Hotel California
Chapter Five: They stab it with their steely knives…
A/N: ::bows:: I'm –so- sorry for all the delay in updating! I've had to rewrite this a total of three times now, and I'm still trying to find a job! Hope everyone enjoys it, even if it's shorter than usual. Bringing Ni into it seemed to make things creepier. Just wait until you see what I do with him!
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"Remind me again why I keep doing this?" Gojyo threw down another losing hand of cards, leaning his head on his other hand. Across the table, Hakkai just smiled.
"Because you have nothing better to do with your time?"
"That must be it," the redhead muttered, looking over to the boy on his right, who was now sleeping, face planted on the table. "Although his option has some promise."
Hakkai looked at Goku as well. "It's getting late. We should put him in his room."
Gojyo nodded, though he didn't want to part company with the brunette just yet. "Sure. Then let's do something else. Are you hungry?"
Hakkai stood. "Didn't you eat much at dinner?"
Gojyo pushed his chair back, helping his friend pick up the sleeping Goku. "Nah, I couldn't. That new guy creeped me out."
"Ni?"
"Yeah, him. He's a regular freak show if I've seen one. I wonder what his deal is. You think he's really a building inspector?" Gojyo opened the door for him, closing it once they were in the hall.
"I'm…not sure," Hakkai muttered before deciding on a change of subject. "If you want, we can get something to eat. As long as we clean everything up, I don't think there'll be a problem."
"Great," Gojyo walked beside him down the hall. "To tell you the truth, Ni wasn't the only reason I didn't eat."
"Oh?"
He looked a bit embarrassed. "Yeah. I was kinda…worried. About the whole fight thing, y'know?"
Hakkai finally met his gaze. "I didn't mean to—"
Gojyo held up a hand. "Just forget about it. We both screwed up, okay? Let's just keep things on a good note."
The green-eyed man nodded. They stopped at Goku's door, and Hakkai opened it. Apparently Goku didn't lock his door, Gojyo noted. At the sound of the door creaking, the door next to it whirled open, and Sanzo came out of it.
"It's late."
Hakkai smiled disalarmingly. "My apologies. He insisted on playing cards until he fell asleep."
Sanzo looked like he was going to say something to Hakkai, but after a look at Gojyo, he decided against it. "Whatever. Just don't make it a habit, okay? It's hard enough to get him up in the morning."
With his final words spoken, the blond returned to his room, shutting the door quietly. Hakkai put Goku to bed before returning to Gojyo's side. Then the two continued down the hall to the stairway.
"Jeez, he's like the monkey's keeper or something," the redhead grumbled.
"Sanzo feels it's his duty to protect Goku. And Goku looks up to him. It just takes some time to get on Sanzo's good side is all."
"He has a good side?" he laughed.
Hakkai chuckled, admonishing him softly. "Gojyo…"
Suddenly a hand put itself on Gojyo's shoulder. "Awful late to be walking, isn't it?" a low voice asked, "and in pajamas, nonetheless."
Hakkai gasped in surprise and Gojyo jumped, moving the hand away and whirling to face the intruder. Ni stared back at them, his face clouded with his normal look of detached interest.
"Jesus, don't –do- that!" Gojyo hissed, holding a hand to his heart.
"We're just going to the kitchen for a snack," Hakkai answered, surprise turning into a calming smile.
"Ah, I see." Ni looked from Hakkai to Gojyo and then back again. "Well, no harm in that. Just be careful. You never know what could be lurking around at this time of night."
Hakkai nodded, and Ni turned to walk down the opposite way. Gojyo scowled as they watched him go.
"Fucking freak show scared me half to death. Talk about what's lurking around…-he's- the creep lurking around!"
"He did come out of nowhere," Hakkai mused quietly.
"Nowhere…?" Gojyo looked along the walls. They were right in front of the passage he and Goku had found earlier. Ni could've come out of there and snuck up on them without them seeing or hearing anything. But how did Ni know about the passage…?
"Shall we continue?" Hakkai asked, smiling once again. Gojyo nodded, following after him. He'd have to figure this out when he was by himself.
The kitchen was dark when they opened the door. Gojyo had never been in the kitchen at all, let alone at night. Hakkai must have, because he immediately went to the light switch and flicked it on, illuminating the room. The kitchen was vast, about double the size of a normal household kitchen. For the most part it was stainless steel, with tables and equipment lining the walls. Hakkai went straight to a cabinet and pulled out a silver pot, walking to the sink and filling it with water.
"How about some noodles? Those are easy and fast to cook," he looked at Gojyo for his approval.
Gojyo blinked. "Uh, sure, whatever. That sounds good. Need any help?"
Hakkai put the pot on the stove, turning on the burner. "Actually, yes. If you would get into the first freezer and get out an onion…"
The redhead nodded, moving to the freezers in the back. He found the onions, grabbed one out of the bag and returned to the main area. After some searching, he got a hold of a cutting board and knife, and began to cut the onion.
"You cook a lot?" he asked, chopping.
Hakkai shrugged. "I used to. Not so much anymore though." He pulled a bag of noodles from a cabinet in the back, setting it on the table next to the burner.
Gojyo nodded, concentrating on the knife and the onion. "My idea of meal preparation is deciding what kind of take-out to order."
