Out of Bounds and Beneath Dreams

Out of Bounds and Beneath Dreams
Part six…

I. Will I Do for Tonight?
“Back at the cathedral,” Ianto said quietly as he put away a dish he’d just finished washing. They were back on the Old Greg on route to the wizard’s tower to rendezvous with Hero and Eldin. At the moment though, they were anchored off the coast of Oriab. Ianto said, “You…”

“Saved you?” Hiei put in sarcastically, “I had to. I don’t know how to drive this boat, remember, so don‘t go thinking your special or any--”

“You were singing,” Ianto said blandly.

Hiei’s face fell, “Tell anyone about that--”

Ianto stopped him with a finger gently pressed on his lips, he smiled, “No one would believe me if I did. Though I have to say, what a talent! If you ever wanted to hang up your sword belt, you could go into show business.” He laughed.

Hiei grumbled, “I should have let that thing barbeque you.”

“I was only teasing,” Ianto said brightly. Hiei was silent for a moment and Ianto thought the demon was angry with him, until Hiei suddenly snapped him off his feet and deposited him none too gently on the table.

“You should know better than to tease me,” Hiei growled as he parted Ianto’s shirt at the collar and kissed the delicate bones and muscle he found there.

“Like I need to DO anything to set you off,” Ianto chuckled as his fingers searched for the fasteners on Hiei’s leather jerkin. “Though when we first met I never would have thought you‘d be so affectionate.”

“Affectionate?” Hiei was taken aback, “You think I’m affectionate?”

“Well, yeah-- I mean, you’re always kissing me and… touching me, and so passionate,” Ianto meandered, “And that’s just with me, I can only imagine how you are with the ones you really love.”

Hiei looked away, “It’s… easier with you, somehow. Maybe it’s because we don’t love each other. Yusuke and Kurama love me so much, but I….”

“Hiei,” Ianto smoothed his fingers over his chest, “I won’t tell anyone the things you say to me, so if you want to say something….”

“I do love them. I really do,” Hiei said quickly, “I just… I don’t think I love them exactly as they love me.” And there I was. It took the simplicity of dreams for him to figure out why he felt guilty and out of place with his lovers. He saw that love they shared and experienced the love they gave to him, and felt that he was not reciprocating in kind. He did not love them exactly as they loved him.

Ianto blinked at him, “Well, of course you don’t.”

“Huh?”

“Yusuke loves like Yusuke; Kurama loves like Kurama,” Ianto told him slowly so that he could absorb the concept, “And Hiei loves like Hiei.”

“It’s not that simple,” Hiei said in outrage.

“Yes it is,” Ianto remained patient, “And what’s more is that they love you for loving them like you do.”

“How can you possibly know that?” Hiei spat.

“Because that’s who you are and they can’t possibly love you for what you’re not,” Ianto shrugged a-matter-of-factly.

The anger flushed out of Hiei, leaving him feeling foolish. He spoke quietly, “Back at the cathedral when that thing had you… it reminded me of a time when Kurama, Yusuke, and I were fighting in this tournament with life and death sakes. Things happened, I was lured into some stupid trap, and Kurama and Yusuke had to fight an entire team of trained killers by themselves… I think that was the first time in my life that I was ever scared for someone’s life other than my own. Those two changed me-- for the better and… Gods I miss them.”

“You’ll be with them soon,” Ianto whispered and kissed him on the lips, “but will I do for tonight?”

Hiei looked up at Ianto like he’d forgotten the blond was there. His face was flushed and there was a look in his eyes that Hiei couldn‘t read. But he liked it. Hiei muttered, “Oh yes.”

Hiei folded Ianto in his arms and kissed him slowly and deeply, felt his cool skin press on his own and the quickening beat of his heart. The rhythm of the ship and the slick varnished tabletop added to their play, pressing Ianto’s weight closer to him when it swayed one way and depriving him of it when it swayed the other. It gave Hiei a devilish idea. He slipped his hands down to Ianto’s waistband. The blond obligingly lifted his hips to allow Hiei to remove his pants.

Ianto sighed, “Shouldn’t we go into--”

“No,” Hiei silenced him by pressing his fingers into the blonds mouth, “I want you right here.”

