Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Unseen Smile ❯ Trouble and Security ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own Saiyuki and I cannot afford a lawsuit filed against me. Ü

 

Warning: Violence, Lemon, and the usual relationship between two male characters.

 

Trouble and Security

 

The screams, the hoarse screams, pierced through the darkness and right through Hakkai. Pain, hot-searing pain throbbed through his whole body. Hakkai, clutched his chest as he dragged his feet to the warehouse. The screams were echoing in his head. He covered his ears, trying to block out the sounds. He fell to the ground and crawled up into a ball, shielding himself from the screams that reverberated through the abandoned warehouse.

 

“Gojyo,” he whispered as he tilted his head from left to right, stretching his neck muscles as if warming up for a boxing match. “Hang in there.” His hand gripped the sword tensely and with his other hand pushed the door open. He braced himself for what he was going to witness but the sight was far from what he had expected. Gojyo was kneeling in front of Zakuro, the assassin Jien and Kougaiji had researched about, with blood pooling around him. Lacerations of different sizes and angles were imprinted on Gojyo's skin with blood oozing out like small snakes.

 

“Ah, the mighty Cho Hakkai has finally immersed from his rat hole to save this pitiful partner of his,” Zakuro said with a smirk. He looked at his watch and nodded. “Just an hour shy from the deadline, I'm impressed.” He watched him stride inside the warehouse in his black shirt and faded jeans, a similar get up to the red-head. “You even dress like your partner, Hakkai. How sweet…”

 

“Let him go,” Hakkai said slowly, brining up the sword in front of him. “This is between you and me, leave him out of this.”

 

“Hakkai,” Gojyo whispered, head forward before falling in a heap on the floor. Gojyo had finally succumbed to fatigue and exhaustion. Hakkai stiffened up in panic but noted that the red-head was still breathing. He could feel his heart breaking, his soul tearing in two. He turned his gaze back to the bastard that did this to Gojyo.

 

Zakuro smiled his cool smile and produced a sword, not a katana, but a medieval sword that knights used in battle. Swords such as those were heavy and hard to maneuver. But Zakuro waved it around like a stick, slicing through the air as if it was a toy. Hakkai frowned at the sickening confidence his rival was showing.

 

“This would be fun. A sword against another sword,” Zakuro said and took a step towards him. With a sudden burst of speed, his opponent rushed towards him, sword held high to slice down on him. Hakkai, instinctively brought his sword up for defense. The cold metal crashed down on his, the weight of Zakuro pushing him down on his knees, making him lean back painfully.

 

“You're holding back, Cho Hakkai,” Zakuro mused as he continued to push down on him. “Are you scared that Gojyo would see how cold-blooded you are?” Hakkai's eyes flicked over Gojyo's limp form for a second before returning his gaze at the arrogant bastard before him. Hakkai angrily pushed him back, causing the man to take a few steps back but quickly regained position, sword poised in a fighting stance.

 

Hakkai watched him intently, breathing in with harsh and ragged breaths. I must relax, he thought as he closed his eyes, placing the katana before him in a praying position. Zakuro frowned at the impudent stance. It sent electrified jolts of anger through his veins.

 

“Didn't you ever learn never to lose sight of your enemy?” Zakuro shouted as he darted forward, sword thrusting to impale Hakkai's heart in a straight plunge to his chest. However, something completely unprecedented occurred. Even with eyes closed, Hakkai managed to dodge the attack by swiftly moving away. Zakuro rolled away from Hakkai, his eyes wide with disbelief at the agility presented by the other assassin. He stood up posed in another striking position but when Hakkai's gaze settled on him, he jumped a meter away from him.

 

Hakkai's eyes were no longer scared, unfocused and emotion-filled. They were blank, cold and certain. The eyes he saw back at the club when he abducted Gojyo, the eyes that moved around to sweep everything in sight before disappearing into darkness. Those were the eyes he was seeing now. Zakuro suddenly felt cold, was he scared? His eyes had only changed a little, nothing would matter. He was still better than Hakkai, right?

