D. N. Angel Fan Fiction ❯ Snippets ❯ Just Like In The Movies ( Chapter 18 )

Just Like In the Movies:

 

Disclaimer: I don't own DN Angel.

 

Warnings: Fluff abound, sweet enough to rot your teeth and then some.

 

A/N: Let's see what researching my topic instead of just spewing things out does for my writing.

 

Dark had known from the very beginning that Daisuke was a hopeless romantic. After all, what teenager could write a love letter, hand it to the girl of his dreams, be rejected and still hope for some sort of magical event that would see her into his arms? Of course, the thief was also privy to some of Daisuke's inner thoughts, the ones that he'd never thought he'd see in any host of his. The ones that conjured up candle-lit dinners, bouquets of roses, rides in Ferris Wheels that oh-so-conveniently overlooked the sea and provided an amazing view of the port…things that only happened in movies and romance novels. All the same, he couldn't help but feel that the entire rigmarole was worth it if he could see the younger one's eyes light up and his mouth curve up in that open smile that he knew was just for him.

 

Daisuke couldn't help but wish that he could have one `picture-perfect' moment with Dark. He knew that it wasn't in Dark's nature to openly show his feelings, and he preferred to be discreet about his relationships, but all the same it wasn't wrong to hope, right? He already knew what he wanted to get Dark; he'd seen it in one of the shops which littered Azumano's trendier district, inside a little white box. He was now saving up to buy it, an easy task since he normally disliked shopping and he rarely had time to wander around town on his own; a consequence of his many night-time escapades, he supposed. He didn't expect anything from Dark, but he couldn't help but wish for a little something, even a single rose.

 

Hey, Daisuke.

 

-Dark?-

 

The thief hesitated for a moment before the courage that had welled up in him dwindled and shrank. He thought for a minute longer before slowly shaking his head and then feeling like a monster as Daisuke's disappointment shot through him before the other could tamp it down. Nothing.

 

He felt his heart sink as the other's presence faded from his consciousness. Dark had a habit of making himself either very, very conspicuous or utterly invisible, blending into the recesses of Daisuke's mind with all the effort of a hawk soaring into the sky. Shaking his head, he returned to learning about the Reconstruction Finance Corporation of 1931.

 

He finally snapped, unsure about where to begin planning his `romantic evening' with Daisuke. A quick stop at the bookstore with an oversized hooded sweatshirt and a pair of baggy jeans, and Dark made his way out holding the latest issue of `Teen Vogue' wrapped in glossy plastic. He didn't dare look in any of the store windows for fear of seeing his own red face. The thief thanked whatever deity had inspired Zephyra Lynx to create the Dual Plate, allowing him to leave Daisuke's mind for 12 hours.

 

Daisuke stopped by the little store that day just to make sure Dark's present was still there. The storekeeper smiled and assured him that he would hold the little item until the thirteenth, for which the redhead thanked him sincerely. “I'll get the money soon,” he promised the older man, who told him not to worry. The redhead thanked the heavens that Dark was off doing his own thing; it was difficult to tell whether the thief knew what was going on around him even if he was asleep, and how far the other could see into his mind.

 

Step 1: Flowers. Everyone gives roses, but they're definitely not the only ones that say `I love you', so why not try some of the less well-known ones such as arum lilies, azaleas or orange blossoms and go that extra mile? Check out `http://www.me2u.com/LoveLore/Flowers/language.tmpl' for the language of flowers, or see your local florist for recommendations.

 

Dark smirked to himself. Flowers, he thought. Easy-peasy. I'll just go to that place where Emiko always gets her flowers…what was it called again? The Koneko, right? It seems to be extremely popular with the girls at Daisuke's school. He hurried out of the house once more, hoping that the florist would come up with something good that he could present to Daisuke.

 

Oh my God. Dark thought to himself as he walked out of the shop. No wonder Emiko goes there so often. Hell, I would go there if I didn't already have someone. He'd pushed through the horde of crazed girls, only to be pushed into one of the shopkeepers by their pushing and shoving. He'd had large brown eyes and the kind of looks one associated with a country boy, all innocence and good-natured fun. “Can I help you?” Dark was lost, with the result that he walked out of the store barely knowing what he'd bought and ordered. He only hoped that he'd remembered to write his name on the `From' portion of the tag.

