Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Happy Birthday, Baby ❯ A Party and Thoughts of November ( Chapter 6 )

Title: Happy Birthday, Baby [part 6/6]

Book 2 of the "Encounters Arc"

Author: Enigma

Series: Saiyuki

Written: September - October, 2002

Rating: NC-17

Main Pairing: (Gojyo x Hakkai)

Category: Yaoi, Romance, Angst, Lemons, Sap. AU-OOC.

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

Warnings: yaoi, very sweet romance, midlevel angst, multiple graphic and highly detailed lemons as well as numerous mini-citrus explosions (including manual, oral, *and* anal sex scenes), a major role for a little white dragon, coarse language as per the anime, transient animal injuries, sap, and tiny hints of humor. AU-OOC.

Spoilers: This story is set between episodes 7 & 8 of the anime and contains minor spoilers for several incidents that occurred prior to the group's first encounter with Chin Iisou as well as the Gaiden era plus events I assume took place before the beginning of the journey west. There are also a few spoilers for "Fateful Encounters" after chapter 21, but they are negligible.

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: After living together for over three years, Gojyo wants to finally give Hakkai the ultimate pleasure on his birthday, but while searching for him to do so, he recalls vividly another tasty first from his own birthday that changed their lives forever.

{{flashback delineators}}

*****

An hour at a dim sum stand and several bottles of Tsingtao beer later, Sanzo felt more like himself again and decided he'd better go make sure the idiots that he traveled with hadn't gotten too out of hand in his absence. Of course he'd never admit to being somewhat worried about Goku or even slightly concerned about the dragon which had been injured earlier, it just wasn't in his nature to be that open with himself.

The priest quickly made his way through the cool night air to the inn and was walking towards the door to the bedroom that he shared with his entourage when he heard a familiar alto call out, "Yatta!! I've got a full house! I'm sure *I* win this time!"

"The hell you say!" Another familiar though much deeper voice responded teasingly, "*I've* got four-of-a-kind! You lose again, ba~ka!"

Before the first voice could complain, a gentle tenor interjected, "Ah, excuse me, Gojyo, but it would appear that I have a straight flush."

There was the sound of childish laughter, the slap of cards onto a table as the low voice chortled and muttered something about how he should've known better followed by a rustling noise that Sanzo correctly assumed meant Hakkai was gathering his winnings from the table.

Running a hand over his eyes and considering turning around and leaving once more since he now knew they were fine--not that he was worried, of course, it was just an observation--Sanzo was startled by a sudden triumphant, "Kyu!!" Gales of laughter rang from the room and without further hesitation, he succumbed to his curiosity and opened the door.

The sight that he beheld upon gazing at his four traveling companions made Sanzo feel an odd sense of homecoming since evenings spent together before the journey west had begun often included such antics.

On the floor, laughing so hard that there were tears in his golden-amber eyes, Goku was temporarily unaware of his guardian's presence as he pointed at a furious redhead and laughed even harder.

Chasing a fleeing white creature the size of a well fed housecat that held a royal flush in its talons as it flew around the room, Gojyo was comically blustering something about Hakuryu having cheated even as he, too, chuckled.

The only one still in his chair, one with a thick cushion on it no less, Hakkai had a stunned expression on his face as he shook his head and observed to himself, "Oh my. Beaten at poker by a dragon. What an astounding night." Noticing the new arrival, he offered his usual neutral smile and greeted tentatively, "Ah, welcome back, Sanzo. Did you enjoy your day of fasting and meditation?"

Blinking to bring himself back to reality, Sanzo replied with a deliberately disinterested shrug as he stepped into the room, "No, but I didn't expect to."

"Hello, Sanzo!" Goku enthused and hopped up from the floor to greet his guardian with a big smile and even though he knew better than to ever hug the standoffish man, he knew he could at least take a step closer before asking worriedly, "Did you get anything to eat yet, Sanzo? We had the *best* brunch and dinner wasn't too bad, but that was awhile ago and we've got some stuff coming later but if you're hungry now--" His runaway words were interrupted by the predictable impact of a paper fan against his head.

