Title: The Dangers of Sleep Cooking

Series: Saiyuki (set in the first few months of their living together)

Pairing: 58 (T-WS)

"This sucks..." Yep, you heard right folks, profanity from the lips of one Cho Hakkai. Rubbing his burning eyes he stared blearily at the clock on the wall. He'd read the same four lines a dozen times now and still had no idea what they said. Sighing he grumbled and dropped the book haphazardly onto the wobbly stack by his feet, not bothering to restack them when gravity and physics won and they toppled to the wooden floor in a muffled rumble.

He'd just close his eyes for a minute, just enough to stop the stinging. Yes, that should be fine, he'd still have plenty of time before Gojyo made it home. Collapsing back onto the threadbare couch, he really must look into buying a new one, he curled up onto his side, bare feet burrowing down between the cushions, his head propped up on his arm, fingers splayed out over his bad eye, monocle placed gently on the side table, the only thing he bothered to pay attention to. Glass was so very hard to find in the right thickness and prescription after all.

Sanzo had called Gojyo over a week ago, something about a job for the hanyou that only he could do. Hakkai wasn't t sure he wanted details after seeing the clothes Gojyo'd packed, all leather and animal prints. Some things he'd never seen, others he had to turn away from for fear the blush staining his cheeks would be noticed. He'd coughed politely and asked if the red-head would be requiring else for the evening before turning in; Gojyo's smiled tightly, like he wanted to say something but didn't and just shrugged.

"I'll be done by Friday, think you can make dinner or something when I get back?" Hakkai'd smiled then, it looked like Gojyo was finally starting to get the hang of having someone around after all.

"Of course, any requests?"

"Nah, everything you make's fine, so whatever you come up with'll be cool. Thanks man, see ya Friday." He'd raised a parting hand, cigarette hanging loosely between fingers, over his head as he'd walked out into the night.

Hakkai hadn't slept since.

He was more than willing. He really wanted to in fact, but his mind rebelled against his body, the result being he was working the last frayed nerve in his head and his body was heavy as lead; his eyes burned as though he'd been staring into the sun for too long. Overall, he was a mess. He'd reread every book in the house, had spoken to every neighbor for half a mile in every direction. Scrubbed the floor a half-dozen times and even cleaned the oven. He'd managed to do the laundry yesterday and the dishes were stacked and sparkling clean in their cupboards. Dishes. Oh bother. He'd forgotten about dinner.

Sighing again he pulled himself up, hissing as his feet tingled back to life as he dropped them to the floor, staggering slightly as he attempted to stand. Oh yeah, he could do this, he could, just, you know, hold onto something until he got his legs back. Yes, that's all he had to do. Drag himself into the kitchen, he was fine, yep, he didn't stumble over the chair legs at all, nope, not him. He wondered briefly if this is what it felt like to be drunk, and then dismissed the notion, if he was drunk the room would be spinning, but it was only fuzzy and slightly skewed to the left, so he must still be fine.

Food. Focus, he could do this, he was fine, just a tad tired, that's all. Dinner. What would he be able to cook for them? Collapsing in front of the pantry he rummaged around the various boxes and bags. Rice. Rice was good. Rice was easy, a few spices and maybe some nuts and fruit and it could even be special rice. Good, one down, what else. Potatoes, no, he already had rice...um...carrots. Yes, he had carrots, peel the carrots, put in pot, cook; he could do that, that wasn't hard. What else? Meat. Ok, something more specific than just meat. Umm...

"Pork roast? Chicken?" he dragged the back of his hand across his bleary eyes, "Oh, I can't even think of something to cook. Sanzo had better appreciate this. This is absolutely the last time I go along with a job this long alone. Stupid droopy-eyed priest. Maybe I should just cook him, that'd make up for a week's worth of sleepless nights I think."

"As hungry as I am, I think I'll pass on a Sanzo roast, 'Kai."

"Yes, yes, he'd probably be all stringy anyways."

"Eh? Gojyo?! Ah, haha, welcome home!" Hakkai jumped, startled and banged his head into the counter top.

"Ah. Ow, um..sorry, dinner's not quite ready yet."

"Shit, Hakkai, you ok man?" Gojyo dropped his bag on the couch and raced to his side, lightly fingering the bruised scalp.

*hiss* "Yes, it doesn't appear to have broken the skin."

"Hey," kneeling beside Hakkai he cupped the pale chin and lifted until he was able to search Hakkai's face, "Man, you look like shit. Have you really not slept all week?"

"Yes, well, I had cleaning to do you know, laundry, the floors and such. If you'll let me go now, I promised you dinner, did I not?"

"Screw dinner. I'm not hungry enough to be that much of a complete ass. Come on, you're going straight to bed."

"Ah, no, really, I'm fine, just a little spacey; I'll splash some water on my face and be fine, really."

"Nope, no arguing, I'm worn out myself, so how about we both crash, you can cook in the morning if you really want to." Gojyo picked up the struggling man and held him tight against his chest, one arm under his knees, the other wrapped around his shoulders.

Hakkai sighed and stopped struggling, leaning heavily against the warm chest and let his eyes drift shut. He wasn't even conscious of Gojyo gently laying him in bed and climbing in next to him, pausing to kick his shoes off and then shimming down until he was pressed up against Hakkai's back. Strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist, fingertips dangling over the bunched up nightshirt; calloused pads lightly tickling the raised skin of his scar.

He sighed sleepily and pushed back into the hard warmth at his back, mumbling something incoherent about telling Sanzo off and that weeks had too many days in them and how leopard prints haunted his nightmares. Gojyo smiled and pressed in closer, bodies molding together as his nose rummaged through the soft chocolate colored hair pressing against his neck. He completely agreed with every incoherent thought that tumbled out of Hakkai's lips.

Gojyo fought the urge to let sleep steal this opportunity to question the unguarded man, "Hey, 'Kai?"

"Hmm..."

"What kept you from sleeping?"

"Stupid." Gojyo's eyebrows shot up, he'd never heard Hakkai talk to anyone so, so, um...humanly? Was that even a word?

"Tell me why, 'Kai." He whispered, breath skimming the shell of Hakkai's ear, the cool metal fogging over.

"Can't sleep." he mumbled.

"Why?"

"Can't sleep without you. Too cold." He pressed back farther, like he was trying to crawl inside Gojyo to get warm.

"There are blankets you know."

"Not the same...wanted you." Hakkai groaned frustrated at being kept awake and struggled to turn over, their proximity causing the healer to end up half on top of the other. His eyes were so dark as to be almost black, with a harsh bloody haze speaking of his lack of sleep.

Leaning in, he unceremoniously kissed the shocked half-breed, tongue flicking over lips as he drew away. Collapsing he folded himself around the stiff body beneath him and cushioned his head on the hard chest, sighing contentedly as arms came up to wrap around him.

"Now please, shut up and let me sleep. It's been a long week."

Gojyo felt the small smile twitch the corners of his lips. He ran long fingers through silky hair and breathed in deeply of the crisp scent of soap and shampoo. His eyes finally slipping shut as he hazily thought, that Hakkai was right, blankets just didn't compare.

Fin.