Title: Coffee
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: # 044: Coffee
Fandom: Demon Diary
Pairing: Eclipse/Raenef V
Rating: PG

Eclipse was beginning to rely heavily on coffee. It was a drink from the village, but he found that on the days where Raenef could simply not grasp a subject, the coffee was a blissful retreat, and he was able to return to the lessons with fresh energy. However, it was having a rather drastic effect on his moods.

In the mornings, he was always prone to being unpleasant, but since coffee had become his drink of choice, that unpleasantness was amplified ten-fold. It was simply terrible until he disappeared to the kitchen for a cup, and even then, until the caffiene was evenly distributed through his system, a simple glare would be a blessing.

And it was on one of those days, where Eclipse had not yet had his coffee, that Raenef encountered The Glare. It was not just a simple glare, no, it was the glare that brought death in its path, and destruction all around.

Resting both hands on the table, Eclipse's voice was full of quiet anger. The library was practically purring with it, and Eclipse fixed narrowed violet eyes on his pupil.

"It is quite simple, Master Raenef." It was painfully obvious how much it was taking Eclipse to keep his voice low. "If you would try one more time," One more time would make over one hundred attempts, "I'm sure you will see where you are at fault."

"Uh..." Mumbled Raenef, not even daring to look up into Eclipse's sharp gaze. For the hundreth-and-first time, he tried reciting the incantation to make the huge book of history in front of them levitate.

It started to rise, tentatively.

His voice fumbled, the book fell and made a small dent in the already dented wood. "Uh...oops?"

He swallowed. Oh...no...

Even with the coffee deprivation that Eclipse was suffering, due to an early morning lesson that was entirely his fault, Eclipse usually had a very good handle on his temper. But as soon as Raenef's attempts at a simple levitation had hit the double digits, he began to lose his patience. By the thirtieth try, he felt the now familiar urge to break something. One Raenef had passed fifty, the anger had begun to rise.

It was a sign of how reliant Eclipse had become on coffee. Several weeks ago, he would have been resigned, but would have taught Raenef each step of the incantation.

Now, he just wanted to yell.

"It's a simple incantation, Master Raenef!" The words held more desperation now then anger. A simple incantation, and they'd been at it for hours. Eclipse's frustration had reached its peak. "Is it really so hard that you must suffer the table dents, and the book broken covers?" His inner raging was reflected more in his tone then in his words, voice hard, clipped, and irritated.

"I..." Raenef's voice quivered. "I..."

Dealing with Eclipse's bad moods since he'd discovered that horrible, dark colored drink had tested heavily on Raenef. He'd never been yelled at really, and normally he would have replied with a nervous, 'you dare mock me vermin!' but he couldn't muster it.

Instead his bottom lip shook, his blue eyes brightened even more as tears sprang from them and ran down his cheeks. "I'm sorry!" He cried before disappearing from his chair.

Pressing the heel of one hand to his forehead, Eclipse sighed. Yes, he knew he was in the wrong. He should not have yelled, especially not at Raenef. And since he knew he was wrong, there was only one thing he could do.

Find his master, and apologize. It was not in Eclipse's nature to apologize, even when he knew he was wrong, but he also knew that Raenef would have none of him until he did.

There were only a two places Raenef would run to, and Eclipse did not think his chambers were a likely cantidate. That left the tree, one that was almost constantly in the sun, and always a distraction for Raenef. Eclipse knew it, and for a time, he had considered having it removed. It was the image of Raenef's expression that stilled his hand, and now he was glad the tree was still in place.

With a soft command of, "Go," the library was empty.

Raenef sniffled, legs dangling over the tree branch.

His aim had been off, he supposed. He'd thought 'the tree' instead of 'beside the tree'. Hadn't Eclipse taught him before that he had to be specific? Now he was a good thirty feet from the ground, surrounded by green leaves.

He stared forward as he sniffled and cried. Raenef wiped at his eyes, leaving a smear of tears on the back of his hand.

That had been...mean, Eclipse was mean! He hiccupped, staring over at the house. He wasn't going back in. Nope...

He didn't even notice the small wave of magic beneath him, on the ground. The magic wave that would normally alert him that a demon had just teleported. Nope, he wasn't paying attention at all.

For a moment, all Eclipse could do was sigh. Had he gotten the wrong location? No, that was impossible. There was no other place that Raenef would go. He would not stay in the house, it was foolish to even consider it.

Then he heard the distinct sound of his lord crying, and his head tilted back as he looked for Raenef. He found him in the tree, and Eclipse was hardpressed not to make a fool of himself and climb up after him.

