The rest of the week passed by without a hitch, and Daisuke gave the tigress statue over to Emiko's accomplice as planned, ensuring that Dark would have enough money to cover his ridiculously high taxes. It was finally the weekend, and he'd woken up to Daisuke shaking his arm and pointing at the clock-
"Dark, you're going to be late again." He rolled over and made a barrier of black and purple blankets around himself, leaving the blankets off his back and stretching his wings to the ceiling. "Dai, it's a Saturday. I don't work on weekends."
The redhead buried his face into the covers, embarrassed, "Oh." then blanched as a sudden wave of nausea passed through him.
He climbed out of Dark's bed with a hasty, "I gotta go to the bathroom." and staggered down the hallway to the bathroom.
Once there he promptly knelt in front of the toilet and threw up until there was nothing left in his stomach. When he was finished the little artwork knelt there for a moment, feeling as if all his strength had left with his dinner, then flushed and wiped his mouth before heading back to Dark's bed. As soon as he climbed back in the thief curled his body around Daisuke's gently, "Hey, are you ok? Were you throwing up?" and the little fox laid his head on Dark's chest shakily.
"Yeah. I thought it was getting better but…" Dark rested his forehead against Daisuke's and asked seriously, "Dai, how long have you been sick like this?" and wrapped an arm around his bird-thin shoulders. "Well…" He couldn't exactly remember ever not feeling slightly sick…except…
~ That night before my other master decided to… I didn't feel sick that first day in my human body.~
"About two months." He answered and Dark's eyebrows narrowed in concern. "Daisuke, we should probably take you to see a doctor. If it's been that long…"
He shook his head frantically and curled his hands up against Dark, under his own chin. "No, it's ok, my other master took me once and he said I'm just kind of sickly…" The Kaitou was surprised to hear that Krad had taken him anywhere out of concern for his health. Maybe Daisuke being sick just irritated him.
"Well, alright, but if it gets any worse we're going." Daisuke's ears slicked down but he agreed, and they just laid there for a few minutes, cuddling and enjoying each other's soft breath and warmth. The redhead couldn't help but notice how wide his shoulders were- they practically encircled his own entirely. He ran one finger along Dark's long, tan collarbone and reflected on how strange it was that he trusted this person so completely. "I guess this means that we're more than friends, huh?"
He asked as he closed his eyes and Dark had to agree- although in a way he was glad that he had said it first, as it was a little odd for him to accept. "Yeah."
The thief kissed Daisuke's head right in the part of his hair and he blushed, his tail twisting around underneath the sheets. "Hey Dark…" The thief was starting to fall asleep all over again but hummed, "Hmm?" the only things keeping him awake being his hunger and Daisuke's voice.
" I've seen…lots of people, a little older than you, and they always seem to have children with them." He lost his train of thought for a moment as Dark shifted up onto one arm, the muscles underneath his skin stirring. "Would you want that too, when you get older?" He stretched one inky wing again, then the other, and realized to his surprise they no longer ached- maybe they were finally fully functional. "That's kinda a deep question, Dai." He said softly, but before Daisuke could respond he continued, "But…yeah, in fact I really would, it's just…I wouldn't want to have a kid with some girl that I just liked, not loved. And I don't really want to adopt either, I…" He sighed and his breath stirred the redhead's hair.
"Guess I'm just kinda selfish, but I don't really want to have one unless he's my kid, and the guy I love's kid, one hundred percent. And since that's kind of impossible…" Shrugging, he finally unwound himself from Dai and asked, "So, what do you want to have for breakfast today? Some miso soup?" Daisuke rubbed his eyes and tried to ignore the hot feeling down in the pit of his stomach- he'd always felt the same way, but seeing Dark talk about it like it was a complete impossibility for him was just sad… "I didn't mean to upset you-it's just- you've been so nice to me, I think you would make a good dad someday." Dark smiled at the artwork but it seemed like more of a grimace as he corrected "'would have made', Daisuke. Now come on, otherwise Towa and Argentine will eat everything."
