To Sherri, From Luna ♥
Title: Green meeting
Author: Luna, artemisgoddess
Recipient: Sherri, doumeki
Series: Legal Drug, xxxHolic
Characters/Pairing: Rikuo/Kazahaya, Watanuki, Yuuko, Maru&Moro, Mokona
Rating: PG
“Ehhh??”
“Shhh!!! She'll hear us, you know!!”
Abashed, Kazahaya dutifully lowered his voice, glancing around guiltily before turning back to his friend.
“Sorry... but... she really made-”
“More than that, there's two of them,” Watanuki told him, nodding. “There's a white one, too, but he's somewhere else, now - some other world, I think-”
“I couldn't even believe it was alive when I first saw it until it jumped up and yelled at me,” Kazahaya declared, pushing his sleeves up. “It looked like a plushie. And there's two? What are they, anyway?”
Watanuki shrugged. “No idea. Whenever I asked, I just hear 'Mokona is Mokona!' over and over again.”
Kazahaya smiled, plunging his hands into the soapy water. “Mokona and Mokona. Like Maru and Moro, only not.”
“Ha, exactly.”
It'd been a month since Kazahaya had started working at Yuuko's dimension shop, and again he felt a rush of gratitude that he'd been taken in. Watanuki had been threatened by his appearance at first, not knowing what to make of him, but he'd realized he'd only gained a helper for the normal housework, and the two had become close friends.
“I finished washing them,” Kazahaya declared, looking up. “Should I dry them by hand, or put them in a dish rack?”
“Just dry them. We'll need the counter space for dinner,” Watanuki said, his head in the fridge. Kazahaya tilted his head.
“Oh? What's for dinner?”
“What's for dinner!”
“What's for dinner!”
Kazahaya jumped as Maru and Moro materialized beside Watanuki, clapping their hands together. He laughed as Watanuki jumped too, slamming his head onto the top of the fridge, letting out a stream of expletives.
“Watanuki hit his head!”
“Hit his head!”
Watanuki glared at the twins, rubbing his head, before shooting a dark look at Kazahaya. Kazahaya could only shrug helplessly, doing his best to conceal his laughter, shoulders shaking slightly as Watanuki sighed and bent down to search the fridge once more.
“We're having curry tonight,” he told them, withdrawing several ingredients. “I need to chop many things up to make it, so I need the space. You two should run and play somewhere else.”
Kazahaya watched, drying, as Maru and Moro looked at him blankly. Watanuki sighed.
“Go bother Yuuko,” Watanuki said, standing up again. “I'm sure she'll have something for you to do.”
The two exchanged a significant glance, before breaking into smiles and dancing away.
“Something to do!”
“Something to do!”
Watanuki pinched the bridge of his nose, opening a cupboard to take out the cutting board and a few pans. Kazahaya smiled.
“They didn't mean to make you hit your head.”
“I know,” Watanuki groused, “but it still hurts.” He sighed. “Oh well. Better than Mokona coming to bother me.”
“Those two are kind of eerie,” Kazahaya remarked, moving around the kitchen as he put the dishes away. “Like just now. They seemed to know something we didn't.”
“Who knows? Maybe Yuuko's passed out from over-ingestion of sake and they-”
A long, low sound came from the main room, and Watanuki and Kazahaya froze.
“Irrashaimasse!”
The two exchanged a glance of their own.
“A customer.”
Customers didn't come around often, Kazahaya had quickly realized. For a shop, Yuuko seemed to get very little business, and the business she did get hardly seemed enough to keep her living the lifestyle she did. Watanuki often insisted that Yuuko had been around since the beginning of time and had accumulated her wealth, but Kazahaya was unsure. It wasn't often he saw a Yuuko assume her regal persona and talk with customers, but Watanuki always served them tea, gaining close access to her business.
Like now, Kazahaya thought, watching from the kitchen doorway. The boy who had come into the shop had to be in high school, so he couldn't have that much of a wish. He was even wearing a uniform from a local drugstore, like he'd just gotten off work. He was tall, with dark hair, vaguely reminding Kazahaya of a taller, more mature Doumeki. The boy turned, dark, piercing eyes meeting his own, and Kazahaya's face flamed while the boy smirked and turned away.
Forget it. This guy was a thousand times worse than Doumeki could have ever been to Watanuki.
Kazahaya watched as Watanuki served the tea, Yuuko quietly sipping, the boy staring down at his own cup, not touching it. When he finally looked up, Kazahaya could see a steely glint of determination in the boy's eyes.
“I... heard you could grant wishes.”
“This is true,” Yuuko acknowledged, finishing her tea. “However... I will require compensation.”
“How much? I'll give it to you no matter what.”
“It is not monetary compensation I require.”
“This one's a fool,” Watanuki hissed at Kazahaya as he returned with the tea set. “Thinking someone in a house like this would want money...”
“Shh,” Kazahaya shushed, watching. “He's so urgent...”
“I want to know where Tsukiko is,” the boy said, looking at Yuuko with defiance in his eyes. “She's being hidden by someone powerful.”
