Death and Tanji

Death is copyrighted to Sallie Drazzi

~*~*~*~*~

I drove. The two of us sat in silence. Tanji didn’t even bother to turn on the radio, just sidled up against me and leaned there.

It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, but rather the opposite. So many seek to fill the void with meaningless and trivial conversations, but not him, he left silence alone.

More than likely some notion that he couldn’t speak, but also because we were both comfortable with it. We didn’t need idle conversations to make us more at ease, the silence was enough.

He made things easy like that, several different, rather little things in the grand scheme of it all. I suppose that’s what made it so hard for me to turn away from him at every point, and that was most of the reason we were here now, driving, alone together, on something of a date perhaps. I wasn’t exactly sure, but something like a date.

I was sitting there contemplating exactly what it was when his quiet voice filled the silence.

“Where are we going?” just lightly curious.

“You’ll see,” I answered, somewhat playfully.

That was the end of that conversation, we both knew it, we didn’t stretch it any further than it needed to go. Back to silence, perfect. Tanji’s little hand was idly caressing my thigh, but he was gazing off out the window in thought and not really paying attention to it.

Really it was his choice of dress that had determined the evening. I knew precisely what he liked to see me wearing, and I had dressed according to that, my fairly nice, tight black jeans and a nice silk shirt. It was plain, but presentable, and reasonably sophisticated in this day and age.

I had merely suggested to him that I liked his leather pants, which I did, they were nice and could look dressed up or dressed down. I had left that up to him, and through that, the mood of the evening.

Always the little things.

I had fully expected Tanji to choose his fishnet. He had a serious thing for the gothic rebel look, good for pub crawling. But instead he had emerged in a nice, blood red, silk shirt, neatly tucked in, hanging so… perfectly from his body. I had honestly been stunned, but not that I’d shown it.

He had dressed up, for me. A more adult-like and professional veneer than I had ever seen him adorn. This was no angsty teenage rebel here in the car beside me, this was a young man who had dressed, presumably, to impress me.

But really, who else was he possibly trying to impress?

Pub-crawling, my original intention, was now out of the question. Another plan clicked immediately into my thoughts. A night of pseudo-normalcy of just… being together.

We’d left later than I would have liked, but it was fine. The restaurant I pulled up to was still open, and it would be calm and quiet, rather than the usual dinnertime bustle. I couldn’t help but smile just a little at his expression when he sat up and saw where we were.

“Stay,” I commanded simply, pocketing the keys and sliding around to the other side of the car, opening the door and offering Tanji my hand.

He made a short noise of amusement, blushing just a little, and took my hand. I opened the restaurant door and let him inside before me, sidling up against his back and nodding to the waiter ready to seat us.

“Two?” he asked, thick with oriental accent, looking almost distastefully at my companion.

I laid my hands protectively on Tanji’s shoulders and that look vanished. My ability to intimidate didn’t go unnoticed. “Yes please.”

The waiter led us to a booth, a little further from other patrons, but we certainly weren’t going to complain about that.

“Would you like a moment to look at the menu, sir?”

“No, we’re ready to order,” I made it clear this was not an option, and neither was anything further I said, “Bottle of the finest liquor in the house, he would like…”

Tanji smiled as I ordered for him, all his favorites, leaning his elbows on the table with his chin perched atop his folded hands. I waited until the waiter had departed with our order before turning to face him, giving him my full attention.

“Pleased with that?”

“Extremely,” his ruby eyes glittered. “Are you being blatant in public?”

“Why can’t I?”

“Just asking,” he grinned, “definitely didn’t say you couldn’t.”

I reached across the table and plucked one of his hands from beneath his chin, folding it between both my own and laying them on the table. “Then I’m being blatant.”

We smiled at each other in silence for awhile, ignoring the entire rest of existence. The red of his shirt brought out his eyes, usually hidden beneath his hair, but at this moment quite noticeable.

“Do you think I’m mad about the other night?” Tanji asked softly.

“Aren’t you?”

He shook his head subtly, “My anger had nothing to do with you.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not trying to make up for it.”

“You’re not?”

“No I’m not, I didn’t believe you’d be so petty and jealous about something as trivial as the other night, I knew there was something else bothering you. What did upset you?”

