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Balance	By : Macx Category: +. to F > DNAngel Views: 6759 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own DNAngel, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Balance
- 1
Balance

by Macx and Lara Bee

The world had ended from one day to the other. Without warning, the
final stage of the countless confrontations, the missions and operations,
had arrived, bringing with it chaos and destruction.

He had had no time to be really prepared. Everything had been a rush
of adrenaline, of trying to understand the implications behind all that
had occurred the past two years. He had felt emotions that were his, but
also the ones of the entity he was bound to so intimately, who was part
of his very soul.

Power clashed, two magical entities fighting for the ultimate victory,
but in the end it had cost them all.

Part of the city had been destroyed by the earthquakes, by the raw
magical force, taking with it what the Hikari family had created and had
called the Black Wings. Their ultimate art work, their ultimate curse.
In its wake, the wave of destruction had left two wounded souls. One would
heal, the other would forever feel that a part of him had died in that
battle.

'I'll always be with you.'

Around him, there had been nothing but destruction. He had no idea
how he had been able to get free of the Black Wings, how he had found Satoshi,
how they had made it back. Supporting his friend, they had staggered out
of the ruins, one free, the other wounded deep inside.

'I'm inside you.'

He drew a deep breath, eyes going to the sky, searching for an answer
that hadn't come in six years.

"Dai!"

Niwa Daisuke gave a startled yell and whirled around, glaring at the
tall man standing behind him. A grin spread over the narrow features, the
dark blue eyes sparkling.

"You're losing your touch, Dai. You didn't hear me coming. Daydreaming?"

Daisuke shook his head. "Thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself."

He chuckled. "You're the brainchild of this outfit."

Long, light brown, almost blond, hair moved in the wind, held together
at the nape of the neck in a pony tail. Spiky bangs hung into the suntanned
forehead and Hikari Satoshi grinned. The glasses from long ago were gone,
so was the bland mask of detachment. Pale skin had long since turned a
healthy color. Daisuke loved the smile, the strength, the warmth that had
blossomed when his friend had been freed of the burden and curse. He loved
those eyes, unguarded and full of spirit. He loved the simple power this
man showed.

"So true."

Satoshi slipped an arm around the other man's waist and pulled him
against him. A kiss was placed on Daisuke's neck and Daisuke leaned back,
clasping his hands over the ones holding him.

"Thinking of him again?" Satoshi murmured, nibbling at a spot that
he knew well.

"No."

"Liar."

Daisuke sighed and hung his head. Of course Satoshi knew about the
way he felt. After three years together, there was little his lover and
best friend didn't know. Their shared past and pains made sure of that
as well. After it had all been over, after things had suddenly become so
normal again, both teens had talked. Daisuke had learned more about his
schoolmate than he had ever thought. It had fused them together, their
past, their pain, their families.

Satoshi nuzzled his neck affectionately, one hand rubbing over his
stomach in a calming, reassuring gesture. "Talk to me," he murmured.

"It's just strange. Lately, I've been getting these feelings� like
echoes�"

Satoshi frowned. "Echoes?"

"Yeah, like he's there, somewhere. Calling for me to come."

His lover's face grew serious, slightly worried even. "Dai� he and
Krad were sealed six years ago! The Black Wings was destroyed."

"Only because you destroy the portal, the world behind it still exists."
Daisuke turned in the embrace, looking into those clear blue eyes that
had always fascinated him so much.

"True." Satoshi kissed him lightly.

"I know you don't miss Krad, but Dark�"

"Was part of your soul. Dai� don't obsess over this, please? I know
the anniversary is coming up�"

Daisuke buried his head against the taller man's shoulder and felt
strong hands caress his back. Yes, two more days and it would be the day
he had lost Dark to the Black Wings. Every year, that day reminded him
of what had been, what could never be again, and he was glad he had someone
to share it with each time. In the first two years it had been Riku, as
well as his parents. Then Satoshi had become a greater part of his life
and he had understood more than any of them, even his grandfather.

The wind ruffled his hair and faintly he thought he felt echoes of
another entity, a being that had been so close. He swallowed and resolutely
fought down the melancholy. He finally detached himself from Satoshi and
smiled valiantly.

"Let's go. Mom's probably waiting. She's been so excited about getting
reservations at the Panhandle, I guess she'd flay us alive if we're late."

Satoshi chuckled. "Let's not forget we're celebrating your university
degree."

"Uh, yeah, that too."

Both left and walked down the streets, shoulder to shoulder, close
but not holding hands. Daisuke heard the wind whisper, heard the call of
someone he had had with him for close to two years.

'One day I won't be there any more.'

'I know, Dark, I know.'
* * *
Dinner had been great and the restaurant was truly excellent. The whole
family had had more than enough to eat and while Daisuke wondered what
it had cost, he really didn't want to know. It had been a truly pleasant
evening, his mother glowing with pride at his degree, his father and grandfather
talking about what possibilities he had, and Satoshi just being his silent
support as he had been for so long.

That his family had accepted the deep friendship with a Hikari and
later the relationship had never surprised Daisuke. Of course, there had
been reservations at first, but after it had become clear just how much
Satoshi was suffering from the curse, how much he fought his destiny, even
Emiko had turned a kinder eye on him. Kosuke had accepted him almost immediately.
Now he was part of the family, having none of his own any more after the
death of his stepfather, and it felt so normal to be with him.

Daisuke turned in his bed and looked at the slender form next to him,
sleeping soundly. Hair almost white in the light from outside spilled out
over a slender but muscular back, a body so different from the thin and
almost underweighted boy Daisuke remembered from eight years ago when they
had first met. Hiwatari Satoshi, a boy who had been forced to become a
toy to the cruel entity residing inside him, Dark's antithesis, his other
half. So much had happened since then and Satoshi had taken back his old
family name, had grown, had lived his life.

With Daisuke.

Smiling, Daisuke snuggled closer to the man he loved. There was a questioning
noise and strong arms came around him. Satoshi didn't really wake, just
accommodate the other body, then slipped into sleep once more.

Daisuke listened to his breathing, aware of something else at the far
end of his perception. It was calling for him, painful and alone, a cry
for help.

He screwed his eyes shut.

Dark was gone.

He was lost inside the destroyed Black Wings.

Right?
* * *
Another week passed and Daisuke tried to ignore the increasing amount
of strange sensations, things he hadn't felt since Dark's disappearance.
They came mostly when he let his guard down, always the same. It was like
Dark needed him, was calling for him, and it was getting worse at night.
Satoshi had taken notice of the changes and by now he watched his lover
with worried expressions.

"That's no longer just memory, Dai," he said, looking at the man in
his arms. They had sat down on the couch for the evening, watching the
news, but Daisuke had been tense all day. "Something's going on."

Daisuke sighed. "I don't know. Maybe it's� I don't know."

The anniversary had come and gone, and except for the whispers there
had been nothing at all. They had spent a pleasant day by the sea, just
among themselves, enjoying each other's company. Satoshi had never been
jealous of Daisuke's feelings for Dark. They were different than a lover's
connection. Dark had been him, he had been Dark.

"We should go and ask your parents. Maybe there's something somewhere
in your family history."

Daisuke looked unsure. "No one ever lost Dark like this, Sato."

"They all lived without him after finding their true love."

"Yes, but they had that other person then. I mean� Riku and I� we had
a great time and all� I missed him nevertheless. The voice in my head,
laughing with me, teasing me, listening to me when no one else was around�"

Satoshi caressed the man in his arms, smiling tenderly as dark brown
eyes looked at him. He would never understand this feeling because he had
been more than glad to be rid of the demon that had used his body, abused
his very soul. But Dark had been different. Daisuke had once described
him as a warm blanket, a safety net.

"Let's talk to Daikii. He might be able to help."

Daisuke nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

"Until then�" Hikari leaned over and kissed his lover, coaxing his
lips open to meet his tongue.

Daisuke wrapped his arms around him, pulling him closer and down with
him as he sank onto the couch.

Distraction was good, Satoshi mused as he skillfully seduced his lover
of three years. Very good.
* * *
Niwa Daikii looked at the two young men sitting on the couch of the
Niwa home, a frown creasing his features.

"Why do you ask now?"

Daisuke rubbed a hand over his face. "Because lately� it's like he's
calling me, grandpa. I can hear him. It's not just the feeling I've had
since he left that I miss something. It's more now. I can actually hear
it like whispers. Please tell me I'm not going insane!" He turned pleading
eyes on the only Niwa alive in the family who had been a host, too.

Daikii studied his grandson, then looked at the tall man sitting beside
him. "You are free of these feelings, I suppose."

Satoshi smiled wryly. "Completely. I'd be more than disturbed if they
were the same."

"Me, too." Daikii grinned briefly. "Well, Daisuke, to answer your question,
I had your late grandmother to distract me. She was the love of my life
and it helped over the loss of something that had grown on me, too. It's
not easy to go from being the phantom thief one night to being Niwa Daikii
the next. It's a sudden event, almost no warning, and I missed the presence
and his voice in my head. He could be annoying sometimes, but he was a
friend."

Daisuke smiled a little. "Yeah."

"But to tell you the truth, I never had the close relationship you
had with Dark, Daisuke. I did what was necessary and was glad when I could
do it under my own power." Old eyes regarded him seriously. "You and Dark,
you were very close. You went through more than any of the prior hosts."

Daisuke sighed deeply and Satoshi shot him a worried look. "That doesn't
really help."

"Maybe it does, Daisuke. You had a very intense bond with Dark. We
don't know what happened to him after the Black Wings sealed them both."
Daikii stroked over his beard, thoughtful. "The Black Wings was destroyed,
its pieces nothing but dead metal and stone. I wonder� Hm�"

Satoshi frowned. "You can't think that there is a way�"

Daikii met the blue eyes. "I've seen a lot I never thought was possible,
so have you two. I'll see what I can find out about this. Daisuke, if it
gets any worse, tell me immediately."

Daisuke nodded. He and Satoshi left, promising Emiko to come by this
weekend for lunch, and walked down the sun-dappled streets. At one of the
many look outs that showed the rugged coast line, both stopped and Daisuke
leaned onto the railing, gazing out over the sea. Satoshi was by his side,
silent, eyes hidden behind a pair or sunglasses.

After a while, Daisuke leaned closer, seeking comfort, and Satoshi
gave. He wrapped an arm around his lover and pulled him over to a bench.
His own mind was racing about what was going on. Daisuke hadn't complained
about such aftereffects ever. Not even right after the separation. Why
now? Why was it affecting him so strongly such a long time later?

"I love you," Daisuke whispered, hugging him close.

He smiled, feeling the familiar warmth rush through him at the words.
Daisuke loved him unconditionally, just like he had been his unconditional
friend in junior high. It was still a small miracle for him. He had found
such peace in this relationship, it was hard to think of a time without
his partner and best friend.

Framing the beloved face, Satoshi kissed him. "I love you, Dai. We'll
get through this."

He prayed they would.
* * *
The exhibition was nice but boring, Daisuke decided, strolling through
the huge halls, hands stuffed in his pockets. Satoshi was at his side,
radiating the same non-existent enthusiasm as his lover, and they exchanged
a brief look. Satoshi smirked a little. Time to cut this short and head
for the real prize in these halls. Visiting hours were almost over and
they still wanted to check out a few of the newer pieces that had attracted
hundreds of people already. Now, so close to closing hours, the exhibition
room was almost empty. A few late stragglers were around, but none was
looking at the center piece of the room.

It was a figurine with demon wings, a tail and horns, but an angelic
face, long wavy hair and a peaceful smile. It had been hewn into marble,
polished to perfection and its empty eyes were forever looking at the people
passing by. It seemed almost alive to Daisuke as he studied it. He didn't
need to read the small card inside the case to know what it was.

The Guardian. A piece of Hikari family history that they had tracked
down in the last few months. Both had been surprised to discover that the
museum in Daisuke's home town was about to display the real thing. Like
all art it was filled with a life of its own, feeding off the adoration
and wonder of the people around it, creating its own soul. It wasn't truly
dangerous, but it still needed to be sealed.

"It's beautiful," Daisuke murmured. "Your family had a talent."

Satoshi touched the small of his back, smiling a little. "A talent
that turned into a curse."

Daisuke gave him a sad smile. "Yeah. Too bad. At least this one isn't
too active yet. We can seal it easily."

There was a faint throb and he blinked.

"I'll check on it again," Satoshi said, though his voice sounded suddenly
far away, as if he was distancing himself from Daisuke while still standing
right next to him.

Another pulse. This time deeper, touching something never forgotten.
It broke open a barely scabbed wound. Daisuke winced.

"Dai?"

He blinked and found himself looking directly into the dark blue eyes
of his lover. Worry creased the smooth features.

"Daisuke? What's wrong?"

A ripple made him gasp and he grabbed his chest. "Dark!" he exclaimed
harshly.

He felt it. Like he had felt Dark before. It was the same sensation
as the time the kaitou had first initiated the change. It was a tearing,
a hot burning flame across his nerves, but instead of the soothing presence
that had come out of the awakening, there was only more rippling.

"Daisuke!" Satoshi exclaimed as he cried out in pain.

Light washed over him, tearing into him, splitting him apart.

"DARK!"
* * *
The world around him was strange, surreal, like in a dream. This wasn't
a dream though. It was reality � at least in a way. He had been to such
worlds before. Worlds hidden inside paintings, works of art� worlds that
were born from human wishes and beauty and emotions, magic given form by
humanity.

There was no beauty here, though. It was bland, almost completely gray.
There were shapes in the distance but none he could really define. The
ground was hard, unrelenting, rocky.

And he wasn't alone.

"No, don't come any closer!"

It was a hoarse moan, a plea to listen, but he couldn't. Just hearing
the voice�

Daisuke looked at the being he hadn't seen or heard in over six years.
He had lost Dark before he had turned sixteen, had lost a part of himself
to the Black Wings where everything had come from.

Six years.

Dark hadn't changed. He still looked the same.

Of course, back then he hadn't been injured as badly as he was now.
Daisuke couldn't think of a time he had ever seen Dark bleed. It had been
his own body that had bled and hurt when bruised and cut. Dark had been
him; part of him. Part of his very soul.

"Dark."

It wasn't a question. He just had to say his name, hear it out loud.

So much time, such loneliness inside his head where another voice had
been before. Of course, that voice had not always been wanted, but he had
accepted it over time. He had accepted and started to tolerate the annoying
comments, but there had also been advise, conversation between the two
so different beings that went beyond a host and his� symbiote? Was that
what it had been? A symbiosis? Brought forth by whatever had born Dark?
Not a curse� just a co-existence.

Dark had become part of him, of his life. He had been an integral part
and that had been ripped out of him. They had been one. One being� Now
he had found the missing piece once more.

"Stop, Daisuke!" Dark begged, the violet eyes boring into his own brown
ones. "Don't!"

There was a chuckle that seemed to ring through the air around them
and Daisuke looked for its source. He found nothing. All he saw was this
strange world, made up like a prison, with Dark lying on the ground, bruised,
battered, mangled� torn and bleeding. Pain was etched into the youngish
features, the eyes speaking of a torment that had started long ago. His
wings lay limply across his back, the black feathers spilling like frozen
water over the ground.

Why was he winged?

Why did the wings look� broken?

Daisuke stepped even closer, drawn to his former partner like a moth
to the flame. It was like hearing a call for help, silent and insistent.
He felt Dark's presence, felt his own react with a yearning to merge with
his partner again.

"He can't but come to you, Dark," a voice laughed. "He and you� his
blood answers your call."

"No!" Dark screamed, trying to get up.

Blood clung to his body, his hands, his hair.

With a soft gasp, the dark-haired man collapsed, eyes squeezed shut.

"No," he whispered. "No, no, no� please�"

It sounded like a prayer, like a plea� for help in Daisuke's ears.

"You and I," Dai said softly, "we're one. I know that. You know it.
You are me, I am you. We are one person."

Dark violet eyes cracked open, gazing at him through small slits. "He
called you here," Dark moaned. "He wanted this�"

"No, I came here because you needed me. Because I needed that part
of me back. We're a unity, Dark."

Daisuke's voice was soft, calm, and there was a faint smile on his
lips.

Dark gritted his teeth and gathered the last of his strength, trying
to get up, but whatever his intentions had been, they were thwarted by
crackle of lightning and the energy that hit him.

He screamed.

Daisuke's eyes widened. "Dark!"

Tendrils of smoke rose from the mangled back, from the wings that looked
partly charred. A whimper escaped the tortured man.

"Who are you?!" Daisuke demanded. "Why do you hurt him?"

Laughter again. "Because I can?"

Daisuke's hands curled into fists.

"He's a weak creature, Niwa," the voice went on. "Weak and without
a host body, without a Tamer. An accident, actually. He and his other half
are an accident. A ritual gone wrong. They shouldn't exist."

"But he does!"

"Yes, and he has learned to feel and to love and to be close to his
host. So very intriguing," the voice chuckled. "Each part of the other
but oh so very different. Each representing the family they were forced
upon. In the end both lost their wings, so to speak. They returned to where
they had come from. Why not have some fun with him and his likeness now?
How the mighty have fallen�"

Daisuke's eyes were drawn to the frozen form of the second magical
being trapped in here. Krad's body appeared relatively unharmed, but he
was frozen in his place. No longer dressed in his white, flowing robe,
he was stripped down to a pair of dirty pants and a stained shirt. His
white wings were stretched out behind his back, held at such an unnatural
angle it had to hurt. The golden eyes were narrow slits, filled with pain
that showed that he had fallen victim to the same thing that had trapped
Dark. The long, blond hair was matted, fell limply, but he seemed to have
some fight left in him, struggling now and then.

"You're torturing him for your fun!" Daisuke accused.

"What's it to you, boy? You were rid of him."

"Then why bring me here to watch?"

Laughter. "No, you came on your own. You heard his call."

"Dai�" Dark whispered. "Leave. Please. Leave!"

He stopped beside the broken form, secretly scared and horrified by
the state his friend was in. Dark had always been strong, almost invincible,
a magical creature that resided inside him, that healed and could not be
killed.

Finally he knelt down and stretched out his hand.

"I can't. You and me, don't you understand? Neither can leave� alone."
Daisuke raised his head, staring at the nothingness. "Am I right?"

There was no answer, but the sky darkened.

Dark tried to move away, too weak to do much more than flinch a little.
Violet eyes begged him not to do it, not to touch him, to leave the bond
broken.

"I'll always be with you," Daisuke murmured, recalling those words
like they had just been spoke. "I am inside you."

His fingers closed around a bloody wrist. Dark stared at him like hypnotized.
His sweat-glistening features, so pale and haggard, held an expression
of wonder.

"We'll be all right� we're together," the human whispered.

For a moment there was nothing, then Dark's eyes widened, his mouth
opened as if to scream. Suddenly his form seemed to flow apart. It turned
black as night, with the consistency of oil, flowing, twisting and turning.
Tendrils of black struck out, latching onto Daisuke, embracing him, wrapping
themselves around the young man. Daisuke's eyes closed, his face suddenly
twisted as if in pain, then the brown eyes shot open and a cry escaped
his lips as the oily substance splashed toward him. It flowed into him
like a liquid mist.

'I won't forget about you either. I never will.'

All those feelings, all those emotions came back to him, inside the
Black Wings, the final stage.

Daisuke screamed.

He relived everything, from the decision to enter this fight, to bear
the pain alone, to the moment Dark and Krad had collided, healing the Black
Wings and returning to the eternity that had given form to them.

