Three Corners of His Heart

by aishuu

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Both she and her husband were good in the kitchen, so whenever Risa and Satoshi came over, it was up to the Niwas to provide the food. Risa still hated to cook, and Satoshi was at best an indifferent chef.

It wasn't the burden it should have been. Riku enjoyed cooking, especially with Daisuke. He tended to say little, but the pleasant humming he indulged in made her feel warm and fuzzy. It was in the comfortable silence that she knew she was loved.

One Friday in November, they stood side by side at the island in their kitchen, companionably peeling and chopping vegetables. They had little over half an hour to finish the preparations, but neither of them rushed. If dinner was a few minutes late, then their guests would understand. It wouldn't be the first time that happened.

Today Daisuke wasn't humming, and she wondered if something was wrong. He was rarely in a bad mood, but he had a tendency to brood. She did too, and they had an informal agreement to try to shake the other out of it when they sank into a dim mood. Dwelling on things did little good; both were creatures of action.

"Daisuke, is something bothering you?" she asked, hoping her voice hit the right note of concern and curiosity.

He paused in his cutting, and she noticed that the carrot pieces were uneven. "No, no," he said. "I was just thinking about the exhibition next week."

Daisuke had been invited to display his work in New York at a very exclusive gallery located in Manhattan and had been preparing for the show for months. His paintings were already very popular in Japan, but this would be the chance to catch global attention. Fame didn't interest him, but he liked to be able to share art with a wide audience, explaining that art was meant to be enjoyed by the masses.

In three days, he would be making the trip. She would follow in time for the opening, but due to her job, she wouldn't be able to remain long. She wished things were different since she knew that it was troubling Daisuke, but she knew he was strong enough to do it by himself. He was the strongest person she'd ever met.

"It will be fine," she assured him with confidence. She knew, even if he didn't, that his artwork called to people. It didn't contain the magical power of the Hikari pieces, but it was better that way. Instead, Daisuke's work communicated his love for his subjects, and each piece was perfected with hands that wanted others to understand his passion for life and everything in it.

"Probably," he agreed, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. "I'm just wondering if I should do some touch-ups on "His Wings," or maybe I can rework that corner of "White Night," you know I wasn't happy with it..." he babbled.

She set her knife aside, moving closer so she could rest her hand on his shoulder. He was much taller than she was, but she knew he enjoyed the tactile contact. "Daisuke, you need to relax," she advised. "Your work is breathtaking, and everyone is going to love it – just like I do."

He chuckled, a nervous sound that meant he was trying to let off a little of his tension. "An artist is his own worst critic," he said, scratching the back of his head before heaving a sigh. "Sorry, Riku," he said, even though there was nothing to apologize.

She accepted his kiss with a smile and a shake of her head. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't worry yourself sick," she said. "Now how about we finish this?"

He looked down at the mess his less-than-attentive efforts had made and blushed. "I'm sorry, I'll do it again," he said, sweeping the carrots off the cutting board and into the bowl that gathered the scraps for compost before heading to the refrigerator to pull out more vegetables.

Riku watched him for a moment before picking up her knife and resuming her work. It would have been quicker for her to just do it all, but this time together was important to her. Between her job and his vocation, they didn't see each other nearly as much as she would have liked. If it had been an ideal world, she would have spent every moment with him.

Ten minutes later the preparations were done, the food stacked neatly in its bowls, ready to be cooked. It would wait until their company arrived, since Riku insisted on serving things hot.

Daisuke glanced at the clock. "I think I have time for a quick shower," he said. He'd washeed his hands before cooking, but he'd spent most of the day painting and small smudges of color accentuated his previously clean clothes. One tiny dot of blue was on his cheek, but Riku hadn't pointed it out. She thought it looked cute.

"Not a bad idea," she said. "If they're early, I'll keep them entertained."

Another brief kiss, one with their lips barely brushing, and then he vanished up the spiraling steps that led to his studio. They'd installed a half-bath there last year, and Daisuke preferred to use it after he'd been working. Since it spared Riku's good towels from being destroyed, it'd been a good compromise. They'd had to learn how to make plenty of them.

Four years married, and they'd finally gotten comfortable enough with each other to get annoyed at the other's peccadilloes. She hated having to wake him up, he found her obsessive compulsive when it came to cleanliness. Sometimes he'd be in such a daze over something or other she'd have to call him three times to get his attention; it was counterbalanced by her tendency to be bitchy at "that time of month." She knew he gave far more ground than she ever did, but it was his nature to be accommodating.

She mentally dismissed her wandering thoughts and headed to the dining room. Gathering place settings from the hutch, she began to spread them out across the table toward one end. The gigantic twelve seater had been a wedding gift from her uncle, but she and Daisuke found it practical to only use a portion of it. It was difficult to hold a conversation when you had to yell across the room.

