Saved
by scribblemoose

Gojyo kicked savagely (drunkenly) at the rubbish bin, and then at the front door, which swung open with a creak of protest. The place was in darkness; just one stripe of moonlight fell across the bare floorboards. Gojyo stumbled over the step and mostly fell across the threshold, only saving himself at the very last minute by catching the edge of the table rather than tumbling headlong into it. He took a breath, steadied himself and kicked out backwards to shut the door.

There was a long-suffering sigh from the general direction of the bed as the door slam reverberated around the room. Gojyo fought the urge to apologise. It was his house. His rules. His door.

He grunted, and headed to the kitchen to get himself some cereal.

It was a ritual for Gojyo. He always had a bowl of cereal when he came home after a night out, if he hadn't got lucky. A quick tumble with someone soft and willing was preferable to a bowl of cornflakes, obviously.

Usually.

Not so much, right now.

Too easy.

"Good evening, Gojyo."

Oh, that was all he needed. Mr Houseproud standing there in his pyjamas - blue with little red dots all over that made Gojyo's vision swim - being fucking understanding in that martyred way of his.

Gojyo shrugged and reached for a bowl from the cupboard over the kitchen counter.

"Please be careful," Hakkai said. "If you drop one of those you might hurt yourself."

Which would have been a touching point of concern from anyone else, but from Hakkai - a pissed off Hakkai: Gojyo hadn't missed the deadly glint in those deep green eyes - it sounded more like a wish.

"Not that fucking drunk." Gojyo rested the bowl on the counter with exaggerated care. "See?"

"Very good, Gojyo." Hakkai collected two glasses from the cupboard and crossed to the sink.

Gojyo poured cornflakes, most of which ended up in the bowl, pretty much, and added a liberal splash of milk.

"Would you like a glass of water?"

"I've drunk plenty already," snarled Gojyo.

"Ah, but beer can be quite dehydrating, you see, and-"

"And milk. See, I have milk." Gojyo waved the bottle at him. A little too vigorously, as it turned out; the cold glass slipped from Gojyo's grasp and plummeted towards the floor. "Shit, I... oh."

Hakkai caught the bottle a second before it was due to smash into a hundred pieces on the kitchen tile.

For some reason, that irritated Gojyo, despite the relief that he wouldn't have to clean up the mess.

Hakkai was frowning at him.

Well, Hakkai could frown. What the fuck. It wasn't as if Gojyo owed the guy anything. He'd got along just fine before Hakkai came along.

"Please be careful, Gojyo. Milk is very difficult to clean up effectively."

Gojyo ignored him, rummaging around in a drawer in search of a spoon. There weren't any.

He swore loudly and rummaged harder.

"Gojyo, I think you'll find-"

"Shut up."

"If you look-"

"I'm not drunk!"

"Gojyo, I-"

"I said, shut the fuck up! See, I have it! Right here!" And Gojyo spun around, brandishing a...

... fork.

Hakkai raised an eyebrow. "Gojyo, I think-"

"I don't fucking care what you think!" Gojyo yelled.

Hakkai's expression hardened in an instant. He didn't say anything. He didn't look hurt, either, which pissed Gojyo off. And scared him a little, in fact. He remembered all too vividly what had happened last time Hakkai had lost his temper. It hadn't been pretty, and Gojyo had never quite been able to look at an umbrella the same way since.

There was more than irritation and fear burning in Gojyo at the fleeting sight of Hakkai's true face, though. It was a different feeling altogether; he didn't dare put a name to it, but he recognised it all too well.

That pissed him off even more.

"If you want a spoon," Hakkai began, voice just a little less polite than usual (but only a little).

"I can manage," Gojyo snarled.

Hakkai sighed heavily. "As you wish."

Gojyo turned his back on Hakkai and shoved the fork savagely into his cereal, waiting for the sound of retreating footsteps. But it didn't come. Instead there was the scraping of a chair and a soft thump of a water glass on wood. Hakkai wasn't going anywhere.

Liquor had a habit of converting Gojyo's natural determination into idiotic stubbornness, and even though the alcohol was fading from his system, Gojyo couldn't bring himself to give in. He gathered a forkful of soggy cornflakes and aimed them at his mouth.

By the time the fork hit his tongue it was empty; cold metal dripping milk down his chin. He was dimly aware of the splat of mush hitting the floor, spattering his shirt on the way down.

And then Hakkai laughed at him.

Not the light, false laugh that Gojyo had come to expect; not the spine-chillingly cruel laugh with which he faced the worst of his enemies. Hakkai laughed from the gut, an involuntary, manly belly-laugh. It sang in Gojyo's head and before he knew it he was across the room, hauling Hakkai to his feet by the collar of his stupid fucking vertiginous pyjamas, all but ready to hit him.

"What's wrong, Gojyo?" asked Hakkai, softly.

There was no anger. No apparent concern that Gojyo's fist was drawing back ready to deliver a punch. Hakkai oozed quiet sympathy, as if he'd found Gojyo crying in the dark.

Gojyo's hands went limp; he staggered back into the counter, knocking the bowl onto the floor in the process.

He didn't even care. And oddly enough, Hakkai didn't seem to mind either. He just repeated, "what's wrong?" and smoothed down the collar of his pyjama top.