Ianto moaned and sucked on the fingers until they were dripping with saliva. At which point Hiei pulled them out, causing the blond to whine in disappointment. But he got over it when Hiei moved those fingers down to his entrance and started to prepare him. He may not have done as thorough of a job as he should have, but the need to be in the blond pushed him to move quickly. Hiei pulled his fingers out of the blond and grabbed up a piece of flannel cloth and tossed it onto the table, before grabbing Ianto by the hips and hoisting him up to sit on the flannel.

“What are you doing?” Ianto panted.

“You’ll see,” Hiei smirked and grabbed Ianto’s hands, placing them on the blonde’s own thighs. He instructed sternly, “Hold them open.”

With out preamble, Hiei placed his penis at Ianto’s entrance, grasping his hip with one hand, and carefully pushed inside. Ianto shook and whined as the rod penetrated him. His muscles jumped with the urge to move, to reach out and grab something, anything that he can hold on to, but the fear of disobeying Hiei’s order kept him still.

With just the head of his cock successfully inserted, Hiei stilled himself. With his chin resting on his chest, eyes closed, he breathed deeply trying to gather his wits while his manhood was embedded in such wonderful heat. It was amazing how hot Ianto was inside. It was such a harsh contrast to the chilled skin that Hiei had caressed. When Hiei felt he was ready he opened his eyes to find that the blond had also adjusted to the position and was now staring up at him with those clear blue-green eyes. They seemed to be asking him, ‘what now?’

Hiei smiled, “What ever you do don’t let go of your legs… this is going to be fun.”

Ianto looked puzzled for a moment as Hiei moved his hands from his hips to brace against the table on either side of him. Now, Ianto had been at sea so often that he had more than learned to ignore the gentle swaying and rocking of the ship, but then at that moment he became acutely aware of it as Hiei’s hand no longer braced him in place and the flannel material deprived his hind end friction on the tabletop. He slid forward; his weight and momentum impaled him farther onto Hiei’s member. Ianto threw his head back and howled, more from surprise than pain-- and a bit of pleasure.

Before Ianto could come to terms with the sensation of being filled and stretched so, the boat started to tip back the other way causing him to slide back across the table and off of Hiei’s penis until once again only the tip was still embedded.

“This is insanity,” Ianto panted.

“Or genius,” Hiei countered with a grin, “They say it’s a fine line.”

“You are a maniacal-- ohhh!” Ianto’s words blended into a cry as the ship tipped again, sending him sliding slowly down Hiei’s organ.

“Oh yeah. Hold those legs wider lets see if we can get you even deeper before… ohh…” Hiei whined as the boat tipped the other way, depriving his cock of the warm sheath. But no worries, he knew in just a moment the boat would lean the other away and Ianto would fall onto his pleasure again.

The pace was slow and regular, almost torturously so. It was set by not by either Ianto or himself, but by the ocean itself. It was like S&D, but both of them were the S, willingly giving up all control in the encounter. It was surreal. It was maddening. It was fantastic! He looked down on Ianto. His long blond braid was pulled over his shoulder to prevent it from getting caught under him. It slipped and played over his pretty chest as he tossed his head in passion. His face was flushed, his lips were bright pink, and his blue-green eyes were glassy from tears of frustration that gathered there.

Hiei muttered, “Fuck, I’m having a three-way with an angel and the Southern Sea.”

“What?” Ianto panted.

“Who?” Hiei asked back, not realizing he’d said that aloud, “I mean… um… you’re beautiful.”

The ship rocked again sending Ianto down Hiei’s shaft, this time Ianto’s legs closed around Hiei, locking behind him. He moaned, “I can’t take it anymore. This slow pace… I-I need….”

“Yes,” Hiei pressed.

“I need… you to take to the bed and,” Ianto hesitated, but knew Hiei wouldn’t move until he said it, “I need you to… to fuck me deep and hard!”

Hiei already figured he was going to say something like that, but knowing hadn’t prepared him for actually hearing it. Those perverse, wanton words coming from those pretty lips, made him want to come right there. He lifted Ianto up by his hips, without disengaging himself from him and growled, “Oh you got it, Blondie. Hmm, and you’re gonna get it!”

