Dec. 7th [xxxHOLiC] Reading the Unreadable

[lady-kikyou.livejournal.com]

Title: Reading the Unreadable
Day/Theme: Dec. 7th - Single digits only, please
Series: xxxHOLiC
Character/Pairing: Clow Reed x Yuuko Ichihara
Rating: PG

                 Clow Reed was a man of eccentricities, even more so than the Witch of Dimensions in some aspects. People didn’t always understand his actions or even his motives, and they would often stare at him in a mix of confusion and surprise; to him, however, that was simply part of the fun.

 

The latest of his strange whims had been to have Yuuko tell his fortune through the use of numerical methods. He was fully aware that she would require one very special piece of information from him in order to perform the given task, specifically his date of birth, seeing as his real name had never been a mystery. He also knew what it meant to reveal such personal facts about himself, but he did not mind it in the least, as long as it was Yuuko.

 

In fact, he wanted her to know that much.

 

                  He wanted someone that he could whole-heartedly trust, someone that he didn’t have to keep any secrets from, and preferably before his life drew to an even closer end. Yuuko was the only one that came to mind whenever he browsed through his options, and so he had decided to make such a request, as a means to carry out his plans. He didn’t bother to give her neither an explanation nor an excuse, and for that reason, her reaction was only expected.

 

                 “What the hell, Clow?”

 

                 “It is exactly as I’ve told you, Yuuko,” He replied with his most natural smile. “Don’t worry, though, I do intend to offer proper payment for your services.”

 

                  “That is not the point!” Her voice raised a few octaves at that, and she had to take a deep breath in order to collect herself before speaking again. “You don’t need me to tell your fortune. You can perfectly do that by yourself.”

 

                   “I thought reading oneself’s fortune was a taboo?” 

 

                   “It is,” She gritted her teeth. “But you know that is not what I meant. Besides, it’s not like you haven’t broken enough taboos already, anyway.”

 

                    “And you have helped me through a good deal of them, too,” He reasoned. “Compared to that, this is a much simpler request.”

 

                    “It is never simple when it comes to you,” She gave an exasperated sigh. “But fine. I’ll do as you wish. Although you have to realize this has got to be the stupidest thing you have ever asked of me, and you have done an awful lot of stupid requests before, believe me.”

 

                    “I have, haven’t I?” His smile widened and he chuckled in contentment. “But somehow, you always grant each and every one of them.”

 

                   Yuuko pointedly ignored his last remark, even though it was hard not to leap at his throat and choke the bastard for being such a wicked tease. “Let’s get started then. Just give me what I need to know.”

 

                   “Very well. I was born in—“

 

                   “Single digits only, please.” She interrupted, making yet another effort not to lose her composure. “One number for your name, one for your date of birth. Just that.”

 

                  “Ah, but digit summing is the fortune teller’s job, and not the client’s.”

 

                  “You’re not a--!” She stopped before finishing her sentence, realizing she getting worked up once again. Once she had settled, she added with a glare. “…you want to do this the hard way, don’t you?”

 

                 He merely smiled in response, earning yet another sigh from her.

 

                 Even if Numerology wasn’t her specialty, Yuuko didn’t have much trouble completing the mission at hand. According to numerical methodology, Clow was a 4, which stood for an even temper, loyalty, practicality, patience and creation, especially. His life path was also a 4, meaning that he was a highly talented person who entered this plane with a natural genius for planning, and whose peculiar kind of will power was often mistaken for sheer stubbornness, always handling things the way he was so certain that they should be handled. His friends may be few in number, but he was very close to them, and once friendships were made, they would often last a lifetime.

 

                She couldn’t help but mentally snicker. There was absolutely nothing new there.

 

                She figured he wouldn’t be satisfied with so little, and so she moved on to equivalent readings in other branches of fortune telling, ranging from Astrology to Runes. The witch had to admit she was a little surprised to see how accurately they all described the big mess of a walking puzzle that was Clow Reed, but then again she shouldn’t be, for his fortune was just as easy to abstractly read as any other’s; trying to understand him on a daily basis, however, was the real challenge.

 

“There you go,” She said in a bored tone once her job was finished, staring at him in just as much of an annoyed fashion. “Are you happy now?”

 

                  “Almost,” He grinned, fixing his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “I will be once you conclude the one reading you left out, though.”

 

“I have left nothing out.” Came her unusually dry answer. She could see exactly where he was trying to get, but she wouldn’t give him the pleasure.

 

“Have you not? Not even I Ching, perhaps?” Here, the magician spared her his earnest, if somewhat sad, smile. “It’s Chinese numerology, Yuuko. You certainly did not think I would forget about that one, did you?”

 

Yuuko remained awfully serious. “I didn’t. And I have not forgotten about it, either. I’m just not doing that one.”

 

At this point, her gaze was averted from his, in search of safe refuge. It was silly of him to even suggest she had forgotten something so essential, especially considering her level of magical knowledge. She had simply expected that, rather than asking for the absolutely complete work of the fortune-teller, Clow would instead be a little more considerate towards the feelings of the woman. 

 

After all, according to I Ching, the number 4 meant death. And that particular reading was painfully accurate as well.

 

With some resemblance of guilt on his face, Clow came to his feet and moved closer to the witch, kneeling down before her once the gap between them was desirably small. For a short while, he just stayed there, silently admiring her beautiful features, until he kissed her forehead in a delicate motion and wrapped his arms around her lithe forms, pulling her to his chest in hopes to offer some comfort. He knew it would never be enough, but at least he could relieve some of the immediate pain.

 

“Thank you, Yuuko,” He whispered, gentle fingers idly caressing her raven tresses. “And I mean it in many more ways than you can imagine.”

 

“Heh, don’t thank me quite yet, you idiot,” She attempted to sound like her old, nasty self, even though she was cuddling up to his body and very much welcoming his embrace, thus giving herself away. “Keep in mind that you owe me so very much for this. And don’t you think that revealing your actual birthday counts for a payment, even if it does give me a bit of power over you.”

 

“Ah, but, Yuuko-chan, He chuckled and tightened his tender grip on her, not willing to let go of her warmth just yet. “You already have so much power over me, that knowing my date of birth is the lesser of your true abilities, dearest.”

 

And for the first time since his odd request, she smiled.