"I couldn't find a spoon," Gojyo said. Fuck, he sounded pathetic.

"I'm sorry about that. I rearranged the drawers today while you were out. I did try to tell you, but..."

Less than tipsy now and feeling unbearably foolish, Gojyo gave in. "I'm an arsehole," he said. "Yeah, I know."

Hakkai didn't argue with him. But he did quietly get a dustpan and brush from the cupboard and start to clean up the mess.

"You have seemed very agitated of late," Hakkai said, as Gojyo watched him sweep. "I think perhaps there's something more amiss than missing cutlery."

Gojyo shrugged.

"I'm not about to pry," said Hakkai, prying. "But if there's anything you'd like to talk about..."

Gojyo brushed bits of drying cornflake off his shirt. "It's nothing."

Hakkai looked up at him, and Gojyo saw the concern in his eyes, not just Hakkai being Hakkai but something else, something he'd seen a lot of lately and it ate away at him, made him all kinds of crazy.

"It's a girl," Gojyo said, in a rush. "Just woman trouble. You know."

"Ah, I see. Have you found someone immune to your charms at last, Gojyo?"

"No! Of course not. No, it's... ah, never mind. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," said Hakkai.

Gojyo wasn't sure he even wanted Hakkai to understand. He might get laughed at, or disapproved of, and Gojyo was near the end of his tether at it was. He wanted more than anything to slide into a warm bed and just... sleep.

But something told him Hakkai wasn't about to let this go.

"It's nothing much. Just this girl has it bad for me."

"And that's a problem for you?"

"Look, I'm not the total slut everyone thinks I am, okay? I have feelings. I like to treat women right, and anyway...."

"... she's not your type," said Hakkai, shrewdly.

"Well... yeah, she isn't. And she's really starting to piss me off. Follows me around like a puppy dog, always buying me drinks, hanging around while I play cards..."

"A lot of women seem to do that." Hakkai sounded irritatingly mystified by this fact.

"It's not just in the bar. She's everywhere. The market, the cig shop, that restaurant that does really good noodles, everywhere. It's creepy."

"Have you told her that you don't return her feelings?"

"Of course. It's not the first time a chick's got a little too enthusiastic. But she's taken it to a whole new level. And it's cramping my style; I'm pretty sure she's warning other women off me."

"I can see how that might be a problem."

"Damn straight." Gojyo absentmindedly picked up the glass of water Hakkai had poured for him and took a gulp. "Downside of my enviable reputation, I guess. She just wants what she can't have, and if she can't have it, she wants to make sure no other bitch can."

"In that case," said Hakkai mildly, "perhaps the key to your dilemma is in tarnishing your notorious appeal."

Gojyo blinked at him.

"You could make yourself less attractive to women," Hakkai said.

Gojyo tossed his hair, a scarlet cloud fluttering around his head before settling in its usual silken fall over his shoulders. "I'm not sure I can do that," he said. "It seems very cruel to all those women. Selfish, even."

He treated Hakkai to a sample of his dazzling smile for good measure.

"It might take a bit of work," Hakkai acceded. Gojyo thought there might have been a twinkle in his eye. Perhaps.

"Are you offering to help?"

"I do have a suggestion."

"I don't want to cut my hair again." Gojyo's hand went instinctively to his silky locks. "My neck gets cold."

"Well we wouldn't want that, would we? No, what I have in mind doesn't involve any change to your outward appearance."

"Good." Gojyo frowned. "What, then? You think I should be a total bastard? Turn into evil-Gojyo?" He waggled his eyebrows evilly.

"I don't think that would work, either. It's a sad fact, but women don't seem to be deterred by men with unpleasant personalities in the way one might expect."

"That's true. So what then? You want me to be so nice they puke?"

"No, I'm not sure that would work either. What I have in mind is more of a logical approach."

"Logic?" Gojyo reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. He stuck one in his mouth and lit it, ignoring the faint disapproval on Hakkai's face. (He didn't like Gojyo to smoke in the kitchen.)

"What would be the one thing that would tell a woman that not only are you not interested, but that you will never be interested."

Gojyo thought for a moment. He paled. "I'm not chopping my dick off. I'm not even going to pretend I've chopped my dick off. No way. Uh-uh." He crossed one leg across the other, somewhat defensively.

"I don't think you'll need to do anything that drastic, Gojyo," Hakkai said reassuringly. "I was thinking more that your sexuality would be diverted rather than eliminated altogether."

Gojyo sucked on his cigarette. "What?"

Hakkai gave a little sigh. "If you were to make her believe you preferred the company of men, I think perhaps she might give up."

"What, pretend I'm gay?" Gojyo spluttered out smoke. "Me? Gay? But she must have talked to the other girls, and anyway she already had a taste of Gojyo love. She'd never believe it."

Hakkai gave him a long look, the kind that made Gojyo feel somehow naked and exposed, with the intellect of a six year old.

"It is possible to like both men and women, Gojyo."

"Yeah, but...." Gojyo's protests faded away under the onslaught of Hakkai's intense green gaze.

"The principle is this. If she sees you with another woman, she will simply become jealous, and that will feed her obsession. However, if she sees you with a man, especially if you seemed to have a particularly steady relationship with him... that will threaten her perception of you, and thus break her obsession. Another woman is a threat. A man, however..."

