Ch 2: Affection

Ch 2: Affection

Candice sat back on her calves, her strong body quivering in relief and anticipation. 'Phantom-sama's Real Smile…he's being completely honest right now. He's not lying to me about this; he really does care for me!' she assessed the meaning behind his words and tone like her biggest dream coming true. "P-Phantom-sama, there's something else I'd like to tell you…" The black and red leather dresser started nervously, her eye stared down at her lap as a modest pink blush covered her cheeks. "Continue." He commanded, both noting and ignoring her petty, feminine stammering. She straightened up her gaze to eye-contact immediately, tossing aside her embarrassment.

"Yes. Well, do you remember the day we battled each other and you defeated me? When I was beat, you caught me like a gentleman so I wouldn't fall and hurt myself anymore, and I couldn't stop admiring your amazing strength, looks, and manner. Ever since that time you said with that adoring, fake smile of yours, "I like you, Candice. I need people like you with your kind of power and determination to help me create a New MAR Heaven. I value soldiers who will do as I ask and fight for me to protect the nearing goal to conquer this rotting, stinking world so everyone can live in a utopia. Some already follow me but I need a larger amount of warriors to form an indestructible army. Perhaps you've heard of some of them? Like Haritsukie no Halloween or Chimera? We are to be called, 'Chess no Koma'. Come with me, Candice. Help me recreate this world together. I assure you a prominent position in my army, a group of lethal ARM users called the 'Zodiac Knights' and an offer to take revenge against those who wronged you in the past" and asked me to join the Chess no Koma, I put all my soul, body and strength into reaching Knight Class and became one of the Zodiac Knights as I am now. Nothing has made me happier to be around you and help you in any way I could, Phantom-sama. I love to fight for you because it gives me pleasure to prove my existence to you. But to put it bluntly…"

She leaned forward again and lifted herself up with her lightened grip on his hand and the other hand flat against the arm of his chair to look up close enough to level of his face. His violet eye locked to her warm, rich brown one, indulging in her caring look for the first time in a long time, feeling wary, uncertain and even conflicting within his mind. The fair skinned hand resting on the cold stone armchair slowly reached forward, seeking to delicately brush aside the ever-face-covering veil of uneven hair covering his mysterious, unseen right eye. As her scarlet painted fingernails avoided scraping across his silky, silvery-albino locks by using only her five fingertips, Phantom's remaining, sun-deprived, Zombie Tattoo, in carved hand with its gray, metallic, studded, thick red wristband around it, shot out and intercepted the touch. Seizing hers quickly, and somewhat urgently; receiving a small intake of breath and disappointed pout that appeared in her face, and they did not release it until her hand went limp in yielded obedience.

"No, no, Candice; don't do this, it can't work…I can't relive the emotion of love I had with Alma. It's too painful and I simply cannot deal with having you pour your young, beautiful heart into me when you deserve someone alive and more providing for your desires. I'm not really so blind that I can't see that you've dropped hints about the way you feel towards me but, but it can't survive. I'm already re-dead, and who loves a dead man anyway? I just can't allow you to do this to yourself and ruin your chance at happiness. Please stop. It is forbidden." The Zombie Tattoo inflictor begged in a desperately, heart-felt-like voice, attempting to convince her to spare each other from unnecessary anguish, if acted a poun with the appropriate measure of force and best interests.

She did not abide to his wish and her multi-ARM, silver ringed hand hesitantly cupped his exposed, cool to the touch, pale cheek before she replied firmly, her iron will undeniable. "By whom is it forbidden? For the living and dead to love? No, Phantom-sama; it can work. Just trust me. I think you need to bury the past with Alma; it's holding you back to make up excuses. I realize she was your first lover and you have bittersweet memories of her somewhere in the depths of your mind, and I respect that, but I want to be the one to replace that image of her. And I will pour my heart into you because I love you more than life it self. I've loved you since the day we met and I know no matter how you may detest this fact, I can't force myself to let go and turn my back on you. Don't you realize how much I've had to risk personally all just proving my use, loyalty and loving to you? Everyday I battle and train myself to push past my limits to improve, thinking of you, so I could at least please you. So, these last few hours with you have been a dream come true for me because I feel like I've finally gotten through to you enough for you to repay my efforts by letting me give you a proper, heart-meant good bye. You owe me that much, at least."

'This woman won't give up; it's quite clear in her eye and words that she loves me with all her heart.' The destined man reflected, coming to terms with his feelings. 'But Candice, you're making this good bye so hard on me because I'll die soon and won't resurrect again for probably another ten years at least. If I give into you, you'll be waiting for many long, lonely, bitter years just for me. A zombie, doomed to be an immortal. Or maybe I'll die for good now and can't return to you, Candice.'

'Did you ever ponder that, my sweet? It will be similar to the end of my heart wrenching, relationship with Alma. You echo the memory of her appearance inside my mind so much that it throbs and I want to cringe. I've already hurt one woman too many and I do not want to punish Candice by rejecting her or shattering her heart. Even so, I should, no, I have to repay Candice's devotion by giving her what she's waited so patiently for; my affection. She's earned it from the beginning'

"Alright, Candice," The royal blue dressed immortal resigned, bringing a battered hand to cup her chin and cease her lower lip's quivering as, they reflected, in the familiar positions late the previous night before his match with Team MAR's Ginta. "I believe you. This love can work. I'm worried that you will be tormented with strife when I finally die but I trust you know the risks. I didn't know how much you strived and pushed yourself for me except when I observed your battles; you're a brutal, dedicated warrior who has defended me to the end. Thank you. I accept your good bye as a final gift from me to you for your ever faithful services".

"And to answer your question, I happen to be one of the few who love a dead man. He's so— irresistible!" She beamed compassionately, her joy and gratitude illuminated the core of her soul to the deepest corners and bottom of her heart that reflected off her face before Candice closed the gap in between they're lips; kissing Phantom. Both of her hands cupped his cheeks as she forced her unrelenting, craving tongue into his mouth to slid all over on the inside of his carven and down some ways into his throat; moaning the whole while, which he picked up on soon. His arm came around her bare back and hugged her to him, urging her to lean in more to deepen the passionate kiss.

She complied and after ten minutes, satisfied her lustful venture and allowed Phantom his experienced expedition of her mouth. His tongue expertly crawled, slid, flicked, tickled, twisted, tasted and maneuvered inside Candice's entrance, toying with her tongue, licking along her sides, savoring her sweet, untouched saliva, nipping her lips and eventually broke apart, leaving her with a longing for his lingering lips against hers again seconds later. 'But I've had my fun…' The kissed virgin thought amusedly, as she leant backwards a little ways into his embrace so Phantom's single violet eye could connect to hers, gleaming with untold satisfaction.

'Candice, my dearest, you never cease to amaze me today! Just when I think you're at your brink, you strive to appease me even more. That kind of dedication is rare to find in these twisted, boring and cruel days in this world of MAR Heaven.' The bandaged man thought delightedly. Phantom's appreciation shone through his true expression. 'Oh Phantom-sama! You always know the best way to unlock the chains around my heart. You are my sole reason to live.' The fiery woman's thoughts mirrored his feelings equally. Both man and woman embraced each other lovingly, cherishing they're newfound, quality affection from the other in a warm, tight hug; clinging to the moment with each other in knowing of Phantom's dawning death looming over the lover's heart like a dark, evil, repressible cloud of pain, loss and grief yet to fully impact each other. Then it began.