Author's note: Here's the utter fluff I promised a million ages ago. No idea why it took me this long to post it. I think I sort of forgot and I couldn't decide if I really wanted to put the ending touches on this one or not. It's hard to conclude a story... Anyway, it's short, but fun.

"I don't understand why I am charged with helping you clean up this mess when I had nothing to do with the destruction." Raziel frowned sourly as he gathered a handful of books and stacked them neatly on a shelf. The library was in far worse shape than it had been after his scuffle with Kain. He had yet to hear a clear explanation for the cause of the devastation this time, though he was absolutely certain Kain had taken part in it.

"Your incessant whining is more than negating your contribution to the effort," Kain retorted, adjusting a bulky leather chair so that it covered an unseemly hole in the carpet.

"Does that mean I can leave?"

"No. It means that you should see to your wayward mouth before I find other, less savory uses for it."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Raziel asked sweetly, looking back at Kain over his shoulder. "Or an invitation?"

Kain shook his head wonderingly as he righted a metal vase on a wobbly side table. "For all your pretension of self-righteous virtue, you can be amazingly vulgar at times."

"I wonder who inspired that trait..."

"Vorador, perhaps. Certainly not me."

"I don't think you give yourself enough credit, Kain."

Laughing richly, Kain noted, "Why Raziel, that may be the first time you have ever suggested giving me credit for anything."

"And this may be the first time you have ever refused it."

"Can either of you lovebirds tell me why my library is still in shambles?" Vorador snapped from the doorway. Scowling at them each in turn, he said, "Perhaps if you spent less time flirting and more time working you would be done by now."

"Go easy on them," Janos coaxed, squeezing Vorador's shoulder gently.

Vorador's attention shifted to Janos and softened visibly. "You are far too forgiving."

"Let's go for a walk," Janos suggested with a gentle smile. "I'm sure your library will be in better shape when we return."

"An excellent idea," Kain said. Raziel hadn't noticed his proximity until he felt Kain's hand against his hip. "We are very busy here."

Vorador's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're about to waste more time. I can see it in your eyes, Kain. Just...stay away from my chair."

The two vampires left the doorway, but Raziel felt heat rising to his cheeks even after he heard the front door open and close. "You don't think he knows, do you?" he whispered.

Kain chuckled, pulling Raziel back against him. "About the chair, you mean? If he did, he wouldn't have left us alone."

Raziel reluctantly stepped out of reach."We should finish cleaning this place up, though, just in case."

"Don't worry," Kain said with a lopsided smile, cupping Raziel's jaw tenderly to catch his attention. "I'll protect you from his wrath."

Raziel slapped his hand away with a disgusted groan and a roll of his eyes. Kneeling down next to a pile of books, he ignored Kain's questioning gaze.

"You don't believe me," Kain concluded.

"Of course not." Gathering a stack of books into his arms, Raziel stood up and began depositing them on the nearest shelf. "Have you already forgotten how you left me here to deal with him the last time? And even if I hadn't had such a recent reminder, I can't count how many times you have created a mess and left me to clean it up. So, no. I don't trust you to protect me from anything."

Kain considered this in silence before finally saying, "Good." Following Raziel's example, Kain picked up a broom and began sweeping up a broken vase. "I didn't raise you to be dependent on anyone."

Pausing with a book in his hand, Raziel glared at him.

"What?" Kain asked, arching a brow innocently.

Raziel shoved the book on the shelf. "Sometimes I wonder why I bother talking to you."

"Because you love to argue."

"I wouldn't say I love it," Raziel replied thoughtfully.

"Then you would be lying."

To Raziel's disappointment, Kain caught the book a moment before it hit his head.

"Vorador wouldn't appreciate the disrespect you are showing to his books."

"It's less disrespectful than what we did to his chair."

Shaking his head, Kain placed the book on a shelf and returned to gathering the shards of porcelain into a tidy pile. "Stop reminding me, or you will find yourself an unwilling participant in another salacious act that would no doubt raise Vorador's ire."

Despite his annoyance, Raziel felt a smile curving his lips. "I'm counting on it," he murmured under his breath.