“If she was not, you would not have come to me,” Yuuko observed neutrally, raising an elegant eyebrow. “Kakei would have been able to help you long before now.”
“Kakei?” Kazahaya wondered, watching as the boy flushed red.
“Can you find her? Can you tell me where she is? If not, I'm just wasting my time here-”
“I can tell you,” Yuuko interrupted. “However, there is a price.”
“Name it.”
Watanuki slipped in beside Kazahaya, watching. “It'll be something bad,” he whispered. “He's been rude to Yuuko, and information usually costs a lot.”
Kazahaya raised an eyebrow, but didn't answer.
“In exchange for telling you of Tsukiko's whereabouts, I will require all your memories of Tsukiko.”
“What?!” There was a rattle and a crash as the boy leapt to his feet, and Kazahaya winced.
“Your memories of her. This is my price.”
Quietly gathering a dustpan and a hand broom, Kazahaya moved into the room, sweeping up the shattered vase. Glancing up, he could see the ire in the boy's eyes.
“That's insane! What do you mean, my memories?! You don't mean-”
“If I grant your wish, you will no longer have your memories of her,” Yuuko interrupted, her voice strong, authoritative. “You will know who she is, but you will not remember talking with her, eating with her, seeing her vanish...”
“So she won't mean anything to me, then!” the boy snapped. “I won't be able to remember, so she'll just be another person!”
Yuuko tilted her head. “Does she mean anything to you now?”
The boy swore. “Of course! But- I can't-”
Kazahaya stood behind Yuuko quietly, waiting for a chance to return to the kitchen. He watched as the time-space witch's eyes softened.
“Some prices are too high. I understand.”
“No!” The boy growled, trying to keep from wringing his head. “I- I must find her, but I- I can't-”
“There is often more than one way to get something,” Yuuko observed mildly. “Find another way, something smaller, and come back. You may find the price agreeable then.”
Obviously frustrated, the boy stood up, his chair clattering back, and stormed out without another word, bumping into Kazahaya. Kazahaya stumbled, his eyes widening-
A bloody room.
“Tsukiko!!”
An argument.
“Rikuo? You knew I would have to leave.”
A beautiful woman, standing tall and firm.
“No! Tsukiko, you can't-”
“Kudo-kun? Kudo-kun?”
Kazahaya looked up into the concerned eyes of Watanuki, taking in a shuddering breath.
“I'm okay,” he said, getting to his feet, unaware that he had fallen. “That boy- Rikuo- he ran into me, and I- I saw-”
“That boy has many dark events in his past,” Yuuko said, looking down at her two helpers. “I daresay this will not be the last we see of Himura Rikuo.”
Kazahaya shuddered slightly at that ominous statement, while Watanuki looked unsettled.
Abruptly, Yuuko's serious expression changed into a happy one.
“Now, Watanuki, bring me some sake! Curry always tastes better once the tastebuds have been slightly numbed, after all!” she said, clapping her hands.
“Mokona too!” Mokona chirped, hopping up onto Yuuko's shoulder. “Mokona also wants a plum! On the side, not in-”
“I know, I know!” Watanuki groused, they all laughed, Kazahaya smiling slightly as he followed Watanuki back into the kitchen to help, his vision from before all but forgotten.
~
Kazahaya was sweeping the front porch when he saw the boy the next time.
He hadn't noticed at first, really - he'd been puzzling over why Watanuki claimed Himawari-chan was his friend but refused to walk home with him, while Doumeki had no such qualms. It didn't make much sense, really, and it'd only been by chance that he'd glanced up to see the boy staring at him.
“Ah! Sorry!” he apologized quickly, rubbing his neck. “I didn't see you there- Rikuo, was it?”
The boy stiffened, and Kazahaya realized his mistake.
“Ah- sorry- Himura-san-”
The boy raised an eyebrow, then smirked.
“You must like me an awful lot to call me by my first name before I even know yours.”
“Ehh??” Kazahaya's face burned, his eyes flashing. “ It's not my fault! It's just after I saw that, Rikuo was the first thing that came to mind-”
He stopped quickly, eyes widening. The boy blinked, before looking at him closely.
“After you saw what?”
“Nothing,” Kazahaya said quickly, turning away, leaning his broom against the house. “What is it you wanted, Himura-san?”
There was a pause, the boy looking at Kazahaya curiously, Kazahaya biting his lip, praying fiercely that he didn't push the issue.
“...I'd like to speak with Yuuko,” the boy conceded, folding his arms, and Kazahaya let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Right this way, Himura-san. Don't mind the mess- we're spring cleaning, now-”
Kazahaya led the way through. He could feel the boy's eyes piercing into him from behind, making him squirm slightly as they toed off their shoes. Surely he'd dropped the 'seeing' issue...
“Yuuko is waiting for you,” Kazahaya said, gesturing with a slight bow.
“Thanks,” the boy said carelessly, walking through the curtains. He paused, looking at him for a long moment, and Kazahaya bit his lip.
“Rikuo is fine,” the boy said suddenly, before vanishing through the curtains. Kazahaya jerked, startled, eyes wide as he paused.
“Ehh??”
