Ice Angels

Chance Encounter

And it came to pass on a Christmas evening

While all the doors were shuttered tight

Outside standing, lonely boy-child

Cold and shivering in the night

Krad stared at the crowd where the boy had vanished. He shuffled where he was, snow catching onto the bottom of his black boots. Then, it seemed that without control of his own body he walked forward, eyes still boring a hole where that crop of violet hair had vanished. Mumbling excuses, Krad made his way through the crowd, standing on the tips of his toes to try and catch sight of the boy again. There! Within the crowd was a burst of amethyst, and Krad found himself stumbling to the boy, almost reaching his hands out in desperation. When a younger male brushed by Krad, both fell to the ground in a heap.

"Oh! S-Sorry!" A small boy, just a few years younger than Krad looked up at him, who was pulling himself up from the ground. The blonde simply glared at the boy, who's face was flushed the same color as his hair that ruffled out in several directions.

"I couldn't see where I was going," the boy mumbled, gathering bags and boxes in his arms. Krad shifted and then knelt down, helping the boy. Once the two had stood once more, the redhead bluttered out his name, sticking out a free hand with several bags on the same arm.

"Ah...Daisuke Niwa," he said cheerfully, lips pushing up into a full smile. Krad sighed, nodding in acknowlegement. He did not take the boy's hand, and Daisuke slowly pulled it back. Once he peaked over the crowd again, eyes wandering, he found nothing. not even a trace that the other boy had been there.

"I must get going...Daisuke," Krad drawled out coldly. The words were colder than the snow around the two, and Daisuke flinched but smiled none-the-less. Suddenly, he fell to the ground again, boxes sprawling out over the snow ridden sidewalk.

Clutz... Krad mused, and looked down at the disheveled boy, then back up at the cause for his fall. Above him, the violet haired boy stood, grinning widely.

"Sorry Daisuke!" The boy leaned down, helping the younger up, quickly gathering the boxes in his arms. Krad, who had been ready to rush off, now stood still.

"Dark!" Daisuke blurted out. He rubbed his nose, which was exceptionally rosy, perfectly matching the color of his eyes. Dark pulled himself back up, smiling lazily when he caught sight of Krad. Daisuke was gathering the boxes, each one adding to the pile in front of his eyes.

"Eh, hi," Dark said, waving a hand in the air as if he was waking someone from a trance. Which it seemed he was as Krad snapped to attention at the soft words spoken.

"...Hello," Krad muttered. There was an awkward silence, except for the bustling crowd around them, and the chorus of Silent Night in the background. Daisuke piled the last box into his arms and called out for Dark again.

"Come on, we've gotta get home before Mom gets worried!" Daisuke turned again, walking off, waiting for Dark to follow him. Dark stared at the blonde for a long moment before turning and running off. Before he vanished again, he looked back at the blonde in curiousity and then stumbled away.

Well, there goes a perfectly fine conversation, Krad thought sardonically. He kicked the snow beneath him bitterly and buried his shivering fingers back into his pockets. Great. Now he was cold...

Back at the Hikari apartment, a younger boy stirred something in a large bowl. He blew slowly on the contents and made his way to the living room, a large bowl of soup in his grasp. The boy sat down, strands of blue hair falling in front of eyes the same exact color. The door slammed shut and he looked up to see an older male, with long blonde hair, pushing his boots off at the entrance.

"What are you eating, Satoshi?" Krad asked carelessly, stripping of his coat, scarf, and gloves. His eyes seemed dazed as he mumbled other things, far off in his own world.

"Just soup, would you like some?" Satoshi took a sip, then glanced back at Krad from the corners of his eyes.

The blonde shook his head, eyes closed, golden strands falling in front of his face. He ruffled his hair slightly to get the snow out and seated himself next to Satoshi. There was that silence that greeted them as they stared at the fire before them. There were no stockings on the chimney. No tree that scattered pine needles across the floor. And the apartment's only light was the fire crackling, setting a soft glow through the morbid rooms. It smelled of old books and the air was thick with dust. Satoshi finished off his food, setting the bowl on the table to the side of him and leaned against the couch behind him. Krad was now resting on it, eyes shut tightly.

"Where'd you go?" Satoshi asked, pulling himself up from the floor and stretching.

"Out. Just...out."

Satoshi gave him a strange look, and those sapphire eyes would have been laced with concern if he had not formed a small hate for his brother years ago. It was a small seed within each of them, and they opened their eyes to glare at each other for a moment.

