Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Doumeki's volunteer work at the nearby nursery wasn't exactly a secret but he also doesn't see the point of informing people about it, let alone seamlessly bring it up during casual conversation. That was until Kunogi happened to pass by said nursery yesterday and saw him playing with the children. Today she felt the need to mention it during lunch with Watanuki. Much to Doumeki's surprise, the other boy seemed to find the entire thing incredulous.

"A big dumb oaf like you is allowed to be around children?" came the hasty commentary as Watanuki shot him a glare. "That's like a twisted fairy-tale where the dragon is friends with his prey."

Doumeki just stared back blankly at him. Across him, he heard Kunogi chuckle and answer , "I don't think so. The kids look like they were having a good time. And you know what else?" she leaned in closer to Watanuki, widening her smile. "Doumeki-kun looked like he was having fun himself. He had a smile like this." To demonstrate, she pointed at her own mouth.

Doumeki watched Watanuki's own mouth flop open and then close and then open again as if it was suddenly defective and lost all its verbal purpose. He simply had no comment to offer. Doumeki decided to interrupt at this point. "If I frown they'd think I'm cross with them. I save the frowns for when they misbehave. In general, I have to smile."

Kunogi laughed at that. "I think it'd be wonderful if Doumeki-kun smiles around us too. Right, Watanuki-kun? Unless you're cross with us all the time…" she trailed off as if expecting him to disagree.

Doumeki didn't. He just shrugged his shoulders and took another bite of the dessert.

"Come now, don't be cross!" Kunogi persisted, grinning at him as if to encourage for him to do the same. Doumeki watched her for a few moments before he heard Watanuki say something about his face already being ugly and that a smile on it would hardly make a difference.

"I think Doumeki-kun is handsome though," Kunogi answered. "Other girls in school agree so I think it's just an established opinion of the majority." She glanced at Doumeki again and offered yet another smile.

Doumeki immediately had his index fingers inside his eardrums as Watanuki passionately countered with, "AND WHAT IS SO IMPRESSIVE WITH THIS ROCK FORMATION OF A MAN SITTING WITH US, HIMAWARI-CHAN?! MAJORITY'S OPINION MY ASS!"

"So, objectively speaking, Watanuki-kun doesn't think Doumeki-kun has a handsome face?"

"I DARE NOT REMARK MORE ON THIS JERK'S HIDEOUS LOOKS LEST I BE CRUEL!"

"Really?" Kunogi sounds endlessly amused. Doumeki wondered what got her in such a mood. She asked again. "I mean, really look at him, Watanuki-kun. Go on.."

Watanuki stopped spazzing for a moment and snapped his head towards Doumeki's direction. His mismatched eyes narrowed behind his glasses for a few seconds before he turned back to Kunogi and responded with the resolute confidence of a man who cannot be told otherwise. "No. I don't think he is handsome, objectively speaking. Subjectively, I find him completely devoid of any humanistic and captivating qualities that will make him what I would consider to be remotely 'good-looking'. He simply is not! Absolutely NOT!"

"Eh?" Kunogi sounded almost displeased. "You're hurting Doumeki-kun's feelings, you know."

"Not really," Doumeki readily replied. "That's just one idiot's inferior opinion anyway."

As Watanuki started fuming and screeching all over the place again, Kunogi managed to ask her next question. "And what about you, Doumeki-kun, do you think Watanuki-kun is handsome?"

Doumeki didn't even wait for Watanuki to stop howling a string of insults at him before he replied. "Yes, he's very cute."

He didn't even bother examining the other boy's features. He just gave his answer which seemed to infuriate Watanuki more.

"YOU CONDESCENDING DUMBASS!" he shouted. "I don't need that kind of dishonest compliment from the ugly likes of you!"

This time Doumeki turned around and said in all seriousness. "You are cute. Once the person gets passed all the prickly, noisy stuff and the blunders and small annoyances, that is."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING PRICKLY? DO I LOOK LIKE A CACTUS?"

"You're noisy," Doumeki moved his head away and covered his ears.

"I AM A PERFRCTLY WELL-ADJUSTED AND EVEN-TEMPERED HUMAN BEING WHILE YOU ARE A GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM!"

"Oh, you guys are such good friends."

Watanuki looked like he was going to cry. "Himawari-chan, we're really not. Please stop saying such horrible things!"

Kunogi just dismissed him with another bright smile as she announced, almost to herself, "We should drop by the nursery some time. Would that seem intrusive, Doumeki-kun?"

"No, go ahead if you want," Doumeki said as he finished the rest of the dessert with one last spoonful. He pointed at Watanuki and added. "Bring lunch when you do."

"GO DIE IN A BIG FIRE! WHO SAYS I WOULD BE THERE?"

"I'd like it if you come, Watanuki-kun."

"Then in that case, say no more, Himawari-chan!"

"Bring fried shrimp and some noodles."

"WHY ARE YOU NOT BURNING IN THE FIRE I TOLD YOU TO GO TO, YOU OFFENSIVE MORON?!"

xXx

Two days later Watanuki not only prepared a dozen well-cooked fried shrimps and some beautifully seasoned noodles, but he also baked a series of cupcakes with alternating colors of blue and pink frosting. Doumeki tried to grab one of them from the containers but Watanuki slapped his hand away and scolded him. "They're for the children, you monster!" and then he started giving each child a share of the sweets, smiling in that rare gentle way of his.

Doumeki just watched in the corner as the children scrambled to get to Watanuki and surround him, their tiny hands reaching as they cooed. Watanuki looked absolutely at home as he laughed and told the children that they were good and that this is their reward.

"You should come here again," Doumeki remarked as he walked towards Watanuki who just stood there with a blissful look on his face as the children munched on their desserts, their collective content and happy faces looking like something from a painting.