"... would turn her off, right?"

"Well, yes. That's the idea," said Hakkai encouragingly.

Gojyo kept his eyes fixed firmly on Hakkai's. "One problem, wiseass. It's surprising, I know, but I don't have men queuing up to be seen in public with me."

"Perhaps not."

"Even Banri... well, not in public."

An unmistakable flash of disgust crossed Hakkai's face. "That's probably just as well."

"So I'm back to square one, then."

"Not necessarily."

Gojyo raised an eyebrow.

"I might be willing to help," Hakkai said.

Gojyo's eyebrow went higher.

"If you promise to try and do the washing up a little more regularly," Hakkai added.

"Let me get this straight," Gojyo drawled. "You are willing to pretend to be my boyfriend, in front of people, in return for a few clean dishes?"

"Yes, that's it."

"We'd have to make it convincing. Believe me, the woman isn't subtle."

Hakkai simply nodded agreement.

"It would take more than to just wander in hand-in-hand and make eyes at each other."

"I expect so," said Hakkai.

"And you don't mind?"

"You do create a lot of washing up, Gojyo."

Gojyo hesitated. His mind was clear of the alcohol now, or it should be, but he didn't seem to be feeling particularly rational. Hakkai was watching him with an odd look in his eye, a sort of careful nonchalance that Gojyo had learned to treat with respect and a little trepidation (not that he'd ever let Hakkai know that).

For some reason, he felt as though he was on the cusp of something exciting and dangerous.

His mouth spread into a wide and sexy grin, his bad temper forgotten. "Alright," he said. "You're on."

*******

The next morning brought to Gojyo the malicious gift of a dull, thumping headache and a tongue the size and texture of a leaking feather pillow. He staggered to the bathroom, first scraping his tongue with an overladen toothbrush until he'd removed the carpet of fur and then putting himself under a very hot shower.

Gojyo liked his shower. It was the product of one of Banri's more productive episodes, when he had strange dreams of settling down to life as a plumber. That hadn't worked out, of course, once Banri realised there was more to the job than swanning about with a wrench and a plunger and winking at beautiful women who were cursed with a blocked sink - but by that time Gojyo's bathroom featured a large and awesomely powerful shower. For once, something good had come of one of Banri's schemes.

He let the water pound over his head and shoulders, slicking his hair over his skull and down his back like a scarlet river, and let regret poke hesitantly at his mind to see if it was welcome.

It wasn't, for once. Gojyo was desperate, Hakkai had offered a solution and what did it matter what people thought? Besides, the whole proposition had diverted Hakkai's attention neatly away from the whole embarrassing thing with the spoon and the cereal.

Regret took one look at that memory and at last found a home it could move in to.

"Gojyo!" Hakkai's voice rang through from the kitchen. "How would you like your eggs?"

Gojyo was about to sneer at the very thought of breakfast, but his belly rumbled loudly. He felt vaguely uncomfortable about Hakkai waiting on him all the time, but not as uncomfortable as he was hungry. "Fried!" He yelled. "With sausage and bacon!"

He could just imagine the disapproval on Hakkai's face. Gojyo chuckled to himself, and reached for the soap.

Disgruntlement with Gojyo's breakfast choices aside, Hakkai seemed very pleased with himself. He sipped at his tea while Gojyo wolfed down bacon and eggs, smiling contentedly as he turned the pages of his book.

Gojyo finished his breakfast, a thousand calories worth of cholesterol making short work of the last vestiges of his hangover, pushed his chair back from the table and lit a cigarette. He breathed out a long, satisfied plume of smoke and wrapped the fingers of one hand around his steaming mug of coffee.

"We should make plans for tonight," Hakkai said, turning a page in his book and smoothing it with one long forefinger.

"Okay," said Gojyo.

"Just as soon as you've done the washing up," said Hakkai.

*******

It seemed as well not to waste any time, so they decided to take action that evening. Suddenly Gojyo had competition for the bathroom mirror.

He sat on the edge of the bath and watched Hakkai fastidiously combing his hair to fall mostly across one eye, thick and dark. As if he didn't have enough trouble seeing out of it to start with. It was almost blind, but every bit as rich and vivid as the other one. It still twinkled and glared and sliced deeper into Gojyo than anyone ever had.

A shiver ran down Gojyo's spine. "Are you gonna be all night, Hakkai?"

"I don't want to ruin your reputation entirely, Gojyo." Hakkai smiled, as if he knew a secret. "Just change your image a little. I'm sure you wouldn't be seen with a woman who wasn't as beautiful as she could be, so..."

Gojyo fidgeted a bit on the edge of the tub. "Okay, okay. Just-"

"There." Hakkai placed his comb back on the little shelf under the mirror, apparently satisfied with his appearance.

"This is weird," Gojyo confessed.

"It is a little strange," Hakkai agreed. "If you've changed your mind...?"

"Nah." Gojyo took his place at the mirror, peering critically at his hair. "It's gotta be worth a try, right?"

"I think so. I'm finished here, I'll wait for you outside."

Gojyo shaved quickly, brushed his hair to a smooth fall (remembering as he did so that Hakkai wasn't the only one who hid behind his hair) and carefully selected aftershave that smelt clean but not too intense. He had a feeling that Hakkai would go more for soap than musk.

