Disclaimer: I don't own Demon Diary or any of the characters. And if you thought I DID, that's just sad.

Warnings: Shounen-ai, but that's pretty obvious... Also, I mess with some widely acknowledged pairings. (Erutis and Krayon... don't even ask me why...) Also, there's a little out of character-ness, but I blame that on the fact that this story takes place a year or two after the last book. Also, In later chapters I'm going to bring Leeche in, but I'm going to set her age at about sixteen. I know that's not physically possible, because Erutis and Chris are basically the same ages as they are in the books, so don't bother telling me... Well, maybe I'll only make her fourteen... Sorry, I'm rambling!

"Don't worry, Boss! We'll find you a Demon Lord," Wurg, Erutis' second-in- command called.

"S'just motion sickness," Erutis murmured. Her guild, mistaking her motion sickness as deathly throes had gathered Erutis up in a litter, and was going as fast as they could toward a demon lord's castle, thinking it her death wish to slay one.

"Put me down!" Erutis moaned.

"She's delirious, keep going," Krayon said cheerfully. Erutis fruitlessly tried to reach for her sword, but she was too weak to lift it. Krayon had faithfully stayed by her side day and night, and while the more romantic parties in her guild had taken this as a faithful lover staying by his beloved to ease her pain, Erutis interpreted it as willful torture. She gave up, and allowed herself to take what little peace she could in fitful sleep.

"Not much farther now!" Krayon called, directing the guild through a forest. "Here we are!" he called when they came upon a castle. They gently set the litter down. Erutis, sensing the stop of motion, scrambled out of the litter, went to the side of the stone-paved courtyard, and retched. When she was done, she brushed herself off, and looked upon a familiar site.

"You little,-"Erutis began, lunging for Krayon. He disappeared and reappeared above her head.

"What's wrong, Dove?" he asked, smiling sweetly.

"You know perfectly well what's-"

"Eru!"

----------

"Now, master, elemental magic is very close to weather magic. It is slightly more difficult, because once harnessed, to use the magic in moderation requires you to keep the rest of the power at bay at the same time," Eclipse said.

"Uh-huh," Raenef said sleepily, staring out the window, his eyes glazed over.

"Raenef, are you listening to me?" Eclipse snapped, wincing inwardly at how much like a mother hen clucking over her chicks he sounded. Raenef turned to look at him.

"Of course. You said that element magic is the same as weather magic, it's just harder because you have to keep most at bay while using just a little."

"Very good," Eclipse said tersely. The only thing that bothered him more than his student not paying attention to him was his student not looking like he was paying attention to him when he actually was.

"What's that?" Raenef said suddenly, and before Eclipse could say anything he had warped out of the room. With a sigh Eclipse sank his head into his hands before going to look for where his liege could have disappeared off to.

Raenef appeared in the courtyard suddenly, causing several of the knights to jump. He looked around until he spotted Erutis.

"Eru!" he squealed. In the back of his mind he reprimanded himself. Demon lords do not squeal he thought, but kicked that part of his brain out of the way easily. "Welcome home," he continued, hugging her and kissing her on both cheeks. One of the newer guild members was looking from Raenef to Krayon with a confused expression on his face.

"Welcome home?" he asked. "Oh, I get it. That's why boss never liked Lord Krayon hanging around her. She already had a demon lover here." Raenef looked at the man in shocked dismay. Erutis burst out laughing.

"God no!" she cried. "Rae's like my little brother. And he's betrothed," she waited for Raenef's confused look to subside into pained realization as he remembered Leeche. "Besides," she added in a sly voice, "I don't think Raenef swings that way anyway," Raenef cupped one hand and allowed a ball of fire to appear there, an expression on his face very like the one Eclipse sometimes wore. Unfortunately, seeing Raenef, Erutis burst out laughing. She was cut off short, unfortunately, when Eclipse appeared behind him, wearing exactly the same expression, but somehow managing to pull the effect off much better.

"Eep," she called, narrowly dodging getting her hair set aflame.

"Now, Eclipse, I really must ask you to refrain from killing her," Krayon said boredly, lounging in the air.

"As you wish, Master Krayon," Eclipse said tersely, but shooting Erutis one more death glare before turning his attention to Raenef. "I see you recalled your lesson from earlier," Eclipse said, impressed, seeing the handful of fire Raenef still gripped.

"Uh-huh," he said tilting his face up expectantly. Eclipse leaned over.

