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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
- 8
- 9
- 10
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. From here on, it's entirely probably that Doumeki and Watanuki will get a little OOC. This is my first fanfic (and will 99% likely be my only xxxHolic fanfic), so constructive criticism will be appreciated.

Doumeki gently shook Watanuki by his shoulder, trying to wake him from his pleasant slumber.
"Watanuki. Watanuki, wake up." Since Watanuki showed no signs of waking up anytime soon, Doumeki figured he'd try something that just might do the trick. He cupped Watanuki's face in his hands and kissed him deeply. After just a few seconds, Watanuki began to respond. His first reaction was almost crippling to Doumeki, as Watanuki returned the kiss with equal fervor. Then, he opened his eyes and broke away. His hand struck Doumeki's cheek and the sound echoed in the bedchamber like a thunderclap.
Doumeki stared downward to hide the hurt that was showing so plainly on his face as he spoke. "You're finally awake. The Queen wants to see us."
Watanuki began to get up from the bed but found that his legs would barely support him. He doubted he could walk all the way to the dining room. He reached for his pants. After much effort and a considerable amount of time for such a simple task, he managed to get his pants on. They were uncomfortable, the fabric felt too close his skin all of a sudden.
Doumeki noticed the look of discomfort on Watanuki's face, "Would you rather wear something more loose?"
"These are the only clothes I have, jerk."
"You can wear my archery uniform from today. It's not dirty, really."
Watanuki blushed as he nodded. He was staring at the bed and jumped in surprise when Doumeki yanked his pants down from behind him. His face was burning red hot as he stepped out of his pants and Doumeki slid the pant legs of his archery uniform on. Watanuki's breath caught in his chest when Doumeki wrapped one arm around his stomach to hold the pants up while he tied one side. His knees gave out when Doumeki switched his arms to tie the other side. Doumeki practically bent him over the bed as he reached for the archery shirt. He held the shirt as Watanuki slipped his arms in one by one. Doumeki tucked the shirt in to the pants and then his arms pulled Watanuki flush against him, back to front.
Watanuki sputtered and flailed his arms about. He turned an even deeper shade of red as his attention focused on the spot where Doumeki's hips pressed into his back. Such a thing was quite difficult to ignore. "Let's go see the Queen already! I need to go!"
Doumeki reluctantly released Watanuki and dug out his archery uniform from the previous day. He silently dressed while Watanuki stood at the door, his back to Doumeki. Things had gone so well earlier, but Doumeki guessed he was going to have to pay for it now.

"Well, archer, are you ready for us to decide if you have accomplished your task?" The Queen's voice grated on Doumeki's nerves. He was already upset by Watanuki's attitude.
"No, Madame Queen."
"Oh? Even though such an act occurred you still doubt your success?"
"Yes, I do." Doumeki couldn't help risking a side-long look at Watanuki. He was relieved to see nothing but confusion on Watanuki's face, but right after that Doumeki's heart dropped into his stomach.
"Um, can I ask what's going on?" Watanuki spoke up without any formality.
The Queen gave a highly amused smile before answering, "I suppose. Your friend, the archer, ate our food. Thus, he belongs to me now and to this realm. However, last night he petitioned for his freedom. I would not let him fight because I do not wish to lose my best warriors to him. I did not think it wise to send him to the rival court as they would likely capture the fool. He refused to name anyone to permanently take his place here. So, I charged him with a task to complete for his freedom."
"I see," Watanuki interrupted before the Queen could finish. "Well, I'll be leaving now. My employer probably expects me back soon, and I have to prepare for tomorrow." With that Watanuki turned and walked out of the dining hall, failing to notice how everyone was staring at him.
"Madame Queen, please give me more time."
"I told you that you have until the end of your tournament, archer."
"Thank you." Doumeki bowed before departing the dining room. For the first time, he felt too ill to eat.

Yuuko succeeded in keeping a straight face when Watanuki walked in the door wearing one of Doumeki's archery uniforms, but she almost failed to keep the amusement out of her voice when she spoke. "Watanuki, why are you wearing Doumeki's clothes? They're much too big for you. You look like a child."
"That damn jerk! He, he...uh, my clothes got dirty in the caverns."
"I see. Well, dinner is made already. You can eat and then get ready for tomorrow."
"Ah! Yuuko, your payment! I forgot the sword and the food containers!"
"That's alright. Relax, Watanuki, I can get them tomorrow. I will be taking Doumeki's place."
"Wha-WHAT! Yuuko, you can't!"
"Why not? It's my fault he's there, isn't it?"
"Well, yes...no...maybe? I don't... I don't know." Watanuki hung his head in despair. He looked up only to see that smile on Yuuko's face. The one that told him she thinks of him like a child that doesn't understand.
"You really should be there while Doumeki competes tomorrow. Now eat and rest." Yuuko went to busy herself in her room until she knew Watanuki would be asleep.

