Strange Bedfellows
Hakkai lay still as he heard the man beside him stir and rise, a slight groan punctuating his movements. Hakkai kept his eyes tightly shut, a tiny smile playing on his lips as he matched the sounds to images playing in his mind. A drawer slamming shut meant a shirt was about to be pulled on, whispered curses meant shoes were no where to be found. His breath caught in his throat as he felt the weight of his lover's eyes on him.
Quickly, Hakkai began to breathe deeply and evenly, hoping the other man would think he was still sleeping. His act must have worked because the next thing he heard was the creaking bedsprings as his lover sat next to him on the bed and tentatively brushed strands of hair out of Hakkai's face.
Hakkai allowed himself an inward smile at the uncharacteristic tenderness. The only time his lover could show tenderness was when he believed him to be asleep – and if Hakkai faked sleep a few times to get it, so what? It wasn't anyone's business how he gained affection from his lover!
The inward smile made its way to his lips as his lover briskly rearranged the covers around his body, jerking them around and then smoothing down gently with the flat of his palm, adjusting the pillows also as if on second thought. "Idiot. Smiling all the time, even when you're sleeping." His lover spoke roughly, tender hands betraying his harsh words as slim, calloused fingers reached up and softly traced the contours of the smile their owner had condemned only moments beforehand.
Hakkai decided it was time to wake up and catch the other man in this rare moment of tenderness. Slowly, he did so, stretching his body beneath his lover's appreciative gaze and slower still, opening dark green eyes to meet the unusually gentle violet of his lover's. Warm fingers started to leave his lips hurriedly, as if embarrassed to be caught in such a situation, but Hakkai's own fingers reached up to clasp them firmly. "Good morning Sanzo," he said softly.
"Hakkai," Sanzo responded, starting to stand up and move away, but Hakkai's hand was still grasping his, holding him to his side. "What is it?"
"I love you," Hakkai replied patiently, hoping that today he would say something different, something other than…
"Thank you."
Hakkai's stomach clenched at the words. Every day…Sanzo replied to him like this, always with a sad undertone to his quiet voice and an odd sort of look in his eyes. A look that was almost pitying, but not quite. And he never knew how to respond to these words. So, he simply smiled and leaned up, pressing his lips against Sanzo's a warm, hopeful kiss. Sanzo returned the kiss for a few short moments, his hands coming down to rest lightly on Hakkai's shoulders before pulling away. "I have to go. I'll be back later," Sanzo said quietly on his way out the door.
Behind him, Hakkai nodded, standing up and starting to remake the bed. He sighed as he finished making the bed and got dressed, thinking curiously about his lover. They were different. Very different.
Sanzo frowned while Hakkai smiled, struck out when Hakkai drew in. Sanzo was outspoken in his anger, reacting violently when displeased. Hakkai bore it all with a smile, keeping his pain bottled up where no one could reach it. Sanzo carried a fan and gun; Hakkai carried a small white dragon. Sanzo bore the mark of his past high on his forehead, a sign of position, power, and respect to everyone and a sign of duty to his own self. Hakkai wore his own mark of a past on his left eye, provoking thoughts in others as they wondered what it meant and a reminder of another man bearing the same surname to himself. They were different.
And yet…they were the same. Hakkai smiled faintly at this. They were the same in the way their bodies fit so perfectly together, the way their hearts beat in synchronized rhythm, in the way they loved…they were the same. Hakkai held his breath momentarily…the way they loved. Did Sanzo know how to love? And if he did…did he love Hakkai? He'd never said it…
Hakkai sighed and shook his head at the thought. Yes…Sanzo knew how to love. He was certain of it. And more importantly…he knew Sanzo loved *him*. In his own way, Sanzo had been able to push away the scars of his past and make room for another…and he'd been able to love. Not the way Hakkai did. Maybe not even the way Hakkai wanted. But…it was what he needed.
He needed the support and strength Sanzo had to offer. He needed the awkward affection Sanzo used when he thought no one was looking. He needed to feel Sanzo's warm body next to his and he needed to wake up to a pair of violet eyes every morning. He *needed* Sanzo.
And he loved him.
Hakkai's lips curved back into a smile as he saw the tall, upright form of his lover walking towards the house. Sanzo was back from wherever he had gone. He never told Hakkai where he was going and Hakkai never asked. It was another difference between them. And yet…Hakkai found it didn't bother him so much anymore.
"Sanzo."
Violet eye glanced up from the doorway to see Hakkai on the staircase, a small smile on his lips. For a brief moment, a smile was on Sanzo's lips, but it was gone as suddenly as it had appeared. Hakkai's own smile widened. They were so different…it was strange that they had become lovers at all.
He suppressed a laugh as a phrase caught his amusement.
Yes.
They were strange bedfellows, Sanzo and he.
::End::
AN: You are never ever gonna guess where I got this title and whole story concept from…off the back of a Harlequin romance novel. It was written in large letters across the back of the book my sister was looking at and the title made me think of Sanzo and Hakkai…so yes, here it is. My first Sanzo and Hakkai. Hopefully they weren't too OOC and the fic was good enough you'll want to leave me a nice little review. ^_^