They left the Niwa home around dusk, both silent, walking. It would have been easy to fly, but in a way Dark needed the time to think.
Recent Hikari art. Created by Satoshi, no less.
Krad had sealed it.
What had they been thinking? Satoshi should know better! Hell, Krad should know better!
They passed people who didn't give them a second look, except the women, who appreciated both men's looks. Krad ignored them completely and Dark flirted with some of them, giving them charming smiles.
"Do you have to do that?" the demon muttered under his breath.
"What?"
Golden eyes glared at him and Krad suddenly materialized his wings. They were at one of the look-outs and thankfully completely alone. Without another word, the other lifted off. Dark shot him a baleful look and followed.

They came home to an empty house. Daisuke and Satoshi had apparently managed to get out of bed and out of the house. A small note announced that they were having dinner somewhere.
Good. At least this gave Dark the necessary time to ask about the winged figurine.
"We talk," he told his counterpart, crumbling the note into a little ball. "Now."
"Satoshi made the figurine," Krad only said.
"I figured that out already!"
There was mild disapproval in Krad's eyes. "It was his way with dealing with the events as of late. A way to express his love."
"Damn, you and I know what happens with these kinds of artworks! He is a Hikari, Krad! What he creates, out of love, hate or whatever emotion, is potentially dangerous!"
"Which is why I sealed it."
"It shouldn't ever have come to creation!" Dark shouted.
Golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you suggest? I take over my host, force him to stop, control his every move and thought?" the demon shot back.
Dark blinked, shocked. "No…" he replied after a second. "No, of course not!"
"I sat and watched him pour everything he is, everything he feels, into this. It's the first time he created and he did it for Daisuke. I sealed it at his request. Satoshi knew it was dangerous."
"You know what this kind of love does! It created the Black Wings, the most dangerous and powerful work of art ever to come to life! This could have been the same!" Dark argued heatedly. "What if the sealing had gone wrong?"
"It didn't. Only because you are the expert doesn't mean I can't do the job!" Krad snarled, anger now clearly visible in his eyes.
"It should never have been created," Dark murmured.
The next moment he found himself slammed against the wall, nose to nose with one furious demon whose eyes were now glowing. Powerful fingers dug into the flesh of his shoulders and Dark was briefly thankful that Krad had no claws. Still, the grip was painful and he gritted his teeth.
"Just like the Black Wings," Krad whispered harshly. "Just like we. But we do exist. Co-exist. We are a curse. I know that, Dark Mousy, I know that very well. I know what can happen and I took care of it. You think you can do it better? Be my guest and reseal it, but don't blame me when it backfires!"
Dark pushed him away, slightly shaken. His defenses were up, his instinct was screaming at him to take this down a notch, but another part just wanted to lay into Krad and tear him apart.
"Satoshi is playing with fire!" he growled. "He is a Hikari!"
"I know that, Dark! He knows that! Do you think either of us can forget it? It's what forced us together and what still is our curse!"
"So he does something idiotic as that?!"
Krad snarled and slammed him against the wall again, teeth bared, eyes narrow slits. Magic prickled around him and Dark felt his own rise in response.
"He loves your host, kaitou. He loves him deeply and unconditionally. Sato has gone through hell lately and I know it was mainly because of me, but he can still love and feel and be… he can live! I won't deny him this life – ever!"
"And you'd let him knowingly create such a powerful weapon?"
"No, I let him express himself the only way he could, and I sealed the thing for the future to come. I cut off its life before it was ever born. Maybe it should have been done to us as well!" Krad pushed away, bristling more. "Maybe we should be sealed as well! Maybe our miserable existence should be ended! We are nothing but a Hikari artwork after all!"
He turned and walked away, radiating barely contained power.
Dark stared after him, fury still prominent in his eyes. "Yeah, maybe someone should seal you for good, Krad!" he yelled without thinking.
He saw it coming. It was fast, furious and deadly. Magic lanced at him and Dark brought up a shield, simultaneously striking out at his former enemy. Krad countered, landing a heavy blow against Dark's midriff, but not without accepting a similar, magic-filled strike that cracked against his shoulder.
Dark wheezed, hunched over, wide, violet eyes looking at his opponent. Krad's expression flickered with betrayal, hurt and pain, then it turned into the maniacal, almost insane one that had made up the old Krad.
"You want to end it, Dark?" he whispered harshly. "Then do so. Don't hold back."
He spread his arms wide.
"Kill me. Let it be over once and for all. Save us. Maybe it's time to find a means to end this torment. It would be the solution to a lot of problems."
Dark was breathing hard, magic churning through his system, leeching at his energy reserves, and he longed to snap out his wings, take to the sky and clear this once and for all as Krad wanted it. Instead, he reined in his temper, locked it away, and looked at his other half. Blond hair moved in the magical waves they both emitted, golden eyes were slits of barely contained disgust and loathing, coupled with an ancient pain. Hands were curled in readiness to gather magic and defend himself.
When Dark didn't do anything but continue to stare, Krad finally turned on his heels and left. The door slammed after him, cutting off the white-golden radiance of magic.
Dark sank down the wall, shocked.
"What just happened?" he whispered, his voice sounding hollow in the empty room.
He had struck out at Krad, verbally as well as physically, hitting all the right buttons. Each and every single one of them.
Because Satoshi had created art. A beautiful piece made of clay, depicting two winged men that could be just about anyone. Dark thought he knew what it meant, but the surprise and horror of the discovery had overlapped the wonder and joy. Krad had sealed the artwork, had made it safe, and Dark knew it wasn't a simplistic seal. His other half had known what he was doing.
"Shit," he whispered. "What have I done?"
And why am I still alive? he wondered.
He had driven Krad to the extreme, had actually provoked the attack, but except for a little shaky feeling, he was fine. He still had his head on his shoulders, the house wasn't a ruin, and no avenging angel was standing over him, trying to tear him apart.
Krad had changed.
Dark hadn't.
He winced at that thought. Why had he done this? Why had he been so angry, so… unreasonable? Daisuke had created art as well, powerful art, too. They had gotten into very deep shit because of it.
"I'm so screwed up," he murmured.
Why did I do it? Why?