Chapter 9: Thicker Than Ice.

It didn't took the blue-haired teenager forever to reach his apartment and when he did, he didn't hesitate to kick his front door open and proceeding to shut it locked behind him before advancing towards his own room where the only source of a bed was. Hiwatari Satoshi carefully laid the limp body in his supporting arms onto the welcoming mattress before taking a step back while claiming his weary breath in slow heaps of air, wiping the immense sweat off his forehead using the back of his palm.

The expression on Niwa Daisuke's adorable face attracted him more than his heart beat did, the very few blood red strands of soft silk-like hair covered a part of his flawless skin. The blue-haired teenager gazed upon the smaller boy's beauty for quite a moment before he realized his senseless actions and silently snapped out of his intimate daze. He noticed that Daisuke's breathing was in a fast rhythmic pace as well as the heat surrounding his plain room wasn't going to help the situation if it gets serious. Satoshi sighed a little before reaching out to the redhead's uniform to unbutton it lower in order to ease his breathing a little. It shouldn't be so bad, he thought, for Daisuke still had a black shirt worn underneath.

Unfortunately, a sharp ruby red eye snapped open and within a dash of lightning, Satoshi's helping hand was grabbed roughly by the wrist and tender lips crushed into his, producing a sudden, yet passionate kiss. Satoshi was shocked by the outcome, but he didn't succumb to the kiss. As a matter of fact, his mind raced with wild thoughts yelling that it surely wasn't Daisuke. The blue-haired teenager was about to push away from the other boy's hold, but he could slowly feel his energy being transferred to the smaller boy before him. It was then when the person broke the mouth-to-mouth contact and gazed into Satoshi's icy blue orbs with a devilish smile; the one Dark Mousy possessed, not Niwa Daisuke.

[A/N : This could be a little confusing and all, so let's just put it this way...I'll be using Dark's name because he now controls Daisuke's body, yet his actions are placed under the physical description of Daisuke (after all, it is the redhead's body originally). Got it? I sure hope so...]

"Thanks, creepy bastard. I needed that.", the redhead greeted the person before him with a smirk, still having one gracious hand grasping firmly onto the blue-haired teenager's wrist while the other snaked its way towards Daisuke's uniform buttons, releasing the very few top ones with arrogance. Sure enough, the legendary phantom thief must've advanced on his 'incomplete transformation' again, taking Daisuke's body as his form of appearance.

"Damn you...", Satoshi growled as he forcefully pushed himself away from the fake Daisuke, only to have no strength at all to do so. His limp body stumbled a little from his position as he immediately tried to grab on something for further balance, but missed by an inch and if it weren't for the legendary thief catching the blue-haired teenager in his open arm, supporting him in place, Satoshi would've fallen on the cold solid floor beneath.

"Take it easy. Strength is all you need at the moment.", he could hear Dark advice him with a slight bit of concern hidden from within, his arm still wrapped around Satoshi's slim waist as the silence drastically fell before them.

"I don't need you to tell me that.", finally the arrogant teenager roughly pushed the redhead's arm off him, accepting the fact that the one he was facing at the moment was Dark Mousy instead of the shy, innocent and fragile Niwa Daisuke. Satoshi nearly fell once again if it weren't for Dark who'd actually bothered to tug the blue-haired teenager back and pinned his weary body onto the mattress, forcing him to snap out from his stubbornness.

"Chill, boy. I'm not in the mood for your catching game today. I just need to settle this problem out.", plain ruby red eyes stared hard into his, piercing through the coated ice. Satoshi knew very well on what Dark meant by the problem that they were facing, but settling something out with a cocky, arrogant thief wasn't his idea of getting anywhere. He'd rather work alone for it was his nature, after all. Both of Satoshi's wrists were securely pressed down onto the familiar fabric as the person above him slowly waited for a positive response.

"I'd knew you'd see things my way.", Dark interrupted as he flashed a satisfied grin on the outcome before leaning backwards and releasing Satoshi's wrists at the same time, seeing that the blue-haired teenager decided to give in despite the fact that he was in a vulnerable position without being given any protests.

"I'm not the one asking for help using violence.", unsatisfied cold blue orbs glared at the redhead before him as he slowly pushed himself up in a sitting position, still on his bed with a silent Dark beside him, eyeing Satoshi in a way Daisuke would never do. Amazing how it was, two different souls with two different attitudes shared the same body, although Satoshi and Krad weren't an exception themselves.

"Well, I still don't trust you hundred percent, boy, but for Daisuke...I have to get this over with right now and since he...Trusts you that much...I'd just hafta tolerate with it.", Satoshi studied the redhead's expression thoroughly, feeling the slight bit tad of curiosity building up within him as Dark casually leaned back against the headboard, both of his hands crossed behind his head.

