Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki or characters.
Chapter 21: Unexpected visitor and guest.
The week that went by would be one Hakkai would call his adjustment period. He was calming down still from his rape and Gojyo and Sanzo in their own ways soothed him. Even with the two helping him get out of his apartment, Hakkai had to admit he was nervous. He had not set a step outside since he had come back from the doctor's office. It felt good to get fresh air, and he admitted he had become a bit of a hermit and would make himself sick if he just stayed inside and worried. He wanted to go back to work soon and get out of this slump he felt he had fallen in. Gojyo had convinced them all to go out for dinner and the thought alone made Hakkai stop and think. Looking at himself in the mirror, he grimaced to see the dark circles still under his eyes. He seemed pale from lack of sunlight and of course offered to stay behind.
No dice.
Both men literally picked out his clothes and shoved him into the shower. The brunette confused by the behavior simply did as told. He felt he should be grateful after all, he was probably taking up much of their time. During that week, both detectives still had to go to work. They gave him the same speech every day before they headed out of the apartment.
Lock the doors, draw the blinds, pretend you're not home.
Often Hakkai's gaze would drift to the kitchen draw that still had the gun inside. When he was home independently, he found himself turning the television toward the kitchen, so he could watch it from his coffee island. He felt some need to always be near the draw when he was left alone, almost expecting the man who hurt him to come through the door any moment. He pretty much camped near his kitchen as he watched the rain pummel the city for hours on end. He should have been eating, but the sound of his empty apartment made him to scared to turn his back to the door.
Drifting into his thoughts for those hours, Hakkai often tried to remember anything, any detail that might have helped him figure out who broke into his apartment. Still fuzzy on the details, he tried to clean himself up before Gojyo and Sanzo returned. He kept busy, doing laundry, cleaning, making the bed, vacuuming, dusting his overflowing book shelves, and he needed to send in his article if he wanted to get paid for it. The detectives would always return, surprised at the dinner on the table as they were soaked from the rain.
Hakkai was surprised that they made his apartment their permanent stop for the night. They each had overnight bags stashed in his room, and he wondered if he was keeping them from their apartments. He didn't mind them over for the entire week, but he wondered briefly if either detective needed to head home for a night to either recuperate or clean out their refrigerators.
He stared at his island as he smelt his roast cooking in the crock pot by the sink. He reflected back on the week and blushed despite himself. It seemed as if almost every night they all had been . . . Together.
Closing his green eyes, Hakkai wallowed in embarrassment at how loud he had been. He was sure his neighbors had heard him. This had been happening almost every night; something would set the detectives off, an action, a word . . . Last night it had been because Hakkai had just been running his fingers through his hair on the couch to scratch an itch, it was ridiculous in some ways . . . And highly satisfying in another.
Though he could say . . . He really didn't mind all the sex . . .
He was used to the two men and had learned to avoid his shyness. He touched more and definitely wasn't afraid to be vocal anymore. He must have been loud, especially at the way Sanzo of all people had been smiling when he shouted the other man's name last night.
He came out of his thoughts as the door opened and two wet detectives came through the door. Hakkai looked to his counter and smiled as he remembered to make coffee for them. He got up to take their coats and hang them as they cursed at their wet shoes.
"I told you to spend the extra fifty and not get me leather but nooo . . . You had to have these water absorbing sponges!" Gojyo complained, glaring at Sanzo. The blond glared back at the red head as he handed Hakkai his trench.
"I'm not spending two hundred on field shoes, get over it ass wipe," Sanzo hissed as he shook out his hair. Hakkai almost smiled at their banter if they didn't happen to look so serious.
"Okay, all right, just take them off, and I'll dry them off. There is coffee brewing so go get a cup while I get some towels," Hakkai soothed. Both men seemed to calm instantly as they looked at their brunette.
"Yeah fine. I'll get us some cups. Princess Sanzo needs to be wiped down before he has a freak out," Gojyo muttered, walking to the kitchen. The blond continued to glare from under his wet mop. Hakkai took pity on him and smiled softly as he picked up the towel he left by the doorway.
