Woohoo! Back for round three! Well, I bet you guys are glad I updated so quickly after all the suspense I left at the end of the last chapter. I loved all the reviews I got and I'm glad everyone agrees that Raenef and Eclipse are an adorable couple. Anyway, enough rambling… on to chapter three.

Disclaimer: If you're so bored you want to sue me, then go ahead, because then I'll have your name, address, and something to do with all my free time. AKA: hunt you down.

…

Eclipse attempted to follow his little master's path, but found the boy was sprinting down the roads like one who is being chased by something with several rows of teeth. The little Demon Lord was soon swallowed by the crowds around him, and Eclipse had little hope of following him. He seemed to be heading towards the center of town, however, and Eclipse placed his faith in this, turning towards the Sakura Tree and hoping he would find his master there.

Raenef's breath was coming in hard gasps, but he kept running. Midnight was mere minutes away and he had to be under that tree when it dawned. The little Demon Lord didn't understand his irrational desire to be sent a vision from the Sakura Tree, but it called to him strongly, and he could not resist. Even though, he wasn't sure if the legend was true, he had to know if the tree was really capable of showing him his true love.

Raenef sprinted down the roads with renewed vigor, completely oblivious to the people staring at his strange behavior, or the beautiful demon servant following after him like a hound chasing a fresh scent.

Raenef blew past the attractions he'd been admiring not seconds before. Past the mystical performers, past the mouth-watering dishes, past the crafts and weapons and embroideries, past everything that he would normally have stopped to gawk at. Raenef could not be stopped by anything right now.

Erutis' words kept playing in his head like an annoyingly broken record. He heard the legend of the Sakura Tree over and over, saw the manipulative glint in her eye as she told the tale, and felt again the excitement that'd filled him as he thought about a magical tree and the wonders it held. Raenef remembered distinctly whom he had first thought about when he heard the legend.

A certain raven-haired servant with beautiful amethyst eyes, who was tall and commanding around others, and yet infinitely gentler when they were alone. The demon who called him 'master' no matter how many times he ordered him not to. The man who's lap he'd fallen asleep in too many times to count, curled up in his arms like a golden-haired kitten. The one who had set aside all his pride just so Raenef would have someone to dance with at some silly festival.

Raenef's thoughts had jumped to Eclipse immediately when he heard the legend, and no one else. Not a single flicker of another person's face had been in his thoughts as Erutis' told him about the legend.

And this had scared him deeply.

Raenef had known for some time how deeply he cared about Eclipse, but he'd kept these feelings hidden. He knew no one must ever know how he felt about the dark beauty he claimed to reign over, when really he would give up his entire kingdom for him sooner than blink an eye. Eclipse was perfect. Tall, intimidating, beautiful. He was every inch the dark, seductive demon of popular myth. He was powerful, lethal, commanding, everything that Raenef aspired to be and yet never would become.

Raenef was cute. Not beautiful, cute. He had pretty eyes that shone like gemstones, and frilly hair that he wore pulled up always. He was small and petite and no more intimidating than a doorknob or a balloon. He was everything an average, young boy should be, and possessed not a single quality of a high-ranking Demon Lord. Not a day went by when Raenef didn't think that he should've been switched with Eclipse. Eclipse should have been the Lord and Raenef his servant.

So he kept his feelings hidden behind his lackadaisical attitude, studied as hard as he could, and dreamed of one day measuring up to his impossible vision of one worthy of his Eclipse. His beautiful, perfect Eclipse. But, Erutis changed that. This Festival changed that. Here before him, was a sure-fire way to know. To know if maybe there was a chance, even the slightest chance… that Eclipse was meant to be his.

If Raenef could just get to that tree at midnight, he would be sent a vision. A vision of his soul mate, the one he was destined to be joined with forever, and if that one was Eclipse, he'd never have to pretend again in his life. This was his chance, and he would risk everything he had left in him to take it.

Raenef dodged down yet another corridor, his heart beating faster as he sensed the presence of the tree, sensed that he was getting close. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. His destiny was at hand. He forced his legs to pump harder, taking on a new burst of speed. Midnight was seconds away according to the town's bell tower, which featured a clock with big black hands and a large white face. It ticked down the time remaining for him to arrive at the tree.

Raenef tore his eyes away from the second hand as it seemed to speed up, taunting him, scattering his shredded hopes to the bitter, cold wind. Finally he saw it, looming in front of him like a shinning beacon in the dark. The Great Sakura Tree was directly ahead, and he tore towards it like rabid wolves were biting at his heels. He skidded to a halt at the tree's mighty base, completely out of breath and counting down the final seconds.

5… 4… 3… 2…

" Raenef!" Eclipse shouted from behind him. Raenef turned around and Eclipse grabbed on to him just as the clock chimed the midnight hour with its great, gong-like resonance. Eclipse gasped as his eyesight left him completely. He was dimly aware of Raenef clutching at his arm, before all became black to him. Raenef let out a haggard breath as mist swam before his eyes. He could smell the Sakura blossoms stronger than before, but all his others senses left him.

