Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Best Wishes, Gojyo ❯ The Rain Drenched Remains of the Day ( Chapter 4 )

To all those here at mediaminer.org who posted uplifting and supportive comments about not only this fic but also about myself as a writer, thank you from the very bottom of my soul.

Writing fanfiction is a labor of love, not one of financial compensation, and to know that there are readers out there who are enjoying my work is quite encouraging. However, whether or not there are any additions to this story arc in the future depends on reader support as outlined in the end notes.

Thank you once again and all the best!

Enigma

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < p class="c37">Title: Best Wishes, Gojyo [chapter 4/4]

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

Author: Enigma

Series: Saiyuki

Written: January - March, 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?

*****

As the rainfall intensified outside the barn less than an hour after the couple within it had made love, inside the hayloft, a pair of sleepy green eyes pulled themselves open slowly and glanced around quizzically before Hakkai asked, "Um, Gojyo? What's that strange sound?"

Frowning sadly since he'd been worried about this moment, Gojyo offered an incomplete explanation, saying, "I'm sorry, baby, but I think that the rain started." Hoping to ward off the anticipated unhappiness and tension that usually filled Hakkai whenever the heavens wept, he finger-combed soft, chocolate brown hair with one hand while his other kept his partner warmly pressed against himself beneath their cozy blanket.

"Really?" Hakkai inquired, somewhat surprised by this development. Then he turned his face towards that of his lover and actually smiled a little as he remarked, "What a lovely sound it's making as it hits the metal roof. Rather musical, actually."

Scarlet eyes reflected amazement as Gojyo responded, "You really think so, 'Kai? You usually hate the rain, so I was worried it would get you all down and depressed when you found out we didn't make it back inside the house before it started."

Hakkai frowned minutely and gave it some thought before commenting with a shrug, "While it's true that it usually does bother me, for some odd reason, right at the moment I don't mind it in the least."

Chuckling quietly while cuddling his drowsy partner tenderly, Gojyo teased lightly, "Maybe that 'odd reason' is that we just had some damned spectacular sex. I know that *I* feel pretty laid back about everything at the moment because of it!"

"Perhaps," the brunette agreed, stifling a final yawn as full wakefulness washed over him. He then dropped a kiss onto the redhead's jawline before asking, "How do you feel, Gojyo? I hope that I didn't hurt you."

"Nah, baby, you didn't," Gojyo assured tenderly. He then laughed lightly as he admitted, "But I gotta tell ya, 'Kai, it's kinda weird to discover I like feeling all sticky between my legs and knowing it's because *you* were pounding my ass not too long ago."

"Oh my! Gojyo!" Hakkai blushed and attempted to sound authoritarian as he remonstrated, "Must you be so crude?"

Chuckling more loudly, Gojyo replied, "What's crude about the simple truth, baby?" His smile was soft as he added meaningfully, "Besides, I really loved it. Feeling you filling me up that way was off the charts! No wonder you liked it when I did it to you on your birthday."

Offering a matching smile, Hakkai commented with a sigh, "It's a shame we don't have the time for an inversion of roles at the moment, though. I would very much welcome that sensation myself, however, we truly do need to return to the others if we do not wish to be discovered."

"Yeah, that's a damned shame," Gojyo agreed, then smirked and pointed out, "but if this rain holds, we'll be here all day and into the night. Betcha I can find us an excuse to get back out here again either tonight or tomorrow morning nice and early. I've still got a full tube of lube and I know just where I want to use it!"

Gojyo's meaning was clear already, yet he couldn't resist playfully running a hand over the roundness of his lover's buttocks before a single fingertip snuck between them to stroke the entrance to his private paradise. Since they had been allowed no significant time alone together at all since September, the ring of muscle he very lightly caressed was quite tight and the idea of penetrating it with more than a finger sent a rush of heat throughout his very being.

Hakkai pushed back against the teasing digit and then growled softly, "In that case, then I hope the rain continues unabated for quite some time." While threading his fingers through crimson tresses which spilled over the blanket-covered straw luxuriously, he added promisingly, "Much as you said to me, I wish to be your uke as well, Gojyo."

Shivering a little and finding his partner's usually carefully concealed sensuality to be a powerful aphrodisiac, Gojyo moved to kiss Hakkai's lips. He then gently dislodged his partner from above his groin and onto the blanket beside himself fearing a renewed erection that they had no time to deal with properly if they wished to protect their theoretically secret love affair.

The couple was still under the false assumption that the true nature of their relationship was unknown to some of their traveling companions, Hakuryu's own knowledge and endorsement of it went without saying. However, Sanzo was well aware of the truth and Goku had a fairly naïve yet accurate assessment of how strongly Gojyo and Hakkai felt for one another. Regardless, they did indeed need to return to the farmhouse and the half-breed was quite wise to take steps to insure that they weren't even more delayed than they already were.

As he ghosted one hand gently across his companion's alabaster torso, Gojyo answered, "Same here, 'Kai, but I just realized I forgot something important. Sorry about that." Without explaining what he meant, he shifted so that he could drop a series of loving butterfly kisses along the terrifying scar which had nearly caused problems earlier in their rendezvous.

