Note: -italics- Dark's thoughts.
'italics' Daisuke's thoughts.
/italics/ Krad's thoughts.
(italics) Satoshi's thoughts.

-o-

Kirei...
Chapter 2: Waking up.



There was nothing but silence. Exactly two hours had passed since Daisuke had last seen the demon's face and he still couldn't utter a word. Dark had been silent as well, having his heart broken without Daisuke even knowing. He had nothing to say, all he could do was cry and he didn't want his tamer to realise he was doing so; that is why he remained hidden for the day.

Daisuke was alone then, lying on his stomach on the soft surface of his mattress. He could only think over and over about those last moments in Hiwatari's apartment. How he'd woken up to find he was sharing a kiss with Krad, how he'd been surprised by the stinging sensation on his lips and how the demon had looked so fragile as he pleaded for him to leave. Yes, he could only think about that, ignoring completely what those memories evoked inside of him. It had been almost traumatising to open his eyes to find Krad, but even though he couldn't find the words to explain it, he knew it hadn't been as terrible as it would seem. In fact, he was sure that Krad was thinking something above the same lines, a thought that disturbed him just as much as it filled him with hope. And hope was something he was lacking at the time. To make matters worse, he didn't know what he needed hope for; everything in his life was fine, he had no worries. Then, why did he suddenly feel like he didn't want to be alone anymore?

Yes, that was something he hadn't stop to think about for a while. He was supposedly in love with Riku Harada and the girl was his girlfriend. Still, he never felt whole with her, they never even kissed. He couldn't count on her as a girlfriend, then; she couldn't give him what he needed. And what did he need? He needed someone to cling to when he was sad and depressed, someone to embrace him and wash all of his worries away. He needed someone that would kiss him softly as he cried...

He didn't have any of that.

'Come to think of it,' he thought, 'I've been blindfolded all this time, thinking that I had someone who loved me and understood me when I didn't. Funny how the one to trigger all of this uncertainty in me is none other than the one who wants to kill me,' Daisuke finished that sentence feeling a little disappointed. It scared him to know that he might be developing feelings for the white-winged demon, but somehow those feelings made him feel alive. The despair in the knowledge of what was impossible for him ironically brought with it a sense of happiness. Unexplainable as it seemed, it sent a rush of adrenaline through Daisuke's veins.

His life had been so repetitive as of lately, it was about time something exciting happened to drastically change his life. Having those revelations thrown at him in the face in a single kiss had been more than he could have ever hoped for. He ought to thank Hiwatari for teaching him what a kiss was and what sensations brought with it, yet he knew he wouldn't be able to face him. There was only one person he would gladly risk himself for and that was the one he was most scared of approaching, Krad.

Deciding he was too tired to continue dwelling on painful subjects, he got up from the bed and headed for the wardrobe. He picked his pyjamas and went to have a relaxing bath. When he returned to his room, he lay back on the bed and slept. Once he felt rested and renewed he would start thinking clearly. He'd had much too information to process in the day and he wasn't sure he could endure any more pondering for the time being.

Meanwhile, the dark angel within his body woke up. Getting dressed in a pair of loose trousers and a sweater, he left through the window into the open. He needed to go for a walk, to clear his mind and spend some time on his own now that his tamer was asleep.

-o-

The blond demon was still sitting in the same couch in which the red-haired boy had been two hours ago. He still couldn't understand how he had felt frozen, unable to move when his lips met the boy's. The only thing he understood, even though it made no sense to him, was the feeling of longing in him. After all, he'd never been kissed before.

Yes, being a demon of more than five hundred years, he'd never been kissed. After all, his only purpose in life had been to kill Dark and he'd been sealed by the Hikari family for such a long period of time... he never really had the opportunity to kiss anyone to begin with and doing so wasn't something that had ever interested him much. He'd never even been in love, but being the representation of evil, it had seemed normal for him to not be. Obviously, no one ever told him he was loved, but that never mattered to him... until now. Now, after being kissed for the first time, after having experienced the sweetness of eager lips, now, he craved for all that he never had: love.

Krad sighed, his breath slightly caressing his long, blond bangs. /Why is it that I never stopped to think about these things until now? Why did that meaningless kiss mattered so much to me? Was it because it was the first one? Was it because of the one who kissed me? Why is it that even though I struggle to find answers I end up with nothing to tell myself?/ Another sigh and he turned his gaze to the window. The sun had set and the night glared dark; he looked at the moon, bright as silver so pure and soothing. He gazed at it as he asked himself, /why is it that I find myself attracted to this boy? Why is it that I long to kiss those lips once again? Why is it that I want to have him whole, rendered helpless in my arms?/

Silence. No one could give him answers. The pain inside him was suffocating; he'd never been so confused before and he doubted he ever would be. So many things had changed since that kiss, he wasn't sure he could ever be the same again. Still, there was one thing that remained intact, untouched: his devotion. The only problem was that he wasn't sure of whom he was devoted to, anymore.