He saw memory flashes that weren't his. Of the darkness, the light,
of the presence merging with his own, sealing them both inside the final
piece of Hikari artwork that had ever been created by the mad family. It
all flowed together with the dead form of Satoshi's stepfather, lying broken
and bleeding on the ground, with feathers whirling around him, with magic
at the rampage. Everything became one.

Another scream ripped from his mouth.

Daisuke had felt this terrible pain before, the pain of transformation,
and it was as familiar to his body and mind as was the presence that now
finally touched him again. He welcomed the agony as it also reunited him
with a part he had missed so dearly.

~Dark~ he whispered.

He curled up, wings falling over his back, covering him� them.

~Dark~

He was back.

Back where he belonged.

~We're together again~
* * *
Satoshi had no idea why he was here. It had been out of his hands, actually.
He had been transported along whatever had grabbed Daisuke, depositing
them both in this strange realm. His cursed heritage and inheritance, he
thought. Even now, when he had been free of it all, it still clung to him
like a bad taste.

His eyes found the frozen, painfully stretched out form of his past
horror and nightmare.

The other half of Dark. The other half of the Black Wings. Everything
he had hated so much. Everything he had tried to stop.

Krad had always been his fear, his nightmare, the beast that lurked
inside him, that tore him apart. The curse of his blood. He had been used
by this creature, used and abused, forced to follow a path he had hated.
He had hurt his friend, had tried to kill him in the form of Krad.

Daisuke had forgiven him, had wanted to be his friend, had saved him.
Time and again. Both boys had broken the vicious cycle of family feuds
and hatred, had forged a bond not even Krad's insanity and Satoshi's stepfather
had been able to break. Maybe it was even thanks to this struggle that
Satoshi had found someone to live for, to love.

Dai had asked more from him than to give his life� he had forced him
live. He had been the first, the very first person, to ever demand him
to live. Daisuke had accepted him without questions, had always been there
for him, had been his best friend. He had a future with his lover, he had
plans, he had had so much� Now he was facing his past again. He was looking
at his nightmare.

Just that Krad was no longer such a nightmarish apparition. He was
still angelic outside, a demon on the inside. Blond hair, golden eyes that
weren't human, white wings� all the good looks of an angel. But the temper,
the drive and the intentions of a devil. Ruthless, brutal, deadly� The
negative side of Dark. The antithesis. All the evil in the world condensed
in this beautiful body.

Now he was just a weak shadow of his former self, strung up like sacrifice,
pain etched into his features.

Satoshi had envied Daisuke his relationship with Dark. The two of them,
despite their differences, had worked well together, had been a unit. They
had learned to trust each other, while all he had felt for Krad was disgust
and the fervent wish to get rid of him.

Now he witnessed the same trust and unity as Daisuke knelt beside his
injured partner, touched him, initiated the bond that had been by blood
once. Dark turned into blackness, then enveloped his host, absorbed himself
into the human body. He was drawn to the Niwa bloodline unable to resist
its call because of the physical contact, and finally became one.

Daisuke stiffened, cried out, then hunched over. Out of his back a
pair of black wings exploded in a display of raw magic. Unlike before,
his body went through very little changes. He was as tall as Dark now,
just as lithe, and only his different hair color showed the change. Brown
eyes became violet, the face slightly sharper. Those different eyes gazed
up into the blackening sky, a dark smile gracing the new features.

The attack came out of nothing and Dark jumped out of the way, his
wings spreading, taking him into the air.

The fight was on.

Satoshi briefly closed his eyes, then looked at Krad, whose gaze was
following his mirror image's flight.

"Why are you here?" the demon finally asked, voice rough and shaky.

"I don't know."

"Is it because of him?"

Satoshi smirked a little. "He's my best friend. Not a concept you'd
understand, I'm sure."

Krad's eyes slid shut for a moment and his features twitched in pain.
"Your blood called you here because he called out to both of you. It's
a trap," he said after a moment, voice strained.

"What is he?"

"I don't know." It was a softly-voiced confession. "Powerful� cold�"
He gasped as his wings were suddenly bent at an angle that had to be painful.
Krad cried out softly, unable to stop the sound of suffering.

Satoshi felt part of him writhe in pain at the sound. Whatever Krad
was, he was also able to feel. Like Dark. Like them all. And he had been
tortured just the same.

"Why set this trap? Why call us here?" he wanted to know, watching
the fight with an almost clinical detachment. He analyzed the facts as
coldly as he had done before, in his old life. It was so easy to slip back
into that persona, even now that he was grown up.

"I don't know�"

"Well, whoever he is, he woke you from the seal. He brought you here.
He somehow knew that Dark would awaken Daisuke's blood, would call him
here�"

More pieces fell into place. More sense, more reason, more� hard and
undeniable facts.

"He started hurting him immediately. No explanations," Krad's voice
shook and lines of stress etched deeper into the smooth face. "Again and
again and again�"

"He knew Daisuke would be unable to resist the merge, that they would
fight. And they are strong." Dark eyes followed the battle that was evenly
matched. "He knew. Why bring me here, then?"

Krad had no answer to that and Satoshi had no idea whether the demon
was even able to answer him. He hung limply in the invisible bonds, his
chest rising ever so slightly. A soft whimper suddenly escaped him and
there was a dry cracking sound. One wing started to leak blood.

Satoshi couldn't remember seeing Krad ever bleed before. Those wings
had been cut and torn off in the final fight. There had been no blood then.
Magic didn't bleed. In here, though� they were real. Everything was real.
Krad experienced pain from a true body, not just a magical form. Satoshi
gazed at the injury, at the demon that had been so horrifying before. Now
it was a broken puppet, strung up, the toy of a creature that had brought
them all here for his entertainment.

The fight in the sky went on, neither side giving in, neither side
gaining much. Dark was hit several times, but he was still moving fast,
his magical strikes powerful. Daisuke was a strong host, had grown a lot.
When he had been fourteen, drawing on his energy had drained the boy. Now,
as a young man, he had a lot more resilience. Still, there was a limit.

Black and white, he thought. Darkness and light. One showed the wounds,
the other only felt the pain. One fought, the other still suffered the
aftershocks.

"Balance," Satoshi whispered. "It's about balance."

Golden eyes cracked open, gazing at him. They were glazed over, swimming
with agony. Gone was the cool elegance of before, the aloofness, the neatness.
This was a tortured creature.

"Dark and Daisuke are that balance. They are equals, partners� They
are one. But Dark is a part of you." Satoshi looked at the creature. "You
are his balance, whether either of you likes it or not."

Krad laughed weakly. "Maybe."

"You know it is so. You live and die together."

"We cannot die. We live eternally. We aren't bound by human time or
law."

Satoshi smirked. "You can die, demon. You and Dark can be killed by
the right means. You can stop to exist, return to the nothingness that
gave birth to you. You can suffer, feel pain, and maybe he, whatever he
is, can truly kill you." He turned fully to his nightmare. "You are one."

Krad looked at him, silent. Tremors were racing through his body.

"You are two sides of the same coin. You are in a balance that has
been upset a long time ago. Humanity broke you apart, forced you to live
separate lives. You could never let the other go, never find happiness,
enjoy life. You were cursed, just like your hosts. And without you, he
can't win in here either," Satoshi went on. It was as if the solution came
to him as he spoke, eyes on the sky again. "Daisuke isn't enough. Dark
isn't enough. Both can never be enough because half of each is missing.
There's only darkness, no light."

A soft, harsh laugh drew his attention back to the trapped being. "It
sounds like you want to free me, Satoshi."

He seriously regarded the creature. Krad's eyes widened in shock.

"You� do?"

He had never seen him so open, so vulnerable, so completely caught
off guard and reeling � in body and in mind. Krad had always been cold,
treating him as his possession, his toy. Now there was little of that left.
Sure, it would return the moment he had a host, a Hikari host. Satoshi's
memories were quite clear of the time he had physically and mentally suffered
under the brutal onslaught of this particular demon. He had been close
to ending his life, had neglected his own needs, just to stop him from
killing Daisuke to get to Dark.

If he allowed him access again, he would have the same fate. He would
suffer the pain, the humiliation, the abysmal loneliness. A cold voice
in his mind, taunting him, abusing him, raping his soul� He would become
a tool again.

'Life is not precious.'

Carelessly uttered words or the truth? At the time, when he had been
ready to kill himself to stop Krad, he had been convinced. Daisuke had
fought for him, had forced his own will to live onto the failing body and
soul of his friend.

'You can't want yourself to die!'

Live�

Live with Krad? But what was the alternative? Die in here? Watch Daisuke
and Dark die before the entity turned on him and Krad? Or merge with the
demon and hand his life over to his mercy once more?

Satoshi closed his eyes, shivering a little. His stomach was a pit
of ice, turning over and over, making him sick.

Was he really ready to let Krad in again after he had lived six years
without him? Satoshi had gone to school like his friend, they had gone
to university together, even though it was an old hat for the Hikari genius.
Still, he had learned more than what a university taught. He had learned
life. He had learned love.

Daisuke, he thought desperately.

But if he didn't act, his lover would die. It was a no win situation.
He knew the key to winning, to maybe getting out of here.

Unlike for Daisuke, there had been no empty spot, no loneliness. The
absence of Krad had meant life to him, friends and fun, a normal existence
without a burden that had nearly killed him.

Was he really contemplating this?

A cry of pain had him whirl around and he witnessed Dark impacting
with the ground, a lance of pure energy shooting at him. The kaitou brought
up a shield, but it was weaker than it should be. He was losing�

Daisuke was losing.

They were losing.

He was running out of time.

He had to make a decision. Either they would die here, together, or
they could have a faint chance of survival.

Satoshi met the golden eyes. Feline. Feral. Predatory. But also filled
with pain and longing and need, all those emotions he had felt before.
All of them directed at him. All scaring him like nothing else.

'You are my everything.'

He shivered.

"I hate you. I hate your existence and I curse my blood, my mother
and every other Hikari in the blood line. I was free of you because of
Dark. I could live because of Daisuke. No one else believed in me." His
voice was steady. "I had six years to catch up on what I had lost in the
sixteen years before. I'm not ready to die here, but our survival means
my damnation."

Dark was off into the sky again, blasting at his enemy. Satoshi closed
his eyes, inhaling deeply.

Daisuke�

"Maybe it's my destiny, my so-called fate, maybe I can never get rid
of this curse. We can't win without the two of you. Dark alone will be
killed otherwise, and with him Daisuke. You are what he needs� and what
I despise."

He faced his demon, his nightmare and squared his shoulders. Golden
eyes regarded him with an almost morbid fascination. Krad was unable to
grasp what the young human was saying, staring at him like a hypnotized
rabbit would at a striking cobra. A dangerous rabbit. A rabbit that could
strike and kill, but at the moment he was manacled, chained�

"Six years were enough," Satoshi said, voice steady and belying the
soul-deep fear he felt inside.

Six years hadn't been enough! a part of him cried. He was only twenty-two!
He had a whole life ahead of him and he was throwing it away. He and Dai
had had plans! So many plans�

'Live!' something screamed inside him.

But if he didn't make this step, he wouldn't get out of here, he would
witness Dark and Daisuke's death�

"Satoshi�"

His name. He looked at Krad, saw the incredulous expression. For the
first time he noticed the streaks of dirt on the formerly so smooth features.
Shadows under his eyes, all the lines of pain and suffering� The predatory
eyes of before were just golden orbs, the pupils round, wide, reflecting
agony.

Satoshi had no illusions. As vulnerable and human the creature now
was, the moment he was inside his body he would be back to the Krad he
had hated and still did. Cold, sadistic, psychotic� everything Dark wasn�t.
Krad was the demon who had tried to take over Hikari Satoshi�s body, purge
him from his consciousness, the parasite.

"Last time I had no choice," he said softly. "I had to accept it. This
time I'm making the choice." A wry smile flew over his thin lips. "I condemn
myself."

Satoshi stretched out a hand and touched the spread-eagled form. It
would hurt, he knew. Like all the other transformations when Krad had forced
himself out of the boy�s body, had torn it apart. He had experienced such
pain in his young life, it had been enough for a life time. No broken bone
or cut skin hurt as much as the physical takeover of Krad.

Now he would be a slave once more.

He was sealing his fate.

'I love you, Dai. Forgive me.'
* * *
Krad was flung forward, his body dissolving into the magical energy
that made him up, and he collided with his host, his Tamer. He felt the
resonance of each molecule, reached out and caressed the familiar form,
took joy and pleasure in the solid body. He reaffirmed the bond, felt the
pulse, the heart beat, the very breath in the lungs. He caressed muscles
with his essence, merged deeply, entwined their very souls.

Wings exploded out of the human body's back, shredding the clothes,
unfolding and spreading, strong and healed. Each hairline fracture, each
break was gone. Glorious power.

He opened his eyes, golden, bright, filled with life drawn from his
host. He felt young muscles move as he rose, felt the strength and security
of a form he hadn't had in six years.

Part of him was aware of Satoshi far in their shared mind, but most
of his attention was on the by now very uneven fight in the sky. A cold,
ruthless smile stretched his lips.

"I'm back," he whispered.

Time to intervene.

He flexed his wings.

Time to even the scales.
* * *
Whatever it was that was fighting them, trying to take them down, it
was strong and close to impossible to pin down. Dark evaded the thing's
attacks, but he was tiring and too many blasts had come too close. Daisuke's
body was powering him, like a pair of incredible strong batteries, but
he knew his host's body would give out eventually. He had used too much
magic already, was draining him too quickly. Unlike the boy he had been
bound to before, this young man had better reserves, but they weren't endless.

~What does he want?~ Daisuke wondered for the umpteenth time. ~He woke
you, hurt you, called me here� why?!~

Dark felt another blast pass him way too close and dove out of the
way of the next. "I wish I knew," he growled. "He never told me. He never
talked much anyway. He liked our pain�Shit!"

His wing had been clipped by a second attacker that had suddenly popped
up behind him. He tumbled, able to right himself, but he couldn't evade
the next one. It struck him fully in the chest and he screamed as it tore
through him. Every molecule of body seemed to be blown apart and Dark felt
himself falling, but he couldn't think of anything but the pain � until
the moment he struck the ground.

Hard, unyielding, bone-jarring.

Gasping, he rolled onto his side, trying to get up. Daisuke was stunned,
reeling from the pain, and Dark wished he had shielded his host. But all
his energy had gone into destroying their attacker. Now it was too late.

Their attacker, a creature without shape or form, came closer, energy
and magic crackling around it.

"Dai�" Dark whispered.

He could feel his friend smile dimly.

~We at least put up a good fight~

"Dai� I� thank you," he finally managed, the sorrow and pain leaking
toward his host.

Daisuke reached out, touched him in a way he had been unable to do
as a child. ~I missed you, Dark. You are a part of me, always were. I prefer
this to the loneliness~

Dark closed his eyes, his body trembling from exhaustion. He wasn't
changing back into Daisuke. For whatever reason, he remained as he was
as the creature gathered its energy for the death blow.

There was a terrible roar, the crackle and snapping sound of magic,
but the blow and the harsh but brief pain of destruction never came. Instead
Dark felt the death blow intended for him rush past, around him, over him,
ruffling only his hair. He opened his eyes a crack, but they flew open
on their own account as they took in the scene that presented itself.

Before him stood a tall, white-winged being he had known since his
own birth. Wings curling slightly, raw power wafting around him, hair flowing
in the stream of magic, Krad was facing off the enemy, golden eyes filled
with loathing and hatred. It was a hatred Dark had never seen before, not
even directed at him. There was a slightly crazy edge to them, something
that told the other that whatever happened now, his counterpart was ready
to do whatever was necessary.

"Krad�" he whispered, feeling Daisuke's confusion, quickly followed
by realization and horror.

~Satoshi!~

He glanced over to where Krad had been held before, but there was no
sign of Hikari.

No� He couldn't have� No!

Golden eyes fell on him and Dark stared at his other self, his mirror
side. The face was as familiar as the wings and the cat-like eyes, so inhuman
and unlike his own, but the expression was different. So strange� Yes,
there was the coldness, the hunger for power, but also fury not directed
at him. Determination and� resolution.

"So you think you can succeed where the other failed?" the voice laughed.

"No," Krad answered, still looking at Dark. "Because neither of us
can win. But someone told me that there is a balance."

Daisuke snapped to attention inside his host and Dark sent a question.

~Light and dark� you are the darkness, you once told me, Dark. Krad
is the light. You are the same, just opposites. You are a balance.~

"Balance," Dark murmured, getting to his knees.

A hand was held out to him. Dirty, nails broken, the wrists looking
bruised. So imperfect and different to the demon he had known.

He took it.

"I still hate your face," he growled.

Krad pulled him up, the two eternal beings looking at each other. The
white demon smirked.

"I never expected anything else, Dark Mousy."

He chuckled. "Then that's clear."

"There's more to balance than black and white," Krad told him. "There's
also the host�"

Dark's eyes widened. "Satoshi�"

A mirthless grin appeared on the other's lips. "He made the choice
this time, just like your Tamer. His own free will. Their will�" Krad glanced
at the still hovering creature, golden eyes narrowing in disgust. "Because
maybe it's the right way."

Dark gazed at him. Krad� talking about something being the right way�
and that involving their cooperation�

~Dai?~ he asked silently.

Daisuke seemed to ponder the demon with the same disbelief as Dark
himself. ~Maybe it is the only way.~ he finally said.

Krad held up one hand, cradling pure white-blue energy inside. "It's
worth a try, hm?" There was the old light in his eyes, something that came
from an unhealthy dose of fury, mixed with cold calculation and a sprinkle
of insanity.

~He's right~ Daisuke murmured. ~Loath I'm to admit it, but he's right~

Dark reached for his host, his Tamer, his friend and partner. The need
to connect was strong, and he touched the other part of himself.

~Let's show this thing what we're made of, Daisuke~ he whispered, gathering
his own energy.

The kaitou nodded at his counterpart. "This is a first," he remarked
sarcastically.

Krad grinned, a mad edge to his expression. "There's a first time for
everything, Dark."

The two winged entities took off, for the first time united in a fight
against a common enemy.
* * *
It was a dance, deadly but graceful, elegant and almost like choreographed
in advance. Magic crackled and whizzed through the air, struck solid mass
or disappeared in nothingness. Krad felt the strain of the fight, felt
the Hikari body that was his source and protection weaken with each blast.
Satoshi was stronger than he had expected. As a child he had been weak,
had slept little and worked hard, had tried to keep the demon in check
by mistreating himself. He had had a mind of steel, striking out and controlling
Krad sometimes, keeping him caged, but Krad had been too strong for him
throughout time.

Now he was a young man, had made up in the years for the abuse of before,
but even a healthy body would fail some time. Krad snarled as the enemy
tried a sneak attack, only Dark's quick reaction saving him from a possible
injury. Both were in a worse growing shape and they had to find an end
soon.

//Balance// Satoshi whispered, his mind-voice still strong, though
there was a waver in it.

"What?" he demanded sharply.

//You and Dark, you have to be even, like a scale� You need to find
the balance//

As Krad drew again, lancing an attack at the creature, he felt Satoshi
falter. On the planes of their shared mind, the tall, slender form broke
to his knees, hands digging into the virtual ground, face a grimace of
pain.

This was going to kill them all if it continued any further.

Suddenly Dark was at his side, streaks of blood running down his face
from a cut that had to be close to the hairline. His violet eyes were duller
than before, but there was still a spark in them. Life and determination.

"Not good!" the kaitou growled through clenched teeth.