"I take it both of you had a hard day?" He asked the blond. Sanzo stood still as the brunette wrapped the towel around his neck and began to dry his bangs and around his ears. Violet eyes closed and for a moment, Hakkai thought Sanzo might have started purring like a large cat.
"Gojyo pissed off the chief first thing in the morning and she put us on field duty today. He just had to remark how her work shirt made her tits stand out just right in this weather," He answered in annoyance. Hakkai faltered in his drying as he stared wide-eyed at the blond.
"Seriously? Oh my . . . I'm afraid she is very . . . Sensitive about her bust size. Last man I knew commented on it got sent to the juvenile division for almost a year," He said, continuing with his task. He finished Sanzo's hair and smiled at how it now stuck up in several places. He smoothed it down with a small smile and always liked how soft it was when he could touch it. Gojyo walked up behind him with a scowl and almost shoved a cup of coffee into Sanzo's hands.
"It was meant to be a compliment. Not my fault she took it the wrong way," He mumbled. Hakkai took the same towel and instead slung it over Gojyo's shoulders.
"All right, what is done is done. Just make sure to get your whole head dry, or you'll catch a cold," Hakkai told him, choosing to hold his coffee cup. Gojyo instead chose to smirk and wrap his arms around Hakkai's waist.
"Don't worry baby. I can think of a million things to do right now to get us all nice and steamy," He said lewdly with a grin. Hakkai blushed despite himself as Gojyo pressed the length of his body against the brunette. It was true, Gojyo's body despite the cold weather always had a very high temperature. Red hair brushed against his face as Gojyo smirked down into his now blushing one. The hands around him tightened, and Hakkai struggled not to drop Gojyo's coffee in the hallway. A look came into the man's eyes, and all Hakkai could do was stare. It was one of those cases again where a simple action triggered a chain of events. He heard a rustling behind him and briefly turned his head to see what the blond was up to. He saw Sanzo kick off his shoes and let his other coat fall to the floor. Hakkai would've scolded him if at the moment his mind wasn't so preoccupied, and the hands on his hips weren't pulling him closer. His hand shook and he almost dropped the mug of coffee. Sanzo grabbed it and set his own next to it on the stand by the door. Hakkai felt the second body, slightly cold press against his back. Lips made contact with the back of his neck as he almost melted between them. A second pair of hands came from behind in and joined Gojyo's as they gently went up his sides. It seems whatever animosity both men were feeling toward each other had seemed to dissipate immediately with the brunette's presence. Hakkai moaned as the lips on his neck travel to his shoulder, right where the skin was meeting clothing. Gojyo gently put a knee between his legs, and already Hakkai could feel the brief feeling of arousal his stomach. He couldn't believe how utterly shameless he had suddenly become, but at the same time he just didn't give a damn.
Hands moved all over him as he advanced into their touches. They stood there in the hallway, kissing at skin and just feeling the heat bounce off each other. Hakkai closed his eyes as he felt the stresses of the day fade under their fingertips. It seemed to be the same for them Sanzo continued to move to the skin behind his ear and nip at the ear lobe. Gojyo's hands went up his chest to his neck as he gently held Hakkai's head in place and planted a soft kiss on his lips. It was soothing and relaxing, and it was starting to build up to something more. Green eyes opened, and Hakkai took a deep breath. His body was starting to shiver, but it wasn't in a bad way. The hands urged him toward the living room and eventually knew that it would take him to the bedroom. He didn't do anything to stop it as the kisses became harder and his touches became softer.
"Gojyo . . . Sanzo-" Hakkai whispered longingly as the red head was nearly face to face with him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hakkai froze and tensed more than a tree in winter. His eyes bulged in his skull; he could feel it. Gojyo and Sanzo were instantly alert, pulling away intimately but not physically. Their eyes shot toward the door and they both stared at it for a moment. The banking happened again and Sanzo quickly went for his jacket on the floor. Hakkai was shaking now, trembling in fear. A thousand different scenarios cascaded through his skull, and all his eyes could do was immediately go to the drawer in his kitchen. His mind shattered, and he didn't even feel Gojyo's arms wrapped around him protectively and pull him away from the door. He didn't watch is Sanzo emerged from his crouched position with his gun in his hand. The banging became louder and Hakkai's heart got louder with it.
