He smiled hesitantly, his pink lips barely parting. Dark sensed the pain in his voice and considered backing off-but he couldn't. Krad had never opened up to him like this before, and if he knew anything about his mirror, he wouldn't again for a long time. "What happened to her?" Krad's hand tightened into a fist and Dark added hastily "I just-she was just so young, you know? Was it disease?" Frightening even Dark, Krad's eyes went from anger to a deep, bottomless nothing, flat and empty. Just like his next words. "No. She was raped and murdered." Dark's eyes shot open. "Jesus Christ… Did they find whoever…?" Krad swallowed slowly-since he'd told him half the story he might as well come completely clean. "I found him." He took a shaky breath.
"Then I killed him." Every emotion running through Krad-pain, anger- was plain to see on his face. "I know what you must think of me-" Grasping helplessly for the right words, he continued "She was Marked-my Sacred Maiden, a white feather on her left shoulder…" He stared, hopeless, into Dark's eyes, his body taunt.
"How could I just…let him go?" Dark grabbed the front of his collar and violently jerked him closer, almost off his feet.
"You cold hearted bastard! Why didn't you tell me?" His grip weakened and he dropped his head forward, hiding his eyes. Then he wrapped his arms tightly around his counterpart, holding their bodies close. "I…I would have understood, I could have helped you!" Krad stood motionless in his grip, dumbfounded at his reaction. Then, somewhat reluctantly, he rested his chin on Darks shoulder, closing his eyes against the thick purple hair. He was being comforted by the one who should be cursing his sin. Although he didn't understand why, he felt relieved that someone could at the very least sympathize. Even if he could never comprehend how lonely it had been.
"Do you understand now? Why I hate the humans that interfered with our existence?" Dark loosened his grip and held his other half at arm's length, and their gazes met. "They give us a taste-just a teaser, of happiness and then it is snatched away…"
~Just like her. Just like my…~ Daisuke didn't catch the name but felt strong emptiness and regret, which Dark quickly disguised. "Don't think about her anymore." Dark ordered. "I have tried…" The blonde closed his eyes and swallowed thickly once, twice, as the memories from that night assaulted him.
He'd been the one to find her body on that cold winter morning. Dark took his wrist and led him back to the entrance of the cemetery. "C'mon, let's go get you something to drink. I'll buy you whatever you want." Krad dragged his heels and rubbed his face like a petulant child, cursing his hormones silently. But at the same time he felt…clean, like a weight had been lifted. "I am not supposed to have alcoholic beverages." He protested, letting himself be dragged away.
His body felt like a melting pot of emotions and it made him dizzy. Why, why had he told Dark of all people? His worst enemy… "I know that! I meant like hot chocolate or something."
"Why are you doing this?" Krad inquired suspiciously, jerking his hand away and placing his feet firmly on the ground. "Because I want you to be… I hate it when you're miserable, it ruins my mood. Besides, drinking something hot always makes me feel better." Dark placed his body parallel to Krad's and nodded at the street before them, goading him on. Krad sighed with relief and for an instant the faintest smile crossed his mouth.
~ 'Because I want you to be…' What, Dark? Happy, perhaps? How scandalous.~ Dark wasn't condemning him for what he'd done all those years ago.
They walked together to the nearest Starbucks (Dark had them memorized.) and Krad asked quietly "That girl, Risa, is she Marked?" Dark colored at the thought of searching her body for the telltale birthmark, a shape like a black feather. "I don't know. And how the Hell do you know her name?" Krad shrugged smoothly. "You think of her often. It wasn't intentional." He pulled his sleeves down and added "If you want her, you should tell her." Dark avoided his eyes. "It's not that easy."
"No?" He mouthed; fairly sure Dark hadn't heard him. If there was one thing he regretted in his existence, it was not telling Elizabeth.
~But she must have known. ~ He thought desperately. They walked in and as they waited in line Krad stumbled "Um, what would you recommend?" He'd never been to Starbucks before. (Gasp) "Nothing. It would save me some money." He grinned and Krad punched him lightly in the shoulder.
"Shut up." Dark ordered a green tea latte, no foam, old school style, with two shots of hazelnut and no caffeine-Krad ordered a Cider.
But as Krad sipped his beverage Dark noticed whispers, glances, downright stares in their direction. He hunched over and pulled the purple hood lower over his recognizable amethyst hair. "Do you think they recognize me?" Krad's brassy eyes glimmered above the lip of his drink.
"No. They're staring at me, not you."
He closed his eyes as warmth spread through his body- it did make him feel a bit better, much as he hated to admit it. The Kaito realized with surprise that he'd gotten almost used to seeing Krad with his abdomen rounded out like it was now. And because he was so tall, it wasn't becoming the basketball shape it became in short girls- to the contrary, it looked almost natural.
"Should we leave?" Krad shook his head. "It doesn't bother me. I disguised myself as a woman once though, to see if it helped." ~ You and Satoshi…~
Dark thought, shaking his own head just barely. "What happened?" Krad shuddered and nursed his drink. "People would come up to me-I didn't even know them, and start giving me advice, patting my belly like it was public property." Dark's eyes opened wide at his peculiar experience. "Really? That's so weird!" Krad nodded somberly and murmured, "Thank you for the drink." tucking one stray, spun gold strand behind his ear.
He ignored the almost unbearable urge to wrap his hand protectively around his waist, as he knew it would rouse further suspicion.
~My body is completely misshapen because of it.~ Satoshi complained, and was met with a sarcastic ~Poor you.~
The child did weigh more heavily in his gut now then it had before, like a warm, light stone.
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