#11, "Biding Time" (Gojyo/Hakkai, Saiyuki)
Title: Biding Time
Author: mistressrenet
Rating: R
Pairing/Fandom: Hakkai/Gojyo, Saiyuki
Theme: #11 (The Ward)
Warnings: Spoilers for Hakkai's backstory, implied smut, my sense of humor.
Notes: Not mine, alas. Thanks again to emungere, especially for Song's name. These fics are all in the same timeline, but in nothing like chronological order.
Cho Gonou may have been dead, but Genjo Sanzo had no better idea what to do with Cho Hakkai. The temple was enough of a madhouse without a youkai with over a thousand murders to his name.
At the same time, it was clear Hakkai wasn't ready to face the outside world, much less live in it. The temple was quiet enough, especially if he kept the monkey busy and the rest of the monks out of Gonou-- Hakkai's-- way, so the temple was where Hakkai would stay, at least for a while.
The first week, Goku painted the roof of the Western pavilion orange. Hakkai swept the Eastern pavilion. Sanzo figured sweeping had kept him busy enough to not kill anyone for thirteen years, so it should be fine for Hakkai.
The second week, in response to the protests of the monks, Goku painted the roof of the Western pavilion red. Hakkai swept the Central pavilion, because Sanzo figured a little variety never hurt anyone. His smile had become permanent, quietly fixed on his face. It was unsettling if you looked at it for too long.
The third week, Goku repaired the fence around the Eastern pavilion, and Hakkai swept the Western pavilion.
It was a slow week, and sunny, and Sanzo went out to smoke cigarettes and watch them work. Goku had enlisted Song, a rotund, good-natured acolyte who'd joined them after the death of his first and only wife, and they teased each other as they worked.
"Just hold it still and away from you," Goku said. "Pretend it's a vegetable or something."
Song laughed. "If I do that, you'll try to eat it."
"Will not," Goku said, and swung the hammer. The post split down the middle. "Damn it!"
Song laughed harder. "You have to be more careful. You don't know your own strength."
"I know my strength just fine," Goku grumbled. "It's these stupid posts that suck."
Sanzo rolled his eyes at them both. "We're never going to have a fence again, are we?"
"We will!" Goku protested. "We'll get it fixed. Look, we're almost done."
"Are you sure we need one, anyway?" Song asked. "It's easier for the whores to sneak in this way."
"Don't remind me," Sanzo said, grinding the remainder of his cigarette under his sandals.
Hakkai wasn't in the Western pavilion. Sanzo wasn't bothered by it, exactly, but he decided to check Hakkai's room anyway.
He had installed Hakkai in one of the more isolated spaces, and he kept his senses sharp as he walked down the hallway. No obvious sound, but Hakkai's door was closed. He stopped, and heard Hakkai's ragged breathing as he raised his hand to knock.
Of course, it was no surprise a man who fucked his sister would have interest in sex. Sneaking off in the middle of the day to jerk off did put him a little higher up on the 'unusual' scale.
Still, as long as the sweeping got done, it wasn't worth worrying about.
The next morning Hakkai appeared in his office. "I believe," he said carefully, the faint smile never leaving his face, "you should speak to Sha Gojyo-san on my behalf."
Sanzo looked up from his paperwork. "And what would you like me to say?"
"Tell him the truth," Hakkai said. "Tell him Cho Gonou is dead."
Sanzo raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Thank you," Hakkai said. "If you'll excuse me, I still have work to do."
As Hakkai closed the door behind him, Sanzo remembered Sha Gojyo's instinctive protection, his casual attempt to seduce Sanzo from looking any further. The way Gonou had insisted all responsibility was his.
People had certainly become lovers in less time.
It was just as well, he supposed. The two of them were too wrapped up in their own guilt to ever get anywhere useful.
He went to see Gojyo the next day.
Author: mistressrenet
Rating: R
Pairing/Fandom: Hakkai/Gojyo, Saiyuki
Theme: #11 (The Ward)
Warnings: Spoilers for Hakkai's backstory, implied smut, my sense of humor.
Notes: Not mine, alas. Thanks again to emungere, especially for Song's name. These fics are all in the same timeline, but in nothing like chronological order.
Cho Gonou may have been dead, but Genjo Sanzo had no better idea what to do with Cho Hakkai. The temple was enough of a madhouse without a youkai with over a thousand murders to his name.
At the same time, it was clear Hakkai wasn't ready to face the outside world, much less live in it. The temple was quiet enough, especially if he kept the monkey busy and the rest of the monks out of Gonou-- Hakkai's-- way, so the temple was where Hakkai would stay, at least for a while.
The first week, Goku painted the roof of the Western pavilion orange. Hakkai swept the Eastern pavilion. Sanzo figured sweeping had kept him busy enough to not kill anyone for thirteen years, so it should be fine for Hakkai.
The second week, in response to the protests of the monks, Goku painted the roof of the Western pavilion red. Hakkai swept the Central pavilion, because Sanzo figured a little variety never hurt anyone. His smile had become permanent, quietly fixed on his face. It was unsettling if you looked at it for too long.
The third week, Goku repaired the fence around the Eastern pavilion, and Hakkai swept the Western pavilion.
It was a slow week, and sunny, and Sanzo went out to smoke cigarettes and watch them work. Goku had enlisted Song, a rotund, good-natured acolyte who'd joined them after the death of his first and only wife, and they teased each other as they worked.
"Just hold it still and away from you," Goku said. "Pretend it's a vegetable or something."
Song laughed. "If I do that, you'll try to eat it."
"Will not," Goku said, and swung the hammer. The post split down the middle. "Damn it!"
Song laughed harder. "You have to be more careful. You don't know your own strength."
"I know my strength just fine," Goku grumbled. "It's these stupid posts that suck."
Sanzo rolled his eyes at them both. "We're never going to have a fence again, are we?"
"We will!" Goku protested. "We'll get it fixed. Look, we're almost done."
"Are you sure we need one, anyway?" Song asked. "It's easier for the whores to sneak in this way."
"Don't remind me," Sanzo said, grinding the remainder of his cigarette under his sandals.
Hakkai wasn't in the Western pavilion. Sanzo wasn't bothered by it, exactly, but he decided to check Hakkai's room anyway.
He had installed Hakkai in one of the more isolated spaces, and he kept his senses sharp as he walked down the hallway. No obvious sound, but Hakkai's door was closed. He stopped, and heard Hakkai's ragged breathing as he raised his hand to knock.
Of course, it was no surprise a man who fucked his sister would have interest in sex. Sneaking off in the middle of the day to jerk off did put him a little higher up on the 'unusual' scale.
Still, as long as the sweeping got done, it wasn't worth worrying about.
The next morning Hakkai appeared in his office. "I believe," he said carefully, the faint smile never leaving his face, "you should speak to Sha Gojyo-san on my behalf."
Sanzo looked up from his paperwork. "And what would you like me to say?"
"Tell him the truth," Hakkai said. "Tell him Cho Gonou is dead."
Sanzo raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Thank you," Hakkai said. "If you'll excuse me, I still have work to do."
As Hakkai closed the door behind him, Sanzo remembered Sha Gojyo's instinctive protection, his casual attempt to seduce Sanzo from looking any further. The way Gonou had insisted all responsibility was his.
People had certainly become lovers in less time.
It was just as well, he supposed. The two of them were too wrapped up in their own guilt to ever get anywhere useful.
He went to see Gojyo the next day.