[Fic] Silence in the Presence of Contentment
Title: Silence in the Presence of Contentment
Author: doumeki
Rating: G
Series: xxxHOLiC
Characters/Pairings: Watanuki, Himawari, Doumeki
Word Count: 1,164
Author's Notes: Written for Watanuki's birthday, which, in my time zone, is still today.
He doesn’t realize the date until he has to write it on his test paper. He stares at it for a moment in confusion; after all, how could someone forget their own birthday? He shakes his head, clearing his thoughts, and the teacher announces that the test has started.
+++
Himawari-chan is waiting, a small box in her hands. Shall we eat lunch together, Watanuki-kun? she asks, and he agrees happily.
They are walking towards the doors when Doumeki appears from the staff room.
Yo, Doumeki greets, and Kimihiro has to grind his teeth to keep from scolding him.
Good afternoon, Doumeki-kun, Himawari-chan replies, smiling brightly. Did you help your teacher with something after class?
Doumeki nods, reaching over to take the bento from Kimihiro’s hand. Kimihiro glares, tightening his grip. What do you think you’re doing? he asks.
Helping, Doumeki replies drolly.
I don’t need your help, he snaps back, before returning his attention to Himawari-chan. How do you think you did on the test?
She shrugs her shoulders before saying, I don’t know. I’m not that confident in classical Japanese. How about you, Watanuki-kun?
Kimihiro frowns. I think I did fairly well.
Doumeki smirks, holding open the door so that Himawari-chan and Kimihiro could walk out. Did you remember the kanji? he asks.
Yes, Kimihiro grits out.
Did Doumeki-kun tutor Watanuki-kun? Himawari-chan asks, looking between them. Doumeki nods. I heard that Doumeki-kun is really good at classical Japanese. Watanuki-kun is lucky to be tutored by Doumeki-kun!
Kimihiro smiles weakly and sits down on the grass. Himawari-chan and Doumeki sit on either side of him, and Doumeki is already starting to open the bento.
He snatches the boxes away from Doumeki and glares. What do you think you’re doing? he growls.
Doumeki rolls his eyes. I was going to eat my lunch.
Kimihiro glares and hands out the bento. I didn’t have time to make dessert, he tells Himawari-chan, ignoring Doumeki, who has already started eating.
Himawari-chan shakes her head. It’s okay, Watanuki-kun. I brought dessert today. She holds out the little box that she’s been carrying, and Kimihiro takes it. Since it’s Watanuki-kun’s birthday, my mother helped me make a small cake. I hope you like it.
Carefully, he opens the box and looks inside. The cake isn’t small, but it isn’t big either. The frosting is white, and in blue icing, neatly written kanji spell out Happy birthday, Watanuki-kun.
He places the box on the ground and smiles. Thank you very much, Himawari-chan. I hope it wasn’t any trouble.
She laughs. I wanted to. After all, Watanuki-kun is always making food for us, so I wanted to do something for Watanuki-kun.
Oi, Doumeki’s voice says from beside him. Are you going to cut it?
Kimihiro turns around and finds Doumeki’s face a scant inch away from his. What the hell! Does it look like I have anything to cut it with, Doumeki? And who says you get any? Himawari-chan made this for me, not you! he screeches, backing away quickly.
There‘s a knife on the side, and plates under the cake, Himawari-chan says helpfully.
Himawari-chan is so thoughtful! Kimihiro exclaims. Unlike some big jerks I could mention.
Doumeki doesn‘t say anything, just starts eating out of Kimihiro‘s bento.
That‘s mine! Mine, mine, mine! Not yours!
You’re not eating it, Doumeki points out.
That’s not the point!
Kimihiro looks at Himawari-chan, who is quietly eating her bento, watching them with an amused expression. He is pulling his bento away from Doumeki when he notices that his lunch is mostly gone.
Damn it, Doumeki, you pig! Kimihiro yells.
Himawari-chan laughs and pushes her now-empty bento to the side. You should cut the cake, Watanuki-kun, she says quietly. Lunch is almost over.
Eh? He looks at her, and she smiles back at him. But we just got here.
Neither Himawari-chan nor Doumeki say anything. They watch him as he pulls the cake out of the box and puts it on the lid to his bento. He finds a plastic picnic knife off to the side, along with three plastic forks. Underneath the cake platter, there are three small paper plates.
He takes the knife and slices into the cake, cutting three even pieces and placing them on the plates. Himawari-chan takes a plate, and he hands one to Doumeki. The third piece sits in front of him.
