Disclaimer: Saiyuki doesn't belong to me only to Minekura-Sensei.

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Sha Gojyo brushed his fingers through his hair, surveyed his winnings and said to his fellow players that he was done for the night. Snickers all round as they finished the last hand, he downed his shot, bid adieu and stepped out into the night.

It was a crisp clear night. Fresh. Unlike the one which seemed like forever and a day ago now....Raining, with a strange metallic tang in the air. He was uncaring of the heavens opening up on him as he had left the gambling house. Thinking that day to day living was too easy, routine, unchanging. He didn't care one way or another. When- he was stopped in his tracks and train of thought. Something was in his way. At first he thought it was some drunk unable to drag himself home and was about to step round him. Something- stopped him.

He prodded and had asked " Are you dead?"

The man on the ground twitched and turned and looked up through the curtain of rain and pain. Emerald locked onto rubies. Sha Gojyo saw someone inside he wanted to meet. Being the selfish person that he was...he took the man home and carried him into his bed. Nursed him and cared for him.

Hell- it had seemed anticlimactic

Hair- the colour of blood

Eyes - the colour of blood

Admonishment- keeping his guest grounded

Tied to this Earth.

At the time Gojyo was not sure who the savior was nor who was saved. They met again, anew and in daylight this time. In the marketplace, caught by the red. Did it always have to be?

"These are a beautiful red aren't they? Gojyo-"

At first Gojyo surmised that Hakkai came back because he didn't know anywhere else to go to. But he was happy enough to have his housemate back again. However after the initial novelty wore off they seemed to reach a tense impasse in their situation. For one Hakkai was not sick and helpless. For another..Gonou was not Hakkai, and lastly Hakkai and Gojyo were very different people. Hakkai waking up with the dawn, getting breakfast, tidying up, reading and wraithlike almost in presence. Gojyo loud and lounging, a chaotic storm. Out late at night, drinking, gambling and flirting. They each began to question that Something that kept them together.

Things came to a head when an acquaintance of Gojyo's used him for collateral for some illicit dealings, and this time it was Gojyo who had to be rescued. He saw Hakkai casually pull his limiters off and take on the lowlifes holding him hostage. He was awed by the strength. He was awed by the beauty of that brute strength. The powerhouse with the vine leaf marking snaking his body, his arms, just seen on his torso underneath a billowing t-shirt. Most of all, it gave Gojyo a glimpse into the manner of man/youkai that Hakkai was. He was awed by the control, because he merely incapacitated the perpetrators but did not kill. He then merely replaced the three silver cuffs. Later when in the walk home, Hakkai's only comment being that Gojyo was not cut out to be a bad guy really, after he told him that he didn't need rescuing.

Gojyo had noticed that night that Hakkai had packed a bag. Wordlessly he picked it up and put by the bed where Hakkai slept and that was that!

So Gojyo got used to having someone at home for him and got used to the fact that though he would still go out late at night, he went home to Hakkai. Always.

So Hakkai got used to being there for someone and got used to the fact that Gojyo was who he was and that he didn't really want him to change.....well not much anyway. It would be nice if the man picked up after himself a bit more. In the interim, Hakkai got himself some tutoring work, for the children around the village. An income of sorts to supplement what his housemate brought back.....

.....Gojyo smacked himself in the head mentally for letting his mind wander. It was just that his friend tended to worry if he was late. Anyway there was a reason why he wanted an early night. He wanted to visit the shops the next day and be home before Hakkai came back from teaching.

He sighed. There was something between the two of them. It was a tangible feeling even if it could not be named. Ever since that first rainy night, it was more than the look, the smile. That SOMETHING again. It was like they knew each other, maybe they had passed each other by on the street earlier in their lives. Familiar. He snorted, his musings were getting him nowhere. Still he would sometimes brush past his housemate, or watch him as he pottered about the house. Likewise, he knew Hakkai did the same with him too. Like a dance, they seemed to know the other's nuances and moods. A rhythm of their life together.

