"Your ass is mine, mage!" Kurogane roared, drawing his sword and chasing after his gleefully fleeing companion. A cold wind bit at his face as he followed his quarry through the door of tavern and out into the snowy evening.
"Ooh, Kuro-puu!" Fai shouted back. "Is that a threat, or a promise?" He stumbled a little as he danced away, giggling, apparently no longer coordinated enough to run and banter concurrently.
Kurogane responded, growling in increased annoyance, by hastening his pursuit. He closed the gap between him and the inebriated wizard quickly and easily. The sudden widening of Fai's eyes indicated that he had not expected the ninja would catch up to him so soon. He attempted to dodge out of the angry warrior's path, but his foot slipped on a patch of ice. As Fai struggled to rebalance, his long legs tangled with the other man's, tripping them both. Kurogane found himself unintentionally tackling the mage into a snowbank.
Thankfully, Kurogane had the sense to cast his sword off to one side as they fell, and thus the two avoided injury, beyond some possible bruising, as their bodies collided. Though the snow cushioned Fai and Kurogane's fall, the larger man had still landed fairly hard on the wizard's thin frame, and he had no doubt Fai would be feeling it in the morning.
But for now at least, the blond was laughing. "Oh no," he cried out in mock fear. "The big bad Kuro-wolf's caught me! Help, he's going to eat me up!"
"Idiot." Kurogane frowned down at the grinning, giggling magician. His hair had come loose from its ribbon and lay splayed in a messy aureole atop the snow around his head. Tiny snowflakes glittered like stars caught in the wavy tresses. His breath fogged in the chill air, smelling strongly of the alcohol he had just consumed – a particularly potent liquor the people of this country called "vodka." Clearly, the wizard had imbibed too much. Grumbling about this latest lapse in Fai's judgment, Kurogane began to get up, only to find his attempt impeded by arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him back down.
"Damn it, mage, wha-" Before Kurogane could react, Fai had pulled himself up and pressed his mouth against Kurogane's own. Warm lips contrasted sharply with the frigid night, sending shivers down the swordsman's spine. For a moment, shock held him still as conflicting emotions rose within him. He knew he should push the wizard away, scold him for this shameful prank. What was he thinking, doing something like this? But he simply couldn't bring himself to break the connection. It was pleasant, the way Fai's lips moved, soft and gentle over his own, his hands caressing the back of Kurogane's neck, slipping smoothly through his hair. Maybe the mage wasn't joking after all.
Slowly, cautiously, Kurogane began to kiss him back. It started chastely, a tender, unhurried action that gradually deepened. Fai took each of his movements and seemed to intensify them, continually coaxing more from the ninja. Kurogane leaned in further, pressing the wizard back down into the snow. He felt Fai's slender body begin to shake beneath him.
Sense slipped back into Kurogane's clouded mind. The two men's coats remained at the tavern, left behind in Kurogane's haste to pursue the mage. Though, by this point, Kurogane could not even recall what the wizard had done to anger him. Winter in this country was harsh. Reluctantly, he pulled away from Fai's embrace.
"Aw, Kuro-sama, don't stop," Fai pouted.
"It's not worth freezing to death." Kurogane stood up and retrieved his sword. "Now come on, let's go back inside."
"Nonsense," the wizard assured him. "Kuro-buro was doing an excellent job of keeping us warm." He clambered unsteadily to his feet, only to slip again on the ice and fall back into the snowbank. He laughed, shaking his head and smiling foolishly at his own clumsiness.
Kurogane sighed, realizing just how drunk the wizard must be. "You're hopeless," he said, scooping the mage up into his arms. "Here. Let's just go back to the inn. I don't think you're fit to be out in public anymore tonight."
"Yay! Carry me, Kuro-daddy!" Fai giggled like a child, throwing his arms around Kurogane's neck and holding him tightly. The wizard really didn't seem to notice how badly he was shivering.
