An Angel's Touch

by animesn

After losing her parents in a terrible accident, Kyler is taken in and raised by the Elder Kettle. Her life couldn't be better...until the day Cuphead and Mugman visit the Devil's Casino. In order to save them, Kyler must make a decision that changes not only her life, but also the life of King Dice

9. Ch 8 Conquering Fear

"WHAAAAAT?!" Both Cuphead's and Mugman's jaws dropped (literally) into their laps. "You two?! A couple?!"

The adults all laughed at the brothers' reaction. Kyler and King Dice had decided to meet up with all their friends for a nice Sunday brunch, and the brothers and Elder Kettle had been invited. Cuphead and Mugman were among the last to find out about the relationship between King Dice and Kyler.

"I don't know why you guys are surprised." Leann said.

"Yeah. Everyone else saw it comin' a mile away." Rocco added.

Cuphead puffed out his cheeks in a pout. "But, we thought they would just be friends." HIs brother nodded in agreement.

"Well, that's how it usually starts. We know from experience, don't we honey?" Arisa gave Rawni a loving smile.

"So true babe." Rawni agreed as she reached under the table and sensually stroked Arisa's thigh.

"Besides, they look really good together." Tomoe added.

Mugman looked at Kyler and King Dice with large, innocent eyes. "It's just... we've always thought that Kyler would go for a guy that's...that's..."

"The opposite of me." King Dice finished. The brothers nodded, but immediately felt bad when they saw the hurt look on Kyler's face.

"Don't you guys trust me to make the right decision?" She asked.

"She's got a point you two. We all know that Kyler is a very good judge of character." Elder Kettle chimed in. Everyone else murmered in agreement.

King Dice decided to break the silence. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I get what the little mugs are saying."

Cuphead and Mugman looked at him in surprise. "Really?" They said in unison, and King Dice nodded.

"Sure. You two know Kyler pretty well, so it's only natural for you to know what kind of guys she's into. Hell, I was pretty surprised she agreed to go out with me." He took a hold of Kyler's hand in his. "She's sweet, funny, beautiful, real smart...the total opposite of me."

Kyler gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Well, they say opposites attract. And you're very smart yourself."

"Not as smart as you." King Dice said in a teasing tone.

"Oh, yes you are." Kyler giggled.

"Oh, no I'm not." They laughed softly as they started nuzzling noses.

"Awww!" Arisa, Leann, and Rawni all gushed at the adorable sight that was playing before them, while the men all smiled widely.

"Ewww!" Cuphead and Mugman pulled disgusted faces and made gagging noises. "Okay, okay! We get it. Just stop with all the mushy stuff."

The adults laughed again at their funny reaction.

"Well, if Kyler's happy, then that's good enough for me." Cuphead said.

"Me too." Mugman narrowed his eyes at King Dice. "But you better treat her real good. If you make her even the tiniest bit sad, you're gonna be real sorry."

"What he said." Cuphead added with a firm nod.

King Dice gave the duo a wide grin along with a wink. "Don't worry little mugs. I promise I'll treat her like a real queen." He put his arm around her shoulders and nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Cause she's my sweet, little snow dove."

Kyler giggled. "And he's my big, strong Diceykins."

"Snow dove? Diceykins? Barf!" Cuphead and Mugman pretended they were going to be sick. "Can't you guys at least wait until after we've eaten before you start being lovey-dovey again?"

Everyone laughed as they all stood up and went to check out the expansive buffet.

It happened one evening just a week after Valentine's Day. King Dice and Kyler had just gotten back to her condo and were having a loving make out session on the couch. Like always, he was very gentle with her and made sure his hands did not wander any lower than her collarbone. She still wasn't comfortable with him touching her more intimate areas.

"Did you...like...the movie...we saw?" She managed to ask between kisses.

King Dice smiled and kissed her forehead before answering. "Sure did. I didn't know you were into super hero movies."

"I didn't know you knew so much about the characters." Kyler said as she smiled back.

"Heh, yeah. I have Aiden to thank for that. He was always a huge fan of the super hero genre. Which reminds me. He really enjoyed talking to you yesterday."

Kyler giggled. "I did too. Your brother is so cute."

King Dice raised an eyebrow. "Cuter than me?"

She gave him a mischievous grin. "A little."

"Why, you...now you're gonna get it!" He lunged forward and started lightly tickling her neck with his nose and mustache.

Kyler burst out in a fit of giggles and tried to push him away. "King Dice, stop! You know I hate when you do that!"

"But I thought I was your big, strong Diceykins." He cooed in her ear.

"Y-you know I only call you that to annoy my brothers!" She squealed as his nose came in contact with a particularly ticklish spot. "Now please! Quit that already!"

"Uh-uh. Not until you apologize for saying my brother is cuter than me." King Dice teased.

Kyler tried to roll away from him, but he held onto her tightly. "King...Dice!" She whined in a midst of laughter.

King Dice chuckled mischiviously. "Come on now."

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Aiden is almost as cute as you." Being tickled was one of her least favorite things, but she was enjoying it nonetheless. No one but King Dice could do that to her. In a sense, it was his special way of showing his affection for her.

He stopped tickling her and kissed her softly on the lips. For some time, they just lay there looking into each other's eyes and filled with content. Kyler reached up and placed her left hand on his cheek, gently caressing her thumb along his lips. He closed his eyes and turned his head so he could kiss her fingers.

"I can't get over how soft and warm your face is." Kyler said softly.

He smiled at her. "Expecting it to feel like plastic, huh?"

An embarrassed blush crept along her cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm used to it." He whispered as he leaned in to give her a passionate kiss. "And you know what?" He continued when they broke away. "You're the only gal I've met who didn't freak out about it. In fact, you're the only one who never thought of me as a hutoon. You see me as a living person." He laid his forehead against hers. "I hope I can be just as good to you as you are to me."

Kyler kissed his nose. "You already are."

"Baby girl..." He and Kyler embraced each other lovingly, then resumed making out.

Kyler moaned softly as he planted gentle kisses along her cheek. She was in the process of running her hands along his back when something above them caught her eye. "Smoke..."

"Um-hmm. We're smokin' tonight baby." King Dice said in a muffled voice since he was nibbling on her ear.

Kyler shook her head. "No. I see smoke. Right above us."

"Huh?" He followed her gaze. Sure enough, there were thin lines of smoke floating above them. Frowning, he followed the source of the smoke and could see that it was coming from underneath the door that lead to the public hallway.

Kyler sat up and looked in the same direction behind the couch. "King Dice?" She said in a fear-filled voice.

"Stay right here Kyler." King Dice got up from the coach and walked over to the door. He placed his hand against it, and his worst fear was confirmed. The door was a little warm.

"W-what is it?" Kyler, who had joined him at the door, started to tremble.

He immediately grabbed a hold of her hand. "Kyler, I think there's a fire in the hallway. We've gotta get out of here right now."

Kyler gasped. "Oh my god! B-but how? That's the only way out."

He chewed his lip in thought as he looked around. "The balcony. Come on."

Nodding, Kyler allowed him to lead her to the balcony and open the glass door. The sharp, cold air immediately hit them, along with a large croud of toons and people and firetrucks. They glanced to their right and could see that one of the next door condos was on fire, and it appeared to be approaching Kyler's complex. Fortunately, they would be able to ascape via the balcony. There was just one problem. Kyler's home was on the third floor.

"Don't worry ya two! Imma comin'!" Walley Warbler, a large toon bird who was stuck in a bird house, flew toward the couple at break-neck speed.

"No! You'll just fan the flames, ya ichit!" The carneval's head clown, Beppi, snapped while Kyler and King Dice clung to the rails as the gust of wind Wally stirred up was about to blow them away.

"Oops! Sorry!" Wally came to a halt and joined everyone else on the ground, looking up anxiously at the balcony.

Kyler whimpered and clung to King Dice's arm. "What're we going to do now?"

"I'm thinkin' baby girl. It's okay, we're gonna get outta of this." King Dice racked his brains, trying to figure out how he and Kyler would be able to get off the balcony. Maybe, if there was still time, they could run back into the condo and grab some sheets to make a rope that they could use to climb down...

"Oy! Monssiere Dice! Madame Sharmain!" Kyler and King Dice looked down to see that Goopy Le Grande, a toon who was a round, blue blob with large eyes, had inflated himself. The surrounding humans and toons were frantically waving at the couple and pointing at Goopy.

King Dice immediately understood and turned his head toward Kyler. "Honey, we're gonna have to jump."

Kyler froze on the spot and started to tremble. "I-I can't!" She gasped.

"Yes, you can sweetie. You're stronger than you think." When Kyler shook her head vehemently, he took her by the shoulders and looked at her intently. "Listen, all you have to do is take that leap, and it'll be over before you know it."

Kyler buried her face against his chest and started to cry. "I can't do it! I just can't!"

King Dice knew there was no way he was going to convince her to jump. "Kyler, I'm real sorry about this." Before she knew what was happening, he scooped her up in his arms and tossed her over the railing. She screamed as she plummeted toward a waiting Goopy. Because she was so light, she bounced off of him and went flying in the air. Beppi immediately hopped onto Wally, who flew up toward Kyler, and the toon clown was able to catch her midair. King Dice let out the breath he was holding when the duo landed back onto the ground and gently set Kyler down. She was safe.

"Come on Dice! You're next!" Wally called.

King Dice nodded and was about to jump when a thought occurred to him. He glanced back at the balcony door, then back at the waiting group. "I'll be right back!" He called, and quickly turned and headed back into the now very smoky condo.

"King Dice! What are you-?!" Kyler shrieked at the top of her lungs. But he had already gone back in. Her hands flew to her mouth and tears started to well in her eyes as Beppi wrapped his arms around her.

"Mon Dieu! Has he gone mad?" Goopy managed to exclaim without deflating himself.

A moment passed. Then two. And still, King Dice did not return. "He ain't tryin' to get out another way, is he?" Wally said with wide eyes.

It was at that very moment that King Dice came racing out of the condo and took a flying leap off of the balcony. He had something wrapped in his jacket, and he clutched it against his chest as he did a forward somersault and landed back first onto Goopy. He didn't bounce back up since he was heavier. In fact, the landing hurt a little. But he was all right.

