Greetings Saiyuki fans! As anyone who loves the show knows, Gojyo can't swim, yet suddenly he can, with no explanation. So, I'm giving you one. Yaoi abounds as everyone's favourite ero-kappa learns to swim! No, I don't own Saiyuki, but one can always dream… (Sigh…)

Beating a Liquid Demon

By Tora Macaw

"You can do this Gojyo!"

Shaking his head, the pervy water sprite backed away, both hands raised in defense and a cigarette dangling from his lips. "No I can't and you know it Hakkai!"

"Ha ha!" Laughed a mocking voice from high above. "Some kappa! He can't even swim!" Goku grinned down at the fuming and embarrassed Gojyo.

Glaring up at the young man poised upon the cliff top, Gojyo resisted the urge to whip out his weapon and thrash the living daylights out of the loud mouthed, impudent monkey. Instead, he settled for turning his back to direct his angry glare at the monk, Sanzo as he sat on a nearby convenient, flat rock. Top of his robes peeled off the blonde monk was relaxing in his black sleeveless shirt and his face was thankfully hidden behind a large newspaper. Thankfully because if Sanzo had seen the glare that the kappa had aimed at him, Gojyo would more than likely have been dodging either bullets of the monk's heavy paper fan. Every now and then, smoke would rise and curl like a steam engine quietly firing. 'So, how come they never pick on him, eh? Damn, shitty priest!'

Muttering to himself, Gojyo once again silently cursed his own inability to swim.

With a loud, happy cry, Goku energetically launched himself into the air, to plunge down into the deep river. Just before impact, the playful youth curled himself into a ball and then struck the calm surface with the accompanying shout of "Cannon ball!" Striking the water, Goku created a huge spray wave that surged up and over the rocky shore, catching the ero-kappa in its cold rain, thus effectively drenching him.

His startled "Arrggh!" caused a brief, irritated rustle of Sanzo's newspaper as he rounded furiously on his grinning companion. "What the hell do you think you are doing, you lousy ape?" Brandishing his fist, Gojyo stalked towards the water's edge with murder filling his crimson eyes. "When I get my hands on you monkey, I swear I'll …"

Gojyo was cut off as Goku laughed mockingly, "You'll do what? To do anything to me now, you would have to be able to catch me and to do that, you would have to be able to swim!" Goku smirked as he floated in the river's gentle current, completely unimpressed by the idle threat.

Attempting to re-light his sodden smoke, Gojyo growled, "You can't stay in there forever, you know!"

Son Goku's only reply was to briefly dive beneath the water's surface and shoot straight up, spraying water from his mouth like a fountain at the impotent water sprite. He then dove underneath once more and surfaced more quietly further away, laughing at Gojyo's sputtering and Hakuryu's low flying antics as he circled over an amused Hakkai's head.

- - -

It was just before sunset, as Goku was nursing his sore head and Sanzo was napping, that Hakkai quietly approached the despondent Gojyo with an offer that would forever change the life of one Sha Gojyo, perverted cockroach extraordinaire. At first, his reaction had been one of open disbelief, followed by an uncertainty, not to mention more than just a little fear. However, as Hakkai calmly persisted, Gojyo finally caved in to sourly agree. "So, when do we do this?"

"No time like the present!" Idly staring at Hakuryu, Hakkai then fixed his best friend with his serene smile and beckoned the fire haired youkai to follow him.

Constantly grumbling under his breath, Gojyo allowed himself to be lead away to what he thought was his certain doom.

- - -

"Like this." Hakkai said patiently as he moved his arms, only to have Gojyo shake his head stubbornly.

"No! It doesn't feel right…" The water sprite moaned dispiritedly.

"Of course it is right, don't be silly. You move your body like this." He explained. Once more, Hakkai's demonstration was met with pig-headed refusal. Sighing, Hakkai strode out of the water to gently take one of Gojyo's hands in his own. Gazing deep into his friend's crimson, narrow eyes, Hakkai spoke lovingly. "You can do this with me. Don't worry, I wont hurt you or let anything bad happen. Now please, Gojyo, come into the water. You will find that I am a good teacher and soon you will be swimming like a fish."

A long-suffering moan erupted from the flame haired kappa as he sourly regarded the moonlit river and his smiling friend. When Hakkai had first proposed that he teach Gojyo to swim, the redhead had stared at his friend as if he himself had suddenly turned into a jeep instead of his dragon. The water sprite's scoffing refusal however, had soon turned into one of reluctant acceptance and now as he found himself standing with water lapping about his ankles and Hakkai showing him how to correctly move his arms, all of Gojyo's old fears had come boiling to the surface, causing him to balk at the very idea of even trying and to make him wonder just what the hell he was doing here with a near naked Hakkai in cold water when he would really prefer a completely naked Hakkai on dry ground near a warm fire. "I can't swim Hakkai, you know I can't."

