Dinner with the Demon

Chapter 1

Misaki chewed nervously on his fingernail as he walked rapidly back in front of the couch. Tomorrow Usagi had invited one of his childhood friends over for dinner. Initially Misaki had been excited, but his excitement quickly dissipated with the discovery that his demon assistant professor and Usagi's childhood friend were one in the same. "Stupid rabbit," Misaki muttered under his breath, "of course he's friends with the demon."

"Did you say something, Misaki?" Usagi called from the sofa where he was smoking idly next to Sazuki-san.

"No," Misaki responded quickly as he continued to pace.

"Why don't you sit down?" Usagi offered after watching Misaki for a little while, "You're wearing a hole in the carpet with your pacing."

Misaki stopped walking and looked indignantly at Usagi. Placing his hands on his hips, Misaki narrowed his eyes. "I'm not pacing."

"No? Then what are you doing?"

"I'm… I'm thinking," Misaki stuttered.

Usagi's tried not to smile at Misaki's excuse. The kid really was too cute. "What were you thinking about, Misaki?"

"I was… uhhh…" Misaki stuttered, "…was…think…thinking about…what to make for dinner tomorrow…."

Usagi calmly walked over to Misaki and cupped his lover's face in his large hands, "Look at me, Misaki" he commanded softly, "You don't have to lie to me. I know you were thinking about me." Usagi pulled Misaki tightly into his arms and smiled as he watched the kid turn vermillion.

"I WAS NOT!" Misaki shrieked and tried to pull away.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Misaki," Usagi continued ignoring his lover's escape attempts.

"I'M NOT EMBARRASSED!"

Their conversation was interrupted by the obnoxious 'ping' of the oven signaling that Misaki needed to refocus on making dinner. "Really though, what do you want me to make for tomorrow?" Misaki asked as he pulled dinner out of the oven and set it aside to cool.

Usagi stepped behind Misaki and wrapped his arms around him. "I was actually thinking that I would cook tomorrow."

"What?" Misaki asked angrily as he turned around in Usagi's arms to face him, "I'm perfectly capable of cooking for an extra person. I mean, it would be stupid for you to do it."

"Why," Usagi asked innocently.

"You can't cook."

"I can," Usagi insisted, "And there will be six people."

"SIX?" A confused Misaki screamed as he pulled the food out of the oven and shut the door, "Since when?"

Usagi sighed and took a long drag of his newly lit cigarette before replying, "Since always."

"Well…" Misaki prompted as he pulled the dishes from the cabinet.

"Well… What?"

"Who else is coming?"

"Hiroki, his lover… the two of us, Aikawa and…"

"Aikawa?" Misaki raised an eyebrow and turned to Usagi, "Why didn't you tell me she was coming a…?"

Usagi silenced him with a firm kiss on the lips, "I love you, Misaki."

Misaki blushed furiously as his lover walked back over to the couch. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"I didn't want you to get more weird ideas about my relationship with Aikawa."

"I'M NOT GETTING ANY WEIR…"

"It's so cute that you're jealous, but it really was nothing. We were discussing my latest novel idea when the phone suddenly rang. Now she's coming over with her boyfriend, because she answered the phone when Hiroki called." Usagi said, cigarette hanging from his lips, "She kind of invited herself."

"Answer your own damn phone!"

"I can ask her not to come if it bothers you," Usagi offered.

"No," Misaki answered quickly as he put the food on the table, "You don't have to do that." Looking at Usagi sitting on the couch he prompted, "Dinner is ready if you want to eat."

Usagi put his cigarette out in the ashtray and sat down at the table where Misaki had put his plate. They ate for a while in silence giving Misaki time to address something that had been bothering him for a while. Usagi had clearly said that Demon Kamijo's lover was coming over, and Misaki was quite curious about what type of woman he would be with. Maybe she was even scarier than he was. Misaki cringed involuntarily at the thought.

