Magic and Mayhem
a division of
Entropy Inc.
(also known as Maintenance)
The Bermuda Triangle Branch
presents

Tall Blue Drinks: Part1
by Windlily
The sheets had just lost their chill and Kurama was just dozing off when the light taps on the window demanded his attention.

*Go away, Hiei,* he thought in a drowsy growl as he pulled the covers over his head, caught between the edge of awareness and sleep.

The tapping continued , insistent and annoying. Kurama sighed, resigned now to wakefulness. He sat up and threw the covers back as he swung his legs out into the chill of the winter night. He yawned while his toes searched for the slippers next to his bed, then he realized the tapping had stopped and frowned. He padded to the window and looked out into the snow covered branches of the tree next to his window. No Hiei. He startled just a tiny bit as Hiei appeared before the window, upside down, apparently hanging somehow from the roof. The end of the white scarf his friend wore around his neck was obscuring Hiei's face, obeying the laws of gravity which Hiei was somehow ignoring at the moment.

"Hiei!" Kurama let a little of his annoyance show in his voice as Hiei yanked the scarf out of the way and stared back at him, then wiggled his fingers in a 'hello' gesture.

Kurama lifted his eyebrows at that very un-Hiei like gesture as he opened the window. Hiei tried to make a graceful entrance but it ended up in a slither over the sill and down the small piece of wall beneath it.

"Hiei?" Kurama looked down at him, concerned.

Hiei blinked at him a few times then tipped his head to the side until his ear was almost resting on his shoulder.

"How do you do that, Kurama?"

"Do what, Hiei?" Kurama answered cautiously, unsure of what was wrong with his friend.

"Stand at an angle like that? You shoould fall over!" he reached up and poked Kurama firmly in the lower chest and frowned when Kurama didn't fall over.

Kurama finally placed the scent that hovered around Hiei.

"Hiei, what have you been drinking?" he asked with a hint of a laugh.

"Something blue. In a really tall glass," Hiei answered as he got wobbly to his feet.

He held his hand horizontally and put it against his sternum. "Really tall glass."

"Hiei, you are drunk," Kurama stated, his amusement reflected in his leaf-green eyes.

Hiei glared back at him, his expression not amused.

"No, I am not. I'm just very relaxed..." he listed enough that Kurama had to reach out and push hard on the listing shoulder to keep him from falling over.

"Obviously," Kurama answered and thought about asking just who Hiei had been drinking with, then decided he'd rather not know.

"So, how many 'blue' drinks did you have?" he asked, trying to gauge just how drunk Hiei was.

"Hn..." Hiei started to count on his fingers, ticking off remembered glasses. "Twelve...I think..." he put down another finger... "or was it thirteen?"

Hiei listed away from him as he counted and Kurama reached out and grabbed the front of his coat and pulled, bringing him back upright.

Kurama shook his head in amazement. "You are going to feel awful in the morning, you know."

"Really? Why?" Hiei asked curiously.

He listed forwards and Kurama's arms went around his waist to catch him. Hiei reached out as he fought for balance and his arms ended up around Kurama's neck. He hung, a semi-limp weight. Kurama smiled, then shook his head with a soft, resigned sigh. Hiei would kill him in the morning if he took advantage of this.

"I think you'd better sleep in here tonight. You'd fall out of the tree and the roof is too slick."

"I would not!" Hiei mumbled into his chest as Kurama wrapped his arms around Hiei's waist and picked him up enough so he could walk them to the bed. He backed Hiei until his knees hit the side and let him down. Hiei put out his hands on each side and braced himself with a curious expression.

"What?" Kurama asked with a small smile.

"Is the bed moving?"

"No. I imagine your head is spinning from all that liquor you just drank."

Hiei reached up and put both hands on either side of his head as Kurama started working on getting off his boots.

"No, it's not."

That literal interpretation of his remark made Kurama start laughing as he tugged off the other boot. Hiei regarded him with narrowed eyes and Kurama quickly got the laughter under control. Hiei did not take well to being laughed at. He unwrapped the scarf as Hiei tried to shrug out of his coat. He almost broke out laughing again as Hiei got tangled up with the sleeves and muttered a few choice curses as he shook his arms, making the sleeves writhe snake-like. He took the end of one sleeve and pulled, setting Hiei free before he truly lost his temper. He was just starting to straighten when Hiei's hands closed on each lock of the hair that hung in front of his ears and began to lean back.

"Hiei! Let go!" Kurama gasped out and followed to keep from getting his hair yanked as Hiei leaned until his back hit the bed, making Kurama put his hands out on either side of his head and lean over him.