Sliding his arms around Gojyo's lanky body, Hakkai lifted one hand, gently drew his lover's long hair to one side then carefully kissed his way along the kappa's expose neck. "You can't, or you wont?"" Purred Hakkai as his warm hands roved freely over Gojyo's naked chest.

Becoming aroused, Gojyo tried returning the kisses, his hands sliding down Hakkai's smooth back only to have the smiling young man slip from his grasp and then face him while waggling a playful finger. "You want me? Then come and get me!" With Gojyo's frustrated curse ringing in his ears, Hakkai strode out into the river. Once the water was up to his navel, Hakkai faced the scowling Gojyo, his hands planted firmly on his hips. He smiled seductively, "Well, now that you've got me all hot, I'm sure you don't want me to cool down again, do you?"

Several loud ripe oaths split the air, bringing a look of mild surprise to Hakkai's placid face. Once Gojyo's outburst had run its course he gently called out again. "So what's it going to be, hmm? A night of passion here in the river or a night of misery on the land?"

"Damn you!" Snarled Gojyo. Rounding on Hakuryu, who kyuued in a way that Gojyo could have sworn was laughter, the kappa snapped, "And you can just shut the hell up!"

Sighing, shoulder's slumping sadly in defeat, Hakkai sadly turned away, only to brighten at the sound of Gojyo splashing his way forward. Folding one arm across his body so that his hand rested on his hip, Hakkai's other hand lifted so that his long fingers rested against his jaw. His glittering green eyes watched the kappa's reluctant progress, a sly smirk curving his lips. Opening his arms, Hakkai then smiled warmly as he gently called to Gojyo, carefully noting the fear sparking in the kappa's red eyes. "That's it, come here. Slowly now, don't rush or you may slip."

"What are you, my mother?" scowled Gojyo as he gingerly advanced. His terrified gaze was constantly flitting between his beloved friend and the treacherous water.

"Don't look down, just look at me." Coaxed Hakkai softly as he moved toward his friend.

Gojyo fell into Hakkai's arms with a hugely comical sigh of pure relief. He had done it! He had taken on this fiendish liquid demon and won. "Round one to me." He muttered as he clung onto Hakkai, his face buried in his friend's dark brown hair.

Chuckling, the young man stroked Gojyo's straight red hair then soothed his trembling body with gentle, loving hands. "See, my friend? Waters not that dangerous. Now let your body relax and float, head up. That's it, you are doing just fine." Sliding his hands around Gojyo's torso, Hakkai supported the frightened youkai as he attempted his first ever-swimming strokes.

At first Hakkai taught him a simple dog paddle, praising him warmly s he slowly gained his confidence and his technique. Gojyo was slowly becoming more aware of his new found abilities but he was however, more conscious of Hakkai's strong hands holding up his body, his warm arms against his bare skin. Determinedly setting his jaw, Gojyo tried hard to concentrate on his swimming rather that the urgent throbbing of his groin.

Several minutes passed before Gojyo realized that Hakkai had let go and that he was swimming on his own. Gojyo's look of startled surprise gave way to one of joy and his smile would have been rivaled by the sun had it been shining.

"See?" Laughed Hakkai, "You can do it!"

Turning, Gojyo paddled back to his friend. His voice rising in excitement, "I'm doing it! Look at me Hakkai, I'm swimming!"

Grinning like a proud father at his son's success, Hakkai strode forward to lift Gojyo into his arms. "Well, done!" he smiled and then firmly captured his partners lips. A long loving time later, Hakkai watched with immense satisfaction as Gojyo mastered over-arm. His movements were choppy, lacking the grace of the more experienced swimmer but that didn't matter. Gojyo, the water shy kappa, could now swim.

Panting, Gojyo reached Hakkai's side and then stood, shaking the water out of his hair. He beamed at his teacher. "So, now that I can swim, what reward do I get?"

"Oh," smirked Hakkai, taking his lover in his arms, "I can think of a something." For a long moment, Hakkai was content to hold Gojyo against his heart, his hands lovingly caressing the youkai's wet hair. Lightly running his fingers beneath his beloved's jaw, Hakkai slowly lowered his head until his descending lips lovingly met those of Gojyo. Hakkai lead Gojyo ashore, where they tried out their own version of breast-stroke and mouth-to-mouth. Then they finished off the night, with a hearty long dive and butterfly with backstroke.

- - -

Next morning, Goku cheerfully filched Gojyo's breakfast and then decided that the best place to hide from his out-raged companion's wrath was in the safety of the river. Running full tilt into the peaceful water, Goku swiftly gained central stream and then flipped onto his back to smirk at and taunt his friend. However the saru's grin quickly turned to a gasp of shock at the sight of Gojyo churning powerfully towards him.

On the shore, Sanzo didn't even bother to glance up at the sound of Goku's painful yelp or at Gojyo's triumphant laughter. "Your doing, I take it."

Hakkai's only reply was a contented sly smile and a sip from his cup.

Endless