 

Step 2: Plan. Do you want a home-cooked meal, or a romantic movie and then dinner at a snazzy restaurant? Whatever you do, make a plan first. We suggest a romantic activity first, followed by dinner and then a `quiet time' session. Try and keep it simple; you're not organizing a one-day tour! Besides, a simple evening means less work and fewer headaches for you.

 

Planning was a simple matter; Dark had always been a fast thinker, and besides, he knew what Daisuke wanted. It was fortunate that the carnival had recently arrived in Azumano and would be staying for four weeks, through Valentine's Day. He soon decided that he would make the perfect romantic dinner, roses, candles and all, followed by a trip to the Carnival. Luckily, it closed at twelve, which would give them plenty of time to enjoy themselves.

 

What do I have to do…let me see…Dark immediately categorized all the chores into two lists: Dinner and Carnival. Dinner seemed to be the most complicated, as he needed to buy vanilla candles, romantic music and everything in between. He also needed to find a list of nice, simple but tasty dishes that he could prepare without help and a chocolate dessert that would not raise hell in the kitchen. Good grief, he thought. Why wasn't Risa's date so difficult to arrange? He was sorely tempted to go downtown just to flirt with that pretty brunette at the Koneko some more as well as order flowers, but time was running out and Daisuke would soon be home.

 

Daisuke hid the roll of wrapping paper at the back of his cupboard, along with the rest of his art supplies. He knew that anything near his art supplies aroused no curiosity from his mother whatsoever; she preferred to see him steal artwork, not create his own. All the same, he couldn't help but think that she was just a tiny little bit proud of his skill; after all, one of his paintings hung downstairs in the hall, and Emiko never failed to point this out to guests entering the Niwa household. He only hoped that the thief didn't catch the tail-end of his thoughts, or else the game would be up. Being a thief, Dark could literally coax secrets out of anyone. Daisuke darling, Dark's voice teased.

 

-Right on cue,- the other thought a little wryly. He let the purple-haired man stew for a while longer, knowing that Dark would soon get to the point.

 

Aw, you're so mean, the other pouted. Daisuke merely rolled his eyes. But if you continue being mean to me, the other added, I might just leave you. The redhead rolled his eyes again, already accustomed to this sort of teasing from the angel. The ease with which he now interacted with Dark still sometimes scared him.

 

-Oh, really.-

 

Dark nodded vigorously, smirking wildly. Indeed. There's a cute guy I want to try out down at that flower shop…Daisuke blinked.

 

-What's his name?-

 

Good question. Daisuke giggled at the thought of Dark trying to chat up someone whose name he didn't even know and then quickly sobered, knowing that the thief could probably do it if he tried. Heavens alone knew how many clubs he went to, anyway. Seeing that the redhead was now slightly flustered, Dark continued. He's got big chocolate eyes, brown hair and he's oh-so-friendly…

 

Daisuke winced. -Does he like soccer?-

 

Well, he was wearing one when I saw him…

 

The Tamer only barely managed to stop himself from falling off the bed from laughter. The piece of furniture shook as he doubled over with laughter at the mere thought of Dark trying to make a move on the other. -You wish,- he barely managed to reply.

 

The other sulked for a moment. And just why would that be? He asked curiously.

 

-He's already taken.- Dark didn't bother replying, knowing that any argument he got into now would not turn in his favour.

 

Fine, he sulked, brightening up considerable when he thought of flirting with the other boy anyway. Well, people can always change their minds, right Daisuke? The younger boy didn't reply still giggling from the thought of Dark trying to do anything other than buy from the boy at the flower shop.

 

The next few days saw Daisuke's blood pressure shoot through the roof as the teachers piled on projects, essays, presentations and tests. He barely had time to think about Dark's present, still in the plaza store, and Dark never mentioned anything about it.

 

Feb. 11th:

 

“Thank you!” Daisuke quickly stuffed the gift into his bag and ran out the door. He glanced at his watch hastily and groaned as he realized that paying for the present had just cost him three minutes and the bus. Why, Dai-chan, is that for me? Dark lazily drawled. What dedication; I'm flattered.

