storypaint | Pupil (Clow/Yuuko)

Comm: 30_cracks
Words: 454
Fandom: xxxHOLiC
Title: Pupil
Author: rhap_chan
Theme(s): 22. once upon a time (~one fruit punch foot punch)
Pairing/Characters: Clow Reed/Yuuko Ichihara
Rating: G
Disclaimer: xxxHOLiC belongs to CLAMP. All fanfiction archived here is a derivative of canon material that is not my property. I do not profit from these writings. The opinions and actions expressed in these stories are not necessarily the views and beliefs of the original author or me.

Excerpt: In the twenty-third world, Clow was a normal school boy with a gorgeous garnet-eyed Japanese tutor.

They'd traveled through eight worlds before Clow met himself, a stern-faced nine-year-old prince who shook his hand and welcomed him to the country that bore both their names. After that, he was addicted. He sought himself out in every world they visited, and Yuuko's wry habit of labeling him the narcissist did not deter him.

They traveled fifteen worlds more, past places where Death took an occasional holiday and through a universe in which a giant meat bun animal presided over the cosmos. In the twenty-third world, Clow was a normal school boy with a gorgeous garnet-eyed Japanese tutor.

Clow and Yuuko observed a tutoring session from the vantage point of a tall tree conveniently located near to the classroom window. Cloaking them both in invisibility, Clow nudged Yuuko when her doppelganger offered his counterpart a familiar smile.

"I can't believe we've never seen you in any of these worlds, Yuuko-chan," he said, entranced by the hint of cleavage visible at the vee of the teacher's button-front shirt. Yuuko seemed unimpressed, but when he grew bored, she elected to stay behind and observe the end of the one-on-one class. Clow snickered and went looking for a sake bar. Yuuko was clearly more impressed than she pretended.

"I don't understand why I have to learn this stuff!" the other Clow burst out in frustration as Yuuko watched. "Just because my dad lives in Japan now... I might as well learn English in case he takes me to England with him. I'm sick of it, Ichihara-sensei.

"You never know what path life will choose for you," Ichihara said serenely. "Japan is a wonderful country. Wouldn't you like to visit someday? I have come from there after all. If your intentions for me are as you say..."

She dipped her head, every inch the perfectly deferent Japanese woman. Yuuko rolled her eyes. What a suck-up act.

"Of course, Riiko-chan," Clow replied, reaching out and grabbing her hands earnestly, causing her to blush.

Yuuko rolled her eyes again and got down from her tree. She'd seen what she wanted to see. Perfect sister Riiko strikes again. If she hadn't been long dead when Yuuko met Clow, "Wonderful Riiko" would doubtlessly have stolen him in their own world.

As bad as I am, perhaps it is a good thing that there is only one of me, Yuuko thought, grinning as though she didn't mean it. She dismounted from the tree and started down the street, listening for Clow's voice. The more he drank, the louder he got, so she'd hear him soon.

There was only one Yuuko in any world, all the power of a billion lives coalesced into on individual. But she wasn't going to correct Clow's illusions.