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kinkfestTitle: Simple Pretenses
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lady_kikyou
Rating: PG
Prompt: xxxHOLiC, Clow/Yuuko: domesticity - Clow loved pretending they had an ordinary life
Word count: 1620
Summary: New Year's is a day for counting first times.
A/N: Took quite a few liberties with the prompt, but the idea is there. I hope.
“You just keep getting better at this, don’t you?”
“Why, thank you for such kind compliment, dear.”
Cynicism had always been a constant in their antics, but today it seemed to be playing a whole new role in their relationship; had it not been for such handy tool, tension would have been made blatantly obvious.
The occasion was anything but propitious for an argument; a cool winter morning at a shrine, along with heaps of visitors joyfully gathering from all across the city to greet each other on the first day of the day – it was a tradition that many still followed, after all. At first glance, there was no reason for animosity, except for maybe an impatient witch being forced to wait in line for her turn to partake in yet another Japanese custom, right alongside her usual companion.
And yet, when it came to them, there was always much more than what met the eye – sometimes for better, sometimes not as much.
“I didn’t mean it as a good thing, Clow,” She went on, employing great efforts not to yell at him like she had wanted; a whisper through gritted teeth would have to do.
“I don’t see how outdoing myself can ever be seen as a bad thing.”
“How about outdoing yourself in the crazy ideas department?”
“You said I got better at it, so it’s still an improvement-- a positive trait, even,” He gave a small snort before going on, and that was usually a sign of incoming mischief. “For instance, if I said you need a better grasp on your words, it would be the same as claiming you’re in need of improvement in that respect. The moment you do achieve that feat, it will be a good thing, see?”
Her timing was a blessing undisguised, and the line moved forward just when she needed an opportunity to connect a good kick to his shin as punishment for his smarmy commentary. Much to her dismay, the only reaction she had captured in response was a heartily laugh, as opposed to the annoyance she had been hoping for – except for her own, that is. One had to wonder why she still bothered.
“Ah, first fight of the year already.” He said, his fits gradually fading into an amused chuckle. The man was in too much of a good mood to pay any heed to her childish behavior.
“Well,” She folded her arms in protest, a frown complementing her generally undignified look. “New Year is just the day for keeping track of first times, isn’t it?”
“It is, but we came here for a different kind of first time, dear.”
There was an odd pause before she added, almost as though filling in the void. “You know, this would normally be my cue to add innuendo to your comment and tease you with it, if only I weren’t so mad at you.”
“You’re mad at me because I was right?”
“You were not right! And the actual point here is that you thwarted the discussion into a different argument!”
“It wouldn’t have made any difference otherwise,” He half-shrugged, smile widening despite his difficulty in believing Yuuko’s alleged reasons. “I still don’t see what’s so crazy about paying a first visit to a shrine.”
“It is, when you want to draw our fortunes.”
“Isn’t that what everyone else comes here for?”
A minute of silence and pointed staring was granted in hopes he would possibly realize the kind of nonsense he had spouted, but it was in vain; the man either didn’t hear himself speak or downright felt like being especially obnoxious today. It might even be both, all things considered – she had always told him he was impossibly annoying without even trying, after all. One day she would learn not to bring this upon herself.
It wouldn’t be right now, though.
“We’re not everyone else, Clow,” She began, slow and patiently, as though talking to a child, though her visage wasn’t nearly as tolerant. “If anything, people come to us for having their fortunes told-- why do I even have to explain this to you?”
“For the same reason why I keep having to tell you my own motives over and over again, I suppose.”
“You mean the fact you never shut up?”
“I was going to say we’re both very much stubborn, actually,” His usual smile shifted into a smirk at this point. “But if you believe that also applies to you, well.”
“What?” Her tone was raised by several octaves, at least until she realized they were in a crowed place. “Who do you take me for? Yourself?”
“You’re not exactly proving your point, are you?”
Her lips were parted in tentative protest, but she chose to remain quiet instead of further reinforcing his implications – though it was worth noting her pout and crossed arms were certainly making a statement in their own right. In all honesty, she was having some trouble trying not to say a thing when Clow was deliberately using her own line of reasoning against her as a means to ensure his victory. On the other hand, if she didn’t speak at all, then he would have an edge over their previous argument. It was a no-win situation.
Ah well. If she absolutely had to lose, then at least it would be best to indulge in a guilty pleasure.
“I don’t understand,” She began, huffing in slight frustration – though by now it was more at having been defeated than at his current oddity. “Why would you, of all people, want to have your fortune told like this?”
“It’s as good as any other way to me. I don’t exactly need an accurate reading, you see.”
“But that’s my point exactly! You don’t need to have your fortune told at all, so why would you come to a shrine for that?”
“The long version is that, while we might not need to have our fortunes told, this is the widely common way around this time of the year and it allows for us to have some resemblance of an ordinary life, even if just for now,” A content sigh later, he added. “Just look at all these people and how content they look with knowing so little about their future; they’re free to interpret a couple of sentences however they like. It gives them hope.”
