Authors Notes: This is once again for Sariyuki's "38 Incidents Project". I was hesitant to write this, but Sariyuki-san didn't mind the idea and if she didn't mind then I'm more then happy to write it up. I just hope it's alright and no one is too OOC and that the ending is alright as well. I had trouble trying to finish it off so I hope its okay. --;

#

The Snow Incident

The weather had turned with no warnings to the four male companions on their way west and it came down to the most calculating of the four to suggest that two of them should look for shelter while another two stay at their make shift camp so no one would promptly get lost…or so he hoped.

"Che!" A grumble came from one man who sat on the snow covered ground as he brushed clumps of it from his shoulders. Emerald eyes flickered over to the slightly downcast head of one Genjo Sanzo, their uncouth leader, who at the moment was unable to light a cigarette. His messy golden bangs fell over his forehead hiding his narrowed eyes as he was now even more pissed off then usual. Right now Sanzo had a tan cloak covering his robes and sutra, but still to the sharp eyes of Cho Hakkai he knew the man was freezing.

The temperature had plummeted dramatically and it had gotten beyond cold. A sharp wind blew through the badly sheltered campsite and Hakkai gritted his teeth trying desperately not to tremble.

"Che!" Another low grumble from the golden haired man and this time he raised his eyes hearing the crunch of snow under Hakkai's shoes. He watched his emerald eyed companion crouch in front of him before Hakkai placed up his hands and surrounded them around his own, but without touching him as he tried to help block the wind from his lighter.

It had worked and a small amount of smoke rose from the cigarette as Sanzo took in a long drag. Hopefully this would try and calm him down.

"Stupid morons…" Came yet another grumble from him. Even the cigarette was not helping his worsening attitude.

"I'm sure Goku and Goyjo are on their way back as we speak Sanzo." Amethyst glanced over at emerald as the youkai was still crouched in front of him, a tan cloak blocking off most of his face from view.

"Even you aren't convinced about your own answer Hakkai." Sanzo caught a small laugh from the man in front of him and watched the air turn foggy when it escaped through Hakkai's dry lips. The temperature was certainly below zero.

"Well, I have to admit I am worried since it has been a few hours now, but I still have faith in them."

"I have more faith in Hakuryuu then those two morons put together." Sanzo bluntly replied back while drawing his cigarette back up to his lips. There was the light hearted sound of Hakkai's laughter ringing through the wind while he began to adjust his cloak.

"That is why I sent Hakuryuu with them."

"Aa…" The two companions fell silent as the snow grew heavier.

Hakkai's mind began to wonder as he sat cross legged in front of Sanzo, but his emerald eyes were closed now. Sanzo however, began to watch the youkai in sheer fascination though it looked like boredom on his chilled face. It wasn't like there was anything else to do, except try and not think about how fucking cold it was. Heavy snow dropped onto Sanzo's cloak as he glanced at it and then above him at the looming tree. It swayed in the breeze and amethyst eyes could not help but widen as thick branches covered in sheets of snow swayed along with it. What was even more frustrating to the monk was the fact that a large amount was heading straight for the oblivious youkai.

"Ha-" Before Sanzo could even finish he watched as pale hands shot up, a tan cloak falling to the snowy ground as Hakkai's chi formed a barrier over the both of them and diverted the falling sheets of snow away. It wasn't long before the barrier vanished as Hakkai placed his hands back into his lap and turned shimmering emerald eyes to Sanzo.

"I knew this was going to happen."

"What?" Sanzo was silently surprised when Hakkai abruptly stood up and grabbed his hands to also hall him to his own feet.

"We've got to find shelter Sanzo. When this weather breaks we'll find the others, but right now if we don't move we'll be caught in a bliz-" A harsh wind blew through the campsite and once more Hakkai stood in front of Sanzo and threw up another chi barrier to block out the howling wind that they were now caught in the middle of. The force was tremendous and moved Hakkai backwards from his standing position as he slammed against the chest of Sanzo. The monk was not prepared for the brunt of Hakkai and lost his footing sending the both of them to the ground.

"Get off me." It was definitely not a question at all from the aggravated monk, the back of his cloak now plastered with wet snow. Hakkai abruptly stood up and once more helped Sanzo to his feet and observed the scowling man brush snow as quickly as possible from his cloak. One of Hakkai's pale slender hands shot out to help, but retreated back to his side as he knew Sanzo would not like being helped over something so small. Instead his well trained eyes noticed a shiver rake the monk's form and Hakkai quickly bolted over to where his own cloak lay and shook it of snow. Without a single word he placed it around the shoulders of the now tense Sanzo and quickly tied it up.