Get the gun, the gun! Get the gun now, get it, get out of Gojyo's grip and get that gun!
Kill him, don't let them inside, don't let him hurt you another time, don't let him hurt anyone ever again!
He didn't realize he was struggling in Gojyo grip until the red head shook his shoulders.
"Hakkai, Hakkai snap out of it!" Gojyo whispered harshly at him. Hakkai's eyes were ripped away from the drawer and settled on Gojyo's nearly panicked red ones. He buried himself in the man's hold and clenched his teeth so tight that it hurt his gums.
"Don't let him get me, don't let him . . . Not again," Hakkai whispered in broken sentences. Arms wrapped around him and held him tightly. Red eyes looked at the door where Sanzo now held himself ready with his gun. He nodded at his partner and kept the gun behind his back as he set his hand on the door knob. Opening it quickly the person at the door almost jumped back at the sheer force of it.
"Hey, easy dude! What the hell?" A young voice drifted into the apartment. Sanzo stared the boy down with his hard violet eyes. He scanned the teen up and down before determining him not a threat.
"What do you want?" The blond asked, anxious to get rid of the stranger. The teen scowled and crossed his arms defiantly.
"Who the hell are you? The door man? Where is Kai? Hakkai!" He asked, shouting into the apartment.
The brunette in Gojyo's arms stopped shaking and blinked. He easily pulled back from Gojyo's grip and looked apologetically up at him. The red head stood confused as Hakkai set a hand on his arm and faced the door.
"Goku? Is that you?" Hakkai called back.
"Yeah dude! Tell the ass to let me in!" He called back. Hakkai if not a bit shakily walked toward the hallway with Gojyo right behind him. Sanzo scowled at the kid but a gentle hand on his back from Hakkai had him moving to the side of the door.
"Hakkai!" Goku shouted. He jumped forward, and the brunette was almost knocked backwards as the teen wrapped his arms around his waist. Hakkai smiled softly and gently petted the boy's soft chocolate locks.
"Goku, what a surprise, I thought you were at college?" He asked the boy. The boy pulled back and smiled widely. Hakkai tried to hide the fact that just a moment ago; he was having a freak out and just about ready to shoot the person at the door. Sanzo moved away and carefully picked up his coat, putting the gun back inside his pocket. Gojyo looked over Hakkai's shoulder at the kid and raised an eyebrow.
"Oy, who's the shrimp?" He asked the brunette. Goku's face went sour in an instant from that comment.
"Hey! Who you calling shrimp you cockroach!" He shouted, pointing at the tall read head. Gojyo's face instantly flared and Hakkai had to hold the other man back.
"Fuck you! I should kick your ass out of the fifth story window you bitch!" Gojyo cussed, holding up his middle finger. Goku and Gojyo continued to bicker until Hakkai caught a movement in the hallway. His green eyes looked up to see a young male about Goku's height standing just by the wall. He looked at Hakkai through hazel eyes that seemed exactly like Goku's. He stood there a bit nervously, shifting on the spot and giving a small nod of acknowledgment. He had a round face that was emphasized by his blackish blue hair tied up in a pony tail on the back of his head; some of his bangs flowing into his eyes. In Hakkai's opinion, he seemed rather shy which he found endearing right away.
"Goku, who is your friend?" Hakkai asked the boy who was still squabbling with Gojyo. The younger brunette stopped yelling and blinked. He turned around and slapped his forehead almost immediately.
"Oh! Sorry!" He said to the boy. Goku reached out and grabbed the boy's arm, pulling him next to him. The other male stumbled but said nothing as Goku latched onto him like a leech.
"Hakkai, this is Nataku. We met at college! He's my boyfriend!" He shouted with excitement, hugging the other tightly. The boy named Nataku blushed instantly, looking away. Hakkai smiled softly if not in a bit of a surprised way. He never would've imagined Goku suddenly going steady with another boy, but he always hoped that he would, even if it was a girl.
"Goku, that's great, come inside then, no need to stand in the hallway. Gojyo, would you get some more coffee cups please?" He asked the red head. Gojyo was still pumped from the arguing but slung an arm around Hakkai's shoulder and smiled.
