"Nnnmm" I sighed. His lips tickled gently against my ear, and he pulled me tighter to him. "Daisuke..." He whispered softly. I let my eyes close and leaned as far into him as my body would allow. "Daisuke…" He whispered with passion laced in his voice this time. His fingers touched the bare skin of my stomach. My eyes snapped open. He let his fingers slowly slide farther upward, and they hit the bottom of my ribs. I could feel cold shivers racing up and down my back. He let his hand expand so it was palm flat against my sternum, and the tip of his middle finger brushed my nipple. I realized I was afraid to breathe.
And then time seemed to stand still.
"NO!" I screamed. I shoved him away towards the other side of the room. Shock registered on his face. "Daisuke….I….I know you're scared. I am too, but….." He sounded sincerely scared and concerned for me. "Please Daisuke…..let me help you." There it was. The passion, the emotion that had him in its pointy little claws and wouldn't let him go. The feeling that reached out from him and tried to pull me in too. I looked away from him. "I can't…..I just can't." I said. I sank down against the wall to the floor. "Maybe….maybe you should…..go." He took a step towards me. "Daisuke….please……" I looked back up at him. His eyes were strained and on the verge of crying. I quickly looked down again. My wall was slowly crumbling. I had to get out of there, fast. His hand came up underneath my chin and made me look up. Damn, he moved quickly. "Daisuke, I need you." Shit. What was I supposed to do now? His deep, blue eyes seemed to pierce through my heart. He sat on his knees and began to lean towards me. I drew a breath. He smiled, almost evilly. Then I knew I could stop him. I shoved him back again, this time harder. I jumped up and ran as fast as I could towards the door. "Daisuke!" He called. I ran out the door. He slid out into the hallway as I was pelting down it. "Daisuke!" He shouted. I rounded the corner and didn't look back. He stood there at the doorway, looking forlornly after me. "Daisuke…..I'm sorry."
What the heck is wrong with me?
"Oh, Emiko you're being silly."
"I swear! There's something wrong with him!"
"NOTHING'S wrong with him. He's just going through his puberty years."
"Kosuke…" Kosuke sighed. How many more of these pointless arguments was he going to have to listen to today? He did feel sorry for Daisuke. He'd been fourteen for almost six months now, but unable to achieve the transformation. "What exactly do you think is wrong with him Emiko?"
Emiko floundered for a moment, not expecting this new form of attack. "Well," She began. "He comes home with bruises on his arms and legs all the time. He looks like he battled three hundred people, and last time he broke his arm! The real Kaitoh Dark wouldn't end up like that!" Kosuke took a few steps back. Emiko had been walking forward as she talked and was poking him in the chest. "Also, Dark reacts to feelings of love. Daisuke hasn't liked any girl since the fourth grade! So how can he change into Dark?" Kosuke tensed. She'd hit the nail on the head. "Nonsense Emiko. You can't know everything about Daisuke. After all, he's born and bred to be a phantom thief. Surely he has a few secrets." Emiko was silent. Kosuke started to walk away when she said, "Well then, I'll just have to find out these secrets he's keeping from me, won't I?" He turned around to see her smiling coyly at him. She was expecting him to blab to save his own skin. "Alright then. Just make sure he has enough time to finish his homework." Kosuke walked out of the room. As he turned into the hallway, he saw Emiko's smile drop a fraction of an inch.
What am I going to tell Daisuke?!
Satoshi slammed his bag into the wall of his bedroom and slumped down to the floor. Again! Damn it, he'd done it again! He hit the ground. He'd known that Daisuke would flee if he went too fast, and yet he'd done it again! He hit the ground again. It would take months to get their relationship back to where it had been. Have you ever thought that it might not be you who's the problem? Satoshi froze in mid-hit. That it might be Daisuke? Satoshi's eyes widened. "No…..it isn't him! It's me! I'm the one who keeps driving us to our limits!" He cried. Tsk, tsk Satoshi. I would've thought that you were protecting him, if I didn't know better. "So what if I am? It's no business of yours!" He felt the voice smile. Satoshi, everything you do is my business. I am a part of you. Satoshi cringed. Why don't you let me deal with Daisuke for a change? I'll stay in your form and we can- "No!" Cried Satoshi. "Don't you dare do anything Krad! Daisuke and I is my problem!" ……Very well. Just remember, you only have three more days. "I know" Satoshi sighed as he felt the presence fade. "I know" Satoshi hit the ground once more for good measure. He had to, to leave! In three days! And Daisuke….Daisuke. How would he tell him? And before he left…he'd so wanted to…… "Aarrrgg!" Satoshi cried out in frustration, then collapsed, exhausted, on his bed.
What do I say? What can I say?
I sat with my head face down on my desk. What was I going to do now? He probably thinks I'm a chicken for not wanting to go any farther than kissing. I sighed in frustration. It wasn't that I didn't want to go farther, but it was….the…. I sighed again. It had been two days since the incident at the gym had happened. The swirl of maroon and white skirts passed into my vision, low as it was. Maybe….? Had Risa come back to school today? I looked up from my sad position, taking care to plaster a look of perfect dejection on my face, and looked right at the hairy legs of my fellow…..classmate…..Keiji Saga. "Don't I look pretty today Dai-chan?" he said in a falsely high falsetto voice. "Riku-chan said my hair ribbons and my skirt matched perfectly today!" My jaw dropped open wide and I let out a slight shriek that trailed off as I lost my voice. I looked up at his hair. The ribbons placed in it did match the skirt perfectly. "Oh, wow I look that good Dai-chan? Will you go out with me then? Will you?" Keiji began to lean into me. He pursed his lips out at me and smacked them together twice. My lips came back together as tight as they could. Behind me I could hear snickering.