"Balance," Krad said. "Hikari said we have to balance it."

"How?" his other half demanded.

Krad turned to his Tamer, but the life energy was flickering badly
already. //Tell me how!// he cried.

//Together// his host managed.

//I can't draw that much again!//

If he did� Hikari might perish. If he did� this body would be empty,
except for him. For a reason he didn't know that disturbed him greatly.

But only briefly.

Then the survival instinct was back, the need to win and kick the bastard
wanting a piece of him back to where he had crawled out of.

//Do it! You never had any qualms before!// Satoshi snapped, anger
lending him strength. //Do it, damnit!//

Krad was pulled out of the way of the charging creature by his counterpart,
barely able to keep his balance.

"Together�" he whispered hoarsely. "A last time� one blast."

Golden eyes bore into dark ones, saw understanding and realization
there. They had come from the same source, belonged together, were strongest
when they combined� He gathered his energies, feeling Satoshi slip-slide
further away. He detected a slightly psychotic edge to his thinking, something
he had experienced before. It was like a haze creeping over his mind, blocking
out every rational thought.

Survival.

This was it.

Live or die.

In a way, it had been like this all his life, only that he had always
survived.

Dark's expression was determined. "Together," he agreed.

His own magic glowed in a deeply blue and black light. Both men looked
at each other as their hands touched, the energies crackling and hissing
as the opposite sides flowed together.

Krad had never felt Dark�s magic like this before. It was almost mild
compared to the angry, hateful blasts directed at him in their fights.
It writhed around him, enveloped him, just like his own power merged with
Dark�s.

Together.

Balance.

Krad lost contact with Satoshi completely, but the moment the blast
ripped out of him, the moment he felt Dark's own magic, coupled with what
could only be describe as Daisuke's essence, even that thought was annihilated.

Darkness and Light combined, became one, and with it, everything else
ceased to exist.
* * *
Laughter rang through the emptiness, filled with amusement and mirth.

�I knew you�d choose this way,� the invisible voice said to no one
in particular. �It was your only escape. It�s your fate, my dears.�

The formerly hostile attackers dissolved, absorbed into the strange
world that had tortured the two eternal beings.

�You can�t live without your hosts. You can�t live without the other.�

A snicker echoed in the vastness.

�I wonder if you will choose correctly. Till next time.�
* * *
Dark stood in the middle of an empty field. There was no horizon. The
world seemed to just gray out, blur into nothingness.

�Dark?�

He turned and looked at the second figure in this strange but so familiar
world.

�Daisuke,� he whispered. A smile spread over his features, warm and
open and so very relieved. �Dai��

Daisuke had really grown, was his size, and the hair had turned from
the wild spiky look into the unruly style of his father.

�Are you okay?� he asked.

�Fine,� was the immediate reply and the two men looked at each other.
�You�re back.�

Dark nodded.

�I missed you. When you were gone� part of me was suddenly empty. I
was lonely.�

Dark swallowed as he looked into the sincere eyes. �Dai��

�We�re one.�

�It was never supposed to last.�

�Maybe this time, it should be different. It is already.� Daisuke smiled
a little. �You�re back. Not because of the curse, but�� A shrug. �Maybe
because I needed you?�

The kaitou gazed at him, struck by the simple truth. Maybe Daisuke
had needed him, but Dark had needed him just the same. A symbiosis. Two
lives, two souls, one path.

�Maybe,� he whispered.

He had woken to pain, to the fact that his sleep inside the Black Wings
had been interrupted. Someone had torn him out of the seal and tortured
him.

Why? -- He still had no idea.

How had they escaped? -- He didn�t know.

Dark reached out and touched his host, feeling the reality of it all.
Daisuke was very real inside this place, inside their shared mind. None
of his other hosts had ever felt like this, so solid, so accepting, so
caring. He had never cared much about them either. He had woken in each
male child of the Niwa clan when the boy had turned fourteen, they had
stolen artwork together, and in the end he had helped him find his true
love. Then Dark had gone to sleep again, waiting to live once more.

But it had never been a real life, just an existence, until the day
Daisuke had become his host. The boy had been different.

�You�re different,� he said out loud.

Daisuke smiled. �I�m a Niwa. We all are different.�

�You even more so, Dai. Something changed us.� Dark cupped the young
man�s neck, gazing into the brown eyes. �You came for me countless times�
and again today. We could have died.�

Daisuke shrugged wordlessly. Dark did something he had never done before
� he drew his host into a hug. Daisuke gave a startled exclamation, but
his arms wrapped around the lean form of his symbiote and held on.

Happiness flowed through him. Joy and warmth, comfort and safety. Yes,
they were one. They belonged together.

�Thank you. For everything,� the kaitou whispered fervently.
* * *
Krad was aware.

His body hurt. His head hurt. Everything was a mass of agonizing signals.
The pounding behind his eyes was bad enough to make his teeth ache in sympathy.
Every breath seemed to be a massive effort, burning his lungs. He had no
idea if he even had hands or feet, let alone arms of legs. He only knew
that he existed, even though it was in sheer agony.

"�"

It sounded like a moan. A pitiful sound. Weak, pathetic, and very much
him at the moment.

Golden eyes cracked open a slit and immediately closed again. The light
hurt and the pain behind his eyes increased. So he lay still, waiting for
the pain to ease, as time passed. He had no idea how much, he only knew
that it did.

The second time he attempted to open his eyes it was to a change in
the light. It was darker now, more like dusk, and easier on his mistreated
receptors. By now he was also aware that he indeed had hands, feet and
the assorted limbs, but they were leaden weights.

Why did he hurt so much? Why was he unable to move? Why did he still
feel this body�?

Hikari!

Ignoring the real world, he looked around his own mind, trying to find
a spark of his host's presence to see if he had survived. For a second
he was close to panic as there wasn't a sign of what he knew so intimately.
Even when he had taken over the boy, Satoshi had always been in the back,
watching, sometimes able to control even, to intervene.

And then he saw it. Weak, gray and flickering, curled up around itself�
hurting.

//Satoshi?//

The reaction was a violent shiver and he stopped. Yes, his host was
there, but he was in no state to communicate, let along defend himself.
Burned out. Krad had pulled whatever energy he could from that soul and
it had taken its toll. Strangely enough, he wanted to talk to Hikari.

�You're mine,� he had stated often enough -- possessive, cruel and�
true. In so many ways� in ways that became clearer now. Satoshi was his�
No one could take this body from him.

I can't live without him� Mine. Mine to have, mine to possess. The
thoughts swirled through his mind. Mine�

Krad reached out, ignoring the weak attempts of Satoshi to evade, and
curled around the flickering light, pouring some energy into the spark.
It was all he could do at the moment. Satoshi safely cradled in his hold,
he attempted another try for the real world.

He was inside a room, he saw. Not the strange world he had been in
before, but an apartment. Solid walls, a floor, a bed that was currently
where he rested on, and the blinds drawn before the window� Rolling onto
his side, Krad suppressed a moan as his body protested each move. He had
never hurt so much before.

-- wrong.

He had hurt. When that thing had played with them, with him and Dark.
Slashing and tearing at Dark while he had been forced to watch his counterpart
getting mutilated, hearing his screams, watching him bleed. And he had
been spread-eagled, feeling the same pain as Dark, only without receiving
the wounds. Mirror image� the same but different. Light and dark. His wings
had creaked under the strain of the invisible bonds, radiating agony through
his abused body, and all he had been able to do was watch.

Watch and suffer.

Yes, he had hurt before.

Sitting up, feeling his body tremble, Krad surveyed the room. His eyes
came to rest on the second occupant on a separate bed. Black hair fell
over the pale face that was so much like his own. The violet eyes were
closed, the features relaxed, though the lines of pain spoke of suffering
even in his sleep. Dark's body showed multiple bandages and someone had
removed the spoiled and torn clothing, replacing it with fresh ones.

Come to think of it, he had been reclothed, too. Dark gray and blue
sweat pants and a sweatshirt. So unlike his usual style and colors. Pushing
a strand of blond hair out of his face, Krad attempted to rise, but his
knees wouldn't support the weight. He fell back with a gasp, shivering.

Something moved on Dark's bed and he discovered a fluffy white, long-eared
demon, large red eyes gazing at him.

Whizz, Dark's familiar.

Where was he? Why was he here with Dark? Why hadn't he changed back
into Satoshi?

He turned to the shivering presence inside him, hearing a whimper as
he touched it questioningly.

//No, please don't!//

The cry made him flinch. //Satoshi?//

//No!// was the terrified cry.

And then he felt it. Memories of past pain, never forgotten, always
a dark presence hovering over the agile, intelligent mind. Pain of the
transformations, the fierce cramps of Krad trying to take over. Soul-deep,
tearing him apart. Pain, so much pain� agony� all because of the demon
that had taken him over against his will.

Krad gasped.

He knew that pain now � intimately. He had gone through it after the
seal had been broken. He had experienced what Satoshi had lived with for
all his young life. And the creature that had unsealed him and Dark had
known. It had dug into their minds and played with them.

He shivered, feeling slightly sick at the memories. So this was what
Satoshi had felt, he thought. What he had made the boy go through. It was
why the young man he now shared a body with was so scared of him once more.

With a strange feeling of disappointment, Krad turned away, still shielding
the spark but not trying to touch it again. Satoshi was too weak to understand
what was going on and that was probably why he hadn't changed back.

Right?

Why did he care anyway? an old part of himself begged to differ. He
had never felt compassion for his host before, just tolerance and that
single-minded possessiveness that had permeated his very soul. What had
changed in him to be aware of the pain and feel regret? What made him feel
at all?

Krad closed his eyes. Something was wrong with him, something made
him different from before.

So the same was true about Dark? Daisuke would be nothing but a weak
presence safely ensconced in the hold of his partner.

Jealousy rose inside the demon. He had felt it countless times before.
Jealousy of the friendship between Daisuke and Satoshi, the way Daisuke
had accepted the other boy so easily despite the fact they should be enemies.
Jealousy of Dark's symbiosis with his host, the way they had found a rhythm
and worked together. Jealousy of everything that had been denied to him.

'I never wanted to grow so close to you'.

He recalled the words spoken to a sleeping Daisuke. He had fought the
acceptance of the other boy, the one he had sworn to kill. And it would
have been so easy to do it while he had slept, but instead he had left.

Why?

Even today he had no answer for it.

A soft moan told him of Dark waking and after a few twitching attempts,
Dark opened his eyes, blinking, obviously confused. Krad just watched him,
sitting without moving, simply glad he wasn't close to a collapse. Attempting
to stand would come later.

Dark's eyes narrowed as he discovered his other half just a few feet
away from him, watching.

"We made it?" the kaitou asked, voice raw and dry.

"Looks like it."

Violet eyes roamed the room as the other clawed himself up into a sitting
position. From the tremors racing through the slender body he wasn't much
better off than Krad. He looked as bad as the demon felt himself. He didn't
want to know what he himself looked like.

"The Niwa home," he murmured.

Krad raised an eyebrow and regretted it immediately. Pain shot through
his head. Damn, even that simple gesture hurt.

Dark smiled slightly, apparently careful of his movements as well.
"Hikari?"

Krad shot a look at the weak spark inside his mind. "Alive. That's
all I can say. I� drained him."

Dark's eyes held his and the two so different beings looked at each
other. Finally Dark broke the contact and looked at the partially open
blinds that gave them a slight impression of the world outside.

"We're back. The seal is broken."

Yes. They were. It was.

Now what? shot through Krad's head. He felt adrift, unable to grasp
reality. He was back in the human world, inside a Hikari body, but what
now? Six years had passed, a long time for humans. He had been accepted
by a twenty-two year old Satoshi who had expected to either die or forever
suffer the nightmare that was Krad to him again.

Fatalistic. And brave.

He was facing his old enemy, his counterpart and mirror image once
more, and for the first time Krad felt nothing toward Dark. No hatred,
no jealousy � except for a slight twinge � and no rage.

The cycle of the curse had been broken when they had been sealed and
it hadn't started anew with their return to their former host bodies.

'This is all wrong.'

"But it happened," Dark told him.

Krad realized he must have spoken out loud.

His other half gazed thoughtfully at him, head slightly tilted as if
studying a particularly fascinating thing.

"We're back, we're with them again� what will you do now?"

Krad smiled wryly. "Me? What about you, master thief?"

Dark chuckled and leaned against the head rest of the bed. "Well, for
one, I still hate that face of yours. But there's also art to be stolen,
I guess. There always is." He grew serious. "I'm not sure, actually. This
has never happened before. This is so far from the norm� I'm confused."

Both fell silent, Krad constantly glancing at Satoshi, who had at least
stopped shivering now. Actually, he seemed more alert. Krad kept his distance
but he didn't try to block anything from his host. Should Satoshi choose
to do so, he could even see what the demon was seeing. Right now he only
heard it.

"Who brought us here?" Krad asked.

"I don't know." A soft laugh. �Some kind soul, maybe?�

Krad forgot about not raising an eyebrow and did so. His reward was
another sharp twinge.

"Looks like a lot changed," Dark went on, intrigued, looking around.
He tried to get up and actually managed to stand, though swaying badly.
His face lost some color and swallowed convulsively. "Shit�"

After a minute, he finally opened his eyes, daring to let go of the
wall. Krad got to his own feet, his balance completely off and he was glad
for the support of the table close by.

"Not good," he breathed.

No, indeed not. Not only was he weak as a newborn kitten, he was also
actually on enemy territory, his host was curled up in a defensive ball,
and Dark was about to fade.

Krad closed his eyes and gazed at the soft blue light that represented
Satoshi. He studied it carefully, noticed the skittish behavior, the fear
that resided within its depths. It was so easy to reach out and hurt that
presence. He had done it so many times before. He had no intention to do
so today� or ever again.

Balance.

Unity.

It was what he had never been able to grasp before he had been sealed.
For him, the Hikari had been tools. Use them, abuse them, toss them aside.
Then he had been flung out of his Tamer, into the world of the Black Wings,
he had felt the loneliness, the pain of separation, and much worse. The
real horror had begun when he had been woken and found himself at the mercy
of whatever it was that had nearly killed him and Dark.

Balance.

They belonged together, Dark and him. He was also bound to the Hikari
blood, he was their other part. Satoshi was part of him. Just like Dark
was forever bound to the Niwa bloodline. It was how it had all begun such
a long time ago, with the meddling of humans in the affairs of magic brought
forth by the Hikari. Magic that had devoured souls, had given art life.

Krad settled back and waited for Satoshi to grow braver, to acknowledge
him. Currently, he was in control of the body they shared. It wasn't his
to keep, neither was it Satoshi's alone any more.

Symbiosis. That was the operating word. Give and take. He had only
taken and it had felt right. He had never thought otherwise. It had been
his way of life.

On the outside, he was aware of Dark and for a moment the magic flared.
Startled, he opened his eyes and found himself looking not at his other
half but at Daisuke. The young man blinked, then their eyes met.

"How is he?" Daisuke wanted to know, voice calm and even.

"Weak," he answered coolly.

"Can he go through a change?"

Will you let him take over? was the underlying question.

Krad lowered his eyes, looking inward as well. Would he give up control
for now? He knew he could take it back. His host was in no shape to fight
him for more than a minute at the moment.

//Satoshi// he murmured, voice soft.

He had used that voice so often before coaxing, gentle, trying to woo
his host, trying to become closer.

Now he stepped back, making room.

There was hesitation. Fear. Suspicion. And loathing.

Strangely, all those emotions hurt. Why? He had never cared before.

//Your body//

Satoshi moved. Carefully, like a frightened creature, unsure whether
this was a trap or not.

//Together// Krad promised. //Balance//

There was a moment of startlement, of stillness, then Satoshi seemed
to look at him. He said nothing, they just gazed at each other, and finally
he slipped back into his own consciousness.

Krad took his place in the back of his Tamer's mind, wondering why
he was so unsettled by the man's negative emotions. They hurt. The distrust
hurt.

It was new for him. He would have to give this a lot more thought.
*
Daisuke caught the collapsing form of his friend as Krad relinquished
his control. Satoshi gasped, hands clenching into the fabric of Daisuke�s
clothes.

�Hey,� Dai murmured, holding the other man.

�He� left�� Satoshi groaned. �Why?�

Confusion warred in his eyes and he tried to push away from the only
source of strength he had, but he was too weak. His body hurt just as much
as it had hurt Krad.

�I don�t know.�

Satoshi stared at him, sagging more into his hold. He was trembling
a little.

�He�s� still there� but like� sleeping,� he murmured. �It�s almost
peaceful.� He looked around. �We�re in your home.�

�Yeah. Somehow we got out of wherever Dark and Krad were� but I wonder
how.�

Satoshi nodded. He relaxed into the familiar warmth of his lover, taking
strength from his simple presence, when the door opened. Both men froze,
but Daisuke smiled as he discovered his parents and grandfather. Satoshi
tensed, trying to push away, but Daisuke didn�t let him.

�It�s okay,� Dai murmured.

The cameras, he realized. Whatever had happened here, even between
Dark and Krad, it had been recorded. His parents had surely watched them
wake up, had listened to them. The house was full of surveillance equipment
and traps.

�You�re alright!� his mother exclaimed, smiling.

�Yeah, looks like it.�

She approached them, then knelt down and held her palm against Daisuke�s
head as if checking for fever. Her expression was soft, warm, filled with
slight worry. Finally, as if pleased with whatever she had felt and seen,
she turned to Satoshi. She repeated the procedure. Hikari froze, eyes wide
at the motherly touch.

Sure, Emiko had accepted him as her son's lover, but now that Krad
had returned�

�You�re both fine. At least you�re back. I guess you need to rest a
little more.� Emiko looked at her son. �How�s Dark?�

�Sleeping. He�s kinda out of it.�

�Probably. You went through a lot.� Her eyes were in Satoshi again.

He was silent, his eyes meeting her gaze evenly, but he refused to
comment on Krad.

�Mom, what happened?� Daisuke asked.

�Do you think you can come downstairs? I�ve cookies and tea�� his mother
offered. �We can talk then.�

He nodded, then shot a look at his lover. �Sato?�

The other pushed away from him, gritting his teeth. He was visibly
fighting not to give in to his exhaustion and pain. �I�m fine.�

But he still had to rely on Daisuke getting him downstairs and he didn�t
like it. Satoshi�s face was a mask and he refused to meet anyone�s gaze
as the two young men settled on the couch. Emiko handed out mugs of tea
and Daisuke noted how much Hikari�s hands were trembling. He wanted nothing
more than to take him into his arms, but Satoshi's hunched over position
told him quite clearly the gesture wouldn't be appreciated.

�When you disappeared, we immediately started a search,� Kosuke explained
when they had settled down. �We found traces of magic and tried to follow
it, but it was impossible to do so. About twelve hours ago, both of you
appeared in a shower of magical energy, looking like your alter egos, and
promptly collapsed.�

�Why did you take me in?� Satoshi asked tonelessly.

Daisuke shot him a sharp look.

�Because you needed help,� Emiko answered simply. �Both of you.�

Satoshi stared at her, unable to comprehend. Daisuke wondered if six
years could be erased so quickly. His lover was part of the Niwa family�
and the family feud had ended. There was no other Hikari left and Satoshi
had denied his heritage, the hatred. He had gone against destiny and won.

�What now?� Daisuke wanted to know.

�Good question, actually,� his grandfather answered. �This has never
happened before. Dark was never bound to anyone as he seems to be bound
to you. With him, Krad has returned as well.�

Satoshi suppressed a wince, but Daisuke saw it nevertheless.

