Title: Black Tea
Author/Authoress: Kel and Suqua
Disclaimer: We do not own Demon Diary or the characters therein. However, we do own this particular Fanfiction.
Theme/Challenge: # 083: Black tea
Fandom: Demon Diary
Pairing: Eclipse/Raenef V
Rating: PG

Raenef had decided to learn to make tea. Despite assurances that tea could be made for him, he decided that it was entirely necessary for him to learn how. Refusing instruction from Eclipse and anyone else, he studied his supplies.

A bunch of stuff that looked like pepper, water, honey, and sugar.

He stared at these for a good five minutes before taking a cup. He picked up a full and hot tea kettle (taking care not to burn himself on it) and set it next to the cup. Then, he picked up a small spoon and scooped up a small bit of the powdery-grainy stuff.

Was this really tea?

He sniffed it, instantly turning to sneeze. Whoa! It had gone RIGHT up his nose! Strong! Raened rubbed his nose, picking up the spoon again before scooping the tea and pouring it into a smaller white china teapot and then picked up the tea kettle. Pouring water into the teapot, he peered inside.

Swirly!

There was a moment where he wondered if he should call Eclipse and ask him if he was doing this right, but he tossed the idea aside quickly. He could do it, he knew he could!

He waited a moment before pouring a bit of tea into a 'tester' cup and taking a sip. Raenef's face screwed up and his tongue lolled. Ewww!

It was bitter and more like coffee! Gross!

Trying to get the taste out of his mouth, he picked up the honey and turned it upside down above the tea. He poured until nearly the entire full container was inside the tea. Then the sugar until half the bag was gone. Stirring it up, he peered inside.

Whoa, now it was all black and stuff! Huh, that must have been why they called it black tea then. Smiling, he put the teapot on a tray with a couple cups and went back into the library.

"Eclipse! I made the tea!" He said both triumphantly and happily. Oh, he was so excited. He KNEW it would taste better now!

It was not strange for Eclipse to be shocked at his young master's antics, though more often then not that shock was channeled into some other emotion. Disappointment was not unusual, though happiness had become more and more frequent. How very strange.

However, his shock at Raenef's simple statement could not be channeled into any other emotion. It stayed as it was, pure surprise.

Raenef had made tea? Eclipse indulged in a moment of imagining. The kitchen had to be destroyed, it was probably toxic... He only hoped Raenef wouldn't decide it was a good idea to make him drink it.

Then his eyes fell on the tray, and he knew it was in vain. "Have you tasted it, Master Raenef?"

"Nope!" Raenef said happily. "It's black tea! Drink some, drink some!"

He set it on a large table, pushing aside books to make room for the tray. He carefully poured two cups, holding out one white cup and saucer for Eclipse.

His smile was wide, eyes narrowed in his happiness. The tea was black, as it's name suggested, and a small trail of steam grew up into the air.

Eclipse was helpless to deny that smile, and he took the cup and saucer from Raenef, ignoring his own suspicion on how safe the tea would be. Looking down at it, his brow furrowed lightly in concern.

Did it look... thick? He gave his head a little shake. No, it had to be a trick of the light.

Taking a careful sip, his immediate reaction was to spit it out. He could taste the sugar, the sheer amount making the drink sour. The added honey did little to help, and he couldn't even begin to sort through the syrupy mess to wonder if Raenef had actually added the tea.

It was with sheer will that he smoothed his expression to one of tranquility, swallowing the concoction with the tiniest of grimaces. "It may require practice, Master Raenef." He said bracingly, knowing full well the effects an outright lie would have on the boy.

"What!" Raenef gasped, grabbing his own tea. He drank it down in a gulp.

After a moment, his frozen expression melted away and he looked content. "Yummy!" He said wistfully, "It tastes a LOT better than it did with just the tea in it.

He blinked at Eclipse. "What's wrong with it?"

Hiding his small smile behind his cup, Eclipse shook his head. "Nothing, Master Raenef. It simply takes getting used to."

If Raenef could drink the tea, Eclipse knew he was expected to as well. He would suffer through it, he supposed, though he knew he wouldn't enjoy it. Swallowing down another bile inducing sip, Eclipse's wince was more obvious.

He hoped, for Raenef's sake, that the tea didn't taste as vile to the boy. Truly, it was a disgusting mix, one he hoped wouldn't kill him when he was through drinking it. Though perhaps chewing was a better term.

Blinking, Raenef poured himself another cup and took a sip. It was yummy, very sweet. Just how Raenef liked tea to be. Not all bitter and stuff like it was before.

He stopped. "Oh!" He picked up the teapot again. "I'm sorry, did you want some more, Eclipse?"

