As Daisuke snuggled back down into the couch Dark made his way slowly, casually towards his destination. He'd hidden his telltale hair underneath a black beanie and changed his usually flamboyant outfit to a plain grey tee and black overcoat with a high collar. A crowd was already gathering around the museum, and the reporters had begun to viciously push and shove at each other out of the way each anticipating the perfect shot. But he paid no attention to any of them and sought out a familiar shock of blonde hair- the police commander, Krad, or perhaps the blue locks of his vice, the chief of police.

Krad had recently been promoted to the position- in fact, he'd never seen the blonde around before nearly a month ago- he'd met the alluring blonde in a bar down on Southside. He'd been absolutely intoxicated due to a failure in car salesmanship, which may or may not have been the reason he went home with the angel that night. And as far as one-night stands went, it had been good, at least the parts that he could remember. The only problem was that Krad still wanted him and since he was the great phantom thief the traps Krad set had become increasingly more dangerous. Last time he'd stolen an artifact the yellow-eyed bastard had violated at least three health codes and left Dark with seven deep gashes on his leg. They still hadn't healed… That telltale fair hair, ethereal and seeming to shine with its own glow, appeared and Dark snuck to the lower ranks, yanking one of them off to an alley and stealing the uniform. Just as he'd pulled the ugly grey cap over his head and ducked back into line the blonde walked up to them, pausing as he reached the Kaitou.

"Your performances last time were atrocious. You were to follow my instructions and failed to do so- therefore, I have decided the only way to motivate you parasites it to offer a reward." To the thief's relief he moved on to walk down the rest of the line, pausing to meet the gaze of each one of them with a brassy and absolutely chilling stare of his own. "I will give the first man who captures Dark a check of 10,000 yen from my personal bank account." The men around him murmured excitedly, but Dark was busy recalling just the way those saffron eyes had looked, glazed over with ecstasy… He shook his head to clear the memory and the movement caught the Commanders eye.

"Yakota." He said and slinked over to him like a cat, meeting his eyes again. "Is that not enough to tempt you? Or are you doubtful of my resolve?" Dark thought furiously about the man that was currently lying unconscious behind a few bushes- he had hardly put up a fight, so…

"Neither." Dark said almost meekly and dropped his head a little, but still met those eyes that had seduced him, that still drew him in like a moth to flame.

But Daisuke's eyes were far better, safer… "I merely doubt my own abilities, Commander." That drew out a quick sharp smile from the blonde,

"Well with that attitude your peers will certainly accomplish it before you."That brought out laughter from the others but through that laughter Krad leaned in and whispered, "You know, I don't recall Yakota ever having purple eyes." then pulled back quickly. "Alright men, let's go. He's bound to be here by now."

He smirked at Dark once before turning tail and leading the men into the arched museum. Dark cursed himself for his own stupid mistake (The only other man with purple eyes in the town had been the man standing next to Yakota.) and he realized with a kind of anger ~He's… playing with me. Waiting until I go off on my own…~ Then he realized,~ Well, I don't really give a damn. With all his cronies in here there's no way he can set up traps of that caliber…~ He cut off from the group, and his heart thudded in his chest as he squeezed into a ventilation shaft. It was actually faster than walking there and besides he wasn't going to be caught that easily.

~Good thing I'm not claustrophobic.~ As soon as he reached the room he glanced down through the thin slits in the metal. The room was flooded with guards and Krad himself was missing, a fact that disturbed him. However, he could take these guards. He dropped down, "What the-" and promptly kicked the one who was speaking in the chest.~ I don't really like-~

He took another one down with a good old fashioned right hook. ~ Hand to hand combat-~

"What do you think your-"

Smack! His fists stung and his adrenalin started pumping,~But this ain't so bad!~

He tripped the last three and they came down hard, their skulls making loud cracks against the marble tiles on the floor. Luckily there was no blood, after all he was here to steal, not hurt people if he could help it. He went over to the pedestal, opened the glass case and snatched up the piece after wrapping t in his jacket, hardly glancing at it before heading back for the huge paned windows. On the porch was a thick sinuous wisteria vine that led right to the ground. If he was quick enough- Something appeared in front of him and he jumped back, the cold night air grabbing his face and running freezing fingers through his clothes. Krad grinned self-righteously and took off his coat with a flourish. "Well, good to see you again, thief." Before he could answer the commander slammed him down onto the cement, and Dark gasped in pain and shock as little white spots danced in his vision. As Krad leaned down Dark was dimly aware of long strands of hair tickling across his neck and chin and he choked and struggled to get back the air that Krad had knocked out of him. "Gh-Kr-" Krad's lips grazed his ear,

"Did you really think I was just going to just let you go…With that of all pieces?" and he ran his ivory fingers over the bulge in Dark's jacket where the artwork lay.

"I-" The blonde paused suddenly, then reached down and plucked something out of the phantom's thick purple locks. He ran a tiny red hair underneath his nose and sniffed, then sneered and let the wind carry it away. Then he forced Dark's arms behind his back, effectively pinning him and commented almost conversationally,

"So, you've found my little lost fox." It took a moment for the meaning to fully hit Dark, then he writhed and snarled,

"Yours? What the hell did you do to that poor little kid, you-" trying to kick him. Krad moved one arm and captured his tan throat, squeezing just enough to let Dark know he wasn't afraid to kill him. As the thief breathed shallow the commander answered "Oh, a bit of this and that. He is mine, after all, my property, and it is really none of your business." Then he seemed to have an idea, and slammed Dark's curling legs back down flat against the cracked cement without a thought.

"How about…You bring my other half back to me, and I will let you have this." Dark hesitated and faked actually thinking about it, and Krad took the opportunity to lap sideways at his bottom lip, thoroughly covering it in his saliva. He shuddered in disgust and felt the blonde relaxing his grip on his arms. As soon as he did he shot up "Like hell I will! Bastard!" and slammed both fists into Krad's chest, knocking him over and pelting towards the vine.

~His other half…? That's a weird way to…~Krad sat up shakily holding his chest and the sounds of men coming to permeated the clear night.

Somehow he dragged his aching carcass over to the cement railing, leaned over and snarled, "He's mine-!" Dark was still close enough to reach Krad and almost from instinct, or because of some muddled memory he reached up and removed the cap from his flaxen head.

Immediately his hands went up, but not before Dark saw two snow-white cat ears flattened against his skull. "You! You're the Ki-"

The voices got louder and Krad retrieved the ugly cap from his former lover contemptuously, slamming it on and staggering away before Dark could investigate further.

He slid down the vine carefully and ran off into the darkness, rubbing his lips over and over against his sleeves, his hands, anything to get rid of that taste.

Reviews please!