"You know it's a gentleman's courtesy to kiss her" came a voice from behind me. I turned my head slightly. Was it…? Oh no…it's……Riku!? I jumped in my seat "Um….uh….Riku! What did you say?" She looked annoyed with me, but at least she was talking to me. "I said that it's a gentleman's courtesy to kiss her." I frowned, forgetting who was in front of me. "Kiss who?" She grinned evilly and pointed at Keiji. "You have to kiss Kei-chan" I turned to look at Keiji; his lips were still pursed, then back at Riku, then back at Keiji again. I ran to the left of Riku, thinking I could make it to the door, but then out of nowhere came Takeshi. He firmly grabbed a hold of me. "Oh no you don't, Daisuke." He was grinning too. "You have to be a gentleman and kiss the pretty lady." I struggled as he and Masahiro dragged me towards Keiji, and his lips. "No!" I cried out. "I won't do it!! Please Riku! Don't make me!" I was desperate. She could tell. Her grin got wider as she said. "Sorry Daisuke, it's the rule." I felt at a loss. What was I supposed to do now? I was forcefully turned to see that everyone had lined up and made an isle for me to be pushed/dragged down, and at the end of it was, Keiji.Takeshi, still holding my arms, held me in front of Keiji. Keiji smiled sweetly, a sick and poison sweet, and stood right in front of me. I pulled and fought and yelled for all I was worth. "Let me go! I won't do this! You can't make me!" I managed to yank one arm out of Takeshi's hold and I slapped Keiji across the face. Keiji didn't let his grin sloop an inch. He just leaned toward me. This is the end was all I could think. Keiji's hand was brushing on my thigh. "I want his eyes open" demanded Keiji. Riku came up behind me and held my eyelids open. This can't get any worse. Keiji was sliding his hand in all the wrong places. I wanted to kick him, but then they would make me stand with my legs wide apart. Keiji finally put his hand on my face and came in to kiss me, when…… The door burst open! Everyone froze in their current positions. I fought to turn and see who it was. I froze. It seemed I had gotten my wish, things got worse. In the doorway stood…..Satoshi.
It's a Nightmare. A horrible awful, but not real Nightmare.
Satoshi surveyed the room. Daisuke was being held in front of that class pervert, Keiji, and Keiji was wearing…..a skirt? No, the entire girl's uniform, and he was scowling at Satoshi. All the girls were of course starry eyed and staring. Satoshi walked over to where Daisuke was and looked at Takeshi. "Let him go." Satoshi said softly. When Takeshi didn't move Satoshi said it again. "Let him go Takeshi!" Daisuke looked up at him with furious eyes and whispered, "What are you doing?!" Satoshi put a hand on Daisuke's shoulder and leaned foreword as if to glare at Takeshi more. "I'm coming for you. We need to talk….about….things." Daisuke's eyes widened. Satoshi looked harder at Takeshi. "Let him go, now." Keiji came up behind Satoshi and said, "He's mine! Back off!" Keiji shoved Satoshi away from Daisuke, his girly voice and demeanor all gone. Satoshi slugged Keiji, and he fell to the floor unconscious. He turned back to Daisuke, who was looking at Keiji lying on the floor. Daisuke looked up, relief in his eyes, but then seeing Satoshi it changed to worry, even….fear? Take him. Daisuke started to look a little sick. Satoshi watched as Daisuke's legs wobbled, and then he fainted. Satoshi caught him before he hit the floor and began to head for the door. "Satoshi! Satoshi!" Riku had caught up to him. "Will Daisuke be all right?" Satoshi nodded mutely. "I'll take him to the nurse's office, just in case though." Riku smiled in relief. "Oh, thank you! I was so worried….see all of this is my fault…and I….." She trailed off. "Will you tell him….that I'm…I'm sorry?" Satoshi smiled. "I will." He turned and walked down the hall. "Thank you!" Riku called after him. Oh, I really hope Daisuke will be all right. But...wait. Isn't the nurse's office the other way?
The Voice I hear…does it hear me? Does it know what I want? Does it even understand what I say? I hope so, because……it's time.
I open my eyes slowly; my vision was still blurred. While it was clearing I wondered where I was and what had happened. Then it hit like a ton of bricks. Keiji, Riku, Takeshi, and ……Satoshi. My vision cleared. I looked around. I was in the art room of our school. And….there was someone at the window, looking at the girls having gym. He turned to look at me, the sunlight falling on his hair. I gasped. He wasn't Satoshi! But…he was!? What was going on? This guy had the same hair color and eye color as Satoshi, but his hair was longer, and he was taller. "Daisuke." Satoshi's voice. "Daisuke, are you ok?" He walked toward me and stopped right at my feet. "I…I think I'm ok." I struggled to stand up. "My head's a little fuzzy, but at least I can stand." He smiled. It sent chills down my spine. "Good." He said. Then he came closer. I backed against the wall. He pushed his lips to mine. One hand was against the wall, pushing so hard as if to make the wall fall over. The other was exploring. I was too stunned to stop him, but my mind was running miles in those few seconds. His eyes flicked back open, and he pulled away. He stared at me for what seemed like forever. His hand was right where it had been last time this happened. He was waiting……waiting…..wanting…..to see what I would do.
Every decision leads to another; every choice causes something new. Every time you choose, you change the future. There are a thousand futures. There are a thousand decisions; each one different somehow, small and large. The web grows larger every day; every decision made. But they all lead to the same spot, the same end. We all end, together.