"Shut up, bakasaru! You're too noisy!" Sanzo growled menacingly and then answered the boy's questions with typical rudeness by snorting and remarking, "Of *course* I ate before coming back here, ape. Putting up with you three idiots is easier if I have a few beers."

Rubbing his head and trying to not look openly relieved, Goku grumbled, "I just wondered, Sanzo." Doing a little mental math as he and Gojyo both took their seats again, he then frowned and asked, "But there was four of us here, Sanzo. Which one of us isn't an idiot?" The umber-haired boy rightly assumed that the one left out of that insulting classification was neither himself nor Gojyo, but the very idea that either Hakkai or Hakuryu was now being labeled in that way bothered him, yet he would never dare to say so aloud.

Shrugging before making his way over to the conspicuously empty chair at the gaming table and sinking into it negligently, Sanzo pulled out a cigarette and refused to respond preferring instead to lean towards Gojyo wordlessly demanding a light when the half-breed also pulled out his smokes.

With Hakuryu once more comfortably resting on his shoulder, Hakkai glanced at Sanzo and found an unusual difference in the man's occasionally cold violet eyes that he couldn't quite comprehend. There was a strange emotion lurking below their iced-amethyst surfaces for only a moment and then it was gone as Gojyo asked, "So, Hakkai, what's next? Now that our 'mad monk' is back, want to play mahjong or what?"

The green-eyed man paused thoughtfully and was about to answer when a knock at the door derailed his train of thought.

"I'll get it!" Goku offered brightly, bouncing out of his chair and rushing over to see if it was the special refreshments he and Gojyo had arranged for earlier or not.

Ignoring the brief conversation at the door since he was baffled by the fact that Gojyo had asked Hakkai about the evening's activities instead of himself like always, Sanzo flicked his cigarette against the rim of an ashtray and asked with annoyance, "Why does Hakkai get to choose? That's usually my purview."

Feeling somewhat dismayed since he'd wrongly assumed the blond would know what day it was, the brunette raised a hand and was about to interject that it wasn't necessary that he be given any additional privileges but was forestalled when a delighted voice sang out, "Happy birthday, Hakkai!"

Every eye in the room turned towards Goku who was holding a platter laden with an astounding concoction made with rice, nuts, and candied fruit with, of all things, a candle flickering brightly stuck in the middle of it. [1] The boy who had handed him the tray had already beat a hasty retreat since he had a lot of work to do in the inn's dining area downstairs.

Behind the youth stood the innkeeper, a woman in her early thirties who had indeed been able to arrange for the hot bath Hakkai had longed for earlier and she, too, smiled as she held a tray with numerous bottles and cans of assorted beverages plus serving utensils and plates.

Delighted, Gojyo rose to his feet and moved to take the tray from the woman with a flirtatious wink that promised something he had no intention of delivering. The lady laughed appreciatively before looking past him and saying to Hakkai, "I hope that you have enjoyed your birthday, sir."

Rising and bowing with far less discomfort than he'd been experiencing earlier in the evening thanks to the pillow his lover had placed on his hard wooden chair, Hakkai replied, "Thank you so much for your kind wishes, madam." He bowed even more deeply then gazed at her with an uncharacteristic openness and added sincerely, "Thank you as well for the use of your private bathhouse. It had been a terribly long time since I had enjoyed such a pleasantly relaxing opportunity to bathe."

Remaining perched on his shoulder, Hakuryu mimicked the bow by lowering its head since it, too, had found the hot water comforting to its rapidly restored wing.

"Certainly," the innkeeper smiled and then excused herself so they could celebrate privately. "If there's anything else you require this evening, please don't hesitate to let me know." After returning Hakkai's polite bow, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

While Goku and Gojyo set the makings of a delicious beginning to their party onto the table, Sanzo tried not to express the fact that he unexpectedly felt ever so slightly remiss for having forgotten the healer's birthday when he harrumphed, "Oh. So that's why."

