Beginnings: Evasion

from the Wayside series
by scribblemoose

"So."

"So then."

Gojyo stuffed his hands in his pockets and swung his elbows, watching Hakkai's familiar-yet-different face. Wondering when the smile would drop.

"Goku is certainly energetic," said Hakkai. "Full of life."

"Yeah. I don't know who was torturing Sanzo the day they decided the two of them should be together, but they sure do have a sense of humour."

Hakkai smiled some more.

"Of course when I say together," Gojyo continued, not ready for the silence and what it might contain. "I don't mean..."

"Oh, heavens, no," said Hakkai, quickly. "Nothing like that."

"He's only a kid, after all."

"Quite. And Sanzo's a monk."

Gojyo laughed. "Yeah, right. Like that would stop him."

"Sanzo saved me," said Hakkai, softly. "He is a very good man."

"Shit, yeah, I know, I-" Gojyo took a long drag on his ever-present cigarette, the other hand burrowing even deeper into his pocket. Way to go, Gojyo, insult the person he thinks the world of. That's really gonna make him open up. "Look, Hakkai-"

"Gojyo."

And there they were again. Looking at each other. Saying nothing. Full circle.

And Hakkai smiled.

Gojyo couldn't take it any more. He reached out the only way he knew how.

"You wanna fuck?"

Hakkai looked astonished. Shocked, even.

At last. Something.

"Because, you know, I wouldn't mind." Gojyo waited, watching Hakkai, wishing he still had a curtain of hair to hide behind, his heart thumping in his chest. He really, really didn't want to be turned down. It was great that Hakkai was back, and not dead, and still wanted to be his friend. It was a hopeless dream come true, whatever happened next. But if he didn't get under that calm, polite veneer sometime soon, and find out if the man he really knew was still there, he didn't know what-

"Come here."

The smile had gone, at last, and the voice, while still soft had dropped an octave. Deep and serious, and Hakkai was reaching out his hand.

Gojyo stepped forwards, watched his own hand as it stretched out to meet Hakkai's. Their fingers met and twined together, both men watching them as if they were separate beings, acting on their own will.

Then Hakkai reeled him in, and kissed him.

Not soft and polite, at all. Raw and needing, and with every bit of the passion Gojyo remembered. If not more. Definitely more. Hakkai's fingers were brushing the soft fuzz of Gojyo's hair, his tongue was plundering Gojyo's mouth, and Gojyo realised he'd been taken by surprise by this sudden show of feeling, so much so that he was standing there like an idiot, just letting himself be kissed.

With a groan from somewhere deep inside, Gojyo pulled Hakkai closer still, and soundly kissed him back.