�I think we have to wait and see. For now, both need to heal and considering
what was done to them, what little we actually know�� he gave both of them
a hard look, �� of which you probably know more than any of us� it will
take a while.�

�I should go then,� Satoshi murmured and tried to rise, but his swaying
form was quickly caught by Daisuke�s father.

�You�ll stay.�

Wide eyes stared at the man. Kosuke smiled calmly, almost serenely.

�I think we all have to learn anew what having Dark and Krad means,
don�t you think?�

�I�m not sure there is much change,� Satoshi murmured, evading the
dark eyes. �He�s back. It will be just like before. That�s why I shouldn�t
be here.�

�No,� Daisuke interrupted, feeling Dark stir inside him. �It�s why
you have to be here, Satoshi. You can�t stay alone and if you leave, I�ll
follow you.�

Dark murmured sleepily and sounded like agreement. He wasn't really
awake and Daisuke wondered how he would take the news of his involvement
with Satoshi as a lover. Well, time for that later.

�We both will,� Daisuke added firmly.

�When he grows stronger, he�ll be back to trying to kill you!� Satoshi
argued, voice cool.

�How do you know?� Kosuke wanted to know, radiating such calm, it was
hard to be upset.

�Because Krad will never change!�

�For now, you�ll stay here,� Emiko told him firmly. �You can�t seriously
consider to be on your own.�

Satoshi looked like he wanted to argue, but he finally deflated, sinking
back into the couch. He looked pale and exhausted. There were silent tears
brimming in his eyes, frustration and fear battling for the upper hand.

In the end, Daisuke and Satoshi ended up in Dai�s old room. The high
bed had long since made way for a large futon and Satoshi curled up, staring
at the wall.

�Why?� he whispered.

Daisuke spooned up behind him, taking the stiffening form into his
arms, pressing a little kiss against the soft skin of the neck. �Because
I love you, Hikari Satoshi. Because I think we can only solve this together.�

�Krad... When he�s strong enough, he�ll try to kill you again. I don�t
think I can keep him from taking over.� His voice hitched. �It�ll hurt�
I know it�ll hurt� it always did. And I'll hurt you��

Daisuke buried his head against his lover's shoulder, feeling the tremors,
hearing the remembered agony of before. He couldn't even imagine what it
had been like for him all these years. Dark had been gentle, warm� pleasant.

�We�ll wait and see, Satoshi, okay? We did this before, we can do it
again. I'm here for you, understood?�

Silence answered him, but finally the other nodded. �Okay.�

Daisuke watched him fall asleep, the exhaustion too deep.

~Dark?~

~Here~ came the soft reply.

~He�s scared~

~Yeah~

Daisuke sighed. ~You think� after what happened� that Krad will revert
to his old self?~

Dark sighed. ~I honestly don�t know~

~I hope not~

The answer was a soft grunt. Daisuke drifted off as well, curling himself
around his partner in his mind just like he was curled around Satoshi,
and Dark did the same. He embraced the presence inside him, both sharing
the mind they were bound to.

~Missed you~
* * *
Krad had listened to the conversation, had felt the fear radiate off
his host, and it made him sick. Part of him was intrigued by the physical
closeness of the two men, wondering. Another part was trying to deal with
conflicting feelings regarding his current situation. He was free once
more, had a human body at his disposal, one he knew. He knew which buttons
to press, how to overpower him, but there was suddenly a terrible reluctance,
too.

He stood inside the white plains of Satoshi�s mind, watching the flickering
spark. Still so weak, still so vulnerable, and deep inside him something
rose.

Protect him. He�s my survival.

But Satoshi was scared. There was still the iron resolve to keep Krad
from harming his friend, but also the realization that it meant nothing
but pain for him. A world of suffering because he had voluntarily bonded
with the demon again.

Krad approached the flickering spark and it morphed into Satoshi�s
form, the representation of him in his own mind. He settled down beside
the young man, cross-legged, his wings curled around him like a mantle.
He studied the slender form. He had really grown. He was his own size by
now. The hair had grown out, bound back into a pony tail, and the glasses
were gone. He had actually gained some color, his skin no longer so pasty
white. And muscle, too. A boy who had become a man� without the interference
of the demon that had been awakened at his fourteenth birthday.

The Hikari curse.

Krad reached out and flicked back a strand of hair, careful not to
disturb the sleeping host.

�You look like him,' he thought with a faint smile, old memories rising.
'So much that it hurts. But you aren't him. None of the Hikari ever came
close. Except you. You felt so right and wonderful� You're mine.'

Yes, Satoshi was his. He belonged to him and no one else. Because of
his blood. Because he was a Hikari. Because this was his host. And because
he was very special.

Mine. It echoed through his head.

Possessive. But strangely enough, it held no cruelty any more. It was
a positive thought. He liked it. He wanted this to be a� cooperation. He
wanted this Hikari to be part of it, not just a vessel, a tool, that could
be destroyed one day.

Mine.

Satoshi moved uneasily and he reached out, stroking over the light
hair.

Mine.

The young man quieted a little, but he seemed more tense than before.

�Shhh,� he murmured.

How did Dark do this? How had he won his host�s trust?

Krad smiled humorlessly. Stupid question. Dark had never tried to conquer,
he had coexisted. It was why Daisuke had so easily accepted the symbiosis,
why he had fought to keep his partner.

Satoshi would never trust him. He feared him, hated him, was terrified
of the creature that was bound to his blood. Krad raised his golden eyes
to the sky above. It was of the same white as everything. He couldn�t leave
this body, except if another seal pulled him out of it. He couldn�t sit
back and be nothing either. He was himself and he was a person.

Damn, he mused. Two souls, one body, and an abysmal hatred between
them.

Not good.

He would have to find a solution� one day.
* * *
Satoshi woke to the sensation of being watched. Without opening his
eyes, he knew who it was. Turning inside his head, he met the calm, golden
gaze of his tormentor. Krad sat on the ground, dressed only in a pair of
white pants and a similarly white, sleeveless vest. His hair spilled out
over his back, the style ethereal and unreal. His wings were out, snow
white, perfect, like all of him.

Well, Satoshi mused, not so perfect any more. There were bruises visible
on his skin, especially around his wrists, and his eyes held a tight expression.
Pain spoke in them.

Satoshi sat up, cautiously watching the eternal creature. Krad made
no hostile moves. He made no moves at all, actually. They looked wordlessly
at each other. Finally Krad smiled humorlessly.

�Just like old times.�

Satoshi flinched involuntarily. �I won�t let you have this body without
a fight,� he said calmly, voice steely.

�I never expected anything less of you, Hikari Satoshi. You were always
a worthy opponent, even if you lost each and every time.�

The slender form tensed. Satoshi knew that Krad was in no condition
to try anything... at least at the moment.

�But I don�t want it,� Krad added non-chalantly. A grin spread over
his lips. "I think it already belongs to someone else, doesn't it."

Satoshi frowned, suppressing a shiver at the implications. What was
the demon up to now? How would he know about Daisuke�?

�I think� cooperation,� the word sounded almost as if it was a foreign
one to him, �would be the better choice.�

Hikari smiled darkly. �Do you want me to believe you? You always lied
to me. You always deceived me. You always� dominated me.�

Krad�s features twitched a little. �Don�t you believe that I can change?�

Another dark smile. �No. You�re weak at the moment, unable to take
over, but you will try again. You can�t but want this body, to exist in
your own, corporeal form. It will end one day, Krad, but not without a
fight.�

With that Satoshi rose and walked past the seated figure. On the outside,
he returned to consciousness, his eyes blinking open. He was still in Daisuke�s
room and his friend was sleeping next to him on the futon. He knew there
were cameras here, watching them, but he didn�t really care. Somehow Hikari
doubted his lover's parents would really watch them like this. He sat up,
rubbing his eyes. He still felt too shaky, too exhausted, but the tiredness
was receding.

He gazed at the sleeping form of his lover, smiling tenderly. Reaching
out, he almost touched the familiar body, then curled his hand into a fist
and withdrew it.

Satoshi rose slowly, testing his strength, and then walked out of the
room into the bathroom. He splashed water into his face and gazed into
the mirror, looking at his reflection. He almost expected golden eyes to
look back at him. As it was, it was only him he was facing. Pale, slightly
haggard, dark bruises under his eyes, his long hair unruly. He stared into
the blue eyes, surrounded by an almost white face. His face. Krad�s features
overlapped his own and he winced away, quickly evading the mirror�s eyes.

Back to his past.

Back to the torment.

He had saved Daisuke and Dark�s lives, but his own was condemned. Maybe
ending this existence might be the best idea after all. He had contemplated
it before, when he had been just a teenager, but now those thoughts returned.

There was a soft knock on the door and he flinched. Quickly wiping
away the last droplets of water, he opened the door, not the least bit
surprised to find Niwa Emiko. She was smiling at him, a warm and slightly
worried expression in her eyes, and she held a towel.

"If you want to take a shower, feel free. I've towels for you."

"Thank you," he replied quietly.

She smiled more. "You're welcome, Satoshi."

He felt slightly more alive after the shower, but the fear, the looking-over-your-shoulder,
wasn't gone. Krad was lurking deep inside him, ready to come out, ready
to strike at him, and he couldn't let his guard down.

Long hair damp but in his usual pony-tail, Satoshi dressed in fresh
clothes � Daisuke's � and made himself as presentable as possible. Dai
was only slightly smaller than him and the clothes were worn out and old,
very comfortable, too. They fit well. Walking into Daisuke's room, he noticed
that his lover was awake. He sat on the bed, cross-legged, eyes closed,
apparently meditating. A smile stole across the bland feature of the other
man. Daisuke, meditating. It was a contradiction in itself.

Dark brown eyes opened and his friend looked at him, quizzical and
worried.

"How do you feel?" Niwa asked softly.

"Better."

He nodded, rising gracefully. He looked so confident, so very much
balanced, as if he now had what he had missed before. That was exactly
what had happened. Daisuke had Dark back. Part of his very soul.

His lover touched him, a hand tenderly cupping his cheek, and before
Satoshi could stop him, soft lips pressed against his. He was desperate
for contact, to chase away the cold returning to his body with the demon
now residing in it, but there was also the need to protect Daisuke.

Satoshi pushed away, taking a few steps back. "Don't. You don't know
what could happen!"

Daisuke followed him, eyes so wide and worried, it tore at his heart.
"Don't run," he whispered.

Satoshi clenched his teeth, hands balling into fists. He evaded the
dark gaze, but he couldn't evade the sensations racing through him as Daisuke
touched him again, pulling him close.

"We'll handle this together this time," his lover whispered fervently.
"Only together."

He clung to the slender form, wishing it were so easy.
* * *
Daisuke sat on the roof of his family home, looking into the clear blue
sky, watching the clouds drift by. He felt incredibly at peace with himself
and the whole world. It was something he hadn't experienced in a very long
time and whenever he reached inward, there was the familiar presence of
Dark. It was like a background hum, strong and warm, a source of safety
and joy.

~Tell me what happened~ Dark asked, radiating curiosity.

"Everything?" he laughed, feeling the wind in his hair.

~Everything~ his partner replied, smiling. ~Are you and Riku still
together?~

Dark turned to look at his partner in his mind. After what Dark had
probably witnessed between him and Satoshi, how could he ask such a question?
He grinned.

~We're still friends~

~Oops~

Daisuke smiled. ~It's not as bad as you think. It was junior high love.
We were together till college, but then her parents moved and she and Risa
did, too. We talked over the phone, sent mails� but it was suddenly different.
I think the decision to be friends came when I visited her.~ He shrugged.
~It's okay, really~

Dark's emotions were clearly readable. There was sadness and regret.
Daisuke knew his friend had once loved, truly loved, and the woman had
been a Harada, too. He embraced the presence inside him.

~It's okay~ he repeated.

~You got a new girl?~ Dark finally asked.

~No~ he replied, grinning. ~And you know it~

Dark raised an eyebrow. ~I do?~ he teased.

~Yeah~

~So� you love him?~

Daisuke's features softened. ~Yes~

The kaitou radiated thoughtfulness and Daisuke waited. ~Wouldn't have
expected it, though you two were close�~ he finally said.

~We were friends back then, Dark. Get your mind out of the gutter.
We got together three years ago~

A chuckle answered him. Daisuke continued to fill his alter ego in
on the past six years. Dark tilted his head, intrigued as memories told
him of his host's exploits. Daisuke had gone to university, had studied
Art and History, and he had finished just a few weeks ago, contemplating
his future. His father's knowledge of Hikari artwork, as well as his friendship
with Satoshi, had led to the decision to hunt down all the cursed artwork
and seal it � even without Dark.

~I'm not good at flying, but I can scale walls~ the young man chuckled
and Dark grinned.

~There's no comparison to me~ he boasted.

~No, there isn't~ Daisuke replied, smiling warmly.

Dark drifted away a little, embarrassed by his own response. He was
happy to be back, to be here inside this particular host.

~So you and Hikari became first best friends and then lovers?~ he asked
after a while.

~Yes. After his father's death� after you and Krad merged with the
Black Wings again� he was completely alone. Sure, he had the money and
the servants, but no family. Mom really jumped over her shadow when she
offered him to stay with us until he was well again.~

Dark was perplexed. ~And he accepted?!~

~No, of course not. But he returned to school. We started to hang out
together, he helped me with some of the worse subjects in school� everything
went from there.~ Daisuke smiled at the memories. ~He actually brought
up my university courses and he helps with tracking down all the art work.~

The young man closed his eyes as the warm breeze brushed over his features
and he felt Dark come closer to the forefront.

~Now Krad's back~ he finally said.

Dark gave a grunt.

"What will we do?" his host asked softly.

~I wish I knew~

"I love Satoshi," Daisuke continued out loud. "I won't let him get
hurt again. I won't let Krad do what he did before!"

~Maybe that's in the past now~

~What do you mean?~

Dark smiled a little. ~Let's wait and see, okay?~
* * *
Satoshi stood staring out of the windows. The world outside was sunny
and warm, but in here, it was icy cold and dark. Just like he felt.

He had returned to the townhouse he owned and which he shared with
Daisuke. He had declined the offer and the demands of the Niwas to rest
a bit longer, to give them a chance to figure out what to do. He knew there
was no solution. There would never be one. His only chance of freedom had
come six years ago. He had taken it, only to revise it now.

Fool, he thought. You fool!

But it had been his only solution at the time. He couldn't watch Daisuke
die.

Resting his head against the cool window panes, he closed his eyes,
suppressing a shiver. He felt so sick, so weak, so� utterly miserable.
Somewhere inside him, Krad was active again. He had access to all his thoughts,
his memories, his body and soul.

I hate you, he snarled silently. I hate you!

There was no reaction.

He knew that wouldn't last long. It would be back to what it had been.
The pain would come without warning, the demon would come through, and
his life would be nothing but a game for him.

Satoshi sank down, resting against the cold glass, tears gathering
in his eyes. He had never cried as a child, at least that he could remember.
He had refused to show weakness while Krad had been his curse. Now he couldn't
stop himself as the tears came unbidden.
* * *
Daisuke was worried. Two days had passed since the incident that had
reunited him and Satoshi with their 'alter egos' and Satoshi had detached
himself more and more. He had claimed work in Tokyo. He hadn't returned
to the small townhouse he owned and Daisuke had barely seen him since.
They had moved in together under the pretense of roomies while Daisuke
was at the university, but soon it had become much more than that. Soon
it had become their home, their shared home as lovers and partners.

Satoshi didn't answer any calls either. All Daisuke got was the mail
box. Emiko and Kosuke told their son to be patient, but Daisuke knew Satoshi
better than anyone. He knew his past with Krad, and the worry grew.

Finally, on the third day he couldn't stand it any longer. He started
to look for his wayward lover. No one in Tokyo had seen him. None of their
friends or the teachers at the university, or even the people Satoshi worked
business deals with. In the end, Daisuke returned to the one place Satoshi
hated, the one place he had moved out of right after everything had been
over but which he hadn't sold for some strange reason.

Dark's amusement flooded through him as he deftly broke the lock on
the back door of the apartment Hiwatari Satoshi had spent over two years
in. The apartment, the huge, empty place, had never been sold. It was a
sore spot, a dark mark, a place of pain, but Satoshi still held on to it.

Slipping in through the door, Daisuke quickly picked his way around
the sparse furniture. Stepping into the living room he froze.

~Oh shit~ Dark murmured, looking through his partner's eyes.

Everything was a mess. There were books scattered on the floor, plates
with dried food, and the blinds were closed.

"Satoshi!" Daisuke exclaimed as he discovered his friend curled up
on the couch. "Damn, what happened?"

Blurry, blue eyes looked at him, filled with longing, pain and remnants
of a nightmare. Daisuke remembered the laughter, the freedom Satoshi had
had, and part of him wanted to cry out at the unfairness in life as he
looked into so much despair. He had wanted Dark back, the part he had missed
so much, but he had never wished for Satoshi to go through a reunion with
his demon.

"Satoshi?! Koishii, talk to me!"

"Why can't this end?" the other man whimpered, curling up more tightly.

"What�?"

"Why did I have to bring him back?"

Daisuke stroked over the long hair, unable to say anything. He had
no idea what to do, so he just took the shaking man into his arms, cradling
him protectively.

"Sato�"

"I know it will be bad. I know it'll be all back," the broken voice
continued. "He won't tell me, but I know he just wants use of this body
again."

"Krad� did he try to come out?"

"No. Just a matter of time, though�" Hikari's eyes slid shut. "I don't
want us to be enemies, Dai. I never wanted it. But it's inevitable."

Daisuke inhaled sharply. "No!" he said, voice decisive. "It won't happen
again!"

A snort of laughter. Satoshi finally uncurled and sat up, looking thin
and small and very lost despite his tall frame. Daisuke refused to lose
body contact, hands curled around his lover's cold ones, trying to rub
some warmth back into them.

"Krad is Krad. He might be confused now, but he'll soon be back to
taking what he wants. He's your enemy."

"Dark doesn't think so," Daisuke told him calmly.

Blue eyes held his brown ones. "You dream of the impossible."

"And maybe you fear shadows. Everything has changed� this isn't the
setting of before, Satoshi!"

Hikari sank back against the couch. "I've to leave� before he comes
out, before he turns us against each other."

Daisuke clamped his hand around one slender wrist. "You'll do no such
thing! If you run, I'll come after you! I told you so before and I'm telling
you now, stop running! I doesn't accomplish anything! I love you, damnit!
We can only handle this together!"

Satoshi swallowed, unable to meet the intense, burning eyes. "He'll
use that love, Dai. He'll destroy it like he destroyed everything else."

"No! We survived this before, we can do it again! Understood?" He jerked
at the wrist he was holding. "Understood?!"

Satoshi looked at him in wonder and despair. "Dai�" Daisuke glared
at him and he relented. "I understand."

Niwa pulled him into his embrace once again and Satoshi couldn't but
let himself fall. Tears were running down his cheek and he was so cold
to the touch, but Daisuke was determined to warm him.

"I'm done with the U for now and we had plans, right? The Wheel of
Dagan is on exhibit in the Church Museum. We planned on sealing it." He
gave his lover a cocky smile. "I think we got a little edge now. How about
it, Satoshi? Feel up for a little action?"

Satoshi stared at him, incredulous, then he smoothed his features into
a thin smile. "You're serious? You want to work like this?"

"Dead serious. We've worked jobs before, we still do. I got a little
edge now. Dark's back."