 

“Prepare to die,” Hakkai said in a calm, almost cold voice, sword poised in a sweeping angle beside his body.

 

Zakuro laughed it off uneasily. But before he could muster up another smart retort, Hakkai had stormed him with explosive speed. Had he not blocked the attack with his sword, then Zakuro would be gurgling blood in his mouth by the time Hakkai had landed on his feet.

 

Hakkai jumped back when cold metal meet his katana and not the soft flesh of the bastard. Again, he poised himself for another attack. Leveling his stance as he swiveled his katana in a circle around his head, forming a steel halo, he walked purposely towards his prey.

 

Zakuro poised himself into a defensive stance, sword held steadily before him so he can react more quickly to the blows coming from Hakkai. Though he was starting to shiver with fear, he forced himself to stay as calm as he could. But something in Hakkai's eyes made him feel that his life is hanging by a thread.

 

“Hell is waiting for you!” Hakkai shouted as he sprinted across the floor towards Zakuro, katana held tightly in his hands. Instead of a head on attack, just before striking, Hakkai jumped into the air and drove the blade downward. Hakkai smiled, no, he grinned when the blade sliced through the cotton fabric and embedded itself on Zakuro's shoulder. A scream of anguish and pain reverberated around the warehouse, loud enough to wake the dead. With a sudden burst of energy, he ripped the katana out of the body, slicing through muscles, bones and veins. Blood spurted in every direction, spraying Hakkai like a water fountain. He leapt away, bloodied sword in hand, to watch Zakuro fall on the floor, life fading from his eyes.

 

Zakuro's mouth opened to utter something, but before he could his eyes had gone blank, and from where Hakkai stood, he knew that he had won the battle. With a triumphant smile, he walked over to the lifeless body, gathered the shirt on its back and ripped it off. With the cloth in his hand, he wiped his katana and anything else that had been stained by the defeated Zakuro's blood. After finishing with this, he started walking towards Gojyo. He delicately brought Gojyo up into his arms after freeing him from his bounds.

 

“Everything will be alright now,” Hakkai said softly, brushing his lips against Gojyo's forehead as he brought him closer. “I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Gojyo. Ever...”

 

---

 

“Sir, a letter has arrived for you,” Audrey said through the intercom. “It's marked urgent.”

 

“Where is it?”

 

“Sir, I left it next to your laptop. It's the brown envelope with a red tape,” she explained. Ni Jieni examined the envelope and decided that it was harmless.

 

“Okay,” he said and hung up. He examined the envelope again, looking at it with interest.

 

“What do you hold for me?” Ni Jieni asked the envelope and noticed it did not have a return address. Piqued by this discovery, he tore through the red tape. Inside were a letter and some fibers at the bottom.

 

“I know who you are, you bastard,” was written in perfect script. “And you're going to be next. Cho Hakkai.”

 

As Ni Jieni, picked the soft silk strands and brought it out of the envelope did he notice that it wasn't threads but human hair, violet hair. Disgusted and afraid, he threw the strands into the waste basket.

 

Angrily, he picked the phone up and told Audrey not to let any unauthorized mails without return addresses in his office ever again.

 

“Did the guards see who left the mail?”

 

“No sir, it was left at the reception area,” Audrey said softly amidst the anger of her boss.

 

And for the first time in his life, Ni Jieni felt like a hunted animal.

 

---

 

Gojyo woke up, two days later, and found a brunette sleeping by his bedside, hair splayed on the mattress and eyes closed into a dreamless sleep. His body felt like it had been ran over by a trailer truck and he could barely move with all the bandages all over his body. With extreme effort, he reached out to brush off the coffee brown locks from the sleeping figure's face.

 

“Gojyo,” Hakkai whispered as he sat up to scrutinize Gojyo's features. “Thank goodness you're awake. Doctors said that it would take at least a week for your body to recuperate.”

 

“Well, just proves I'm stronger than they expected right?” He said with a weak grin. “Gods, I feel like hell.”

 

“You should be thankful you could at least feel something,” Lirin's voice came from the doorway. Along with her were Jien and Kougaiji, looking over her shoulders. Relief washed over Kougaiji's face when he saw Hakkai.

