Author's Note/ I'm so sorry that the last chapter was so short and boring and pointless, but I had to get through that part so I could manipulate with the next day of their little lives! (giggles insanely)

Hope you all enjoy this chapter a little more. And from now on, Dark will be in italics seeing as those markings refuse to show!

Chapter 4/Exploring new boundaries

(Author's PoV)

"Oh No!" exclaimed Daisuke as they headed down the steps of Satoshi's apartment.

"What is it, Niwa-kun?"

"What day is it?"

"Saturday, the 22nd… why?"

"It's Only Three Days 'Till Christmas!!" Both boys exchanged glances. Daisuke, one of scared shock, and Satoshi, one of plain, emotionless, abnormal, 'so what?' kind of calm. "Three Days!" Daisuke repeated, trying to get it to sink into the elder's head. "I haven't gotten anybody anything! Not to mention I'm broke! And by the time my family gets back, thay gives me less then a day to shop. And not to mention my list of people goes on forever: Emiko, Kosuke, Grandpa, Wiz, Dark, Risa, Riku, Takeshi, you, Krad-"

Satoshi cut him off. "Me? Krad? What are you talking about?" Satoshi was confused that the young boy would even think about getting Krad and himself, the Niwa's enemies, a Christmas present. Why would anyone get them a gift? Neither of them had ever gotten one before…

Daisuke was more confused that the other had asked something so silly. Daisuke really was too naïve for his own good sometimes. "Huh? Nani? I said I needed to get you and Krad a gift as well." They had stopped walking and were standing in the middle of the entrance hall. They stood there looking at each other for a long while, and then Satoshi gave a small sigh.

"Then let's hurry so we get there before the crowds. (mumbled/ I'll have to stop by the bank first though.)"

"Huh?"

He's gonna take us Christmas Shopping, you dope. Why can't you ever just keep your mouth shut? And why are you gonna get 'Creepy Bastard' and the 'Demonic Hairstylist' a gift?

/Same reason I give you one, Dark. /

(growls) Bu- but, they're the same creatures that are trying to put us behind bars.

/Yeah, I know. But they're also the ones that opened up their home to us. And it's not like we don't deserve to go to jail… /

You can't be serious!

By Satoshi's face, it seemed he was having an argument with his own alter ego.

;; You can't be serious! ;;

; Watch me! ;

;; Agh! (pounds hand against forehead a million times over!) ;;

; You know, that only amuses me more! ;

;; (growls) ;;

"Um, thanks, Satoshi… for everything!" Satoshi zoned back in to see a blushing Daisuke fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.

"Anytime, Niwa-kun." He replied. And with that, Satoshi grabbed the boy's hand and dragged him outside behind him. He stopped at the curb in front of a black motorcycle. He tossed Daisuke a spare helmet and climbed on, securing his tightly. Daisuke got behind him timidly. Satoshi looked behind him at the nervous redhead. He gave a small smile. "Hold on…" He started up the bike, and Daisuke clung to his waist as they sped down the street.

(Daisuke's PoV)

I had held onto him for all it was worth. For being someone who's always flying and dodging energy balls, I sure was nervous on a motorcycle. But I was off now and they day had seemed to fly by. You know how in some movies they show just a few shots of the entire day? Well, that's how it felt.

Like when I had tried on that woman's hat that had a huge brim and a ribbon with flowers around the top. Satoshi had laughed! Laughed! And it felt so good to be the cause of it.

And when we had stopped at a cart to buy ice creams, I had stuck the cone on the end of his nose. Oh, he reminded me of some puppet, like Pinocchio. He had looked down at it all cross-eyed. He was adorable! If you had ever seen a cross-eyed Satoshi, you would either laugh hysterically or melt into a puddle because he was so cute.

And later on, when we got a late lunch, we debated about who was to pay. He won, of coarse! Against him, that's kind of one-sided.

And, oh, I had thanked him so much, I think he was about to slap me… but I didn't care, and just thanked him again.

But before I knew it, it was growing dark and we were on our way home… well, to his home. We both carried bags up the stairs and to his apartment. He punched in the code for the security system, and opened the door. It was 7:00 already. We laid all the bags on the floor of the main room and we both sighed in the relief of our burdens.

"I will start dinner, if you can help unload the wrapping and stuff." I offered. He nodded and began to take things out of the plastic bags. I grabbed one with groceries and I got my apron.

As I put dinner in the oven, I returned to Satoshi. He was typing horribly fast on his laptop, but I saw that he had sorted all the gifts into categories… or more his categories: friends, family, and enemies, which I was humored to have realized included Riku and Risa. "I still need things for three more people."

He looked up at me. "Who might they be?"

"You, Krad, and Dark." I said happily. He looked back at his keyboard and started typing slightly faster. I looked at him quizzically, and then went to stand behind him. I only caught one word of the type before he closed it and shot me a look… 'Daisuke'. I looked back into his eyes. His eyes were cold again. But not in anger, more like fear of what I might see. "What is that? The thing you've been working on?" I asked, trying to sound completely innocent, and hide the fact that I knew it was about me.

"Nothing." He replied, and slid the closed laptop onto the coffee table. Riiight? Like I was going to buy that? But I didn't push it, seeing as it was Satoshi, and continued with what I was saying. "Well, I was wondering if you'd help me wrap while dinner's in the oven?"

He hesitated an answer, and I knew he was debated on what to say. "I think that's a bad idea." was his only answer.

