Hiei weaved through the crowd of patrons in the club, making his way towards the bar. It was busy tonight, he noted. He had to push his way past several people who shot him irritated glares. He didn't bother apologising to them.

Hiei hadn't been to this club in some time. It was a well-known BDSM club in Tokyo, run by a local businessman. Hiei had heard shady things about the owner, but didn't really care as it didn't affect him.

He was approached by a blonde girl in a short, almost see-through dress.

"Hey, mister." She smiled up at him, showing dimples on her cheeks.

Hiei pushed past her without responding. He knew he was being rude, but though she was pretty, she wasn't his type.

He found a spare barstool and took a seat at the bar.

"Hey, Hiei," the bartender, a portly man wearing an open leather vest showing his bare chest said to him. "Haven't seen you here in a while. The usual?"

"Yes," Hiei said curtly. He was surprised that the bartender even remembered his usual order. As the bartender was making his drink, Hiei asked, "Anyone interesting tonight?"

"Weeell," the bartender said, stretching out the word as he handed Hiei his drink. Hiei stared at him, silently willing him to get on with it. He didn't have a lot of patience for the man but he was a good source of information, as evidenced by his excellent memory.

"There's a pretty redhead over that way," the bartender said, pointing over to the corner of the room that was used for public displays. "But if you want him, you'd better snap him up quick."

"What's he like?" Hiei asked curiously, setting his drink on the bar.

"Young and fresh," the bartender said with a chuckle. "But seems kind of picky. He's already turned a few guys down."

"Maybe he doesn't like men?" Hiei suggested.

"Look. I've been here for a long time," the bartender told him, leaning forward and lowering his voice conspiratorially. His breath smelled strongly of alcohol. "I know what people like. I'm telling you, that one likes men. And he's a sub."

Hiei wasn't sure whether to trust the bartender's judgement, but it couldn't hurt to check the redhead out. At worst, he'd make a pass and be rejected. He could live with that.

He downed the rest of his glass with one swallow and set the glass on the bar. "Thanks. I'll take a look at him," he told the bartender.

"Have fun," the bartender said with a lewd wink. Hiei scowled as he turned away. He decided that he really didn't like the guy.

The redhead was surprisingly easy to find. His fiery red hair was long and he wore it tied back in a low ponytail. His body was slender though the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt showed well-defined muscles. His movements as he made his way through the crowd were graceful. Hiei wondered how flexible he was.

Glancing around, Hiei realised that he wasn't the only one checking out the newcomer. Several other men were also giving him appraising looks. Hiei decided not to wait any longer. He made his way through the crowd on a path that would intercept the redhead.

When he reached the man, he deliberately bumped into him, knocking him off balance. The man let out a surprised gasp. Hiei wrapped an arm around the redhead's slim waist, pulling the other man against his hard chest in a ploy to steady him.

The man stiffened against him.

"I'm sorry," Hiei apologised. "Are you all right?" He did not release the man.

"I am fine, thank you," the redhead said. He tried to push away from Hiei. Hiei waited a moment before releasing him, taking hold of the man's arm. He acted as though it were to steady him but really it was to keep him from leaving.

Hiei studied his face. His green eyes were vibrant and his features fine-boned. He could be a model, Hiei thought. He could even pass for a pretty girl, in the right clothes.

The man tried to tug his arm free from Hiei's grip but Hiei held on.

"Excuse me," he said quietly but pointedly. "I need to leave." Was it Hiei's imagination, or did he see a flash of fear in those green eyes?

"What are you looking for?" Hiei asked, careful to keep his voice level and calm.

"I'm sorry?" the man asked. Now there was no mistaking the fear in his eyes, though he still managed to keep it from his voice.

"You came here tonight for a reason," Hiei said. "What are you looking for?"

"I, ah…" He clearly didn't know how to answer Hiei's question.

Hiei sighed in exasperation. "Most people come here to fuck, or be fucked," he told the man bluntly. "Which are you?"

The man's eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. "I… don't know," he admitted finally, dropping his gaze.

Hiei sighed, fed up. He dropped the man's arm. "if you make up your mind come and find me," he said. He left, heading back towards the bar.

The redhead stood still, watching him depart with a frown.

-0-

"What do you mean you didn't get anywhere?"

Koenma leaned forward in his chair to glare at the man standing in front of his desk. The redhead's posture was straight and his hands were clasped behind his back. His head was dipped respectfully to his boss.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said. "But I don't think I'm the right person for this job. My experience in this area is not adequate. I-"

Koenma cut him off sharply. "Officer Minamino, I am familiar with your history," he said testily. "And you are the right person for this job."

Minamino shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, I must respectfully disagree," he said firmly. "I now believe that my history makes me exactly the wrong kind of person for this job."

Koenma stared him down, an irritated frown on his face. Then he leaned back in his chair, shuffling some papers around on his desk as he asked, "Do you know how many young people have died because they took that new drug?"

"Sir, I-" Minamino started, green eyes wide.