~Damn right I am!~

~We're not sending out warnings~ Dai told him firmly. ~We grab the
damn thing, get it back to Mom and Grandpa, let them deal with it~

~Yeah, yeah. No fun~ his partner huffed.

Satoshi smiled more, some life coming to his eyes. "He's complaining?"
he asked.

"Yep, but we get fun time later. This time, it's just to secure the
cursed thing. You with me tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

Daisuke gave him a bright smile. "Thanks, partner." He leaned in and
their lips brushed together.

Satoshi answered the contact, seeking the warmth that Daisuke gave
so easily. It was all Dai could do for now. Except help clean up this mess
and see to it that Satoshi ate and slept.

"I love you," Daisuke whispered into his lover's ear.
* * *
A lone figure crept through the twilight of the approaching night. It
was only a shadowy outline whisking over the roofs and up or down walls.

"Here we are," Daisuke muttered as he landed almost noiselessly on
the broad roof. His target. The Church Museum.

Daisuke looked around and discovered the narrow skylight. The entrance.
He ran over to it and peered intently at the glass.

~No alarms that I can see, but can't be too careful.~

~It's been boring so far~ Dark replied.

He smiled.

The skylight was no hindrance for him and Daisuke easily entered the
old building, a shadow in the darkness.

There was no alarm and no one was yelling, so he had not been seen
yet. Stopping briefly to make sure he was still undetected, he slipped
through the exhibition rooms.

The museum was large. The air had the usual museum smell, slightly
old and dusty. It was strange, but museums everywhere, old or new, had
this smell, Niwa mused with a smile as he checked his surroundings. He
had been to many and they were all alike.

No one was here, but he heard distant voices. Part of the museum was
open for the public, but the north wing, where the new exhibition was located,
was still closed. Daisuke wound his way through rooms and hallways, down
dimly lit passages and stairways. He ran into a guard once, who he didn't
see the intruder, and had to pass by a security system twice. No problem
so far.

Dark was muttering about child's play and where the fun was for him.

"Hey, Satoshi?" Daisuke whispered, the highly sensitive microphone
attached to the collar of his black suit easily transmitting the sound.

"Yes?"

Daisuke grinned. "Just checking."

"Idiot," came the mild reproach.

Satoshi was outside, perched on a roof close to the museum, equipped
with a laptop and communication gear. He was keeping track of the museum's
security from outside.

Daisuke finally arrived in the North Hall, the one leading directly
to the new wing with the exhibition he wanted to visit. He stopped and
looked around. Two guards stood left and right of the entrance which had
been locked. A large sign proclaimed that behind these doors was the soon-to-be
opened exhibition. Neither of them noticed him. He snuck past the outer
security perimeter and crept into a low passageway, a parallel walkway
to the main corridor. He moved up a flight of stairs and, looking carefully
around before proceeding, walked slowly into a vaulted hall devoted to
ancient scrolls. Daisuke descended a sweeping staircase. Around here, everything
was deserted.

Finally he stood in front of a display case that held his target. The
Wheel of Dagan was actually nothing more but a golden plate, about the
size of a pie plate. It was nice to look at but nothing special. It wasn't
even the center piece of this wing.

Daisuke deactivated the security with a few key strokes and took the
Wheel, stowed it in his backpack, and then slipped away again.

Once back on the roof, he tilted his head. No alarms.

~Boooring~ Dark sang.

~You want to go the rest of the way by air?~

Daisuke felt Dark's elation at the prospect of flying, even if there
was no one chasing him, and he handed over control to his partner. The
transformation was smooth, almost completely painless, and the wings erupting
from his back hurt only a little. Then they were off into the night.
* * *
Satoshi had watched the whole operation with the usual professionalism,
and the moment Daisuke was clear, he packed up his things. He briefly looked
into the sky, feeling a twinge of jealousy and sadness as he watched the
black-winged figure. Then he just shouldered his own backpack and quickly
made his own escape to where he had parked his bike.

Eight years ago he had first started to hunt down the phantom thief.
He had been trained for this all his life, physically as well as mentally,
and he had been trained to be Krad's vessel. Since birth his destiny had
been clear. Highly intelligent, a small genius, he had graduated from a
university at a time normal children were in junior high school. He had
never been normal. He had been a Hikari, operating under the false name
of Hiwatari. He had never had a choice.

Satoshi sighed and donned his helmet. Even now he hadn't really had
a choice. It was either save Daisuke and Dark or watch them die. So he
had done the honorable thing; and he had sealed his fate once more. Krad
was back, Dark was back, and so were their problems. At least his. Daisuke
was simply blooming, blossoming� living.

I hate you, he thought, directing all that anger at the entity inside
him. He had no idea if Krad was even listening in. If he was like his old
self, he would be in his thoughts, in his dreams, hearing and seeing everything.

There was no reply.

Seven minutes after Daisuke had taken off, a motorbike drove off into
the night.
* * *
The basement was as gloomy as always and the fire pit was only giving
off a dim glow. Dark flashed Emiko a charming smile and placed the wrapped
up Wheel onto the ground.

"Got it. Way too easy. No challenge."

He smirked at Satoshi, who had come downstairs as well.

"It was a lot more fun when you were still trying to trap me."

Satoshi inclined his head at the compliment, a pleased light shining
in his eyes. "Sorry. Quit that job a while ago. Too boring without hunting
you down."

"You were a challenge. This was� child's play," Dark huffed, indignant.
"Next time we send a warning. It at least gets the blood going."

~Adrenaline junkie~ Daisuke laughed.

Daikii picked up the Wheel and removed it from the backpack. "Let's
get to work."

He placed it onto the pedestal and Daisuke was about to change back
when Dark frowned, tensing.

~What's wrong?~

~I� I'm not sure. For a second it felt as if something sparked~

Daisuke frowned and Dark glanced over to Satoshi, noting the tension
creeping into the other man's frame.

~He felt it, too~

The kaitou was about to say something to the others when the Wheel
suddenly glowed brightly. Emiko gave a startled gasp and stumbled away,
almost tripping over the robes she was wearing, while Daisuke's grandfather
raised his staff as if to ward off the strange flares.

"Shit!" Dark exclaimed, feeling the electricity of the discharge sizzle
over his senses. "Get down!"

~What is this?!~ Daisuke yelled.

~I don't know, but it's strong!~

And then it roared out of the Wheel, a bright cloud of energy and magic,
blossoming over the pit and the startled onlookers. Dark pulled out one
of the black feathers, charging it. He flung it at the thing, trying to
seal the reawakened artwork, but it disintegrated his seal with ease.

"Oh-ohhh�" he murmured, then flung himself out of the way of an incoming
blast.

Satoshi had watched from the sidelines, standing back as always. He
wasn't the one to seal. He had never done it before. It was the Niwas'
job. Like Daisuke, he only brought the art here, either by theft or by
buying it the regular way. It was always impressive to watch the two Niwas
at work. Niwa Daikii had a small amount of magical knowledge, just like
his daughter, but together they were enough to put seals on the smaller
pieces. Daisuke's father was still looking for a way, a common key, to
make it easier. Satoshi himself had spent countless time in the depths
of his family home, looking for records of the past, of a complete list
of the work the Hikari had spread around the world.

A tingle raced through him and he stiffened. Inside, he felt something
he had tried to banish for the last three days.

Krad moved.

It was like he had been startled out of the silent state he had been
in, now looking frantically around.

//What�?// the demon muttered.

Satoshi was too surprised by the sudden flare of magic to cringe under
the growing presence of his nightmare. Krad seemed to surge forward, trying
to look through his host's eyes. He gave a yell of warning and Satoshi
dove to the ground as magic crackled around them.

//What is this?!// Krad snapped.

//The Wheel of Dagan//

The demon radiated confusion. //That's not a very powerful piece of
art� It shouldn't be able to do this!//

//We know that!// Satoshi hissed, annoyed.

But it was doing it. He watched the others scramble for cover while
Dark got into a fighting stance again, charging more feathers.

Satoshi doubled over, a grimace of pain on his features. He clutched
his chest, feeling that familiar burning sensation of his body about to
change, to be torn apart. He fell to his knees, whimpering.

NO! Not now!

//I won't let you out!// he yelled.

Krad's reply was a gasp that sounded like he was experiencing the same
pain as his host.

The artwork in front of him glowed more deeply, the eerie light spreading.
Inside of him he heard Krad's scream of utter pain and then there was the
sensation of being split in two.

For a fleeting second, there was nothing but himself, bathed in magic,
forced to separate molecule by molecule. Satoshi gave a soft whimper as
the ripping and tearing continued. Wide eyes watched as something solidified
outside him.

Tall. Slender. Blond hair. The pony tail�

Krad?

Pure white wings exploded out of the eternal being's back, spread wide,
feathers flying.

What's going on? Satoshi wondered, completely confused.

He looked around for help, but froze. He wasn't in the Niwa home any
more. Wherever this was� it wasn't anywhere close to the basement. It was
nothing but a shapeless, almost uniformly gray landscape.

He had been here before.

The same landscape as where he had found Krad before. The same eerie
feeling of being watched.

The demon snarled, baring his teeth, looking for the enemy. His inhumanly
golden eyes narrowed and his wings bristled with power. Fingers flexed.
Satoshi remained where he was, stunned and strangely fascinated by his
alter ego's appearance. Not just because he wore a different style, but
also because of the way he stood over his host. A brief glance was cast
his way and Satoshi swallowed at the burning light in those eerie eyes.

Slices of the artwork's power materialized, flying toward Krad. He
raised one hand, magic glowing a bright white, and flung the destructive
force against the incoming projectiles. Some where obliterated, others
completely unaffected. They cut into him, bringing forth exclamations of
surprise and pain. Before Krad had a chance to recover, the second and
third attack were upon him, forcing him down in a display of brilliant,
deadly force, bring forth a scream of agony.

Satoshi stared at the spectacle in disbelief.

The same�

Only that this time it was the demon lying on the ground, about to
be cut apart. Weak and without powers� and no sign of Dark. Or Daisuke.

Krad went to his knees, assaulted by the strange magic, feathers ripped
from his wings, the white clothes quickly saturating with blood. One large
shard of pure energy entered his chest and he threw back his head, crying
out in such terrible agony, something inside Satoshi reacted.

"NO!" he yelled and stepped in front of the bent over form.

He felt Krad's waning magic as if it was his own, he felt the stronger
artwork's energy as it rippled all around him.

And he saw the magic gather for a new attack. It glowed brightly, deadly,
but still so beautiful.

It came towards him with sickening speed.

This was it, Satoshi mused.

The end.

Something curled around his waist. A strong arm pulled him out of the
path of danger, wings snapped up like shields. He felt the air move, experienced
a rush of power like never before, and he *saw* the golden magic come to
life. Then the feathers enveloped him like a protective shield, the body
that had never been real, just a part of him, curled around him, feeling
solid and very much real now.

The last strike collided with his protector.

Krad cried out as the electricity shot through him. Satoshi vaguely
thought he heard bones snap under the sheer impact of power. Volts and
pain seared through his protector.

There was an exhalation that could have been a moan. Something heavy
fell on him, pushing him down, holding him tightly, securely. Shields cracked,
living, breathing flesh was exposed, and something trickled over Satoshi's
neck.

It was over without prior warning.

Silence reigned.

He blinked, looking at feathers. White feathers. All around him. They
tickled his skin, his nose, invaded his mouth. Arms were curled around
his waist and a warm presence rested against his neck.

Extracting himself carefully from the hold, he crawled away from the
fallen form, wide eyes taking in the mess.

"Krad."

The demon lay on the ground, his wings just a shadow of their former
splendor. His clothes were ripped, soaked in blood, real blood, and his
back was a mass of open cuts. He was hyperventilating uncontrollably, fighting
the pain.

Krad� had protected him?

Why?

//Mine// the familiar voice echoed in his head. //Only mine//

Krad� was outside him� corporeal�

He had protected him.

Satoshi's thoughts were in complete disorder.

Protected�

//Mine//

A moan escaped the dry lips and golden eyes cracked open. Their light
was dull, filled with pain, and not so much unlike the expression he had
worn when they had first met again. A weak smile curled up the lips. It
was a far cry from the sardonic, sometimes sadistic one he had had for
the boy he had possessed.

"Why?" Satoshi blurted.

The smile stayed, the eyes slid shut, though.

Hikari crawled over to the fallen angel without a second thought, but
the hissing of magic coming to life stopped him. The artwork's energy gathered
once again, hovering above the two men with deadly precision.

"Go�" Krad whispered, his voice so soft, Satoshi nearly wouldn't have
heard him.

"What?" he stammered.

"Go�"

Shaking hands curled into fists and the golden eyes opened once more.
Krad turned his pale, blood-streaked face toward the attacker, smiling
a little.

"I've enough to hold it off."

"Why?"

"Just go."

"Why?" Satoshi insisted.

Some of the old fire returned to the smooth features, the golden eyes
burning. "I said go!"

He squared his shoulders, facing off the creature that had tortured
him so much. "No. You've no energy left without me as a source and I'll
die just minutes after this thing blows you apart."

Krad bared his teeth like a snarling animal. Rage gave him strength
enough to push himself into a kneeling position. His wings drooped behind
him, white feathers stained with blood.

"Stupid human!" he hissed in a low, dangerous voice.

"I think the only stupid one is you," Satoshi replied coldly. "We're
separate right now. For whatever reason, we exist individually. You cannot
last, neither will I the moment this thing is done with you."

The golden eyes burned and at that moment, they could have melted glass.
"How do you propose I draw on your own power then?" Krad snapped. "I can't!"

Satoshi smirked. "Maybe it's meant to end this way."

"Hikari-san."

The voice was cool, echoing all around them and Hikari recognized it
immediately.

"You," he whispered.

Laughter. "You thought it was over? You really thought I'd let such
entertainment go?"

Satoshi got to his feet, swaying a little, looking for the source of
the voice, but there was nothing. Just like a few days ago. Just like when
he had made the final decision to become one with Krad again.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"I can offer you your freedom, Hikari-san. I can rid you off your curse
forever. I can take this monster and annihilate its form."

There was a hitch in the rough breathing behind him and Satoshi glanced
at the bloody, beaten form. There was real fear in those normally so cold
and arrogant eyes.

"Your choice," the voice whispered, smooth and enticing.

"I can't let you do that!" he called. "He's part of Dark. Dark is part
of him. If I let you kill him, I'll condemn a friend to death as well!"

"But you'd gain your freedom. Forever."

"My freedom means nothing, my life means nothing, when it means killing
Dark and Daisuke."

Laughter again. "How noble of you, little Satoshi. But I can restore
the balance. I can make Dark live�"

There was such sweetness, such promise in the voice, it was like a
silky blanket covering his senses.

"Dark's strength is within his host. Krad's strength is the abuse of
you, feeding on your body and soul."

"No," Satoshi whispered. "Their strength is the balance between them.
One can't exist without the other. Darkness can never be without light.
Upset one side and the other will perish, too."

"So you're ready to shoulder that burden?" the unknown entity asked,
the voice so close to his ear, Hikari thought he was standing behind him.
"You want to save this monster?"

Satoshi closed his eyes, steeling himself. "I made my decision the
first time you brought me here. Daisuke is my best friend. I won't throw
his life away carelessly. He taught me that. If it means this� if it means
a life with a demon inside me� then I will do it."

"So be it," the invisible voice chuckled. "You chose your destiny,
Hikari-san. Your fate, your� death�"

There was a howling above them and Krad roared in denial as the slices
of magic lanced toward them.

Satoshi looked at the deadly needles, glistening like made of ice,
his death. He smiled dimly. He felt the connection to Krad waver, felt
it stretch to the limit, and he felt the magic. A shield rose around them,
the last Krad was able to erect.

Then everything whited out.
* * *
Daisuke felt a moment of absolute panic, followed by a pain that seemed
to tear his soul apart. He cried out involuntarily, the cry echoed by Dark.
He felt like part of him was cut away, materializing as a separate entity,
and through tearing eyes he suddenly looked into a pair of very familiar,
dark violet eyes.

Dark?!

And then the merge washed over him, bringing them back together, sealing
them in one body, one mind, and he sagged, feeling the weight of� wings�?
�on his back.

When had he grown the wings?

When had he�?

Dark moaned softly and Daisuke could only agree. They lay on the floor,
the stones cold and very solid against his cheek, and there was a strange
hissing and crackling all around them.

~Dark?~ he moaned.

~Still here. Shit, what happened?~

Dark moved and got to his knees, shaking all over. Daisuke tried to
clear his mind, looking through his alter ego's eyes. Someone grabbed him,
pulled him up, and he staggered.

"Dark?!"

Emiko's frantic voice reached his ears and he winced.

"Daisuke? Dark? Are you two all right?"

Dark nodded. "Fine� What�?"

"A portal." Daikii, brows drawn together, stood over the Wheel of Dagan.
"Something came from inside and used the Wheel as a portal to get here."

"Inside where?" Dark demanded.

"The world that connects all art. Each piece shares a connection, like
a transit system." He smiled grimly. "You've been inside enough of them
to know that there is an infinite realm of possibilities, of worlds."

Dark nodded. "Yeah, been there. So� something got out?"

"Yes, and it took Satoshi."

"What?!" Dark looked frantically around, just now noticing that they
were one person short. Well, two actually. Krad had disappeared with his
host.

~No!~ Daisuke cried.

"We've got to get him out of there!"

"I agree. There's little time before we lose all trace. I think Emiko
and I can open the Wheel again, but not for long. The portal should get
you where Satoshi is."

Dark frowned a little. "Are you sure?"

The old man smiled dimly. "No, but it's the best I can guess."

"Fine. Good enough for me." ~You ready, Daisuke?~

~Yeah~

Wings rustled as the kaitou prepared himself, then Daikii opened the
portal and in a rush of power, the basement disappeared around them.
* * *
"Oh shit�" Dark muttered, feeling his body tense and a cold shower of
fear pass over him.

He had been here before. For endless moments, for what had seemed like
eternity.

He froze as memories rushed at him.

Pain. Agony. Knives cutting into his body, tearing at his skin, his
wings, blood everywhere�

~Dark!~

Daisuke's presence surged forward, chasing the nightmares away, soothing
him.

~Dark? Dark, listen to me! It's okay�~

He latched onto the warmth, the reassurance, felt his muscles unfreeze.

They were back where the nightmare had taken form. ~Why�~ he managed.

~I don't know, but you can't freeze up!~

He shivered, wings hugging the slender form. Dark looked around the
terrifying realm and the horror suddenly returned.

"Krad!"

~Sato!~

Daisuke echoed his horror, both looking at the two people who had been
one once, lying unconscious on the ground. Above them, something materialized,
evil and powerful. The same thing they had fought before. The very same
thing, just twice as hungry and ruthless.

Dark let his wings snap open.

Not again!

~Dark!~

He felt his partner's anger, his need to be with his lover, and the
hatred at whatever had done this.

~I know. Hang on, Daisuke~

Daisuke sent a shiver of worry and fear and Dark smiled grimly. In
a way he understood. Part of him was horrified at what had been done to
his other half. He gathered his magic and flung a first bolt at the enemy,
making the creature whisper and hiss.

Dark stood over the mutilated form of his other self, his magical energies
flowing around him, forming a strong shield that protected the three of
them. He flung his own lances of energy against the needles and knives
and they dissolved.

"Who are you?" he snarled, wings spread and bristling.

A chuckle. "So the brother has come to rescue his black sheep. Tell
me, Dark, do you really care that much about this demon? Wouldn't you rather
be rid of him, be free?"

