A/N: This is not very much alike my longer story 'Cho Hakkai: Murderer?', but I hope it's entertaining anyway.
How to Make Hakkai Smile
Gojyo sat in a chair in their room. His long legs were resting on another chair in front of him, and his arms were folded behind his neck as he looked out of the window. He was feeling miserable. Normally the rain didn't affect him as it affected two of his companions, but now it had been raining for a week. A whole fucking week! To be honest, it wasn't the rain that bothered him; it was said companions' gloomy appearances that couldn't help but dispirit him. Each day those two had sank deeper into their self-induced despair. To make matters worse, they had only been able to get a single room at this inn, which meant he had had to spend this whole week curled up in a room together with two depressed beings and an annoying monkey. Shit, this sorry excuse for an inn didn't even have a dining room, where he could get away. There was only a small kitchen in which he had tried to make them something to eat, since Hakkai didn't want to move from the chair in front of the window, except in the evenings, when the youkai took one of the beds, and Sanzo the other. That left Goku and himself to the futons on the floor.
A deep sigh was heard from Gojyo as he contemplated the situation. Heck, he hadn't been out of this inn since the day before yesterday when he and Goku had gone out to buy some groceries. They had returned like drenched cats, vowing that next time they would throw out their two silent comrades instead. If it hadn't been raining so much he could have gone out for a little flirting. As things were now, the only girl he had seen was in the grocery shop, and she was claimed. Ring on her finger and all. Pity, she was really pretty. Of course, if it weren't raining they wouldn't still be here, and the jeep was terribly girl free. As was this room.
He sighed again. The atmosphere in this room drained him of all his energy. Not that he could go anywhere but the kitchen or the bathroom, and there were only so many things you could do at either place, Gojyo thought. He watched the other three in the room. Hakkai was staring out of the window; Sanzo lay on his back on his bed, smoking; and Goku was sitting pouting, with his legs crossed on the floor, patting Hakuryuu in his lap.
Another sigh slipped out of Gojyo's lungs.
"Quit sighing, cockroach," Goku complained. "Do something if you feel so rotten."
"Yeah? Like what?" Gojyo asked sardonically. "I don't see you doing very much either, monkey."
"I know," Goku admitted. "But I'm sick of just sitting here. I wish we were attacked by a bunch of youkai now." He sighed.
"Heh," Gojyo smirked. "You're sighing, too. Anyway, there isn't much chance of being attacked by anyone. Everyone with the tiniest ounce of brains is keeping themselves inside in this weather. Preferably in bed together with a hot chick," he added.
"Ero-kappa," muttered Goku. "Besides, have you ever heard of any youkai with brains?"
"Well, certainly not you, monkey, but…" Gojyo cast a glance over to Hakkai, and Goku followed his look.
"All right, except Hakkai," Goku agreed. "And Kougaiji and his partners," he added. "But I guess you're right. No attacks from youkai today, either. So, what'll we do?"
Gojyo sat up a little straighter in the chair. Maybe he and Goku could figure out something to do. "We could always take your limiter off," he suggested. "That would stir things up here for sure."
"Ha-ha, very funny," said Goku sourly.
"No, maybe not." Gojyo winked at the boy. "Hey, don't take it so seriously." He chuckled. "What about removing Hakkai's limiters?"
They both looked at Hakkai, who hadn't moved.
"Heck, I wonder if he even would notice," Gojyo muttered."
"I would prefer if you didn't touch my limiters, Gojyo," Hakkai said calmly, without looking at them.
"So, you're alive after all," Gojyo snickered. "I began to wonder."
Hakkai didn't answer, but from the bed came a snort.
"Too bad, the corrupt monk's alive, too." Gojyo pretended to sound regretful.
The conversation between him and Goku had cleared his mind some, and he found himself actually bothering to think of something to do. He got an idea. "Hey, Goku," he called, "care to join me outside a moment?"
Goku looked suspiciously at Gojyo. "Only if you promise to keep your hands where they belong, ero-kappa," he answered.
"You wish, monkey," Gojyo smirked. "I may be desperate, but not that desperate. You coming?"
