Disclaimer: I don't own a thing of DNAngel- DNAngel and all it's characters/plot belong toYukiru Sugisaki . (who I wish I was-the series is absolutely awesome!)
Warnings: Yaoi (But you'll have to wait a while for that one…), some angstness…
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Everything I Hate Revolves Around You
Lament 2: Angels Shouldn't be Related to Demons
After that day, Daisuke was truly on Dark's radar-and Dark didn't care if he was now openly cruel only to him. Because, as the two found out with drastically different reactions that no one really cared if the red head was picked on, well, that was all Dark needed. The more he was shoved around, the more people found it amusing and it was really all he could do not to look so pathetic and break down in the middle of classes.
By the first week after the increased assaults, Daisuke was cracking. There were really only so many times someone could emotionlessly brush off crud words, remain neutral when knocked to the ground…
But it was no good to retaliate-that was already proven as much on Dark's birthday. He tried it and didn't get away with much, so what was the point? Any way you looked at it, it was a lose-lose situation.
And it really didn't help that all the teachers turned a blind eye as if nothing was happening. Daisuke knew that the teachers were fully aware of the situation. They just chose not to do a thing about it. When even the adults weren't on your side…that never helps. Even his favorite teacher didn't blink or punish Dark when he threw pencils and erasers at his head.
Why me? He wondered for the millionth time as Dark tripped him yet again on the way out to class. This time, he managed not to fall flat on his face, but windmilled his arms crazily, hitting a couple of people in the process. That got him some snickers and a couple of rather rude hand gestures to which he just turned away from. It wasn't as if it truly mattered if the whole school hated him…
Oh, who was he kidding?
Even when he was at home, he would have to continue the fake smiles-until he had the small comfort of his own room. Then he would break down into a puddle of tears until he was too weak to even raise his head and only the blessing of troubled sleep was his escape. But even that was haunted by the tormenting amethyst eyes he had come to hate. And he would relive the rainy day when Dark struck him, wake up with a cry then have to hastily lie and say everything was alright when his mom rushed into his room.
It couldn't get any worse.
After another full week of the torture, Daisuke was lounging on the porch in his favorite swinging bench, eyes closed. It was getting a bit cooler in the days and there was that familiar tang in the air of the oncoming autumn equinox. The red head smiled briefly, inhaling deeply. Of everything that could put him at ease, this was the most calming-the scent of the changing seasons. It was subtle, almost unreadable expect to those who really paused to take a breath. And Daisuke was just on of those few that had slowed down just a bit in the chaos of everyday life and just breathed.
The sound of tire against pavement and the squeak of heavy brakes jerked Daisuke out of his reverie.
The cause of the disturbance-a moving truck had pulled up to the house across the street. Daisuke sat up now slightly more interested. The house had been up for sale since last month and no one had really expressed any interest in it. That is, until today. Daisuke's interested heightened as he saw what looked like an American woman with the customary blond hair and blue eyes hopped out of the van that had now pulled up behind the moving truck. The woman was followed by what appeared to be her husband and what he assumed was their son. He didn't look that much older than him and Daisuke began to loose interest-until the car's last occupant emerged.
All he saw for a split second was white and a long blond ponytail, then he turned and Daisuke was floored. His jaw visibly dropped-the teen was, well, beautiful. Stunning. Entrancing.
Wow, listen to me, Daisuke thought dryly as his eyes followed the older teen's form as he helped his parents with the bigger boxes. I really am starting to sound gay…
It got entertaining when they started hauling the furniture out of the truck and even more so when they started to drag out the sofa.
"Arg, could you mind lifting up that end?" The older blonde's voice called out from behind the other end of the overstuffed white leather couch. That must be a pain to clean when they spill anything colored on it, Daisuke thought amusedly.
"Oi, shut your trap, Krad, go get Dad to help you with it!"
Krad instantly bristled and Daisuke chuckled at the comically annoyed blond. Now that Daisuke thought about it…
"Hey, I was asking you in a nice way! Could you mind not acting like you've just swallowed a glass of mom's special Mystery Juice?"
The younger boy rolled his eyes.
"It's exactly like that when you order me around, Krad."
"You know, Arge, for a brother you can be more than a pain in the arse…" Krad growled, trying to lift the couch. The boy named Arge smirked.
"You are so weak…"
"I just don't want to look like I'm showing off, which is what you've accused me of, Argentine Yuujoi Kamori! Just grab the end of the couch and don't be such a baka!"
Yup. Krad sounded Japanese. That Argentine boy though…he sounded more American, especially in his attitude.
"Hey, you have no right to call me a baka!...er, wait, what dose that mean again?"
