Demon Diary Fan Fiction ❯ Didn't Mean It ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Demon Diary.

 

A/N: For some reason, every time I upload this, the entire chapter is in italics. I also noticed that on the second chapter, the second half is in italics. I don't know why this is happening. Therefore, I have fixed the story so that the characters' thoughts are written like this: /blah/

 

Chapter Three

 

Raenef followed Eclipse into the castle's large library. They both settled onto a comfortable couch that Eclipse had made appear from nowhere. The atmosphere had somehow become very awkward. Finally, Raenef broke the silence by saying, “So, do you wanna start, or what?”

 

“Oh, just a moment, I have an idea, my lord.” Eclipse lifted his hand and chanted something, and made a light green ring appear on the floor around the couch. “This is a truth ring, my lord. It will ensure that we are telling each other the truth.”

 

Raenef looked at it curiously. “What happens if we don't tell the truth?”

 

“It will turn red, my lord.”

 

“Oh, I get it! Will you teach me how to do that sometime?”

 

Eclipse smiled at him. “If you wish, my lord. Now, why don't you ask the first question?”

 

“Okay!” said Raenef excitedly. He thought for a moment, and said, “Why did you agree to play this game with me?”

 

Eclipse hesitated to answer. Then, in a cautious sort of voice, he said, “I was hoping to make you happy, my lord.”

 

Raenef blinked. “Um, alright then. Your turn, Eclipse.”

 

Without pausing, Eclipse said, “Last night, when you said that line from a song, why did that particular song come to mind?”

 

It took Raenef a second to remember what Eclipse was talking about. “Oh, right, when I said, `I cry out with no reply,' right?” Seeing Eclipse's nod, he continued. “I've just always liked that song, and had happened to be thinking about it earlier that evening. Although, now that I think about it, the rest of the chorus is appropriate too. It goes, `I cry out with no reply / and I can't feel you by my side / so I'll hold tight to what I know / you're here, and I'm never alone.'” Realizing that Eclipse was looking at him funny, he blushed.

 

“My lord, how is that appropriate to our circumstances?”

 

Raenef giggled and said, “Sorry! You only get one question. You'll have to ask me next turn. Now then, why is your hair so long?”

 

“Hm… It just is, my lord. Demons' hair doesn't grow very fast, so I never saw any point in cutting it.”

 

“Wow, really? I never knew that demons had slow-growing hair. Cool.”

 

“Now then,” Eclipse said, “how is that song appropriate?”

 

Raenef leaned back against the soft pillows on the couch, and tried to think of a way to explain what he meant without sounding weird. “Well, a lot of the times you sort of… you know, get in these weird moods, and I can tell that something's wrong. And so that's like the first part that says that it feels like you aren't really here. But then, I know that you'll eventually start acting normal again, so I kinda hang onto that thought, and just wait for you to come around. Does that make any sense?”

 

Eclipse stared at Raenef for a moment, and then said quietly, “I didn't realize that you noticed that I ever acted differently, my lord. I'll try to avoid that in the future.”

 

“No, don't,” Raenef said. “Just act how you want to act, okay? Promise?”

 

Eclipse smiled, and said, “I shall try, my lord. Now, it is your turn.”

 

“Well, not to be repetitive in asking about your hair, but I've noticed that it's really soft. Do you have, like, special hair products, or is that another demon trait?”

 

With a small chuckle, Eclipse replied, “No, it's not common for demons to have soft hair. I don't use anything special, though. My hair seems to be naturally soft, my lord.”

 

Raenef scooted closer to Eclipse and begin to play with his hair. “That's crazy. It's so soft. It doesn't bug you when I play with it, does it?” Eclipse shook his head. “Okay then, it's your turn.”

 

“If I would do anything in the entire world for you, what would you have me do?”

 

Raenef looked up at Eclipse, surprised. “Hey, that's my question!”

 

“So it is, my lord.”

 

Raenef pouted, and then said, “Be with me forever and ever.”

 

“But, my lord,” said Eclipse, confused, “I have already given you my word that I will stay with you forever, if you wish.”