Picking himself up from the couch, he walked to Satoshi's room. The bed looked untidy and uninviting; somehow, the idea of lying on a bed reminded him of Daisuke; of his growing desire to have the redhead by his side, if only to tell him he loved him... Krad stopped dead in his tracks. Lifting a hand to touch his still sensitive lips, he wondered how he could have said such thing. He couldn't love the boy, he simply couldn't. He was destined to hate him and kill him, not to love him; that wasn't possible, it could not be. Still, there was something inside him that told him otherwise. A contradictory feeling that told him he was lying to himself, his own conscience was against him. There was no hope, it had never been any, but the need for it overpowered rationality.

Krad wished he remembered how to cry because that was all he wanted to do at the moment. He felt helpless, unsure of what to think or what to do with himself. All of these situations were new to him and they scared him, something he hated to admit. Even now, as he turned his back and fled the room, escaping into the night's freedom, he could not understand what was happening to him. He had always been like an animal, acting on instinct; whatever he wanted he would try to get. Right now, though, it wouldn't be so easy. Right now, what he wanted more than anything was someone to love him and who would return his feelings, someone to kiss him and hold him when he felt desperate. He wanted Daisuke.

Finally coming to terms with the changes taking place in his mind, he found himself walking through the streets of the Azumano district. His wings were folded, hidden under his heavy cloak; he felt relaxed in the overlapping of sensations, from the cold wind smacking him in his face to the warm sensation that the heat radiating off his folded wings sent down his spine. He realised as he walked down those deserted streets that he never took the opportunity to simply walk. Never in his entire existence had he used the body of his tamer to simply enjoy a stroll down the soothing green of a park or to take in the earthy scent of a forest. Right now, walking alone through these streets, he felt alive and almost content. There was only one thing lacking and he wasn't going to give in to the desire rising within him.

He went round the corner, and saw the abandoned museum of Azumano district. He walked with a quick pace to the main gates of the ancient building. The entrance had been closed for ages, that much he knew, and that was why he was suddenly surprised when he noticed that the doors were open. /Someone is here,/ he thought to himself. He would have turned around and left if he didn't know exactly who was in that museum. Perhaps because of his instinctive nature or maybe because of his suicidal tendencies he walked into the museum, looking for the one that might give him some answers.

Krad passed many dusty statues and torn up canvas, nothing really attracted his attention. Well, almost nothing did. There was one painting, the only one that remained intact, though still a little eroded by time. He moved closer to the small painting and as he approached it, he realised he'd already seen that picture somewhere. The image that was plastered on the canvas was one of a crucifix. The man crucified had wings; the one on Krad's left was black and the other was white. The demon read what was scribbled on the bottom of the canvas, he supposed it was the name of the painting: Oni to Tenshi. He was wondering why it didn't mention the artist's name, when he heard a strange noise coming from a nearby room. It sounded like a wail, something that intrigued him to no end and for no apparent reason. Guided by his curiosity, he walked to the source of the sound.

As he went round a hall and turned to his left, the sound got louder. It no longer seemed a wail, but a moan. Krad thought it might have been a ghost, but that didn't stop his search. He turned many times and arrived to the exact centre of the museum. There was a massive fountain, or he thought it might have been one, with a stone statue of a dragon standing proudly in its centre. He turned around the dragon, hoping to find the mysterious source of the noise; as he turned, he gulped down the lump in his throat. Sitting behind the dragon's back was none other than Dark Mousy, crying loudly and asking 'why?' as he sipped on a bottle of sake.

Krad stood uncertain for a while. He had never seen this side of the Phantom Thief, so vulnerable. And instead of mocking him and taking advantage of the situation, the blond could only feel pity for him. He didn't know what the thief was so sad about, but considering his own current situation, he knew he was suffering.

A few more seconds passed until Dark turned his attention to the intruder. He eyed Krad up and down, studying him and probably wondering why he was standing before him quiet, doing nothing. Even though he was quite drunk, he could think clearly; Krad was there because he was looking for him. And it was a lucky thing that he was, because Dark himself wanted to talk to him.

"Looking for me, Krad?" the thief asked in a perfectly understandable voice, something that surprised the demon, considering the thief's poor state.

"Maybe," the demon replied.

"Why, Krad?" the thief asked, confusing Krad who stood still with nothing to say. At the puzzled look on the demon's face, Dark explained, "why are you here?"

"I needed time to think," Krad told him. It was true, he had gone for a walk to be on his own and to ponder on his situation. But Dark wasn't happy with the answer he'd got. He wanted to know more, he wanted to find out what Krad had been thinking about. Actually, he needed a confirmation; he already knew what he had to think about.

"I guess our battle ends here. Should we call it a draw, then?" Krad was at a loss for words. He didn't understand what Dark was referring to. "You won't chase after me anymore, am I mistaken?" Of course, he wasn't. Krad looked away, biting on his lower lip that had started to tremble. He wondered how Dark knew about his feelings and what was the connection to his own for what he seemed so depressed. "I cannot blame Satoshi," the thief said, "but I can ask you: why didn't you pulled away when you realised you were kissing him? Why did you have to linger, making him think all of those confusing things? Why did you have to fall in love with him?"

"I haven't fallen in love with anyone," Krad told him. He knew he was lying, but Dark needn't know. Still, it seemed like it wasn't easy to fool him.

