Dedication:  For Denise, with love. Happy Belated Birthday Nesie.

Notes:  A special thank you to my dear friend and beta, patl.

Summary:  An overload on Jim's senses leaves him with a debilitating headache, but Blair has the cure.

Warnings:  Bondage/Domination
 

Exhaustion weighted down his extremities, making it a herculean effort to merely put one foot in front of the other. God but he hated commercial flights. Stuck in close quarters for hours on end with screaming infants, endless chatter and a myriad of overwhelming odors. Normally he could handle it, but then normally Sandburg was there to guide him through the process of turning down the dials. This time however the anthropologist hadn’t been able to accompany him to the conference and as a result, their presence remained elusive, the desired effect, unattainable.

The slight jarring motion as the lift came to a stop sent shards of pain lancing through his skull. Ellison winced, closing his eyes against the onslaught as he reached out blindly for support against the accompanying dizziness.  One hand pressed against the elevator wall, he took several slow, deep breathes until the pain subsided. Then flinching against the bright light as he opened his eyes, he stepped off the lift and headed for the loft.

Scents and sounds radiated towards him long before Jim approached the door. Normally comforting in their familiarity, now they grated on his senses. Each drum beat from Sandburg’s Earth Music CD was an explosion of sound, the lingering smell of Thai food an assault on his nostrils. Yet Jim bit back a moan of distress, because also behind that door was a promise of respite from the overwhelming input.... Blair.

Quickly inserting his key into the lock Ellison let himself into the apartment, shutting not only the door but symbolically closing out the rest of the world beyond these walls.

Carefully setting his travel bag aside, Jim slipped off his jacket and hanging it on a hook by the door, scanned the loft for his roommate. The sound of flushing, followed by running water, pinpointed his location. Moments later the bathroom door opened and Sandburg stepped out,
coming up short as he spotted Ellison.

“JIM!” he cried out, the sound releasing Blair from his own paralysis, he rushed forward to enthusiastically greet his lover.

The momentum of one hundred and fifty pounds of excited anthropologist barreling into him, propelled Ellison backwards into the door. With barely time to register the fact that his head had impacted with the door, Jim found his mouth being plundered with unabashed abandon.

Slowly the rest of the world began to fade away as his focus became centered on the man clinging to him and on the sweet, hot mouth covering his own. Unfortunately he felt no answering response from his own body.  Sighing, he pushed Blair away to hold him at arm’s length.

Brows wrinkled in a frown, two orbs of blue peered up at him with silent confusion. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Blair finally asked, his concern evident.

“Everything,” Ellison groaned, closing his eyes. “It’s too much. My senses, they’re...”

“Oh! Hey man, I’m sorry. I should have realized. Come on and sit down.” Placing one hand beneath Jim’s elbow and the other at the small of his back, Blair led him over to the sofa. “Okay,” he said once the older man was settled. “I want you to close your eyes, take a few slow deep breaths  and try to block out everything except the sound of my voice.” Once this was accomplished, step by step Blair took Jim through the exercises that would adjust the imaginary dials and allow the sentinel to regain control. Twenty minutes later Blair’s efforts were rewarded as he noted the relaxing of Ellison’s clenched jaw. “Better?” He inquired softly.

Jim’s eyes snapped open. “Yeah, Chief, much better,” he replied. Giving the younger man’s knee a pat in appreciation he rose from the couch. “I’m gonna grab a shower,” Jim threw over his shoulder as he headed for the bathroom, leaving behind his perplexed lover.

Blair looked up as the bathroom door opened and a cloud of steam preceded his partner’s appearance. Clad only in a towel tucked loosely around his hips, Blair felt his body respond at the sight of his nearly naked mate.

Emerging from the bathroom, Ellison smelt the scent of arousal and as his gaze met with the sensual blue eyes of his lover, the fragrance increased in potency.

Uh oh,  he thought, stopping dead in his tracks as Blair rose from the couch and silently started towards him, his gaze never wavering. Horny anthropologist headed this way.

Granted, it had been three long days and even longer nights since they had last made love. And although he could see the naked desire clearly etched on his guide’s face, quite frankly all Jim wanted to do right now was get some sleep.

Blair hesitated, suddenly uncertain. He could see the conflicting emotion reflected in Jim’s face as he battled with some inner demon.

“Jim?” he questioned, fear making itself undeniably known.

Ellison’s gaze softened as he took in the worried countenance of his lover.  Reaching out he gently cupped Blair’s cheek, running his thumb over the cleanly shaven surface. “Not tonight, Chief,” he responded to the unspoken question. “I’ve got a headache.”

