Disclaimer: Something creative about me not owning DNAngel.

Warnings: Author's musings and a slightly excessive use of capital letters.

"Why did you lie to me?
I always thought I told the truth.
Why did you lie to me?
Because the truth lies like nothing else and I love the truth."
-"Elegy for My Father" by Mark Strand

Father's Day

Kosuke leaned against the railing of the balcony mutely, cherishing the silence that came with midnight's shadowed cape. Serenity and Tranquility had come out to play, though in fact, they could do nothing more than mask the fiery tendons of their sister Chaos – malevolent temptress, innocent spectator, her actions ambivalent as gods of lore. Perhaps her existence was as well. But these abstractions were for another day, as the stars, now merely glints in the onyx sea that had become their abode, elicited thoughts of such fickle things as faith and love.

"He didn't get you anything, did he? It's not your fault, you know." Kosuke turned to see his father-in-law holding two cups of steaming tea, which, with a silent nod, he gratefully accepted. "And neither is it his." The gruff voice, brimming with wisdom that youth could only aspire to comprehend years later, chased Silence off teasingly, knowing well that she would return later.

The younger man allowed himself a rueful smile. "To be honest, I'm not surprised."

Daiki chuckled softly, "Is that so?"

"It is," he replied, taking a long sip of the warm liquid.

Today's heist had gone just as smoothly as always. The phantom thief had appeared as specified, dazzled reporters, police, and just about everyone else, managed to deceive and thoroughly annoy the only worthwhile security in place, and slipped away into the dusk. Nothing remotely out of the ordinary, except for the fact that everything that had happened was extraordinary, but that in itself had become a novelty with time. A fact, that Kosuke felt was worth lamenting, if only for the fact that it was his reluctant son that was the center of attraction. Well, half-reluctant son to be exact.

"Raising a child is hard enough, but raising the phantom thief as well is another matter altogether," the old man said with a laugh. "He didn't get me anything either," he continued thoughtfully.

"But you're not –"

"I know, I know," he said, waving his hand emphatically, "but you know, when he was in first grade, they were making gifts for a day such as this. And do you know who he gave his to?"

"You?"

"Nope. The lovely Niwa Emiko."

Kosuke's closed his eyes as he allowed himself another drink of the tea. When they opened again they were cast down, taking in the melding of science and nature below him, cement and grass brushing against one another lightly, a few rebels closer still, in an often overlooked co-existence. "I guess she's had to be both a mother and a father for these past few years."

Daiki waved a finger admonishingly. "Don't count me out yet. I helped too," he retorted, finishing the last remains of tea in his cup and, noticing his son-in-law's was empty as well, took the two cups with all intentions of putting them away and retiring for the day. Before he left Kosuke to his solitude, he paused. "But neither of us could take your place."

The door slid closed quietly and then he was sure he was alone. "Kosuke, you're a terrible liar."

He winced slightly as a siren blared in the distance, restless and irate, anxiously accusing as it screamed out into the illusion of the night, ripping away the façade, and exposing hidden reality. Was it you? How could you? As her sisters faded away, Chaos looked on calmly – she recognized them as the delusions that they could never exceed, thin veils distorting reality but powerless to truly change it. Even if she only existed in the minds of men to explain away a phenomenon that was beyond reason, a figment of imagination that had somehow escaped their minds, her proximity to actuality was beyond anything that would ever cross their thoughts. And they knew it. Kosuke met her unwavering gaze, destroyer of dreams, lady of havoc, and smiled.

Of course he'd been expecting something, and he hated himself for it. What sort of father disappeared from their children's lives only to return years later with the audacity to seek acceptance? His kind did, and they expected gifts too. They actually looked forward to things like Father's Day although they knew they were lucky enough to have affection. They counted down the days, they dared to enter their children's rooms while they slept, keeping their wordless vigil till Dawn's red fingers streaked the sky crimson. Because that's just the sort of people they were, the type born with an extra dash of Hope.

Chaos drew back, cringing at the mention of her twin's name. Fragile thing, scrawny thing, concealing herself in the frigid waters of sadness and despair, hiding in the rough sands of toil and hardship, she shone through oblivion, transcended both dreams and those that dreamt them, choosing to appear only when she was needed most, but when she did appear, legends were created. With one final glance at the raven-haired man, Chaos drifted on, scouring the horizon for her next host. Hope lingered briefly, her lips pulled upwards distinctly, then disappeared. For even the smallest of battles had the greatest of consequences.

Kosuke looked behind him idly, eyes widening slightly as he wheeled around, stooping down to lift it from the ground. He was surprised he hadn't noticed it before.

"From both of them, huh?"

Dark ran a hand through his amethyst locks as he watched his tamer stare at the ceiling. "Today was Father's Day, you know."

Daisuke felt his eyelids succumb to Slumber's sweet lullaby, the world slowly melting away as the surreal overtook his mind. "I know," he replied as his lips formed a slight crescent.

The thief returned the gesture as he looked out the window and into the first traces of early twilight. "Sure you do."

Kosuke twirled the black feather between his fingers before letting it sit motionless against his open palm. As his fingers closed around it, he saw that Dawn had allowed herself a more varied selection this time, experimentally tainting the edges of the indigo tapestry with the new hues. He slipped the feather into his breast pocket and went inside.

This would do just fine.

-owari

Random person: That was a hiatus? Do you actually know the meaning of the word?

No…I mean yes… I mean…

(random person walks away)

But seriously, school's started, so I won't be posting often, if at all for the next couple of months…but then, I have a way of contradicting myself…wait a minute, nobody cares do they? Think what you will of this one; just be sure to drop a review in on your way out (and the word review, like Chaos, is ambivalent.)