Hi Everybody,

Well I'm finally back, with a new chapter. ^_^ Sorry it took so long! Even though I've been out of school on winter break for a while, I'm easily distracted. ^_^! But all and all, I'm actually rather pleased with how this chapter turned out. So enjoy, but do beware because my sad attempts at humor lurk around every corner. Also, as always thanks for all the reviews, they bring me much happiness.

A Sister's Touch

By Yaoi Goddess Kome

Chapter 4: Misunderstandings

Solstice let out a yawn as she left her room and headed down the hall. /I hope this place has some grub. I'm starving./

Suddenly her steps halted when she noticed the door to Raenef's bedroom was slightly ajar. Looking around to make sure nobody was watching, she scurried over to the door. As she peeked inside, her gaze stopped on the bed, finding the outline of a body huddled under the sheets. She heard a light snore as a smile spread across her face /Time to play./ she thought as she crept into the room. Solstice crawled onto the bed, straddling the sleeping boy and slowly reached forward to pull back the covers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eclipse teleported, appearing in the middle of his room. He looked up to find Raenef standing by the entrance to the balcony, staring through the glass door and gazing out at the distant mountain range. "Raenef what are you doing here?"

The demon lord turned his head to the side catching a glimpse of Eclipse in the corner on his eye. "I was waiting for you." He said and then his green eyes drifted back to the landscape beyond the balcony. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

Eclipse approached the young demon lord putting a hand on his shoulder. "What is it?"

"I…" he started and then turned around facing Eclipse, with only inches separating their bodies. "Eclipse…I think I'm in love with you and..."

The word love sent the demon's head spinning. /He's in love? With me? I had always hoped he liked me but…/ Suddenly he realized Raenef was still talking.

"…I'm probably not desirable to you at all, but…"Eclipse pressed a slender finger to the demon lords lips, stopping Raenef's trail of words and causing his emerald gaze to float upwards until being captured by the demon's garnet stare.

"Then you obviously know nothing of my desires" Eclipse said as his fingers curled under Raenef's chin, slowing lifting it up. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned down to kiss the demon lord, but the feeling of Raenef's lips soft on his, never came and Eclipse's eyes popped open.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" screamed an explosion of voices, causing the castle to shake and the near by villages to pray to Rased for protection, from the malicious demon lord who resided there.

"What the hell were you doing!?!" Eclipse shouted while picking himself off the ground, where Solstice had pushed him.

One arm flew up onto the other side of the bed and then Solstice's head appeared as she pulled herself up. "Why the hell are you in Raenef's bed?!?"

"What are you talk…ing…" Eclipse started to respond but stopped as he looked around and realized he was in fact in Raenef's room.

Solstice's lips formed a grin as she watched a blush creep across brother's face.

"Well we were talking this morning and I guess I fell asleep here." Eclipse mumbled out loud, without thinking.

"Talking huh?" She said, knowing full well that he was telling the truth, but she simply couldn't pass up an opportunity to tease her brother, now could she. /He may be one of the highest ranking demons, but when I'm around his decorum flies right out the window./

He glared at her. "It's not what you think?"

"Since when have you when have you ever cared about what I think, hmm?" She said turning towards the door.

"Where are you going?

"Well unlike you, I can't just sit around and sleep all day. There is work to be done" She said as her smile widened as she saw Eclipse's body tense in the corner of her eye before she vanished. /Yep, no one can push his buttons like I can./

Eclipse knew exactly what "work" she was referring to, which made him feel more then just a little uneasy, but he knew there was nothing he could do to stop her.

He teleported to his own room and let out a sigh as he fell back onto his bed. "I've grown so soft." He said while staring at the ceiling. /I hadn't realized it until she showed up, but it's true. In these passed months with Raenef, I've completely fallen under his spell and all my defenses have broken down. I can't believe I actually told Raenef about Embra. It's so unlike me to ponder in the past, but somehow I knew I could trust him to understand./

/I should be telling him that his childish demeanor is not becoming of a demon lord, but when he cries I just want to hold him and when he smiles, he makes me smile. / Eclipse let out a sigh. /I haven't been acting like a demon at all lately, considering the way I worry about him all the time. Face it, I think about him all the time and now I'm even dreaming about him. I'm so pathetic./ he thought, but Eclipse couldn't hold his grimace in place, as his mind drifted back to his dream causing a hopeful smile to grace the demon's face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raenef sat at a stone desk, in the study. I front of him was just one of the hundreds of books, in the library, on demon lord etiquette. He stared at the page in front of him but his mind kept drifting toward thoughts of Eclipse. /I wonder if he's still asleep/ he thought with a smile remembering how cute the demon looked, curled up in the blankets.

