Seasonal Colorations
By: Chibi-chan
Author Notes:
I do not own the characters or the series they represent. Ah, I don't own the quotes/song lyrics used either.
Yeah, I'm actually doing a series type thing for D.N.Angel. Be afraid!
This part is pretty short, but don't worry – they'll get longer. Hell, I've done 10k one-shot fics.
Dedication goes to Moerae – because her fic is really good. ^^; And I can't wait to read more.
This is a Dark + Daisuke coupling with unrequited Riku - Daisuke only.
Warnings:
Alternate Universe (meaning it doesn't take place within events of the manga or anime, but in a "different" (alternate) reality (universe))
Shounen-ai; future yaoi
Key:
"…" denotes dialogue
Italics denote thought
Seasonal Colorations
Prologue: Shades*
"Dai-chan! Wake up or you'll be late! School starts soon and you still haven't eaten any breakfast yet!" And with that being said, Niwa Emiko put her raised hand away from her mouth and back down at her side. Her manicured fingertips tapped gently at the curve of her hip, where a loose piece of apron fabric lay. Emiko looked upwards into the wide stairway, the path of steps leading up towards her only child's room.
Shifting the weight on her foot, she brought her hand away from her waist and rubbed her elbow, showing slight discomfort. Lightly touched cinnamon colored hair curved slightly above the nape of her neck, a few thin hairs on her neck crept upwards as a few dissatisfactory feelings made their way into mind.
To make a long story short or a small tale even smaller, Emiko felt kind of uneasy about tricking her son, Daisuke, to getting up earlier for school while she feigned the usual "You're going to be late if you don't hurry!" voice. But her father's method didn't sound so bad at the time – setting the clocks forward a good ten, fifteen minutes. Besides, Daisuke would probably very relieved to know that he actually made it to school on time. Giving one last glance up in the general direction of her son's room, she awaited a signal that would tell her that Daisuke, her son, was awake.
Thump!
The caring mother laughed a bit, knowing that, that sound meant that Daisuke had heard her and then, immediately fell off the side of his bed in the process of actually getting up. She smiled lightly before shaking her head a few times. Dai-chan, you still act the same. But you're growing up so fast and I can see it happening right before my eyes.
Emiko suppressed a few sniffles at the old memories that beckoned to arise, her eyes tearing already from trying to keep them from reminding her that her son had come so far now. Closing her eyes, she turned around, a hand on her chest – over heart, feeling it pulse underneath her clothes and skin.
Rhythm-bound thumps met the gentle touch underneath her fingertips. Emiko let out a wistful sigh, not wanting to spend too much time bottling up pastimes. She would sort them out later, after Daisuke would leave for school. That way, she wouldn't worry him with her motherly emotions. Emiko let her hand fall down from her chest, eyes closing for a split second before reopening them. And then she was off to the kitchen to greet her father and make a small breakfast, just like her little boy liked.
*
A fourteen-year-old boy ran his slim fingers through his garnet red spiked locks. His head hurt slightly from the falloff he had taken earlier. Accidentally forgetting you had a bunk bed and not using the ladder to get down wasn't a recommended start to the morning. In fact, it hurt. A lot. Daisuke rubbed his eyes, trying to get the last of the sleep away from his body and the searing pain to stop flashing in the back of his vision. He knew he would have a headache later despite the soothing treatment.
Daisuke let out an irate sigh, reminding himself to take a few painkillers later on in the day. He then stood up, peeling himself away from his floor, and stretched his figure. He turned around, back facing away from his high up bed and moved his limbs a little. Sleeping can really make your bones feel stiff.
Fingers clenched reflexively and tendons were stressed as he raised his arms over his head and let out a noise of content when he felt his body accommodating the feeling. Keeping the pose a little longer, Daisuke absentmindedly felt the seem of his pajama top tickle the skin above his bellybutton as the nightshirt had been raised automatically. Daisuke then brought his arms down, pulling a little at the end of his top to bring it down once more.