"Sure."
Outside the room, in the dimly lit corridor, Gojyo told Goku about his idea. "Let's have a competition."
"What kind of competition?" asked Goku.
"Let's see which of us who can make Hakkai or Sanzo smile first. You do something to make Sanzo smile, and I'll do something to make Hakkai smile." Gojyo looked questioningly at Goku. "What do you say?"
"No fair," pouted Goku. "It's much easier to get Hakkai to smile, He smiles all the time, except when it's raining."
"Yeah," admitted Gojyo, "but that's only his fake smile. I mean to get him to smile the real deal."
Goku pondered a while. "Nah, it's still easier to get Hakkai to smile."
Gojyo looked disappointed. "Got any better idea, monkey? I can't stand sitting in that room any longer."
"What about we both try to make Hakkai smile?"
"Eh… how do you mean?"
"You'll think of one thing to make Hakkai happy, and I'll think of another. The one who made the suggestion that makes him smile wins." Goku looked eagerly at Gojyo. "We can help each other to do the stuff, but the best suggestion wins."
Gojyo pondered for a moment. To be honest, he wanted to see Hakkai smile, not only because of some stupid competition, but to see his friend's face lit up. So, even if Goku's suggestion would win, which he doubted, Gojyo still would have the reward of that wonderful smile. "All right," he agreed. "The loser has to do the dishes for a month."
"Okay." Goku grinned at Gojyo. "Who starts?"
Gojyo bowed mockingly to Goku. "Better let the brainless monkey get a head start. Let's do your suggestion first. What do you want to do?"
Goku beamed at him. "Let's bake him a cake!"
Gojyo groaned. "A cake? Figures you would think of food."
"Come on, Gojyo," persuaded Goku. "He loves cherry pies."
"You love cherry pies," corrected Gojyo. "Hakkai likes them."
Goku shrugged. "Whatever. I think it's worth a try. Gonna help me?"
"Of course. I'm not gonna go into that room again for a while. I've had enough of those depressed faces. Let's go, monkey."
They reached the kitchen, and Goku opened the cupboard where the inn's owner had let them keep their food. Something struck Gojyo. "Sorry, monkey. But there's no way we can make a cherry pie. We don't have either flour or cherries, and I'm not gonna walk out in that rain again." He looked through the window at the street. "It's more of a river than a street, and Hakuryuu can't change into a boat."
Goku only smiled and took out what ingredients they had, putting them on the table. Then he opened another cupboard. When he withdrew his hands from the inside, they held a package of flour and a bowl with cherries. Triumphantly he put them beside the other things on the table.
"Hey! That's not ours! Or is it?" Gojyo looked suspiciously at Goku. "I know you haven't been in the room all the time, but I think I would have noticed if you had been outside, buying stuff."
"This belongs to the inn." Goku pointed at the flour and cherries. "But I've got permission to use and eat what I want here as long as I pay for it. The innkeeper is a very nice old man."
"When he's awake," agreed Gojyo, reminded of the times he had needed to talk to the keeper and had to wake him up. "How are you paying for it? You don't have any money, do you?"
"I just put it on the tab, and Sanzo pays for it with his card. He might hit me with his fan and grunt some, but it's worth it." Goku grinned.
Gojyo looked at the younger man. "I guessed you were in the kitchen when you disappeared from the room. But I couldn't understand why, since Sanzo told you not to eat any of our food. About the only thing he has said the whole week, by the way." He snorted. "Should have known you'd found a way to keep your stomach filled."
"Everyone has to take care of his own needs. If you were so bored you could have kept me company here," Goku shrugged.
"Nah, can't eat as much as you. Bad for my figure," Gojyo smirked. "Besides, as you said, everyone has to take of their own needs, and you never kept me company in the bathroom either."
Goku looked at Gojyo with disgust. "You're such a pervert."
"Hey, I'm a big boy," Gojyo laughed.
"Shut up!" Goku snapped. "You gonna help me with the pie or not?"
"Course I will," Gojyo smirked. "If the idea works, I wanna at least get some of the credit."
