I don't own the characters of D.N.Angel, I'm only borrowing them. Enjoy.
"I'm sorry Daisuke. Can we still be friends?"
No, Riku, they couldn't be friends. After all he had given up, all he had done for her; Daisuke Niwa knew they could never be anything again. Because he had loved her, he had given Dark up for her, the other half of his soul. Closer than a friend, as annoying as a brother, he had given him up for her. And she threw it away.
The seventeen year old boy walked aimlessly through town, every corner and every shop reminding him of the times he had spent with Riku. A week had passed since the breakup, but the betrayal still clawed at him, still tore at his shattered heart. How long would he have to suffer this pain? He had forced himself long ago to push aside his sadness, ignoring it by filling his heart and thoughts with Riku. Without them, without her…there was nothing to dull the pain.
Tonight he would end it.
He left a note for his family and said goodbye to his companion Wiz before leaving. He had made sure that he spent time with the few friends he still had during his last day of school. Left his belongs in his room with cards telling what he wanted who to have. Burned the picture he had painted for Riku.
Red hair fell into his face as he looked up at the night sky, staring at the twinkling stars. Would Dark be waiting for him, wherever he went from here, ready to scold his stupidity? He hoped so. Maybe the familiar banter would put a smile on his face again. He stepped forward, pieces of gravel falling from the top of the cliff to the crashing ocean bellow. Soon it would all be over. Soon he could be happy.
"Please don't."
Daisuke looked over his shoulder.
Satoshi Hikari stood just behind him, panting lightly as wind blew his hair every which way. The boy lifted a hand out to him. "Please."
The red head turned back to the sea, closing his eyes. "Go away Satoshi. I don't want anyone thinking you had anything to do with this. I don't want you to get hurt."
"You're hurting me now," Satoshi told him, stepping forward and grabbing him around his waist, burying his face in the other boys' neck. Daisuke felt the trembling and unconsciously held the hands wrapped around him tightly. "Please don't do this."
"I'm sorry, Satoshi," he whispered, leaning his head back against the strong shoulder it rested on. "I can't do this anymore."
"I know how much you hurt," Satoshi murmured into his neck. Daisuke idly thought of how much the words felt like a kiss. "How much you grieve. I've watched you, seen how every step you take causes you pain." He turned the slack body around to face him. "Is there truly no one else left in your heart? Is there nothing that can keep you here?" He hugged him. "With me?"
Daisuke looked up at his friends face. Were those… tears? Satoshi never cries. Why was he crying? "I…Satoshi…"
"I won't force you to live, Daisuke," Satoshi forced himself to say. "I won't make you live with your grief, but…" he dug into his pocket and drew out an envelope. He handed it to the other boy.
With slow hands, Daisuke opened it and took out two airplane tickets. He looked back up into Satoshi's eyes.
"I won't force you to do anything. So much of our lives have been forced upon us…" he grabbed Daisuke's confused face. "But please…think about it. The plane leaves tomorrow morning. We can get away from here, go someplace where nothing can hurt you anymore. Where," he leaned forward and placed his forehead against Daisuke's, breathing in deeply, remembering as much as he could about the boy before him. "…we can help each other learn to live again." He forced himself to let go and step back, taking one of the plane tickets. He memorized the other boys face washed in moonlight, no hint of another presence lurking behind the dark orbs. Just Daisuke.
"Daisuke…" Satoshi stopped. He took a few hesitant steps backwards, and then turned and ran back towards town. To everything Daisuke was leaving behind. Including him.
The other boy stared down at the ticket in his hand for a long time. When morning came, the first rays of light fell on the scuffled top of the cliff and sparkled across the dark sea below, a crumpled envelope floating atop the water.
A blue haired teenager sat outside of gate 12, anxiously watching as passengers started to get up and head onto the plane. He saw a couple stroll through the gate hand in hand, looking at each other with loving excitement on their happy faces. What Satoshi would give to believe that he would one day have that.
But as the alarm on his watch went off at eight, what little hope he had left died with Daisuke. His nemesis, his friend, his everything, was gone. His Daisuke. He'd waited years to have even a chance with the other boy, kept silent when he saw Riku start to drift away from the only person Satoshi had ever let close to him. He'd eaten with him, played with him, and befriended the scarred younger boy just to be closer to him. To learn how to be closer to him.
"Daisuke," he groaned, covering his face as he cried. "Daisuke," he repeated over and over again between hoarse sobs. He ignored the final call for his flight to New York, ignored everything but his breaking heart. Daisuke was gone.
A gentle hand grabbed Satoshi's shaking arms and lowered them, while a thumb wiped away tears. Satoshi opened his eyes and stared up into the face he loved so much. "Daisuke?"
"Sorry I'm late," Daisuke smiled, grabbing Satoshi's face in his own hands. "Shall we go?"
Satoshi grabbed the other boy's wrists, holding them tightly as he studied him. "Daisuke." His body went weak with relief. He smiled as tears began falling again. Daisuke wasn't dead. He chose to live.
"No, Satoshi," Daisuke answered. Satoshi started; he had said it aloud? "No, I didn't choose to live," the red haired man continued, leaning closer until they were nose to nose. "I chose you."
Satoshi blinked. His mind refused to function. He was so close, all he had to do was lean just a little…
"Sirs? Are you going to board the plane? We have to leave now," a stewardess told them. They turned their heads to stare at the blushing woman. They both laughed and straightened up, following her to the gate.
Satoshi grabbed Daisuke's hand. "You didn't bring anything with you?"
The other man shook his head, smiling softly. "I have you, don't I? What more do I need?"
Hand in hand they walked onto the plane, leaving their old lives behind. The last heirs of Niwa and Hikari no longer existed. Now there was only Satoshi and Daisuke, two young men who had gone through hell and had come out battered, bruised and bloody. But they'd finally come out together.