Dark bared his teeth in a snarl. "I said who are you?!"

"I am what I am. I like to see things happen, see what each player
will do. Krad has been very entertaining, as well as full of surprises."

Dark glanced at the still form, the broken wings, the way Krad was
cradling Hikari who was equally unconscious.

"Will you protect him, even knowing what lurks in his depths?"

~Dark, we need to get out of here~ Daisuke urged him. ~Mom and grandpa
can't keep the portal open all day!~

~I know~ he murmured. ~We will, but not without them~

"Will you?" the voice repeated.

"Yes," he answered, a black feather appearing in his right hand. "Yes,
I will."

"You would die for him, the very one who would destroy you without
a second thought," the voice went on. "How noble."

Dark smirked mirthlessly, his face a mirror image of Krad's at the
moment, displaying all the ruthlessness his other half usually did.

~Sorry, Dai� this'll be painful~

Daisuke braced himself as his partner began to pull energy and he gasped
as thousands of needles seemed to torture his form. Dark channeled all
his energy into the feather, making it glow a deep purple light that was
almost black in places. It soaked up the magic, stored it, pulled more
and more, depleting the host. Daisuke screwed his eyes shut, suppressing
a cry.

~Dai�~

~Do it!~ he managed. ~Do it now!~

It was time to leave.

Dark grinned cockily. "Noble, hm? Well, that's just me. Sorry now,
gotta go!"

And with that he opened the portal, pulling them all through.
* * *
Emiko gasped as the golden shower materialized into the broken form
of Krad, lying protectively over Hikari Satoshi, both arms curled around
the narrow waist, wings wrapped around them � what was left of those beautiful
appendages. Both were unconscious and the demon was bleeding from numerous
wounds.

Bleeding?!

She had never seen either Dark or Krad bleed like that. For real. They
were eternal beings. Normal weapons could barely harm them and for such
a damage to occur�

Emiko jumped a little as another sparkle of energy brought back Dark,
who quickly sealed the doorway that had allowed them to follow the kidnapped
Satoshi. Daikii murmured an incantation and Dark pulled out a feather,
holding it out in front of him with a little flourish, features grim and
determined. It glowed a dark blue, then he launched it at the Wheel of
Dagan. It struck the artifact and was swallowed by it. There was a brief
flare, then the artifact lost all its magical life, turning into nothing
but a man-made piece of beauty.

The kaitou knelt next to the two men and carefully touched his counterpart,
rolling him off Satoshi. A soft moan escaped the young man and dark blue
eyes blinked open, filled with confusion. In a fluid display of control
and magic, Dark morphed back into Daisuke, whose wide eyes reflected all
the fear and panic he had experienced.

"Back�?" Satoshi whispered weakly.

"Yes. We found you." Daisuke stroked over one bruised cheek.

Satoshi let his head roll to the side, eyes gazing at the fallen angel.
"How is he?"

Emiko hesitantly stepped closer, hands clasped around her staff. Wide
eyes took in the scene, scanning over the three men.

"He needs time to heal," was all Daisuke could say, translating Dark's
unheard words for the others.

Dark gave a cry of alarm and Daisuke looked at the demon once more.
~He's losing energy~

Daisuke reached out, his hand surrounded by the purplish-black energy
of Dark. He felt the energy of his partner's other half, the weak flickers,
the desperate grasp he had on his existence. Reaching over, he placed a
hand on one shoulder, allowing part of Dark's own energy to seep into Krad.
The flickering grew less and evened out a little, though Krad didn't wake.
Dark didn't like the way his other half looked.

~The attack�?~ Daisuke asked.

~Yes. The attack drained him. I'm not sure why he's even like this~
the kaitou said, confused, and Daisuke translated for the other. ~We can't
exist outside our hosts. And he's corporeal~

~But you and I� for a moment I thought I saw you outside~ Daisuke said
hesitantly.

Dark bit his lower lip. Too much was happening to them, too much in
such a little time. He had existed three hundred years without change,
and now�

Daikii stepped beside the fallen form. "Do you know what pulled him
inside the Wheel of Dagan?"

Daisuke handed control back to his partner, though only the different
eye color spoke of the change this time. There was no need for a full transformation.
Violet eyes narrowed in painful memory.

"The same that took me and Krad from the Black Wings, that brought
Daisuke and Satoshi there as well. Something powerful I've never encountered
before. It tried to kill Krad."

"And that's bad how?" Emiko muttered, something flashing in her eyes.

Dark shot her an angry look and she sighed. Daikii placed a hand on
his daughter's shoulder.

"What wants to kill Krad is also dangerous to the other lives bound
to him. Dark, Satoshi, and ultimately Daisuke."

Satoshi gazed at the demon, his face almost bland. "He asked me if
I wanted to be free of him," he murmured. "He offered to erase Krad."

Dark blinked. "Who?"

"The voice inside the Wheel. I never saw a face nor heard a name. He
just said.. he could free me." Then his eyes slid shut, but he wasn't unconscious.

~Then why didn't he take the chance?~ Dark whispered.

~Because killing Krad would be killing a part of you~ Daisuke said
softly. ~You're the same~

Dark swallowed. His eyes were drawn to the barely awake human, then
traveled over to the blond demon.

Vicious circle.

"Let's get Satoshi upstairs," Kosuke decided and stepped forward, pulling
the slender young man up.

Satoshi stumbled, barely able to keep on his legs. While there were
no physical wounds, he was truly exhausted.

"He stays here," Emiko voiced her objections when Dark stepped toward
Krad.

Violet eyes flared. "He's hurt!"

"He will heal, just like you heal, Dark. He's a magical entity."

Dark grit his teeth. "His injuries�"

"Will be taken care of," Daikii interrupted him firmly.

"I won't have a demon run around my house!" Emiko added.

Dark bristled more. "Krad and I are the same, Emiko! I'm a demon, too."

"He's a monster," she shot back.

~Dark�~ Daisuke said softly, trying to control the imminent temper
outbreak. ~He's safe down here and you know Mom's right. We don't know
what he might do�~

~He's bleeding, damnit!~

Kosuke handed over Satoshi to his father-in-law and his wife. "I'll
take care of him," he told them calmly. "You go and get Satoshi to rest.
Dark, Daisuke�"

Dark hesitated, then nodded. He knew Kosuke was a compassionate man,
that he wouldn't hurt the demon, and that he had enough knowledge to keep
himself safe should Krad try something, which he doubted. The entity was
way too weak.
*
Kosuke looked over the unconscious form, sighing. Krad had bled, had
been cut in various places, and he was a mess. Niwa had cleaned up a lot
of the wounds, but the demon hadn't regained consciousness. Sitting back
he studied the pale, lax features that held a resemblance to Dark, but
only faintly. He was the kaitou's antithesis, his complete opposite in
so many ways, and he was also a part of him.

Steps announced the arrival of his father-in-law and he looked up,
smiling briefly.

"He's still unconscious?" Daikii asked.

He nodded. "I think his energy levels are quite low. Even if he wakes
he won't be much of a threat."

"Hm." The older man crouched down next to the demon. "We can't be too
careful." He took out two bracelets. They were black, looked like made
of metal and there were small spikes on the outer surface.

Kosuke's eyes widened. "Binders?"

"Yes. It will ensure he will stay docile."

"Father� I don't think that's truly necessary."

Daikii's mouth was a fine line. "Maybe. I can't risk the safety of
this family, Kosuke. Even with Dark here, Krad is a powerful creature."

He swiftly clasped the Binders around each wrist.

"You know these aren't really an obstacle once he regains full power."

The older man chuckled. "Yes, I know. But it might give us the minute
we need to find another defense."

Kosuke shot the unconscious entity a last look, then sighed and stood.
He didn't like it, but he would bow to Daikii's decision.
* * *
Daisuke sat next to Satoshi's bed, looking at the pale form. Satoshi
was awake, but he looked tired, exhausted, and his face sometimes twisted
into a grimace of pain that had no physical source. He was fine, unharmed
except for a few bruises, but he was barely keeping anything down and was
fading in and out of sleep.

One night had passed since the incident and while Dark was recovering
from using so much magic, resting inside Daisuke, Satoshi and Krad were
doing worse. The demon was in the basement, unresponsive though awake,
and no one came near him. Emiko refused to even acknowledge he was here.
It had infuriated Dark to no end that the Niwas had used the Binders, though
part of him did understand, and Daisuke had needed a while to calm him
down.

Dai reached out and brushed a strand of hair from his lover's face.
Satoshi turned into the contact, closing his eyes with a sigh. Daisuke
cupped the lined face.

"Hurts," Satoshi murmured.

There was nothing anyone could do. The magic had messed up Satoshi's
body and it would need time. Then there was the fact that he had been separated
from Krad, something no one had thought possible. Daisuke was wondering
if he and Dark were able to do the same.

~We could try~ Dark's voice told him.

Well, he sure felt experimental enough. But they had no idea what had
triggered it.

~Not now. Later~

Right now his worry was about his lover. He crawled onto the mattress
and pulled the other man to him, feeling arms come around his waist as
Satoshi sought his nearness, holding on.

~Will you give me time with Krad?~ Dark asked, voice serious.

~Yes. Just� give us our time now?~

There was a gentle touch to his mind, a smile. ~As long as you need,
Dai~

Daisuke pressed a kiss on the brown head, sitting with Satoshi until
he fell asleep. Even then, he twitched when the pain hit, when his body
fought to regain its balance.

~He won't have balance unless Krad returns~ Dark murmured. ~They're
together, just like us. He needs him to heal~

Daisuke clenched his teeth. "He'll hurt him."

Dark was silent, but doubt flooded Daisuke.

"You think he won't?"

~I� I don't know. He protected Satoshi~ He caressed Daisuke's presence.
~Protecting the host is instinctive for me~

Dai leaned into the contact. ~He never did so before~

~I know. It's different. Somehow it's different. It's like� I want
to remember things from the Black Wings and can't~

~Things about Krad?~

~I don't know.~

Daisuke gazed at the sleeping man in his arms, feeling a wave of tenderness
and longing. He loved Satoshi and he wanted him to get well. If that meant
Krad had to return�

~Unfair~

~I know. Life never is. Dai� I need to talk to Krad. Will you let me?~
* * *
Dark's violet eyes fell on his other half, sitting with his back against
the stone walls, knees pulled up, his wings gone. He was a picture of misery
and pain. His face was pale, the eyes dull and lifeless. Dressed in the
unfamiliar long-sleeve shirt and white pants, he didn't look like the psychotic,
dangerous enemy they had faced so many times, an enemy that had followed
Dark through the ages.

The black Binders stood out like sores.

"What do you want, Dark?" the demon asked tonelessly, not looking at
him.

"Talk?"

Dark gazed around the basement. It was huge, two stories deep underneath
the house, and held more than just this 'prison'. He was still furious
with Emiko for confining the injured entity to this place and using the
magical bracelets. Krad was in no condition to hurt a fly. Daisuke had
argued with her that they couldn't do this, but she had been firm.

A wry smile crossed the handsome face and Krad shot him a mocking look.
"Don't play with me, kaitou. Were you sent to deliver the news or maybe
even the final strike?"

Dark stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling Daisuke's confusion.

~Dark�?~

~Shhh~

"You need to return to your host, Krad."

Golden eyes flared. "Oh really? You think so? Like this?"

He raised one hand and showed off the Binder. It crackled faintly with
the power lodged deep inside and Krad winced almost imperceptibly.

"You both hurt, Krad, and you need to heal."

A sneer. "Thank you for your concern."

"You both live one life," Dark told him. "You need each other."

"So your host and his family would voluntarily let me possess him again?
I don't think so."

Dark smiled sadly. "I talked to them. They understand."

In a way they did, though not happily. Satoshi wouldn't survive this.

Krad let his head fall against the hard stone. "What makes you think
I can help Hikari? What makes you think we need each other?"

Dark shrugged. "Maybe the fact that you're weakening is a first clue.
Or that Satoshi is suffering from cramps, is in pain�?"

Krad's eyes flared a little at the mentioning of his host in pain.

"You care for him, Krad, right?"

"He's mine."

Dark tilted his head. "Yes, your host. Your only chance, Krad. You
should take it."

"I doubt I have a chance." He raised his wrist again a little.

"That's why I'll take it off."

Kosuke stepped into the room, calmly studying the white demon. Dark
had heard him coming, but from the way Krad started, he hadn't. It showed
just how bad he was off.

"Why would you?" Krad demanded.

The older Niwa smiled a little, that strange smile he always wore.
"Satoshi became what he is through you. It was a harsh, painful road, but
because of your influence, your 'nightmare' he was able to remove himself
from the Hikari family, his destiny, to stand up against his father and
his heritage. As for you, Krad� You care. You struggled for him to survive
the attacks in the Wheel. You submitted after your reunion. Satoshi keeps
you alive, he has fought for you in turn. He might not want it, but he's
starting to care, Krad. Like you have come to care for him. He's your identity,
your true life."

Krad glared at the human. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Well, yes, maybe not. I just watch, see a lot, and I know that though
Satoshi is terrified of what the future might bring, he's also ready to
face it in all its variations."

Dark stepped forward, holding out a hand. Krad stared at it, then took
it carefully. Dark pulled him to his feet, holding the hand clasped in
his.

"We're not so different. Actually, we're more alike than different.
Face it, we need them. We take what we need, but we also give. What do
you have to give him except the pain and nightmares?"

Golden eyes flared with the familiar, cold anger and Krad ripped his
hand out of Dark's grasp. "I hate you!" he hissed.

"That we agree upon," was the flippant reply. "Can't stand your guts
either, but this isn't about us. We know where we stand in this relationship,
so let's not waste any more time on it. This is about you and your host.
Go to him. You claim him as yours, don't you?"

The demon snarled something but Dark only grinned. Krad pushed away,
bristling. Kosuke remained where he was, watching them, an expression of
intrigued pondering on his features. Krad glared more.

"No one will stop you," Kosuke added. "Let me only remove the Binders."

It got him a snarl, but Krad held out his wrists and Kosuke quickly
undid the bracelets.
* * *
Krad stood over the propped up form, looking at the frail human that
was his host. Sure, Hikari had grown into a man, but like all humans he
was frail, easily broken. Still his spirit was like the sharpest knife,
a mind of steel that had fought him so many times, it was a weapon all
on its own.

'What do you have to give him?' Dark's words echoed in his ears.

Nothing. He had nothing to give and he had no function.

The Gate of Darkness was forever closed, the Black Wings destroyed.
He was outside, flung back into this hated world, and in the past days
he had done nothing but sit back in this human's mind and regain his strength.

For what?

Satoshi's eyes blinked open. Blue eyes.

Like his, Krad thought with a touch of longing. Just like his. Hikari
eyes. So many centuries between them and still�

Satoshi was like a mirror image and the old pain returned with a vengeance.
He had never looked into his host's eyes. He had never seen him as anything
but a tool. Now, with everything so very different from before, old memories
rose, accompanied by a longing for something that had died three centuries
ago.

The brief flash of fear in this Satoshi's eyes cut deep.

Why? He had thrived from the fear of his host, he had liked it, he
had played with it. He had cruelly taken what he wanted.

Not any more. Krad had been left with parts of his other half. While
he felt and looked like before their merge inside the Black Wings, things
were� coming up in his waking mind. He wasn't like before. His past was
catching up to him.

It was the moment a cramp hit and Krad staggered, forcing his knees
not to give in. He couldn't live outside this body much longer, but he
refused to give in to this primal need to reunite. This wasn't just about
him any more. He no longer followed an ulterior plan. There was only this
life now, no goals to reach, no future to change, no Gate of Darkness.
Only him and this human.

"You're mine," Krad murmured, voice unusually gentle.

Hikari flinched, avoiding the golden eyes. "I don't belong to anyone,"
he growled.

"You belong to Daisuke."

Anger flashed in the blue eyes. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

Krad smirked a little. "Or what?"

Satoshi pushed himself up. "I'll kill you, Krad. I swear I will!"

Krad stepped closer, holding the flaring blue eyes, felt the energy
spike in the abused body. "Empty words. You know you can't kill me."

His host's face twisted into a grimace.

"I care for you," the demon whispered.

"No, you don't. You never have," the young man answered hoarsely.

They had had that conversation before. A long time ago.

"Not in this way, true. You are mine, Hikari-san." Krad knelt down
next to the bed, gazing into those dark blue eyes. "Mine to protect," he
added roughly.

He had never tried to protect the host before because Satoshi had never
been in danger. There had never been any danger for Krad either. He had
had a safe host and he had only worked on insinuating himself in the young
mind, touch his spirit and warp him to his liking.

Now� his body had been in danger. He had acted without thinking, had
protected Hikari, and something inside of him had filled with warmth.

Satoshi's eyes widened in shock. "What�?"

"We are one. I protect what is mine," Krad stated, reaching out to
touch the pale, drawn face.

Satoshi wanted to flinch away, but he had no strength left. "Don't
touch me!"

"You are mine," the demon repeated, not heeding the request. "As I
am yours. We belong together in this hatred, this existence, this fear."

Hikari's eyes were wide, fixed on the golden pools of the fallen angel.
"Why�?"

Krad smiled a little, fingertips stroking over the smooth cheek. "It
doesn't work any other way. It won't. We need each other, just like I need
Dark and you always needed Daisuke. It's a precarious balance that must
be maintained. It's not in our ability to destroy it. Acceptance of fate,
isn't that what this is all about?"

The young man swallowed, trying to collect his walls against those
knowing eyes.

"I've seen your soul, your scars. I know your joy and your pain, Satoshi-sama.
I'll always be with you, in your waking mind, in your dreams, and I'll
protect you." The hand dropped away as a new wave of pain raced through
him, leaving him dizzy. "You are my wings, Satoshi."

He needed to merge, needed the strength of his host. It was primal
now; very very primal. Golden eyes glowed, fixed on the young man, asking.
Pleading. Begging.

"Please?"

He had never begged before, never asked for anything. Now he was ready
to do whatever he had to.

"Please� I need you," the demon whispered.

Hikari gazed at him, like hypnotized. "For what purpose?" he asked
roughly.

Krad lowered his eyes, fighting the rising dizziness. He felt his connection
to Hikari waver, stretched so thin it was close to gone. He was tired and
so empty. He wanted this to happen, but he knew it might never be.

"Why?" Satoshi repeated his question.

He gazed at him. "Because."

Tears gathered in Hikari's eyes, torn between the need to survive,
to be there for Daisuke, and the wish to end the torment.

A trembling hand reached out and touched the white-clad entity. Krad
dissolved, merging with his host, drawing a little, startled gasp from
the slender form. Satoshi stiffened briefly, then fell back against the
mattress again.
Daisuke sat next to Satoshi's bed, looking at the pale form. Satoshi
was awake, but he looked tired, exhausted, and his face sometimes twisted
into a grimace of pain that had no physical source. He was fine, unharmed
except for a few bruises, but he was barely keeping anything down and was
fading in and out of sleep.

One night had passed since the incident and while Dark was recovering
from using so much magic, resting inside Daisuke, Satoshi and Krad were
doing worse. The demon was in the basement, unresponsive though awake,
and no one came near him. Emiko refused to even acknowledge he was here.
It had infuriated Dark to no end that the Niwas had used the Binders, though
part of him did understand, and Daisuke had needed a while to calm him
down.

Dai reached out and brushed a strand of hair from his lover's face.
Satoshi turned into the contact, closing his eyes with a sigh. Daisuke
cupped the lined face.

"Hurts," Satoshi murmured.

