Dlbn: I finished writing this in its entirety today! Yay!

Nbld: This is the first time we've had a fic FINISHED way before we were close to finishing posting updates.

Dlbn: I know right? Starting today, I'll have to update at least once, or twice (maybe even three times) a day to make sure I post everything. So if you're following, be aware of a ton of updates! If you get a lot of email notifications, you're not seeing mistakes; they're actually being posted that quickly. Gotta make the Halloween deadline. I'll post the epilogue Halloween night, so the goal is to have the ending posted before I go to work Saturday. I don't get Halloween off :( but gotta make that green, right?

Nbld: alright, no more nonsense babbling. Let's move onto the Review Corner! Thank you to promocat, Maki-Sensitivity, and Bloody Carnage Princess for reviewing! Pumpkins for you all!

Promocat: Got that right! Sometimes it's best to not understand Seimei and his reasons for why he does what he does.

Maki-Sensitivity: I'd like to have a Seimei doll, but not a creepy one like this Seimei is. He's a bit of a tragic character, as you'll see as we progress. A little squeeze won't hurt ;)

Bloody Carnage Princess: Thank you!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Loveless or anyone in it. It all belongs to Yun Kouga. I make NO money off of writing this story.

Disclaimer 2: I do NOT own the song *** by ***, which this fic is based off of. I make NO money out of referencing it.

000

It hadn't been hard to find the photography shop after his debriefing that morning. Ritsuka sighed as he dipped his first photograph into the developing ink. He yawned as he watched the first picture of the float come to life. He set it down on special paper to dry completely before dipping the next one. This time, as he watched, he noticed something odd appearing behind the town square fountain. When the photo finished developing, he pulled it out and took a close look at it. There was someone peering out from the side of the fountain's spout. He shrugged and put it down to dry before moving on. The next photograph was of Kio working on the float. It looked like the float's skirt was lifted up a bit on the side opposite of Kio. Ritsuka developed it and took a closer look. He could see a face peering out from under the float. It had one open purple eye and another one that looked like it was in the middle of blinking. Ritsuka almost dropped the photograph back into the ink out of shock. There was only one thing in the world that had purple eyes and could only blink one of them; Seimei! Ritsuka set the photo down and began developing the next one. This was another view of the square directly. He noticed Yuiko and Yayoi sitting on a bench looking at a book together, and could see Nisei playing with the sound effect remote, but his face wasn't focused on the remote. It was more focused on the fountain. Ritsuka looked closer and spotted Seimei, in the same clothing he was always wearing, standing on the other side of the fountain. His eyes were trained on Nisei and his mouth was twisted into that demented grin again. Was there a connection between the two of them? Or had Nisei sensed something evil? Ritsuka continued developing photo after photo until they were all done. There was a shot of Kio on the float with the microphone, and the doll's face peering around the tree. There was one of the five floats from the parade. Hitomi was talking with Hanabi and Kio on one side, and peering out from behind Hanabi's legs was the doll. The mayor was in one of them, speaking into the microphone. Standing in the crowd right in front of him was the doll, his head turned backwards on his body to look at Ritsuka with that creepy grin and one wide eye. Every photograph he went through, the doll was there. He either caught a glimpse of an eye or his clothing, and there were only about a dozen that had the doll's full body in them. A photograph of Soubi and Nisei talking about something was particularly interesting. Ritsuka didn't remember snapping that one and he definitely would have noticed the little doll sitting on Soubi's left shoulder. Seimei had something to do with the two of them; Ritsuka was certain of it. It would explain why Nisei was so worried about Ritsuka breaking Soubi's heart. He doubted they were former lovers like Yuiko and Yayoi had said the rumor around town was, but they defiantly had a relationship other then just being townspeople and happening to know one another. Soubi hadn't grown up in this town, he had told Ritsuka, so it was possible that he met Nisei by staying at the Inn his first night there and they'd become friends somehow. Though from the photo, it looked like Soubi and Nisei weren't really happy with each other.

Once the photographs were dry, Ritsuka collected them and exited the shop.

"Thank you." He told Yamato, one of the photo shop owners, on his way out.

"Any time, Ritsuka-kun." She grinned. "I doubt you have a dark room in your house."

"I was hoping to one day get the materials for one, actually. There's an unused closet on the first floors with now windows that would make a good dark room." He tucked some stray black hair behind his ear.

