Hey everyone! First, I want to apologise for taking forever to update this. *hangs head* Between life, work, having a bazillion things to get done at once it seems, and of course the muses being pains in the ass with wanting to write on other stories first before finishing the ones I have now, it's been crazy. But I'm whipping them back into order again so I can get this story finished for everyone! *smiles* Also wanted to say a big thanks to all who've read and reviewed so far. Believe me, it really does inspire me hearing what you have to say about the story. Thank you so much!
Anyway, enough of my chitchatting. Enjoy another chapter!

-Chapter Twenty Five-

"Thank you again for inviting us out here Ms. Harada." The blonde gave a smile to Risa, who returned it with her own. "I've never been on a boat before. It's so wonderful."

"Of course," Risa replied as Riku brought over some drinks for them all and set the tray down on one of the benches. The sound of a few sea gulls gliding through the clear blue, summer sky nearby and the water lapping lightly against the boat making it rock ever so slightly was heard. All were wearing their bathing suits with the girls in their bikinis and the boys in their swimming trunks. Risa had on a large sunhat while Satoshi and Krad also had on a lightweight, long-sleeved t-shirt to keep some of the sun's rays from burning their skin too badly since their skin was pretty pale as it was.

"Anyone want to go jump in the water?" Takeshi asked with a grin beside Iwamoto, who'd also been invited out. He turned to Dark with a grin. "I dare you jump in."

"Only if you jump in too," the thief replied with a smirk at the challenge as he put his hands on his hips facing the darker haired boy.

"Are you chicken to go first?" Takeshi taunted playfully.

"As if!" Dark retorted just as Satoshi reached up and pushed him over the edge from behind. The thief gave a yelp out of surprise before landing with a splash in the water. He came up sputtering water, glaring up at the icy blue eyes looking back down along with the others having went over to look and see if he was okay. "Oh I'm so murdering you for that."

"I'd like to see you try," Satoshi replied with a smirk before laughing at him.

"Go ahead and come down here," Dark retorted as he floated alongside the boat moving his arms back and forth to stay afloat. "I dare ya."

Suddenly Satoshi was pushed from behind by Riku and he gave a yelp as he went down into the water with a splash. He came up sputtering water, pushing the hair out of his face as Dark bust up laughing from beside him in the water. Riku started laughing along with Takeshi and Iwamoto before Daisuke, Risa, and Krad joined in the laughter. Then Takeshi turned, grinning mischievously before shoving Krad in. The blonde fell backwards, landing in the water with a loud yelp. Risa, Riku, and Daisuke quickly went to the edge again, looking over with worry on their faces as Takeshi gave a laugh.

"Dark quick!" Daisuke spoke up as Dark quickly dove under the water, swimming towards the blonde who hadn't surfaced yet.

Coming up with the blonde sputtering and coughing water, Dark kept a hold around the blonde's waist as he swam with him over to the small ladder to get back up on the boat. The blonde grabbed onto it, still coughing a little, as Daisuke came over to help pull him up on the boat.

"Are you alright?" Daisuke asked worried as the blonde got back into the boat followed by Dark and Satoshi dripping wet.

"Yeah...I'm fine," Krad replied between coughs and went over to sit down on one of the seats. Dark came over, sitting down with him.

"You idiot!" Riku yelled at Takeshi as she smacked him upside the back of the head. "Kurosaki doesn't know how to swim!"

"Geez! How was I supposed to know?" Takeshi replied rubbing the back of his head. He turned and went over to the blonde as golden eyes looked up at him. "I um...I'm sorry Kurosaki. I didn't know you didn't know how to swim."

"It's okay," Krad replied with a small smile. "You didn't know." He looked to Dark sitting beside him in a somewhat protective manner. "At least Dark was there to save me." He gave a small smile at the thief. "That's twice now you have done so."

"Yeah, well, let's not make it a third okay?" Dark replied with a slightly worried look still. The blonde gave a nod.

