Ok, so I'm on a roll, whatever XD

Now, on this chapter, well, to sum it up...O.o Twist and Turn!!!

Enjoy and let your jaw drop!!!!!


D.N. Angel

Kind Flame, Sad Winter

Chapter 8: Part 1: Two sides, same coin

The next day, at around noon, sounds of fidgeting, moving and a few yelps where heard at the Niwa residence. Everyone had begun to move a few things into the study and out of it. It seems that someone was joining their ranks, all thanks to a certain purple-haired, red-eyed thief.

"I can't believe you said yes" said Daisuke, with a box of clothes in his hands "Why'd you do it?" he asked.

"I have my reasons" he answered "So...does this mean you're speaking to me again?"

"Huh?" he said "Oh, right, well, I guess so..." he felt a hum at the back of his mind, a chuckle from the kaitou.

Daisuke walked upstairs, to the right and down the hall toward his father's study, which was being turned into another bedroom. He walked inside and put the box in a corner; with the back of his hand, he wiped off the sweat on his forehead and sighed.

All that was left in the room was the bookcase, which was too big to move and a small desk right next to the door, which might be handy for their new guest and an arm chair, which might be helpful when you read and such.

"It's not much, but I hope he appreciates it" thought the boy, turning quickly as he heard his father arrive.

Daisuke ran down to greet him and their guest, a smile plastered on his face.

"Hi Dad" he greeted

"Where are your Mother and Grandfather?" asked the man, taking out another box from out of the trunk.

"Mom is in the grocery store and grandpa's been helping me, well, as much as he can that is"

"Ok" he nodded, patting his boy on the head

"Hello" greeted a familiar voice.

With reluctance, a few arguments and an offer of chocolate cake, Hiwatari agreed to stay with the Niwa's for as long as he saw fit. He had a bag over his shoulder which held his laptop.

"Hey Hiwatari, how are you?" the red-head asked.

"Better" he simply said, walking up to the house "Do you...have anything to eat?" he asked, reluctantly "The hospital food was horrible"

"Oh! Sure, of course, this way" chuckled the boy and told him to follow him into the kitchen to raid the fridge.

Kosuke chuckled at the sight, and sighed. He felt a little emotional, kids scampering though the house for food, he'd always wanted another kid, but, Emiko couldn't have anymore children, part of the curse. He sighed again and then looked to his side to see his smiling wife.

"Hey" she said, walking up to him "You're thinking again" she pointed out

"I guess" he chuckled, putting an arm around her shoulders "But, hey, it paid off"

"Why?" she asked

"You're here" he smiled

"Oh Kosuke" she giggled "If you're trying to get out of helping me carry the groceries, you're mistaken" she smiled, handing the bag to him, and then kissing him on the cheek.

"Well, I tried" he sighed in defeat and went to help her.

o

Inside the house, Hiwatari sat at the table while Daisuke raided the fridge; he found some fruit, some ice cream and made some PB&J.

"Here you go" he smiled

"Thank you" he nodded

"You ok?" he asked, corking an eyebrow

"Yes, why?"

"Don't know, you seem, well, like the old you" he pointed out

"Oh? Well, I'm tired, that's all" he smirked and took a bite of the sandwich "It's good" he said, with his mouth full.

"There you go" chuckled the red-head

The fact of the matter was that he preoccupied himself with the situation: Here he was, going to live in the house of his supposed enemy. Sure, he'd slept there for a few nights, and went over for dinner, but that was it, now he was going to share the bathroom, sleep in his own room, be there for breakfast, lunch and dinner and probably go on trips with them.

He sighed at the thoughts that flooded him and munched the sandwich hard, and so much that it seemed to squeal in pain.

"Then" he began "There's the fact that I'll be living with Daisuke" he trailed off, looking at the boy who carried a bag of groceries. He flashed a smile and a chuckle as he passed, Hiwatari just nodded "I don't know how I'll do this, I mean, I might bump into him in the hall when he gets out of the shower, or, I'll accidentally go into his room while he's dressing, or undressing to dress, and well...I...argh!" he then stopped, putting his head on the table "I'll just...have to deal with it..." he concluded, although, he left out the fact that Krad might pull something, then again, he didn't even want to think about it.