~
“I don't know what's with that boy,” Kazahaya complained, setting the table. “The first time he was so rude! But this time, he was so conservative, it was almost like a different person-! And telling me to use his first name??”
“Maybe it's because he was excited the first time,” Watanuki suggested, washing the rice. “He seemed angry the first time. This time, though, he was much more calm, now that he knew what to expect.”
“That may be, but where's he get off teasing me about calling him Rikuo?!” Kazahaya snapped, setting a plate down hard. “It's his name! It wasn't like I didn't apologize afterward!”
“He sounds like Doumeki, only he's not bothering you to cook him things,” Watanuki groused. “Lucky...”
“Is he going to come back?” Kazahaya wondered, filling the glasses. “If he does, maybe you can see how he is...”
“He left without getting a wish granted again, so probably,” Watanuki said, rolling out seaweed. “Whatever he wants, it must be something big, for the prices to be so much. Poor guy,” he added, as an afterthought.
“Maybe,” Kazahaya conceded, putting a vase with a flower on the table. “I still don't see why he wanted me to call him Rikuo, though...”
~
“Kazahaya, isn't it?”
Kazahaya jerked, startled, to see Rikuo looking down at him, an amused expression on his face. He scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off.
“How'd you know my name?”
“I asked Yuuko last time,” Rikuo said dismissively, looking around the yard, before fixing his eyes back on Kazahaya, trailing up his grungy form. “...Gardening?”
“Yes,” Kazahaya said defiantly, face tinging. He knew he was a mess - did this guy really need to rub it in?”
“What're you planting?”
“That's none of your business,” Kazahaya snapped, returning to his task. “Why don't you just go inside and ask Yuuko-san, anyway?”
“I didn't come to see her this time.”
Startled, Kazahaya turned to look at him, but the boy gave nothing away, instead crouching down next to him, picking up a bulb.
“Are these tulips?”
Kazahaya bit his lip. “Irises.”
“Ah,” he observed, examining the bulb, before returning it to the crate. “Yuuko makes you garden?”
“Yuuko-san makes me do whatever needs done around here. Well, besides cooking,” Kazahaya admitted. Rikuo regarded him carefully, making Kazahaya squirm.
“Why do you work for her?”
“It's my price,” Kazahaya told him, digging another hole in the ground. “Watanuki found me at her gate, passed out in the snow, and dragged me in... Yuuko granted my wish for a safe place to stay by making me work for her to earn my room and board.”
Rikuo raised an eyebrow. “That's... surprisingly reasonable.”
“Yuuko's always reasonable,” Kazahaya said defensively, face flushing with his loyalty to her. “The price always fits the wish. If you can't afford it, grant your wish on your own.”
Rikuo appeared amused. “Oh? Giving up your memories is reasonable?”
Kazahaya snarled. “I've seen higher and lower prices than that asked of you. If it's a hard wish, of course it'll cost a lot. Watanuki saw a boy much younger than you exchange memories for his wish.”
“Oh? What was his wish?” Rikuo asked, handing him a bulb.
“Watanuki wanted to not-” Kazahaya stopped short, looking up to glare at him. “I'm not telling you that! That's none of your business!”
Rikuo smirked. “Why? Is it some big secret?”
“It doesn't have to be a secret for me to not tell you!” he snapped, patting the dirt down over the bulb hard. “Watanuki's my friend! I'm not going to betray his trust just because some crazy stranger asks me to!”
Rikuo laughed, making Kazahaya flush even darker. He looked amused, turning back to face the blond.
“Such loyalty...” he mused, eyes glittering. “Almost like a dog. Funny, though... you look more like a cat.”
He reached out, holding his face softly, examining his eyes, and Kazahaya felt his face flame, his eyes flashing. Rikuo laughed, moving away.
“Much more like a cat. You look like you're ready to bite.”
Kazahaya sputtered, indignant in his rage. “You-!!”
“Not 'you',” Rikuo admonished, smiling as he stood up. “Rikuo, remember? Rikuo.”
“Get out of here!” Kazahaya yelled, face purpling. Rikuo laughed.
“Noisy, aren't you?”
“Go away!!”
“I'm going, I'm going!” He walked to the gate, raising a hand in a wave as he turned the corner outside the gate, vanishing from view. Kazahaya glared at the gate for a moment longer, before roughly turning back to his gardening, slamming his hands into the ground.
~
“Kudo-kun! It's that boy again!”
“What??” Kazahaya whirled around, staring as Rikuo walked past the gate, pausing at the door. “What's he want this time?”
“He must have some new wish for Yuuko,” Watanuki said, watching. He paused. “Or, he just wants to harass you again.”
Kazahaya felt his skin prickle and he scowled, crouching down to hide in the kitchen.
“Eavesdropping again?” Watanuki asked, as the door closed, Yuuko greeting their guest. Kazahaya shot Watanuki a dirty look, and Watanuki only smirked and shrugged, preparing a pot of tea.
Rikuo was more relaxed with Yuuko now, Kazahaya noted, sneaking peaks around the doorway. He was more reverent, much more so than his first visit, but he still didn't seem uneasy. He was playing with a card in his fingers, twirling it around until Watanuki arrived with the tea.