Carefully, but quickly he carried the blond the short distance to the bed and laid him out on it. Then without farther hesitation, he snapped his hips forward, for the first time, sinking his cock completely into Ianto. The blond cried out, and not for pain. He was beyond pain at that point. Hiei thrust his hips again and again without pause. Ianto planted his feet flat on the bed, lifting his hips to meet Hiei, blow for blow. His hands snaked up to tangle in Hiei’s wild dark locks as he swooped in to aggressively claimed Hiei’s mouth. His lips bit and sucked at Hiei’s as if by some way he could devour the demon. Hiei kissed him back with equal ferocity as his fingers dug into the cool flesh at Ianto’s hips. Cool? Hiei marveled in the back of his mind. How was it possible for his skin to still be so cool while he so obviously burned inside?

Both their kisses and Hiei’s thrusts gathered in fury as they spiraled ever closer to completion. Hiei’s fangs nicked Ianto’s lip. He tasted the sharp intoxicating tang of blood. Ianto suddenly broke the contact, tossing his head back. A keeling moan ripped from his throat as his orgasm ripped through his body. With the blonde’s mouth gone, Hiei’s sucking, nipping mouth landed on Ianto’s gorgeously exposed collar. The blonde’s already tight cannel tightened even more and rippled around his aching manhood. It drove him insane. He bit down on the flesh between his teeth. Blood gushed into his mouth. He came hard.

After a number of dizzy minutes, Hiei was able to pull out of Ianto. It made a slick sucking sound as if the blonde’s body were reluctant to give him up. Hiei leaned on one elbow gazing at his lover, rather pleased with himself, if not for the small bruises that littered the blonde’s body, then for the satisfied smile that played on his lips.

Ianto felt the warm trickling on his skin and lifted his hand to his collar to find blood there. He glanced warily at Hiei, “Don’t tell me this your way of claiming me as your property or something.”

“Hn,” Hiei snorted, “If I wanted to do that, I’d had just grabbed you and said, ‘You belong to me now and I’ll kill anyone fool enough to look at you.’ Then I’d make good on that promise. No. All it means is you had rough sex with a demon. On that note, you’d better let me clean that before it gets infected.”

Ianto lazily tipped his head to one side, allowing Hiei to lap the blood from the wound. Small moans escaped his lips as Hiei’s tongue lapped over his flesh. “That was… very good. I don’t usually… but… well…”

Hiei cut off his awkward ramble with a soft kiss, “I think the only way that could have been better is if we added two more participants. Actually, I think we should make that happen.”

Ianto snorted thinking Hiei was joking, “Oh yeah, I can just imagine that conversation; ‘Hello my darlings. I was just thinking we should arrange a perilous journey into the Dreamlands for a quickly.’”

“One, I have never called Yusuke and Kurama ‘darlings’, Hiei said, “and two, I didn’t mean that I would bring them here.”

“I don’t understand,” He didn’t.

“Well, you are a dreamer from the Waking World, right?” Hiei explained, “I normally have a Jagan eye and I’ve more than memorized your aura. I could easy track down your Waking World persona then… Of course, there‘s the issue of you knowing who we are. Most dreamers do forget Dreams when they’re awake. The Oneiromancer, Varvara, protects me from those types of affects. Tell me Blondie, do you remember Dreams when you awake?”

“Oh, the thing is” Ianto hesitated. He looked almost embarrassed, “I, um, never woke up.”

“Oh,” Hiei was taken aback, “So you’re…”

“Late of the Waking World,” Ianto said it quickly, “It’s not uncommon. Many men have gone on to live in Dreams long after there bodies had expired. King Kuranes and King Carter are such men-- Hero and Eldin also. Speaking of, we‘ll be seeing them soon. I think we should be at port around noon tomorrow.”

“Ianto,” Hiei knew Ianto was trying to change the subject. The man didn’t like to talk about himself, by nature it seemed. And by his nature, Hiei felt uncomfortable about prying, but still it unsettled him. Compelled by the need to do or say something, Hiei touched his fingers to Ianto’s cold cheek, kissed him softly, and said, “One more time, for the road?”

Ianto asked, “How do you want me?”

Hiei didn’t answer.
* * *
II. There were Three Books
“I can find my way by myself,” Hiei told Ianto after they set into port.

“You sure?” Ianto asked. Until then he had assumed that he’d accompany Hiei until his journey in Dreams was over. “It’s not any trouble for me to come--”

“I don’t need you anymore,” Hiei said coldly. He left the blond on the Old Greg, determined to get to the old wizard’s tower and get this thing over with.