He stepped forth so to pick that small piece of paper which seemingly held so much importance to him, and it gave Yuuko a chance for admiration safely away from his scrutiny – he would never let her hear the end of it, had that soft look of hers ever been caught. Clow was known for being an overly complicated man, and she could not decide whether such simplicity of joy contradicted or further reinforced that thought. But it didn’t really matter, not for as long as he was the image of happiness.
And as her own turn to play make-belief came, the witch could not help but wonder if her own visage was a reflection of his. It was only then that she truly understood.
“Is there a short version to this?” She asked, folding her fortune back just in case he tried to pry.
“It’s New Year’s and I wanted to do something fun with you.” He offered a shrug and a smile. “Though having an argument right from the start was not the kind of first time I was hoping we’d share.”
“Pervert.”
“Oh, Yuuko, that was not--“ Her interrupting giggles were a sign that his defense wasn’t really needed, though they also meant something else. “Ah, I take it you’re not as mad at me anymore, if you’re making funny jokes.”
“Maybe.”
“Coming from you, that’s as good as a yes.”
“A maybe is a maybe!” She poked his chest in pretense reprimand, and he knew that added to her previous chanting only proved his point. “Besides, I just don’t want to start out the year in a foul mood.”
“Right. And I suppose that doesn’t have anything to do with the fortune you just drew?”
“Not at all. As a matter of fact, this fortune is only good for making me annoyed.”
“Oh? What does it say?”
There was a pause for suspense, then she grinned. “That I will have to put up with a freak for another year!”
“Well, it could always be a different freak,” He burst out in open, whole-hearted laughter for a moment, though his tone was much softer by the time he added to his train of thought. “But mine says I’ll get to enjoy lovely company this year, and that could not be a coincidence, could it?”
There was hardly any need for a proper answer, not when she smiled like that. It didn’t take long until it turned into a devious smirk, though, and what happened next was no more than a natural progression – at least when it came to them.
“What are you doing?” He sounded oddly amused for someone who was being dragged by the arm, and considering who was on the tugging end, it was barely surprising.
“You made me wait in line for hours to get a reading we both already knew,” She punched the air above with the fist that wasn’t holding his, her determination renewed. “So now I’m taking you to buy me some incredibly expensive sake so this won’t have been a complete waste of my time!”
“Meaning it’s time for our first reconciliation already?”
“As long as you’re not keeping track of them for the entire year.”
“Well, I could! I mean, haven’t you ever wanted to kno--“
“Oh, you really do keep outdoing yourself, Clow!”
Author:
lady_kikyou Rating: PG
Prompt: xxxHOLiC, Clow/Yuuko: domesticity - Clow loved pretending they had an ordinary life
Word count: 1620
Summary: New Year's is a day for counting first times.
A/N: Took quite a few liberties with the prompt, but the idea is there. I hope.
“You just keep getting better at this, don’t you?”
“Why, thank you for such kind compliment, dear.”
Cynicism had always been a constant in their antics, but today it seemed to be playing a whole new role in their relationship; had it not been for such handy tool, tension would have been made blatantly obvious.
The occasion was anything but propitious for an argument; a cool winter morning at a shrine, along with heaps of visitors joyfully gathering from all across the city to greet each other on the first day of the day – it was a tradition that many still followed, after all. At first glance, there was no reason for animosity, except for maybe an impatient witch being forced to wait in line for her turn to partake in yet another Japanese custom, right alongside her usual companion.
And yet, when it came to them, there was always much more than what met the eye – sometimes for better, sometimes not as much.
“I didn’t mean it as a good thing, Clow,” She went on, employing great efforts not to yell at him like she had wanted; a whisper through gritted teeth would have to do.
“I don’t see how outdoing myself can ever be seen as a bad thing.”
“How about outdoing yourself in the crazy ideas department?”
“You said I got better at it, so it’s still an improvement-- a positive trait, even,” He gave a small snort before going on, and that was usually a sign of incoming mischief. “For instance, if I said you need a better grasp on your words, it would be the same as claiming you’re in need of improvement in that respect. The moment you do achieve that feat, it will be a good thing, see?”
Her timing was a blessing undisguised, and the line moved forward just when she needed an opportunity to connect a good kick to his shin as punishment for his smarmy commentary. Much to her dismay, the only reaction she had captured in response was a heartily laugh, as opposed to the annoyance she had been hoping for – except for her own, that is. One had to wonder why she still bothered.
“Ah, first fight of the year already.” He said, his fits gradually fading into an amused chuckle. The man was in too much of a good mood to pay any heed to her childish behavior.
“Well,” She folded her arms in protest, a frown complementing her generally undignified look. “New Year is just the day for keeping track of first times, isn’t it?”
“It is, but we came here for a different kind of first time, dear.”
There was an odd pause before she added, almost as though filling in the void. “You know, this would normally be my cue to add innuendo to your comment and tease you with it, if only I weren’t so mad at you.”
“You’re mad at me because I was right?”
