"Kim, Kim, there's something weird in my mouth," Harry announces when they are half way down the coast.
Kim turns and looks into Harry's open mouth. "Okay, okay, stop moving your tongue," he says. "No, I don't see anything."
"Look harder! Do you think I'm cursed? I'm scared."
"I thought we established the curse is not real. It is just the dice-maker."
"No Kim, weren't you paying attention? The entity is just the dice-maker. The curse is real and I've got it. Just feel this bit." He pokes his tongue into his cheek and jabs it with a finger. He's visibly agitated.
"Calm down. Everything will be all right. Why don't you sit down over here and let me see?" Kim says, pointing to a large, flat rock amongst the reeds.
Harry does as he is told. Kim sits down beside him.
"Hmm," Kim says, touching Harry's cheek. It's hard to feel much on the inside because of his thick sideburns. To be thorough, he pushes two fingers into Harry's mouth. Harry immediately opens his mouth again to accommodate him. Even through his glove, Harry's mouth is surprisingly warm. Kim doesn't make a habit of putting his fingers in the mouths of living people. It's… interesting, to say the least. "No, I don't feel anything eith- detective, what are you doing?" Harry has closed his lips around Kim's gloved fingers.
Kim looks into Harry's eyes, muted green flecked with greys and blues. They betray nothing, but Kim must admit to himself that up close they are quite captivating. Harry starts to move his lips, sucking on Kim's fingers. Kim feels uncomfortably hot. He shouldn't allow this to happen, but this is Harry, whose bizarre antics have a habit of turning out to be not only relevant but useful.
"I take it you are feeling better now," Kim says.
"Uh-huh," Harry says, his tongue pressing against Kim's fingers.
It occurs to Kim that he may have been tricked. If that is so, he has no idea how to get out of this situation with his dignity intact. "Am I going to get my fingers back?"
A slight head shake. "Uh-uh."
Kim sighs. "Okay. Carry on, detective."
Harry does. He takes hold of Kim's wrist and gently pulls his fingers further into his mouth.
There's something nice about this. Comforting. Perhaps that's why Kim doesn't tell Harry he's doing something weird and to stop it.
Kim feels Harry's teeth against the ends of his fingers. He freezes. Then Harry grasps the ends of his glove in his teeth and pulls backward. Kim pulls his hand back, leaving his glove behind in Harry's mouth. He finally has his hand back, but what now. Change the topic, quickly, Kim tells himself. But his mind has gone blank.
Harry gives the glove back to Kim, but before he can put it back on, Harry has taken hold of his bare hand, raising it to his lips, kissing his knuckles gently. Kim tries to stifle a gasp. Harry does this with so much love. Kim is sure he isn't imagining that. He tucks the glove Harry pulled off him into his pocket, giving up on the thought of putting it back on.
Harry presses Kim's middle finger to his lips, parting them to let it inside. He touches the tip of his tongue to the tip of Kim's finger and swirls it around it. The feeling is much more intense without his glove. A gentle feeling uncoils in Kim's chest. Harry does the same motion with his tongue to Kim's index finger and ring finger. Kim closes his eyes, giving in for a moment and letting himself enjoy this.
Harry takes all three of Kim's fingers into his mouth, sucking along them and running his tongue over them. A moan escapes Kim's lips. Harry's eyes crinkle at the sides. He looks pleased with himself.
Kim can't handle much more of this. It's just too much. But he doesn't want to disappoint Harry. If he can divert his attention just enough, it might be possible to tolerate Harry's hot tongue and soft lips and not completely fall apart. With his free hand he takes out his notebook and looks through his recent notes.
Kim can't even focus on reading his own handwriting. I found a new way to foster inter-departmental relations, he imagines writing. Although of course he would not write such a thing even if he had his other hand free. No, this thought is purely for himself. He suppresses the urge to smile, and pretends to be absorbed in his notes.
"Kim, are you bored?"
"Hmm? No."
"Put that away. I want your full attention," Harry says, reaching over and snapping Kim's notebook shut.
Kim looks up at Harry as he obediently tucks his notebook into his inside pocket. Harry's stare is intense. He presses his lips to the back of Kim's hand.
"Come closer."
Kim lets out a nervous laugh. "How much closer can I get? We are sitting right next to each other."
Harry doesn't elaborate, but tugs Kim towards him by the hand. Kim stands up and faces Harry.
"I don't know what it is about you, Kim. I can't stop thinking about you."
"This past week has been intense. It would get to anyone," Kim says. Even me, he does not add.
"No, but, I've never felt this way about a person before. It's like how I feel about alcohol. I'm a Kim-aholic."
Kim doesn't know whether to laugh or groan. He wishes he could write it off as Harry joking, but he can tell he is being completely serious.
"Well there was one person, but that was different. I don't want to think about that. I want to think about you." Harry turns Kim's hand over and kisses the inside of his wrist. Kim shivers at the warmth of Harry's breath and the touch of his lips on the sensitive area of skin.
Kim takes an errant piece of Harry's hair and smooths it back. Harry lets out a sigh and closes his eyes as Kim touches his head. He strokes back Harry's hair from his temple, his hand brushing Harry's ear. Harry lets out a shaky breath.
"What's wrong with me, Kim?" Harry asks, holding onto Kim's other hand with both of his. "Am I sick?"
"No, I don't think so," Kim says, wondering if Harry is genuinely so clueless as to what is going on, or if he is merely unable to admit it to himself. He wonders if kissing Harry would help him figure it out. It's a tempting thought.
"You're smiling. What do you know that you're not telling me?"
Kim feels a cold chill run through him. He hadn't realised he was smiling. The thought of kissing Harry must be even more exciting than he thought it was. He feels his heart pounding as he considers what to say. He sighs to try to dissipate the tension in his chest. "You're attracted to me."
"What?" Harry says, immediately letting go of Kim's hand. "No. That's ridiculous. I'm not even…" Kim sees Harry's eyes moving as he appears to be weighing up if any of the words he knows isn't a slur.
Kim links his hands behind his back, trying to allay his nervousness. "It's okay. I don't mind."
Harry seems to relax a little. "You don't?"
"No. You are attractive to me."
"Huh?" Harry looks genuinely surprised. Then he laughs. "Do you need to clean your glasses?"
"No. I can see perfectly well, thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"What happened to you being a superstar sex god?"
Harry drops his gaze. "That's… that's not the real me. Least not when I'm near any reflective surfaces."
Kim tilts Harry's chin upwards to make him look at him. "Harry, you are yourself. Unapologetically. Before considering anything else, that is so attractive to me."
Conflicting emotions cross Harry's face. Kim strokes Harry's chin and runs his thumb over his bottom lip. Harry pulls Kim's thumb into his mouth and circles his tongue around it. Kim steps forward to stand between Harry's knees and pushes his thumb further into his mouth. Harry makes a noise in the back of his throat that makes Kim shiver pleasurably. He pushes his thumb in deeper, pulling back when Harry gags.
Harry looks up at Kim and smiles. He pulls his thumb deep into his mouth again and squeezes his thighs around Kim's legs. Kim is so close to Harry now. It makes him feel so warm and happy and wanted. He strokes Harry's cheek with his free hand. Harry leans into his touch.
Kim doesn't know if Harry intends to kiss him. Maybe he doesn't dare. He clearly hasn't come to terms with his identity yet. Kim decides not to push him. A few days ago Harry didn't even remember his own name. Besides, this is quite nice. Maybe even more exciting than kissing. He couldn't ever explain this to anyone else, but why should he? He and Harry share their own special connection, they understand each other in a way that nobody else can.