Hiei didn't say anything, just continued the steady pressure, pulling Kurama's face toward his own.

"Hiei! What are you doing?" Kurama asked in shock.

"Shut up, Kurama," Hiei muttered at him, then their lips met.

It was a closed, firm pressure, Kurama too startled to make it into more and Hiei too inexperienced to know how to make it into more. The pressure let up on his sidelocks and Kurama pulled back, but was stopped as Hiei was only willing to let him go so far and still had control of his hair. Hiei scowled up at him.

"So what's the big deal about that?"

"Try again, Hiei, and I'll show you," Kurama grinned back down. Once again he had the thought that Hiei would probably kill him in the morning. Oh well. It would be worth it.

He waited as Hiei closed his eyes and frowned. He was beginning to wonder if his friend had fallen asleep when the hands tugged at his hair once more, pulling him back down. He resisted just shy of touching Hiei's lips and made it into a feather light brush of his own. He did this a few times until Hiei's mouth relaxed a bit, giving him the chance to catch Hiei's lower lip. He traced the bottom edge of it with the tip of his tongue, then nipped just hard enough to make Hiei open his mouth with the beginning of an angry protest. It turned into a sound of surprise as Kurama slipped his tongue in. He froze as Hiei bit down hard, catching the intruder. Kurama waited once more and hoped that Hiei wouldn't bite his tongue off. After a few moments, Hiei seemed to decide that he would allow this invasion, as he relaxed and let up. Kurama gently teased the inside of his mouth, using all of his skill. It was like kissing a statue. Kurama sighed mentally and pulled back to play with Hiei's lower lip a bit more. Obviously Hiei wasn't ready for that yet.

He decided to try a different track. He angled his head a little more so he could kiss the end of Hiei's chin, then ran a series of fast kisses along his jaw line until he hit his ear. He caught Hiei's ear lobe between his lips and tickled it with his tongue, then let go and blew softly on the dampness he'd left there. Hiei's fingers tightened in his hair, but didn't resist him as he continued down the side of his neck, letting the end of each open mouthed kiss end with a soft suction until he reached Hiei's collarbone, then ran his tongue back up the path he'd just traced. He was going to work on Hiei's ear some more when the hands in his hair pulled.

He followed and his eyes widened as Hiei latched onto his mouth and kissed back, using every trick Kurama had tried the first time. Kurama closed his eyes as Hiei continued, mimicking everything he had done. A pleasure filled shudder went through him as Hiei recaptured his ear lobe and played with it with his teeth, then the mouth was gone. Kurama opened his eyes to gaze down into Hiei's red-flecked amber ones. They were full of mischief.

"Did I do it right?"

Kurama swallowed hard as he nodded. He knew that Hiei was a fast learner, but this...!

"So, is that all there is to it?" Hiei asked in a mildly bored tone.

Kurama considered how to answer as he got his heart rate and breathing back under control. "No, there's quite a bit more. Why?"

"Just curious." Hiei answered with a shrug.

"Do you want me to satisfy that curiosity for you, Hiei?" Kurama questioned softly, his green eyes glowing in the bright moonlight intensified by the snow.

Hiei shrugged once more but kept his fingers tangled in Kurama's sidelocks. Kurama took it as a 'yes'. He was going to have fun finding out just how curious Hiei was. He leaned back down, as if to kiss, the mischief in his eyes reflecting Hiei's own as Hiei lifted his head a little, ready. Kurama changed course at the last second and planted the kiss on the tip of his nose. Hiei blinked in surprise as Kurama ran the tip of his nose up and along the top of Hiei's until he came to the bandana. He ran his lips back and forth against the binding, caressing the closed and hidden eye there. Hiei twitched and let out a little gasp. Kurama smiled as he ran his nose back down to were it had started from.

*There are quite a few other spots on your body that are more sensitive, Hiei, and I'm going to find every one!* he silently promised his friend and himself as he brushed past Hiei's lips with a light kiss and started down the arch of his throat. He continued down until he hit the edge of the sleeveless shirt. He lifted his head slightly and shifted so he could rub his cheek against Hiei's left pectoral. It had the desired effect as the small kernel of sensitive flesh rose and made it's exact position known. Hiei took in a big gulp of air when he turned his face back and nuzzled the nipple through the fabric. He had just descended on the other when Hiei started to hiccup with enough force to bounce the bed. Kurama sighed and rested his forehead against his friends sternum in frustration and frowned as it was lifted with the next spasm.

