This is where the DarkDaisuke starts getting serious. You have been warned.

Chapter 4

Daisuke sat back, wiping sweat away from his forehead. His wings shifted behind him, feathers rustling against the floor where the trailing ends of his wings lay. Dark's thin body was fully bandaged now, all wounds cleaned and medicated. Daisuke had also given the thief some medicine, trying to bring down his raging fever. The infected whip marks were seeping pus and blood still, and Daisuke knew he would have to re-bandage them often.

Daisuke didn't bother to banish his wings, even though he knew he could. He quite liked having them out; actually, it felt kind of nice. He did, however, know that his parents would be home in a few minutes, and he would have to show them Dark's bruised and battered body.

Daisuke stood, going towards his painting easel. As he pulled the sheet off he was met with the eyes of Dark, deep and knowing. The painting didn't change like it had done before; it remained as it had been made. Daisuke smiled slightly, knowing that he wouldn't be seeing those flashes of Dark, not anymore.

Daisuke painted in silence, moving every so often to change the cold cloth that he had laid over Dark's forehead. He wiped the thief's burning face silently, attempting to calm the fires of his fever. The medicine still hadn't kicked in, either that, or it wasn't doing much good.

At that moment he heard a call downstairs, and he turned to leave his room. His parents were home.

As he walked into the living room his mother gasped and dropped her purse. His father's mouth fell open, and all was silent. Daisuke grinned slightly. "Hey Mom, hey Dad. Have a nice night out?"

Emiko stuttered, moving forward to stand beside her son. "D-Dai, you've got wings!"

Daisuke shifted one as she touched it. "That tickles Mom, careful."

Emiko blinked, and then touched them anyway. "They're beautiful Dai."

Kosuke gulped slightly. "Wow, Daisuke… Just… Wow…"

Daisuke grinned. "Okay, I got it. But besides that, there's something else I need to show you two. Come on."

Emiko blinked, a little confused, but followed her redheaded son from the room. Kosuke followed just behind his wife, wary. "What do you need to show us Dai?"

Daisuke pushed open the door to his room, and gestured for his mother to enter. She did so gingerly, and then gasped, rushing forward to the bedside. "Dark!"

Kosuke followed her, watching as the woman lifted the cold cloth that lay over the violet-haired man's forehead. She placed gentle fingers against his skin, hissing at how hot it was. Emiko soaked the cloth again, repositioning it on Dark's forehead. "Gods, his fever is so high…"

"It's because his wounds are infected." Daisuke said. "The whip marks on his back. Besides those wounds, his right ankle and right wrist are broken, as well as his left wing. He's probably a fraction of the weight he should be, and…" Daisuke paused. He really didn't want to say this one. Saying it would mean that it was true, and that would break the dam that Daisuke had managed to erect around his emotions.

Emiko was already in shock because of what Daisuke had told her, but she looked to her son as he paused. "Daisuke? What is the last thing?"

"He…" Daisuke swallowed around the suddenly thick knot in his throat. "I think that he was… raped." Daisuke pulled in a shuddering breath, a tear slipping down his cheek. His wings drooped slightly as he said this. "He was bleeding, and I know that it pains him to sit up."

Emiko was crying now; hand over her mouth as she gently stroked Dark's violet hair. "Oh… Poor Dark… Who would do such a thing…?"

Daisuke's hands clenched into fists, and the boy grit his teeth. "Krad. He was the one who had Dark in my dreams, and I think that he's really the one who had him all along."

Kosuke sighed, running a hand through his spiky brown hair. "Well Daisuke, all we can do is care for him, and see that he gets well. He is welcome here, and he can stay with us once he's well again."

Emiko nodded fiercely, now holding Dark's limp left hand, trying to offer the unconscious thief some kind of comfort. "Of course he is welcome here. He was a part of our son for a while, so we will treat him as if he was our own son."

Just before Emiko released Dark's hand, she thought she felt his fingers twitch slightly. "Now, we'd better make something that he can stomach, we need to put some meat back on his bones."

Daisuke nodded. "Thanks for understanding Mom, Dad."

Kosuke grinned. "We would have welcomed him, no matter what condition he was in Daisuke. He's like a son to us. And we will always understand anything you have to tell us. Alright?"

