Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Best Wishes, Gojyo ❯ Beneath an Ominous, Sunless Sky ( Chapter 2 )

Title: Best Wishes, Gojyo [chapter 2/4]

Book 3 of the "Encounters Arc" and sequel to "Happy Birthday, Baby"

Author: Enigma

Series: Saiyuki

Written: January - February, 2003

Rating: NC-17

Main Pairing: (Hakkai x Gojyo)

Category: Yaoi, Angst, Romance, Lemon. AU-OOC. Giftfic.

Archive: mediaminer.org [author: "E-sama the Llama"]

Warnings: yaoi, moderate angst, sweet romance, graphic lemon, coarse language as per the anime, minor bloodshed plus tiny hints of sap and humor. AU-OOC. Giftfic for Ryoko.

Spoilers: This story is set three days after the events in episodes 11 & 12 of the anime and therefore contains spoilers.

Disclaimer: "Saiyuki" is the property of Kazuya Minekura, et al. This unauthorized work of unpaid fanfiction is intended for entertainment only; please do not sue me.

Lemon Disclaimer: Kindly note that in the Real World, "safe" sex should be practiced at all times. However, this is an "Enigma Yaoi Romance Lemon" and all bishounen in question are hence magically protected against the dangers of sexually transmissible diseases, therefore they can skip the condoms -- and they know it!

Advisory: Whenever dialogue is written in all lowercase letters, it is to be read as if it is spoken very softly, possibly in a whisper, a gasp, or in a tone not meant to be heard by those nearby.

Notes: Seven long weeks have passed since Hakkai and Gojyo were able to consummate their love fully. Having barely survived the horrifying confrontation with Chin Iisou recently, will they dare to attempt to do so again on Gojyo's birthday and if so, what one key aspect will the well endowed half-breed wish to change about their intimate encounter?

*****

Even as Gojyo was awakening to find himself alone save for Goku's inert form, Hakkai was already hard at work behind the farmhouse trying to make life better for his comrades while blatantly disregarding the fact that he ought to have slept in and regained his strength more fully.

As the brunette attempted to cut firewood with an insufficiently sharpened axe that he'd found behind the house, Hakuryu was performing some recognizance in the nearby barn. The tiny dragon glided almost soundlessly over the straw strewn floor, noting the numerous chickens roosting there, some of which had been laying eggs that would be tasty for breakfast. Smacking its lips together hungrily, it sailed past a group of yearling pigs, any one of which would fit quite handily upon the rotisserie in the fireplace as far as the dragon was concerned.

Much like those it carried on their seemingly endless journey westward, Hakuryu, too, needed sustenance. The marvelous meal the night before had been the promising beginning of a rare opportunity to indulge their appetites with fresh, healthy food if they could convince Sanzo that going anywhere in the impending rain was a bad idea.

The dragon then flew even higher and discovered a mostly empty hayloft which it wisely considered an appropriate spot for two lovers to spend some private moments together if it could be arranged. With a snort-like noise to itself, Hakuryu shook its head while thinking that almost two months between periods of intimacy were too much for its dearest friends. The magical being had always been the staunchest of supporters of Hakkai and Gojyo's romance, and it well knew that they hadn't had the kind of time alone together that they needed.

Nodding its head thoughtfully, Hakuryu then glanced at the roof of the barn and wondered briefly if the fact that it was apparently made of tin or some other thin metal might make the loft too chilly for a tryst. Uncertain yet not willing to cast aside suggesting this location to its friends, it then decided to finish its explorations before reporting back to Hakkai.

While diving out of the loft and then sailing back into a dark corner in the very back of the barn, Hakuryu enjoyed the treasure hunt of sorts it had set itself upon. It had discovered numerous small items that might make life easier for those it cared for, yet when it determined what was in the last place that it looked, the dragon nearly sang with delight before making its way back outside.