The wizard had been expecting him when he arrived. He made a brief query about Ianto’s absence, which caused Hiei an annoyance that he did not try to hide from the wizard. After that Hiei was shown to a drawing room were Eldin the Wanderer was waiting. Eldin sat for a long while, examining the inscription that Varvara had put on Hiei’s arm for his trip into dreams. It seemed so long ago that the old woman had sent him into Dreams. The tragedy that was his reason in going felt like lifetime ago. In his fogged waking memory, Hiei could see Mukuro’s peaceful stone face.

In a surge of impatience he barked at Eldin, “Well?!”

“It says, ‘To achieve the proper perspective you must divide the circle by the sides within and then remove it from half the circle. What is left must be divided between the spaces between the pentacles.’ It sounds like nonsense to me,” Eldin shrugged.

“Are you sure you’re reading it right,” Hiei demanded.

“That is the same translation I got,” said the wizard in white, who until then had been content with sitting in his wing backed chair, sipping tea.

Hiei’s brow creased over his nose, “I thought you said you couldn’t read it?”

“I said I couldn’t help you,” the wizard corrected.

“You played dumb because you wanted us to go save your errand boys!” Hiei burst with outrage.

“Guilty,” the old man smirked over his teacup, “But before you go thinking this was all unnecessary, I have to tell you that it was not. You had to go to that place, see the things you saw, learn the things you’ve learned.”

“Damn it,” Hiei spat, “I just want to know this damn chicken scratch means and how its going to help me find the sons of bitches that turned everyone I know to stone and maybe, just maybe a clue on how to fix this whole mess. I don‘t care about fate or destiny or what ever the hell you want to call it.”

“Prefer synchronicity, myself,” the old wizard said, “Events and things that are not obviously caused by each other, but are somehow related. But as for your little inscription, the answer is obvious. What language is it written in?”

“Ancient Dreamlands,” Hiei said gruffly, “The language of the First Ones.”

“Correct. So the person who owned that item with the writing on it,” The wizard prompted.

“Has knowledge of the First Ones,” Hiei caught on, “But outside of Dreams that’s a rare thing-- its rare in Dreams.”

“Yes and no,” The wizard sat back in his chair, “Ah here, he can explain it better than I can.”

Hiei turned to see Hero enter the room, behind him-- Hiei hissed, “Ianto, what are you doing here?”

“He came running up to the harbor to fetch me,” Ianto gestured at Hero, “He said that you need me, that it was important.”

“Hiei needs to know about the three books of the First Arcana,” the wizard told him.

“Oh,” Ianto frowned, “Couldn’t you have told him that?”

“Not as you can,” the wizard said cryptically.

Ianto looked to Hiei. Hiei waved irritably, “Go ahead.”

“Let’s see, you already know that the First Ones were the original colonist of Earth and that they were destroyed in a cataclysm,” Ianto said thoughtfully, “Skip ahead a few millennium, you come to the dawn of human civilization when man begins to see himself the world outside of himself. He found traces of the old sciences, dug them up, and half understood them-- with was enough to use the spells, but not without cost. Eventually, the Elder Gods saw the destructive effects it was having on man and decided to intervene. They sent a large number of envoys to the Earth, the Aeons, to put an end to it. There were wars and battles in the sky, but eventually they won.

“They did not destroy the knowledge mind you. They just took it out of the hands of men would could not comprehend what it was they were messing with. After the main forces left the Earth, a small few stayed to gather the knowledge of the First Ones and set them into writing, should one day the races of Earth be ready for it. There were three books; The Book of Tricks and Charms, The Book of Cures and Reverses, and The Book of Curses and Maladies. The books were to be safely entombed at three different sights; the third would be in the coldest, most inaccessible place, because it contained the most dangerous spells.”

“Were to be entombed?” Hiei raised an eyebrow.

“Something when wrong,” The wizard took it up, “One of the Aeons took off with The Book of Curses and Maladies and what’s more is that it’s believed that he switched it with The Book of Cures and Reverses, so that it would be holed up in some miserably inaccessible place. That way nobody could use it to counter act his book-- not that that would be easy seeing that the Aeons wrote it in the language of the First Ones, which few can read.”

“Let me get this straight,” Hiei interrupted, “Are you trying to tell me that the spell that was used on my friends came from this Book of Curses.”

“And Maladies, yes, it is more than likely,” The wizard told him. “And it is also likely that the ones who cast the spell are his followers in his Cult of the First Ones.”

“You make it sound like he’s still around,” Hiei noted.