 

“Yeah, you did,” said Raenef quietly, still twirling Eclipse's hair around his fingers. /I don't want you to just stay with me, Eclipse. I want you to be with me. Do you see the difference?/ But all he said out loud was, “My turn. Same question.” Raenef peered up at his teacher, waiting for his answer. To his surprise, he saw Eclipse's face turn a little red. /Is he… blushing? What the heck? Eclipse can blush?/

 

“Well, my lord,” Eclipse stuttered. How could he say what was on his mind after Raenef's innocent answer? It didn't help that he was staring up at him with those big, blue eyes. “Uh… as your servant, I have no right to give you orders.”

 

“No fair, that's dodging the question! I won't think badly of you, no matter what you say, all right? Besides, you know very well that I don't think of you as a servant, Eclipse.”

 

Eclipse sighed, and fought to keep his blush from getting any brighter. /How can I avoid this?/ “If you would do anything, then I suppose I would have you… learn your spells quickly, and become a great demon lord.”

 

Instantly, the circle surrounding their couch flared to a bright crimson. “Hey, wait a minute…” Raenef said, thinking hard. “You said that it only does that if one of us lies.”

 

Eclipse's cheeks were now the same color as the ring. /Shoot! What was I thinking? I just had to put a truth ring, didn't I?/ “I'm sorry, my lord. I guess I'm just… unsure of how I want to respond.” As he spoke, the ring settled back to its original green color.

 

Raenef studied Eclipse's face, and said, “Well, how about I give you, say, two turns to think about it?”

 

Eclipse breathed a sigh of relief. “That would be appreciated, my lord.”

 

“No problem, Eclipse!” said Raenef cheerfully. “Now then, it's your turn.”

 

“Oh, right. Well, what are you planning on doing with your life? As a demon lord, I mean.”

 

“Gee, I really don't know,” Raenef said, a thoughtful expression on his face. He stopped playing with Eclipse's hair to consider the question. “I guess I'm just going to keep trying to get stronger.” Then, without waiting for Eclipse to respond, he asked, “Why didn't you want to tell me what was wrong last night?”

 

“Well, as I said before, I'm not in the habit of sharing my problems, my lord. However,” he continued, “I was also afraid to tell you.”

 

“Afraid of what?” Raenef said as he began to play with Eclipse's hair again.

 

With a smirk, Eclipse said, “One question per turn, my lord.” Raenef pouted again, and Eclipse had to stifle a laugh. “Why did you say that people didn't trust you?”[1]

 

“Oh, that.” Raenef sighed. “Well, when I was still a thief, I had this friend. I really trusted him, and I told him a lot about what was on my mind. But, I guess he didn't trust me, because whenever I asked him something about himself, he changed the subject. Eventually, one morning I woke up and he was gone. There was just a note, saying that he had decided to go to another city because there wasn't anything for him in the one we had been staying in.” Raenef was quiet as he remembered his friend. It had been a while since he had thought about him.

 

“I'm sorry to have brought up painful memories, my lord,” Eclipse said.

 

“Oh, don't worry about it! I got over it a long time ago. It's no big deal. Really,” he said, seeing the disbelief in Eclipse's eyes.

 

“If you say so, my lord.”

 

“Ok, so why were you afraid to tell me?” Eclipse winced. He had been hoping that that question had slipped Raenef's mind.

 

“I was just afraid of rejection, I suppose. I know that it's silly to think of to think that, but I can't help it, my lord.”

 

Raenef thought about this for a bit, and then nodded. “That's a good reason. Now then, two turns are up! You've got to answer my earlier question now!”

 

Eclipse sort of froze. He had already forgotten about that. “If you would really do anything in the whole world for me, I guess I would ask you to…” /Love me,/ his mind finished, but Eclipse couldn't bring himself to say that. “To never reject me, no matter what.” Eclipse saw with relief that the ring stayed green. /Well, it's true. I don't want him to reject me./

 

Eclipse felt two small arms encircle his waist, and looked down quickly. Raenef was hugging him. He could have swooned.

 

“My lord-”

 

“Silly Eclipse,” Raenef interrupted, “you already have that from me. I'll never reject you. I swear it.”

 

For a moment, Eclipse's heart seemed to stop. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Well, then, we're even. I'm already doing what you requested, as well.” Raenef laughed softly, the sound muffled because his face was still pressed against Eclipse. /He still doesn't get it./ Pulling away, and seizing a new lock of hair to play with, Raenef said, “It's your turn.”

