CHAPTER 14
Ikutachi leaned against a tree, watching Barbatos as he scribbled in his notebook. The Phantom had any number of hiding places throughout the mansion and its estate, and just when Ikutachi thought he'd discover the last one, Barbatos found another.
This one in particular was in a clearing just behind the house. How the Phantom had found the secret spot was beyond Ikutachi. It was in such an obscure location that you had to either be looking for it, or touched by a stroke of happenstance.
Barbatos sat at the base of a dying tree. It was an odd image; this one lifeless tree surrounded by a sea of its brothers, all lush and full of life. Ikutachi wondered what could have caused the massive maple to wither away whilst everything around it thrived.
The Phantom looked up suddenly; his gaze searching the area where Ikutachi was hiding. The Anima slipped behind the tree, holding his breath and remaining perfectly still. He didn't want to bother his Phantom, but in his quest to understand the elusive demon, Ikutachi would often follow and observe him. He did his best to stay out of sight, but every so often the Phantom would catch him.
After several moments, Ikutachi chanced a look. Barbatos was no longer sitting under the tree. In fact, there was no sign of the Phantom anywhere.
"What do you want?"
Ikutachi yelped loudly; his heart nearly exploding in his chest.
"Bloody hell, Phantom," Ikutachi cried. "You scared me to death!"
"What are you doing here?" Barbatos asked sharply.
"I should think it was obvious," Ikutachi huffed, straightening his clothes. "I was out for a morning stroll, and…"
Barbatos stomped away before Ikutachi could finish. The Anima stumbled after him, trying to catch up to the Phantom's long strides.
"W-wait, you're just going to leave me here!"
"I don't like it when you lie," Barbatos replied. "You do it with such ease it's disturbing."
"But I'm not lying," Ikutachi insisted, cursing as he staggered through the brush.
"I'm a demon, Anima. If you think I can't tell when someone is lying, then you're a fool."
"Fine! I'm sorry I lied," Ikutachi panted. "But you're always disappearing, it's like you're begging me to follow you!"
"Have you ever considered that I just want to be alone?"
"But why…" Ikutachi tripped on a root hidden by leaves; his question cut off by his startled cry.
The Anima would have tumbled to the ground if Barbatos' strong arms hadn't caught him in time. Ikutachi clung to his Phantom, savoring their moment of intimate contact. He reached up, cupping Barbatos' cheek lovingly.
"Why would you want to be alone now that we're finally together?"
Barbatos set Ikutachi on his feet, releasing him immediately. "The s-silence helps me think," he stammered; his eyes averting Ikutachi's inquisitive gaze. "I-it helps me…process."
Barbatos took off again, leaving Ikutachi scrambling after him once more.
"Process what?" Ikutachi asked, lifting his kimono and trying to keep up.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
Barbatos huffed in frustration, increasing his pace. Ikutachi had no idea where they were going, but he refused to let the Phantom run from him.
"It would be pointless."
Ikutachi grabbed Barbatos hand, pulling him to a stop. "Look at me," the Anima commanded, breathless and flushed with exertion. "I've spent the better part of my existence searching for you, dreaming of the moment we could finally be together. All I want is to be a part of your life, but every time I try to set foot inside your world, you push me back out. Please, make me understand!"
Barbatos snatched his hand back. "I don't want you to understand!" he exclaimed. "I just…. I-I just…"
"What?" Ikutachi cried; his voice sending a flock of birds screeching towards the sky. "You just what?!"
"I need you to leave me alone!" Barbatos shouted. "I need you to give me a chance to take this in! Since the moment I left you in that dorm room, I've done nothing but think about you; dream about you! No matter where I went, who I met, or what I did, there was NOTHING that could purge you from my mind! Twenty-eight years, Ikutachi! Twenty-eight years I lived with the memory of what I did to you! Twenty-eight years I spent punishing myself for losing the one person in my entire EXISTENCE that I ever TRULY WANTED! Then you show up, k-kissing me, and t-touching me… Saying things like you…l-love me…"
"Because I do!"
"That's what exactly what I mean! You can't just… come here and expect me to just… be okay! I need this," the Phantom shouted, gesturing to the withering tree behind him. "I need a place to just…" Barbatos ran a hand down his face. "I need somewhere I don't have to… think so hard. Where people aren't asking me questions like, how we met or when we're going to make it official."
"Do you love me?" Ikutachi asked.
"What?"
"Do. You. Love. Me?"
"Why would you…?"
"Answer the question, Phantom?"