"What do you thi-"

"Move back to the tree trunk Sanzo." Hakkai interrupted and when his leader and companion was not moving as he requested of him to do, Hakkai placed one hand against the chest of Sanzo and promptly shoved him, but not too hard to make the man stumble and fall. Amethyst glared at the back of Hakkai's head as the brunette created another chi barrier which surrounded the front of them while using the trunk as protection for the back of them.

"We've been caught in a blizzard Sanzo."

"You think?" Sanzo sarcastically replied as he placed his back against the trunk.

"We should sit down as we could be in this for awhile." Hakkai remarked once more as he lowered himself to the ground and sat in the ankle deep snow.

#

Some time had passed, Sanzo didn't know how long, but he and Hakkai had not spoken a single word. Instead he continuously sat behind the emerald eyed youkai, his amethyst eyes moving over the lightly clothed figure. He was as usual dressed in his beige coloured trousers and his short sleeved green top. How cold would he be feeling right now? At that thought, Sanzo's hands fisted in the folds of his robes as he realized that Hakkai was as usual protecting him from harm. Sure he was protecting himself from Mother Nature as well, but when it came down to it, it was always about the safety of him. Everyone else before himself, that's who Hakkai was.

Shifting against the trunk Sanzo moved slightly forward to see if Hakkai was alright. Of course on the outside he would show nothing, but on the inside he knew that whenever Hakkai protected him, the youkai would always carry the injury later on. Though he had refused protection many times in the past it was now clear that his emerald eyed companion was probably just as stubborn as him.

"Hakkai, I think you shou-"

"Don't even say it Sanzo." Hakkai quietly interrupted the monk from saying anything more. Sanzo scrunched his eyebrows as he leaned forward and found Hakkai with his eyes closed once more. The way he sat, the slow controlled breathing he was doing, it reminded Sanzo of meditation.

"Please sit back." Hakkai quietly voiced once more. It was eerie how controlled he seemed even though his forearms had goosebumps on them.

"You are cold." Sanzo spoke honestly and watched as Hakkai bowed his head slightly.

"I'm alright Sanzo. What I need from you is to keep those cloaks on."

"Why?"

"It would do my concentration no good in worrying about your welfare any further then I already am, so please for once, do as I ask. If I remain this way, in concentrating my chi then we'll always gain a little more time against the blizzard. We just need time Sanzo…" At those words, Sanzo moved back and slumped against the trunk.

'Time…all I need…is a little more time…'

Cho Gonou…

"How you have changed my friend…" Sanzo whispered to himself, but unknown to him emerald eyes drifted open as that whisper was brought towards his frozen ears. A small smile grew on Hakkai's chilled face, but once more he bent his head down and scrunched his eyes closed. A gust of wind blew, ruffling his brunette locks and so he brought up his left hand and forced his chi out of him to form an even stronger barrier.

"It's getting stronger!" Hakkai stumbled slightly as he stood up trying to get a better grip on the ground with the tread on his shoes, but once more he was pushed backwards by the blizzard. It wasn't long before he felt a hand against his wet shirt and turned to look over his shoulder. Sanzo was standing right behind him, back pressed against the tree trunk and a hand raised to steady him.

"Thanks…"

"Just concentrate you idiot!" The monk barked at him and he turned back to narrow his eyes at the blizzard. If it was anything else but Mother Nature it would have ceased at that very moment by the look in Hakkai's eyes, but because it was Mother Nature she insisted that the two men remain in her blizzard. The largest gust of wind, complimented with snow broke through Hakkai's flickering barrier and he stumbled back hitting Sanzo's chest. The monk, while cursing his luck had no other choice but to hold the taller man against him least the two of them fall into the growing snow now resting against their shins.

"I think it's calming down!" Hakkai voiced loudly while in hopes that his heart would do the same as he voiced. Being this close to the monk was sending his emotions astray…and that was not good at a time like this.

"Where the hell are those two idiots with the whereabouts of shelter?" Sanzo shouted frustratingly once more and felt Hakkai stiffen. It wasn't long before Sanzo truly took in how this would look if anyone stumbled upon them.

