Chapter 7

Just Us

Nai smiled at the two men who entered the bar. Heads turned as they watched the pretty boy and half-breed approach the wood and the woman behind it. Gojyo slapped on his most charming smile, "Can we get a beer girly?"

She smirked, "Two straws or one?"

Hakkai chuckled as Gojyo's cheeks flared up almost as red as his hair, "C'mon girly."

Nai chuckled and started pouring their drinks, "So what did his holiness call you for this time?"

Gojyo pouted, "To berate us as usual."

"There was an order from the sanbutshin to end this thievery of the relics immediately. But I have my hands tied here so I want you two to find the thief's and bring the relics back to the temple."

Gojyo slammed his hands on the desk, "Why the fuck do we have to do your work?"

Sanzo glared at him, "Because I said so."

The half-breed narrowed his gaze, "Fuck. No."

Hakkai politely raised his hand, "I'm afraid I must decline too. I'd like to live as peacefully as possible."

Sanzo scoffed and smirked into his lap, "Useless bastards, just as I thought."

Hakkai smiled, "We all know how cold he can be."

She nodded, "So. Another holy quest?"

"Relics are being stolen. He wants us to find out who's doing it and get them back."

"You turned him down?" Gojyo looked up at her, confused, she shrugged.

Hakkai sighed, "Yes. I guess after my sins I won't be allowed a peaceful life."

Nai started cleaning out cups, "We all have to atone for them. You'll get a chance to settle Kai, it's just gonna take a while."

Gojyo smirked, "You girly? A sinner?"

"Don't change the subject." She chuckled. "But if you guys need some help, you know where I am. Sanzo says this stuff is too dangerous for me but I can handle it."

Hakkai nodded with a smile and sipped his beer, "Thank you."

Hakkai sighed as he hefted the heavy grocery bag higher in his arms, Gojyo's friend Banri finally disappeared. That demon was no good, he could feel it. Something told him that guy was going to get Gojyo in some real trouble…

"So you wear limiters?" Banri was extremely close, almost caressing Hakkai's ear, Why hide?"

"Why not? Is it wrong to fit in?" The healer smiled sweetly.

"Fit in?" Banri laughed, his pointed ears quivering with the action, "We are youkai, even limited and in hiding we can never fit in. Humans will always hate and discriminate."

Hakkai eyed the drunken, passed out Gojyo at the table, "I guess I'm like the humans then, I hate youkai." He turned his gaze, now eerily cold, to Banri, "They're disgusting."

Banri glared, "Then why hang around old Gojyo? Being of half blood, he understands demons. He's one of us."

"Hey." Gojyo lazily waved his hand as Hakkai set the bag on the table and started putting things away.

"How was your day Gojyo?"

The man smiled, "Took Banri out earlier, I think he has a thing for Nai." He chuckled, "Said she was cute for a human."

Hakkai tensed at that but smiled anyway, "Really?"

"Yeah. Idiot said he had some business to handle so…"

The man opened his mouth but there was a knock on the door. Hakkai set down the bag of potatoes, "I'll get it."

Two ruff looking men lent against the doorframe, "You Sha Gojyo?"

Hakkai deadpanned, "Do I look like him?"

"Hey!" Gojyo stood behind him, slightly offended.

The men smirked, "We were sent by Banri to retrieve a man named Gojyo."

The half-breed became serious and grabbed his coat. Hakkai put a hand on his shoulder, "Gojyo, it might be dangerous. Maybe you should-"

"Shut up." He shrugged off Hakkai's hand, "This doesn't concern you."

"Shit." Nai put down her book as a clap of thunder shook the shelves behind the bar, knocking over a glass.

"Nai?"

"Who is it?" When the man stepped in the dimly lit bar, dripping wet, Nai ran to him, "Hakkai! Are you ok?"

She felt a huge wave of worry rush over her and grabbed his shoulder, "Hakkai?"

The man clutched the umbrella in his hand, "It's Gojyo."

Gojyo started to chuckle as he gave up trying to free his tied hands, "He's not coming back."

Something told him not to trust his old 'friend'. Banri said he'd be back, sent away by these goons to find payment, but of course that just wasn't the case. Gojyo was to be the placeholder, now he just felt stupid. The demons in the room growled low as he continued to laugh freely.

"What the hell half-breed?"

"He just played all of you, he's long gone by now."

One guy grabbed his hair and pulled hard, "Stop fucking around red!"

Gojyo just continued to laugh until his chair was tipped backwards and a gun was shoved in his face. He didn't close his eyes and he didn't blink… He did however, gasp when the man above him disappeared and was replaced with a dripping umbrella, "Gojyo it's raining and you forgot your umbrella."

Hakkai's pleasant voice was music to his ears, "Hey Kai, thanks."

The demons surrounded Hakkai and he knew they were much stronger. He brought a hand up to his ear, "You know, your friend Banri asked me why I hide." He slipped off the cuffs, "It's because it's harder not to kill will these off…"

"Girly?"

Nai smirked and put her shotgun on her shoulder. Hakkai smiled, "Did you find him?"

"Yup. Little bitch tried to run."

Gojyo scratched his head, "Both of you came? Great, I feel like a loser."

Nai hit the man on the head, "You idiot! Why the hell would you do something so stupid!"

Hakkai chuckled as Gojyo pouted at the woman as she yelled at him. "You are now my new bus boy! Fuck that gambling crap, you are such a dumbass! And don't ever bring anyone other than Hakkai to see me got it?"

Gojyo sighed, "Fine. If working for you will keep me out of trouble." He said sarcastically.

"Shut up."

Hakkai tossed a rolled up cloth to Nai. She untied it, "The last stolen relic?"

"I guess we did what Sanzo asked anyway."

"Okay…so if we add in Gojyo's medical expenses, and the strain I had to go through to retrieve him and the relics…" Hakkai scribbled furiously on the paper in his hand.

He handed the paper to Sanzo who yelled furiously, "What the hell! I ain't paying the kappa's doctor bill!"

Nai smiled, "I'll pay it and he can work it off starting tonight."

Gojyo wiggled his brows, "Oh?"

She chucked Sanzo's paperweight at him, "By scrubbing the tables you idiot!"

Hakkai laughed at their antics and Sanzo lent back in his plush chair, lighting a cancer stick, "What happened?"

"The usual. Demons." Hakkai and Gojyo said together.

Sanzo eyed them but shrugged them off anyway. "You can go now."

Nai stood to follow after them but stopped when a rough hand grabbed her wrist, "Why did you go with them?"

"Hakkai asked for my help."

"I don't care. Something could have happened to you."

She scoffed, "I went after one guy. Why do you care so much?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and she grabbed his wrist back, they were almost holding hands, "Really Sanzo. Or did you forget I can feel you?"

Nai felt a single bead of sweat run down her back as his violet gaze bore into her. She was sure she would never tell him that purple was her favorite color. Then it was gone, all his feelings.

He let go of her wrist and sat down. She hated that, if he tried, he could cut her out.

As Nai headed for the door again she sighed, "You know Sanzo. It's just us, has been for almost three years. You can tell me, if you ever want to."

When his office fell quiet he stubbed out his cigarette, "Dammit."