“Now, what can I do for you?”
Kazahaya could practically hear him smirk. “I'd like to know where the vase in this picture is.”
“I will require compensation, you know.”
“Oh, I know.” Kazahaya risked a glance, seeing Rikuo's eyes glint at the witch. “However, the vase isn't for me, it's not under any huge protection, and the person who has it now stole it initially. I think we can come to a fair agreement regarding this.”
It was Yuuko's turn to raise an eyebrow, letting it disappear underneath her bangs. Kazahaya envied the skill - he'd tried in the bathroom mirror for half an hour the first time he'd seen it.
“Kakei-san and Saiga on the spitz?”
Kazahaya blinked at the cryptic comment, but Rikuo only smiled.
“Does your boss know you are coming to me for aid?”
“Kakei-san doesn't care how I get it, so long as I do,” Rikuo said dismissively, waving the picture idly. “It's a side job. Completely disconnected from me.”
Yuuko's eyes narrowed. “Just what kind of exchange are you aiming to make?”
Rikuo adopted an innocent tone. “I can't possibly know what you'd be interested in charging. I do, however, have a decanter of Saiga's homemade sake, along with ekikabe, if you'd be interested-”
“Sold!” Yuuko declared, slapping her hand on the table, a cheery grin appearing on her face. “Mokona! Drinks! Kudo-kun, come here.”
Kazahaya's eyes widened, hastily getting to his feet. He could feel Rikuo's smirk on him as he approached, though he avoided looking at him.
“Kudo-kun, help Himura here, ne?” Yuuko said, grinning. “He wants to find and steal this vase. You can help him, can't you?”
Kazahaya nearly choked, Watanuki shooting him a worried look. He coughed.
“Ah, Yuuko-san, I can't-”
“The owner of the vase took the picture,” Yuuko mentioned casually, sly. “I'm sure you can help Himura if you try.”
Kazahaya scowled but snatched up the picture, giving Yuuko a dark look before closing his eyes.
A dark room in a shrine, a man snapping pictures of various vases and antiques, cackling-
One vase shuddering, almost crying, as if it were alive-
The man shouting, knocking it over, shattering it, only to have it slowly come back together on the ground, shaking even more-
A flash of lightning outside, illuminating an address-
He opened his eyes, looking at Rikuo reluctantly.
“It's in a shrine on Kikutane,” he told him. “The owner's a collector. He locks his house and the room carefully, and there's no windows.”
Kazahaya felt a flash of satisfaction at Rikuo's obvious surprise, hiding a smirk to himself.
“There, now. See? That wasn't so hard.” Yuuko nodded wisely, Mokona hiccuping beside her. Rikuo stared, before turning back to Kazahaya.
“How did you-?” he started, puzzled. Kazahaya shrugged, giving him an innocent smile, before dancing back into the kitchen, leaving Yuuko laughing behind him.
~
“Damned weeds,” Kazahaya swore, yanking and pulling angrily, his hair a mess. “Every time after a rain, these stupid things sprout up all over the place-”
“I've figured you out.”
Kazahaya looked up to find Rikuo looking down at him, smirking slightly at the stained kerchief over his blond hair. Kazahaya flushed.
“I'm sure you do,” he said curtly, resuming his war with the weed. Rikuo ignored his surly tone, crouching down next to him, watching him closely.
“You're psychometric,” he declared. “You can get memories and visions off of something you touch, can't you?” Kazahaya shot him a dark look as he grabbed the weed again, yelping as a thorn embedding itself in his hand.
“Someone's smart,” Kazahaya said nastily, cradling his hand to his chest. “Because, of course, someone working for the time-space witch wouldn't have some sort of power himself...”
Rikuo only smirked, before reaching for the weed himself. Kazahaya opened his mouth to object, noting the distinct lack of gloves, only to see him flick. A small explosion went off at the base of the weed, making it topple over, disconnected, the end slightly singed.
Kazahaya gawked at it, quickly turning to look at Rikuo in disbelief, a smirk playing around the other boy's lips.
“You're not the only one with some sort of power,” he echoed, teasing. Kazahaya flushed, and Rikuo laughed.
“Shut up!!”
~
“He offered to come around and help you with the gardening?”
“What's wrong with that?” Kazahaya said defensively, sweeping a bit too hard, the twins squealing as a cloud of dust blew up. “He can pay me back for helping him with the case, then. And I don't care what he does in his spare time.”
Watanuki gaped. “But- I thought he kept bothering you-”
Kazahaya's face tinged. “Maybe he does. But he can weed without hurting himself, and weeding bothers me more.”
Watanuki raised an eyebrow, looking at him over the top of his glasses. “Kudo-kun, are you blushing?”
“What?? No!”
“Kazahaya is blushing!”
“Kazahaya is blushing!”
“I am not!”
Watanuki gave him an amused expression. “Kudo-kun, there's nothing wrong with liking someone, you know. Why, when I think of Himawari-chan-”
The twins squealed with laughter, and Kazahaya's face flamed, angrily chasing them around the room.
“Kazahaya likes Rikuo!”
“Kazahaya likes Rikuo!”
