Chocolate and Sake

A bottle of sake sat in the center of the table, almost mocking Hisoka as if it knew his aversion to it. Tsuzuki had challenged him earlier to drink a bottle over the course of dinner, and Hisoka, being the stubborn fool that he was, agreed.

At least he wouldn't die of alcohol poisoning, being dead already and all.

He took one drink, one small drink, and it burned hotly down his throat. He could still feel it tumbling around in his belly, even after he had swallowed two mouthfuls of rice.

"Soka-chan!" Tsuzuki came into the dining area, a "Kiss the Chef" apron tied around his waist, with a pan of steaming noodles tossed in what looked like vegetables and peppers and soy sauce in his hands. He presented Hisoka his latest piece of ingenious cuisine with a cheerful grin and proud eyes. "Taste it, taste it! I made it from scratch."

"I'm sure." Hisoka eyed the noodles warily and scooted slightly back from the table, wincing when Tsuzuki only came closer with the pan.

He set it down if front of Hisoka and crossed his arms, looking every bit the chef-nazi that he was. "Aren't you going to taste it?"

"I think I'll pass, and just stick with rice."

"Come on, please? I put hours into this thing, this whole dinner, and do you know how expensive that bottle of sake is that you're not drinking? Do you know how hard and painstaking it was to slice all these noodles *by hand*?"

Hisoka blinked at him, surprised. "You really do mean 'made from scratch,' huh?"

"Of course!"

"All right," Hisoka said begrudgingly, picking up a pair of chopsticks before poking the noodles gently, and, finding nothing out of the ordinary to be alarmed about, he wound a few strands into a clump that wrapped neatly around the chopsticks and sniffed. Smelled all right, if a bit too spicy, so he popped it in his mouth. Chewed thoughtfully.

And instantly regretted it.

*Way* too spicy, and he grabbed the bottle of sake to extinguish the fire in his mouth but damn it, that only made it worse. There was a vague feeling of deja vu.

He was going to puke. Or pass out. Whichever came first.

"So you're finally drinking the sake!" Tsuzuki exclaimed excitedly and sat down in a chair across from him, chin propped in his hand with an amused expression on his face, oblivious to his partner's discomfort. "Drink up, now. You promised you would."

Hisoka nearly gagged. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get me drunk so you can get in my pants."

Tsuzuki gasped incredulously. "Me? How could you even think that, Soka- chan?"

"Don't try to play the innocent with me." Hisoka pushed the noodles to the far edge of the table. He gestured to Tsuzuki, "Can I get some water?"

Tsuzuki grumbled but brought over a glass of tap-water anyway, glaring at the bottle of sake. "You're not going to drink it, are you?"

Hisoka grinned, "I will. I don't keep empty promises and I don't loose bets. Just give me a minute."

Sitting quietly, Tsuzuki waited for Hisoka to use up his minute. When a full minute had passed, he slammed his fist down on the table and grinned, "Minute's up! Drink up, Hisoka," frightening Hisoka with the sudden outburst.

The sake was warm and ran hotly down his throat, searing. Hisoka didn't keep the liquid in his mouth for long because he thought it tasted simply revolting, and he merely drank cup by cup, a mouthful down before another mouthful of sake was swallowed as well. Even Tsuzuki was surprised by how quickly his friend had drunk one-third of the bottle. He urged Hisoka to slow down then, not wanting him to keel over anytime soon. That would ruin his plans.

"There," Hisoka said tartly and belched. "Finished. Happy?"

Tsuzuki grinned and nodded, "Immensely. Although," he added with a sly smile, "you didn't look like you were enjoying it. You need to have fun when you're drunk!"

Hisoka frowned, carefully licking the inside of his mouth with his tongue and trying to rid it of the aftertaste. "I - well, I am feeling a little lightheaded. Umm, tipsy? I think," here Hisoka tried to stand but found he couldn't and almost fell back and over his chair if it were not for Tsuzuki steadying him with his arms.

Hisoka looked up at Tsuzuki's amused face and laughed. "What? You've never seen anyone drunk before?"

Tsuzuki encircled him with his arms and drew his face towards him, eyes serious. "You are so cute, even when you're drunk." Tsuzuki's face loomed closer, inch by inch, until their faces were hardly a breath apart. Tsuzuki closed his eyes, leaning in, cupping Hisoka's delicate cheek and getting ready to..

