DISCLAIMER: I know, I know, it's kinda crappy but I had to do this seeing Father's Day was coming up. Happy Father's day to all readers and reader's dads!

Saiyuki is STILL not mine. BUT I have glomped Hakkai several times at Malaysia's inagural Cosplay convention! And Hakkai glomped me too! Oooooooooh! ^________________________________________^

OMAKE/EXTRA
HOLD A BLUE MOON
Itoshii no Yume: A Beloved Dream

It had been almost one year that night since Hakkai had found his young daughter, Meiryu. Although he never showed it or said anything, he missed the child daily. He wondered how she was doing, whether she was being treated well, whether she was eating right...

Maybe Gojyo was right. He was too much of a mother hen for his own good sometimes. She was all right.

A small frown crossed the young man's features as he looked out the window. He noticed that the velvet sky held a beautiful full moon, tinted a vague azure by the clouds. Hakuryuu sprawled lazily across his stomach like a small, white hot-water bottle and purred as the two stared up at the ceiling. Hakkai scratched the small dragon fondly under the chin as he closed his eyes.

_I wonder, Meiryu, if you can see the same moon I see?_ he thought as he lapsed into slumber.

----------

He dreamt he was sitting under a large tree with a wide canopy, a cup of tea in his hand. Stars spangled the night sky like so many countless rhinestones. A warm breeze ruffled the young man's hair as he looked around. He felt like he was waiting for someone, but he didn't know who.

"...Where are you?" he wondered softly.

It was then he heard the small, light footsteps, and a young girl in a yellow dress appeared behind him. Eyes as green as Hakkai's own widened in surprise and her long hair, the same mahogany hue as Kanan's, was whipped about by the wind.

"Otousan?"

"Meiryu!!" he exclaimed, starting to his feet.

She had grown a little taller since they had last met, but rather a lot thinner too. Her malachite optics bore a haunted look that only melted away when she set eyes on him. With a cry of "Otousan! You CAME!" she rushed towards him and flung her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. He quickly wrapped her in his own embrace, feeling her small and frantic heartbeat against his chest.

"Otousan..." she whispered happily. "You really came. I'm so glad..."

"What do you mean, I really came?"

"I wanted you to come. I wanted to see to see you again. They say so many bad things about you in the orphanage, otousan. They say I'm a demon too, but I know it's not true. It's not fair," she choked out, "they don't know what you're like now. They've forgotten what you've done for us. They call me 'demonspawn' and 'murderer's child' and all other things..."

"My poor child," Hakkai murmured tenderly, stroking her hair.

"Don't worry 'bout me, otousan. I don't cry so easy any more. That was my promise to you, ne?" A smile graced her face as she looked up at him. "I just wanted so badly to see you again...and here we are. I think I'm dreaming this, but it seems so nice and real."

"I wish it were. I think this is only your dream. But then...I'm seeing the same things as you are."

"Maybe it's our dream. Together. Did you want to see me too, otousan?"

"Of course I did, child. I wondered if you were all right."

"They treat me kinda all right in there," she lied. "I just don't like them teasing you. I wish they'd stop."

"Maybe they will if you just don't take notice of it."

"But 'tousan...!"

"It's all right. They can say what they want--I don't really care. As long as the people around me are safe and happy, anybody can call me anything they want. That's how I function. So don't you worry about me either, all right?"

"Un, OK. Otousan?"

"Yes?"

"Happy Father's Day. It's tomorrow, desho?"

"Ah, so it is."

"Want anything in particular?"

"Just to be with my daughter this one night, and watch the stars together."

"I'd like that too..."

And that is exactly what they did. Watched the stars until the sun rose on a new day.

----------

"Hakkai, are you all right? It's not at all like you to sleep in."

"Aw give him a break, bouzu, it's Sunday. He deserves the chance occasionally."

"Ah ha ha ha ha...sumimasen, everyone...but I had a very interesting dream last night."

"What about?"

"Oh...things..."

----------

I dreamed a wonderful dream last night! Otousan actually came to find me. He made me feel so safe and loved, and he stayed with me until the sun rose. Then he went back, but not before telling me to be strong and that he loved me.

It's all right now. They can say what they want, whether about me or otousan. The caretakers can scold me all they want for refusing to forget him, to remember I am an 'orphan' of the state. I know the truth. Cho Hakkai may be a demon, but he was once Cho Gonou and he will always be my father and the kindest, gentlest, friendliest man I ever know. He makes me feel safe, even though he's far away. He reminds me I'm not always alone. He lets me know someone's there. That's what a father is supposed to do, right?

I love you, daddy. Forever and ever. And may our beloved dreams join us until you can turn away from the setting sun.

-oshimai-