*****

While Hakuryu was investigating the barn, Hakkai's efforts to chop firewood were giving mixed results. There was now a moderately sized pile of quartered logs ready for burning and stacked beneath the eaves of the house to protect it from the impending rain, but the lumberjack-of-the-moment wasn't satisfied in the least.

Swiping a tired hand across his headband-clad forehead before glancing at the portentous clouds, Hakkai sighed deeply, then said, "This won't be enough for the entire day much less into the night." With a soft, self-deprecating chuckle, he added, "Of course, Goku would undoubtedly do a better job of this than I am, but I'd rather he get some more rest."

A log that he had cut in half which needed to be cut once more before it would be suitable for the hearth lay near his feet, so Hakkai bent over to place it upright before the next swing of the ax and received a nasty reward for his effort.

Instead of an oath or other loud exclamation, only a sharp intake of breath was accompanied by the sound of wood falling back to earth as Hakkai lifted his right hand to his eyes while exclaiming softly, "Oh my, that was painful! What have I done to myself?"

Hakkai peered at his palm and noted a large, ragged-edged shard of wood embedded deeply in it, penetrating almost exactly where the line of ink Goku had drawn there three days earlier began. Fighting back a desire to curse himself for being less careful than he should have been, he carefully pulled the thick invader from his skin and tossed it aside noting the rush of bright red blood that immediately went to work cleansing the wound as nature had intended it to.

As the small river of red gore gushed forth, the human-turned-youkai didn't bother to reflect on the fact that he couldn't use his ki-channeling abilities to heal himself the way that he could for others. The realization that despite possessing the amazing powers that he did, Hakkai himself would die of an injury such as the one Gojyo had suffered three days prior meant nothing to him. As long as he was able to help those he loved when they needed it most, the healer would never say a single disparaging thing about his inherent though inexplicable skills.

After reaching into a pocket for a handkerchief to help treat the unfortunate injury, Hakkai dabbed at the blood and commented sorrowfully, "Nothing is truly permanent in this world, is it?"

His verdant gaze became somewhat unfocused as he recalled the unexpected comment Gojyo had made to him regarding how short his lifeline was and some of the events that came upon its heels. Not a superstitious man by nature, Hakkai had never explored palmistry nor placed much stock in it. However, since the conflict with a youkai who had changed his own corpse into one of the living dead for the sole purpose of torturing him immediately followed the remark, Hakkai was finding it hard not to think about it more often than he needed to.

Following the destruction of the malicious zombie, Goku had taken the same indelible marker which Gojyo had used to write funny things on his splint to manually extend Hakkai's lifeline hoping to bring a smile to the lips of the man he had called sensei. The thick, black ink had indeed brought a measure of lightness to the brunette's heart and even helped him set aside some of his exhaustion as they endeavored to leave behind the forest where Chin Iisou's dusty remains would lay until the earth swallowed them up.

However, the permanency of such ink is a relative thing, and after a few days of driving plus an evening filled with several hours of cooking chores, the black line had been fading away even before the blood spilling across it now caused it to dissipate almost completely.

Hakkai was pulled from his thoughts by the sensation of spreading warmth as a rivulet of the growing pool of blood that he'd neglected to dab at spilled over his hand to fall like frightening red raindrops upon the ground at his feet.

"Oh my, how careless of me," Hakkai sighed, and after sopping up the blood in his palm, he pressed the nearly soaked handkerchief firmly against the cut left behind by the relatively large bit of wood.

While hoping that direct pressure would work its usual miracle and aid his body in beginning to heal itself, the brunette felt his eyes slip closed as he recalled the far greater pain he'd felt recently as he helplessly watched bizarre root-like horrors filling his lover's veins.

At the time, Hakkai had been too overwhelmed by the situation to do anything and if it hadn't been for Sanzo's intervention, there was a good chance Gojyo would have died that day. Instead, the blond had angrily refused to allow someone other than himself to decide when one of the traveling companions assigned to him by the Sanbutusin would meet their death and had taken charge completely.