"Yeah all right . . That little monkey bitch," He mumbled the last part. Sanzo still stood in the hallway, and Hakkai passed him a reassuring smile and with a small squeeze of the arm. He himself, was however still shaken up from his moment, but it passed and now he was just happy to see the boy again. Sanzo followed closely on his heels, and it made Goku raise an eyebrow at the strange behavior from the serious looking man.
"Yo, Kai, what is with the suit?" He asked, pointing at the blond. He still had a grip on his boyfriend Nataku as he led the other toward the couch. Hakkai turned around and cocked his head in confusion.
"Suit?" He asked the boy. Goku nodded and pointed back and forth from Gojyo to Sanzo.
"You get roommates or servants or something?" He asked the brunette. Hakkai blushed despite himself and tried to think of what he could exactly call Gojyo and Sanzo. It didn't feel right just announcing them what, fuck buddies, lovers? They hadn't gotten to that point in their relationship where they really are calling it anything at the moment. Hakkai was just happy to have them around, if he did have the feeling of love than he mostly kept to himself. One of these days he planned to have a nice long talk with both to see if this really was going anywhere.
"Well, to put it simply I suppose . . . Well . . . " He seemed for once at a loss as he looked around the room. Goku stared at him as if expecting an answer right away, knowing Hakkai for his quick answers, he seemed a little put off at the brunette wasn't immediately answering him.
"We're sleeping with him," Gojyo said from the kitchen. Hakkai's neck heated in a way he couldn't describe as he quickly looked back at Goku to see the boy's reaction. The boy's mouth had fallen open, and his boyfriend looked confused.
"At the same time! WHAT!" Goku shouted, jumping up from the couch. Sanzo's face never changed, and he didn't seem to be denying it either. He just looked annoyed at Gojyo for telling other people their private business.
"Very nice Gojyo, extremely subtle," Sanzo remarked with a glare. Hakkai felt his stomach drop as he slowly saw Goku face turn red.
"Um. Goku, why don't you sit back down with some coffee? Nataku, you're so quiet, would you like some snacks?" Hakkai offered.
Goku was glaring at Gojyo and Sanzo as he decided to sit on a chair in the middle of the living room. Hakkai pretended to be preoccupied with his tea as Nataku sat in another chair, admiring all the books in the room Hakkai had. He ate some apple slices quietly and looked at Goku as if the boy wanted to kill the two other men sitting on the couch.
"Um . . . Goku, you can stop glaring. It's really none of our business and besides . . . They seem very nice," Nataku offered, giving him a minuscule nervous smile. Hakkai looked up from his tea and gave Nataku a short nod.
"Thank you Nataku, but I'm afraid Goku is a very uh . . . A stubborn person. He won't back down," He told the other. Nataku nodded and ate another piece of apple.
"I think those two are fishy," Goku said, staring still at the blond and red head. Sanzo didn't give any emotion as he sat next to Hakkai on the couch. Gojyo was on Hakkai's other side, smoking a cigarette. After Hakkai had filled the detectives in about who Goku was, he wanted the boy to stay for dinner. Nataku had been quiet but charming and seemed like a good match to keep Goku in his reins. All of them had decided to settle for the night and changed into their night clothes. Nataku and Goku had brought a bag each and left it by the door. Goku wore his usual shirt and pajama pants while Nataku had on a matching pajama top and bottom, cream in color, which brought out his eyes.
"Fishy? Who drops in without calling you brat?" Gojyo hissed, setting his hands on his knees. He leaned back on the couch and casually slung an arm up and around the back of it behind Hakkai. The brunette knew Gojyo was only mad because they had been . . . Interrupted from what was going to probably be taken to Hakkai's bedroom. Sanzo still remained silent which for a moment was strange for him. Goku sneered and crossed his arms.
"I was here way before you jerk! I practically lived here! I bet you guys are perverts!" Goku shouted. Nataku looked nervously between them all and tried to sooth his agitated boyfriend.
"Goku, don't be rude!" Nataku urged.