"I-I don't think this is necessary, haven't we…"
"Answer the bloody question demon or so help me…!"
"YES! Yes, I love you! I've always loved you! You know this already!"
Ikutachi nodded once. "Then I will leave you alone."
The Anima turned, carefully making his way to where he thought the mansion was.
"That's it?" the Phantom asked; his confusion obvious.
Ikutachi paused, but didn't turn. "You're not the only one who's suffered, Phantom. You're not the only one who's longed for something they thought they'd never have again. The only difference between us it that I'm running towards this love while you run away from it."
"That's not what I…"
"It doesn't matter what you meant," Ikutachi said, "I only care about what's in your heart. Maybe if you took two seconds to tell me you love at least once a day, I wouldn't be so… compelled to chase after you."
With that, the Ikutachi left the Phantom to his solitude…
CHAPTER 15
Barbatos stood outside Ikutachi's room; his arm poised to knock on the door. He told the Anima the truth in the woods that day, or part of it anyway, but despite the relief he felt at finally confessing, he couldn't help but wonder if his words had only succeeded in pushing them further apart.
He put his arm down, balling his hands into fists at his side. This was pointless. He'd never be able to give the Anima what he wanted. He should have left when he'd the chance. He and Ikutachi would have never crossed paths, which meant they wouldn't be in this impossible situation.
Disgusted with his indecision, Barbatos turned to leave, stopping mid-stride when he came face to face with Ikutachi.
"H-have you been there the whole t-time," Barbatos asked, shifting nervously on his feet.
"Long enough," Ikutachi replied. "Were you going to leaving without even trying?"
"I… I didn't want to… I wasn't sure if you were…"
Ikutachi smiled, taking the Phantom's hand and leading him to his door. "You coming here is enough. For the first time it's you who's seeking me out. I can't tell you how happy this makes me."
"B-but I…"
"Don't you dare ruin this moment," Ikutachi hissed, cutting the Phantom off and yanking him into the room. "We've reached a benchmark, and I will not let you devalue it."
Barbatos swallowed, hovering close to the door as the Anima moved about the room. He felt like mouse caught in a trap, and Ikutachi was the cat about to devour him.
"Lock the door for me please," Ikutachi said, undressing in the center of the room.
Barbatos reached blindly behind his back, feeling for the lock. It took several tries, but finally he managed to click it into place.
So beautiful…
Every move Ikutachi made was scripted perfection. Like a dance where each subtle movement was painstakingly choreographed to bring the spectator exquisite pleasure. It wasn't fair… Nothing in the world should be as perfect as the Anima. Nothing…
"Barbatos, did you hear me?"
"I-I'm sorry, wh-what?"
"A shower? Will you take one with me?"
"I-I… uh… don't think I should. I… I mean, p-perhaps it would better if I…" Barbatos willed himself to turn away, fumbling with the lock of the door.
Suddenly Ikutachi was behind him; his hand resting on top of Barbatos' trembling one. "Don't leave," he whispered. "Please." Ikutachi turned Barbatos around, pulling the Phantom towards the bed.
"I… I think I should go. D-dinner is…"
"We can have a tray sent up later," Ikutachi said, sitting Barbatos on the bed.
"B-but Glenna will be expecting us. We should…"
"She'll understand," Ikutachi said firmly. "Now stay right here. I'm going to freshen up."
Barbatos nodded, trying not to leer at the Anima's naked form.
"Promise me you won't move."
"I promise."
"I mean it, don't…"
"I wouldn't lie to you," Barbatos said matter-of-factly. "I-if I said I'd be here, I-I'll be here."
Ikutachi tried to hide his smile, but it was clear the Anima was pleased by Barbatos' response. When Ikutachi disappeared into the bathroom, Barbatos breathed a sigh of relief. Whenever the Anima was near, thinking was damn near impossible. There were even moments when he had to remind himself to breathe!
There was nothing the Phantom wanted more than to hold Ikutachi in his arms, but the sheer restraint it took to keep himself in check was exhausting. If it were up to the Anima, they would have sex every second of every day, but after one session with Ikutachi, Barbatos needed time to mentally rebuild his defenses and prepare himself for their next encounter.
As it stood now, they were lucky if they made love twice a week, and each time their bodies connected in their carnal dance, Barbatos could feel the wall he'd built around the darkest part of his soul crumbling away. It was only a matter of time before the wall finally came crashing down…
"What's the matter, Phantom," Ikutachi asked in a worried voice.
