Title: Boys of Summer

Author: SapphirexKat2

Rating: PG-13 (At least for a while)

Pairing: Eventual SatoshixDaisuke; KradxDark .

Warnings: VERY AU (no Phantom Thief, Wing Tamers, etc.); Maybe a little OoC.

Disclaimer: I do not own DN Angel nor its gorgeous bishounen.

Summary: Dark and Daisuke Niwa go to Summer Camp for a whole month. Meanwhile, they meet two half brothers, who both moved from Tokyo. Two get on the right foot, but not the other pair. The Four get to know each other more, and share lunch together!

Status: Incomplete series.

Chapter 1: The Journey to Summer II

000

Daisuke quietly drummed his hands on his lap to an unknown tune as minutes ticked by in silence. At least he was getting somewhere; Satoshi had just introduced himself. He didn't know if it was an invitation to a friendship, or to give Daisuke some information about himself to make him finally shut up. In any case Daisuke was glad that he had someone with him in the compartment rather than be alone while his brother gallivanted and made new friends.

'I wonder how he does it,' Daisuke thought, staring at the blur of trees outside the shuttle. He sighed.

"Is there something wrong?" Satoshi asked quietly. The red head turned towards him, confused.

"Huh?"

"It's just that you've been sighing like that for the past ten minutes."

Daisuke blinked. How observant. "Ah, no, I'm fine. Sorry," he replied, feeling awkward. Those azure orbs were locked onto him again, and he glanced away. 'He's been doing that for the past ten minutes, too.' Daisuke didn't want to sound mean, but it was kind of creeping him out.

" – Okay, thanks!" A girl suddenly appeared at their compartment doorway. She had long brown hair and a friendly smile. "Hey, I'm sorry. Have you seen a girl pass by here? She's my twin sister."

Daisuke turned to her and tried to reply, but his vocal chords didn't seem to want to work. It was the most popular girl from his school, Harada Risa. He remembered having a crush on her since elementary, but she only had eyes for his older brother. "Harada-san?"

"Oh! Niwa-kun!" She exclaimed brightly. "That's right, you said you were coming to the camp." Risa stepped in and sat beside him. Her curious brown eyes turned to Satoshi. "You must be Hiwatari-kun."

Satoshi looked at her. "Un."

She gazed at him a little while longer before turning to Daisuke. "Niwa-kun, can you help me look for my sister? She's been running around all over and I need to find her."

Daisuke could never say no to anyone, especially to Risa. He nodded. "Sure, Harada-san," he replied with a grin. They stood, and he turned to Satoshi as Risa already left. The blue haired teen was facing the window again. 'He must love nature,' he thought, 'and not like me.' "I'll see you later," he said before following after his classmate.

Risa was waiting for him outside, and they began walking further down the train. "It must have been really boring in there," she said. "Sakura-chan says that he doesn't speak to anyone."

Daisuke titled his head, not understanding. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused. He just had a rather long conversation with him just twenty minutes ago.

"Sakura-chan's sister is a good friend of Krad-san, Hiwatari-kun's older brother, so they kind of know each other," she replied, looking into a compartment. A group of teens they didn't know were sleeping. The two moved on. "Hiwatari-kun practically ignored her every time she tried to talk to him. Krad-san even says that he doesn't have any friends."

Daisuke sympathized with Satoshi. "Didn't he just move here, though?" he asked. "He's probably not used to new surroundings."

Risa shrugged. "I suppose," she agreed uncertainly. Looking ahead towards the end of the shuttle, she brightened and grabbed Daisuke's wrist. "Come on. I think I found Riku." The red head stumbled after her.

000

Dark didn't realize just how many teens were attending the camp. Apparently some even came from as far north as Hokkaidou and down south as Kyuushuu, but they had origins leading back to their region. He even saw some old friends from childhood.

Even as he was busy with chattering around, his mind refused to stay focused on the subjects being discussed. He barely knew what he was talking about half the time! He guessed it was because he was still thinking about that arrogant blonde.

'Ugh! Can't I just get it out of my head?' he scolded himself. Perhaps it was because Dark hated being embarrassed in front of people (especially girls, and Krad did just that!), and he didn't let go of grudges easily. Yeah, it had to be that.

In spite of popular belief, Dark didn't have a singular clique that he hung out in, so he just basically floated around, staying with whoever would have him and move on if he got bored. It was always like that; he was surprised that no one saw the pattern. Maybe Dark searched for something, and when he didn't find it, he moved on.

Would he find it at the camp? Perhaps.

000

"Riku! Where were you?"

Risa's older twin sat alone at the very last compartment. She startled at Risa's light scolding and noticed Daisuke standing beside her.

