Chapter Two

The Meaning of Love

AN: O.O; I think I'm getting the hang of this html thing...

Filia lifted her head slowly from the pillow on which she was lying on. I must have fallen asleep on the couch. It was an hour past dusk and baby Val was asleep upstairs. She got up, stretched and started a fire in the fireplace. She was about to sit down, when it happened again. That dark feeling.

Filia spun around to face thin air. "Who's there?"

In the shadows, Xelloss watched the golden dragon priestess. This feeling. What is it? What is keeping me from killing her? Damn, have I been hanging around humans for too long? Am I getting mushy?

The golden dragon reached for her mace.

Suddenly, she heard a cough in the shadows. She turned around with the mace raised. Out stepped a man with purple hair and amethyst eyes.

Filia narrowed her eyes. "Xelloss. I should have known it was you. What are you doing..." She couldn't continue. Xelloss was suddenly standing right in front of her. So close, she feel his breathing. "Baka. What are you doing?" Her fingers tightened around the mace as she looked into his eyes.

Their eyes met and for a split second, everything in the world was still. Silent.

Finally, Filia looked away. "What do you want Mazoku?"

Xelloss smirked. "Aren't you going to swing that mace like you would usually do?"

Filia felt her temper rise. She glared at him in the eyes...and softened for some reason. It was that feeling. That feeling held her back once again.

Xelloss began to pace back and forth. "Filia..."

"What?"

"I have this problem..." Xelloss tried to sound like his usually cheerful self...but it just wasn't happening...what was happening to him?!

Now it was Filia's turn to smirk. "Problem eh? Don't you always have" Before she could finish, Xelloss grabbed her by her arms and turned her to face him. Real close.

He started to speak, in a harsh, low voice. "Tell me Filia. This feeling."

Filia blinked. "What feeling?"

"I don't know how to describe it. It's like, it attacks your heart whenever you look at...that person. That special person. It makes you want to protect that person...and to...to...be with that person..."

Filia stared at Xelloss. Was it possible? Was it possible that this demon could feel... "Love, Xelloss. What you feel is love."

Xel gave her a blank look. "What's love?"

"Love is what you just described. When you want to be with that person, you want him to hold you, to comfort you, so that he'll be with you forever and..." Filia stopped. She looked back up into Xelloss's eyes. Love. That feeling.

"Filia," Xel began,"...love...is that what you call it? So now I know."

"Know what?"

He lowered his head so that she couldn't see his eyes. "I love you Filia."

Silence again.

That very moment, reality came crashing down on the golden dragon. She was in shock. For two reasons. One, because Xelloss loved her. Two...

"Xelloss? Look at me."

The demon slowly lifted his head. She could see the pain in his eyes.

"What is it," Xelloss asked in a quiet tone.

"I feel it too. I love you too."

If the moment had not been so tense, Filia thought that she could break out laughing at the look on the Mazoku's face.

The pain slowly cleared from his eyes. Xel placed a hand under Filia's chin to lift her face upwards. Their lips met in a soft, sweet, but passionate kiss.

The world left them for a moment.

Finally, the curse of the present brought them back. Xelloss pulled away.

"Kuso, kuso," He muttered under his breath.

Filia touched her lips lightly. She just kissed a demon. And she felt...felt...pretty good actually. The golden dragon looked at Xelloss.

"What's wrong?"

The demon made a sharp turn to face Filia. She nearly gasped. That tenderness and love wasn't in his eyes anymore. Instead, hatred and anger replaced it.

"Wha-at's wrong," Filia asked again, fear creeping into her voice.

"Kisama Filia," Xelloss snarled. He picked up his staff and pointed it to her. "I should have never let this happen! I can't love you! It's impossible!"

Filia turned pale in shock. "Why?"

"Damn it! I have to kill you!"

The flames in the fire slowly flickered out.