Barbatos looked up, not realizing the Anima was standing in front of him. He was about to say everything was fine, but with Ikutachi naked before him, freshly washed and smelling of honey and citrus, it would be a total lie…
Barbatos swallowed loudly; his body stirring at sight of every curve and line of his lover's body. Such perfectly pale skin; smooth and unblemished… The demon in him stirred, demanding Barbatos claim the Anima and carve out a pound of the delectable flesh…
"You're scaring me, Barbatos," Ikutachi said, reaching out for the Phantom.
"I-I'm fine," Barbatos replied, jumping up from the bed and pushing Ikutachi away.
The Phantom needed to put some distance between them; slow things down. He needed to protect his beautiful, innocent Anima, and doing that meant making sure the demon he kept locked away never surfaced.
"You don't look fine," Ikutachi continued, chancing a step forward. "Are you still mad about this morning? If so, I want you to know I'm sorry. I shouldn't have followed you, it's just… I'm worried. I have this horrible feeling that you're going to leave one day and never come back."
"Th-that's ridiculous," Barbatos stammered, backing away as Ikutachi advanced. "Where would I go?"
Ikutachi's gaze dropped to the floor. "I don't know, anywhere you could if it meant getting as far away from me as possible."
"I would never…!"
"I know," Ikutachi groaned, clearly ashamed of his thoughts, "but we've been together for nearly 4 months, and you never touch me unless we're having sex, or you're trying to save me from falling or running into something."
"You are terribly clumsy," Barbatos replied absently. "I-I didn't mean that," he added quickly. "You're v-very graceful!"
"Except when I'm tripping over my own feet," Ikutachi laughed.
Barbatos chuckled shyly. "Even when you trip you do it with elegance."
The Anima blushed all the way down to his toes; the sight setting Barbatos' internal demon clawing and tearing at its cage. He wanted to devour Ikutachi and fill his ears with Anima's desperate screams…
"I've lost you again," Ikutachi whispered. "I'm standing naked in front of you, and I feel like you're somewhere else. Do you not want me anymore? Is that what it is?"
"Of course I want! It's taking everything in me not to… to…"
"To what?" Ikutachi asked, closing the distance between them. "What do you want to do me?"
Barbatos cringed as his demon listed, in graphic detail, everything it wanted to do to the unsuspecting Anima. Rather than open his mouth and risk blurting out some horrible act, the Phantom remained silent.
Ikutachi frowned. "Or is it something you want me to do to you?"
Barbatos' interest was immediately peaked, and even his demon was curious to see what the Anima had in mind. So curious it retreated back into the shadows of its cage. Ikutachi smiled at Barbatos' response, reaching out to unbuckle the Phantom's belt and undue he pants.
"How about we try something we haven't done yet," Ikutachi suggested, "at least not since we've reunited."
The Anima dropped to his knees in front of Barbatos, tugging the Phantom's pants down with him. Flashbacks to the day he and Kharis raped Ikutachi came rushing back, eliciting a grumble of approval from Barbatos' demon.
"N-no, you don't have to," Barbatos said in a rush, trying to pull his pants back up. "Not after…"
"I want to," Ikutachi said firmly. "I want to replace that bad memory with a good one. Will you let me?"
"I-I don't think it's a good idea. Why don't I…"
"Where do you want to cum?" Ikutachi asked, ignoring the Phantom's protests. "In my mouth?"
Barbatos mouthed several responses, but Ikutachi was already stroking his leaking cock.
"No," Ikutachi said with an amused frown. "You like to watch yourself cum, don't you? You want to see it all over my face and then rub it…"
Barbatos stumbled back, slamming into the dresser behind him. "Th-this is a… v-very bad idea!"
Ikutachi dropped to all fours, crawling over to where Barbatos stood. "I think it's a wonderful idea," he said, flicking the Phantom's dick with his tongue. "And by the time we're finished, I think you'll agree."
The Anima was right, Barbatos did like to watch. He liked to see the way Ikutachi struggled to take him all the way into his throat; the way his eyes watered as he fought to suck and breathe at the same time. The watching was enough, but then Ikutachi took hold of the Phantom's hands and forced him to grab onto the Anima's head…
It seemed like such an innocent act; harmless at first, but with the feel of Ikutachi's silken hair threaded through his fingers and Anima's sweet mouth wrapped around his cock, all reason fled Barbatos' mind and his demon surged forward.