Beppi allowed Kyler to break away from him and run toward King Dice. She threw her arms around him and started to cry. "Oh, god! King Dice! I'm so relieved you made it out!"

King Dice managed a small smile as he hugged her with one arm. Whatever he had retrieved from the condo, he was not letting it go. "I'm glad you're safe too baby." It wasn't until he gave her a kiss that he noticed a rather angry look in her eyes. "Hey, somthin' wrong sweetie?"

Kyler gripped his shoulders with her tiny hands and gave him a firm shake. "What the hell were you thinking? Running back into a smoking building like that! Why would you do something risky like that? Why?!" With each question she shook him a bit more. She had never been more scared in her life.

Before King Dice had a chance to explain, he and Kyler, along with all the other spectators, were quickly escorted by the firefighters to a safer area. The fire had spread a bit further toward Kyler's complex.

Because their contracts prevented them from going to the hospital, King Dice and Kyler were taken to a nearby care center that was normally frequented by humans and hutoons. The firefighters wanted to make sure neither of them were injured or had suffered from smoke inhilation. Because they were only half human, King Dice and the other hutoons were released almost immediately. Kyler and the other humans who were present had to remain at the center a bit longer. After insisting she stay at his place for the night, Kyler told King Dice that he should go home and get some rest, and that she would join him there once she was done. Of course, he refused to leave her.

"I promised I would always stay by your side. Remember?" He said.

Kyler smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I haven't forgotten." She sighed and laid her head against the back of the medical bed she was situated on. They were both in a curtained examination room waiting for the results of her tests. King Dice was sitting in a nearby chair holding her hand and stroking her forehead with the other. "I never thought I'd say something like this, but thanks for throwing me off the balcony when I wouldn't jump. I guess I just got really scared. And I couldn't move."

King Dice smiled and gave her a kiss. "You're welcome little snow dove. Yeah, it was pretty scary. I guess my boyfriend instincts just happened to kick in, and all that was goin' through my head was that I had to protect you."

She looked at him quizzically. "But why didn't you follow me right away? Why did you go back in?"

"Oh, yeah. That." Up until now, King Dice had completely forgotten about the object he had retrieved from the condo. It was still wrapped in his jacket and nestled under the chair he was sitting on. He reached under to retrieve it. "I was thinking the fire would've reached your place, so I decided right then and there that I just had to save this."

He handed the wrapped item to her, and she removed the coat from it. She let out an emotional gasp and put her hand over her mouth. Sitting in her lap was the picture that she treasured. "King Dice...this is..."

King Dice put his arm around Kyler and pulled her in for a hug as he looked at the picture of her smiling family. "I know how much it means to you, and that it would kill you if had gotten destroyed. I know, I know." He added quickly, because he knew Kyler was about to chastise him again for going back into the potentially dangerous building. "But it's the last picture of you and your parents together. And I guess between the moment I was gonna jump and the moment I ran back in, I thought about how I would feel if I lost my picture of Aiden. I couldn't let you go through somethin' like that." He placed his hand on her cheek. "That photo is very important. Nothin' should ever happen to it."

Kyler placed her hand on his and managed a small smile through the tears forming in her eyes. "I don't how I could ever thank you." She said softly. "Saving me and my most important treasure. You really are the most amazing boyfriend I could ask for."

King Dice smiled back at her and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Just promise me that we will always be there for each other. No matter what happens."

Kyler nodded, and they shared a loving kiss. They were so engrossed in their intimate moment together, that neither one noticed that the doctor had pulled the curtain aside.

"Ahem." The young couple immediately pulled away from each other when the doctor cleared her throat. King Dice gave a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck in an awkward manner, while Kyler looked down with a very red face. "S-sorry." They both murmured in embarrassment.

The doctor laughed. "That' quite all right. It makes me happy to see a couple care so much for each other." She flipped through the chart she was holding. "Well Kyler. I am happy to report that your test results show that you did not suffer from any smoke inhalation and you're as healthy as ever. You are free to go home."

King Dice and Kyler both gave the doctor relieved smiles. They thanked her and walked out of the entrance, where King Dice's chauffor was waiting for them. The excitement from all the events that occurred that evening proved to be too much for Kyler, and she fell asleep on her boyfriend's shoulder during the ride back to his mansion.

"Aww. My poor little snow dove." He murmured as he nuzzled the top of her head. "I'm sure the firefighters were able to stop the fire before it reached your place. And if they didn't, I promise I'll replace everything you lost. Right down to the last sock."

Once they arrived, King Dice carefully gathered Kyler in his arms and carried her through the front door, which Terrance had opened for him. He and Bumblette smiled when they saw Kyler sleeping in their employer's arms.

"Bless her little heart." Bumblette gushed.

Terrance nodded in agreement. "We are relieved to see that you and Miss Sharmain are safe. It must have been quite a harrowing experience for you both."

"It was. But there were a lot of people there to help us get out." King Dice gently cradled Kyler in his arms. "Is her room ready?"

"As it was the last time she was here." Terrance replied.

King Dice gave his butler a smile and nod. "Thanks. I'm gonna go ahead and get her to bed. I'm pretty tired myself."

"I'll bet you are after that experience. You two have a good night." Bumblette said.

"Night guys. And thanks again." Both butler and maid watched as King Dice carefully carried Kyler bridal-style up the grand staircase and disappear down the hallway that lead to the guest room. They really were relieved that the young couple were okay.

The door was partially ajar, so King Dice had no problem opening it and walking into the room. Since the blankets were already pulled down, all he'd have to do was cover Kyler with them. Once he laid her down on the bed, she began to stir and her eyes fluttered open. She smiled at him and kissed his nose. "Hi." She said softly.

He smiled back and nuzzled her nose as he laid down next to her. "Heh, heh. Hi."

Kyler looked around the room they were both now settled in. "Well, here I am again." She said with a sigh.

King Dice nodded. "Yeah. And all because the condo next to yours caught on fire. Seems like every time you finally got your life together, something crazy happens and you end up staying at my place." He put his arms around her. "Not that that's a bad thing." He added with a grin.

"But it wasn't your fault this time." Kyler said in a rather mischievous tone.

He groaned. "You're not gonna let me live that down, are ya?"

Her amathist orbs twinkled. "Nope. No, no! You can't tickle my neck right now!" She laughed as he attempted to go for her ticklish spot.

"Why not?" He whined.

"Because I'm still holding my picture." Kyler had her arms wrapped tightly around her treasure, but she allowed King Dice to take a hold of it and carefully place it on the bedstand. She had no excuse to not let him tickle her now, but instead, he decided to give her a passionate kiss. She kissed him back, and they remained that way with their lips locked together for a few moments.

"Kyler." King Dice whispered when they broke away. "I really am glad we made it out of there safely."

"Me too." Kyler whispered back. "And the firefighters were able to contain the fire, so my condo is safe. Back at the care center, I was talking with one of the other residents who lived in the same complex as mine, and he said we should be able to go back tomorrow."

King Dice embraced her tightly, and she embraced him in return. "That's good." He kissed her again, and she yawned as he pulled away. "We should both get some sleep. It's been a pretty crazy night."

Kyler looked at him with droopy, but pleading eyes. "Will you...stay with me tonight? After everything's that happened, I kind of don't want to be alone right now."

"Of course baby girl. I'd be happy to." King Dice kissed her again before sitting up so he could take off his shoes. Then he laid down next to her and covered the both of them with the thick blanket.

Kyler was just about to snuggle against him when her eyes suddenly snapped open. "Oh! I almost forgot." Her hands flew to her chest where her butterfly necklace was resting.

King Dice chuckled. "Here sweetie." He unclasped the necklace from around her neck and set it next to her picture so it wouldn't get lost.

Kyler wasn't so sure. "I always put it back in the jewelry box that it came in. Do you think it'll be safe there?"

"Don't worry baby. I promise I won't let anything happen to it as long as I'm here." King Dice turned off the light and pulled Kyler close to him.

She burrowed her face against his chest and sighed in content. "I trust you." As always, she felt King Dice place his hand on the back of her head as they cuddled. This combined with the beating of his heart against her ear always brought her comfort. She knew that as long as King Dice was always around, she would be safe.

And he felt the same way. In a way, he and Kyler protected each other. As long as they were together, nothing and no one could do them any harm. He listened to Kyler's slow, steady breathing as she fell asleep in his arms. He once again admired how beautiful she looked in the moonlight, and almost immediately followed her in slumber.

The identical looks on Cuphead and Mugman's faces told Kyler that they knew (or felt) that they have done something very wrong.

"What happened you two? Why the distraught faces?" Kyler asked as the brothers solemnly approached her and King Dice. They were both sitting in the garden taking a well earned rest after removing all her items from her partially damaged condo and once again storing them in his garages.

"All they said was that they needed to see you right away." Arisa said.

Rawni nodded. "Yeah. They knew we were home, so they knocked on our door and asked if we could give them a ride to King Dice's place. They knew you'd be here."

Kyler and King Dice exchanged looks before she got down on her knees and held out her arms to the duo so they could burrow their faces into her chest. "Hey now. It's okay. I told you guys I didn't get hurt because King Dice got me out. And he helped me get all my stuff out of there. Including my picture."

"That's right." King Dice said as he joined Kyler on the ground. He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "I promised you Mugs I'd protect her, and that's exactly what I did." Kyler giggled in response.

Cuphead and Mugman were silent for a moment before they looked up at the couple with teary, puppy dog eyes. Then the incoherent, blubbering began. "Ehehe...! Fight!...Ehehe!...Grim Matchstick!...Contract...! Hic! Fire! Waaaaa!" They resumed burying their faces in Kyler's chest as they cried.

"Uh...did ya get any of that baby girl?" King Dice asked Kyler.

She shook her head. "No. I cannot understand what they're trying to tell us."

They both looked up at Rawni and Arisa in confusion.

"It seems to have something to do with this." Rawni held out a rolled piece of parchment that she had tucked in her back pocket.

"We didn't unroll it because the sight of it seemed to really upset Cuphead and Mugman." Arisa added.

Kyler looked at the parchment Rawni was holding. It was wrapped with a seal that she didn't recognize. But King Dice appeared to know what it was.

"Let me see that." Rawni handed the parchment to him, and he unrolled it so that he and Kyler could study it. The color from both their faces drained. "Oh, christ." He muttered as Kyler let out a horrified gasp. Rawni and and Arisa walked behind King Dice and Kyler so they could see the contents, and their hands flew to their mouths at what they saw.