"Oh, I think I'm gonna puke!" Hisoka shouted and Tsuzuki's eyes shot open, surprise lining his face before turning into annoyance and slight worry as Hisoka flailed and spun out of Tsuzuki's grasp, running towards the bathroom and slamming the door.

Hisoka could be heard puking his little heart out. Tsuzuki took pity on him and sighed, getting another glass of water ready for him until he was finished.

"Uggh." Hisoka came stumbling out, socked feet tripping over each other. "My feet - my feet won't, won't walk right." He whined sheepishly.

Tsuzuki nearly laughed out loud at the sight and Hisoka's remark. He was regretting not taping this whole experience to blackmail Hisoka later. Although, if Hisoka ever found out that he did something like that, he would probably kill him.

"It's all right, you're okay." Tsuzuki swerved Hisoka onto the couch and raised the water up to his lips, urging him to drink. "This'll make you feel better."

Hisoka pushed it away lazily. "I need food, you idiot. Something sweet, or I'll - I'll puke all over you."

Tsuzuki's eyes widened in alarm. Not on his favorite apron! He quickly ran into the kitchen and began digging through the contents in the cupboards, looking for something sweet. Damn it, he had a sweet tooth 24/7, so why couldn't he find anything actually sweet in here? He opened the last cupboard and sighed in extreme relief upon the seeing the box of chocolates that Tatsumi had given him last Christmas but had never got around to eating. They were probably stale as rocks, but they'd have to do.

He rushed back to a groaning Hisoka and opened the box, picking out a square shaped chocolate. "Here," he said and pushed it past Hisoka's lips and into his mouth, fingers getting slightly laved with Hisoka's spit but not caring, not really. Hisoka chewed for a few quiet seconds, and then turned his head to spit it out onto the carpet.

"Gross! That had toffee flavored cream inside. What, were you trying to kill me?" Hisoka accused loudly and Tsuzuki quickly rummaged through the box for a round chocolate, hoping it was something Hisoka would eat.

"Mmm. Cherry. That's better." Hisoka chewed thoughtfully, and licked his fingers slowly when the chocolate morsel had been devoured. He picked up another round piece and popped it in his mouth, methodically turning it over with his tongue before making a display of squishing it between his front teeth, smiling for Tsuzuki.

"Are you sure you don't wan' any?" Hisoka slurred, staring up at his partner, eyes squinting every few seconds, probably trying to keep his vision from blurring. Tsuzuki's knees would've given out if he hadn't been sitting down already.

"Well," Tsuzuki leaned closer, his eyes fixed on Hisoka's tempting, chocolate coated mouth. It would taste sweet to kiss him now. "Maybe, if I can get this bit of cream on your lip.."

Amazingly, Hisoka didn't move away this time when Tsuzuki was half expecting him to, and their lips met softly with the slightest pressure. Hisoka's bottom lip was slightly chapped, but Tsuzuki loved the slight catches and smoothed them with his tongue gently until they were no longer visible imperfections, but moist folds that had practically disappeared seamlessly into the rest of Hisoka's full bottom lip. Hisoka moaned slightly, sticky fingers knotting in Tsuzuki's hair, and he kissed harder, pressed harder, almost frantic in his urgency. Tsuzuki was pushed back by the force until Hisoka had him pinned on the couch, and only then did Hisoka calm his kisses, and trailed his fingertips from the corner of Tsuzuki's eye and down his cheek, finally coming to a stop at his lips.

"Soka-chan?" Tsuzuki had his hands low on Hisoka's hips, and he squeezed gently. "Are you feeling okay? Because I think you're very, very drunk right now, so maybe we shouldn't do anything you're going to regret later?" His voice was soft and the words deliberately spoken, as you might with a child. He hoped Hisoka would not push things any further; Tsuzuki couldn't be held responsible for his actions if he did. It was extremely hard for him to say what he had said, and he needed Hisoka to be the final judge and jury with this decision. If it was up to Tsuzuki, Hisoka probably would not talk to him for the next few months once he became sober again and found out what would inevitably happen in Tsuzuki's bed. Hell, make that *years*.

After a minute of silent staring and Tsuzuki holding his breath waiting for an answer, Hisoka finally grinned widely, and said, "Isn't this what you wanted all along, Tsuzuki?"

Tsuzuki barely had any time to answer as Hisoka's palm came hurtling towards his face, delivering a loud *slap!*, and a clear look of extreme sobriety and glee was present in Hisoka's eyes.