The boy pulled Krad's pants down from a safe distance on the floor, just enough to expose a white-blonde rabbit trail. "Get your hands off my pants, pervert!"
He thrashed in a tiny fit of rage. "That's what she said." He grinned to himself. "What?" "Hold still." He positioned the steaming ring just below Krad's belly button and the angel gritted his teeth, trying to move his torso away from the heat. The iron connected with his white flesh and he screamed, writhing and bucking, trying to escape the agony. Emptying his lungs he sucked in more air and saw the syringe of Darks blood in the center of red iron, emptying into his gut. He didn't even feel it and Hatsu struggled to lay the curse evenly on Krad's abdomen. Finally he pulled the metal off and startled when Krad immediately sat up, his large white teeth around the cursed shape-shifting staff. "Don't-" He said, alarmed, but the demonic half stared at him loathingly, and with a loud crack broke the staff cleanly in half.
"Cra-" He was sucked helplessly back to the raised platform and sat slowly, glaring at Krad, his flesh becoming marble once again. Krad shed two more feathers and secured his fate, falling back to the ground in pain. Just then Dark flew back in through the broken window looking mussed, dog drool smeared on one side of his face. "Did I miss- aww, man!" He slapped a fist down in the palm of his hand. "I always miss the best fights!" He trotted over to Krad who was still unraveling the seal on his other arm. "What're you doing?"
"Oh you know, just lying here, bleeding…" Krad muttered. He could feel his blood soaking into the shirt he'd pulled down over the brand. It was hideous; he just couldn't look at it. "Well, good luck with that!" He said cheerfully, grabbing the statue and making for the window. An irritated tamer blasted ~Dark you- go back and see if he's really ok. ~ Dark groaned and fiddled with his torn sleeve. ~But I really don't care. ~ ~Well I'm not attending Satoshi's funeral so go. ~ Dark sighed and stomped back, stating with his eyes closed, "You look fine to…me? Krad?" He nudged the angel with one foot and opened his eyes. Krad had passed out from the loss of blood and it was now pooling lazily around his torso. Luckily he'd finished freeing himself from the spell before fainting. "Ohmygosh! Krad!"
He backhanded his other half in the face, which not surprisingly had no effect. Dark wrinkled his nose at the strong metallic smell Krad was emitting. He then lifted him gently off the cold tile under his knees and arms and cradled him against his chest. Krad's ribcage moved up and down, but barely. ~I think he's still alive. ~He said it with a hint of annoyance and stepped onto the sill of the window, looking regretfully at the statue. ~ We'll take him to Yuujiwa Kauro. (Niwa family doctor.)He should know what to do. ~ He flew off into the night.
"So is he going to be ok?" Mr. Kauro shook his head. "He needs a blood transfusion. And being what he is, I don't think any human's does suffice."Daisuke made a small suggestion in the back of Dark's mind and he reluctantly agreed. "I could give him some of my blood." He offered, feeling somewhat cornered into the decision. "Ah, excellent. I'll get a bed ready for you." "Could you tell me where the phone is?" Dark asked and after a brief explanation, shouted "Thanks!" and ran off. Of course Emiko was both relieved and furious to hear they were both ok. Once he explained where he was she immediately decided to meet him there and hung up. Later, as a needle was pressed into his arm and he saw the dark juice gathering in a plastic bag, he wondered about the insane sculpture. He didn't even know what the name meant. The words he'd spoken before flinging him to that dog ran through his mind. After taking his blood with that stupid stick and glancing at Krad…He'd done something horrible, judging by the hand-sized brand burned into Krad's skin. But what?
He didn't know, and ran his hand through his purple hair in frustration. "All done!" The nurse attending him said cheerfully, sliding the needle out o his arm and handing him a plate of cookies with a glass of juice. "Now make sure to eat all of them before you leave, ok?" She smiled, sterilizing the needle and hooking Krad up to his recently donated blood. "Can do." As he stuffed himself, he paused long enough to stick his tongue out at Krad and think ~I get cookies and you don't. ~
even though the blonde was unconscious. Shockingly, he murmured "Shut up." and rolled his head the other way. Dark hesitated and glanced at him, holding the cookies protectively to his chest. ~Jealous.~ Krad snorted and his face grew blank, almost peaceful, as the blood he required seeped into his veins. Dark finished the cookies, drank the juice in three large gulps and asked "Can I go home now?" to the attractive red-headed nurse. "Don't you want to make sure that everything goes smoothly?"
