AN/ I'm soooooo sorry that this is a week late. I had a week of finals and it had completely drained me! I tried to get this out as soon as possible anyway. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 13/ Noticing coincidences

(Author's PoV)

"That was pretty rude of you, Risa! You can't just grab people like that. And besides why were you acting like that to Hiwatari-kun?" lectured Riku to her longhaired twin.

Risa only shook her head at her sister. "Couldn't you see it?"

"See what?"

"The way they kept looking at each other. They were constantly sending looks to each other," Risa tried to explain… in her own, clumsy way.

Riku gave a few seconds to try to make some importance of the fact, but after getting nothing, she shook the strange analysis out of her head. "Look, I've never seen Hiwatari-kun truly socializing with people. And the one time that we do, you tell him that he doesn't even have to be there? It was just plain mean."

"But that's exactly it," Risa stated in a defensive manner. "I don't see him talking to other people, either. So why would he start hanging out with someone like Daisuke?"

Riku scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean? Dai-chan is a very nice person. He's funny, and sweet, and Hiwatari-kun deserves a friend like him…" She paused in thought for a brief moment giving Risa a chance to jump in.

"But he is also clumsy and disorganized. And Hiwatari-kun was always so poised… What do you think drew them together?"

Once again, silence drew out as Riku tried to put together the intricate puzzle that her sister was laying out before her. She soon frowned at her sister. "What exactly are you suggesting?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Daisuke and Satoshi soon entered a restaurant that was across the street from the East Gate of Azumano Park. The young redhead was anxious, nervous, and excited all mixed into one. But overall, he was glad that he there. He would have never imagined the day that he would be out on a date with Satoshi.

"Hello. How many in your party?" asked an elderly waitress in an attempt to get them seated without delay.

"Two," answered Satoshi calmly. Daisuke was grateful that he hadn't needed to answer the woman. He wasn't too sure if he would have been able to give a steady reply due to him fidgety manner.

"Alright, this way please," she told them, taking two menus with her. She sat them at a booth by the kitchen wall; the aroma of the skillet on an open flame wafted through the dim lit room (1). The off-white tablecloth gave off a fancier feel although the restaurant itself contradicted that opinion. A small vase sat against the wall, displaying gaily the pansies and daisies that it held.

"I'm Ayumi and I'll be serving you this evening," introduced the woman, a kind smile enlightening her elderly and wrinkling features (2). "May I get you anything to drink to start off with?"

"Hot tea, please," said Satoshi, his eyes never leaving the woman's face. She looked… somewhat familiar…

"Umm… H-hot cocoa for me, please," said Daisuke tentatively, not knowing if getting it would be too pricey. (AN/ Come on, Dai, it's only, like, 43 cents extra!)

"Of course," assured the woman, walking into the kitchen.

Satoshi stared after her for a minute. 'Ayumi? I could have sworn I have seen her before…' he thought to himself. Meanwhile, Daisuke was watching the other teen stare at the doorway through which the waitress exited. There was a form a curiosity tinted in the azure eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," was his only reply. Daisuke noted that Satoshi had answered him like that quite a few times in the past two days and wondered if there was something Satoshi knew that he didn't.

"Well, what are you getting?" Daisuke queried, pushing his own curiosity into the back of his mind and hoping to just enjoy the meal he was about to share with the teen commander.

"Soup," the elder answered without looking at the menu. One-word answers? Sheesh…

Soup, eh? Daisuke opened his menu and immediately began 'drooling' over everything. It all seemed so delicious; how could Satoshi just choose simple soup with all these great choices! Then his eye caught the prices and he instantly understood. Daisuke had never been one to spend money, especially other people's money. And he had a pretty good idea that Satoshi wouldn't even let him touch the bill. "That sounds great!" Daisuke said while folding his menu quickly. Satoshi only suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Daisuke was too politer for his own good.

It wasn't long before their waitress returned with their drinks. Satoshi told her that they were ready to order and asked for a bowl of chicken noodle soup for Daisuke and a bowl of cream of broccoli soup for himself. As well as a breadbasket to share. Jotting down the order hurriedly, Ayumi sent them another grandmotherly smile and sun on her heel toward the kitchen. The way her graying-brown hair swung about her shoulders reminded both boys of Risa (3). Satoshi shook his head to rid himself of the mere thought of the ditsy girl. He would never forgive her for hurting Daisuke.