Goku put the oven on to preheat, and Gojyo searched the kitchen to find a bowl and baking tin. "Hey monkey, guess you know this kitchen. Where's the electric mixer?"
"Stupid kappa, you don't need any," Goku answered, "but get a rolling pin from that drawer."
"What the fuck am I gonna do with this?" Gojyo said annoyed as he found the rolling pin.
"Hehe," Goku commented. "Have you ever done a cherry pie before?"
"Can't say I have," Gojyo admitted good-natured. "So what's it for?"
"To roll out the dough, stupid cockroach." Goku shook his head in disbelief. "What did you think you would do with a rolling pin?"
Gojyo opened his mouth, but was interrupted before he could say anything.
"You don't have to say, 'stick it up your ass'," Goku explained, "because I already know that's what you're gonna say." He smirked at Gojyo's dumbfounded expression. "Man, you're so predictable."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Shut up before I pour the flour over your head." Gojyo held the paper bag with the flour, threatingly over Goku's head."
Goku looked a little worried. "Hey, that's all flour there is. We can't bake anything at all if you're gonna play with it."
"Then say I'm not predictable." He shook the bag and a small amount of flour spilled onto Goku's hair.
"Stop it!" Goku yelled and moved away. "All right, you're not predictable. Satisfied?"
Gojyo put the bag down on the table. "Sure."
Goku sighed. "Can we start with the pie now? You can rinse and pick out the stones from the cherries, while I make the dough."
With expert fingers Goku started mixing flour, butter, and just the right amount of water to make perfect pie dough.
"You're good at that," admitted Gojyo, while he struggled with the little dark red berries.
Goku put the dough in the refrigerator, and then turned to Gojyo. He laughed out loud. "What a mess!"
The cherries from which Gojyo had picked out the stones didn't look like cherries anymore. The bowl in front of him was filled with a dark mass of something that could only be identified as cherries if one knew what they were. The table, as well as Gojyo's hands and arms up to his elbows, were red, and the stones were spattered all over the kitchen.
Gojyo looked at him with a sheepish grin. "Ah… well… this isn't really my kind of work, ya know."
Goku sat down beside his friend and grabbed the bowl with the unhandled cherries. "I'll help you," he chuckled.
Soon the preparation of the berries was finished. Goku covered them with sugar and cornstarch, and shook the bowl to mix it well. It wasn't easy, since the berries Gojyo had prepared didn't roll around as well as they were supposed to. Gojyo stood beside him feeling unnecessary.
"Where did you learn all this?" he asked Goku.
"Hakkai, of course," came the reply. "Now, if you clean up a little I'll show you how to make the rest of the pie."
"Damn. You even sound like him," Gojyo commented annoyed, but went over to the sink to wash himself while Goku cleaned the table and picked up all the stones.
"Here." Goku offered him the rolling pin and took the dough out of the refrigerator. He divided it into two parts, one double the size of the other, and gave Gojyo the smaller part. "The only thing you have to do is roll out the dough to a flat circle about this size." He pointed at the tin.
Gojyo started to roll out the dough. He felt clumsy, but strangely enough he enjoyed it. Hakkai had tried to get him to help in the kitchen, and the youkai had partly succeeded. Gojyo was able to make some decent meals, at least, but he never thought it was much fun. On the other hand, Gojyo snickered to himself; he had never before been so bored that even baking a pie could feel like fun.
Goku had covered the tin's walls with the rest of the dough and was now pouring the cherries into the tin. He took Gojyo's skewed piece, covered the berries with it, and cut a few hole in it. Putting the tin in the oven, he again turned to Gojyo. "Done. It'll be ready in 20 or 25 minutes. Let's finish the cleaning while we wait."
When the kitchen shone, Gojyo sat down on a stool and looked around. "Man, you've been spending far too much time with Hakkai. You're gonna turn into him if you're not careful."
Goku shook his head. "Don't worry. I haven't spent half us much time with him as you have."
"The more reason to get worried," Gojyo stated with a grin.
"What are you gonna do?" asked Goku, and seated himself opposite the half-breed.
"Huh?"
"To make Hakkai smile, I mean."