There was nothing anyone could do. The magic had messed up Satoshi's
body and it would need time. Then there was the fact that he had been separated
from Krad, something no one had thought possible. Daisuke was wondering
if he and Dark were able to do the same.

~We could try~ Dark's voice told him.

Well, he sure felt experimental enough. But they had no idea what had
triggered it.

~Not now. Later~

Right now his worry was about his lover. He crawled onto the mattress
and pulled the other man to him, feeling arms come around his waist as
Satoshi sought his nearness, holding on.

~Will you give me time with Krad?~ Dark asked, voice serious.

~Yes. Just� give us our time now?~

There was a gentle touch to his mind, a smile. ~As long as you need,
Dai~

Daisuke pressed a kiss on the brown head, sitting with Satoshi until
he fell asleep. Even then, he twitched when the pain hit, when his body
fought to regain its balance.

~He won't have balance unless Krad returns~ Dark murmured. ~They're
together, just like us. He needs him to heal~

Daisuke clenched his teeth. "He'll hurt him."

Dark was silent, but doubt flooded Daisuke.

"You think he won't?"

~I� I don't know. He protected Satoshi~ He caressed Daisuke's presence.
~Protecting the host is instinctive for me~

Dai leaned into the contact. ~He never did so before~

~I know. It's different. Somehow it's different. It's like� I want
to remember things from the Black Wings and can't~

~Things about Krad?~

~I don't know.~

Daisuke gazed at the sleeping man in his arms, feeling a wave of tenderness
and longing. He loved Satoshi and he wanted him to get well. If that meant
Krad had to return�

~Unfair~

~I know. Life never is. Dai� I need to talk to Krad. Will you let me?~
* * *
Dark's violet eyes fell on his other half, sitting with his back against
the stone walls, knees pulled up, his wings gone. He was a picture of misery
and pain. His face was pale, the eyes dull and lifeless. Dressed in the
unfamiliar long-sleeve shirt and white pants, he didn't look like the psychotic,
dangerous enemy they had faced so many times, an enemy that had followed
Dark through the ages.

The black Binders stood out like sores.

"What do you want, Dark?" the demon asked tonelessly, not looking at
him.

"Talk?"

Dark gazed around the basement. It was huge, two stories deep underneath
the house, and held more than just this 'prison'. He was still furious
with Emiko for confining the injured entity to this place and using the
magical bracelets. Krad was in no condition to hurt a fly. Daisuke had
argued with her that they couldn't do this, but she had been firm.

A wry smile crossed the handsome face and Krad shot him a mocking look.
"Don't play with me, kaitou. Were you sent to deliver the news or maybe
even the final strike?"

Dark stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling Daisuke's confusion.

~Dark�?~

~Shhh~

"You need to return to your host, Krad."

Golden eyes flared. "Oh really? You think so? Like this?"

He raised one hand and showed off the Binder. It crackled faintly with
the power lodged deep inside and Krad winced almost imperceptibly.

"You both hurt, Krad, and you need to heal."

A sneer. "Thank you for your concern."

"You both live one life," Dark told him. "You need each other."

"So your host and his family would voluntarily let me possess him again?
I don't think so."

Dark smiled sadly. "I talked to them. They understand."

In a way they did, though not happily. Satoshi wouldn't survive this.

Krad let his head fall against the hard stone. "What makes you think
I can help Hikari? What makes you think we need each other?"

Dark shrugged. "Maybe the fact that you're weakening is a first clue.
Or that Satoshi is suffering from cramps, is in pain�?"

Krad's eyes flared a little at the mentioning of his host in pain.

"You care for him, Krad, right?"

"He's mine."

Dark tilted his head. "Yes, your host. Your only chance, Krad. You
should take it."

"I doubt I have a chance." He raised his wrist again a little.

"That's why I'll take it off."

Kosuke stepped into the room, calmly studying the white demon. Dark
had heard him coming, but from the way Krad started, he hadn't. It showed
just how bad he was off.

"Why would you?" Krad demanded.

The older Niwa smiled a little, that strange smile he always wore.
"Satoshi became what he is through you. It was a harsh, painful road, but
because of your influence, your 'nightmare' he was able to remove himself
from the Hikari family, his destiny, to stand up against his father and
his heritage. As for you, Krad� You care. You struggled for him to survive
the attacks in the Wheel. You submitted after your reunion. Satoshi keeps
you alive, he has fought for you in turn. He might not want it, but he's
starting to care, Krad. Like you have come to care for him. He's your identity,
your true life."

Krad glared at the human. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Well, yes, maybe not. I just watch, see a lot, and I know that though
Satoshi is terrified of what the future might bring, he's also ready to
face it in all its variations."

Dark stepped forward, holding out a hand. Krad stared at it, then took
it carefully. Dark pulled him to his feet, holding the hand clasped in
his.

"We're not so different. Actually, we're more alike than different.
Face it, we need them. We take what we need, but we also give. What do
you have to give him except the pain and nightmares?"

Golden eyes flared with the familiar, cold anger and Krad ripped his
hand out of Dark's grasp. "I hate you!" he hissed.

"That we agree upon," was the flippant reply. "Can't stand your guts
either, but this isn't about us. We know where we stand in this relationship,
so let's not waste any more time on it. This is about you and your host.
Go to him. You claim him as yours, don't you?"

The demon snarled something but Dark only grinned. Krad pushed away,
bristling. Kosuke remained where he was, watching them, an expression of
intrigued pondering on his features. Krad glared more.

"No one will stop you," Kosuke added. "Let me only remove the Binders."

It got him a snarl, but Krad held out his wrists and Kosuke quickly
undid the bracelets.
* * *
Krad stood over the propped up form, looking at the frail human that
was his host. Sure, Hikari had grown into a man, but like all humans he
was frail, easily broken. Still his spirit was like the sharpest knife,
a mind of steel that had fought him so many times, it was a weapon all
on its own.

'What do you have to give him?' Dark's words echoed in his ears.

Nothing. He had nothing to give and he had no function.

The Gate of Darkness was forever closed, the Black Wings destroyed.
He was outside, flung back into this hated world, and in the past days
he had done nothing but sit back in this human's mind and regain his strength.

For what?

Satoshi's eyes blinked open. Blue eyes.

Like his, Krad thought with a touch of longing. Just like his. Hikari
eyes. So many centuries between them and still�

Satoshi was like a mirror image and the old pain returned with a vengeance.
He had never looked into his host's eyes. He had never seen him as anything
but a tool. Now, with everything so very different from before, old memories
rose, accompanied by a longing for something that had died three centuries
ago.

The brief flash of fear in this Satoshi's eyes cut deep.

Why? He had thrived from the fear of his host, he had liked it, he
had played with it. He had cruelly taken what he wanted.

Not any more. Krad had been left with parts of his other half. While
he felt and looked like before their merge inside the Black Wings, things
were� coming up in his waking mind. He wasn't like before. His past was
catching up to him.

It was the moment a cramp hit and Krad staggered, forcing his knees
not to give in. He couldn't live outside this body much longer, but he
refused to give in to this primal need to reunite. This wasn't just about
him any more. He no longer followed an ulterior plan. There was only this
life now, no goals to reach, no future to change, no Gate of Darkness.
Only him and this human.

"You're mine," Krad murmured, voice unusually gentle.

Hikari flinched, avoiding the golden eyes. "I don't belong to anyone,"
he growled.

"You belong to Daisuke."

Anger flashed in the blue eyes. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

Krad smirked a little. "Or what?"

Satoshi pushed himself up. "I'll kill you, Krad. I swear I will!"

Krad stepped closer, holding the flaring blue eyes, felt the energy
spike in the abused body. "Empty words. You know you can't kill me."

His host's face twisted into a grimace.

"I care for you," the demon whispered.

"No, you don't. You never have," the young man answered hoarsely.

They had had that conversation before. A long time ago.

"Not in this way, true. You are mine, Hikari-san." Krad knelt down
next to the bed, gazing into those dark blue eyes. "Mine to protect," he
added roughly.

He had never tried to protect the host before because Satoshi had never
been in danger. There had never been any danger for Krad either. He had
had a safe host and he had only worked on insinuating himself in the young
mind, touch his spirit and warp him to his liking.

Now� his body had been in danger. He had acted without thinking, had
protected Hikari, and something inside of him had filled with warmth.

Satoshi's eyes widened in shock. "What�?"

"We are one. I protect what is mine," Krad stated, reaching out to
touch the pale, drawn face.

Satoshi wanted to flinch away, but he had no strength left. "Don't
touch me!"

"You are mine," the demon repeated, not heeding the request. "As I
am yours. We belong together in this hatred, this existence, this fear."

Hikari's eyes were wide, fixed on the golden pools of the fallen angel.
"Why�?"

Krad smiled a little, fingertips stroking over the smooth cheek. "It
doesn't work any other way. It won't. We need each other, just like I need
Dark and you always needed Daisuke. It's a precarious balance that must
be maintained. It's not in our ability to destroy it. Acceptance of fate,
isn't that what this is all about?"

The young man swallowed, trying to collect his walls against those
knowing eyes.

"I've seen your soul, your scars. I know your joy and your pain, Satoshi-sama.
I'll always be with you, in your waking mind, in your dreams, and I'll
protect you." The hand dropped away as a new wave of pain raced through
him, leaving him dizzy. "You are my wings, Satoshi."

He needed to merge, needed the strength of his host. It was primal
now; very very primal. Golden eyes glowed, fixed on the young man, asking.
Pleading. Begging.

"Please?"

He had never begged before, never asked for anything. Now he was ready
to do whatever he had to.

"Please� I need you," the demon whispered.

Hikari gazed at him, like hypnotized. "For what purpose?" he asked
roughly.

Krad lowered his eyes, fighting the rising dizziness. He felt his connection
to Hikari waver, stretched so thin it was close to gone. He was tired and
so empty. He wanted this to happen, but he knew it might never be.

"Why?" Satoshi repeated his question.

He gazed at him. "Because."

Tears gathered in Hikari's eyes, torn between the need to survive,
to be there for Daisuke, and the wish to end the torment.

A trembling hand reached out and touched the white-clad entity. Krad
dissolved, merging with his host, drawing a little, startled gasp from
the slender form. Satoshi stiffened briefly, then fell back against the
mattress again.
* * *
"What do you think their chances are?" Kosuke asked, looking at Dark.

Both men stood in the hallway outside the guest room, prepared for
all eventualities.

Dark pursed his lips. "Fair. He's different. There's a lot of the old
fury in there, but somehow he's no longer the Krad I've been facing through
the ages."

Kosuke chuckled. "I understand. So you think it's his choice whether
or not he returns to his old ways."

"Yes. Satoshi's father offered him something he couldn't refuse. He
gave him his own son as a vessel. Krad was desperate enough to accept,
condemning himself and his host."

"You never had the urge?" Kosuke wanted to know.

Dark smiled wryly. "I'd be lying if I said no. I wanted a real body,
but it was always too much fun to be with one of the Niwas."

Daisuke sent a sliver of warmth and he wrapped a tendril of his presence
around his host.

"Let's hope Krad understands the changes."

Dark nodded mutely, then relented control to his host as they continued
waiting.

Daisuke sighed, back in control of their shared body, and ran a hand
through his unruly hair. His father shot him a brief, quizzical glance,
and he smiled. He was okay. He wanted nothing more than to be with his
lover right now, give him the strength he lacked, but that was impossible.
Whatever happened now, it was between Krad and his host.

"I don't envy Satoshi," the older man murmured.

"No. But Dark's right� Krad's different."

"Yes. Obviously."

~You think this will work?~

Dark shrugged. ~I wish I knew. Krad's unstable at best, but I think
he's figured out that he needs Satoshi � not just as a host but as a partner.
It's a first step. Things have changed~

Daisuke. ~And what about this thing that has attacked twice now?~

~We'll find out about it, partner. It lives inside unsealed artwork.
We'll seal it. Daikii and Kosuke are working on locating it~

Daisuke nodded. He turned to his father. "Have you found out anything
about our attacker?"

"No," came the honest answer. "We only know the obvious. It's old,
it moves through the art still unsealed, and it's strong." Kosuke smiled
reassuringly. "We'll seal it, Dai. We will."

He hoped so. They didn't need this thing hovering above them on top
of the problems with Krad.
* * *
It felt like a warmth coursing through his veins, his soul, settling
in the crevices, filling the emptiness he had never known existed. Satoshi
closed his eyes, expecting the pain any moment, the fierce onslaught of
another mind that was sharp as a blade, cold as ice, ruthless and so familiar.

It didn't come.

Krad remained where he was, in the background, like he had in the days
passing after their reunion.

//You're mine// a voice whispered. //I care for you, Satoshi//

No longer cold and smooth and so sadistic sometimes, but still lacking
true warmth. It was like Krad tried but failed.

//I protect what's mine//

Satoshi felt tears gather in his eyes again and his hands curled into
fists.

//I won't hurt what's mine//

And with these last words he quieted down, like pulling a blanket over
himself. Hikari rolled onto his side, wiping away the wetness in his eyes.

His curse.

His nightmare.

His horror.

And the very being he had protected, who had saved him at a terrible
cost from the attack, who had bled and hurt for him.

On shaky limbs he made it out of the bed what felt like hours later,
feeling sick to the stomach. Memories of Krad's broken form, helpless,
vulnerable and mutilated swam before his inner eye.

Did he really care?

There was a knock on the door and Daisuke's voice could be heard.

"Satoshi? You awake?"

His lover's head poked through the open door and a genuine smile lit
up his features.

"Hey."

Satoshi tried to smile, but he knew it came out wrong.

"Uh� you okay?"

"I'm not sure," he whispered.

"Krad�?"

"Back." He touched his chest, feeling this tightness again, this need
to vomit. But it came as much from old as new memories.

Why would he protect his tormentor? Was he such a sick creature? Stockholm
syndrome? he mused. Krad and he were one. He hated him, but he also couldn't
but protect him. Like Krad had sacrificed for him in turn.

'Because I'm the host,' he thought dimly. 'Because he owns me.'

//No, Satoshi. I don't own you// the voice in his head begged to differ.

//You claim me as yours! You treat me like a possession! You always
did!//

//You're my host. My responsibility. Mine to protect//

Hikari slumped against the wall and heard Daisuke's outcry. "I'm okay,"
he murmured.

//We can't live without each other// Krad whispered. //I won't force
my mind on yours. I'll leave control to you// His voice turned pleading
again. //I just want to live� to have meaning outside the curse�//

He had no answer for it; he didn't really understand it either.

"Satoshi?" Daisuke's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "You shouldn't
be up and about. You're still weak. You hungry? How about I get you some
of Mom's soup?"

He nodded without thinking. Daisuke smiled and helped him back to the
bed. He placed a loving kiss on his lips.

"Good. Be back in a flash."

Satoshi groaned softly. When had everything become so bad so fast?

"Hikari."

He blinked at the voice and his eyes widened as he discovered Dark
still in the room. He hadn't even felt the energy discharge of the transformation.
The kaitou grinned a little.

"I asked Daisuke for a moment. I think you could use some company right
now."

"No, I don't. I have enough as it is."

"Well, yes, maybe you do. He's behaving?"

Satoshi pulled his mask on, suppressing the shiver that wanted to race
down his body. Dark came closer, his violet eyes holding the dark blue
ones.

"You know he's dependent on you, right? He can't exist without you.
Just like I depend on Daisuke. You two are our life lines." His voice was
soft, almost hypnotic. "We can leave your bodies, but never for long. Krad
tried; he nearly died and pulled you with him. We're all locked in a cycle,
Hikari Satoshi. We each depend on each other. You and Daisuke, me and Krad."

"Do you trust him?" Satoshi asked hoarsely.

A smirk. "That bastard? Nah. I know myself, and he's me." The smirk
disappeared and made way for a suddenly very serious expression. "But I
trust him to protect you."

"Like an investment� a favorite toy to use�" he murmured miserably,
cursing himself for the show of weakness. "I'm nothing to him. Nothing
at all."

"No, wrong. You're a partner. Krad's gotta get used to that, like you
do." Dark shrugged. "He isn't going anywhere and neither can you. We can't
change what happened, Hikari."

"I don't have any choice anyway," Satoshi told him, voice fatalistic.

Another shrug. "Neither do Krad or Daisuke or me. We're stuck with
each other. Our destiny, our fate.. and we still got a job to do."

He stared at the ceiling. Yes, the job. It seemed endless work, tracking
down all the artwork, sealing it, but it was strangely fulfilling because
it went so completely against his family's own destiny.
* * *
He had recovered from the attack, his body had regained its strength,
and life went back to being as normal as was possible with a demon bound
to your soul. Satoshi was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for
the searing pain, the moment Krad tore out of him and annihilated the human
he shared a body with.

Nothing of the like happened. Actually, Krad felt different inside
him than before. It wasn't just because he didn't try to influence him,
didn't whisper in his mind. It was the whole� perception of the entity.
He seemed weaker, still healing from those terrible injuries. But it was
slow. He had been injured and beaten by Dark in their prior fights, and
it had never taken him this long.

Still, Satoshi couldn't let his guard down. He knew it was straining
their relationship, but Daisuke was strangely accepting of the fact. That
hurt Satoshi more than an outright break-up would have.

There had been no more planned thefts � at least of which he knew �
and daily routine was starting to annoy him. He spent as little time as
possible outside, did all his work through the internet, email and over
the phone, pulling away.

He felt cold and lonely.

Just like before.

Gazing around the apartment, the furniture had an oppressive air to
it. All the little mementos, the pictures, the memories hidden deep within,
all reminded him of what he had lost.

I hate you! he raged, but the entity inside him didn't react.

"I hate you," Satoshi whispered, staring at his own reflection. "Hate
you�"

There was a brief curl, like a wince, and the presence retreated even
further. Hikari was intrigued, looking at his alter ego, noting the wounded
look. Yes, he was still injured. And Satoshi's negative emotions didn't
seem to help the progress.

'You don't heal because I don't let you?' he wondered.

He didn't care. Really. Absolutely not.

Everything had been destroyed within a few days. Everything he had
built and had lived for. Everything he and Daisuke had created. Krad was
his curse and while it was necessary to keep him alive, Satoshi couldn't
care less in what condition.

Then why did you protect him so fiercely? a voice whispered sharply.
Why do you even worry.

I don't! I hate him! He destroyed everything!

The sound of a key turning in the lock startled him and he whirled
around, staring as the entrance door was opened and Daisuke stepped in.
His lover shut the door after himself and looked at him, the key dangling
from his hand.

"Sato?" he asked, voice soft, quizzical, almost lost.

"What do you want?" Satoshi asked, voice shaking more than he wanted
it to.

Daisuke just looked at him, those dark brown eyes filled with emotions
Satoshi had tried to chase away.

"Stop running," his lover finally said softly. His voice seemed to
echo in the cold room.

"I'm not."

"You are. Despite everything, you are. Stop doing that, Sato!"

Daisuke approached and Satoshi backed away, stumbling back without
even realizing it. He wasn't that weak!

His lover's gaze bore into his soul. "What does it take to make you
understand that we can only face this together?"

"Dai�"

A warm hand cupped his face, the sensation seeping into his cold skin,
his soul soaking it up like dry earth would soak in water.

"I love you, you idiot. You can't push me away. Not with running away,
not with isolating yourself."

Lips descended on his, forcing the warmth deeper into him, and Satoshi
reacted with a soft sob. He curled his arms around the familiar form, felt
the solid body press against him.

"I need you," Daisuke whispered.