Written on the parchment was a long list of individuals who were in debt to the Devil. They had bet their souls, but have either failed to provide them or ran off before the Devil had a chance to collect them.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Kyler was finally able to speak to the brothers. "How did you guys get this?" She said in a scared, hushed voice.

Cuphead and Mugman looked up at her, still sniffling. "We...we went back to the casino." Cuphead wimpered.

"Cuphead! Mugman!" Neither Rawni nor Arisa could hide their disappointment.

The fear in Kyler's face was replaced by anger, and she was about to speak when Mugman cut her off. "But, it wasn't like last time! We wanted to see the Devil to see if there was any way we could free you."

Cuphead nodded. "He said there is a way. He gave us that list and said that if we collected all of his debtors' soul contracts, he would let you go. King Dice too."

Kyler closed her eyes and let out a long, shaky sigh. Then she pulled the brothers into a hug as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Dummies. Why do you always have to put yourselves at risk for the ones you love?"

"Aw, sweetie." King Dice gave Kyler another kiss and hugged her as well.

It was all too much for Rawni and Arisa. They both got down on their knees and started to cry too as they joined their friends in the hug. "That sadistic bastard. Even if it means saving the ones you love, he always makes sure more lives are destroyed in exchange." Arisa said through her tears.

Rawni nodded in agreement as she kissed Arisa and comfortingly stroked her hair. "I know babe."

They all stayed like that for a moment so that everyone had a chance to calm down. After making sure Kyler was okay, King Dice took another look at the parchment. "So...I wonder who's on here."

"Grim Matchstick was one of them." Mugman said quickly. "He accidentally set the one condo next to Kyler's on fire when we fought him..."

"Fought him?" Kyler's eyes widened in shock. "Why on earth would you do such a thing? Grim is one of your best friends!"

"It's because he knew we wanted his soul contract. Elder Kettler said something about toons and humans unlocking their inner evil when their souls are about to be taken by the Devil." Cuphead explained. "It's some sort of effect he has on them. The closer we got to the contract, the more violent he became."

Mugman nodded. "Grim even told us that he didn't want to hurt us, and to stay away from him."

Arisa looked thoughtful. "It sounds like he was almost fighting the evil in him that was coming to the surface."

"But in the end, he had no control." Rawni added. "It sounds similar to when murderers say they had an out of body experience while they are committing the crime. It's as if another being has taken control of their entire body."

"That'a a good comparison." King Dice continued scanning the parchment, shaking his head. "Mm-mm... Beppi's also on here, Goopy, Baroness Von Bon Bon...oh...oh, fuck me." He said that last part in a somewhat scared tone.

"What? Who else is on there?" King Dice tried to roll up the parchment quickly, but Kyler snatched it out of his hands before he had the chance. Her eyes roamed over it before she found what King Dice didn't want her to see. What little color was left in her cheeks drained completely, and she started to tremble. "No..."

"K-Kyler? Who was it?" The two brothers placed their hands on her lap, looking at her with concerned eyes.

King Dice gently pulled the parchment from Kyler's hands, rolled it up, and pulled her into a hug. "It's Cala Maria." He told them solemnly.

"WHAT?!" Cuphead and Mugman were in utter shock. "Oh no! Kyler, we swear we didn't know she was on there!"

"Isn't she the one you told me that saved Kyler's life?" Rawni asked Arisa. She nodded and joined King Dice in comforting Kyler. "Oh god. Kyler, I'm so sorry."

"I-I just don't understand. Why would she do something like that? It doesn't make any sense." Kyler said tearfully as she burrowed her face into King Dice's chest.

King Dice kissed her head and stroked her hair. "I'm sure she had a good reason baby girl."

Kyler was about to object to his statement, that there was never a good reason to sell your soul to the Devil. Then she remembered that she once attempted to do the same thing. It would be hypocritical of her to chastise Cala Maria. "You're right. I shouldn't judge her. Cala...she would never do anything without thinking it through first." She wiped her tears from her eyes and took a breath. "I have to see her. Before the Devil takes her soul."

Cuphead and Mugman exchanged nervous looks. "But Kyler. How are you gonna do that? Cala lives in the ocean. You'd have to go there to see her. And you're really afraid of the water." Cuphead said.

"I'll get over my fear. I can't be afraid forever." Kyler told him as she stood up, her friends and King Dice following suit.

"And the Devil said he's waited for years to get her soul. Some of them we can collect in a year or so, but he's only giving us two weeks to collect Cala's." Mugman added.

Kyler balled her hands into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Then I'll conquer it before then." Head held high, she started to head back into the mansion, everyone else following close behind her. "My therapist said that once I'm ready to take the next step, I need to schedule a plan. First I need to touch the water, then step into it..." She nodded as she continued muttering in thought. It was clear that her mind was racing.

Kind Dice wasn't so sure. He gingerly placed his hand on Kyler's shoulder as she picked up her iPad that she had sitting on the entrance table and started working on her plan. "Sweetie, I know this means a lot to ya, but you shouldn't rush gettin' over your phobia. It could just make things worse for you."

Kyler stopped typing and gave him a determined look. "I don't care! I will do whatever it takes to see Cala before she becomes that creature's prisoner. If it hadn't been for her...if she hadn't pulled me out of the yacht, I would've died that day." Her eyes softened as she continued to gaze into his concerned emerald ones. "I haven't seen her since the accident. I owe that much to her."

King Dice didn't say anything. He couldn't. There were no words to describe how he was feeling right now. Yes, he was concerned that Kyler's quick decision could put her in danger, but at the same time, it wasn't like she had all the time in the world to to see her friend once last time. That was out of her control. He could only sigh and pull her close to him, gently nuzzling the top of her head. "Snow dove..."

"There's no point trying to stop her. Once Kyler has made up her mind about something, she sees it through until the very end." Arisa explained to him.

Rawni nodded in agreement. "And I don't know about everyone else, but I think she can do it. She's a lot tougher than she looks."

Cuphead and Mugman once again exchanged looks. Then they both smiled and gave a nod before turning to Kyler. "Ya know somethin'? You guys are right. We should cheer her on." They pumped their fists in the air with excitement. "You can do it Kyler! We know you can!"

Kyler smiled widely. She set down her ipod and they all hugged one another. She then looked expectently at King Dice.

He was quiet for a moment, and everyone held their breaths as he seemed to mull over his thoughts. Eventually, a smile spread across his face. "If it means that much to you baby girl, then I'm behind you all the way. I'll do everything in my power to help ya."

Kyler gave a happy yelp. She threw her arms around King Dice and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you so much honey! It means the world to hear you say that! Oh, I mean..." She looked mischievously at Cuphead and Mugman, who's happy expressions were replaced with looks of horror.

"Kyler, don't you dare." They warned, and Rawni and Arisa started to giggle as they knew what was coming.

Standing on her tip toes and taking King Dice's face in her hands, Kyler nuzzled his nose. "My big, strong, handsome Diceykins had made his little Dovey Wuvie so happy!" She cooed in a mock baby voice.

King Dice grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her back. "And I'm so happy that my little Dovey Wuvie is so happy!" He cooed back, and they shared a loving kiss.

"Blech! Stop it!" Cuphead and Mugman puffed out their cheeks in annoyance as they covered their eyes with their hands. They really hated when King Dice and Kyler acted that way in front of them.

"There. That oughta do it." King Dice finished setting up the two candles on the sink and had just plugged in the scented vapor scent. After he and Kyler had a phone conversation with her therapist (King Dice had to make the call since her therapist was over the tracks), they were both able to come up with a scheduled plan. Recently, she had been able to shower on her own without anyone present, something she was quite proud of. Now she was ready to move on to the next step, which was facing a full body of water. She was a little nervous, but excited at the same time. King Dice was excited for her too. Being afraid of the one thing that killed her parents had to have been a living hell for her, and she had finally found the courage to face it. The therapist did say that there were a few things that were imperative toward Kyler's success: she must never, under any circumstances, be left alone near a full body of water, and she must be in the presence of someone that she fully trusts. It was up to her to decide who she wanted to be her main support system, and she chose King Dice. As much as she loved Cuphead and Mugman, they were a bit too hyperactive to maintain a calm environment. And they were a bit busy collecting souls. Leann, Arisa and Rawni were also choices, but they all politely declined because they cared enough about Kyler to the point where a single mishap in the water could send all four girls into a panic. Instead, they all decided to take Kyler out shopping for a bathing suit. She hadn't worn one since the day of the accident, as the very site of one only brought back tramatic memories. They made it a girl's day out, and after four boutiques and a delicious lunch, they finally found the perfect suit for her

"The only reason it was difficult to find a bathing suit for you is because you looked good in all of them." Leann told Kyler, causing her to blush madly. The other three bought some suits as well. Naturally, Arisa and Rawni drooled when they saw one another in their chosen bikinis in the dressing room and insinuated that they were going to model for one another when they get home.

"And we know where that's going to lead to." Arisa said in a seductive voice as she sensually stroked Rawni's ears.

Rawni's tail stood on end at the feel of her girlfriend's gentle touch. "Don't do that in public Arisa. You know it turns me on."

Arisa gave a fake pout. "But I want to show you my affection."

Rawni pulled Arisa into an embrace and gave her a kiss. "Later...when we're alone." She whispered in her ear.

Kyler and Leanne smiled at their friends. Seeing them acting so loving toward each other helped ease Kyler's nervousness. And having her boyfriend help her made things even better.

King Dice did one final check to make sure that everything would be to Kyler's liking when there was a knock on his bathroom door. "Yeah?"

"It's me King Dice. I...I'm in my bathing suit now. Is it safe to come in?" Kyler said timidly.

"Of course you can sweetie. I'm decent." He was wearing his favorite purple swimming trunks and a t-shirt he didn't really care about, since he figured that a combination of getting into the water and a shirtless boyfriend would be more than Kyler could take.

The door opened, and King Dice looked up in time to see Kyler gingerly walk in. His eyes widened when he saw her in a bathing suit for the very first time. It was a white one piece halter top swimsuit with a handkerchief hem that was connected to the waist and flowed down to each side of Kyler's figure. The hem itself was designed to look like orange and yellow gradient butterfly wings. As far as he was concerned, no woman but her would look so beautiful in it.