Tanji glanced down at the table, laying his other hand down and slouching just slightly, as if weighted by the topic. “The phoenix decided to give me a little lesson through memories, a rather strong blast, as if to remind me what I’m supposed to be doing, that’s why I… lost my temper.”

“Repeatedly, so I heard.”

“Yes, a few times.”

“You and that phoenix really don’t get along.”

“Neither do the two of you,” Tanji grinned.

I couldn’t help but laugh, turning my head away, just making sure there wasn’t anyone nearby who might suspect an odd conversation like this. All right so I didn’t really care about that all too much, but it was a nice excuse to gather my resolve and façade of remoteness.

“Ahhh such a lovely threesome.”

I lost it, again. I just couldn’t help it. He’d gazed away out the window and looked so dreamy and innocent, and pelted out a quip like that. There was no way I was getting that façade back now.

We sat back as the waiter brought us our food. I lifted the bottle of liquor and opened it, pouring it for myself and Tanji and casting glances at said waiter.

“You could have brought this long ago and it would be drained already and we would be ready to order another, thus making money for your employers who would no doubt be displeased at your lack of service. If you wish to make up for this failing, please be sure there is always a drop of drink at this table.”

“Y… yessir,” he stammered, wide-eyed, perhaps even shaking.

“Chopsticks,” I demanded, holding out my hand.

He scurried off and returned, shakily placing the requested item in my hand. I handed over a pair to Tanji.

“Arigatou,” Tanji smiled.

I sampled the liquor, nodding to the waiter that I was pleased. He sighed in relief and stammered if we wished anything else, I shook my head and waved my hand to dismiss him and he scurried off again.

“At least you didn’t throw the forks at him,” Tanji smiled, operating the chopsticks perfectly, swift and delicate.

“I had the urge, I’ll admit,” I sighed, focusing on the drink for the moment, and on my companion. “Honestly, you look Oriental, he should have realized.”

Tanji made a quiet little tsk’ing sound and continued eating. Even I still had a problem eating rice with chopsticks after ages of practice in the customs of other cultures, how he pulled it off with such grace was beyond me.

I lifted my glass, pausing right before it met my lips and blinking down at it, setting it back onto the table and filling it again. If Tanji noticed he said nothing.

“Here, try this,” he tilted his head cutely, plucking up something expertly with the chopsticks and offering it to me.

I leaned forward and took it into my mouth, chewing thoughtfully, not really pleased about it, “What is it?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Tanji grunted and pushed around the rest of the food on his plate.

I scowled and glared around the restaurant looking for that waiter. Tanji gave me a light kick, getting my attention back to him.

“Death,” he scolded lightly, “no scene, it’s fine.”

“It is not fine.”

“It’s fine,” he smiled, reaching and lifting my glass a little, “drink, settle, it’s fine.”

“Too complacent, not paying for something other than I ordered.”

“You don’t have to pay, I can…”

“I’m paying, and it will be perfect,” I caught the attention of the waiter, making it very clear I was sorely displeased and he scampered right over.

Tanji sat there inspecting the wine bottle as I scolded him, quite thoroughly, and was satisfied at his agreement to replace the food. I nudged his glass toward him once the waiter had gone again.

“Try it, it really isn’t bad.”

“No,” Tanji lifted his head obstinately.

“No?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Want my first taste off your lips,” he dared me with his tone.

I smirked and took a long drink from my glass, finishing it and pouring another. The bottle was nearly empty, I would definitely not be happy if it wasn’t replaced. I took a small drink and held it in my mouth, leaning across the table in offering. Tanji leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, humming softly, stealing the wine from my mouth.

I kissed and licked where some had escaped the joining, sitting back. It had been a wonderful idea, it was much more tasteful from his lips.

“Best way to drink wine,” Tanji smirked and lifted his own glass, sitting back and gazing off, settling us back into silence so easily.

The waiter returned with Tanji’s food and another bottle of wine, I was pleased, but I didn’t let him know that just yet. I stayed silent and ignored him until he went away. Then I reached forward and sampled something from Tanji’s plate, making sure it was perfect.

“If you fall over from poisoning does that mean I shouldn’t eat it?” Tanji quipped, chopsticks chasing at mine to get them to bugger off.

