Standard disclaimers apply.
Hehehehehehehe. This story was a great deal of fun to write. I hope ya'll had fun reading it. Have a happy holiday, all of you! Please review, if you would...everything is accepted, from smileys to flames.
Enjoy!
Gojyo turned the handle of the door that led to the upstairs rooms only to have it opened from the other side by Hakkai. Upon seeing each other, they both jumped.
"Er…hello, Gojyo." Hakkai said. Gojyo drew back from him slightly to let him pass. Hakkai slid from the darkness into the dim, smoky light of the inn's bar. The yellow light gave his face an eerie cast. Gojyo flinched slightly, but Hakkai's face was turned towards the bar, and he didn't notice. Hakkai turned back to Gojyo, his face unreadable behind the omnipresent smile.
"Would you like to have a drink with me, Gojyo?"
Gojyo swallowed. "Sure." They began to walk towards the bar. "Actually, I was heading upstairs to ask you to have one with me."
Hakkai sat at the bar. "Perhaps this is fate, then."
Gojyo cringed slightly, a motion hidden by the darkness. "Maybe." He sat at a barstool next to Hakkai. The barkeeper came up to them, wiping his hands on a damp, stained towel.
"Can I get anything for you?" He glanced at Gojyo, then back at Hakkai, then looked at Gojyo again. A knowing smile lit his round, creased face. Gojyo tried to ignore him.
"A bottle of sake, please." Hakkai said, apparently oblivious to the insinuating grin of the bartender. The fat aproned man turned and took a dusty bottle off the shelf, wiped it carefully with the towel, and set it on the bar in front of Hakkai and Gojyo along with two glasses.
"Best vintage of the house." He smiled. "Enjoy it."
Hakkai pulled out the gold card to pay, but the man waved it away. "It's on the house."
"I insist."
"No." The man grinned at Gojyo again. "Have a good evening, both of you." He glanced at Hakkai. "Anything else you need, just call me. I'll be around." He waddled away into the smoky dimness of the room. Gojyo glared at his departing form until he heard the sake slipping into the glasses. Hakkai held out a glass to him.
"Cheers."
"Cheers." Gojyo echoed hollowly. Hakkai raised an eyebrow.
"Something is bothering you."
"Yeah." Gojyo took a quick swallow of the sake. Hakkai sipped his, watching the kappa over the glass' rim.
"What is it?"
Gojyo glanced up at Hakkai. The youkai's eyes were guarded, yet the smile was still curving his lips. Damn him and his ability to hide everything.
"I…"
Hakkai leaned forward. "You?"
Gojyo cursed. Why couldn't he just say it?"
"I…I mean, Hakkai, are you…I mean…"
"Am I what?"
The man was being deliberately stupid. Gojyo ground his teeth and fought to keep a blush from coloring his cheeks. He didn't want to be all red, damn it!
"Are you…do you…like guys?"
Of all the things Hakkai had been expecting, this definitely wasn't it. He stared at Gojyo, eyes wide, and slowly set the sake glass down.
"Do I…like guys?"
"Yeah."
Hakkai weighed his options. He hadn't expected the conversation to take this turn; in fact, had counted against it. This meant a different tactic was required, one that would hopefully clarify the situation.
"Do you?"
Gojyo jerked back. "What?"
"Do you like men?"
"What…I mean…why the hell would you think that?" Gojyo demanded. "I mean…I don't mean…if you are…that's okay…I'd still be your friend…but…I don't…I can't…I'm not homosexual, Hakkai, or even…bisexual…so…I can't…I mean…if you want more from our friendship…I can't give it to you…you understand that, right?" Gojyo was sweating and his breath was coming in quick gasps. "You understand that I…I can't like you like that? I'm not wired that way."
Hakkai sighed. "I understand, Gojyo."
"You do?" Gojyo's eyes were hopeful. "You aren't mad? You aren't going to go kill yourself or something?"
Hakkai began to laugh. He laughed so hard that tears came to his eyes. "Why would I?" He gasped for breath. "I was coming down here to tell you the same thing."
"You…were?" Gojyo looked at him in shock. "You were going to tell me that you're…not…?"
"Yes." Hakkai calmed a bit and looked at Gojyo, amusement evident in his green eyes. "I'm not homosexual, Gojyo. I have no feelings for you."
"Seriously?" Gojyo began to grin. "You don't?"
"Seriously." Hakkai grinned. "So you can calm down now."
"Shit, man, I was making myself sick worrying about this." Gojyo smiled and clapped Hakkai on the back. "I'm glad…I'm glad that we don't have to worry about it anymore."
"We can just be friends."
"Right. Just friends."
"I'm glad that you don't think I'm homosexual."
Gojyo flushed. "Yeah, sorry Hakkai, I mean, just with you cooking and stuff…and the way you talk and all…"
"Is somewhat misleading, I know." Hakkai smiled. "But I'm not."
Gojyo grinned. "I'm so glad I don't have to worry about it anymore."
"Of course." Hakkai smiled, keeping his amusement to himself. That the kappa had actually considered that he was homosexual was…unsurprising, to say the least. Thank goodness that he hadn't had to be the one who broke the news…he really hadn't wanted to hurt Gojyo, if the man were bisexual, with the news that he wasn't homosexual and most definitely wasn't interested. "Let's have some sake."