He chuckled to himself as he realised he was getting himself ready for Hakkai. Sucked in by his own lie. Ah well, there was no harm in getting into character, he supposed.

Gojyo pulled on hip-skimming jeans and dawdled a while trying to work out whether his shirt looked better tucked in or left out. In the end he left it out, only a few buttons done up so that it showed off his abs when he moved. The collar was pleasingly sharp and well-pressed (sometimes Hakkai's domestic tendencies had their uses) and the smooth cotton caressed Gojyo's skin.

He dropped a necklace around his neck; some bundle of beads and feathers a chick had given him years ago. It matched the leather ties around his wrists. He wasn't really one for jewellery but supposed he should make the effort to look a little gay.

The word 'gay' lodged itself in Gojyo's mind and worried at him a bit.

It is possible to like both men and women, Gojyo.

Which was all very well, and after all, Banri....

Gojyo stared at himself in the mirror, blood and guilt staring back as always.

What does this make me?

Hakkai's voice cut through his thoughts from the other side of the door. "Gojyo, would you like a drink before we go?"

"Yeah!" Gojyo yelled, with feeling. "Scotch!"

Hakkai apparently couldn't find the spirits (having tidied them away somewhere, Gojyo suspected) but the cold beer that was waiting for him when he emerged from the bathroom was welcome just the same. It slipped down in record time, almost as fast as Hakkai's. Gojyo felt a distant buzz and just a teeny part of him relaxed.

Hakkai was the same as ever, of course. Just dressed better.

Dressed very well, in fact, in black jeans and a soft green sweater that clung to his still-thin shoulders in a way that made him look far, far more fragile than he was.

The walk to the bar was tense and quiet. It was a nice evening, early summer, the last of the day's sunshine making green and yellow patterns dance through the trees. Hakkai seemed lost in thought, so Gojyo stayed quiet and chain-smoked.

It was dusk when they arrived. Gojyo quickly scanned the room; there were a couple of girls he knew hanging around the card tables, a few regulars among the men. No-one special.

"Is she here?" whispered Hakkai.

Gojyo shook his head.

"A drink, then?" Hakkai offered, hitching himself up onto a bar stool.

Gojyo nodded. He leaned back against the bar, casting his eyes over the women at the tables, mostly out of habit. There was one girl he hadn't seen before, who waved at him. Pretty enough; expensive jewellery; interested. The sort who was up for a night of fun, possibly more than one. Instant ego-trip right there for the taking.

Until the morning.

"Here." Hakkai handed him a glass. Scotch this time, not beer. Amber liquid swirling seductively around already-melting ice.

"Thanks," said Gojyo.

"She's pretty," said Hakkai, nodding in the direction of the new girl.

"She's okay."

Gojyo slipped a cigarette out of its packet one-handed, the other cradling his scotch. He fumbled for his lighter, dropping it to the floor.

Hakkai retrieved it and helped Gojyo light his cigarette. Then he reached across and very carefully slid the lighter into the front pocket of Gojyo's jeans.

"Thanks," said Gojyo again, staring at the pocket and the familiar little bulge of the lighter.

"You're welcome." Hakkai sipped at his beer.

The door to the bar swung open.

"There she is," Gojyo said. "What's the betting she was waiting outside?"

Hakkai's eyes narrowed as if he were contemplating the approach of an enemy. A personal enemy. Gojyo wouldn't have been surprised if the girl had exploded instantly from the force of Hakkai's glare alone.

She seemed oblivious, however; she only had eyes for Gojyo and was bounding up to him like a puppy.

Gojyo felt a pang of regret; she was very pretty. Big brown eyes, lush breasts and legs that went on forever. But there was something in those eyes that scared him. It wasn't affection or even desire. It was closer to greed.

He darted an anxious look at Hakkai, who had put on the mask already; his deadly stare replaced by a carefully painted expression of mild interest.

"Gojyo!"

"Marcie." He neatly sidestepped her attempted kiss so that it landed harmlessly in the air next to his ear.

Hakkai's hand slipped into his, and squeezed.

"This is my boyfriend," said Gojyo, all their carefully rehearsed lead-in lines forgotten. "Hakkai. Hakkai, this is Marcie."

"Nice to meet you," said Hakkai, pleasantly.

"He-hello," said Marcie, with a nervous laugh. "That's funny, Gojyo, I thought for a minute you said he was your boyfriend!"

"Yes," said Gojyo. "That's right. My boyfriend."

"Oh, Gojyo! You're so funny! Boyfriend!"

But before Gojyo could expand on his lie she was gone, skipping past him with a flirtatious wink and heading for the new girl at the card table. Apparently they knew each other.

"That went well," said Gojyo.

"I wouldn't be so sure," said Hakkai. "It might be useful to reinforce things a bit."

Gojyo was grateful that Hakkai wasn't telling him off for skipping a few pages of the script, but at the same time...

"Reinforce? How? I don't want to talk to her any more if I can help it."

The corner of Hakkai's mouth twitched, just a little. "Actions speak louder than words, Gojyo."

Gojyo was suddenly and intensely aware that Hakkai was still holding his hand. Hakkai's fingers were meshed with his; his thumb was rubbing reassurance over Gojyo's.