“Oh.” A world of hurt and confusion was expressed in that one simple word. “Okay, sure. I understand.” The anthropologist began babbling as he stepped back, his gaze lighting everywhere except on Jim.

Ellison frowned. “We okay here?”

“Yeah, sure,” Blair replied looking up. The answering smile on his lips never quite reaching his eyes. “I mean you’re bound to have a headache with your senses going crazy and all, right?”

Sandburg was still babbling. Not a good sign. “A little sleep and I’ll be as good as new.” Jim tried to assure his partner.

“Right,” Blair agreed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as the silence lengthened between them.

Ellison grimaced. “Blair, I...” he began, starting towards the smaller man.

Blair took another step back and held up his hands, staying the motion. “It’s all right Jim. Just go to bed..... Go on,” he added, making shooing motions when Ellison hesitated. “And don’t forget to turn on the white noise generator,” he reminded the retreating figure, forcing a smile as Jim glanced his way one final time. Yet as his lover disappeared at the tops of the stairs, Blair flopped down on the couch, his brow marred in a frown, his lips jutted forward in a pout.

Without even bothering to turn back the covers, Jim sat on the side of the bed. He knew Blair’s feelings were hurt, but the continual pounding in his skull was having a debilitating effect on his libido. Promising himself that he would make it up to his guide, Jim flipped the switch on
the white noise generator, slipped on his sleeping mask and stretched out on the bed. Within minutes he was sound asleep.

The first hour Blair tried to read, only to abandon the effort when he realized he had yet to make it past the introductory paragraph.  Grabbing his headphones, the next hour was spent listening to music. Or at least that was the intention. Instead his thoughts raced out of control. His lip nearly nibbled raw, Blair ran an emotional gauntlet.  Swinging wildly from thinking Jim was tired of their relationship to achieving a firm belief that his sentinel had found another mate.  The following hour was spent silently berating himself for having such asinine thoughts in the first place and long lingering glances directed towards the loft bedroom.

Finally he couldn’t stand it any longer and his fingers ceased their endless drumming on the back of the couch. Rising, Blair gripped the hem of his sweatshirt, pulling the garment up and off. Tossing it aside he hooked his thumbs inside the waistband of his boxers and in one smooth movement, pushed both them and his sweatpants down to his ankles. Stepping out he left them where they laid and padded over to the stairs. Now totally naked, except for the white socks adorning his feet, Blair began his ascent.

Pausing at the head of the stairs, he stood, transfixed at the sight of Jim stretched out on the bed. Slowly his gaze traveled over the muscular planes of the finely sculptured body, his tongue unconsciously darting out to lick his lower lip in anticipation. Oh yeah, he thought. This is
gonna be real good.

Quietly he stole over to the closet, removed the plastic bag he had hidden there and from within its depths, withdrew four powder blue silk scarves. The blue chosen because it matched the color of his lover’s eyes, silk for the sensual pleasure he knew it would bring the sentinel.

Relieved that Jim had remembered to turn on the white noise generator, but moving silently none the less, Blair quickly tied one of the scarves to the railing at the head of the bed and carefully maneuvered one of Jim’s hands through the slip knotted loop he had created.  Grinning at his success, Blair scuttled around to the other side of the bed and swiftly fashioned a similar restraint, thoughtfully eyed the other arm resting across Jim’s chest. This one was going to be a bit more difficult to restrain without waking Jim. After pondering the problem for a moment, inspiration stuck. Leaning forward, Blair brought his lips to within a hair’s breath of the sentinel’s ear and gently blew. Capturing the hand that had automatically come up to brush away the sensation, Blair quickly slipped it through the loop. Then stepping back he released a pent up breath and marveled at his success. Slowly he breathed in and out, willing his heart rate to resume it’s normal rhythm. Now calm and certain that his lover was still sound asleep, Blair switched off the white noise generator, gathered up the two remaining scarves, placing them on the side of the bed within easy reach in case they were needed.

Once again his gaze splayed across the sinewy form of his mate and Blair shuddered at the thought of all that raw power, restrained. His to do with what he would. Unable to contain his pent up desires any longer Blair dropped to his knees at the end of the bed and leaning forward, starting at the heel, he ran his tongue up the bottom of Jim’s foot.

The results were electric. Immediately Jim’s foot shot out clipping Blair on the jaw and propelling him backwards. The grad student rammed into the dresser, jarring it’s contents before sliding to the floor. “Oh man,” he groaned while probing the sensitive area. “I think you broke my jaw.”