Watanuki's expression once again hardened as he turned to glare at Doumeki. "I made you your damn shrimp and noodles. Go somewhere else and eat them."

"They seem to have grown fond of you easily." Doumeki just kept talking, "which is not a surprise although giving sweets to children is pretty creepy, you know."

"You're the sick bastard for implying that my intentions are impure!" Watanuki moved slightly away from him.

"It was a joke."

"Riiight, because you're renowned for your sense of humor."

"You never shut up," Doumeki didn't look at him anymore.

Watanuki punched him on the shoulder. "Right back at you, dumbass! I can't believe Himawari-chan can't even make it today and now I'm stuck here with you! I wouldn't have come myself but then I would be wasting those cupcakes."

"Yeah, woe is you."

"I swear to all the gods, Doumeki--!"

"Come with me," Doumeki started walking out of the room, not bothering to look behind him. A few moments later, Watanuki was following after him with heavy steps, muttering something about kicking Doumeki in the face once they're in a children-free zone.

They're behind the nursery now where Doumeki was finishing up some wooden blocks which he meticulously chopped up into different shapes days before. He explained to Watanuki. "Instead of buying new ones, I decided to make them myself instead. The nursery has really old ones and they're only a few so children sometimes fight over them because others won't share. So I'm making as many of the blocks as possible so everyone can play." He walked over and picked up a block. "Better yet, they can all play together and no one will get left out. There are two or three of them who hardly mingle with the others. I was hoping they'd start making friends once everyone plays together. Did you notice those children in particular?"

Doumeki turned to look at Watanuki who was looking at him all this time with a dazed and melancholic expression Doumeki has only seen in those moments when Watanuki thinks no one is watching.

"Yeah, two boys and a girl." Watanuki answered, his voice soft. "The girl and that one boy didn't try to get cupcakes until I handed them some. The other one refused and just sulked in the corner. "

For some reason, Doumeki felt like sharing. "I didn't get along with other kids too when I was about their age. I was excluded in games because I used to have asthma back then and can't keep up with the boys with their rougher games."

Watanuki said nothing for a while as Doumeki settled down on the stool and started working on the unfinished few pieces of wood which can still be molded into new triangles or squares.

"Well, you know about the spirits," Watanuki finally responded. "Some kids are mean to me about it and tell me I was only making them up. So I stopped talking to those assholes altogether." He crossed his arms and snorted to emphasize his point.

Doumeki allowed himself to smirk. And then he asked. "Can you help me with these blocks? I need someone to paint them."

"Fine," Watanuki answered as he walked to the work station and grabbed his own stool. He inspected the plastic containers and the available assortment of colors inside them. He then picked up a brush and a circular block. "Any specific colors you want me to use?"

"Use only primary colors." Doumeki said, "Use the other colors to draw numbers and letters on them."

"English alphabet and numericals then?"

"Yeah. They can read those things a little. If you want to draw animals or flowers or whatever design, that's fine too."

"Okay!" Watanuki raised both arms up all of a sudden. "Watch the magnificent Watanuki-sama accomplish these tasks! Worship him later to show your gratitude!"

"Hubris is a real thing, you know" Doumeki droned but was smirking lightly to himself.

The next ten minutes was absolute peace as they worked on their respective tasks. Suddenly, Doumeki spoke up. It was just out of whim, really. Usually, he's more reticent than this but he can't help but point out the obvious.

"You know," he started.

"What?" Watanuki already sounds unwelcoming.

This did not deter Doumeki at all. He continued, staring at the piece of wood he'd been working on. "I would have been your friend. I wouldn't care about spirits and whether or not you're lying about them. I'd still befriend you."

For the first time, there was only real, uncomfortable silence that followed. Doumeki had to risk a glance to see the effect of his revelation on the other boy.

Watanuki held the brush away from the block, and all his movements are in an abrupt pose as if he was suspended in time. Doumeki has never seen him this still or quiet before. He realized that it was much better for him when Watanuki screams or hurls insults at him than have him openly stare at him like this. Now Doumeki feels suddenly nervous and self-conscious because of the other boy's unflinching and bare scrutiny.

After what seemed like ages, Watanuki looked away and muttered. "I didn't know you had asthma growing up."

Doumeki was more than eager to change topics and replied. "That's because I just told you."

"Yeah, okay." And then Watanuki said nothing after that. Doumeki was more than fine to leave the other boy with his own thoughts while he concentrated on the last batch of wood pieces.

xXx

Doumeki is a stupid, stupid man and who, as Watanuki found out earlier today, has an unspoken death wish.

Watanuki kept thinking about what a fool and a careless moron he is as he walked back to Yuuko's store by himself that late afternoon. Why would he say such a stupid, stupid thing? So what if he has the natural repellent against spirits? He didn't even know about it until Yuuko inform him about it. So to say that, if they ever met as kids, Doumeki will ignore precaution and basic survival instinct all so he can be friends with someone like Watanuki? That's just arrogance.

Watanuki truly, deeply and completely despises that damn Doumeki after all. He should have told him off earlier. He should have replied that he would never have accepted his hypothetical friendship if they ever met in the past. Watanuki should have told him he hated his guts.

He should have said. "Go away. You don't know what you've gotten yourself into. Just look at what I stole from you over the last few months. Half your eyesight. Huge amounts of your blood...and heaven knows what else if you don't leave me alone."

Watanuki kicked a rock on the road and went on with his inner rant. He should have said. "I'm no good for the likes of you. I'm cursed. Stop treating me like a charity case. I don't need you. And I have absolutely nothing to give back."

He should have told Doumeki that he doesn't want to be friends. But instead, like a coward, Watanuki opted to keep quiet.