"Yeah monkey bitch, don't be rude in someone else's apartment!" Gojyo teased. Hakkai frowned and looked at Gojyo.
"Gojyo, please don't–" Hakkai began.
"Yeah cherry top, this apartment isn't yours, its Kai's!" Goku reminded with a growl.
"Cherry top?" Gojyo shouted with disgust. Sanzo gave a small quirk of lips and filed the nickname away for reference.
"Did they run out of hair dye at the super market?" Goku smirked, crossing his arms again.
"Pin sized asshole!" Gojyo yelled, standing from the couch.
"Pussy!"
"Fucktard!"
"Bottom bitch!"
Sanzo quirked an eyebrow at him at that one. Nataku only continued to stare and stay out of Goku's way.
"Why don't you go drop the soap at the gym!" Goku shouted back.
"Sounds like someone needs some alone time with their vibrator!" Gojyo shouted, now in his face.
"At least I know how to turn one on!"
"You couldn't turn on a light bulb, let alone a man!"
Hakkai sighed into his cup as he leant back further on his couch. He hated to say it, but he felt a migraine coming on. He wasn't used to this kind of thing, and he at no time has ever had to separate teenagers for fighting. All in all, though, he never really expected Gojyo to get in this kind of juvenile battle with Goku. If an outsider looked in, they would swear that these two bickering men were brothers. Setting his coffee mug on his lap Hakkai shook his head softly.
"Make them stop please . . . " He begged no one, in particular. Sanzo shook his own head but seemed to be enjoying the show. Hakkai had a feeling, he wasn't getting any help from the fair-haired man anytime soon. For Sanzo, it must've been quite amusing. He wondered if the blond took personal joy in the redhead's discomfort. He seemed to be because Hakkai had never seen him so giddy, though he didn't really show it on his face. He could tell though at times when Sanzo was pleased with something, he'd have this weird quirk of his eyebrow. He often saw it in bed, as much as he hated to admit it.
"You'll never be the man your mother was!" Gojyo shouted in the apartment.
"Yeah? I bet my mom had a bigger dick than you!" Goku said right back.
"I don't know what makes you act so shitty but you're doing fine!"
"I'd choke you but they would call it animal abuse!"
"Yeah! If I wanted to talk to a bitch I would have bought a dog!"
"Need help taking out that tampon misses grouchy?"
"Did you have bitch flakes for breakfast? You seem like a professional!"
"I've been called worse by better!"
The shouting went on and on, and it didn't look like he was going to stop anytime soon. Nataku, the woeful boy, had moved away from Goku and moved his chair to sit by the arm of the couch. He looked like though he was used to this kind of shouting from Goku, Hakkai thought it best that the poor boy knew what he was in for with dating Goku firsthand. Goku and Gojyo weren't nearly the same height, but they chose to yell in each other's faces anyway. Hakkai couldn't help but find the situation funny, especially at how good they seemed to be at coming up with insults.
"He looked most of those up; he likes to keep a full arsenal at work," Sanzo said suddenly. Hakkai nodded and sighed again, choosing to look out the window this time and watch the rain. He hoped all the shouting was disturbing his neighbors.
"I thought I saw a comeback website in my computer history. Gojyo should really learn how to log off my computer when he's done with it," Hakkai advised.
"You must be a real sick freak if both of you are double teaming Hakkai! You both look like a couple of rapists to me!" Goku shouted suddenly.
Hakkai froze on the spot, and it took everything he had not to spit out the coffee in his mouth. Sanzo beside him tensed on the couch immediately, and Gojyo's eyes bulged. Both men quickly looked at Hakkai, who had steadily gone pale at the word. Not wanting to alert Goku, he hid his discomfort and shakily put down his mug back to his lap.
"Um, Goku, it's getting late. You really should go see your uncle before you turn in. I'm sure he wants to see you before you head back to college in a few days," Hakkai managed to steadily say. It seems the argument had dissipated at those words, and Goku dropped his scowl. He didn't notice the sudden tenseness which Hakkai was grateful for. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell Goku yet what had exactly been going on since he left for college.