Suddenly they were on the floor, Ikutachi's back pressed to the wooden floor boards. Barbatos straddled the Anima's shoulders, holding Ikutachi's head in place as he fucked the back of the Anima's throat. Even as Ikutachi pushed against Barbatos' thighs, gasping for air, the demon couldn't stop; wouldn't stop…
The second before his orgasm hit, Barbatos pulled out of Ikutachi's mouth, snatching him by the hair and yanking the Anima's head back. Barbatos came all over Ikutachi's face, crying out in guttural voice. Seeing his thick cum mix with the Anima's tears succeeded in quieting his demon. For the moment…
"Well, that was…" Ikutachi stopped to cough, struggling to catch his breath.
Barbatos was immediately filled with remorse, yanking up his pants and racing to the bathroom for a damp cloth. By the time he returned, Ikutachi was up and sitting on the bed.
"I-I'm so sorry, Ikutachi!" Barbatos exclaimed, falling to his knees before the Anima and gently wiping his face. "I shouldn't have been so r-rough."
Ikutachi cupped the Phantom's cheek. "I love watching you enjoy it," he said, taking the cloth from Barbatos' hand and tossing it onto the night stand. "I want you to enjoy everything I, and my body, have to offer." The Anima scooted back onto the bed, laying down and opening himself to the Phantom. "Come, lover. Hold me."
Barbatos ran a hand down his mouth. After what he'd done not 5 minutes ago, touching the Anima seemed… dangerous.
"We'll you leave me to do it myself?" Ikutachi asked; one delicate hand sliding down his slender belly and wrapping it around his cock.
Barbatos groaned softly; the sound coming out as more of a whimper. The Anima was the embodiment of seduction; every sound, every movement designed to awake the Phantom's darkest desires. How could anyone resist such a mouthwatering temptation…?
Barbatos removed his clothes; his eyes locked with Ikutachi's triumphant gaze. The Anima believed he'd won. If he only knew how much danger he was in…
"I love your body," Ikutachi whispered, opening his arms to the Phantom as Barbatos crawled onto the bed, "so powerful and strong. Will you promise me something?"
"Anything," Barbatos murmured, wetting his fingers and sliding them into the Anima's body. "I don't think I could say no to you even if I tried."
Ikutachi moaned sweetly, threading his fingers into the Phantom's hair and pulling him in for a kiss. "When we're done, will you hold me?"
Barbatos hesitated a moment, but continued to open and stretch the Anima's body. "I-Is that really what you… want?"
"Yes," Ikutachi whispered; his reply a desperate plea. "Promise me."
Barbatos slid between Ikutachi's legs, wrapping them around his waist. "If when we're done, you can still stomach the sight of me then I will hold you for forever."
Ikutachi's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I… Ah!"
Barbatos slammed into Ikutachi. The Anima cried out in pain; his body bowing off the bed.
"I love you," Barbatos murmured, pressing a kiss to the Anima's temple as he slid out him then slammed back in. "I love you."
Ikutachi clung to Barbatos' shoulders, burying his face in the crook of the Phantom's neck as he whimpered softly. The delicate flesh of the Anima's shoulder was completely exposed, setting Barbatos' demon wild once more.
The Phantom ran his tongue along the line of Ikutachi's collarbone, hoping the taste of the Anima's fragrant skin would pacify the beast. It only succeeded in making it worse… Barbatos pulled back sharply; the demon growling in protest.
"What's wrong?" Ikutachi asked, peering up at Barbatos through watery eyes. "Why did you stop?"
"N-nothing's wrong, I just… n-need a second to… get myself u-under control."
Ikutachi frowned. "What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked, tucking a strand of hair behind Barbatos' ear.
"I-I think I might… I want to… m-mark you," Barbatos confessed, wincing as Ikutachi's muscles suddenly contracted around his dick. "D-does that excite you?" he asked in a startled voice.
Ikutachi's already flushed face went crimson. "Very much," he whispered, pulling Barbatos into his arms. "You're always so careful not to leave any marks," he continued, nuzzling the Phantom's cheek.
"I-I don't want to leave any…s-scars. You're skin is so… b-beautiful."
Ikutachi cupped Barbatos' face, placing a kiss on the Phantom's parted lips. "When I wake up in the morning, I want to see the evidence of your love all over my body," he whispered, "so mark me, demon. I'm yours."
Barbatos pulled Ikutachi up and into his arms, and as his cock pierced his lover's core, Barbatos' fangs pierced the tender flesh of the Anima's shoulder. Ikutachi came in a rush so powerful and unexpected, neither he nor Barbatos were prepared for it.