They headed downstairs, but as soon as Dark rounded the corner to the kitchen a shrill voice snapped, "Hold it right there, mister! You're not coming in the kitchen until you put a shirt on!" Towa was now dressed in a blindingly pink pair of pajamas and the phantom glanced over at Argentine, who was currently half-naked himself and perched over a bowl of cereal protectively. "If he gets to be indecent so do I." He snarled and squeaked past her to the fridge, pulling out the milk and a two big bowls. "That's different- he's hot, and you're... not!" He rolled his eyes and gestured for Daisuke to come sit down, "Tell that to my thousands of screaming fangirls."
pouring himself some cereal and making the redhead a bowl of oatmeal. She made an annoyed sound but let it drop, sitting down uncomfortably close to Daisuke. "Who's this? A new lover to add to your extensive list?" His wings ruffled and he refolded them. "Oh please. We haven't even gone to second base."
She smirked into her own bowl and said nothing while Daisuke looked at Dark questioningly as he mouthed, 'second base?' which the thief waved off and announced, "All right, I know all of you are extremely anxious to know if these-" He twitched the appendages behind him. "Actually work, so today I'm going to do it."
Argentine looked up at this and placed his bowl on the counter. "Do what?" He cracked his knuckles, "I'm going to jump off the roof." and Towa and Argentine both said, "Well, we'll see you in purgatory."and high-fived each other. The little fox looked alarmed and he dropped his spoon and grabbed the phantom's arm,
"WHAT? No, that's a really bad idea! Can't you just try taking off from the ground first?" He stroked his chin,
"I really don't think they're that powerful…well, maybe if I got a running start…" and looked a little let down but agreed,
"All right. It would suck if I broke my neck doing that." Both Towa and her lover looked disappointed but didn't say anything, merely gathered up their stuff and headed back upstairs as he lead Daisuke outside to the vast land that he owned. Daisuke put on a pair of Dark's smallest boots and as they walked around he noticed that there was a kind of pattern to all the madness- the moss seemed to grow in deliberate places, the blackberries he'd fought against were a pleasant rounded shape, and the path they were following was actually quite straight and well-maintained.
He took a left fork in the path and paused, "Look, Daisuke." crouching down so he didn't scare a whitetail deer that had been grazing near what looked like the edge of a pond, so big it was nearly a lake. It saw them, flicked its creamy tail and bounced off into the bushes, gone in a matter of seconds.
"Damn things are always eating my landscaping." He muttered and Daisuke laughed, and then went silent as they approached the pond, observing the miniature dock. On top of the rickety structure there sat a blue lawn chair and a rusted box of tackle. It was definitely not Japanese style at all but he still liked it.
"This is the only place with a big stretch of sky." Dark explained as they made their way down through the long cattails, "I figured I can come down and use this like a runway." He pointed to the dock, and then back to the top of the curve they had walked down. "Maybe… you can go stand up there and watch me, just in case I fall into the pond or something." He nodded and they made their way back, Dark standing on the path and Daisuke well off, almost fifteen feet away.
The phantom took in a few deep breaths and spread his winds to their full length, the tip of one curved primary almost touching Daisuke's chest, then asked, "Ready?"
The redhead's heart was pounding out of fear for him but he nodded and watched as he ran down the path, his wings beating so hard the grass flattened like a crop circle. He arrived at the dock, remembered that he hadn't moved the goddamn chair out of the way and in a burst of rage, "DAMN YOU, CHAIR!"
he lifted his leg and used the chair as a springboard, launching himself into the air above the water.
For a second time seemed to slow down as Dark reached the moment where he was flapping, fighting, struggling to break free of the one restraint no man had yet defeated, the tips of his wings stroking the soft ripples of the water…
He lifted his wings and cried out in frustration, "Auuugh!" then beat them down with every bit of strength he possessed.
Time caught up with him, and Daisuke watched from the ground in awe as suddenly, inexplicably…Dark was free.
Yay! Longer chaper! Please review and tell me what you think!
Oh, and...special points to whoever figures out whats wrong with Dai!