"Niwa-kun," she said in mild surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping me look for you," replied Risa as she sat across from her twin. "What's the matter?"

Riku sighed. "I just wanted to be alone," she replied in slight exasperation. Her cheeks colored slightly when Daisuke sat beside her.

"Yeah, it is kinda loud, I guess," he agreed sheepishly. He felt a little awkward being in such close proximity with the Harada twins. He used to have a crush on Risa (but she liked Dark), and Riku didn't seem to like him very much. She was always very quiet around him, not expressing herself as much.

Risa turned to Daisuke. "That reminds me, Niwa-kun," she said cheerfully. "Where's Dark-san? I don't think I've seen him yet."

"Ah. He's probably wandering around," Daisuke replied. "You can't miss him again –"

"Well, I'll see you both later then." Risa declared, abruptly standing. "Gomen, Riku-chan. I'm afraid I forgot what I came to ask you for. I'll just talk to you later. Thanks Niwa-kun." She left without waiting for a response, and the two teens sat in silence.

Half of Daisuke wanted to leave, but then he wanted to stay and keep Riku company. He didn't know her very well; she was an occasional friend whom he spoke to in class. Daisuke would've liked to have known her better, but they didn't seem to click very well.

"So, are you excited about this summer?" he asked after a while to start a conversation. He moved to the seat across from Riku to see her better. She glanced at him.

"Sure. I think it'll be great," she replied with a small smile. It looked quite shy. "Are you?"

Daisuke nodded. "Yeah. It's my first time, so I hope it goes well." He sat back and look towards the compartment doorway and out the window on the other side, uncertain of what else to say. He had never felt so lame in his life.

"You don't have to stay," Riku said quietly. "I came in here to be alone, remember?" Her tone was light, as if she was joking, but Daisuke, who didn't know this, took it literally.

"Oh, sorry." He stood, but not discouragingly. He was actually a little grateful for the opportunity to escape the awkward atmosphere. She looked up at him as he prepared to leave. "See you later, Riku-san."

"Bye," she replied, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice as he disappeared.

000

Dark had eventually made his way to the front of the train, where he found himself at a dead end (unless he wanted to make friends with the conductor in the next room), so he just lingered there for a while before turning back. Maybe he could go back to his compartment and bug his little brother. He could put Daisuke in headlocks and tease him about camp, and how he had to leave with a girlfriend. The teen grinned. Suddenly that sounded better than making any more new friends for the rest of the trip. Besides, chatting made him a little hungry.

The violet haired teen slowly began to weave his way through the crowd again (not that he minded). He did, however, have to get out of conversations with people who obviously wanted him to stay. Dark only plastered on a charming smile and left with a word or two, saying that they had a whole month to catch up on things. In the recesses of his mind, though, was a warning, and Dark unconsciously watched out for a flash of blonde; for he didn't know what would happen if they crossed paths again.

"Dark-san!"

Dark glanced ahead and saw a young lady rushing towards him. He smiled as he recognized her. "Hey, Riku-chan," he replied. She practically jumped into his arms.

"I've missed you," she said, practically snuggling into his stomach. "Where were you?"

"Around." Dark only knew Risa through Daisuke, and he respected her because Daisuke liked her. He knew of her feelings towards him, but he just ignored it. She'd probably outgrow her crush anyway.

Risa pulled away. "I just wanted to see you. Maybe we can hang out sometime," she suggested hopefully. Never the one to turn down an invitation from a girl (no matter what age), he nodded.

"Okay," he replied with a wink. Risa embraced him again before running off, and he continued on.

He was close to his compartment and still didn't run into Krad at all. He was both relieved and disappointed. Looking ahead, he caught sight of his little brother coming back from the opposite direction. He smirked.

"Whatcha doin', Dai-chan?" he asked teasingly as he peered over the red head's shoulder. "Anyone interesting down there?"

Daisuke blushed. "Wh-What are you talking about?" he asked, embarrassed. His brother could be so embarrassing!

Dark's smirk grew, obviously satisfied with Daisuke's reaction. "Ah, so there is someone…"

The color of Daisuke's face darkened, matching his hair. "Dark!"

"Heh. Just kidding, Dai-chan."

The two Niwas came closer and turned into their compartment. They paused at the doorway upon seeing a new addition.

"Well, if it isn't the pervert."

Daisuke looked from the blonde to Dark. The expression on his brother's face was priceless, and he fought hard not to laugh. "A friend of yours, Onii-san?" he asked, trying to keep a straight face. He knew that only Dark's closest friends knew called him that (less than often), but he had never seen the blonde before.