"D-don't stop," Ikutachi begged, still mid-orgasm. "I'm going to… cum again…"
Barbatos never planned on stopping, and as he pounded mercilessly into Ikutachi's body, searching hungrily for another piece of flesh to sample, he could hear his demon laughing cruelly in the background…
CHAPTER 16
Ikutachi pressed a kiss to Barbatos' chest, lifting the Phantom's arm from around him and easing off the bed. He ached all over, nearly every inch of his body covered in bruises and teeth marks. Their sex that night had been different; more intense, more… violent. And it was absolutely, positively divine.
Barbatos was showing more and more of his true self each time they made love. He was less guarded; less afraid of his feelings for the Anima. And true to his word, he'd wrapped his arms around Ikutachi and they'd both drifted off into blissful, exhausted sleep.
Unfortunately, the pain in Ikutachi's body was too much to sleep through. He needed something to take the edge off and tide him over until morning. He kept an emergency supply of daemon strength painkillers for just such an emergency. Once the sun was up, perhaps Ikutachi could convince his Phantom to take a nice long soak with him.
Ikutachi was halfway to the bathroom when he tripped over Barbatos' discarded pants on the floor. He was about to toss them onto one of the chairs when something fell out of the back pocket. The Anima bent down to pick it up, realizing it was the notepad the Phantom had been writing in earlier that day.
Ikutachi switched on the bathroom light, turning the small book over in his hands. He really shouldn't pry into Barbatos' private thoughts, but how could the Anima resist taking a tiny peek into his beloved's beautiful mind? There might be clues to help him figure out how to get through to his shy Phantom, and such an opportunity might not present itself again.
He closed the lid of the toilet and sat down, opening to the first page. As far as Ikutachi could tell, the first entry was written shortly after he'd arrived at the mansion a few months ago. The Anima turned page after page; his hands starting to shake as each entry grew darker and darker. Scattered in between the blocks of text were sketches of someone, who could only be Ikutachi, in various stages of… distress. But there was one in particular that caught the Anima's eye.
In the drawing, Ikutachi was covered in all manner of cuts and bruises; his hair filthy and matted to his head. There was collar locked tightly around his throat, connected to a chain being yanked upward so sharply, there was blood dripping from where the metal had sliced into his flesh. The drawing cut off just below his waist, showing is arms and torso bound in an intricate rope configuration that looked painful to the point of excruciating.
Unlike the other images scattered throughout the journal, it was obvious Barbatos had taken his time with this one. Each detail was drawn with painstaking precision right down to the Anima's expression of absolute submission. Ikutachi ran his fingertips lovingly over the image, struck speechless by its violent beauty. It was then that he noticed the words scribbled at the bottom of the page:
I want to drown in his tears… Taste the sweet bitterness of his fear… Devour him until there is nothing left but the echoes of his screams…
A tiny shiver ran down Ikutachi's spine; his skin starting to tingle all over. He couldn't describe exactly what he was feeling, but of all the emotions coursing through his veins in that moment, there wasn't a single drop of fear.
Ikutachi flipped to the last entry; the one Barbatos had been writing that morning. The Anima noticed that with each entry the handwriting changed. It was obviously the Phantom's, but there were several differences. For example, the writing underneath the image was almost crude and archaic, but the latest entry was written in beautiful, masculine script. There were even differences in flow. Whereas one entry was filled with fluid and complete thoughts, others were broken and at times almost random.
The entry Ikutachi was currently reading was one of the former. The Phantom's handwriting was flawless and his thoughts clear.
He wants more from me, but each time I hold him I can feel myself slipping further into the darkness. If he finds out the truth, I could lose him forever. I don't want to let him go, but if I don't I know I'll end up destroying him.
Perhaps this was never meant to be. I've always known he deserves better than some filthy demon. Maybe it's time to put an end to this and return to Hell once and for all. At least this way the demon can be free and I'll no longer have to fight against its ruthlessness.
"What are you doing?"
Ikutachi shrieked at the sound of Barbatos' voice; the journal in his hands sailing through the air and landing at the Phantom's feet. The demon bent down to pick up the book.
"D-did you read this?" he asked in a horrified voice.
"Yes," Ikutachi said, getting to his feet and meeting the Phantom head on. "I would apologize for invading your privacy, but after reading it I realize I was meant to find it and that I was meant to read it."
"You had n-no right," Barbatos hissed. "These are my p-private thoughts! They weren't supposed to be read by anyone!"
