Yahoo! GeoCities

Disclaimer: Oh, come on. Like you all will believe if I say Saiyuki is mine. Why bother?

Actually I was on the verge on discontinuing this story. But there are reviews that ask me to continue this story. I am thrilled! ^_^ You know reviews have the power to revive the lost desire and the almost dead story! Hope this chapter is worth all your efforts of reviewing! ^_^

Special thanks to sk8er boi, chin iisou no miko, ShaGojyoxChoHakkaiYaoiLvr, silver rhythm thief, E-sama the Llama, Shiroki Kietsuki, Kyri, blinkie, GoldenCross88. You know you are the one who revive this story.

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The road ahead seemed blurry and he was so tired. Well, considering the fact that he had only slept for no more than three hours last night, it was a miracle that he managed to stay awake until now. Hakkai raised a to rub the weariness from his eyes. Last night he couldn't sleep. Probably it was all because of Gojyo's kiss and the way his heart vaulted and pounding even long after the kiss ended.

Last night he had been angry when he saw how easy it was for Gojyo to kiss him as if he was the only thing that matter and then, waved it away like nothing happened. He had been angrier then to see how easy it was for Gojyo to sleep after that kiss and he, in the other hand, had been tossing and turning as he tried to block out the sensation that still lingered from his mind.

And the thing that angered him most was Gojyo didn't say a word or gave a single sign or even remembered about last night! Damn it, was he the only one who was affected?

That was insulting! That was utterly unacceptable! That was utterly… heartbreaking.

Hakkai frowned at his mind's chosen word. Heartbreaking? He thought he had ceased feeling that particular emotion for some time now. He had mourned for so long that his grief had hardened into ice. It was the ice that protected him from feeling anything more than just amused and gratitude. Surely…surely a mere kiss from Gojyo couldn't-wouldn't melt the ice, would it?

His fingers curled around the steering until the knuckles turned white and he bit his lips. For three long years, he been living in a solid ice and for three long years, he had not yet met anyone that was able to push him off-balance. … …

Until Gojyo…

And almost instantly, his traitorous eyes wandered to the side-mirror to catch a glimpse of the particular redhead, who conquered his mind for almost entire day. With Goku asleep, Gojyo was obviously bored his head out. He was looking out with his chin casually propped on his hand, ignoring the wild strands of red hairs that teased his face. Even with the twin scars that marred his left cheek, Hakkai still could see the reason women swooned whenever the half-breed smiled at them.

He is perfect. Hakkai thought wistfully. Perfectly perfect… He knew he couldn't expect more than what he had got. And that realization instantly gripped his heart painfully. Gojyo had offered him friendship and he would gladly accept it, if not satisfied with it. Last night, the kiss should not happen but somehow it did. Gojyo had made it perfectly clear by refusing to acknowledge it and he, the master of masquerade, could side it aside too…even it slowly killed him.

He could do that. Hakkai thought as he forced his eyes to tear away from the side mirror and concentrated on the road again. Of course he could…

* * * * * *

Sanzo leaned back against the chair, listening with annoyance Gojyo's and Goku's mindless bickering. How could anyone, even with the smallest brain, argue about bun? A pair of fair eyebrows drew close when he heard Goku's screeching voice grew higher. Then, a second later, a vein appeared and he started to finger the paper fan, when he heard Gojyo was laughing and provoking Goku even more. Fuck it; this is starting to give me headache.

"Shut the hell up!!" Sanzo screamed and landed the paper fan on both of the demons' head with such a force.

"But Sanzo…" Goku whined.

"One more word Goku, and you shall the first to taste my bullet today," Sanzo threatened with a measurably serious click from his gun.

"Okay, okay," Goku sweated. Gojyo was laughing harder.

"You too, Gojyo!" The gun changed the direction and pointed straightly at the laughing half-breed. That quieted Gojyo quickly as he sweated like Goku.

Of course the threat couldn't hold them. A minute of peace had passed and the irritating bickering started again. Sanzo glowered at his boisterous companions and tried to seek peace with his less boisterous companion. With his arms folded over his chest and his violet eyes gleamed dangerously, he watched Hakkai.

The brunette was unusually quiet today. Less trying to calm the group, less smiling and more watching at something with an expression he could only describe as… wistful? Frustration? Wondering what was wrong with Hakkai and at the same time telling himself that he don't give a damn if Hakkai started to yell like crazy, his eyes followed Hakkai's gaze.