"You can do something about that," Koenma continued. "You can stop it. Don't you want to stop it?"

"Yes, but-"

"Go back there tonight," Koenma ordered. "You'd better have some progress to report to me soon. Dismissed."

Minamino's posture remained erect until he'd left the office. Then his shoulders slumped as he returned to his desk.

"No luck, huh?" a sympathetic voice asked. His partner, Yusuke Urameshi, perched on the edge of his desk. His dark hair was slicked back and his uniform was rumpled, as if he hadn't ironed it. He was sipping from a soft drink can. Minamino sat down on his chair and sighed.

"No," he said. "He won't budge."

"Bummer," Yusuke said. "You want me to come tonight?"

"No. It's risky enough for one of us to be there," Minamino told him. "besides, I might need you later."

"This sucks, Shuichi." Yusuke sat his half-empty soft drink can on Shuichi's desk. Shuichi shifted it from the top of his files to a clear spot, frowning in irritation. Yusuke didn't notice his partner's annoyance. "Just because the boss's daughter died of an overdose, he's all up us on this one. Sending you in there alone is just… completely mental."

"Do you think I can't handle it?" Shuichi asked, looking up at Yusuke from under red bangs. His expression was impossible for Yusuke to read, something that he'd always disliked about his partner.

"No, that's not what…" Yusuke paused, considering his words. "I mean, everyone knows…" He trailed off again, helplessly. Shuichi frowned in displeasure at him.

"Look," Yusuke said finally, coming to a decision. "You're one of the best cops I know. You're cool under pressure and you're really smart. You can handle it. But, given your history, you bloody shouldn't have to."

Shuichi smiled then, but it was bittersweet. "Thank you, Yusuke," he said, "for your vote of confidence."

"No problem, man. I'm here anytime you need a cheerleader. But I'm not wearing a skirt for you."

Shuichi chuckled at the mental image Yusuke's words conjured up. Yusuke grinned down at him and slid off his desk, retrieving his drink as he did so. He was glad that he'd been able to cheer Shuichi up. They were friends as well as partners and Shuichi had been having a rough time lately. this latest case would only make things harder for him.

He left his friend to his work and returned to his own desk. It was not neat, like his partner's. Files were scattered everywhere, pages spilling out across his desk. He hadn't even read half of them. He preferred to leave that sort of task to his more patient and studious partner.

He sat down and dug through the files, locating the one about the case they were currently working on at Koenma's behest. Contained in the file were details about the club and it's mysterious owner, Sekyo.

Sekyo was a well-known and wealthy businessman with a squeaky-clean reputation, at least according to official records. Yusuke didn't buy it. He didn't believe that someone could make that much money without doing something underhanded. But he tended to be cynical about things like that, as he'd grown up poor. He'd had to struggle just to get to where he was now. Not that he regretted anything.

Koenma was sure that Sekyo was importing the new designer drug known as Lift into the city. It was cheap and potent. And extremely addictive. There had been about a dozen fatalities related to it already. But while Koenma suspected Sekyo, he had no proof.

Which was where Shuichi came in. Koenma wanted him to infiltrate the club and get his hands on incriminating evidence. Both Yusuke and Shuichi had pointed out that there might not even be any at the club. Koenma countered that they had to start somewhere and Sekyo spent a lot of time at that club. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that there was something there.

Yusuke doubted it, but Koenma was determined. He had picked Shuichi as the best person for the task, since he had an excellent record, was intelligent and quick-thinking. At least, that's what he'd claimed. But Yusuke suspected that Shuichi had been picked more for his looks than his mind. He was a year older than Yusuke, but his fine features made him look younger. His long red hair and green eyes were unusual in this country and made him stand out. In short, he was desirable.

Yusuke was incensed on behalf of his friend that his boss was using him in such a manner, but it wasn't his place to say anything. Koenma never listened to anything he said anyway. And he couldn't risk getting thrown off the case. He wanted to be the one to have Shuichi's back, in case something went wrong.

Yusuke stared balefully down at the photograph of their target, Sekyo. He had long dark hair and aristocratic features only marred by the long scar down one side of his face.

"Bastard," he muttered, slamming the file shut.

-0-

Hiei debated whether or not to return to the club the next night. After an hour of moping around his lonely, empty house, he finally decided he'd had enough of feeling sorry for himself and departed.

The club was less crowded tonight since it was a Sunday. A lot of people had to work in the morning. Hiei was one of them but he didn't care.

He sat on the barstool, surveying the area around him. He was surprised when he spotted the redhead from the night before. His outfit tonight was similar to what he'd been wearing last night. Pressed slacks and a button-up shirt though the sleeves were not rolled up tonight. An unusual choice for this sort of club, Hiei thought. Most people here were trying to attract attention and dressed accordingly.

Hiei's own outfit was understated. He wore a tight-fitting black t-shirt that showed off his muscular arms and the dragon tattoo that almost completely covered his right arm. He also wore snug-fitting denim jeans. He knew he looked attractive, but not slutty. The redhead, on the other hand, looked like he belonged in an office, not a club.