"Interesting, but come to think of it, a thief settling a problem with an investigator is hilarious.", a smirk escaped the blue-haired teenager's lips, feeling a little overwhelmed as well. It had been quite a while since he'd last have a one-on-one conversation with the violet-eyed thief, but it's not like he actually wanted to.

Heck, it beats talking to Krad anytime.

"I can't seek a psychiatrist, can I?", narrowed ruby red eyes glared at the boy next to him in a lazy manner.

"Save the speech and get to the point.", the blue-haired teenager shrugged a little before deciding on moving on to the serious part. A thief's presence in his room with a twisted mind wasn't his idea of getting along. He noticed that Dark was reluctant to go on before he gave a signal asking whether the homicidal blonde was away for them to talk safely without him noticing. Satoshi nodded slightly in response.

"He's asleep."

"No wonder you're all giddy. Well, you know the issue. Explain yourself.", Dark leaned forward, sitting cross-legged, his face flashed a determined expression as he threw Satoshi a question. The blue-haired teenager let out an inward sigh, running a free hand through his own light blue hair, silently fumbling the soft vivid strands.

"I didn't slip the ring on Niwa. He did.", an accusing finger proceeded to point towards Satoshi's head indicating the person in the corner of his mind. Dark wasn't satisfied a single bit with the brief intolerable answer the young inspector presented him in return. Deep blood red eyes gazed into determined icy blue orbs separated by crystal clear glasses.

"That's not the point, boy. Even if it was Krad, you should know his sick purpose of doing so. Two brains, one mind. Get it?", the remark the legendary thief growled back made Satoshi looked as if he was taken aback. If there was one thing he couldn't be able to tolerate with was Dark Mousy's indirect teasing and abrupt taunts.

"Accusing me won't get anywhere, Dark Mousy. You know that. Plus, I wasn't aware at all on the legend people claim to be just rumors of the past.", a cold stare silenced them both for a moment. Daisuke's alter ego shifted his gaze aside, staring at nothing in particular, yet he was doing some deep serious thinking at the moment, a few of his host's red strands tousled gently against the solemn breeze that escaped through a crack from the blue-haired teenager's bedroom window which was slightly open ajar. Satoshi lowered his head a little, confused on the situation they were handling.

At that particular moment, Dark's memory triggered on his conversation he had with Daisuke the night before things started to get complicated. Silently, the violet-eyed thief wished that none of this had ever happened to his host, the one he'd give up everything he possessed in order to create a smile upon the redhead's adorable face.

The one he'd regretted having to loose one fated day.

"You put too much trust in a stranger, Daisuke. What's worse, an enemy.", Dark could barely hear his own voice as he tried to picture back the colours of feelings swirling within him, a feeling of loneliness hurting his own chest, yet trying his best to keep it locked inside him. From a distance was a certain red-haired teenager who's paused in his actions after receiving his alter ego's remark. Dark noticed the pen Daisuke was holding shift uneasily in the smaller boy's hand.

"Hiwatari-kun is my friend...Not an enemy, Dark...", his soft, yet strong voice corrected his other half as he sighed inwardly on the outcome before resuming on completing his daily journal for the day. He made a sudden pause and quickly shook his head as he realized that his mind was about to get clouded by the blue-haired teenager's voice again.

"...Do you love him, Daisuke?", he heard Dark ask him before Daisuke obediently let the silence followed it close behind. His mind raced and so did his heart, but he wasn't sure on his answer. Daisuke was afraid that what he was about to respond would effect Dark in any way possible.

"...I...It's...It's a different...Feeling from...Riku-san...", Daisuke tried to change the subject.

"You didn't answer my question, Daisuke.", Dark interrupted casually, still suspicious on the smaller boy's response.

"I...", his words started to trail off as confusion lurked within the redhead. He knew what he wanted, yet he knew it was wrong. He also knew that Dark would never accept the fact he'd been keeping within him at that very moment. That was when he felt the sword of guilt plunged into him. Daisuke was scared, speechless and overall, lost in a pool of emotions.

"Do you love him?", the legendary phantom repeated.

"...I do.", much to Dark's notice, Daisuke had slowly scribbled a person's name on his private journal instinctively as his wondering ruby red eyes gaze deeply into the night sky, admiring the heavenly stars above. The violet-eyed thief shifted his own gaze aside the minute he saw what his silent host wrote which the least thing he'd expected from Daisuke and the answer provided to all his questions.

~Hiwatari Satoshi~

"Daisuke...", little did he notice that Dark had softly muttered his alter ego's name instinctively, but to his surprise, he wasn't the only one who actually did so himself.