The dishes she used were her best since she didn't see the point in reserving "good" china for special events. Her mother had, and they had only used the pretty plates four times during her entire childhood. The rest of the time they had been locked up, which she had never liked. There was something sad about shutting it away. Beauty was meant to be enjoyed. She was in a dreamy mood by the time she finished, her mind thinking of nothing in particular as she made one small adjustment to the flower arrangement.

When the doorbell rang, she didn't bother to check the clock. It would be five on the nose; Satoshi was anal about punctuality. He was anal about a lot of things, but that contrasted well with her sister's more scattered personality. He managed to keep Risa on target, and she sometimes wondered how he accomplished that. Heaven knew that she had never had any luck.

"Coming!" she called, although there was no way for them to hear her through the soundproof walls. The house might have appeared normal to the eye, but Daisuke had insisted on a couple of "modifications." She hadn't been thrilled, but he had stood firm and she had capitulated. There were few things that he really cared about, and if living in a slightly odd building made him happy, she could cope.

It took her thirty seconds to type in the password to the digital lock, and another minute to manually undo it. Daisuke could manage the whole thing in less than eight seconds. When they had first moved in, it had taken her five minutes, so she supposed she was improving. Finally she made it through the final sequence – twist the doorknob 45 degrees to the right, then let it go and repeat – and swung the door inwards.

The Hikaris – Satoshi had reverted to his original name upon turning eighteen – stood on the step patiently, Satoshi holding a bottle of white wine. Risa barely waited for the door to finish opening before she practically threw herself at Riku, grabbing her hands and squeezing them warmly. "Riku!" she squealed eagerly. "How have you been?" Considering they had spoken just that morning, her enthusiasm was a bit excessive, but Risa was prone to the melodramatic. Riku was the practical one.

"Nothing's changed in the past eight hours," she assured her sister. "Hello, Satoshi. Did you have a good day?"

Her brother in law's lips twitched in the manner that meant he was smiling. Over the years, Satoshi's face had lost the deadness which Riku had hated, transformed by the gentleness he showed to his wife. Riku would have liked to believe that Risa had been the one who fostered it, but the ice that had surrounded his soul had been cracked by Daisuke first. Risa had merely melted it more. "It was interesting." he said, his voice monotone. "We won the lawsuit against the Metropolitan, and they're going to have to return the pieces within a month, or else pay some heavy penalties. You should be hearing about it in the newspaper tomorrow."

"Really? Daisuke will be thrilled," Riku said, a genuine smile on her lips. After the Kaitou Dark Task Force had been disbanded due to lack of activity, Satoshi had gone into investigating international art theft. He was very good at it, the top investigator Japan had. So far he'd reclaimed hundreds of works that had been passed between private collectors and unscrupulous museums for the people of Japan. It suited him well. Daisuke told her that Satoshi was afraid to create art, but at least this way he could share its love. The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum had a special fondness for him, issuing a life-time pass in gratitude for his work.

"Where is he?" Satoshi asked as he entered the household, his eyes scanning the area with his usual evaluation before returning to her face. He handed over the bottle without comment, and Riku stole a glance to see that it was a Chablis, which would go perfect with dinner.

"Taking a shower, he should be down any minute," she replied, watching as Satoshi shrugged out of his jacket before helping Risa out of hers and turning to hang both of them up. He was always such a gentleman, his manners so thoroughly ingrained in the fiber of his being that Riku couldn't imagine him being rude. It was exactly what Risa needed, but Satoshi always came across as stuffy to her. "I'll go chill this, why don't you wait in the studio for him?" she asked.

It went without saying that Satoshi would have something he wanted to talk to Daisuke about privately. He always did, whether it was a bit of art history relating to his job, or a nightmare he'd had about Krad. Risa told her once that sometimes Satoshi's dreams were so terrifying he'd awaken screaming, and it was all she could do to calm him down, and remind him that Krad was gone.

On the worst nights, there would be a phone call from Risa to Riku usually on the flimsiest of excuses. Within moments, the phone would be passed under some pretext to their husbands. It was a polite fiction to keep Satoshi's male pride in tact, so Riku tolerated the deception. Many times Riku fell asleep to the sound of Daisuke's quiet voice murmuring things she couldn't quite make out. She'd known when she married Daisuke that her life would not be completely normal.

Satoshi murmured a polite thank you before turning away. He didn't need directions, since he'd helped the Niwas move in. She turned to invite her sister into the kitchen, but was caught off guard as she saw Risa staring after Satoshi with a blank expression, the one she wore when something was really bothering her.

"Risa?" she said tentatively.

"Oh! Sorry, guess I was daydreaming," Risa said, turning a bright smile onto Riku.