Anyways Gojyo hoped that Hakkai would not remember his own birthday. He smiled wryly, for all his fastidiousness in caring for the house and his friend, Hakkai could really be quite forgetfull when it came to his own wants and needs.

As he came through the door, Hakkai had a cup of green tea for himself and had opened a can of beer for him.

" Hey"

" Hey yourself"

" Thanks- Er Hakkai wanna play some?"

" Sure- I'm up for a couple of rounds!"

No more was needed. He preferred this, enjoyed it even if truth be told. Just for the companionship. Just to be. Let the ladies complain that he seemed to lose interest. He didn't care. When did rumour ever affect them, an unbidden thought came to mind. Was that a faint memory tugging at the back of his mind?

Morning already. Hakkai had left breakfast for him. Mmm runny eggs and coffee. He felt happy and light. He was in a good enough mood to even wash up the breakfast things before setting out to the shops.

He found himself for whatever reason in a clothes shop. That was a good idea, as Hakkai mostly wore Gojyo's stuff that was spare.

" Hey Gojyo!" A voice greeted him. The shop assistant looked familiar...

" Oh - Pei Xian right?" Yeah she frequented the bars at night. So this was her day job.

" For yourself or someone else?"

" Not me, Hakkai actually! His birthday you know."

" Shirts I think. He's slimmer and that high," he gestured with his hands.

" Its ok". Pei Xian said she'd seen him enough times to be able to judge the size. He just had to pick out the colour and style.

Style? He mused. He knew only his own, and didn't think that his friend would appreciate it somehow. Even if he did share his clothes. Another of those memories from god knows where came into his head. White lab coat...or maybe military leathers so dark blue it was almost black. He shivered at the thought. Then he saw them. Green, forest green, with black trim at the edges and mandarin collar and buttons to the side. The colour would bring out further his verdant eyes. There were two different cuts. Well one was long sleeved with the forearms black and fitted. The other was short sleeved and he supposed Hakkai could wear a long sleeved t-shirt underneath the short sleeved one. In the end he couldn't decide and so he bought both versions, and a long sleeved lavender shirt to go with the short sleeved one. Pei Xian run them up for him and gave him a discount for buying three items, so he was pleased as he still had some cash leftover. He hugged the brown paperbag to his chest and made his way out.

He would have gone home, but out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a flash of white. In a shop which sold hats, gloves and scarves. He went in and fingered it. It was soft and moonlight white. " Its a wonderful material sir! Silk and cotton mix, Fine and delicate, but strong" That was Hakkai to a tee. The proprietor told him it was strange but that was the only one in the shop. He didn't have to think twice either, he was going to buy a nice bottle of liquor for him with the spare cash, but this would last longer yes. He figured that his friend would be able to use it as a scarf on a cold day.

He was getting quite excited now. He couldn't wait to see his friend's face. It felt nice doing something for someone. He wasn't one for birthdays. Hell. He did not even celebrate his own. He reckoned that his birth was not something to celebrate. Even so he felt that part of this was for himself too. Maybe it was time they both had a celebration of sorts.

Hakkai came home late that evening. He rushed through the door. Apologising even before the door had shut, for being delayed at some erstwhile student's house. He shut up when he saw Gojyo sitting quietly with arms folded at the table. In front of him were some brown paper pakages. He was smiling.

" Happy birthday!"

" Oh my..is it?"

" Well aren't you going to open 'em? "

" What ..umm yes. Ok, you needn't have you know."

His eyes twinkled and he smiled, a real one. Happiness for a moment in time. He held the white to his cheek. It had a soothing and comforting feel to it. In the heat of the moment he grabbed his friend and gave him a hug. That felt nice and comforting to Gojyo. His cheeks coloured unnoticed. No, he didn't think he had spent too much as his friend was protesting. The sparkle in his friend's eye, so rare was worth it alone. He was happy too. Sha Gojyo was definitely selfish. So yes, they both celebrated the moment with shared smiles and quiet laughs, and friendly talk. The rhythm continued and so the dance went on.

END