Crystal Hearts

We can grow only once in our lives. As our love crystallizes and grows, so, too, do our hearts…they are a manifestation of our love. In time, they are given over to the one who inspired them…who wished them happiness. You at least…I wish you happiness…

Chapter 14: Goodbyes

No…no…Dark's mind was going crazy, he didn't know what to do. He watched helplessly as the blonde's image flickered. The thief picked him up, not surprised at how little the hunter weighted, he set him down on the bed. Oh gods…what do I do? What can I do?

#Dark?#

What can I do Daisuke? Krad's fading! His very being here is causing to fade!

"Dark?" A weak voice came from the bed, Dark walked over, "Krad? Don't worry, you'll be fine…"

"Stop joking me. I know I'm dying." His features softened, "But…" Then the blonde said in a little voice, "will you stay with me? Please?"

The thief nodded, "Yea, of course I will."

The blonde scoffed, "Don't worry, you won't have to stay long."

"Krad!"

There was a weak tug at his sleeve, silencing him, Krad gave a little smile, "I'm just making sure you're there, I can't sense your magic anymore…would you-" Without another word, Dark crawled under the covers and wrapped his arms around the blonde, who in return, curled up in the hug trying to make the most of the warmth. It didn't take very long for the exhaustion to take over as the blonde fell asleep minutes later.

Dark on the other hand, was unable to rest knowing that his lover was dying in his arms, Krad felt cold in his arms, terribly cold. He could feel the blonde flickering, fading slowly. He hated it.

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Amethyst eyes fluttered open to find that his angel hadn't moved at all, the blonde was breathing slowly and gently, cuddled up against him, body flickering every now and then. Soon, his brows furled as he shivered and curled up more, then his eyes fluttered open, no light reflected off them giving them the devoid feeling. Dark frowned at the fact that the hunter's beautiful eyes had been distorted somewhat, he only grew angrier until a soft voice broke his train of thoughts. "…Dark?"

"Yea Krad? I'm right here…"

The thief took a pale hand into his own, fingers lightly tracing over old scars. The blonde's eyes looked downwards, he still felt very tired, even though he had just woken up, no longer could he feel the magic around him, he had only the four senses of touch, taste, hearing and smell. Dark's fingers entwined with his own and sat up on the bed as he did so. Krad soon followed, resting his head on the other's shoulder, hands still together, "I'm tired…"

Although Dark didn't really want him to, he planted a kiss on the blonde's cheek, "Then sleep love, you deserve it."

"Will you stay?" He felt stupid for asking but he really did want the thief to stay…when he got no answer, he sighed, "I'm sorry-"

"I'm not going anywhere, I won't leave your side, I promise."

"Thank you."

Dark watched Krad close his eyes and relaxed against him, after awhile, the blonde was asleep. The thief gently brushed a couple strands from the pale face and set him down softly onto the bed and tucked him in.

#Dark…#

/To be honest, I'm scared Daisuke, I don't know what I can do to help him, I don't know what's going to happen, I don't know how I'll be able to live without him…/

#Dark…it'll be alright…#

Never in his time with the thief had he shown anything but confidence, but now, now he sounded lost and alone, afraid, aspects that Daisuke had never seen, not from Dark. The thief shook his head and got out of bed, immediately missing the warmth of it. So he pulled up a chair and sat next to the blonde, holding his hand which continued flickering, disappearing every couple minutes. He stayed there until the blonde's eyes fluttered open again, "Dark? You're still here?"

Half of him had expected the thief to be elsewhere, but he was glad that he wasn't. "Yea, I'm still here…" He had trained his voice to remain calm in all situations, but really, all he felt like doing was screaming until he ran out of breath. The blonde smiled, it was heart wrenching for him. He felt tears make their way down his cheek, he squeezed the hunter's hand harder.

Krad frowned, "Dark?"

"Hm?" His voice remained calm, but that didn't fool the blonde.

"Are you alright? Dark?"

"…yea. I'm fine." There was a moment of silence between the two, "So how do you feel?"

The blonde gave a shrug, "Tired, drained, useless, weak?" It was Dark's turn to frown, "But," the blonde added quickly, "you being here makes me feel somewhat better."

The thief found himself smiling at the blonde's comment. Krad squirmed around awkwardly, not knowing what to say next. Dark knelt down and placed a kiss on the blonde's lips, "I feel hell a lot better when you're around too. Thank you."

"I haven't done anything."

"Just being Krad is doing a lot for me."

Krad blinked, "Then you're welcome…"

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For the next few days, Dark had remained next to the blonde who grew weaker and weaker as each day went by. As the flickering became more frequent, the thief grew deathly worried for his blonde lover. Then one day, Krad frowned as he leaned against the thief, "Dark…I'll miss you."