"Well...if it makes you feel any better," Takeshi spoke up, "you can shove me in to make it even." He went over to stand by the edge.

Blinking, the blonde gave a look at Dark, who gave a mischievous smirk back with a slight nod, before the blonde got up and went over to Takeshi. The darker haired boy turned his back to him and Krad put both hands up, giving him a shove on his back. Takeshi gave a yelp as he went over the side, landing in the water with a splash then came up sputtering water. Krad gave a grin and small laugh along with the floating boy in the water before he swam over to the ladder and came back up onto the boat.

Settling down on one side with the others that had gotten pushed in while the others that hadn't gotten wet sat on the other, they passed around the food they'd packed in a picnic basket and some drinks. Finishing up with eating and sitting for a bit enjoying the nice weather and chatting about what else they had planned, Dark grinned at Takeshi, who returned the grin. They practically pounced on Daisuke and grabbed him before tossing him over into the water with a loud yelp and splash. He came up sputtering water as the two boys bust up laughing.

"Oh just you wait Dark!" the redhead said as he floated in the water. "You'll have to sleep sometime or another." He gave a grin up at the thief.

"That's if you can get to me," the thief replied back with an equally teasing grin at the redhead. Daisuke just stuck his tongue out at him.

Suddenly, Dark went flying over the side, down into the water as the blonde came up and pushed him in from behind. Dark came up sputtering, pushing his hair out of his face.

"Alright who...?" he started to ask as he looked up to see the blonde holding his sides laughing as the others also laughed, including Daisuke still beside him in the water. "Oh just you wait. I'll get after you later as well." He gave a grin as Krad stuck his tongue out at him playfully like Daisuke had.

Risa, Riku, and Iwamoto had also gotten pushed in shortly after with their turn. As they all floated beside the boat in the water, Krad sitting on the ladder's steps with his feet in the water, Dark turned towards him. The thief reached a hand towards the blonde who gave a blink at it.

"I won't let you go," Dark said with a soft smile at the blonde.

"Promise?" Krad asked and the thief nodded before he put his hand into his after slowly sinking down into the water. Dark pulled him close to his side and showed him how to kick his legs just enough to keep afloat.

Enjoying being in the water with Dark and watching the others swim for awhile, they all headed back onto the boat to warm up before heading back for shore later on. Riku and Risa invited them to stay longer for a small barbecue in their backyard and chat for awhile until it was starting to turn to evening. Everyone said their goodbyes to head on home.

"I hope you had a fun day," Dark spoke up as he and Krad walked side by side heading back towards Krad's house after leaving the Harada's. "I mean, other than the mishap with Takeshi pushing you into the water."

"Yeah I had lots of fun," Krad replied with a smile as he reached out, taking the thief's hand in his. "Besides, I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to me when I landed in the water. And he did apologize so all is forgiven." He gave a small pause then grinned. "It was fun pushing him in though. And it was so funny seeing you and Saehara toss Niwa in too."

"Yeah the look on his face was priceless!" Dark laughed with the blonde.

"The look on yours was even better after I pushed you in," Krad laughed. "Or when Hikari pushed you in the first time."

"Speaking of which, I owe him a prank for that," Dark pointed out with a smirk. He turned looking at the blonde beside him and gave another smirk. "And I still owe you one too." Krad gave a slightly wide eyed look at him as the thief pulled him closer then gave him a kiss. "I'll have to think of something good. For now, I've got nothing. But I'll get you when you least expect it." He gave a mischievous grin to the blushing blonde.

"Hey Mom, Dad, I'm home," Krad called as they reached the Kurosaki's house; the blonde opening the door and both of them going inside.

"Welcome back sweetie," Mrs. Kurosaki spoke up as they entered the kitchen. Mr. Kurosaki was there as well, starting to set the table for dinner.

"Did you two have fun today?" Krad's adopted father asked with a smile to the two boys. Krad had told them about the Harada twins inviting them out onto their yacht the day before.