"Actions?" said Gojyo.

Hakkai leaned a little closer, and kissed him on the lips.

Hakkai's mouth was warm; his kiss was soft but firm. He lingered for the barest moment, something comfortable and affirming between a peck and a full-on snog. Fire trickled down Gojyo's spine.

"Oh dear," said Hakkai.

Gojyo blinked at him, absently adjusting his jeans at the same time.

"No-one seems to have noticed," said Hakkai.

"Perhaps we should do it again," said Gojyo weakly. "It was a bit quick."

Hakkai smiled, far more the predator than Gojyo would have imagined. He leaned in again, this time curling his fingers around the nape of Gojyo's neck, sliding into his hair to caress his scalp. His tongue slipped into Gojyo's mouth, wet and soft.

Hakkai tasted of whiskey, liquid fire. His teeth grazed the edges of Gojyo's tongue as he pulled back, closing to give the tip a gentle nip. He rested his forehead on Gojyo's, his breath a little short.

"Any reaction?" Hakkai said.

"Fuck, yeah," said Gojyo. "I'm hard as fucking iron."

Hakkai chuckled, a rich, deep sound from the back of his throat. "I meant from Marcie," he said.

"Shit, sorry," Gojyo was shocked to feel a blush springing to his cheeks.

"It's okay." Hakkai hesitated for the barest moment, then added: "It's good."

They exchanged a look, an understanding, and then somehow they were kissing again.

Gojyo let his hands join in: one in Hakkai's hair - which was ridiculously soft and thick - and the other gripping Hakkai's elbow for a moment before drifting down to settle on his hip. His thumb brushed bare skin underneath Hakkai's jumper, just above the waistband of his jeans. Hakkai shivered.

It wasn't until their kiss ended, Hakkai nibbling softly on Gojyo's lower lip - Gojyo would lay bets he'd turn out to be a biter - that Gojyo realised that Marcie was standing right next to him.

She wasn't looking happy. It took him a while to work out why; his head was full of confusion and singing with triumph and horny as fuck. There wasn't much room in there for jealous one-night stands.

"Sorry, babe," he said absently, unable to take his eyes from Hakkai's.

"Gojyo," she whined, her voice choked with tears. "I thought we had something special! How could you do this to me? And in front of everyone..."

"Um," said Hakkai, tugging Gojyo a little closer. A small, possessive gesture that made Gojyo's heart flutter.

Please don't turn out to be a bastard, Hakkai. I couldn't take another bastard and God help me but it's too late to say no.

"Gojyo!" Marcie wailed, and at last Gojyo managed to tear himself away from Hakkai and look her in the eye.

"I'm sorry, babe," he said. "Like I said, you and I were never gonna work out. Now you know why."

"But you promised!"

"I'm pretty sure I didn't." At least, not that he could remember. And Gojyo was usually careful about such things.

He was surprised to see her crying real tears, though. She was either a better actress than he'd thought or she really did like him.

"You liar! You said you wanted to be alone, but if you changed your mind, you'd call me!"

Ah. "No, babe. That's what you said. Please, don't cry." Without thinking he reached out to brush the tears from her cheek.

She slapped his face. The tears were gone as fast as they'd arrived, (actress, then) and now she glared at him with sheer fury.

"You bastard! I really loved you, Gojyo, but you know what? You don't deserve me. You're nothing but a half-breed waster who can't keep his dick in his pants! You just wait! I'm gonna tell every girl in this lousy town about you! You'll never get laid again!" She turned to Hakkai. "And don't think he'll stay with you more than ten minutes, because he doesn't! Ever! With anyone!"

Then she turned and fled in the direction of the bathroom with a fresh flood of tears and gulping sobs. Gojyo slumped back against the bar, raising a hand to his stinging cheek.

He hated when they hit.

"I guess that worked," he murmured.

"Yes," said Hakkai. "Shall we leave? Of do you want to stay and play cards?"

Gojyo drained the last of his scotch. "Let's go home," he said. "We've done what we set out to do, after all."

"Yes," said Hakkai, quietly.

Outside the inn Gojyo stood for a moment and lit a cigarette, letting the cool summer breeze drift through his hair. It seemed a world away from the moment Hakkai had kissed him. Like a dream. And now Hakkai had slipped back behind his mask, all pleasant and business-like, nothing like the man he'd tasted.

"Ah, I forgot something," Hakkai said. "Please wait here, Gojyo. I'll only be a minute."

In fact, he was gone for nearly fifteen minutes - two cigarettes - and Gojyo was about to give up and go home (or possibly go looking for him, because although Hakkai rarely got himself into trouble, when he did it tended to be of the serious kind), when the swing doors of the pub burst open and Hakkai strolled through.

"Sorry I made you wait," said Hakkai. "Shall we go?"

*******

The walk home was even more quiet and uncomfortable than the walk there had been. Gojyo's mind was racing and Hakkai was silent and stony-faced. Maybe he had hated it after all. Maybe it was all a mistake.

Gojyo cursed himself. Some things were just best kept inside. As soon as they got real, life got complicated.

One thing about Hakkai, though. He was good at pretending. He did a lot of it. Maybe in a few weeks if they both pretended nothing had happened, they could get back to normal. Hopefully before Sanzo and the stupid monkey came visiting, because Sanzo always noticed shit like this and he'd be a total wanker about it.