The younger, having given his menu to Ayumi, was now looking for something to do with his hands. Satoshi simply watched in amusement as Daisuke went from twiddling his thumbs, to feeling the petals of the flowers to see if they were real or not, to brushing away invisible fibers from his sleeves.

As he started to reposition his silverware, Satoshi noticed Ayumi exit the kitchen once more. Calling her to the table, he asked her for a glass of water and 2 straws for them. She obliged and almost instantly came back with their beverages. Daisuke was regarding Satoshi curiously. What was he doing now?

"Daisuke? Do you know how to make a snake?"

"Nani?"

The blue-haired teen took the straw in his hand and tapped one end hard on the surface of the table, causing the other side to rip through the paper wrapping. Slowly, he slid the paper down the straw, scrunching it as tight as possible at the bottom. Once the entire paper was coiled snugly on the bottom where it still pressed against the table, Satoshi slid the paper off and laid it down on the wood surface.

Satoshi then took the straw and dipped it into his glass of water. Plugging the top with his finger, he pulled it out, carrying the trapped liquid within the plastic tube. He held it a couple inches above the crumpled paper before loosening his finger slightly, allowing a single drop of water to hit the straw wrapper.

As soon as the fluid touched the small bundle, it began to spread and curve as it absorbed the water. Satoshi released another drop to a section of the paper that wasn't yet wet, and it happen once again (4).

Daisuke smiled at the withering paper. "That's pretty neat! Where did you learn that?"

Satoshi shrugged. "I don't really remember…"

The redhead quickly grabbed his straw and tried to do it himself. He stared at the paper for a short while before remembering what he had wanted to talk to Satoshi about. "Do you remember that Christmas Concert that Harada-san was talking about?" he asked, earning a 'how-could-I-have-forgotten-already?' look from the other. "Well, I was wondering if you would want to go to that. It sounds like fun, and it's something that we can do together…"

Satoshi sat in silence for a minute or two, contemplating the idea. He had never appreciated the crowds or noise that the holidays brought, but time alone with Daisuke was never taken for granted. He nodded his consent to Daisuke, shifting some of his bangs to hang in his eyes (5).

The younger sent him one of his over-excited grins, now eagerly awaiting the event. He was lucky that the waitress came with their soup at that moment, before either of them could start daydreaming about what 'event' it may lead to. (AN/ or maybe that's just me)

"Satoshi?" Daisuke asked, blowing gently on his soup to cool it. "How did you know that I would like chicken noodle soup, anyway?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Satoshi had said that he wanted to grab something from his apartment before going home. When they entered, Daisuke was bitterly reminded of the overwhelming bleakness that it displayed. He had shaken his head at it. 'One of these days, I'm going to grab a few gallons of paint and Satoshi and I are going to spend the whole weekend covering up these walls,' he had thought. Satoshi walked straight into his room, a few seconds later, emerging with a simple brown leather shoulder bag. And when Daisuke had asked what it was and what was in it, he replied, 'nothing, really.'

They arrived home about two and a half hours later then when they had first left. It was nearing 4:00, and after asking the waitress, they found that the concert didn't start until 7:00pm.

As we entered, To-to walked out of the kitchen. "Oh, you have perfect timing! I decided to bake a pie while you all were away and it's just about ready to come out of the oven. Give it a little time to cool and then you can have as much as you want! I'm going to go start another one!" she said all in one breath, and then rushed back into the kitchen. Daisuke smiled after her.

Satoshi followed the younger into the living room, where the fire still burned merrily, and accepted his invitation to sit down. He dropped his bag at the foot of the couch and sat down, allowing Daisuke to sit next to him. Satoshi slid his arm around his shoulders, and Daisuke snuggled into the offered warmth of Satoshi's side, laying his head on the commander's chest.

"Satoshi?"

"Hn?"

"What are we?" asked the thief, only getting a furrowed brow as a response. "I mean, what is our relationship? You said earlier this morning that Dad and Grandpa knew about us, knew about our relationship. Well… what is our relationship?"

XXXXXXXXXX

(Satoshi's PoV)

Daisuke had drifted off to sleep a while ago. I hadn't been sure what he had wanted me to say earlier. What was our relationship? Actually, we couldn't really say that we had one. We were somewhere between friends and something more. Honestly, I had never thought that this would happen. I had pretty much given up on ever getting close to the redhead. I had tried for a good twelve years, and now that it's here, I'm nearly in disbelief.

'What are we?'

That was a good question… and I hated not knowing the answer.

