Warning: This is very heavily DxV. It's also a bit OOC, and yes, Danny does cheat on Sam. (Oh crap!) But it was an idea that just won't die, and it's interesting to delve into the human mind as to why we do things. I'll definitely be elaborating on this more from time to time,so expect to see more installments. I don't want to hear any crap about this being OOC; think of it as an AU or something. I got some pretty annoying comments on dA that I want to avoid!

---

Almost Lovers (Two)

---

She never really thought about who visited her in the night. In Valerie's mind, she was the one bunching into her blanket at night. She almost always woke up with it up to her shoulders nowadays, even though she could remember never pulling it up that high nearly her entire life. She didn't even think that it could be someone watching over her.

The night she woke while he was there, she was perfectly still and silent. She opened her eyes a crack and watched his ethereal form phase into the room, his iridescent glow illuminating to dark room. He looked around for a moment, and then walked over to her bed. Carefully, he gently tugged the blanket from around her ankles and pulled it up over her shoulders, tucking it in around her. A small smile played on his lips.

She had to admit, not matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop her breath from (momentarily) catching in her throat when his fingers grazed her arm, or keep her heart from leaping out of her chest. Despite everything they had been through, the feelings she harbored for Danny so long ago still lingered.

Although she was confused as to what he was doing in her room so late at night so often, she didn't mind it. Of course, she did worry slightly as to his motives. Why would he visit her, of all people? They hadn't spoken face to face outside of strict school situations in close to a year. Even if she saw him in the hallway, she looked away. They're past was far too messy and confusing to sort out. They both needed time, and lots of it, to figure out just what happened to them. She had her life and he had his. He had fame, fortune, a girl friend, everything. She was practically in hiding, trying to piece her life together after he shattered it. After everything she knew was uprooted and thrown around.

And yet, here he was, leaning over her, pushing her curled locks off her cheek and grazing it with his fingers. Eyes closed, she pretended to be asleep, trying to will herself to steady her breathing. And, as mysteriously as he showed up, he vanished.

After that one night, nearly every time he came, she woke up. Her body was almost always ready for the temperature drop that was associated with his appearance.

One night, in early February, he arrived just as he always did, shutting the window she had accidentally left open. The entire room was freezing. Valerie shivered in her bed, her blanket pulled over her waist. But it was a thin blanket, one that couldn't possibly be keeping her warm.

Frowning, Danny glanced around and noticed a large, woolen blanket in her closet. After much maneuvering so he wouldn't make a sound, he tugged it out and unfolded it, laying it gently over Valerie's body.

This time, Valerie didn't wake up as she normally did without his knowing. Danny laid the blanket over her, leaning over her and pulling the blanket beneath it up as well. He had to actually kneel on her bed – partially kneeling, partially hovering – to reach around her and place the blanket on her properly so she wouldn't wake.

He leaned over her, his arms grazing her shoulder briefly, which were bare thanks to the tank top (in February?) she was wearing.

Maybe because it was so cold, or maybe because she was just so used to waking up before he came, Valerie jerked awake, and opened her hazel eyes just as Danny was leaning over her on her bed.

Lying on her back with her arms above her head, she looked up into his glowing eyes, not surprised at all. Danny was tense at first, and then relaxed upon seeing her unsurprised expression.

She moved her eyes around his face, taking in the differences from when she last saw him up close. They had both changed so much over the last year; almost juniors now, which was a scary thought for both of them.

Danny didn't move from his position. Instead, he smiled down at her gently. Her heart nearly leapt from her chest with excitement. She knew those feelings were still there, deep inside her. He reached out and touched her face, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Her hair had grown incredibly long since he last saw her so close…

Neither of them saw it coming. Danny had leaned closer to her, pushing her hair out of her eyes, green eyes meeting hazel, when the next thing they knew, their eyes were closed, and their lips pressed together; she slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down next to her, not letting him go.

When she pulled away from him and opened her eyes, sky blue eyes met hers with a wave of black hair falling into his eyes. She put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him again, a strange hunger for him bubbling up from inside. He pulled himself towards her, his hands on her waist, turning his head and falling deeper into the kiss, allowing himself, kissing her back.

All rational thought had left his mind; all he knew was that he wanted her, had to taste her lips, and had to lie in her arms. He had no idea where these feelings suddenly came from; they just welled up in his chest and the next thing he knew, he was kissing her. He was kissing her more ferociously now, feeling the smooth skin of her lower back on his fingertips.

When they parted briefly, a soft sigh escaped from her lips before kissing him again, her fingers caught in his thick dark hair, holding onto the back of his neck as if she'd die if she let go.

It was strange, and completely uncalled for; neither of them was sure where this sudden passion had erupted from, but it was there. It was if something had triggered inside of them, a river of emotion that couldn't be dammed.

All they knew was, at the end, their lives were never the same again.

---

And there you have it. The majority of this was written late at night. I dunno, it just started carrying itself away and I let it. Anyway, yes, expect more with this at some point. But nothing outside of this collection of stories.