Gazing down at the gentle, dedicated soul who would never disappoint him if it could possibly be avoided, Hakkai merely smiled and assured, "That's alright, Gojyo." He reached down and rubbed the half-breed's newly exposed back to not only remove a wayward bit straw sticking to him but also to simply enjoy tactile reassurance that this wasn't a dream. As an unexpected rough moistness suddenly dragged itself across his abdomen, he gasped, "Oh! What are you *doing*, Gojyo?! I thought we agreed there wasn't time for more?"

Playful red eyes peered up at him and again Gojyo's tongue slipped out to dab at him like a cat lapping at a bowl of cream, then he explained cheekily, "Just doing a little clean up duty, loverboy!" With a saucy wink, he explained, "We're both sticky messes, so I thought I'd get started on it so we can get dressed and everything."

Moaning and pushing his lover away with an expression of regret on his face, Hakkai insisted, "Ah, well, while I do so enjoy the feeling of your mouth on me, Gojyo, if you continue, I sincerely doubt we will be back inside before noon!" Glancing at the pile of old towels which were laying ignored not too far away before wondering where they might get some water, he added, "Perhaps using something less arousing would be appropriate at this juncture?"

"Party pooper," Gojyo teased playfully, then carefully placed one last kiss to Hakkai's sensitive abdomen before rising to retrieve the items which had been requested nonverbally by the man who had dominated him sexually so satisfyingly earlier that morning. As he rose to stand, however, the crimson-haired man felt the first twinges of the discomfort that he would experience for the rest of the day. Wincing, he rubbed his backside and commented, "Ouch. So this is what Tonpu meant about it hurting the first few times even if you do plenty of prep."

Hakkai's face fell and he looked away guiltily before apologizing, "I am so sorry you are in pain, Gojyo." Turning his head back towards the attractively nude half-breed, he rose to his feet and approached his partner, a faint green glow beginning to form between his palms as he offered, "Allow me to heal it for you."

Shaking his head and placing both hands over Hakkai's and functionally blocking off the gathering ki, Gojyo gently refused, saying, "Thanks, baby, but no." Seeing confusion in well loved verdant eyes, he explained with a fond smirk, "I know it sounds weird, but I kinda like feeling sore down there because *you* made love to me, 'Kai. Plus, I want to know everything you went through because of me being inside you and this is just part of it, right?"

As gratitude welled up within himself, Hakkai nodded and assured, "Yes, I believe I understand what you mean, Gojyo." Tilting his head to the side slightly so that his long bangs wouldn't interfere with his vision, he added tenderly, "And I fully anticipate sharing that soreness with you soon. An opportunity in a location like this doesn't come to us often these days."

"No, it sure doesn't," Gojyo answered with a sad sigh, he really was getting tired of not being able to be with his intimate partner more often than they could due to their current circumstances. Then, as he ran his thumb over the bindings he himself had placed over the puncture wound on Hakkai's right hand, he accused with moderate disgust, "Ewww! Baby, you got cum all over your bandage! Let me change it for you, okay?"

Glancing at the wrist wrap turned bandage and noting its less than sterile condition due to his loving attentions to the man receiving him as ecstasy carried them away, Hakkai replied with slight embarrassment, "Ah, yes, it is rather unpleasant. Thank you, Gojyo."

"No problem, babe," Gojyo smiled and began to unwind the wrap which would soon find its way into a pocket of his pants for laundering later. Replacing it with the other wrap and thereby leaving himself atypically bare armed, he added, "By the way, how's your hand feeling? That gash looked pretty nasty."

Gazing sadly at his bandaged palm and regretting the unintentional destruction of the line of marker that Goku had given him there, Hakkai commented truthfully, "It hurts quite a bit more than I thought it might." Flexing his fingers once or twice brought a pained expression to his face and he added unhappily, "I sincerely hope that there is no need for sutures to help it heal, but I'm afraid that it is possible there are some wood fragments trapped in the wound."

"Ewwwww!! That's even grosser than having cum on it, baby!" Gojyo exclaimed, then shook his head fiercely and stated, "In that case, we'll just have to do a little search and destroy on them when we get back inside and then slather it with tons of antibacterial goop. I don't want my sweetheart to be stuck with a bad hand or nothing!"

"Your 'sweetheart', Gojyo? Me?" Hakkai asked with a mixture of amusement and adoration even as he noted a small stream of rain which was coursing through a hole in a nearby wall which ought to provide them with enough water to clean up with even if it would be rather chilly.

Pulling the man that he loved into his arms and giving his nude form one last, heartfelt hug before going to get the towels he'd intended upon retrieving earlier, Gojyo replied confidently, "Sure, why not?" Handing his partner the larger and nicer of the cloths, he asked, "Is there something wrong with that, 'Kai? I mean, it's just between us and in private and all."

"No, I guess not," Hakkai answered thoughtfully as he wet a corner of the towel in his hands. He then used the damp cloth to cleanse the evidence of their passionate exchange from his body as he admitted, "Somehow, I just never imagined anyone seeing me that way, that's all."

Mimicking the former teacher and cleaning himself quickly, Gojyo stated meaningfully, "Well, I sure as hell see you 'that way', 'Kai." As he stroked away the traces of seed and sweat which had lingered on his skin, he explained, "To me a 'sweetheart' is defined as someone who I can count on. Somebody who is always there when I need him to be. And most of all, is the specific someone I like to see first thing in the morning. So, that makes you my 'sweetheart'. QED, ne?"