I sighed. Shifting Daisuke's sleeping form to a pillow in place of my lap, I stared at his face to be sure I didn't wake him. He was so beautiful, even when he slept. I knew what I wanted us to be… but that's…

I don't know…

He didn't say anything after asking the simple question, and for that I was grateful. He had fallen asleep soon after, leaving his question unanswered… and it was rather unlike myself to do something as that.

"Okay, Boys! You can't eat some pie now-" called To-to as she entered the doorway, biting off her sentence at the sight of the napping Niwa. "Oh, oops. Sorry," she whispered. "Would you like some, Hikari-Sempai?"

"No, thank you," I answered. Then as she started to walk away, I spoke again. "Towa No Shirube?"

She paused in her steps. "Huh?"

"Towa? Why do they call you To-to?"

She pouted. "Because Towa means 'eternal' and it makes me feel so old. I'm only 98 years old, you know!"

"And why do you call me that?"

"Call you what?"

" 'Hikari-Sempai?' "

She giggled as she answered, "I was created by your family, remember? Is that all?"

I regarded her curiously. Was she teasing me, or just acting normally? I nodded and she left for the kitchen once again.

Reaching down, I pulled my bag into my lap. Its leather material was worn from the extensive use, and the silver buckle was tarnished and stained. I unbuckled the pack and flipped over the weakened leather cover. It was an old case, but it suited its purpose well. The interior was dark and filled neatly with many cherished possessions. But unlike what Daisuke might call cherished, they were more like items that I used as an escape… and I would never let anyone else see them.

Its contents consisted of a sketchbook, portfolio, small bottles of many fine paints and stains, a pocket knife, sculpture's glue, wax mixtures and molds, leather rolled-cases of charcoal, paintbrushes, and many sizes of mahogany pencils, and a medium-sized towel. My eyes scanned over the belongings, picking and choosing what I would need before I tried to rummage around. When I finally reached inside, I pulled out the sketchbook, towel, and the leather-bound case of charcoal. Laying my bag gingerly against the skirt of the couch once more, I moved to the sit against the wall next to the fireplace.

I spread the towel in front of me to protect the carpet from my project. Untying the charcoal's case, I eyed each stick carefully. Each had different shapes, sizes, and textures. After choosing the one that I wanted, I opened my pocketknife and began shaving the tip to a point, careful to catch all the shavings on the towel.

Fingering the newly made point, I folded the towel within itself, keeping the clipping together for later use. I pulled my knee toward my chest, using it as a support table. Laying the sketchbook against my leg, I opened it to the next blank page. Every page before it had been filled with the same contents that I would fill this one with. Noticing that I only had a few sheets left, I made a mental note to buy a new book.

I moved my hand over the paper, deciding where exactly I should start, then set the tip of the charcoal to the sheet. My hand moved swiftly, drawing basic lines for symmetry and outlines. It quickly took shape and the light lines soon turned into deep, thick strokes.

It didn't seem like long at all before the image became more apparent and defined. Choosing a thinner, lighter stick for details and a thicker, softer stick for shading from my case, I also sharpened their tips.

My hurried hand seemed to work on its own, the arcs and lines of my drawing subject having been memorized so deeply. And as always, minutes flew by even faster as my hand's actions quickened. My mind went astray, but my subconscious kept moving the charcoal…

Daisuke…?

What was going to happen? When we go back to school, will it be the same? How will you act about 'us' in front of your friends? Will you tell them? Tell them anything? I dragged you away from the Haradas before you could have possibly had the chance.

What about your Christmas vacation? Did I ruin it? You seem so happy today, but just last night, you were a depressed pile of tears. How can you act so light-hearted although you're hurting? I wish I could do that. I can't cry like you, or laugh like you, or feel or look at anything the same way that you can. I sometimes wish I could express myself like you. Whatever you're feeling, you're not afraid to show it… I can't remember a time that I didn't do everything in my power to make sure I hid my emotions.

Do you wish that these past few days never happened? Dark would still be here and neither of us would be half as confused as we are now, but would it be worth it? Do you regret falling in love with me?

I shifted my eyes away from my sketchbook briefly for the first time, and looked up at the boy on the couch. 'If you could rewind this whole weekend and do it over, would you?' I thought, slightly wishing that he would hear the question answer it in his sleep. I sighed again. I was slowly losing my composure, and I'm not sure if I wanted to or not.