There Sanzo was, his back pinned against the tree, while Hakkai's back was pressed tightly against his cloaked chest. At the sudden impact of Hakkai hitting him, Sanzo had grabbed Hakkai from falling and had placed his right arm around the emerald eyed youkai's shoulders while the other was securely around his waist. Most indecent, but as much as Sanzo wanted to dart away from the lean physique of Hakkai, he knew there was no way he could do it. This youkai once human was apart of his memories now…and there was no way he'd do something stupid to push the youkai away when he was desperately trying to keep the blizzard away from the both of them.

"Sanzo let go." Sanzo held his breath at those words. He wasn't pushing Hakkai away; it was Hakkai who was pushing him away.

"You'll fall." He tried reasoning.

"Your touch is distracting me!" Hakkai blurted out and instantly gloved hands broke from around the slender youkai and observed as Hakkai stepped forward and created a bigger barrier around them. Sanzo however remained quiet and sifted Hakkai's words through his mind. Was it in a good way…or a bad way? The monk made his usual 'che' sound, as he tried to act like it didn't bother him.

His attention was brought back when he heard a heavy sigh escape Hakkai as the youkai lowered his hands and then dropped to his knees. This blizzard had given up for now, but Sanzo would bet his life that another one was on the way. Hakkai began to breathe harshly and brought up his shaking hands to his hazy eyes.

"This is not good…" He mumbled to himself before feeling a hand clasp his shoulder.

"Oi, Hakkai?" Sanzo voiced as he had made his way over to the shaking demon and placed his hand on his shoulder to grab his attention also. Amethyst watched as Hakkai tilted his head up, long drenched bangs falling away from his pale face.

"Hakkai your face…" Sanzo voiced in slight shock, but mostly annoyance in himself for not noticing it earlier. Hakkai was trembling from the cold, but it was like he didn't even know he was doing it. His eyes were blurred in exhaustion and they gazed longingly up at him as though he had answers to unasked questions. It wasn't only that, but the tips of Hakkai's fingers were changing to a sickening shade of blue as were his lips. The man had been without sufficient clothing for this weather long enough. Sanzo was about to reprimand the stubborn demon and was going to force the cloak back on him, when his eyes grew wide in shock when those frozen hands shot forward, clutched the folds of the cloaks and pulled him forward and right into him. At the sudden contact between them Hakkai had fallen backwards as Sanzo now lay sprawled above him.

"What the hell!" Sanzo growled and then felt a weight on the back of his legs and placed his hands on either side of Hakkai's head as he turned to look over his shoulder to see their legs were covered in sheets of snow. Sanzo made another 'che' and glanced narrowed eyes back down at Hakkai. His breath was rugged and he still clutched at the cloak as though his fingers had locked in place and never wanted to let go.

"Why didn't you use your chi?" It was growing harder for Hakkai to open his dreary eyes, but he did just that and gazed into what looked like concerned amethyst, but then perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him now.

"Because…of this…" Sanzo turned his head to see Hakkai had raised his hand and a small chi ball flickered.

"You used too much chi." Sanzo stated the obvious and without even thinking he caught the hand before it fell back into the snow and brought it to lie on Hakkai's chest.

"Is it snowing?" Hakkai hoarsely whispered. Sanzo arched an eyebrow at Hakkai's question but the monk would place it down to exhaustion and not stupidity like he would the other two.

"A little bit. The wind has died down as well." Sanzo wasn't sure what the hell he was still doing on top of Hakkai, but he remained there as a small tired smile broke onto the Hakkai's beautiful face.

"I can't…feel anything…"

"That's because you were being stubborn and being a pain in the ass." Sanzo grumbled out and felt Hakkai's chest vibrate as he laughed and then coughed harshly.

"Che, now you're sick." This just seemed to dampen Sanzo's mood even more.

"I'm okay…"

"Bullshit!"

"I am…because…Sanzo…is keeping me warm." Amethyst widened at those words, but the monk remained quiet. It was apparent that Hakkai was either sleeping or unconscious and Sanzo tilted his head up to the sky as small flurries of snow began to fall. In truth he was just happy that the wind had not picked up again.

The small flurries stuck against the back of the cloak, but most were falling onto Hakkai's face as Sanzo wasn't directly over him enough. Bringing up a gloved hand Sanzo was shocked at himself as he brushed several flurries from Hakkai's pale face. His skin was cold to the touch as though he seemed dead, but Sanzo knew for the simple fact that Hakkai's chest rose against his own to indicate he was in fact breathing. The flurries stuck to his soft brown locks of hair, smothered his smooth forehead, drenched his long eyelashes and ironically Sanzo brushed them all away. Slender fingers stopped however and hovered over Hakkai's lips. Flurries fell against them also, tinting them even bluer then before.