Riku knew better than to believe that, but let it go for the moment. "Want to keep me company while I cook dinner?" she asked.

The two settled into the kitchen moments later, Risa perched on a high stool at the breakfast bar as Riku pulled out the pre-sliced vegetables and a skillet and chopsticks. Risa didn't bother to offer aid since Riku would have turned her down flat. She had told Risa before – more than once since it took repetition to pound ideas into her twin's thick skull – that the best help she could offer was conversation.

Turning the flame on, she set the skillet down in the middle and waited for it to heat. It would take about twenty minutes to finish which would be plenty of time to coax out whatever was bothering her sister. Secretive, Risa was not.

"Did you two have a fight?" she asked after a couple of minutes had passed as she poured tall glasses of water for them.

Risa's body went rigid and her hand shook as she claimed a glass and took a long drink of it to steady herself. She didn't say anything, but there was tightness around her mouth.

"Risa?" Riku asked, feeling uncountably afraid. "Please talk to me."

"I'm pregnant," Risa said without preamble, pressing her hand against her stomach in the age-old fashion of expectant mothers.

"That's great!" Riku said, suppressing a surge of jealousy, leaning in to give her sister a hug. "When are you due?"

"April," Risa replied, and then the glass she was holding slipped through her fingers, shattering at the base of her stool. She moved quickly to grab her sister's form, so fast that the next thing Riku realized was that Risa was holding onto her tightly, crying like her heart was breaking. Sobs wracked her slender frame and all Riku could do was rub her back and make soothing noises. After a couple of minutes, Riku started to wonder if she needed to slap her sister to shock her out of her hysterics. She'd heard that pregnancy made people weird, but she'd never seen her sister so upset.

Luckily she didn't need to, since Risa calmed down by herself. She pulled away, her face lined with tears, but otherwise undamaged. Somehow Risa looked tragically beautiful despite her recent exertion. Riku had always thought that it was unfair; she herself had never learned to cry prettily.

"Is there something wrong with the baby?" Riku asked urgently, her imagination supplying her with plenty of ideas. She was a physical education and health teacher; she knew very well what could happen in a pregnancy. Sometimes it amazed her that so many people were born healthy.

"I don't know," Risa said. "I just have been having some nightmares. What if..." her voice wobbled.

"What if what?"

She bit her lip, before leaning forward. Her hair hung in front of her face, obscuring Riku's view of her expression. "What if Krad comes back? What if I give birth to a boy, and that devil possesses him? I know he's supposed to be gone, but I wonder. Is he really gone? With Black Wings destroyed, he should be, but maybe he isn't. Maybe he'll try to possess my son like he did Satoshi. I can't stand it!" Once she started to speak, her words flowed forth like a torrent of water released by the breaking of a dam.

"What does Satoshi say? Does he believe Krad's gone?" Riku asked.

"I haven't told him yet," Risa said.

Riku's heart ached for her sister. Risa had never been particularly strong, preferring to defer to the men in her life, and Riku, when things got difficult. It must have been so hard for her, to encountered this mixed blessing.

When Riku and Daisuke had children – the thought made her blush yet at the same time pulled forth a yearning that centered deep in her belly – she knew they'd have red hair. Imagining those red-haired children made her wistful, but she had never considered the possibility that she would also be the mother to Dark Mousy, Phantom Thief of the Ages. They had never really gotten along, and the idea that she could give birth to him was unsettling. It had to be worse for Daisuke, since for a while he'd shared his head with Dark.

And that was nothing compared to what Risa was facing. At least Dark was kind; Krad was a homicidal sociopath.

"You could always have a girl," Riku pointed out as a lame attempt to calm her sister down. "Then it wouldn't matter."

"I don't like those odds, do you?" Risa whispered.

"I'd take the chance," Riku said. "Children are worth it. They're precious."

"I I know /I ," Risa said. "I love them, but the idea of my child going through anything like what Satoshi suffered makes my heart hurt."

"Talk to your husband," Riku said. "Ask him what he thinks."

Risa clenched her fist. "I'm going to, but I needed to talk to you first. I needed... God, I needed to be reminded that this could be a good thing."

Riku offered a hug before she pushed herself away, holding onto Risa's shoulders. "I don't know of any first time mothers that aren't nervous about what their child's life is going to be like. Yours is only going to face one more possibility than most, but it will work out. Satoshi survived, and I'm sure any child you have will be even greater." Then she permitted a mischievous smirk to cross her face. "How about you grab the broom out of the closet and clean up the glass while I finish cooking?"

Fifteen minutes later everything was ready. Their husbands still hadn't come down, and Riku wasn't in the mood to yell for them. Gesturing for Risa to make herself comfortable, she went up to Daisuke's studio to retrieve them herself. The door was open slightly, and she gave into the temptation to peek before announcing her presence.