"Hey Hiwatari" said boy lifted his head quickly, and bumped into something. Daisuke's head was so close to the other's that Hiwatari hit him in the nose "OW!" he said, with a nasally voice.

"I'm so sorry!" he called out, putting his hands on the other "Are you bleeding?" he asked, taking the red-head's hands and moving them so he could see "I hope not" said the nasally voice.

"You're fine" sighed Hiwatari, relieved

"Yeah?" he said, still nasally "I guess I should keep my distance then huh?" he chuckled, and then winced a little.

"Sorry" he mumbled and looked down, he noticed he was still holding Daisuke's hands, to which he smiled warmly to.

"Um..." began the red-head, knocking Hiwatari out of his thoughts "Could I have my hands back?" he chuckled, he was getting used to it, kind of.

"Sure, sorry" he said quickly, he let go while a blush crept unto his face.

"Ok, well, if you're finished, follow me upstairs, we're done getting your room ready" the other nodded and gestured for them to go.

They went upstairs and took the same route Daisuke had taken a few moments ago, the door was open, and so the view was quick.

The room was small, to his right a bookcase, to his left a desk which had his bed and mattress in front of it, at the end, a drawer for his clothes, next to it an armchair which took up a bit of corner space.

"Why is there a bookcase here?" he asked

"It's here because this was my Dad's study, and it's still here because it was too big to lift, besides, I thought you might like having some books around"

"Thank you" he sighed

"What?" Daisuke asked, curiously

"I'm not a total bookworm you know"

"I know, but, you just seem like the type who can read four at once" he chuckled

"Right" he said, annoyed slightly. It's not that he wasn't sociable and all he did was read, but, he just didn't find people interesting, books had substance at least and kept you interested, although, Daisuke quickly changed his mind about that.

Hiwatari set the bag he had over his shoulder, with the laptop on the desk and walked around the room.

"It is cozy I'll give you that" he turned to see the two window panes "And the view is fantastic" he said in awe, Hiwatari's room looked over at the backyard they had, which was basically a patch of grass that looked over the ocean.

"Yeah, you'll be able to watch the sunset from here too" added the red-head

"I didn't think you were a romantic Daisuke" he said, pushing his glasses back

"Huh?" stuttered the boy, blushing

"True...how many of those Harada dreams have been in that cliff? Let's see...carry the one, plus that one time with..." began the Phantom Thief.

"Would you clam up?" said the boy, out loud in a deadpan sort of tone.

"Excuse me?" asked Hiwatari

"Oh! Sorry, not you, Dark" he said quickly "He's being a pest"

"That's something you and I agree on" added the boy of blue eyes, which made Daisuke chuckle.

"You're right though"

"Hey! I'm still here you know!!" he yelled, but went ignored.

"Well, if you need anything, we'll be downstairs, all right?" Niwa said before exiting the room, nodding at the boy and closing the door behind him "Oh" he said, opening it again "Remind me to help you bring your clothes up later" he added and then left.

Hiwatari sighed loudly, he felt tired. Even though he had gotten treated and was feeling better, he was still very much tired. He fell on the bed and nuzzled the pillow close. He lay upward, his hand on his forehead.

"I guess...it won't be so bad...to live here with them...although..." he said, his face tensing up "I might have to find a way, to keep you in check, I will not let you hurt these people" he told the white being that resided within him, who was also in a similar state of tiredness and weakness.

After a little while, the sound of the ocean waves crashing on the rocks and the gentle breeze that passed through the windows, Hiwatari fell into a deep sleep, very much into the night.

o

Time passed fairly quickly, as much as it did when one slept. Hiwatari woke up just in time for dinner. When he went downstairs, the only one at the table was Daisuke.

"Did I oversleep?" asked the boy of blue

"Well, yeah" chuckled the red-head "But I decided to wait for you, it wouldn't be nice for you to eat alone" he smiled and walked into the kitchen.

"Where did your family go?"

"Well, Dad is working, he's a contractor, and he's making sure all of his plans and stuff is in order. Mom, is, well sulking over the fact that she lost..."