There had been no room for discussion and no margin for error as Sanzo fired his Smith & Wesson pointblank into the half-breed's chest. As his bullet raced through skin and muscle, it tore into and destroyed the inexplicable seed Chin Iisou had created and thereby the root-like structures before exiting Gojyo's back in a fountain of gore.

There hadn't been any need for Sanzo to give the healer instructions since Hakkai had immediately dropped to his knees beside his beloved partner's horribly wounded body so he could employ his ki-channeling ability to repair the many layers of damage left behind by the lifesaving bullet.

Afterwards, weakened and drained, Hakkai had made the mistake of saying something Sanzo didn't wish to hear, but before violence could erupt between the two of them worse than it did, emerald eyes had rolled back in their sockets and he collapsed into Sanzo's arms in an unconscious sprawl. Sadly, this had only been the beginning of a series of emotionally destructive events carefully orchestrated by Chin Iisou in an attempt to break the spirit of the man who had killed his father and his clan.

Lost in his thoughts of three days past, Hakkai then recalled how dreadful it had felt to realize that he couldn't repair Goku's broken leg in an expedient fashion. Watching the youth limping bravely along after he'd arrived in the nick of time to stop one of the zombie's attacks drove a deep wedge of guilt into him, yet it was wise that he'd held back since he'd need his ki-channeling powers far more for other things.

The image of Sanzo's contorted features as Hakkai had slammed him to the ground and then straddled him in a successful effort to fool Chin Iisou into making a key mistake arose in Hakkai's mind, yet it didn't cause him nearly as much sorrow as the other memories had. He had indeed choked the priest fairly well in the name of verisimilitude, but since he knew the man beneath him would escape relatively unscathed eventually, the human-turned-youkai carried almost no remorse for his actions against Sanzo.

In the end, Hakkai was able to defeat Chin Iisou and finally grant his corpse the end it had deserved three years previously when it had been killed by the initial manifestation of Gonou's youkai form. With revulsion, he remembered the sensation of ramming his hand all the way through the zombie's torso before crushing the mahjong tile with the symbol for life on it and thereby ending the vengeful creature's reign of terror upon them all.

Victory tasted like ashes, though, when Hakkai had turned to face his comrades and noted that each had been injured to greater or lesser extents all because of his own tragic past coming back to haunt him quite literally. He had bowed deeply to them all, apologizing and thanking them in the same gesture which wasn't even acknowledged by Sanzo who had already turned his back towards him, cruelly refusing to accept his proffered sentiments.

Goku hadn't noticed the gesture since he'd flopped onto the ground so he could cradle his injured leg to himself and look at it as if searching for a way to mend it himself, moaning softly that it hurt and that he was hungry as always.

Only Hakkai's lover had given any response to ease his guilty conscience. Despite being exhausted following his own traumatic injuries and the distance run carrying Goku since the injured boy couldn't walk, Gojyo had closed the space between them, slung a comradely arm around his shoulders, and gave him a rough embrace. Gazing deeply into Hakkai's eyes, he'd stated earnestly that there was not one damned thing in the entire world that he needed to apologize for and that should be the end of that.

Perhaps if Gojyo hadn't then very nearly collapsed against him due to weakness, Hakkai might've taken his words to heart better than he did. However, the image of how pale that usually ruddy-hued face had been while he had eased Gojyo to the ground so he could rest was now etched in his mind's eye and the simple thought of it caused a visible shudder to run through him.

At exactly the same instant that Hakkai's body trembled in remembered guilt, sorrow, and shame, Gojyo came around the corner of the house looking for him even as Hakuryu exited the barn and swooped towards the brunette calling worriedly, "Kyu?!"

"Hakkai?!" Gojyo added his own voice lifted in fright as the gore-soaked handkerchief slipped from temporarily inattentive fingers and fell to the earth like a large camellia blossom torn loose by a rogue wind. He transitioned from merely sauntering along like usual into a flat-out run and approached his lover at a rapid rate of speed, an action mimicked by the dragon who also put on a burst of quickness to get to its friends' sides.