“SHUT UP!!”
Author: Luna, artemisgoddess
Recipient: Sherri, doumeki
Series: Legal Drug, xxxHolic
Characters/Pairing: Rikuo/Kazahaya, Watanuki, Yuuko, Maru&Moro, Mokona
Rating: PG
“Ehhh??”
“Shhh!!! She'll hear us, you know!!”
Abashed, Kazahaya dutifully lowered his voice, glancing around guiltily before turning back to his friend.
“Sorry... but... she really made-”
“More than that, there's two of them,” Watanuki told him, nodding. “There's a white one, too, but he's somewhere else, now - some other world, I think-”
“I couldn't even believe it was alive when I first saw it until it jumped up and yelled at me,” Kazahaya declared, pushing his sleeves up. “It looked like a plushie. And there's two? What are they, anyway?”
Watanuki shrugged. “No idea. Whenever I asked, I just hear 'Mokona is Mokona!' over and over again.”
Kazahaya smiled, plunging his hands into the soapy water. “Mokona and Mokona. Like Maru and Moro, only not.”
“Ha, exactly.”
It'd been a month since Kazahaya had started working at Yuuko's dimension shop, and again he felt a rush of gratitude that he'd been taken in. Watanuki had been threatened by his appearance at first, not knowing what to make of him, but he'd realized he'd only gained a helper for the normal housework, and the two had become close friends.
“I finished washing them,” Kazahaya declared, looking up. “Should I dry them by hand, or put them in a dish rack?”
“Just dry them. We'll need the counter space for dinner,” Watanuki said, his head in the fridge. Kazahaya tilted his head.
“Oh? What's for dinner?”
“What's for dinner!”
“What's for dinner!”
Kazahaya jumped as Maru and Moro materialized beside Watanuki, clapping their hands together. He laughed as Watanuki jumped too, slamming his head onto the top of the fridge, letting out a stream of expletives.
“Watanuki hit his head!”
“Hit his head!”
Watanuki glared at the twins, rubbing his head, before shooting a dark look at Kazahaya. Kazahaya could only shrug helplessly, doing his best to conceal his laughter, shoulders shaking slightly as Watanuki sighed and bent down to search the fridge once more.
“We're having curry tonight,” he told them, withdrawing several ingredients. “I need to chop many things up to make it, so I need the space. You two should run and play somewhere else.”
Kazahaya watched, drying, as Maru and Moro looked at him blankly. Watanuki sighed.
“Go bother Yuuko,” Watanuki said, standing up again. “I'm sure she'll have something for you to do.”
The two exchanged a significant glance, before breaking into smiles and dancing away.
“Something to do!”
“Something to do!”
Watanuki pinched the bridge of his nose, opening a cupboard to take out the cutting board and a few pans. Kazahaya smiled.
“They didn't mean to make you hit your head.”
“I know,” Watanuki groused, “but it still hurts.” He sighed. “Oh well. Better than Mokona coming to bother me.”
“Those two are kind of eerie,” Kazahaya remarked, moving around the kitchen as he put the dishes away. “Like just now. They seemed to know something we didn't.”
“Who knows? Maybe Yuuko's passed out from over-ingestion of sake and they-”
A long, low sound came from the main room, and Watanuki and Kazahaya froze.
“Irrashaimasse!”
The two exchanged a glance of their own.
“A customer.”
Customers didn't come around often, Kazahaya had quickly realized. For a shop, Yuuko seemed to get very little business, and the business she did get hardly seemed enough to keep her living the lifestyle she did. Watanuki often insisted that Yuuko had been around since the beginning of time and had accumulated her wealth, but Kazahaya was unsure. It wasn't often he saw a Yuuko assume her regal persona and talk with customers, but Watanuki always served them tea, gaining close access to her business.
Like now, Kazahaya thought, watching from the kitchen doorway. The boy who had come into the shop had to be in high school, so he couldn't have that much of a wish. He was even wearing a uniform from a local drugstore, like he'd just gotten off work. He was tall, with dark hair, vaguely reminding Kazahaya of a taller, more mature Doumeki. The boy turned, dark, piercing eyes meeting his own, and Kazahaya's face flamed while the boy smirked and turned away.
Forget it. This guy was a thousand times worse than Doumeki could have ever been to Watanuki.
Kazahaya watched as Watanuki served the tea, Yuuko quietly sipping, the boy staring down at his own cup, not touching it. When he finally looked up, Kazahaya could see a steely glint of determination in the boy's eyes.
“I... heard you could grant wishes.”
“This is true,” Yuuko acknowledged, finishing her tea. “However... I will require compensation.”
“How much? I'll give it to you no matter what.”
“It is not monetary compensation I require.”
“This one's a fool,” Watanuki hissed at Kazahaya as he returned with the tea set. “Thinking someone in a house like this would want money...”
“Shh,” Kazahaya shushed, watching. “He's so urgent...”
“I want to know where Tsukiko is,” the boy said, looking at Yuuko with defiance in his eyes. “She's being hidden by someone powerful.”
“If she was not, you would not have come to me,” Yuuko observed neutrally, raising an elegant eyebrow. “Kakei would have been able to help you long before now.”
