Daisuke woke just as the sun had climbed through the window and laid it's warm fingers on his cheek. It was far earlier than he usually woke after a night out with Dark, so he snuggled deeper into his covers, luxuriating in the cozy nest of his bed. Yawning sleepily, he stretched his back like a cat and smiled contentedly.
Finally, a real night's sleep, Daisuke thought, running his fingers through With's soft fur, maybe I should let Dark make me sleep more often. After all, it's not like anything important happened...Did it?
Daisuke frowned and sat suddenly upright in bed. With blinked at him with huge eyes, then curled himself back into a fluffy ball cradled in a fold of Daisuke's bedspread. The minutes before Dark had banished him to unconsciousness were replaying in Daisuke's head. The glint of moonlight off of a pair of glasses, narrowing blue eyes and the glitter of handcuffs. A scardonic grin on his counterpart's lips 'Actually, I think it is time you and I had a little heart-to heart, Hiwatari-kun'.
Dark! Daisuke shouted silently,What did you do to Hiwatari-san?
Dark stirred a little inside the depths of Daisuke's brain. Me? came the sleepy yet obviously feigned innocent reply, I didn't do anything to him. We just had a little talk.
Dark, I want to know...
"Good morning Dai-kun!" Emiko called cheerfully from the doorway, "Good, you're already awake. I made an extra special breakfast this morning, so hurry up and get ready!"
"Ok, mom," Daisuke replied, then silently Dark! Tell me.
Dark mumbled something incoherent to himself and with a liquid swirl folded himself away inside Daisuke's head. Daisuke grumbled softly to himself as he climbed out of bed. He obviously wasn't going to get anywhere in questioning Dark this morning. He wasn't exactly a morning person, so maybe he'd have better luck interrogating the Phantom Thief later. Padding across his bedroom floor in bare feet, Daisuke stooped to scoop his school uniform off of the floor where his mother had left it, neatly folded. Dressing quickly, he stopped in the bathroom to give his face a brisk scrub and run a wet comb through his hair, then despair of ever getting his thick red locks to lie flat. Every step down the stairs was heavy with dread as Daisuke imagined Hiwatari waiting for him at school with a pair of handcuffs.
Whatever you said to him must have been pretty bad if you wouldn't even let me hear it,Daisuke thought unhappily to the unresponsive Dark. You kept talking about me having a crush on him yesterday, so you must have thought-- Daisuke gasped aloud and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Dark couldn't have told Hiwatari...Oh crap! Dark! You didn't tell him about that, did you? Dark? Dark?!
Emiko had just finished setting the table as Daikuke entered the room, and she hurredly finished pouring Grandfather's orange juice and rushed over to him, laying a cool hand on his forehead. "Are you sure you're not sick, Dai-kun? You were in the Nurse's office yesterday, and now your face is all flushed. Maybe you have a fever."
Daisuke shook his head and gently extricated himself from his mother's grip. "I'm fine, mom," he said, sinking into a chair, "I'm just..."
"Just what, Dai-kun?" His mother prompted, hands on hips.
"Wow, all this food looks great mom!" Daisuke changed the subject, quickly shoveling food onto his plate.
"Leave him be, Emiko," Grandfather said, folding his newspaper and looking at Daisuke knowingly over the top of it. "He's probably just blushing because he's been having thoughts about a certain young twin?" Grandfather waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
As Grandfather's implication began to seep in, Daisuke could feel his blush return full force. Of course he hadn't been thinking about Risa! He couldn't even kiss her, let alone immagine himself doing that with her.
"I wasn't thinking about Risa-chan," Daisuke said a little too loudly, then shoved half of a pancake into his mouth in an attempt to cover it up.
Instead you were thinking of Hiwatari-san again,Dark crowed gloatingly, proving that he had, in fact, been awake, but just ignoring Daisuke. At least you haven't been thinking about doing that with him.
Oh God! Daisuke choked on his oversized mouthful of food as unintentional images began to swim in his brain. Hiwatari's breath hot on his neck, lips pressing closer...
Daisuke felt the earth tilt below his chair and frantically tried to keep his balance. I really hate you, Dark!
It was a larger hand that gripped the edge of the table and pushed himself upright, and a different face that smiled up at Emiko as she refilled the breakfast glasses. With a conspiratory knowing grin at Daisuke's grandfather, Dark brought a forkful of food to his lips.
"Your cooking is devine, as always, mother," Dark commented to Emiko, who stood by his chair, still blinking in suprise.
