Finally come to terms with it?
"What are you talking about?" Satoshi muttered crossly as he shifted through his miniscule digital video disc collection, searching for a good show.
Your little pet. He doesn't love you. And you so had your heart set on him. The voice in his mind snickered maliciously.
"Shut up, Krad." Finally he decided on a plastic case and stood. He flipped his computer on and placed the DVD in the tray. While the machine was reading the disc, he hit "play" on his CD player and made his way to his kitchen.
Hiwatari Satoshi had lived on his own for the past year as a sort of experiment, testing to see if he could really survive on his own. He was sure he could—his parents weren't quite to certain, especially the disastrous week in the mountains. Still, they let him have his way.
Popcorn merrily snapping away in the microwave and the tea kettle on the stove just beginning its shrill whistle, he was right on time. Satoshi snatched up the pot and poured the hot water over a mug of instant cocoa and pulled the bag of fluffy unwholesome goodness just as the microwave turned to zero. A little butter salt and powdered cheese and he was all set to watch the movie.
At least he would've been if the computer had finished reading the disc yet. The movie was a copy of a copy, and not in the best of conditions, and so the machine had to strain to read the datastreams. Patient and content to wait, Satoshi settled himself on his vast, empty bed, popcorn in lap and cocoa on the headboard.
You know, I could always take his place, the insidious voice in the back of his mind whispered seductively. Even if I couldn't find him, we can do without.
The blunet not-so-politely snorted and leaned against the wall. His head began to throb, and he reached for the remote to lower the lighting. A stabbing pain began between and behind his eyes, and he covered his eyes with a hand. "I wish you'd just go away," he muttered. "You're making me ill."
Krad sniffed disdainfully and faded into the darkness of Satoshi's subconscious. The blunet opened his eyes a crack to check the computer screen. A small square of a notice had popped up, informing him that the disc could not be read.
Sighing, he shifted away from the bed and tapped a few keys, singing along to the music under his breath. "Kie yuku Fake Light… umare yuku True Light… kono te ni…" He pulled the disc from the drive and sighed when he noted the countless scratches, small and long.
His doorbell rang.
Raising an eyebrow, he glanced at the luminous clock and noted the time. Midnight thirty? Who would be calling on me this late? His apartment was on the top story of a building without elevators—nobody would be coming to bother him unless it was important. Curious, he opened the door. "Hello?"
"Satoshi-kun?"
The corridor was dark, and not much light came from the inside of the apartment since he'd turned down the lighting. Still, there was no mistaking the huddled mass just outside his door. Satoshi blinked and took an involuntary step back. "Niwa-kun?"
Daisuke wrapped his arms about himself tighter, but it didn't help any. He looked a mess, Satoshi noted. An uneasiness filled the pit of his stomach. The redhead's skin was filthy and sallow, and his clothing hung in tatters from his frame. His claret eyes were somewhat sunken, hidden behind a skein of grimy locks. Satoshi noted with a sudden chill that the younger boy's hair resembled dried blood.
"C-can I come in?" Daisuke whispered. "I… I don't have anywhere else to go…"
"Nani? Oh, hai! Come in. Yes, of course…" He stepped back and flipped the lights on. "What happened to you, Niwa-kun? You look terrible."
Daisuke took a step into the apartment then stopped before he trod onto the light beige carpeting. He looked around with big eyes and wrapped his arms around himself tighter. The shivers began, sending chilling recollections racing through Satoshi's mind. The blunet snatched the blanket up off the back of the couch and wrapped it around Daisuke's shoulders.
"You're soaked—come on, let's get you changed into some of my clothes." He led the shaking redhead through the small apartment into his bedroom. He pushed the boy down onto the bed and began shuffling through his closet, pulling out random clothes.
When he turned around with an armful of garments, the other still hadn't moved, sitting with a hollow, empty look in his eyes. Tisking under his breath, the blunet removed the redhead's shirt, turning his nose up in disgust as the fabric all but disintegrated in his fingers.
Finally Daisuke came awake, but not in a very positive way. A half-shriek tore its way from his throat and he pushed Satoshi away roughly, wrapping his thin arms around his bare chest. His eyes were wide and panicked, and he huddled back in the corner. "Don't touch me!"
Satoshi stood there, arms held out at his sides. "Niwa-kun, it's me. Satoshi. I won't hurt you. You're safe here." Slowly he sat down on the edge of his bed and held his hand out to the shaking redhead. "Will you come to me?"
Panicked claret eyes glanced from the outstretched, empty hand to the blunet's face and back before recognition and clarity came back to his eyes. Tears spilled down his cheeks and he sobbed as he crawled into Satoshi's lap. "Satoshi, I don't want to go back. You can't send me back. They hurt me, and they killed him—"
"Niwa, it's okay! Shh…" Satoshi wrapped his arms around the redhead's quivering frame and rocked him gently. "You're safe, I'm not sending you anywhere but perhaps to bed. What happened? Where have you been?"
"I… they… I don't want to talk about it tonight." He shifted around until his back was pressed to Satoshi's front and the blunet's arms were wrapped securely around him. "Can I stay here?"
"Hai, of course…" Confusion swirled through Satoshi's mind. Something's wrong and he wants to tell me but he won't. He keeps changing his mind. "I'll sleep on the couch and you can have my bed—"
"No!" An even shriller note of panic entered the redhead's voice. "You said you wouldn't leave me! Don't leave me alone!"
"Shh, okay, it's okay, Niwa, relax," he soothed, resuming the steady rocking motion. He pressed a light kiss to the back of the boy's head and reassuringly squeezed his hands. "I'm right here; I won't leave you alone. Why don't you shower and change your clothes, and we'll get some rest? We can talk in the morning, okay?"
