Author's Notes

Here is where the alphabet jump is. Transparent is linked to Forget-Me-Not. I am particularly proud of those two. Through Me, a self-written-song fiction, was adapted from Transparent's base idea.

Proudly, I end this drabble fiction. Unfortunately, I am unable to load the song fics I had intended for the 2007 project. I am going to have at least two as New Year's gift instead. It is only an hour and two minutes from New Year at the moment. Let me take this opportunity to greet all of my readers, 'Happy New Year'.

Clandestine Thoughts

Part Five

Secret

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like if you weren’t the Niwas’ secret, Dark? Daisuke thought to the thief quietly.

“I can’t say I have,” Dark half-replied and half-mused. “I can’t imagine living my life any other way. Why?”

If you never lived as a secret, Dark, I would think that your endless cycle of a curse would never have begun, never have existed.

With a wistful chuckle, Dark murmured, “Who knows, Dai? Who knows...”

Stubborn

“Why do you always taunt Krad?” Daisuke questioned curiously with barely concealed exasperation as he sat on a chair that had appeared upon will.

“He’s fun to tease,” the thief protested with a mirthful grin.

“When he’s after you, bent on taking your life?” a fine brow flew up as Daisuke’s voice was filled with incredulity.

“Yeah,” the dark angel replied as though it was common sense.

“...I have no idea whether to think you’re just being stubborn or you’re plain stupid.”

“Go with stubborn.”

Tender

Looking past the blonde angel’s homicidal and sadistic tendencies, Daisuke could almost describe Krad’s possessive hold on Satoshi as something tender.

Thieving

Isn’t this wrong? Daisuke worriedly thought as he stared at the museum he was supposed to steal from in an hour’s time. Well, Dark was going to steal from it, actually.

“How is it wrong? We’re preventing disasters through this.” Dark sounded perplexed.

But we’re stealing, Dark. Isn’t that wrong? the Wing Tamer protested weakly.

“Sure it is!” Dark sounded too cheerful. “That’s why the police is always after us!”

“But know this, Dai,” the tone turned serious so abruptly as though someone had flicked a switch. “Sometimes we have to do things considered wrong for the sake of others, even if they don’t like it.”

That helped soothe the guilt in Daisuke, just a little.

Thunderstorm

Watching lightning light up the dark sky as rain pelted down against his windows so loudly and fast that it sounded painful, Daisuke sighed appreciatively, closing his eyes in peace when thunder rolled seconds after the lightning had flashed.

There was something about thunderstorms that calmed the scarlet-eyed boy.

Maybe it was because it always sent Dark to sleep.

Transparent

Being a human being, even Daisuke, despite his genial and gentle nature, has his moments where his mind travels down a darker path. When he is alone and Dark is resting, he would recall small but meaningful events. One very special memory would sometimes surface, even though he had tried to force it deep into his consciousness where even Dark would not find, and hoped to bury it there.

A pleasant, affectionate smile rest upon Emiko’s lips as she returned Kosuke’s embrace. Her husband raised a hand and tenderly sifted his long, nimble fingers through her short auburn locks. “It’s still a wonder sometimes, that you married me,” Kosuke teased lightly, his words slightly muffled where his mouth was pressed against Emiko’s forehead.

At that, and the feel of her husband’s warm breath tickling her forehead, Emiko laughed. “I remember how red you were when the first thing I asked was, ‘Can you give me a son?’ because I wanted so much, to the point of desperation, to be Dark’s mother,” she sighed almost wistfully here. “And now that I am...”

Daisuke heard no more as he silently sped away, never noticing Daichii’s worried frown directed at him or the heartbroken tears that slipped from his ruby eyes, or even Dark’s soft voice reaching out to him in his mind.

And Daisuke would wonder bitterly as he fought against the tears that were brought by the hurtful reminiscence, Who does she truly see? Dark, or me?

Forget-Me-Not

A surge of cold fear sent an ominous chill down Emiko’s spine when she saw Dark return home with an irate expression on his face that was trying to hide the sense of desperate loss, guilt and dejection beneath.

“Where’s Daisuke, Dark?” The woman was almost too afraid to ask.

The dark angel made no answer as he sprouted his own wings, greatly surprising Emiko and Daichii. Violet feathers so dark to the point of black drifted slowly in the air towards the ground. With slumped by Dark’s feet as the small-sized demon released a soft, heartbreaking cry.

“Kosuke took him away,” Dark finally whispered into the tense silence that had fallen, dropping a cloth-covered painting and a tear-stained note on the table before turning away to lock himself in Daisuke’s room.

Emiko picked up the note with shaky hands and read it once, then twice, then thrice again as though she could not believe what she was reading. The only line that registered in her mind was, “Now Dark can truly be your son.” and it weighed her down with an unbearable guilt. Tears spilt forth and streamed down her cheeks as she cried silently for the loss of her son.

The words on the note began to shift, and Emiko looked down, only to see a short sentence from her husband. “Forgive me. I could not bear to watch him break apart and withdraw into himself any further.” If it were possible, the guilt had only added.

Daichii watched Emiko clutch the note as though it was her last lifeline and knew. He shut his eyes as though in pain as his brows furrowed. Crystal droplets slipped out of his closed eyes and he did nothing to swipe them away, as though doing so was a crime he could not commit and the tears wear lost in his moustache.

The painting caught his notice again, and he glanced at Emiko. Realising she would not – could not – move from where she stood, he approached the painting on the table.

Tenderly, almost reverently, Daichii unraveled the painting, and his eyes widened as his breath was caught at the majesty, beauty and deep, wrenching pain caught within it.

Admist a storm, a garden of Forget-Me-Nots swayed with the wind and among them, lone Ebony, Yellow Carnation, Calendula, Cyclamen and several Daffodils stood.

Ebony; Blackness. Yellow Carnation; You have disappointed me. Calendula; Grief and jealousy. Cyclamen; Resignation; Goodbye. Several Daffodils; Joy and happiness. Forget-Me-Not; Rememberance; Memories. Piecing what he knew of, Daichii realised the significance of the painting and he turned it to the back, finding the message just as he had expected to.

“Looking at my memories (Forget-Me-Not), I can truly say that I had been happy (Daffodils). But things changed when Dark (Ebony) appeared and I began to experience feelings (Calendula) I never thought I would have had to because of my family. I hoped, but things never seemed to look up (Yellow Carnation). I tried so hard to erase those feelings (the Storm), but I’m tired, very tired (Cyclamen). Remember me, for I know I will never forget, even as I forgive (Forget-Me-Not).”

Victory

“What’s wrong, Dai? We won. He can’t hurt the Commando anymore either,” Dark tried to smile, but the look on his tamer’s face erased any little joy he felt.

Without a word and not even a glance to Satoshi, Daisuke knelt down beside the bruised and battered angel who had fallen so far.

“What are you doing, Niwa?” Krad coughed and spitted out blood, trying to glare at the red head. His golden eyes widened in shock when the boy lifted his head and placed it on his own lap.

A wheezing laugh escaped from the dying angel’s lips and it did not sound sane or insane.

“I’m sorry,” Daisuke murmured.

“You’re a real bleeding heart, Little Niwa,” Krad laughed again.

And as the angel faded away, white feathers burst into the air before vanishing as well. The victory no longer felt victorious.

Warmth

Despite the cold façade, Daisuke knew that the ice encased a small burning flame in Satoshi.

And it was warm.

Wisdom

As they say, “The older you are, the wiser you get.”

Though Daisuke did not necessarily believe that, he did believe that Daichii was a well of wisdom, especially when it came to the art of thievery and the history behind artworks and artefacts.