Daisuke's studio was airy and full of plenty of light. The skylight was very long, covering over half the room. Even though it was winter, the glass was perfectly clear. Daisuke cleaned it off every day to make sure the light wasn't impeded by snow or leaves.

The walls of the room were white, and the floor was hardwood, spattered with bits of paint and clay from her husband's previous projects. This was his space, and while he let her clean it once a week, it was gradually gaining that lived-in look that all artists' workspaces acquired. Here and there were half-finished projects, mostly canvases carefully covered to prevent dust from settling on them. If there was one thing Daisuke was careful about, it was art, whether it was his own or not.

Satoshi and Daisuke sat on the worn green couch together. They weren't touching each other; in fact they weren't even interacting. Daisuke had a sketchpad on his lap and was working with a stick of charcoal, and the scratching as he worked was the only sound. His tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth, a habit he'd picked up that indicated utter concentration.

Satoshi had his eyes shut, and his head was leaning back against the couch. His glasses had been set on the arm of the sofa, and his hands rested loosely at his sides. His breathing was deep and slow, and he appeared to be asleep.

Satoshi looked relaxed, completely and utterly at ease.

He was really handsome, she thought with reluctant admiration. Of course Risa wouldn't have dated anyone that wasn't attractive – her sister still had some decidedly shallow tendencies when it came to looks – but Riku had never really noticed Satoshi. By the time Risa and Satoshi had started dating, Riku and Daisuke had been a firm couple.

Satoshi was a stunningly handsome man, she recognized intellectually, the kind that caught attention wherever he went. Risa liked to hang off his arm in subtle claim whenever they went out in public, and he pretended not to notice. He was rarely openly affectionate with his wife, but he indulged her insecurity with aplomb. It was one of the reasons Riku had accepted him. Anyone who took care of Risa was in her good book.

Riku blamed Dark for so badly damaging Risa's self-esteem. A year after he'd left for good, Risa explained how he'd set her aside, forgiving as ever. If Dark had done the same to her, grandmother's involvement or not, Riku would have killed him.

Satoshi shifted slightly, moving his head a bit to the side, and Riku watched as Daisuke glanced over at his brother-in-law and smiled slightly. The look was gentle, and for a second Riku was jealous again.

She sighed, forcing herself to be bigger than that. The relationship between her husband and Satoshi was not a threat to her marriage. Daisuke was just an extraordinarily kind person, a person others were drawn to.

The sound caught Daisuke's attention, and he turned his head toward her with preternatural speed, the training of his youth ingrained into the fiber of his being. It had taken a while for her to get used to his highly honed senses, but he'd eventually been able to let down his guard enough to not feign clumsiness. Daisuke's movement alerted Satoshi, and seconds later the other man was fully awake, his glasses palmed in his hand as he squinted in her direction.

She almost stammered an apology. She felt like she was invading.

Maybe she was.

"Dinner's ready," she said simply. She stood with her hands folded in front of her apron, wishing she'd just yelled for them.

"Great, I'm hungry," Daisuke said before offering her one of those heart-melting smiles that still made her tingle. He set the notebook aside, leaving it open so the charcoal wouldn't smudge. "I need to wash my hands again," he said, rising to his feet quickly and heading toward the main studio sink.

"Thank you for getting us," Satoshi responded.

This man wasn't just the husband of her sister; he was now the father of her future niece or nephew. Would the child look like him? Would the child inherit the Hikari artistic talent? Would the child inherit something – someone - worse?

Satoshi stared right back at her without blinking. "Is there something on my face?" he asked in a deadpan tone.

It was just like him to try to throw her off balance. He wasn't mean, but he had a tendency to act superior. Any reply she might have made was lost under the sudden rushing sound of water. Both of their heads swung to watch Daisuke scrub his hands furiously with the special soap he ordered through catalogs. It removed paint without damaging skin. Thirty seconds later he was drying his hands with a towel and then he joined them.

When they arrived in the dining room, Satoshi's eyes immediately went to his wife, and Riku realized that he must have sensed Risa's unhappiness without being told. He missed very little.

Satoshi raised an eyebrow toward Riku in query, and she just shook her head. It wasn't her place to solve this problem for Risa. A very slight frown marred the smooth skin of his forehead but he didn't say anything.

The other two missed the interplay; they weren't always completely aware of their surroundings when they felt comfortable. Daisuke stepped forward to Risa. "Hi, Risa," he said. It had taken him a while to get used to dropping the honorifics, but Risa had stubbornly pointed out that they were family now. There was no need to be overly formal.

She presented her cheek to him for a kiss, which he delivered without blushing. That had taken him even longer to get used to, but Risa demanded affection from those she loved. "Hi, Daisuke," she said. "How's the work for the show going?"

"Well enough," he said. "Too much to do, not enough time. It's the same old thing."

