Tenshi: Okay, just to clear things up… This used to be an entry to an old Dariku fic challenge, but I've decided that I wanted to continue the story with interconnected oneshots! So I've returned and changed the title "It's a Start" to "A Peculiar Prologue to an Extraordinary Epilogue."

Fuji: She couldn't contain all her perverted thoughts so she wanted to continue her oneshot.

Tenshi: (blushes) Yeah… So this is now going to be a series of interconnected oneshots until it reaches an epilogue that'll come about until I feel satisfied with all the troubles I toss towards our favorite couple.

Riku: *confused* I still don't know why you like Dariku when you obviously hate Dark as much as I do…

Tenshi: (shrugs) You're the only girl who'd be able to keep the pervert in line!

Dark: (snorts) Takes one to know one!

Tenshi: (shakes head) *indifferently* I'm not denying that, so that means that you are one.

Dark: Dammit!

Tenshi: Anyways, please enjoy my fic!

Disclaimer: I'm saying this only once… I don't own D.N. Angel, Yukiru Sugisaki does (sniffles)!

Warning: Language, FLUFF!!!

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Summary: Riku plus spending her Valentines being the slave of Dark equals chocolate and fluff!

It's a Start

Riku rubbed the frown on her forehead before pouring the brown substance into a candy mold on the counter in front of her. Exactly why was she making chocolates for the great and almighty pervert know as Dark Mousy? "Because Risa had to give him that stupid suggestion, which makes me almost hate her as much as the idiot I am cooking for." She mumbled grouchily.

"You say something, love?" A smug voice came from the living room.

"No. And don't calling me 'love'!" She shouted back, receiving a deep chuckle from the man. A vein popped on her temple, "Just because I have to be your slave for Valentine's Day, doesn't mean I have to be happy about it!" As soon as she put the confections into the refrigerator she felt strong arms snake around her small waist, she stiffened, "And it also doesn't mean that you can molest me!" Riku brought out a piece of paper and pointed to a particular spot that was in bold and underlined several times, "It even says so in our contract!"

Dark chuckled, "Yes, but I'm not being perverted yet. I just wanted some physical contact," he spun her around so that her head had rested on his chest. Riku's cheek painted a deep crimson as the scent of his expensive cologne surrounded her, "is that so bad?"

"Yes." Her answer was blunt and to the point, a small glint of pain shone in his eyes but it was gone as soon as it came. Her honey eyes glared at his ruby orbs fiercely, "I mean… I even had to wear a uniform!" Her disgusted voice reminded him of the rather promiscuous maid costume. It wasn't as bad or as revealing as French maid outfit, but in Riku's book it was just as skimpy! It had the same design as the French maid, but was adjusted differently.

Instead of a puffy skirt that only went three inches below her hips, it was a thin silk skirt that stopped four inches above the knee. However, the top was the same and the apron was soft and tight. Fortunately, she was spared the humiliation of the little headpiece that would complete the set; unfortunately, she was stuck wearing hooker boots.

Dark licked the shell of her ear and Riku fell into a full-body blush. "Aww… don't like it?" His baritone voice whispered seductively. With his call having no effect she shook her head furiously, strands of her short copper hair hitting his smooth cheek. "Well that's too bad, because I love it." He claimed before he blew a stream of hot air into her ear.

Riku's legs almost gave out beneath her from the combination of both the dreadful boots and Dark acting like a lover would. 'What's going on? I can't possibly like This pervert!' her mind screamed. It must've been discomfort. Yes, that's it! This was all foreign to her, why else would she act so? But no matter how many times she repeated it, there was something… right about being in Dark's muscular arms and being pressed against his hard chest. 'NO! NO! NO!'her inner self berated her. Riku's eyes closed tightly. She counted to ten before letting out a deep breath, not noticing how Dark took amusement from watching her inner conflict.

'She really is adorable'was the only thing that ran through his head. One day, he would thank Risa for suggesting that game of chance, for Riku had terrible luck.

It was an old time favorite that was both simple to understand and quick to finish: odd or even. When Krad had slammed the cup down with the dice inside it, Dark had chosen even; Riku, odd. As fate would have it, Dark had won… five games in a row. Thus Riku had to fulfill her end of the bargain. If she had won Dark would leave her alone until the end of high school, but since she lost she had to be his slave for Valentines. However, she was lucky enough to be granted some exceptions and even had it in writing!

Dark was broken out of his reverie when Riku spoke. "Anything else you need Dark?" He could hear her voice through her clenched teeth and smirked. His arms tightened around her, "Yes, for today call me 'Master'." His eyes gleamed wickedly in the fluorescent light of his kitchen.

The copper-haired girl's jaw dropped before her eyes glowed with inner fire, "No way in hell will I call you-" The purple-haired man stuck the contract in her face. Her shoulders slumped, the only exception was for perversion, nothing else; no endearments… nothing. "Yes," her nose wrinkled at the next word, "Master…"

Dark grinned, "That'll be all for now, darling. I'm going to take a nap, wake me when the chocolates are done."

Riku put an arm around the tight cloth around her bust and gave a reluctant bow, "Yes… Master…" She watched as the man in front of her began to ascend the stairs. He stopped, her blood froze for some odd reason. She soon figured out why when he spoke.

"Riku?"

The girl unconsciously gulped, "… Yes?"

"You wanna get out of that dress?" His voice was flat, but she felt herself pale.