 

“Oh, I was worried about you,” Kougaiji said happily and pushed his way in. “Lirin said you took longer than expected and I thought something had happened to you.”

 

Gojyo's eyebrow shot up and looked at Hakkai as Kougaiji threw his arms around him. The brunette smiled apologetically.

 

“Kou, I'm fine, really,” he said threw the iron-like grip. He noticed that Jien was quietly waiting at a corner. “I'm happy that you and Jien have been admitted as junior level IT professionals in the company.”

 

With the mention of Jien's name, Kougaiji immediately dropped his arms to his side and turned to look at him. He felt guilty that he had allowed his unresolved feelings with Hakkai be shown in front of him. He rushed towards Jien and happily placed an arm around the taller man.

 

“Well, Jien sure taught them a thing or two about hacking. Though we were stumped when they asked us why we were so good at hacking when our day jobs as professionals had nothing to do with computer,” he admitted. “Well, we're happy to be working along side you and…”

 

“Sha Gojyo,” Gojyo introduced himself and waved a bandaged hand. “Nice to finally meet Hakkai's boyfriend.”

 

Kougaiji and Hakkai both waved the comment away and laughed when they found that they were doing the same thing. Gojyo's already upturned eyebrow shot a notch higher. Lirin laughed at the obvious tension in the room. She linked her arm around Jien's and headed for the door.

 

“If you're not coming with us Kougaiji, I'll let Jien choose your rooms,” Lirin announced at the doorway. “And besides, I'm sure Hakkai would like to spend some time with Gojyo. They are, after all, partners.”

 

“Okay, okay, coming then,” Kougaiji said and hurriedly followed them. “Later then, Hakkai.”

 

“Later,” Hakkai echoed and watched them leave from Gojyo's bedside.

 

“I thought you were going to run after him and see to it he reaches his room safely,” Gojyo snorted and laid back. Hakkai looked at him with amusement. “Really now, I thought you weren't that type.”

 

“Are you jealous, Sha Gojyo?” Amusement and interest was dripping from the question.

 

“I am not jealous,” Gojyo insisted and tried to get up. Hakkai stopped him before he could pop any stitches. “I am not jealous,” he repeated.

 

“I know, I know,” Hakkai said through a gentle smile. “I was just teasing you, Gojyo. Now go back to sleep so you can get out of that bed faster.”

 

“And if I do? What are we going to do?” Gojyo said with a knowing smile.

 

Hakkai blushed furiously and fluffed the pillows behind Gojyo's head. “Stop thinking about these things for now, Gojyo. We'll have plenty of time for those when you recover.”

 

Gojyo laughed softly and closed his eyes, relishing the feel of Hakkai's hands gently caressing his face as he went back to sleep.

 

---

 

“Lirin only told us to bring important things to the base,” Jien said as he noticed that Kougaiji was packing a lot of clothes. “Clothes, undergarments that we'll be bringing are for emergency purposes only. We'll still be living in this apartment, Kou.”

 

“But she also offered free rent and lodging at the base. She said we had an option to stay at the base where we could have free food, water, electricity and rent,” Kougaiji said excitedly. “We could even quit our day jobs, isn't that great?”

 

“Can you actually live in a place where cameras, hidden or not, are following your every move, Kougaiji?” Jien demanded. “Well be like rats in a cage, watching our every move because we might get suspended for it?”

 

Kougaiji finally stopped from all of his rummaging and turned to look at the distressed Jien, clothes still piled up in his hands.

 

“What the fuck are you mad at me for?” Kougaiji shot out and disposed the clothes in a pile on the bed. “We agreed to take the job the operatives gave us and if this is part of it—”

 

“That's the problem with you Kou, you assumed it was part of the deal,” Jien pointed out with a flick of his finger. “But Lirin didn't mention anything about moving in to the building. She stressed it was optional for us.”

 

“Then what's the problem, if it's optional then why not grab the option?”