I grunted and went back to my glass of wine, contemplating my own plate of food. Yes, I had ordered, I had just neglected it up to this point. I was certainly not pensive about using the chopsticks, even if I couldn’t compete with Tanji’s proficiency.

“Here dammit,” Tanji reached over to my plate with his chopsticks, twirled some noodles expertly onto them and offered it to me.

I obliged him and leaned forward to take the offering, sitting back and returning to my wine. He quirked an eyebrow at me, a wicked little expression, mischievous.

“Don’t make me feed you the entire plate.”

And he was serious, so I set my glass down and sighed, attempting to be as graceful as possible as I ate. It still didn’t seem right that he was more proficient than I, certainly it was the only culture he knew, but I’d had plenty of time to practice and surpass him, and yet I couldn’t.

“You’re sulking,” he noted quietly.

“I am not,” I argued stubbornly.

He didn’t argue verbally, but that little grunt he made said he didn’t believe me. Neither did I really. The waiter brought another bottle of wine, trying to be discrete and unobtrusive. I debated requesting the check, but decided against it for now and let him wander away without a word.

Tanji laid his chopsticks down when he’d finished eating, I was still concentrating on my own plate, and took up his glass, “So… what is this if not making up for the other night? Because you knew that wasn’t what upset me, so this is… something else.”

“This…” I started, then couldn’t decide how to finish. “I’m not sure yet. Presently, it is dinner. Afterwards it will be something else.”

“And as a whole?”

“An evening out.” Still denying to myself this was fairly close to a date.

“Hmm,” Tanji poured himself another glass, leaving the silence alone again, content with that answer.

It stayed silent until I finished with my plate, the waiter rather promptly coming and stealing them away, asking if we wanted anything else. I asked for the check this time, with one last bottle of wine. He scurried off. I regarded Tanji seriously.

“Could we do this if we were merely friends?”

“Certainly,” Tanji answered immediately, which meant an honest response, “Well, except for the kissing.”

I chuckled, turning my head as if to hide my amusement from him. “Yes, I would suppose so.”

“What’s the idea after this?”

“Drive about with a bottle of wine and see what next catches our interest.”

“I like that plan,” Tanji finished off his glass and poured another one.

The waiter returned with the check and the customary after dinner fortune cookies. Tanji bowed his head thankfully and plucked one up, nudging the other toward me. I watched him as he opened the little cookie and nibbled on the pieces as he tugged out the little paper inside.

I sighed in resignation and picked up the other cookie, breaking it in one hand and offering the pieces to him as I stole away the slip of paper.

“What’s your fortune say?” he asked curiously, playfully, as he stole the bits of cookie from my palm.

“It says, you are the ultimate destructive force in the universe, you will be the end of everyone you know, except for Evil, who will cling to your back and lick you forever.”

“Bullshit, lemme see.”

“Ahhh, watch your language and alliterate.”

“Liar, let me see,” Tanji spaced his words properly, slipping around the table and sliding onto my lap.

I was a little surprised, but tried not to show it. He was very warm, always so very warm. He peered at my little slip of paper and giggled.

“Liar liar. ‘Fortune smiles at you, look for blessings in the little things’… that’s so you.”

“I still don’t believe in fortunes.”

“Care to hear mine?”

“I don’t believe in fortunes,” I repeated stubbornly, hiding the fact I was interested.

He either saw through me or was too excited not to share, “It says ‘Your luck lies in the fires at sunrise’… okay that’s cryptic shit,” he giggled.

“Watch your language,” I took the scraps of paper from him and scolded him quiet, curling my arm around his waist.

Tanji leaned against my shoulder, nuzzling against my jaw. “Thirsty.”

“Your glass is right there.”

“Thirsty,” he repeated the motion.

I sighed in mock exasperation and took a drink of wine, pressing my lips to his. He drank eagerly, cradling my face in his little hand. I didn’t let it go any deeper, however, and pulled away, we were still in a more proper atmosphere than that.

“Come on now, back on your side.”

“You want me on my back?”

I tried hard not to smirk, trying to encourage him off my lap, “Later,” I gave him a coy look, “if you behave.”