Dark looked at him confused and startled at the same time, "What are you talking about? I'm right here." He watched the flickering blonde frantically, "Don't tell me you're-"

"I'm sorry Dark."

"Don't go, please…I love you Krad…"

"…I love you too, I'm sorry for before…"

The thief shook his head, "I don't care about that! I care about you staying here, with me! Right now!"

Krad smiled, "So stubborn, how very like you."

"Don't talk like that!"

The hunter cupped his face, unseeing eyes watching him, then Krad relaxed, "I wish I could see you…"

"Krad! Stop it! You have to stay!" I don't know what I'd do without you…

The thief held the blonde tightly. Krad gave a sad smile, tears running, then he closed pale golden eyes, "Goodbye Dark…"

Dark's eyes snapped open as the blonde went limp in his arms, "Gods…no! Get up! Krad! Please…don't leave me again…" I can't live without you, why? Why are you still leaving me? Krad…no matter how much I beg…you won't stay will you? How can you still smile? Gods…don't leave, please don't leave! Please…please…oh god, please don't leave me again…I can't stand it. I can't stand the thought of not being able to see you again, not being able to talk to you, to hold you in my arms…Krad…don't…please…

His pleas were left unheard, with a final flicker, the hunter disappeared and was replaced by his host who had similar tears running down his face, Satoshi watched him and spoke quietly, "He's gone Dark…Krad's gone…"

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Satoshi didn't want the blonde to leave, he had actually grown quite fond of the hunter whom he once hated. Krad had actually pretended to go to sleep a couple times during those last days to spend time with his host. Today however, he seemed less awake and much weaker.

((Satoshi-sama?))

The blue haired boy blinked, Krad sounded quite serious, (Yes?)

((It's almost time, I can feel it.))

He couldn't believe his ears, (I can't believe you're just going to leave me and Dark like that! You can't leave!)

The blonde gave a weak smirk, ((Careful Satoshi-sama, you might sound like you actually care.))

(What if I do care?)

Krad paused, ((Then I'd only be able to apologize.))

Satoshi was crying already, he didn't want to, the tears just escaped, (What if I don't forgive you?)

((I'd only be able to apologize even more then.))

(…I'm going to miss you.)

The hunter smiled, ((Coming from you, that means a lot.))

(Krad…)

((I'm sorry Satoshi-sama, I won't be able to see how the last generation of the Hikari family ends.))

He meant the whole crystal hearts ordeal Satoshi realized, (Then stay!)

((I can't, though I wish you the best of luck with the Niwa boy.))

(You don't have to go…you know Dark's going to be beyond upset)

Krad frowned thoughtfully, Satoshi was trying at his guilt now, ((I know…I'm going to miss him too, tell him I love him for me when I'm gone.))

(But-)

((I'll miss you too,)) He really hated himself for being so sentimental but he couldn't help it, ((Satoshi-sama, I have to go now…goodbye.))

(Krad?)

But the angel was already gone. Tears of anger and sadness spilt down his cheek, already, he felt alone. His mind was finally his own and it felt cold and empty. Awhile later, he found himself sitting on his bed crying along with the thief. Was that how the entities felt when they lost a host? It hurt. A lot.

Suddenly, it hit him. Krad was gone, he was actually gone, he wasn't going to come back no matter how hard he wished. The blonde was completely out of his life forever. His eyes widened at the realization. He inwardly chuckled bitterly at the thought of how he would've given just about anything but a couple months ago to be where he was now. Rid of his other half.

He looked at the thief, surely he was in denial. Actually, he was too, somewhat, apart of him already knew that the hunter was gone, he could feel like yet he chose to deny it. Satoshi frowned and continued looking at Dark who stared right back at him, only not at him, he was staring right through him as though hoping to see someone pop out behind him. Half of him wanted to reach out to the thief and comfort him since he knew vaguely what he felt like at the moment.

But he won't come back, no matter how much you miss him. He won't come back no matter how much you call for him. He's never coming back no matter how much you love him. We'll never see him again will we? Actually…you're probably more upset than me, you're the one he gave his heart to. Why? I'm supposed to be happy…I'm supposed to be cheering…why do I feel so…cold? I bet Dark's feeling three times worse than me…Krad…you were his life! How could you just leave him like that? How could you leave…me? You'd be upset if you saw us like this wouldn't you? Krad?

Blue eyes scanned over the devastated thief, he felt a large pang of guilt and sympathy wash over him. Softy and as gently as he could, he told the thief, "He's gone Dark…Krad's gone…" And he's never coming back to us.