Turning around, Daisuke looked at the black ladder that led up to his bed. He idly rubbed his forehead as he made his way up the thin cylinder like steps. Daisuke secured and locked his knees once close enough to reach his striped bed sheets. He tidily remade his bed, fingers brushing over the sheet to get out all the creases. Nodding to himself after overseeing his bed back to its original, clean state, he carefully backtracked his way back downwards. About a step or two up from the floor, he hopped off the ladder, a quiet sound coming forth from the carpeted surface.
Looking around his relatively clean room then settling his gaze outside, Daisuke felt a smile tug at his lips. The sun had been up for a while now and the light was peering steadily into his room. He closed his eyes for a second, leaning into the sun's warmth as if it was pulling him towards itself, before reopening them. Despite the fall off his mattress and him probably going to have to run to get to school, he figured that his day was going to be pretty good. Of course, if you usually say that you automatically jinx yourself, but hey – he was good at bouncing back, so there wasn't much worry.
Criss-crossing the limbs, his arms came around to wrap around his thin waist. He may be a bit on the bony side and his figure not quite that manly, but he was satisfied with himself. Daisuke sighed comfortably, feeling the sun's morning rays splay themselves on his skin.
It felt warm. It felt good.
Moving towards the balcony of his room, he pressed his fingertips to the cool window. Though the sun may be shining, he could still feel the season's temperature change – he bet everyone could. And for some reason, he thought it was nice. The teenager closed his crimson colored eyes before resting his forehead on the glass.
Spikes of cold stuck to his skin as a shiver found its way down his spine. Opening his eyes after the small tremors left his body, Daisuke looked out into his surroundings.
Autumn was really starting to show.
Most nearby trees had lost their distinct color of green in which it had been replaced by a multitude of cooling reds, burnt oranges, and soft yellows. Aside from the blossoms that spring brings, the constant warmness from summer and the absolute white beauty that winter contributed, Daisuke could easily say that autumn too was a wondrous time of the year. It would be great to draw the landscape too…all the fading colors.
Smiling to himself, Daisuke curled his fingers slightly before moving his head off of the glass. Drawing would have to wait though. School comes first, at the moment. Daisuke chided himself in his head, finally moving away from the balcony view and to his dresser drawers to get ready for his daily dosage of education. He wasn't sure how much he had until that dosage started, but from his mother's voice, he must not have a lot.
Pulling out the school's standard boy's uniform, he set it on a chair nearby his desk; carefully laying the folded pants on first then the two shirts on top.
"Dai-chan! Your toast and milk is ready when you're all done! Don't wait too long though, it'll get cold soon!" His mother's melodic voice rang though his head, halfway as he was unbuttoning his pajama shirt. Another smile itched to spread on his face, but he suppressed it easily by only giving a faint upward peek of his mouth. Daisuke then stopped his previous action and walked up to his closed room door. Opening it slightly, he peeked his head out.
"Okay, 'kaasan! I'll be there in a few minutes." He responded down the empty hallway, shutting the door shut once more so he could finish up putting on his uniform.
Shrugging off his sleeping top, he laid it on top of his desk before taking his wine colored undershirt and tugged it on over his head. Moving back to the chair, he picked up the off-white top shirt and slipped it on, buttoning up the front. Next, he rid himself of his pajama pants and pulled on the standard dark ruby pants.
Straightening the front of his shirt out, he went to the top drawer of his dresser and pulled out a pair of socks. Pulling out his desk chair, Daisuke sat down and tugged them on so they fit his feet snugly. Once on, the teenager stood up and picked up his discarded pajamas, moving them to the dirty clothes hamper in his room. His mom would probably do the laundry – along with straightening up his room – must be one of those motherly habits of cleanliness.
Closing the lid shut, Daisuke shuffled over to his neat bed, toeing into his
slippers. Brushing another hand through
his hair, frowning at a small tangle that caught his fingers, he pulled gently
with his finger, unknotting the strands.
The teenager then ran his other hand through his hair as if inspecting
it for a second go around. Finding no
more knots or tangles, Daisuke nodded silently to himself.
Clothes, check.
Hair, check.
School briefcase, che – no check.