 

“You decided to take that option without asking me first,” Jien grated out angrily. “Don't I have a say on what goes on here? Or do I have to just nod and agree to whatever you decide?”

 

“This is for the best, Jien. We don't have to worry about anything in there. We just do our jobs and we're fine,” he insisted. Jien's face contorted with anger. Kougaiji was bypassing him and he still didn't care.

 

“This is what I get for just diving into a situation without even talking it over with you,” Jien said and rested his hands on his waist. “You could be a selfish bastard when you feel like being one don't you?”

 

“You do understand this is an opportunity that passes not many people, right?”

 

“I understand that,” Jien answered irritated and stared back at him. “But you don't seem to understand the consequences of this so-called opportunity.”

 

“I know it will probably take time for us to get used to it but we'll manage,” Kougaiji said nonchalantly. “Come on, Jien, don't be so uptight about this.”

 

“Since when did I give you the right to answer on my behalf?” He asked pointedly.

 

The question dropped like a bomb and left an unnerving atmosphere afterward.

 

---

 

“I'm so happy that Lirin and the operatives agreed to my request,” Hakkai said as they stepped in his apartment. “I can take care of you much better without those nosy nurses around.”

 

“They were cute,” Gojyo said as he slowly made his way to the bedroom. He smiled when he heard Hakkai grumble something. “What was that Hakkai?”

 

“Why don't you have them tend to your wounds instead?” Hakkai called out from the living room. After a few minutes, he followed him to the bedroom, hands on his waist.

 

“So? Do you want me to transfer you to their care?”

 

“I was just joking Hakkai,” Gojyo said with a smile. “What's for dinner?”

 

“There's still some eggs and cheese on the fridge. I could make an omelet and fried rice if that's okay with you.” Gojyo nodded and fell back on the bed. His wounds had closed but he still felt like he'd been rammed by a truck. The doctors back told them it would take a few more days until the swelling dies down.

 

“I was scared back there you know,” Hakkai admitted as he sat down on the bed next to Gojyo. “I thought you were…dead.”

 

“I promised you I wouldn't die right?” Gojyo said and opened an eye to look at Hakkai's expression. The beautiful face continued to be distressed. “Hey Hakkai…”

 

“Seeing all that blood, your wounds,” he said listlessly, eyes dropping down to look at his hands. “I was scared out of my mind that I almost lost focus.”

 

“Yeah I know,” Gojyo said slowly, putting his hands behind his head. “I saw you for a brief second back then, and you looked like you didn't know what you were doing, so different from your usual self.”

 

Hakkai nodded. “I was too wound up with my feelings that I got a little too carried away. But then I remembered I made a promise to myself.”

 

“What promise was that? Not to stain your clothes when fighting?” Gojyo asked jokingly but Hakkai remained serious.

 

“I won't die unless you're still alive,” he said quietly and looked into those crimson eyes. “I found a reason to live because of you Gojyo and a reason to fight for every breath.”

 

Gojyo's breath formed into a painful lump in his throat. He was swept away by the sincere words of affection from the otherwise known cold-blooded killer. He never really imagined that they would go this far with each other, that their hatred for each other would turn into a beautiful relationship filled with hope and trust.

 

“But I'm scared Gojyo,” he continued. “I'm scared that I might be the one to hurt you.”

 

Gojyo closed his eyes. He could still remember the brief moment of witnessing how Hakkai transformed Zakuro into a lifeless rag doll, ripping out muscle and blood with the use of his sword. He wasn't surprised at the action, he had seen it so many times but Hakkai was being drawn down a path Zakuro had trudged willingly?

 

“You'll never hurt me Hakkai,” he said slowly but filled with certainty. “Not unless, you want to hurt me. Not unless you feel that killing gives you pleasure, gives you power. And until that happens, I'm pretty sure that you'll never hurt me.”

 

“I'm just so thankful that you're alright now,” Hakkai whispered and smiled weakly at him. Gojyo could feel that same slow drowning feeling as he stared into the vibrant green eyes and before he knew it, he was sitting up and pulling Hakkai close. He had stopped a few inches from Hakkai's face, relishing the warm breath on his lips.

