Barrel spent the next two days wide awake. The events of that one night haunted him like one the ghosts in the graveyard. Now, he sat on Lock's bed with a single lollipop in his hand. He twirled it back and forth tiredly.
"...kidnapped my heart and soul, that is what you've done..." he sang quietly, to the tune of Kidnap the Sandy Claws, "...I swear it on my grave, you are the one..."
Exhaustion began eating away it him, shadows forming under his eyes. Unable to keep his eyes open, Barrel flopped back on the bed.
~•=•~
Say it again.
I love you.
Say it again.
I love you.
Say it again.
I love you! I love you, I love you, I -
"BARREL!"
Barrel lurched awake and sat up, gasping. "Ngah! What?"
Shock stared at him, with wide, tear streaked eyes. "It's Lock..."
Barrel's stomach twisted itself into a knot. "W-what's the news?"
"Dr. F fixed him up, but...he's in a coma."
Barrel gasped and covered his mouth with his hand. "No..."
Shock slithered to the floor, whimpering. Barrel paused for a moment, then flew off the bed and raced out.
"Barrel, wait! BARREL!"
The candy-lover scrambled up to Dr. Finkelstein's, sobbing insanely. When he burst in, the doctor was flopped over in his wheelchair, looking tired as hell.
Barrel looked over to Lock, breathing hard. Slowly, he sat on the bed beside the devil, who had gone pale. He lay as if in a deep sleep, one Barrel feared he would never wake up from.
Barrel took a deep breath. "Oh, Lock...I'm so sorry..."
He gently leaned forward and kissed Lock on the lips.
Sleeping Beauty style, Lock cracked open an eye and smiled. "Barrel..."
The corpse-boy breathed in sharply. "Lock?"
Feebly, Lock pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. "I knew you'd come."
Barrel burst into joyous tears. Dr. Finkelstein smiled weakly as they began to make out.
~•=•~
After a week, Lock was ready to go home. Barrel was the first to greet him, immediately yanking him into his room. When Shock started hearing certain sounds, she opened the closet, grabbed some old popcorn and soda, and crept into the door frame, where she sat and watched the show, sex and all.
The next morning, during lunch, Barrel got an idea. It at first seemed like a stupid idea, but after rolling the thought around in his head Barrel decided to go through with it. After a quick trip to tow, he came back and approached his boyfriend.
"Lock?"
The devil glanced up from his copy of 'Dracula'. "Mmm?"
"There's something I want to show you..."
Lock snapped the book closed and stood up excitedly. "Yes?"
Barrel pulled out a bandana and wrapped it around Lock's eyes. "No peeking!"
He led the giggling boy down the ladder and through the forest. Barrel silently opened one of the doors in the Tree Circle and pulled him through.
"Barrel, hurry up!"
"Hang on a sec!"
He gently pulled Lock down the hill into the place he had picked. "Okay, now you can look."
Lock yanked off the bandana and frowned. "Valentine-Ville? What're we doing here?"
"There's something I need to ask you." Barrel said.
Lock folded his arms. "Well, ask."
Barrel nonchalantly pulled out the thing he had been keeping in his pocket. "I know...we haven't been together for very long...but we have been friends for long enough for me to think this is right..."
Lock unfolded his arms slowly. "What're you getting at?"
Barrel, noticing a horde of Cupids watching them from a pillar, swallowed loudly and took a deep breath.
"What I mean to say is...and you don't have to say anything, but..."
He got down on one knee and opened the little box. "Will you marry me?"
Lock put a hand to his mouth, tears welling up in his eyes. Barrel held his breath fearfully.
"...yes! YES! I will!" Lock exclaimed, heart bursting with sheer happiness. Barely giving time for Barrel to stand, he flung himself into his arms, laughing. Barrel smiled wide, eyes shining.
"Say it."
"I love you!"
"Say it again."
"I LOVE YOU! And I always will!"
Barrel grabbed Lock and kissed him passionately. The Cupids tittered, and rainbows exploded in the sky.
The two pulled away, staring into each other's eyes.
"I love you."
THE END
*Yep, it's the end of this story, all right. Thank you all for your lovely reviews! If you guys would like to read more of my future Lock/Barrel stories, just put me on your Author Alert and I'll put up more stories soon! Domo Arrigato!*