Feeling a warmth in his cheeks that he didn't doubt was rather obvious, Hakkai chuckled very softly and inquired, "'QED', Gojyo? Where *do* you find these strange things to say at times?" He reached for their piles of discarded clothing and began brushing the straw off them even as Gojyo attended to a rather persistent bit of stickiness caught in short red tufts whose enticing location was distracting to the brunette.

Snickering as he succeeded in cleansing himself enough to toss the towel aside in favor of boxers and jodhpur-like pants, Gojyo explained, "That's 'Queen's Elementary Deduction', Hakkai. I like to read stuff other than manga and Shakespeare. When I was a kid, Ellery Queen who-done-its fit the bill every so often."

"Ah, but of course," Hakkai smiled as he accepted both the information and the new term of affection gracefully. He then began dressing himself while admitting, "There are still many things I have yet to learn about you, Sha Gojyo. I only hope that there are enough days left in my lifetime to learn them all."

"In that case, Cho Hakkai, you'd better be a little more careful with yourself," Gojyo warned and paused in the process of pulling on his white tank top to place a gentle kiss onto the back of his lover's bandaged hand. Peering at Hakkai with eyes filled with emotion, he added unhappily, "You can heal all of us but not yourself. Remember that the next time you think you're going to take on Goku's chores instead of leaving them for the kid to deal with, okay?"

Nodding while adjusting his pale lavender sash so that it flowed across his chest before being tied at his hip, Hakkai promised, "I shall make it a point to be more cautious. After all, far be it from me to deny a worthy man of his most unworthy 'sweetheart'."

"You, sir, are *way* too humble," Gojyo semi-mocked in response while putting his blue headband in place and giving his hair a disgusted flip of a hand. Turning towards his lover, he commented, "I oughta stay out in the rain later and get this rats nest I call hair at least rinsed out a little. It's gross like this."

While adjusting his own green headband with difficulty due to the bandage on his hand, Hakkai replied with a sigh, "It has been far too many nights for all of us since we stayed where actual bathing facilities were available, Gojyo." He shook his head and lamented, "You aren't the only one in need of a good wash. Even the esteemed Sanzo himself is becoming fragrant, as the saying goes."

Laughing before taking over for the injured man and getting the dark green band of fabric into place easily, Gojyo commented, "You've had it easy, baby! I've been stuck in the backseat with a monkey boy who is starting to smell like his nickname!" Patting Hakkai on the shoulder fondly, he then added with slight regret, "But either way, we'd better head back now. By my best guess, it's pushing eight-thirty."

"True, true," Hakkai agreed with a sigh. He then lead the way back down the roughhewn ladder before approaching the door to the barnyard while calling out knowingly, "Hakuryu? Dear friend, are you awaiting us as I suspect you are?"

"Kyu!" A curious snowy face peered around the edge of the doorway where it had found protection from the rain and then beamed in a draconic fashion while fluttering toward its two housemates inquiring hopefully, "Kyu?"

"Yeah, dragon, we had oodles of fun!" Gojyo assured while sticking his first cigarette in quite awhile between his lips before using his new lighter to ignite it.

Well aware of the highly combustible materials surrounding them, the half-breed intended to be quite careful even as he satisfied the craving for nicotine which had started gnawing at him as he'd lain awake in the hayloft, cradling Hakkai against himself warmly. Never once did Gojyo worry about the health risks he might be inviting into not only his own life but all those exposed to the tar-laden smoke which curled up and away from the glowing cigarette as he enjoyed the toxic gases swirling in his lungs. After all, none of them really expected to live terribly long considering the potentially mortal danger that the roles assigned to them by the Sanbutusin put them in on a routine basis.

As Hakuryu alighted upon his shoulder, Hakkai reached up and scratched its little belly fondly as he said gratefully, "Thank you again for finding that lovely hayloft for us, Hakuryu. The only way it could've been more wonderful would be if it had had hot running water." Casting a glance at his partner and knowing he probably needed to wash more than his hair at the moment--a naughty thought that brought a secretive smile to his lips to be sure--he left the reason why unspoken.

The little dragon made a surprised and slightly guilty grunt, then lifted off of Hakkai's shoulder and immediately beckoned the two youkai to follow it by calling eagerly, "Kyu!"

"Oh? Come and see what, Hakuryu?" Hakkai inquired, easily interpreting the single syllable invitation and following without hesitation.

Gojyo sauntered along after the others, hanging back a bit to surreptitiously enjoy the sight of his two housemates together in a rare moment of peace. There was also something to be said for the way he was savoring the soreness he felt which reminded him with every step of the impressive gift his cherished partner had given him that morning.

Feeling remiss for almost neglecting to point out the second greatest discovery it had made earlier, something that came in a close second to the hayloft, Hakuryu made a beeline for the back of the barn and the very nice bathing spot it had found.

Certainly not large enough for more than one adult at a time, a well built though somewhat rustic tub was positioned above a small firebox. When it was filled with water from a nearby pump and then heated from below, it would offer an exemplary opportunity to cleanse not only the body but also the mind if one was allowed to relax and soak uninterrupted for awhile. Surrounding the tub, some heavy cloths had been hung that would guarantee privacy if it was desired. All in all, the scene before them was a veritable blessing from the heavens themselves to the two youkai who were gazing at it.