"U-um..." Kyler fiddled with the hem of her suit and nervously shuffled her feet when a moment of silence passed between them. "Does it look okay?" She asked softly.

King Dice couldn't speak. He simply walked over and pulled her into an embrace. "Baby, it's more than okay. It's...I don't even know how to describe it." He broke their hug and stepped back so he could get a better look at her. "Maybe it's cuz I've never seen you in a bathing suit before, but you look insanely beautiful right now. The colors and the butterfly hem...it all looks so good on you."

Kyler gave him a smile and giggled. "Thank you. I actually picked it out myself. Rawni, Leann, and Arisa all said that it was the perfect suit for me."

"And the weren't lyin' sweetiepie." King Dice told her with a wide grin.

Kyler giggled again. "I like your swimming trunks too. Do you normally swim in a shirt?"

King Dice grinned. "Nah, not really. But I wasn't sure how you'd feel about me being shirtless, with ya gettin' in the water and all. Though, if ya rather I took it off..." He added with wink.

Kyler shook her head vehemently. "No, no! It's fine! I really like your shirt on!" Annoyed with her reaction, she groaned and burrowed her face against his chest. "I'm sorry. I did it again. Reacting in such an immature way."

Cupping her chin in his hand and tilting her head toward him, King Dice smiled warmly at her. "It's okay baby girl. I know ya didn't mean it. I should know better than to tease ya like that. So I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"It's okay. You probably knew I'd be a bit scared about getting in the water, so you were only trying to ease my discomfort." Kyler reached up to caress his cheek with her hand.

King Dice chuckled. "You know me too well." They shared a loving kiss before turning their attention toward the tub. "Okay baby. Ya ready?"

Kyler took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Yes, I'm ready."

Hand-in-hand, they both walked over to the tub, and Kyler gave King Dice a questioning look when she saw that there was no water in the tub. He noticed this and chuckled again. "So, I didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time I tried to surprise ya with a soothing bath. This time, I thought it would be best to fill the tub while you're here. Then you can tell me how full you want it to be."

"That's a wonderful idea King Dice. Thank you so much for your consideration." Kyler examined the tub a bit further, and her eyes fell on a stepping stool that was situated on the side of it. "What's that for?"

"Oh, this. I almost forgot." King Dice said. "Well, I thought instead of going completely in the tub, you can use the stepping stool to ease your way in. See? When you first step onto it, the water will only cover your feet. Another step down, and it'll cover your ankles. And so on."

Kyler looked at him in amazement. "Did my therapist recommend this?"

King Dice nervously rubbed the back of his neck."Well, no. It's somethin' I thought of myself, so..." He trailed off, not sure if the stepping stool was the right thing to do.

He was proven wrong when Kyler smiled and gave him a hug. "You're the most wonderful, compassionate boyfriend I could ever ask for."

King Dice smiled back and kissed her. "You're welcome sweetie. I want this to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience for you. So I'll do whatever I can to help." He reached down and and pulled up the nozzle that plugged the tub. "Ready?"

Kyler hugged his free arm, her face filled with determination. "Let's do this."

He nodded and switched the water on. Kyler jumped a little and hugged his arm a little more tightly. "I'm okay. I just didn't expect it to come out with such force." She said when he gave her a concerned look.

"Ya want me to turn it down a bit sweetie?" He asked, and Kyler shook her head.

"It's fine. I'm over it now." She nuzzled her nose against his arm to reassure him.

King Dice smiled in relief. "I'm glad you're okay now. How full do ya want the tub?"

Kyler thought for a moment as she watched the cascading water. "Um, all the way...I think...yes, definetly all the way."

King Dice couldn't help but be a little surprised. "Ya sure baby?

"Yes. It makes the most sense, since you have the stepping stool in there." Kyler said.

"Heh. Never thought of it that way. Okay, we'll fill it all the way up. Just let me know if you change your mind, okay?" King Dice told her in a soothing tone.

Kyler smiled at him. "I will. Don't worry." She and King Dice watched as the tub continued to fill, her confidence overflowing However, her anxiety also seemed to be rising along with the increasing water. The sight of it began stirring memories of her horrific experience in the ocean, and she was starting to regret her decision. Then she remembered that she wasn't in the ocean. There was no storm, no dangerous waves. She was in a beautiful bathroom with soothing aromas and music. And King Dice was with her. She knew he would not let anything bad happen. Like he promised when they first became a couple, he would always protect her.

King Dice glanced at her and noticed that she seemed a little apprehensive. "You all right baby gir? Is the water gettin' too high?" He asked as he kissed her cheek.

"I was just lost in thought. For a moment, I had a flashback of my last experience in the water. It was as if I was reliving that terrible moment all over again. No, wait..." she added quickly as King Dice proceeded to shut the water off. "It's all right. That was all in the past. I've learned to accept that. This is now. Right this moment, I'm in a safe environment with someone I know will look after me. And the future is yet to come. I know bad things will happen, but more good things will follow. That is all part of life. And I don't think anyone understands the kind of life events I've experienced better than you do. After all, you've gone through traumatic experiences yourself." She looked at him with a gentle smile. "I couldn't have found someone better to help me get this far in conquaring my phobia. My wonderful boyfriend. This is probably the best thing you could have ever done for me."

Kind Dice was stunned. He's dated a lot of girls throughout his life, but none of them had ever said anything as meaningful. Kyler was definetly not like them at all...she was better. He had spoiled her with gifts and luxuries. And yet the best thing he had done for her...no, was doing for her, was helping get over her fear of water. It was something so simple, yet meaningful at the same time. He didn't need to buy her things to make her happy. Just being there when she needed him the most was more than enough. He placed his hand on her cheek. "Kyler, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I know I've said this so many times, but you mean the world to me. I really mean that." He leaned forward, and they shared a kiss.

Eventually, King Dice shut off the water, and they both stood there in silence for a moment and watched as the water came to a standstill. He glanced again at Kyler, who seemed mesmerized at the sight before her. "What are you thinkin' right now sweetie?"

"I think...I think I want to feel it with my hands before getting in." Kyler said after taking a deep breath.

King Dice nodded, and he and Kyler both got down on their knees. He watched as she slowly reached out toward the filled tub. "Take your time honey. The tub has built-in heaters, so the water won't get cold." He said when she hesitated.

"Okay." Kyler took a few deep breaths before she placed her hand in the water.

King Dice watched closely as she ran her hand through it, gently rubbing her back while talking to her in a comforting tone. "How does it feel?"

"It's warm. And it feels silky. I didn't expect that." Kyler said, and King Dice chuckled in response.

"See the clear mats aligning the the inside of the tub? They have bath beads in them that release nutrient oils when the water touches them. They're supposed to be good for the skin. I bought them especially for tonight." He added with a grin.

The smile on Kyler's face grew wider. "Aww, you didn't have to do that. But I cannot deny that it was a good idea."

"Heh-heh. I take it you're not feeling too anxious right now?" He asked her.

Kyler shook her head as she continued to run her hand through the water. "Just a little, but I really do like how the water feels right now." She pulled her hand out of the tub and proceeded to stand up. "Okay...I think I'm ready to get in now."

"All right sweetie." King Dice said as he stood up along with her. She once again had a firm hold on his arm. Despite what she said, he could sense her apprehention. "Ya want me to get in first?"

"Yes, please." Kyler said with a nod. and she released his arm so that he could step into the tub. Now it was her turn. She wanted to get onto the stepping stool, but there were no steps on the outside of the tub. And she didn't want to lift her leg too high for fear that she she would trip and fall right into the water. "Um...I'm having trouble keeping my balance..."

"I got an idea. How about I lift you up and set you on the stool? Are you okay with that?" King Dice asked.

Kyler gave him a thankful smile and put her arms around his neck. He picked her up by the waist and gently set her on the stepping stool. Kyler let out a small gasp when, for the first time in ten years, she felt the water cover her feet. She hugged King Dice tightly and burrowed her face in his shoulder

"You okay there baby girl?" He asked as he hugged her back.

Kyler made a muffled sound against him before speaking. "Y-yes. I just need to get used to it. It's been so long."

King Dice started to rub her back again. "I understand. Take all the time you need, okay?" He held on to her and patiently waited for her to adjust to the water, once again marvelling at how light she was.

"Ninety-two."

"Huh's that sweetie?" King Dice asked her.

"My weight. I could tell you were wondering how much it was." Kyler said softly.

King Dice felt his face go beet red. "N-no I wasn't! Honest!"

She giggled. "It's okay. Really. I know I'm small, so it doesn't bother me."

"You're pretty tough though. I mean, look what you're doing right now. You're standing in water, and you're not even freaking out." He complemented her.

"Thank you. I'm tough when I have to be." She started to loosen her grip around him and relax a little. "I think I'm getting used to being in the water again. It really is nice. Mainly because I'm with you."

King Dice kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "I'm glad I can be a part of this baby girl. I know how important it is to you. I know you'd do the same for me."

Confidence rising again, Kyler smiled at him. "Of course I would." She looked down at her feet, then up to him again. "I think I'm ready to go in a little further."

"Okay sweetie." King Dice stepped back a little so Kyler had room to step down.

She clung to his hands. "Don't let me go, okay?"

He nodded in understanding. "I gotcha baby girl."

Taking another deep breath, Kyler stepped down so that the water was now up to her ankles. After standing there for some time, she took another step down, then another. The next thing she knew, she was in the tub, and the water was up to her knees. It was at that point that she gasped a little and once again hugged King Dice tightly, who wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"How ya doing baby? Ya feeling anxious again?" He asked.

Kyler was silent for a moment as she collected her thoughts. "I'm fine. I just...want to be close to you. I guess I feel safer when I am." She looked at him with a sheepish smile. "It's kind of silly. I mean, we're standing in a tub full of water not doing anything. That's not dangerous."

She was surprised when he gave her a serious look. "It's not silly Kyler. What you've been through would've scarred anyone. Everybody has a fear of somethin'. Facing it takes a lot of courage."

"Even you?" Kyler asked with a curious tilt of her head.

King Dice turned a little red before answering. "Promise ya won't tell anyone?"

Kyler nuzzled his chest lovingly. "Of course I promise. I won't say a word."

"Well, okay." He sighed. "Dolls."