 

-Oh no!- Daisuke was horrified to discover that not only was Dark awake, but that he was also going to be in a world of hurt when his mother realized that he was late home again. He only hoped that his uncle hadn't arrived yet. -I'll deal with you later,- he promised the dark angel as he dashed off, hoping to arrive at the next bus stop before the bus itself did.

 

Dinner:

 

“So, how have you been, Daisuke?” Taiga ruffled his nephew's hair playfully before throwing himself onto a chair with a groan of relief. “How's life?”

 

“Eh, it's been okay. Nothing much,” the redhead answered. The other man threw his head back and laughed.

 

“He's just like you, Kosuke,” the dark-haired man remarked. “Totally introverted.” Kosuke blushed lightly and looked away, causing his younger brother to laugh even harder. Luckily, Emiko came out carrying a tray of food, and the boisterous man's attention was diverted to his sister-in-law's cooking for a while.

 

Throughout dinner, Taiga kept up a constant flow of conversation. Even Daiki, normally quiet, was drawn into the conversation, and soon all of the Niwas were talking. “So, Daisuke,” the man suddenly said, bringing the force of his dark gaze onto the redhead. “Valentine's Day is coming up soon. Got a special girl in mind?” The younger boy blushed furiously, cursing the years in America that had made his uncle so open about such things.

 

Kosuke sighed at his son's embarrassment, though the action was tinged with more than a slight hint of pity. “Don't embarrass him, Tai,” he lightly scolded his sibling. “You know he doesn't like to talk about these things.”

 

“But it's fun! Besides, what kind of uncle would I be if I didn't know who my own nephew was interested in, eh?”

 

“There's no point,” Daisuke muttered under his breath as Dark burst out into peals of laughter. The kaitou had been waiting for a chance to see Daisuke's reaction when someone outside of school asked him about his love life, and this was the perfect situation. Dai-chan, he purred. Why don't you just be open about things and tell him? After all, it's not like the rest of the family doesn't know.

 

Taiga leaned over and nudged his nephew playfully with his elbow. “Come, come, who's the lucky girl? Is her photo here? Or is it in a box under your bed with her handkerchief?” He was about to continue pestering the teen, but upon seeing the look of utter serenity (known as the prelude to murder) on his brother's face, he hastily left off. However, the man was nothing if not the physical embodiment of mischief, and teasing Daisuke was just too much fun to pass up.

 

Kosuke kept his glare focused on his younger brother, but inwardly he knew that if Taiga wanted to continue, not even Hades himself could stop him. He saw his brother's eyes dart around and resisted the urge to sigh. He could practically read his siblings thoughts: To continue, or not to continue?

 

Daisuke's father swore that his brother was the reincarnation of Loki the Trickster himself, more so when he heard the words fly out of Taiga's mouth. “Oh, it must not be a girl then, since Dai-chan's so shy about it. Is he very good-looking too?” Silence fell across the table.

 

Dark couldn't believe the nerve of this man. Hey, Dai-chan, let me out, he told the other. The redhead shook his head, not wishing to cause any more of a disturbance at the table. His face was bright red and the thief scowled. Tch. Just stand up for yourself then, Dai-chan, he told the other. I'll cheer you on! The redhead tried to hush the angel, but to no avail as the other continued to talk. He's such a loud-mouth, anyway. So cocky.

 

-Look at the pot calling the kettle black,- he thought back in response. He turned to look at his uncle and forced a weak smile out, hoping that his face wasn't bright red. “Um, no,” he said politely. “I just don't want to talk about it, that's all.”

 

“Oh, Dai-chan,” his uncle laughed, ruffling the spiky red locks playfully, “You can tell me. It's perfectly normal to like someone at this age! Why, I remember when I was fourteen—“

 

“Taiga,” Kosuke interrupted. “Shut up.” The entire table turned to stare at the normally quiet and polite man. Upon seeing their faces, he blushed but held firm. “Please,” he added as an afterthought. Taiga raised an eyebrow at him before shrugging and leaning back.

 

Three hours later:

 

Emiko waved happily at her brother-in-law. “Come again soon, Taiga,” she chirped. “It was nice having you over!” Kosuke nodded at his brother, but inwardly breathed out a sigh of relief. He looked down at his son, who was smiling and waving as though nothing had happened. Sighing, he thanked the heavens silently for a somewhat more peaceful dinner than last time. After all, one food fight between his wife and brother was quite enough, thank you very much.

