"What are you up to?" answered the teapot while she gave a list of ingredients to a nearby flour bag.
"Yuki-san invited me to dinner and said I could pick what we eat…and I HATE meat…" said the boy as he nervously stared at his feet. "I was thinking salads or something…could you do that?"
"I can do anything, salads are especially easy, but the master is NOT going to like this. He's completely carnivorous." Said Judy matter-of-factly.
An hour later the salad was well on its way to being completed, and Shuichi was gathering anxiety like a squirrel gathers nuts. He kept hearing Judy's words echoing in his head like an ominous warning. "the master is not going to like this. He's completely carnivorous." Shaking off his feelings of dread, Shuichi climbed the stairs with Tohma to fetch the demon for dinner. After approaching the door to Yuki's private chambers, Shuichi immediately felt the wave of anxiety he had tried so hard to rid himself of. Frantic thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to comprehend the meaning of the dinner and prior events. What if Yuki gets really angry because of the salad? What if I screw up and land myself in the dungeon, or get thrown out again? And, what if everything goes really well and I end up on the other side of this door? And by the way, what is the meaning of life?
Even though he had no answers to the first three questions, Shuichi automatically recalled the final answer from a book he remembered reading long ago. Something to do with Magrathea and something or someone named Deep Thought. As these thoughts were having a Nascar race inside of Shuichi's head, Tohma was going through the motions of physcing himself up for summoning the demon to dinner. As he was about to knock, Shuichi let out an odd gurgling sound, went deathly pale, burst out laughing, and then finished it all off with screaming the number 42 and running down the hall screaming bloody murder.
"Why does the master even bother with him?" the candlestick asked the before considered empty hallway. "He's so stupid."
"At least he makes better company than you do." Said the demon in a menacing tone, protecting Shuichi's now lost dignity. "Find him and make sure he gets to the dining room in one piece, or I promise you that I WILL take the boa. Now go. Understood?"
"Sure, sure. Don't get your wings in a knot." Muttered the sullen candlestick as he hopped down the hallway.
Meanwhile, in the East Wing, Shuichi had buried his head in his pillow to stifle his insane lunatic laughing.
"42…42…42! It's the ultimate answer!" said the boy to the quiet calm of his room.
As he lay on the bed, starting to mellow out from all of the laughing, he again considered his thoughts from earlier. He had answered the first two and obviously the last one. The third question was still nagging him painfully in the back of his mind.
"Well…if he doesn't like the salad, that's his own fault. He let me decide what to have for dinner. And he doesn't seem the type to throw someone out again, especially now that he knows my secret and seems to accept it. But…what if everything goes great? What then? Maybe I should just jump out the window…then I wouldn't have to worry about all of this." Said the teen as he sat thinking aloud on his very squishy bed. "I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself anyway…and besides…. I wasn't exactly complaining last time but then he got all psychotic and threw me out. Oh, I don't know what to do! 42!"
Tohma chose this moment to walk into Shuichi's room to tell him that he was promptly expected for dinner.
"Let's go Shuichi…Eiri-san is waiting."
"Ok. We better get going." Sighed the boy as he resigned himself to his fate, for better or for worse.
Upon entering the dining room, Shuichi had to stifle a gasp. For once Yuki has discarded his usual ensemble of raggedy and torn clothing for clothes that were hole-free. Shuichi had to admit, it was a very pleasant change. The demon had also combed his hair and looked absolutely wonderful. If it hadn't been for the wings, an outsider would never have known the Yuki was a foul-tempered demon. The table was breath-taking as well. Judy had laid out the best tablecloth and candlesticks. A gigantic green leaf salad was in the center of the table with the appropriate toppings and condiments surrounding it in almost perfect symmetry. Yuki looked slightly worried about the salad, but his face brightened subconsciously when Shuichi entered the room.
"Shuichi…what the hell is all of this?" asked the demon quietly after Tohma had showed himself out and Judy had left for the kitchens to fetch drinks. "It's green."
"Yeah…you said that I could pick what we ate. You told me that you didn't care." Answered the boy slowly.
"Fine. I don't care. Just sit down so we can get this over with." Said the demon nonchalantly while sitting down.
"Sorry." Replied Shuichi meekly while he also took his seat.
"Wha…That's not-." Stuttered the demon when he heard Shuichi's hurt response. He immediately regretted saying what he had said earlier when he heard the sadness in Shuichi's voice. "I wanted-."
At this moment, Judy came sailing in on her cart with Tohma following behind her.
