The breaths he took came loud and heavy, his chest heaving deeply inward and collapsing outward. He smashed his fists to the ground, cursing and gritting his teeth together. He lifted his head to look ahead of him, toward the eversetting sun. He looked to his hands, then ahead of him once more. He stood up, struggling and gasping for breath, but once he was fully standing, he clenched his fists at his sides and sighed. "Hakkai…" He breathed. Why can't I catch you, Hakkaii? No matter how much I run, or how fast, I can never catch you. And it hurts to breath, to move anymore. I've been running after you for three days straight! How can you possibly still be running? But that doesn't matter. I can't outrun you, but I will outrun the pain. You can't hide forever.
And with that thought, the kappa began running once more. He ran until it grew dark, and even after he progressed through the night, despretely hoping to find his friend. "Hakkai!" He persistently cried to the darkness. "Hakkai, please come out! Where are you!?" He stopped once he reached a clearing in the woods and collapsed, sitting with his elbows resting on his knees.
He looked to the sky and fell back, looking to the stars. What about me is it that drives people away so easily? My own mother, my step-mother, my father, my brother, every girl I've ever been with and now my best friend. All run away. It couldn't be my red hair or my crimson eyes, he said they admonished him so many years ago, it couldn't be that, unless he's finally realized that I am, indeed, taboo to him and the rest of this world. "Oh, Hakkai…" What was I thinking?
He sat up again, looking around him. Since there was no one around, he figured he'd get some of the weight off his chest. "Dammit, Hakkai, I don't care if you can hear me or not. I have something to say. I know it might seem hard to believe, but I've loved you for a long time now. Ever since that night I took you home with me. I looked at you in a way I've never looked at any woman before. When I told you that was the one and only time I brought a guy to bed, I wasn't implying that I wasn't gay. I wanted you to realized that I wanted it to be you and me, forever. And only you and me. I don't want anyone else. That's probably what scared you away… I shouldn't have tried to kiss you, man… I know it was wrong of me and I'm sorry. If you can ever forgive me… I pray to the Gods you'll stop running…"
Gojyo laid back down and sighed, trying to calm his heart and ease the neverceasing pain that engulfed his body, mind, and soul. His body shuddered with every breath, the mixture of pain and the cold night air torturing his body.
Someone entered the clearing, the half-demon could feel it, but he no longer cared. A demon could walk up to him and stab him in the chest without him caring at that moment. He wasn't moving for anyone, not after he had finally got himself warm. A hand touched his shoulder and he thought of Hakkai. I can't die now. I have to tell him how I feel first, and whoever this bastard is isn't going to stop me. He flipped himself onto his feet and grabbed the strangers wrist, the shocked gasp caught his attention and he looked into the strangers eyes. Green. And deep too. Just like….
"Hakkai!" Gojyo gasped in shock, releasing his friend's wrist. "I thought you were long gone by now…" The kappa looked down to his side and began walking to the side of Hakkai. "So you probably heard what I said, huh?"
Hakkai rubbed his hand up and down his left arm and walked up next to his friend. "Yeah, I heard…"
"You don't believe me, do you, Hakkai?" Gojyo said sadly, looking at his friend with broken eyes.
"But I do…" Hakkai walked around to look his friend in the eyes and grabbed Gojyo's arms. "I really do… it's just… I promised myself I would never love again."
"Only because you didn't think you could protect someone 24/7."
"Yeah… what's so bad about that?" Hakkai said defensively.
"Nothing, nothing. It's just that you wouldn't have to protect me. That's my job, silly."
"Why do you say that?"
With that, Gojyo forced his lips to Hakkai's until the man slipped into a strange relaxation, lingering on Gojyo's lip, and wrapping his arms around the kappa's neck. When the kiss broke, Gojyo smiled and kissed Hakkai's forehead. "Because, Hakkai, I'm the man in this relationship."