"Guys!" Erutis called sharply, when Eclipse's and Raenef's faces were dangerously close. They came to themselves with a jerk and snapped apart. Thankfully, most of the guild hadn't seen what was going on, and those who had seen didn't realize.

"Oh-ho," Krayon murmured to himself quietly, so quietly no one heard him.

"So... how long are you staying?" Raenef asked brightly, breaking the silence that ensued before it became uncomfortable.

"I don't know," Erutis said simply.

"Is all of your entourage going to require accommodations?" Eclipse asked, looking at the surprising amount of rabble in the courtyard.

"No. I'm sure that most of them would rather sleep out here then share a castle with a demon lord," several of her guild looked up long enough to nod emphatically before going back to whatever they were doing.

"I shall prepare rooms for you and Lord Krayon then," Eclipse said before disappearing.

"So... would you allow me to show you to a more comfortable area?" Raenef asked.

"We both know our way around the castle just as well as you do," Krayon said bluntly. "Shall we retire to the balcony?" He started off for the castle, walking, albeit quickly, for Erutis's sake.

---------

"So, Raenef," Erutis said once they were all comfortably seated, "It looks like you're starting to become a real Demon Lord."

"I can be if I try," Raenef agreed. Krayon laughed.

"He made quite an impression at the council of Demon Lords a few months ago," Krayon said with a smile. "Scared Aurelaid and them out of their wits," he said lightly. Raenef blushed a little.

"Well, I certainly did better then at my coronation ceremony," Raenef agreed. Krayon raised an eyebrow.

"It would have been nearly impossible to do worse," he observed.

"Aw, don't let him get ya' down, Rae" Erutis said consolingly.

"Well, he's right," Raenef said, getting a shout of laughter from Krayon.

"Excuse me," Eclipse said from the doorway. "Dinner is ready in the Dining room. If you'll allow me-"

"Naw, we all know where the dining room is," Erutis cut him off.

"As you wish," Eclipse said, and disappeared again.

"I've never seen Eclipse so formal," Erutis said surprised.

"Neither have I," Raenef said in what was embarrassingly close to a whimper.

"I hope I didn't do something wrong..." in a second Raenef had put off all the formality and was just a sickly-sweet seventeen-year-old boy.

"Don't mind him," Krayon said lightly. "He's just embarrassed about what happened earlier."

"What happened earlier? Oh," Raenef realized, a blush covering his face. "That was nothing," he murmured.

"I'm sure," Krayon said, eyeing him oddly. Luckily, poor Raenef didn't have to reply, because they had finally made it to the Dining room.

"Well, here we are!" he said with a smile. They all sat down. It was an uneventful meal. After dinner Krayon inexplicably went straight to his room, and after a little debate, Raenef and Erutis decided to go find Eclipse. "Go!" Raenef said, transporting them both to Eclipse's study. Eclipse looked up when he felt them appear.

"Is there something I can do for you, Master Raenef?" Eclipse asked.

"Did I do something wrong?" Raenef asked anxiously, his previous conversation with Krayon long forgotten.

"Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Well... um..." Raenef muttered, unable to vocalize what he wanted to say.

"Oh, for... Eclipse, why have you been acting so cold?" Erutis asked. Eclipse gave her a rather astonished look.

"I didn't realize that I had been," Eclipse said. Erutis looked at him, shocked. Raenef didn't seem very surprised. More changed in the year I've been away then I thought, Erutis thought, surprised. Eclipse glanced at a clock.

"Master Raenef, it's getting late. Perhaps you should retire now."

"Uh-uh." Raenef said. "I can't go to bed yet." Erutis looked at Raenef, surprised. The Raenef she knew would agree with whatever Eclipse said, and then skip off, grinning.

"What? Why not?" Eclipse asked.

"You still owe me something. Remember? For every lesson I remember, I get a reward."

"That's right," Eclipse said, standing. He glanced at Erutis, then brushed past her. He placed his hands lightly on his liege's shoulders, and brought down his face until their lips were touching.

"Happy?" Eclipse asked when they broke apart.

"Very!" Raenef gushed. "Good night!" he called, and skipped off.

"So..." Erutis said. "That's an... interesting teaching system." Erutis said.

"I know that it's not in the nature of demons to give rewards," Eclipse said, mistaking her meaning, "But I've tried everything else. Punishments have no effect on him. I've never been able to figure out why."

