Title: Hazed Passions
By: BloodofInnocence
Category: D.N. Angel
Rating: M
Chapters: 9
Status: Incomplete
A/N: Well, am I in a pickle, aren't I ?
Sorry, guys, for not updating for such a long time. I'm writing this from my bed in a sterile hospital room in a stinking hospital. Now you're going to hear the woes of my otherwise weak health report.
A few months ago I was called in by my doctor because he thought that there was an anomaly in my brain and diagnosed it with brain cancer, only to find out last minute that he switched files, for crying out loud. Anyway, he knew that there was wrong with my health and reviewed my case, calling me in (again) to run a few simple blood tests, only to tell me that he wanted to run more tests. The result? I have a heart condition as well as a messed up liver. The heart condition is hereditary, I found out, and I was just the lucky person to hit the "right" probability for the trait. I'm in the hospital for treatment at the moment while going to school everyday, staying at home during the week and at the hospital during the weekend. It stinks. I swear.
This chapter is just a filler; I don't think that I'm going to further the plot in this chapter. I wrote this chapter in extreme boredom. But lots of fluff in this chappie! I promise! You'll see the soft side of Daisuke…maybe a kiss….maybe more? Nope. Slight lime in this chapter, people.
Disclaimer: The chicken made me do it.
Last Time…
He had resigned himself to the bloody life that an assassin led, until he was given the commission to Tokyo, and from there, Riku Harada. She was the only brief flare of light in his otherwise dark life. He couldn't believe that she would fall for someone like him, a creature with so much blood on his hands that he couldn't possibly be redeemed even though he was to be reincarnated.
He remembered when his grandfather told him of his duty to his country and to his family. "You must be Japan's guardian, Daisuke," he recalled his grandfather saying.
"Daisuke…you can be weak, too." Riku's words rang through his head, making him think about her words. Did he have the right, the privilege, the fortune of being weak? Could he risk it? He had often wondered about his weaknesses as a human. He never felt them more keenly as he did now.
"Silly Riku…you don't realize…that you are my weakness," he said softly, tightening his arms around her as he listened to her slow breathing. "You…are the one…who gives me hazed passions."
Chapter 9: Interlude
Daisuke was on his laptop, pulling information about the rebel group as much as he can from the internet and hacked databases. He didn't like what he saw. The headquarters the rebels used was highly fortified and had modern technology. They had allies in more countries than he originally had encountered, which was even worse. He and the Six needed to find a weak outlet of that fortress!
He pressed a couple of keys and a blueprint of the headquarters came onto the screen. Pressing a key he turned the design, examining the entrance. He wondered if there was any kind of secret exit to enter in.
"Daisuke…" Her voice made him look down. Riku sleepily looked up at him from her place in the futon. "Is everything all right? You seem tense."
He smiled and shook his head. "It's alright. Go back to sleep."
Sighing happily she stretched her arms high over her head. "I've slept too much since I got here," she said. She sat up and ran her fingers through her mussed hair. "What time is it?"
He glanced at the bottom of his screen. "It's three in the morning."
She paused. "You were tense. What is it?" she inquired. Her brown eyes were clear and alert; indeed, she had finally gotten used to the change in the sleeping schedule.
He minimized the program, leaving the desktop on. "It's just some planning."
"Oh. For the rebels?" she guessed. He answered with a nod, lifting his arm and pulled her against his side.
"Daisuke?" She fell silent as he buried his face into the scented skin of the juncture between her neck and shoulder. His hot breath wafted over her, the heat of his body permeating through the fabric of their clothes. His other hand slid around her waist and pulled her closer, lifting her and anchoring her in his lap.
Riku's face flamed, heating her cheeks. Even though she was clearly embarrassed she didn't find the heart to push him away. She sensed a difference in him today. He wasn't the Daisuke from yesterday. Something in him had shifted; there was something different. Perhaps it was just the night.
He rested his forehead against her shoulder, his eyes closed. She was so fragile, so easy to break. It was small wonder that he felt so possessive. He always felt worried when she wasn't in the line of his sight.
They sat in tandem for a long while, quietly holding each other. They were perfectly content not to interrupt each other's thoughts and concentrate on the warm feelings evoked from their embrace.
Both were not sure when the intent of their holding each other changed and the air became tense with coiled restraint. Riku held her breath when she felt the change, her hands tightening around his shoulders. He lifted his head to look into her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. His crimson eyes dropped down to her mouth, red from her teeth worrying it. He looked for so long at it that Riku noticed his stare and flushed, her lips parting.
"Daisuke…"
It only seemed natural to kiss her then. A slender hand curved over the nape of her neck as he devoured her lips, shifting her for a more comfortable position in his lap. Closing her eyes she responded, helpless against the onslaught of emotion that swamped over her the minute when his lips touched hers.
He slanted his lips over hers, deepening the kiss, feeling her press against him shyly in response. He could feel his arms trembling with the restraint he exercised in an effort from restraining himself from placing her to the floor and ravishing her willing body over and over until he was satiated. And the way that she responded to his kisses wasn't helping him any.
"Daisuke…"
"Commander!"