"I'm sure you're going to do well. Satoshi and I will be seeing it the next time we go to New York. I'm sorry we can't attend the opening, but..."

"Satoshi already explained," Daisuke said, "and it's not a problem. I'll know your thoughts are with me."

Only Daisuke could so blithely accept that two of the closest people in his life wouldn't be able to attend an event which could make his career. Daisuke knew when to accept the inevitable as unchangeable, and knew when to fight.

Risa said something about how he was exactly right, and Riku took the opportunity to slip back into the kitchen to retrieve dinner. It took three trips for her to carry everything out, and by that time the pleasantries were winding down.

They gathered around the table, and Riku whipped the lids off the main course. Daisuke murmured a compliment about its appearance. Satoshi said nothing as Risa helped serve the rice. After murmuring their thanks for the food, they picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.

There was no awkwardness as they passed the soy sauce and salt without even asking. They dined together at least once a week, sometimes more. For Riku, it was unnaturally to be apart from Risa for long. Daisuke had always maintained a special fondness for his sister-in-law, and Riku was wise enough to see that Satoshi needed Daisuke's sunny presence in his life, though he would never admit it.

It wasn't one of their nicer gatherings. Risa was distracted, and without her pleasant chattering, conversation died easily. Riku and Daisuke made several attempts to interest their guests in a variety of topics, but Satoshi's conversational skills had never been wonderful and Risa was leaning toward one-word answers.

"How did your day go?" she asked Satoshi lamely after her attempt to get Risa to describe the garden she was planning on installing fell flat.

"It went well. I managed to secure the return of the series of wall scrolls that I mentioned last time; they're even paying for shipping," he said. His lips twitched, and Riku knew that Satoshi was very pleased with his accomplishment, although he'd never confess it.

Daisuke's face changed, lightened, as Satoshi smiled. "That's wonderful, Satoshi," he said. "Are they going to go on display immediately? I can't wait to see them."

"Unfortunately they weren't taken care of properly and they need some restoration done, along with proper cataloging," he replied. "If you want, I can probably get you in to take a sneak peek as an expert consultant."

"Really? Isn't that sort of lying?"

"You're an art expert, aren't you?" Satoshi retorted.

"Well, yes," Daisuke admitted. "I guess."

Riku found her husband's modesty endearing. He had to be one of the foremost art experts in the country; Emiko had seen to that. Although he had specialized in the history of the Hikari, being Dark's tamer had required a thorough background.

"Then it shouldn't be a problem, should it." Satoshi's words, despite their questioning nature, came out as a statement. He returned his attention to his meal, leaving Daisuke staring at him for a second.

Usually that would have been Risa's cue to chime in and try to wrangle a similar invitation. She was still very much into seeing "cool" things, especially through special invitation. One of her favorite things was getting involved in exclusive activities.

She remained quiet, and without her usually contribution, the conversation stalled again. Riku felt a foot press hers, and she met Daisuke's eyes, indicating with a slight twitch that he shouldn't ask. He smiled at her, before gathering a bit of beef with his chopsticks and bringing it to his mouth.

After watching her sister rearrange the same carrot for the fifth time in as minutes, Riku had enough. She pulled her napkin off her lap and gently dabbed at her lips. "Risa, do you want to help me get dessert out?" she asked.

Her sister looked at her with relief, eager for an excuse to be out of the uncomfortable situation. "I'd be happy to," she said, and rose hastily, darting for the kitchen door before Riku had a chance to stand up.

As soon as they were alone in the kitchen, Riku grabbed her sister's arm. "Tell him now," she said. "Tell him and Daisuke both. Let them help you decide," she said.

"But..." Risa said, her voice wavering. "I..."

"We're your family, Risa. We love you and we don't want to see you hurting like this. Tell them, and we'll figure it out together."

Risa nodded, but didn't look convinced. Riku didn't push her anymore, instead handing her a dish of strawberries as she grabbed the biscuits she'd made the day before to serve as a base for strawberry shortcake. Originally she'd planned on taking a few moments and arranging the desserts so they were aesthetically pleasing, but in this case she decided to just bring out the basics and have everyone prepare their own.

Presentation was important to her, but expedience was coming into play. She didn't want to give Risa a chance to lose her nerve. If her sister was able to think on the situation, she would redoubtably come up with excuses to remain silent.

When they came back, Daisuke and Satoshi watched them. She knew the two hadn't been talking while they were gone, but their unity was palpable. It might have come from that peculiar solidarity men had when facing off against their wives, but Riku thought it transcended that. It always made her feel just a bit lonely. While she was first in Daisuke's heart, there was someone else who understood his soul better.