Her eyes widened in amazement. "You're...afraid of dolls?"

"The realistic ones with the blinking eyes that stare at ya. When I was a kid, Aiden thought it would be funny to take one of our mom's collection dolls and place it in my bed next to me while I was sleeping. I turned around, opened my eyes, and the damn thing was staring at me right in the face." He rolled his eyes. "I screamed so loud that Terrance and Bumblette were convinced that there was a little girl in my room. Yeah, it's pretty stupid." He added when Kyler started laughing.

"No, it's not stupid at all. I agree with you that those dolls are quite unsettling. I've never liked them myself. The reason I'm laughing is because it sounds like something Aiden would do. You did mention that you guys would play pranks on each other." Kyler smiled at him and wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes due to her laughing so hard. "I'll tell you want. Once you help me get over my fear of water, I'll help you get over your fear of dolls. How does that sound?"

King Dice chuckled. "Sound like a good idea to me. What do ya suggest we start with?"

"Hmmm...how about rag dolls? They're usually cute." Kyler said.

Once again, he let out a chuckle. "I think I can handle those. They don't have the realistic eyes that stare at and follow you everywhere...like they can see right into your soul." King Dice shuddered. "Urrgh...it might be awhile before I can even look at those things again."

Kyler smiled and laid her head against his chest. "I'll just do what you're doing for me right now. Be patient and let you go at your own pace."

"Speaking of pace, what's your anxiety level at right now sweetie?" One of the things Kyler's therapist told King Dice to do was to address her feelings during the whole process. It was an important step because it showed her how much he supported her and gave him an idea of whether or not he needed to immediately get her away from the water.

Kyler was quiet for a moment as she glanced down at the water. "It's actually pretty low. In fact, I...I think I want to try something different. Something I thought I'd never be able to do again."

"What do ya wanna do baby?" He asked as he stroked her hair.

"I...I'd like to get done on my knees. So the water is up to...up to..." She took a couple deep breaths before continuing. "My waist."

King Dice's eyes were big as saucers. He was sure that standing in the water was as far as Kyler would want to go. Submerging half her body in it...that was way more than he expected. "Kyler, ya think you're ready for somethin' like that? That's a pretty big step."

Kyler looked up at him uncertainly. "You don't think I'm ready? Maybe you're right..."

"No, no! I didn't mean it like that. It' just...I don't want ya pushing yourself too hard. Your therapist said it's really important to take your time..." He trailed off as the realization hit him. The truth was, Kyler didn't have much time. The reason she was doing this was so that she could see Cala Maria one more time before her soul was lost to the Devil. And if Kyler was certain about her decision...

He pulled her into a tight hug. "It's up to you baby girl. If that's really what ya wanna do, then I'm behind ya all the way."

Again, Kyler laid her head against his chest. "Time is not on my side. I'm not just doing this for myself. I'm doing it for my dear friend...the one who is the very reason I am here today." She closed her eyes. "After I accomplish my goal in which I can see her, then I can take all the time I want."

King Dice nodded in understanding. "Let me know when you're ready."

Kyler glanced down at the water again. "I'm ready, but...can you get down on your knees first? Then it'll be easier for me to hang onto you."

"Of course sweetie. Would it be okay if I sat down though? I've never been comfortable on my knees. You can kneel between my legs." King Dice told her.

"That'll be fine." Kyler told him with a smile and hug.

King Dice proceeded to sit down in the tub and lay his back against the inflatable pillow, allowing Kyler to hang onto his one free hand with both of hers. Once he was situated, he reached up to her with his other hand. Kyler breathed in and out before slowly bending down and placing one knee on the floor of the tub. She was planning to kneel in the tub while still hanging on to King Dice's hands. However, she leaned too far when she went to place the other knee down, causing her to fall forward. She let out a yelp as she fell against King Dice's chest, water splashing over the both of them.

"Oh, crap! Kyler, ya okay?" King Dice immediately wrapped his arms tightly around her and started stroking the back of her head. He was just as startled as she was, if not more, and he was certain that he could feel her heart thumping wildly against his stomach. When she didn't answer, he became concerned. "Baby girl? Ya wanna get out?"

"Huh...uh." Kyler managed to gasp as she shook her head. "N-no. I'm okay. It just scared me a little."

King Dice let out a relieved sigh. "Thank god. Here, I'll help ya onto your knees."

To his surprise, she shook her head again. "Wait." She had closed her eyes and turned her head so she could place her ear against his chest. After a few moments of silence, a small smile spread across her lips and she opened her eyes. "I just want us to stay like this for a while. I can hear your heart beating, and your arms are holding me. It brings me comfort. And the water feels like a warm blanket."

"Aw, sweetie." King Dice hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss. "I'm so happy I can make this a good experience for ya. If there's anything else I can do..."

"Would you sing me a song? And maybe... run some water along my back? That would feel really nice." She said in a hushed voice.

He nodded and started to sing as he scooped some water and caressed her back with his hand, taking great care not to get any on her face. She wasn't ready for that yet. Kyler let out a content hum of approval as she snuggled against him. Time passed as he continued to sing to her and and gently allowed the water to cascade along her back. Her heart beat seemed to grow steady, and he was convinced that she had managed to calm down. Except for that one minor mishap, the exposure therapy was going very well. Kyler seemed very content, and that couldn't make King Dice any happier. For the very first time since her horrific experience in the ocean, she was in the water laying against his chest and holding on to him. But she wasn't clinging to him. No, she was just acting as if they were snuggling like they always do. She was so tiny, but very brave and strong willed. Hence one of the reasons he really admired her.

After a few more moments, King Dice decided it was time to check in again. "What's your anxiety level right now Kyler?... Kyler?" He looked down at her and smiled lovingly. Kyler had fallen asleep. He took that as a sign that her anxiety level was pretty low. And that it was probably time to get out. Kissing the top of her head, he tightened one arm around her waist as he used his free hand to get ready to stand up.

And then it happened.

As King Dice braced himself to stand up, his foot came in contact with one of the buttons on the side of the tub, causing the jets to activate. The force sent the water into a wild frenzy. Kyler's eyes immediately flew open and she let out a horrified scream, which was cut short when water got into her mouth. She coughed and sputtered as she started to panic. "K-King Dice! Please help me! I'm drowning!"

Trying not to panic himself, King Dice tightened his hold on her. "It's okay Kyler! Stay calm! I'm gonna get you outta here!" He tried to stand up, but it was difficult to do so because Kyler had released her hold on him and started to flail around. "No! Don't let go!" He yelled when he lost his hold on her.

But since she was in such an emotional state, Kyler had lost all sense and didn't listen to him. The rest happened in a split second. In a panic, she had tried to stand up while in a crouching position. Instead, she lost her balance and started to fall backwards. King Dice frantically tried to grab a hold of her hands, but they were too slippery. He watched helplessly as a terrified Kyler fell back and disappeared under the water.

Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! King Dice immediately lunged forward and desperately tried to get a hold of her. It didn't take long for him to grab her and pull her above the water. In an instant, he wrapped one arm under her bottom and another around her back and held her close to him. Then he immediately turned around to quickly get out of the tub. All he could think about was getting Kyler away from the tub and back into his bedroom, so he had completely forgotten about the stepping stool until he tripped over it. He couldn't stop himself from falling, and immediately placed his hand over the back of Kyler's head so it wouldn't hit the floor.

"Ahhh, shit!" He snarled through gritted teeth as his knuckles came in contact with the hard, sleek tile. The pain was intense, but he wasted no time in quickly wrapping a towel around Kyler and rushing her out of the bathroom. It wasn't until he set her on the bed that Kyler fell forward on her hands and knees and coughed up a lot of water onto the floor. Having heard the commotion, Terrance and Bumbelett had burst into the room, and King Dice quickly explained what happened while Kyler finished coughing up the water. But it wasn't over. After taking some deep breaths, she suddenly clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Oh, christ! Someone get a bucket!" King Dice wasn't even halfway speaking before Bumbelett quickly buzzed out of the bathroom and quickly placed a trash bin on the floor as Kyler vomited into it. Once she was done, she turned to her side and fell back into King Dice's arms, panting heavily. Distraught, he frantically pushed her wet bangs to the side and hugged her tightly. "Kyler, look at me baby! You all right? You all right?"

Kyler had to take a few shaky breaths before she could speak. "I-I was underwater...couldn't find my way back up..." She started to cry as King Dice began to rock her.

"i know, I know baby girl. It was all my fault. I pressed the button that turned on the jets when I tried to stand up. Sweetie, I'm so, so sorry! I ruined everything!" He couldn't stop giving her kisses and stroking her soaked hair.

"It was an accident sir. You had absolutely no intention of putting Miss Sharmain in a dangerous situation." Terrance said reassurangly as Bumblette brought out some towels and started drying off both King Dice and Kyler.

King Dice shook his head vehemently. "It doesn't matter. I wasn't payin' attention, and Kyler almost got hurt. I should've - " He stopped talking when Kyler softly spoke his name.

"He...he's right. You didn't do it on purpose. I know you'd never hurt me. Yes, I was really scared, but I'm not angry. You promised you'd always protect me, and you did. You pulled me out of the water. I'm safe because of you." She gave him a small smile and lightly nuzzled her nose against his.

King Dice didn't say anything. He couldn't. All he could do was continue to hold her close to him and cover her in kisses. Eventually, he allowed Kyler to leave with Bumbelette so the maid could help her dry off completely and get out of her wet suit, leaving him and Terrance alone.

Terrance glanced at his employer and noticed that he was sitting on the edge of the bed as if in a trance. A moment of silence fell between them before his spoke up. "If I may sir, you might want to change into dry clothing before you catch a chill."

"Huh? Oh...yeah, right." King Dice stood up, grabbed a pair of pyjamas, and went into the bathroom. He didn't want to change in front of his butler. He decided to take some time to wipe down the tiled floor as there was water all over the place. By the time he came out in both his pyjamas and bathrobe, Terrance had already replaced the wet bed sheets and pillow cases. He sunk back down onto the bed and resumed his trance-like state, verious thoughts racing through his head.

It alarmed Terrance a little. "Are you all right sir? May I bring you anything?" He had never seen his employer in such a tramatic state since he first gave up his freedom to the Devil.