Gojyo looked out of the window, where the rain still was pouring. "I'll tell you later."
"Ha, you don't know, do you?"
"Stupid monkey, course I do."
"Don't believe you, cockroach." Goku's eyes were mischievous.
"Looking for a fight, you hairy primate?"
"You're as much a primate as me," Goku replied triumphantly, "and you're hairier."
"Why, you little – " Gojyo rose to punch Goku, but the boy easily avoided the attack. Instead of continuing the fight Gojyo sat down again and started to laugh, and Goku fell in. "Usually I much prefer Hakkai's company to your sorry presence," Gojyo smirked, "but I must say, today you're far more entertaining."
"Same goes for you and Sanzo," Goku agreed and smirked back.
Twenty minutes later the two of them were back in their room again, this time carrying the pie, a bowl with whipped cream, plates, and spoons.
"Ta-daa," Gojyo exclaimed as Goku put the pie on the table in front of Hakkai. The youkai looked up surprised, and even Sanzo slightly turned his head in their direction to see what was happening. When the monk saw the dessert he snorted and went back to smoking and brooding.
"We made this for you, Hakkai," Goku explained and started to cut the pie and serve Hakkai.
"Actually, the monkey did it, but I helped." Gojyo wasn't going to take credit for something he hadn't done. It wouldn't feel right.
"Oh, that was very kind of you. Thank you," Hakkai answered politely, and a smile appeared on his face. Gojyo and Goku studied the smile thoroughly, looked at each other, and then both shook their heads. No, this was only Hakkai's usual smiling mask.
"Told you it wouldn't work," Gojyo whispered to Goku, who shrugged.
"It was worth a try anyway," Goku whispered back, just as quietly. He put a piece on another plate and took it over to Sanzo. "Here, Sanzo. Have some pie."
"I'm not hungry," the monk answered as grumpily as ever.
"I'll just put it here, then, and you can have it when you feel like it," Goku said gently, putting the plate on the nightstand.
Gojyo and Goku dug in on the rest of the pie, while Hakkai silently ate his share. "Thank you. It was a most delicious pie," he offered when he had finished his piece. The smile was still plastered on his face.
When Goku and Gojyo returned to the kitchen a moment later, with all the dishes, Goku turned to Gojyo. "Tell me what you're gonna try."
Gojyo frowned and glanced out of the window again. "I'm going out," he exclaimed.
"What?" Goku was genuinely surprised. "What for? You think Hakkai's gonna smile if he sees you swimming around in the street?" He thought for a moment. "Actually it might work."
"Shut up, idiot." Gojyo glared at the younger man. "When we were out before I saw a big bookstore. I'm gonna buy Hakkai a book!" he said proudly.
Goku looked suspiciously at Gojyo. "You said it figured I wanted to bake a cake. Considering what's always on your mind, I'm not so sure Hakkai would appreciate porn."
"I'm not gonna buy him porn, damned monkey," Gojyo said angrily. "I'm gonna buy him a history book."
"History?"
"Yeah, stuff that happened long ago," Gojyo teased. "Even you should know that."
"Course I do," Goku snapped, annoyed. "I just didn't know Hakkai would want a history book."
"Well, he would," replied Gojyo, "especially one about what happened around 500 years ago. He seems to like that period, for some reason."
"How do you know that? It's not like you and Hakkai discuss history, is it?"
"Dumbass," said Gojyo irritated. "Before this journey I helped him borrow books from the library often enough when he was sick."
"Heh," Goku smiled teasingly. "And here I was, thinking you didn't even know what a library was."
"Ha-ha," Gojyo laughed sarcastically. "Are you coming?"
Goku looked hesitantly at the rain, which hadn't decreased. "Do I have to?"
"Hey, I helped with the pie."
"In a dry kitchen, yeah," muttered Goku, but he followed Gojyo to their room to grab their jackets.
Inside the room nothing had changed. Hakkai still sat at the window; Sanzo still lay on the bed smoking. Gojyo sighed at the sight. Gods, even the rain seemed better than the prospect of spending any more time together with these two.