"Kurama!" Hiei hissed around another hiccup. "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing, yet," Kurama answered as he lifted his head and wondered at Hiei's perplexed expression, then winced as another hiccup made Hiei pull his hair.

Hiei hic-ed again and growled softly.

"Is this supposed to happen?"

"No." There was an answering growl under Kurama's voice as Hiei hiccuped once more.

"What?" Hiei's question was soft and directed inward as he scowled and continued to hiccup.

Was that a hint of panic Kurama saw in his eyes? Then it dawned on him. "Haven't you ever had hiccups before, Hiei?"

"Hiccups?" Hiei questioned back with the appropriate accompaniment.

"Yes. You have a case of the hiccups."

"Well, make it stop!"

"Try holding your breath," Kurama suggested.

He watched as Hiei drew a deep breath, then held it. He was beginning to think it had worked when it was expelled with a violent series of hiccups. Hiei glared up at him, unable to add the choice expletives he was surely thinking. Kurama shrugged, then wiggled his fingers into Hiei's armpits and tickled. Hiei convulsed, half of it caused by hiccup, half by a reaction to the tickle, then fought back. He ended on top, sitting on Kurama's stomach and was leaning forwards to pin Kurama's hands over his head when another hiccup rocked him. He lost his balance and fell forwards on top of his friend. Kurama did the last thing he could think of to cure Hiei's hiccups. He bit hard into the lean muscles of the stomach pressed against his face. Hiei let out a little yelp and sat back up, one hand keeping Kurama's wrists pinned to the bed, the other in a fist and drawn back. He stopped his swing as he saw Kurama's raised eyebrow and soft smile.

"Well, that seemed to work."

Hiei froze in place, fist halting in mid-swing, waiting. He lowered it and released Kurama's wrists as he rubbed at the sore spot on his stomach when no more spasms followed.

"Let me see," Kurama pulled Hiei's shirt out of his belt and lifted it.

He had left teeth marks but hadn't broken the skin. He put his ands on Hiei's waist and pulled, upsetting Hiei's drink muddled balance once more. Hiei caught himself on his hands as Kurama set to work apologizing with soft kisses against the mark and it's general vicinity.

"Kurama!" Hiei protested and tried to sit back up, still a bit angry and now unsure if he wanted to continue this or not.

But Kurama wrapped his arms around his waist and kept him down, his lips against skin now as he worked his way up Hiei's stomach with the hopes of re-interesting him. Hiei arched away from him as his mouth found a nipple. He followed, teasing it with his tongue. For a moment he thought he'd lost him as Hiei tensed and growled. Then Hiei was pressing back against his mouth, the pleasure filled sensation overcoming his resistance.

Kurama smiled as he ran his tongue across the smooth, hot skin of Hiei's chest and attacked the other.

Convinced that Hiei was going to stay in place now, he loosened his grip on his waist and tugged the shirt up over his friends head. Hiei was having a difficult time getting his arms out of the armholes as he ran his fingertips up and down each side of his spine. The shirt was finally flung somewhere toward the bottom of the bed as he continued to stroke while his lips visited every bit of skin on Hiei's chest. He separated his hands a bit more with each pass until he had covered all of Hiei's back. Hiei was actually trembling a little and his breathing had become uneven when he started his caresses on an inverse course back for his spine. Hiei sat up suddenly and Kurama froze, locked for a moment in a jolt of erotic pleasure as his hardness was pressed and rubbed as Hiei scooted backwards so he was sitting on Kurama's hips. He smiled and repressed a delighted laugh as he realized that the hard pressure that twitched against his pajama trapped length was Hiei's own erection.

Hiei closed one eye, then opened it and tried closing the other as he fumbled with the first button of Kurama's pajama top. Kurama was bringing his hands up to undo it for him when Hiei leaned down, blocking the path of his hands. He felt the light brush of teeth through the fabric around the button, then the sharp click of teeth meeting. Hiei turned his head and with a 'ptu' sent the button into the corner of the room.

"Hiei!" Kurama protested, trying to push Hiei's head up and away as the second button went to join the first.

Hiei simply wormed under Kurama's hands and went after the third one with something that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. Kurama gave up as that button went into the corner. One he could explain to Shiori, maybe two, but three? He was going to have to sew them back on before morning. Oh, well. This was worth it. He relaxed and let Hiei have his way with the rest of his buttons.

