Doumeki isn’t really scared of thunder. Not scared as such. He just… has a great deal of respect for it, prefers not to go out in it, and has a bit of trouble being quite as stoic as usual during it.

The thunderstorm tonight is rather bad, blinding zigzagging lights silhouetting against the chaotic, overcast sky as roll upon roll of booming thunder breaks over the city. It’s a night for staying in, it’s a night for eating familiar, comforting food, keeping yourself off the phone and sitting in the middle of the room so as to stay as far away from the sockets as possible because you’ve heard about balls of fire coming out of them when lightning is in the atmosphere.

Watanuki’s there, in his home (not so long ago this would have been noteworthy, now it’s an almost-not-quite regular occurrence). It’s getting late but neither of them mentions that, both sort of skirting over his continued presence in the temple.

Doumeki is quite glad of it (not that he isn’t usually quite glad of Watanuki’s presence) because having him in the same room means he doesn’t have to worry, or get out in the darkness with invisible arrows to save (the risktaking idiot with no concept of his own life’s worth) Watanuki from some monster or other and that means no weird injuries or unexpected sacrifices. It means he can relax, because that is what Watanuki’s presence does for him at times. It relaxes something deep inside, something that is otherwise always ready and coiled.

He’s aware of the heat emanating from the pot of tea sitting next to him (courtesy of his mother who brought up the kettle and bisquits) and on his other side, Watanuki. They’re sitting side by side, watching the elements whip up a storm (because Doumeki has never believed in turning your back on something just because it’s frightening) but Watanuki’s looking without really seeing anything and Doumeki just knows he’s thinking of Kohane-chan.

A loud crash of noise and a split second later the sudden violent flash; Doumeki can’t rein in the twitch of his fingers as they grip around his knees tighter, almost pinching before he makes himself relax. Archers’ hands are strong, he reminds himself. This which in Doumekian is practically the same as shouting at the top of his lungs and banging morse signals on the walls, is barely noticeable in reality.

But Watanuki notices. From out of his dreamland, he notices and looks sideways at Doumeki for a few moments. Doumeki can’t figure out how or why he picked it up; Watanuki is not very perceptive when it comes to Doumeki – he wills himself not to be. But maybe he’s becoming less subtle, or Watanuki is becoming better at reading him. Maybe it’s just that for once Watanuki-verse is running on the same wavelength as the real world.

Thunder again. He doesn’t bother to hide his reaction as Watanuki slowly, carefully, lays a hand on his arm; and then after a while his head is resting on Doumeki’s thigh. Because Watanuki might be obstinate, and irate, and all that is unreasonable and stubborn when it comes to Doumeki, his blind spot – but he is also a particularly unselfish person who thinks nothing of making sacrifices for others. This has given Doumeki grief on many occasions before, but tonight it’s blissfully untainted.

Watanuki on his part is just filled with a vague sense of thankfulness as he drifts off to sleep (he can’t help himself, lately he’s been feeling so exhausted). It was a long time ago since someone last rested a warm hand on his shoulder. And also, lately, he’s been hit with some disturbing insights, amongst one of them the magnitude of the debt which he owes to Doumeki.

The payment has to be the same as the price; the given the equivalent of the taken. Yuuko-san has told him so many times yet he has failed to see that this simple rule of trade must also encompass everything else in his life.

Doumeki is always giving him… everything. How does one pay for that? Watanuki isn’t even sure what everything might entail, or if his everything in return would even be enough.

Maybe saying thank you would be a start? Although if Doumeki wants verbal thanks he must have realised long ago that a life in Watanuki-service is not the way to get it.

Yet he must do something. So for now Watanuki is content with the knowledge that, in protecting Doumeki by letting Doumeki protect him, he’s beginning to make a small dent in that debt (and unknowingly making a change in their relationship, stirring up and mixing the dynamics of their interactions; for better or for worse).

The bruise-coloured sky turns itself inside out, pelting down rain vengefully. The Ame Warashi must be dancing tonight Watanuki thinks, and sleepily shares this thought with Doumeki, who only hn’s in response but brushes his fingers briefly against Watanuki’s ear and cheek. It is rather good to be two when the weather gods are raging.