"I had every right," Ikutachi fired back. "For months I've been trying to figure you out! Beating myself up and thinking that whatever was wrong between us had to be MY fault!"
"None of this is your fault!" Barbatos exclaimed in an exasperated voice. "I'm the one that's to blame! And I've been trying to come to terms with that truth ever since you came back! This," he shouted, lifting up the journal in his hand, "is how I'm trying to cope!"
"So rather than talk to ME, you'd scribble your thoughts into that stupid journal? Barbatos, there are things in that book that no amount of writing or sketching is going to reconcile!"
"Don't you think I know that?!" Barbatos roared; his entire body shaking with the force of his rage. "What else would have me do?! This is how I keep the demon in check! This is how I keep him at bay! Every time you're near me, he stirs! Your scent alone drives him insane! I can feel him lurking just below the surface of my skin, waiting for the moment I slip so he can take control! Every time we make love; every SECOND I'm inside of you, there's a part of me that is fighting to keep him from tearing you apart! Do you have any idea what he would do to you if I let him loose?! He wants to hurt you. He exists to see you suffer!" Barbatos tossed the book onto the floor. "If you think reading a few pages from my journal will help you understand what I have to deal with every second of EVERY DAY then go ahead! Read the bloody thing cover to cover!"
Ikutachi looked down at book then back up at Barbatos. His Phantom was suffering and it broke the Anima's heart, but Ikutachi would not let his lover shout his way out of an argument they desperately needed to have.
"I think I've seen enough," Ikutachi replied quietly.
Barbatos snickered viciously. "That's what I thought. A few entries and already you're disgusted. And you wonder why I didn't come to you with this."
Barbatos stormed from the bathroom. He was furious, but not with Ikutachi…
The Phantom was trapped in a destructive cycle of self-hate; convinced that who he was now, and the demon he was struggling so hard contain were somehow two different entities. Ikutachi had to find a way to show his lover that the two were one in the same; that accepting one meant accepting the other. Otherwise, Barbatos and his demon would tear each other to shreds.
Ikutachi picked up the book and followed Barbatos back into the bedroom. The Phantom was gathering his things into a pile on the Anima's bed. Clearly Barbatos believed this marked the end for them.
"I think we should start with this one," Ikutachi said, pretending not to notice the Phantom packing up his things. "And then perhaps this one next."
"What are you talking about?" Barbatos asked, turning to look questioningly at the Anima.
"Pages 11 and… 16-17," Ikutachi replied, folding the top corner of the pages he'd listed. "I think they'd be a good place for us to start. With any luck, I think we can work our way up to page 53."
Barbatos knew exactly what was on page 53; the flash of excitement unmistakable in his fiery gaze.
"I'll need time to recover between each session," Ikutachi continued, setting the journal on his dresser. "And if you wouldn't mind indulging me a bit, I'd like to set aside at least a few days each month where we can make love… normally. Does that sound reasonable?"
"I-it's too dangerous. You could get seriously hurt… or even…k-killed."
"And what's the alternative? Allow the man I love to suffer? Go our separate ways and let you return to Hell? Neither of those choices are acceptable." Ikutachi crossed his arms over his chest, pinning the Phantom with a challenging look. "I'm not afraid of you, Barbatos. I've seen what you're capable of once already, and if I didn't run then, I'm certainly not going to run now."
"B-but Ikutachi, the demon…!"
"You are the demon, Phantom. And the demon is you. Coincidently, I happen to love them both. Now, this is not up for debate," Ikutachi said firmly. "We are going to do this, the only question is how. We'll have to establish ground rules, of course. And probably choose a location that's sound-proof. I'll talk to Master and see if we can use one of the empty wings until we find somewhere permanent, then we can…"
Barbatos erupted into a fit of laughter, dropping onto the bed as if he'd suddenly lost the ability to stand. When the laughter turned into choked sobs, Ikutachi went to his side.
"I can't believe this is happening," Barbatos breathed, pulling Ikutachi into his arms. "I… I never thought you'd actually… embrace this!"
Ikutachi sat on the Barbatos' lap, pressing a kiss to the Phantom's lips. "That's because you never gave me a chance to. You should have more faith in me; more faith in us."
"I love you," Barbatos whispered; his fingers brushing the bite mark he'd left on Ikutachi's shoulder.
"I know," Ikutachi smiled. "And now I can finally see you, Phantom," he whispered back, wiping the tears from Barbatos' cheeks. "The real you. And I love you all the more for it."
END~