Sighing was becoming frequent habit of Watanuki's. He sighed as he stripped off the archery uniform that was too large for him. He sighed as he ran hot water for a bath to wash away the sweat and musk permeating his skin. He sighed as he got into bed and stared up at the canopy of the four poster bed. He sighed in frustration that he did not feel tired. He tossed and turned, and he finally resorted to rolling about the bed like he used to have to in order to get away from spirits that had caught him. He stopped when a familiar, comforting scent tickled his nose. He couldn't place where he had smelled it before, because his mind was too frazzled with the day's events. Finally able to relax, he nodded off to sleep.

Yuuko left in the middle night. She left a note for Mokona to make sure that Watanuki would go to the tournament in the morning. She was prepared to bargain for Doumeki's freedom if things did not go as planned.

Doumeki awoke with heavy heart. He sat up and almost fell out of the bed when he saw Yuuko sitting in a chair by the door.
"You're awake. You had best get dressed quickly or you'll be late. I brought you a fresh uniform, but no breakfast."
"Thank you." Doumeki was glad he had worn his archery pants to sleep.
He walked into the bathroom and dressed with as much speed as he could muster. He wondered just how much Watanuki had understood yesterday. He was so scared that Watanuki would say that he didn't like him or even that he hated him. If he said that, Doumeki figured it wouldn't be a bad thing to be trapped with the fey for the rest of his life. He thanked Yuuko for her thoughtfulness and departed from the room.
Doumeki replayed the previous day's events over and over in his mind on the way to the tournament. He was nervous about seeing Watanuki there today. Before he knew it, he was standing before the gates. He steeled himself and walked in.

Watanuki had a very blank expression, even when Doumeki walked into the arena. He had realized this morning that he had fallen asleep on Doumeki's pillow last night. The scent that had lulled him into calmness was Doumeki's scent. Watanuki pulled the napkin from his pocket. It was a cloth napkin, folded like a crane. This was the token he would give to Doumeki today.
He silently held it out to Doumeki when he came over to greet them. Mokona sat on Watanuki's head to cheer Doumeki on as he walked to his place on the shooting line. The day seemed to drag on. Himawari had told him that today was the first round of the finals. Doumeki was the second to last shooter today. With four shots apiece, the four contestants focused solely on their own targets.
After what felt like ages, Doumeki was drawing his bow back for his last shot. Watanuki heard Himawari's and Mokona's cheers of victory as if from very far away. He could not bring himself to cheer, too afraid of what Doumeki might ask of him today. He watched as the scene before him seemed to play out in slow motion.
Doumeki reached into his archery uniform and pulled the cloth napkin crane out. A gust of wind suddenly came up and tore the crane from the palm of Doumeki's hand. Doumeki ran to catch it, without paying attention to where he was going. Watanuki could not move as he saw the last contestant release his arrow and watched helplessly as it sped straight for Doumeki. Sound and time returned to normal as screams rose from the crowd. The arrow had pierced Doumeki's shoulder, the same shoulder he had injured the first time he had ever saved Watanuki.
Watanuki and Himawari ran down to Doumeki. Watanuki ignored the officials around him as he lifted Doumeki's torso, telling Himawari to grab hold of his legs. Everyone around him was calling for a doctor, but Watanuki planned on asking Yuuko for help. He knew it meant he would have to work for her longer, but he didn't care. It was his turn to save Doumeki.

Yuuko had spoken with the Queen and the Princess. She had finally gotten the Queen to agree that Doumeki's freedom would be Yuuko's payment if Watanuki did not return his feelings. This meant that Doumeki would essentially belong to Yuuko if this were to happen. She knew that Watanuki and Doumeki were fated to be together, one way or another. There was no way around it. Yuuko sincerely hoped that it would turn out with a good outcome rather than a miserable one, though. She stared into her water glass intently and watched as a scene depicting Himawari and Watanuki carrying an injured Doumeki out of the arena appeared. She waited for them to be out of sight of the crowd, and then she smiled and stepped over the threshold to the fey realm.

Watanuki, Himawari, Mokona and Doumeki suddenly vanished from the forest and found themselves in the dining hall of the fey. Himawari and Watanuki gently laid Doumeki on the floor. Watanuki turned when he heard footsteps behind him.
"How is he?" Yuuko asked as she walked into the dining hall from the tunnel.
"You knew! Didn't you?! That this would happen."
"Yes."
"So save him! I don't care what it costs, I'll pay it!" Tears were streaming down Watanuki's face.
"I can't. Even if I could, it would cost your own life."
Suddenly the pipe fox flew out from Yuuko's sleeve and wound itself around the arrow where it was embedded in Doumeki's flesh. The blood stain on his archery uniform stopped growing, but Watanuki knew that it was only a temporary fix at best. If Yuuko couldn't save him, was there any hope at all? Watanuki dropped to his knees and picked up Doumeki's hand, cradling it in both of his. He cried harder, because the large hand that was once so warm was already beginning to feel cold to the touch.

Reviews are welcome and I hope to post the next chapter tonight or tomorrow, but if I can't I will do so next weekend. I am back to work now so weekdays are difficult for me to write. Don't let the anticipation cause you too much stress in the meantime though.
Regards,
Blanche
- 8
- 9
- 10
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A Wish in England