"Best of luck." Yamato nodded. "I don't sell the materials here, but the next town over does."

Ritsuka frowned. "That's about four hundred miles away…"

There were only five stops on his way from Tokyo to this town, and the fourth stop was the last town, which was marked at a three hundred and two mile distance between that stop and this town. He hadn't seen any other towns or villages on his way from the fourth stop to the final one. They were highly isolated out here, which explained the sort of old-school, otherworldly feel that overtook the town sometimes. If it wasn't for Soubi, Ritsuka wasn't a hundred percent certain he would have stayed here in the first place. Isolation was nice, but he'd spent his whole life being alone. He didn't want to go on that way until he died. Or the doll killed him. Whichever came first.

"Yeah, it's a drag." Yamato nodded. "They'll mail stuff here, though. That's now the art shop got some of its high end paints."

Hanabi owned the art supply shop and gallery on the other side of the small town. Soubi had mentioned it, but he hadn't been there gone yet.

"At least they ship." Ritsuka muttered.

Thoughts about the strange doll Seimei and the disturbing photographs crossed Ritsuka's mind and he smiled again.

"I'd best be on my way. These photos won't deliver themselves." He stated, grinning. "Arigato."

"Domashimashite, Ritsuka-kun," Yamato bowed.

Ritsuka bowed back before turning to leave. In his haste, he'd almost run into Koya, Yamato's partner that shared ownership of the photography shop and owned the entirety of a bookstore next store.

"Oh, sorry, Koya!"

"It's quite alright." The bookish young woman replied in her quiet voice, adjusting her glasses. "I should have announced my presence."

She held the door open for him.

"And I shouldn't be rushing around in a store, let alone near the door." Ritsuka replied. "Gomennasai, again!"

"It's alright!" Koya quietly called after him as he rushed out.

Ritsuka swerved around horse and carriages and people walking through the town square as he made his way to the realty office. Soubi owned him one hell of an explanation!

000

Ritsuka burst in through the door to Soubi's office, panting as the door slammed against the wall behind it. In an instant Soubi was on his feet and at the younger male's side.

"Ritsuka, are you okay?" Soubi wondered, gently gripping Ritsuka's face and tilting it up to look at him.

"No, I'm not!" Ritsuka snapped, voice urgent.

Ritsuka pulled the door shut behind him and marched his way over to a table in the corner that contained nothing but a box of tissues, a lamp, and a potted fern. He slammed the photos down on the table and spread them out.

"How do you explain this?" Ritsuka wondered.

Soubi walked over, a look of curiosity across his features.

"Explain what?" Soubi asked. "Your photographs? They came out lovely."

"Thank you, but that isn't the point." Ritsuka shook his head.

"I don't see what the issue is, Ritsuka. Do you not like how they came out? They look perfect to me, but I'm not the photographer. I know some of my paintings that I hate Kio absolutely adores. We artists are our harshest critics, after all, and…"

"Don't you see it?" Ritsuka snapped, pointing to the photo where Seimei was on Nisei's shoulder.

"See what?" Soubi looked closely and frowned. "Ritsuka, Nisei and I are only friends. I know the rumor around town, but…"

Ritsuka let out a dry laugh. "You think that's what's bothering me? I'm not that insecure, Soubi." He shook his head. "Nisei's shoulder. What's on it?"

"Clothing…?" Soubi wondered. "Ritsuka, I don't see your point…"

"You don't see the…huh…?"

Ritsuka was taken aback at what he saw. Seimei wasn't in the photograph anymore!

"But…how…?" He quickly brushed through the others, remembering exactly where the doll had been in every photograph. "He…he was there! I swear he was!"

"Who was?" Soubi wondered, forehead crinkling in confusion.

"The doll!" Ritsuka stated. "That damn creepy doll I found in that room that you said led nowhere!"

"The doll from your dream? Ritsuka…" Soubi chuckled, sounding relieved. "I think you might have let the story last night go to your head. There's no living doll in your house. That door doesn't go to anywhere anymore. The doll isn't in these photographs because it doesn't exist." Soubi gently wrapped his arms around the younger male. "It's all in your head." Soubi kissed the top of his head. "The door goes nowhere, and there's no doll. I promise you. It was all just an urban legend."