"Lost? Lost what?" he asked, curiously; food being placed before him

"Well, Grandpa and Mom where against you staying, me and Dad of course didn't mind, but, as luck would have it, Dark was the tie-breaker" winked the red-head, in a Dark-like fashion.

"Was he now? I take it he said yes to me staying?" the other boy nodded "I understand your family's reluctance, but, why would Dark want me here?" he said as he stabbed the steak that sat on his plate, cutting it and putting into his mouth.

"Don't know" said the other, in between bites "He said he 'had his reasons'" he gulped "Whatever that means" other nodded as if to end the conversation and to eat in peace.

After dinner, Hiwatari insisted to help Daisuke with the dishes, a task that would've gone much quicker if it weren't for the fact that Hiwatari sprayed Daisuke with the rinsing hose and Daisuke threw the soapy rag on Hiwatari's face.

"All right" said Emiko "Enough rough-housing you two" she chuckled "Why don't you go dry off and head to bed?"

"Yeah, ok" chuckled Daisuke, the other just nodded and let the red-head lead the way.

Emiko smiled, she thought the same things her husband did, she'd like to have another young one around, Hiwatari will have to do, she guessed. (Although, he plans to be part of the family, but, not in the way she thinks)

Hiwatari was the first to wash up and change, he sped off quickly to his room when he finished, not wanting to bump into Niwa anytime soon, especially when he didn't know what he might do to the poor boy.

He slipped into white sleeping pajamas and crawled into bed.

Daisuke did the same soon afterwards, making a slight detour to check on his friend.

He opened the door slightly and popped his head in, he saw him on his bed, his back to the bookcase, "He seems all right" he thought and left.

o

It was around 11:30 at night when everything settled down in the Niwa household. Emiko and Kosuke slept peacefully in their room; Daikii apparently snored, loudly and the two boys slept soundly, but, it was apparent that the beings inside them didn't plan on sleeping.

A tall figure moved down the hallway, his pace slow and confident, he didn't need to rush, he knew he'd be there. Dark slowly opened the door to the newly made room and saw a familiar face sitting in the couch in the corner; the recently put table lamp was lit.

"What're you reading?" he asked, golden eyes glancing over and back, quickly.

"Hamlet..." was his simple answer

"I'm guessing that's your fourth book of the night" he pointed out, coming inside and closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, sighing exasperated.

"Well gee Krad, I dunno maybe, I'm here to declare my undying love for you?" chuckled the thief.

Krad grunted and closed his book, putting it on the dresser.

"If you're here to kill me, do it already, otherwise leave"

"Why would I kill you Krad?"

"You know as well as I do that I'm not combat capable, I'm weak, all because of what Hikari did" stated the angel

"Oh yeah" and it was true, Krad looked nothing like his former self. His hair seemed less, well, awesome, his eyes lost the insane shine they used to have and he simply wore what Hiwatari had gone to sleep in, not the robes he usually is adorned with, his wings, which made him look more menacing yet entrancing were missing as well "You look like hell Krad"

"Spare me, Dark Mousy" he said, getting up.

As he made his way toward Dark, he faltered, he was very weak, to transform was a hassle even. As he was about to fall he was caught by strong arms.

"You ok?" asked the phantom thief, helping the other up.

"Fine..." he muttered

Krad sat down on the bed and sighed, glaring at the thief, who simply smirked and sat down on the armchair.

"So..." Dark began, still only a glare from the other one "Krad"

"What?" asked the other

"Mind if I ask you something?"

"What makes you think I'll answer?" he asked, menacingly.

Dark smirked, a really cocky one at that, he got up from where he was and walked up to his mirror self, he put his index finger on his forehead and pushed him into the bed fairly easily.

"That's why" he chuckled, almost bursting into a fit of laughter.

"I hate you" hissed the blonde man, sitting back up again.

"Actually, that's one of the things I want to ask" he said, his demeanor and tone turning serious.

Sitting down next to him, looking straight at him he asked: "Why do you hate me so much?" Krad's eyes widened a tad, the question had, thrown him off.

"Why do I--" He began, he then took a breath "The reason why I hate your very existence?" he looked back at him, trying to contemplate his situation, should he really bare his soul to his mortal enemy?