The brunette laughed, looking at him. "I'm sure you're not –that- bad. You're cutting vegetables with o problem."
Gojyo stopped cutting long enough to meet Hakkai's stare. "That doesn't mean I—"
The hand holding the knife jerked suddenly, like someone was pulling on the handle. The blade sliced into his thumb, before he dropped the knife with a curse. Hakkai immediately rushed over. "What happened?"
"The damn knife jumped! Moved right outta my hand!" he hissed, clamping his other hand over the wound tightly.
Hakkai grabbed his hands, inspecting the cut. "Oh dear. Gojyo, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but I swear it moved by itself!"
The brunette looked worriedly around the kitchen, and then wrapped some paper towels over his thumb. Then he put Gojyo's hand around the cut once more. "Hold it while I get the first aid kit."
Gojyo stood at the counter, squeezing his hand around the cut, while Hakkai ran over to the wall by the door, where the first aid kit was hanging on the wall. Bringing it back, he opened it. Then he took Gojyo's hand once more, pulling the taller man to the sink.
"We have to wash it first, okay?"
Gojyo, still a bit bewildered, nodded, and let Hakkai take care of it. After washing the cut, they moved back to the counter, where the brunette began to wrap the cut in gauze. Calming down a bit, Gojyo watched him curiously. Once he was completely sure it was taken care of, Hakkai looked at Gojyo's face.
"All done."
His face flushed slightly. "Uhm…thanks."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
He nodded. "Just a little shocked I guess," he looked over at the pot, the water now beginning to boil. "I don't think I'm really hungry anymore though."
Hakkai smiled, relieved, before leaving the redhead to sit at the counter while he cleaned up. It didn't take long, and once it was done, he turned to find Gojyo watching him intently. He blinked. "Gojyo?"
Gojyo shook his head, snapping out of a reverie. "Hmm? Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to keep staring at you like that."
"Quite alright," Hakkai nodded dismissing it. "We should go to bed though. It's very late."
"Yeah," Gojyo stood up, swaying a little. "Whoa. I think I stood up too fast. I'm feeling kind of dizzy."
Hakkai frowned. "You've probably lost some blood," he looked at the paper towels in the trash, tinged with red.
Gojyo shook his head. "'M fine, really. Just a little dizzy is all."
The brunette took his uninjured arm insistently. "Just to be sure, I should walk you back to your room. It's right next to mine anyway."
If Gojyo disagreed, he didn't say anything. They walked back upstairs and to his room. Hakkai watched to make sure Gojyo unlocked the door okay before nodding.
"Do you need me to stay with you?" he asked.
Gojyo didn't say anything.
Hakkai took this to mean no. "If you need anything, just call, alright?" He went to start walking, but Gojyo held him back.
"Hakkai…"
The green-eyed man looked at his friend curiously. "Is something wrong?"
"If I did something stupid," he continued, his tone as serious as Hakkai had ever heard from the normally good-natured redhead, "…would you forgive me?"
Hakkai tilted his head, confused. "Of course I would Gojyo. Why do you---?"
He was cut off as Gojyo pulled him close, catching his lips in a slow kiss. The redhead broke away easily, staring down at him.
"Gojyo…"
"You said you'd forgive me," he replied softly, "and I'd like it if you stayed."
Hakkai couldn't think of any way to respond, so he nodded. Inside, Gojyo flicked off the light and lay down on one side of the bed, leaving plenty of room for Hakkai to sleep without touching each other. Hakkai slipped in beside him quietly.
Within minutes, Gojyo was asleep, leaving Hakkai awake to think. He watched Gojyo critically, wondering just what was going on, twirling a strand of blood red hair absently. Finally he felt his own consciousness slipping.
"I don't think it was stupid."
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That's it for chappeh 5! Again, sorry about it being so short, but it's all I have time for right now. Once I get a regular work schedule, I can get an update schedule going too!
Zelgadis55: Heh, don't worry, I do the same thing myself. Thankehs, it's good to know I can still do that, even in an AU.
SweetSnowCherryBlossomDarkness: ::grins:: That's quite a name you've got there! And I think Gojyo might beh considering the same thing, don't you?
C.T: I know. All the horror I consume is what led to this ficceh in the first place. Is it confusing in the story, or just in the foreshadowing?
Me-Nuriko: I know. I'm torturing him so, aren't I? At least he's getting a little action tho!
Aeris: ::whistles innocently:: Of -course- I know where I'm going with this!! ::eyes go wide:: Who told you?? A-hem. Thankehs for reviewing, and I swear I've got -some- idea where this is headed...
NekoMegami-chan: How could we forget the obligitory shower scene? Tsk tsk. Psycho-style maybeh?
Nightfall Rising: Ahh, I get it now. I really do like that type I guess. And as for Kanzeon, there -is- a method to hir madness around there somewhere...
sanzoeclipsekuramaarehot: I think you've been bitten by the bug m'dear. It should wear off in a few weeks and you'll beh typing normal again. ::smiles::
KawaiiLilMarron: Hey...Pai-chan? LURV YOUR 58! More to come of course! ::winks::
kurisutaru39: ::watches amused:: Glad I can perk up your mood! And do you really think anyone could talk Hakkai into playing strip poker? I'll put Gojyo on it right away! ::lech lech::
Well, until next time guys!