 

Dark was still sulking over Daisuke's refusal to change in the middle of dinner. Not at the dinner table, Dark, he mimicked in a high-pitched tone.

 

-Dark!- The redhead tried to explain his reasoning to the kaitou, but it was clear that the older one obviously did not want to listen. He continued babbling blithely through Daisuke's attempt to explain, laughing at his own jokes as the other attempted to make himself heard. The crimson-eyed teen finally gave up and blocked the other out. Growling, he turned to his Japanese homework, sorely regretting his romantic notions. -As if he'd recognize romantic if it dropped on his head from the Empire State Building,- he thought.

 

The next few days passed without incident, Dark not saying a word about the little white box that he'd seen. He was sure that it was for him; Daisuke's reaction had confirmed that much. However, there was no time to dally over such trivial matters. He had a full dinner to plan (and cook), and tickets to buy.

 

Feb. 12th:

 

I don't believe this. Dark gawked at the list of `romantic recipes' in front of him, all neatly arranged in categories. At first, he'd thought of using today for research and tomorrow for preparations, but upon seeing the multitude of dishes one could prepare for a romantic Valentine Day's dinner, he knew that he shouldn't have procrastinated.

 

The kaitou finally decided on Singing Shrimp for appetizers, a pasta dish for the main course and coconut truffles for dessert. Smiling to himself, he hastily typed out a list and printed it out along with the recipes, remembering to erase his history and turn the machine off before Daisuke returned. Looking down at the list of ingredients and instructions, he wondered whether it would be possible to enlist Emiko's help. Just how does one tell when the pastry's golden brown when the oven door's tinted, anyway?

 

Feb. 13th:

 

Emiko clasped her hands prettily, eyes wide and sparkling with the boundless energy that could only be rivaled by a hyperactive With who'd sneaked into the fridge and stolen all the strawberries. “Dark!” She gushed, “That's so romantic of you! We'll…ah, what was that English phrase?” She paused before rushing onwards. “Well, never mind,” she declared cheerfully. “Of course I'll help you!” The purple-haired kaitou stared before realizing that he should probably be thanking his Tamer's mother right now. After all, it wouldn't do to anger the cook this early on, would it?

 

Dark was still trying to recover from the trauma of spending three solid hours inside the supermarket, buying the ingredients he would need for dinner. Emiko had giggled and promised to leave the house to him, seeing as Daikii had gone to Osaka (`to get away from this frightening mess') and Kosuke had promised her a dinner out.

 

“All right,” the brown haired woman chirped as she donned her almost ubiquitous white apron, “Let's get started!” She promptly shoved a bowl into Dark's hands, eyes flicking over the recipe with the ease of long practice. The other could only watch and make a few, helpless gestures with his hands that were supposed to ask whether she needed help or not.

 

Five hours later:

 

Dark sighed in relief, hands smeared with chocolate and shreds of coconut meat. Meanwhile, Emiko slid the tray of finished truffles into the fridge and smiled cheerfully at Dark. “There, that wasn't so hard, was it?” The thief merely groaned in reply, praying fervently that he would be able to pull off the final touches to the shrimp and pasta tomorrow.

 

“It'll be fine, Dark,” the woman cheerfully chirped. “Just simmer the shrimp to heat it up a little, lightly bake the pastry and then spoon the mixture in. It's not that difficult.” Dark looked away, at that very moment cursing Towa-chan for having accepted a friend's invitation to go to Hokkaido. Meanwhile, Emiko continued happily. “As for the lasagna, just bake it gently for a little while and you'll be just fine.” She giggled. “Make sure you tell me what happens next,” she told the kaitou.

 

“Tadaima!” Right on cue, Daisuke entered the kitchen. Dark almost froze, but luckily had the presence of mind to hide his hands behind his back. “You're helping mom with dinner, Dark?” Not trusting himself to speak lest he say something stupid, the purple-haired teen nodded. Emiko beamed.