Usagi looked up at Misaki and noticed the strange look on the younger man's face; Misaki expression was a cross between disbelief and terror. Putting down his fork he cleared his throat causing Misaki to look at him, "Are you thinking about something weird, Misaki?" he teased. Usagi watched with amusement as Misaki's face turned red and he began to stutter. The kid was really just too cute.

Eager to nudge the conversation in a different direction, Misaki quickly asked, "Did we decide what we were going to do for dinner tomorrow?"

Deciding to let his young lover off the hook, for now, Usagi answered, "I already called to get dinner delivered."

Misaki looked at him confused, "If you already took care of it, why did you tell me you were going to cook?"

"Just to see your reaction, I guess."

"YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!" Misaki yelled, "YOU CAN EAT BY YOURSELF TONIGHT!" Jumping up from his chair, Misaki stomped towards the kitchen.

Usagi smiled to himself. Yes, Misaki overreacted to just about everything, but the kid was seriously mistaken if he though Usagi was going to eat alone. It took him two large steps to capture his seething lover. "If you don't want to eat with me, Misaki, I'm sure I can come up with other activities we can do together instead," Usagi whispered sexily into his ear.

Misaki blushed and tried to break free from Usagi's iron grip around his waist. "LET ME GO, YOU PERVERT," Misaki protested.

"Only if you promise to sit down and eat with me," Usagi countered.

Misaki sighed exasperated. Usagi could be so immature sometimes. "Fine, you win. I'll eat with you." Misaki found himself being led back to his chair by a very satisfied Usagi. The rest of dinner was eaten in comfortable silence, and Misaki tried very hard to keep his mind from wandering back to its previous quandary. Although Usagi had not pushed the situation that time, Misaki did not want to take any chances.

After dinner, Misaki began to do the dishes and Usagi decided to help him. As soon as Misaki figured out Usagi's intentions, he quickly tried to persuade him otherwise. "Why don't you sit down, Usagi, I can finish on my own," Misaki said nervously.

"I want to help," Usagi answered simply. Taking a dish from Misaki's hand he began to scrub as his young lover stepped backwards. Usagi scrubbed the dish thoroughly, but before he could put it in the dry-rack, it fell to the floor and shattered. Undeterred by this unfortunate event, Usagi picked up the next dish.

"I think you should stop now, Usagi," Misaki ventured hesitantly, but he was silenced by a wave of Usagi's hand.

Usagi picked up the next dish and not thirty seconds later, that dish joined its shattered friend on the ground. Misaki cringed as dish after dish made the suicidal jump from Usagi's hands to the floor. Determined to salvage at least one of the dishes, Misaki dove as the final dish made its downward decent. Misaki managed to grab the dish, but he landed on top of the shattered pieces. "Owwww," Misaki said as he noticed the blood on his arm.

Usagi noticed the blood at the same time Misaki did and proceeded to lift him off the floor and set him down on the counter. "Let me see your arm," he commanded.

"It's no big deal," Misaki replied wearily, "I just cut it a little." Despite Misaki's protests, Usagi grabbed his arm and inspected the cut.

"It's not very deep," Usagi commented, "but I'm going to get you a bandage and maybe some ibuprofen."

"I don't need ibuprofen," Misaki retorted, "It's a cut not a headache."

"Fine, I'll just bring you a bandage then," Usagi conceded as he walked to the bathroom to retrieve it. When he retuned, he turned Misaki's arm and gently applied the bandage. Lifting Misaki's arm up to his lips, Usagi gently kissed the bandage.

"What was that for?" Misaki asked becoming more and more flushed.

"I'm kissing the pain away," Usagi answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Misaki proceeded to jump off the counter and run away.

Usagi decided that Misaki escaped enough for one day and grabbed him firmly around his waist. Hoisting his lover over his shoulder, Usagi walked briskly up the stairs ignoring Misaki's screaming protests. Yeah, the kid was just adorable when he was being stubborn. Kicking his bedroom door shut behind him, Usagi proceeded to show his lover just how much he appreciated him for the rest of the night.