 

“And I'm thankful you're safe in my arms again,” Gojyo whispered before pressing his lips together with the brunette's. Calmness swept through their bodies as they passed each minute. When they broke off to breath, Hakkai looked into his eyes worriedly.

 

“Gojyo, I don't think we should be doing this when you still have stitches,” he said with a polite smile. It always unnerved him whenever Hakkai became polite during foreplay or when ever they became feisty. Instead of answering, Gojyo pulled Hakkai down to him before toppling him over.

 

“Seems like I'd have to patch some stitches later,” Hakkai said underneath the body weight of the red-head, the smile not leaving his face. Gojyo smirked and took those lips possessively. Hakkai was more than happy to oblige, allowing him to sweep his mouth with that skillful tongue.

 

After a few tugs and pulls here and there, Gojyo had finally freed both of them from the tight confines of their clothes. It was comforting for him to feel the silky soft skin of Hakkai underneath his fingertips. As he continued to enjoy the wetness of Hakkai's mouth, his hands slowly traveled down the well-sculpted chest to play with a rigid nipple. He felt him groan in his mouth, obviously aroused at the feeling.

 

Hakkai retaliated by moving his hands down to the throbbing arousal. Gojyo moaned out at the wonderful pressure he was creating in his groin, hands enveloping around his rock-hard member. Breaking free from the kiss, Hakkai crawled down beneath Gojyo's legs to take the pulsating heat in his mouth. Gojyo arched up from his touch and he felt a hand on his shoulders.

 

“How `bout—ugh—something different,” Gojyo hoarsely said, trying to steady himself with every wave of heat running rampant through his veins. Hakkai hummed his approval and watched as Gojyo quite slowly got on all fours and positioned himself to take his neglected member. It wasn't long before Gojyo was sucking down on him, imitating the movements of his tongue.

 

Hakkai could feel his breath coming in short gasps as Gojyo expertly rolled his tongue over and over again the tip of his erection, bringing him so close to reaching his limit. He gasped and moaned, wanting to just thrust into that warm mouth and release his seed into Gojyo's hungry throat but something inside Hakkai knew this was more than just sex. It was those few moments of cementing their relationship into something stronger, way above primitive sex. He held back, even though Gojyo's tongue was making him squirm helpless underneath him.

 

Gojyo smiled when he saw the effect he had on the smaller man, obviously enjoying his little ministrations on his aching need. Gojyo soon increased his pace, bobbing up and down the whole length as it pulsed in his mouth. He felt that Hakkai was nearing his limit and just a few more strokes would send the brunette to soar into his orgasm. His knees almost buckled from the sudden rush of movements from Hakkai's tongue. It seems that his lover had caught wind of his small plans and was doing exactly the same to him. Well, two can play that game, he thought as he went back to increase his movements on the bulbous head of Hakkai's member.

 

With an arching of backs, both men cried out their release, reaching their orgasm almost in unison, both reaching feeling the sudden surge of heat and the slow descent into each other's arms. Hungrily, they both drank down each other, marking one another as their own. The bittersweet taste of their seed burned down their throats as the lapped at each other's member.

 

Gojyo collapsed on top of Hakkai as brunette eased himself beneath the weight of the red-head. With a smile, he wiped the beads of perspiration from Gojyo's brows. They certainly had worn each other out for the night. And with Gojyo's wounds, he was sure that the other man would not be able to make a come back pretty soon.

 

“You've always been gentle to me, Hakkai,” Gojyo said with a hint of wonder in his voice.

 

“Because I never want to hurt you, Gojyo,” he said with a smile, staring deep into the crimson eyes that watched him. “Unless, you want it to be a little more exciting next time,” he added with a knowing glint in the velvet emerald eyes. Gojyo laughed a little before burying his face into Hakkai's arms.

 

“Gods, I missed you so much Hakkai,” Gojyo said softly as he brought his arms around the lean body. Hakkai only brought him closer, wrapping his own arms around the wounded one.