"But�"

Another kiss. "No 'but'. Just 'together'."

Satoshi surrendered to his lover, moaned as nimble fingers slid under
his loose shirt, undid more than just physical bindings and swept him away.
He had never been able to understand how Daisuke could be so open, so forgiving,
so.. emotional � until he had gotten to know him. Daisuke lived and loved
with all his power. It was his strength, his own magic. It had healed a
broken soul that had been abused and used, and it had fused them together.

Blunt teeth scraped over his collar bone and he gasped, arching into
the contact of lips, teeth and hands. He needed Daisuke. He needed him
to live, to breathe and to survive.

Surrendering to the whirlwind of energy and strength, Satoshi sank
back and let passion and need take over.
* * *
Daisuke tangled his fingers in the long, silky hair, carding through
it, caressing his lover tenderly. Satoshi smiled at him, the dark blue
eyes filled with love and sated pleasure, with a warmth Daisuke had wanted
to see again. The cold had been chased away, leaving nothing but pleasure
in its wake. He drew a hand over the nicely defined chest, creating random
patterns.

"Love you," Satoshi murmured, tired but not in a bad way.

Daisuke smiled and kissed him. "As I do you. Whatever happens."

He placed his head on Satoshi's chest, listening to each breath, each
heartbeat, aware that inside this beloved body the demon still resided.
Dark touched his mind, questing, careful. He had taken his partner with
him on this emotional ride, had pulled him along as both men had explored
their relationship again, and he hadn't had any qualms, nor had he been
embarrassed. Dark was infinitely older than him and he knew these emotions.

~He didn't come out~ Daisuke mused, following the line of Satoshi's
rib cage to one narrow hip.

~Neither did I~ Dark teased. ~Our triggers aren't emotional any more.
You two are in control~

~You could force me, I know that. So could Krad~

Dark sighed. ~Yes. I could. I won't~

Daisuke felt his lover writhe underneath his ministrations, felt the
rousing interest despite the intense encounter just now. He smiled and
kissed a semi-aroused nipple, drawing a little protest.

"Dai�"

"I know, I know." Not that he was in any shape right now either.

~Young people�~ Dark laughed. ~Need more vitamins?~

~Oh, shut up!~

A grin was his answer.

Satoshi stroked over his head, yawning. They both needed sleep and
Daisuke didn't feel like moving any time soon anyway. Dark enveloped him
in a warm embrace, just like Daisuke was holding his lover, and Dai drifted
off.
* * *
All his guards were down. He was adrift in the warmth resulting from
the sudden emotional flood that had nearly floored Krad. The demon had
never experienced anything like this before. This need, this yearning,
this primal desire. Satoshi had simply surrendered to Daisuke, had opened
up, had drawn the other man in, and Krad had watched in astonishment.

Now he still watched, gazed at the blue spark that represented his
host, feeling the pleasure radiate off it, the emotional warmth and depth.
He had never experienced Hikari Satoshi this way. Back throughout the first
possession there had been nothing but anger, pain and fierce coldness.
Now� it was different.

He moved closer, drawn to the positive waves, the sheer energy set
free.

What had this been? What had he felt? Krad was confused; utterly confused.

"It's called sex," a familiar voice told him, sounding sleepy and annoyed
in one, as if someone had woken him.

Krad blinked. What�? "Dark?" he asked out loud.

There was a displacement to his left and suddenly he was facing his
other half. Dark tensed immediately, apparently caught as off guard as
Krad.

"What the�?" the kaitou muttered, ducking into a defensive stance.

Krad blinked, confusion rising. "You�" His eyes narrowed and wings
bristled behind him. "What are you doing here?" he snapped.

"I could ask you the same thing, Krad!"

The two so different but still alike beings glared at each other until
a subtle wave of warmth reached Krad and his eyes widened. The echoes of
whatever had happened with Satoshi were still coming in.

"What is this?" he murmured.

Dark frowned, straightening a bit. "You don't recognize it? It's called
afterglow. You get that after good sex. And damn, if they didn't have good
sex just now." An insolent, cheeky smile crossed the kaitou's lips.

Krad's brows dipped deeper.

"Don't tell me you have no idea�" Dark teased. "I doubt all your hosts
were as creepy as Satoshi." At the continued silence, Dark grew uneasy.
"Krad� you never� I mean� what did you do all the time when we weren't
fighting?"

Krad evaded the dark violet eyes, unease rising inside him with ancient
memories. He felt his counterpart's presence close in, but he couldn't
move. Part of him was yearning to experience more of what had just touched
him, the warmth and love and tenderness. The sheer energy of affection.
Another part reminded him of what had been, of the pain and the loneliness
that wish had brought him.

"Krad?"

He looked up, caught off guard, and found himself mesmerized by the
familiar eyes. Dark looked almost sympathetic.

"I always envied you this closeness," Krad said softly, wings folding
around himself like a protective shield.

"Uh� what?"

"With your hosts. You were part of them, despite the fact that our
existence was a curse to the male family members. They accepted you."

Dark blinked. "Uhm, yes� Some more, some less."

"They never tried to banish you," the demon went on. "They never suppressed
you, they never tried to� exorcise you."

The handsome face in front of him lost color. "What?!"

Krad had no idea why he was talking about this, about his existence
� you couldn't really call it a life -- about his past. The warmth around
him made him dizzy with need, made him want to go to his host and wrap
himself around that soul, be there.

Instead he walled himself off. He was a demon, a curse, evil. He had
never been anything else. The Hikari had made sure that he understood his
role and position, had taught him that lesson early on. Through pain and
coldness, through deprivation of human warmth.

"Krad?" Dark coaxed gently. "What happened to you?"

Golden eyes fell on the dark-clad figure, took in the balanced, peaceful
appearance, jealousy rising inside him again. Like he had always been jealous.

No, not always.

They had been one entity once. Residing inside the Black Wings, powerful
and aware, but not really sentient. Krad only remembered always feeling
the echo of another being with him, taking joy and security from that existence.
Then the sealing had backfired and he had been torn out of that unity,
had been flung into a human body he had no idea of, and he had been alone.

He had been forced into a world he didn't belong to, a world of humans.
Still, the hatred hadn't started right away. He had been curious at first,
like a child. This had been new, oh so exciting and new. Amazement had
been his first emotion. Wonder and child-like curiosity. He had wanted
to explore and he had wanted to see where he had come to be.

His first host had accepted the entity now bound to his very blood.
He had loved him� After his death, the problems had started. The future
Hikari had seen him as a curse. There had been no welcome, just wariness.
Then the hosts had become aware of his powers, of their own, improved abilities
when he emerged, and so the abuse had begun. He had been nothing but a
tool, locked away when not needed, called out when the time was right.
All he had felt was distance, coldness and growing hatred. Theirs and finally
his, until that hatred had permeated his very soul and turned him into
the creature he was today.

It had continued for decades, turning into centuries. He awoke in each
fourteen year-old male, then was pushed back into oblivion. It tore at
his very self, flayed him alive.

"Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't found you," Krad murmured,
evading the shocked, wide eyes of his other half. "Early on I felt your
call. I knew you were there and I wanted to meet you. So I searched, and
I found you. I found you and your host�"

And Dark had been accepted. A curse, true, but one that ran in the
family and was part of their lives. Almost normal. Dark was part of the
family, the Niwas, the thieves who had always tried to steal the Hikari
art.

"You had what I wanted� what I couldn't have. So I decided to take
what I could. The host body. Be my own, have no master�"

"They were never our masters," Dark whispered, horrified.

With Krad's words, images poured in, giving him a taste of the hell
his other half had gone through. It was like remembering his own past�
without having ever lived it.

"Yes, they were!" Krad snapped, eyes glowing with the ancient pain.
"They dictated my life! They used me for their purposes as long they needed,
then threw me away! I never� they never�" He stopped abruptly, emotions
flaring.

Dark reached out, trying to touch him, but he stumbled away, emotions
boiling up. No friends, no partnership, just himself. His own survival
had taken priority to anything else. He had tested the boundaries, had
hoped for the day a host would be too weak to resist him. He had found
it in Satoshi, or so he had thought. A child given to him, actually. His
stepfather had made the deal, promising Krad unlimited use of this human
form if he did as he wanted.

"So that's why�" Dark murmured, voice filled with disbelief. "That's
why you fought me�?"

Krad screwed his eyes shut. "You were what I could never be. You had
what I could never even dream of. I hated you for it. I hated every Niwa
for their kindness. I hated their existence. It could have been me. I could
have been bound to them, but I wasn't. I hated you, Dark. I hated you�"
His voice shook.

Dark closed the distance, fingers brushing over the white wings that
lay tightly around the slender form. He felt the tremors easily and Krad
hated himself even more for his weakness. All his shields were collapsing
and his worst enemy was there to witness it.

"I understand," the kaitou murmured. "Now I understand�"

Another echo touched them and Krad bit his lower lip, curling his hands
into fists. Dark just stayed by his side, the simple touch relaying more
than words. For the first time, Krad felt nothing toward his other half
but gratefulness. He was reminded of a time he had nearly forgotten, a
time when they had been one and the same. Those were memories of a time
that could never be again. They had been torn apart � twice now. Each time
both had suffered; each time Dark had been the one who had easily caught
himself, blossomed and gained.

"Why are we even talking like this?" Krad asked after a while, finally
turning to look into those warm eyes.

Gods, he hated Dark. He hated him for being able to feel like this,
for being compassionate, for having all of this. All this warmth�

Dark shrugged, the usual cockiness coming to life again. "No idea,
but it's neat, he?"

Golden eyes narrowed. The kaitou chuckled.

"I guess we gained more than we thought from this second separation.
I mean, I felt you somehow before, each and every rebirth, but I never
thought I could hear you or even see you without our hosts turning into
us."

Krad shivered with unease. Dark was his other half, but to be this
close� in a place where there was no chance to really run, to fight, to
hide�

The hand that had been on his shoulder returned and squeezed it. "Maybe,"
Dark said gently, "you should try again what you did when you first became
aware of yourself inside a human form. Be gentle. Be curious. Be there.
Don't force anything. It's how this works."

"It's too late for that," the demon muttered.

"No. Even someone like you can relearn."

Krad glared at him and Dark grinned carelessly. "Take your cues from
Satoshi. He learned to love after his own far from happy past. He and Daisuke
together. Just� take it slow." He looked around. "Now� how do I get back
to my own host?"

Krad smirked with some of his old malevolence. "Maybe you're stuck
here with me."

Mock horror flickered over the other's face. "No way!"

The smirk grew into a faked evil smile. Dark suddenly saluted him,
chuckling, then dissolved. There was a faint echo of him, a presence that
gave Krad a sense of not being alone, though. He smiled briefly.

'Thank you,' he thought.

Then he turned and looked for his host, seeking the blue spark, the
source of such affection and warmth. It wasn't directed at him and he felt
like the parasite he was for enjoying it nevertheless, but he couldn't
help himself. Satoshi looked so vulnerable, but there was strength in that
vulnerability. Strength taken from his lover. Krad studied the resting
form, not coming too close to disturb him.

Mine, he thought and pride weaved into his musings. Mine to protect,
to hold, to be with. My host. Not just an abuser, someone who would use
him� and not a victim, a sacrifice.

Maybe there was a chance. Maybe he could one day experience even a
sliver of what Dark had, of that envied closeness.

Suddenly the blue spark morphed into Satoshi's body, the two men facing
each other across the expanse of Hikari's mind. Blue eyes met golden ones.
Satoshi had his hands in the pockets of his pants, gazing out from under
the long, light brown bangs, his face giving nothing away. He still radiated
warmth and satisfaction, and it was intoxicating.

"What do you want?" he asked, voice cool.

The answer was so simple, so plain. He wanted Satoshi. He wanted this
mind, this body and this soul. Not as a parasite but an equal; symbiosis.
He wanted life.

Krad remained where he was. They hadn't talked at all in the last days.
He had tried to be as non-existent as possible, gather his own thoughts,
sort through emotions he had never thought he could feel, and find a solution.
There was none he could see.

Satoshi was his existence and his life, he gave him what he needed.
To hurt him would only hurt Krad in turn. There was no ulterior motive
to use this body for.

"You," Krad answered levelly.

Satoshi smirked and looked around the shapeless world. "My defenses
are down�" he taunted, spreading his arms in invitation.

Krad glared at him, aware of the implications and furious about it.

Mine to protect.

Mine.

"No," he simply answered the unspoken challenge. "Not today, not tomorrow.
Never."

Satoshi tilted his head, thoughtful. "Don't expect me to believe you,
to trust you."

"I don't."

Mine to protect. Should this thing that had nearly destroyed them twice
return, he would kill it. Satoshi was his. No one would take him from Krad.
No one.

Satoshi turned away and Krad felt a pang of loneliness. He wanted to
be close to that source of warmth, but he had no idea how without accidentally
hurting his host. So he stayed away, back in Satoshi's mind.

They would need time. A lot of time. Maybe all their now forever entwined
lives.

Mine to protect.

He would hold himself to that oath, whatever it took.
* * *
Daisuke had chosen his favorite spot to spend the warm evening. His
old favorite, the look-out with the water fountain, had been destroyed
by the earthquake six years ago and had never been rebuilt. He had too
many memories bound to it anyway and had found a new one soon. It was remote,
secluded, and gave him a great view of his home town. Dark was a solid
presence within him, enjoying the peace just like his host.

Glancing to his left, he studied the profile of his lover. Satoshi
was silent, eyes closed, face tilted to the waning sun, enjoying the last
rays. It had been a month now. Nothing had happened and their lives seemed
so normal, except for the presence of Dark and Krad. They still had their
plans, their lives, and though Satoshi was sometimes too silent for Daisuke's
liking, he hadn't reverted back to his former cold self. Now and then he
was very introspective and he refused to talk about Krad.

Watching the boats out on the ocean, bathed in the fiery light of the
setting sun, red and orange and yellow, Daisuke looked inward. Dark wrapped
himself around him, transmitting a question.

He smiled.

~I'd like to ask you something~

~Sure. Shoot~

~You said something to Krad� about you and him living through us. About
having no life of your own. About� depending on us~

Dark was silent for a moment, then sighed. ~Yes. It's true. We're�
spirits� nothing more~

~But you live through the Niwa bloodline~

~Never for real, Dai. I can't experience an existence like you do.
You have an identity, a life, a name, a mother and a father, family and
friends. I'm� well, a curse, right? I come to life within a host, we have
a fun time, then he falls in love and I disappear~

Daisuke pondered this. ~You called yourself a parasite~

Dark winced. ~In a way I am. I take all from the host and give little~

~You gave me a lot. I mean�~ He smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed,
~you were everything I couldn't dream of being. Every girl loved you, my
Mom was nuts about you� She and Grandpa waited for you to emerge in me�
You became a hero to the people in this town because you gave a good chase~

~Daisuke� think about it. For Emiko it was like someone waiting for
Christmas or Easter~ the kaitou replied evenly. ~I'm the family tradition.
I come when the son turns fourteen. I leave when he falls in love for real.
I was never in control. Face it, I have no life and no identity except
to be the phantom thief~

Daisuke bit his lower lip at the slight bitterness in his friend's
voice and Dark sighed a little.

~You never told me that~

~No, because I always wanted to make the best of the months or years
I could have. Pondering about life and such things, all the stuff I couldn't
have or couldn't be� my time was too precious~

~You helped me become who I am today~ Daisuke whispered, looking at
him in his mind, meeting the dark violet eyes. ~Everyone owes you, Dark.
The whole family~

A shrug. ~My job~

~You are more than a tradition to me. You're a person~

The eyes widened a little and Dark's expression changed subtly. ~Dai�~

~Grandpa said that our partnership� it went a lot deeper than his and
yours~

Dark nodded mutely. ~You were special. You still are. I don't know
why. Maybe you saw more in me than a job and inheritance� a disease�~

~You weren't a disease!~ Daisuke almost yelled. ~Okay, so I wasn't
thrilled at first, but you were my friend. And now you're back. Without
the curse. You're not a tradition, Dark. Not something to discard because
of an emotional change or an artifact. You have an identity, a life, an
existence~

Dark swallowed and retreated a little. It was too close to home.

~I want you to stay~

~And drive you nuts?~ came the teasing remark as the kaitou rallied
to cross the river of emotional turmoil, find safe ground.

~Yeah, well�~ Daisuke grinned. ~We belong together, Dark. You're part
of me. You are me~

~Thank you, Daisuke. I'm honored to have you as my host~

Daisuke looked at Satoshi again, interlacing their fingers, wondering
if his lover could ever have this balance with Krad. A smile answered the
gesture and Daisuke leaned his head against one shoulder. Satoshi kissed
his head.

He hoped there would be a resolution.

"You think we'll ever find out what started all of this?" Daisuke murmured.

"Your Dad and grandfather are looking into it."

Yes, but without much result so far.

"What if it comes back?"

Dark sent a shiver of fear and determination through him. There would
be no third attempt. He would destroy it this time.

Satoshi smiled a little. "I think there's a good chance it won't be
able to grab us unawares once more. There are two very determined spirits
trying to prevent that fate."

Daisuke looked at him, a smile blossoming on his features.

"Krad has a vested interest in keeping this host alive," Satoshi added,
no emotions in his voice.

"He's not alone there. So have I." Daisuke swiftly leaned over and
kissed his lover, straddling his lap in the progress and deepening the
contact.

Satoshi gave a moan of surprise, allowing the smaller man to push him
back onto the grassy ground as he dug his hands into Daisuke's clothes.
Brown eyes sparkled with mischief, love and sheer life and Satoshi's expression
eased into a tender smile. He reached up with one hand and caressed the
smooth face. Daisuke leaned into the contact and as Satoshi's thumb ghosted
over the partially open lips, his tongue darted out, trying to catch the
digit.

As his lover leaned down to claim another kiss their groins rubbed
against each other, sending out clear signals. Satoshi groaned, feeling
small explosions of need inside him. Daisuke was kissing him with more
force now, their tongues sliding against each other, their mouths hungrily
colliding.

Hand slipped under shirts, touched naked skin, and Daisuke shuddered,
pushing into the contact, wanting more, demanding more. Satoshi smiled,
lightly biting his lover�s neck.

�We should take this somewhere more� comfortable� before it gets out
of hand,� he murmured in the closest ear.

Daisuke gave a grunt of agreement, but he didn�t seem inclined to actually
stop. Satoshi caught one wandering hand, saw the mischievous glint in the
dark brown eyes, and he had to smile.

�Devil,� he murmured.

His mouth was caught and thoroughly kissed. �My angel.�

With broken wings, Satoshi added for himself. He framed his lover�s
face, smiling tenderly. With a last kiss they rose, walking back to Satoshi�s
bike. Both donned their helmets and jackets and were soon off to the apartment.

Dark grinned to himself, watching the emotional waves lap up all around
him. Yep, Daisuke was having fun; so was Satoshi. As for Krad� His mood
dampened a little. The revelation had been unexpected and a sharp reminder
of their different paths and pasts. He would never have thought in his
wildest dreams that the reason behind the insane pursuit was this. No wonder
Krad had turned out as he was now. No wonder all he knew was force and
anger and pain.

The kaitou glanced at the fine tendril of barely visible light that
stretched out from the plains of Daisuke�s mind, connecting Dark to his
other half. He had never really noticed it before, but now it was sharp
and clear. It was his bond with Krad, the piece that kept them together.
They had been one once. They still had a lot in common. And Dark wanted
to make sure that this last connection would stay. No one and nothing would
cut it.
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