 

Eclipse thought carefully about his next question. “Why are you so willing to answer my questions?”

 

Raenef smiled up at his teacher. “Because I'm hoping that, by showing you that I trust you, you'll trust me as well.”

 

“I do trust you, my lord,” Eclipse began, but again, Raenef interrupted him.

 

“By `trust', I mean have enough confidence that you can tell me anything, and I'll accept it, but you've just demonstrated to me that I haven't quite earned it yet.”

 

“Raenef, it's not that you haven't earned it. It's just that I find it so hard to believe.” He looked up to see Raenef's reaction. He was looking off into space, apparently thinking hard. Then, suddenly, a smile lit up his face.

 

“Alright, then. I'm willing to keep trying to convince you to believe that I will accept anything that you say.”

 

Stretching, the young demon lord said, “I'm starting to get tired. How about we ask each other one more question each, and then we take a break. Is that okay?”

 

“Yes, but… are you sick, my lord? It's only noon; why are you tired?”

 

“Oh, I just didn't sleep very well last night. I'll be fine after a quick nap.”

 

Eclipse felt a pang of guilt tug at his conscience. Had it been because of him that Raenef had been unable to sleep? He hoped not. “Well then, it's your turn.”

 

Raenef looked at him for a moment, and then said, hesitantly, “You don't have to answer this if you really don't want to, but I would really like it if you would. What made you so upset last night? What was it that was troubling you?”

 

Eclipse sighed, and said, “I'll tell you, but I need a moment to think of how I want to say it. How about I ask you my question first, and then I answer yours, so that I have some time to think?”

 

Raenef nodded. “Sure.”

 

“Do you enjoy living in this castle, or do you sometimes wish you had never come?”

 

Raenef laughed out loud. “You can't answer that yourself? Well, that's okay. I love it here. On the streets, everyday was uncertain. Here, though, it's set. I know what to expect. With the exception of the whole Raenef IV incident, of course. That was kind of weird. Does that answer your question?”

 

“Yes, my lord. Now to answer yours.” Taking a deep breath, Eclipse began to try and explain his troubles to Raenef.

 

“When you heard me ask to be saved, it was because of this dream I've been having for years and years. It's a memory, actually, from when I was young. You see, I had an older sister,” Eclipse smiled as he remembered her. “Our mother died when we were young, and demon fathers rarely stay around to take care of their children. So, my sister raised me.” Leaning back into the couch, he felt Raenef scoot a little closer to him, and took it as a sign of support. “She always told me, `Be strong, Eclipse, stronger than our father ever was.' She was really bitter about him leaving us. Then, one day, when I was about six, the old house we were sheltering in caught fire. And… the whole time, I was curled into a ball in a corner, thinking over and over, `Someone save me, just save me.' Not once did I think of my sister. Finally, when I was about to pass out from the fumes, I felt someone's arms encircle me and carry me out of the house. It was my sister, and she literally walked through fire to get me out of there. She died soon after because of the massive burns on her body.” Eclipse looked down to see Raenef's reaction to his story. He expected disgust at his selfishness, at the very least. To his surprise, he saw compassion in Raenef's eyes.

 

“Is that why you're the fourth strongest demon, Eclipse? Because you wanted to be strong for your sister?”

 

“Yes, Raenef.” Then, surprisingly, Raenef's face lit up and he grinned.

 

“This is going to sound crazy, Eclipse, but I'm so happy.”

 

“And why is that?”

 

“Because, not once in that whole speech did you say `my lord'.”

 

Eclipse blushed. “I meant no disrespect, my-”

 

“Shh…” Raenef hushed him, leaning into his chest again.

 

Eclipse smiled and returned the embrace. “You're tired. Why don't you go take that nap now? I'll prepare some food for when you wake up.”

 

“Okay, Eclipse,” Raenef said, and then fell asleep in the raven-haired demon's arms.

 

[1] In the first chapter, when Eclipse refuses to answer Raenef's question, Rae reflects that he's always had trouble convincing people to trust him. I wasn't sure if people would remember, so I figured I had better make a note.