Kurogane set off in the direction of the inn the group had chosen to stay the night in. Large, fluffy snowflakes fell, casting dappled shadows as they passed under the street lanterns. Fai cuddled close against Kurogane's chest, babbling nonsense and laughing at his own jokes. After a few minutes, the mage fell silent. His position shifted slightly, and the warrior felt something warm and wet touch the side of his neck.
"Will you cut that out?" he demanded as Fai placed a series of kisses along his neck. "You're going to give me frostbite."
"Mm, but I can't help it, Kuro. You taste too good," the mage whispered.
"I just fed you yesterday. You can wait."
"Ah, but that's not what I meant…" Fai ran his tongue along the back of Kurogane's ear.
Kurogane walked faster, hoping the night was dark enough to hide the blush he felt rising to his cheeks. "Knock it off, or I'll throw you in another snowbank and just leave you there."
Fai laughed softly. "Alright, Kuro-pippi, don't get angry." He settled for cuddling once again.
At last, they reached the inn. Kurogane saw the old man at the reception desk raise an eyebrow at them as they entered through the heavy wooden front door, but fortunately, he made no comment. Fai waved cheerily at him from Kurogane's arms. The ninja rolled his eyes and carried the blond through the small entrance hall and up the flight of stairs to the second floor, where their rooms where located. Shifting the wizard to one arm, Kurogane reached into Fai's pocket to retrieve his key, thus eliciting additional giggling and uncalled-for jokes.
Unlocking the door and entering the room, Kurogane deposited the mage unceremoniously on the bed and lit the bedside lamp. Fai flopped back onto the pillows and heaved a contented sigh. Checking that the wizard had enough blankets, Kurogane turned to go.
Fai's hand caught his wrist. "You're not leaving already, Kuro-tan?"
Using his free hand, Kurogane gently loosened the mage's grip and pulled free. "You're drunk, Fai. Go to sleep." He turned again and walked to the door.
"Kuro…" The laughter was gone from the wizard's voice now, replaced by something else. Kurogane's hand stopped on the door handle. "I'm yours, if you want me," Fai whispered.
Kurogane looked at the man who lay waiting on the bed. The offer was more tempting than the swordsman wanted to admit. It was nearly as intoxicating as the alcohol – the lamplight playing off Fai's ivory skin, the glitter of half-lidded azure eyes, the memory of kissing in the snow, cheeks blushed by cold and want. It would be so easy, so natural, to give in, to cross to the bed and finish what they'd started.
Kurogane stepped toward Fai, drawn by his beckoning gaze. He wanted to kiss him again, to hold him, to strip away the clothes dampened by melting snow. He wanted expose what lay beneath, all the hopes and desires they had left unspoken. Kurogane moved another step closer. Longing painted itself softly on the features of Fai's face, the same longing Kurogane had felt – a need for closeness left long unsatisfied. There was no more teasing, nothing left to hide behind. Only openness remained, a trusting vulnerability, fragile and alluring. And yet, Kurogane hesitated. Fai's soft lips parted to whisper his name.
Breathing a heavy sigh, Kurogane shook his head. Such an act would change their relationship irreversibly, and Fai was in no condition to make that kind of decision right now. Whatever pleasures the night might promise, it was not worth the chance of their regretting it later. They'd come too far together to take that risk. Taking the last few steps back to the bedside, Kurogane bent down and placed a gentle kiss on Fai's forehead. "Ask me again when you're sober," he whispered as Fai looked up at him with wondering eyes. Then, putting out the lamp, he crossed the room and exited before he would have a chance to change his mind.
Once back in the hallway, the warrior sighed, running a hand back through his hair. A frown bent his face as he pushed away thoughts of what he had just turned down. Retrieving another sweater from his own room, he set off again in the direction of the tavern. There was no point sitting around contemplating what might have been. He and Fai would need their coats again the next day, and presumably, Syaoran and Mokona were still there waiting for their return. And aside from that, Kurogane gave a small smirk as he passed back through the frigid night; he could really use some more of that vodka.