Disclaimer: Saiyuki belongs to very rich people and I am very poor in comparison.
*
Gojyo liked the moon, always had. He would steal out of the house, clambering onto the roof to greet the great orange penny as it awoke to the world. Sometimes, it was pure white and other evenings, it was dusty rose as if it had tried to match Gojyo for a change. Sometimes it was large and ominous, sometimes small and shy...but the moon was always there. Even on the nights of the new moon when it snuggled down in shadows for a rest, Gojyo knew it was there. Reliable and steadfast, Gojyo planned his nights by the moon.
On full moons, he pushed and tugged himself to the edge during cards.
On the Cheshire-cat nights, he dared to pick up the prettiest woman in the bar.
On new moons, Gojyo took his beers on the roof, toasting the moon for it's month of hard work.
On blue moons, Gojyo cleaned house.
The moon rose one night, dusky scarlet and Cheshire cat-like and Gojyo picked up a stranger on the side of the road. Later, he would look back and wonder if the moon knew more than it let on.
Hakkai had fallen in step with Gojyo's quirks and habits, saying nothing but always close behind with painkillers or soap and water or whatever the situation called for. He didn't ask about the nights Gojyo spent on the roof. He was startled upon finding Gojyo cleaning the apartment one month, but only smiled and retreated. He began to pick up on the method, disappearing the nights when the moon grinned down at the world or leaving the largest grocery list for the nights of full moons. New moon nights, Hakkai appeared to help Gojyo off of the roof, but he could never quite grasp the cleaning concept. Gojyo knew that Hakkai hadn't realized what dictated his behavior and a small bit of him was glad for it. He liked his new roommate and friend, but it wasn't often that Hakkai was stumped, leaving Gojyo with his privacy.
As the secrets diminished between them and Banri's thugs had been disposed of, Gojyo came to a conclusion: Hakkai was the moon. He was ever present when Gojyo needed him and had a certain order to when or why he appeared. Hakkai had his inconsistencies, times where he wrapped himself up and vanished from the present; the rainy nights mostly. But he never abandoned.
So as Gojyo watched his friend curl upon himself with an almost imperceivable shiver, he knew it was time that he intervened.
Not bothering to be quiet or courteous, Gojyo swung himself over the edge of the bed, stalking over to the other bed in the room. Hakkai started at the forceful grip on his shoulder, staring upwards.
“Get up, Hakkai.”
“What? Gojyo–”
“Get up.” Gojyo growled, nearly hauling Hakkai to his feet.
Puzzled, Hakkai obeyed the steering hand on his shoulder. He reached for his monocle.
“Leave it.”
“Gojyo,” Hakkai began, eyes darting. “Is something the matter?”
“Hakkai, I want you to listen to me very closely.”
He blinked. “Very well, Gojyo. You have my full attention.”
“Cut it out.”
“I'm sorry?”
“Stop with the angst. It's bullshit. You know it is.”
“Gojyo, if you'll pardon me,” Hakkai replied, pulling himself from Gojyo's grip. “It is none of your business.”
Stiff. Gojyo frowned. Hakkai had gone stiff, acidic, on him. Not good.
Gojyo growled, grabbing Hakkai in the most forceful grip he could manage. “It is my business, you damn fool.”
“I don't want to hurt you.” Hakkai replied evenly, but Gojyo could see the madness sneaking into the corner of his eyes. “Let go of me.”
Gojyo hauled him forward, until they were nose to nose. “Try it.” He challenged.
Hakkai remained still.
“Now what the fuck has got you all worked up?”
Hakkai glanced away, eyes taking in the rectangular patch of silver on the floor. He spoke slowly. “It's a legend that sleeping in the moonlight is bad luck.”
What? “What?”
Emerald eyes returned to him. “ 'I am too much in the sun.'” He replied. “Or, would it be more appropriate to say, 'I am too much in the moon'?”
“Your point, Hakkai?”
A smile. “I'm the moon, Gojyo.”
Gojyo blinked widely.
“I'm cold and defaced and nothing more than façades and phony fronts.” His teeth surfaced as he clapped a hand to his stomach. “Nothing will be forgotten and I'm too far gone to even hope for redemption.”
Gojyo caught him by the elbows. “Come here.”
“Gojyo, no–please...”
Ignoring the protests, Gojyo dragged Hakkai until he stood in the patch of moonlight. He stepped back and pointed. “Take it off.”
Hakkai wasn't sure he heard that right.
“Hakkai. Take off your shirt.”
He had.
“Do it or I'll do it for you.”
Casting his eyes aside, Hakkai lifted the long sleeves over his head and let the light material puddle by his feet. Hesitantly, he peeked at Gojyo. The redhead was reclined as he stood, looking over Hakkai carefully as the moonlight spilled over his form. Hakkai frowned; did Gojyo really have no idea what he was doing? Did he really not notice the not-so accidental touches or extra length to gazes?
