"That you're down here with me," Uryuu managed steadily after struggling to surface past his swimming head, "means you do have things to hide." From his followers, certainly, but who else? How many people - vampires or otherwise - knew about this dark basement and this stained table, the steel chains hanging lifeless from the ceiling and walls?

Uryuu suspected that number was low. ...And he hoped Shikamaru wasn't among them.

But Eric was right - he'd come here with a purpose, to prove something, to learn something, and he was rapidly losing sight of that reason amidst everything else there was to learn. He was learning, for example, about what its tendrils, feeling out felt to be shoved up against something by a predator, to feel trapped and thrilled by the trapping. He was learning the nuances of being groin-to-groin with a being that shone like sunlight with power and want. Spirit ribbons coalesced around him before slowly encircling the vampire, wrapping around in curiouthe the vibrant soul before him even as that soul rubbed physically against him. Uryuu squirmed and panted and wondered what it would be like to have the moon for a sun.

Uryuu's eyes widened to see the silver hiss into Eric's skin, a flare of angry red marring the pale, snowy pink. His fingertips brushed the gleaming wound in sympathy, and he let his spirit brush against the vampire's throat. The Quincy Star had burned perfectly; if he hadn't seen it happen, Uryuu would have guessed it was a tattoo.

Already, I've left my mark on you. He wondered what that meant.

There was little time to consider it. His skin flushed and he wrapped his arms around Eric's neck, his knees on jean-covered hips. "I won't - " drugged but passionate, determined, " - let you kill me."

It was, he thought, a fair line to draw.

As for the rest, the Quincy's reiatsu flared as he hugged at Eric's shoulders, trying to yank him into a kiss full of hunger and teeth. The walls glittered; the people above them danced on.