Like Hakkai was Sanzo's personal property or something, just because he'd saved him.

"You look angry," Hakkai observed. They'd reached the cabin.

"Just thinking about Sanzo," said Gojyo. "Always pisses me off."

Hakkai gave a light little laugh, and pushed open the door. He held it for Gojyo to step inside, like he always did.

Gojyo hesitated, one foot over the threshold.

"Hey, Hakkai," he said, lightly. "What was that, earlier?"

"We had a plan," said Hakkai. "I think, all things considered, it was a good plan, don't you?"

Which could have meant anything. So very, very Hakkai.

But Gojyo had to know for certain. In absolute, straightforward black and white, and he'd learned that asking Hakkai questions didn't tend to lead that way.

He turned back, and in one swift move shoved a startled Hakkai against the outside wall.

He could joke his way out of this, if he needed to. He just had to know.

Still pinning Hakkai to the wall with one hand, Gojyo leaned in and kissed him.

Hakkai kissed him back. Every bit as much as back in the bar. Every bit.

"You don't have to be rough about it," Hakkai complained mildly.

Gojyo laughed, a low, throaty chuckle. "You sure about that?"

"Quite," said Hakkai. "Now, shall we go inside?"

Gojyo thought that sounded like a fine idea.

Any plans Gojyo might have had about being in charge, however, evaporated the minute the door was shut behind them. Hakkai steered Gojyo straight to the bed (time and a place for everything, that's Hakkai, after all) and before he knew it Gojyo was flat on his back with Hakkai lying mostly on top of him, Hakkai's tongue down his throat and his clothing being patiently and kindly unbuttoned at incredible speed.

"Hey," Gojyo panted, when Hakkai stopped kissing him in order to relieve him of his shirt. "You done this before?"

Hakkai hesitated for a moment, then said: "yes."

"Really?" Gojyo hadn't been expecting that.

"I had one or two other lovers, before Kanan. Mostly women, but earlier, in the last year before I left the orphanage, there was a boy."

"Wow."

"I know it's not your first time with a man either." Hakkai's eyes were dark, and he was very carefully folding Gojyo's shirt. "But I'd appreciate it if you never mention his name in our bed."

A chill ran down Gojyo's spine. Not so much at the implied threat that if Hakkai ever saw Banri again he'd rip him limb from limb (that was a given), but the 'our'. He'd said our bed, and he wasn't just talking about a piece of furniture, he was talking about something else entirely.

"Never," Gojyo agreed. "Are you going to stop folding shit now and get your clothes off?"

Hakkai laughed, deep and real. Dark hair tumbled in his eyes as he leaned down to kiss Gojyo's neck.

A shock of pleasure ran straight down Gojyo's body. He shuddered with it, his arms stretching up automatically to wrap themselves around Hakkai's waist. "Or I could fuck you through your clothes," he murmured.

Hakkai looked up at him, eyebrow raised.

"Oh," said Gojyo. "You want to...?"

"We'll see," said Hakkai, with a wicked sort of smile that Gojyo was certain he hadn't seen before. Hakkai ran his fingertips down Gojyo's side, just catching the ticklish point at his waist so that Gojyo jumped.

"Just get your clothes off," said Gojyo through near-hysterical laughter. "I need to.... come on, Hakkai."

Hakkai hesitated, clearly tempted to explore Gojyo's ticklish side a little further. But in the end Gojyo's insistence won out and he knelt up, pulling his sweater easily over his head and tossing it on the floor to land on top of Gojyo's carefully folded shirt.

Hakkai was wearing something gold on a chain around his neck. Gojyo caught it and turned it in his fingers; it glittered where it caught the light. A locket.

"Pretty."

Hakkai took it from Gojyo and clasped it in his palm. "Sentimental," he murmured.

Gojyo had already forgotten about it, intent on pulling Hakkai back down close enough to kiss while he wrestled with his belt, but as soon as Hakkai let go of the locket the catch burst open. A small, folded piece of paper fluttered down to land on Gojyo's bare chest.

He couldn't resist a glimpse before he handed it back to Hakkai. He could make out pencil marks on the inside: a drawing. "Kanan?"

Hakkai nodded, taking the paper from him and replacing it securely in the locket. He didn't volunteer to show it to Gojyo. Maybe he was leaving Kanan out of their bed, along with Banri. Not that Gojyo minded, particularly; she was burned into Hakkai's heart, he knew that. But.

Besides, he'd spotted something else before Hakkai had gently taken his treasure back.

"And the hair?" Gojyo said. "But I thought Kanan was dark, right? Like you?"

Hakkai nodded.

"So, what? You got a thing for redheads?"

Hakkai's eyes burned into his, the intensity almost painful. Almost.

"I've only ever met one creature with hair that colour," said Hakkai. "The man who saved my life."

And before Gojyo could answer, Hakkai was kissing him; mouth working slowly over Gojyo's, stealing his words. Gojyo shut his eyes, arms tightening around Hakkai's slender body. His throat choked with feeling, his kissed back tenderly, his tongue swiping slowly over Hakkai's.