Carefully resuming his seat and settling cautiously onto the soft cushion once more, Hakkai waved a hand up and down in a hopefully soothing gesture and urged, "It is unimportant, Sanzo, truly." Offering a genuine smile to the other two youkai, he admitted almost shyly, "However, since it pleases Goku and Gojyo to have a small celebration, would you mind joining us?"

Since Gojyo who had remained standing and was playing the role of bartender had already popped the top of a can of Asahi and handed it to him, Sanzo was ill-advised to refuse and with an indifferent shrug he muttered, "Suit yourselves."

As he took a grateful swallow, Sanzo noticed that Goku was giving him a disappointed gaze which he ignored by turning his head away and glancing outside at the gibbous moon. He was vaguely aware of the fact that there was a distinct halo around the glowing orb foreshadowing precipitation, but since it wasn't raining just then he didn't give it any thought.

Meanwhile, with a secretive smile, Gojyo had opened a bottle of wine he'd kept hidden near his chair and poured some into a glass that he then carried to Hakkai. As he handed it to him, the tips of their fingers brushed one another and he said in warm tones reminiscent of their quiet homelife together before Sanzo and Goku had forced Gonou to flee into the night, "Happy birthday, baby."

With a wink since the brunette's cheeks pinked slightly in response to the endearment the others only rarely heard and which he hoped they assumed wasn't any more indicative than most of his other nicknames were, Gojyo added eagerly, "Try this, Hakkai. Tell me what you think."

Curious since he hadn't seen the bottle's label, Hakkai replied, "Of course, Gojyo." He sipped delicately from the glass for only a moment and then, to the others' shock, a sweet smile blossomed openly on his face and with an expression of unconcealed delight, he exclaimed in soft wonderment, "Japanese plum wine! Just like what Tonpu brought over the first night we had dinner with him so long ago!"

Beaming as he poured a glass for himself then sat down finally, Gojyo nodded and grinned, "Sure enough! At first, I had a hell of a hard time finding it in this damned overcrowded village, but with the monkey along to help me search, we found some, didn't we, Goku?"

Thrilled that Gojyo had been completely correct about the wine being something that would make his brunette friend happy, Goku smiled brightly and nodded while saying, "Yup! It was fun looking for it, though. We found a great little import grocery store called 'Season Something-or-other' that had a lot of Japanese stuff besides the wine!" Gazing nervously at the dessert that was making his mouth water, he added, "Um, you better make a wish and blow out your candle soon, Hakkai. It's dripping wax all over the almonds."

Blinking slightly and wondering why his monocle was a touch damp since he'd missed a single, happy teardrop that had unwittingly slipped out in response to his friends' dedication, the former teacher acknowledged the foreign custom he himself had taught the boy. After less than a moment's thought, Hakkai took a small breath and then extinguished the tiny flame with a small puff of breath.

"Yay!!" Goku cheered then grabbed a serving utensil and cut into the dessert intending to serve it as he asked excitedly, "So? What did you wish for, Hakkai?"

Noting the far-away expression in cherished verdant eyes, Gojyo peered at his lover and asked with only a bit of teasing since he, too, wanted to know what Hakkai would wish for, "Yeah, sensei? What'd you wish for?"

Shaking his head and smiling at the men gathered around the table, Hakkai answered, "Ah, I can't tell you that, Gojyo." Lifting one finger as he always did when in instructor mode, he asked, "Remember the tradition, Goku? Speaking of one's wish will mean that it won't come true." He noted that Sanzo had allowed himself to return his attention to the group and Hakkai silently reiterated his wish that they would find a way to reach out and help lift the unknown burden from the blond's shoulders.

Handing plates full of the sweetened rice mixture to everyone before placing one in front of himself thereby proving he had excellent table manners when he felt like using them, Goku pouted and admitted, "Well, yeah, I remembered, Hakkai, but I kinda wanted to know all the same." With a tiny, malicious smirk cast at Gojyo, he added playfully, "I *was* hoping you might wish to have that kappa over there lose his voice so he couldn't give me grief on the road when we leave in the morning!"

