Hiwatari still stood in the doorway of the small room, effectively blocking off Dark's only escape route from the museum. He leaned casually against the doorframe, a pair of handcuffs dangling from the fingers of his right hand. He watched Dark dispassionately, his icy eyes tracing the Phantom Thief's movements. He was stalking his prey with the patience of a born predator.
Dark was examining the corset again, running his hands softly over the silken fabric. He caressed the nubby swirls of embroidery and flicked his fingers lightly across the silver hooks. Sliding his hands slowly over the hips of the dress form and up over the tiny tapered waist the girdle created, Dark flicked his eyes upward and met those of Hiwatari. Molten amber fire met razor sharp ice with a jolt, demanding some sort of reaction from it. Any reaction.
Hiwatari's expression never wavered. The handcuffs in his hand clinked together lightly from some slight movement of his wrist, the only sound in the silent room. Obviously he had decided against attacking Dark physically and was waiting for him to make his move.
This is new, Dark mused, I wonder what sort of little trap his ingenious brain dreamed up for me tonight. Dark felt his lips curl up into a self satistfied smirk. If nothing else, Hiwatari added spice to an otherwise dull game.
Dark cast his eyes back at the corset. The dressform stood between himself and Hiwatari, and Dark rested his cheek lightly against it's shoulder. Slipping his arms around the waist of the manequin, his fingers found the row of silver hooks for the third time. Lightly stroking his fingers up and down the busk of the corselette, he smiled at Hiwatari. This smile was warm and oddly sensual, full lips curving invitingly.
Hiwatari's eyebrow raised.
"Have you ever held a woman, Hiwatari-kun?" Dark's voice filled the void between them warmly, without any suggestion of mockery. "The smell of her perfume, the softness of her hair across your face, the caress of her silky skin against yours?"
Pop. A flick of Dark's finger had opened the bottom hook in the shining row.
Dark's smile curved a bit more as he gazed at Hiwatari."Of course you haven't. You're too young for that, aren't you?"
Another pop, a second hook undone.
Hiwatari shifted uncomfortably against the doorframe, pushing himself into a completely upright position. The fingers around the handcuffs tightened, and his eyes narrowed bethind the wire frames. "I think you've had more than enough experience for the both of us, Dark," He said softly, the coolness of his voice accentuating the distain in his voice.
Dark refused to take the bait. Instead, his pink tongue flicked out like a cat's to moisten his lips. "Aren't you lonely, Hiwatari-kun?"
An uncertain waver in Hiwatari's eyes was the only indication that Dark had hit the mark.
"Alone in that cold appartment of yours, misunderstood by your schoolmates, no friends to confide in. Even alone in your pursuit of me," Dark's voice was soft but relentless. Hiwatari had taken a half step backward, one arm comming up across his chest as if to protect him from Dark's words.
"I am not alone," Hiwatari spat back, eyes narrowed to slits, "I am never alone, you of all people know that."
Dark broke his gaze long enough to flick open the remaining hooks on the girdle. Knowing smile playing across his lips, he swept his eyes back up to pin Hiwatari where he stood, blue hair falling into his eyes.
"But," Dark said silkenly,"no one to hold you. No one to keep you warm. No one to protect you from him."
Hiwatari made a noise in his throat strangely simmilar to a growl and half-doubled over. "No--" He whispered to himself, then slightly louder, "No!"
Taking advantage of the boy's momentary lapse in concentration, Dark peeled the corset from the dressform and slid it into his pack. Next to his hand, something warm and fuzzy stirred restlessly. With was anxious, feeling the rolling waves of tension that Dark had created. Scratching the little creature's head comfortingly, Dark silently promised that they would make their escape soon. Projecting feelings of calm to his tamer, Dark swung the pack over his shoulders.
"You don't want to be alone, Hiwatari-san," Dark said to the panting boy, bending to meet his gaze and using one finger to tilt his head up. Mingled pain and fear reflected clearly in Hiwatari's eyes and he cluched at his midsection like he was going to vomit. "We both know who you want to keep you warm."
"N--niwa-kun." The words slipped from Hiwatari's lips unexpectedly, and his eyes widened with shock. He hadn't meant to say it at all, but with all of his concentration focused on keeping him inside, he hadn't been able to help it.
Dark smiled triumphantly. "Just remember, Satoshi-kun," he said, letting Hiwatari's given name roll off of his tongue like poisoned honey, "Niwa-kun and I are the same. If you hurt me in any way, Daisuke-kun feels it."
Dark let Hiwatari's head drop. Straightening, he felt With latch onto his shoulders and unfurl himself into a massive jet black wingspan. Hiwatari had dropped to his knees now, his shoulders shaking.
"No, no, no," he whispered to himself over and over, "I will catch him alone, I don't need you!"
Stepping lightly past the struggling boy, Dark grinned to himself. Thank you Dai-kun, he said to the unconscious boy, You were very helpful tonight. Dark felt momentarily guilty, knowing that Daisuke wouldn't have liked how he had handled Hiwatari. Hiwatari-san should know better by now. He'll never be able to catch me. No one can.
Dark tossed his purple hair from his face with a flip of his head. Walking down the corridor toward the window, Dark never even heard the small click triggered by his passing. He barely had time to register the slight hiss and flash of movement from the wall.
A nylon net, fine and silver as a spiderweb in the dim light, flung itself at him like mist. Dark had just enough time to brace himself before he was swept off his feet and hung, entangled in the net.