They silently took their outfits and left the room. When they opened the outer door they had to brace themselves before they ran into the street. Their coats didn't give much protection against this downpour. In less then a minute they were soaked to the bones.
"Where did you see the bookstore?" Goku yelled over the sound of the rain.
"Across the street from the grocery shop," Gojyo shouted back.
They ran along the street. At first they tried to avoid the puddles, but it didn't take them long to realize that was a lost cause since there seemed to be more water than ground. They gave it up and splashed through the puddles - or rather pools - as fast as they could.
When they reached the bookstore, they shivered from the cold, and the warmth inside made steam rise from their wet clothes.
"Stupid competition," grunted Goku, irritated.
"You agreed to it, monkey," Gojyo answered just as annoyed. Silently he a felt the same as Goku; what the heck was he doing out in this weather? A hot bath seemed like a much better option. Getting soaked just to make Hakkai smile… Correction, to try to get Hakkai to smile. Shit, like that man would smile during this much rain. He had already buried himself too deep in his depression to smile just because of a pie or a book. Whatever. It was something to do anyway, and he could always take that bath when they returned to the inn.
They strolled along the aisles between the bookshelves, looking for the history books, while making small puddles on the floor from their dripping clothes.
"May I help you?" A man in his thirties stood before them with a polite smile.
"Yeah, where are the history books?" asked Gojyo.
"Right over here." The shopkeeper beckoned them to follow him. "Here we are. Are you looking for something special?"
"Well, eh, yeah," Gojyo hesitated slightly. "Is there anything about China 500 years ago?"
"Oh, yes, we have quite a few of those." His hand drew along the books. "Ah. Here they are. Have you read this one, sir?" He picked up a rather thick book that looked incredibly boring in both Gojyo's and Goku's eyes.
"It's not for me," Gojyo hurriedly assured.
"Not for me either," Goku answered the look he got from the storekeeper.
"It's for a friend of ours," explained Gojyo. "He likes history."
"Do you know if your friend has read this one?"
Gojyo examined the book a little closer. "I think so," he answered. He wasn't sure, but he thought that had been one of the books he had borrowed for Hakkai at the library back home.
"Yes, it's quite a well known book," the storekeeper agreed. "If your friend is interested in history from that period, he most likely has read it." He put the book back on the shelf and picked up another one. "This one is rather new. We got it last week, but in the bigger cities it has been out for a month."
A month. Gojyo knew for sure that Hakkai hadn't been able to read a book that was so new. "Is it any good?" he asked.
"Oh, yes." The storekeeper was enthusiastic. "The author is a very well known and a respected doctor in history, and the book contains a lot of new findings in the research of history from that period of time."
"Guess Hakkai would like that," Goku observed.
"Yeah, I'll take it," Gojyo declared.
The storekeeper took the book over to the counter, and Goku and Gojyo followed. "How are you gonna pay?" Goku asked. "Did you steal Sanzo's card?"
"Nope." Gojyo looked superiorly at the teenager. "Got my own money. Gambling was good in the last town, and I haven't had much chance to spend it since then."
The storekeeper put the book in a box and wrapped it up well. "Better not let the rain reach the book," he explained. "There you are."
Gojyo managed to get some money from his damp pocket and handed it over to the storekeeper. He had been surprised at the price. Books were that expensive? He didn't say anything, though. After all, it was for Hakkai.
Gojyo hid the package under his shirt to keep off the rain as long as possible. Even if his shirt was damp, he reckoned the book could keep from being ruined since it was boxed. "Here we go," he exclaimed and ran towards the inn, with Goku on his heels.
Back at the inn they stood, dripping, outside the door to their room. "Shit, I just have to change clothes before I do anything else," Gojyo stated.
"Me too." Goku was shivering. "And a bath, or at least a shower."
"Beat you to the bathroom." Gojyo sprinted away and locked the door behind him.
"Stupid kappa," muttered Goku, and went into their room to find something dry to put on after the shower.
It didn't take long before Gojyo was back, carrying the package and wearing only a towel around his waist. "Don't take too long," he said to Goku and tossed the package on his futon.