"Why you…!" Gojyo mock-threatened and swatted the boy playfully before digging into the dessert while asking with genuine concern, "By the way, Hakuryu, are you going to be up to carting our sorry butts out of here first thing in the morning? Is your wing feeling stronger now?"

Glancing up from where it stood on the table gobbling some of the celebratory food from its own small plate, the white dragon assured happily, "Kyu!" Turning its head, it peered at Hakkai inquiringly and asked, "Kyu?"

Reaching down to pet the darling thing fondly, Hakkai answered, "Yes, I'm fine, Hakuryu." Casting the silent priest a meaningful glance, he added, "I do believe that someone is quite tired of this small village and wishes to be underway soon. Right, Sanzo?"

Snorting softly since he hated being drawn into a conversation that he wanted to pretend he wasn't part of, the blond took a deep swallow of beer, crushed the empty can and set it aside, then commented acidly, "Of course. There's nothing here we need to do and staying another night in this damned room with all four of you would be vapid at best."

Guffawing, Gojyo handed Sanzo another beer then grabbed one for himself so that his lover could enjoy the rest of the bottle of plum wine at his own pace, he asked in astonishment, "It would be *what*?!" Snickering helplessly, he arched a blood red eyebrow and teased, "Since when are *you* Mr. Thesaurus?"

Tic in one cheek twitching as the infamous Smith & Wesson appeared all too easily in his hand, Sanzo snarled, "Shut up, asshole." Then, in a more controlled tone as he reengaged the safety on the gun, he changed the subject as he asked the room in general, "Is this all we're doing for this alleged 'party' or is there more? Mahjong sounded like a good idea to me."

Not disturbed in the least by the appearance of the familiar weapon, Hakkai faux-smiled once more and while offering the snowy creature beside him a taste of wine, he agreed, "A game or two of mahjong would be most pleasant." Noticing a conspiratorial glance being shared by the other two youkai, he asked nervously, "Um, that is, perhaps *after* whatever else the two who spent most of the day shopping wanted to do?"

Violet eyes rolled in barely restrained annoyance and Sanzo buried a complaint in another swallow of beer, desperate to distract himself as Goku grinned and promised, "Oh, we only got a few things for you, Hakkai! It won't take long to give you your presents!"

Glad to let his friends celebrate the way they wanted to even as he wished yet again that Sanzo's recent gloom might have lightened more than it had, Hakkai chuckled nervously, then said, "Ah, all right then, Goku." Gazing openly at his lover with a carefully veiled expression only Gojyo could read, he added casually, "But I would have to say that being able to spend a peaceful day in the company of friends was a more than sufficient gift."

"Aw, shucks! Ain't you the nongreedy one?" Gojyo teased to cover the warmth and caring he felt singing in his veins as Hakkai very subtly thanked him for the early morning gift beyond measure. Poking Goku who had paused for another bite of the sweet dessert, he commanded, "Go get the presents, monkey! Let's show your sensei all the cool stuff we picked out for him." He added a wink that the umber-haired youth returned without explanation to the others who were totally lost.

Scrambling off his chair and going to get some bags and a box from the top shelf of the room's only armoire, Goku called back, "Okay, kappa! But I get to give him the stuff from me first!"

"Sure, sure, whatever," Gojyo replied with a jaunty wave of a hand and a brief, pointed gaze at Sanzo whom he was sure had nothing to offer as a gift like usual, an issue that had been a source of conflict between the two of them in the past. The human ignored him completely but the half-breed wisely chose to remain silent for a change since he didn't wish to do anything that might cause the happiness he could see in his lover's eyes to fade.

Whether or not Sanzo was aware of the small courtesy remained undisclosed since it wasn't touched upon by anyone as Hakkai discovered what Gojyo and Goku had gotten for him even as Hakuryu stole a few more sips of wine with a draconic smirk.