 

“Me too,” he agreed and placed a kiss on his forehead. Not for long, both were peacefully asleep in each other's arms. Contented and secure that the world would at least stop for them, even once in a while.

 

---

 

Kougaiji could only run a hand through his hair at the remarkably scathing remark from his friend. He was lost for words on how to answer the remark.

 

“Well?” Jien prompted him to answer the hanging question, hands still on his hips.

 

Kougaiji continued to look at him, still pondering over what to tell him and how to do so. Jien looked more and more agitated as each minute passed. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Kougaiji raised his hands in mock surrender.

 

“I'm sorry for making a decision for both of us,” he said with a defeated look on his face and started unpacking the clothes he had crammed inside the duffel bag earlier on. Jien bit his lower lip. This wasn't what he had planned to happen. It was different from what he had expected.

 

“I thought you mentioned something about settling everything piece by piece,” Jien said.

 

Kou stopped with what he was doing and turned to look at him. He did remember saying something like that, something about their relationship.

 

Are you going to wait until he's gone before you make your move? A voice in the back of Kougaiji's head asked urgently. Don't make the same mistake with Jien as you did with Hakkai. You loved Hakkai but you were too scared to make it into something serious. Don't' make that same mistake again.

 

Kou looked at him, uncertain of what to say. Why was he being so tongue-tied all of a sudden?

 

Are you going to wait until you lose Jien before you do something?

 

“Are you going to say anything or should I start making the ball roll?”

 

“I don't know what to say,” Kougaiji admitted. “All I know is that I should have been more perceptive to you.”

 

“What does that have to mean?”

 

“Hell, even Hakkai noticed it way back when we were still together,” he added with a sigh.

 

“What? I don't understand a thing,” he said irritated at how Kougaiji was dropping hints all over the place.

 

“Even Hakkai noticed how, everything was supposed to be about the both of us,” he quietly explained and fell back on the bed, hands dropping aimlessly between his legs. “Hakkai always asked me why weren't we the ones together, why I kept on looking so far for that someone for me when he had always been in front of me.”

 

“Hakkai said that?”

 

“He told it to me like it was so normal, so casual that I thought he was teasing me,” Kou said slowly. “We never fought about you, you know, but he always managed to turn my attention to you.”

 

Jien looked at him, confused but somehow taking in the whole situation. Kougaiji looked back and tried to make him understand what he was trying to say. And when a small smile broke into those tightly pursed lips, Kou let out a breath of release.

 

“You don't have to say everything now,” Jien said with slowly. “What you just said is a start for me.”

 

Kougaiji nodded and reached out to hold his hand. They stayed there, savoring the calmness between them. Not everything ran smoothly in the beginning but they were both willing to work it out. This was definitely the start of something for Jien and Kougaiji, something they've always had in the beginning.

 

---

 

He hadn't meant to leave Gojyo like that, vulnerable and sleeping under thick covers. Hakkai quietly slipped a pair of black pants and shirts, the cool cotton fabric sliding against his skin. He searched for the sword hidden somewhere in the closet, and finally his hands found the cool steel, tucked safely underneath some clothes. As Hakkai brought the katana out, the long sleek metal was cold but it felt like a part of him, an extension of his very soul. As he held it out to the moonlight, the katana seemed to sing a requiem for all those who have died on its tip, a lament for all the spilled blood. But oddly enough, the song was comforting to his ears. It meant that this sword was something he could trust, something he could rely on, something he could protect Gojyo with.

 

“Planning on leaving without telling me?” Gojyo said, sitting up from the bed and watching him through narrowed eyes. Hakkai held the blade in mid-air, obviously surprised to find him awake.

 

“I'm sorry, Gojyo. You were asleep,” he apologized with a smile. Gojyo snorted and slid out of the bed to approach him. Hakkai's breath caught as the tall red-head towered over him, a hand suddenly slamming beside his head, barely missing his face.

 

“Don't' give me some half apology, Hakkai,” Gojyo hissed through clenched teeth. “You could've easily woken me up if you had plans of telling me but sneaking out like this, now that is a lie.”

