White Nights on Infinity

4. Hunger

Kurogane felt Fai's body go limp in his arms.

"Yo," he said, alarmed, shaking Fai's shoulders, but his head lolled, as if he were asleep.

"Well, this is unexpected," muttered Kurogane, sliding one arm around Fai's waist to better support his weight, and feeling distinctly like there were better uses to this situation.

The fight he had witnessed was so unlike Fai, that Kurogane hadn't even interfered until the last moment; now they both slumped in a heap against the concrete wall, back inside the club's back exit. It was shocking enough that the mage had let himself be comforted like this in the first place, but now Kurogane began to worry. What was going on here today? He quickly scanned Fai's body for injuries, but he seemed fine. Moving long strands of hair off his face he caught a faint scent, something sweet and cloying, vaguely reminiscent of plum wine. Kurogane frowned, sniffing. He smelled this once before, somewhere... But where? Then he recalled the bartender's words about the lixr, and the line between his brows deepened. Why was this idiot drinking that stuff, anyway?

"Hey, wake up," Kurogane repeated in Fai's ear, to no avail. The mage was out cold. Was he actually... drunk? No, that did not seem to be it.

Kurogane couldn't help but recall that the last time Fai ended up in his arms he had been wounded and covered in blood, his face a gruesome mess. Half his magic was gone along with his left eye, and he was dying. Back then, Kurogane did what he needed to save him: for the gift of Kamui's vampire blood, to bring Fai back to life, Kurogane became Fai's only prey. He didn't regret any of it, even if it meant Fai never forgave him for it.

Unbidden, those images flashed across his mind, and Kurogane shook his head, chasing them away, returning to the present. Music still pounded through the walls, and the dark corridor was lit only by the glow of pulsing lights, filtering through the club. Luckily, the hallway was deserted; and at any rate, to the naked eye they might just look like an impatient couple... Kurogane's mouth quirked, briefly. Focus, he told himself. He could, of course, just sling him over one shoulder and carry him home. As amusing as that prospect was, the thought of that sniper on the roof worried him. With his hands full, it would make fighting harder; not to mention, Fai would be all too vulnerable if he could not move on his own.

Kurogane tilted the mage's chin to get a better look at his face. His breathing was faint but steady. A delicate vein pulsed underneath his jaw; his natural pallor had grown ashen, and wisps of blond were messily plastered across his clammy forehead. The predatory snarl from earlier smoothed back into his regular features. That's right... back in the alleyway, he had fully transformed. It was rare that he allowed himself that.

Kurogane tried to remember when was the last time that Fai had had any blood, and scowled. The grimace on Fai's face, earlier, and the way he fought; he knew there was something off about it, and now he realized what. He had just passed out from hunger, of all things. Stubborn idiot, Kurogane thought, lip curling.

He was about to reach for his knife, but then thought better of it. Giving in to a sudden impulse, Kurogane traced his forefinger over Fai's mouth, gently feeling his way in. Though unconscious, Fai yielded easily, parting his lips, warm and soft. Kurogane swallowed, feeling heat bloom in his cheeks. Not that was anyone there to see him blush... Was it whiskey that had made him so bold? Or just seeing Fai talk with Rio, earlier? He didn't really know. For a moment, the sounds of the club faded into the background.

Slowly, he ran his finger along the sharp upper teeth. A quiet whimper escaped Fai's lips, as the incisors began sharpening under Kurogane's touch. He pressed his finger to one of them until the flesh broke, letting drops of blood pool in Fai's mouth, coaxing out a guttural, indecent groan. His eyelids fluttered, but did not open. Instead, he arched into the touch and, drawing a hissing breath, bit down.