Tanji winked and slid back to his side of the booth, cradling his wineglass with both hands. I glanced around to make a show of making sure no one had been staring, but I didn’t really care too very much. As if we hadn’t made enough of a scene just walking into the place as we had.

He looked absolutely… my mind couldn’t come up with a good enough word. He was sitting up straight, holding that wineglass, looking so nicely dressed, hair playing just over his eyes.

Irresistible.

That was the word I was looking for. This boy could’ve asked me for anything and I couldn’t have been able to deny him. But he wasn’t asking for anything. He hadn’t asked for me to take him out, hadn’t asked for dinner. All right so he’d asked for those drinks from my mouth but I wasn’t about to scold him for that just yet, and just remembering that…

“Death,” Tanji was smiling, “What are you thinking about?” his tone was so playful, as if he didn’t know what I was thinking about, but I knew he did, he could read me like that now and then, especially lately.

“Think… we should finish off this bottle, we’ve been here long enough,” I poured the last of the wine between our glasses.

Tanji fingered the neck of the other bottle, “And we’re taking this one with us?”

I could have swore if I were a man of less composure I would have blushed, but I wasn’t, so I didn’t. I just nodded and finished off my glass. Tanji showed his true prowess for drinking and finished off his glass as well. He snatched up the other bottle and I offered him my hand as I stood.

Tanji stood beside me patiently as I paid, my hand never leaving his. At this point I didn’t care how many odd looks we received, I left a fine enough tip to cover whatever emotional distress we’d caused.

He blushed as I opened the car door for him, smirking as I went and got in on my side. I put my arm out slightly and Tanji curled immediately against me, offering the bottle I’d barely begun to reach for. He was reading my mind, I could swear it. I opened the bottle and took a drink, handing it back to him and starting up the car.

“They’re still staring at us,” Tanji mused, gazing ahead into the restaurant.

“Let them stare, we’re being blatant,” I put the car in reverse and drove off.

We drove in silence again, now and then exchanging the bottle of wine, just driving around to see if anything caught our interest. He laid his head against me, bottle resting between us on the seat and barely held upright by his gradually drifting hand.

“Going to sleep there?” I asked softly.

“Eh? Hnn… no,” he sat up a little straighter, firming his hold on the bottle and rubbing his head.

I was concerned, but I said nothing. This was his pattern. Once he had that most horrible of nightmares he would deny himself sleep for two nights, drive himself into exhaustion, and sleep dreamlessly the next night. Then his dreams would be fine again, and the nightmare would only gradually come back over weeks. This was the second night.

This had happened so often that I felt an almost obligation to assist him in the pattern, keep him awake. Instead I was doing the opposite, letting him cuddle up against me calm in a moving vehicle with alcohol in his system instead of the usual caffeine and routine of constant motion.

I parked the car, finishing off the last of the wine and waiting until his head was clear enough to realize where we were. He made the absolutely most adorable noise when he finally looked up, turning sparkling eyes upon me.

“Well, let’s get going,” I encouraged and stepped out of the car.

I could hear it from there, feel it, the loud thumping of music turned to eardrum shattering levels. Tanji had already scampered out of his car in the pause I took to rethink this idea, so I had no choice. He was ecstatic, and I was being drug inside.

Tanji fished out his rather fake ID, but I had to contemplate, did my ID really show my true age either? Only contemplated that a minute before I was watching how tightly his pants were made by the searching within his pocket. If he were behind me he more than likely would’ve noticed the same thing.

The bouncer was satisfied and admitted us, Tanji grabbing my wrist and giving me a gentle tug, down into the dark of the club.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness and the flashing lights, to say nothing for my ears. I lingered along the wall, getting my wrist loose from Tanji and grabbing his hand instead.

Being along that wall was perhaps the worst place, lined with speakers as it was, but it was about the only place not packed full of people. I found a suitable spot midway between two speakers, perhaps the quietest place in the whole club, pulling Tanji against me and smiling down at him.

“Wanna dance,” his little body was moving slightly to the beat, brushing up against me.

“I’ll lose you in here.”

“Then you have to come with me,” he gave a playful little tug before settling against my chest, knowing he couldn’t move me if I didn’t want to.

I ran my free hand through his hair admiringly, but not letting any emotion show on my face. Just a little teasing game, why would I bring Tanji to a club and not let him dance, afterall?