"It means 'idiot', Arge." Krad sneered slightly and he began lifting the couch on his own. "And if you really must be so stubborn, I'll just carry this thing inside myself, since you're too much of a wimp to do it…"
"Who said I was a wimp?? You know what? No." He stiffly grabbed the other end and the look on Krad's face make Daisuke crack up. He was looking quite triumphant and the irony wasn't lost on Argentine. "I am going to help your sorry, pathetic blond butt to haul a piece of furniture you can clearly lift yourself and you just better not make me do this ever again."
"Yes, I love you too." Krad smirked in spite of his younger brother's rant and easily hefted the sofa up.
"Hate you." Argentine shot back, but he looked less annoyed as he guided the couch to the door.
"Uh-huh. Sure. Really believe that." And the two sofa carrying boys disappeared into the house. Daisuke continued to chuckled, watching the two as they bickered over who would carry in a statue, a recliner and a small stand up lamp.
It was entertaining to watch the new neighbor's but his fixed attention didn't go unnoticed. Krad was resting on the ramp, ponytail slightly messy while Argentine had went inside under Krad's "persuasion" to help organize the rest of the boxes. He sighed, pulling out the band that held his hair in place and shook the golden strands free. Daisuke blinked as the shimmering waves of gold rolled down his shoulders. He looked so much like a woman with his hair down like that…
No. Wrong. Krad looked like an angel.
And suddenly his startlingly molten gold eyes met Daisuke's own ruby one's and he gasped. Suddenly shy, he dashed back into the house and ran smack into his mom.
"Oh!" She smiled while Daisuke mumbled an apology. "I was just going outside to meet and greet our new neighbors!"
Daisuke groaned. He did not want to go back outside and walk up to that blond, especially after he just ran off like a love struck little girl. His mother had a very strange and bad habit of doing that. When there was a new person on the block, she was always the first to greet them with her cheerful smile and always a platter of some kind of food. Never one to be cheap it was always something very, very good and she quickly won favor with every new person that graced the place. Not that Daisuke minded that "tradition" at all-he just didn't feel like honoring it this particular time around.
"Eheh, well, I'll just be going off to-"
"Ah, ah, ah, not so fast."
Why did she have to be so observant? Daisuke winced. Oh this wasn't going to be very pleasant…
"Mother…" The red head whined plaintively. But Emiko wouldn't let up. She would go out there and introduce herself and her son even if she had to handcuff him to herself…
Daisuke took one look into her steel-glinting, determined eyes and gave up. Once she wanted to go and see the new neighbors, it was pointless to argue. Daisuke shut his mouth and reluctantly followed his mom outside. Emiko bounced across the street with a rather disgruntled Daisuke trotting behind.
How she manages to carry food and not drop it all over the pavement, I will never know…Daisuke forced himself to remain at least neutral looking as she approached the blond angel. Krad was leaning his head against the cold metal, eyes half closed.
"Hello!" Emiko called out cheerfully. Daisuke felt like dying in embarrassment. Her voice had come out rather chirpy and Krad lazily opened one eye in acknowledgement.
"So you're that woman everyone gushes about so much…" Emiko looked quite overjoyed that her new neighbor had heard of her. "Hmm…Emiko, right?"
"Ah! Yes!" Emiko was positively hyper now. "Oh, and this is my son, Niwa Daisuke. But I suppose you can just call him Daisuke!"
"Mom…" He mumbled embarrassed, trying to hide behind her. Okay, he knew he wasn't four but this was ridiculous. Krad merely laughed, still able to see part of his flushed faze and spiky threads poking up wildly in different directions.
"Well, it seems to me-"
"That you're already hogging all the attention! My god, Krad, could you not be any more greedy?" Argentine had reemerged from the house, sandwich in hand. Daisuke glanced at it a bit enviously. Egg salad sandwich…his fav. And it looked positively fresh too, not like those store bought pre-made ones…
Krad rolled his eyes.
"Sorry. This is my younger brother, Argentine. And I don't believe I've introduced myself either. I'm Krad. Krad Kamori." He smiled warmly while Argentine snorted.
"I see someone's liking my sandwich…" By now, Daisuke had cautiously emerged form behind his mother again and blinked as Argentine addressed him directly. "Staring's quite rude you know."
Daisuke flushed a bright red and averted his eyes. This was getting worse and worse by the minute. Why, oh why did he let himself be dragged out into such an embarrassing situation?
"Hey now, Arge, don't be hard on Daisuke-kun." Daisuke's ruby eyes widened at the already familiar reference. His head snapped back up and he was met with warm molten gold eyes. "I'm sure we're not making things easy for him since we are new here…at least you could be a bit more respectful to other people, if you refuse to be so to me."
