The Virgin Priest

"What do you really feel?" Lily asked.

She watched as Luke stepped out of the bathroom, water clinging to his form. He hadn't bothered to dress himself. Lily was glad he was getting comfortable around her. His fear didn't serve him here. He had a towel in his hands and ran it up the length of his body in an attempt to dry himself. Lily wanted to be doing it for him but watching him was serving her just fine. It had been too long since they had joined. Lily had a feeling that it would be a while before they did again. Luke was too tormented to welcome her advances.

"Are you sure you really want to know?" Luke asked.

Lily nodded, "I need to know."

Luke stepped toward her, closing the space between them. His closeness to her made her heart skip. He was strong in a way that a demon never could be. He reached out like he had a hundred times before and captured a lock of her hair between his fingers. He cupped her face in the palm of his hand as he spoke.

"I feel a need to be with you. It burns inside me, and I can't ignore it, my body can't ignore it. I'm drawn to you," he started and looked down at the hardened length between his legs to accentuate his point. His body was responding to her presence, but his mind was not, "But with Asmodeus, I want him. I want to be with him. I don't like it, but being with him? It completes me, and it's easy."

Lily took a second to process what he just told her. Did he just say he didn't actually want her? "I don't understand, Luke."

"That makes two of us," he sighed, "I can put it this way. I love you both, but he awakens my desires. I'm sorry, Lily, but this, what we have, feels more like a duty than something I actually want. I didn't realize that until last night."

Tears burned at Lily's eyes. Luke drew her body into his, "Lily, you have given me everything. I owe my life to you; I will always love you. I just don't know that I'm in love with you the way you are with me. I don't want you hurt."

She pushed away from him. "Luke, I'm glad you're finding yourself, but what you just said? That hurts."

"You asked for the truth. It's better I just tell you and not lie. I've hid from my desires for so long. Now that I'm here, in a place where you say there is no judgment, I finally feel like I can settle into them and not be ashamed. That is because of you, Lily. You have given me everything."

Lily closed her eyes as she spoke, "I wish I could uncomplicate this for you. Now that I know this, I wish I could take that mark back and let you go where your heart desires, Luke, but I can't. I don't know what to do. And I don't know how not to be selfish."

Luke stroked her arms lightly. "Let me be with him whenever I want, Lily. Let me be happy. Let me leave this home and be with him. I will always be your king. I will rule by your side, but I don't want to compromise myself to do it."

Lily's anger flared through the room. "I would rather die than give you to him."

"You wouldn't be giving me to anyone. Just let me come and go as I please. I'll always come back to you. Lily, I chose to stay here with you. Please just trust me."

Luke was begging her for this. The tone in his voice crushed her a little. But she was a demon, and he was a human. There was no way she would bend to his will, even if he was her equal.... In theory.

"No. You will be happy with the visitation rules, or you won't see him at all." Lily said. Luke sighed and released her.

"You made me a promise of a happy life, demon. Now you want to cage me into something I don't want. You confuse me."

"That was when I thought your happy life would be with me, Priest."

That was the last thing Lily said before she walked away from him. She knew she was being petty and jealous. She couldn't help it. The look of astonishment in Luke's eyes cut through her as much as his words had. He was being honest with her, and she respected that. But she couldn't just let him fall into Asmodeus' arms. Not without a fight.

Asmodeus felt Luke's frustration run through him. He chuckled. The demon knew the frustration was coming from a conversation with his niece, he got bits and pieces through the bond. He just didn't know what they were fighting about. Asmodeus stroked the skin on his chest lightly. In their astonishment of Luke's mark, they had failed to notice that Asmodeus had a mark, as well. It was an L in the same script that was on Luke's chest, in the same spot as Luke's was. It was Luke's initial over his heart. A marriage bond.

Asmodeus had never expected to receive this mark from anyone, much less a human. But it felt right. It had to be right, otherwise he couldn't have accepted it. Touching the mark made the demon feel whole. The frustration he felt was quickly turning to exasperation, and then anger. Ahhh, the argument made sense to him now. They were fighting over Luke's relationship with Asmodeus. No matter what his lover's-no his husband's-bond with Shynra was, their marriage bond would always take precedence. His niece marked Luke as her king, as her equal to rule. Asmodeus marked his heart. Luke had chosen Asmodeus.

Relax, lover, I'm here if you need me

, Asmodeus sent the message to Luke. He sensed Luke's surprise.

Wait, how are you talking to me like this?

The confusion in Luke's mind brought joy to Asmodeus.

We are married through our bond, Priest. You can talk to me whenever you wish. You just need to say my name. I promise to answer always. You would be happy to know that you marked me, too. You should see it, it's magnificent. It sits over my heart just as yours does.

Asmodeus felt the Priest's joy as it radiated through his body. It seemed the man was speechless, though. He didn't respond even though Asmodeus waited. A smile spread across his lips. For once in his life, he was happy. He just wished he could bring his

husband

home where he belonged.