"I wasn't talking about the system, I was talking about the reward itself," Erutis said. Eclipse blushed.

"Ah," he said, but further then that did not grace her with a reply.

"Tell me," Erutis said finally, when she realized that he wasn't going to say anything further. "Is that reward system simply that? A reward system?"

"What do you mean?" Eclipse said with a growl, not entirely sure what she meant, but entirely sure that he was going to take offense at her meaning.

"Are you simply using that particular system because you've found it helps Raenef remember his lessons?"

"What are you implying?" he asked, fire appearing in his hand. Erutis stood her ground.

"Are you kissing him because he wants you to kiss him, or are you kissing him because you want to kiss him?"

"How is that any of your business?"

"Rae's my little brother, and I don't want to see him get hurt. His feelings for you are obvious, yours for him aren't. If you don't love him it would be best if you were removed from the equation right now," Erutis said, gripping her sword.

"Is that a challenge, mortal?" Eclipse hissed. Erutis gulped.

"Yes," she squeaked. Eclipse sat back. "At times like these," Eclipse said, giving her an odd look, "I almost can see what Krayon sees in you." Erutis looked up, amazed that she wasn't going to be turned into a pile of ash in the immediate future. "Yes, I... love him," Eclipse tried to make it sound casual, but he couldn't keep his voice from dropping sharply on the last two words. Erutis raised her eyebrows.

"Don't tell me that," she informed him. "Tell Raenef."

"I do not believe that Raenef needs to be told," Eclipse said dismissively. Erutis raised her eyebrows higher, if possible.

"By the way he was freaking out earlier about how stiff you were acting? He needs to be told," Erutis informed him. Eclipse sighed.

"Perhaps you are right," he said. "Go!" he disappeared.

"That was impressive," a voice said from behind Erutis, making her jump.

"Oh! Krayon," she said. "You startled me. What's impressive?"

"You single-handedly managed to make Eclipse admit to having feelings."

"I didn't do that much. Raenef's rubbing off on him." Krayon laughed.

"I would advise you not to repeat that in Eclipse's hearing. He might not take it for the compliment it is. Shall I escort you to your room, my dear?" he asked. Erutis looked from Krayon's face down to his outstretched arm.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

"You're acting normal," Erutis said, frowning. "You never act normal."

"My love, she is so cold-hearted!" Krayon sang, before grabbing her arm and saying 'Go!'. They appeared outside her bedroom. "Good night," Krayon called to Erutis while heading down the hallway.

"Good night," Erutis called back, surprising herself.

Eclipse watched his sleeping charge with surprising tenderness. He allowed his head to rest in one hand. Demons, despite their other failings, do have a sense of propriety, and though the line is significantly different from a mortal's, some things still fall in common ground. Things like taking one's student as a lover. Up to now, his relationship with his student could have been taken as a passing fling, and carefully glossed over. However, speaking three words, eight letters, changed all that.

"Eclipse?" Raenef asked, sitting up on one shoulder sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"Honor means a lot to demons," Eclipse said, not really realizing he was speaking out loud. "And it's a very fragile thing. Doing one thing wrong, one tiny slip up can mean the all the difference. And doing one large thing wrong invariably means it is going to shatter..." Eclipse looked at Raenef's groggy, confused face, and said with a sigh, "and then I realize I'd gladly throw it all away, just to see you smile." Raenef obligingly did smile, even though he still had no clue what was going on. Eclipse sat down next to his master and put a hand on his shoulder. Raenef looked at him questioningly. He looked so comical Eclipse had to laugh.

"Sweet dreams, Raenef," he said and turned to go.

"Wait," Raenef called in a small, plaintive voice.

"Yes?"

"Can you stay with me a little bit longer?"

"Of course, if you wish it." Raenef frowned at him and sat up.

"What I was asking was more along the lines of 'if I asked you to stay with me, would you want to?'" He waited for Eclipse to speak. When he realized he wasn't going to, he continued, "You told me you'd stay with me forever. You never said if you wanted to."

"No, I didn't, my lord," Eclipse said, still uncomfortably dancing around the question.

"Eclipse. Do you want to stay with me forever, or will you, because I'm your master, and I ask it of you?" Raenef sat up a little straighter and fixed Eclipse with an uncomfortably piercing stare. "Eclipse, do you love me? Or do you just know that I love you?"

"No... I love you, master," he murmured, his eyes downcast.