There were indeed only a few items truly worthy of note, and soon Hakkai was admiring a new pair of khakis that were more stylish than his usual ones, a novel from his favorite author, and a small leather case for his monocle which was supposedly from Hakuryu. Granted, there was also a large box filled with an assortment of candy, Pocky, shrimp crackers, and other snacks that Goku liked more than he himself did which the youth had been very enthusiastic about giving him. Hakkai graciously expressed his appreciation for it even as he planned to make good use of the food to keep the peace in the backseat during their travels.

When all the packages were set aside, Hakkai smiled at the others around him and said, "Thank you all so much. This has been a marvelous birthday."

"You're welcome, Hakkai!" Goku enthused on everyone's behalf and then set about devouring a second helping of dessert before it could be cleared away so they could play the game he'd suggested earlier in the day.

"Kyu?" Hakuryu inquired with a cute little yawn and a gesture of its head towards the pillows on Hakkai's bed indicating it was sleepy and since it didn't play mahjong the way it did poker, it preferred to rest up for travel in the morning.

"Certainly, Hakuryu," smiling tenderly at his magical friend, Hakkai answered with a fond caress of its now happily stuffed belly before starting to get up intending to carry it over to the bed.

Small head snaking from side to side on its long neck as it rose into the air, the dragon indicated it was more than capable of getting there on its own with a firm, "Kyu!"

"Oi, dragon," Gojyo's voice rumbled lower than it had most of the evening as he warned, "fly carefully. No more broken wings, understand?"

"Kyu," it promised solemnly, then fluttered around the room once saying good-night with a nuzzle to Goku's cheek and a playful nip at Gojyo's hair. Wisely, it gave no such show of affection to Sanzo who wouldn't appreciate it before giving Hakkai a last softer, "kyu" before going off to nestle on the pillows.

As he watched the dragon's pure red eyes slip shut, Hakkai was once again deeply grateful to it for the sacrifice it had made earlier in the day. Even though he never would've asked for such a thing, he knew now that trying to drive after his wonderful tryst with his exceptionally well endowed lover that morning would have been far more painful than he'd ever imagined.

While settling more comfortably into the thick cushion beneath his sore bottom, Hakkai smiled secretively to himself and a tiny hentai voice in the back of his head wondered what effect he might have on Gojyo if their sexual roles were reversed. For reasons he was unsure of, the very idea that someday he might find himself offering a pillow to the taller man for similar discomfort now seemed less impossible than it had previously.

Feeling his face flush, Hakkai quickly sipped his drink and hoped that anyone who'd noticed assumed the color on his usually pale face was there because of the delicious Japanese wine and not because he'd failed to stop his mind before it took a brief gleeful trip to the gutter.

The only one who had noticed didn't react visibly, but as soon as Gojyo caught the faint blush on his lover's face, he hid a helpless smirk behind a freshly lit cigarette and privately wished he'd been granted telepathy like that cocky redhead in one of Goku's favorite anime shows. After all, being able to read the mind of the one you adored above all others just had to be a terribly handy skill.

*****

As they finished eating, the usual comradely conversation floated amongst them and the sense of unity the group shared eventually recreated itself as the evening slowly wended its way past.

The first mahjong game ended too soon for everyone's taste but by the time the second one was done, Sanzo was finally feeling the effects of a long, disconcerting day and too many beers since Gojyo had gone out for more between games. Finally slurring what might've been a "best wishes" to Hakkai yet mostly likely was not, he rose shakily and stumbled across the room to the bed he'd slept on the night before, then practically passed out on it still mostly dressed.

Goku had gotten sleepy halfway through the final game and was only a little better off as he stood up yawning gigantically then gave Hakkai an impetuous hug before going down the hall to the bathroom to brush his teeth before sleeping.

Alone in the room for all intents and purposes, Gojyo moved to take Hakkai's hand in his own and drew it towards his lips for a brief kiss before whispering, "i've got another present to give you someday, lover."

