Work Text:
Demons charged left and right at them. Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai, and Gojyo stood back to back, killing the current swarm of demons. They had just jumped out of the Jeep a moment for a bathroom break. The next town was still a way's over and with all these damned interruptions, according to Goku, they'd never get there.
Ten demons came at Hakkai at once and he blasted them away with ease. The numbers dwindled and it finally seemed like they would have a stroke of luck. Fate was ever so cruel though, and the party would be sure that the Merciful Goddess herself was chuckling above. A gray blast came from nowhere, headed straight for Gojyo. "Gojyo!" Hakkai shouted, punching a youkai in his path out of the way. Before he could fully move, there was a loud "Kyuuuu" as Hakuryu transformed and flew in front of them.
There was a large flash of light and the smokey haze cleared. Sitting on the ground was a small girl, looking younger than Goku. She appeared only to be about eight years old. She was small, her pale legs were out to the side, her spikey white hair with a long back reminded Sanzo of Goku many years before. She had large red eyes and wore a huge smile, despite being completely nude. "Kyuuu~" she sang and Hakkai's emerald eyes widened, causing his monocle to fall askew.
"The fuck!" Gojyo shouted, staring down at the petite girl.
"How do we plan to get to the next town with this?" Sanzo asked, pointing down at her.
Hakkai was still in shock as he untied the white cloth he wore across his shoulder and draped it around her tiny body. "Uhm...my guess is wherever that blast came from...did something to Hakuryu..."
"No shit, dumbass," Sanzo growled.
"Hakuryu's a girl!" Goku shouted, finally allowing words to form in his mouth.
"Didn't I tell you she was?" Hakkai asked, helping her up from the ground. "We'll have to walk as far as we can. The youkai that did this couldn't have gone far, right?"
Goku groaned and picked up his and Sanzo's bags, "I'm hungry..."
"Shut up, Goddamn Ape!" Gojyo growled, throwing his own bag at Goku.
"Hey! Watch it, Cockroach! I ain't carrying your shit!" Goku spat but Gojyo simply ignored him.
"If Hakkai says we walk, we had better walk. The more you argue, the longer it will be until we get her back to normal," Gojyo explained very carefully to Goku, as though talking to a small child.
Gojyo lifted Hakuryu up from her armpits and placed her on his shoulders. He looked almost happy, the way he was being seemed foreign to everyone. Even Sanzo stared in disbelief as Gojyo placed his hand's on her legs and began walking. "Come on, guys."
"Actually, " Hakkai began as he was walking, "Anytime Hakuryu's hit with a large amount of youkai magic she absorbs it and is able to go into her real, human form. She just keeps it suppressed most of the times. She does work harder than most of us, I mean." He hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise with all of the bickering.
"What?" Goku exclaimed, staring in wonder at the small child.
"That's great and all, Hakkai but make her turn back," Sanzo ordered.
"I can't make her do anything she doesn't want to," Hakkai sang airily, getting a low grumble from the immoral priest.
Hakuryu crossed her arms across Gojyo's head. "Kyuuu~" she sang along with Hakkai as she laid her head on her arms. She fell asleep a moment later. "Hey! Why's she sleepin' on me?" Gojyo complained and Hakkai laughed, shifting his bag from one shoulder to the other.
"She must really like you, Gojyo," Goku laughed, teasing Gojyo. "You're like her daddy, and Hakkai is like a Mama!"
"How would you know?" Gojyo growled, blushing.
"None of us would, really. But it is fun to think of this as a family, right?" Hakkai asked. Blushing at Goku's comment, nudged Sanzo with his elbow who only grunted in response.
"Wh-whatever, 'Kai," Gojyo grumbled, walking a little bit faster, being careful not to disturb the passenger on his shoulders.
At last, they arrived at a small bed and breakfast in a near deserted town. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. While Goku whined over how hungry and tired he was, Hakkai chuckled softly as Sanzo paid for two double rooms and Gojyo shifted uncomfortably as his back hurt from the long walk.
The desk attendant handed Goku a key and then Sanzo with matching numbers. She then handed two matching keys to Hakkai and Gojyo. "Be sure that you don't let your daughter out by herself." She smiled brightly, chuckling, "Its great to see two men like you adopting these days."
Hakkai blushed and laughed awkwardly as he turned away towards the rooms. "Hey, Hakkai, what did she mean back there?" Goku asked, prodding Hakkai's side.
"Goku," Sanzo ordered, "Lets go get food."