King Dice shook his head feebly. "I'm fine. It's just..." He chewed his bottom lip in thought. "Terrance, when Kyler went under the water, I could've sworn I felt my heart stop. I was scared shitless." He put his head in his hands. "I knew we were only in the tub, and that I'd have no problem getting her out of there. But at the same time, it felt like forever. What would've happened if if it took me a few more minutes to grab her, even a few seconds? She could've been seriously hurt." He looked up at his butler. "I don't know what I was thinkin'. I was supposed to maintain a calm environment for her, somethin' that comes natural to me. Why did I lose my shit like that and make things worse? Why?"

Terrance gave King Dice what appeared to be a knowing smile. "Perhaps sir, without your realization, your feelings for Miss Sharmain have deepened."

King Dice looked at his butler with raised eyebrows. What did he mean by that? Before he had a chance to ask Terrance to elaborate, there was a knock on the door, and Kyler entered the room along with Bumblette. She was completely dry and wearing her usual nightgown. He immediately got to his feet and quickly walked over to her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Terrance and Bumblette both decided that now that everything was under control, it was time to leave, closing the door behind them and leaving King Dice and Kyler alone.

After breaking their embrace, Kyler looked up at King Dice with a soft smile and reached up to caress his cheek. "Are you all right? You've been really quiet."

He nodded. "I'm fine baby. I was just really scared, ya know? I would've been so pissed with myself if ya had gotten hurt."

"But I didn't. And it's all thanks to you." Kyler said as she stood on her toes and gave him a kiss, which he didn't hesitate to return.

Dispite her assurance, King Dice still wasn't convinced. "Ya sure you ain't hurt now? Maybe I should at least check your head, since we both fell outta the tub and all." He leaned forward to inspect the back of Kyler's head and felt around it to make sure there weren't any bumps.

Kyler gave a small laugh as she gently pushed him away. "I promise you, I did not hit my head. Come on. Let's snuggle. I think we could both really use it." Holding his hand, she had him follow her to the bed, where they both slipped under the covers. As soon as she laid down and turned to face him, King Dice almost immediately resumed his inspection of her, checking to make sure she was indeed okay.

"Ya really are a hundred percent sure you ain't hurt now?" He asked as he felt along her arms and back. "Cuz if ya have so much as a bruise..."

She giggled again. "King Dice, I'm fine. Really. Please don't make such a fuss." Kyler suddenly felt her face heat up a little when his hand came in contact with the back of her bra. An awkward silence fell between them before she spoke up. "Um...I wanted to keep it on because...I thought we could spend the night together. After what happened, I don't think I want to sleep without you. Being with you brings me comfort, so-" She stopped suddenly when she saw King Dice do something she had never seen him do before. He started to cry. "K-King Dice? What's wrong?" She was a bit startled. She had never seen him act like this before.

The only response King Dice gave Kyler was a passionate kiss as tears spilled down his eyes. She let out a small gasp, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Not forefully, just enough so that the tip of their tongues touched. She was a bit surprised, but did not discourage him from doing it. She figured he must've had a good reason for acting so passionate with her. Not to mention it was the first time he had french kissed her. She decided the best thing to do was to meet him halfway and return the kiss, their tongues swirling around each other. After a moment, they broke apart, and King Dice stared at her with red, puffy eyes. Kyler reached up and wiped the tears away from his cheeks. "I...I'm real sorry baby girl. I don't know why I'm actin' this way. I really don't. Just...when you went underwater, I had a sudden thought of what would happen if I had lost ya." He pulled her into another tight embrace as tears started streaming down his face again. "I think...that would just kill me." He chocked out between sobs.

Kyler looked up at him as she continued to run her hand along his cheek. "You will not lose me. I promise I will always stay by your side. Just as you had promised to stay by mine. Yes, what happend was terrifying. But you mustn't blame yourself for what had happened. Accidents happen. They're part of life. I wouldn't have taken that first step without your support. Because of you, I don't fear the water as much. And I cannot wait to face it again." She kissed his nose and gave him a reasurring smile. "So please, no more tears."

Comforted by Kyler's words, King Dice managed a small smile and kissed her nose in return. "Thanks baby girl. That's real sweet of ya to say. I'm glad I was able to help ya start gettin' over your fear. And I'm even more glad that you are okay. Guess I was just afraid you'd be real traumatized after falling in the water like that. I keep forgettin' that you're a lot tougher than ya look."

He wiped away his tears with his palm. As he did so, Kyler suddenly let out a gasp and grabbed a hold of of his hand. "King Dice! What have you done to your hand?" She exclaimed.

"Huh?" He looked down at his hand a let out a chuckle. Sure enough, the back of his hand and knuckles were bruised. "Oh, don't worry about it. That happened when we fell outta the tub. I guess I bruised it since I didn't want you to hit your head on the floor. Hey now, don't you start gettin' all weepy and blamin' yourself too." He gave her a mischievous grin. "Cause if ya do, I'm gonna hafta do this." He started tickling her neck with his nose and mustache.

Kyler went into a fit of giggles as she begged King Dice to stop tickling her. She was relieved that he was acting like his old self again. They continued picking on and snuggling with one another until they fell asleep and had peaceful dreams.

"Holy shit! Is she okay?" Rocco panted as he ran on the treadmill

King Dice nodded in reply, doing his level best to speak while keeping up with his friend. "Yeah. She recovered a lot quicker than I anticipated. Guess it's true what they say. Tiny, but tough." He shot Rocco a grin. "That's one of the reasons I really like her, ya know."

Rocco smirked. "Ya only tell me that every day. She's all ya ever go on about."

"Well, now ya know how I feel everytime ya won't shut up about Leanne." King Dice guffawed.

"Fair enough." He glanced at King Dice. "Seriously though. I'm glad she ain't hurt. It must've been pretty scary for the both of you."

King Dice let out a long puff of air. "Rocco, I've never been scared more shitless in my life. Even though I knew she was fine, I couldn't concnetrate much today at work. The Boss got on my ass a couple of times because I wasn't mingling with the patrons as much as I usually do. That's why I wanted to do an extra hour at the gym today. Get it all out of my system."

"I can understand. Though I'm surprised she didn't come with ya today." Rocco had to take a couple deep breaths before continuing. "Late rehersal?"

King Dice shook his head. "Naw. One of the stage hands is out sick, so she volunteered to stay late and help set up the props for tomorrow's performances." He increased the speed a little on the treadmill. "How about Leanne?"

"It's her turn this week to run after-school detention. She said it wasn't anything major. Mostly kids who forgot to turn in their homework for probably the one hundreth time this year." Rocco said.

"God. You'd think they'd learn after the first few times." King Dice responded in a sympathetic voice.

Rocco managed a shrug between his arm movements while running. "Yeah, but she's one of the best teachers there. And I ain't sayin' that because she's my girlfriend. Besides, that means I'll get home before she does. So I thought I'd make a nice dinner for the two of us."

King Dice chuckled. "So, I take it livin' together has been workin' out for the two of you?"

"Heh, yeah. I mean, I've been living like a bachelor all my life, so she sometimes gets on me about pickin' up after myself. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love that I get to go home to her beautiful face every day." Rocco gave a contended sigh.

Smirking, King Dice guffawed in response. "Poor gal. That means she gets to see your ugly mug every time you come home."

Rocco let out a snort. "Ah, go fuck yourself." It didn't phase him much. He was used to King Dice's gentle ribbing. After all, they had been best friends since he started working at the casino.

King Dice joined in the laughter. After a few more minutes on the treadmill, he glanced down at the screen. "Hell, yeah. I managed to burn four hundred calories. Looks like I'm done."

"Yeah, same here." Rocco said as he and King Dice slowed down their treadmills so that they could do a cool down. Once they were done completely, they cleaned down the equipment and used their towels to wipe the sweat off their brows. "Looks like it's almost quiten' time. Wanna do a quick game of tennis before we head out?"

"Sure." He and Rocco dropped off the cleaning equipment and headed over to the section of the gym that had the courts that housed various sports. There, they checked out their tennis rackets and ball. Then walked onto the court and began to do some stretches before getting into the game.

Rocco grunted as he placed his hand against the wall so that he could maintain his balance while standing on one leg, stretching the other behind him. "So, have ya thought about askin' Kyler?"

"Bout what?" King Dice asked as he stretched his arms.

Rocco grinned. "Ya know. Askin' her to live with ya."

King Dice's eyes grew wide. "Oh...uh, no. I haven't really. The damage that fire caused to her condo is almost repaired, so I know she'll be movin' back in soon..." He trailed off as various thoughts started buzzing through his head. Chewing his bottom lip, he looked at Rocco. "I mean...ya think I should ask her?"

"Why not? Ya like bein' with her, don't ya?" Rocco took a hold of the ball and walked on the other side of the net.

King Dice positioned himself, ready for the game to begin. "Yeah, of course. Truth is, I wanna spend every second of my life with her."

Rocco nodded. "All the more reason to ask her." He bounced the ball and looked up at his friend. "Ready?"

Nodding, King Dice watched as Rocco threw up the ball and hit it with his racket. He ran in the direction of the ball and hit it back.

After a few more swats between the two of them, Rocco began to converse again. "Kyler...she means a lot to ya, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. I really haven't been with any other gal like her." King Dice said as he continued swatting the ball to the other side of the net. "I feel like I can be myself around her. We can literally do everything together. Laugh, cry, freak out. Hell, we can even have an argument or two, and we'd still treasure every moment of it. And when we had that mishap in the tub last night...Jesus, it felt like my whole world was gonna crumble." He shook his head, hitting the ball a little harder this time. "Seriously, I don't know why I lost my shit, freakin' out and scaring her like that."

The grin that had formed on Rocco's face as he listened to King Dice grew even wider. "Well, I think I know why boss."

King Dice raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Do tell."

Rocco gave an exasperated sigh. "Do I hafta spell it out here? Ya really don't know?"

"Know what?" King Dice had no clue what he was talking about.

A bit frustrated at his friend's ignorance, Rocco gave the ball a hard whack, sending it high in the air. "You're in love with Kyler, ya damn fool!"

King Dice stopped cold in his tracks. He was in love with Kyler? That's why he's been wanting to spend every waking second with her? And why his heart would flutter every time he was in her presence? In a way, it made sense, but was he even capable of love? Could he possibly love her the way she deserved to be?