Verdant eyes snapped open when Hakkai heard his name being called and he looked at both of his housemates in turn and inquired, "Gojyo? Hakuryu? What's wrong?"

"You're fucking *bleeding*, that's what's wrong!" Gojyo responded as he came close enough to reach for Hakkai's hand which he then lifted and examined with eyes narrowed in dissatisfaction.

"Kyu!" Hakuryu agreed heatedly even as it perched on Gojyo's shoulder instead of Hakkai's so that it, too, could examine the wound.

Embarrassed yet touched that they worried over him, Hakkai laughed nervously and waved his free hand in a hopefully calming gesture and assured, "Please, it's only a scratch. Don't worry so, dear friends."

"Bullshit, baby," Gojyo growled as he reached for the end of one of his own wrist wraps, undoing it with practiced ease then placing it carefully around his lover's hand, covering the wound which was now merely seeping blood instead of gushing it thanks to simple coagulation. Flicking a pained glance from the impromptu bandage to his partner's handsome face, he demanded in annoyance, "What the hell *did* this to you, Hakkai?!" Clearly, the overprotective half-breed was ready to locate whatever had been the source of his cherished roommate's injury and destroy it.

Hakuryu added a kyu of agreement, but left the bulk of the discussion to its housemates for a change. In the heat of the moment, the mildly distraught dragon entirely forgot about the wondrous treasure it had found hidden in the back of the barn, but there would be time enough for that revelation later.

Noting that being under the fiery gaze of four blazing red eyes was rather disconcerting, Hakkai admitted, "It was only a splinter, Gojyo." Seeing disbelief and possibly worse beginning to flow onto his partner's countenance, he rushed to explain, "Truly, I was chopping wood and--"

Interrupting Hakkai's words by reaching out and pulling him towards himself and into a firm, unwavering embrace, Gojyo growled softly, "Then that must've been a helluva splinter, baby!" With his arms wrapped tightly around the slightly smaller man's back, he placed a kiss onto the inviting cheek currently near his lips even as Hakuryu was caressing the other side of Hakkai's face with its head, and added, "Don't scare me like that again, okay, 'Kai? I can't handle seeing you bleed all over the place."

"Kyu," the little dragon agreed, glad that the three of them were together once more and that things weren't half as bad as the frightening sight of the blood-drenched handkerchief had made them seem.

Relaxing within the warm hug and enjoying the strength of Gojyo's powerfully muscled chest against his own more slender one, Hakkai apologized, saying, "I am sorry for worrying you, Gojyo. I only wanted to get more firewood so the room would be warm when you and Goku awoke."

Gojyo snorted softly and then chuckled very briefly as he said, "Aw, hell, Hakkai. We would've been fine. Besides, the monkey ought to be the one out here working up a sweat doing that, not you. You do enough for all of us as it is, baby." Before any disagreement could be offered, he shifted their position slightly and for once refused to consider whether or not they might be seen by prying eyes as he cradled the back of Hakkai's head in one hand while giving him a short yet passionate kiss.

The gentle rustle of leathery wings was unnoticed as Hakuryu lifted itself up into the air and circled above them as Hakkai slipped his uninjured hand between them, laying it lightly above Gojyo's heart and finding the familiar cadence of its beating comforting. He was distantly aware of the satisfaction that he felt about the way his powers had made sure that the skin beneath Gojyo's shirt was not scarred in either front or back due to the strange seed or Sanzo's bullet. He felt his own permanent disfiguration was more than enough for them both to bear.

When their lips parted, Gojyo leaned forward and rested his forehead against Hakkai's, letting their eyes lock and commune together with wordless affection. It was at times like this that their souls seemed to be closest to the surface and without realizing it, they were allowing the traces of Tenpou and Kenren to arise and greet one another as much as possible at this point.