"Master Raenef, come down." It wasn't an order, it was a request. Eclipse made sure his voice reflected that, though he felt more like he was pleading then asking. But that was absolutely absurd! He didn't plead for anything. There was never a cause.

Eclipse's voice made Raenef's heart leap, he sniffled before looking away from the ground. "I...I can't." He said, voice a huff.

It was a lie. He could easily teleport himself down, or even jump.

His clear blue eyes were shiny and glistened with his tears. The sun poking through the trees reflected off of them and made his face glow. The red color of his cheeks shown around the lightly tanned flesh.

Eclipse knew it wasn't true just as well as Raenef did. But he didn't protest, though the irritation rose in him again.

Laying his hand against the bark of the tree, he looked up at Raenef through the branches. His eyes caught on the shining tears and the perfect eyelashes that touched unmarred cheeks.

"Master Raenef, please. Come down." There was a strange pleading note in his voice, one that had never before passed his lips.

Raenef felt cold, as if afraid. Or perhaps chilled from his tears. After a second, he sniffled loudly before shutting his eyes and letting himself teleport to the ground.

He wasn't facing Eclipse but he mumbled something about practicing his levitating again before starting to run toward the castle.

His sleeve knocked away most of the tears, but left a soft streak on his face.

It wasn't in Eclipse's normal routine to run after Raenef, but for a moment, he forgot about teleportation, he forgot about spells, there was only the overwhelming need to get to Raenef before he got to the castle. Without a doubt, he was taller then the young man, and if he really wished to exert himself, he could beat Raenef to the castle, if he wished.

He didn't. His only goal was to catch up with the boy.

So, it was with little thought that he pushed himself into a run, chasing after Raenef with long strides to carry him forward. He didn't believe the levitation excuse anymore then Raenef did, and that thought spurred him forward, made him reach out and catch Raenef's elbow feet before the castle steps.

"Master Raenef…" No, that couldn't possibly be him. Out of breath? A demon? Ridiculous. "I wish to apologize."

Raenef shook his head, trying to pull his arm out of Eclipse's grasp. "No...that's okay, just...let go..."

He didn't turn around, just let himself hide his tears. He didn't want Eclipse to see. He sniffled loudly, effectively giving it away but he still was being stubborn.

It didn't even dawn on him that Eclipse had run after him, not even bothering to teleport himself. Sure, Raenef could have done the same thing earlier, but he wasn't thinking about what he was doing. He was too preoccupied with his crying.

Grip only tightening to keep Raenef in place, Eclipse pulled Raenef close and held him there. One arm wrapped around his shoulders, and the other eased down around his waist.

Sighing, Eclipse looked down at the blonde hair that was the only sign that Raenef was really there at all. The rest was hidden by his arms, even the thin shoulders.

"I am sorry, Master Raenef. It was never my intent to offend."

Another sniffle, and Raenef's hands held onto Eclipse's robes. "It...it's okay...really..." He said softly, leaning forward so his forehead rested against Eclipse's chest.

He hesitated. "But...maybe...it's the coffee? You've had...bad moods since we started getting it from the villages..."

Yeah, he had noticed. And it had always scared him whenever they ran out and had to get more, because until Eclipse had his coffee...sheesh.

"Perhaps." Eclipse assented. He could understand that, and even if he couldn't, he would have agreed anyway. He was in no position to argue with Raenef.

One of the soft, small smiles that Raenef always managed to pull out of him formed on his lips, and he brought up one hand to tilt up Raenef's chin. "Come inside, Master Raenef. I believe you've finished your studies for the day."

Raenef nodded slowly, head moving Eclipse's hand at his chin. "Okay." He said, smiling up at him.

He liked it when Eclipse smiled, it always seemed so foreign on his face. But it made him always smile right back, because it made him happy. And now Eclipse was in a good mood, hooray!

After a moment of staring up into Eclipse's violet eyes, his own hand raised to take the older demon's hand and his face turned a pleasant shade of pink. His smaller fingers laced with Eclipse's longer ones.

The coffee...

Well, it wasn't something he could dismiss. Eclipse was no great fool, he could admit to his own weaknesses... Usually. The coffee affecting his moods was not something he had actually considered, and that Raenef had realized it before him...

It was certainly time to get rid of the drink.

He blinked down at Raenef as he felt thin fingers slip through his own. How... strange. Incredibly strange, but not unpleasant. His own fingers curled, keeping Raenef's in place as they started back toward the castle, all thoughts of teleportation left behind.

----

Sorry it's been so long:( Kel was moving, so I lacked half a pairing.