“Come on, wanna dance,” he wriggled against me, pressing a little harder, his hands in my back pockets.

I ran my hand down his back, over the silk that covered him. Fine silk over those taut muscles and subtle curves, it was highly distracting. My eyes surveyed the nearest crowd, enthralled in the music and the lights. We were in the shadows, no one noticed us, and if they did they didn’t make a scene of it.

Tanji seemed perfectly content for the moment to move within my embrace, little body always moving with the music, always so perfectly in time with the beat. He laid his head on my chest and still he didn’t entirely stop moving.

I bent my head and brushed lips over his forehead, nuzzling away strands of sable hair to caress the barely visible outline of the Jagan. He shivered against me, pressing harder. It was a delicate place, but pleasurable when stimulated gently.

“Death,” he whispered, almost beneath hearing.

He stretched up and slid his hands from my pockets, wrapping them instead around my neck. I let him kiss me, my lips wielding to his and parting slightly to admit his hot little tongue. Tanji was an amazing kisser, I had to admit that. He also used his whole body to kiss quite often, like he was at the moment. It was so good nothing else existed at that moment.

I glanced to the side and noted an unoccupied chair, reaching and dragging it over. I slid down into it, wrapping my arms around Tanji and drawing him onto my lap, the leather of his pants protesting somewhat, focusing once more on the kisses.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get anymore intense and heated, Tanji slipped off my lap and stood up, damn near getting loose from my grip. I grabbed his hand, intent on not losing him in this crowd, and tried to pull him back.

“Gotta dance,” he veritably wiggled with excitement, eyes glittering, cheeks a little flushed.

“Not losing you,” I insisted, but he was firm in this idea and wasn’t coming back no matter how hard I pulled.

“Then come with me,” he tugged fiercely, but not enough to get me to move from my chair.

We were a stubborn pair.

“I don’t dance to this,” I raised an eyebrow.

“Most people out there can’t either,” Tanji giggled, twisting his own arm at an odd angle to allow him to turn a little away from me.

I reached with my other arm and snaked it around his middle, drawing him back forcefully, thudding him into my lap. He laughed and drew my other hand around and held it against his chest, leaning back into me.

“You’re a bastard,” he snickered and lounged there on me, wriggling now and then when a rather infectious beat took hold of him.

“I've been told this,” I pressed my face into his hair and breathed deeply. “You’ve been using my shampoo, think you’re the bastard.”

I burrowed my face against his neck, making him wriggle and laugh. Somehow he managed to wriggle loose and stand up again, tugging on my arm. I was beginning to think he was the more stubborn one.

“Come on, Death,” he was begging, shamelessly, the most adorable pouting expression.

Irresistible, yes, I believe I mentioned that.

I stood up slowly and the pout vanished immediately, replaced by the most delighted expression. Tanji bounced and pulled me off through the crowd. I kept an extremely good hold on his hand, never letting him loose for any reason whatsoever, even when the press of bodies attempted to separate us. It had become almost an obsession by this time, keeping hold of him.

He moved amazingly despite the handicap of that arm I wouldn’t release, entire body moving perfectly to every song. I made a bare effort of attempting some motion with some semblance of paying attention to the music, but mostly paying attention and trying to move with him.

Tanji had his hips grinding against mine, back arched, concentration lost to the music, and I dare say I was almost lost to him. He was so beautiful like that, in this strange light, moving to this insane music with logic and sanity and beautiful perfection.

I let him dance for awhile, just admiring him. Once I was sure he’d had enough of that I urged him to the bar for drinks and a moment’s rest. I relinquished my hold on his hand only because I was sure I could catch him before he leapt off that barstool, even though I probably couldn’t, he was known for his speed.

I paid very close attention to his movements once his drink was finished, nearly ready to signal the barkeep for another, but Tanji leaned over and put his hands on my thigh.

“Can we go?” he blinked.

“Thought you liked this sort of place?” I queried.

“Well I do… but… had enough and not in the mood for loud.”

“Ahh,” I nodded and finished my drink. Tanji, for all else everyone said about him playing loud music, really preferred things quiet most of the time. I wasn’t at all eager to leave for fear of losing sight of him.