"Oh, Hakuryu! It's marvelous!" Hakkai enthused glancing from the tub to a nearby stack of toiletries the missing family had left behind. Shampoo, soap, and even a tiny armada of colorful plastic sailboats awaited anyone who wished to bathe there as did a few towels and washcloths the family hadn't gotten a chance to use before they disappeared.

Arriving at his own pace and then looking over the amazing discovery, Gojyo whistled brightly and congratulated, "Hot damn, dragon!" Walking up to the tub and leaning over it to see if any maintenance would be needed before it could be pressed into service, he exclaimed, "Oh man, this is just what the doctor ordered!" After confirming that it was only a bit dusty, he straightened and winced visibly.

"Ah, yes indeed it is, and you, Gojyo, ought to be the first to use it," Hakkai remarked non-cryptically.

"Kyu," the dragon agreed with a firm nod of its head not the least bit surprised by the apparent role reversal its friends had chosen for their morning's passionate interlude.

Chuckling nervously and shrugging as he puffed on his hi-lite, Gojyo affably agreed, "Not a bad idea, Hakkai. Looking over the brunette's shoulder and spotting a basket hanging from a wall that he then snatched with one hand, he added, "Some eggs for breakfast might be a good idea, too. We've got leftover roasted chicken in there to go with them, so what do you think? Should we gather some before heading back?"

"An excellent suggestion," Hakkai agreed even as the dragon nodded enthusiastically then flitted over to some of the nests of chickens who had gone off in search of worms and nosed the eggs there searching for the freshest ones.

The three of them would then spend a little while collecting quite a few eggs since Goku tended to be ravenous in the mornings and then return to their traveling companions hoping against hope that Sanzo would be reasonable about staying put until the rain ended. If, however, the gun carrying priest was unreasonable and insisted that they continue on their way, their pleasant morning was apt to turn miserable in a hurry.

*****

Eventually, Gojyo carried a double armload of firewood behind Hakkai whose only burden was a heavy basket filled with exceptionally fresh eggs while Hakuryu led the way when they dashed back inside the front door. The trio's light laughter wasn't loud enough to block the familiar sounds that greeted them, though.

The resounding smack of a paper fan against a thick head of earth-toned hair and a growled, "Bakasaru!" told them that a certain blond had awakened in a foul mood like usual.

"But, Sanzo," Goku whined miserably as he rubbed the newly sore spot on the top of his head, "I was fast asleep! How was I supposed to know that the fire had gone out?"

Rushing into the room and not bothering to knock the raindrops from his monocle to clear his vision, Hakkai held the eggs aloft meaningfully and gestured towards the wood Gojyo was carrying as he hurried to explain, "Wait a moment, if you will, Sanzo! We were gathering things for the fire and breakfast. *I* chose to let Goku sleep in, it's not his fault!"

Gojyo wisely stayed out of the discussion and went straight to the hearth where he set to work laying a new fire, carefully interweaving dry tinder with the slightly damp wood so that when Hakuryu applied its tiny flame to it, the entire thing would catch quickly and efficiently. [1]

"Well, *that* just fucking figures!" Sanzo snarled, then cast an enraged amethyst glare at all three youkai and added, "Just get some hot coffee or something ready soon. I'm damned sick and tired of being cold!"

Before Hakkai could apologize for the fact that he'd been unable to find any coffee in the kitchen the night before, Goku took note of the white wrappings around the healer's hand and hopped to his feet urgently. Rushing over to his former tutor and reaching for his wrist, he asked worriedly, "What happened to your hand, Hakkai?!"

With a nervous laugh and a shrug, Hakkai tried to minimize the significance of the wound, saying, "It was only a splinter, Goku. Don't worry about--OW!" His atypically loud, reflexive exclamation of pain emphasized the fact that not only was he not being completely honest like usual, but also that Goku had unerringly located the injury with a gently probing fingertip.

Flashing an angry pout at the elder youkai, Goku complained, "It is *not* just a scratch, Hakkai!" Hating secrets with a passion, he insisted, "What *really* happened to you?"

"Mr. I'm-a-Lumberjack-and-I'm-Okay over there stabbed himself while cutting logs, saru," Gojyo helpfully provided with concern of his own as he motioned towards Hakkai with his head. As the small flames Hakuryu was puffing onto the tinder sprang to life and danced throughout the fireplace bringing the room welcome warmth, he added, "As soon as the dragon and me are done getting the fire going, we're headed back out for more wood and the first aid kit. Can you get a pot of hot water going to help clean out his cut?"

"Sure thing, Gojyo!" Goku agreed, glad to be able to repay the healer at least a fraction of the debt owed him for repairing his recently broken leg. Before releasing the captive wrist, he said quite seriously, "I'm real sorry you got hurt doing that, Hakkai, but that's supposed to be my job, so don't do it again, okay?"

Smiling fondly at the terribly earnest youth, Hakkai offered, "I shall keep that in mind next time, Goku. However, I had another reason for wishing to get it taken care of early." Casting a glance at his partner who was rising and dusting off his hands, he mentioned, "Today is, after all, Gojyo's twenty-third birthday. I wished to have the room warm before he awoke, but he unexpectedly joined me outside while I was getting the wood ready."