“Kakei?” Kazahaya wondered, watching as the boy flushed red.
“Can you find her? Can you tell me where she is? If not, I'm just wasting my time here-”
“I can tell you,” Yuuko interrupted. “However, there is a price.”
“Name it.”
Watanuki slipped in beside Kazahaya, watching. “It'll be something bad,” he whispered. “He's been rude to Yuuko, and information usually costs a lot.”
Kazahaya raised an eyebrow, but didn't answer.
“In exchange for telling you of Tsukiko's whereabouts, I will require all your memories of Tsukiko.”
“What?!” There was a rattle and a crash as the boy leapt to his feet, and Kazahaya winced.
“Your memories of her. This is my price.”
Quietly gathering a dustpan and a hand broom, Kazahaya moved into the room, sweeping up the shattered vase. Glancing up, he could see the ire in the boy's eyes.
“That's insane! What do you mean, my memories?! You don't mean-”
“If I grant your wish, you will no longer have your memories of her,” Yuuko interrupted, her voice strong, authoritative. “You will know who she is, but you will not remember talking with her, eating with her, seeing her vanish...”
“So she won't mean anything to me, then!” the boy snapped. “I won't be able to remember, so she'll just be another person!”
Yuuko tilted her head. “Does she mean anything to you now?”
The boy swore. “Of course! But- I can't-”
Kazahaya stood behind Yuuko quietly, waiting for a chance to return to the kitchen. He watched as the time-space witch's eyes softened.
“Some prices are too high. I understand.”
“No!” The boy growled, trying to keep from wringing his head. “I- I must find her, but I- I can't-”
“There is often more than one way to get something,” Yuuko observed mildly. “Find another way, something smaller, and come back. You may find the price agreeable then.”
Obviously frustrated, the boy stood up, his chair clattering back, and stormed out without another word, bumping into Kazahaya. Kazahaya stumbled, his eyes widening-
A bloody room.
“Tsukiko!!”
An argument.
“Rikuo? You knew I would have to leave.”
A beautiful woman, standing tall and firm.
“No! Tsukiko, you can't-”
“Kudo-kun? Kudo-kun?”
Kazahaya looked up into the concerned eyes of Watanuki, taking in a shuddering breath.
“I'm okay,” he said, getting to his feet, unaware that he had fallen. “That boy- Rikuo- he ran into me, and I- I saw-”
“That boy has many dark events in his past,” Yuuko said, looking down at her two helpers. “I daresay this will not be the last we see of Himura Rikuo.”
Kazahaya shuddered slightly at that ominous statement, while Watanuki looked unsettled.
Abruptly, Yuuko's serious expression changed into a happy one.
“Now, Watanuki, bring me some sake! Curry always tastes better once the tastebuds have been slightly numbed, after all!” she said, clapping her hands.
“Mokona too!” Mokona chirped, hopping up onto Yuuko's shoulder. “Mokona also wants a plum! On the side, not in-”
“I know, I know!” Watanuki groused, they all laughed, Kazahaya smiling slightly as he followed Watanuki back into the kitchen to help, his vision from before all but forgotten.
~
Kazahaya was sweeping the front porch when he saw the boy the next time.
He hadn't noticed at first, really - he'd been puzzling over why Watanuki claimed Himawari-chan was his friend but refused to walk home with him, while Doumeki had no such qualms. It didn't make much sense, really, and it'd only been by chance that he'd glanced up to see the boy staring at him.
“Ah! Sorry!” he apologized quickly, rubbing his neck. “I didn't see you there- Rikuo, was it?”
The boy stiffened, and Kazahaya realized his mistake.
“Ah- sorry- Himura-san-”
The boy raised an eyebrow, then smirked.
“You must like me an awful lot to call me by my first name before I even know yours.”
“Ehh??” Kazahaya's face burned, his eyes flashing. “ It's not my fault! It's just after I saw that, Rikuo was the first thing that came to mind-”
He stopped quickly, eyes widening. The boy blinked, before looking at him closely.
“After you saw what?”
“Nothing,” Kazahaya said quickly, turning away, leaning his broom against the house. “What is it you wanted, Himura-san?”
There was a pause, the boy looking at Kazahaya curiously, Kazahaya biting his lip, praying fiercely that he didn't push the issue.
“...I'd like to speak with Yuuko,” the boy conceded, folding his arms, and Kazahaya let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Right this way, Himura-san. Don't mind the mess- we're spring cleaning, now-”
Kazahaya led the way through. He could feel the boy's eyes piercing into him from behind, making him squirm slightly as they toed off their shoes. Surely he'd dropped the 'seeing' issue...
“Yuuko is waiting for you,” Kazahaya said, gesturing with a slight bow.
“Thanks,” the boy said carelessly, walking through the curtains. He paused, looking at him for a long moment, and Kazahaya bit his lip.
“Rikuo is fine,” the boy said suddenly, before vanishing through the curtains. Kazahaya jerked, startled, eyes wide as he paused.
“Ehh??”
