Title: Sweeter than Chocolate

By: Sano

Series: Saiyuki

Pairings: 83

Warnings: Yaoi

Disclaimers: Saiyuki is the product of the amazing Kazuya Minekura-sama. Hey, if I owned these boys I'd get Hakkai and Sanzo to do what any yaoi fan wants them to do.

Note: Yare, yare desu ne… it's so hard to churn out fics these days!! This fic is in honor of the 83 day [August 3], please dedicate fics to this wonderful couple!! And sorry for the mistakes if there are any, I made this fic under an hour and a half. Please enjoy!!

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Sweeter than Chocolate

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The sun was high up in the sky, the cool breeze blowing through the window… it was a bright and sunny Sunday morning. The day was cheery enough, and it put him in a good mood, so Hakkai decided to cook something that he hadn't cooked since Gono's death.

Hakkai wanted to make a chocolate cake. It was a good thing that he had the day off; the school was closed on Sundays.

But first, he had to clean up their house. It had already been two years since Gyumao's defeat. The four guys were supposed to take their separate ways, but a year ago… along with Sanzo's resignation from the temple, the four decided to live together.

They stayed in a Western style house; it wasn't that grand, but luckily each had their own room… they weren't rich after all… Sanzo's resignation meant that he was no longer allowed to use his golden credit card. Hakkai could still remember the day when a messenger came into their previous apartment, bringing the bad news to Sanzo… Hakkai still thanked the Gods for giving the poor messenger tremendous amounts of luck.

Oh, and he was glad then that Gojyo decided to play a trick on the monk and hid all his bullets.

Wrapping a bandanna around his head and an apron around his waist, he picked up the broom and started to sweep away the dust. He gathered the countless CD's and magazines scattered around the living room, courtesy of Gojyo and Goku, and placed them in organized piles on the coffee table.

Hakkai smiled softly as his gaze drifted towards a picture frame resting on top of the TV. He still wondered how Yaone had successfully gotten Sanzo to actually take a picture with him, Gojyo and Goku. They had just gone to Yaone and Kougaiji's daughter's, Seira's, christening.

Sanzo was standing beside Hakkai, with Gojyo and Goku grinning goofily. Just when Kougaiji was about to take the picture, Yaone had placed little Seira into Sanzo's arms, with Hakkai quickly turning to the monk to support the baby. For Hakkai, it was one of the best pictures in their collection.

After he was covered with dust from head to toe, he took a shower, making sure that he had washed all of the dust off. He dressed in Khaki's and a white shirt, and stepped out of the house to go to the store for their weekly groceries.

He browsed through the shelves, picked up the ingredients for dinner, and of course, not forgetting the stuff he needed for the chocolate cake. He even bumped into some of his students with their mothers, and he wondered why his students were so red in the cheeks. Hmm… must be the hot weather.

He walked home slowly, just enjoying the cool air ruffling his brown hair. His mind wandered back to their Journey to the West a couple of years ago. He thought back then that he didn't want their mission to end, he feared that he might be alone again.

Back then he never could imagine the four of them living together… he could say that he was happy, for the time being at least.

He took out his keys and entered the house slowly, looking around if anyone was awake. It didn't surprise him that the house was as quiet as a cemetery. He glanced up at the clock hanging over the hallway, usually in the weekends; the other three wouldn't be awake till lunch.

He arranged the groceries, arranging them in the shelves. Then laying out his necessary things, he took out his trusty cookbook. He flipped through the pages, taking note of different chocolate cake recipes.

He made the cake batter effortlessly, his eyes flicking to the open book propped up with a couple of cans momentarily. After he had settled the cake into the oven, he set about to making lunch.

As expected, the moment that the yakisoba was settled into bowls and the cake already in the fridge ready for consumption, Hakkai could hear heavy footsteps thudding down the stairs. He chuckled a little and counted down mentally.

3…2…1

"Ah, haraheta!!" Goku bellowed sleepily as he stumbled into the kitchen. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, once they were clear, the golden orbs focused onto the steaming bowls in front of him.

"Waaii!! Let's eat!!"

Hakkai chuckled, "Hai, hai." He sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and picked up his bowl. A few moments later, Gojyo ambled into the kitchen, his blood-shot [from drinking] eyes blinking rapidly. Last to arrive was Sanzo, who was already washed and with a cigarette poised in his hand.

