Guten tag! Yes indeed, folks, I felt nice today and decided to do two updates at once, that I did! (Spoken like Kenshin) If you didn't figure out who the mystery dude is, you'll probably get it by now. There's a major clue near the end. If not, I have revealed his identity in the next chapter. Rawr. Fear the shojo-ness.

ooo

"You should really consider leaving now."

Ansem and I turned. The man from the crevice was back, leaning against a slab of marble. I looked up, and noticed one of his crystals was hovering above us, emitting a faint glow.

"If you follow me, I can lead you out," he said. We didn't answer. "Thought so. This way, then." He turned, and walked around the marble. I started to follow, when I noticed Ansem wasn't coming.

"Ansem, come on! We have to leave!" I said to him.

He shook his head. "I'm staying."

I frowned. "Don't be stupid. You can't stay! You'll die."

"What of it!" Ansem snarled. I was taken aback.

"Ansem, what?" I said. "Surely you don't…?"

"I do." His face was twisted, as though he was in pain. "My life has been a living hell since I fought that brat Sora. I feel as though I'm constantly engulfed in hellfire! Every waking moment brings pain to me! And there is nothing, NOTHING that can help me!"

He turned away. "Don't you see? Death is the only release I have left!" he cried. "Why take away what hope I have left!" He turned his face to the ground, his silver hair falling in front of his face. Drops fell to the earth. He was crying. "…Why…?" he murmured.

I felt tears of my own sliding down my cheek.

"Because…" I bit my lip. "Because I love you."

Ansem looked at me sharply, shock etched on his face. A lone tear slid down his cheek.

"What?" he said softly, almost incredulously.

"I love you, Ansem. I couldn't bear to lose you. It would be the end of me," I said. "Perhaps you thought that those who had lost their hearts couldn't love. Perhaps you thought that anyone who lost their heart became a Heartless. But I didn't. I still love you. You're the only one I have."

I looked down.

"Even before I lost my heart, I thought I would never fall in love," I continued brokenly. My voice was choked with sobs. "My heart was nothing more than a lump of ice." I looked up at him. "Don't you see? You melted my heart! You made it possible for me to love, Ansem! I love you! If you die, I would most surely die as well. No one would be able to heal the wound; no one could fill the space. I love you!" I was shouting then.

"I couldn't love, didn't love before. I had heard too many stories of people who got burned. I didn't want to be one of them, so I refused to love. You changed that for me! You were all I thought about after Kairi told me about you." My shoulders shook with sobs. "I love you…"

My voice trailed off, and I looked down, sobbing unchecked.

"Lokii…" I heard Ansem murmur. I closed my eyes. I heard his feet crunching on the charred ground, and felt his fingers under my chin. "Look at me, Lokii." Reluctantly, I looked up.

Ansem's orange eyes were filled with tears.

"I love you, too," he whispered. Then he kissed me hard on the mouth. His arms encircled me, and I pressed myself against his hard chest.

"I was wrong," I heard him whisper. "There is one thing that eases my pain. You, Lokii. I love you, from the depths of my soul. I love you." He kissed me again, and I wrapped my arms around him. Time seemed to stop. I couldn't hear anything, see anything, feel anything except Ansem's kiss, his arms around me. All I cared about was Ansem. I held him close, and twined my fingers in his hair. Behind us, I heard the man singing softly.

"There's such a sad love/ Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel/ Open and closed, within your eyes/ I'll place the sky within your eyes…."

"I love you so much," I whispered.

He pulled away, and the feel of his lips against mine lingered. "I love you too," he whispered. I kissed him. Our bodies were so close I thought we would merge into one being. I could feel his heart hammering madly against his ribcage.

"There's such a fooled heart/ Beating so fast, in search of new dreams/ A love that will last, within your heart/ I'll place the moon within your heart…"

Then the lightning came raining down.

Still we stayed in each other's arms. Lightning struck all around us, several bolts coming dangerously close. And yet we didn't move.

"As the pain sweeps through/ Makes no sense for you/ Every thrill has gone/ Wasn't too much fun at all/ But I'll be there for you…/ As the world falls down/ Falling/ Falling in love…"

"You won't die alone," I whispered.

"I would rather die in your arms than alone," he whispered back. "Love you forever."

"Love you always," I whispered back.

"I'll paint you mornings of gold/ I'll spin you Valentine evenings/ Though we're strangers till now/ We're choosing the path between the stars/ I'll lay my love between the stars…/ As the pain sweeps through/ Makes no sense for you/ Every thrill has gone/ Wasn't too much fun at all/ But I'll be there for you…/ As the world falls down…"

Then a bolt struck us, and I knew no more.

A/N: Aackk… so short… two and two-thirds typed pages… o.O;;

Hey K-chan! Look how I can write when I want to! Didja know I could do that? (Blows raspberry)

R and R, and I shall return with more! Course, I'd return anyway. (Laugh) Whoa! Six chappies left! XD