The demon lord let out a yawn, and glanced at the clock. /I have an hour and a half before my lessons./ he thought and rested his head in his arms while focusing back on the book.

"Studying hard?"

Raenef's head popped up and he turned around to see Solstice. "Oh…I guess"

Solstice laughed she thought as she sat on the other side of the desk. "Yah right. If I recall correctly you were on the same page when I passed by here, on my way to the kitchen, over an hour ago." Not giving the demon lord time to respond, she snatched the book from the table. /Okay today I'm just going to talk with him and see if that gets me anywhere./ she thought as she glanced at the book. "'Secrets to Becoming a Decorous Demon Lord' sounds boring." She said tossing the book back on the table.

"You have no idea, but right now I'm a pretty pathetic demon lord, always messing up and embarrassing Eclipse in front of other demons. So if I ever want to become a proper demon lord I need to study."

"You shouldn't stress over it, too much. I mean everybody has to start somewhere, right?."

"I guess." Raenef said looking rather unconvinced.

"Hey Raenef, can you keep a secret?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because maybe you'd feel better if I told your teacher wasn't always the melancholy demon, he likes to appear to be."

"Really?"

"Sure, as a kid Eclipse used to have this red stuffed dragon named Smokey, which he would drag around with him everywhere he went. It was the cutest thing although very un-demon-like. But that's not all, when he was five he had started his magic lessons and one day they taught him to use and block, Flicker, a beginner fire type attack. Well, I guess he thought Smokey could block it too, and accidentally torched him. Eclipse cried for days and even made us bury the ashes in the back yard. Of course I was nineteen at the time and found it rather amusing, but it probably scared the kid for life. But still, the fact that its name was Smokey is hilariously ironic, don't ya think?" She said with a laugh.

Solstice was expecting Raenef to laugh too, but when she looked up his eyes were wide and glazed over with unshed tears. "That's so sad." He said as the water works began to flow.

"Raenef don't cry, it was along time ago" but till the tears overflowed, streaming down his face like newly formed rivers. "Stop crying or I won't tell you any more stories about Eclipse!"

In a second flat the tears were gone and Raenef sat attentively waiting to hear more, looking like a puppy with an invisible tail waging happily behind him.

"Good" Solstice said looking rather pleased with her powers of manipulation. "Let's see…oh there was this one time where he tried to make a healing potion and it blew up in his face, causing his skin to turn purple but, unfortunately it only lasted for a week. And then there was the time our mom took Eclipse to get his hair cut for the first time and he tried to do a Death Drill on the barber. Mom gave him a good ass whooping for that one."

"Wait a minute, if you were nineteen when he was five that makes you two…let's see 9 minus 5…"

"We're 14 years apart. I know it must be shocking because of my incredible good looks, but considering demons have such long life spans it is not uncommon for parents to wait till one child is somewhat gown before having another one."

"And you start learning magic at 5?"

"Actually I taught Eclipse to use a Shooting Star at age three, but it's a harmless attack, using one mezraez and only having an attack power of 2. If you get hit by it, it feels like a small burning sensation that vanishes quickly, so basically it's only good for a warning shot or to scare off animals, but it's really pretty. See." She said, opening her first causing a twinkling ball of light to expel from her hand and levitate above it. She quickly raised her arm up and made a fist causing the star to explode shooting rays of multicolored light.

"It's like a firecracker." Raenef said with a smile.

"Eclipse used to love to watch me make these when he was a kid."

Raenef walk to the center of the room and made a shooting star of his own and laughed as he watched it explode.