"Dice, heads up!"

"Huh?" Rocco's sudden shout caused him to snap out of his daze, and he looked up just in time as the ball hit him square in the nose.

"Ow, ow ow. Ow, ow." King Dice winced as he dried off his nose as gently as he could. After he got beaned with the tennis ball, Rocco raced over to chase off the toon cuckoo birds that have formed around King Dice's head. Then he helped him to his feet and, holding a towel against King Dice' bloody nose, assisted him to the gym infirmary. Once the doctor examined him, it was determined that his nose wasn't broken, and he was told to go straight home and put ice on it as well as take some pain medication. After Terrance iced his nose for twenty minutes solid (whilst, to King Dice's amazement, stood there the entire time), King Dice decided to get a shower. Despite having a very sore nose, he did not want to reek of an after-workout in front of Kyler.

Once he had finished getting dressed into his nightshirt and pajama bottoms, there was a rapid knock on his door. King Dice chuckled. "If that's you baby girl, ya know the answer is yes."

His bedroom door swung open and Kyler came running into his waiting arms. "King Dice! Terrance told me everything. I came back as quick as I could." She stood on her toes and gave him a kiss. "Are you okay?"

He gave her a confident grin. "I'm fine sweetie. I just wasn't payin' attention. It wasn't that bad."

Kyler reached up and took his squared face into her hands so that she could examine him better. "Oh, you poor thing. Your nose is completely bruised. Are you sure it doesn't hurt too bad?"

"Positive. I took some of that extra strength pain reliever, so I'll be fine for now. I plan to take some more in a another couple hours." He told her.

Kyler tilted her head to the side. "The pain relivers that you keep in your medicine cabinet?" She asked, and he nodded in response. "How much did you take?"

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck in a rather guilty manner. "Not too many..." King Dice knew that because of her vast knowledge of medicine, Kyler was going to make sure that he didn't take as many pain relievers like he used to. The stress of managing the casino and losing Aiden twice would always cause him massive headaches, and he was very close to growing dependent on them. That was until he met Kyler. Now she makes sure that he only takes them if it was absolutely necissary. After she scrutinized him in silence, he finally came out with it. "Er...seven."

Kyler's eyes grew very wide. "Seven? All at once?" He nodded sheepishly. "King Dice, that's almost four thousand milligrams!"

King Dice glanced at her. He felt bad for making her mad at him. "Is that bad?"

"Not if you are all right with risking complications to your liver." Kyler took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I just want you to be more responsible with your medication." She took a hold of both his hands in hers. "No more pain medication for the rest of the evening, okay? If you're still sore tomorrow, just take one and give it at least six hours."

He grinned at her. "Yes nurse." He pulled her into an embrace. "Thanks for lookin' out for me baby girl. It means the world to me that you care so much."

"Of course I do. You're my boyfriend, and I wouldn't want anything terrible to happen to you." She reached up and very, very gently touched his nose. "It does look quite painful. Did you put ice on it?"

King Dice nodded. "Yeah. Terrance is gonna bring up another pack soon. I remember you once told me that the best way to care for an injury like this is to make sure the swelling is kept under control." He gave her a soft kiss. "He's also bringin' up some hot tea. Ya wann join me?"

Kyler smiled at him. "Of course I do. Any chance to be with you."

King Dice's grin grew wider. "How's about we build a fire in the fireplace and put some pillows and blankets on the floor? We can drink our tea there. It would be very comfy and cozy."

She nodded enthusiastically. At that moment, Terrance arrived with the tea and ice pack. While he set down the tea and handed the ice pack to King Dice, Kyler immediately grabbed a blanket and some pillows from the large wardrobe and got to work setting them up on the floor. After propping the pillows against the foot of the bed, she told King Dice to make himself comfortable. He wanted to help her finish getting everything ready, but she insisted that he just relax and concnetrate on icing his nose. "After all you've been through, you deserved to be spoiled a little." She added.

King Dice gave her a grateful smile and kiss as he made himself comfortable against the pillows. Once she made sure his pillows were fluffed up enough, she got to work gathering the wood and started building a fire. Because she had her back turned to him, she didn't notice that King Dice was watching her movements while in deep thought. Rocco's words were still haunting his thoughts.

"You're in love with Kyler, ya damn fool!"

Love. He had forgotten what that feeling was like. The only he ever really loved was Aiden. And Terrance, Bumblette and the other servants he supposed. He had dated a lot of girls throughout his life, some of which he had formed intimate relationships with. He never told Kyler, but he had lost his virginity to a woman the Devil had set him up with not too long after he accepted the role as general manager. Since then, his confidence soared, and he had banged a couple of girls here and there. The Devil had even said at one time that he was proud of him. But there was one thing he had never done, and that was fall in love. The reason for that was obvious. He was a playboy, plain and simple, and that was what the Devil liked. Sure, he told all the girls he had dated and had sex with that he loved them, but they were empty words. Since he started dating Kyler...something was different this time. He actually felt pure joy whenever he was around her. He treasured the times they were together and yearned for her when they were apart. He was really invested in her life, her happiness was important to him, and he could tell her anything without being judged. He didn't want her to get hurt, physically or emotionally, and he would always be by her side no matter what. So...did that mean he really was in love with her?

"...Dice. King Dice."

"Eh?" King Dice snapped out of his daze. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice that Kyler had sat down next to him, holding a cup of tea up to him. She had positioned some pillows against the bed for herself, and the there was a fire crackling merrily in the fire place.

Kyler gave him a concerned look. "Are you okay? You look distracted."

He smiled at her. "I'm fine sweetie. Don't worry about me. I was just...thinking how lucky I am to have you as my girlfriend. I don 't know where I'd be without you.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm here to tell you that you might want to remove the ice from your nose. It's starting to turn blue." Kyler pointed out with a giggle.

King Dice chuckled and did as she suggested. He was so distracted, he didn't even notice that he had kept the ice on a bit too long. Nonetheless, he did feel the swelling go down a bit more, and it didn't hurt as much. "Thanks baby." He said as she handed him his tea. They took a few sips before he starting conversing with her. "You'll be able to move back into you condo soon, right?"

Kyler nodded. "I'll be able to in a few days."

"You excited?" He asked her.

"I...am." She said rather hesitantly with a small shrug. "However, I can't deny that I really have been enjoying my stay here. It's very nice that I get to be with you every day." She added bashfully.

King Dice took another sip of his tea. "I really like being with you every day too baby. In fact, I was thinkin. Instead of going back to your condo, do you...maybe...wanna move in with me?" He didn't know why he was so nervous asking her such a thing. It should come easily to a guy like him. Yet here he was, stumbling over his words.

Kyler paused as she was getting ready to take a sip of her tea. After a moment of silence, she spoke up. "King Dice..." She slowly turned to look at him. "Are you suggesting with live together? Here...in this very mansion?"

"Yeah." King Dice took another sip of his tea and glanced at her. "I thought maybe it would be a good idea. But if ya don't think so, that's perfectly okay. I want ya to be happy, ya know." He added quickly.

She traced her finger along the rim of her cup and chewed her bottom lip in thought. "It's not a bad idea per say. In fact, it's a very smart idea. Combining our income would be very beneficial to our finances. It's just...other than college roommates, I've never lived with anyone before, let alone a man." She glanced at him. "Would it be all right if I at least thought about it?"

King Dice leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Honey, you take all the time you need. There's no rush. If ya wanna do it, great. If not, that's fine too. You do what you think is right for you."

Kyler smiled at him and drank the rest of her tea. Then she snuggled against his chest as he put his arm around her shoulders. "That's one thing I love about you. Your consideration. You don't just think of yourself. You're also invested in my life. And I can't thank you enough."

Smiling and finishing his tea as well, King Dice set down his empty cup and pulled Kyler a little closer to him. He decided to make the atmosphere a bit more romantic by using a remote control he had set down on the floor to dim the lights, leaving only the roaring fire as the main source of light. They both sat there in silence for a bit just enjoying each other's company. It was only a moment later that King Dice realized that Kyler was gently messaging his chest, something she had never done before. Although he had an inkling why she was doing that, he inquired about it anyway. "Somethin' catch your eye baby?"

Slightly embarrassed, Kyler immediately stopped what she was doing. "I was just...wondering if you had a good workout today, despite the ball incident."

King Dice gave her a wide grin. "I did. Lately, I've been focusing a bit more on my abs."

"I can tell." Kyler said softly. A little too softly. The truth was, she wanted to see his abs in all their glory, but she didn't know how to go about asking him. "I mean, I can feel how firm they are. It's good...that you take care of your body, that is. That's very important. And...um...um..." She put a knuckle to her mouth, trying to find her words. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sure they look very good. At least, I imagine they do." She stopped rambling when King Dice cupped her chin and tilted her head so that she could look straight at him.

"Kyler. Do ya want me to take my shirt off? There ain't nothin' wrong with that." He added when a small gasp seemed to get caught in her throat. "In fact, I take it as a compliment. Just tell me how ya feel about it. It won't bother me if ya don't want me to."

All words seemed to escape Kyler at that very moment. She was excited at the thought of seeing her boyfriend shirtless, but at the same time nervous. In the end, her excitement won over. "Y-yes. That is, if you don't mind."

"Heh, Ya know I don't." King Dice chuckled. He sat up along with Kyler. "Ready?" She nodded, and he pulled his shirt up over his head and tossed it to the side with a flourish. "Well? What do ya think baby girl?"

To say Kyler was astonished at the site before her would be an understatement. King Dice didn't just have chisled abs; his whole figure was equal to that of an adonis. His stomach was quite flat, his shoulders broad. He was a bit muscular, but at the same time lean. "Oh..my." She started to reach her hand toward his chest, the other clasping her heart. She looked up at him tentatively, and when he gave her a nod of permission, she placed her hand against his bare chest. The warmth of his skin caused her to feel emotions she didn't quite understand. Want and desire, perhaps? Or was she simply just proud of herself that she was able to finally admit that she wanted to see her boyfriend without a shirt? Either way, she didn't regret her decision. "You really are a very handsome man." She whispered.

King Dice smiled and pulled her closer to him so that he could give her a kiss. He had wrapped his left arm around her waist and started caressing the back of her neck with his other hand. Kyler felt her heart flutter as she felt his bare chest press against her clothing. She didn't even notice the usual tickling sensation whenever he came in contact with her neck. "You're right baby. I don't just work out to look good. I always feel my best when I'm healthy. And I've been doing a hell of a lot better since I met you."