"It was great." The blonde grinned happily. "I even got to go in the water." Both of his parents raised an eyebrow knowing that he couldn't swim. The blonde just smiled looking at the thief beside him. "Dark made sure I didn't sink though."

"Yeah I kept an eye on him," Dark replied giving a slight scratch of embarrassment to the back of his head.

"Well I'm glad you two had fun today," Mrs. Kurosaki smiled as she started bringing over the food to the table. "Did you want to stay for dinner? I made extra."

"Sure."

Calling home real quick, Dark was glad that Kosuke answered and let him know he was staying for dinner. The four of them ate, Krad talking about how he'd been the one to push Dark in first and how the others had made it sort of a contest of who could get the others into the water. He left out the part about him being shoved in so as to not worry his parents.

"Thank you again for a fun day," Krad spoke up after Dark had headed back out front to get ready and head home.

"It was no problem," Dark replied with a smile. "But it's the Haradas we have to thank for letting us come out on their boat."

"Maybe I can paint them something as a thank you?" The blonde gave a pondering look.

"I'm sure they'd like that."

"Do you know what they'd like?"

"Riku's into sports and Risa is more girly." The thief gave a small chuckle. "For twins, they're complete opposites." Which said a lot since if talking in terms of him and the blonde, they'd be considered 'twins' of sorts. After all, they'd been born of the same artwork at the same time. And for so many years they'd been like yin and yang as well.

"Hmm. I guess I'll have to think of something good." The blonde gave a grin. "Maybe I can sketch something up first and show you to see if it would be alright?"

"Sure. That sounds like a good idea." Dark gave a smile before Krad came up and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Do you have anything else planned tomorrow?"

"Not that I can think of. Did you have something in mind?"

"Can we go wander the city? I'm sure my parents shouldn't have a problem with it."

"Yeah. I can show you around if you want. You just make a list of things you want to do and see. I'll make sure they get visited and done." The thief grinned again.

"Alright!" The blonde grinned in delight before giving him another kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight Dark."

"Goodnight Krad."

Turning and heading back home, Dark went up to grab a bath and got into his pajamas. He went down to the redhead's room where Daisuke was sketching again. Wyth was flopped over on the windowsill looking out at the night.

"Well, looks like I'll be taking Krad around the city tomorrow to show him around," Dark spoke up as he came over to see what his former tamer was drawing. He gave a snicker at the fact the redhead was sketching the fluffy white rabbit sitting on the windowsill.

"You don't think that will bring his memories back will you?" the redhead asked quietly as he paused in his sketching. He gave a slightly worried look up at the thief.

"At this stage, I don't think so." Dark gave a shrug. "There really hasn't been anything signalling him regaining his memories." At least nothing seemed to trigger the old Krad except being around him. He was still trying to put the pieces together.

"What about his magic? Do you still think it's connected to his amnesia?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself." So far the old Krad hadn't shown up after he'd used his magic today so that was good at least. "I'll keep a close eye on him tomorrow to see if anything happens, though I hope it won't."

"Alright. Satoshi and I can still look through more of his ancestor's journals. We haven't found anything yet."

"Good idea." Dark gave a small sigh.

"I'm sure we'll figure everything out." The redhead gave him a small smile of assurance.

"I hope so." The thief went over to the white rabbit and gave him a rub on the head before heading for the door. "Night Daisuke."

"Night Dark."

Heading back to his room, Dark slid under his blankets and stared up at the ceiling. He really hoped that he could get some answers soon about why the old Krad showed up and what had triggered him to come out. And he hoped there was a way to suppress him indefinitely. After all, seeing the blonde stress out about what was going on with his blackouts when his psycho side came out made him just as stressed.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and rolled over, trying to get some sleep and forget about his worries for the time being.

Well that's the chapter! Sorry it's so short. *hangs head* I'll try my best to get another one up soon! And longer if possible! We'll see what the muses have in store for me. *grins*
Anyway, again thank you all for waiting patiently as I try to update. And thank you for all your reviews! It means so much to me! *hands out pocky*