Looking over, he half expects to find Doumeki digging in, but Doumeki’s cake is sitting in front of him, and he is staring at Kimihiro. You should have the first piece, Doumeki says.
He glances at Himawari-chan, who smiles encouragingly. Itadakimasu, he says, picking up his fork and cutting a portion off his piece before bringing it to his mouth.
He has a second to wonder if he’ll be able to taste it, if he’ll wake up, but the cake is in his mouth, and he can feel the texture of it. It’s soft and moist and tastes like chocolate.
It’s very good, Himawari-chan! Thank you very much, he says.
There’s enough for Yuuko-san and Mokona, too, she says, smiling.
I’ll make sure to give it to them tonight, he assured her.
Happy birthday, Watanuki-kun.
Thank you, Himawari-chan!
They finish their cake in comfortable silence.
+++
Don’t you have something better to be doing rather than annoying me? he asks Doumeki crossly.
Doumeki raises his eyebrows. Club activities were cancelled.
Kimihiro’s eye is beginning to twitch. That doesn’t explain anything!
They are almost to the shop at this point. He sighs. He just has to endure Doumeki’s company for a few more minutes, and then he’d be free of him for the rest of the day.
A few more minutes.
Oi.
He can see the gate down the street.
Oi.
Almost there.
I said, oi.
Kimihiro snaps. My name, Doumeki Shizuka, is not ‘oi’!
They are in front of the shop now, and Doumeki is rooting through his bag for something. Kimihiro waits until Doumeki pulls out a small box and a white envelope.
Happy birthday, Doumeki says, handing Kimihiro the box and envelope. Then, without another word, Doumeki walks off.
+++
He has just gotten home when he remembers the box Doumeki had given him. He pulls it and the envelope out of his knapsack and sits down at his table. He decides to open the envelope first.
Elegant calligraphy flows on the page, and it takes him a moment to stop the grudging admiration and actually read it.
Oi.
Happy birthday.
It was my grandfather’s.
-Doumeki Shizuka
He glares at the paper. Doumeki couldn’t even call him by name in a letter. He places the note down on the table and lifts the lid on the box.
Inside is charm with kanji written in flowing script. He can make out ‘protection,’ but that is all.
Kimihiro’s eyes narrow.
The kanji was written in classical Japanese.
That bastard, he says softly.
+++
When he goes to bed that night, the charm is placed above his bed.
Author: doumeki
Rating: G
Series: xxxHOLiC
Characters/Pairings: Watanuki, Himawari, Doumeki
Word Count: 1,164
Author's Notes: Written for Watanuki's birthday, which, in my time zone, is still today.
He doesn’t realize the date until he has to write it on his test paper. He stares at it for a moment in confusion; after all, how could someone forget their own birthday? He shakes his head, clearing his thoughts, and the teacher announces that the test has started.
+++
Himawari-chan is waiting, a small box in her hands. Shall we eat lunch together, Watanuki-kun? she asks, and he agrees happily.
They are walking towards the doors when Doumeki appears from the staff room.
Yo, Doumeki greets, and Kimihiro has to grind his teeth to keep from scolding him.
Good afternoon, Doumeki-kun, Himawari-chan replies, smiling brightly. Did you help your teacher with something after class?
Doumeki nods, reaching over to take the bento from Kimihiro’s hand. Kimihiro glares, tightening his grip. What do you think you’re doing? he asks.
Helping, Doumeki replies drolly.
I don’t need your help, he snaps back, before returning his attention to Himawari-chan. How do you think you did on the test?
She shrugs her shoulders before saying, I don’t know. I’m not that confident in classical Japanese. How about you, Watanuki-kun?
Kimihiro frowns. I think I did fairly well.
Doumeki smirks, holding open the door so that Himawari-chan and Kimihiro could walk out. Did you remember the kanji? he asks.
Yes, Kimihiro grits out.
Did Doumeki-kun tutor Watanuki-kun? Himawari-chan asks, looking between them. Doumeki nods. I heard that Doumeki-kun is really good at classical Japanese. Watanuki-kun is lucky to be tutored by Doumeki-kun!
Kimihiro smiles weakly and sits down on the grass. Himawari-chan and Doumeki sit on either side of him, and Doumeki is already starting to open the bento.
He snatches the boxes away from Doumeki and glares. What do you think you’re doing? he growls.
Doumeki rolls his eyes. I was going to eat my lunch.
Kimihiro glares and hands out the bento. I didn’t have time to make dessert, he tells Himawari-chan, ignoring Doumeki, who has already started eating.