Blushing brightly yet not even considering telling his partner to stop since they could both hear Sanzo's deep snoring, Hakkai rose and replaced his own hand with his lips asking for and receiving a lengthy, tender kiss. When their mouths separated regretfully, he whispered back, "if it is more of what you gave me this morning, gojyo, don't we need more lube?" The sight of the depleted metal tube they'd put to good use earlier rose in his mind's eye and if he wasn't already rosy cheeked he would have been then.

Smirking and noting that he heard Goku's voice in the hallway where he was chatting with the innkeeper for a moment, Gojyo winked promisingly and teasingly acknowledged, "oh, i got some today while we were out, baby." Emerald eyes widened with sudden understandable concern regarding their young friend becoming aware of the true depths of their "secret" relationship and he rushed to assure, "don't worry, 'kai. goku was busy having a snack while i was picking it up."

Pleased that Gojyo had been discrete yet doubtful they'd be able to make use of the additional lubricant soon, Hakkai was about to thank his lover with another kiss but the door opened and ruined the moment.

"Guess what I got!" Goku said with a smile as he came into the room, toothbrush in one hand and a fairly large basket in the other. Taking notice that the other two youkai were awfully close together, he frowned disapprovingly and asked, "What's going on?"

Before Hakkai could even try to come up with a lie to explain their proximity, Gojyo nonchalantly reached out and brushed a nonexistent, tiny hair from a pink cheek as he shrugged and said, "Eyelash. You know how much those can hurt when they get in your eye, saru."

Blinking as he straightened, Hakkai followed his lover's lead and nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Gojyo. That was most uncomfortable." Turning towards the boy, he asked, "So? What's in the basket, Goku? I'd venture to guess that it is something to eat based on your smile."

Unsure if he felt like accepting the obvious deception or not before deciding it wasn't polite to argue with someone whose birthday you had just celebrated, he held up the wicker container and said, "It's a bunch of fresh fruit! The lady who runs this place said she and her son had more than they could eat before it went bad, so she gave it to us so it wouldn't be wasted. Isn't that nice?"

Chuckling fondly since the youth really was too gullible at times, Hakkai remarked gently, "I find it difficult to believe that they would have quite so much extra, Goku, but you're right. That was a very kind thing for her to do." Stretching slightly and finding that despite the nap he'd had earlier, he, too, was tired after an unforgettable day filled with more gifts in varied forms than he ever imagined receiving. Politely hiding a yawn behind his hand, he said, "It would appear that it's time for some sleep." With a smile, he excused himself to go and get ready for bed.

Gojyo said nothing in particular as he merely stripped off his vest and tossed it aside while moving the table and chairs out of the way with Goku's help before availing himself of the opportunity to brush the teeth he had once bragged about to a young half-breed boy.

Within a relatively short amount of time, Gojyo found himself the only one still awake in the room. Laying on his back in a noticeably lonely bed enjoying his last cigarette of the day, he kept watch over his lover as Hakkai slept in the bed opposite his own, an arrangement that coincidentally mimicked what they'd had in their home over two years prior. With a sad smile, the half-breed recalled the day they'd gotten rid of the twin beds in their apartment in favor of a double, then he sighed and wondered when or if they'd ever make it home to put the bed to its best possible use.

A ribbon of smoke drifted up and out the window which had been left open a crack, flowing into the darkness where thick clouds were beginning to creep across the night sky malevolently as Gojyo pondered where they might find themselves in seven short weeks. The avowal of love that he had finally verbalized that morning along with further contemplation regarding his own sexual experiences were leading to an interesting decision about how he wanted to celebrate his own twenty-third birthday. However, as long as the group's adventures were utterly unpredictable, there was no way of knowing whether they'd even be able to avoid battle on November ninth and that caused him to sigh disconsolately.

Taking one last, long drag on his cigarette and then crushing it in the now very full ashtray, he held the smoke within himself as long as he could, then released it slowly. After watching the gray haze snake its way outside, Gojyo rolled over and lay on his side gazing at the man his soul was bound to for all eternity never realizing that there were tremendous changes and crises to cope with soon.