"Good, but you know you really shouldn't explode them inside unless you are aiming to hit something or you know how to stop them." Solstice said /Gods I sound like my mother./

"Okay" Raenef said as he turned around. He glanced back at the table to see two thin lines of smoke coming from the cover of the book he was reading. "Oh no, Eclipse is gonna kill me." He said running over to the table and blowing the smoke away, but it was too late, the book was scorched blacking out the 'Be' and the 'g' in the word becoming.

Solstice looked at the book. "Secrets to __comin_ a Decorous Demon Lord" she mumbled and then burst out laughing. /Secrets to 'cum in' a Demon Lord, indeed./

"Solstice it's not funny" Raenef shouted, wearing a look of worry on his face.

"Sorry" she said trying her best to control her giggling fit. "Look, this book is so old, I'm sure if you put it back in the library he'll never notice." /Although I'd love to see his face if he did./

"Okay I guess."

"Come on cheer up." She said forming another shooting star from her palm, but this time she used her fingers to form it into a flower.

Raenef smiled "How'd you do that?"

"Once you master these things, it's easy to form new shapes." Then she put palms together causing the flower to disappear.

~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~

Eclipse exited his room and walked down the halls toward the kitchen. Suddenly a sickening feeling swept over him as he heard Solstice's laughter coming from the study. He shook his head and was about to pass by the room when he heard Raenef speak and stopped dead in his tracks, halting right outside the study's entrance.

"You know Solstice when you first got here, I thought you were weird, but now that we've had time to talk I'm glad you came. You're a fun to hang out with and I like you a lot."

Eclipse's eyes widened in shock. /No. This can't be happening. I thought…/

"Enough to court me?" Solstice asked.

Eclipse's heart dropped to his stomach. /He really likes her? It's only been a day. Why? How?/ He thought as silence echoed through the room.

"Well…" Raenef started

/What if he says yes?/ Eclipse thought his eyes squinting as an invisible pain stabbed his heart. He couldn't bear to hear his thoughts confirmed and cowardly vanished from the hallway.

"I…umm…you see…" Raenef stuttered not knowing what to say.

"You like my brother, don't you."

Raenef stared at her for a moment, stunned, but then looked down as a blush crept across his face. "Yes"

"Good, it's about time you admitted it." She said with a sigh. /So he really does love Eclipse and I'm almost positive he feels the same. Which means I only have so much time left here, before I return to my master…/

"You mean, you're not mad?" Raenef said interrupting Solstice's train of thought.

"Of course not, by resisting my advances you have proven to me, your love for my brother."

"But Eclipse told me about the oracle, is it really okay for me to refuse you."

"Don't you worry about that" Solstice said with a nervous laugh "Everything will work it's self out, I promise. So when are you going to tell him?"

"What? I'm not…I mean hardly think he likes other guys, let alone me!" He said in a panic but then his shamrock orbs drifted toward the floor as they stung with a fresh sheath of morning dew. "Eclipse is all I have now, I can't risk losing him."

"It's okay Raenef" she said putting a hand on his shoulder. "But what makes you think he doesn't like men?"

Raenef shot a confused look toward Solstice. "But he told me all about Embra and so…"

"Yes, he had loved her very much, but his first relationship was with a man."

"Really? What happened?"

"Well they were both pretty young and Eclipse was very much in love with him, but the bastard broke his heart. You see Eclipse had found out that he was seeing somebody else on the side, so he left him. In fact, he left home to go serve Raenef IV shortly after the breakup. At the time, I was very worried about Eclipse but then he met Embra and he was so happy."

"That's just it, how am I supposed to compete with her."

"You're not." Solstice said tilting Raenef's chin up to look her in the eyes. "Look, she had her good qualities and so do you. I can see that, and I'm sure Eclipse does too." /Hey I rhymed! Shut up I'm supposed to be helping this poor kid out!/

"But…"

"Think of it this way, you told me that you're a pitiful demon lord who always embarrasses Eclipse, right? Well if that's the case, have you ever wondered why he's still here? He's a high-ranking demon, who could basically serve who ever he wanted and yet he still chooses to stay with you. Why?" She said and then got up from her seat.

"Solstice?"