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Nya

Finally! I updated! I've gone paranoid...editing this chapter for days sorta and I'm still going crazy...oh yea...beyond crazy...but on the brighter side I have been working on my fics so hopefully new chapters will come up soon :D These will be short since my arms are in pain...

dimonyo-anghel- Well they have bigger problems to worry about like Krad dying! XD But yea...you'll figure out how Krad's heart got stolen and all that other stuff soon enough :) Maybe even in the next chapter-if I remember XP

Seena58- I seem to get that alot :P Even though Krad's usually the villain, when he becomes the victim everyone's opinion of him changes :) Although I don't know why people don't like villains in the first place...they're so cool X3

Hakudoshi-chan- Well...there goes Krad, now we see how Dark will cope with the loss of the pretty pretty hunter :) Was this too cheesy? I usually laugh at extreme cheesiness and I was smirking while typing the chapter o.O

Manami Nakaoki- Nice, almost cried:D Sorry, it took me awhile to update again didn't it? Boy I've really been slacking off...I'm bad... :P Poor poor Dark and Krad, always having to put up with the stories I write :P

Daishi- But he can! And he did X3 I feel really sadistic today...good thing or bad thing, you decide :P Anyways, Krad left and Dark and Satoshi are devastated and yea...actually I sorta feel bad for them...not really but sorta XD

K-chan XP- Whoa! The heartless one almost cried XP Sad, angsty and fluffy, that's pretty much what I was trying for XP Why do I get excited when bad things happen? o.O Like when Krad dies or something I start cheering XP

Leoth- Yay! Party! Cake! Ice cream! XD I crave ice cream...summer's killing me...I'm melting! No not really, it's raining...but on the bright side, because it's raining and I have nothing to do, I updated (finally) :)

Silv3r MagiciaN- Really? Familiar? Actually...everything I think of usually runs along the tragedy lines for some reason or another...it took me awhile to get this chapter up too didn't it? It seems really short to me...o.O

ilovekyo- Go with the flow, the wise words of some person whom I've never met. But wise nonetheless :P Krad's faded away! But there's still the next chapter XP Indeed...updating's my friend but it was away on vacation for awhile XP

Les Scribbles- I can't think of a time where the dark side wins :( It makes me sad to know that villains, despite how much richer and smarter they are compared to the hero, end up losing one way or another :S DarkxKrad is awesome! XD

Emic192- Aww it's okay, in some ways...not in the Krad-dying way since he's gone...but yea...it's okay :) don't cry -hands over tissue- sorry for the short chapter...I didn't really know how to end it, well I knew but couldn't make it longer :S

Mysterious Kaitou- Aku shall be back! Next time! This one is mainly about Krad dying XP As you can probably guess, I was laughing and smirking when I typed this out :P I really can't help it if I'm sadistic now can I? It's simply...Ayame :)

MelodyMoon- Thankies! Sorry for the sluggish (yes I'm feeling linguistic at the moment) update...glad you enjoyed the story so far though, ahahahahaha -laughing to self like the maniac that she is- Krad died XP

General Kitty Girl- Yea! Frozen waste land! That'd be awesome XP I finally updated again! And this time it's more like a aww-he-dies ending instead of a cliffie...>.>;; Krad died...Dark's alive...the world's going to end :P

golden-flame4- lol XD Krad's too weak for the angsty Dark and Krad smex XP Not to mention Krad's kinda gone now...no he's not invisible, he's just gone, faded away :P What shall happen next...hmmm...-thinking at two thoughts per hour-

Gabriel of Dreams-Yume Chan- Whoa it's beenfour weeks? o.o Actually...more than four weeks but yea...whoa...sue the school board :D But then again...that'd mean less experiments and stuff like that wouldn't it? Aww dang... :S

melwasul- Hmm...I'm not sure when it'll finish, hopefully before summer ends...I don't think I'm going to have much free time next year...nope, -shakes head- that just sucks...why do we have to move up grades anyways :P

kittenoftime- Yup you told me :) Krad's really pretty...but he's gone now X3 My brain left me a long time ago so I don't even have one XP But then again...smart people usually die first and mimes and those...clowny people die last XP

Raydar89- This is fangirl worthy! XD -happy happy happy- Kraddy-kins goes away o.O Don't hate me! But then again...it just adds to his angsty-ness which Krad is simply full of XP Yea...but still...don't sue me! XD

Lillith- Thank you XD Oh yea...all these twists...most of them weren't intentional :P They just happen since it just pops into my mind which I don't understand XP I guess I'll have to try to end it within the summer time or else it'll take a really really long time, lack of time sucks :S

Alowl- That's taking the easy way out XP Not to mention someone stole Krad's crystal heart from Dark so that's sorta out of question...but as to how it ends...we'll just see XP I tend to stray far from the real plot of dnangel don't I:P