Kyler gave him a soft thank you and was silent while she thought about what she was going to say next. After some diliberation, she looked up at him, her cheeks extremely red. "I...I suppose I should take my shirt off too. It wouldn't be right just having you do it."

He was a little shocked at what she had just said. He didn't think that Kyler would ever in a million years would be comfortable doing something like that. He didn't want her to feel pressured. "Only if you're real sure that you wanna sweetie. I don't want you to feel like you're bein' forced into anything."

She gave him that same, shy innocent look that he had fallen for. "May I keep my bra on?"

"Honey, you do what ever you're comfortable with."

Kyler slowly inhaled and exhaled. "Then, here I go." She reached up and started to clumsily unbotton the top of her shirt. Maybe it was just her, but her hands didn't seem to be working properly, and she found herself struggling with the buttons. However, she was able to relax a little when she noticed that King Dice was nodding in understanding and patiently waited for her to finish. Eventually, she was able to unbotton the shirt completely, and it was here that she froze. She knew that King Dice was about to see her in nothing but a bra and skirt, and it scared her a little.

Sensing her apprehension, he comfortingly placed his hands on her shoulders. "May I?" He asked her quietly.

Kyler took another deep breath and nodded. King Dice slid the shirt off her shoulders, and she allowed it to fall to the floor. His breath was taken away as he stared in awe at how the firelight played over her body. She was more perfect than he could've imagined. The bra she was wearing was the smallest he had ever seen. It was white with bright red cherries on it, and he could easily see her collar bone protruding through her snow white skin. Her flat stomach and tiny waist completed her delicate frame, giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll.

After a moment or two of King Dice drinking her in, Kyler looked down in embarrassment. "I'm too skinny." She muttered as she proceeded to cross her arms over her chest, but King Dice stopped her by gently wrapping his fingers around her wrists.

"No. You're beautiful Kyler." He leaned forward and started kissing her as he wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her closer to him. "Absolutely, one hundrend percent beautiful." With each word, he managed to coax her to lie back onto the blanket, their lips locked firmly together. He had one arm around her waist and the other around her back, while she had her hands pressed against his chest. He was so happy that he could finally feel her bare skin against him. She was far softer than he could have ever imagined, and her scent was intoxicating.

Kyler let out a soft moan and once again allowed King Dice to slip his tongue into her mouth. Lately, she had been allowing him to give her deeper, more passionate kisses. At first she would tense up because she was so nervous. But she has gradualy been relaxing.

Eventually, they broke away from each other for air, breathing rather heavily. "Kyler..." King Dice whispered as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "You really are very beautiful. And ya know I mean that with all my heart, right?"

"Uh-huh." Kyler couldn't really say much while she and King Dice held each other. It was probably the most intimate they've ever been. All she could do was trace her fore finger along his bottom lip. "I think you're the most handsome man there is. I believe that is because you are so kind on the inside." She noticed his gaze seemed to wander done to her breasts, and she giggled softly. "You can touch them. I don't mind. Just...don't..." She trailed off, a little embarrassed.

King Dice gave her a grin and nuzzled her nose. "I know. Don't take off the bra. It's okay baby girl, I completely understand."

She gave him a grateful smile, and they resumed making out. Still caressing the nape of her neck with one hand, King Dice trailed his fingers over the part of her left breast that wasn't covered by the bra. It was so small, that he was afraid that he would actually break it if he tried to give it a squeeze. He heard her let out a shuddered breath between kisses, and he knew she was responding in satisfaction to his touch. Pleased that he was able to make her feel good, he allowed himself to get lost in the sensation of the warmth of her bare skin against his hand. Unfortunately, he got a little too lost. He allowed his hand to wander along her stomach and waist and, without thinking, slid it down the front of her skirt and let it come to rest on her womanhood.

"Mmmph! N-no!" Kyler yelped as full panic mode set it and she pushed him away from her. She rolled to her side and curled into a fetal position, letting out little whimpers as tears started to form in her eyes. "Please. Not there."

King Dice had never been more pissed off with himself. Kyler had finally given him the chance to be more intimate with her, and he fucked it up. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder, but immediately retracted it when she shuddered at his touch. "Kyler. I'm so, so sorry baby. I really am. I guess just got so excited about us going a little further, and I wasn't thinkin'. Can ya forgive me?"

Kyler said nothing. She was still recovering from the feeling of King Dice's hand on her most intimate area. When she heard some shuffling, she realized that King Dice had gotten up and walked away from her. She sat up and turned around to say something, afraid that she may have hurt his feelings and that he was about to leave the room. Instead, she saw him open up his large wardrobe and start rummaging through one of the bottom drawers. She watched as he produced what appeared to be a very large, folded quilt.

"Can ya help me spread this?" He asked her. Kyler nodded, and together they unfolded the quilt and draped it over the blanket that was lying on the floor. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the quilt seemed to be made of different patches, some holiday-themed and others that appeared to be from articles of clothing. King Dice smiled at the curious look Kyler gave him. "This quilt's been in my family since the 1800's. It's been passed down from one generation to another." He pointed at one of the patches. "See that patch? The pink checkered one with the sunflower pocket? That's from the dress that my great-great-great-great grandma wore when she was a kid. She was the one who started this quilt. And right next to it is a piece of her weddin' dress."

Kyler's jaw dropped in awe. "King Dice...this is amazing. It's absolutely beautiful. So much history." She scanned the quilt and asked questions about each patch. All of them had a story, and King Dice could tell her about every single one. She stopped at a patch that had a printed photo on it and let out a little gasp. The photo was that of a new born baby with a diced head. "Is...is that you?" She asked in wonder.

King Dice chuckled. "Yeah, that's me. Just a few hours old."

"You're head is so fuzzy! And you can barely see the purple dots!" Kyler couldn't stop gushing at the image. He looked absolutely adorable. "And the patch next to it." She pointed at another image of what appeared to be a very happy King Dice as a toddler with a small baby in his lap. The baby had strawberry blonde hair and a moon shaped face with almond eyes. "That's Aiden, isn't it?"

"Yup. The day I got a brother was probably one of the best moments of my life." He pulled the blanket aside, inviting Kyler to crawl under it. She did just that.

Kyler laid her head on one of the pillows and looked up at him. "King Dice, this is a very beauitful quilt. But why did you choose this time to show me it?"

"Because," King Dice proceeded to cover Kyler with the quilt and tuck her in. "My family has a tradition. Whoever inherits this quilt with share it with the one that is most special to them." He leaned forward to nuzzle her nose. "That's you baby girl." He told her in a hushed voice.

Kyler was left speechless. She was the most special person in his life. Maybe even more so than Aiden. "King Dice. I...I don't know what to say."

He smiled and gave her a kiss. "Ya don't have to say nothin' sweetie. The look on your face is more than enough." His smile widened when he saw Kyler's eyelids begin to droop. "Ready for bed?" When she nodded, he asked her if she wanted to sleep on the floor underneath the quilt, and she said yes. He gave her another kiss and proceeded to stand up, but was stopped when Kyler grabbed a hold of his hand.

"Wait. Where are you going?" She asked him.

"Goin' to sleep in my own bed. I figured after that stunt I pulled, ya wouldn't want me..." He trailed off as Kyler tightened her grip on his hand and shook her head.

"Please, don't go. I forgive you. I know you won't do anything like that again. And...I can't sleep without you." She said that last part a little more softly. It sounded rediculous, but lately it seemed she slept better when King Dice was by her side. She wasn't quite sure why.

King Dice's eyes widened as he crawled under the quilt. "Honey. Are ya saying what I think ya are?"

Kyler nodded shyly. "Yes. I think...I think I would like for us to live together." She burrowed her head against his bare chest, inhaling the mixture of leftover calogne and after shave. "I don't want to go back to living alone. I want to be with you everyday." She looked up at him with her innocent amithyst orbs. "I'm not being too forward, am I?"

King Dice put his arms around her and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. "You're not baby girl. You've probably made me the happiest man alive. This tells me ya want to take the next step in our relationship."

"What step is that?" Kyler asked as they nuzzled noses.

He gave her a wide grin and chuckled. "The step where I start drivin' ya bonkers. You're probably gonna get sick of me leavin my clothes scattered everywhere."

Kyler giggled in response. "And you will probably need a vacation from my incessant nagging. Then I will tell you I only do it because I care about you."

They laughed and tickled one another until the fire had gone out completely and left the room in complete moonlight. Then they both sighed and just snuggled. King Dice was lying on his back while Kyler rested her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and strocked her hair. He was about to fall asleep when Kyler whispered something he didn't understand.

"K-chan."

"What's that baby?" He asked her.

A small smile spread across her lips. "That's my pet name for you. You call me snow dove, something only you can call me. So I wanted to give you a name that only I can call you."

He chuckled softly. "What's it mean?"

"Well, chan is a Japanese honorific title. It's usually how close friends and lovers address one another. You're name begins with the letter K, so I thought using that and ending it with the term chan could be my special name for you." She let out a yawn before continuing. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it. I'm guessin' Arisa taught ya that, since she's Japanese." He said, and Kyler nodded in response. She yawned again, and King Dice knew she was ready to go to sleep. "In that case, goodnight snow dove."

"Goodnight...K-chan." Kyler closed her eyes, and in no time had fallen asleep against her boyfriend's chest, his beating heart like a soothing lullaby.

King Dice was still awake. As he lay there stroking Kyler's hair, his head was buzzing with various thoughts. While he told her his family shared their quilt with those who were special to them, he had left out one tiny detail. He recalled what Terrance had once told him when he first learned about the meaning of the quilt at the age of eight.

"The men and women in your family have laid under this quilt with the one they truly loved. Yes, even your father did the same with your mother. Someday, Master Dice, you will share this quilt with the one you love the most."

He remembered pulling a disgusted face after Terrance had told him that, claiming he would never do something gross like falling in love. And yet here he was, laying under the quilt with Kyler sleeping on his chest and holding her close. He continued to gaze at her as the realization dawned on him. If what Terrance had said was true, that the men and women of his family had shared this quilt with their one true love...then...

"I love you...Kyler Sharmain."