There were evil beings loose in their world who would attempt to kill or break both of them long before their devotion could be consummated once again and the road ahead was a dangerous one for them all.

On the other hand, there were also friends in the guise of enemies who included in their numbers someone the half-youkai very much longed to see and even though the reunion wouldn't be everything Gojyo had hoped for it would be momentous all the same. Furthermore, the encounter between two theoretically opposing forces which would accompany that meeting would set the stage for a crucial point in the future when those who had celebrated together that September night weren't strong enough to save themselves.

Yet, for the crimson-haired man who was drifting off to sleep with pleasant images of his partner's handsome face transformed by the joys of being well and truly filled by the one he loved dancing in his mind, the future was a complete mystery which was just as well. There would be plenty of other days to face whatever challenges awaited them, this one perfect moment of peace following an unforgettable union between them was to be treasured.

~OWARI~

Author's Chapter Note:

[1] The dessert selected for Hakkai's birthday party is called "Eight Precious Pudding" in the Chinese cookbook that I was referencing for this fic. The information about it indicated that it's considered a celebration food and was as close to a typical occidental birthday cake as I could find. Regarding the fact that they are following western birthday traditions, it's safe to assume this is something Hakkai had been teaching Goku about and the boy wanted to show his tutor he remembered since he thought they sounded fun.

Author's End Notes:

[1] This fic is dedicated to a pair of wonderful people who've both given me many hours of happy anime viewing. First is my good friend Michele who was more than kind this past summer when she sent me tapes of "Saiyuki" as well as delicious VCDs of "Kaikan Phrase". This lovely lady did more to benefit my muses during a dark time than words can express and I truly hope that this humble bit of storytelling pleases her. Second is my little brother Rubious who has introduced me to more thrilling anime *and* manga series than I have time to write for! He's also the one who provided me with the "Saiyuki" OSTs which were listened to for hours on end while this story was written. Thanks again, both of you, for everything!

[2] Believe it or not, this is the first story I've actually completed for these wonderful bishounen and I wanted to mention how glad I am that it's done since the last third of it underwent massive revision after the first two-thirds were posted. Now maybe I can get Melpomene back to work on "Fateful Encounters" and get that finished before she wanders off to bother someone else.

[3] Not that there's a lot to say about it, but I just wanted to mention that I really enjoyed writing Hakuryu's parts in this story. The little white dragon is such an adorable and dedicated friend, isn't it?

(updated) [4] Regarding the numerous foreshadowing remarks and whether or not there will be a matching lemony story for Gojyo's birthday, I am delighted to announce that "Best Wishes, Gojyo" will indeed be added to my archive here at mediaminer.org sometime in February, 2003. Make sure to check it out since it will be one of those rarest of breeds, a true 85 wherein Hakkai assumes the role of seme since Gojyo very happily insists on that of uke.

(updated) [5] When this story was initially released, I was trying to decide what to do about Sanzo and his unresolved sexual tension, hence there is foreshadowing for a possible threesome fic within this continuity. However, during the completion of "Fateful Encounters", I came to the conclusion that it would be entirely incorrect to allow him to join Hakkai and Gojyo in bed since within this continuity the two youkai are soulmates and their union is thereby sacred in certain regards. My apologies to anyone who was eagerly awaiting a Sanzo birthday fic wherein he would discover the joys of sex with a half-breed and a human-turned-youkai.

[6] The muses who torture me are straight out of classical mythology. The Greek Muse of tragedy, Melpomene, is my angst muse and she apparently enjoys the Saiyuki bishounen a great deal, ne? The Greek Muse of lyric poetry and mime, Erato, is my lemon and romance muse and she came up with that whole "Gojyo is hung like a freaking *Clydesdale* not just a regular horse!" aspect of his anatomy. She's a hentai, isn't she?

[7] There are over 100 very nice people who receive roughly bimonthly updates from me as to what is new at fanfiction.net, 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!

(updated) [8] 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/

[9] If you read all the way down here to the very bottom, you deserve a reward! Help yourself to a serving of Hakkai's birthday dessert, okay?