“You were not right! And the actual point here is that you thwarted the discussion into a different argument!”
“It wouldn’t have made any difference otherwise,” He half-shrugged, smile widening despite his difficulty in believing Yuuko’s alleged reasons. “I still don’t see what’s so crazy about paying a first visit to a shrine.”
“It is, when you want to draw our fortunes.”
“Isn’t that what everyone else comes here for?”
A minute of silence and pointed staring was granted in hopes he would possibly realize the kind of nonsense he had spouted, but it was in vain; the man either didn’t hear himself speak or downright felt like being especially obnoxious today. It might even be both, all things considered – she had always told him he was impossibly annoying without even trying, after all. One day she would learn not to bring this upon herself.
It wouldn’t be right now, though.
“We’re not everyone else, Clow,” She began, slow and patiently, as though talking to a child, though her visage wasn’t nearly as tolerant. “If anything, people come to us for having their fortunes told-- why do I even have to explain this to you?”
“For the same reason why I keep having to tell you my own motives over and over again, I suppose.”
“You mean the fact you never shut up?”
“I was going to say we’re both very much stubborn, actually,” His usual smile shifted into a smirk at this point. “But if you believe that also applies to you, well.”
“What?” Her tone was raised by several octaves, at least until she realized they were in a crowed place. “Who do you take me for? Yourself?”
“You’re not exactly proving your point, are you?”
Her lips were parted in tentative protest, but she chose to remain quiet instead of further reinforcing his implications – though it was worth noting her pout and crossed arms were certainly making a statement in their own right. In all honesty, she was having some trouble trying not to say a thing when Clow was deliberately using her own line of reasoning against her as a means to ensure his victory. On the other hand, if she didn’t speak at all, then he would have an edge over their previous argument. It was a no-win situation.
Ah well. If she absolutely had to lose, then at least it would be best to indulge in a guilty pleasure.
“I don’t understand,” She began, huffing in slight frustration – though by now it was more at having been defeated than at his current oddity. “Why would you, of all people, want to have your fortune told like this?”
“It’s as good as any other way to me. I don’t exactly need an accurate reading, you see.”
“But that’s my point exactly! You don’t need to have your fortune told at all, so why would you come to a shrine for that?”
“The long version is that, while we might not need to have our fortunes told, this is the widely common way around this time of the year and it allows for us to have some resemblance of an ordinary life, even if just for now,” A content sigh later, he added. “Just look at all these people and how content they look with knowing so little about their future; they’re free to interpret a couple of sentences however they like. It gives them hope.”
He stepped forth so to pick that small piece of paper which seemingly held so much importance to him, and it gave Yuuko a chance for admiration safely away from his scrutiny – he would never let her hear the end of it, had that soft look of hers ever been caught. Clow was known for being an overly complicated man, and she could not decide whether such simplicity of joy contradicted or further reinforced that thought. But it didn’t really matter, not for as long as he was the image of happiness.
And as her own turn to play make-belief came, the witch could not help but wonder if her own visage was a reflection of his. It was only then that she truly understood.
“Is there a short version to this?” She asked, folding her fortune back just in case he tried to pry.
“It’s New Year’s and I wanted to do something fun with you.” He offered a shrug and a smile. “Though having an argument right from the start was not the kind of first time I was hoping we’d share.”
“Pervert.”
“Oh, Yuuko, that was not--“ Her interrupting giggles were a sign that his defense wasn’t really needed, though they also meant something else. “Ah, I take it you’re not as mad at me anymore, if you’re making funny jokes.”
“Maybe.”
“Coming from you, that’s as good as a yes.”
“A maybe is a maybe!” She poked his chest in pretense reprimand, and he knew that added to her previous chanting only proved his point. “Besides, I just don’t want to start out the year in a foul mood.”
“Right. And I suppose that doesn’t have anything to do with the fortune you just drew?”
“Not at all. As a matter of fact, this fortune is only good for making me annoyed.”
“Oh? What does it say?”
There was a pause for suspense, then she grinned. “That I will have to put up with a freak for another year!”
“Well, it could always be a different freak,” He burst out in open, whole-hearted laughter for a moment, though his tone was much softer by the time he added to his train of thought. “But mine says I’ll get to enjoy lovely company this year, and that could not be a coincidence, could it?”
There was hardly any need for a proper answer, not when she smiled like that. It didn’t take long until it turned into a devious smirk, though, and what happened next was no more than a natural progression – at least when it came to them.
“What are you doing?” He sounded oddly amused for someone who was being dragged by the arm, and considering who was on the tugging end, it was barely surprising.
“You made me wait in line for hours to get a reading we both already knew,” She punched the air above with the fist that wasn’t holding his, her determination renewed. “So now I’m taking you to buy me some incredibly expensive sake so this won’t have been a complete waste of my time!”
“Meaning it’s time for our first reconciliation already?”
“As long as you’re not keeping track of them for the entire year.”
“Well, I could! I mean, haven’t you ever wanted to kno--“
“Oh, you really do keep outdoing yourself, Clow!”
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