He spotted Hiei and Hiei watched in amusement as his eyes widened. He paused for a moment, obviously considering his options, before slowly moving forward towards Hiei.

"Good evening," he said politely when he reached him.

"Have you made up your mind?" Hiei asked him, without preamble. He didn't like beating around the bush.

The redhead looked down, uncertain. Hiei sighed, disappointed.

The redhead heard the sigh and he raised his head to meet Hiei's crimson gaze. Hiei was surprised. Most people found his unusual eyes disconcerting and did not like looking directly at them.

"You seem to be someone who appreciates straightforwardness," the redhead began, "so I will be blunt about this."

Hiei stared at him incredulously as he tried to figure out if he'd just been insulted or not. Diplomatically insulted, he decided, with some amusement. The redhead ignored his expression and went on.

"I am new to this," he said. "I have no experience and a lot to learn."

That made sense, Hiei thought. The redhead certainly gave the impression of being out of his depth, though he did have a good poker face, which he was making use of now. He looked determined, though beneath that he must be feeling uncertain.

"You should be careful, then," Hiei advised him. "Find someone experienced to teach you."

"Can you recommend someone?" the redhead asked hopefully.

Hiei frowned. Honestly, he couldn't. He didn't know a single Dom here that he would trust with the inexperienced and insecure redhead.

"No," he finally said. "But I've been away for a while. Perhaps you should ask around."

"What about you?" the redhead inquired, tilting his head slightly to the side to give Hiei an inquisitive look.

Did he want to train an inexperienced sub, Hiei wondered. The redhead was extremely attractive, there was no denying that. But he had a feeling that there were layers to this man that he couldn't see. That bothered him. He didn't like complications.

The redhead waited patiently for Hiei's answer as the seconds ticked by. Hiei studied his demeanour closely. He had good posture and he presented himself well, even if his clothes were a little odd for this setting. Hiei liked that. Despite being out of his depth in this place, he was obviously determined not to show any weakness. And the way he moved indicated that he had probably taken some kind of dance or martial arts classes at some point in his life. All points that made him interesting to Hiei.

Finally he said, "We'll discuss it. Come with me." He stood from the barstool and made his way through the club to a darkened corridor. He didn't look back to see if the man was following. He walked down the hall until he found an unoccupied room and entered.

The redhead paused in the door, scrutinising the room warily before he decided whether or not to enter. The room was comfortably furnished with two leather sofas and a coffee table in the middle. Hiei went over to a water dispenser that sat against one wall and poured two glasses of water. He carried them over to the coffee table and sat them on it. Then he sat on one of the sofas.

"We're just going to talk," he assured the redhead, who was still poised in the door. Hiei noticed that his stance was balanced, ready to run at a second's notice. Skittish, he thought worriedly. That didn't bode well for their future interactions.

After another moment's hesitation, the man entered the room. He took the sofa across from Hiei and reached for the glass. He held it in his hands but did not drink from it. Instead, he stared into it's watery depths.

"If you aren't willing to trust me, this won't work," Hiei told him. "You have to at least be willing to try."

The redhead frowned but nodded.

"What's your name?" Hiei asked him, after taking a sip of his water.

"Kurama," the man said, after a beat.

A lie, Hiei suspected. So much for trust. But he'd continue this a little longer and see what happened. They were only talking, after all.

"I'm Hiei," he said, neglecting to give a last name, as the other man hadn't provided one either. "I'm not too picky about how you address me during normal interactions, as long as you are respectful."

Kurama nodded again. At least he had lifted his gaze from the water to look directly at him, Hiei thought.

"What about a safe word?" Kurama asked with a frown.

The question surprised Hiei. He might be inexperienced but he'd obviously at least done some cursory research.

"I will insist on it," Hiei said. "We'll talk about what that will be later. Have you had sex with a man before?"

"Yes," Kurama said. He suddenly looked uncomfortable, his eyes shifting to stare at the wall over Hiei's shoulder.

"Bad experience?" Hiei guessed, careful to inject sympathy into his voice.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Kurama said. "Suffice to say that I am experienced in… taking a man. That is what you were asking, is it not?"

"Yes." Hiei filed away the scant information about the redhead's previous relationship for another time. He certainly wasn't willing to let that subject entirely drop, despite Kurama's wishes.

"We will also have to discuss what you are prepared to allow me to do and what you are not willing to try," Hiei said. "We'll draw up a contract, so both of us are clear on what we expect and want from each other."

Kurama visibly relaxed. The mention of a contract had eased some of his worries, Hiei noted. He had thought it might. Someone as new and inexperienced as Kurama would find it reassuring to have everything laid out in front of him in black and white.

"And if I decide I am no longer comfortable with our arrangement?" Kurama asked, after finally taking a sip of his water.

"We'll discuss it," Hiei said. "Either the contract is modified or dissolved."

"That sounds fair," Kurama said, after a moment's contemplation.

"I thought so, too," Hiei told him. He earned a small smile in return. Maybe this could work after all, he thought.