Predictably, Sanzo made a quiet, utterly disgusted noise as he rolled his eyes skywards and turned his back on the others in the room in an effort to demonstrate his indifference regarding the situation.

At the same moment, a brilliant smile blossomed on Goku's face while he exclaimed happily, "Is it the ninth already?! Cool! We get to have a party! But wait a second," his face fell as he added disappointedly, "I never got a chance to get you a present, Gojyo! I don't have anything to give you for it."

Crossing the room with his easy, relaxed gait which didn't bring him more discomfort than what was enjoyable, Gojyo smirked reassuringly before mussing Goku's hair and saying, "Don't worry over it, saru. I've got pretty much everything I need already." Moving closer to where his lover stood worrying a little about the irritable blond whose bad attitude had distracted him from the need to start breakfast, he added, "I know one thing you can help me with, though. As soon as we get Hakkai's wound cared for then grab some breakfast, why don't you and me go pick out a nice little piggie to butcher and cook for dinner? That sounded good when you mentioned it yesterday."

"What the *fuck* makes you assholes think we're staying here long enough to roast a goddamned pig?!" Sanzo exploded angrily as he spun back around and glared at them in outrage. The priest hadn't slept well the night before due to being chilly as well as being haunted by strange dreams, hence, he'd failed to realize how inclement the weather truly was or the fact that the three recent arrivals all had raindrops clinging to them.

Wishing to keep the peace, Hakkai hurried to explain, "Anou, Sanzo? It *is* raining quite hard now and by the look of the clouds, it will most likely do so all day." Feeling the heat of the infuriated scowl that this observation earned him, he rushed to add as he gestured at the room around them with his injured hand, "This is such a pleasant place to rest for a day or so, don't you think? We've been on the road without a proper place to stay since before we encountered Chin Iisou. It would be nice simply to relax for a change."

"Yeah, Sanzo," Goku interjected, "let's stay here, okay? Riding around in Hakuryu in the rain really sucks!"

"We're behind schedule already," Sanzo snarled less heatedly yet no less uncaringly.

"C'mon, Sanzo-sama," Gojyo urged, "lighten up! Let's just hang out here for the day. Besides, there's something in the barn you're absolutely gonna love." The knowing wink that he added to his hint about the bathing facilities they had found was badly misinterpreted.

Mistaking Gojyo's innocent comment for something far less acceptable, Sanzo narrowed his eyes and snarled warningly, "That damned well better not be some lame joke about me being into bestiality, asswipe!"

Astounded by the misinterpretation of his words and realizing that Sanzo's hand was gravitating towards the sleeve-pocket where the infamous Smith & Wesson resided, Gojyo rushed to explain as he held both hands out in a gesture of apology, "Hell no! We found a bathing tub with a firebox under it and everything out there!" Noting an absolute absence of evidence that Sanzo's ire had been diminished, he took a nervous step backwards and winced visibly as his lower body reminded him of recent momentous events.

Angered that Sanzo's characteristically intolerant attitude towards his cherished partner had caused Gojyo pain, Hakkai interjected pointedly, "Each of us needs a chance to wash the dirt and the weariness of the journey from ourselves at one point or another, Sanzo." Spearing the priest with an infuriated emerald glare which then softened into his usual façade of false pleasantness, he added, "A day spent enjoying good food, hot baths, and some peace and quiet ought to be most beneficial to us all, don't you agree?"

Even though it went unnoticed by the others in the room, Hakkai's unexpectedly strong response threw Sanzo off balance enough that he was momentarily rendered speechless.

Since he didn't understand his guardian's sudden fury thanks to a lack of exposure to the level of sexual perversion suggested earlier, Goku didn't follow all of the heated discussion that had flown past him. However, he was well aware of the fact that he, too, wanted the highly desirable opportunities that Hakkai had listed. Peering at Sanzo with positively huge, begging amber-gold eyes, he pleaded, "Please, Sanzo? I wanna eat some roast pork and wash the dirt out of my hair that got in it when Chin Iisou tricked me into falling off that mountain and everything." Scrubbing a hand at the golden diadem around his forehead as if to prove how badly he wanted to shampoo his hair, he entreated in a near whine, "Please?!"

Hakuryu had moved from the fireplace to Hakkai's shoulder like usual and it added its own request with a hopeful, "Kyu?"

Sanzo narrowed his eyes in annoyance and gave the dragon a hard look, then snorted softly and turned away while snapping, "You're turning into a slacker, too, huh? Fine then, suit your lazyass selves!" Pulling out his Marlboros and a lighter which wasn't half as nice as Gojyo's new one, he stormed towards the front door proclaiming, "Do whatever you damned well want, just make sure breakfast doesn't take too much longer. I'm hungry."

Bowing slightly even though the amethyst-eyed man wasn't looking his way, Hakkai answered with partially feigned gratitude, "Certainly, Sanzo." He briefly considered warning him that it was raw and cold outside, but he decided that letting the irritable man find that out for himself offered a certain amount of poetic justice and remained silent. Instead, he turned his attention towards his lover and inquired, "Now that the fire's going, did you mind getting the first aid kit for me, Gojyo? I believe some painkillers might be in order." Despite the fact that he held out his injured hand as if he intended them for himself, he really meant that he'd seen Gojyo's silent expression of discomfort and he fully intended to ease it at least somewhat.