"Then," Satoshi mumbled, "I am too. Going out."

He began pulling on his coat when Krad stirred from his place on the sofa. He ran a hand through his hair, muttering, "Be careful." Satoshi flinched. As if he meant that...With both the seeds inside them, they had fed and grown a deep hatred for each other. Slowly but surely, the vines of malice had wrapped around their hearts and blood and veins, pulling away at fragile strings. Pulling away at threads that had been formed, snapping them in half until there was no bond between the two siblings. Pushing forward those feelings: Guilt. Blame. Each blamed the other for it. Each blamed themselves for it. Neither took that blame. Their mother had died. Was it really their fault? So why did they blame each other, and yet still ride guilt on themselves?

"I'll be back soon. There's extra soup if you change your mind."

The door slam shut and Krad sighed, covering himself with more blankets. He gazed at the fire, and then stared out the window across from him. Damned snow. It just had to go and make her sick...Just go and kill her...

"Darkkk!" Daisuke whined. He was drinking hot chocolate as Dark attempted to wrap the presents they had brought home. Dark was tearing up wrapping paper, getting tape on his face and clothes, and had wads of different colors of wrapping paper beside him. Daisuke sat next to his older brother, helping him wrap the remainder of the gifts. He counted them over and then gasped slightly. Dark was lounging lazily on the sofa when the redhead rushed to the door.

"I forgot a gift for Dad!" He gathered himself in his warm coat and scarf, still lightly damp from the previous trip outside. Dark waved his hand as the redhead rushed out the door and snuggled back into the blankets when Kosuke called him.

Only after a few minutes Daisuke was back on the same path he had taken a few hours ago. Only now it was much more dark, and the streets were nearly deserted. The band had left, so silence took hold of the place firmly. Only the gentle sound of branches waving in the light wind, and the snow falling oto the ground. Oh yes, that had a sound. It had a rhythm. If you listened close enough. The only light provided was the moon above, full in size, and the large Christmas tree decorated with so many lights.

Daisuke stopped suddenly, taking in his breath. Now that there weren't so many people, he noticed it. The angel at the top. Its bright blue gown spread out, as if caught by some invisible wind. Its face was pale, as is frozen in time, by Jack Frost himself. And the flowing white hair. Blue and white. How very cold for an angel on top of Christmas tree. And should not the angel be smiling? Even at that distance, Daisuke could see clearly: the angel was not smiling. In reality, it was crying tears of ice. (1)

He was snapped from his thoughts when he noticed another figure outside at this time. He watched the lone figure stumble its way to a nearby bench and sit down. For a moment, the person, who Daisuke couldn't see because of the darkness, just sat in silence. Then, a small groan issued from the boy's lips and Daisuke watched as he fell to the ground. His eyes widened, and he rushed over in a sheer panic.

"Satoshi!"

Wait...Satoshi? How did he know that name? It had just...come to him. Like a screaming in his mind. Like a cry for help. It had just...been there...

Daisuke rushed forward, looking closely at the boy. His skin was pale, his hair a light cerulean color. He gently slapped the boy's cheek, and found he was not waking up anytime soon. With careful precision, Daisuke pulled the boy up onto the bench and sat next to him.

The gift could wait...He'd just watch the boy until he woke up. Easy enough. But still...

Satoshi...!

The name echoed within his mind and he clutched hishead softly, whining under his breath. Crimson locks of hair slipped between his fingers. That name...Why...Why was it so painful?


Ideas are welcome. Any time now...Anyyy timeee. I do have ideas of what I want to do with this story, but I have no problem in someone telling me what THEY want to see/read. Really. And I'd actually like people to tell me what they want me to do. Ligthen up on the angst/details/what? Add fluff? If you like it, great! But could you tell me what you don't like about it too? -puppy-eyes- It helps. I read the first chapter over, found a few grammar mistakes and I repeated some words in sentences that made it sound weird. Also, I found a few odd sentences. By the way, I really am starting to love this. I think I'm finally in the mood to write something like this, and I hope I don't lose that mood. I suppose you all like it too! Thanks for reading and reviewing! --peachie

(1) Remember the blue angel on top the Christmas tree in Krad's childhood? Oh yes...Wait? What! You don't? Then go read over again!

Update now because I'll be really busy studying since mid-terms are coming up -groan- so, no updates for a while...