Disclaimer: I do not own Demon Diary
Notes: I wrote this for Eliza, who bid on me during the Purple Dove auction to support anti-LGBTQQIAA bullying in schools on Livejournal. I am also offering my services on the Help Japan auction in LJ, please bid or offer if you are able, as well!
So yes, this is just a short and sweet little piece of fluff. Please enjoy!
A Good Thing
"C'mon, Eclipse! Just one more drink!"
"Master Raenef…" Eclipse brushed his fingers against his forehead, feeling his headache growing.
Erutis had been horrified to learn that Raenef had gone without tasting so much as a drop of wine in his entire life, and had gone into town and returned with more then enough bottles to rectify the situation. Chris had attacked the stash immediately; Raenef managed to grab the last bottle unnoticed while his friends battled it out for the next-to-last. Eclipse, home unexpectedly early from mediating a negotiation between demons and clerics after the latest skirmish, returned to find the two humans playing spin the bottle with a wall and several pieces of furniture, and his demon lord halfway through a bottle what Eclipse knew to be rather strong alcohol.
"Pleeeeease?" Raenef's eyes peered out beseechingly from his red face.
"That is not a good idea, my lord."
"But it's soooo gooooood."
"Too much of a good thing is still too much, Master Raenef," Eclipse said firmly, taking Raenef's wrist in one hand and the neck of the bottle in the other. At first Raenef refused to relinquish his treasure, but the subtly increasing pressure Eclipse put on his hand eventually made him release the bottle with a whine. Eclipse took a whiff of the alcohol before setting it on a shelf Raenef was not tall enough to reach; Erutis surprisingly had good taste in alcohol. Perhaps he'd use it at some point in the future he would teach Raenef responsible drinking with dinner.
"Eclipse?"
"Yes, sire?"
"I doan feel so good…"
Neither did he look good. Despite the redness, Raenef's face was incredibly pale, and he was holding his body stiffly, as if afraid relaxing would cause him to topple over. Eclipse heaved a long sigh. "We're going outside, Master."
"Whyyyy?"
"Air will do you well." It would also be far easier to let Raenef empty his stomach on the grass, rather than inside where cleaning would be required and labor-intensive. Briefly Eclipse considered changing his mind and forcing Erutis or Chris to clean up, but decided against it; the smell would permeate the castle by the time either of them were sober enough to go at the mess with a mop and bucket.
Teleporting would probably be too disorienting for someone in Raenef's state, so instead Eclipse stood behind his master and, taking one of Raenef's hands in his, and resting his other hand on Raenef's shoulder, gently but firmly bore him through the castle hallways towards the nearest doorway.
"Whoa!" Raenef yelped as soon as one foot crossed the threshold, both at the shock of chilly air and the Crusader who zoomed past the entrance. Eclipse allowed his charge to regain his bearings before pressing him on again, seating him on the ground underneath an overhang. The particular chill and the overcast sky informed Eclipse of the weather's intention to rain, and while a light shower might do Raenef some good, he wasn't sure how strong the storm was supposed to get.
"My stomach hurts," Raenef said, after a few moments of quiet.
"I imagine so," Eclipse responded dryly.
"My face is hot."
"That happens."
This remark was apparently hilarious to Raenef, because he burst out into gales of laughter that Eclipse instinctively first found obnoxious, then genuinely amusing.
A roll of thunder, followed by the plinking of a sudden light shower, caught Eclipse's attention. He glanced out into the wide expanse before him, admiring the dark grey sky streaked with dirty-white clouds, until a blur of blond obscured his view.
"Master Raenef!" Eclipse was instantly on his feet and dashing out into the rain, easily catching up with his skipping, guffawing charge.
"The rain is warm," Raenef informed Eclipse, and indeed it was. "I like it."
"That's all well and good, Master Raenef, but I don't want you wondering off on your own when you're in this state."
"But I'm not on my own!" Raenef turned suddenly and launched himself against his servant, locking his arms around Eclipse's waist. "You're here, 'Clipse!"
Eclipse was so taken aback that he was momentarily struck dumb; Raenef used the moment of stillness to straighten up as much as his intoxicated state would allow, grab hold of one of Eclipse's hands, and yank him forward. Eclipse stumbled after his master, consciously realizing only when Raenef commanded him to skip that he had long since forgotten how to, if he ever had known.
Raenef didn't seem too perturbed by Eclipse's clumsiness; he was fully occupied with laughing hysterically and not watching where he was going, leading to him stepping in a growing puddle, leaning into the step in just the wrong way, and falling backwards in a most spectacularly flailing manner. Eclipse's usually quick reflexes were hampered by the undignified situation he had found himself in, and were too late to stop either Raenef or himself from collapsing in a heap on the ground, Raenef sprawled atop Eclipse.
"Master…" Raenef said through gritted teeth, upon hearing that Raenef, far from vocally indicating pain, had begun to giggle madly once again. His attempt to sit up was aborted by Raenef throwing himself against Eclipse's torso, knocking him back down to the ground.
"We fell."
"So I noticed." Eclipse again attempted to straighten up, and again was prevented by Raenef. "Master…"
"I like how we are," Raenef declared. "I…I order us to stay how we are!"
"Very well, Master," Eclipse said, letting his head fall back onto the ground with a defeated sigh. At least Krayon wouldn't make an inopportune appearance right now and gain the chance to mock the demon lord and his servant; the fop was practically allergic to rain.
Raenef continued to laugh as he propped himself up over Eclipse awkwardly, on his hands and knees. His expression straightened, and he seemed utterly fascinated with how soaked Eclipse's hair was becoming, picking up a long lock and running it between his thumb and forefinger, before weaving it around his other fingers. Eclipse cocked an eyebrow at the utter silliness of the scene transpiring before him; when Raenef noticed it he collapsed against Eclipse in a fit of giggles. Eclipse felt Raenef nigh unto convulse with laughter for a few moments, before giving a long, heavy sigh, the heaving of which seemed to make him sink into Eclipse, as if his belly were a particularly soft pillow.
"Master?" Eclipse said, after a few long moment of silence.
"My stomach hurts again."
Eclipse pushed himself up on his elbows. Feeling no resistance, he sat up fully; Raenef passively draped himself across Eclipse's lap. "Are you going to vomit?"
"I'unno."
Eclipse settled his hand on, and subconsciously, almost instinctively, drummed his fingers against Raenef's back. "We should move."
"Hurts to. Don't wanna."
"If you'll excuse me for disobeying…" Eclipse snaked his arms underneath Raenef's body and hauled him up, situating him in a sitting position beside him. "If you did vomit, you'd drown in it as you were."
"Thanks, 'Clipse." Raenef plunked his head against Eclipse's shoulder. "You're a good 'Clipse. You're the best 'Clipse"
"I would certainly hope so, since I appear to be the only one of me."
To Eclipse's surprise, especially since the blue moon event of Eclipse's good humor had occurred, Raenef did not laugh. Instead, Raenef suddenly caught Eclipse up in a bear hug, trapping his servant's arms to his sides.
"'m sorry I was drinking."
"There is no need to apologize. It is not my decision as to whether or not you can consume alcohol. My only concern is your health."
"'m sorry I made you worry."
"It's quite all right. It is my job after all. To be honest, Master Raenef, I'm not sure what I'd be doing with my life if I weren't chasing after you most of the time."
Again Raenef laughed, though to Eclipse's ear the noise was less alcohol-infused and more genuine.
"You're the best, Eclipse."
The barest hint of a real smile graced Eclipse's face. "I try to be."