Tanji slipped off his barstool and cuddled into my side as we left the club, ignoring any turned heads and other such attention. It was well after midnight, it was quiet feasible we could have started on our way home. I circled Tanji’s waist with my arm as we walked to the car.

“It’s getting late,” I noted quietly.

“Hnn,” he pressed harder into my side, “don’t want it to end.”

“Hmm,” I paused, turning and guiding him in a different direction.

He noticed we weren’t headed toward the car, or the implication of home, and immediately cheered up. Although only gods knew why he wanted to stretch the night into eternity. All right, so I might have had an inkling, but I wasn’t inclined to follow that train of thinking at the moment.

We wandered in a fairly aimless direction, even if I knew the general direction in which we were headed. When Tanji noticed the water ahead of us he giggled and darted from my side.

My hand clenched his, confusing me at this new instinct. Tanji didn’t notice, tugging playfully as he had in the club, hopping a little and laughing. He made it a game, me keeping hold of him, but never really seriously trying to get loose.

I had to wonder why I couldn’t let him go, this lively boy that just wanted to run a little ahead no doubt. There was no crowd to get lost in, not in this dark of extremely early morning. Still I pulled him back against me every time he made a little attempt of breaking loose, smiling at him and shaking my head.

We walked along the docks for a long time, quiet except for the sounds around us and now and again Tanji’s little laugh. We enjoyed nothing more than the purity of each other’s company, playing our little game and then smiling at one another before walking close again.

Tanji scampered away once more, stopping abruptly and not continuing as I drew him close. He pressed against me, peering up at me and blinking so cutely. I glanced around, noting the sky was just starting to grow light.

“Sunrise,” I was a little surprised, not realizing we’d been walking quite that long.

He tugged me toward the edge of the walk, down to sit on the edge with our feet dangling over. He cuddled into my side and gazed at that lightening point on the horizon. I leaned my head upon his and watched it as well. Nowhere near as dazzling as most I’d seen, certainly not as intense in colour as Tanji’s eyes, but a nice sunrise nonetheless.

“Guess… night ended anyway,” Tanji sighed, almost sounding heartbroken.

I reached and tilted his face toward mine, kissing him softly, “Still have the day,” I whispered against his lips, kissing him again, taking my sweet time about it.

“Come on,” I had him good and breathless, and easy to pull to his feet, “get back to the car.”

“Aww,” Tanji pouted, but melded against my side again, hugging me and not playing his game of trying to get away anymore.

He stayed like that the entire way back to the car, quiet and demure, holding tightly to me like it was his turn not to let me go. He wouldn’t even leave my side as I unlocked the car, climbing in on my side instead and scooting halfway across the seat, just enough to give me room to sit.

I put the keys in the ignition, but didn’t turn the car on. Instead I stared ahead at the now vacant club, glancing around the deserted parking lot. Nightclubs just weren’t a hot spot at dawn.

Tanji curled up against me, so wonderfully warm after the chill from the morning air. I put my arm around him and pulled him closer, whispering my lips over the Jagan. I honestly didn’t want to go home just yet.

I tilted his face up to kiss his lips, as if there were wine to drink from them. The flavor alone was enough of a wine for me.

He murmured non-words into the kiss, scooting closer, hand kneading at my thigh. It was like earlier in the club all over again, his entire body moved into it.

I reached around to his far side, grasping his hip and drawing it around and up off the seat, letting go and re-gripping his ass for a moment before tugging his thigh over my lap. He took the hint and straddled my waist, our lips never parting. His hands were buried in my hair, massaging at my neck.

I let Tanji go for a much needed breath, putting my head down and untucking his shirt with teasing slowness. My hands worked beneath the fabric to his skin, sliding over his stomach and gripping his sides, kneading them. Not an overly sensitive area on him, but I liked them just the same, to grip him right above the hips and hold him there, now and again thumb over the tattoo on his hip.

His nimble little fingers had run down the sides of my neck and beneath the collar of my shirt, attacking the topmost buttons. I leaned forward and nudged his shirt away, licking slowly at his nipple.

He shuddered and gripped my shoulders, abandoning the task of my shirt for the moment. I made the moment about him, attending to his body, worshipping it with my mouth, driving him into a near frenzy of excitement.