They set the dishes down, but neither moved back to their seats. Instead, they stood side by side, silent together with their own unique rapport. Riku could almost touch Risa's fear; it enveloped her and became hers as well. She could hear her sister's heartbeat throbbing in her ears. After several moments of silence, it was clear Risa wasn't going to make the first move, so Riku acted.

"Risa has something to say," she said, her hand on her sister's shoulder, either for reassurance or to keep her from running, Riku wasn't sure.

"I can do this myself, Riku," Risa said, casting her a sideways glance, and Riku was relieved at the irritation in her voice. Risa wasn't broken by this; she was scared, but she was going to be okay, no matter what decision was reached.

"Risa?" Daisuke asked, her name a question containing his confusion and concern. Satoshi remained silent, but his eyes were fastened on his wife's face.

"Satoshi, I'm pregnant," she said, turning toward her husband. She held her hands by her sides, clenched into tight fists, but she wasn't shaking.

Riku had never imagined that Satoshi could ever look so surprised. His eyes widened and his breath caught. His hand slid from the table into his lap, and for a second, he seemed incredibly young. Emotions filtered across his face too fast for Riku to decipher.

Daisuke had no reservations. He whooped, jumping to his feet. "Congratulations!" Daisuke said, clapping Satoshi on the shoulder. "When are you due?" he asked Risa.

It was hard not to smile in sympathy to Daisuke's enthusiasm. He completely missed the tension underlying Risa's announcement, assuming that I of course /I a child would be a happy event.

"April," she said. She looked at Satoshi, waiting for some kind of reply.

He took a deep breath. "What do you want me to say?" he asked finally.

Riku could have smacked him. Her hands twitched and she restrained the impulse. She knew he wasn't being deliberately dense; for the first time in his life, Hikari Satoshi had no idea how to cope.

"I don't know."

The atmosphere finally penetrated Daisuke's awareness. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Satoshi lowered his head. "Daisuke, think about our families' genetic... condition."

He looked puzzled for a second, then realization flashed across his face. "But they're gone. Dark sealed himself and Krad," he said.

"Can you be sure they won't come back through our sons?" Satoshi asked.

Risa's face crumpled. "I can't stand the idea of giving birth to that monster." She started to cry again, and Satoshi hesitated for a moment before rising to embrace her. Riku watched as her brother-in-law tucked his wife under his chin. Risa's sobs echoed through the room, and the other three felt horrible. Satoshi's eyes were on Riku, looking for some sign of what he needed to do.

She didn't know how to help. She wanted him to reassure Risa, but Satoshi was always painfully honest. He didn't believe in false comfort. She could hate him for that.

Risa gathered herself enough to pull away. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I promise I won't leave you to face this alone."

Riku and Daisuke, outsiders for the moment, moved more closely together. Daisuke's fingers caught Riku's, giving her a slight squeeze. His skin was warm. It was always warm, she knew. His body temperature was two degrees above average, a family trait.

Maybe it was related to his genetic legacy. Daisuke had explained the whole situation to her right before he had proposed. He had said Dark was gone, but their was always the possibility that he would somehow return in his son.

She hadn't really thought too much about that, because even though Daisuke and Risa – and to a lesser extent Satoshi – would reference Dark's antics or something he'd said, she hadn't considered him a part of her life. He was gone.

It was strange to think that she might end up being Dark's mother. She hadn't liked him, but if her son ended up as a tamer, that would probably change. Dark was better than Krad, she thought, looking at her poor sister with pity. She would choose him a thousand times over Krad.

The four stood in awkward silence before Satoshi finally spoke. "Can I borrow your husband for a minute?" Satoshi asked Riku. He didn't even bother asking Daisuke for his opinion; Daisuke was so amiable that he'd agreed to having his hand chopped off if it would make a friend happier.

"Yeah, it's fine."

She had known that Satoshi would talk to Daisuke before going to Risa to speak alone. Satoshi's first confidant wasn't his wife: it was Riku's husband.

It was a sign of how unbalanced Satoshi was by the news of his impending fatherhood; he grabbed Daisuke rudely by his upper arm and dragged him away. She heard Daisuke yelping his indignation, and just shook her head. "They'll never change," she said.

"Would you want them to?" Risa's voice was a touch on the raspy side.

"No."

They were quiet as they did the dishes. Riku was trying to think of a way to offer reassurance, but nothing was coming to mind. She stared down at her hands, which were wrist-deep in lukewarm water as she washed the china.

"Stop worrying."

Risa's sudden words made Riku start. "Risa?"

"You've already done what I needed. You made me face this, and it'll be better now that Satoshi knows. He's smart; he'll figure this out."

"You have such faith in him," Riku said. She scrubbed hard at a non-existence speck of food.

"He's my husband," Risa said. "Though sometimes... do you ever wonder what would have happened if I'd ended up with Daisuke?"