Not wanting to make a scene Dark kept his cool. "No, not really," he replied calmly, sitting across from Satoshi (who was previously talking to the blonde beside him).

Daisuke noticed a flash of sadness behind golden eyes. He glanced at Satoshi. "Is this your brother?" he asked, suddenly remembering their conversation earlier. He sat next to his brother (who was currently glaring out the window).

Satoshi nodded.

Krad looked at Satoshi. "Ah, so you've finally spoken to someone? How nice." He turned to Daisuke with a disarming smile. "I'm Krad."

"Niwa Daisuke," the red head replied, instantly liking Krad's politeness. He heard Dark snort beside him and vaguely wondered what happened between the two older teens.

"Well, Daisuke, I must be going." Krad stood. "Nice meeting you. 'Bye, Dark," he said, blonde hair shifting as he walked out of the compartment. Dark didn't even acknowledge him. Daisuke turned to his older brother and scowled.

"What's the matter now?" he asked disapprovingly. "You were quiet."

"Long story," Dark replied flatly.

Daisuke sighed and turned to Satoshi. "Do you know what happened, Hiwatari-kun?"

"I have an idea," he replied truthfully. Dark jumped in alarm.

"I didn't start it, all right?" he said to Satoshi defensively. "Totally not my fault."

The blue haired teen looked indifferent. "Happens all the time."

Dark relaxed and sighed. What was he being so uptight about anyway? Who cares who started what? Daisuke glanced between the two boys but said nothing concerning their subject. He figured that it must have been serious, though, to get Dark so flustered about it.

000

Daisuke began to feel a little sleepy, and so he kept yawning. It was nearly lunchtime, he knew, but he was more tired than hungry (probably because he stayed up until 3 a.m. to pack). Dark peered at him from the corner of his eye when he let out his fifth yawn.

"If you're tired, Dai-chan, then just take a nap already!" he said in exasperation. "Here, lay down." The older Niwa searched under the seat for the duffel bag, opened it, and pulled out a black sweatshirt. He folded it and placed it beside his leg. "Now, sleep."

Daisuke nodded gratefully and lied down until his head rested on the folded clothing. He had enough space so that he could at least bend his legs on the seat. The sweatshirt smelt of Dark's familiar cologne, and he snuggled closer before drifting off to a light slumber.

"Too innocent for your own good," Dark whispered softly as he gazed down at the red head. He toyed with some strands of the crimson colored hair. Some clamor could be heard outside from the other teens, and he turned to Satoshi. "Do me a favor, and slide the door shut?" he asked (which was as polite as he would get).

The blue haired teen got up without a response or complaint and complied. Dark gave a small smile.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

The silence was practically stifling, and Dark was also getting so bored that he wanted to nap too. He glanced at the teen sitting opposite of him. 'Is he always this quiet?' he wondered. 'Or that emotionless? I suppose I would keep to myself too if I had that creep for a brother…' He hoped that Daisuke would never be like that to him.

000

Not even ten minutes passed by when Dark started feeling tired too (he was up practically all night and morning talking with Menou), and wanted to sleep as well. With a few incoherent mumbles, he tried getting comfortable against the wall and shut his eyes.

000

Daisuke tried shifting on the small space, thinking it was his bed for a moment and nearly fell off. He maneuvered his body up just in time to prevent the fall, and he was wide awake.

The room was otherwise quiet except for the movement of the train. He blinked and saw Krad with a rather amused expression on his face. Satoshi napped as he rested on his shoulder. Daisuke flushed under the golden gaze.

"Comfortable?" Krad asked a little sarcastically. Daisuke shifted.

"A little," he replied, sitting up. 'But not with you staring at me.' He was careful not to disturb Dark.

"Did Satoshi-kun put you to sleep?" asked Krad, as if he expected him to. Daisuke shook his head.

"No. I was just tired." He studied the blonde a little closer, and he came to the conclusion that while he appeared to be fair, there was more than what met the eye. "But I bet we put him to sleep," he added as a joke. Krad gave a hint of a sincere smile.

"Probably."

Daisuke focused on something else, but he could still feel Krad's gaze in his direction. When he stole a quick glance at the blonde, however, he found that he was mistaken. While Krad was looking in his general area, he was actually concentrating on Dark. This rekindled his earlier curiosity.

"So how do you know Dark?" he asked conversationally (he'd been doing a lot of that today!). "Your family just moved in two weeks ago, right?"

Krad turned his attention to him. "Just here on the train," he replied simply. "Misunderstanding, I suppose."

"Ah. I know that Hiwatari-kun is going to be a freshman. I'm guessing you'll be a senior?"

