Disclaimer: Don't own nothin', 'cept maybe your head, if you try to sue.

Warnings: Shonen-ai, pretty non-existent plot, relatively non-existent timeline, slight OOC, angst. Second chapter of a first-time fic, if that counts as a warning.

"Not sure if I'll bother with a sequel as it's a bitch trying to muddle stuff out, but if I do, it will be posted within the week."—I lied. Sorry about that.

Dark blinked, stunned by the sheer intensity of the emotions that had overwhelmed both his and his counterpart's host. Truth be told, he had been rather stunned by the suddenness of it all, despite the fact that he had indeed known of the commander's attraction to his host. Krad would not have appeared otherwise.

But he had not expected things to have gone this deeply, and now felt like a complete idiot for not noticing sooner. What surprised him even more was that Satoshi had lost control of himself long enough to reveal it, as well as Daisuke's reaction to that fact. Granted, it had been a perfectly chaste kiss, and only on the forehead, but it had been Daisuke who had initiated it, not to mention the fact that he had then turned promptly into Dark… The kaitou blinked again, unsure as to whether to be amused or worried.

He really did not have the time to be sitting around thinking about such things at the moment though. Yelping in alarm, the violet-haired thief jumped aside, narrowly avoiding the crackling ball of energy that flew past him, smashing into a wall. Continuing the motion, he used his momentum to roll to his feet, turning just in time to see another shot go by. He winced inwardly, thinking of the damage all this was causing. Throwing astral energies about at each other was all fine and dandy when out on a deserted rock of an island in the middle of the sea, but Hiwatari's house was going to be a wreck if this carried on, not to mention what would happen if someone happened to pass by. While the district was fairly empty at this time of day, and the blasts were fairly small, this was not a battle that should have been waged in broad daylight. Narrowing his eyes, Dark started into his customary banter even as he began to move about, dodging the blasts of light. His voice was light as usual, with only the slightest bit of steel to hint at the deep-seated anger he felt. "Uncaring and selfish as always. Nice to see you're doing well, Kraddikins my love, but jeeze, we really need to work on your social skills."

Pausing, he flipped himself over yet another ball of lightning before returning a purple-black shot of his own. On the move once more, he picked up the thread of his one-sided conversation with ease. "I mean, I know you're absolutely delighted to see me again, and the lightning balls are very pretty, but really, most people just like to say 'hello'. Much easier, and almost guaranteed not to leave any permanent holes in the walls. C'mon Kradsie-poo, I know you can do it if you just try; it's not that hard. Say It with me: Hell-llooooo—"

The thief's rambling was cut off as Krad flew at him, maneuvering with a speed and agility that was truly remarkable given the cramped confines of the house as well as the injuries he had sustained the night before. Dark met him head on, and the two wound up crashing to the floor, tumbling over and over as each tried to get a strangle-hold on the other without getting either kicked, punched, blasted, or strangled himself. The struggle was short, and Dark soon succeeded in slamming his archenemy hard against the tiles, pinning the blonde's limbs with a force that was enough to completely cut off the blood circulation of a normal human.

(Dark…) Daisuke, who had been strangely quiet up till that moment, did the mental equivalent of a tug on the sleeve. In return, Dark did the equivalent of an impatient brush-off.

((I know, I know, don't kill him, right? I won't. But Daisuke, someday something is going to have to give, and I have no intention of letting it be us.))

He turned his attention back to the matter at hand. "Well, hello… Beautiful view from up here… Ought to do this more often."

Krad snarled, straining to free himself, which simply made his situation worse, and afforded Dark no small measure of amusement. Lowering his head, he flashed his teeth in a predatory smile before speaking again, this time in smooth, silky tones that could only be called 'dangerous'. "That's quite enough, I think."

Large, feline eyes fixed on the kaitou, and the homicidal blonde smirked, his gritted teeth the only sign that he felt anything. For the first time that day, Krad replied. "Oh? You think? On the contrary, it is nowhere near enough… Not until you are dead and erased will it be enough, Dark Mousy."

