DoomPet

Chapter 16

Then, the Slayer walked back over to the marauder, carefully grabbing the demon's hand and pulling him along into the bedroom. 'I want to talk.'

The marauder nodded and followed, as the Slayer closed the door he spoke, "You can trust me with the axe. I wouldn't dare hurt you."

The Slayer just looked at him with an emotion he couldn't read, 'That's not what I wanted to talk about.'

They sat down on the curved window seat in silence for a few moments. The Slayer was trying to figure out how to say everything he wanted to, but had his thoughts interrupted by the demon.

The marauder's forehead wrinkled in concern, "Are you kicking me out?"

'No of course not!' The Slayer shook his head, reaching out and touching the demon's arm to comfort him. He couldn't imagine not living with the marauder. He let out a long sigh, 'I don't know how to say it.' He simply wanted to ask the demon if he meant what he said while he was loopy, if he really loved him, but every time his pen touched the paper he froze. He had never been so nervous in his whole life.

"Can I tell you something?" The marauder looked down nervously at the man. "I... think I have feelings for you. When the fortress was freezing and we laid in bed together. I realized I was falling for you so I went and slept on the floor." He actually looked a little scared, "I'm worried what you're gonna say, but I don't feel like I can hold it in anymore. If it's too much I can go live down in the hull, you'll never see me I swear."

The Slayer cracked a grin under his helmet much to the marauder's surprise, 'You already told me.'

"What?! When?!" The marauder was so confused. Why wasn't the Slayer upset? When did he confess all his feelings?

'When you were all loopy.' The Slayer nodded looking up at him.

The marauder's face flushed red in embarrassment. "I-I-I'm so sorry! What did I say? Oh I hope it wasn't too awkward."

'You basically said what you just said. You liked me.' Even saying that one phrase made the Slayer heart skip a beat.

"Are you... ok with my feelings? I don't expect you to like me back. I hoped that- well- I mean just- I'll do whatever you want since you don't feel the same. I can go down in the hull right now, just don't send me back." The demon looked ready to bolt down to the hull and hide, he couldn't make eye contact and was sitting so stiff and rigid he was more like a steel beam than a being made of flesh.

The Slayer reached over and held the panicking demon's hand, 'Calm down. I feel the same way about you. After you told me all that when you were loopy, I realized I liked you too.'

The marauder looked down at him, completely slack jawed with shock. He had convinced himself the Slayer would absolutely despise him or kick him out or kill him, never in a million years did he think that the man liked him back. "Really? But what about-"

The Slayer reached up and put his hand on the side of the demon's face, caressing it softly.

He lowered his voice and calmed himself a bit, "but I'm a demon. How could you love me?"

'How could I have you in the fortress? There are exceptions to everything I suppose.' The Slayer laid back against the window seat.

The marauder nodded and leaned back next to the man. Neither one talked or touched each other. There was still an unbroken barrier between them, but cracks had begun to form in both of their resolves.

The marauder felt like a giant crushing weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt light and happy and nearly floating when he heard the Slayer liked him back.