"I have the drinks. Water only." Said Judy with a wink in Yuki's direction when he shot her a look of pure hatred. "No alcohol."
"Everyone watch out. I'm going to light the candles." Warned Tohma as he tossed aside his feather boa and blew flames out of the top of his head in a wide arc. "Voila! All done. Bon appetite mes amis!"
The two just continued to stare at the salad, Shuichi with a hungry glint, Yuki with growing disgust.
"Judy! Any meat? At all?" said Yuki, his voice changing from firm to pleading in record time. "Please?"
"Just forget it. You don't really want to be here. You don't care. You never will." Said Shuichi with tears starting to fill his eyes. "Insensitive jerk!"
"Fine! I'll eat the salad. Just shut up! You're already giving me a headache." And with that, Yuki tried the salad. He gagged and choked. Shuichi glared daggers his direction. "Eugh…"
"EAT THE SALAD, DAMMIT!"
"SHUT UP!"
Shuichi obeyed the command, as the demon was looking quite outraged. Shuichi quietly poured his favorite dressing on and started to reach for the vegetables. Yuki had discovered the carrots.
"They're orange…" said the demon with a look of awe mixed with fascination. "Interesting."
Without waiting for Shuichi's reply, he speared the carrot on his claw and started roasting it over the nearest candle. He found it very entertaining. Shuichi was…well, flabbergasted.
"Yuki!"
"What? Maybe it'll taste better…"
"It tastes fine normally, stupid!"
"What did you just call me?"
"Uhh…nothing… I swear." With a look of mock defeat, Shuichi grabbed a roll from the table and threw it at the demon as hard as he could. "Eat your vegetables. Even the orange ones."
"What the hell! Who throws a roll? How old are you, six!" exclaimed the angered demon as he grabbed the roll and started to roast it too. "Fire's nice…"
This earned another look of flabbergastation from Shuichi. "I can't believe you! Oh, I give up. Have your disgusting meat." Shuichi muttered. "Cow murderer."
"Alright, I will. Judy! Medium rare steak, pronto!" ordered the demon with a satisfied smirk. "You should try it, veggie boy."
Five uncomfortable minutes later, Shuichi had finished some of his salad, Yuki had completely destroyed an entire carrot and three rolls, and Judy was rolling in with a medium rare steak grilled to perfection.
"Here you go, sir. Enjoy." And with that, she whisked herself away to the kitchens to prepare for cleanup.
"Come on Shuichi, just try a little bit. I tasted that green mush."
"It's NOT mush! And I am a VEGE-tarian. Hmph."
"Have it your way." Said Yuki as he dug into the steak. "Your loss."
"Jeez, I'll try some. Drama demon."
Shuichi stared at Yuki for a minute and then the demon got out of his chair and moved his place setting next to Shuichi's. He cut off a chunk of choice meat, and placed it one Shuichi's plate. Then he calmly picked up his chair again and moved back to his original position. Shuichi was glaring at him again.
"What now?" exclaimed the demon in a frustrated voice. "What were you expecting?"
"Nothing!" shouted Shuichi back, his face turning bright red. He had been hoping for something slightly more…more…romantic. I mean, this was kind of a date, right? "I wasn't expecting anything!"
"Whatever." Said Yuki as he started to cut back into his steak. And then it hit him. Shuichi had expected more. Great. Now the brat thought they were dating. Just great. "I'm not your boyfriend!"
"Wha-! I know that!" sputtered Shuichi as he tried to comprehend what Yuki had just said. I mean, Shuichi knew they weren't dating but still…Yuki had been being really nice lately. "I don't even want you to be my boyfriend…"
At the same moment, Tohma came bursting into the room followed closely by Mika and Judy.
"Did I just hear the word I thought I heard?" asked Tohma anxiously. "OK. Everyone in the room, except Judy and Mika. Which one of you is gay?"
"I'm NOT GAY!" shouted Yuki and Shuichi in unison.
"Then why-" started Mika strongly.
"GET OUT. NOW." Commanded Yuki as he stood up to strangle the nearest savant. "GET OUT!"
Tohma grabbed his boa and ran, Mika glared at her brother and walked out, Judy zoomed off to the kitchens, and Shuichi just started giggling uncontrollably.
"WHAT IS SO FUNNY!" shouted Yuki at the teenager. "THIS IS NOT FUNNY."
"Were they really serious…?" puzzled the now calm teenager.
"Unfortunately, yes. They were."