Dark laughed, though it was completely mirthless. He tightened his hold further, and was pleased when he caught the almost inaudible hiss of pain. He shook his head in mock sorrow "Krad, Krad… Give it up already, why don't you. You're no match for me at the moment, and you'll probably end up killing your host if this goes on. Not that I'd be particularly saddened if you disappeared from the face of the earth either, mind you, but life would be ever so boring without Hiwatari soushirei-dono about. Security personnel these days just have no imagination…"

"Perhaps so, but if it means a chance to get rid of you…" Without warning, the muscles beneath him bunched as Krad gathered all his strength together in a last-ditch effort to free himself. "… It is worth it!"

The angelic demon managed to shift his hands only a bit, but it was enough. Unable to let go in time, Dark found himself being thrown back by a blast of energy that tore into his side, causing him to gasp in pain. Ignoring Daisuke's startled cry, he looked down, cursing as he saw the blood. It looked worse than it actually was, and was certainly not as bad as it could have been, but it still hurt like hell. It occurred to him then that he was going to have an absolute field day trying to explain that wound to Emiko Niwa.

Nevertheless, there were more pressing matters at hand. His pupils wide with fury, he began to move, though perhaps with a touch less grace than before, and the fight began anew.

"My… Did I hurt you? I do apologise for that. Although I have been told that there is no more pain in death, so it will probably be alright." The blonde's taunting words were maliciously cold, and were meant to intimidate. Dark however, knew better. He had been battling his counterpart for more than three hundred years, and could read him like an open book with words that were printed in bold. He knew that even while he was beginning to tire, Krad was nearing the last of his strength. Laughing out loud, he replied mockingly, punctuating his words with a series of small energy bolts.

"Really? How long more to go, Krad? How much more can your host give? How far will you drain him? To the point of death? That would be fun to watch. I wouldn't even need to do anything then—You'd just keel over and die, and without any help from me." He dodged a flying fist, sending another dark violet bolt into the other's ribs.

Somehow managing to remain upright through the pain, Krad rose again on bloodstained feathers, returning the thief's taunt. "I think age is getting to you, my dear Dark Mousy. You appear to have become delusional. All the more reason why I ought to end it quickly."

Dark laughed again. "You'd do it too, wouldn't you? Kill him just in the hope that you could maybe, just possibly take me with you? And never mind the fact that he is your tamer, that his only reason for being caught up in this is because he happened to be born to the wrong family, as is the case with yet another person, that he's put up with you for a good year and supplied you with whatever energy you've needed and carelessly thrown away?"

A gleam came into the violet depths as their owner continued to bait the winged demon, his tone almost conversational. "You have no qualms about any of that, do you? Of course not. It's why I hate you so much, you know. Everything is all about you. What you want, what you need, what you feel like doing… It doesn't matter who you hurt, who you kill, whether it be me, your own host, or some random innocent off the streets. You care nothing for life, and nothing for death, treating them as your tools, taking and using them at will for your intents… You, you, you. It's always been that way, always. You're like a parasite, Krad. And parasites—"

This time, it was Dark who tackled his opponent, and they hit the floor hard, phantom thief pinning the hunter immediately. "—should be squashed"

Caught off guard, Krad flinched involuntarily, jerking his head to the side in anticipation of the final strike. For a moment, it seemed as though three centuries of never-ending conflict would finally be over, that there would now be a victor, and the Niwa and Hikari families would, for the first time in history, be free of the burden that had been laid on each of them so long ago that it seemed almost at the beginning of time. The rift would have been closed, a conclusion arrived at, and the whole, sad, ridiculously long drama would have been laid to rest. It might have been better had it played out that way. Life might actually have regained the modicum of normalcy that had been wrested from it. But it never happened.

Dark froze, staring at the winged demon beneath him and tightened his grip, as though forcing himself to do something that he did not want to do. A long moment passed, and another, in which the only sound in the entire house was that of their harsh panting, and perhaps the dripping of blood from their wounds. It was then a cool breeze blew through the open window, breaking the silence and cooling the sweat-soaked strands of violet hair. Slowly, ever so slowly, the close-to-maniacal gleam faded, and he sagged, turning his head fiercely aside.

(Dark…?) Daisuke's hesitant voice drifted through the mental fog, heavily tinged with worry and fear. Dark heard it, and he closed his eyes, projecting as much reassurance as he could.