They stood together, bodies loosely intertwined for what felt like a tiny eternity and then the sound of a newly awakened nest of chicks chirping as their mother rose to go in search of food broke the moment.

A faint hint of rose crossed Hakkai's typically pale cheeks as he stepped out of the protective warmth of his lover's embrace, giving himself sufficient room to reach his uninjured hand into a pocket in his khakis and bring forth a small, shiny object. With a shy smile, he offered the item to his lover and said simply, "Best wishes, Gojyo. Happy birthday, from Hakuryu and myself."

Spiraling down to its usual perch on Hakkai's shoulder, Hakuryu added its own thoughts on the matter with a bright smile and a celebratory, "Kyu!"

Blinking in surprise since he'd temporarily forgotten what day it was, Gojyo peered at the lustrous gift, then picked it up with a brilliant smile on his lips as he replied, "Hot damn! This is the coolest cigarette lighter I've ever seen!"

Gojyo turned the gift from front to back, then grinned even more as he noted that on one side his name had been engraved in elegant calligraphy whereas on the other was a rendition of a death's-head not unlike the one emblazoned on his favorite long-sleeved tee-shirt. In actuality, it more closely resembled the rakish ornament Kenren had once worn as part of his uniform than it did much of anything else, but he didn't know this and loved it all the same. His delight grew even more when he realized that by having been kept in Hakkai's pants pocket, the lighter had grown warm thanks to his partner's body heat and it made the gift all the more magical.

Quietly pleased, Hakkai's shy smile blossomed into a more confident one as he replied for himself as well as the dragon on his shoulder, saying, "We're glad you like it, Gojyo. I wasn't completely certain about that rather morbid symbol on it, but Hakuryu was most insistent."

The current incarnation of a celestial commander of unquestionably draconic nature puffed its little chest out with pride and stated flatly, "Kyu." Whereas the modern embodiments of two of its warriors might not recall themselves, Goujun's did sufficiently to have made the connection immediately.

"Ah, good job, dragon!" Gojyo commended as he reached out with his unoccupied hand and gave Hakuryu's little head a fond scratch. Then he flipped the lighter over to where his own name shimmered in the silver-plated surface and with a small smirk, he asked, "And which of you is responsible for making sure old Sanzo-sama himself can't steal this and claim it's his one day? He would ya know."

Chuckling softly, Hakkai nodded and with an infinitesimal shrug he admitted, "Well, yes, that thought did indeed cross my mind. I also made sure we selected one with a flint that is virtually non-removable as well. It seems to me he might chose to 'borrow' that and make it inoperable, though of course he would do so without malice of any kind."

Gojyo laughed outright in response to this mildly mocking comment and shook his head as he remarked with light sarcasm, "As *if*, Hakkai! He'd rip me off just for grins and then snarl and snap the whole time I bitched about it being missing!" Beaming as he took another long look at his first birthday gift of the day, he reached for his pack of hi-lites, shook one free, and commented, "Well, why don't I give this wicked cool gift of yours a try?"

"Ah, allow me," Hakkai offered, retrieving the lighter ever so briefly, snapping open the cover, and then flicking it to life before holding it where his lover could place the end of his cigarette into the flame when ready.

With the hi-lite lightly clamped between sensual lips, Gojyo murmured, "Sankyuu." Then he leaned forward slightly, drew a breath, and found great delight in the first taste of acrid smoke rolling across his tongue courtesy of the lighter's flame.

After flipping the lid closed once more, Hakkai returned the gift to its new owner. The expression of happiness on the shorter man's attractive features was open, honest, and spoke of the immeasurable power Gojyo had over him.

Hakkai's dark mood had been utterly shattered by the heartening presence of the charismatic half-breed. Now that he'd been reminded of the simple fact that Gojyo had indeed survived Chin Iisou's malicious games, the healer allowed himself to think of the promise of the present instead of the pain of the past. He let his eyes drift across his partner's form before alighting on a handsome face which seemed to glow in spite of the overcast sky. Evidence of the delight Gojyo had felt upon receiving such a thoughtful gift lingered there and highlighted the tanned complexion which spoke of his return to full health.