"Sure thing, Hakkai," Gojyo replied before saying to Goku, "Can ya go get some water to heat, saru?"

"Okay, kappa!" Goku agreed pleasantly and went into the kitchen in search of what he needed for the task.

This allowed the two adult youkai a moment of privacy during which Hakkai quietly asked, "Is everything alright, Gojyo?" Wishing to conceal his own earlier anger, he redirected the matter by adding, "I almost feared you and Sanzo might come to blows for a moment."

"Ah, he just ticks me off with his high-and-mighty attitude, baby," Gojyo commented with a shrug. Then he leaned closer and whispered into the brunette's unadorned ear, "but somehow i can't really bring myself to care at the moment. i just feel too damned good to let him get to me!"

Verdant eyes slipped sideways and Hakkai smirked at his partner while asking equally softly, "truly? is that because it's your birthday, gojyo?" His tone gained a surprising hint of huskiness to it as he amended, "or is it that this morning you got, pardon my language, royally fucked?"

Chortling and wondering if the feeling of warmth on his face meant he was blushing or not, Gojyo whispered back simply, "both!" He might have gone so far as to try to slip a quick kiss to the earlobe dangling enticingly close to his lips, but Goku's return prevented that.

Ignoring the way the others were standing too close together, Goku focused on bringing in a large kettle which he then suspended on a hook above the flames as he explained, "This ought to be enough hot water for cleaning out your wound *and* making some tea, okay, Hakkai?"

"That will be wonderful, Goku, well done," Hakkai complimented the boy even as Hakuryu lifted into the air once more, intending on getting its quick transformation taken care of so things could progress.

"Kyu!" The dragon suggested as it hovered near the front door.

Within moments, Goku and Gojyo followed the snowy creature into the rain and while they attended to their share of the chores, Hakkai was at work in the kitchen combining leftover chicken and the eggs to create an omelet of sorts. When his friends would return with first aid kit in hand, he would find himself dismissed from cooking duties for awhile so that the two worried youkai could take proper care of the wound he himself considered fairly negligible.

*****

Meanwhile, Sanzo was investigating the barn and confirming for himself that there was indeed a promising opportunity to relax as well as to eliminate some of the admittedly unpleasant aromas they'd all begun sharing in the close quarters of the dragon's jeep mode. Even though he would never admit it to anyone, he dearly loved a long, leisurely soak and the hotter the water, the better. Frowning and nodding as he turned away from the tub, he decided that staying at the farm an additional twenty-four hours wasn't such a bad idea after all.

As he wandered about in the barn, gazing unconcernedly at the animals, most of which ignored him in turn, Sanzo slowly smoked a cigarette and wondered about the dream which had disturbed his rest the night before. [2]

"Who the hell was that guy anyway?" Sanzo asked himself as he pushed damp, sunshine-colored hair out of his eyes and thereby exposed his blood red chakra to the dim light which filled the barn. Frowning thoughtfully yet with growing annoyance, he added, "If I'd ever screwed a one-eyed guy before, I dare say I'd remember it. Especially one with all those scars and such a damned femme look to him."

Finding no answers to his musings, he drew a deep lungful of smoke in and held it while gazing upwards at the metal roof and noting the way it made annoying pinging sounds as the raindrops struck it. Iced amethyst eyes tracked across to the ladder to the hayloft and then moved on disinterested in anything that required climbing since his saffron-hued robes made such activities difficult at best. Besides, there couldn't possibly be a good reason to investigate it anyway, right?

Eventually, Sanzo would give up on trying to decipher the meaning of the erotic images he'd been subjected to in the night which had left him contemplating a stop at a temple before too awfully much longer for reasons other than what his traveling companions might suspect. He assumed a priori that the unsubtle couple who accompanied him would take the opportunity to slip away from himself and Goku for an intimate rendezvous, and that knowledge only added to his need for sexual relief in a fashion other than what his own hand could offer.

At some point after this, Sanzo would rejoin the others, and a long day of soaking rain would guarantee that his patience would be tried over and over, but that was situation normal and to ask for more wasn't in his nature. Through some minor miracle, he wasn't even as negatively affected by the stormy weather as he usually was and for that, those around him were most grateful.

*****

By the time nightfall shifted the world around them into a darkness more profound than what the heavy clouds had given all day long, the Sanzo-ikkou found itself gathered together in a room made warm by the daylong fire on its hearth and fragranced by the scent of roasting pork.

"Isn't it done yet, Hakkai?" Goku asked, peering hungrily at the yearling pig slowly cooking to perfection on the hearth's rotisserie even as assorted root vegetables baked in the coals beneath it. He'd just returned from a long, enjoyable bath and was drying himself by the fire briefly before returning to the welcome distraction he'd discovered left behind by one of the absent children. [3]

Glancing up from his spot in front of a low, wooden table with a large grid carefully carved into it to aid in the placement of black and white markers for an ancient game which he was teaching Gojyo how to play, Hakkai replied, "It shouldn't be much longer, Goku." Offering a reassuring smile to the boy who was in part responsible for the now thick bandage around his right hand, he added a compliment, saying, "You and Gojyo selected a marvelous animal for us for tonight. There ought to be plenty leftover to take with us when we leave tomorrow, too. If the rain has stopped for good, that is."