((It's alright Dai,)) he said, unconsciously echoing the red head's words spoken mere moments before. ((Or at least, it is now.))

Evidently deciding to take him at his word, Daisuke gave a note of acknowledgement before fading into the background once more, leaving Dark alone. With Krad.

Time began to take on a strange quality. It was almost as though they were trapped in limbo, and nothing mattered anymore; not the fight, not the destruction all around, nor the wounds that covered him all over. Nothing mattered, except for one thing, and that was the golden-haired seraph laying helplessly on his back, all battered and bloody, the cruel light gone from his face, as was the fight. He was too drained to do anything but lie there with his eyes half-closed and breathe, completely vulnerable. At last, Dark let out a sigh and spoke in a soft, shaky voice. "Why do we fight?"

Eyelids flickered open, and the cat-like pupils turned weakly. "What… The hell do you think you are doing?"

"Why do we fight?" Dark persisted. "Have you ever truly thought about it?"

The other glared. "We have a duty to fulfill."

"Duty? Do you really think that? Three hundred years of constant, bitter feuding. Over what? It's not as though you care a great deal for the artworks, or the Hikari duty and pride, or even the Hikaris themselves. We both know that it's not just me, that anyone with sufficient magic running through their bloodlines would be able to seal the artworks; it's just that the Niwas took it upon themselves as a job, is all. Pardon the expression, but duty my arse."

A sad, bitter chuckle. "It's always baffled me how time and again, the heirs of both families would gravitate towards each other in friendship, or even love. No matter what we did to discourage it, they still found a way to form that bond, even if it meant it would cause their deaths. We've gone through a couple of hosts that way, haven't we?"

He paused, experiencing the memories as they floated up. "Now I wonder if they had been the ones with more sense, if they hadn't simply looked to the heart of the matter and seen just how stupid everything is. And it is stupid. Generation after generation, every single waking moment spent centered around this pointless centuries-old battle. Don't you ever get… tired? You and I… We keep saying we want to live; we want to have a real life with our own personalities and bodies. You even try to claim your hosts in some semblance of love, while I strive for a love that will never come into fruition. All this so we can live. But just look at what we do with it the very moment we're granted anything remotely close to it. You'd think there'd be more to life than simply trying to blast someone else out of existence, but we seem to have made it the only thing right now."

Dark took a deep, ragged breath. "So I ask again: Why do we fight?"

There was a slow shake of the head, as though hypnotized, and Krad whispered. "I do not know."

The thief tightened his jaw and looked away. "We're still going to end up killing each other, aren't we."

There was a long silence, in which Krad sighed, closing his eyes before opening them again. But this time, there was less confusion in the golden pupils. Neither was there any of his customary maliciousness. Instead, he seemed, for the first time that he could remember, at peace, and the strange note in his voice made the other look back in surprise. "I do not know that either, Dark. This… has gone on for too long, and I can no longer give a definitive answer to any of your questions. But… I do want my own existence. Perhaps, just perhaps, we will find our own way someday."

To his own surprise, Dark laughed, a genuine laugh, and the sorrow that had been lurking in him started to disappear. "Hope springs eternal, hm?" Carefully and gently, he lowered his head until their brows touched. Warm lips brushed lightly against a cool cheek, and he murmured, right before light of transformation surrounded them "Then… It is enough. For now."

The figures lay, side by side with arms wrapped about each other. As the soft light died away, one stirred restlessly. Slowly, the other lifted a hand and brushed locks of hair from his brow. Dark red eyes met clear blue. Ignoring the pain from their wounds, as well as the tears that threatened to brim over, the two leaned towards each other, and for the first time, their lips met in an achingly tender kiss. It wasn't much. It didn't last long. But it was a beginning.

Owari

Author's Note: Aaaand MORE fluff gone bad. I give up . Don't think there'll be anymore after this though, so that's good. Still tired out of my head, which might be the reason for all that angst, since I'm in a rather self-pitying mood at the moment . Sorry for any weirdness, OOC-ness (and I KNOW it's there), the overdoing of Dark's dialogue,and any other errors you might find. Mucho gracias for the reviews on the previous chapter; you made my day, especially since I happen to stalk a couple of your fics.

Oh well, guess I'd better get back to work. Thanks again all.