"What did you want to talk to me about?" Daisuke asked taking a seat on the stone steps leading to the hospital doors.

Risa sighed, leaning back against the metal railing that divided the stairs from the wheel chair ramp with her foot propped up against the bottom bar. Closing her eyes she relished the wamth of the evening sun on her face as a light breeze made her skirt dance and tickle against her thighs. Despite her joyful posture, her face deemed no sign of her cheerful nature- she wasn't smiling.

Brushing a sienna colored strand of hair that had been disarrayed by the wind from her face, her amber eyes opened to stare at him with obvious unease. For the first time Risa looked at him not as Dark nor the boy who wasn't good enough, but as Daisuke. After seeing his transformation into Dark and his bravery against Krad she couldn't just think of him as her clumsy classmate anymore; he was a man. She regreted all the times she had ignored his adoration because he wasn't cute or popular enough. She had been chasing after Dark all this time when the real prize was right infront of her. Sure he may have needed some polishing, but in the end Daisuke was the real trophy. In the rivalry between the twins Riku had won again. She was able to see the inside of a person, while Risa was stuck staring at the exterior.

Considering now was as good a time as any to make her confession, she pushed herself off the railing with her foot and settled herself down on the steps beside him.

"I've been thinking alot about you lately," her fingers twirled around the tips of her hair keeping her eyes occupied as to avoid his own.

"You have?" he blushed, gazing down nervously. "Why is that?"

"Listen..." she breathed, "I'm sorry for all those awful things I said to you while you liked me and also for how I've treated you." Her sight dropped to stare solemnly at her shoes.

"It's alright," he grinned and patted her shoulder in attempts to lift her spirits, "I don't mind."

"It's not alright!" a single tear trickled down the side of her cheek. "You were always so kind to me and I neglected you. I took selfishly without a single thought to how you might have felt."

Daisuke's jaw dropped slightly; he had never heared Risa Harada apologize for anything before! She really is sincere. His eyes lids lowered a bit as he cast her an empathetic glance. He knew this had to be hard for her and it was easy to see that she was struggling with her words. He wanted to reach out to her and tell her everything was okay, but after that had happend he wasn't sure what his limits were. There had been so many lines set out before him and seemed that he had taken liberty to cross them all.

"I forgive you Harada-san. No hard feelings," his scarlet eyes brightened in hopes that she would accept this and stop her tears.

"Then call me Risa," she pleaded.

"But that's disrespectful," he stammered apprehensively.

"But you call Riku by her first name," she argued," and besides I don't really deserve your respect."

"Harada-san," he shook his head in disagreement,"you are a strong girl and believe in what you think is right, no matter if others don't exactly agree with you. I respect you for that."

"You've always been confident and never accepted anything not up to your standards. Why are you compromising that now?"

"Because..." Risa bit her bottom lip, "because I love you, Daisuke. Since I had my nose in the air all the time I was too stupid to see it, but I do now and I love you."

Wordlessly he rose from his seat, with his head lowered, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Without a second glance back at the professing girl he continued down the stairway, his steps echoing against the stone.

"Daisuke wait!"

"If you expect me to tell you the same," Daisuke looked over his shoulder, "I won't."

"Wha?" her eyes grew round, brimming with the threat of fresh tears. "If you still love Riku I understand."

"It's not just that," he turned to face her. "You find out that I'm really Dark and suddenly you love me? I'm sorry Harada-san, but I'm a little skeptical."

"No," she rose to meet him, " it's not like that! I've been having these feelings for quite sometime, ever since that night in the park, but I didn't want to ruin your and my sister's relationship."

"If you love me like you say you do then you'll wait," Daisuke said sternly. "If a relationship between you and I is ever going to work it will need plenty of care and patience. I won't hand you my heart to have it stepped on again. Understand?"

"I understand," her eyes brightened and her fist clenched, " and if I do ever recieve your heart, I promise to take care of it as if it were my own."

"Alright then, we'll see what happens," Daisuke smiled.

"See you tomorrow, Risa," removing a hand from a pocket he waved before running off down the stairs.

"Bye Daisuke!" she returned a large wave.

Graced with the biggest smile anyone had ever seen, Risa danced down the steps herself. "He called me Risa!"

"You escaped the crowd tonight."

Dark's wings enclosed just as he was about to take flight, he peered over his shoulder at the smirking auburn haired girl. "Yeah well, I couldn't deal with my fanclub tonight. This is going to be a big thieft."

"I know, your stealing one of the Hikari's most prized arts." She added straightening her posture and fixing her disheveled hair, "They all just wanted to wish you good luck. I had to pratically chase you down to reach you in time."