"Yes…"

Dark turned around to face her, a smug grin spread upon his lips "Then won't you join me?"

Riku held back a whimper.

0o0o-o0o0

Riku was in a losing battle of trying to hold back her deep blushes. Like Dark had said, she was out of the skimpy maid costume and into an even skimpier outfit. Her elaborate uniform was replaced by something that all guys want their girls to wear... an over-sized white button-up shirt. It was innocent yet seductive at the same time. In the language of men if a girl wears any article of clothing that comes from their closet it almost literally meant that she was taken.

As expected Dark gave an aroused smirk at the large shirt that hung from her small frame before pulling her down onto the king-sized bed. He went into a comfortable position of her chest pressed firmly to his and his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. It wasn't long before he soon fell asleep with his nose nuzzled in the crook of her neck, thus borne the present situation.

When the sleeping teen whispered Riku's name her head snapped up. She felt her cheeks grow hotter (if possible) when one of Dark's hands began to wander up her thigh, and underneath the fabric of the clean cotton shirt. She tried to pull back but it only resulted in Dark's arms banding around her waist like steel, his pulling her closer to him, and him placing his head next to hers, as if he was scared she would disappear if he didn't hold on tight enough. He gave a sleepy mutter, which she couldn't decipher, before he gave a small groan and a roughly pained frown as his brows furrowed.

Riku's eyes widened as she examined his snoozing form. He looked boyishly cute and almost innocent if not a bit tragic also. Not knowing what impulse drove her, she tucked his head underneath her chin and combed her fingers through his fly-away hair. For some reason she didn't want his dreams to be haunted.

This seemed to remedy his unease as his entire body, which was taut and defensive before, to be relaxed and content. The creases on his forehead smoothed out, his frown smoothed to a smile, and his arms loosened the slightest bit. Taking advantage of this, she was able to wiggle out of his embrace and sit on the edge of the black-covered mattress. His body suddenly went back to how it was before, stiff and guarded.

"What am I going to do with you?" she gave a small defeated sigh before swinging her legs back onto the bed and placing Dark's head on her lap, ignoring her state of dress –or lack thereof.

He instantly fell lax again.

Riku gave a small smile as she shook her head. She once again began to run her fingers through his multi-length violet locks. Strange as the situation was, Riku's maternal instincts wouldn't let her leave him. It would be like a mother leaving her son to fight his nightmares by himself. She gasped lightly when his arms wound around her waist and he moved his head to her stomach, "Riku…"

The blush that left was back with a vengeance. 'I am definitely going to move before he wakes up…'

0o0o-o0o0

Dark sat in his living room his eyes trained on Riku's back while she was fishing out the cooled chocolates from the fridge. He didn't know why but when he saw her come out in his shirt all his senses went into overdrive and his mind screamed "Mine!" He felt as if any male had come within an inch radius of her he wouldn't have killed them in the most brutal and inhuman way possible. How very queer how a simple article of clothing of his on Riku's body would make him so possessive.

There was also something about how he woke up that brightened his afternoon. Maybe it was Riku being the first person he saw when he awoke? Or was it how right she looked on his bed sleeping next to him? Either way it still would've made him feel as if he was high.

His thoughts were broken when she walked into the living room with a plate with a large chocolate heart on it. The amber-eyed girl plopped down next to him on his black leather couch before she closed her eyes, "Go ahead and try it."

Dark gave an odd cross between a smile and a smirk. He broke off a small piece of the heart and tossed the cool candy into his awaiting mouth. Riku watched intently as the purple-haired man closed his eyes and chewed the sugary substance, anticipating his approval or his rejection of it.

He cracked one eye open when he swallowed it and he observed her rigid form and wide eyes examining him.

"How is it?"

He opened both eyes to reveal his teasing crimson eyes. Before she knew it she was flat on the couch with Dark pinning her down, his lips crushing hers, and the two were sharing a piece of the homemade chocolate.

When he released her mouth they were both panting for air. Dark smirked, "It's very sweet, but I'm not complaining." Riku merely blushed, and surprisingly, she didn't yell, scream, or kick. Dark inspected her form. She was still wearing his shirt (he still isn't complaining!), her cheeks were pink her skin gave off a healthy glow, her short caramel hair formed a halo around her head, and her eyes shined like jewels.

She was stunning.

Gaining his confidence before lost his nerve he asked her the question which he could start something with her if she wanted to, "Riku, will you go out with me?"

Her eyes widened. Did she want to start dating him? What if he only wanted to use her? If she did date him would he leave her for another girl down the street a few weeks later? Riku met his eyes and saw a foreign emotion swirl in his vermillion irises. It was an alien feeling that darkened his eyes yet brightened them at the same time. She laid her soft palm against one of Dark's cheeks and watched as he placed one of his larger hands over her smaller one before leaning into their combined holds. It was then that she knew.

"Yes"

Dark would never hurt her. It wasn't a perfect ending to Riku's dislike of him and it wasn't the perfect beginning to their new relationship.

But it was a start…

FIN

Riku/Dark: (wide-eyed) So… much… fluff…!

Tenshi: That was officially THE shortest and THE fluffiest fic I have ever written in all my years as an authoress!

Riku: (sulking in a corner) Why so much?

Dark: (shrugs) Dunno, personally, I liked it.

Tenshi/Riku: *blunt* That's because you're a pervert.

Dark: (sulks in corner) That was uncalled for…

Riku: (snorts) Says the egomaniac.

Tenshi: Anyways, please R&R!