It was quiet.

Now it was late autumn, and graduation was coming up. But these things didn't concern him anymore. Well, not as much as they used to. The importance of finals seemed to fade into the background as mundane, when you were becoming a sorcerer.

A sort of epiphany came about a half-year ago, after all of the seemingly unintentional lessons she had given him over his "internship." There were things he didn't want to let go of anymore. They were not just important, they were sacred. And he wanted to understand as best he could.

This was one of those wishes that Yuuko was more than happy to grant.

He was starting to shift focus. He felt more at home at the shop than anywhere else. This schoolboy was now only a façade, standing with a relaxed hunch as he swept the path free of leaves. Himawari-chan had once said that it was important to finish whatever you started. This was another thing to finish.

It was a little nostalgic. This would probably be the last semblance of perceived normalcy in his life. Just a year ago, he would have called himself crazy for wanting to leave. He smiled, if only a bit.

A pulse of recognition flickered from behind him. One of the first he had memorized. Strong, steady, and golden.

"Doumeki."

Watanuki heard a faint snort, not too far away. His laughter.

"You're getting better at that." A deep voice replied. Most would have called it monotone. He knew it's subtleties now.

"You're too easy." Watanuki's smirk grew a little. "I could feel you coming in my sleep."

Doumeki came a few steps closer. "Sometimes you do. I can't surprise you anymore." Another step. "I used to like that look on your face."

He still refused to turn around, to give him the pleasure. "Oh? And what was that look like?"

"That, 'You've woken me up, I'm surprised' look. Like a disgruntled kitten." He was so close now. His warm breath played against the nape of Watanuki's neck. "It was cute."

With a gentle sweep of the hand, Watanuki had sent his broom to lean on a tree several meters away. He chose to lean against Doumeki instead. "That's too bad. Your aura is too strong for me to miss now."

"Hn." He wrapped his strong arms around Watanuki's lithe body. "Maybe grandfather had something that could suppress it."

"You'd go to such a length?" Watanuki tilted his chin up to get a better view.

Doumeki gave him a blank look in return.

"Right." He smiled, and looked down. "Stupid question."

"You're a slow learner." Doumeki remarked, in a tone that was somewhere between admonishment and approval.

Watanuki shrugged, all too used to his alliterations. "It depends."

Calloused fingers stroked at the ridge of his jaw. "Need a teacher?"

Their eyes finally met, matching at the right. "What subject?"

Watanuki had ended his statement with faintly parted lips. Doumeki took the opening graciously.

Their distinct, out of the bedroom kisses always started out slow and soft; Their tongues, almost perfectly still. Lips touched and sucked gently at one another, keeping a waltzing time, the last motion in every measure prolonged with a lingering brush or soft moan. Doumeki took initiative, Watanuki replied with an effort at equal intensity.

Feeling Doumeki's leg press with calm urgency between his thighs, he whimpered and bit at his lovers lower lip to relieve a feeling of building pressure. In turn Doumeki cajoled him by rocking his knee slowly, goading a meeker lover to build momentum. A loud moan threatened to eek through Watanuki's lips, and escaped as an estranged sort of sigh as he nearly attacked his lover's mouth with his own. Anything less, and he felt he might burst.

Doumeki hardly had the time to revel in his victory, he had to match Watanuki's searching tongue and roaming hands. He was almost frantically taking his hands all over Doumeki's body, looking for a place to make home, before settling laced behind his neck. In turn, the archer had a hand gripping at the base of Watanuki's spine, forcing him to grind against his leg.

They continued this mad, three beat dance for what seem like hours, but in reality was only a fraction of the time. It ended with them parting their lips for the last time, Watanuki panting and trembling against Doumeki, who was trying his best to keep his composure.

"Why…" Watanuki gasped, clinging at Doumeki's arm for support, "Why does it always seem like you have the upper hand on me?"

He tried to calm his heaving chest as he responded, "It's always been that way."

"Yeah, but…" The other almost pouted, some of his more childish side showing through. "You think after all this time… I could please you more."

By now, Doumeki's wheels were definitely turning.

"Want to give it another shot tonight?"