Daisuke frowned a bit, the expression marring his boyish features. He wondered for a few seconds at where his briefcase could be, before remembering that last night he had done some work and left it on his desk instead of near his closet.
Moving across the room, he went back to his desk and there it was. Quasi-delighted that he had remembered where he placed it, he picked up his brown leather briefcase, which was filled with study notes, old and new test papers alike, and a few books along with a couple of pens and pencils. Daisuke brushed his fingers across the golden buckles while he held it, thinking if he needed anything else for school.
Deciding that he had everything that he absolutely needed, he slid the briefcase down the length of his arm and grabbed the handle. Daisuke opened his door and stepped out onto the hard wood floors. Only a few steps away were the descending stairs to the family room. He glanced around and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the neatly placed antique Grandfather clock on the wall, slowly ticking away its seconds. Eyes roamed quickly over the face then widened at the time it read, Daisuke soon sped down the stairway. He had to get breakfast and fast.
He couldn't believe how late he was going to be if he didn't push the pedal on super-drive!
I can't be late this time! Daisuke thought quickly, gripping his briefcase closer to him as jumped off the last step of the case and gripping the edge of the wall, momentum pulling his body as he rounded the corner to the kitchen to get a quick bite of his toast to occupy in his empty stomach.
*
Emiko blinked, holding a platter on top of her palms as she watched a red-haired blur quickly drink the cup of milk and then proceeded to hold a piece of slightly cold toast in his teeth. A swift clang sound was issued once the empty glass was set quickly on the tray.
Daisuke gripped his the handle of his case a bit tighter, eyeing the clock on
the wall as he took a bite out of the toast before hurriedly plopping it back
down besides the glass. Giving a quick
smile to his mother and a respectful nod to his grandfather, who was reading
today's newspaper, he held his hand up in politeness then ran to the door,
kicking off his slippers and pushing into his sneakers. "Thanks kaasan, it was great! Have a nice
day, jiichan! See you this
afternoon!"
The sound of the door clicking shut finalized Daisuke's departure.
Emiko could only giggle, moving across the kitchen and setting the glass into the sink with the tray and the bitten piece of toast on a napkin. Leaning back into the counter, she shot her father a look, a smile still gracing her lovely features. "Ah, you were right. It worked."
The older man could only grin in return, his finger holding the place of the article he was reading as he glanced up at his daughter. "Of course, though I have a feeling Daisuke is going to be quite mad that we tricked him." Saying those words; however, only made his grin wider and his eyes twinkle with amusement.
*
Holding his briefcase close to his side, he ran down the cobble stone street although quite carefully so he wouldn't fall. Turning his head slightly, he saw the local food shop owner getting a few crates from the side of the street. Daisuke raised a hand, waving. "Good morning, Hiroshima-san!"
The man looked up as he held the crater of fruit in his arms. Seeing the boy slow down a little at his recognition, the owner nodded back. "Mornin', on your way to school?" He set the crates down for a second, his hands rubbing onto his white, though slightly dirty, apron.
Daisuke blinked at the innocent question before remembering why he was in such a hurry! Shaking his head at how he could get side tracked so much; he started to walk away from the storeowner, turning his head look over his shoulder for a second. "I'm sorry Hiroshima-san, but actually I am – and in a hurry, too. Have a nice day!"
Hiroshima's eyebrows came down slightly as he looked down at his watch that occupied his left wrist. From what he knew about schools these days and the fact that he certainly knew he could tell time, he could only look up at the retreating form of the boy. Deciding it was worth a short, he cupped his hands around his mouth for yelling. "But you're not even –" He suddenly stopped talking once he saw Daisuke sharply turn the side of a nearby building. Putting a hand up to his head, he could only shake his head with mild amusement. "– Late," he finished to himself.
Putting his hand away from his forehead, Hiroshima bent down and went back to getting his new supplies into the store. Teenagers these, heh, always in a hurry despite the situation at hand.
*
I'm going to be late, I'm going to be late…Why me! Why do I have to be late?! Daisuke frantically thought as he kept running, his slight break with Hiroshima throwing him off his momentum.