"Thank you," she said faintly, then shook herself. Looking her unexpected breakfast guest over critically, she pointed at the school uniform he was sporting. "Your clothes seem to be a little small this morning, Dark-san."
Dark nodded. "I didn't exactly plan on making an appearance, and I won't be staying too long. I wouldn't want Dai-kun to be late for school."
Dark finished the glass of juice Emiko had placed in front of him, stood up from his chair and bent to kiss her on the cheek. Stepping around her and heading toward the bathroom, Dark attempted to tug the too-short school shirt back into place.
Pervert. He thought at Daisuke, ammused.
I--I am not!Daisuke's thoughts were almost sputtering with indignance. You were the one who thought of it!
Yeah, but you were the one who got all worked up over it. You turned into me, didn't you? Dark shook his head reprovingly. You even imagined yourself "kissing" him. Tell me how that makes me the pervert.
Just shut up.
Through the bathroom door, Emiko could hear peals of Dark's laughter. Grinning to herself, she shook her head.
The soles of Daisuke's shoes squealed a shrill protest as he ran down the hallway to his classroom. He had less than one minute to be in his desk before class started. Rounding the last corner and pulling into top speed down the final stretch, Daisuke heard the shouts of a hall monitor behind him. Tossing an appology over his shoulder, he came to a skidding halt in front of the door to his classroom. Taking a few seconds to calm his breathing, Daisuke closed his eyes.
At least Hiwatari didn't have any time to corner me before class, He thought wryly, pulling the door open and glancing at the clock. fifteen seconds.
Sliding into his chair just as the bell that signaled the beginning of class started to ring, Daisuke heaved a sigh of relief. He made it. Barely. And it really was all Dark's fault, Daisuke would have never had those sort of thoughts on his own, he was certain. Reaching into his bag to pull out his notebook, he braced himself for a cold glower and snuck a glance back at Hiwatari's desk. Though piled with love notes and little wrapped packages of candy and cookies, it was missing an occupant. Daisuke's amber eyes widened.
Hiwatari-kun is absent, so he can't interrogate me. The dread that had plagued Daisuke's steps magically melted away, but was replaced by something nearly as heavy. It felt a lot like dissapointment.
Yeah, but he isn't here to kiss you either, Dai-kun," taunted Dark smugly.
You're never going to let me live that down, are you? I told you, I don't have a crush on Hiwatari-kun, this morning was just--a mistake because Grandpa mentioned Risa-chan. And anyway, what happened to him? Why isn't he in class? Daisuke wished with all his heart that Dark would just tell him what had happened, and then go to sleep and leave him alone, but it seemed unlikely.
I told you before, I didn't do anything to him. As touching as your sympathy for Hiwatari-san is, you are forgetting the larger picture. The boy wants to throw us in jail. He shares a body with someone who would like to see us both killed. Understand? Dark was tired of reiterating the same points. Maybe all of that hair kept common sense from sinking into Daisuke's head. Now leave me alone. I'm going to sleep.
Daisuke shook his head slightly in frustration. He felt a tap on his shoulder from behind, and looked up to find the entire class staring at him. Under the sudden intense scrutiny, Daisuke felt his face burst into flame for the third time that day. Looking up, he met the gaze of his sensei.
"I repeat, Niwa Daisuke, will you please start reading at the top of page thirty-six?"
"Um, yes sir!" Daisuke climbed to his feet and opened his book. Beginning to read in a small embarrassed voice, he fervently wished the day would end quickly.
Daisuke didn't get his wish. Between a pot boiling over on him in cooking class and somehow letting Saehara talk him into taking his cleaning duty again, Daisuke felt like he'd been through the longest school day in existance. Dragging his feet as he walked outside, he sighed. It was already dusk and Emiko was probably already waiting for him. Slowly beginning his plodding trek to the train station, Daisuke almost didn't see a figure detatch itself from the side of the building and follow after him.
"Niwa-kun!" Riku called after him, running toward him with her bike beside her. The sun was setting behind her as she ran, setting her reddish hair alight with it's rays and guilding her limbs in golden light. Daisuke felt his mouth drop open as for the first time he registered that she was truly every bit as cute as her twin.
Not just cute, Dai-kun, Dark interjected, She is beautiful.
Yeah, Daisuke agreed, awestruck.