"I don't know what this makes us," Hakkai murmured, trailing fingers down Gojyo's side and making him shiver.

"Friends," said Gojyo. A grin spread across his face. "With benefits."

Hakkai gave a little laugh and kissed Gojyo's neck, his shoulder.

"Don't think so much," Gojyo said. "Just get your jeans off."

He stripped Hakkai's belt off for emphasis.

Hakkai obediently unbuttoned and unzipped, and swung himself off the bed to finish getting undressed. His clothes landed on the pile by the bed, unfolded.

He was wearing green boxers, cotton, ironed. They matched his socks.

"Your turn, Gojyo." Hakkai knelt on the bed at Gojyo's side, nimble fingers twitching at his belt. His body was somewhere between lean and thin, and he looked a good deal more vulnerable than he really was.

"If you're ready for your first look at Sha Gojyo naked," said Gojyo. "Women faint sometimes, you know."

"I'll bear that in mind." Hakkai calmly tugged the zip of Gojyo's jeans down - just a little fast for Gojyo's liking - and peeled them back to reveal his boxers, tented by the hard ridge of his cock.

Gojyo raised his hips for Hakkai to pull down his jeans, but instead Hakkai cupped his palm over Gojyo's erection and pressed firmly. Gojyo yelled, the sensation so sudden and intense, so unexpected. For some reason he'd imagined Hakkai to be a timid lover.

He was wrong.

Hakkai went on from there to dip his head and kiss Gojyo's cock through his boxers. Gojyo could feel the heat of Hakkai's mouth through the cotton, the smooth pressure of his lips. He couldn't resist; he needed the feel of skin on skin too much. He reached down and plunged his hand through the flap in his boxers to yank out his cock.

Hakkai's tongue darted out to lick it, root to tip. Paused there for a moment, then swirled around the head.

He shoved Gojyo's hand away and fisted the root of Gojyo's cock himself.

Then he swallowed him whole.

"Hakkai!" Gojyo yelped. He thought he could feel Hakkai smiling around the shaft of his cock. Hakkai sucked, hard.

"Damnit," Gojyo muttered, his head falling back, hair streaming towards the pillow.

Hakkai's other hand smoothed across Gojyo's hipbone, down to his thigh, soothing him like he was a highly strung horse. It worked. Sometimes Hakkai's touch had a healing quality to it, like magic.

Gojyo's breath settled to a steady pant as Hakkai began to fuck him with his mouth.

It was hot, and wet, and Hakkai's tongue slid over his most sensitive spots in huge swipes. What's more, he really seemed to be enjoying it. He lavished attention on Gojyo's cock with an enthusiasm that left Gojyo in no doubt that this wasn't just a gift of self-sacrifice.

"C'mere," Gojyo grunted, when he finally found the breath to say anything. He tugged Hakkai's elbow.

Hakkai raised his head, licking his lips. "Are you alright, Gojyo?"

"Fuck, yeah. C'mere. I want to do that to you."

"Please, don't feel you have to reciprocate. I don't mind if-"

Gojyo was busy wriggling out of his jeans and underwear. "Shut up, 'Kai. You should know by now I don't do things I don't want to do."

Hakkai's cock was hard as iron, and quivered elegantly under Gojyo's tongue. It dripped precome into Gojyo's mouth, and filled his throat. Gojyo knelt between Hakkai's thighs and melted at the feel of it, the silky texture, the warmth and just the plain idea that he was sucking Hakkai's cock.

Hakkai's fingers fisted in his hair; his back arched and his thighs trembled. For a moment Gojyo thought Hakkai was about to come. But he didn't. His hips rocked, sliding his cock gently in and out of Gojyo's mouth, and he murmured something Gojyo couldn't quite make out. Then he tugged on Gojyo's hair.

Gojyo let Hakkai's cock fall from his mouth, kissed the tip and moved up Hakkai's body, still kissing, pausing to lick each nipple. They were stiff and tiny, and tickling them with his tongue made Gojyo feel warm inside.

"Gojyo..." Hakkai breathed, his cock pressing into Gojyo's belly.

"Hmm?" Gojyo kissed Hakkai's jaw, licked his ear.

"Do you have lubricant?"

"'Course. In the drawer right there."

"Good. The fingers in Gojyo's hair were gentle now. "I don't want to hurt you. Ever."

And before he knew it, Gojyo was being laid back on the bed; Hakkai was kissing him, and Hakkai was exploring he root of Gojyo's cock, his balls, the top of his thighs, encouraging him to spread his legs. "You won't hurt me," Gojyo whispered, giving himself up to Hakkai like some virgin teenager. "I... trust. I trust you."

Hakkai kissed him harder, tongue plunging inside his mouth, a small moan escaping from his throat. Gojyo tipped his hips back and Hakkai's fingers found their target. Unerringly. He really had done this before.

"I'm going take things slowly," said Hakkai, reassuringly. "If anything becomes uncomfortable, at any time, please tell me."

"It won't," Gojyo whispered. "I know it won't.

Hakkai dipped his head down and mouthed Gojyo's cock. He engulfed it, sliding his own fingers into his mouth as well, wetting them thoroughly. And then, still sucking on Gojyo's cock to distract him, he pressed one slender finger inside of him.

