Gy: Your endings suck. Hell, all of it sucks.

Chi -angry signs-: it does not! you just don't like being gay!

Gy: That's not it. I'm being truthful!

Ha: I do believe you were right on mark for that one!

Chi beams happilyChi: Thank you, my dear Hakkai-san. Now, on with what you were all surely waiting for.

Gyrolls eyes:I bet they were...

Chi -annoyed and brings out fan-: If you dont shut up, ill kill you off too!

Gy sweatdrops Yes ma'am! On with the story!

The man pushed Gojyo back, and they fell to the ground, landing in a soft pile of raked leaves with a crunch. They rolled

around a bit before getting comfy, and the man snuggled right into the crook of Gojyo's arm, fitting perfectly as though

nobody belonged together but those two. Gojyo complained slightly about the dead leaves getting smashed into his red hair,

but his lover shushed him with gentle words and a brilliant smile. "C'mon, Gojyo! This is fun and you know you're enjoying

it!"

Gojyo fought to keep a grin from his face, but in the end he lost, and he sighed, smiling back. "I guess you're right. The

sun feels good on my skin; it hasn't been this warm for awhile now." Birds chirped in the background behind them, and

people laughing and having a good time blended together to form peaceful, comforting music. Gojyo found himself yawning

deeply, and he placed his head next to the man beside him, eyes shutting. "I...think I'll take a nap."

"Ok, Gojyo-san." the man next to him said happily, and after a short while Gojyo's breathing deepened and slowed

down, and the man grinned, sitting up to admire Gojyo.

"He...looks so peaceful when he's asleep." the male muttered, running his fingers through Gojyo's thick hair, bemused for

some reason. "The color of blood..." he mumured to himself before shaking his head and smiling a sad little smile.

Blood. Blood blood blood blood blood.

Gojyo's fingers were sticky from the blood. Why did it have to coat everything?

And why did it have to be his?

"No!" he kept repeating to himself, stunned at what had happened. Why did it have to happen to him? Why had he been

so stupid? He NEVER should have thrown his life away! He was too good for that...and for someone like Gojyo, someone

who...someone who didn't deserve anyone's death to save himself.

How long Gojyo sat next to Hakkai, he wasn't sure. It could have been hours, or it could have been a few minutes. He

could feel every beat of his heart, and he knew that his heart should never be thumping away when Hakkai's had stopped

for good. It had started to rain, and the drizzle ran down his face and onto Hakkai's, and it thankfully hid whatever tears he

had shed over the fallen demon. "Hakkai...why'd ya do it? I badmouthed you...I criticized you...I yelled at you...and the only

thing you were concerned about was...me. You stupid bastard. That was your mistake."

Gojyo gently set Hakkai onto the dirt, smoothing back some of his hair that had been plastered down on his still face due

to the drizzle. He...looked so pale, face a sickly whitish color that was definitely unhealthy. /'Course it's unhealthy, jackass!

He's dead/ Gojyo winced at the thought of this demon no longer living, and his fists clenched into balls. /He never should

have worried about me! I would have been fine and it doesn't matter! He should have worried about himself/

Gojyo paused, glancing at the body. Had it been him or had Hakkai's eyelids just fluttered slightly? He waited and

waited, but no signs of life appeared on Hakkai's face, and Gojyo sighed heavily, standing and grabbing his spear. "Ya look

like...an angel, Hakkai. Like you're just sleeping. Guess they all do, though..." he shook his head unhappily, and made his

way to the remaining members of the group, expression twisted between a forced smile and grief.

Goku looked up at him, confused. "Uh...arentcha gonna bury him, Gojyo?"

"No. I'm too lazy for that." he said, not looking back at the kid.

The truth was, Gojyo refused to bury him. It...would be like admitting it would happen. There was a part of him that

thought, Hey! This is a bad dream. Don't worry. You'll wake up and this will all just have been a horrifying nightmare, all of

it.

Sanzo frowned, watching as Gojyo stopped and tilted his head toward the sky. /Stupid kappa. Just come out and say

you're sad. You don't have to bottle up your damn emotions. That's what caused all this in the first place./ But Gojyo didn't

seem to hear Sanzo's mental urgings, and he clutched his spear tighter.

"So...does this mean...does this mean..."

Sanzo looked down at Goku, who was struggling to put words together to communicate his thoughts. "Does this mean

what, monkey?"