"It's going to take more than a bottle of sake to make me stupid, Krad," Dark warned him. "I don't live inside of your mind but I know what you think; I know how you feel and you should know how I feel as well. Or is it maybe that you don't want to see it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Dark."

"Yes, you do," Dark snorted as he got up. "Look, Krad, you would only hurt him so stay away from him. I love him more than you could ever understand and I will do anything to protect him." With that, the thief turned to leave.

Krad stopped him, though, "I thought I loved my tamer, too, but in the end... well, you can imagine how the story ends." The blond walked past Dark and out of the museum, leaving the thief more depressed and desolated than he felt before.

Inside Dark's mind rang a question; a question that passed unnoticed by the thief, even though it had been directed to him. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

Daisuke couldn't believe what he had heard. Nothing he had heard that night seemed real, it was all too confusing. He could recall having heard the thief tell Krad that he loved him; was he trying to protect him? Perhaps, though the idea seemed improbable. Still, Dark saying that he was in love with his tamer seemed just as ridiculous. He wondered if what Krad had suggested when he last spoke to him had been true and he hadn't misunderstood. Had he referred to Daisuke when he told Dark that he had been wrong to believe he loved his tamer? Daisuke surely hoped so.

-What did you see in him, Daisuke?- asked Dark, finally accepting defeat.

'I saw nothing,' Daisuke admitted, 'but I felt everything.' He spoke nothing but the truth. What had happened with Krad was pure love, adoration evoked by a mere touch of lip to lip. Nothing had been planned, he had never even imagined something like that could be possible.

-Funny,- Dark snickered bitterly, -that's how I fell in love with you.-

'I'm sorry, Dark,' Daisuke apologised. 'If that kiss had never happened... I don't know how things would have evolved between us.'

-That's not helping, Daisuke,- Dark told the boy. Knowing that there could have been a possibility between them made the pain feel ten times worse. Still, he was a righteous main deep inside and he had to do what Daisuke expected him to. -If it makes you happy, go with him,- he said, -just don't expect me to help you.- He didn't speak a single other word after that.

-o-

Satoshi was lying on his bed. He had been sleeping since he transformed into Krad the day before. He had no idea of how he'd reached his bedroom and had been wrapped in those sheets, not even how he'd ended up clean and into those clothes. He thought it might have been Krad, there was no one else, after all. Still, he didn't really care. The demon had betrayed him, but he couldn't blame him. He had been the one to kiss Daisuke, he had been the one whose DNA reacted. It was his fault that Krad was now in love with Daisuke and it would be only fair that the boy would love him back. At least his stupidity would prove useful, then.

/Gomen nasai, Satoshi-sama./

/I never meant to hurt you, Satoshi-sama. Please, forgive me./

(...it wasn't your fault, Krad.)

/What do you mean?/

But Satoshi never answered him. Instead, he walked to the old, abandoned room under the stairs. He unlocked the door and entered the small space, while Krad asked him over and over what he wanted to do. He only said, (something I should have done a long time ago).

The room was entirely black, except for the star-shaped lines traced in white. He moved to the centre of the room where the ritual altar stood. In its centre lay an old, tattered book and a black candle and next to those items lay a knife; it was made of blue crystal, its handle made of the purest silver with engravings of feathers. Satoshi lit the candle moving his hand over its wick and picked up the book; he flipped through its pages until he reached the last one and read aloud:

"In this glorious occasion I commend my body to the spectre of the night. Sacrifice white wings and breathe in the scent of death as I fade away into the embracing nothingness and bless you with my blood."

And as he spoke the last words, without thinking twice, he took the knife to his left wrist and made a deep cut, slashing the tender skin and letting the blood drip onto the candle as he felt his consciousness slip. Krad screamed desperate in his mind, but it was already too late.

-o-

Oh, no! What happened there?? Yes, this is a cliffhanger, sorry about that... I'm telling you, writing this chapter physically hurt. I mean, my two favourite characters (Dark and Satoshi) are suffering like mad, they don't deserve to be in such pain. Ah, but this is for this pairing's sake. I hope I got this chapter well, but that depends on your judgement. Please, be nice, I'm in pain.

Staryday: you have no idea how much I loved to read that review. Thanks!
bladegryphon: Aoi has been updated as well, do not fear .
KageKitsune16: yeah, it was all rather messy, but I liked that. I truly hope you liked this chapter.
oOTsukasaOo: yeah, they do look rather good, ne? Ah, well, I have a thing with these weird pairings... why can't I be normal???? Um, cough, anyway...........
Blue Eyed Angel2: no, there's 1 (one) single other fic that I found. It's... let me check... yes, Raining Retribution by Yuki Haitani. It's more of a big love rectangle than a true DaixKrad fic, but still... less is nothing, my friends...
Felicity Dream: no, thank YOU for reviewing this. Yes, this will be continued until it ends; it's only five chapters long though and there's an epilogue, too.
noone: it is rather cool, ne? Daisuke is kawaii, who wouldn't love him? Well, actually I prefer Krad, Dark or Satoshi over him, but... I still love him . Ne, if you know at least one more DaixKrad fic, please, DO let me know about it!!