"Good." Raenef said, and abruptly fell back onto his pillow and started to snore. Eclipse stared at Raenef in shocked surprise. Seeing that he was truly asleep, he turned to go, but hesitated. "Somehow, I don't want you to wake up in the night and not see me," Eclipse whispered. He sat next to Raenef on the bed and prepared to keep vigil through the long midnight hours.

-------

"Good morning!" Raenef chirruped. Eclipse looked up, startled, into Raenef's face. "It's late. Are you going to get up?" Raenef continued. With a slight, but oddly comfortable, jolt Eclipse realized that he was sprawled on the bed of his master's room.

"What time is it?" Eclipse said, struggling hard with a yawn.

"Almost ten. I was going to wake you up sooner, but it seemed a shame to. You looked so peaceful." Eclipse struggled with the image of him looking peaceful, but eventually gave up.

"I should start breakfast," Eclipse said ruefully.

"Pancakes!" Raenef cheered. Eclipse nodded.

"Can I keep you company while you get breakfast ready?" Raenef asked. Eclipse smiled, and nodded again.

"Go," he said, taking hold of his master's hand.

-------

"Finally!" Erutis snapped, leaning on the kitchen counter. "What took you so long? Oh," she said, noticing the way Eclipse's and Raenef's hands were intertwined. Eclipse's first impulse was to drop the hand he held hurriedly, but Raenef held on with dogged determination. Finally Eclipse succumbed to his liege's unspoken wishes, and closed his fingers around Raenef's hand. He began attempting to prepare breakfast with only one hand. Raenef, eventually realizing why Eclipse seemed to be having so much trouble, un-entangled his fingers and went to lounge next to Erutis.

"Where's Krayon?" Raenef asked her. Eclipse involuntarily winced, waiting for the explosion and ensuing shriek of 'how would I know?' but it never came. Instead, Erutis shrugged and said,

"Making mischief somewhere, no doubt."

"You have such a low opinion of me," a dramatic voice said from the doorway. Erutis rolled her eyes, but, Raenef was interested to see, smiled a little as Krayon walked into the room. "Tsk tsk, Eclipse," Krayon said. "Time was you'd rather kill then be seen preparing your master's food. But now here you are with an audience... you must be getting old." Eclipse twitched, but before he could do anything Raenef sent a bolt of lightning at Krayon, almost lazily. Krayon, expecting an attack in Eclipse's direction but not in Raenef's failed to block it. "Ow." He said matter-of-factly as all of his long hair stood on end. "At least your training is doing some good," Krayon said. All of a sudden he noticed something odd. Eclipse was twitching... convulsing almost.

"Eclipse, are you alright?" Raenef asked worriedly. Suddenly, Eclipse's hold on himself broke and he began laughing uproariously. Krayon looked at Eclipse in consternation, Erutis in surprise, and Raenef in amusement. Finally the laughter subsided into chuckling, and then the chuckling subsided into silence. "You should laugh more." Raenef told him seriously. "It's nice sounding." Krayon snorted, and even Erutis had to fight back a guffaw.

"I am willing to bet," Krayon said, "That fifty years ago, Eclipse, you would not have dreamed of hearing those words come out of one of your master's mouths."

"No," Eclipse said soberly. "You are right. I wouldn't have."

"Is it ready yet, Eclipse?" Raenef asked happily, deciding that the conversation wasn't cheerful enough.

"Have patience, Raenef," Eclipse said, startling Krayon. "It will be ready in a few more minutes."

"Yay!" Raenef squealed, before happily running off to the dining room, Erutis following with a sigh.

"I am also willing to bet," Krayon said with a slight frown, "That fifty years ago you would not have dreamed of being so close to your master you forget to call him by his title."

"Raenef long since ordered me to stop calling him 'master'. Now I only do when we have company, or when he is being particularly annoying," Eclipse informed him.

"You sure have changed," Krayon said.

"The boy considers Erutis his sister, for some reason that I still can not see. He will probably consider you his brother-in-law. It is probably best that I begin to get comfortable around you now, so that it's not as big of a shock to me later." Eclipse said. Krayon stared at him mutely, before shrugging and going to follow the others.

-------

Yep! That's all for now. Reviews would be greatly appreciated, and might help me get the second chapter done faster (hint hint wink wink). I'll still update regardless if no one likes this fic, or if no one reads it though... flames aren't really minded. This is my second fic on FF.N, my first Demon Diary one, so I wouldn't mind a flame just for the novelty of getting one.