"Hakkai…" Sanzo heard himself murmur as he gazed over the face of the youkai. Though looking pretty much like death, Sanzo found himself mesmerized by the sculpture of Hakkai's face. Soft spiky hair, beautiful eyes though now they were closed, soft flawless skin and a sharp jaw line. And yet as he looked over the masculine man beneath him, the emerald eyed youkai held such mysterious beauty that even when death was so close to him he could still draw even the most difficult person in the entire world towards him.

"You truly piss me off Hakkai." Sanzo whispered to no one in particular as he lowered his head to the oblivious Hakkai. He had stopped abruptly, an inch above the dry lips and glanced his eyes around the snow covered forest. He hadn't a clue what had come over him and would most definitely blame it on the weather and then lash out at two stupid demons who couldn't even find shelter if they were staring at it in the face. He'd definitely injure the both of them with his harisen and his bullets.

Warm lips pressed lightly against cold ones and at the light connection nothing moved. There was no initiation of a true kiss, just a mere touch, a caress of warmth against biting cold. Amethyst snapped open, Sanzo absently wondering when he had closed his eyes to begin with, as he felt a rush of air against his mouth as Hakkai had parted his lips open beneath his own. Pulling quickly away Sanzo watched as dark emerald orbs fluttered open to gaze into his surprised eyes.

"I felt that…" Hakkai mumbled with a small smile caressing his lips. Sanzo had parted his own, ready to make some lame argument in defense of his actions but was saved from explaining as they heard running footsteps. Quickly getting off of the youkai, Sanzo fell in the snow beside the reddened face of Hakkai and he hoped to anything out there that his face wasn't looking like Hakkai's right now.

"Oi Sanzo, we found shelter!" Goku stopped as he looked at the two men in the snow and couldn't say anymore when Goyjo walked up behind him, noticing the tinge on Hakkai's cheeks, the look on Sanzo's face and decided to open his big mouth instead.

"So, what happened between you two?" There was a cocky "know it all" grin on Goyjo's face and the two standing demons watched as Hakkai's emerald eyes flickered to amethyst before taking the offered hand of Goku.

"Nothing happened, why do you ask?" Once Hakkai let go of Goku's hand, he regretted it as his body still craved rest and his weak legs buckled under him, but it wasn't long before a pair of arms held him up. Emerald stared into amethyst and then over at the snickering Goyjo. It wasn't long before there was a definite click of a gun as Sanzo aimed it at the two wide eyed demons.

"Start moving or I'll start shooting." Came the glaring warning and Goku and Goyjo turned around and began walking and for once in quiet or else they would probably end up with bullet holes in their backs. It seemed to them that the "weather" had made Sanzo extra sensitive to everything.

Behind the two demons leading the way back to the cave and to where Hakuryuu was waiting for them with a perfectly lit fire, to help guide them, Sanzo had stopped moving as he took off one cloak and tied it back around Hakkai's trembling form. Emerald eyes flickered down to gaze at amethyst, but he remained quiet, daring not to voice anything…even about the small piece of emotion Sanzo had let escape and shared it with him before they were interrupted.

Sanzo knew Hakkai wanted to ask him about what occurred, but truthfully he had no idea what had gotten over him. The weather…it had to be the weather for sure, but as soon as he placed Hakkai's left arm over his shoulder and moved his other around Hakkai's waist he knew that answer was a small lie.

"Ne, Sanzo?" Hakkai whispered, trying to keep his voice low and out of hearing range from his other two companions and watched with baited breath as his golden haired companion finally turned amethyst orbs towards his emerald ones.

No words were exchanged between the two men as all Hakkai needed to do was smile. That smile irked Sanzo…only a little though as it was one of those 'contagious' ones and for the life of him Sanzo felt himself return the gesture as he held a small one of his own. This response proceeded to break an even wider smile on Hakkai's lips, while emerald eyes sparkled in the moonlight…the clouds having moved away for now.

Tearing away from Hakkai's smiling face; Sanzo tightened his hold around the youkai's waist and quickened their pace as the two idiots had yelled that the cave was close by.

Sanzo was sure it was the weather that was playing with him now. Well that…and maybe a little of something else too.

# # # # #

The End!

# # # # #