“So you're tellin' me,” Gojyo began, tossing his hair. “That you're the moon because you're cold and desolate?” He sighed at the nod. “'Kai, you idiot. The moon isn't all bad things. It guides travelers at night with soft light and gentle understanding. Those scars?”–he pointed, and Hakkai winced–“Well, it's lived long and hard and life to the fullest and so what if a few marks show on the surface? In the face of such great beauty, who the hell's got the audacity to get hung up on something stupid like that?”
Hakkai's silence tricked Gojyo into thinking that he had won, but then, “But it isn't the moon's light with which it shines. It steals something from others and manipulates it for it's own selfish purposes.” He replied quietly with a brittle grin.
“It takes from the sun,” Gojyo countered. “It converts the hot, burning light and processes it until it's soft and easy to stand in. It guides children to nightmare-less nights and travelers to an inn where they can rest easy from the trail. Hakkai, if you're the moon, then Sanzo's the sun.”
Hakkai tipped his face. “And you're the sunset.”
Gojyo frowned. “How d'you figure that?” He glanced down at Hakkai's feet as he slid from the moonlight. Gojyo, for a ridiculously frivolous moment, was fixated on his friend's toes. Hakkai never went barefoot; there were always socks or boots or slippers or a blanket tucked around them. Now they were bare, pale and silver in the soft light; delicate with a certain amount of sinewy muscle twisted under the skin's surface. Gojyo held back a snort–really, it was amazing how much Hakkai bared resemblance to a woman.
Hakkai's hands were in his hair, twirling and tangling through the soft locks. “You never make a quiet exit.”
“Is that all? And I was under the impression that it was my eye and hair color...”
“They don't help, certainly.”
“So, what else? What else has me pinned as the sunset?”
“Passion.”
“Passion?”
“Yes.”
Gojyo's bottom lip jutted out and he scratched his head. “Bit of an odd thing to hear from another man, isn't it?”
Hakkai's chuckle, rather than coming out light like he'd intended, was dark and bitter. “I suppose.” He replied. “But you're not one to take things lying down, are you?”
He leered. “That depends on what those 'things' are.”
Something clenched in his chest and Hakkai had to turn away. Surprised, Gojyo grabbed Hakkai's shoulder and prevented him from scurrying away into dark place. Hakkai stiffened at the press of warmth on his back and the almost overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke and summer as it fades into autumn. He knew that Gojyo did not use this much physical contact with anyone else, but trying to make head or tail of it only caused migraines. Hakkai had never minded it before...as he cooked lunch or breakfast or dinner for them...when Gojyo helped him change his bandages...in the pouring rain with Rikudo after their throats...
But now. Now Gojyo was just being a tease. There was only so much strain Hakkai could take before he snapped.
“What's th' matter with you?” Gojyo wanted to know, ducking his head and his hair brushing over Hakkai's cheek and shoulder.
Hakkai was suddenly very aware of being half-naked and he moved for his shirt.
Gojyo's arm slung around his middle and pulled him back. “Nuh uh. Not until you tell me what's got you all worked up.”
“It's nothing.” Hakkai replied, trying to shoulder out of Gojyo's grip.
“It's never 'nothing' with you, Hakkai.”
“And it's always 'something' with you, Gojyo.”
“C'moooon,” Gojyo whined, chin resting on Hakkai's shoulder and another arm wrapping around his friend. “Tell me what's wrong.”
“Please let go of me, or I fear I may do something I will regret.”
Gojyo spun him around, but was met with pale skin, rather than two vivid emerald pools. He frowned, ducking until he was in Hakkai's line of vision. “C'mon, Hakkai, it's just me. What don't I know about'chya?”
Hakkai was only a quarter focused on Gojyo's words. The other three-fourths of him was busy memorizing the feel of calloused fingers on his chin. He was trying to lasso his breathing pattern but stubbornly, it continued to run ragged. And before he could stop himself, Hakkai had reaching forward and cupped Gojyo's scarred cheek, thumb tracing the scars.
“Gojyo...”
“Hakkai?”
Crashing back into reality, Hakkai hissed and shrunk back. Turning, he ran from the room. Ran, Gojyo noted with some surprise. Threw dignity to the wind and nearly wrenched the door off of it's hinges on his rampage. Gojyo stared after Hakkai, unsure how to react.
“Go after him.”
Gojyo jumped and spun around. “Sanzo?” He demanded. “...Where are you?”
“In the next room.” the wall replied. “And you two idiots were loud enough that I could hear everything. Now go get Hakkai, or we're walking west.”
“But I don't even know what the fuck's wrong with him.”
“Just shut the fuck up, kappa, and go.”
With a grumbled curse, Gojyo was out the door and on his way to track down the wayward green-eyed youkai.
TBC
This wasn't supposed to have two parts...but the 58 scurried away from me ^_^;; Oops. Well, I hope you all enjoyed it.