Krad's brow cocked in interest. "I'm impressed," he said with honest conviction. "What else did Satoshi-kun tell you?"

Daisuke thought of the blonde's behavior to be a little strange, but he didn't comment on it out loud. He remembered Risa saying that Satoshi hasn't spoken to anyone, and she was just as surprised when Daisuke said that he was having a conversation with him. "Your family came from Tokyo, live by Azumano High, and he doesn't seem to like inquisitive people," Daisuke replied with the last part as an after thought.

Krad nodded. "The first two are correct, but not the third," he said thoughtfully. "He actually likes curiosity. It helps him to better understand others." He paused. "What made you think that?"

For some odd reason Daisuke blushed, and it wasn't because he was embarrassed about making a mistake. He glanced at the slumbering figure on Krad's shoulder. "Sorry. I just don't think he likes me very much, then."

Krad didn't respond.

000

Dark slowly came back to consciousness when he felt that he was becoming very hungry. His stomach ached with emptiness as he woke up to a silent compartment. He blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes and stretched slightly. Relaxing, he noticed Krad sitting opposite of him and blatantly watching him. He jumped.

"When did you get in here?" he asked sharply, pulling his shirt down self-consciously (it rode up to expose his tummy). He turned to Daisuke smiling awkwardly up at him, easily reading his discomfort as if he knew something. Dark wondered what transpired while he was asleep.

"This is my compartment too, you know," Krad replied a little reproachfully, as if offended. "Got a problem?"

As Dark opened his mouth to reply, Daisuke, the peace-maker that he was, saved him the trouble and spoke instead. "I'm kind of hungry. Anyone want to eat?"

Dark immediately forgot about his earlier irritation at the mention of food. "Oh yeah, I'm starving," he replied, fishing around under the seat for Daisuke's bag. Daisuke sighed in relief as a conflict was avoided. He somehow figured that Dark and Krad weren't really the best of friends at the moment, and the last thing they needed was a fight in the shuttle.

A soft bell rang on the intercom, announcing the message from the conductor. "Good afternoon, young ladies and gentleman. We will be arriving at our destination in another three hours. Thank you."

Daisuke glanced at his watch. It was currently twelve thirty. Looking back up. He saw Satoshi waking up. He supposed that the conductor's announcement disrupted his nap. Daisuke scowled at the inconsideration of the old man.

Dark finally pulled out the big containers of food. He searched for some sort of surface to place it on. He looked at his armrest against the wall and began fiddling with it. Alas, he found some sort of the table that swung up and folded back in front of him. He began sorting out the containers (that were stacked on top of each other) when Daisuke nudged him with his elbow and discreetly tilted his head towards the teens sitting across from them. The older Niwa glared at his brother, as if saying, 'so what?', but Daisuke wouldn't have it. His own crimson eyes said, 'Come on, be nice, please?'; they shone brightly.

Cursing his brother's adorability, he looked at the blonde and blue haired teen. He liked Satoshi well enough, just not Krad. "This is a lot," he said kindly, yet a little awkwardly. "Want to have lunch with us?" He could feel Daisuke beaming beside him, and he promised himself to torture the boy later.

Satoshi glanced away. "Thank you, but I'm not very hungry," he replied softly, moving back against his seat as if withdrawing away. Daisuke inwardly frowned in disappointment. He was so thin!

Krad acted cool about it. "No thanks," he said, twirling a lock of his hair. Dark arched a brow, as if saying, 'fine'.

However, Daisuke felt bad, and he didn't want to eat anymore. "Never mind, Onii-san, you go ahead."

"Whaaat? Are you kidding me?" Dark gaped at Daisuke as if he just said that they weren't brothers. "You don't wanna eat?"

Daisuke shook his head, his gaze downcast. "Nah."

Dark was about to reach out and shake the younger Niwa when Satoshi suddenly spoke up.

"On second thought, lunch sounds great."

Smiling softly to himself, Daisuke look up at Dark and grinned. "Okay! Let's eat."

Krad rolled his eyes. "That was so sickeningly sweet," he muttered.

Dark gave Daisuke another look, slightly startled at the red head's sudden capriciousness. "So what changed your mind, Dai-chan?"

"I just got really hungry." Daisuke glanced at Satoshi and winked. The blue haired teen returned the gesture with a soft smile.

Krad, who noticed the exchange, swore that his tooth ached.

"So, are you going to eat, too?" Dark asked him suddenly. "You don't have to, but if you wanted –"

"Sure."

To be continued...

Wow, this was long. Hope you liked it. Thank you for all of your reviews!! I really appreciate them! Happy New Year, Everyone!!

SapphirexKat2