"The rain had damned well *better* have stopped by then," Sanzo groused where he sat on the couch reading a fairly random book he'd discovered on a shelf in the bedroom he'd slept in the night before. Scowling at no one in particular, he added by way of explanation, "We're out of beer."

"Yeah, and that sucks," Gojyo agreed, then pointed out, "but we did find some homemade wine in that root cellar Hakuryu found in the barn. It's not the best brew, but it'll be good enough for tonight." He shifted slightly on the thick cushion beneath his sore bottom and smirked at Hakkai before placing a black stone between his fingers and trying to confidently snap it onto the board like his lover could and failed.

The ancient game of Go was one the former teacher had been taught at the orphanage where he grew up and Hakkai had been delighted when Goku's rummaging in the farmhouse unearthed the vintage set they were now using.

Sanzo muttered something unkind in response and tried to ignore the perverse pleasure the half-breed was taking in his wordless display that the blond assumed was intended to proclaim the answer to the mystery regarding which of the couple was the sexually aggressive one. He'd been more than a little surprised by this revelation initially, yet when Sanzo reflected on Hakkai's occasionally ruthless tactics on the battlefield, he began to convince himself this made sense after all.

How Sanzo would react the next day when that selfsame cushion ended up on the driver's seat of the jeep underneath the brunette when they departed would be interesting, to put it mildly.

As Gojyo's mishandled stone flew free and bounced across the floor, Hakuryu laughed a draconic snicker at him and dived after the runaway Go piece, then plucked it up in its tiny mouth before depositing it onto the board in the single best possible place. After cocking its head from side to side to make sure it had placed the marker properly, it then turned to Gojyo and recommended that he, too, see the move it had chosen with a hopeful, "Kyu?"

"What's that, dragon?" Gojyo asked, totally confused since the game was as foreign to him as poker once was to Sanzo. Looking at the board and noting that four black stones now surrounded a white one, he shook his head and laughed, "Ah ha!! Look, Hakkai! It captured one of your rocks!"

Chuckling softly since he'd wondered how much longer it would be before Gojyo noticed he'd set himself up to be captured that way, Hakkai nodded and corrected mildly, "That is a Go 'stone' not a 'rock', Gojyo, but yes, it did indeed. You get to pick that one up and keep it now."

"Cool!" Gojyo enthused and placed the captured piece aside before looking at the umber-haired boy who had already announced that the game was too complicated for him to bother with and asked, "What was that you were reading earlier, Chim Chim?"

Ignoring the new, anime-related nickname in favor of showing Hakkai that he hadn't forgotten the lessons shared between them during three years of private tutoring, Goku grinned happily and retrieved a battered copy of manga from an end table and flopped down next to the brunette before saying, "Look, sensei! One of the kids who used to live here must've left this behind. I got through almost half of the whole thing on my own today!"

"Oh, really?" Hakkai smiled warmly and reached for the book. After glancing at the two handsome yet mischievous looking teenaged boys on its cover, he asked, "What is the story about, Goku?"

Pointing at the page which Hakkai had turned to by chance, Goku enthusiastically replied, "This is Ban and that's Ginji! [4] They go around getting stuff back for people who've lost it in between trying to get their own car--which is their home, too--back from the cops who keep towing it away, but what's really cool is that they have powers and stuff! Ban can give people minute-long nightmares that they think are real or crush them with his 'Snakebite' grip and Ginji can make electricity come out of his hands!" He took a quick breath and then pointed at other characters explaining excitedly, "And this is Hevn--she's kind of slutty but I think she's nice underneath--and that's Paul, and these are the villains who have cool powers, too, and exciting stuff happens all the times to them all!" A quick inhalation of breath was about to precede another lengthy bit of avid debriefing, however, the rustle of a paper fan, much like that of a rattlesnake's tail, forebode harm and he shut his mouth without further explanation.

Chuckling softly, Hakkai returned the manga to his young friend and said, "I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of the way you've learned to read, Goku. That's simply wonderful." Ignoring Sanzo who was acting as if he was unaware of them entirely once more, he added sadly, "It is such a shame you can't bring books with you in Hakuryu's storage compartments, but there's barely enough room for our clothes and other necessities as it is. At least our day of rest here in this farmhouse afforded you a chance to read a little, didn't it?"

"Yes, *and* get clean!" Goku ran a hand through shaggy hair which was almost dry now before he asked, "Gojyo? Are you sure this is all you wanted to do for your birthday? Isn't it boring?"

"What's boring about it, saru?" Gojyo replied with a question of his own. With a tiny laugh, he then admitted, "Granted, my life has sure changed from what it was a year ago if I now find a perfectly great way to celebrate my birthday is to grab a hot soak and then sit around playing a board game while waiting on dinner."

"Oh? What did you do to celebrate turning twenty-two, then?" Goku inquired, suddenly curious since Hakkai had made a soft, somewhat embarrassed, choking noise and suddenly rose to check on the roasting meat.

While his roommate hid the blush that crossed his cheeks in remembrance of the first time they'd truly made love one year prior, Gojyo chuckled lightly and said, "Well, Hakuryu and me had to go on a search and rescue mission, didn't we, bright eyes?"

"Kyu!" The dragon agreed while nodding its head on the long snake-like neck which Gojyo had reached out to stroke fondly.