 

Hakkai eased himself out from underneath the painful glare to stand beside him. “This is something I have to do alone, Gojyo. I can't take you with me in that kind of state. You might get hurt or worse, you might get killed.”

 

Gojyo opened his mouth but was silenced by a quick kiss. Hakkai smiled again and cupped Gojyo's cheek in his hand as the other traced the outline of his lips. Gojyo was somehow comforted by that, a silent promise to the agitated red-head.

 

“Just be on guard for anything,” Hakkai reminded him as he moved to the window. “I'll call you if things get out of hand otherwise I want you to get some rest.”

 

Gojyo held fast to his wrist and pulled him back into his arms. He felt attached to the brunette, afraid that something might happen to him, afraid that this time, Hakkai might not be so fortunate. Hakkai relaxed into the strong arms and held him close into a warm embrace. He could feel apprehension thrumming through Gojyo's skin, and no words could describe the fear the wounded man felt. Hakkai stayed into those arms until Gojyo was finally reassured.

 

“You better come back Hakkai,” Gojyo said slowly and released him from the embrace.

 

“I will, Gojyo, I will,” he answered with a smile and climbed over the window sill. In a minute, Hakkai's shadow was no longer visible and the only thing left for Gojyo to contemplate was the cold draft that Hakkai had let in. Gojyo could only close the window and walk to the bed to await his return.

 

---

 

Ni Jieni angrily closed the door to his apartment with a bang. He was running low on ideas concerning this troublesome Hakkai and Gojyo. Though he still had ten months to concoct ideas, contact new assassins to take care of them, he wasn't sure if the Council was serious about their one-year time frame. Who else but him knew better of their short-temper? Something he obviously had caught on.

 

He slumped on the couch, a drink in one hand and the remote in the other. He casually flipped through channels. Watching from time to time but was obviously troubled by something else. He didn't want to admit it but he was scared for his life. The letter, the meeting with the council after the failure of that arrogant Zakuro, everything seemed to be a timer on his life.

 

After a while, Ni's skin caught up with a cold wind circulating around the spacious apartment. It wasn't there when he had entered but he had noticed it after the drink had warmed his body. It wasn't the cool air-conditioning, nor was it the night air because he kept the windows closed. It was different, eerily different.

 

Suddenly, he noticed a gleam that bounced off the television screen. He jumped up to turn and look around but found nothing. He moved in circles, trying to catch the possible intruder but with only the open television monitor as his light source, Ni Jieni stumbled upon tables and magazine racks that he had not seen.

 

“Come out!” He called out into the darkness and pulled out the gun he kept hidden in one of the kitchen drawers. “Show yourself, damn it!”

 

With that hoarse command, a figure appeared before him, a blade dangled precariously on his hand, gleaming like death in the faint light. Ni Jieni looked up and found two green orbs, eyes like that of a cat, staring at him. He brought the gun up to level at the intruder's face but before he could fire a shot, the blade swung out in an easy arc. It took a moment for Ni to realize the hot-searing pain in his right arm. He fell on his knees from the immense pain he was experiencing. Before he could fully react, the kitchen light flickered on.

 

“NO!” Ni Jieni screamed, a rough terrified scream that tore through the night. He looked at the stump on his arm where his right hand should be extending. Blood gushed and sprayed from the open wound. He looked down and a few inches before him was his hand, still holding the gun.

 

“Your body will serve as a reminder to the Council to pick their battles wisely,” came the cold, detached voice. He looked up and saw a man, taller than he is with lethal green eyes and short dark brown hair. He was beautiful like an angel delivering the sentence of heaven upon him, and the blade was the punishment he was awaiting. He positioned his sword to strike.

 

Ni Jieni silently prayed for his soul as he waited for the sword to come crashing down. Minutes passed and as he finally mouthed the final words ending his prayer, he felt the cold blade slicing down his body before embracing the darkness that soon enveloped him.

 

“I am Cho Hakkai, I am fear,” the figure that towered the bloodied corpse breathed out before leaving the cold lifeless body of the GSCE Technologies president on the clean tiled floor of his apartment. It was going to be a bit peaceful now than it had been before.