Stupid! He cursed himself, So incredibly stupid. Even Dai-kun could have avoided that trap. But I was too busy congradulating myself...
Dark closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. His own arrogance had been the trap. Hiwatari had planned to let Dark escape him, knowing he'd be cocky enough to fly right into what should have been obvious, never even suspecting a second attack.
Dark listened intently, trying to sound out Hiwatari's footfalls in the dark. Instead he heard a faint wretched sob.
"Please," Hiwatari's voice broke, sounding frail and far away, "Please don't hurt me anymore--"
Dark was definetly glad he had put Daisuke down for the night now. Daisuke would have had them running in to the boy's rescue in a heartbeat. Instead, Dark pulled a long black feather from his wing. Narrowing his concentration to a fine point, he focused on the feather until it began to glow. Faintly at first, then brighter, the feather absorbed his and With's energy until it was fully charged. Slipping one hand carefully free of the net, Dark flung the feather upward with an expert flip of the wrist.
The feather struck the mechanism holding the net in place and exploded. Covering his eyes against the sudden brightness, Dark felt the net drop and sighed in relief. He wouldn't have had the energy to try again.
Pushing free of the net, Dark ran to the window and carefully pushed it open, this time wary for more traps. Once he was sure there was nothing nasty awaiting him outside, Dark lept lightly to the windowsill. Spreading his wings to launch into the night sky, Dark glanced behind him.
Hiwatari lay in the open doorway of the room that had housed the corset. He appeared to be unconscious.
Dark sprang from the windowsill.
Icy winds buffeted Dark as he swung a lazy loop over the park that surrounded the museum. The night air was frigid, and Dark wondered if Emiko would take offense if he decided to wear a jacket over the outfits she made for him. Of course, they looked fabulous on him, covered in straps and buckles, zippers wherever Emiko found room to slap them on. Still, it was a matter of comfort over style.
A flash of colour caught Dark's eye from below, and he swooped lower to catch a glimpse of it.
A girl stood at the edge of the park, shivering, wearing a white sweater and matching blue skirt. Her legs were bare accept for a low pair of socks, and her hair was pulled back to show off her earings.
Dark chuckled and banked, dropping lightly before the startled girl. The look of shock on her face was transformed into joy as she recognised him.
"Dark-san!" Risa exclaimed, grasping one of his hands," I knew you would come!"
Dark smiled at her, oozing charm. He wondered how long he would have to stay with her tonight. This game wasn't nearly as fun without Daisuke around to protest his familiarity with the younger Harada twin.
"I would never miss an evening with you, Risa-chan," he told her, sweeping her up into his arms. "But it's too cold for a delicate girl like you to be outside."
Launching himself into the sky with her added weight was much harder, but he still managed it, winging over the sleeping town toward the huge Harada mansion. Risa's arms clasped around his neck and she shivered violently now in the higher alititude. However, she still seemed delighted to be with him, he could feel her breath against his neck as she gasped excitedly. Dark's arms tightened around her warm body, holding her closer as he flew. Flying like this, she could have been any number of women he'd held. Faces flashed through his mind; a blonde with laughing blue eyes tapping his arm with her fan, a breathless girl with freckles and strawberry ringlets astride a brown horse, a slender girl with serious eyes, and even Emiko's own mother--
Dark sighed and laid his cheek against Risa's smooth hair. Despite the fact that he had held women in his arms, he was lonely too. Maybe it was the coldness of the night, or how very far away the stars seemed, but suddenly the future seemed very bleak to Dark. He knew it was selfish and unfair of him, but part of him hoped that Daisuke would never find real love.
Circling carefully, dark angled toward the large semi-circular balcony that the twins' rooms opened onto. Backwinging sharply, Dark dropped nimbly onto the stone and gently lowered Risa. Her arms clung around his neck, and he found himself looking deeply into her dark eyes. She had been so very warm against him, and still tangled in the emotion of his memories, he leaned in toward her soft mouth. He heard her breath catch, and she closed her eyes anticipating his kiss.
"Risa-chan, is that--Oh!" Riku's eyes went wide with shock as she saw her sister in Dark's embrace. Her face flooded with colour as she remembered--or thought she remembered--something.
Less than an inch away from Risa's lips, Dark pulled back. Glancing over Risa's shoulder at Riku, who's face was flushed and wore a very strange expression, Dark imagined himself kissing her.
He had kissed her. Once.
Gently, he released Risa. Her deep eyes looked back at him, vastly dissapointed.
"Dark," she said softly, "When will I see you again?"
Dark jumped backward, off the edge of the balcony. Stroking his wings to stay in place, he smiled at her. "Soon," he replied, then swooped out of sight before she could press him for a more definate answer.
"Riku-chan," He heard her say plaintively as he stroked away, "He was going to kiss me!"
Slipping into the pitch black Niwa household, Dark was suprised to find Emiko sleeping on the couch, a magazine lying open across her chest. With the softest of touches, Dark smoothed an errant strand of Emiko's hair from her face and slipped the magazine from under her hand. Taking a blanket from the back of another chair, Dark tucked the sleeping woman in like a child then laid a light kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight, mother," he whispered to the woman with the face of a young girl.
As he turned to go, he felt Emiko's hand grasp his sleeve. "Dark," she murmured, half asleep, "Take care of my Dai-kun. Keep him safe."
"I will, mother," he whispered, rubbing his cheek lightly against the back of her hand, then returning it to her side. She fell back asleep within seconds, and Dark crept from her side toward Daisuke's bedroom. He felt ashamed of his earlier wish for Dai-kun.