 

Feb 14th:

 

Although he was fairly up to date with the current school gossip courtesy of Saehara, Daisuke was sure he had never thought about half the couples he had seen. He blew a few strands of wayward red out of his eyes and looked out at the grey sky, the clouds and heavy air predicting rain. I bet Dark probably doesn't even know what day it is, he thought a little sadly. His mind then turned to the little box hidden at the bottom of his closet and the redhead cheered up a little before being rudely jerked back into the land of the living by Takaki-sensei's question.

 

There was a knock on the door and a group of students bearing roses walked in. “Um, we're the Valentine's Day team…is it all right if we give out roses now?” The teacher paused mid-rant whilst the class held their breath, as they were more acquainted with Takaki-sensei's view of people who interrupted his lectures for `trivial matters'.

 

“Oh, all right,” the man sighed reluctantly. “But hurry up.” The group hastily began calling out names, distributing the flowers to those who were in the room. Apart from a sprig of rosemary from Satoshi (which the other boy had seemed to have bought especially for him), Daisuke did not get a single flower. He sighed and looked out the window once more, ignoring the squeals of delight from those who had received roses. The only one who did not say anything was Satoshi, although he was probably too busy trying to get the pile off his desk without spoiling them.

 

Ken cursed as the delivery van broke down, the back spewing out exhaust fumes into the road. Behind him, a number of angry drivers slammed on their horns, demanding that he move. “Well, sh--! I would if I could!” He hollered at a particularly obnoxious man in a blue Honda.

 

“Move it, kid!”

 

“F--- off!” Growling in distaste, he pulled out his phone and called the flower shop. Unfortunately, Aya picked up.

 

Sixth period:

 

He looked around the large building, hoping that he could find classroom 3B, wherever that was. However, with a little logic and luck, the flower seller managed to get to the room in time. He raised his hand and knocked.

 

“Excuse me, I have a delivery for…um…” He checked the tag. “Daisuke Niwa?” A redhead stood up, blushing prettily, so Ken smiled cheerfully at him. “Happy Valentine's Day!” He told the other boy before leaving. “See you!” Outside, the clouds grew even darker.

 

Daisuke resigned himself to a day filled with questions and curious looks as he hauled the bouquet around the school, as it was much too big to fit inside his locker. He was therefore accosted by scores of people, wanting to see just who liked Daisuke that much.

 

 

Dark:

 

Dark smiled as he looked at the clock, thinking that Daisuke must have received the flowers by now. He could only pray that it didn't start raining before his Tamer returned, as he knew that Daisuke was clumsy enough to try and juggle an umbrella and the flowers, hence dropping one, the other, or both. He only hoped that Daisuke didn't accidentally squash the first part of his gift between the tables or under his chair.

 

He settled down into the couch more comfortably and shuddered as his eyes were once more assaulted by the sight of a drunken Bridget Jones giggling helplessly. Sighing, he jabbed a random number on the remote control, hoping that there were better programmes on at this time. After all, there had to be at least one channel that wasn't going to run a host of romantic movies, didn't there?

 

An hour later:

 

Dark bemusedly looked down at the sobbing mass latched firmly onto his arm, otherwise known as Emiko Niwa. Her teary eyes were glued to the screen as Juliet fell gracefully onto her funeral bed, landing (all too coincidentally, Dark thought) in Romeo's arms. The purple-haired man patted her on the back awkwardly, leaning over to reach for the tissue box. “Thanks,” she snuffled. The other nodded again, hoping that the film would soon end.

 

“Coming up next,” the television announced, “Aeon Cards is proud to present the BBC's version of `Pride and Prejudice'. Stay tuned.” Dark immediately perked up and slowly began to loosen Emiko's death grip on his arm. After all, this was supposed to be a comedy, right? So she wouldn't need him any more.

 

3:00pm:

 

Daisuke let out an undignified squawk of fright as a large, red silk heart dropped from the ceiling along with glitter and strands of pink and red paper. “Mom!”

 

Emiko immediately appeared in front of him, beaming. “Dai-chan! You're home early—what's that?” She immediately stooped down to read the card, which the furiously blushing redhead immediately snatched away. “Oh, Dai-chan's got a secret admirer,” she teased. “How come I didn't know this?” Daisuke hastily backed away, not wanting to get caught in an interrogation. “They're such lovely roses,” she cooed. “I'll put them in a vase for you, all right?” Without even waiting for a reply, she whisked the flowers out of his hands and vanished, presumably into the kitchen where the vases were kept.