“I think he is,” The wizard said soberly, “An Aeon’s aura may vibrate very similarly to a human’s, but they can live a lifespan that can rival a demon’s.”

“But why would he want to attack Hiei’s friends?” Ianto asked the million dollar question.

“Hmm, good question.” The wizard hummed. “You said there were two separate attacks. Was there something the two targets had in common?”

“Other than being former kings in the demon world, no,” Hiei frowned, “And I’m not too sure that’s any motive. They haven’t had much political power since the Demon World unification.”

“Was there anything different they’d been doing recently?” This came from Hero who was clearly trying to keep up with the conversation.

A light bulb went off in Hiei’s head, “They were both working on some research projects, trying to decipher some obscure, ancient spells.” Now that he was thinking about he remembered the table he had demolished in Mukuro’s study. It was empty, but they were working on a project so it should have been covered in books. Yomi’s place had also been lacking in the normal paper clutter. Hiei added, “I think whoever did it, might have stolen their research, too.”

“You don’t think?” Ianto said to the wizard.

“Oh yes,” he nodded, “You better talk boy, before our friend here rips you in two.”

“There were three books, remember?” Ianto told Hiei.

“Yes. And?” Hiei pressed.

“After the Book of Curses and Maladies was stolen and the Book of Cures and Reverses lost, an Aeon by the name of Sophia took the Book of Tricks and Charms and scattered it throughout the Earths lands and dimensions. Those spells mostly have to do with energy transferences, manipulation, and magnetism. And some have become common, like my light orb or the enchantment the wizard put on that bracelet and our compass,” Ianto explained, “Other spells however were hidden well. It’s believed that those spells could be used in conjunction with each other to raise unspeakable things.”

“What sort of unspeakable things?” Hiei frowned.

“Like the thing in the lava pit, but bigger and far more destructive,” Ianto said, “Maybe even ‘that is not dead which can eternal lie.’”

“And with strange ‘aeons’ even death may die,” the wizard finished, “Funny all these years I thought some ancient had misspelled the word ‘eons.’”

“Ironic isn’t it.” Ianto said flatly, “The ones the Elder Gods trusted turned right around to release their rabid cousins.”

“Elder Ones and Old Gods,” Hiei hissed, “I don’t care about that. I’ll find this guy and kick his ass or kill him, depending on the mood I’m in when I get there. Now, since you geniuses seem to know so much about him, mind telling me where I can find him?”

“I only know what I‘ve told you by legend,” Ianto shook his head, “And the location of the cult is not part of it.”

“You’ll have to quest for them yourself, in the Waking World,” the wizard told him, “I can however send you on your way. Here, put this around your wrist.” He handed Hiei a sliver bangle with pattern of flowers and runic letters inscribed on it. Hiei wondered if it was the same bangle Hero, Eldin, and subsequently he, had risked their lives to obtain.

“Ianto,” the wizard turned to the blond, “I need you to go upstairs and get the blue bottle out of the white cabinet.”

The blond did as he was asked. He found the bottle, it had a hand written label that read, Instant Wakeup Elixir. Stir two teaspoons into liquid and drink. When he went back downstairs he found Hiei alone in the parlor.

“The old man already told me how to use it, so just hand it over,” Hiei said gruffly.

“You act as if you’re angry with me,” Ianto noted as he rounded the couch, “But I have experienced your anger before and frankly this is not it.” Hiei looked away from him, but he continued, “You were serious about looking for me in the Waking World, weren’t you.”

“I must not have been a very good of a lover,” Hiei said, “We’re never going to see each other again and you don’t seem fazed at all.”

“I was prepared for this eventually, from the start I always knew you were going to leave me,” Ianto said calmly as he measured out two teaspoons of liquid from the blue bottle and poured them into a cup of tea that had be left on the table. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier that I‘m, you know. But, I never imagined you‘d….” He sighed, “It would have been nice to see Yusuke again.”

“You really loved him,” Hiei muttered.

“Yes,” Ianto kissed him and placed the cup of dosed tea in his hands, “I guess you’re just going to have to love him enough for the both of us.”

Hiei swallowed the tea.
* * *
TBC…
A/N: That was a lot of information in one scene. After all that pointless, but fun adventuring, I’m starting to tie off the loose ends. More of that in the next chapter, but plenty of treats for those who bear with me. Oh, and remember that prologue that started this thing? It’ll make sense soon. See ya, next time.