"Whatever." Argentine rolled his eyes. "But honestly, it's harder for us-not like this red head shrimp understands what tough times are…"
You don't even know the half of it, Daisuke thought darkly, his expression clouding over. Krad caught this and glared at Argentine.
"Argentine! That's enough! How rude can you get? For Pete's sake, his mother's here and she's brought food for us!"
Emiko glanced at her son with an I-don't-know-what's-really-going-on-here kind of look.
Argentine didn't show a shred of remorse.
"Fine, be the wussy you are-I'm gonna hook up all my video games and maybe invite Cousin over…"
In an instant, Krad's eyes flashed a feral yellow. His fists clenched and he was tensed visibly, in a predatory way. Both Niwa's shivered as the very air bristled.
"You will not let that…thing…into our house. You know how I feel about that…!"
"I know. But hell, the rest of the family won't believe a shred of what you say! Not even Mom and Dad…frankly I don't believe that either. I mean, you have just as much, if not more than Cuz and yet you're acting like a jealous pansy. Get over it."
And with that he stalked back into the house. Krad sighed, trying to calm himself before forcing a smile and turning back to the two Niwas.
"I'm really sorry about that, Daisuke-kun, Emiko. At first, he's so bristly you wonder what side of the bed he got up off of but…once he gets to know you better, he's fiercely loyal. That's about the only thing good about him." Krad's face broke into a real smile. "Arigato gozamasu for the food, Emiko. Maybe your food offering will calm my brother down." Krad rose up smoothly and looked at the red head. "And it was nice to meet you too, Daisuke-kun. I'll see you later then. Sayonara!"
And balancing the food in his arms he too departed into the house and left the Niwas standing there for a dumbfounded minute.
"They're very…" Emiko began.
"Interesting?"
"..Yeah!"
"Not as bad though as the one's we had way back when they had a pet alligator named Beans and swore they had housed braked him and everything. Or the other one's who ran an air freshener company and tried to invent new scents and almost blew up the house."
Emiko laughed as they both walked back to the house.
"Yes, well…I did love their free samples but I do feel sorry for them…the Kamori's. I think their odd ball perfumes are still clinging to the air in there. They haven't quite gotten it all sterilized, or so I've heard."
"Ouch. That would suck if someone was allergic to any of that…" Daisuke somehow envisioned a sniffled, runny nosed, sneezing-every-five-seconds Krad and drooped a bit.
"I wasn't and you're not obviously. But then again, it's something of an acquired sense of smell." Emiko walked into the kitchn while Daisuke stood in the doorway.
"Yeah…guess your right." He paused. "I'm going o go do my homework, kay?"
"Okay, Daisuke! Dinner'll be ready in an hour or so!" She shouted after her red head son's back. She laughed, sighed and shook her head. Things would be interesting on their street again.
-----------------------------
"Hey, Daisuke-kun, why are you just sitting there on the porch?"
Daisuke looked up from his damped musings. It was a few days since the Kamori's had moved in and Krad had become Daisuke's first and only friend. Krad was shouting at him from across the street and motioning for him to come over. Daisuke motioned for him to wait a minute then disappeared back into the house.
"Mom! Going over to Krad's, kay?!" He called out into the hallway. Emiko popped her head from the kitchen and smiled brightly.
"Alright, Daisuke! But don't forget to finish your homework and practice your instruments!"
Daisuke rolled his eyes. Sometimes being multi talented with instruments was a bad thing. Having to practice nearly all of them every day on all those instruments sucked even more. But then again, he could keep his mind of that older, black haired demon…
Don't think about him, he told himself firmly, feeling familiar bitter feelings rise up. His life was turning little by little to something better and he wasn't going to ruin that by thinking of Dark all over again…
"Yeah, mom, I will!" Daisuke shouted over his shoulder and dashed back outside. Krad was waiting at the bottom step of his porch, smiling.
"Took you long enough." He teased gently as Daisuke ran down the steps to join the blond. Daisuke stuck out his tongue and followed the chuckling blond across the street.
"Whatever, Krad. I'm not the only one guilty of that."
"Oh, Daisuke-kun, I feel so offended! I would never do that!" But he was grinning. Daisuke playfully shoved him, Krad not even phased as he clutched dramatically to his chest.
"Oh you're such a drama queen, Krad. Yes, I called you queen." Daisuke felt a true smile creep into his face as Krad stuck out his tongue.
"Now you're calling me a girl too? Daisuke-kun, I am hurt!"