"But you're not, and I'm not…"
"Not so sure about you…"muttered the demon quietly under his breath.
"I heard that!"
"And just what are you going to do about it, brat?" questioned Yuki with a sly tone to his deep voice.
"This."
Shuichi got out of his chair and walked over to where Yuki was standing, wrapped his arms around the demon's neck, and kissed him.
"Awww…they're so cute…" said Tohma as he and Mika peeked into the dining room only to see Yuki and Shuichi making out. "Reminds me of when I was younger…"
"You're such an idiot." Said Mika as she walked towards the kitchen to find Judy and Michael.
"Hmmm…there's something there that wasn't there before…" mused Tohma quietly as he continued to watch the couple. "I think this occasion calls for a song."
(A/N: I know the next two parts are out of order. If you're a die-hard movie fan, sorry. If not, never mind. If you don't get the implied joke to this next song…well, think anatomy. And back to the fact that everyone used to think Shuichi was a girl…the song also implies the original meaning from the movie. Definitely more romance now, eh? Hope you enjoy the joke and serious factors of the song.)
Tohma: "Well who'd have thought?" (Tohma beckons to Mika, Judy, Michael, and Sakano to come closer.)
Judy: "Well bless my soul." Sakano: "And who'd have known"
(All of the servants stare at Sakano with looks of disbelief. "They couldn't have been more obvious…" mutters Mika)
Judy: "Well who indeed"
Tohma: "And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own"
Judy: "It's so peculiar"
ALL: "We'll wait and see a few days more, there may be something there that wasn't there before"
(All of the servants continue to watch Yuki and Shuichi from the door)
Sakano: "Yes, perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before"
Michael: "What"
Judy: "There may be something there that wasn't there before"
Michael: "What's there, mama"
Judy: "I'll tell you when you're older."
"Yes…please do." Said Mika with a sarcastic tone, not having enjoyed the song at all.
"What was all of that singing?" asked Yuki quietly to the boy slumped against the wall next to him.
"I don't even want to know anymore." Answered Shuichi as he scooted closer to the demon.
"Get away from me, brat."
"Hey! That's not nice!"
"Stop complaining. Idiot." Sneered Yuki as he walked towards the door. "Are you coming or not punk?"
"What?"
"Simple question. Are you coming or not?"
"Umm…" stuttered Shuichi as he watched the expression on Yuki's face change from annoyance to frustration. "Why not."
The two made their way out of the dining room and towards the stairs. Shuichi thought they were going to one of the wings, but Yuki had other plans.
"Shuichi?" he asked quietly, moving closer to the boy. "Do you trust me?"
"No…why?"
"Just close your eyes."
"No way! You'll eat me or something!" whined Shuichi in an overly childish voice that was sure to get on Yuki's nerves. "I'm not closing my eyes!"
"Just do it. Now."
"But…"
"NO BUTS. Close your eyes!"
"Fine…but if you do anything…"
"Just trust me."
"Yeah, easy for you to say…" muttered the apprehensive teen as he reluctantly closed his eyes.
Yuki gently pushed his hand into the small of Shuichi's back, leading him down a hallway that no one had ever really bothered to investigate. The mysterious hallway led to a heavily locked door, which the demon began to unlock carefully.
"What's all that clicking?" asked Shuichi nervously.
"Don't talk."
When all of the locks had been removed, Yuki pushed the heavy French doors open to reveal a magnificent room. There were shelves upon shelves of assorted candies, chocolates, and snacks. Yuki had been saving them for a rainy day, but Shuichi was more deserving. Yuki then grabbed Shuichi's wrists and led him into the giant chocolate room. He hoped everything would go well.
"Alright. Open your eyes." Said the demon with obvious worry.
"Ok…Oh my god…" stammered Shuichi after he opened his eyes and looked around the gigantic room. "Is this all candy?"
"Yeah…"
"I've never seen so much sugar in all of my life!" exclaimed the boy happily, his eyes beginning to glaze over. "But…why?"
"It's for you. I hope you like it." Said Yuki as he turned to leave the room for the West Wing.
"Yuki…wait…"
"What, brat?"
"Thank you. I love it."
"You're welcome." Said Yuki while he turned around and walked over to Shuichi. "I guess you deserve it."
"Aww…Please don't start acting like yourself again…"
"Shut up. I'm not that bad." And then Yuki wrapped his arms around Shuichi's waist and pulled him closer. "Am I?"
"I suppose not…" said Shuichi slyly as Yuki leaned in for the kiss. "Nope…not bad at all."