"Think carefully about what I've said and when you find the answer, I hope it gives you the courage to do follow your heart." And with that she disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eclipse appeared in his room and sank to the floor, leaning back against the door. "I'm such an idiot." he said banging his head into the hard wood. /If I had stayed there at least I would have known for sure if he was going to choose her, but no. I'm such a coward./ he thought and then let out a sigh. /I shouldn't even be medaling in his affairs. What the hell was I thinking! Even if he doesn't want to court her, I am merely his servant. I am a demon; my duties are simply to teach my master well and follow his orders swiftly and precisely./

/ By now I should understand that emotions are a weakness that only brings pain. Master Raenef does not need my love; he needs me to mold him into a true demon lord. How could I have forgotten that?/

Eclipse's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the single chime on the grandfather clock. He got up, remembering he had a lesson to teach. /This is your chance. Go prove yourself./ he thought as he vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raenef silently sat there contemplating what Solstice said. /But just because he hasn't left, doesn't mean he likes me, does it? I mean Eclipse always protects me and stuff but that's just because I'm a demon lord, right?/

"Demon Lord Raenef, are you ready for your lesson?"

Raenef jumped in his seat and then turned around to see Eclipse standing behind him, wearing a blank expression. "Sure." he said with a smile.

"Demon lords don't smile." he said in a flat tone as he walked in front of the desk.

"What's wrong, Eclipse?"

"Nothing is wrong. Now, let's start with demon lord history. Who are the five oldest demon lords, reigning today?

"Well there is Demon Lord Aurelid and Demon Lord Krayon and umm…"

"I'm waiting."

"Umm…Hiei and Kurama, oh wait those demons are comic book characters" he said with a laugh.

"Demon lords do not laugh." Eclipse said in a threatening tone.

Raenef immediately stopped and looked up at him with a confused look, but Eclipse looked away.

"I'll be back in a half an hour and when I return I expect you to know the eldest demon lords names and ages, and be able to recite the demon lord codes of conduct."

"What!?!"

"I suggest you start studying, master." He said, turning to leave.

Raenef's eyes narrowed as the word master echoed in his head and pierced the demon lord's heart. When he had first arrived at the castle it had taken weeks before Raenef got Eclipse to stop calling him master and now after all this time, hearing Eclipse call him that again and with such discontent, hurt the demon lord deeply. "Hold it right there." Raenef shouted in a powerful voice, he didn't even know he had.

Eclipse turned around "Is there something didn't understand about my instructions?" He responded, raising an eyebrow as he looked up to see Raenef slowly walk toward him.

Raenef's brow furrowed in anger and his emerald eyes a flame, as the demon lord's burning glare connected with the demon's. "How dare you mock me!" he shouted, and for the first time he meant it. He may have sounded like true demon lord at the moment, but that was the farthest this from Raenef's mind.

Eclipse was in absolute shock, but did his best to hide it as Raenef continued on.

"Eclipse, I know I'm not the best or even a mediocre demon lord. But just this morning that didn't seem to matter to you!" Raenef's eyes watered, but no tears where shed as they seemed to evaporate due to the demon lord's rage. "You should know by now that I have never thought of myself as your master, and I never will!" he said stopping in front of Eclipse, who silently stared at him wearing a stoic face.

Suddenly Raenef grabbed two fistfuls of Eclipse's hair and pulled on them. "Owwmmm" Eclipse yelped in pain, but the sound was drowned in Raenef's lips as the boy kissed him.

Eclipse was in too much shock to respond and after a long moment Raenef broke the kiss, taking a few steps back. He turned his back towards Eclipse and paused there for a second. "So if you no longer wish to stay here, you are free to go where you wish"

Eclipse reached out to Raenef, but before he could touch him, he disappeared, leaving only a single teardrop, stained on the concrete floor.

Eclipse looked down at the, almost invisible, droplet of water and fell to his knees. "What have I done?"

TBC…

Okay, I know you probably want to stone me right now, for ending it like that, but at least they kissed, right? (Suddenly a rock flies passed her head slamming into the wall behind her) Oookay…well you can bitch at me all you want in a review. Yes violence is not the answer! Besides there's only one or two more chapters left in this story and a dead author isn't a very productive author, na no da. (She holds up a victory sign for a 3 count and then runs…far, far away.)

Megami~sama

Suddenly Eclipse popped out for behind her bookshelf carrying a bucket of rocks. "Damn, I need to work on my aim." And then ran off after her.