"What have you found out?" The prominent man turned in his seat to look at his five captains.
The first, Captain Mitsuhara, said, "The Six has been called out by the Japanese government to be the spearhead on the attack against our forces. They are led by the young leader of the prominent Niwa family of Kyoto, Daisuke Niwa." The five men missed the flicker of emotion that flared in their leader's eyes.
Their leader was silent for a moment, then asked, "What have you found out about this Daisuke Niwa?"
"Eighteen years old, Daisuke Niwa became the head of the Niwa family at the age of twelve after the deaths of his mother and father. He also was employed under the Prime Minister as the hitokiri no kage,the Assassin of the Shadows, the successor of Kenji Ando, his predecessor, dead by his hands. He is also known as the infamous assassin Kage in the streets of Kyoto and Tokyo."
"I see. A formidable opponent. Anything else on him?"
"Yes. It seems that he made a trip to Tokyo from Kyoto for a mission—he was asked to rid Japan of Kenji Ando, which he completed and returned to Kyoto. However…" The third captain hesitated, clearly unsure of the information he was about to give.
"What is it, Captain Ouzo?"
"There has been talk about a romantic involvement in Tokyo revolving Kage and a girl he had met during his assignment. It seems that she followed him to Kyoto."
"Who…is this girl?" asked their leader.
It was the fourth captain, Captain Takanashi, who answered. "She is the elder daughter of the head of the Liberal-Democratic Party in the Diet."
"Where is she right now?"
The fifth captain, Captain Kentatski, replied. "She is with Niwa; one can only presume that she's Niwa's woman."
"A weakness, then."
"Yes, Commander."
"Tell me…have you found out anything about his fighting style? Any specialties?"
"Actually, yes. He was the last student of Kio Miyazawa."
"Miyazawa," mused their commander. "How interesting. Anything else?"
"He, apart from his training from the swordmaster Kio Miyazawa, utilizes a sword technique that relies on speed and sensing of presences. Also, there are rumors that he was trained in the magical arts from a wandering monk who stayed at the Niwa compound briefly while Niwa was a young child. The monk took an interest to the young heir and taught him his magical secrets, knowing that the young boy had much potential."
"Hmm…Tell me about his allies."
"His immediate allies are bonded to one group called the Six, led by Niwa himself. Yuto Igarashi, Kiyohara Mitsumi, Yoshiyuki Iwase, Touya Kimura, and Subaru Monou are the other five, all experts in their respective fields. He also has the backing of the Japanese government behind him."
"So, the Japanese government decides to rely on a whelp to guide the country," their commander said, more to himself. "Third, Fourth, Fifth Captains, step up."
"Yes?" The men stepped up, waiting for their commander's orders.
"Find out more of the one leading the opposition to our attack and report to me any kind of information you can find out about his past life and what he is doing presently—And I mean everything. I want to find out if there's another possible leverage against Niwa. And also track the relationship between him and the Harada girl; perhaps he values her enough for us to steal her. Second Captain."
"Yes."
"I want you to travel with a company of men and spread yourselves in Kyoto. Pick up any rumors and send by runners anything you can pick up on the government's activities."
"Yessir."
"First Captain."
"Yes?" A crimson-haired man stepped up, awaiting his commander's orders.
"From now on you are going to accompany me in our travels." He glanced at the other four captains. "You may go out now."
They all saluted him and left the room, leaving the first captain with the commander. At the commander's permission, First Captain Kazuo Mitsuhara sat down across from him on a cushion on the tatami.
"I suppose you'd want to know why I decided to include you on my plans," his commander said, a bit dreamily, as if deep in thought.
"Yes."
"It's time that you prove your worth in this organization; the other captains are too inexperienced to be the ones to discuss battle tactics. You, however, have been exposed to covert operations ever since you were sixteen, and it has been eight years since your first exposure. The other captains have not been around so much. You understand the risks of battle and the costliness of lives if your make an error. You also understand a soldier's mentality. That is valuable."
The first captain only nodded, sensing that what his commander was saying were compliments. It was rare for the commander to dispense praise to his subordinates; praise weakened men, though necessary for the morale.
"From your observations, what do you think of Niwa?" his commander said idly.
The first captain was surprised. "Niwa, Commander?"
"Yes."
"Niwa…is a difficult man to read," he sad hesitantly. "I admire him even though we are on opposing sides; he is able to adapt quickly to his environment and hide his thoughts, giving himself an advantage of being less likely to be figured out. He is also brilliant in military strategy; I find myself his move to another safe house marveling because he timed it so that it wouldn't raise any suspicion."
His commander appeared to mull over his pronouncement of Niwa. He tapped his finger against his nose and said thoughtfully, "He would be a valuable asset."
"However—" the first captain voiced the doubts "—he is too anchored in his loyalties for us to hope for his possible changing of sides."
"Yes. He is an exceptional warrior but an adversary to be feared." He glanced at the clock. "I suggest you rest. We have a meeting during late evening for the discussion of plans."
"Yes, Commander." He saluted the older man and left.
The commander sighed wearily and reached over to open a drawer to take out a picture frame from beneath the silk sheets. Eyes of regret traced over the features of the subjects in the worn photograph.