"Since when did you call him that?!", the violet-eyed thief scowled as he stared incredulously at the blue-haired teenager beside him with wide ruby red eyes. Satoshi felt a slight blush crept across his face and made an attempt to cover it up with a glare.

"I didn't! Must be one of your wild imaginations!", he scolded back. Dark raised an eyebrow at this and a devilish smirk played upon his face, indicating a mysterious idea had just struck him in the head and sly act was about to come.

"Prove it...For Daisuke?", challenging ruby red orbs eyed the blue-haired teenager before him as the smaller figure crept his way towards Satoshi in a graceful manner. For some odd reason, Satoshi knew what was about to come, yet he'd casually accept the outcome without protest. Icy blue orbs studied the boy in front of him who proceeded to settle himself before Satoshi.

"Try me.", was all Satoshi relied. Dark accepted it in an instant before he leaned forward, capturing the blue-haired teenager's lips in a soft kiss, a lot different than the first one he presented. The redhead's tongue pleading for entrance and Satoshi gladly gave him the access he craved. Their tongues dueled with each other, tasting every inch and corner, drowning into the sweetness of warmth. As Dark pulled back, he gently removed the other boy's glasses at the same time and seductively touched his own lips with a satisfied grin upon the outcome.

"Now I can see why Daisuke likes--No...Loves you.", the comment he presented made Satoshi blushed deep crimson, much to Dark's amusement. He quickly changed his gaze into a cold stare once more while muttering a slight protest underneath his breath.

"That's an absurd. Now give me back my--"

"Everything your lover thinks, I know. Everything your lover feels, I know. He did mention before on how you act; thicker than ice, but it's not usually like that on the inside, I presume? There's no denying the fact, lover boy.", the legendary thief interrupted as he waved an index finger in front of Satoshi's charming face which his had to admit, he looked kind of cute without his glasses in the way. Dark could recall the time when Daisuke timidly told him on how good-looking Satoshi was this way and by the looks of it, the violet-eyed thief couldn't have agreed better himself.

"You look cute this way, you know. Why do you need non-power glasses anyway?", Dark continued to examine Satoshi's glasses in a childish way like a child studying a toy he'd never met in his entire life before. The blue-haired teenager narrowed his eyes in irritation before snatching back his glasses in one swift movement.

"Quit it. Back to business.", he hissed in annoyance. Dark pouted in a cute way before proceeding leaning back against the headboard, his hands now crossed in front of his chest this time.

"So, explaining everything from scrap is useless now. Skip it to the cure, shall we?", ruby red eyes glittered with anxiousness, almost in a pleading sense, yet hiding an impatient tone. Satoshi couldn't help himself, but noticing that, of course.

"I have a name and for once, Krad's right; you really are one impatient thief.", the blue-haired teenager remarked as he casually placed his glasses back on, arranging it in place. A large vein popped out from behind Dark's head in return as the comment hit him straight in the head.

"This is not a light matter, Hiwatari Soushi Rei Dono [A/N : Help! I dunno what this means! Dunno how it is written too...I just know Dark calls him that in the manga...Don't kill me!]...", Dark was trying hard to keep a straight face as he furiously calmed himself down mentally. He blinked up at Satoshi who looked as if he'd just remembered something.

"Maybe I've got some information stored in my laptop somewhere...", Satoshi sighed inwardly before he got up from the bed and strode towards a corner where his laptop was placed. His slender fingers reached for the electronic machine and opened the monitor before switching it on without hesitation. The smaller figure on his bed leaned over the edge and was about to jump down to get a better view on the blue-haired teenager's actions, but only to get a deadly glare from him instead.

"You. Stay. Put. If you lose more energy than I do, don't expect the slightest bit of toleration from me on one of you pathetic pranks. Is that understood?", Dark's face flashed a disbelief expression for the fact that he'd just been mistreated as a kid by someone younger than himself. The blue-haired teenager locked his deadly glare onto the redhead for a moment until the violet-eyed thief shrunk back onto the bed with timid puppy-dog ears, mumbling something incoherently to himself.

Dark silently pouted a little as the quiet room was occupied with light clicking noises, indicating every move Satoshi was making on his laptop; typing stuff or whatever there was to do.

Five minutes later...

**CLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICK**

"Found anything yet?", the redhead eagerly asked. He sighed and retreated back to his position as the blue-haired teenager simply shook his head without turning back to look at Dark.

Another five minutes later...

**CLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICKclickCLICK**

"Oooiii...I'm bored hhheeerrreee...", the violet-eyed thief's involuntary whine echoed throughout the entire area, feeling the boredom slowly torturing him indirectly. He slumped face first onto the soft mattress the minute Satoshi didn't give him a positive response.

Approximately another five minutes after that...

"Don't tell me you haven't found--"

"Here's something useful; the legend behind the Love Ring.", Satoshi briefly interrupted Dark as he corrected his glasses, still having his icy blue eyes locked onto the laptop monitor screen with a slight interest. The redhead's expression brightened up for once and without wasting a second, he stumbled off the bed, much to Satoshi's warning earlier and took a peek over the blue-haired teenager's shoulder, large ruby red eyes scanned the screen as well.

"What does it say?", the violet-eyed thief asked as he pointed out to the laptop.

"The legend maintained itself for more than two hundred years, developing harmless rumors in the minds of others. Maiden Aileen was the carrier, believed to have started the living legend by placing a curse onto the Love Ring which Sir Masaki presented her before his uncalled death. The ring still remained unharmed as until now, but no one had been able to touch the priceless object and it was taken under the government's property to be on the safe side.", the blue-haired teenager instantly read out the information he found as an answer to Dark's question and curiosity.

"Oh sssuuurrreee...Like that's any help...", an involuntary groan escaped the redhead's lips. Before he could slump back in irony, his wandering eyes caught the sight of the laptop screen, which flashed a few unknown words, which Satoshi didn't read out to him a moment ago.

"Hey, what's this? Once the ring is placed on a person's finger, the one who slides it on will be devoted to her/him. In other words...", Dark proceeded to read them out loud, much to Satoshi's annoyance due to the fact that the violet-eyed thief was practically leaning over his shoulder now. At these times, the blue-haired teenager was thankful that he had to bear with Daisuke's body and not Dark's.

"He/She has to confess his/her love before it's too late whereby the legend will replay itself all over again until true love is found...", the legendary thief's voice trailed off towards the end as he slowly leaned back from Satoshi's support. Cold icy blue eyes stared hard after the redhead.

"What crap.", Satoshi growled, thinking that it was one of Dark's nuisance.

"Crap or no crap; it involves Daisuke's life. We have to meet again tonight where everything had started.", the tone in Dark's voice was determined as if the riddle of the legend had got into his head for once. It was unlikely of the violet-eyed thief to act that way without even thinking about the consequences or even danger that might be lurking around the corner. Satoshi deliberately shut his laptop, abruptly stood up to his feet and whirled around to face Daisuke's arrogant alter ego.

"Have you forgotten about Krad? He's bound to appear again after reclaiming his strength. That would be a major crisis to you or even to all of us, Dark.", the blue-haired teenager muttered back, hoping to get something regretful out of Dark, but the redhead shrugged a little before proceeding to stand up and dust himself.

"If you don't try, you'd never know.", the boy before him replied with a grin. Satoshi cringed at his response. He couldn't believe that he actually had no other choice, but to comply with Dark's plan; whatever it was.

"All of us have the strength, Satoshi; to fight or to protest. Practically hidden within every one of us, waiting for the right time to be used wisely. It's just the matter of whether you're willing to find it or let it be.", Satoshi could hear Dark speaking in a matter-of-factly tone as wise as an experienced thief would. As the blue-haired teenager paused in his position, falling deep within his thoughts, his whole mind reverted to Daisuke. The more he thought about the redhead, the more concerned he became, which wasn't his usual self, but his true self for the one he cared.

And behind those pair of cold blue eyes; thicker than ice, Dark knew how Satoshi felt.

As the phantom thief settled himself back onto the bed, Satoshi's eyes followed him and in the mist of confusion, Dark decided to speak the very last words on Daisuke's behalf before letting himself blend back into the background where he rightfully belonged, leaving his host's fate in Satoshi's hands.

"Besides, choices aren't meant to be taken. Risks are."

~End of Chapter 9~

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Personal Notice : Huaaa...3:00am...*yawns* Dark and Sato-chyan do not mix together fluently. O___o Err...It kinda sounded like Dark X Satoshi, but...It came out instinctively! In a hurry too...Meep! *shields herself* I know, I'm sorry about the outcome, but taking an exam without having the slightest bit of knowledge on the subject ain't my idea of passing...Ee? Panatlantic-chyan's birthday ish on November 19th, nee (around six days after mine...Wai!)? Hmm...I can't promise that, but I'll see to it, okay? Please review, nee? =^-^= *bows politely* Sankyuu! Me going to sleep now...Z___z

If anyone wishes to be notified for later updates, please leave your e-mail address anywhere you find possible (in the review page or a signed review to be simple) and I’ll gladly inform you on it. Thank you.

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