Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of the Bleach characters used in this fic. They all belong to Tite Kubo: the genius behind the captivating manga that started it all. I only own any of my original characters that I choose to include, as well as any of my own original plot ideas.

Red Lights

A/N: AU, lemon, and much mischief.

Her chin was tilted up, lips captured as a hand began unbuttoning her shirt, fingers grazing tender flesh. She gasped, pulling back and shooting a nasty glare at Shunsui, who sat across from her with a wide smirk on his face. He hadn't been present for more than a half hour, and he was already up to no good. Retsu had to stay on her toes with him, disarming every trick and trap he tried to spring.

"What did you give him?" she whispered coolly as she slapped Mayuri's hand away, inching out of his reach.

Shunsui merely shrugged, grin still in place as he watched the wine swirl around in his glass. "Call it an experiment," he chuckled, attempting to crack a poor joke. "I had a theory, and I tested it."

Retsu's gaze hardened, a dangerous, "And that would be...?" escaping her pursed lips.

Again, the man laughed, earning himself a sharp slap from Nanao who had returned from the restroom. She'd been standing there long enough to see and hear everything. She now was shooting daggers at him, the kind that would likely scare the fun right out of him long after the two had left for the evening. But, for the moment, Shunsui seemed to be all but immune to the nonverbal threats the woman beside him was concocting.

"Oh, just a couple drinks is all. Gods know he's too damn stiff. I did you a favor, really. You should be grateful."

Retsu sighed, her eyes glancing nervously to the right so as to see Mayuri pressing a hand over his eyes so as to avoid the light. The affects of this joke were going to come back to haunt her later. At least she knew exactly where the scent of alcohol had come from, as Shunsui was, surprisingly, devoid of his dear friend. For this trickery, he'd certainly deserve any and every beating that Nanao decided to give him later. She actually hoped that punishment would be awaiting him when he walked out her door.

Her eyes widened again, Mayuri's hand tugging impulsively at her skirt. It was for this very reason that she'd forbidden him from drinking any alcoholic beverages without her strict supervision. Mayuri's ability to hold his liquor was about as good as his socializing skills. Miserable.

"We have company," she reminded him, hoping rationality would take over.

He just smirked, leaning in to lick her lips, whispering against her teeth, "Let them watch."

Shunsui burst into laughter at that comment, slapping his knee as hysterical tremors swept through him. Fifteen minutes, and a fortunate absence of wine later, Nanao dragged him out the door, repeatedly apologizing for both his behavior and childish prank.

She had also promised that she would give him a strict, and thorough, beating for his crimes.

When the door closed, Retsu could only stare in disbelief as Mayuri, stoned well out of his mind, stared blankly at the ceiling, motivation lost for the moment. She couldn't very well say that there was a timetable for such intimacy, as it just seemed to happen on a whim. But the burn he'd transferred with his touch was astounding. He was usually calm about such things, rarely even having the nerve to so much as kiss her in the presence of others, as he preferred to keep that private. This was the dark side, she supposed. The half that boiled beneath the surface of that mastered facade.

He was on the floor now, head tilted back so as to stare at her with clouded eyes. She couldn't help smiling at the expression on his face, as it was almost pleading. Her eyes closed as she knelt beside him, fingers pulling her shirt away as she pressed the affair further. Shunsui had already done enough damage, and she felt it her duty to repair it.

There was a moment of weightlessness, a gap in time, as she felt herself being stripped of all restraints, free to torment him further. Clothing had been easily discarded, save for the tie she'd wrapped around his neck so as to pull him to her. Maintaining her grip on the cloth with her teeth, Retsu allowed her hands to roam across his body, smiling as he moaned into her touch. He sat up, tongue slipping across her torso before settling against her pale jaw, gaping. It was mutual, a steady pace of back and forth being made. With each consecutive stroke of his hand against her, Retsu felt all control slipping further away. Now she was feeling the ache, the fire, fighting every nerve that insisted she sink and fulfill that fervent desire. She slid against him, rolling her hips with a skill that forced his teeth into her shoulder.

Retsu saw stars as the long-awaited contact was made, heaving as her fingers pierced his sides. The starvation had flooded through her now, influence having corrupted the innermost workings of her mind. Teeth scraped together as mouths met, her back arching. It would taste a lie to say that she didn't enjoy this, to say that he wasn't a genius even when drunk. There was no toying around when he was like this. Everything had meaning, and a point was always made. From each maddening scratch and bruise, right down to the salty tang that stained her lips.

Through slitted eyes, she could still see it. The mark she'd left the last time, the one that curved around from his back to his collar, dark and lingering. Movement ceased, bringing Retsu to drag her nails across his chest, eliciting a low growl. He leaned in, tongue slipping against her teeth again as it picked up again, shockwaves overloading her nerves. It was cruel, the way he played this game, almost making her wish it would end. Even with no control in his system, Mayuri still seemed to find the will to steal it from her.

That same devious smirk, the one that Shunsui had sported, was on his face now, the mist having vanished from his gaze. She smiled, fingers raking yet more trails across his chest, disapproval evident.

"You're sick," she said, having figured out the scheme. "Both of you. Plotting something like this."

That coy grin remained in play, teeth nipping a trail across her jaw. He hadn't denied her accusation, which reinforced it enough to reach confirmation. She'd always thought that he hated Shunsui, the way he always avoided the man, but he'd obviously overcome that so as to further screw with her head.

Retsu then felt herself melt, hot breath against her ear.

"Don't pretend you didn't like it."

One of the joys of vacation is that I think of all kinds of things while away from the Internet.