.
"Who is this?" The distaste the female voice raised Watanuki's temper.
"Now look here! I don't know you are, but this is my friend and I came to retrieve him!" Watanuki felt ready to take on the whole room if he had to.
"So that's the way of it, I see. You," the woman poked Doumeki in the chest, "are free to go."
"Let's go, Doumeki."
"Ah, ah, ah..." the woman said before Watanuki practically snarled as he was yanked to a stop by the woman's hand grabbing his collar.
"Let me go!"
"No."
"No? Who do you think you are?!"
A vein bulged in the woman's temple as she clenched her jaw. "I'm the Seelie Queen, you ignorant sniveling brat!" She yelled in his face. "You cannot leave if you have come to take the archer's place. He cannot leave if you do not take his place. What is it going to be?"
"Let me explain to him, please." Doumeki's even tone was a relief as he extricated Watanuki from that awful woman's grasp.

Doumeki heaved a sigh as he finished his explanation.
"So, Yuuko arranged things so that you would end up here because they are being terrorized by something only you can kill?" Watanuki's deadpan voice was evidence of his annoyance with Yuuko keeping them all in the dark.
"Yes." Doumeki's reply held a hint of irritation.
"And you can't leave because you ate their food?"
"Yes."
"I told you that one day your stomach would get you in trouble."
Doumeki tried not to grind his teeth with his next reply, "Look, we have to figure something out just for now. Tomorrow we can find that whatever-it-is and I'll kill it, but right now we have to decide what to do at this moment."
Watanuki's silence was working on the last of Doumeki's rigidly controlled patience when he finally spoke, "Well, you have the next round of eliminations tomorrow, so it's not like you can really stay here." Doumeki tried not to let his surprise show as he watched Watanuki, waiting for his next words. "Just for tonight I will take you place here. Tomorrow come back as soon as the eliminations are over, so we can track that thing down and get rid of it."
"Watanuki, are you sure?" Doumeki didn't want to leave him here; but the pipe fox sat in the corner watching them both protectively so Doumeki was not overly troubled about Watanuki's safety. It was the fact that Watanuki would be beyond his reach that bothered him. Plus, Doumeki wanted to question Yuuko about this mess.
Watnuki nodded, "I'm sure. You go back, eat dinner with Yuuko and Himawari, and get ready for tomorrow."
"I'll come back as soon as I can. Stay close to the pipe fox. I don't trust the Queen." With that Doumeki rose and walked solemnly back to the tunnel. He stepped into the darkness and felt air whip around him. He brought his arms up to shield his face and when he lowered them he found himself standing in front of the cabin door.
Doumeki spent a moment taking deep breaths and ensuring his face held its usual unreadable expression before opening the door.

Watanuki shivered and pressed himself closer to the warm body of the pipe fox. A girl rose from the end of one table and waked towards him.
"I am Seelie Princess Rhiannon. I apologize for my mother's rudeness earlier. Let me show you to the guest quarters so you can rest."
Watanuki didn't know what else to do or say, so he merely followed her. He collapsed gratefully on the bed after thanking her and was asleep before she even left the room.

Reviews are welcome and I hope to post the next chapter soon.
Regards,
Blanche
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A Wish in England