 

---

 

When Gojyo woke up the following morning, it was all over the news. “It” pertaining to the something Hakkai was supposed to do last night. Hakkai was still fast asleep by his side, a peaceful look on his face. He had woken up when Hakkai quietly slipped into bed next to him, an arm draped over his body protectively and those soft lips pressing against his neck. Gojyo had simply put it into the back of his mind that Hakkai would do something like this.

 

“Morning, Gojyo,” Hakkai whispered sleepily against his chest when the noise from the television had finally woken him up. He stretched out like a cat, extending both arms and legs, his skin rubbing against Gojyo's in a silky smooth feel. Gojyo smiled and placed a kiss on the brunette's forehead before pulling him close for an embrace.

 

“You've been having fun last night,” Gojyo said and pointed at the television. Hakkai watched for a few moments before taking the remote from his hand and switching the monitor off. He brought his face up to kiss the red-head firmly on the lips before pulling back with a contented sigh.

 

“I wouldn't have called it fun since you weren't there,” he said with a small smile and snuggled closer to the taller man. “But enough about Ni Jieni and all his bullshit,” he said with a stern look on his face. He looked closely at Gojyo before breaking out into a grin. “What's important is both of us, in each other's arms, safe and sound.”

 

“Yeah,” Gojyo agreed and pulled him close, rumpling the brown locks under his long lean fingers. “I'm just happy we'll have some rest for at least a few more weeks before things start going to their normal places. And I'm thankful you're here next to me, whole and alive.”

 

“Me too,” Hakkai whispered against his cheek. “I never really thought I'd find myself with you, with someone who can take care of me and of himself too.”

 

“Well, maybe you met them before but you were just too scared to open up,” Gojyo said thoughtfully and looked into the soft greens. “But I'm happy you decided to do so when it was my turn.”

 

“I didn't decide on my own, you know,” he answered. “You made me believe that there wasn't anything to be afraid of, especially about being open to other people. You made me understand so many things, Gojyo.”

 

Gojyo smiled and slipped contentedly next to Hakkai. After a few moments of blissfully contemplation, Hakkai pulled the covers from their naked bodies and slipped out of bed. Gojyo's eye shot up in question.

 

“What would you like for breakfast, Gojyo?” Hakkai asked with a smile, the same beautiful smile Gojyo fell in love with. Gojyo studied him as he slowly pulled out new boxers from the closet and got into them gracefully.

 

“I thought we didn't have any groceries left?” He asked, straightening on the bed to look at him pull a t-shirt over his head. Hakkai looked at him, apparently surprised at something he said. “You mentioned something—”

 

“You said we…” Hakkai said with a soft smile on his face. Gojyo's face burned a little, afraid that Hakkai might think that he had assumed that `we not you-I relationship' but further more, afraid that Hakkai might reject him.

 

“I never thought you'd actually use those words so casually, Gojyo,” Hakkai said obviously brimming with happiness. “I always thought you'd never use those words, like you wouldn't want to be answering for the both of us. But… you do acknowledge that there is an `us'?”

 

Gojyo snorted apparently hiding his embarrassment. “Of course, there is an `us'. As long as we don't have to hold hands during missions.”

 

Hakkai laughed a little before nodding in agreement. He walked to the bed and leaned closer to Gojyo, forehead resting against the other. He sighed, a long dreamy sigh that just breathed bliss on both of them, and kissed him softly before pulling back to stare into the soft crimson eyes.

 

“I love you, Sha Gojyo,” he whispered against the slightly parted lips.

 

“I love you too, Cho Hakkai,” Gojyo answered back and pulled him close for an embrace. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before Hakkai finally pulled back. They looked at each other for a long time before they both smiled. Gojyo watched Hakkai disappear behind the bedroom door before leaning back on the comfortable bed they will be sharing from the moment on.

 

Things, for both of them, were starting to look different, a bit better than before. And everything was happening in a whole new light, in shades of green and red, to be exact.

 

To Be Continued…