The frantic struggles on the bed ceased. “Sandburg?” Ellison questioned, lifting his head and trying to peer around despite the night mask blocking his vision. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Chill out man,” Blair replied, picking himself up off the floor. “Just relax, everything’s cool.”

Aware of pain radiating from his posterior, Blair glanced behind him into the mirror, grimacing when he spotted the quickly bruising indentation left on one ass cheek by a knob from the dresser.  “Next time I gotta remember to tie your feet down too.” He complained.

“YOU! You did this?” Jim asked, incredulous, once again tugging at the restraints.

“Yep,” Blair replied smugly, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet.  “And now I’m going to have my wicked way with you. First though,” he mused, “I gotta do something  about your feet.  I’m telling you Jim, they pack quite a punch.”

“My feet aren’t the only thing you’re gonna have to worry about if you don’t untie me,” Ellison growled.

“Yeah, right,” Blair scoffed making a rude dismissive sound as he retrieved the remaining two scarves.  “Trust me, you’re gonna love this.”

“I’d find it a lot easier to trust you if I weren’t trussed up like a chicken,” Jim grumbled.

Blair snorted. “Jim, there is nothing remotely chicken like about you. Now maybe a rooster,” he teased. “Or better yet,” he enthused, warming to the subject, “a primitive sacrifice and I’m the god you’re being offered up to.”

“Getting a little heady are we Chief?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to,” Blair replied with a snicker.

“Well at least take this damn mask off,” the older man grumbled. “I want to be able to see what
you’re doing.”

Yes!  Blair silently crowed at his lover’s acquiescence. “Nope,” he replied out loud. “Don’t worry buddy, I promise you, you’re in good hands.”

“What are you, Allstate?” Ellison quipped.

“What I am is hot and horny,” his tone grew sultry, “and you are going to be the lucky recipient of all that unbridled lust. ... So are we going to do this or not?”

“All right,” Ellison replied with reservation. “But so help me Sandburg, if I don’t enjoy this, they will never discover where all your body parts are hidden.”

Suitably impressed, Blair’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “Whoa, talk about your motivation. No pressure here....”

“Is this really necessary?” Jim groused several minutes later as Blair secured the remaining foot with the last scarf.

“Trust me Jim, it’s necessary,” Blair replied, rubbing his still tender jaw. “One last thing though, this has got to go,” he said whipping off the towel and dropping it on the floor.

Huffing in an imitation of a long suffering sigh, Jim grudgingly settled down.

With a grin, Blair resumed his former position at the end of the bed. Then as if attacking an ice cream cone or lollie pop, Blair began laving the bottom of Jim’s foot, pausing only long enough to emit a low chuckle as Jim’s leg tried to jerk away in response and was held firm by the restraint.

After paying homage to the sensitive sole, he moved onward. One by one Blair worshiped each toe with his lips, mouth and tongue, occasionally glancing upwards to gauge Jim’s reaction. If the fine sheen that glazed his skin and the slight tremors were any indication, Jim, was indeed enjoying Blair’s ministrations. Inwardly Blair chuckled and made a mental note of the newly discovered erogenous zones.

Devilishly, the talented tongue moved onward, licking its way slowly up the fur covered calf, then thigh, before stopping just short of its appointed goal as Blair withdrew to apply the same torturous method to Jim’s other foot and leg.

By the time Blair once again made his way up to Jim’s groin, the older man had completely lost any remnants of composure. Rapidly his chest rose and fell with the quick, harsh pants that escaped between uttered grunts and moans of pleasure. The previously flaccid cock had long since gone rigid, precum glistening at its tip, now pulsated rhythmically with the beating of Ellison’s heart.

Settling himself between Jim’s spread thighs, Blair reached out and with one finger, tenderly stoked the throbbing member. Automatically Jim’s hips bucked upwards at the touch.

“Liked that did you?” Blair purred, his chest rumbling with amusement when Jim merely grunted in reply. Sliding his hand down the rigid shaft and gently gripping its base, Blair bean to lick at its weeping crown.

Sweat now freely dotted Jim’s forehead and upper lip as his soft moans of pleasure became urgent cries for more as he arched his hips upwards, trying to drive his cock further into that hot, moist mouth.

Opening wider, Blair’s lips slid downward over the shaft, his tongue caressing and stroking, before reversing its course to tease in a similar manner on the return journey. Over and over Blair repeated the maneuver, bringing his mate almost to the point of completion before backing
off.