Slowly, Sanzo turned his head slowly as if he was following Hakkai's vision line and stopped when the line stopped…

Well… I'll be damned… Sanzo breathed in utter disbelief. Gojyo? Hakkai was watching Gojyo all the day? Why?

Sanzo didn't know how he was supposed to react. So, he kept quiet and continued to watch Hakkai. The green-eyed demon was not aware that he was being watched because all his senses were acutely reserved to the half-breed across him. Sanzo caught several too soft sighs escaped from Hakkai.

Could it be that Hakkai has a feeling to Gojyo? Sanzo found that thought quite unacceptable. Not that he opposed that kind of relationship; he didn't give a damn. It just that they were on mission and he hated any conflict that may arise from those mushy feeling.

But then, it would explain the way Hakkai's absurdly anxiety whenever Gojyo was missing, hurt or even dying. Or the way the green eyes twinkled with life and the he smiled whenever Gojyo neared him. Or even his instant willingness to share apartment with Gojyo even though he had only known the half-breed for such a short time. Wait a minute! It went back that long? Who knew what had happened for the last three years when the two of them shared the apartment?

Suddenly, Sanzo let out a snort of disgust. What the hell was he doing? Contemplating whether or not there would be a relationship between Hakkai and Gojyo? Had he lost his mind? Well, who wouldn't? Listening to that fucking annoying noise from his companions, anybody with a decent and healthy mind could go nuts!

Raising the paper fan with vengeance again, Sanzo smacked hard. "Shut the fucking up!" Before he settled back on his chair, he heard another well-concealed sigh from Hakkai.

Has everyone gone crazy?!

* * * * * *

"You looked tired," Gojyo commented as they settled themselves in the inn. All day, Hakkai was distant. Like he was quietly angry of something. Or may be someone. He still smiled, of course. If Hakkai didn't smile, that would freak him out. But Gojyo could sense the mild air of animosity around the green-eyed demon whenever their eyes met.

Hakkai quietly stripped off his green outfit and leaving a thin white shirt that he usually wore to sleep. He curved up a smile as if he was obliged to do that. "Of course, I am. I did tell you last night I didn't sleep, didn't I?"

Cold and polite. After three years of friendship, Gojyo still couldn't get any other tone than those two. It made him frustrated. It made him irritated. And it made him felt challenging.

He bit his lower lip, knowing that was what made him attracted to Hakkai like a moth being drawn toward the flame. Well, if he took away those gorgeous emerald eyes or that soft mahogany hair that insistently invited him to bury his hand through it, Hakkai was unpredictable, refreshing and never dull even a single moment. He had a messed up personality, hurting like hell, guarding himself and could still smiling.

Damn it! He wanted the drop-dead gorgeous demon! He wanted him so much that he could taste it upon his lips and feel it upon his skin. The memory of the kiss last night drove him crazy; one kiss wasn't enough. If a single kiss that he stole from Hakkai had awakened such a ferocious desire in him, Gojyo couldn't help to wonder what would the second kiss or the third bring. Or when he started to make love with Hakkai.

His red eyes followed Hakkai's movement as the brunette slid into the bed with equal silent as he was undressing. The room was almost dark, saved a single candle. The sight of Hakkai's slim and luminous figure lie facing away from him did something wild to Gojyo's heart and he was hating and loving the feeling. Hakkai was definitely angry of something and if it was what he thought it was… Well, he never had the pleasure of having an argument with Hakkai before.

"Hakkai," Gojyo called after a few minutes of silent.

Hakkai closed his eyes, debating whether to pretend to sleep or to answer Gojyo's call. Then, he let out an almost inaudible sigh. "Yes?"

"Are you angry with me?"

Hakkai almost smiled in the dark at Gojyo's question. Hakkai didn't what to answer. Should he be frank to Gojyo by saying, 'Yes, I am. I am surprised you are so blind not to notice,' or should he do what he did best, lying. The former sounded appealing enough, because after all, he never had a verbal fight with Gojyo before and he longed to let out all the unpleasant things that had been gnawing his gut ever since he had met Gojyo. Like his womanizing habit, for instance. But then he was so used of lying that the words denial almost sprang from his mouth.

"Hakkai?" Gojyo insisted.

Another small sigh escaped and Hakkai knew Gojyo would not take a mere silence as an answer. "I don't know, Gojyo. I'm not sure if I am angry or not."

