Yes, I realize the title is an atrocious pun. So sue me. Wait, please don't. I don't own any of these characters.

The kiss in this story is actually based on the first time my fiancee kissed me. o^_^o

Reviews much appreciated! Enjoy!

The moon had risen long ago, and it was that time of night when everything is calm and placid, the only sound coming from the faint breaths of breeze that whispered in the stolid trees and rustled in the soft grass. Raenef was lying in the grass beneath a vast dark sky sprinkled with little glittering stars, sparkling like faceted diamonds nestled on a black velvet cushion. His gaze was directed heavenward, specifically on the moon, which was undergoing an eclipse this night. He had been here since moonrise, lost in his ownf musings and oblivious to the passage of time.

He had never witnessed such an event before, and had sat engrossed despite the hours slipping by as the moon was slowly swallowed up in darkness; only a sliver of the silvery orb was currently visible. Of course, the event itself did not rivet his constant undivided attention, as the process was tediously slow, and he had admittedly dozed off a couple times. But his musings had revolved around a certain demon who shared a name with the event he was witnessing.

A lunar eclipse. So symbolic, this celestial phenomenon. The moon, a universal symbol of love. Eclipse, the one he loved. Oh, the irony. He was sitting alone on a cool night, dreaming of a love he was sure would never be, feeling small and insignificant beneath the endless spiraling heavens and unworthy of anything. He would be lucky to earn Eclipse's friendship, but his love? Impossible. Demons didn't love. Raenef was, quite possibly, the only exception, he was sure, but he was an unconventional demon at best. No, Eclipse was a code-abiding proper demon, and could not possibly love one such as him—a constant failure and limitless source of embarrassment.

The stars sparkled cheerfully at him, oblivious to the anguish he felt at his hopeless love. Sighing sadly, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander, conjuring up sweet wonderful fantasies that could never be…

"Master Raenef?"

A smooth tenor voice perforated his thoughts, and he sat up abruptly in surprise, turning to see the object of his imaginings standing behind him.

"E-Eclipse?" he stammered nervously, flushing slightly, as if afraid that the demon had somehow tapped into his fantasies.

"What are you doing out here so late, my lord?" Eclipse asked quizzically, standing with his arms folded over his flat stomach, hands lying on slender hips.

Raenef found a fascinating blade of grass to examine. "I wanted to watch the eclipse. The lunar eclipse," he added unnecessarily, thinking of another eclipse he'd like to watch.

"I see." Eclipse's tone was unreadable. "And were you planning on catching up on your missed sleep during tomorrow's lessons?"

"Er…" Talk about a loaded question. Raenef hadn't even thought that far ahead. He glanced furtively up at Eclipse and was relieved to find amusement on his face instead of a frown. "Sorry," he mumbled finally. "I'll turn in, then…"

"No, it is alright, you may stay if you wish."

"Really?" He glanced up hopefully and Eclipse smiled softly at him, the gentle, fond smile that softened his eyes and that the demon used only with him.

Eclipse approached and sat beside him in the grass, and they both gazed at the waning moon in companionable silence. The celestial sphere had slimmed considerably since Raenef had last looked; it was now an almost undetectable line of faint silver in the black night sky.

A chill breeze rippled through the stalks of grass and Raenef shivered, the icy fingers of the wind gliding down his neck and piercing his silk jacket.

"Cold?" asked Eclipse, noticing the involuntary movement.

"A little," Raenef admitted. "Where are you going?" he asked when Eclipse started to rise.

"To get you a blanket," came the reply.

"No!" Raenef reached up, snatched a handful of robe, and yanked down. Thrown off-balance, Eclipse fell back onto the ground.

"Lord Rae—!"

"Don't go," Raenef beseeched, looking up at his mentor imploringly. "…please?" Eclipse met his pleading emerald gaze, mouth open with a half-formed protest. Sighing, he shut it, conceding to Raenef's frustratingly adorable stubbornness.

"Come here," he said to his charge, and Raenef crawled into his lap, curling up against the demon's chest. Strong arms wrapped around him and he tucked his head under Eclipse's chin. Sighing happily, Raenef immersed himself in the feel of Eclipse against him, enveloped in his warmth, his scent, safe from the world in the arms of his beloved. He nuzzled the base of his neck, the pale skin flawless and smooth against his.

"Mmm… you're so warm…" he murmured. He felt Eclipse's arms tighten around him in response.

"Why did you want to see the eclipse?" asked the raven-haired demon in mild curiosity. He felt the boy shrug.