A short pause, then a quiet, almost inaudible, "Okay…" His hand latched firmly onto Satoshi's as the blunet gathered up the fallen clothes and led him to the bathroom.
"I'll be in the bedroom when you get out of the shower," he told the redhead gently. "So whenever you're done, just come on back, okay?"
"Okay…" He stared at his feet as he clutched the clothes to his chest.
He looks so lost…
More like pitiful…
Satoshi ignored his inner voice and pressed a gentle kiss to Daisuke's forehead. "It'll be all right," he promised softly.
The computer was shut down and the stereo playing very softly when Daisuke pushed the bedroom door open. The lights were off—Satoshi wasn't in there. Daisuke felt a tiny claw of fear worm its way into his stomach. He ran into the kitchen, stumbling somewhat on the oversized black pants. "Satoshi-kun?"
As if by magic the blunet appeared, looking somewhat startled. Daisuke launched himself at the older boy. Satoshi wrapped his arms gently around Daisuke. "I told you I wasn't going anywhere, kaji. I'm right here. You're fine. You're out of the shower quicker than I expected is all."
Daisuke didn't say anything, just stood clinging to him.
"Hn." Satoshi's eyes softened and he held the younger boy to him. After a quiet moment, he asked softly, "Ready to go to bed?"
The redhead nodded mutely. Satoshi took his hand and led him back into the bedroom.
They curled up on the bed much like they had in the cave, with Satoshi cradling the other to his chest protectively. Tonight was somewhat different, though—the air was thicker, tenser. Satoshi buried his face in the other's hair and breathed in deep: the scents of his shampoo and soap inflamed his senses. Yesyesyesyes, he sighed mentally. Daisuke…
I don't like being here, Daisuke. I don't trust this guy.
I don't have anywhere else to go, Dark, Daisuke told him for the hundredth time. And I do trust him—I love him…
He felt the burning in his stomach come back and bit his lip, trying to quell the fire. Daisuke felt Dark's confusion and hurt in his mind. Aibou… why not let me take over? You need a rest—
He'll keep me safe, I know he will. I can rest here.
Dai-kun…
Everything will be okay. Trust me.
During the stillness of the early morning hours, one of the figures on the bed rolled off, clutching his abdomen. Fiery pain spread through his body—neurons fired message after message to his brain, sending tingling pinpricks through his skin. A cold sweat broke out over his skin.
The pain passed and the figure stood up, a new man. Icy blond hair pooled down to his waist in straight sheets, accenting his lean figure and thin facial structure. Brilliant golden eyes smiled vindictively down on the prone teen sprawled on the mattress.
Slender icy fingers reached out to trace down the redhead's cheek. The smooth, supple skin was cool to the touch. Daisuke moaned softly and rolled onto his back. "Sato-kun…? Your hands are cold…" His eyelids fluttered open. "Sato-kun?"
The fingers meandered across his face and down his throat, lightly brushing over the flesh. The hand then closed around his throat, lightly at first, as if caressingly. But then the pressure increased and began to cut off his air.
Daisuke tried to pull the hand away, but his limbs, heavy from sleep as they were, wouldn't cooperate. "Sato-kun," he gasped out. "Why…?"
Daisuke!
The redhead's conscious was slowly slipping away. Dark clutched at it, but it was like grasping at straws.
Change into me now! Daisuke!
The figure smiled in the darkness, an evil grimace of a grin. "Finally we meet, host of my other soul. But to what end?
"Yours."
Satoshi slowly came alive in the back of the angelic demon's mind. Krad? What the hell are you doing?! Let him go!
No. This has to be done, else this war will never cease.
War? We're not at war, you numbskull! That is enough! I'm in control again.
Slowly the blunet began to win the struggle for dominance over the body, and he changed back into himself. Drained of energy though he was, he crawled over to the redhead and cradled the boy's head in his lap.
"Niwa-kun? Niwa, wake up…" Daisuke's face was unearthly pale in the dark, and a faint bluish tint was brushed over his skin. "Niwa, we didn't go through all this for you to die! Don't die on me!" Satoshi leaned over his fallen angel, rocking the boy's body gently. A faint breath stirred his hair.
"Get off me, Detective."
Satoshi froze, then slowly pulled away. The Phantom Thief glared up at him from the floor before picking himself up. "You…"
"If Dai-kun is going to stay here, you're going to have to get a better hold on yourself," he spat. "Krad almost killed him."
"You know Krad?" Satoshi blinked, frozen there on the floor. "How?"
"He and I are old enemies. Our families have been warring for centuries. I believe this is the first time our hosts have ever been attracted to one another, now that I think about it." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "But Dai-kun is very weak—he won't answer me."
"Is he…?" Satoshi couldn't say it.
"He's not dead. Just resting."
"When will he be back?"
"I don't know." Dark sighed, then pouted. "You aren't happy to see me? It's been a while, detective."
Satoshi blinked. "Are you flirting with me, thief?"
"Maybe." Dark smiled and slid up to the blunet almost sensuously. "Why? Are you… interested?"
The younger boy turned his head, a flush creeping up his cheeks. "No. Not you…" Daisuke…
The thief studied him and his reaction for a moment, then smiled slowly. A plot to end the war was beginning to form in his mind, though he still didn't quite trust the blue-haired teen who possessed the heart and soul of the angel-faced demon.
Author's Notes
(Daisuke and Satoshi) Where the hell did that come from?! .:Jabs fingers at the Sato-Dark implied scene:.
.:Hides:. I don't know!!! The mutant plot bunnies that twisted this part of the story?! THIS WAS NOT HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO!!! .:Cries:.
(DNAngel crew) .:Plots to jump Zan and tar and feather her:.
o.o;;; Review? Please? Maybe I'll still be here to read them…
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!