Peering back at him without asking why Hakkai had an odd demi-smile on his lips, Gojyo, too, was assessing his lover's condition. He found it difficult to believe that just one meal and a dream-disturbed night's sleep could alleviate as much of the healer's exhaustion as they apparently had. But if he had his way regarding what he hoped might be in their immediate future, the slight lingering tiredness in well loved green eyes wouldn't be a problem.

Realizing something else might disturb his intimate plans, though, the half-breed asked, "How's the hand, Hakkai? Does it hurt much?" He'd not considered asking Hakuryu to transform so he could have access to the first aid kit stored in the dragon's jeep mode earlier, but if some of the painkillers within it were needed, he would now.

Dropping his gaze to his right hand and noting there was only a tiny dot of red in the center of the white strips that bound it, Hakkai shook his head and assured falsely, "Not at all, Gojyo." Receiving a tiny scowl that indicated his tendency to minimize his own suffering was not appreciated by the one who knew him best, he amended guiltily, "Ah, well, yes, it is a bit uncomfortable, but it's not significant and can be attended to later, yes?" The inquiring tone at the end of his statement was intended to determine whether or not his partner accepted the implied apology in his truthful admission of mild pain.

Nodding thoughtfully then offering a smile, Gojyo answered, "Yeah, it can be, baby, but don't forget about it." He tucked his new lighter into a pocket and encountered a small tube that brought a smirk to his features as he added, "For now, though, I can think of something *else* I want for my birthday."

Hopefulness crept into Hakkai's voice as he inquired, "And what might that be, Gojyo?"

Leaning forward and letting his warm breath tickle the short hairs on his partner's neck as he did so, Gojyo whispered sexily, "you, 'kai." The slight tremor that ran through the body which was so close to him let him know this was not only not unexpected but was also desired as he explained, "i want all of *you* for my birthday, lover."

Equally quiet even though there was no need to whisper since they were alone other than the dragon who silently delighted in moments like this, Hakkai responded, "then i would gladly give myself to you, gojyo, but where?"

Before Gojyo could respond, Hakuryu joined the conversation offering, "Kyu?"

"Oh? You know of a good location, Hakuryu?" Hakkai shifted his gaze from Gojyo who was now practically radiating anticipation over to the little white dragon whose mouth was curled into a smile of its own.

"Kyu!" Hakuryu assured confidently, then lifted up into the air with a single sweep of its wings and flew lazily above the pair of youkai giving them a chance to step apart and then follow it towards the barn.

"Oi, Hakuryu?" Gojyo asked with a smirk as his long legs covered the short distance easily, "How're we going to pay you back for finding us all these great nookie spots, dragon?"

Accompanying his partner with equal grace, Hakkai echoed the sentiment, "Yes, indeed. Without your help, I very much doubt that we would've found that lovely glade on my birthday, and I'm sure that whatever you've found now will be just as exemplary." As they stepped into the surprisingly cozy interior of the metal-roofed barn, he added with a slight frown, "It is a shame we have no idea when your birthday might be, Hakuryu. You deserve a celebration, too, of course."

Glancing back at its housemates with a quizzical expression on its otherworldly features, Hakuryu wondered how to explain that it hadn't been born per se and therefore didn't have a birthday, then decided it was irrelevant. Instead, it offered noncommittally, "Kyu."

Peering about at the numerous sleepy farm animals that were ignoring them for the most part, Hakkai stated decisively, "Well, I think we'll just have to pick a date sometime and give you a party all the same. You are as much a part of the group as any of the rest of us and you certainly work hard transporting us the way that you do."