"All right, another question" Dark suddenly said, sighing "Why do you make Hiwatari's life so hard?" that one kinda stung.

"Haven't you ever wished for your independence?" he began "To be free from the shackles of being bound to a human?"

"Not really" confessed the dark haired one "I've always had fun with the Niwa's, I have always had a certain amount of freedom and time to myself, although, I don't think I have ever had such fun before I met Daisuke"

"I see" winced the other, hanging his head

"Why? Haven't you had that kind of time?"

"Never" sighed the blonde "The only time I remember of ever being truly happy...was with the first Hikari to whom I was bound to" he smiled slightly at the memory.

"Yeah, I remember..." sighed the kaitou "So, I take it your life hasn't been as well as mine?" he asked, moving a little closer to him.

"It never has been Dark, why would you think otherwise?"

"I never did, I just thought you were born this way..." he glanced at him and looked him over a little "You're my complete opposite, in appearance and way of doing things, that's why I thought that it was normal for you to be that way" Krad nodded in understanding.

"I was always...thought about as a demon, a curse...an abomination" began the blonde, catching the thief's complete attention "The only one who ever treated me right was my first host. He showed me how to do many things, and to understand the world and the reason I existed, but, he fell in love pretty quickly and...I was left alone..." his tone was sad; an apologetic hand was placed on his back by Dark, a glance accompanied it, which, made the white kaitou feel...at peace?

"You were scared too?" Dark asked "About how dark it got when we left their lives?" the other nodded

"I was very scared...there was nothing there...only me, and, even I thought of myself as nothing but a figment..." he took a breath and tried to stand, only to have his legs wobble and force him to sit back down.

"Stay put, you're in no condition to do anything" he was told "It's your own fault anyway"

"What?" he scoffed "It's not my fault, it's Hikari's, he's the one that went and cut himself"

"It is your fault Krad, the reason Hiwatari is always missing meals, not sleeping well and down right killing himself is because of you" he said, a little heated

"I'll have his body one way or the other, I don't care"

"Are you truly this dumb or are you playing with me?"

"What did you just say Mousy?" asked Krad, defiantly, but his sudden burst of anger was cut short by a hand that gripped his neck tight "Dark..."

"How does it feel Krad? Huh? You feel pain now, don't you? The air escaping your lungs, unable to speak?" he said "Look for your tamer Krad" Krad's eyes wandered around the room, trying to escape "Look for him!" yelled the kaitou

"...Fine..." he managed to say, looking inside his shared mind, he saw young Hiwatari twisting in pain, trying to breathe.

"Do you see him? He's acting just as you are Krad, and do you know why?"

"..Pointless..." said the white angel

"It is not pointless! You fool! Don't you see?! You two are connected; your lives are one and the same! If Hiwatari dies, you die Krad! It goes the other way around also!" he yelled once more, letting go of the other, who sat up, coughing for air.

A knock on the door was heard, Emiko was on the other side.

"Is everything all right? We heard screaming" she asked

"Its fine, don't worry about it, go back to bed" Dark said back, his tone still bitter, sending Emiko aback.

"All right" she stuttered and went back to her room, reluctantly.

"...You're going to regret that...Dark..." Krad said in between gasps.

"Is that all you ever think about? Revenge? Killing me? You'll never amount to anything by fighting me! We're one and the same!"

"We are not! I am stronger than you, always have been!" yelled Krad back

"No! The only reason for that is because you spend your tamer's energy whole, whereas I don't! I care for my tamer and that makes me strong! If you keep at this, not even Daisuke will be able to help and then..." he said, his anger rising at the utter foolishness his other self has led himself to believe.

"What then?! Tell me! I'll die?"

"Exactly! You will die, because if Hiwatari ever does take his life you'll be going with him, and it will also be your last life Krad, because, maybe you haven't noticed but, he is the last Hikari around! If you die Krad, you won't be coming back..." Krad's eyes seemed to shrink in their sockets as he heard this "It'll be dark for the rest of your non-existence Krad and you will only have yourself to blame..." sighed Dark, finally, his fit seemingly coming to an end.