"Foood!" Goku laughed, throwing his bags in their room before following Sanzo down the hall. He was easily distracted and at times, it was a blessing.
Hakkai unlocked and opened the door. It was small but most definitely accommodating, there were two beds, full size, made up nicely. The wood floors were scrubbed to a perfect shine and the pale lavender wall paper accompanied by a vase of lavender on the nightstand was relaxing. Gojyo sighed, carefully laying Hakuryu on one of the beds and tucking her in.
"Hakkai...are you sure we can leave her here while we go eat? Won't she be hungry or lonely when she wakes up?"
"You certainly are worried, 'Papa Gojyo'" Hakkai sang, teasingly, causing his lover and friend to blush this time.
"I just...nevermind," Gojyo stood, pushing his red hair from his face and opening the door for Hakkai. As Gojyo followed his lover out, he glanced back once again. Hakuryu was curled under the blanket, her tiny fist pressed against her lips. He smiled softly and locked the door, following Hakkai down to the dining room. They got their food and sat across from Sanzo, who was picking at his noodles, and Goku, who was scarfing down every last bit of his food.
"Hey, Hakkai! Come to think of it when we first met you didn't have Hakuryu, right?" Goku asked between bites of his food. Hakkai nodded, "No, I found her."
"Oh! I bet its an awesome story," Goku exclaimed, throwing his childish hands into the air.
"Don't get your hopes up," Sanzo muttered.
"I found her while I was living with Gojyo. I was sitting in the back room reading and..."
"And?" Goku encouraged him, his umber eyes wide and eager.
"She was laying in the woods, in the same place he had found me," Hakkai pointed his thumb towards Gojyo who scoffed. "She was very weak and so I took her in. I only got to see her human-like form once or twice but since I saved her she has always protected me and vice versa!"
Goku placed his index finger to his lip, humming softly as he thought about how strange yet nice Hakkai was. "Whelp! I'm tired now!" he pushed back his chair and stood.
Hakkai chuckled as he ate the rest of his food. "Guess tonight I ain't getting' any, huh?" Gojyo teased under his breath. He knew full well it had only been two days, too long for him but too soon for Hakkai. He also knew Hakkai had far too many morals to do such things in the vicinity of people, sleeping or other wise.
Hakkai smiled, "You're awful. Come one, let's go to bed. I am rather tired, and I am sure you are too."
--
"Hey, hey, Sanzo, tell me a story. Pleeeease," Goku begged, laying in his bed.
"You're 18, can't you act your age?" Sanzo growled but looked at Goku who was pouting, his eyes watery and large. Sanzo growled, sitting on the edge of Goku's bed.
"Once upon a time, the land was inhabited by demons and men. Both cultures lived together in harmony. Two secret rules were set amongst the two – humans and demons must never mate and neither species can slay the others without reas..." Sanzo glanced at Goku who was fast asleep, hugging onto the priest's arm.
"Stupid Monkey," Sanzo mumbled, patting the brunet's head with affection.
--
Gojyo flopped onto the bed, sighing as the mattress sank under his sore back. "What's on your mind?" Hakkai asked, sitting beside his friend and moving a strand of red hair from his face.
"Don't...take this wrong, okay?" It was never good for Gojyo to start out like that. He knew Hakkai wasn't so emotional as to outwardly take anything wrong but despite how he seemed, he was fragile. "Sometimes, I wish you were a girl. And that all this traveling was over so we could...uhm..." the redhead blushed, hiding his face. "H-have kids."
Hakkai's eyes widened and he blinked in disbelief. Gojyo, want kids? That was almost as insane as Sanzo smiling or Goku not being hungry. Hakkai snickered softly, he knew exactly how Gojyo felt though. "I getcha. You can just be Haku-chan's daddy~!" Hakkai laughed, tickling Gojyo. Gojyo laughed, trying to grab Hakkai but he slipped out of his arms and ran across the room, laughing harder.
Gojyo sat up, chasing Hakkai and snaking his arms around the smaller's waist. He smiled, pulling Hakkai into the bed and wrapping his arms around him. "Night..." he whispered in Hakkai's ear as he reached over him to turn off the light before rolling so his back was against Hakkai's. He smiled softly at the faint outline of Hakuryu before falling into a deep sleep. He was so tired he didn't even feel it when a small dragon demon snuck into bed and cuddled against his chest... Hakkai didn't say a word, just went to sleep with a smile on his face.