Dark raised a playful eyebrow, "You stalking me now?"

"You wish," she laughed, punching his arm flirtatiously.

"The sun's setting," he stated peering over his shoulder, "time for me to go."

"Make me a promise first."

He turned back to her at the sound of the familiar request; she was so beautiful. The setting sun had set the sky on fire, giving her eyes a copper glow. Her hair had converted to a unique red that would make the brilliant sky jealous, as silky tresses elegantly lined her face.

"Why do you always ask me to make the same promise?"

"Because..." she uttered taking a few timid steps toward him.

She rest her hand delicately on his chest before trailing up his neck to caress his cheek. The desire in Riku's eyes was foreign and Dark felt himself fluster under her touch.

"I love you," she declared for the first time before overlapping his lips with her own.

With gentle press and strokes their kiss lingered before a slow, heated part. Dark's hands had snaked their way up the back of her neck and where now raking through her hair.

"I love you too," his breath was hot on her cheek. "And I promise to come back, as always."

Riku's face rose from her pillow, where it felt like it had been for weeks, as the memory flooded her thoughts. Rolling over unto her back peered up at the ceiling longingly for answers as her hand groped her own cheek. These were the memories of the first time she had told Dark that she loved him and their first kiss, which had led to many others. Even in both of her lifetimes the talented thief had managed to claim her first kiss.

As the memory coursed her veins she began to reflect on her feelings for Daisuke and the love that could possibly surpass a lifetime. A love that had just blossomed or a rose that refused to wither. Dark's love was persistent, but effective. How could she ignore someone who had waited so long, especially when he had every opprotunity to give up and move on? And despite herself and her wish to avoid getting hurt, she could not forget this love. Forgetting wouldn't be easier, because running away from him that night was the hardest thing she had ever had to do.

"I wonder if there's still time..." she whispered closing her eyes.

"I thought you were goig to avoid me forever," Daisuke laughed half heartedly as he and Riku took a long belated stoll through the park.

"Actually," her teeth grazed her bottom lip, "I need to talk to Dark."

"Oh," his footsteps ceased, "Why didn't you just say so?"

Daisuke closed his eyes, black lashes folding over crimson jewels, and his brightly colored hair began to stain with purple and fall before his face. Rising a few inches above her, his lashes rose to reveal darker, narrower eyes.

"What do you want," he spat brashly, folding down the collar of his shirt.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," she retorted impulsively, turning from him and crossing her ams," but if your going to be like that about it."

"No, I'm sorry," he rolled his eyes emphasizing with an equally sarcastic hand gesture. "It's just that rarely anything you say to me is good."

"Well I want to say I'm sorry for what's happened and-" she turned to him her voice choked.

"And?" He threw her an impatient and curious glance.

"And I still love you," her eyes welled with tears," just as much as i did then."

Dark's lips parted slightly as if expecting words, but none came. His heart seemed to have leapt from his chest as the moment he had been waiting centuries for had finally arrived. Almost instinctively he rushed forward and gathered the girl into his arms, trying his best not to sob into her hair.

"I though I had lost you," he stroked the back of her head.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," she whisper rubbing his back, "it just took me so long to see."

Backing a way a few inches, Dark passively grabbed her face, "You mean it."

"I mean it. I love you," she reassured him.

"I love you so much!" he replied.

His mouth slid over Riku's bottom lip as his tounge slid across it requesting entrance. Parting them slowly she allowed him access as his tounge mingled with her own. No matter how many times they may have done this in the past it still felt fresh and new to them then. Gradually departing Dark lightly bit Riku's lower lip. Backing away slowly, Riku smiled a brushed a violet lock of hair from his face.

"Make me a new promise?" she requested.

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll never leave me again."

"I promise."

No sooner than Dark had finished his new vow, his entire body began to glow with light so blinding that caused Riku to stumble back and shield her eyes. Excrutiating cries rang from mass of light as Dark collapsed to his knees. Reaching forward he groped the air praying that she would be there, praying that he wouldn't loose her again. What's happening to me...

"DARK!"

When the light dimmed and everything cleared Riku cupped her mouth with her hand in shock. Lying on the grass before her was Daisuke and Dark; not as a whole, but as two seperate beings. Scrambling from the ground Dark grapsed Daisuke firmly by the hand and helped the boy onto his feet. For the first time the pair looked at each from a seperate eyes and immediately embraced on another. Laughter erruptured as Riku rushed forward to meet them both, smiles on every face. They had both gotten their wish.

Dark had returned to Riku and Daisuke to normal without having to loose Dark.

FIN-