XXXHolic Fan Fiction ❯ Freaky Manjuu ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Freaky Manjuu

 

DISC: I do not own xxxHolic or any of the characters. These belong to Clamp - those crazy mangaka who make us all practically faint for the shonen-ai and then YANK it out from under us. Clamp, if I can have one request, it's to give us some DouWata love by the end of this series! PLEASE!

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Watanuki's POV

 

It was the fourth time the manjuu bun had sighed in the past ten minutes. The seer set down the pipe that had formerly belonged to his mentor and turned to the black Mokona. While he knew that Mokona had been used to consuming large quantities of alcohol back when Yuuko had been running the shop - before she had finally disappeared, dying the death that had been held off for centuries by the magic of Clow Reed - Watanuki could tell that it wasn't liquor that was causing the plushie's discontent.

 

In fact, he knew it.

 

One of the strangest abilities he had gained when he made the choice to take over the shop was the ability to read minds to an extent - at least as far as wishes were concerned. When someone was in the shop and had a wish for him to grant, a wish that they were prepared to allow him to grant, he could pick up thoughts and feelings about it. It was limited, of course. It came in fits and starts. For example, the fact that Doumeki could still enter the shop meant that he had a wish. But all he could read from the archer was exactly what the man would state when asked why he was there. “I'm here to see you.”

 

So when he turned his attention on the black, long-eared creation, he was surprised to get the sensation that he would be able to sense wish thoughts.

 

“Mokona?” he inquired.

 

Larg sighed again and then faced his new master. “Yeah,” he responded despondently.

 

“What's wrong, you crazy pork bun?”

 

With a serious expression, he nodded and then said, “I have a wish.” Watanuki said nothing so he continued. “See, I have this friend - and... if he could just see what *I* see.” He paused and Watanuki got a flash, an image, of Doumeki. “If he could just have to see the world through my eyes for a day, he'd understand so much more,” and then he heard the thought, `Watanuki just works so hard. So hard every day.' Finally he finished, “And I think his life would be so much better if he just could SEE.”

 

Well, that was unexpected. And unexpectedly sweet. So the plush toy wanted Doumeki to see how hard Watanuki worked - to have more appreciation for him. Smirking, he said, “Hm. Well, I could have you change consciousnesses with this person. But you'd have to act like him - part of the payment would have to be that no one would know, so you'd have to be a pretty good actor.”

 

“Mokona is a very good actor!” the black toy bounced a little, getting back some of its former excitement.

“And… for it to work, the person you're swapping with would have to not be able to blow your cover, so your body wouldn't be able to speak. The second part of your payment would have to be not speaking for the day of the event and a full extra day after.” The silence of the pork bun would be payment indeed.

 

The bun nodded and mimed using a key to shut the lock of his mouth.

 

“And the final part of your payment would be accepting whatever punishment the other person desired once the exchange was complete. I doubt anyone would be too happy being trapped inside a mute pork bun for a day - you might just find yourself deep-fried.”

 

At this, the toy looked concerned for a second and then looked up. “I'll do it!”

 

With a smirk, the seer said, “Would you like to do it right now? Doumeki has just entered the gate.”

 

Blinking in surprise, Mokona froze for a second and then smiled and nodded. Watanuki grinned at him. This was going to be fun. Doumeki as a plush toy! It was too good to be true.

 

He clapped his hands twice, focusing his thoughts on the need for them to change places. And the world shifted underneath him, swirling in colors of black and white and greys - then exploding out into a rainbow. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. He blinked his eyes and noticed a skinny young man in an elaborate silk yukata bend over, smiling, to pick him up.

 

`Of course,' he thought with not a little irritation. `Too good to be true!' With that thought, he awaited his day of hell, Deep frying would be the least of Mokona's worries when he was done with him.

 

X

 

Mokona's POV

 

Everything was going wrong. First Yuuko had died. He knew that it was inevitable - she was supposed to have died so many, many years ago. She had been prepared for it.

 

But Watanuki hadn't. Losing yet another person important to him had hurt the seer so much. Enough that he'd lost his focus. He was seeing only his loss, and not his gain. Kohane, Himawari, and especially Doumeki - they needed him. He was as important to his family as Yuuko had been to him. But he just wasn't seeing it.

 

And poor Doumeki was dying inside. He wanted the boy so much that he was willing to wait as long as it took for Watanuki to realize it, just staying by his side. But by making the decision to remove himself from the world - how would Doumeki ever have a chance now?

 

So, when Watanuki asked him what was wrong, he said, “I have a wish.” Watanuki said nothing so he waited to see whether he was going to be taken seriously. When he saw he had the boy's undivided attention, he continued. “See, I have this friend - and... if he could just see what *I* see.” He could practically see Doumeki - the look the exorcist got on his face when he watched Watanuki, when he knew Watanuki wasn't looking. God, it was SO obvious the guy was in love. “If he could just have to see the world through my eyes for a day, he'd understand so much more.” He couldn't help thinking, `And Watanuki just works so hard. So hard every day. To deny what he feels about him.'

 

He finished with, “And I think his life would be so much better if he just could SEE.”

 

It was a raw hope that the wish granter couldn't see what he was thinking. But who cared? If he did read his thoughts, then maybe he'd at least be unable to deny that Doumeki was in love with him.

 

And then, Watanuki smirked and said, “Hm. Well, I could have you change consciousnesses with this person. But you'd have to act like him - part of the payment would have to be that no one would know, so you'd have to be a pretty good actor.”

 

“Mokona is a very good actor!” the black toy bounced a little, getting back some of its former excitement. He was obviously a good actor or Watanuki wouldn't be acting like he was going to go through with this.

 

“And… for it to work, the person you're swapping with would have to not be able to blow your cover, so your body wouldn't be able to speak. The second part of your payment would have to be not speaking for the day of the event and a full extra day after.”

 

The bun nodded and mimed using a key to shut the lock of his mouth. He wasn't going to screw this up by saying anything and spilling any of the beans.

 

“And the final part of your payment would be accepting whatever punishment the other person desired once the exchange was complete. I doubt anyone would be too happy being trapped inside a mute pork bun for a day - you might just find yourself deep-fried.”

 

Hm. Well… that was a distinct possibility. But… if he realized what he needed to, to grow and finally be happy, it would be worth it. “I'll do it!”

 

“Would you like to do it right now? Doumeki has just entered the gate.”

 

That was a surprise. But just because he'd figured out it was Doumeki - he couldn't have figured it all out, or he wouldn't be agreeing. Let's face it. Watanuki spending the day trapped in a plushie toy? No. No way. It made him curious, what did Watanuki think he would be granting? Making Doumeki swap with the toy? Oh. Yeah. That was probably it. It was hard not to laugh. This was going to be fun.

 

Then Watanuki clapped his hands twice, and he felt the world as a swirling of colors that resolved itself into vision that was not as clear as what he was used to. In fact, his vision changed when he closed one or the other eye. He took a moment to blink one eye, then the other, testing his vision.

 

Laughing, he picked up the plushie and turned to the door to await Doumeki's entrance.

 

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