"Myao~"
Daisuke's ruby eyes widened as he saw a mother cat and its kittens crossing the street – right in front of him, only about a foot away. He couldn't turn – he would probably trip and go head first into a wall, so there was only one option left.
Holding his school briefcase closely to him, he narrowed his eyes in determination. He kept his fast pace, only once he got to the cat and its kittens; he took a firm jump upwards and over them. Daisuke smiled in triumph, running still as he looked back to see that he didn't even put a scratch on any of them.
Smiling to himself, Daisuke turned his head around only to see that he hand another problem. He may have missed the animals, but he was never going to miss this person who suddenly appeared front of him, the person who was only a few inches in front of him.
He was seconds from crashing.
And yeah, did those seconds go by fast.
The last thing he saw was a turn of the person's head and a flash of twin violet orbs. Daisuke collided with the figure, his briefcase somehow ending up a couple of inches away from him. He was on the hard ground now; he figured the mysterious person softened his blow somehow since he didn't feel that badly hurt or maybe the pain just hadn't fully connected to him yet. Either way, he felt a little dizzy.
Daisuke waited for his mind to get back in its rightful place in his head before getting on his knees. Scratching his head, a habit that he had formed a long time ago, the teenager glanced to the right of him and saw his school briefcase. He outstretched his hand the few inches of distance and picked the case up from the ground, dusting off the soft brown material gently.
He glanced around, still on the ground, checking to see if some stray papers
might have slipped out or if a pencil had strayed. Seeing that he had all he came with, he looked up and suddenly
saw a hand outstretched in front of him.
Daisuke blinked at the hand as if it was a foreign alien. He sat, only staring at the hand before
actually realizing it probably was real and the owner of the hand must
think he was one strange boy.
He shook his head, not wanting to disrespect the person's kindness, who was trying to help him – and besides, he was the one who wasn't able to stop the accident happening in the first place.
Daisuke moved up to one of his knees before taking the hand and being hoisted up from the stone street. Brushing off his pants, he sighed. Kaasan is going to kill me if I ruin these. Eyes widening as he forgot to say thank you and sorry for the mishap, Daisuke brought his gaze on the person; mouth opening to say a line of apologies and gratitude.
But in seeing the person in front of him, he could only sputter one thing – or rather, name. "D-Dark." Daisuke scanned his eyes over his friend, spotting the same uniform he wore, except some of the buttons on the top shirt were left undone. Moving his gaze upwards, he locked his eyes with blazing ruby orbs. Almost drowning in the other's deep colored eyes, it would seem that being "late" didn't even matter.
How was this for luck though – he had literally crashed into his older classman friend. But Daisuke was a bit taken back to find his friend here; however, he would rather it be him then say, an old lady or a mean man. Definitely be better someone that he knew. Yet, Daisuke couldn't help but feeling rather embarrassed at the twist of events. Dark probably thought he was the clumsiest person on the planet, which was kind of true – Daisuke could admit to himself in being rather…graceless at times.
The smaller teenager tore his eyes from his friend, the sheepishness of the situation hitting him, and looked down at the different color stones. The red-haired teen could only stare at the ground for a few seconds before looking up at the other once more through his bangs.
The way Dark was looking at him was simple, the relaxed, but cocky stance – hands on his waist – simple, the smirk that grew on his handsome face naturally – simple. And the words that came out of his mouth. Simple.
"Yo."
*
Even if you were
to line up a thousand words
There are some things that can never be expressed
Even though there are some things that will start
From but a single word
—"Sen Ijou no Kotoba wo Narabatemo…," GARNET CROW
*
+to be continued+
*
Author Notes:
Yeah. So I like Dark +/× Daisuke.
Another quick revision – changed Dark's eye color to red. Why? I like it better than violet. And a some of the official artwork even has it red (why do they change it so much? I hate having to choose between small canon things like eye color!).
Sorry the next part hasn't come out soon. But it will be done by sometime next week (possibly weekend) since all this week I'll be doing finals; however, I'll be getting out for Christmas vacation on Thursday (December 18th). So I should be able to pick things up.
Thanks everyone for being patient!