(Note: Edited on 7-10-08 for slight grammar errors and a little re-wording.)

Aki: This little one-shot smacked me in the face when I was supposed to be doing homework. I think it turned out quite nicely. I combined a few elements of the anime and manga in here, so sorry if anyone gets confused. The first quote is from manga volume 3. The second one…I don't quite remember, but it's from the volume where Krad first appears. The third one is from the dub anime that takes place just before the actual scene. I also made some refrences to a cirtain scene from episode 4. XD I've tried to make both dub and sub fans happy by blending a bit of the dialogue from both versions. Oh, by the way, this fic is kind of a spoiler about the anime ending, so if you haven't seen it yet, you might not want to read this. Without further ado, enjoy!

"There's no time left…for me or for you…"

I was never allowed to cry. Between my stepfather and Krad, it was viewed as weak. I couldn't show weakness to them. Not ever.

"I didn't want to hurt you…!"

It hurts to be around you. I work so hard just so that you won't see the unshed tears in my eyes. But everything in my life has to come crashing down someday. It always does.

"I-I just…"

I cried. For the first time in years, I cried. Right in front of you. I waited for you to push off of me, disgusted. I waited for you to call me weak, just like all the others…

"Hiwatari-kun…please live…"

…But that moment never came, because you were crying too. I watched through blurry, liquid-filled vision as your tears fell onto my bare chest. At that instant, even with Dark and Krad battling on the outside, it was as if this time; this place; this moment, was just for us. For you see, after you had said those words to me, you collapsed onto me, exhausted both physically and emotionally, just as I was. I wrapped my arms around you hesitantly, and you returned the action ten times greater, whispering over and over that you would never let me go.

"You won't have to," I said in response. You looked up at me with soulful eyes and a slight flush on your cheeks. "Because I'm the one who'll never let you go." Your eyes widened and you blinked at this, and for a moment I was worried that I had said something wrong. All of those worries were cast aside when I suddenly felt your lips on mine. I responded eagerly to this after the initial shock, letting out all the pent up emotions into a single kiss. I pulled your body impossibly closer to mine.

You pulled back from me in order to say something to Dark. After that, you looked back towards me. Then, as if something in you snapped, you began to pour out word after word seemingly endlessly in a string of confessions. How you dreamt of me. How that trough all the chaos and confusion over the Harada twins, deep down your thoughts always went to me, no matter how hard you tried to deny it. How it was me you had thought of in the world of the Toki no Byoushin. (You also mentioned something about blue snow at that point.) I ended your ramblings by placing a finger on your lips. It wasn't that I didn't want to hear more, but I still had something I needed to do first. I concentrated a good portion of my energy to distract Krad. The fight between the two curses had gone on long enough. I would be the one to end it. As I felt the familiar sensation of struggling for control of my body, my curse demanded to know what I was doing.

"I'm ready to live my own life," I said to the demonic angel. "Goodbye."

You were having a similar conversation with Dark, but without the hate and anger that I harbored towards my other self. I watched as a few more tears escaped your eyes as you told the thief that you would never forget him.

There was a light. It was so blinding that I had to shield my tightly closed eyes with my hands. Suddenly, we were back in our own bodies, in the outside world. In front of us was the newly sealed Black Wings. I marveled at the sight. It was finally over. I was free.

"Hiwatari-kun…" I looked up to see you standing over me, an arm outstretched. I accepted the kind gesture, allowing you to pull me up. You took off your tattered jacket and offered it to me. I was confused for a moment, before I realized I was shivering.

"Thanks," I practically whispered. I let go of you to put it on. A wave of dizziness overcame my senses, causing me to wobble and almost fall over, had you not steadied my light frame. Somehow, I managed to get the article of clothing on, and we slowly began to walk away from the artwork that held our curses. Your left arm was around my waist, while my right was draped over your shoulders.

"Are you okay, Hiwatari-kun?" you asked softly.

My eyes, which I hadn't even remembered closing, opened dazedly. "Yeah." Looking out over the ocean, the sunrise spread out before us. "Brilliant, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," you agreed.

"But it's a different kind of brilliant than before…"

You turned to me, confused. "What?"

Ignoring your question, I asked one of my own. I was partially shocked at how my voice sounded when I spoke these words, it was almost shy. "Niwa…can I have this coat?"

You looked puzzled at the sudden change in topic, but smiled at me none the less. "Sure."

I felt a smile of my own tug at my lips. "I think I'll try to enjoy my life, since I have it," I said quietly, causing you to nod in encouragement. "You are truly an amazing person." You couldn't help but blush at this, and opened your mouth to say something.

"Niwa-kun!" a female voice interrupted. You glanced at me briefly, and I nodded in confirmation, no words needed. I knew it would take a while to settle this issue, but I had waited a long time to be with you. I could wait just a little longer to be with you in the open. So, even as I felt a pang of jealousy as that Harada girl kissed you, I couldn't help but feel happy.

Why?

Because I, a Hikari, had stolen the most valuable thing in the world. The elder Harada couldn't have it. My gaze wandered to the younger twin and I smirked. She definitely couldn't have it. Not even Dark could steal something as precious as this.

I, Satoshi Hikari, now owned the heart of the one who should have been my enemy. I was the loved one of Daisuke Niwa.

-Soredemo kimi ga kanashii hodo taisetsuna hito.-

(You are the one I care for, even to the point of tears.)

Aki: Yay! Happy ending (sort of?)! The last line is from Caged Bird, played as the ending theme for episode 24. I love that song to death.