~
“I don't know what's with that boy,” Kazahaya complained, setting the table. “The first time he was so rude! But this time, he was so conservative, it was almost like a different person-! And telling me to use his first name??”
“Maybe it's because he was excited the first time,” Watanuki suggested, washing the rice. “He seemed angry the first time. This time, though, he was much more calm, now that he knew what to expect.”
“That may be, but where's he get off teasing me about calling him Rikuo?!” Kazahaya snapped, setting a plate down hard. “It's his name! It wasn't like I didn't apologize afterward!”
“He sounds like Doumeki, only he's not bothering you to cook him things,” Watanuki groused. “Lucky...”
“Is he going to come back?” Kazahaya wondered, filling the glasses. “If he does, maybe you can see how he is...”
“He left without getting a wish granted again, so probably,” Watanuki said, rolling out seaweed. “Whatever he wants, it must be something big, for the prices to be so much. Poor guy,” he added, as an afterthought.
“Maybe,” Kazahaya conceded, putting a vase with a flower on the table. “I still don't see why he wanted me to call him Rikuo, though...”
~
“Kazahaya, isn't it?”
Kazahaya jerked, startled, to see Rikuo looking down at him, an amused expression on his face. He scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off.
“How'd you know my name?”
“I asked Yuuko last time,” Rikuo said dismissively, looking around the yard, before fixing his eyes back on Kazahaya, trailing up his grungy form. “...Gardening?”
“Yes,” Kazahaya said defiantly, face tinging. He knew he was a mess - did this guy really need to rub it in?”
“What're you planting?”
“That's none of your business,” Kazahaya snapped, returning to his task. “Why don't you just go inside and ask Yuuko-san, anyway?”
“I didn't come to see her this time.”
Startled, Kazahaya turned to look at him, but the boy gave nothing away, instead crouching down next to him, picking up a bulb.
“Are these tulips?”
Kazahaya bit his lip. “Irises.”
“Ah,” he observed, examining the bulb, before returning it to the crate. “Yuuko makes you garden?”
“Yuuko-san makes me do whatever needs done around here. Well, besides cooking,” Kazahaya admitted. Rikuo regarded him carefully, making Kazahaya squirm.
“Why do you work for her?”
“It's my price,” Kazahaya told him, digging another hole in the ground. “Watanuki found me at her gate, passed out in the snow, and dragged me in... Yuuko granted my wish for a safe place to stay by making me work for her to earn my room and board.”
Rikuo raised an eyebrow. “That's... surprisingly reasonable.”
“Yuuko's always reasonable,” Kazahaya said defensively, face flushing with his loyalty to her. “The price always fits the wish. If you can't afford it, grant your wish on your own.”
Rikuo appeared amused. “Oh? Giving up your memories is reasonable?”
Kazahaya snarled. “I've seen higher and lower prices than that asked of you. If it's a hard wish, of course it'll cost a lot. Watanuki saw a boy much younger than you exchange memories for his wish.”
“Oh? What was his wish?” Rikuo asked, handing him a bulb.
“Watanuki wanted to not-” Kazahaya stopped short, looking up to glare at him. “I'm not telling you that! That's none of your business!”
Rikuo smirked. “Why? Is it some big secret?”
“It doesn't have to be a secret for me to not tell you!” he snapped, patting the dirt down over the bulb hard. “Watanuki's my friend! I'm not going to betray his trust just because some crazy stranger asks me to!”
Rikuo laughed, making Kazahaya flush even darker. He looked amused, turning back to face the blond.
“Such loyalty...” he mused, eyes glittering. “Almost like a dog. Funny, though... you look more like a cat.”
He reached out, holding his face softly, examining his eyes, and Kazahaya felt his face flame, his eyes flashing. Rikuo laughed, moving away.
“Much more like a cat. You look like you're ready to bite.”
Kazahaya sputtered, indignant in his rage. “You-!!”
“Not 'you',” Rikuo admonished, smiling as he stood up. “Rikuo, remember? Rikuo.”
“Get out of here!” Kazahaya yelled, face purpling. Rikuo laughed.
“Noisy, aren't you?”
“Go away!!”
“I'm going, I'm going!” He walked to the gate, raising a hand in a wave as he turned the corner outside the gate, vanishing from view. Kazahaya glared at the gate for a moment longer, before roughly turning back to his gardening, slamming his hands into the ground.
~
“Kudo-kun! It's that boy again!”
“What??” Kazahaya whirled around, staring as Rikuo walked past the gate, pausing at the door. “What's he want this time?”
“He must have some new wish for Yuuko,” Watanuki said, watching. He paused. “Or, he just wants to harass you again.”
Kazahaya felt his skin prickle and he scowled, crouching down to hide in the kitchen.
“Eavesdropping again?” Watanuki asked, as the door closed, Yuuko greeting their guest. Kazahaya shot Watanuki a dirty look, and Watanuki only smirked and shrugged, preparing a pot of tea.
Rikuo was more relaxed with Yuuko now, Kazahaya noted, sneaking peaks around the doorway. He was more reverent, much more so than his first visit, but he still didn't seem uneasy. He was playing with a card in his fingers, twirling it around until Watanuki arrived with the tea.