Riku used to have nightmares about that happening. What things would have been like if Risa had secured his affections while he'd been crushing on her. What might have happened, and if Riku would have found the courage to fight for him. She loved her sister, but her feelings for Daisuke transcended even the tie of sisterhood. "You didn't," she said, not acknowledging those fears. Some things were too private to share.

"No, I didn't," Risa said, and her eyes wandered in the direction of the studio. "I wonder, though."

"I wonder what would have happened if Daisuke and Satoshi ended up together," Riku said, trying to break her sister's wistful mood.

"You aren't the only one. Remember in high school when there was that cult of girls convinced Satoshi and Daisuke should get together?" Risa asked.

Riku laughed. Daisuke had barely noticed the so-called SaDai Fan Club, except for those few times they managed to wrangled him into compromising situations with Satoshi. Those girls had hated her, even more than the ones in Daisuke's fan club had. "Do you remember the time they tried to set them up on Valentine's Day?"

"Satoshi's expression when he found Daisuke tied up in his locker!"

"With red ribbon!"

They were laughing so hard that Riku found it hard to breathe. They had to put the dishes down to keep anything, but the laughter was cathartic. She felt better, even though the problem of Risa's pregnancy still loomed over them like the Sword of Damocles. If they could laugh, things would work out.

They ended up sitting side by side on the floor, clutching their sides as their hysteria faded. Riku was left feeling a bit faint, but the tension she'd been feeling relaxed.

Until Risa spoke. "He loves Daisuke, you know."

"I know." The remnants of her amusement fled, and all that remained was weary resignation.

"If Daisuke didn't love you so much, I think he would have done something about it."

"Doesn't it hurt to know your husband is in love with another man?" She could cope with her brother-in-law's feelings, but the knowledge that Risa might be wounded by them had always worried her.

"Considering I'm half in love with Daisuke myself, I don't have any grounds to complain."

This was one of those things that they had never verbally addressed. It had been an unspoken compromise; Riku didn't comment on how sometimes Risa's eyes would linger longer than appropriate on Daisuke, and Risa never acted on any of those impulses. They denied the elephant in their living room because life was simpler, but things just changed. The possibility of Krad returning had shattered their equilibrium.

"I know," Riku admitted.

"I see Dark in him," Risa said. "Sometimes when the light hits him just right, it feels like I'm being punched in the gut. Then I remember that Dark is gone, and it hurts. It still hurts," Risa whispered, her fingers touching her breast above her heart. "You never forget your first love."

"I wouldn't know. I married mine," Riku answered.

"You're lucky," Risa said. "I sometimes wish Satoshi had been mine, but I don't regret loving Dark. He made me grow up enough so I could be the person Satoshi needed."

"What do you see in him?" Riku asked. It had been a question that had been bothering her for years. She couldn't see how her sister and Satoshi worked, despite the changes Satoshi had gone through; Satoshi didn't flattered or coddle her; he was painfully inept when it came to displaying affection. Risa had always needed someone who doted on her, but Satoshi never did.

"He needs me," Risa answered. "Being needed is a wonderful thing, Riku. Maybe I'm in love with that more than anything else."

There really was nothing to say to that. Without a word, Riku stood up before offering a hand to help her sister. There was something sad about Satoshi and Risa's relationship, but if it worked for them, she wasn't about to say anything.

They finished the dishes quietly, both lost in their own thoughts. Riku wondered what her husband and Satoshi were talking about. Was Daisuke trying to convince Satoshi that the pregnancy was a good thing? Or was Satoshi warning Daisuke that the same thing could happen to them?

Risa and Riku had little to do after they finished cleaning, and neither felt like talking. For lack of anything better, they drifted to the living room and turned on the television. Risa took the remote and flipped through the channels, but neither of them paid much attention.

They were watching some kind of infomercial on some brand-new invention that was supposed to revolutionize their lives when Daisuke entered the room alone. He looked nervous, glancing at Risa several times before raising his eyebrow toward his wife.

She understood, and didn't say anything. She just left the room, hoping that Daisuke would be able to provide some comfort for Risa. She wasn't about to let things go. If her husband was going to speak to Risa, then it was only fair that she deal with Satoshi.

She found Satoshi in Daisuke's studio, staring at a painting that Daisuke had been given and was trying to find a place to display. An almost violent array of colors assaulted her eyes, splashed onto the paper with no real concrete idea. It was one she was not fond of; she'd never liked art that was hard to understand.

Best open this on safe territory. "What do you think of it?" she asked as she came to stand beside him.

"It's crap," Satoshi pronounced flatly. He pushed his glasses back up his nose, though his eyes didn't leave the image.

"Is it?" she squinted, trying to understand why he was dismissing it. Some of the Hikari artwork she'd seen made even less sense to her than this did.