He smiled, seemingly forgetting that as a Demon Lord, he shouldn't be pouring anyone elses' tea and that they should be pouring it for HIM. Yes, he always forgot stuff like that.

"No, thank you, Master Raenef." The very thought of drinking any more of the tea was enough to make Eclipse's skin crawl.

While Raenef was unaware of the fact that there were others to do exactly what he was offering, Eclipse had not. Setting down his cup of tea with a gratitude he would never show, he curled his fingers around the handle of the tea pot, and effectively, Raenef's hand.

"Would you like another cup, Master Raenef?"

Raenef's cheeks pinked a little as he looked down at his and Eclipse's hands wrapped around the teapot. "Um...yes, please."

But, he couldn't let go of the pot, could he? Nope, and he didn't really feel like he wanted to. Eclipse's hand was very warm.

The hand stayed in place, and Eclipse seemed undisturbed that it was there at all. He glanced over at Raenef's cup, and one brow raised. "Your cup is still full."

Despite his outward calm, Eclipse was questioning himself. What was he doing? Why couldn't he make himself move his hand? Raenef's skin was soft under his palm, and he could feel the bone structure as those small fingers flexed. Delicate, almost fragile. Like something that needed to be protected.

Eyes widening, Raenef stared down at his cup. "Oh...right! Yeah...Heh..." He stuttered, "Nevermind, then..."

His face colored a bit more, he bit his lip with embarrasment. And yet, he still didn't move his hand away, leaving it there trapped between the teapot and Eclipse's hand.

Eclipse's hand finally moved, but it was only to let go of the tea pot, taking Raenef's hand with him. He knew what was going on, yes, and he understood the consequences it could have.

And what surprised him the most, out of the entire scenario, was that he didn't mind. Not a bit.

"Um..." Raenef said softly. "Eclipse...?"

He swallowed softly, eyes looking up from where the teapot had been up to Eclipse's eyes. His heart began to thump against his chest, pink-ish face turning red.

Why was...Eclipse holding his hand? And why was it making him nervous?

"Relax, Master Raenef." Eclipse brushed his thumb lightly over the back of Raenef's hand, trying to ignore the flutters that were making him feel far too light.

He could pass this off as a lesson, but he knew how well Raenef remembered those. If anything, he wanted his young master to remember this.

Bringing his other hand up, he brushed the light hair back from Raenef's face. His heart was beating so hard he was sure everything around him could hear it, but that didn't stop him from what he was going to do. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to Raenef's, gently enough that Raenef could pull away if he chose.

Gasping softly, Raenef did not pull away. Instead, his eyes shut and he leaned forward to return the kiss in his own faint, shy way. The trembling his hand became still and fingers curled in a slow fist around Eclipse's hand.

It felt strange, he felt strange. Eclipse was kissing him, but it didn't feel weird or awkward at all. It felt...right. Perfect, and his body felt light and warm.

The pressure of the kiss increased, though gradually. His hand slipped to the back of Raenef's neck, fingers still loose enough that the young Demon Lord could pull away.

Breaking the kiss after a long moment, Eclipse pulled back. "My apologies, Master Raenef. I have overstepped my bounds."

It took for a moment for Raenef to do anything, eyes opening slowly and blinking for a moment. Then, they widened and he shook his head. "No! That's...it's okay..."

He swallowed slowly, looking down at his tea. "Could...could you..."

The question died on his throat, he chewed on his bottom lip as he thought. He was flushing redder than before, deepening in large red blossoms on his cheeks.

Eclipse was reluctant to move his hands, and the long fingers seemed equally unwilling to unwind themselves from the soft hair at the back of Raenef's neck. It was with great effort that he moved both hands to tilt Raenef's head back up.

"What would you like me to do?" He would do anything that Raenef requested, and not only out of servitude. He would do it because it was what Raenef wanted, and he would do anything to keep his lord happy.

He allowed himself the small comfort of Raenef's words. His kiss had been welcome, then. He was glad.

Swallowing again, Raenef tried to calm himself by staring back into Eclipse's eyes. The dark, almost black orbs made him want to shiver and look back down into his tea.

"Please..." He began softly, voice fading until the words were barely spoken. "Kiss me again?"

He swore the places where Eclipse's hands were were on fire underneath the fingertips, burning him.

Eyes widening a fraction, Eclipse tried to keep his surprise from showing. He felt the tug at his lips, and new that despite all of his efforts, a purely delighted smile had taken over his expression.

Leaning down, Eclipse paused before the distance was closed completely. "Of course, Master Raenef. I would be happy to."

-End-