The sunlight shone through the crystal glass windows, rafters of light beaming down towards the ground. It was one of those typical summer days, with the sun shining and a time where you wanted to do anything but work. The day just seemed to radiate laziness, and it certainly encouraged normal people to be so.

That was exactly why Raenef was sprawled all over his study desk, gazing out of the conservatory windows longingly. Perhaps 'sprawled' was not enough an adequate word to describe the way he was sat, with one hand propping his chin up, and the rest of his body resting on the flat desk top. It was unfair, how Chris and Ecrutis were sitting lounging in the sun, whereas he had stay inside and study.

So Raenef sat…and stared.

He stared through the windows, and he tried to envision himself frolicking in the sun, enjoying the warm rays as he joked with the knight and the cleric. He imagined that he had managed to drag Eclipse outside, and he wished that it were so.

Of course, his dreams would not become reality. Eclipse was too much of a 'grumpmeister' to participate in undemonly activities.

"My lord, you should be studying."

Raenef jerked upwards, paper sticking on his elbow from where he had leant on it too long. He looked around him, and saw his ever-observant tutor standing in the corner. Eclipse wouldn't go outside and have fun if Raenef blackmailed him. Go outside maybe, but having fun? Not in the Grumpmeister's vocabulary.

The piece of paper fell. As his daydream was shattered, dust motes began to circle mockingly, as if revelling in his despair. Raenef was not amused.

"Can I please go outside?"

"Demon Lords do not beg." Eclipse ignored the puppy eyes thrown his way, and he continued without missing a beat. "Demon Lords do not try to coerce others by acting like dogs either."

Raenef tried not to scowl. The dust motes whizzed.

"So you're saying I should try and coerce you in a different way?" Pure, a hundred percent, unedited innocence. Really.

"Either way, you're not continuing until you have memorised Demon Lord etiquette rules five to twenty."

"But I don't want to be evil."

Eclipse's eyebrow twitched, ever so slightly.

"I have a week until your meeting. At least try and pretend to be a real demon for the day." The older demon sighed as the puppy eyes came on full force. Raenef could be a tenacious little brat if he sensed an opening. And in Eclipse's case, his resolve was weakening. Or crumbling to dust, whichever way was the easiest.

"But the sun's shining! It's bright and yellow and nice, and happy and…"

Thwap.

"…Owww."

"Do you want me to rub your boo boo better?" The sarcastic tone was not lost on Raenef, and he pouted with his usual childish grace. Eclipse just sighed, and added to his already growing list of all the things Raenef needed to correct. Demon Lords were not supposed to laugh, smile, pout, grin…all words that were the very epitome of Raenef.

Feeling a slight prickling sensation at the back of his neck, he recognised the familiar feeling of someone watching him. Or boring holes into his back. Raising his eyes to meet with his liege's, their eyes met, and locked.

They stared.

And stared some more.

Raenef's bright blue pupils bored into him with surprising intensity, and Eclipse found himself reminded of the summer sky outside. Although he was usually impassive towards warm temperatures, Eclipse started to sweat. It was those dammnable, pleading eyes which just wouldn't take no for an answer.

And as much as Eclipse wanted to pretend, he didn't have the heart to deny his lord's will. Nor could he deny that classic puppydog look, and the cute little garment that rested on Raenef's slim form, with the collar just open enough to reveal…

Within three minutes, Raenef found himself hurriedly ushered outside, and into the sun.

The dust motes giggled.

tbc? end?

AN: I have no idea if I'm going to continue this or not. The demon meeting thing has potential, but I have to check through the DD pages to see if anyone's done the idea or not. (And also, volume 7 has the most interesting of epilogues to toy with. Krayon/Chris anyone? ; Really, I was being serious.)

Anyways, first DD fic, and CC will be worshiped as usual.