Whatever Hakkai had done with that boy in the orphanage had been good practise. He knew exactly what he was doing, finding Gojyo's sweet spot almost straight away and pressing, rubbing just right. Gojyo touched Hakkai's hair, his neck, his shoulder, settling there and kneading gently in time with the slow thrust and twist of Hakkai's fingers inside of him. It was bliss; growing, aching bliss and the last bit of rational thought left Gojyo's brain. His hips rocked; he let out a low hiss at the first touch of cool lube. Hakkai kissed him and murmured reassurances, keeping his lips on Gojyo's skin all the while he prepared him, gentle kisses and whispered touch across his neck and chest.

It was a million miles from anything Gojyo had experienced before. When Hakkai slid inside him for the first time there was a second when he braced himself, expecting pain, but none came. Just an aching slide and then a pause and then a slick rush and he was full. Full and stretched, his arms and legs wrapped tight around Hakkai's body; Hakkai's tongue in his mouth; Hakkai's fingers rubbing over his hips, soothing him.

Then Hakkai's slick palm cradling his cock, squeeze-tugging on it in the same slow rhythm as Hakkai's first thrusts. Slow, strong, confident.

This would change things. When he woke in the morning Hakkai would still be here. No morning-after creeping home; this was their bed, they would always.... This was....

Gojyo's heart ached.

Shit. All this time looking and when I finally fall in love it's a guy. A fucked up, scary, beautiful guy.

He nuzzled into Hakkai's neck, and Hakkai kissed his ear. Licked it. Nibbled it with sharp teeth.

Oh yeah. Definitely a biter.

"This is almost embarrassing," Hakkai murmured, calmly if a little out of breath, "but I can't last much longer."

Gojyo could forgive him that. Hakkai probably hadn't got laid since Kanan was taken, after all.

"'S okay," he grunted. "It's not your fault I'm totally irresistible."

Hakkai gave a bark of laughter and licked Gojyo's neck in a long, wet line, like an animal, raking his nails down Gojyo's thigh.

Gojyo thought immediately of vines and talons, arched his back and came. Blindingly: there was white and silver stars and a roaring in his ears and throat and he felt Hakkai shudder and tremble, felt him pouring out life in long, tight throbs.

His face was wet; sweat or tears, it was hard to tell. Hakkai was still shaking, collapsed on top of Gojyo, still buried inside him, slick and wet.

Gojyo lay there, stroking Hakkai's back, and gasped for air.

*******

Gojyo woke to find Hakkai sliding off him, out of bed, and his first instinct was to panic.

"'Kai?"

Hakkai turned and smiled at him. "No-one's ever called me that before."

"Sorry."

"Don't be." Hakkai's voice was deeper and richer than Gojyo had ever heard it. "I'm going to take a shower. Would you like to join me?"

The panic vanished, and Gojyo realised he was grinning. His jaw ached, but he couldn't stop.

"Yeah," he said. "Looks like I got all hot and sweaty."

The shower took a long time, mostly because Gojyo got hard, and that seemed to inspire Hakkai to get hard too, and then there was a slow exploration of fingers and mouths and tongues, and by the time they got back into bed Gojyo's body was warm and glowing, and his mouth tasted of come and toothpaste.

Which was an odd sensation, (Hakkai agreed), but he didn't give a fuck, and Hakkai didn't seem to care either. He was grinning broadly, climbing into bed and holding out an arm for Gojyo to curl into.

Looked like post-coital cuddling was a yes, then.

Gojyo lit a cigarette and settled into the warmth of his new lover's body. His mind might have been boggling but he wasn't paying any attention.

This just felt too good.

"I think I have something to thank Marcie for," Hakkai said. "I shall be sure to do so next time I see her."

"Yeah." Gojyo chuckled.

"Although, I think she might be leaving town."

"Yeah? You think we made that good a job of it? She's the persistent type, you know."

Hakkai was silent.

Gojyo had a thought.

"Hakkai?"

"Mmm?" Hakkai kissed the top of Gojyo's head.

"When you went back inside the inn..."

Hakkai shifted just a little. "Yes, Gojyo?"

Gojyo knew that tone. "What did you do?" He sat up abruptly, looking Hakkai in the eye. "You didn't kill her, did you?"

"Of course not, Gojyo! Ha ha ha."

"What, then? I know that laugh. You're not telling me something."

"I merely told her that if she didn't treat you better in the future things might get unpleasant for her."

"You threatened her?! Man. I mean, thanks, but... ah, she had a point, you know. I treated her like shit. She didn't say anything that wasn't true."

"It wasn't what she said. I have no illusions about you, Gojyo. Whatever happens between us there will always be women, you will always forget trash day and flick ash into empty beer cans. I know this, and I understand. It changes nothing between us."

Gojyo took a moment to let that sink in, before he said, in a slightly shaky voice, "then what? Why did you threaten her?"

"Because she hit you," said Hakkai, very softly.

Gojyo had no words.

He stroked a finger across Hakkai's cheekbones, and then he kissed him.

"However," said Hakkai cheerfully. "If I ever catch you looking at another man, I will probably have to kill you. Haha."

Gojyo had no doubt he was telling the truth. But, as he nestled back in Hakkai's arms and let sleep take him, he didn't think it was going to be a problem.

~owari~

Illustration by PL Nunn