 

Dark sauntered out just as Daisuke had finished taking his shoes off, purple eyes glinting expectantly. “Did you like the roses?” The redhead just looked at him, large eyes shining happily, and Dark knew that he had his answer. He managed a little smile despite wanting to shout with joy. For once, he had done something right.

 

Daisuke nodded once, swallowing hard. “Yeah.” He slowly walked towards Dark, only managing to get halfway down the corridor before running the rest of the way. “Thank you! Thank you so much, Dark!” The other chuckled a little, smoothing his hair gently.

 

“I'm glad you didn't get caught in the rain,” he said shortly, tilting the other's head up with a gentle hand. “Now how about I give you a nice welcome home.” Without another word, he quickly kissed Daisuke. Just as abruptly, he broke it and promptly disappeared. Don't tire yourself out, he told the other. We're going out tonight. Daisuke blushed and couldn't help but look out at the window, wondering just what Dark had planned. Perhaps he really had thought of something special for Valentine's Day.

 

5:00pm:

 

“Daisuke.” Kosuke looked down at his son and coughed slightly, face colouring. Dark wished that he, too, had a physical form, so that he could call the other up on it, but he kept this thought to himself. “Emiko and I are going out. She also tells me that dinner is ready, and only needs a little warming up. Dark knows what to do. I trust you will not burn the kitchen down like last time.” The thief cringed, remembering the pastries and lasagna in the fridge. Well, he thought to himself, it couldn't be all that hard using the microwave alone.

 

Daisuke couldn't focus on his homework, mind occupied with what Dark was doing. From the look on the older teen's face as he walked downstairs, it was clear that he was nervous about something, most likely dinner. Daisuke had offered to help, but tonight the purple-haired man seemed particularly adamant about making dinner himself, insisting that he would be perfectly fine. Just then, the doorbell rang.

 

Dark rushed to the door after pushing the pastry shells into the oven, paying the florist and hastily closing the door before Daisuke came down to investigate. Smiling quickly at his Tamer, Dark rushed back into the kitchen with the flowers. Vase, vase, he thought to himself. I forgot where Emiko puts the vases! Disaster struck just five minutes later in the form of the fire alarm going off.

 

“Dark? Are you all right?” Daisuke shouted before mentally smacking himself. Of course Dark wasn't all right! The fire alarm was going off, for crying out loud! “Do you need some help?”

 

The purple-haired thief panicked, desperately trying to put the minature fire out with a wet washcloth. “Just peachy!” He quickly called back. “The thing just went off for no blasted reason!” He flapped at the fire once more with the cloth, trying to beat the flames out. Upstairs, Daisuke frowned but decided not to go. After all, he didn't need a repeat performance of the time the fire alarm had gone off because Krad and Satoshi were `busy' on the kitchen counter instead of keeping an eye on the stove.

 

Dark sighed in relief fifteen minutes later. Apart from the slightly burnt smell in the kitchen and the blackened remainders of pastry shell, there was no evidence to suggest that anything had gone wrong. If only he had checked the inside of the oven. The thief looked at the pan of lasagna, mentally bracing himself for the ordeal that was the microwave. Gingerly placing the pan into the microwave, he triumphantly slammed the door shut. There was a splintering crack and he found himself gawking at the now broken microwave door. Sh--. “Dark?” It was Daisuke. “I'm done!” Sh--! Dark swore once more, this time more vibrantly.

 

“Don't come downstairs!” He yelled frantically, eyes darting around for something with which to hide the broken machine.

 

“But Da-ark,” Daisuke called back in that oh-so-innocent voice of his. “I want to watch some TV.”

 

“Um…okay,” Dark quickly said, darting over to the door. “But don't come into the kitchen!”

 

“Are you sure you wouldn't like some help?” The redhead questioned once more. “You sound a little…harrowed.”

 

“Honestly?” Daisuke's voice was still a little hesitant.

 

“Yes, I'm sure!” The thief hastily replied. He looked down at the frozen pasta and swallowed hard. There was only one thing for it now. Swinging the oven door open, he pushed the lasagna inside and twisted the dial, praying that the pasta would be all right.