Those ruby eyes glittered at me when I paused in my task, fearing I was driving him too close to orgasm too soon. His mouth crashed to mine, yet still managing grace and perfection, body arching into it beneath my hands. I let him have his way for the moment, idly caressing his sides and lower back while he kissed me passionately enough to make himself breathless.

“Calm down,” I whispered, running my fingers delicately across his forehead, smiling as his eyes closed and his head turned as if to follow the touch.

I palmed the small of his back and he was mine, entirely, curling against me and taking deep breaths. Always that combination, just the light stroke across the Jagan and the gentle pressure to that sensitive place on his back and I could command the entire reverse of what he was feeling and it would happen.

His breath was hot against my neck, enticing, and my jeans had grown wickedly tight. Willpower? I’d thrown that out the window with the first kiss. I’d pick it up later, no worries, but not right now.

Right now I overpowered him and put him onto his back on the seat, smirking at his shocked little expression.

“You were going to hit the steering wheel,” I excused softly.

“Yeah-huh,” he murmured, arching up into my touch as I caressed over his stomach, tracing around his navel.

I worked quickly at the closure of his pants, sliding my hand down the side of his thigh and pushing down the leather. Couldn’t have him ruining such fine leather, afterall. Despite the tight space I managed to put the garment out of such danger, noting he’d worn nothing beneath them for a split second before settling down atop him.

His arms wrapped around my shoulders, soft lips playing over my neck and jaw. I kept his hips pinned down with mine, knowing full well I was tormenting him with the friction of the denim.

He arched up viciously, fingers digging into my shoulders, panting little whimpering breaths that may have been intended to be words. I pinned his hips down more firmly, tearing a moan from him, kissing at his neck to further excite him. I pushed him further and further until I was afraid his little clawing grasp was going to tear into my shirt.

I loved him at that point, beyond control and so worked up there was no way he was getting control back.

“Death,” he pulled me away from nibbling at his ear, petulant eyes blinking at me in the most irresistible expression.

I said nothing and kissed him, taking my time to taste him thoroughly, grinding my hips against his. He cried out into the kiss, gripping the back of my head with both hands, fingers tangled in my hair.

Tanji managed to get one leg out from under me, not noticing as he racked his knee against the dashboard. He bent his leg and tried to get leverage from pushing up off the seat.

I reached between us and caressed the inside of his thigh, where I knew his tattoo was, lifting up slightly off him. I turned and gazed down along his body, how the pale skin stood out from the red silk, stark against the rich colour. His lips tickled at my ear, trying to get my attention.

I kept my eyes fixed where they were, admiring the way the shirt flowed over his side and down onto the seat, pouring almost like liquid. I reached down, grazing the backs of my fingers along his tumescent arousal before undoing the closure of my jeans, smirking as he bit at my ear in response.

“Patience,” I cooed, turning to kiss him tenderly.

“Death,” he panted quietly, moaning, grabbing my hip in an attempt to guide me against him.

I maneuvered away instead, descending down along his chest, caressing the taut muscles of his thigh as I licked around a nipple. He went mad beneath me, body jerking hard, hands clutching at me furiously. I just smirked and continued on my way, kissing the hollow of his ribs and then down along his stomach.

“Believe I said settle down,” I prowled back up his body, caressing his lips with my fingers, encouraging him to take them into his mouth.

A somewhat suppressed shudder ran through me as he sucked on my fingers, eagerly, eyes closed and expression dreamy. My breath caught in my chest a few times, my arousal throbbing at the very hint of that insinuation. It occurred to me I could let him up, lay back… but no, I cut that thought off, I wanted within him, and presently.

I withdrew the fingers from his mouth, glancing only once at his little begging expression before concentrating on task. My slickened fingers pierced into him, pushing as he arched up, accepting the invasion eagerly.

He gripped my fingers and shuddered, moaning out a warning cry as I curled my fingers to stroke against his most sensitive place. I pushed him a little further and he came, length jerking fluid onto his stomach. I bent my head and licked it up before it could stain his nice shirt, thrusting my tongue into his navel in a mocking of the motion my fingers were making.

He relaxed for a moment despite the attention, fingers kneading at my shoulder, sighing softly. That was where I had wanted him, that moment between release and recovery when he was most subdued.