Daisuke nodded again. "Thanks Dad." He turned back to the unconscious thief. "I think I'd better check those wounds on his back again, they're bleeding pretty badly."

Kosuke turned towards the door. "And while your mother gets something for him to eat made, I'll go pick up more medical supplies. We're going to need them."

Emiko frowned. "It's times like this I really wished we could take him to the hospital. But not with his wing like that, he can't banish them while ones injured. And plus, people would recognize him." She sighed. "We'll just have to take care of him on our own."

Daisuke was currently carefully rolling Dark onto his side. The violet-haired thief moaned at the movement, his handsome face contorting in pain. Daisuke shushed him softly, running his hand over Dark's right arm. The angel's face relaxed at Daisuke's voice, and Daisuke was free to check Dark's wounds.

Emiko smiled, turning to leave the room. 'Perhaps it is best that we have him here… That way, he can be with Daisuke, and Daisuke can be with him.' Emiko nodded. 'Daisuke is probably the best medicine for Dark right now.'

Daisuke continued to care for the bleeding whip marks over Dark's back, murmuring comforting words every now and then to calm down the thief when he would moan or squirm in pain. Emiko smiled as she watched the two boys. 'They were always meant to be together, unlike the others. Dark really did let himself become attached to Daisuke…'

As Dark let out a small yelp of pain Daisuke reached down, entangling his fingers through the thief's and squeezing his limp hand. The boy didn't even realize his mother was still in the room, and he pressed his lips against Dark's knuckles. "Easy Dark… I'm here…"

Emiko smiled again, softly closing the door behind her. 'And Daisuke let himself get attached to Dark. And now my boy's gone and fallen in love with the Phantom Thief. Funny, how love works…'

Daisuke sighed, leaning back in his chair slightly. After finishing his painting of Dark, the boy had been able to do nothing more then watch Dark sleep. Even though Daisuke loved to watch the thief's sharp features, it was not the same when those features were wrought with pain and suffering.

There was a knock at the door, and Daisuke carefully lifted his left wing out of the way as his mother opened door, carrying a steaming bowl of something. "I made some broth. Hopefully Dark's stomach will be able to handle it."

Daisuke nodded. "Yea, he really needs to put some weight back on." The redhead looked back at Dark. "Do you think I should just feed him? Or try to wake him up?"

"It would be best if he could wake up and be cooperative in the eating process. Not only will we be able to see if he's coherent at all, but it will help in getting the broth to go down and stay down."

Daisuke nodded. "Alright. Just set it on my desk, I'll try and wake him."

Emiko set the bowl down, and then left the room. Daisuke allowed his great crimson wings to relax, letting them lay on the floor again. He reached forward tentatively and then touched Dark's shoulder. "Dark? Dark, please, wake up."

The thief's purple eyebrows twitched together, but he didn't wake. Daisuke nudged his shoulder again. "Dark, wake up!"

Daisuke nearly shouted with relief as Dark's lashes fluttered, and then his eyes slowly opened. Dark's hazy purple eyes were nearly incoherent, but Daisuke could see that the thief was aware. "Dark, thank goodness. Now, how do you feel to eating?"

Dark blinked fuzzily, and then his eyes widened. "D-Daisuke!" The thief looked around sharply, and then winced as the fast movement brought stinging tears of pain to his eyes.

Daisuke shushed him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Easy Dark, everything's okay now. We're at my house; I pulled you out of the ocean. Everything's fine."

"Your house…" Dark looked around, and then spotted the steaming bowl. "Is that… food?"

Daisuke smiled and nodded, reaching towards it. He helped the thief into a sitting position, frowning as he winced. After helping Dark eat, he set the bowl back down on the table. Dark was leaning against the pillows that Daisuke had set up behind him, and Daisuke stared at him for a moment.

Daisuke couldn't take it anymore. He gathered the shocked thief into his arms, hugging him tightly. Dark made a soft sound of confusion, and then slowly raised his arms to hug Daisuke back. "D-Daisuke…"

"Gods Dark, I missed you… I promise, I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. You can eat all that you want, you can have whatever you want, I promise." Daisuke murmured into Dark's knotted purple hair.

Dark pushed at Daisuke shoulders, blinking at him. "Daisuke?"

Daisuke leaned forward, and then locked his lips over Dark's, closing his eyes.

I'm on a role! -dances like a crazy fangirl-