She jogged toward him, hair fluttering across her face like butterflies and her eyes sparkling prismatically. Then her foot hit a rock. Unexpectedly, she stumbled, bike clattering to the pavement arms grabbing frantically for anything to break her fall. They hit on Daisuke's shoulders and wrapped around his neck as he caught at her waist, breaking her fall. She sagged against him, breathing hard. Suddenly she straightened, eyes wide with shock as she stared into Daisuke's face. Her cheeks flushed cherry and she hastily pulled her arms away and took a step backward.
The spell that had made her seem so alluring only a moment before was broken, and Daisuke saw her as he always did. Almost, anyway. She still is really pretty, he decided, smiling at her,but in a different way than Risa-chan, even though they are twins.
"Um, Niwa-kun--Can I walk with you? I wanted to talk to you about something," Riku's face was still red, and she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.
"Sure," Daisuke said brightly, retrieving her fallen bicycle,"What is it?"
Riku claimed her bicycle from Daisuke and took a deep breath. She seemed to have composed herself a bit. "Dark. I think he's going to try to take advantage of Risa."
Daisuke shook his head emphatically, stepping over a puddle in the sidewalk. "I know you don't like Dark, Harada-san, but he wouldn't do anything that bad."
Riku looked dubious. "I don't trust him, Niwa-kun. He's just a thief!" Her hands were clenched tightly on the handlebars of her bike. "He would do it, he already stole a-- I mean, I just know he would!" She was practically shaking with anger, cheeks burning. Glancing sideways out of the corner of her eye at Daisuke, she added in a softer voice, "Besides, every girl wants her first kiss to be special."
"I know--" Daisuke began.
Riku looked sharply at him. "What do you mean, you know? What do you know?"
"Geh--I mean, I know what you meant," Daisuke said quickly, "I mean, everyone wants their first kiss to be with someone they like a lot, right?"
"Yeah, the lucky ones," Riku sighed. Her anger seemed to have evaporated. Tucking strands of her short hair behind her ear, she snuck a sideways look at Daisuke, a strange wistful expression on her face.
I don't understand girls, Daisuke decided, trying to wipe the confused expression off of his face, They're angry one second and then sad the next. And if you say the wrong thing they jump all over you.
I think you are finally starting to grow up, Dai-kun, Dark said commiseratingly, Thats about as much as you will ever understand about women.
"Niwa-kun, what should I do about Risa-chan?" Riku said finally in a strangely subdued voice, "I don't want her to get hurt." Her eyes were filled with genuine worry. No matter how much they fought and bickered, Daisuke knew that the twins had always loved and looked out for eachother.
"Well," Daisuke began slowly, thinking about each word before he spoke,"I don't think you can always protect her. Risa-chan has to make her own choices, even if she ends up getting hurt. All you can do is be there to comfort her when she messes up. I mean, she isn't stupid."
"Well, that's debatable," Riku muttered to herself, then smiled brightly at Daisuke. "You're right. I can't always tell her what to do. Thank you, Niwa-kun!" She leaned foreward across her bike and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. His face flushed scarlet again and before he had a chance to respond she had mounted her bike and was riding away.
Turning back to him, she waved. "See you tomorrow, Niwa-kun!" she called out.
"Uh--" Daisuke was still rooted to the same spot. What was that? He thought wonderingly.
A kiss, Dai-kun, replied Dark, for once not sounding at all ammused. If anything he sounded sullen. Riku-chan kissed you. But it was only on the cheek, she probably didn't mean anything by it.
Yeah, it was probably nothing... Daisuke shook his head to clear it and continued his walk to the train station, solitary now. Almost.
Lost in his thoughts, with Dark being uncharacteristically moody, Daisuke plodded along the sidewalk not paying attention to where his feet took him. The route to the train station was ingrained in his subconscious, making it unnecessary for him to think about it. The street was nearly dark now, the shadows mixing with the streetlights in the nightly ritualistic dance of dusk. The first stars were starting to shine, and as Daisuke gazed upward he stopped. He recognised the apartment building he was standing in front of, he had seen Hiwatari entering and leaving it.
He stood looking upward for a long time, mulling things over in his head. He wanted to be friends with Hiwatari, even if everything Dark said about him was true. There was just something in him underneath the ice and the sullen solitude that Daisuke knew was lonely and sad. No one should have to live that way. Before he had realized he'd made up his mind, Daisuke's hand reached out and pressed the buzzer beside Hiwatari's name.
What do you think you're doing? Dark said incredulously, This is suicidal and stupid!
I know what I want to do, Dark. Daisuke replied resolutely, You'll just have to trust me.