"It was painted by a monkey," he said. He pointed to a smudge at the bottom corner of the work that might have been a paw print. "It's a novelty item. It may be interesting, but it is not art."

"Why not?" she asked, curious.

"Art is about communication, and sharing feelings or a thought. It's why my family's work is so dangerous – we share our obsession with anyone who looks on it."

She studied his hands, smooth from the lack of manual labor. From what Risa had told her, Satoshi never created anything that resembled art. He even avoided writing things by hand, since his handwriting was spectacular and might, on some levels, be considered beautiful. "Is that always such a bad thing?" she wondered.

"No, not always," he said. "But there's sometimes things which don't need to be shared. Sometimes the harm outweighs the good. If a piece is so wonderful that it steals someone's will, then it serves no purposes. Art isn't about controlling; it's about expanding horizons and showing a different viewpoint." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're not hear to ask about my definition of art, Riku."

She nodded. "Satoshi, tell me. Is Risa scared for no reason?"

He shut his eyes, taking a slow breath before exhaling. "I don't know. If I was sure, I'd perform the abortion on Risa myself."

Her hand moved before she thought consciously. The sound of her palm impacting against Satoshi's face echoed in the room as his glasses flew off his face. She stared at him, absolutely furious. "There is no way I'd let you close enough to my sister to hurt her," she hissed.

He just gave her that cold, dead-eyed stare that had always pissed her off. "Maybe I deserved that."

"Maybe you did," she shot back. She was shaking with adrenalin, wanting to strike out at him again. She tucked her hands behind her back to make sure she had a second to think before acting.

He rubbed his cheek slowly, wincing a bit. "Riku, the last thing I want to do is hurt Risa. If the child does inherit Krad, then it would be kinder to deal with the problem now."

It was her turn to pause before speaking. The wrong words could set Satoshi off, and she knew he'd be quite capable of doing something unthinkable, if he decided it was for the greater good. "Satoshi, isn't it worth the risk?" she asked. "Didn't all your ancestors face the same problem, and decide that children were worth it?"

"No," he replied. "They decided that vengeance was worth it. The only reason my line continued was because they wanted to bring down the Niwa family once and for all."

She hadn't known that, but she should have. Everything she'd learned about the Hikari clan indicated that they were not warm and fuzzy people. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"It seems like a lot of wasted effort," he said. Sensing her gentler mood, he bent down to reclaim his glasses. Luckily she hadn't damaged them, so he returned them to his face. "The Niwa clan's still alive, Dark and Krad are sealed, and I'm alive as well."

"You wouldn't be without Daisuke," she returned.

"He told you?" Satoshi raised an eyebrow.

"He told me that you were going to kill yourself so he could be free," she said. "Daisuke believed in taking a chance on you. Can you do any less for the sake of your child?"

"I've never been good at taking chances," Satoshi replied. His eyes drifted to the self portrait Daisuke had created to display with his New York show. Riku didn't say anything, deciding to let him finish the train of thought on his own. She would have to be an idiot to miss what he was implying. She held her peace, content that her husband loved her. "I've always been one to rely on logic, and play the odds. I just don't know if I dare to take the chance. You don't know what Krad was like."

"No, and hopefully I will never have to – but if that means Risa never has the children she always wanted, then it's not worth it," she told him.

"You sound like Daisuke. He thought I should let the future take care of itself," Satoshi said.

"He's never been one for planning," Riku said, a faint smile tracing her lips. "He's probably convincing Risa that now's the time to start planning a nursery."

"I think he was going to talk about names with her. He's so excited," Satoshi said, almost wistfully. "He told me when I was done being paranoid I could join them."

She stifled a giggle behind her hand. "Maybe you should just hide it a bit. I don't think you'd be I you /I if you weren't paranoid."

He gave her a dirty look, before a slight chuckle escaped his lips. "You're probably right," he admitted. He held out his arm for her to take, like the gentleman he was.

Daisuke was rarely so formal, and she felt a bit grand when they reentered the room. Sure enough, Risa was chatting with Daisuke, her face more animate as she waved her hands. They were arguing about what kind of music should be played I in utero. /I

Their conversation abruptly halted as Satoshi sat Riku down beside her husband before taking a seat next to Risa. Without making a production of it, he picked up his wife's hand, clasping it lightly in his own.

"Did you finish discussing baby names?" he asked. "I have a few I'd like us to consider."

Risa's face transformed from tragedy to near joy as she recognized the implied commitment. Riku knew her sister well enough to understand that Satoshi's acceptance would give her the strength to face the future. Daisuke squeezed Riku's hand as well as he beamed at them happily, and she smiled back.

If Hikari couple relied more than they should on Niwa Daisuke to keep themselves going, Riku wasn't going to complain. Better than anyone, Riku knew that Daisuke had the love to spare.

END