He murmured, "How cruel fate plays with us, bringing all of us into a small circle and making us relieve our past hurts and regrets." He sighed, his eyes lingering on the littlest of the subjects, crimson eyes solemn but glinting in mischief. The youngster couldn't have been older than four when this picture was taken. And the woman holding him…
"Emiko," he breathed.
"Daisuke…"
"Yo," Yoshiyuki said idly as the five gathered for breakfast.
"What?" Subaru asked, looking up from the book he was reading.
"What make you of that girl?"
"Harada-san?" Subaru inquired, drawing the attention of the other men.
"Yeah. All she does is stay in the bedroom."
"And what's wrong with that?" Kiyohara asked.
"Dunno…it's just weird, I guess."
"I've talked to her," Yuto said suddenly. All the men looked at him. "She's all right. A lot better than Yoshiyuki here."
"Hey!"
"I agree," Kiyohara said. "She's really…" he scrunched up his nose, unable to convey his meaning into words.
"She's like Tomoe-san while she was alive," Subaru said suddenly. The other four men looked at him.
"Your older sister?" asked Touya seriously. He had heard stories of the older sister of Subaru before she died in the fire.
"Yeah."
A silence held still over the group at the mention of tragedy, each immersed in their own drowning memories.
Yuto said abruptly, "He's changing. Daisuke."
The other four nodded. Yoshiyuki mused, "Because of the girl?"
"Most likely. But…I'm worried. What if he slips up?"
"You don't think that someone would want to take out the girl?" Kiyohara said.
Touya's eyes turned grim. "It's possible."
Kiyohara protested, "But…Harada-san's good for Daisuke. I mean…he could be even more ruthless than he had been originally, but it's as if Harada-san holds his humanity in her hands."
The group again fell silent. Yoshiyuki said slowly, "Holds his humanity…that's true. That's how he's changing. She's the only one in this world able to keep him from going insane because of the bloodthirst."
"He cares about her," Kiyohara pointed out. "If I didn't know better I would've thought that he loved her."
The group fell uneasily quiet in epiphany, all staring at Kiyohara. He stared back at them, confused as to why they were staring at him as if he had grown another head, and then he realized what the group was thinking. "Y-you don't think…"
"That's exactly what we're thinking," Touya quipped.
He awoke, sitting up on the futon with the blanket pooling at his bare waist as he glanced around, fanning out his senses. Someone was spying on them.
He frowned slightly when he felt the intruding presence withdrawing. Surely they were the opposition; however, Daisuke did not sense that they were there for an attack, simply as a scouting expedition.
He looked down at the mass of warm limbs and hair that lay sleeping beside him. He ran his hand through her hair, watching with attentive eyes at her reaction. She murmured something in her sleep and curled up beside him, falling into deep sleep once again. The creamy skin of her bare shoulders gleamed against the dim light of the morning sun.
Stretching out his lean frame next to her, he propped himself up with one arm and leaned down to nuzzle her neck. Smiling on her warm skin as she shivered in response, he hooked an arm around her naked waist and murmured, "Time to get up, Riku."
"Mmph." She buried herself deeper into the pillow and turned her face to the pillow. He looked down at her, eyes shadowed by hair mussed by sleep. His eyes traced over the curve of her shoulder, up the slender arc of her neck, to the thick eyelashes curled against cheeks flushed in sleep. It was almost hard to believe that she was the same person who had gasped his name into his ear in the darkness of the night. "Riku."
"Do I have to?" The childlike tone of her voice made him want to smile. He lowered his head and rubbed his nose against her cheek. "Yes."
She gave a little yawn and nestled closed to him, sleepily blinking and adjusting herself. She looked up at him and smiled. "Good morning."
He canted his head, looking with a faint tinge of amusement as a flush flooded her cheeks as she slowly realized her state of undress. She clutched the blanket to her chin, avoiding his gaze as she stared at the bare expanse of his chest. She was awkward with this position, he realized as he ran his eyes over her face. After all, this was the first time she had woken up with a man, unclothed, in a bed, having had lost her virginity a mere few hours before.
She shifted and visibly winced, freezing at the shot of pain shooting up from between her legs. He was quick to detect her discomfort and attempted to soothe her soreness.
"Thank you," she whispered when he drew away. He leaned down to kiss her again, to which she shyly responded. Heat unfurled its wings and took flight, covering the couple with its crimson mist.
The knock on the doorframe jarred the moment, snapping Daisuke out of his haze. Biting back a groan, he rested his forehead against her shoulder and snapped, "What?"
"Kage." Yuto's voice permeated through the thin rice-paper sliding door. Daisuke stiffened; the use of his nickname was never good. "Midori."
"It seems that the opposition has deigned us worthy of communication."
A/N: Well…it's a bit short, but what the heck.
So! We know what happened in the night between Daisuke and Riku. Slight lime, but it will get heavier in coming chapters.
Hmm…Should I make Daisuke and the Six move in the next chapter? Or something else? I don't know.
Ah, yes. I've decided what will become of Riku and Daisuke at the end of the fic. My mind's made up, but I haven't quite decided if I should do a sequel.
