At first she had just been a hindrance. She had always seemed to be in the way when there were much more important things. He'd never thought of her, never considered her and her feelings. After all, she was just a shallow, self-absorbed little girl who knew nothing of the way things were. He had seen so much and lived for so long, and he knew pain and loneliness and sorrow too well. Risa was a silly human, so insignificant in juxtaposition to the vastness of his existence.

Then everything changed.

In the hallway as Daisuke ran after Riku nearly (for the millionth time) discovered his dual identity. Risa had been so happy to see him. It was an open delight that nobody had ever seemed to show at the sight of him before, and it made something in him a little lighter, a little less jaded. At the mere sight of him, joy seemed to flood her eyes and make them softer.

Deeper.

As usual, he brushed her off, in his way again, always so cumbersome. He'd moved to leave, but she held on. He remembered the pang of guilt he felt as her eyes filled with tears. He hadn't meant to hurt her. She proclaimed her love for him, and it made him hesitate. Of course women had done similarly before, but it sounded so genuine, so sincere coming from her, somehow. And then…

And then she'd kissed him.

It had been abrupt, it had been short, but it burned in his mind; burned on his mouth, and it was a pleasant sort of burning. If there was such a thing. His transformation back into Daisuke made rest impossible that night, as he wondered over and over why he'd changed. The answer was slow in coming, but it was clear when it arrived.

In all of his time alive—if you could call it that—nobody had been that honestly happy to see him for him. The Niwas were always pleased when their thief reappeared to lead the family cause. Fan girls swooned at the sight of him when he arrived for an artwork, black wings silhouetted in the moonlight (like a painting on a canvas in the sky). But had anybody been happy to see who he was? Who had tried? Even Daisuke, the one he was closest to, sometimes saw him as an obstacle, or somebody who overshadowed him. But even though he'd given Risa little reason to grant him her loyalty, she had. The gift shocked him, and he admired her for it. He used to brushher affections off, thinking them superficial. Yet now he doubted. Perhaps there was more to her than he'd originally guessed. Maybe the love she proclaimed for him was truer than a simple crush. Maybe…

Even though he was a mere existence…Even though he might not even be a whole person…could somebody accept him? Could somebody love him? It was nearly a frightening thought. The concept was alien, for his purpose had always been stealing. Even though he was experienced in stealing hearts, he'd never truly been able to comprehend the idea of loving somebody. Or, for that matter, somebody loving him.

Dark.

Not the phantom thief, not the curse, not the mysterious handsome being for girls to giggle over.

Maybe…

Could an endless existence be loved?

Could he ever return her love?

At this question, Dark stopped and grinned.

Maybe…

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A/N: Weelllll, I wrote this in a rush after reading one of the later volumes of the manga, where (spoiler warning)

Risa kisses Dark. And he transforms. So, I, being a lover of any and all pairings, wrote this. And I'm pretty sure it's one of few fics where Dark has affections for Risa back. Poor girl gets so much hate for her shallow qualities at the start of the series….Tell me what you think.