"Hmmm, yeah I suppose so. Not like that old bastard will be happy to see me anyway. Probably got a new skank in his apartment," Goku sighed. He walked over to Nataku and gave him a small peck on the lips with a large smile.
"Behave until I get back," He joked, turning on the spot. Hakkai watched the boy leave the apartment, closing the door softly behind him. He swallowed the excess saliva in his throat and cleared it. With a smile, he turned to Nataku and addressed the boy.
Gojyo had swiftly walked back to the couch and sat down next to Hakkai, gently setting a hand on his thigh. Sanzo still looked tense, but he was about to run out the door and chase after Goku for what he said. He knew he couldn't blame the boy, but that didn't mean he didn't want the boy finding out anyway. Hakkai gently squeezed Gojyo's hand back but didn't turn to look at him. His green eyes were a bit shadowy, but he was hoping his smile would make up for it.
"Nataku, how did you and Goku get together?" Hakkai asked.
Nataku gave a little smile back with a tiny laugh, a small puff of air.
"I...Well. . . It wasn't under the best circumstances. I guess you could say we literally fell on top of one another," Nataku started with a small blush. Hakkai continued to listen, but he couldn't help but laugh. Gojyo snickered while Sanzo seemed to still be staring at the front door.
"I was at a football game on the campus. Our team won so everybody went to the after party. Goku was so drunk I think he thought he was somewhere else. A couple of people got into a fight, and I was sort of stuck in the middle," Nataku continued.
"They were that drunk?" Hakkai asked him. Gojyo waved a hand in the air.
"Ah college life, where kids get so drunk they fight about almost anything," He sighed.
"Well I almost got punched in the face when Goku came . . . Jumping out from no where. He punched the other in the face and dragged me out of there. It was really . . . Sweet, I guess. Unfortunetly, it wasn't fun when we got outside," He grimaced. Hakkai tilted his head.
"Why?" He asked. Nataku giggled and it made his cheeks flush.
"I had to hold his hair back as he vomited in the bushes," He said. Gojyo burst out laughing while Sanzo rolled his eyes. Hakkai gave a dry laugh and stood from the couch.
"Yes that sounds very much like him. Have you two been seeing one another long?" He asked.
"About three weeks now. He followed me around a lot and kept apologizing. He asked me out a week later, and I said yes. He actually seemed the most normal compared to others who had asked," He said with a shrug. Hakkai smiled fondly at him as he walked over to his island.
"Goku is a good kid. He had some rough patches, but I must say he smoothed them over quite well. He's a good boy though, I promise," He winked. Nataku gave a shy smile and nodded.
Sudden stomping from down the hall made them look at the front door. Goku walked through briskly and tried not to slam it behind him. He said nothing and showed no emotion as he sat on the couch, closest to Nataku. Hakkai frowned and walked over immediately. He knew that look; he had seen it many times in the boy's past.
"Goku? Are you all right?" Hakkai asked him. He crouched down and gave a face at the fresh bruise that now marred the boy's cheek. His eye was beginning to swell, and Hakkai recognized a punch when he saw one.
"I'm fine Kai. My uncle is just nothing but a drunk shit is all," Goku said stiffly, touching his bruise with a grimace. Hakkai's eyes became darker, and he stood up from his crouched position.
"Gojyo, would you kindly, please get Goku an ice pack. I'll be right back," He announced, heading to the door. Nataku worried over his boyfriend while Sanzo stood up to possibly follow Hakkai.
"Hakkai, where are you–?" Sanzo started, reaching for the brunette's arm. Hakkai turned to look at him, and it actually made Sanzo freeze in his tracks. The look in those green eyes was not friendly in the slightest.
"I have dinner in the crock pot, would you check on it for me?" He asked of the blond. Sanzo didn't look like he wanted to back down, but he slowly pulled his hand back.
"Sure," Was all he said. Hakkai smiled nicely this time as he went for his shoes.
"Be back in a moment," He announced to the room in a pleasant voice. Goku watched him go with a slightly nervous look.
"Oh shit, he is pissed," He whispered to himself.