“Now, what can I do for you?”
Kazahaya could practically hear him smirk. “I'd like to know where the vase in this picture is.”
“I will require compensation, you know.”
“Oh, I know.” Kazahaya risked a glance, seeing Rikuo's eyes glint at the witch. “However, the vase isn't for me, it's not under any huge protection, and the person who has it now stole it initially. I think we can come to a fair agreement regarding this.”
It was Yuuko's turn to raise an eyebrow, letting it disappear underneath her bangs. Kazahaya envied the skill - he'd tried in the bathroom mirror for half an hour the first time he'd seen it.
“Kakei-san and Saiga on the spitz?”
Kazahaya blinked at the cryptic comment, but Rikuo only smiled.
“Does your boss know you are coming to me for aid?”
“Kakei-san doesn't care how I get it, so long as I do,” Rikuo said dismissively, waving the picture idly. “It's a side job. Completely disconnected from me.”
Yuuko's eyes narrowed. “Just what kind of exchange are you aiming to make?”
Rikuo adopted an innocent tone. “I can't possibly know what you'd be interested in charging. I do, however, have a decanter of Saiga's homemade sake, along with ekikabe, if you'd be interested-”
“Sold!” Yuuko declared, slapping her hand on the table, a cheery grin appearing on her face. “Mokona! Drinks! Kudo-kun, come here.”
Kazahaya's eyes widened, hastily getting to his feet. He could feel Rikuo's smirk on him as he approached, though he avoided looking at him.
“Kudo-kun, help Himura here, ne?” Yuuko said, grinning. “He wants to find and steal this vase. You can help him, can't you?”
Kazahaya nearly choked, Watanuki shooting him a worried look. He coughed.
“Ah, Yuuko-san, I can't-”
“The owner of the vase took the picture,” Yuuko mentioned casually, sly. “I'm sure you can help Himura if you try.”
Kazahaya scowled but snatched up the picture, giving Yuuko a dark look before closing his eyes.
A dark room in a shrine, a man snapping pictures of various vases and antiques, cackling-
One vase shuddering, almost crying, as if it were alive-
The man shouting, knocking it over, shattering it, only to have it slowly come back together on the ground, shaking even more-
A flash of lightning outside, illuminating an address-
He opened his eyes, looking at Rikuo reluctantly.
“It's in a shrine on Kikutane,” he told him. “The owner's a collector. He locks his house and the room carefully, and there's no windows.”
Kazahaya felt a flash of satisfaction at Rikuo's obvious surprise, hiding a smirk to himself.
“There, now. See? That wasn't so hard.” Yuuko nodded wisely, Mokona hiccuping beside her. Rikuo stared, before turning back to Kazahaya.
“How did you-?” he started, puzzled. Kazahaya shrugged, giving him an innocent smile, before dancing back into the kitchen, leaving Yuuko laughing behind him.
~
“Damned weeds,” Kazahaya swore, yanking and pulling angrily, his hair a mess. “Every time after a rain, these stupid things sprout up all over the place-”
“I've figured you out.”
Kazahaya looked up to find Rikuo looking down at him, smirking slightly at the stained kerchief over his blond hair. Kazahaya flushed.
“I'm sure you do,” he said curtly, resuming his war with the weed. Rikuo ignored his surly tone, crouching down next to him, watching him closely.
“You're psychometric,” he declared. “You can get memories and visions off of something you touch, can't you?” Kazahaya shot him a dark look as he grabbed the weed again, yelping as a thorn embedding itself in his hand.
“Someone's smart,” Kazahaya said nastily, cradling his hand to his chest. “Because, of course, someone working for the time-space witch wouldn't have some sort of power himself...”
Rikuo only smirked, before reaching for the weed himself. Kazahaya opened his mouth to object, noting the distinct lack of gloves, only to see him flick. A small explosion went off at the base of the weed, making it topple over, disconnected, the end slightly singed.
Kazahaya gawked at it, quickly turning to look at Rikuo in disbelief, a smirk playing around the other boy's lips.
“You're not the only one with some sort of power,” he echoed, teasing. Kazahaya flushed, and Rikuo laughed.
“Shut up!!”
~
“He offered to come around and help you with the gardening?”
“What's wrong with that?” Kazahaya said defensively, sweeping a bit too hard, the twins squealing as a cloud of dust blew up. “He can pay me back for helping him with the case, then. And I don't care what he does in his spare time.”
Watanuki gaped. “But- I thought he kept bothering you-”
Kazahaya's face tinged. “Maybe he does. But he can weed without hurting himself, and weeding bothers me more.”
Watanuki raised an eyebrow, looking at him over the top of his glasses. “Kudo-kun, are you blushing?”
“What?? No!”
“Kazahaya is blushing!”
“Kazahaya is blushing!”
“I am not!”
Watanuki gave him an amused expression. “Kudo-kun, there's nothing wrong with liking someone, you know. Why, when I think of Himawari-chan-”
The twins squealed with laughter, and Kazahaya's face flamed, angrily chasing them around the room.
“Kazahaya likes Rikuo!”
“Kazahaya likes Rikuo!”
“SHUT UP!!”