Thinking about the way Goku dearly loved the simple yet sincere birthday celebrations that they held for one another, Gojyo laughed lightly and commented, "Hell, the monkey'll go apeshit over having another excuse to slack off and eat too much!" The attractive, thankful smile Hakkai flashed him upon having this small detail pointed out only served to remind him of what had brought them into this building filled with the redolent aromas of animal life and he added, "So, where're we headed, dragon? I don't fancy getting down and dirty here with the pigs and chickens, ya know!"

Hakuryu narrowed its tiny, garnet-colored eyes playfully and snorted a tiny flame at him, then gestured towards the hayloft with its head and said simply, "Kyu!"

Both men lifted their faces towards the loft and as a slow smile of delight crossed Hakkai's face, Gojyo exclaimed, "All righty then! Now you're talking my language!"

Before they could make their way to the roughhewn ladder that ascended to the loft, Hakuryu veered to one side while calling, "Kyu!" It fluttered above an old basket that held some moth-eaten blankets and towels the absent farm family had set aside since they were no longer nice enough for indoor use yet remained serviceable for other purposes.

"Ah, gotcha, pal! Thanks!" Gojyo acknowledged before grabbing a few of the warm cloths and tossing them over one shoulder while feeling quite glad that the dragon thought ahead better than he himself did at times. These simple additions would make the pleasant post-coital moments nicer than they might have been if faced with nothing to keep warm under or to clean up with.

"Kyu~u," Hakuryu nearly purred before swooping over to alight briefly on Hakkai's shoulder. It nuzzled him sweetly and made small sounds of encouragement before rising once more and then doing the same to Gojyo.

Long-lashed, ruby-colored eyes softened as a tender expression crossed the half-breed's face when the magical creature on his shoulder crooned a quiet rendition of a wish for nothing but the best on this cloudy birthday morning. Gojyo gave the dragon's neck a gentle caress as he replied, "I'm glad we're here, too, Hakuryu." Casting an appraising glance at the brunette who was beaming at the two of them, he added, "This is going to be a birthday to remember, that's for sure."

"Kyu," Hakuryu agreed, then spread its wings and majestically rose into the air prior to going off to amuse itself in whatever fashion appealed to it at the moment. Of course, it would stand a casual watch over the entrance to the barn to make sure its housemates weren't interrupted, but that almost went without saying.

Turning towards each other in perfect synchrony, the pair of soulmates shared a heated glance and then Gojyo gestured towards the ladder with a bow and said, "After you, babe."

"No," Hakkai refused with a gentle smile and a slight bow of his own, "after you, Gojyo. It's your birthday. You come first today."

"You think so, 'Kai?" Gojyo teased in a husky tone his partner wasn't expecting in the least since Hakkai had failed to note his own possible double-entendre. With a rakish wink, he sauntered towards the ladder and began the brief ascent to the top while commenting with thinly veiled innuendo, "For once, lover, you just might be right."

Hakkai spluttered ever so briefly, not sure why what Gojyo had just said had sent a rush of fire straight to his groin. Deciding there was one single best way to discover what the well endowed half-breed had in mind, he chose not to say a word, merely followed the sensual man who was already disappearing into the shadowy loft above him.

A period of seven long weeks devoid of physical intimacy was about to end for the two lovers who had endured more brushes with death and fights against the supernatural than anyone should ever have to survive. Their dedication to one another was unwavering as was their commitment to finding ways to express their soul-deep adoration for each other. However, one last hurdle remained to be overcome in Gojyo and Hakkai's sexual maturation together and if at all possible, the hayloft in an abandoned barn in the middle of nowhere would prove to be the perfect spot for it.

As bright and promising as all of this seemed, though, outside the clouds remained dark, foreboding, and clearly unwilling to leave the earth dry for much longer. Whether or not the cold rain would work its dark magic on Hakkai's high spirits and thereby ruin Gojyo's twenty-third birthday was unknown, but it was indeed November and such things were often problematic.

*****

To be continued.

Please be advised: Chapter 2 will be posted alone.