;; Doodling, again, Satoshi? ;;

; Shut up, Krad. ; I responded, more by instinct then by an actual reaction. Daisuke just looked so beautiful, and he didn't even know it. And I still wasn't used to such a sight. Switching my gaze back down to my paper, I was tempted to smile at the reality of it, though I refrained.

;; Yuck! What is it with you Hikaris always drawing the same damn thing? ;;

I rolled my eyes at my alter ego. I could draw anything once I had seen it at least once. But this subject I've seen nearly everyday, yet I still don't think I could capture its whole beauty. I was about to tell Krad to go back to sleep as I usually did, when I remembered something. ; Krad? Do you remember ever meeting anyone by the name of Ayumi? ;

;; Ayumi? ;; he answered. He seemed to think for a moment, but I could've sworn that there was a tint of malicious pleasure in his eyes. ;; No, never. ;;

XXXXXXXXXX

I watched Daisuke's face warily. His eyes were closed so gently and his mouth was parted slightly. I hated having to wake him from his ever so peaceful state, but it was what he wanted, after all…

"Daisuke?" I whispered, shaking his shoulder.

"Hn?" came his sleepy reply.

"If we were still planning on going to that concert, we'll have to be leaving soon. And you may want to dress a little warmer. It will be nearly freezing out there," I informed him, still keeping my voice low. The redhead nodded approvingly through his drowsiness. I took a hold of his hand and pulled him into a sitting position. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his fists.

He half-opened his eyes to look at me, the shining crimson orbs trying to focus its vision, and blinking a few times. He sent me a warm smile.

Standing from my spot of kneeling next to the couch, and for the second time that day, I pulled Daisuke to his feet. After assisting the clumsy boy up the stairs, we went to his room. He dug through his dresser for a thicker sweater for both of us, and then we made our way to the entryway for our scarves and shoes. To-to stepped out of the kitchen, hands held behind her back. "Are you leaving already?"

"The concert starts in 20 minutes and we need time to walk all of the way there first," I tried to explain.

"Well, then you'll have to tell me if you like it once you get back," she said, pulling out two plates from behind her.

Daisuke licked his lips hungrily. "What is it?"

"Something called Apple Cranberry Pie," she said excitedly. "I've never made it before. You'll give me an honest opinion once you get back won't you?"

Daisuke giggle lightly, "of course we will."

"Kyu?" Wiz sat by our feet, looking at us questioningly.

"No, Wiz. Not tonight. It's really cold out. It'd probably be better if you stay inside where it's warm," Daisuke explained, hugging the rabbit-like creature good-bye. "Don't worry. You can probably help To-to with her pies."

"Kyu!" went the rabbit and hopped out of Daisuke's arms and straight into the kitchen.

To-to opened the door to gesture us to be on our way. "Have fun!"

Daisuke sent her a smile, and then I followed him out the door. The girl closed it behind us, and we were welcomed by the cold, dim, evening air.

The redhead turned to me. "You what to try that race again?"

I once again blinked. Was he trying to prove something? I blinked one more time as he waited for a response. Without a word, I began running down the sidewalk. Daisuke stood dumbstruck for a moment, unbelieving that his own trick was used against him. The, smirking, he ran after me.

XXXXXXXXXX

We arrived at the park panting heavily. We decided to call the race a tie. It was just simpler that way. After catching our breath, we had only five minutes to get to the center of the park. In reaching it, Daisuke's eyes grew wide at the sight.

An abnormally large Christmas tree stood brilliantly there. Ornaments and lights adorned it better then I could ever do. The branches glowed merrily, and the living structure was what gave off most of the luminance. The snow that had just fallen last night was already starting to melt, and now the liquid substance caught the light and reflected it back out to us.

The band was just starting their first song. And Daisuke unfortunately did what I thought he would do. "Do you want to dance?" he asked.

TBC…

AN/

(1)- Have you ever smelled vegetable frying in a skillet? Man, talk about drooling…

(2)- Does 'Ayumi' sound familiar?

(3)- Hint major!

(4)- This is a real trick. You can actually do this without being a genius. I know this cause I could do it. Try it sometime.

(5)- You can take this 2 ways. Satoshi could have moved Daisuke's bangs, like in an affectionate manner, or Satoshi's nodding could have caused his own bangs to shift. Both ways work, so whichever tickles your fancy!

Review me to let me know if you want me to continue. I think it's starting to get slower… but if you all still seem interested, then I'll try to write a little faster. But for now, I'll see you in 2 weeks!