"You did?" Goku asked, intrigued and hoping for a story to take his mind off the fact that his stomach had just gurgled noisily, eager for some of the meat whose aromatic juices were flowing down enticingly onto the glowing logs beneath it.

"Yup, we sure did," Gojyo acknowledged, then launched into a substantially embellished account of the efforts he and Hakuryu had gone to for the sake of retrieving their missing housemate when Hakkai had overused his powers to heal an injured panda cub. The teen hung on his every word, fascinated by the mostly false tale of rollicking high adventure Gojyo was spinning out of whole cloth for him.

Time passed pleasantly for all those present in the cozy farmhouse and eventually a simple yet soul-warming meal of roast pork and vegetables would be spread before them. Following their dinner would be a modest party of sorts for the half-breed which would include some amusing games of charades between Gojyo and Goku as well as the requisite grumbling and grouchiness of Sanzo, all overseen by Hakkai whose smile was a little less false that night.

Secretly, plans had already been put in place for a predawn return to the hayloft for the lovers and that knowledge had afforded the healer a great deal of contented anticipation. Hakkai had also availed himself of the opportunity to rest and relax during the long, rainy afternoon, something that helped him regain some of his usual aplomb. Of course, the way Goku and Gojyo both fussed over his injury on and off all day had helped as well.

The birthday celebrant himself had an equally enjoyable day but was also looking forward to the upcoming tryst. Whereas Gojyo had thoroughly enjoyed his first experience in the role of uke, he very much wanted to grant his soulmate's desire to be filled by his love in a physical fashion in addition to an emotional one.

There were no doubts in the half-breed's mind that it would be quite some time before they'd get another opportunity to be together intimately. However, if he'd known about the horrifying twists fate had in store for them, he might've taken more time to reassure Hakkai about what he felt in his heart as much as he did his loins.

As always, though, none of the group of unique individuals who were traveling west together had the vaguest inkling of what Kanzeon bosatsu had in mind to further temper and test her living weapons and this was indeed a blessing. The simple fact that she had led them to a wonderfully restorative resting spot for a change and had then sent the blanket of rain which kept them there long enough to recover from their most recent trials was also unknown to them.

The celestial didn't often earn her sobriquet as the Goddess of Mercy, but just this once, she lived up to it and all five members of the Sanzo-ikkou benefited from her efforts to offer her own best wishes to Gojyo.

~OWARI~

Author's Chapter Notes:

[1] Hakuryu's ability to breathe out tiny flames is an underutilized characteristic which I hoped to highlight even if only briefly by having it ignite the fire on the hearth.

[2] The unnamed person in Sanzo's dream is here for the sole amusement of the birthday girl for whom this story was created. No one needs to be dismayed by the man who is neither an original character of my own nor a creation of Minekura-sensei since he will not be a reoccurring character.

[3] As mentioned in the narrative, the game which Gojyo and Hakkai are playing here is Go, a marvelous strategy game that has been popular in Asia for centuries and has gained recent renewed interest among Japanese children thanks to the wonderful manga/anime series "Hikaru no Go". The original manga, created by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata, focuses on several young Go players as well as the single most captivating ghost of recent vintage, the glorious Fujiwarano Sai.

[4] The manga that Goku is so excited about is "GetBackers", created by the talented team of Yuuya Aoki and Rando Ayamine and published by Shonen Magazine Comics. Depending on the page turned to, however, Hakkai might've been a bit shocked by the amount of in-your-face fan service in the form of panty and boob shots which were thankfully left out of the much more enjoyable anime based on the manga.

Author's End Notes:

[A] As indicated in the indicia, this lengthy lemon with plenty of angst to enhance the romance is a birthday gift for Ryoko, my dearest kitten-koi! She turned 25 on February eleventh and even though this is a bit belated, I hope she enjoyed it all the same. Best wishes, darling, and happy birthday all over again!

[B] Plans for possible sequels to address some of the foreshadowing in this story as well as the entire "Encounters Arc" remain to be seen due to disheartening issues that I prefer not to go into at this point. If anyone wishes to offer supportive or uplifting comments in the hopes of encouraging my muses and me to give those additional stories more thought, they would be more than appreciated in whichever format is most convenient for anyone kind enough to send them.

[C] The muses who helped create this piece are the Queen of Angst herself, Melpomene, and Erato who is both romance and lemon muse in one. Calliope takes credit for the arc being four books long now. Sadly, Thalia, my currently despondent humor muse, hasn't been heard from in months and hence I apologize for the infrequency of amusing lines in this piece.

[D] There are over 100 very nice people who receive roughly bimonthly updates from me as to what is new at fanfiction.net, mediaminer.org, GW Addiction, and other authorized archives for Llama-fics. If you wish to join, please feel free to sign up at EnigmaFanficUpdates-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

[E] For far more timely updates and ramblings, I have started keeping an online journal that will hopefully include daily updates on what I'm writing or thinking of writing as well as what anime is distracting my muses plus whatever else is going on at the Casa de Llama. It's available at: http://www.livejournal.com/users/e_sama/ .

[F] For those of you who read all those chapter notes as well as the end notes, you deserve something special! Gojyo doesn't have a sweet birthday dessert to share the way that Hakkai did, but he'd be happy to offer you whatever sounded good from dinner and a glass of wine to go with it as a way to say thanks for sticking around through the proverbial closing credits.