"The story Kio told? But…"

"We tell that story every year to prevent town's children from going up and playing in the abandoned house. Well, formerly abandoned house. If we didn't say it was cursed even after you moved in, the kids might catch on." Soubi let out a deep, exhausted breath. "I promise you, there is nothing wrong. Your house isn't haunted, there's no room behind the door, and there's definitely no living doll."

"But that name…I knew it before Kio said it. I heard that name in my dream. How do you explain that!?"

"Did you perhaps hear that name somewhere before?"

"No…I don't think so…"

"Think hard. Are you sure you didn't hear it before…?"

"No, I'm certain I've never heard it before. It's not exactly a common name."

"Neither is Ritsuka or Soubi. But these things have a way of getting around in circulation after a few years. I wouldn't worry too much about it, alright? Maybe you need a little more rest. Why don't you meet me here after work, and I'll take you home, cook you a nice meal, and you can go to bed early and get some rest? I won't keep you up late like I normally do. A lack of sleep and proper nutrition can cause hallucinations. What did you eat for breakfast?"

"Crackers with peanut butter. I made them last night but…the doll…and I lost my appetite so I gave the plate to the doll and…and it was still there in the morning."

"The doll?"

"The plate of crackers. They were stale, but I ate them quick"

"You're not really eating healthy." Soubi shook his head. "I've made you dinner before, and you never had these doll hallucinations."

"No, I normally don't have them when you've been over for dinner…" Ritsuka laughed, collapsing into Soubi's arms as relief washed over him. "I guess it is from not sleeping and not eating right. I only have these dreams if I don't eat well or don't get enough sleep."

"I told you, Ritsuka, there's an explanation for everything. Go head over to your job. I'm sure those photographs are due soon so the story can be printed with them."

Soubi pointed at a set of the photos that were close together. One was of all the floats together, another of Kio telling his story, and the third of the mayor speaking to the town.

"I personally like those best, but it's up to the editor."

"Thanks."

Ritsuka tucked the one of Soubi and Nisei talking into his pocket when Soubi walked back to his desk as the phone rang.

"I'll show myself out." The photographer stated.

"Alright. Sukidayo." Soubi replied.

"Sukidayo." Ritsuka gathered up the rest of the photographs and left the office, closing the door quietly behind him as Soubi spoke into his phone.

"It's almost time, Agatsuma." The voice on the other end of the phone stated. "He's almost ready for the big finale."

"So soon?" Soubi wondered, disappointed. "Too bad…I rather like this one…"

"Everyone in town knows you like this one." Nisei's voice groaned. "He had ears when he first came here, you know."

"Shut up."

Nisei laughed as Soubi hung up without another word.

"So rude, Soubi." A tiny voice said from the windowsill.

The curtains moved and Seimei poked his head out. "You could have at least said goodbye first."

"As if you care what Nisei and I do." Soubi sighed. "You'd better be more cautious, Seimei. He's getting suspicious."

"He's been suspicious since the day I met him." Seimei giggled. "Don't worry. It will all be over soon. It's only a matter of time before he breaks."

Soubi sighed. "Can't you stall this one?"

"I'm hungry. Your…urges…can be satisfied otherwise. Kio wants to get in your pants, you know." Seimei's nose crinkled in disgust as his good eye blinked.

"I'm not into Kio."

"Yet."

Soubi rolled his eyes. "How crude of you, Seimei."

The doll smirked. "You're one to talk about crudeness, Soubi. Sleeping with the sacrifice." He scoffed. "I thought you had better self control then that. For shame."

"He's cute and he's into me." Soubi shrugged, lacing his fingers together on the desk. "What more do you want from me? I sold your house and got you a new sacrifice, as I do every time you get hungry. What I do in the meantime shouldn't be any of your business."

Seimei rolled his eyes. "You and I both know that isn't true. I overheard you two that night and wished I was dead again so I didn't have to hear him screaming your name…"

Soubi smirked at the memory.

"Hentai." Seimei accused. "Just watch yourself around my sacrifice, before I decide to take you instead!"

The doll disappeared, face distorting as he did so. Soubi put his head in his hands and slid them down until he could lace his fingers over his mouth. Whatever Seimei said goes…but…maybe this time…just this once…he could defy the doll that yearned for Ritsuka's soul.