The Importance of Pride
Title: The Importance of Pride
Series: xxxHolic
Pairing: Doumeki/Watanuki
Theme: Pride
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 714
Doumeki had invited himself over to dinner, and while Watanuki had been ranting about the archer’s rudeness, audacity, annoyingness and general lack of intelligence, he had forgotten to say no (again). As they walked, Shizuka tuned out the tirade (but still added the occasional “hm”, just to be irritating) and simply watched Watanuki flail and glare, noting how the excursion tinged his cheeks pink. Which of course made Doumeki wonder what else he could do to make his companion’s cheeks turn that color.
Distracted by his pondering, he didn’t realize anything was wrong until Watanuki became abruptly silent in the middle of a sentence. The archer looked over to see a delicate rope of black smoke wrapped around the other teen’s throat. Panic filled him as he reached for it, the smoke losing its shape when he touched it. Watanuki sucked in a desperate breath as Doumeki shoved him behind himself.
A snarl filled the air and the creature appeared, anger apparent in its pupil-less red eyes. It sat on the ground, hunched over like an ape, long claws digging into the sidewalk. It growled again, the leathery black skin of its face parting to expose yellowed fangs.
In one smooth, fluid motion Doumeki had his bow in place, and pulled back the string. At the first sign of movement, the thing lunged towards the archer. Even as the arrow tore through it, and its form began to dissipate, it still moved forward. It’s claws, the last tangible part of its being, slashed across Doumeki’s abdomen. Watanuki stared, helpless, as the creature disappeared and Doumeki fell backwards against him. Without thinking, Kimihiro wrapped his thin, shaking arms around his protector and sank to the ground. He opened his mouth to scream for Yuuko, but she was already there, pulling Doumeki from his arms.
It was dark when Shizuka opened his eyes. He recognized the room immediately.
“If you hadn’t hit it already, I wouldn’t have been able to save you.” Yuuko murmured from his side.
“Watanuki?” he asked, shifting to look at her.
“Safe. Making you something to eat.”
“It’s my debt.” He told her, trying to sit up.
“His wish, his debt.” She replied, watching him without emotion.
“The price?”
“Your scars.”
Doumeki closed his eyes and wondered how Kunogi would feel. She had, after all, paid so much to keep Kimihiro unscarred.
“Can I wish for them back?”
“No.”
His hands curled into fists at his sides.
“Why did he do it? What was the point of Kunogi-“
“He needed the proof.” She interrupted him softly.
“Of what? Of my failure?”
With a sad smile, the witch reached foreword and laid a hand against his cheek.
“He needs the proof that he can save you too. It gives him pride.”
“I don’t like it.”
“He already knows.” She answered as she pulled her hand away and got to her feet. “You must now decide how to go forward.”
“Yuuko-san?” he called.
“Hm?” she asked at the doorway.
“There’s a bottle of plum wine in my grandfather’s cellar. I’ll bring it by tomorrow.”
“That will be perfect.” She replied, and left him alone.
Only a few moments passed before Watanuki swung into the room, a large serving tray in hand. He paused when he saw Doumeki sitting up, awake.
“Why are sitting up?! Don’t you know anything?!” he exclaimed after a moment, and set the tray down. “Lay down, damn it! Rest!”
“Let me see.”
Watanuki’s glare turned angry as he pushed Doumeki back down onto the bed.
“Just shut up and rest.” He snapped.
Ignoring the other teen, Shizuka simply tugged up Kimihiro’s shirt. Watanuki went completely still as Doumeki gently traced the four deep scars that ran from his ribs diagonally down to his hip.
“Does it hurt?” Shizuka asked softly.
“No.” Kimihiro replied, gently pulling the other teen’s hand away and fixing his shirt, his mismatched eyes never leaving Doumeki’s face.
Shizuka thought of his anger; at himself for failing, at Watanuki for wishing, at Yuuko for granting, and then pushed it all away as the witch’s words came back to him. He knew then that he’d let his anger go, because, thinking of all of his own scars, gathered since he met Watanuki, Shizuka knew of the importance of pride.