Dark's violet eyes fell on his other half, sitting with his back against the stone walls, knees pulled up, his wings gone. He was a picture of misery and pain. His face was pale, the eyes dull and lifeless. Dressed in the unfamiliar long-sleeve shirt and white pants, he didn't look like the psychotic, dangerous enemy they had faced so many times, an enemy that had followed Dark through the ages.
The black Binders stood out like sores.
"What do you want, Dark?" the demon asked tonelessly, not looking at him.
"Talk?"
Dark gazed around the basement. It was huge, two stories deep underneath the house, and held more than just this 'prison'. He was still furious with Emiko for confining the injured entity to this place and using the magical bracelets. Krad was in no condition to hurt a fly. Daisuke had argued with her that they couldn't do this, but she had been firm.
A wry smile crossed the handsome face and Krad shot him a mocking look. "Don't play with me, kaitou. Were you sent to deliver the news or maybe even the final strike?"
Dark stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling Daisuke's confusion.
Dark…?
Shhh
"You need to return to your host, Krad."
Golden eyes flared. "Oh really? You think so? Like this?"
He raised one hand and showed off the Binder. It crackled faintly with the power lodged deep inside and Krad winced almost imperceptibly.
"You both hurt, Krad, and you need to heal."
A sneer. "Thank you for your concern."
"You both live one life," Dark told him. "You need each other."
"So your host and his family would voluntarily let me possess him again? I don't think so."
Dark smiled sadly. "I talked to them. They understand."
In a way they did, though not happily. Satoshi wouldn't survive this.
Krad let his head fall against the hard stone. "What makes you think I can help Hikari? What makes you think we need each other?"
Dark shrugged. "Maybe the fact that you're weakening is a first clue. Or that Satoshi is suffering from cramps, is in pain…?"
Krad's eyes flared a little at the mentioning of his host in pain.
"You care for him, Krad, right?"
"He's mine."
Dark tilted his head. "Yes, your host. Your only chance, Krad. You should take it."
"I doubt I have a chance." He raised his wrist again a little.
"That's why I'll take it off."
Kosuke stepped into the room, calmly studying the white demon. Dark had heard him coming, but from the way Krad started, he hadn't. It showed just how bad he was off.
"Why would you?" Krad demanded.
The older Niwa smiled a little, that strange smile he always wore. "Satoshi became what he is through you. It was a harsh, painful road, but because of your influence, your 'nightmare' he was able to remove himself from the Hikari family, his destiny, to stand up against his father and his heritage. As for you, Krad… You care. You struggled for him to survive the attacks in the Wheel. You submitted after your reunion. Satoshi keeps you alive, he has fought for you in turn. He might not want it, but he's starting to care, Krad. Like you have come to care for him. He's your identity, your true life."
Krad glared at the human. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Well, yes, maybe not. I just watch, see a lot, and I know that though Satoshi is terrified of what the future might bring, he's also ready to face it in all its variations."
Dark stepped forward, holding out a hand. Krad stared at it, then took it carefully. Dark pulled him to his feet, holding the hand clasped in his.
"We're not so different. Actually, we're more alike than different. Face it, we need them. We take what we need, but we also give. What do you have to give him except the pain and nightmares?"
Golden eyes flared with the familiar, cold anger and Krad ripped his hand out of Dark's grasp. "I hate you!" he hissed.
"That we agree upon," was the flippant reply. "Can't stand your guts either, but this isn't about us. We know where we stand in this relationship, so let's not waste any more time on it. This is about you and your host. Go to him. You claim him as yours, don't you?"
The demon snarled something but Dark only grinned. Krad pushed away, bristling. Kosuke remained where he was, watching them, an expression of intrigued pondering on his features. Krad glared more.
"No one will stop you," Kosuke added. "Let me only remove the Binders."
It got him a snarl, but Krad held out his wrists and Kosuke quickly undid the bracelets.

Krad stood over the propped up form, looking at the frail human that was his host. Sure, Hikari had grown into a man, but like all humans he was frail, easily broken. Still his spirit was like the sharpest knife, a mind of steel that had fought him so many times, it was a weapon all on its own.
'What do you have to give him?' Dark's words echoed in his ears.
Nothing. He had nothing to give and he had no function.
The Gate of Darkness was forever closed, the Black Wings destroyed. He was outside, flung back into this hated world, and in the past days he had done nothing but sit back in this human's mind and regain his strength.
For what?
Satoshi's eyes blinked open. Blue eyes.
Like his, Krad thought with a touch of longing. Just like his. Hikari eyes. So many centuries between them and still…
Satoshi was like a mirror image and the old pain returned with a vengeance. He had never looked into his host's eyes. He had never seen him as anything but a tool. Now, with everything so very different from before, old memories rose, accompanied by a longing for something that had died three centuries ago.
The brief flash of fear in this Satoshi's eyes cut deep.
Why? He had thrived from the fear of his host, he had liked it, he had played with it. He had cruelly taken what he wanted.
Not any more. Krad had been left with parts of his other half. While he felt and looked like before their merge inside the Black Wings, things were… coming up in his waking mind. He wasn't like before. His past was catching up to him.