Hakkai arrived at the desired hallway to hear yelling coming from an apartment. Stepping up to the door, he put on his nicest smile and knocked on the door. The yelling stopped for a moment and the door opened swiftly, hitting the wall behind it and making a loud crash. Hakkai was hit in the face by an aroma that almost made his lip curl. It was the combination of a dirty rag littered with smokers' cough and too much vodka. The man at the door looked worse for wear, but the brunette could make distinct markings that made him, and Goku related. He had never really encountered Goku's uncle before and usually had no plan to do so, but for some reason, he was especially pissed off today.
"The fuck you want?" The drunken man hissed. Hakkai smiled and tilted his head. The man's mop of hair was disheveled and covered in sweat. Looking into the entrance hallway, Hakkai saw an older woman with a black eye smoking a cigarette on the couch. He gave her a small smile before addressing the man.
"I believe this is yours; I was returning it," Hakkai suddenly said. The man looked confused in his drunken state and looked Hakkai up and down.
"What? What's mine?" He said angrily. Hakkai said nothing as the smile dropped from his face.
"This."
Without warning, Hakkai lifted his fist and balled it. Letting it shoot forward with a swing of his arm, he caught the man in the nose with a forceful punch. Goku's uncle went down with a howl as he clutched at his now broken nose. The woman on the couch dropped her cigarette and covered her mouth in surprise. Hakkai felt the adrenaline rush through his system as he went forward and leaned over the bleeding man.
"If you ever touch Goku like that again, I'm going to hunt you down, skin you, and leave you out in the sun to dry, understood?" Hakkai asked pleasantly. The man might've been drunk but shakily nodded his head and tried to get as far away from Hakkai as possible.
"Yes! Yes! I won't touch that little shit again, just get away from me! My nose!" He howled in pain. Hakkai straightened back up and hid his bloody hand behind his back.
"Good, I'm glad I could return the item that was lost to you. Have a nice day."
Without another word, Hakkai made his way back to his apartment.
When Hakkai returned the apartment, he saw Nataku almost in tears. Goku, though pressing an ice pack against his face, was trying to calm the other down.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come. I didn't want to get you in trouble!" Nataku apologized, tugging almost painfully on his own ponytail in guilt. The ice pack fell to the floor as Goku dropped it to keep Nataku from tugging on his hair anymore.
"Don't do that, I wanted to tell him! Not my fault he's a stupid prick! I wanted to bring you here to meet everybody!" Goku said, hugging the other tightly. Nataku still continued to shed tears as the apartment door closed behind Hakkai. Everyone looked up to see him come in, and Hakkai continued to hide his bloody hand behind his back.
"Sorry, had to run a small errand. Dinner should be done by now," Hakkai said. Gently, he walked over to Nataku and set a hand on the boy's shoulder. Hazel eyes looked up at him, slightly drowned. The brunette gave him a kind smile and gently steered him toward the bathroom.
"Now now, everything's all right. Let's go wash up for dinner. Sanzo, would you be so kind as to hand out the plates? I'll be right back," Hakkai asked of him. He didn't stop to see their faces as he gently coaxed the boy to the bathroom, so he could wash his face. Once inside he turned on the tap and held up a towel for Nataku to take. The boy took it gratefully and went to wipe his face with it.
"I'm sorry. I just feel like this whole trip is my fault. But, I really wanted to meet everybody," Nataku said mournfully. Hakkai carefully set his knuckles underneath the water and watched the dry blood slowly go down the drain. When he was finished, he gently took the towel from Nataku and bent down slightly to help him with his face. The boy looked nervous and Hakkai put on a gentle smile to reassure him.
"Don't worry, it's not your fault. Goku's uncle is a very difficult man too . . . Live with. Goku's had a very hard life, but he's a good boy. I only do those sorts of things whenever it seems necessary. And as far as it goes Nataku, you're more than welcome to be here. I'm very happy that Goku found someone so wonderful," Hakkai told him as he gently wiped away his tears.
Nataku looked up at him with wide hazel eyes as a slow blush coated his pale cheeks. The boy looked to the side and gently fidgeted with his fingers on the towel.
