2. Rings
(Afterglow)
Word Count: 1261
Note: Post-Journey West.
The phone in the kitchen rings once, twice, three, four times. After no one makes an effort to answer it, the ringing stops, and the thing is silent. It starts again after a few seconds, methodically repeats its previous actions, and stops again when once more it goes unanswered.
Sanzo growls into the receiver in the temple at Chang'an. He's supposed to be somewhere already -- somewhere alone, without Goku tagging along. He needs one of those two filthy things to come up and watch the ape for him for a few hours so that he can attend his meeting and then decompress with a drink and a few cigarettes; he hasn't been left alone in what felt like ages. He needs Hakkai to play nanny to the brat, or Gojyo to argue with him, or them both to come up and, while being affectionate with one another, keep an eye on Goku.
However, this is impossible if they refuse to answer their phone.
"Goddammit," Sanzo hisses, his fingers already starting to hit the appropriate numbers for the third time. Goku's bouncing around in the next room, eating all of the tangerines he'd bought that were supposed to last the entire week. The ringing is a low, monotone buzzing in his ear, with brief pauses in between the long strains. Impatiently, he taps his fingers on the tabletop. "Pick up, dammit, one of you, or the next time I see you I'm going to kill you."
After four rings, Sanzo slams down the receiver in the cradle and pounds his fist on the tabletop. Those two were in for such a beating when he saw them next.
Nonetheless, he is already dialing their number again, hoping against hope that they are both just taking a piss at the same time and will miraculously pick up the phone.
---
"I wish whoever that was would stop calling already," Gojyo mutters, shutting his eyes tightly. The sunlight coming in through the cracked blinds is burning through his eyelids, and he once again makes a mental note that he will soon forget to have them fixed. He is very hot, from both the sun coming through the window harsh and angry and Hakkai lying on top of him, a huge slab of dead weight.
"So go get the phone," Hakkai murmurs, his voice barely audible and muffled besides. His face is smushed against Gojyo's chest, and only half of the brunette's mouth is able to move and form words, let alone make them coherent.
"Well, I would, 'cept you're so heavy I can't even feel my legs," the redhead replies testily. Hakkai rolls his eyes and shuts them again.
"You think it's a pleasure when it's you lying on top of me? Think again," he says acidly, and shifts slightly to burrow his head into a more comfortable position on Gojyo's shoulder. Reflexively Gojyo puts an arm around him, and once more marvels at the sharp contrast between their skin tones -- him, tan, a bronze god; Hakkai, so pale and white, the clear image of a bookworm. It is something when they just were standing next to each other, fully clothed, and another entirely when there is nothing in the way.
"Why are you pissed? You seemed plenty happy a few minutes ago," Gojyo says, glancing down at the man curled up on his chest. He can't see Hakkai's face, but he really doesn't need to. They have been together for too many years for him not to know every expression the brunette has intimately; hell, Sanzo and Goku probably know, too, from all of that traveling with them.
"Not pissed. Just tired," Hakkai replies faintly. The phone stops ringing, pauses, and starts again. "Bet it's Sanzo. Only he's that stubborn."
"We'd better get it or he'll skin us next time we see him," Gojyo mutters. He nudges Hakkai. "C'mon, get up, I have to get the phone. Or you get off and get it."
"Mmmm."
Gojyo wishes he could smash his face into a wall, but, in his current position, is unable to do so. Hakkai falling asleep on him at any other time would have led him to fall asleep himself and therefore pleasantly wile away the afternoon dozing in a comfortable heat, but at the moment this was not a good thing. Desperately, he searches for some way to dislodge Hakkai from him, but sees no possible way to do so without missing the phone. After a few seconds of racking his brain for the answer, he finally just wraps his arms firmly about the brunette, sits up, and hefts him like a bride. It's not the first time he's carried Hakkai, and while he's sure that the other man is far lighter than him, he's still very heavy in his arms. Still, it's also not the first time that he's run while carrying Hakkai, and he manages to jog into the kitchen and grab the phone just before Sanzo wants to hang up.
He manages to wedge the phone between his ear and shoulder and hold Hakkai securely, although it's very uncomfortable.
"Yeah, what?" he asks, and knows his strained breathing is audible through the phone.
"Thanks for answering the phone so quickly, asshole," Sanzo says sarcastically into the line, and Gojyo can practically see his scowl.
"Hurry up, would you? I'm in an awkward position."
"I really don't want to know what sex position you're in right now, Gojyo --"
"It's not a sex position, assface --"
"-- But I need either one or both of you to get up here and baby-sit the monkey for me for a few hours. I don't care which one of you it is, or even if it's both -- just get here fast."
There is a click, and Gojyo curses as he lets the phone slide out from between his ear and shoulder and drop with a sickening crack onto the kitchen floor. He hefts Hakkai again and heads back to the bedroom, where he puts the brunette down on the bed, briefly flexes his strained arms, and starts grabbing clothes from the floor. He doesn't care about walking around his own house naked, but somehow he had an inkling that Sanzo will not be pleased if he shows up at Chang'an in his birthday suit.
Hakkai curls up in the warm patch on the bed where they had both been lying and where the sun was currently beating down. Gojyo pulls on his pants and a shirt, wrestles his long hair into a ponytail, and goes over to the bed.
"Hey," he says, laying a hand on Hakkai's shoulder. When the other doesn't respond, he says louder, "Hey."
"Mmm."
"I'm going to baby-sit for Sanzo. You okay here by yourself?" No answer. "Hakkai?"
"Mmm."
"Words. Something I can understand. Will you be okay here by yourself?"
"Aren't I always?" he snaps, clearly annoyed. Gojyo grins ruefully; he should no better than to mess with a sleepy Hakkai.
"Alright, just wanted to make sure. I'm taking Jeep." He jerks his thumb over his shoulder, indicating the dragon in the other room, although Hakkai can't see; he's turned away from the redhead.
"Have fun," he mutters, and Gojyo gives him a mock salute before bending down and kissing his bare shoulder.
"Don't you worry. I'm sure it'll be something to remember."