Chapter One: Niwa, Daisuke

"You have been lucky to get Dark." Hiwatari stares into the water, allowing the silver moonlight to drip like silk off of his sparkling hair. The ocean rolls in, just far enough to lack the muster to touch our feet. Yet Hiwatari rolls up his pant legs as if the foamy shoreline can still reach out and lick his skin.

"Huh? Hiwatari, what do you-?"

"I don't expect you to understand, Niwa-kun. He has been good to you. You do not yet know the feeling of his true powers. He cares about you too much, still." He glances up at me from behind his glasses, the frames he wears only for himself. For the second time I am struck with the same pang as before. A feeling I have never gotten until the moment I witnessed Hiwatari strung up, waiting to end his life for freedom.

I shiver at the memory and look away. I don't know what I would have done if he had gone through with it. What if I was trapped only a minute later and found his lifeless body. I know even Dark couldn't have saved me at that point.

Pulling my knees to my chest, I try to release the ice cracking against my heart. I can still see his face, see the way his eyes glowed with not only tears, but fear. Fear of himself and what he might do. His eyes look like steel, set hard into creased sockets. If Hiwatari was the type, I could reach out to him. But I think that might only scare him more.

"Are you cold, Niwa-kun?" He doesn't even look at me as he begins to take off his sweater. It is pulled over his head and around mine before I have time to answer. Soon my body is soft with the heat from his. I didn't realize Hiwatari could be such a warm person, I would have thought he stayed cold. Even now he looks fine, almost blissful in the chilly evening air.

"You don't have to call me Niwa if you would like." My cheeks are beginning to burn and I cannot understand why. Hiwatari is a classmate, there is nothing intimate about this. We have been together plenty of times. Then why do I always feel different around him, like I am trying to impress him always.

His sweater feels like a weight around my shoulders and I take in each fiber touching the bareness of my arms. The material smells like him and it heats up my stomach. Maybe because I am asking him to use my first name, something that rarely happens among people like us, I am feeling embarrassed.

He nods slightly and says, "Not Niwa huh. What would you like me to call you then? Daisuke-kun?" His stare burns into my shoulder and I fake scratching my forehead to hide my face in the sweaters sleeve. There is no way I can look at him now, not with my cheeks this colour. I must be redder than my hair, and the heat is unbelievable.

For a moment I consider jumping into the ocean or even turning into Dark to get myself out of the situation. But his eyes leave pinpricks on my skin and as close as Dark feels, I know he wouldn't save me now. He is enjoying this all too much.

"Daisuke, huh. Well then, you can use Satoshi. Hiwatari isn't even my real name after all, it's just a handle. Daisuke, are you feeling okay? Your face is pretty red." I hadn't even noticed myself looking at him but as my eyes focus on what he's saying, I figure I have been staring this whole time.

Our eyes lock awkwardly, making me jump in surprise. How could I have let myself look at him this way! He must think I'm such an idiot. Quickly I try to think of something to say in return, something that will take the attention off of my dysfunctions.

"Oh! Ha-ha, yeah! I've just been working too hard is all. No need to worry." I pinch myself under the fabric of his clothing.

"I wasn't worried. I just didn't want Dark to think I was hurting you. Like we need Krad to take over at a time like this. Wouldn't he love to be involved." He kicks at the sand and starts to bury his feet. It must be hard for him to be around me and not change. I never considered that until now.

"Hiwatari? Eh, Satoshi-kun, I am sorry about what happened...before. I wish I could help you." For a moment he surprises me by smiling. It's short and smug, not reaching his eyes, but I get the feeling it's more for Krad than anyone else.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Niwa." I think about correcting him but decide not to. His smile is broken and the pain encases his face once again. "Sometimes I just feel like it would be better to not be here at all than to find a solution that could hurt anyone anyway. I am a doll for this curse, a host for him to feed off of. No one really needs me, they just need my body. If he could get his hands on that, why would I need to stay after all?"

I think of Dark nestled inside me and secretly thank him for being how he is. Even though he is self-centered and annoying, I couldn't imagine a better angel to take over my body.

- I heard that pip-squeak!-

Sorry Dark! I smile to myself and thank him again. Hiwatari does not deserve the pain Krad puts him through; he has only ever been kind to me. I glance up through my eyelashes and look for the words to tell him this.

"Senpai, I...I need you!"

He sits with his arms curved behind his back, resting palms down, to memorize the stars. I can see what the girls say about him being good-looking. He holds a beautiful heir even when he isn't trying to. I wish I could be more like him, instead of clumsy and awkward all the time. Compared to him, I am still a little boy. Hiwatari seems to have it all down, he is both brains and brawn. But seeing the sadness written into his history I can't imagine how he must feel about himself.

Who is the one Hiwatari has fallen in love with for him to able to transform? Even now I have not figured that much out.

"S-Satoshi?"

"Hmm?"

"Who have you fallen in love with?" He merely chuckles at the question and rolls his head toward me. The world restarts in slow motion and like someone out of a television commercial he opens his eyes to reveal two stars from the sky. Suddenly everything around us goes silent and dark, like a flame has been extinguished above.

"In love? Daisuke, have you not figured it out yet?" His voice is like I have never heard it before, a deep hum that vibrates through my bones, chilling me even more.

"I-I..."

"Daisuke, would you ever love-?"

"NIWA-KUN!? WHERE ARE YOU?!" Riku's voice rings out against the sand, scaring me even more. I jump up, creating a blizzard of sand and start wiping off my pants.

"I-I have to go! I'll see you tomorrow senpai, goodnight!" I bow slightly, kicking more sand into the spot I have just sat in. Without saying anything Hiwatari leans back and closes his eyes, as if deep in thought. I take off running, not even thinking of his sweater still on me. For a moment, I wonder if I should bring it back, but as I look over my shoulder, he's gone. Not even the a mark in the sand stays. It is like he was never even there.