Breath coming in gasps, Jim grunted in frustration at once again being denied release. “Please,” he grated, his voice gone raspy with desire.

Unable to deny himself or his lover any longer, Blair engulfed the straining member. His hand moved to encase the rock hard balls beneath, rolling them gently between his fingers as he slowly began withdrawing his mouth, sucking inward as he went.

Incapable of moving more than a scant few inches. Sight cut off by the sleeping mask, the sentinel’s remaining senses strove to compensate, intensifying the overall experience of Blair’s throaty moans and the moist heat and velvet texture of his guide’s mouth and tongue as he nipped, laved and suckled.

Never before had Jim been so vulnerable, so completely at the mercy of another human being, so trusting in his complete capitulation. But his lover was devious. Repeatedly he had taken Jim to the precipice of orgasmic relief only to withdraw his efforts at the last moment.

His need was becoming overwhelming, the sensations too intense. He would have offered up his soul to Blair, had the younger man not already owned it, for release. “Please,” he begged, no longer bound by convention, but by the will of his mate.

Finally, mercifully, Blair complied, propelling Jim over the remaining hurdle. Suddenly a roar filled his ears, blocking out all other sound as strobes of incandescent colors burst across the blackened landscape, holding him aloft before releasing him to gently drift back down into the
silky darkness.

Blair swallowed, savoring every drop of the precious fluid his lover expelled, sucking greedily until there was no more to be had before freeing the now flaccid member.

A sated smile gracing his lips, Blair’s gaze slowly roamed over Jim’s body. The curve of his mouth turning downward as he noted the stillness of his mate.  “Jim?” he questioned softly, his brow wrinkling with concern. “Come on man, answer me.”

When no response was forthcoming, Blair rose to his knees and leaning forward, removed Ellison’s mask. Eyes closed, the sentinel appeared to be sleeping. But just to make certain, Blair laid his ear to the older man’s chest and listened. Breathing a sigh of relief when he heard the beating of Jim’s heart. Apparently his lover had passed out.

“Oophs!” Blair said, grinning mischievously before settling back between the splayed thighs of his partner. Hmmm, there appears to be some serious drawbacks to my plan, he thought as his gaze shifted from his near comatose lover down to his own straining erection. Still, despite his own discomfort Blair didn’t regret a moment of it. Jim’s enjoyment had been obvious and that in itself
was good enough for Blair.

But now his own needs had to be addressed and since Jim was incapable, Blair took matters into his own hands. Gripping the hardened cock he slid his hand over the shaft, pumping it gently. Little stimulus was required. Head thrown back, with a strangled cry, Blair came. His semen spurting out to dot Jim’s lower belly, groin and thighs.

Finally spent, Blair sank back on his haunches and tried to recover his breath. Then dragging himself from the bed to stand on unsteady legs, he proceeded to untie Jim’s wrists and ankles. At that point all Blair wanted to do was curl up with Jim and go to sleep, but the evidence of his culmination prodded him downstairs to get a wet washcloth. Barely able to keep his eyes open Blair cleaned himself up and then returned upstairs to do the same for his partner. With a yawn he tossed the washcloth aside and retrieving the comforter from the end of the bed, shook it out and placed it over the sleeping form, before crawling in himself. Snuggling as close as possible, he snaked one arm over the older man’s abdomen and was asleep within seconds.

The passage of time had ceased to have meaning, but he could not ignore the glorious sensation of someone running their fingers through his long curly locks. “Ummm,” he murmured contentedly.

Jim’s chest rumbled with laughter. “I could say the same thing Chief. That was.... incredible.”

Forcing his eyelids open Blair smiled up at his lover. “Told you you’d like it. Does that mean I get to keep all my body parts intact?” he inquired as he began tracing the curvature of Jim’s pectorals.

Capturing the wandering hand, Jim brought it to his lips and bestowed upon its palm a gentle caress.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Blair quipped. “So, how’s the headache?”

“What headache.”

Blair’s smile took on a distinctly smug quality.

“I do have one question though,” Jim said glancing down at the smaller man.

Blair raised an eyebrow in question.

“Why are you wearing socks?”

“Hey man, my feet were cold,” Blair groused.

“Ah...” Ellison nodded thoughtfully. “That explains it.”

“What?” Blair asked, propping himself up on one elbow to look at his partner.

An enigmatic smile gracing his lips, Jim responded. “Cold feet means Sandburg’s in heat.”