"Oh shut up already. You're so not saving yourself." By this time, they had reached the house and Krad had opened the door, beckoning him inside. The red head followed into the familiarity of the Kamori's house and into the kitchen. Krad bustled about, fixing two drinks and two sandwiches.
"So anyways, I'm going to school next Monday." Krad remarked casually as he slid Daisuke his drink across the counter. They had migrated to the kitchen counter that half surrounded the stove and fridge. Daisuke plopped down onto a stool and took a sip of his drink, smiling as the taste slid down his throat. His mother must have said something about him liking AriZona green tea with ginseng. Krad settled down across from Daisuke and returned the smile on the teen's face.
"You like?" Daisuke nodded. Krad swiped his own glass and drank. "Yeah…your mom did mention you liking green tea of that brand so I figured, heck why not buy some, invite him over and maybe try some of my own. Never had it before-yes I know. It's a scandal really." He added as he saw his friend's jaw drop. "Me not ever having tried AriZona green tea…sad, neh?"
"So that's the only reason you invited me over?" the smaller red head teased, taking another gulp of his tea. Krad laughed.
"No, of course not. I'm going to your school by the way, I think…"
Daisuke grinned.
"Really now? Cool! But you still didn't answer my question."
Krad put his glass down slowly, eyes suddenly looking slightly troubled. The shift in the air was tangible enough to affect Daisuke and he too started to get worried.
"Krad..?"
The blond sighed, running his fingers through his still bound hair and pulling some strands loose.
"Well, actually, I…I wanted…no needed to tell you something very important and-"
A sudden shout from upstairs cut through his stammered sentence.
"You stooge! Man, I hate you for being so good at this game! What the heck, man, this is so not cool!"
Argentine. Krad scowled.
"Stupid brother off playing video games with one of his groupies again…"
Daisuke smiled but the smile froze when he heard a deep laugh.
"Not my fault you can't tell the difference between shifting up or down with a joystick. It's like you've never held a controller in your life…"
The glass was suddenly knocked over and Daisuke sat rigid in his seat, not caring that he just tipped over his tea.
"And you're telling me this?? He-llo! You are talking to one of the biggest gaming addicts in the world! I should know how to work a controller!"
"Right…and that was why you were jiggling the stick around like you were a noob! Are you that intimidated of me?"
"Oh shut up. You're just getting all cocky 'cause you beat me once-but I won't let that happen again!"
Daisuke stared fixedly at the counter top not really seeing. No…no…
This was just another nightmare-only one he wasn't waking up from.
"Daisuke-kun?" Krad asked attentively.
"…yeah, riiiiight, okay you know what? I'll grab us something to eat since you're obviously burnt out from the stress…"
The red head half toppled off the stool and sent his glass sprawling onto the floor. A look of utter terror in his eyes made Krad pale slightly.
"Daisuke-kun?" Krad asked again, now a bit more panicky.
Daisuke threw Krad a burning, petrified glace that made Krad's insides turn to ice.
And then he ran.
---------------------------
Monday.
Even the news of having Krad around at school didn't put him at ease. Granted, Krad may have been very kind to him-but that was outside of the school body that was poisoned by Dark Mousey. It wouldn't take much to convert him as well, and Daisuke dreaded that inevitable change, that shift from kindness to mockery which he knew would be so much more painful than whatever Dark had administered. Because, it only could cut so deep when it was someone you didn't actually care about.
Imagining the polite blond suddenly smirking disgustedly at him and tripping him up like Dark nearly made him loose his breakfast that morning at home. The gag reflex almost caught his mom's attention, but he forced himself to swallow the now slimy feeling scrambled eggs down his throat. It was a good breakfast too that was a favorite of his-but he just couldn't stomach the rest of it after that particular thought.
When he arrived, it was the usual-people murmured insults, some gestured rudely and then some tried the tripping trick, which wasn't as effective as the one that Dark administered. After managing to survive the first corridor he ran into the very person he had ran from the day before.
"Oh! G-gomen, Krad!"
"Daisuke-kun!" Daisuke squeaked as he was gripped tightly by the shoulders and forced to look into mellowed gold pools. "I was worried about you! When you ran off yesterday…what happened?"
"I…" Daisuke began then paused and shook his head forcing his practiced fake smile. "Ano…it's nothing, Krad. Don't worry about it."
"But…" He frowned slightly. "You were perfectly fine until……" Daisuke could see the blonde's mind at work and he trembled slightly. "…until you heard my brother shouting at that one other guy…"
Ooookay. Danger Zone. Bad, bad, topic…
"Really, it's nothing!" He lied cheerfully. Krad sighed, looking slightly miffed now.
