He watched the tall, slender figure as the blond walked slowly around the room, gazing at the mementos on the book shelves. Now and then he would stop, study something, never touching it, but his fingers would twitch a little. Nothing of the man he was watching reminded him of his enemy. Well, almost nothing. The wings were hard to ignore and they made him into what he truly was: a magical being.
Blonde hair spilled over his back, held back in a tightly bound pony tail. The strange little cross at the end of the pony tail had disappeared, just like the white clothes. In their place had appeared leisurely jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and sneakers. Very mundane, Daikii thought. Very unlike Krad.
The demon had changed.
A lot.
His eyes narrowed as Krad finally did touch something. It was a small leather-bound book that the old man recognized as the photo album Kosuke had given Emiko once. It contained images of Daisuke throughout childhood and later of Satoshi as the young Hikari had joined their family.
Krad opened it carefully and the golden eyes with their slit pupil looked at the colourful pictures. A flash of pain crossed the smooth, handsome face and the wings rustled as they were hugged more tightly against the slender back.
Daikii watched and waited, a little confused.
It was amazing to see Krad here anyway. He would have suspected that the demon chose to remain inside his host as Satoshi was sleeping upstairs. He and Daisuke had arrived for a family dinner and decided to spend the night. Daisuke's old room was a guest room now, easily big enough for the two young man to share. Dark had been with them throughout the evening, Krad had decided to stay within his host, apparently still not very much at ease in this family. Daikii couldn't fault him for that.
But now, in the early morning hours, he had left Satoshi and was roaming the house.
The past week's difficulties showed on the smooth features, Daikii mused. Krad looked a bit haggard, almost skittish in his behavior, and the elder Niwa knew that it would take time for both demons to heal from the attacks. Daisuke was still sporting bruises and Satoshi's twisted wrist was wrapped in a bandage. The fight against the violent art work had been long and hard, and it had cost them.
Krad briefly closed his eyes, trembling a little, and when he opened them again he simply put away the album. Something had deeply disturbed him. Suddenly he turned, magic flaring, the wings opening slightly. Daikii raised his hands quietly, meeting the frightened golden eyes.
Fright? Krad was afraid?
Then again, judging from the rather weak flare, the demon wasn't yet in peak condition.
"Good morning," Daikii said calmly. "You're up early."
Krad stared at him, the wings still trembling a little, then the magic settled abruptly, another sign of how weak the being was.
"Shouldn't you still recover in your host?"
"I'm fine," Krad replied dismissively.
Daikii snorted. "I could kick your butt with one arm tied behind my back, Krad."
The golden eyes lit up with outrage, but no hostile move was made. "I'm fine," he just repeated.
So be it, the older Niwa thought. "Tea?" he offered.
Krad hesitated, then nodded. His eyes strayed briefly to the shelf, then he followed Daikii into the kitchen. His wings rustled a little and Daikii hid a smile. He knew why they were out. They gave Krad size, which was simply to protect himself, and Satoshi had once mentioned that while there was a no wings' policy in the home the two young men shared, Krad slipped now and then. Especially when he felt threatened or was weak.
Making tea, he kept an eye on the demon.
"Sugar?" he asked after a moment.
"No."
He handed the mug to Krad, who took it gingerly as if he was afraid that it would be snatched away. Daikii drank silently, still watching.
The silence continued as the two men, one human, one a demon, shared an early morning tea. Krad was quieting down visibly, pale fingers curled around the mug.
Those inhuman, golden eyes met Daikii's and the older man raised his eyebrows.
"Refill?" he offered.
The blond shook his head. "No, I'm good."
Suddenly his head snapped around and the wings shook a little. A few seconds later Satoshi stepped into the room, dressed in sweats, looking tired. The hair was bound back into a haphazard tail and he was just as pale as his demon.
"There you are. Hey." A smile crossed the tired features and the blue eyes filled with relief. Then Satoshi nodded at Daikii, who just raised his mug.
"Tea?" Niwa offered.
"Actually, I think I need a coffee."
He chuckled. "Tea is just as strong, my boy. It's a myth that coffee is a better wake-up drug."
Satoshi shrugged and started the percolator. "Right now, I'm craving something more like coffee."
While the machine was brewing his coffee, he walked over to his former curse and Daikii watched as Satoshi's features gentled even more, as a hand tenderly stroked over the wing closest to him.
"Shouldn't you be resting?" he asked softly, barely loud enough for the other to hear.
Krad evaded the blue gaze and Satoshi curled his hand around an arm, leaning forward.
"Come back," he coaxed.
It was as if those had been the magic words. The demon form dissolved and for a brief moment, Satoshi closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. When he opened them again, Daikii met the level gaze with a little smile.
"Better," Niwa murmured.
Satoshi just nodded and filled his mug with coffee. "Better," he echoed.
Daikii refilled his own mug and continued his watch, but this time his target was the host of the demon who had once been Dark's fiercest enemy. He had an inkling as to what it was like to carry such a being, but for him it had been Dark. The thief had been different than Krad, had never tried to take over, to harm, to hurt, to inflict pain. He had never tried to control. Dark had been a back seat rider unless called upon. Krad had been a dominant, fearsome monster.
Now Satoshi was a host to his former nightmare once more and so much had changed. Just looking into the peaceful blue eyes told Daikii that nothing of the past horror was there any more. Krad was no longer the monster; he was Dark's other half.
Satoshi gave him a little smirk, then nodded wordlessly and wandered off back into the room he shared with his lover, Daikii's grand-child Daisuke.
Daikii chuckled. Things had truly changed lately. The return of Dark and Krad had been a surprise, but the way the two had developed, the changes in Krad, had been astounding.
"To more changes to come," Daikii toasted the silent kitchen and raised his mugs. "And may they be positive."
end of this ficlet
to be continued