"I'm not usually so nervous like this, but I honestly like Goku, and I wanted to meet his family. He talks about you a lot; you must've sincerely helped him," Nataku said. Hakkai's hand throbbed, but he hid his grimace as he experimentally clenched and unclenched his hand behind his back. There were a few shallow cuts on his knuckles from where his fist had made contact with a few parts of Goku's uncle's teeth. He smiled regardless and gently set a hand on top of Nataku's head, rustling his hair.
"You're family now too Nataku. You're welcome in my home anytime, so don't be afraid to stop by, all right? With or without Goku, but most likely at this point you'll probably be seeing more of us now that you're family," Hakkai smiled gently, pulling back the towel. The boy's eyes became bright and he stood up on his toes as he smiled widely.
"Thank you! You all seem really nice, and I know Goku won't say it...But I think he likes your red-haired friend, even though they fight a lot," Nataku smiled still. Hakkai hung up the towel as he carefully cloaked his still bleeding hand behind his lower back.
"Thank you Nataku, you're more than welcome."
Hakkai couldn't remember a time when his apartment was so crowded. His kitchen table finally was used to its full potential. All the chairs were occupied, filled with hungry bodies that chatted and laughed with one another. In another life, if he had ever gotten married, he would've imagined that this is what it would have been like had he ever had children and a wife. Instead, he had two lovers, a son, and his son's boyfriend. It still felt the same; they in contrast acted like a family in his eyes. Goku and Gojyo fought over food and how much they could eat. Nataku talked about school with Hakkai and what he wanted to do. Even Sanzo had put in his two bits about the educational system, surprisingly knowing a lot about it and offering advice which Hakkai thought was kind of sweet. Gojyo made dirty jokes now and then, so lewd it almost made Goku throw silverware at him. It was getting late and Goku helped him get out the futon that he'd always used whenever he stayed over at Hakkai's. The brunette wanted to put in Hakkai's room, but Gojyo, and Sanzo had heavily protested that. Hakkai didn't plan on doing anything tonight, but maybe his two lovers just wanted the privacy of being with him at night.
Goku eventually relented when Gojyo hinted that he would be alone with Nataku at night. That caused the younger boy to give Nataku a glance and a small smirk. Hakkai hoped sincerely though that Goku wouldn't involve Nataku in anything sexual on his first visit to someone else's apartment. Goku talked like a big game, but he knew eventually all that food in his stomach would make him fall asleep. They put sheets on the futon and just as Hakkai predicted, Goku was out within minutes surprising Nataku. Nataku gave them all a good night and gently crawled in with Goku, covering him with blankets. The rain had cleared now and left a misty fog over the city. Looking out his window, Hakkai's green eyes scanned the streets, looking for any signs of life. Gojyo was adjusting the clock by the bedside, and Sanzo had just taken off his shirt, shivering slightly at the cold air of the apartment. Hakkai had turned down the thermostat; he would turn it back up in the morning. He was busy gazing out the window when Gojyo reached over and tugged on his arm. The brunette was ushered into bed between the two men, and immediately Gojyo wrapped his arms around both.
The day must've been hard on both detectives because Hakkai was left the only one awake minutes later when the other two had fallen asleep. He watched them and couldn't help but firmly smile at how big his family had grown. He wasn't sure whether they were exactly were yet, but he loved them all like one. He'd only know Nataku for a day, but he already felt a deep affection for the boy who in turn had felt something for Goku. He must've been deeply special because the younger brunette was a extremely hard person to please. Nevertheless, they were good for each other, and Hakkai was commenting that. Slowly, Hakkai, from the events of the day, from being worried, scared, and angry, also felt exhaustion coat his body. He had gone through many mood changes today and his hand ached from punching Goku's uncle. He still couldn't believe what he had done, he had never really inflicted violence before, but he felt the man had earned it this time. Whether that man liked it or not, Goku was his family, like a son, someone he raised since childhood.
The body heat from both his lovers gently coaxed him into relaxation. He felt his body getting heavy, and he sank into his mattress as he adjusted to both winding around him. Feeling Sanzo's breath on the back of his neck, he sank further into Gojyo's own neckline and closed his eyes.
He hadn't taken his little pill in a while, and he hadn't seriously needed to. And he hoped he didn't need too ever again.
TBC