"Daisuke-kun…please don't lie to me." That wiped the fake smile off his face. "I wasn't imagining that petrified look in your eyes…and I'm not a blind fool. I saw what happened a few minutes earlier…."
That was not what he was expecting. Daisuke stared at Krad, shock and fear glazing his eyes. Krad wasn't supposed to know-! Not how pathetic he was, how cruel things got, how much torment he went though-
"..Krad…" Daisuke murmured, now truly shuddering. Krad gently squeezed his shoulders then let him go. "You weren't…I…you shouldn't have…I'm so pathetic."
"Daisuke-kun, no, you're not." Daisuke felt a sad smile twitch at his mouth at the fierce look in Krad's eyes. If only he knew…then he'd be a devoted convert against him in no time.
"Hai…I am. I don't even bother to stick up for myself, I'm small, I'm kind of girly, I've never had a girlfriend, let alone any kind of relationship, I have zero friends at this place, the teachers don't even care…"
Krad shook his head, not even caring about the now rising murmur from some passerby at the stunning blond talking to the most unpopular kid at school.
"Daisuke-kun, stop it! How could you-why do you let them demoralize you to this point?" Krad was beginning to see just how much pent up hurt his friend had buried and he himself was hurting just from witnessing it's growth in those ruby eyes. "Not everyone thinks like that-especially not me."
"That's what you say now. But in a week, you'll turn on me too. You just try and go against the pressure of 2,000 plus students at this school and then come and tell me it's easy not to get torn apart!" Daisuke clenched his fists, trying hard not to cry or scream at his only friend. His voice was strained but it carried a biting strength to it that made Krad flinch. Daisuke caught this and felt terrible in an instant. "Krad, I…gomenasai, I…it has nothing-"
"I know, Daisuke." The older blond held up a hand but Daisuke couldn't get past the new shock of hearing Krad cut free the usage of a suffix. "You don't have to explain it to me or get worried that I'll 'turn on you'." He gave Daisuke a bittersweet smile that made the red head blink. "In fact…you had run off on me before I could say-"
Brrrriiiiiiiiiinnnnnng
"Stupid bell." Krad cursed as his red head friend jumped and glanced hastily at his watch. Daisuke had completely missed the small pink flush that was dancing across Krad's lily white cheeks.
"Ano, gomen, Krad, I'll be late for my next class-I'll talk to you later!!"
And with that Daisuke dashed off, leaving a very disgruntled and annoyed Krad to wonder why he was always getting interrupted before he could tell Daisuke that 'very important thing'…
-----------------------
Third period class was the one Daisuke Niwa dreaded the most. Dark was sitting right next to him in that class and it was a perfect opportunity for him to make his life even more miserable than it already was. Dark sneered as his eyes feel onto the smaller boy and Daisuke shuddered inwardly. That one look held countless implications of incoming torment.
Here we go again, Daisuke thought wearily as Dark settled down smugly. Of course he knew full well how he was affecting the younger teen just by his mere presence, but before Dark could really start in on him, the teacher breezed in.
"Now, before we begin today's lesson, we have two new students…who should be here by now…" The sensei looked rather disgruntled as she impatiently tapped her foot. At that exact moment, tow males burst though the door, panting.
"Gomen…gomen…so sorry…our first day…couldn't find the class…"
"Bro, that was your fault because you said to take a turn down the second wing, baka. It was the fourth one, like I told you…"
Daisuke stared.
The first speaker straightened up and the red head was met with the sight of an older blond with his hair tied back in a ponytail, looking quite frazzled, and eyes faintly glittering a feral yellow. Beside him stood another blond, who looked strikingly like the older.
"Well…" The teacher huffed and turned to the class to introduce the two new students. "This is Krad Kamori and Argentine Kamori.."
Daisuke grinned and waved as Krad looked over at him. He smiled back, but Argentine was looking at someone else completely with that same broad smile.
"Cousin! Hey, I didn't know you went here too!"
Krad frowned suddenly and Daisuke blinked at him in confusion. There he goes again with that same look…The same unsettled look of slight disgust. And that look he had adopted when Argentine had talked about "cousin"…
Daisuke followed Argentine's line of eyesight and froze.
You've…got to be kidding me…am I having…just another nightmare..? That…can't…be his…their…cousin…
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
-shifty eyes- ohhhh…not cool, neh? Cliffies are evil, I know. Testing has been a killer, Friday I had to go to this dance that I sort of didn't want to go to and today I had to go to a b-day party. But I finally got a chance to update so here it is!
So what's this about Krad's 'very important thing?' and who's related to them that's in the class? –contemplate, contemplate…-
Don't forget, my lovely awesome readers to read (duh) and reviews!!