A vision spiraled before his eyes, and he realized it was a vision of himself. He was asleep in the castle library, books were spread before him and one lone lantern remained lit, casting deep shadows across his sleeping face. Raenef watched, as his dream self was gathered into the arms of the person whose eyes he was now seeing through. He started as he realized this was how it looked to Eclipse. Raenef looked at himself through Eclipse's eyes, and knew that he'd never seemed more beautiful.

His frilly hair looked like strands of pure gold, soft and silky, and his skin glowed with the perfect golden color of warmth and tranquillity. Raenef felt Eclipse's emotions as he looked at his little master, the carefully controlled desire he felt for him, and the love that had grown stronger with all the time he spent with him. He saw several other visions of himself through Eclipse's eyes. Him playing with Erutis and Chris, eagerly egging the two on and laughing blissfully. Him sitting alone on the castle balconies at night, his eyes out-shinning the stars and a look of quiet wonder on his face. Him lying contentedly under the boughs of a tree, talking and laughing about nothing at all.

All the time, through all the visions, he felt Eclipse's love for him as strongly as he felt his own love for the sensuous demon. It filled his heart with warmth to know he was cared for, to know he was loved.

In the meantime, Eclipse was given similar visions, though they were from a different vantage point. He saw the world through the enthusiastic eyes of his little lord. He saw himself as Raenef saw him; tall, sensuous, beautiful, intelligent, perfect… this last one startled Eclipse. His little master thought he was perfect, and thought himself to be unworthy of such perfection. Eclipse berated himself for not seeing it sooner. His lord couldn't have been farther from the truth. If either of them was perfect, it was certainly Raenef before it was himself.

Raenef was beautiful, in his own stunning way, beautiful in a way that gave you a warm feeling when you looked at him. His shimmering eyes were so open and innocent you felt safer when around him, comforted, as if nothing in the world could possibly harm you. He was so wonderfully happy. It didn't matter how impossible a task lay ahead, Raenef always knew it could be done, even if he wasn't sure exactly how. Eclipse loved this about him more than he could put into words. He loved feeling like everything would be okay even if he failed, just as long as he still had his Raenef, his wonderful, beautiful Raenef.

As the clock towering over them finished its stately chiming, the misty visions faded slowly, restoring their eyesight. The entire village seemed deserted, for most people had gone home before midnight, but it was doubtful a hundred people would have been noticed by the two figures under the boughs of the tree. They held on to each other tightly, as if afraid the other might vanish if they dared to let go. Eclipse gazed at Raenef and Raenef at Eclipse. Neither said a word, for all that needed to be spoken could be seen plainly as they gazed into each other's eyes.

" Eclipse…" Raenef whispered, breaking the silence that hung heavily between them. The demon raised his hand slowly, and rested the tips of his fingers on his master's lips. Raenef looked up at him with eyes plainly showing love in their depths. He would no longer hide his feelings for the demon, and Eclipse would do the same. Eclipse pulled Raenef closer to him, his eyes never leaving his face for an instant.

The demon ran his slender fingers through Raenef's blonde locks, enjoying the feel of their silky texture against his skin. He leaned forward and kissed the top of Raenef's head lightly, inhaling his sweet scent, which was infinitely more intoxicating than the scent of the Sakura blossoms he'd admired a few short hours before. Raenef's breathing hitched as he felt Eclipse's kiss, and he curled his fingers in the man's robe, pulling his small body toward the demon.

Eclipse gazed down at him, and Raenef swore in that moment he'd never seen a prettier shade of violet. Eclipse bent down slowly, hardly aware that he was moving at all. All he could see were Raenef's beautiful lips so close to his own. He knew he couldn't stop himself now if he tried, and all his carefully maintained control was thrown off a very tall mountain into a very deep chasm.

Raenef's breathing all but stopped as Eclipse's lips pressed lightly against his own, creating a warm sensation that spread through his body like a writhing hot flood. Eclipse deepened their kiss, reveling in the intoxicating sweetness of his master's lips. In his mind, he formed a mental image of the bed he had thought of climbing into so many times before, and against his lord's sweet lips, muttered a muffled " Go".

They disappeared from the Festival, completely unaware that the whole scene had been carefully observed by two pairs of glittering eyes, one belonging to a certain mischievous knight, and the other to a rather grossed-out cleric. The two smirked to each other in victory and wandered through the festival, wisely deciding to stay away from the castle for the next few hours and see what the Festival still had to offer them.

To be continued.

Uh oh. I left it off on another cliffhanger. That means death is surely coming from all my angry readers. I'd just like to point out, if you kill me you won't get to read the lemon in the next chapter. Ha ha, found your weak spot! Anyway, review and ye shall receive. Sabishii, my little dew drops! …Man, I get more random every day…