Chapter Two

'Where is he?' Dai thought as he scanned the crowds for his blue-haired friend. Beside him, Dark was gnawing on a cold piece of pizza that looked about four weeks old. "You can have some of my lunch if you want." Dai offered, startling the other boy.

"Excuse me?" Dark asked. Dai smiled and pushed his lunch bag over to Dark, who stared at it as if it would bite. "What…?"

"Have some." Dai said again. Dark blinked and Dai rolled his eyes. "It won't bite, and I'm sure it's better than what you're eating." Dark frowned a bit, looking uncertain, before he picked up the bag.

"You mean it?" He asked as he pulled out a half of sandwich. Dai nodded and Dark tore into the ham sandwich happily. Dai turned away from him and scanned the crowds again. He brightened when he spotted a flash of blue.

"SATOSHI!" He yelled, making Dark glance up from the second half with a mouthful of the food. Dai giggled, making Dark glare and swallow the mouthful of food. "You looked like a chipmunk." Dai said before turning back to see Satoshi wave at him. Behind him was another boy, who was talking to Satoshi.

"That your friend?" Dai nodded as Satoshi made his way over, the other boy in tow. He turned to see what was left of his lunch, and caught sight of Darks face.

"What's wrong Dark?" Dai asked as Dark stiffened noticeably and curled his lip unhappily.

"Dai!" Dai turned to Satoshi and the blond, only to see the blond glaring just as heatedly at Dark. "Krad, knock it off." Satoshi said as he studied Dark. "How did I know you'd befriend Dark, Dai?"

"I don't know." Dai shrugged, smiling happily that his friend knew him so well. "So you're Krad?" He asked the blond. Krad nodded, breaking eye contact with his enemy. "Pleased to meet you." Satoshi took a seat beside Dai, and Krad was forced to sit across from Dark, much to their displeasure.

Satoshi and Dai began talking about their lessons while Krad and Dark did their best to ignore the other. Satoshi, who noticed this, rolled his eyes in their direction and Dai giggled. Dark glared at the boy.

Finally it was time to head back to class. Thankfully the lunch period went by without major incident, and Dark was all too happy to get away from Krad. He voiced his objections to Dai about eating with the boy until Dai turned to glare at him.

"We're eating with them every day, until you learn to be civil!" Dark was left gaping in the hall, much to the amusement of the other students, as Dai marched back to the classroom, his mind made up.

"What a day…" Dai groaned once he was back in his bedroom. Satoshi grumbled in agreement and took his customary place on Dais bed. "So what do you think of the evil duo?" Dai asked after a few moments of silence.

"They act like children." Satoshi said with a light blush. Dai grinned at his friend and flopped next to him.

"You like Krad." Dai teased.

"And you like Dark!" Satoshi said in retaliation. "But I don't get why they're being decent to us even after we made them sit across from each other." Dai tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Maybe I can help with that." Both boys turned to see Satoshi's father, a common visitor in the Niwa household, standing in the doorway. Satoshi shot up in surprise, but his father waved at him. "Sit, I have something to explain to you two."

"We're listening." Dai said.

"I have been assigned to the task of watching the two boys. I am not supposed to be talking about their case but seeing as you two have befriended the duo I suppose I should tell you a little about what I found about them." Dai and Satoshi sat up, eager to learn about their new semi-friends. "Dark and Krad are what you would call love starved. They have abusive families-now remember, don't tell anyone I'm telling you this, it is confidential-and don't know the true meaning of friendship. Up until now they were truly alone in the world. Everyone they approached were afraid of them because of their hard demeanor. You both showed little fear when you were confronted by them, and you offered your friendship…am I right?" The boys nodded. "Then maybe they're enthralled by you, and wish to know you better."

"That could be it…" Satoshi said. His father smiled.

"I'm leaving now, remember to be home for dinner Satoshi. Or call if you stay here."

"Yes father."

Nearly a week later, Daisuke had gotten used to Dark and his quirks during their classes. Satoshi and Krad also seemed to get along well in their own classes. Both pairs exchanged information, but Dai and Satoshi seemed to tell the duo more about themselves than the other way around. This seemed to be perfectly fine for the dark duo.

On the other hand, when they shared lunches together it was always a disaster or close to one. Both Dark and Krad were always silent, and neither could seem to get past their hatred of the other, despite a few forced attempts by Dai and Satoshi to be civil.

"Hey Dai?" Dai looked up from his homework and his thoughts to see his mother standing in the doorway, a worried frown on her face. "There's a boy downstairs…he says he's a friend of yours." Dai frowned and turned to Satoshi, who shrugged.

"Bring him up." His mom nodded and left. She returned minutes later with a drenched, miserable looking Dark. "Dark!" Dai exclaimed, much to his mother's shock. He rushed foreword and pulled Dark into his room. "What happened? Where's your coat? Your umbrella?"

"Don't have one." Dark admitted through chattering teeth.

"Mom, get a blanket please." Dai said. Without a thought as to Satoshi's father's warnings of the abuse Dark and Krad suffered, he quickly began removing Dark's clothing. Dark flushed as his shirt was peeled off and Dai let out a soft gasp. His friends back was covered in welts, some only half healed, others old, and some fresh. "Oh Dark…"

"Don't. I don't want your pity." Dark said, shivering. Dai led him over to his bed and glanced at Satoshi.

"Go get a first aid kit. Don't let mom know what you're getting…." Satoshi nodded silently as Dai pulled off Dark's black boots. "I'm not pitying you Dark." He said as he peeled off the holy socks. "We need to get you into warm clothes, so you need to take off your pants."

"I…" Dark shook his head, wrapping his arms around his waist in discomfort.

"I won't watch if you don't want me to."

"Dai? Here's your blanket." Dai took the blanket from his mother, who left at her son's insistence. Satoshi returned seconds after Dai managed to get Darks pants off.

"Thanks Satoshi. Could you get me some spare clothes?" Dark was still as Dai helped him put on some clean, dry sweats. "Dark, I'm going to clean your back up and put some cream on it." Dark nodded.

Satoshi watched from the doorway, obviously concerned for the dark haired boy. Dark looked up as Dai worked on his back. "You might want to find Krad." He said. Satoshi frowned in puzzlement. "His stepfather knows mine, and if I was punished for befriending Dai…."

"Where can I find him?"

TBC