"I've never seen one before," he answered simply.

A moment of silence reigned, displaced only by the sounds of light breathing and the steady beating of hearts.

"Back when I was living in the city," began Raenef, "we had an old romantic superstition: if a couple ever kissed under a full moon, their love would be true; if they kissed under a shooting star, their love would last a lifetime; and if they kissed under a total lunar eclipse, their love would transcend time."

He fell silent, and Eclipse waited to see if he would continue. When he didn't, he asked, "Do you believe it?"

Raenef turned in his arms to smile up at him, his eyes soft and shimmering in the faint glow of heaven's nightlights.

"It doesn't hurt to believe, does it?"

His answer surprised Eclipse, and the demon's dark eyes widened a fraction as he digested it.

"No… I suppose it does not."

Raenef leaned back against him once more, his head falling to rest in the crook of his neck.

"Do you believe it, Eclipse?"

"I do not believe anything unless it has been proven to me. This, as of yet, has not been proven to me, and so I do not believe it."

Raenef was quiet for a moment. "You've said to me before that you believe I can become a proper demon lord. Yet it has not been proven to you."

"Master Raenef…" Eclipse absently smoothed the creases in his charge's silk sleeve. "You have proven to me enough times that my faith in you is justified."

Emerald eyes peeked around at him. "You mean it?"

"Of course."

Raenef rewarded him with a glowing smile that made Eclipse's skin tingle pleasurably.

Lowering his head, Raenef contemplated his lap. "Well," he said slowly, "the only way to prove the truth of a superstition is to try it."

Eclipse's eyes widened, trying to decide if the comment was innocent or suggestive. He tried to meet the other's gaze, but the blond was tucked in too close to him to see his face.

Then suddenly Raenef sat up, leaning forward. "It's totaled!" he said, pointing up at the moon. The celestial sphere was completely engulfed in darkness, save for a fine silver ring of luminescent light glowing around the very edge.

"I wonder if anyone is kissing under it right now," mused Raenef, his voice hushed in awe.

"Doubtful," Eclipse replied. "It is very late. It is not likely anyone stayed up like you did to watch."

"But lunar eclipses are so rare!" protested Raenef. "It would be a shame to waste the opportunity."

Eclipse debated with himself for a long moment before murmuring softly, "Yes… I suppose it would."

Raenef turned in his arms once more to meet his gaze. Green eyes searched Eclipse's, and the demon wondered what they found.

"Then let's not be wasteful," Raenef finally whispered.

Eclipse felt immobilized. Then he felt dizzy. Was Raenef suggesting what he thought he was? Eclipse sought confirmation in the other's expression—Raenef's cheeks were flushed, his lips slightly parted, and his breathing had quickened. Eclipse swallowed.

"Would you… like to test your theory?"

"Yes," Raenef breathed, and Eclipse caught the yearning in his clear eyes.

"As you… as you wish," Eclipse managed, having forgotten how to breathe. Slowly, cautiously, feeling like this might be a very, very bad idea but completely unable to resist, he leaned in and pressed his lips to Raenef's.

The blond sighed, melting into him, one hand pressed flat against his chest. Lips parted underneath his and before he realized what was happening his tongue had slipped into Raenef's mouth, so easily, so naturally. And oh, Raenef was so soft and sweet and warm, he was delirious with the sensation, his arms sliding around the blond's slender form and pulling him closer.

Finally, reluctantly, they parted. Shivering, Raenef sank into his chest, pressing his cheek against Eclipse's fluttering heartbeat. Eclipse held him tighter, eyes closed, still tingling with pleasure.

"Wow," Raenef managed shakily.

"I believe I am convinced of that theory's veracity." Eclipse was proud to have made it to the end of that sentence without his voice cracking.

When Raenef raised his head, his eyes were glittering. "Hmm, I'm not sure that I'm convinced, though. We'd better try it again."

Eclipse felt a smirk tugging at his lips. "You're right. Experiments should be repeated to make sure results are consistent."

Raenef pushed him back into the soft grass, leaning over him. "We should probably repeat the experiment as many times as possible before our time runs out." He indicated the eclipsed moon with a glance.

"And we should repeat the experiment later when our variable has changed, and compare results." Eclipse felt shivers of anticipation racing through his core as Raenef brushed his nose against his.

"Seeing as the moon is always changing, we might be at it a while," Raenef husked against his lips.

"Indeed," Eclipse agreed, and pulled Raenef down for another kiss.