== 2: Truth ==

"Hey, whatcha thinking of?"

The smile didn't falter, growing wider by the second. He turned to the redhead, and shrugged. "Oh… nothing much."

"Well, it's got to be something, at least, that could make you grin like an idiot," he lifted a brow. "That applies for every sane guy. Unless, of course, you're deranged."

Hakkai laughed. "Ah, who but I know, and will not tell."

"Good moods come less in time, when one travels with Sanzo," the redhead quoted. They laughed long and loud.

"No, seriously. What are you thinking about?"

"Hmm…" Hakkai glanced at the duo that were racing after butterflies. Instantly, a smile graced his features. "… Innocence."

Gojyo nodded. "You weren't really like that once, were you?"

"… I don't know. Was I ever?"

They both sighed. The sun was riding high in the heavens, and the air was filled with yelps of excitement, and yellow Brimstone butterflies.

"You really like him, don't you?"

The dark haired man was startled out of his reverie. He turned to look at his best friend, and shook his head. "Perhaps. He needs guidance, as a child would."

"He's not a kid anymore," the other stared at him with his flashing eyes; "And I doubt he'd need pampering. You see it in him… he's growing up."

"Into a young man," he settled down again, and looked at the clouds floating above. "Yes, he's grown up quite a bit."

"Yeah, and we admit it ourselves," Gojyo laughed hoarsely, and folded his arms behind his head, a lit cigarette on his lips. "I don't hate him, nor do you, but I do sense some sort of… you know, a feeling…"

"Brotherly love?"

"Much more than that." The redhead's tone became serious, and he continued with a low voice, lest Sanzo should hear of it. "It goes beyond that love, deep as a brotherly one might seem… and I think that feeling is mutual."

Hakkai glanced quickly at Goku, before subsiding. "You…"

"I know. I'm not as dense as that ape… or maybe that lead-head," he grinned. "I may be really much of a bad-boy womanizer, but hell, if I didn't see through this, no one would. It's so obvious. He adores you from his stupid little heart, and it goes in deeper than how it would look to you as a father figure. You can see it clearly written on his disgustingly adorable face. Watch!"

True enough, there stood Goku, regarding them quietly, for a wonder. Sanzo did not seem to take any notice of this rare occurrence, but Hakuryu, for one, was puzzled. He continued chasing butterflies. When Goku caught Hakkai's curious glance though, he blushed furiously, and hurriedly skipped off to join the white dragon in their game. Gojyo nudged his companion.

"Told you so," he said, grinning. "You do that sometimes too, you know."

Hakkai turned a bright shade of Vermillion. Argh! Why hadn't he noticed that himself?

"Quit blaming yourself," the redhead laughed. "A lot of people admire him. Why, I for one –" he cut himself off quickly, and delved in to speak again, rather hesitantly, "I for one heard some women whispering these things. It's kind of normal."

"… Hmm, I do hope so." He sounded unsure himself.

"He doesn't seem very bright, does he?" Gojyo said. "He doesn't seem to realize that you do the exact same thing!"

"Perhaps that is what helps keep his naïveté."

"Really?"

"I appreciate it," Hakkai said truthfully. "And I should never have wished to destroy it."

"He's not a kid anymore," the redhead laid back, sunning his entire body. "He's stupid, and unbelievably ditzy sometimes, but he's not a kid. He adores you from afar. Really, it hurts a lot to see that idiot suffering in silence. It hurts even more you see you paining inside."

"You know what, Gojyo?"

"What?"

"You're not entirely a brainless jock everyone makes you out to be."

"You're welcome," he replied lazily, puffing a ring of smoke. "Don't screw it. It's not always able to act mature, you know."

Hakkai laughed, and stood up. He scanned the area for Goku, but to his horror, the boy was nowhere to be seen!

To Be Continued