Title: A Nibble Here And There
By: Bridget McKennitt
Character: Hei
Rating: G
Word Count: 1511
Summary: Five Times Li had a meal.
Contains: No warnings in as far I know that can't be extrapolated from the header itself. Canon - anime, spoilers up to season 1.
Disclaimer: Darker Than BLACK is owned by other companies. They are used here without permission, and for entertainment purposes only. No challenge or infringement upon the copyright is intended, nor should any be inferred. Written for 
nekonexus for Yuletide.
1. Ramen Never Stops Being Delicious
The meeting he'd just had with his team, if he had been human, would have been depressing. The world was going to hell in a gate and Hei didn't care. It wasn't part of his nature to care. His Li persona, however, was too naive to realize what was happening around him. Hei envied Li's ability to just be normal.
He chuckled. What was the world coming to when he was considering Li as a different person than himself? Hei smirked before sliding firmly into the Li persona.
Li passed by a ramen shop, one he had visited numerous times, and his stomach immediately growled. Li chuckled again. His stomach had a mind of its own sometimes, all response and no thought.
He placed his hand on his stomach before looking up at the ramen sign. "I guess I better eat something."
He entered the shop and waved at the cook before he sat down at his usual table. "May I order some food please?"
Several minutes later, there were twenty bowls of different types of ramen in front of him. Li licked his lips and reached for his chopsticks. The food was delicious and he ate it with great gusto. The few customers within the shop were probably staring at him, they usually did, but Li didn't mind. His large appetite was strange to a lot of people and it never stopped amazing them. All Li knew was that he liked to eat.
Li leaned back in his chair and let out a content noise. He had accidentally eaten thirty bowls of ramen instead of twenty. The cook had whipped up more food for him as he was nearing the twentieth bowl.
"Thank you," he said to the cook and dug into his back pocket for his wallet. He took out a handful of money and handed it to the cook. "That was delicious."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Li. Come back any time."
Li smiled at him. "I will. I need to head home, but thank you." He waved before pushing the door open and leaving the ramen shop.
2. Grocery Shopping For Two
The sun rose over Tokyo and Li began his day by taking out the trash. He saw Mao out of the corner of his eye waiting on the top of the brick wall.
Li slipped his hands into his jacket pockets and walked down the sidewalk. He was out of food at home and he needed to head to the grocery store to pick up a few supplies. Then again, probably a lot more than just a 'few supplies' considering his appetite.
Mao jumped down from the wall and followed behind him.
"Good morning, Mao. Did you want to come shopping with me?"
"Only if you buy me something better to eat than what you had for dinner last night." Mao made a disgruntled noise and Li chuckled.
"That's what happens when I run out of food and all the shops were closed." Li knelt down so he could pet Mao's head. "How about this? I am going to buy the biggest fish at the marketplace and fry it up for you."
Mao purred. "That would be a good apology. I'll meet you back at your place. Make it tasty."
"I'll cook it just the way you like it. I promise." He smiled and began walking towards the grocery store. The double doors slid open and Li pushed his cart inside. Everything looked good and he didn't have a set goal in mind, except for the fish he promised Mao. He strolled through the bakery and the delicious aroma of fresh bread made his stomach protest that there was none currently inside of him.
Li picked up two loaves of bread, mentally debating which one to purchase before deciding to get both. He dropped them in his shopping cart as well as a package of oatmeal raisin cookies before continuing onward towards the fish section.
There were plenty of fish on ice and Li took his time deciding which one to purchase for Mao. There were plenty to choose from and he wanted to do this right.
"Would you like some help, sir?" Li looked up to see someone behind the fish counter and he chuckled sheepishly.
"That would be nice. I was hoping to purchase a fish to cook for tonight's dinner, but I can't figure out what to get."
Several minutes later of helpful advice, the man was wrapping up a fish in paper and handing it to Li. "You'll enjoy this."
Li placed it in his cart. "I'm sure I will. Thank you."
He picked up a few more items on his list before paying and heading back home.
Mao wouldn't be too picky about how the fish was cooked, only that it was fish, and Li loved to eat pretty much anything so he did not have much of a problem. When he let Mao into his apartment and they began eating, Li took pleasure in Mao's obvious enjoyment.
"We should do this again sometime soon," Li said before stuffing another piece of fish in his mouth.
Mao could only nod his head.
3. Dinner With Misaki
Li bumped into Misaki on the streets and ended up having dinner reservations with her. She wasn't interested in him as a potential romantic partner, but he assumed it was because he intrigued her on a professional level. He didn't mind because while Hei barely registered Misaki on his radar, Li found her somewhat interesting. She was always there in the background of whatever mission Hei was trying to accomplish. He suspected she'd figure out the puzzle pieces sooner or later.
He didn't bother dressing up fancy, he was a student with part time jobs after all, and when he met with Misaki at the restaurant, he saw she hadn't bothered either. Misaki noticed him and gave him a smile as he headed her way.
"I'm sorry I'm late. Have you ordered yet?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. I just got here myself." Misaki gestured at the empty chair in front of her. "Thank you for having dinner with me. I didn't want to go home just yet."
"It's not a problem. I'm the same way myself."
They ordered their food and when it arrived, Li dug in. Misaki chuckled and he looked up at her. "Is something the matter?" he asked.
"No, nothing at all. It's just that in the short time I've known you, I have seen you give more enthusiasm towards what you're about to eat than any woman who has crossed your path."
Li blinked at her. "Excuse me?"
"I'm not saying me, but food seems to be the only thing that excites you."
Li looked bashful as he chuckled. "I don't know. I like food."
"Then next week, I'm going to take you to this restaurant with the best Korean food you've ever tasted. You'll love it." Misaki smiled at him before digging in.
4. There Is Always Room For Third Helpings
Li enjoyed it whenever his landlady invited all of the tenants in her building to eat at her place. She always made way too much for everyone else to eat so she offered him as much food as he wanted.
Li didn't hesitate in scooping more food for himself. The other tenants gaped at his ability to eat and Li could only smile sheepishly. Fortunately, no one thought it more than just one of his quirks. He was merely a regular human being to them.
5. Pai's A Thoughtful Sister
Li loved his sister, Pai. She was a Contractor and her payment caused her to fall asleep. He knew without any sort of doubt that he needed to be there with her in order to protect her. Yes, she had powers, but she was vulnerable while she was asleep and he could protect her.
Pai smiled at him. It wasn't a true smile, like the ones she used to have before she became a Contractor, but Li enjoyed it anyway. Pai would always be his sister, no matter what happened.
"I thought you might be hungry." She offered him a container filled with his favorite food.
Li thanked her as he accepted the container and just as he had his first bite, he looked up at her. "You're not eating."
"I'm not hungry."
He looked at his food and realized there were at least double portions of what it should have been. Li sighed. "Pai, I don't need you to do this. I'm not some starving child."
"I know you're not, but you should eat. I don't need as much as a human anymore." She patted his cheek before getting to her feet. "I'm going to check out the perimeter. Stay here and enjoy your meal."
Li watched Pai go. Contractors weren't supposed to care about anyone except for themselves, but he knew that wasn't the case for his sister. She cared for him, just as he cared for her.
