Genichirou had known it was dangerous to invite Hatter to spar with edged weapons.
He had, however, been confident that Hatter wouldn’t kill him, or even significantly
damage him. He didn’t normally like the idea of handicaps, but in the case
of a demon he’d take it.

He was coming to the irritated realization that, even restraining himself,
Hatter was fast enough to touch him.

After the third sting, he abandoned any thought of drawing Hatter out and lunged
at full speed, hoping to at least gain a little maneuvering room. There was
a sharp blow against the back of his ankle, and the next thing he knew Genichirou
was staring at the ceiling with Hatter leaning over him.

Grinning.

Genichirou glared, trying to calm his breathing.

"Thank you, Sanada-kun, that was delightful," Hatter purred.

Genichirou opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. He was not rising to
the bait this time. Hatter took his wrist and lifted his arm to examine the
shallow slice along it.

"One is actually moderately impressed," he added. "One didn’t
think you would be able to avoid so many of these." He laughed at Genichirou’s
skeptical look. "It’s true. Actually," a more considering expression,
"one hadn’t intended to cut quite so deeply." Hatter bent his head
to Genichirou’s arm and licked the blood from his skin.

Genichirou stopped breathing entirely.

It wasn’t Hatter toying with him that alarmed him; he’d had time to get used
to that. It was the shiver that the gesture dragged through him. When Hatter
knelt over his hips and leaned down to the cut across his chest, Genichirou
shuddered under the warm touch. His thoughts scattered, even as he tried
to come to grips with Hatter’s action, and his own reaction.

When Hatter’s tongue moved over the cut on his collar bone, when Hatter’s lips
closed over it to suck gently, Genichirou finally grabbed Hatter’s shoulders
and pushed him away.

"Hatter," he gasped, "stop!"

Hatter’s eyes were dazed for a moment before their usual mocking light returned.
"Of course," he murmured and stood. After a moment, Genichirou
accepted the hand Hatter held out to help him up.

"Don’t tell me demons get drunk on blood or something weird like that,"
Genichirou said, suspiciously.

Hatter laughed. "Not exactly. Though blood can be a carrier for some…
intoxicating things." He traced two fingers to either side of the cut
on Genichirou’s collar bone. "That will leave a mark."

Genichirou gave him a disgruntled look. "That’s something you like doing,
isn’t it?" he asked, a bit snidely.

"Only sometimes." Hatter stepped back against the wall and faded
into the shadows. Genichirou snorted, and started to collect his things.

It wasn’t until much later that evening that he noticed the two shallower cuts
were completely healed.

End