That was a good sign, Gojyo thought. At least Hakkai didn't automatically say no like he usually did. "Is it about last night?" Hakkai could hear the hesitation in Gojyo's voice and this time he did smile softly. It was good to know that the kiss did affect Gojyo, even in the smallest way.

"Let's not go there." Hakkai's reply came out quickly.

So, that was it! Hakkai was angry and his anger was directed towards the kiss that Gojyo had so boldly claimed. Gojyo frowned, feeling more confused. If one of them was angry, it was supposed to him. After all, it was Hakkai who rejected him. And he was doing what he thought Hakkai would have wanted him to do, forgetting the whole thing. Was Hakkai angry because he was being oblivious and ignorant?

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gojyo asked instead, ignoring Hakkai's request.

"Gojyo, I don't think that would be wise," Hakkai's voice came out soft and almost unsure.

"Nothing we ever do is wise. Hell! If we are, we wouldn't be in this damned trip!" Gojyo answered. "And Hakkai? Can you please turn around and face me? I feel like you're talking to the wall instead of me."

Hakkai's sense of humor returned and he did let out a nervous chuckle. He didn't feel like talking about the kiss. "Gojyo, please. I'm tired and I want to sleep." Hakkai said evasively. "The kiss happened out of our curiosity and now that we have satisfied what we want to discover, I… I think we should let it be." Hakkai hated the tremble that laced through his words. He wanted to sound casual, but instead he sounded like he wanted to discover more. To discover whether Gojyo's kiss could bring him higher than last night.

Gojyo frowned deeper; secretly loathing the way Hakkai formed his words. He knew Hakkai could be so damned cold and emotionless sometimes but this… this… Damn it! Gojyo wasn't called a womanizer for nothing. He had tasted many lips and he knew what passion tasted like.

And Hakkai's lips tasted far more hotter than passion and far more sweeter than willingness…

"Fine." Gojyo said instead. For three years of their friendship, he was the only one who had done all the approaching and sometimes he felt like he was a dog, panting and begging favors from Hakkai. Well, if Hakkai wanted him to forget about the kiss, he would. He wasn't going to be the one who destroyed the bond of friendship that he had tried so hard to build it. "Good night."

Hakkai pulled the blanket closer around his shoulders, suddenly felt cold by Gojyo flat and toneless greeting. He knew Gojyo was hurting by his words, but he didn't know whether it was Gojyo's pride or heart that hurt the most.

* * * * * *

He was standing in front of his house and he could hear his heartbeat raced so fast. He reached out for the doorknob, trembling with dread. Please… He thought. Please don't let me be too late… With the heart in his mouth and sweat tickling down his forehead, he turned the doorknob with great effort and pushed the door opened wide.

His prayers weren't answer. The furniture was slashed apart and windows were shattered and broken. And there was no sign of her.

Anguish raced through him like acid being poured into his mouth. Fury claimed his mind, blotting out all his rationality. They had taken her away! She had been taken and he did nothing to stop it! The realizations hit him ceaselessly; adding the pain, as if the torture of knowing she had been taken away wasn't enough.

"There's nothing we could do."

"If we didn't give the girl, the whole town will be slaughtered."

"The 100-eyed demon took her."

"He is too strong for us."

He listened to those loathing words that were dripping from the villagers' pretentious and hypocrite mouths. Excuses! After all he had done for the benefit of the village, they had given him lousy excuses to disguise the cowardice of their acts! He raised his face slowly and deliberately and the wagging tongues ceased. They could see anger… no rage tainted his usual pleasant face. "Stop it!"

His glacial verdant eyes turned to his first target. Without word, his hand flashed out and grabbed the man's neck. "She dies, all of you die!"

* * * * * *

Gojyo's eyes flew opened when he felt something curled around his neck and squeezed out the air. His hands automatically reached out the object that caused his to choke before his eyes could adjust to the semi-darkness of the room. "What the hell-"

His eyes looked up and saw a pair of green eyes shone angrily down at him. It was Hakkai. He was strangling him; he was choking him. Shit! He had to do something before Hakkai squeezed the life out of him too. With effort, Gojyo reached for the hands that locked around his neck and tried to loosen it. Hakkai's grip was surprisingly strong, Gojyo realized with rising panic. He started to cough violently.