I furrowed my brow at him. "Why not? You won't help me? It will take me all night if I do it myself!" I complained, trying to get him to change his mind.

(Satoshi's PoV)

Truth be told, I never learned how to wrap presents, seeing as the need for them in my family was zero. But I wasn't about to tell Daisuke that. He'd probably laugh, and I couldn't deal with him laughing at me. Not to mention Dark would probably get a huge kick out of it all. But then, the angered look of hurt on the red head's face was too much. My choices: either have him angry and hurt, or laughing… the decision was unanimous.

"I don't know how to wrap stuff like that, Niwa-kun. Sorry." I said, and I immediately heard Krad start to chuckle.

; Shut up, Krad. You don't either. Face it; we both have never done the 'holiday' thing. ;

;; Haha, well, yes, but I didn't have to tell my crush that to get out of it. ;;

; Krad, you don't have a crush… do you? ;

;; I wouldn't tell you if I did. ;; He said, and I smirked mentally.

; Is it Dark? ;

;; Wha- ? Don't you understand that my object in life is to kill him? ;;

; Just as it is my object in life to arrest him. But I know I never will because I love Daisuke… ;

;; Oh, so it's moved on to 'love' now? ;;

; Just shut up! ;

;; You tell me that too often for it to mean much anymore. ;;

"It's okay. I can teach you!" came Daisuke's voice, interrupted my 'conversation' with Krad. I looked at him confused.

"Teach me?" he grabbed my hand and lead me to the center of the floor where the presents and wrapping paper lay. He grabbed the nearest box and roll of bright colored paper and started instructing me on how to measure how much you would need. But I wasn't listening. I was just staring at him. I guess I was out of line to ignore what he was saying, but his lips entranced me. And even though I didn't make out what he said, I drowned in the sound of his voice. And even though I didn't know how to fold the corners like he was trying to show me, his hands looked so soft and careful. He looked up at me to make sure I had heard him. I nodded, but held his gaze. He was going to go back to the package when he noticed that I was staring.

"Satoshi?" he asked nervously under my gaze. I just continued to look at him. I could see that he was growing uncomfortable. "Satoshi? Is something wrong?" Of coarse nothing was wrong. In fact… I already broke Dark's promise… perhaps I can make everything perfect!

;; Agh, Satoshi-sama! Don't think like that! It's bad enough that I have to deal with you liking that thief. ;;

; Daisuke isn't a thief. Dark is! The only thing he's stolen… is me. ;

;; You? Who did he steal you from? ;;

; You. ; I answered simply.

(Daisuke's PoV)

/ Agh, what is he doing? /

Hehe! It's about time the boy did something…

/ Dark? What do you mean? /

Just watch…

And as if on cue, Satoshi leaned toward me. I just leaned back. He kept coming forward, and I kept going backward, until I lay on the carpet. His icy teal eyes were locked onto mine, and a million thoughts ran through my head of what he could do to me in this position. His hands were on both sides of my hips and one of his knees pressed against my outer thigh while the other stayed between my legs. As I felt the blood rush to my face in a bright blush, I felt so vulnerable. But another part of me longed to lean up to him and lock our lips. To show him what I thought back in the museum.

But this was real. Not a dream. Was he really going to kiss me? A kiss that showed me everything he felt for me. That showed that the only thing he wanted or needed was me? Agh, no, I'm fantasizing again.

I snapped out of my argument when I noticed that his face was moving closer to mine. I closed my eyes tight to prepare for contact. He lowered his face to my ear and I got chills when I felt hot breath upon my neck. "Satoshi?" I moan slightly. I could feel Dark smirking in the back of my mind before he faded out and fell into a deep sleep. Satoshi leaned back at the sound of his name. I looked at him and slipped out one of my hands to remove the other's glasses. I almost melted beneath him. How could anyone be that seductively attractive?

"Niwa-kun?" he responded.

"Call me 'Daisuke', will you?"

He nodded. "Daisuke?" he said, testing the name. We stayed there for a minute before a leaned up to his ear and whispered.

"Will you stop tempting me?" By the look on his face, I'd say he got the message.

(Satoshi's PoV)

Tempting him? Does that mean-? Then he likes me?

;; Try love Satoshi! ;;

; He loves me? ;

;; It's in the blood line. It's almost a rule that the hosts to Dark and I fall for each other. ;;

; I'll get the history lesson later, Krad. Right now, could you excuse me? It's either leave, or stay and watch. ;

Krad hesitated. ;; Goodnight. ;;

I quirked my head at him. "Tempting you? Tempting you to do what?"

He moaned and just looked back at me. I smirked at him. At last, could me dreams become reality?

BEEP, BEEP –

Why in the world did the oven timer have to go off at that moment? I sat up and crawled off of Daisuke, mentally cursing the kitchen appliances. When I looked back at the other boy, he was still laying there. His chest rose and fell in quickened breaths and a smiled. At least now I knew that I wasn't fighting a losing battle. He loved me, and that was good to know. "Niwa-kun, should I go save our dinner from burning, or are you okay?"

"I thought I told you to call me Daisuke?" he said while standing up and running to the kitchen, still out of breath.

TBC…

AN/ Wow, that one has been the longest chappie so far on this story I believe. (Dances around in circles) Thank for all the reviews everybody… and you know whom u r! Thanks again, and don't forget to review for this chapter, too, to let me know if you want me to continue or not.