[Ficlet] Wish
Title: Wish
Author: doumeki
Rating: PG-13
Series: xxxHOLiC, Loveless
Characters/Pairings: Watanuki, Yuuko, Seimei
Word count: 600
Author's Notes: Written for the crossover round of loveless100
Watanuki had worked for Yuuko long enough to not even bat an eye when an unusual customer entered the shop. He eyed the man critically- purposely skimming over the tail and cat ears- before nodding in welcome.
“Follow me,” he instructed and led the man into the drawing room.
Yuuko lay draped over her fainting couch, pipe held between her delicate fingers. He heard the Dimension Witch stand as he headed for the kitchen to prepare tea.
He returned to find Yuuko smirking, which, in and of itself, was always cause for alarm
“You do realize,” she began as Watanuki set about pouring the tea, “that such a wish holds a high price, Aoyagi-kun.”
Aoyagi nodded. “Of course, Moon Witch.”
Watanuki rolled his eyes. Yet another of Yuuko’s aliases. He made a note to call Doumeki and have him add it to the list.
“Are you willing to pay?” she asked, voice bemused. He couldn’t be sure if her amusement was due to Aoyagi and his wish, or if she had read his mind. He suspected the latter.
“Would I be here if I wasn’t?” he retorted, and Watanuki sensed irritation in his words.
“Very well,” Yuuko conceded. “Your price is your current life.”
Watanuki’s head jerked up and he took a hasty step back. His knee knocked the table and the teapot clattered to the ground. The tinkling of shattered porcelain filled the room.
Aoyagi answered confidently. “I will pay.”
Watanuki cut in before Yuuko could speak. “Do you realize what you’re agreeing to?” he cried.
The man turned to him. Watanuki met his eyes and shivered. If eyes were the windows to the soul, then this man had sold his long ago. All he could see was an icy determination.
“Yes,” he replied shortly before turning back to Yuuko. “I suppose leaving will not be enough to pay?”
Yuuko shook her head. “Maru, Moro,” she called.
The twins appeared, holding a golden cylinder. Maru held it out to Yuuko, who accepted it with a nod.
She held it between the tips of her forefinger and thumb, inspecting it. “This,” she began, “will create a vivid illusion, the type that will be regarded as reality by those who experience it. It will last for seven days and seven nights before ending, but the effects are permanent. Do with it as you wish.”
Yuuko held it out and Aoyagi took it. “But remember, Aoyagi Seimei-kun,” she continued, “I can grant your wish, but there will come a time you will have to face them.”
“I’ll deal with it when the time comes,” he responded diffidently. “For now, breaking the bond between he and I holds more value to me.”
She nodded. “Very well.”
“You’ll have your payment by the end of next week.” Aoyagi bowed and left.
Watanuki looked up from the floor. “You said you wouldn’t kill anyone,” he accused roughly.
“I don’t,” Yuuko replied nonchalantly.
“You demanded his life as payment,” he pointed out incredulously.
“I asked him for his current life,” she corrected. “There’s a difference.”
Watanuki continued to gather the pieces of shattered porcelain in silence. Anymore, he knew, and he’d pay dearly for the information.
He picked up the last sliver of the broken teapot and took the pieces into the kitchen to dispose of them.
“That child,” Yuuko murmured as he returned, “still has many things left to do.” She took a long drag on her pipe and blew the smoke out lazily.
Watanuki watched the smoke hover near the ceiling before being absorbed into the wood and decided he didn’t want to know.
Author: doumeki
Rating: PG-13
Series: xxxHOLiC, Loveless
Characters/Pairings: Watanuki, Yuuko, Seimei
Word count: 600
Author's Notes: Written for the crossover round of loveless100
Watanuki had worked for Yuuko long enough to not even bat an eye when an unusual customer entered the shop. He eyed the man critically- purposely skimming over the tail and cat ears- before nodding in welcome.
“Follow me,” he instructed and led the man into the drawing room.
Yuuko lay draped over her fainting couch, pipe held between her delicate fingers. He heard the Dimension Witch stand as he headed for the kitchen to prepare tea.
He returned to find Yuuko smirking, which, in and of itself, was always cause for alarm
“You do realize,” she began as Watanuki set about pouring the tea, “that such a wish holds a high price, Aoyagi-kun.”
Aoyagi nodded. “Of course, Moon Witch.”
Watanuki rolled his eyes. Yet another of Yuuko’s aliases. He made a note to call Doumeki and have him add it to the list.
“Are you willing to pay?” she asked, voice bemused. He couldn’t be sure if her amusement was due to Aoyagi and his wish, or if she had read his mind. He suspected the latter.
“Would I be here if I wasn’t?” he retorted, and Watanuki sensed irritation in his words.
“Very well,” Yuuko conceded. “Your price is your current life.”
Watanuki’s head jerked up and he took a hasty step back. His knee knocked the table and the teapot clattered to the ground. The tinkling of shattered porcelain filled the room.
Aoyagi answered confidently. “I will pay.”
Watanuki cut in before Yuuko could speak. “Do you realize what you’re agreeing to?” he cried.
The man turned to him. Watanuki met his eyes and shivered. If eyes were the windows to the soul, then this man had sold his long ago. All he could see was an icy determination.
“Yes,” he replied shortly before turning back to Yuuko. “I suppose leaving will not be enough to pay?”
Yuuko shook her head. “Maru, Moro,” she called.
The twins appeared, holding a golden cylinder. Maru held it out to Yuuko, who accepted it with a nod.
She held it between the tips of her forefinger and thumb, inspecting it. “This,” she began, “will create a vivid illusion, the type that will be regarded as reality by those who experience it. It will last for seven days and seven nights before ending, but the effects are permanent. Do with it as you wish.”
Yuuko held it out and Aoyagi took it. “But remember, Aoyagi Seimei-kun,” she continued, “I can grant your wish, but there will come a time you will have to face them.”
“I’ll deal with it when the time comes,” he responded diffidently. “For now, breaking the bond between he and I holds more value to me.”
She nodded. “Very well.”
“You’ll have your payment by the end of next week.” Aoyagi bowed and left.
Watanuki looked up from the floor. “You said you wouldn’t kill anyone,” he accused roughly.
“I don’t,” Yuuko replied nonchalantly.
“You demanded his life as payment,” he pointed out incredulously.
“I asked him for his current life,” she corrected. “There’s a difference.”
Watanuki continued to gather the pieces of shattered porcelain in silence. Anymore, he knew, and he’d pay dearly for the information.
He picked up the last sliver of the broken teapot and took the pieces into the kitchen to dispose of them.
“That child,” Yuuko murmured as he returned, “still has many things left to do.” She took a long drag on her pipe and blew the smoke out lazily.
Watanuki watched the smoke hover near the ceiling before being absorbed into the wood and decided he didn’t want to know.