Done with the problem of the buttons, Hiei grabbed the bottom of the top and pulled it apart, exposing Kurama's skin to the chill air. Kurama shivered a little as his skin tightened in protest, then Hiei leaned back down over him, bringing his warmth. He laced his fingers gently into Hiei's coarse, wiry hair as Hiei ran lips and tongue over his skin. He let out a soft 'ah' as Hiei finally descended on a nipple and they both discovered just how sensitive Kurama was. He closed his eyes and melted into the sensations. He arched his back, making room as Hiei slid his arms under him to wrap his mid-section in a firm hug. Hiei had just finished tracing the lower line of his rib cage with his tongue and had discovered his navel when the kisses...stopped. He frowned.

"Hiei?"

Nothing. He levered himself up onto his elbows. Hiei had his head turned with his cheek resting on his stomach.

"Hiei?" He reached down and tickled the sensitive tip of Hiei's exposed ear.

Hiei didn't even twitch, the tickle of his exhaled breath against the skin of his stomach slow and even. He was asleep? He was ASLEEP! Kurama flopped back down and stared at the ceiling in disbelief. And as deeply asleep as after he released the Dragon that rode his arm. Kurama had two simultaneous thoughts as he worked on wiggling out of the grip Hiei had on his waist. One was to push Hiei off the bed and let him sleep it off on the hard, cold discomfort of the floor. The other was to continue, whether Hiei was an aware and willing participant or not.

He was still debating between the two as Hiei curled up into a compact ball once he squirmed free. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, his toes against the cold floor, and quivered with frustration and longing.

Then he stood with a smooth motion and padded over to the corner to collect the six buttons. He might as well take care of this now. He was too wound up to sleep and if he stayed to cuddle with Hiei he WOULD finish what they had started. And he wouldn't do that to Hiei.

After three painful needle pricks he had the buttons back on his pajama top and a firm grip on his body and emotions. Not putting on his robe and sitting bare-chested as he sewed had cooled him off considerably. He put his top back on then went to put the sewing kit back onto it's shelf in the closet. He knelt to fill the tea ball with herbs out of his bag against Hiei's waking and inevitable hangover. He took the pungent smelling results back and put it in his empty mug, then shook the thermos next to it to make sure there was enough water to brew a cup. Then he went back to bed, sliding into wonderfully warm sheets and forming himself around Hiei with a resigned sigh.

Hiei sat bolt upright, tense and alert. Kurama yawned and stretched languidly next to him as Hiei scrunched his eyes shut against the brilliant early morning sunlight that flooded the room. He let out a subdued and pain-filled hiss as he sagged and buried his face in his hands. Kurama slid out of the bed and shrugged on his robe as he went to the desk and poured the water into the waiting mug. Hiei didn't open his eyes, just held out his hand when Kurama brought the tea over to him. He made a fierce face as he sipped.

"What's in this?"

"Hair of dog, toad's tongues, dragon's toenails," Kurama answered with a little smile.

"You have a glib answer for everything, don't you?" Hiei snarled back, definitely in an evil mood.

"No, not for everything," Kurama ignored Hiei's flair of temper as he settled on the end of the bed, arms crossed.

If Hiei hadn't been concentrating so hard on muting the reconstruction going on inside his head caused by the horde of tiny demons in grungy socks which had run over his tongue en-route to his brain, he would have picked up on the longing note under Kurama's voice. As it was, he only had a muddled impression of what had happened last night. He eyes opened wide and he swallowed square and coughed, panic flicking through him as he thought he remembered...

"What happened last night?" he asked hesitantly.

Kurama watched as Hiei picked at the rumpled blanket anxiously with his free hand as he debated how to answer. Hiei hadn't been himself last night and the whole truth might drive him away forever.

"You were very drunk. You asked me to explain about 'kissing', then you passed out," Kurama answered with a shrug.

The relief that he saw in Hiei's eyes told him he had guessed right. A soft knock against his door was followed by his mothers voice.

"Shuichi?"

"I'm up, Mother."

"I'll be back in a minute," he told Hiei as he rose and headed for the door.

"Kurama...thank you," Hiei said softly as Kurama started to open the door.

There was so many things hidden in the tone of those three words. "Anytime, Hiei," he answered back on as many levels.

When he came back from cleaning up for the morning, the room was empty and the window open as he expected. He went and closed it, then rested his forehead against the cold glass and smiled out at the single footprint on the snow that mantled the thick branch outside. Hiei must be feeling terrible to leave any clue that he had passed this way. He sighed. Passed and gone. But he would be back. The line of a poem he'd had to memorize for class last year came into his head.

'Like a woman wailing for her demon lover...'

Well, maybe he was. But unlike that lost soul, his demon would be back.

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