 

The floral arrangements seemed to be all right, Dark noted. Apart from the slight chip in the vase where he'd accidentally chipped it on the counter, nothing seemed to be amiss. In fact, he was just about to take the flowers out when suddenly the oven shrilled, having finally decided to co-operate with him for once. The thief looked between the oven and the vase, torn between the two tasks before deciding to finish the former first. After all, it wouldn't hurt to leave the lasagna in for a little longer, would it?

 

The fire alarm went off again.

 

Daisuke stared down at the pink mess, trying his best not to laugh. The look on Dark's face when he'd burst into the kitchen was absolutely priceless. He cautiously scooped a little shrimp out, placed it in his mouth…and almost choked. It was ice-cold. “Dark?” He asked carefully. “How about I go heat this up?” The other looked positively miserable, and didn't respond. Sighing, the redhead took his boyfriend's plate and went for the microwave. Meanwhile, Dark sat there with his head in his hands before the full consequences of what Daisuke was about to do hit him.

 

“Don't!” He yelled before the sound of two plates shattering on the floor reached his ears.

 

Dark was in agony. Daisuke had insisted upon sampling the lasagna despite its rather charred state, taking a large mouthful and smiling hard despite the other's pleas for him not to do so. “It's delicious,” the other insisted. “Really.” The dark angel nearly cried and told himself to get dessert ready. At least it didn't involve using any machines. Fortunately, dessert passed without any incidents aside from Daisuke's squeal when he found that there the truffles turned out to be made of coconut shreds rather than chocolate (although admittedly, it didn't stop him from eating them quite happily).

 

At the carnival:

 

“We have encountered some technical difficulties and are currently trying to fix them, so please remain calm and do not try to climb out of the cars. We apologise sincerely for this and ask that you remain patient. Thank you.” Dark couldn't believe his ears. The carnival had been perfectly all right (aside from some nasty man who'd tried to hit on Daisuke) until the Ferris Wheel. Now they were sitting atop the entire contraption, staring out at a rather foggy view of the port and shivering slightly from the cold wind.

 

Daisuke leaned forward and gently tapped the other's knee. “Dark.” When the purple-haired man looked at him apologetically, the redhead smiled. “Don't worry,” he gently said. “It's fine. I don't mind.” The other smiled slightly before shaking his head and shrugging. Daisuke reached into his pocket, where he'd placed the carefully wrapped present before going out. “Here.” He pressed the little box into the other's hand.

 

Dark looked at his Tamer in surprise. “For me?” He sounded unsure now. Daisuke nodded reassuringly.

“Yeah. For you.” Without further ado, the thief hastily ripped the paper off and opened the box, staring in amazement at the slick little Swiss army knife he'd been lusting after for since it had come out. He heard himself mumble something along the lines of thanks, but gave up and hugged the other tightly.

 

“I'm so sorry,” he mumbled into Daisuke's jacket. “You probably saved up for ages to get me this, and I gave you a crappy date and a burnt dinner and…”

 

The redhead smiled as he hugged the other back. “It's all right. It's the thought that counts, right?” Dark slowly slid back into his seat when suddenly a particularly strong gust of wind rocked the car and rain began to fall once more. With a groan, Dark buried his face in his hands once more, despair overwhelming him.

 

Why couldn't his date be perfect like the ones in the movies they showed on TV? Why couldn't he give Daisuke his one perfect date instead of mucking it up, and why couldn't he be romantic to the one person he loved most of all, and just why couldn't he have made reservations at some fancy restaurant instead of trying to cook dinner? “Dark.”

 

“Shut up,” he mumbled in reply. “Just let me drown in my misery.”

 

“Calm down. It's fine. I don't mind.” Daisuke leaned in towards the thief and kissed him. “See? It's not so bad. They'll fix the ride soon.” Dark swallowed hard and leaned in once more, pulling the younger boy into a deeper kiss. As he drew back for air, Kaitou Dark couldn't help but think that perhaps this was a perfect moment. Just like in the movies.

 

Done. I know it's late, but Valentine's week I was shacked up studying and I had serious back pains from camping, so…yeah. Hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for reading.