"Um, no, what gave you that idea?" She looked taken aback. "I thought you had to be cousins, at least, to donate." The Kaito sighed. "It's complicated." He was randomly tackled to the ground by one overly concerned mother. "Dark! I was so worried!" he struggled out of her vise like grip. "Emiko, I'm fine." Morphing into Daisuke's form, he gave her a big smile and changed back. "See? We're both just fine." Behind them, Krad blinked awake and winced, wishing for one of the few times that he'd actually died. Everything below his ribs burned with the slight movement of his breathing. Dark gave the nurse a look as if to say "told you so...' and strutted over, declaring "Betcha feel much better now, huh Krad?"
"Not exceptionally…" Dark flipped his hand. "Of course you do. Now come on-" He offered his hand to the blonde "You have to sign some papers before they'll let you go." Krad hesitated and the nurse injected "I don't think that's a good idea!" Dark leaned close enough so none of them would hear and whispered "Weakling." Krad stood up abruptly "I am not-" and doubled over as his wound reopened partway, little rivers of red trickling down his torso. "Gh…" He gritted his teeth and the nurse rushed over "It's reopened! You, help me lift him up."As he did she glared at him and he avoided her gaze, feeling a smidge guilty. But how was he supposed to know it was so severe? She ordered the two Niwa's to sit in the waiting room where Emiko chewed him out until the nurse came back. It was almost a relief. "Well, he won't be able to walk for a few days because his abdominal muscles were burned, but he's insisting on leaving." She sighed. "We called Mr. Hiwatari-"Dark's eyes virtually lit up. Yes, pawn him off on him "But he's on a business trip and won't be back for two weeks. Are you… acquaintances of his?" Black Wings slumped down in his chair.
"Yes." She nodded. "We will give you the necessary medical equipment to take care of him and will expect to hear back from you in about a week." Gah.
Dark cursed himself profusely as Emiko stated "Well, you'd better go get him, than. I've got dinner in the oven so-" She took the supplies and said happily "I'll drive the car around!" disappearing around a corner. Dark picked up a Disney magazine and hit himself in the face once, twice, three times angrily. Stupid. Stupid, stupid!
A child in the waiting room giggled and he left, trying to retain some of his dignity. Krad lay with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression on his face.
"They told you." Dark murmured, and he replied smoothly "I have been informed of your family's generosity." Restraining himself, he hissed "Were being 'generous' because you're a terrible patient! Why won't you stay in the hospital for a few days?!" Amber eyes narrowed." Can you really trust these people? It is not my intention to become a media freak like you." The other half's only comfort was the fact that Krad was at his mercy. "Freaking paranoid little…" Picking him up rougher than he should have, he walked off and managed to get them both in Emiko's car. Krad was pointedly ignoring him, facing the other direction and crossing his arms tighter around his chest. It irritated Dark to an extreme, and finally he could stand it no longer. He leaned over, placed his lips on Krad's neck and blew a long, wet raspberry. "PPPLLUUPH-" "The hell?!" The blonde snarled, wiping Dark-juice off his neck. "Stop ignoring me!" Dark growled back and held him tighter. "I am ignoring you because I do not like your face, and I do not like you!"
"What! After everything I've done?" Krad wriggled in his arms and winced in pain. Emiko leaned backward and pleaded "Please, boys. Can you save it until we get home?" They went quiet for a few seconds, and then a whispering "Blonde." surfaced. "Promiscuous." "Homicidal." "Pedophile." It continued this way until Emiko pulled into the driveway, a headache already forming in her mind. "Dark, go put Krad in the guest bedroom. And Krad?"
The Hikari immediately sensed danger and cowered a little. "Yes?" She grabbed him by the collar and smiled a wide, unfriendly grin. "If I see one scratch on Dark or Daisuke I'll send you to the hospital so fast you'll think you were in a time warp. Understand?" She let go of him and brushed down her skirt delicately.
"Perfectly, Mrs. Niwa." She immediately turned back into the perfect wife, stating "Alright than dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Dark carried Krad upstairs and deposited him roughly in the spare bedroom bed, Krad's breath catching in his throat. "Mrs. Niwa seems to have quite the alter-ego." The blond observed. "Yeah, she's a little scary." Dark scrutinized him deeply with eyes like polished jewels. "What?"
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