Goku took his dry clothes and headed for the bathroom. After a few more minutes he was back at the room, too, warm and dry.
Gojyo, now fully dressed, greeted him with a blink and picked up the package.
"Hey, Hakkai," he approached the healer, package in hand. "I've got something for you."
Hakkai slowly turned his head towards Gojyo. For a moment his eyes were unfocused, but then he seemed to come back to reality. "You've got something for me?" he repeated.
"Yeah, here." Gojyo handed him the package.
Hakkai took it, gave Gojyo the usual fake smile, and opened it. When he saw the book, he turned it and read the back cover. "Thank you, Gojyo. I haven't read this one. That was very kind of you." Again the fake smile was turned on Gojyo.
The half-breed felt a small pang of disappointment, but shrugged it off immediately. After all, he knew this wasn't the best day to try to please Hakkai. "You're welcome," he offered.
Goku stood beside him, and he didn't look very disappointed either. Heh, Gojyo grinned at the boy, at least they had turned this miserable day into something more entertaining. Goku seemed to feel the same, and grinned back. "Almost time for bed," Gojyo yawned. "Anyone want something to eat?"
The two silent ones only gave him two different kinds of looks that both meant 'no'. Goku, on the other hand, dragged him back to the kitchen for something edible.
"Man, I'm glad you don't sit sulking, too, on rainy days," Gojyo admitted to Goku as they sat eating at the table in the kitchen. "You can be a real pain in the butt, but at least it's always possible to talk to ya… If I use simple words you can understand," he added with a smirk.
"Shut up, cockroach." Goku glared at him. "As long as you keep your mind on something other than your usual horny thoughts, it's possible to be around you, too."
"Heh, you don't know anything about what I've been thinking."
"I don't want to know either," assured Goku firmly.
Gojyo just sneered at him.
Back at their room Hakkai still sat by the window, but Sanzo was now curled under the blanket, and only his blonde hair could be seen. Goku and Gojyo got ready for the night and crept into their futons. Soon Goku was snoring, and slow, even breaths were heard from the half-breed as he, too, was lost in the world of dreams.
It was dark now, but Hakkai still sat motionless in his chair in front of the window. Outside, the rain gradually subsided, until it stopped altogether. An hour passed, then Hakkai blinked. He sighed and stretched. With the rain no longer clouding his mind, he suddenly felt very tired. He looked over to his bed; it looked very tempting. His eyes moved to Sanzo who seemingly was asleep in the bed beside his. On the other side of Sanzo's bed was a nightstand, and on it still stood a plate. The plate was empty now, and Hakkai was amused that the monk actually had eaten the pie, even if he hadn't done so while Gojyo and Goku were in the room.
Something got his attention. The pie. He looked down at the two sleeping at the floor. Goku had baked him the pie. He frowned a little. Why? And Gojyo had helped him? Gojyo, who he hardly could get into a kitchen unless the meal was served there. He gazed at the table before him and picked up the book. It was a very fine book. One that he had been wanting since he had heard the scholar was writing it. Must have been really expensive, too. Gojyo had gone out in the rain to buy him this wonderful, expensive book. Why?
For a moment he looked thoughtful. He dimly recalled Gojyo whispering something to Goku after they had served him the pie. "Told you it wouldn't work." Was that it? And Gojyo had had a flash of disappointment in his eyes when he had thanked him for the book. Oh. Hakkai reddened. They had been trying to cheer him up. And all he had done was give them polite answers.
He kneeled between his two sleeping comrades. Gently he stroked Goku's brown hair, and then turned his attention to Gojyo. The half-breed looked so vulnerable when he was asleep. Hakkai took a few red strands of hair between his fingers. Letting go of the hair, he caressed the scar on Gojyo's cheek. "Thank you," he whispered to both of them. As he stood up and looked down at his friends, a smile started to form on Hakkai's lips. The smile spread through his body, and he was overwhelmed with gratitude for his partners. Only a small remaining feeling of guilt was left. Those two, they really were his friends. The guilt, he would deal with tomorrow. Promising himself he would find some good way to make it up to them, Hakkai went to sleep.
Owari