It was the moment a cramp hit and Krad staggered, forcing his knees not to give in. He couldn't live outside this body much longer, but he refused to give in to this primal need to reunite. This wasn't just about him any more. He no longer followed an ulterior plan. There was only this life now, no goals to reach, no future to change, no Gate of Darkness. Only him and this human.
"You're mine," Krad murmured, voice unusually gentle.
Hikari flinched, avoiding the golden eyes. "I don't belong to anyone," he growled.
"You belong to Daisuke."
Anger flashed in the blue eyes. "Don't you dare hurt him!"
Krad smirked a little. "Or what?"
Satoshi pushed himself up. "I'll kill you, Krad. I swear I will!"
Krad stepped closer, holding the flaring blue eyes, felt the energy spike in the abused body. "Empty words. You know you can't kill me."
His host's face twisted into a grimace.
"I care for you," the demon whispered.
"No, you don't. You never have," the young man answered hoarsely.
They had had that conversation before. A long time ago.
"Not in this way, true. You are mine, Hikari-san." Krad knelt down next to the bed, gazing into those dark blue eyes. "Mine to protect," he added roughly.
He had never tried to protect the host before because Satoshi had never been in danger. There had never been any danger for Krad either. He had had a safe host and he had only worked on insinuating himself in the young mind, touch his spirit and warp him to his liking.
Now… his body had been in danger. He had acted without thinking, had protected Hikari, and something inside of him had filled with warmth.
Satoshi's eyes widened in shock. "What…?"
"We are one. I protect what is mine," Krad stated, reaching out to touch the pale, drawn face.
Satoshi wanted to flinch away, but he had no strength left. "Don't touch me!"
"You are mine," the demon repeated, not heeding the request. "As I am yours. We belong together in this hatred, this existence, this fear."
Hikari's eyes were wide, fixed on the golden pools of the fallen angel. "Why…?"
Krad smiled a little, fingertips stroking over the smooth cheek. "It doesn't work any other way. It won't. We need each other, just like I need Dark and you always needed Daisuke. It's a precarious balance that must be maintained. It's not in our ability to destroy it. Acceptance of fate, isn't that what this is all about?"
The young man swallowed, trying to collect his walls against those knowing eyes.
"I've seen your soul, your scars. I know your joy and your pain, Satoshi-sama. I'll always be with you, in your waking mind, in your dreams, and I'll protect you." The hand dropped away as a new wave of pain raced through him, leaving him dizzy. "You are my wings, Satoshi."
He needed to merge, needed the strength of his host. It was primal now; very very primal. Golden eyes glowed, fixed on the young man, asking. Pleading. Begging.
"Please?"
He had never begged before, never asked for anything. Now he was ready to do whatever he had to.
"Please… I need you," the demon whispered.
Hikari gazed at him, like hypnotized. "For what purpose?" he asked roughly.
Krad lowered his eyes, fighting the rising dizziness. He felt his connection to Hikari waver, stretched so thin it was close to gone. He was tired and so empty. He wanted this to happen, but he knew it might never be.
"Why?" Satoshi repeated his question.
He gazed at him. "Because."
Tears gathered in Hikari's eyes, torn between the need to survive, to be there for Daisuke, and the wish to end the torment.
A trembling hand reached out and touched the white-clad entity. Krad dissolved, merging with his host, drawing a little, startled gasp from the slender form. Satoshi stiffened briefly, then fell back against the mattress again.

"What do you think their chances are?" Kosuke asked, looking at Dark.
Both men stood in the hallway outside the guest room, prepared for all eventualities.
Dark pursed his lips. "Fair. He's different. There's a lot of the old fury in there, but somehow he's no longer the Krad I've been facing through the ages."
Kosuke chuckled. "I understand. So you think it's his choice whether or not he returns to his old ways."
"Yes. Satoshi's father offered him something he couldn't refuse. He gave him his own son as a vessel. Krad was desperate enough to accept, condemning himself and his host."
"You never had the urge?" Kosuke wanted to know.
Dark smiled wryly. "I'd be lying if I said no. I wanted a real body, but it was always too much fun to be with one of the Niwas."
Daisuke sent a sliver of warmth and he wrapped a tendril of his presence around his host.
"Let's hope Krad understands the changes."
Dark nodded mutely, then relented control to his host as they continued waiting.
Daisuke sighed, back in control of their shared body, and ran a hand through his unruly hair. His father shot him a brief, quizzical glance, and he smiled. He was okay. He wanted nothing more than to be with his lover right now, give him the strength he lacked, but that was impossible. Whatever happened now, it was between Krad and his host.
"I don't envy Satoshi," the older man murmured.
"No. But Dark's right… Krad's different."
"Yes. Obviously."
You think this will work?
Dark shrugged. I wish I knew. Krad's unstable at best, but I think he's figured out that he needs Satoshi – not just as a host but as a partner. It's a first step. Things have changed
And what about this thing that has attacked twice now?
We'll find out about it, partner. It lives inside unsealed artwork. We'll seal it. Daikii and Kosuke are working on locating it
Daisuke nodded. He turned to his father. "Have you found out anything about our attacker?"
"No," came the honest answer. "We only know the obvious. It's old, it moves through the art still unsealed, and it's strong." Kosuke smiled reassuringly. "We'll seal it, Dai. We will."
He hoped so. They didn't need this thing hovering above them on top of the problems with Krad.