Himawari-chan shakes her head. It’s okay, Watanuki-kun. I brought dessert today. She holds out the little box that she’s been carrying, and Kimihiro takes it. Since it’s Watanuki-kun’s birthday, my mother helped me make a small cake. I hope you like it.
Carefully, he opens the box and looks inside. The cake isn’t small, but it isn’t big either. The frosting is white, and in blue icing, neatly written kanji spell out Happy birthday, Watanuki-kun.
He places the box on the ground and smiles. Thank you very much, Himawari-chan. I hope it wasn’t any trouble.
She laughs. I wanted to. After all, Watanuki-kun is always making food for us, so I wanted to do something for Watanuki-kun.
Oi, Doumeki’s voice says from beside him. Are you going to cut it?
Kimihiro turns around and finds Doumeki’s face a scant inch away from his. What the hell! Does it look like I have anything to cut it with, Doumeki? And who says you get any? Himawari-chan made this for me, not you! he screeches, backing away quickly.
There‘s a knife on the side, and plates under the cake, Himawari-chan says helpfully.
Himawari-chan is so thoughtful! Kimihiro exclaims. Unlike some big jerks I could mention.
Doumeki doesn‘t say anything, just starts eating out of Kimihiro‘s bento.
That‘s mine! Mine, mine, mine! Not yours!
You’re not eating it, Doumeki points out.
That’s not the point!
Kimihiro looks at Himawari-chan, who is quietly eating her bento, watching them with an amused expression. He is pulling his bento away from Doumeki when he notices that his lunch is mostly gone.
Damn it, Doumeki, you pig! Kimihiro yells.
Himawari-chan laughs and pushes her now-empty bento to the side. You should cut the cake, Watanuki-kun, she says quietly. Lunch is almost over.
Eh? He looks at her, and she smiles back at him. But we just got here.
Neither Himawari-chan nor Doumeki say anything. They watch him as he pulls the cake out of the box and puts it on the lid to his bento. He finds a plastic picnic knife off to the side, along with three plastic forks. Underneath the cake platter, there are three small paper plates.
He takes the knife and slices into the cake, cutting three even pieces and placing them on the plates. Himawari-chan takes a plate, and he hands one to Doumeki. The third piece sits in front of him.
Looking over, he half expects to find Doumeki digging in, but Doumeki’s cake is sitting in front of him, and he is staring at Kimihiro. You should have the first piece, Doumeki says.
He glances at Himawari-chan, who smiles encouragingly. Itadakimasu, he says, picking up his fork and cutting a portion off his piece before bringing it to his mouth.
He has a second to wonder if he’ll be able to taste it, if he’ll wake up, but the cake is in his mouth, and he can feel the texture of it. It’s soft and moist and tastes like chocolate.
It’s very good, Himawari-chan! Thank you very much, he says.
There’s enough for Yuuko-san and Mokona, too, she says, smiling.
I’ll make sure to give it to them tonight, he assured her.
Happy birthday, Watanuki-kun.
Thank you, Himawari-chan!
They finish their cake in comfortable silence.
+++
Don’t you have something better to be doing rather than annoying me? he asks Doumeki crossly.
Doumeki raises his eyebrows. Club activities were cancelled.
Kimihiro’s eye is beginning to twitch. That doesn’t explain anything!
They are almost to the shop at this point. He sighs. He just has to endure Doumeki’s company for a few more minutes, and then he’d be free of him for the rest of the day.
A few more minutes.
Oi.
He can see the gate down the street.
Oi.
Almost there.
I said, oi.
Kimihiro snaps. My name, Doumeki Shizuka, is not ‘oi’!
They are in front of the shop now, and Doumeki is rooting through his bag for something. Kimihiro waits until Doumeki pulls out a small box and a white envelope.
Happy birthday, Doumeki says, handing Kimihiro the box and envelope. Then, without another word, Doumeki walks off.
+++
He has just gotten home when he remembers the box Doumeki had given him. He pulls it and the envelope out of his knapsack and sits down at his table. He decides to open the envelope first.
Elegant calligraphy flows on the page, and it takes him a moment to stop the grudging admiration and actually read it.
Oi.
Happy birthday.
It was my grandfather’s.
-Doumeki Shizuka
He glares at the paper. Doumeki couldn’t even call him by name in a letter. He places the note down on the table and lifts the lid on the box.
Inside is charm with kanji written in flowing script. He can make out ‘protection,’ but that is all.
Kimihiro’s eyes narrow.
The kanji was written in classical Japanese.
That bastard, he says softly.
+++
When he goes to bed that night, the charm is placed above his bed.