His lungs were bursting with lack of air and his strength was ebbing away. "Hak…Hakkai." Damn it, if his effort to loosen Hakkai's iron grip was started to fail… Panic doubled. …He was going to die of suffocation. "What are y…you doing?"

Hakkai did not heed him, nor was he awake! Damnation! What the hell was wrong with him?! His brain was losing the oxygen as well and Gojyo couldn't think anymore. To draw in the air was like a battle. His hand released Hakkai's hands and blindly reached out for anything, anything at all to make him breathed again!

The grip tightened angrily and by the time Gojyo's fingers touched the burning candle, his eyes were started to lose vision and he knew he would be unconscious any second now. Come on… come one… He chanted desperately as he tried to stretch his arm farther to grab the candle.

Then, his hand curled around the candle and automatically his other hand reached out to grab Hakkai's neck as well, while the hand that hold the candle flew directly to Hakkai's hands, making the latter to yank his hand away in pain. Hakkai let out an angry hiss while Gojyo rolled himself away from Hakkai and from the bed, trying to inhale as much air as he possibly could.

Gojyo's head started to spin sickeningly as he pushed himself up against the wall and breathed heavily. He thought Hakkai would probably be awake by now, but when Hakkai's shadow loomed threateningly in front of him, he knew that he was terribly wrong. Oh, shit…

Hakkai's ferocious kick came out like a lightening and it hit Gojyo's stomach, making a small tickle of blood lined from the corner of his mouth down to his chin. The impact double the spinning in the redhead's head and Gojyo knew that it would take more than just a candle burn to wake Hakkai. That was if he could stop the damned whirlwind in his head and see in the dark! Suddenly he regretted for using the candle as a weapon. Now he was more in danger than before!

Gojyo loathed the thought of hurting Hakkai back, but he knew that if he didn't, he was the one who was going to be dead by the morning. Struggling on his legs, Gojyo breathed heavily, either from the earlier suffocation or the sharp pain on his stomach, and he forced his eyes to focus on a very angry opponent in front of him. "All right, Hakkai," he whispered to himself half-jokingly, half-seriously, knowing that Hakkai didn't hear him. "I know you are angry at me for kissing you, but you don't have to choke me…"

Even in this dire situation, Gojyo's lips curved up in a grin at his own words and suddenly he felt confidence came to him.

Hakkai lunged forward, not bothering to use his qi power against Gojyo. Somehow, Gojyo was grateful. He didn't know whether he was conscious enough to see through the dark and evade Hakkai's qi at the same time. The green-eyed demon used his right hand to flung a powerful punch towards Gojyo. Automatically, the redhead dodged the punch and used his left hand to catch Hakkai's right hand. "Hakkai!" Gojyo called loudly as his hand locked the brunette's wrist. "Wake up, damn it! You're dreaming!"

Instead of opening his eyes like Gojyo had hoped him to, Hakkai raised his knee and hit Gojyo's ribs painfully. "Shit!" Gojyo swore, the thin bloodline grew bolder at the corner of his mouth. He thought his ribs had cracked. Gojyo gritted his teeth in both frustration and pain.

He couldn't go on like this. He couldn't possibly expect himself to continue avoiding Hakkai's fierce attacks when all factors of fighting, such as sight, awareness and especially the need to fight started to abandon him. He was fighting a losing battle and if he didn't do something about it sooner, he would definitely lose. Making a hard decision, Gojyo raised his right hand to punch Hakkai's jaw.

For a while, a pair of red eyes met the wild green ones and Gojyo's lips moved, forming two words. "Sorry…sweetheart." And he brought his fist to Hakkai's face just enough to make Hakkai went unconscious. The latter went down and just before his head could hit the floor, Gojyo fell into his knees and used both of his arms to catch and cushion the brunette's fall.

With an unconscious Hakkai in Gojyo's arms and numerous bruises on his body, Gojyo tried to figure out what he should do next. He tried to stand up, so he could bring Hakkai back to his bed, when suddenly his ribs protested loudly, causing him to fall flat on his back and bringing Hakkai's body lie on top of him. The pain doubled and Gojyo let out a painful hiss.

Lying on the floor in the dark, Gojyo wondered what the hell had happened just now. And he wasn't sure whether he was asking himself about the whole sudden attack or the words he had spoken just before he hit Hakkai. Sorry sweetheart? Had he lost his damned mind?

One thing for sure, this whole thing is no longer a one night incident. Something was definitely wrong with Hakkai. And something was undoubtedly wrong his hormone.

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