He sat on the armchair again and took a deep breath. Krad seemed to not move, until a single tear fell from his eye, his body began to shiver uncontrollably, not only what he had learned had affected him, but, old memories he had locked away began to flow back into his mind, and none of them were good.

"Apparently I had a really nice effect on you" commented Dark, his tone back to his old self.

Then, one tear turned into two, and two turned into more, until they fell, one by one, down Krad's cheeks headed to his hands which were grabbing unto his pants, tightly.

"Krad..."whispered Dark, who quickly walked toward him and knelt down in front of him "I'm sorry Krad, I-I didn't mean for you too..." his apology began, but was cut short by the other, who, simply moved down toward him and wrapped his arms around Dark, his tears now staining the thief's shirt.

Dark was dumbfounded to say the least, Krad was weeping, heck, he was crying his brains out while embracing him. He repeated the words in his mind a few times to see if he got it right, but, seeing was believing.

He returned the embrace, it was all he could do, he wrapped one arm around Krad's waist, while the other ran through the blond strands of hair, gently, trying to calm him and then, Dark smiled, he smiled; he didn't know why, but, this moment seemed: right, normal, awaited, abnormal, many things in fact, all in all though, this gave him some sort of satisfaction, which he will sort out later on.

"Dark..." said the angel

"Yes?" asked the thief, his face showing complete peace as he held Krad in his arms.

Krad moved slightly, to look at his counterpart, his hands now on his chest, but Dark's never leaving their place; Krad blushed at the sudden realization of the moment, but kept going.

"...Do you think of me a fool?" he asked

"If I was to tell you the truth, right at this moment, I wouldn't know what to call you..." he smiled, Krad buried his face in Dark's chest to escape it "Why do you think so?"

"Because...I did to Hikari what was done to me for 300 years, I blew my first chance at happiness if only I had gotten a good start with him; I've been fighting an endless and pointless fight with the only person who seems to understand me somehow and..."

"And who is that Krad?" interrupted Dark, smirking slyly.

"Maybe I should stop..." answered the other "You don't seem to give a damn..."

"No, no, please, continue" chuckled the thief

Krad returned his gaze back up toward Dark's, whose amethyst eyes were looking straight at him, attentively with a spark of...affection?

"And...I..." he cleared his throat slightly, which made the other chuckle again and that in turn made Krad groan "I am tired..."

"Tired?" asked Dark

"300 years wasted...you said so yourself, we will gain nothing if we go on...so, yes, I am tired too of the pointlessness of it all..." he whispered, his head having reached Dark's chest once more, the rhythm of his heart making him feel at ease.

"I understand..." whispered Dark with a nod

He held Krad closer, his head now between his shoulder and neck, while Dark's chin rested on the top of the blonde's head.

o

Who knows how much time passed as these two embraced each other silently, but, as Dark realized he was dozing off, he decided to leave.

He gently nudged his new-found friend and told him he had to leave.

Krad didn't want to budge though, he was very much comfortable where he was, not to mention warm.

As Dark got out and up from the floor, Krad quickly hugged him once more, this time from the back as the thief had headed for the door.

"Please stay..." he whispered, his hands wrapped around Dark's slim figure tightly "I...don't want to be alone...please?" he pleaded.

Dark sighed in defeat, he knew he'd have to hear Daisuke whine about this in the morning, but, Krad needed him, words which still sent him through a loop, and even so, he stayed.

"All right Krad, I'll stay" he answered, turning and returning the embrace.

"Thank you" nodded the blonde

Krad left the thief's grasp and shyly took his hand, which Dark happily encircled with his own and sat down with him. After setting down on the bed, Dark pulled the covers over them. Krad snuggled close to Dark, like a cat, and the other happily ran his hand up and down the blonde's back, and sleep came as quickly as this night turned from uber-weird, to sweet.


Hopefully you either:

Your jaw dropped

You went ohhhhhhhh

You hated it and want to kill me

So, if you want review with your letter, if not, well, I'll just keep going and not care what you people say, ok!

And actually, this is like my longest chapter, you should see the Word version, so it might stretch to three parts, who knows? Anyway...

REVIEW! XD