"Does this mean Hakkai's d-dead?"

"'Fraid so. He shouldn't have taken the hit for that stupid kappa. He-OOF!"

Sanzo was taken surprise by the teen, who flung himself onto Sanzo, hugging him tightly around the middle and burying

his face in the priest's robe folds.

"SANZO! HE'S DEAD!" Goku yelled out, slightly muffled by the fabric, sobbing into Sanzo's clothing.

Sanzo was horrified to find himself blushing, and this time he found himself stuttering. "St-stupid monkey! Ge-get a hold of

yourself! You should have known one of us would die on this crazy-ass mission!"

Goku couldn't seem to get off the fact that one of his companions, the GENTLEST companion who treated him the

kindest, was now growing cold on the ground.

"Saaaanzo!"

"God..." Sanzo sighed. "Get over it! He's dead, so what?" Sanzo spoke as though he didn't care, but his emotions were

hidden, away from the public. Nobody needed to know how he felt about anything, and that was the way he planned to

keep things.

"Hakuryu, come on." Gojyo said quietly, pulling at the dragon.

Hakuryu struggled to fly back to his master, confused as to why he wasn't coming along with them. Why was he lying so

still on the ground? Why wasn't he moving? Why were they leaving him behind?

Each one dealt with the grief of losing their companion differently. Sanzo took over driving Jeep, who seemed distraught

and would barely chug along. Goku had his eyes lowered toward the ground, sighing every once in awhile, and Gojyo

merely stared off blankly, as if nothing in the world could get him to smile or laugh again.

"You're like a bunch of freakin' babies! Get over it!" Sanzo said, looking back at them.

"What! Don't tell me what to do, you goddamn bastard of a priest!" Gojyo's temper was ignited by the priest's casual

words, and he gave him a ferocious glare.

"It may not seem like I cared too much lately, but I did, and at least I have a heart!"

"Do you really think Hakkai would want you to mope after him? I think he's laughing at your sorry asses from hell right

now, thinking he's better off than you guys!"

"In hell?" Goku's eyes looked shiny in unhappiness. "I hope they feed him enough there..."

Sanzo sighed, then jerked the wheel forcefully, sending them all flying out of the Jeep as Hakuryu transformed back to his

dragon state.

"WHOA! What the hell?" Gojyo sat up in the dirt, blinking back the rain, and Hakuryu sneezed.

"Dammit. More demons." Sanzo muttered, pulling out his gun.

"I'm NOT in the mood!" Gojyo said dangerously, flicking his spear out skillfully.

"Let's kill 'em, send them to Hakkai for company!" Goku shouted with a demented grin, leaping into the group of thirty-

some demons with what could only be described as a monkey shriek.

Sanzo continued to fire off rounds from his gun, and Gojyo sliced out while Goku struck down demons with his Nyoi-bo

(sp), frowning.

"Sanzo...this just doesn't feel the same..." Goku murmured, standing in the middle of all the demon corpses, Nyoi-Bo

disappearing as he wiped his bloody hands off.

"What do you mean?"

"Well...I dunno. Somethin's missin', I guess."

"Like Hakkai?" Gojyo questioned bitterly, glaring at Goku, who looked away.

"Yeah. Guess that's it." the monkey king said quietly.

"Oh really? You...missed...me...?" a tired voice asked, and they whirled.

Hakkai stood behind them, bloody and dirty but most definitely alive.

"HAKKAI!"

"More or less...yes..." Hakkai smiled his familiargrinbefore collapsing forward, eyes shut.

Gojyo ran forward, easily catching the unconscious demon in his arms as a grin crossed his face.

"You stupid bastard..."

And the rain stopped.

Chi: there. how's that for an ending? told ya i had somethin' up my sleeve. I'd never truly kill off my sweet hakkai-san.

Ha -beams- Great. Its good to be alive.

Gy: yeah well its not that great being a fag.

Chi: are you still whining? if you dont shut up, ill pair you with...NI! itll be a threesome! him you and...youre brother!

Gy -pales- Gy: Thats just sick.

Chi -shudders- Chi: Yeah. tell me about it. Rate and review, 'k? this story isnt going to be too long, i have the ending already figured out. i think its kinda...cute lol.

ill put up a new chapter every other day or so...

Ha: Have a nice day! -waves-