I prowled up, placing myself before gripping his waist, pushing slowly into him. His arms tightened, pulling me closer as his body allowed me entrance, easily, with so little resistance. That was when it was perfect, him so relaxed I barely had to try to strike deep into him.

We paused like that, joined together, and spent a long moment just kissing, caressing, neither of us moving much. I pulled back just enough to study those intense eyes, brushing back strands of sable from his face.

Tanji smiled, eyes lighting wondrously, leaning up to dust my face with little kisses. I returned the favor, both the smile and the kisses, enjoying how his hair felt falling between my fingers. He was so warm, beneath and around me, and soft, deceptively soft, as if he were as delicate as he looked.

I shifted a little, slipping my arms beneath his shirt and cradling him against me. I held him tightly, shivering now and again at the little nuzzling motions he made against my neck, the light little kisses.

I managed to get my knees beneath me to sit up, settling him on my lap without ever having left from inside him. He sighed and curled against me as I leaned back against the seat, just holding him.

He’d stopped demanding, and I’d stopped teasing, and we were both content to enjoy this for as long as we could physically stand. I caressed up and down his back, no doubt inciting the annoyance of the phoenix, but not really caring. Tanji moaned and shifted slightly every time my hands would dip across his lower back, arching just slightly.

Surprisingly, I was the first one to decide I couldn’t stand it anymore, thrusting just a little up into him. I tried to convince myself I could’ve lasted longer, but there was no denying that I needed it more than him at this point. I blamed his intense heat, that deceptive softness. Yes, it was certainly his fault, no part upon my willpower.

Tanji arched up, tilting his head back, matching the slow rhythm I set. Now and again he would curl up and rest his forehead on my shoulder or my chest and just let me rise and fall within him, as if content to let me go on forever. His little fingers were tangled in my hair, lips always paying attention to my flesh. For a moment I had to wonder if he’d reached his final climax with the first and reached between us to stroke at his arousal where it laid against my belly.

He moaned hot against my neck in answer, satisfying me that he wasn’t finished off yet. I kept up a light stroke, smiling as he writhed and arched, lifting back up off me and moving again to my pace.

I couldn’t help but groan as he tightened down upon me, rhythmically, as I hit the apex of every thrust, as if trying to drag my release from me. At least it felt that way to me.

His little hands cradled my jaw, eyes glittering and fixed upon mine, such a tender expression…

“Death… come in me,” he whispered, barely audible.

Like it had been a command from a higher power I obeyed, moving strongly, striking high and holding there, shuddering as I came. I couldn’t help but obey, my head thudding back against the seat as my back arched violently, driving me higher.

I swear my head was spinning, and somewhere among all that I felt my little lover come into my hand.

When my senses cleared enough to allow me to open my eyes, Tanji was again curled against my chest, warm breaths tickling my skin, hot little body nestled perfectly in my lap as if he were meant to fit just right there.

I grunted softly as I slid from him, jostling him just enough for that and no further. I cleaned the both of us of all traces, dutifully, making sure there was no mess in the car that could be found later by some suspicious person. Tanji barely seemed to notice, curled there against my heartbeat, his heart barely above normal. Mine was fluttering wildly until I took the time to calm it down, just wrapping my arms around him and pacing my breathing with his.

It was very peaceful, and I didn’t wanted to disturb it. I left the moment alone for as long as possible, just enjoying Tanji’s company, all the little sensations of him and myself and the two of us.

Finally it came clear it had to end, we had to go. I sighed at this fact and that alone roused him. He stretched and reached for his pants, sliding into them and never once losing touch of me. I started the car with reluctance, driving back home as slow as possible, stretching out every moment, my arm over his shoulder and fingers idly running through his hair.

He started to pull away from me when we parked at the house, but I held him tenderly into my side as I opened the door, drawing him out of the car with me. He smiled softly, then blinked at me when I swung the door back open all the way.

“Get the wine bottle,” I smirked.

Tanji leaned back into the car, my fingers laced in his and not letting loose. He retrieved the last evidence of our night from the car and kept it in one hand as I held to his other, tugging him into the house.

The day wasn’t over yet.





~*~*~*~*~

Index