As Sanzo sat down, Goku's face scrunched up and waved off the offending smoke. "Sanzo, smoking in the morning!! Can't you at least have some clean air in your lungs even for a moment!!" The blonde monk ignored the monkey's scolding and instead started eating. Hakkai made a note to himself to admonish Sanzo later.

They ate in as much silence as Gojyo and Goku's bickering would allow, and after the dishes were cleared, Hakkai finally brought out the Black forest cake. When he placed it on the table, Goku's golden eyes were almost brimming with tears.

"Hakkai!! That looks so delicious!!" They talked a bit while the cake was being eaten, about work, Goku's studies, and Gojyo's management at the bar. Gojyo then excused himself, boasting that he had a date with a 'foxy lady'. Goku stepped out to go to Lirin's dorm, until only he and Sanzo were left to clean up.

"So… you don't have to work tonight, Sanzo?" Hakkai asked. Sanzo worked in a protective agency, kinda like the police, only that you had hire them as bodyguards, and the fees are high, mainly because almost all of the employees were experienced fighters.

Hakkai wondered why Sanzo liked his work; it constantly put his life in danger. Didn't the monk desire a peaceful life? He would've wanted to ask Sanzo, but he never did. Sanzo treasured his privacy.

"No. I gave the work to some other guy." Sanzo dragged in the smoke from his cigarette, "I wanted to stay for the night."

Hakkai washed off the last bowl, and placed it in the racket to dry. He smiled teasingly as he turned to Sanzo. "Hm… Gojyo and Goku will be out all night, we'll have the house for ourselves…" The youkai watched in fascination as Sanzo's eyebrow twitched then he composed himself, replacing the impassive mask once again. The monk would've been used to the remarks by now, Hakkai always teased him, and he knew that the brunette meant nothing by it.

But unknown to Sanzo, Hakkai's remarks were as truthful as the real thing, the monk just didn't have the courage to actually act on it.

Used to Sanzo's silence, Hakkai suggested that they watch TV. Sanzo agreed since he had nothing to do anyway, and before Hakkai went to the living room, he plucked a bowl from the refrigerator and brought two spoons with him.

Hakkai sat down beside Sanzo on the leather sofa, allowing Sanzo to look for something to watch. After aimlessly flipping through the numerous channels, Sanzo finally stopped on an action flick.

"Here." Hakkai handed a spoon to Sanzo, who looked curiously at it.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

Hakkai grinned and held the bowl in front of Sanzo's face. "Want some Chocolate?" Inside the bowl was the leftover chocolate he had melted earlier. The blonde stared into the bowl for a moment then reluctantly scooped up some of the chocolate.

They just sat there, silent and watching TV. At first Sanzo was too tense, but as the movie wore on, Hakkai noticed that Sanzo had propped up his feet on the coffee table beside his, their toes almost touching.

Sanzo lazily licked off the brown substance from spoon. He felt foolish and relaxed at the same time, and he was glad that Hakkai was the only one who was there to witness it. Funny how he felt at ease with the youkai, he had never felt more comfortable with anyone else.

He stole a look at the timid youkai beside him. Hakkai was watching the lame-ass movie with rapt attention, his pink tongue darting out momentarily to taste some of the chocolate on the spoon in front of him.

Looking at Hakkai, Sanzo suddenly found it hard to breathe air into his lungs.

The other didn't seem to notice his companion's predicament, and continued to watch, his eyelids drooping slowly. He wanted to sleep, but somehow, he didn't want to leave the comfortable silence between them.

Thinking that he might fall asleep on the couch, Hakkai stood up blearily. "Ne, Sanzo… I think I'll just head on up ne?" He was walking out of the room and a thought occurred to him. Walking towards Sanzo, he held the monk's face and placed a chaste kiss on the tempting lips.

"Oyasumi." He whispered then went to his room.

Sanzo was stock still, his mind still in shock of what just happened. Did Hakkai really just do that? Or was it… his amethyst eyes fell on the innocent looking bowl of chocolate on the table, then his hand flew to his lips, he could still feel the youkai's warm lips on his.

It must be the chocolate.

Owari

A sucky ending, I know… but I'm never really good with endings so please forgive me!!

Thank you for reading and please review!!