Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Hakkai's Secret	By : TsuzukiM Category: Gensomaden Saiyuki > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 3026 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki, know the author, or make and money off this story. I do not own any of the characters except the ones I create.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Chapter 16

They put him on food service. The greasy hanyou who was in charge of the kitchen gave him an appraising look. Hakkai got the impression he’d been foisted upon the man. However, he was given chores and then Hakkai spent the better part of several hours running about the main unit of the caravan serving the guests. There was a main dining hall, and guest accommodations ranging from single beds to luxury suites. The accommodations for the guests were much more comfortable than the ones for the crew- but that was to be expected.

What was galling was the way they all treated him. He didn’t know the ropes, and Shinji was the only employee who seemed willing to show him what needed to be done. Everyone looked at him funny, and nobody spoke to him willingly. He was the only demon crewmember. All the working staff was either human or hanyou.

All the positions of authority were held by youkai. Not a one of them did menial labor. The youkai were in charge, and Hakkai could feel their derision. Even the immediate supervisor looked on Hakkai distastefully. It was like they held it against him that he was willing to work for his transportation.

Hakkai was busily stacking boxes of foodstuffs to carry to the kitchens. He struggled to balance the boxes- all of them- only to have somebody walk up and take them from him.

He was called to wait on passengers in the main unit, but found himself helpless to answer most questions and do much more than attempt to fetch things he couldn’t find.

Some of the youkai guests made comments about him. If they didn’t say something to him directly, he could hear them behind his back. They ranged from insulting to condescending. One old woman put a coin in his hand and said, “There you go, poor dear. This might help out.” It was aggravating to say the least. Pity was never something Hakkai had been after.

Eventually he was shunted to the most brainless work they could find him. Hakkai had always been a quick study- but nobody wanted to take the time to show him the ropes. So he was busily dusting stuff on high shelves up a ladder when he was commanded by a human woman to get down before he hurt himself. Just to prove his point, Hakkai had stepped off from the high rung and dropped down to land lightly on his feet. Hakkai smiled to himself when the woman’s eyes widened and glanced back up at the height Hakkai had effortlessly jumped from.

The whole was upsetting. The only person who seemed to treat him with something other than distaste was Shinji- and that made Hakkai desperate to cling to him. The last thing he wanted to be was a needy pest to the one person who seemed to actually like him.

“I don’t think I’m too popular on this ship,” Hakkai had said miserably.

“Don’t sweat it, they’ll get used to you! Just we’re all kind of unaccustomed to seeing a demon do this kind of work, let alone, well one like you. Besides, they all know the Captain put you up, and that’s unusual so they all- well, think things.”

Hakkai sighed. He’d sort of foreseen them assuming he was the Captain’s pet, but that was no reason for rudeness. Still, one part of the comment nagged at him. “What do you mean, ‘one like me?”

Shinji pulled him aside. “Can I talk to you privately?”

When they were reasonably sure of privacy, Shinji had a frank discussion with Hakkai. “It’s the whole thing,” he said, “The Captain doesn’t usually hand out spots on this caravan to people. Jobs here are hard to get and you kind of just walked in and got one. Most of the demons that live around here believe youkai shouldn’t do menial work like this, so the demons either don’t like you or think something is wrong with you. They don’t understand why you wear those either,” Shinji reached up and brushed his fingers along Hakkai’s ear. Hakkai’s breath caught in his throat for a moment.

He had trouble looking at Shinji or any hanyou for too long without thinking about Gojyo. Shinji in particular was becoming an object of fascination. He lent form to Hakkai’s imaginings of what his own child might look like one day.

“The crew seems to think you are the Captain’s new pet, but even I don’t remember rumors starting up this fast before.”

Most of this wasn’t news to Hakkai, but it was good to hear it from one of the horse’s mouth. He hadn’t seen the Captain since he’d boarded. “Is that what you think?”

Shinji chuckled at him, “It isn’t obvious? The Captain has kept pretty guys like you around before, but he doesn’t usually make them work with us. You’re his type I guess.”

Hakkai cleared his throat, “Well, I’m not, and I don’t appreciate the assumption…”

Shinji had a ready smiled for him. “Yeah, I know that. Don’t worry, they’ll come around. It’s almost time for dinner any way. Maybe you’ll get a chance to talk to them then. There’s more.”

Hakkai’s face had gone dark. “I don’t know if I want to. There’s more?”

“There is something else too,” Shinji said, “And they’ve been trying to put me up to asking you. I just don’t know how to bring it up… Don’t take this the wrong way but- are you a man?”

Hakkai leaned against the wall, crossed his arms and heaved a sigh. “Yes,” he groaned, “I am.” Hakkai’s male ego had taken a bruising lately. He felt it weep.

Shinji ran his hand into the back of his hair, in a gesture betraying how awkward he felt. “Good! I thought so! There’s something about you that makes people- think things.”

“What are they thinking?” Hakkai was a glutton for punishment.

“You don’t want to know.”

“I do want to know. I want to know how easily people are coming to the right conclusions.”

Shinji stared at him, a look of confusion flitting through his eyes. “Dude, what kind of demon are you?”

Hakkai laughed ruefully, “A new kind.”

“So, you’re pregnant?” Shinji’s cheeks pinked when he uttered the question. Hakkai wasn’t going to let him beat around the bush but it didn’t take long for the boy to pose it directly.

Hakkai nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yes, but I was hoping people wouldn’t catch on so fast.”

“Every time you think you’ve seen everything! So, you want me to tell them?”

Absolutely not!Hakkai’s mind railed against it, but he knew it was not far off before he could plausibly deny it any longer. “Might as well. You said dinner is soon? I could eat like a monkey.” He was tired and his back ached. He’d had off again on again motion sickness almost continually. There was nothing wrong with him that a good old fashioned Goku styled chow down could not help.

Hakkai got his first look at the mess unit. It was nothing but a large room in back of the sleeping quarters with fold out tables and plastic chairs. It had a kitchen off to one side with a cafeteria serving line. Hakkai stood in line behind Shinji with his tray.

He leaned over to the boy, “Can we take more than one serving?”

Shinji laughed. “Yeah, they are usually pretty cool about extras, so long as they have enough for the whole trip.”

“How long before we get to the Oasis any way?”

“About a week usually.”

“A week? I didn’t think it would take that long.”

“The road is real slow going once we get into the mountains. You’ll see.”

Hakkai watched a man ladle different kinds of food onto Shinji’s plate. He handed his tray over. His stomach growled.

“I haven’t eaten anything but jerky in almost two days.”

“Holy shit, Hakkai! Hey, dude, the pregnant guy needs extra!”

“Damn it! I don’t be so loud about it!” Hakkai hissed. Shinji’s outburst was drawing stares. People were looking at him now and Hakkai could feel their eyes. Hakkai’s face was burning.

“Sorry, it’s not like everyone doesn’t know already. Word spreads fast on these things. The people who live in the caravans are kind of like their own little society. One of us knows, we all know. Besides, Captain Blow-hard kind of put the word out to treat you nice. Stupid thing is, that’s part of why nobody wants to go near you.”

“Are they really more concerned about the Captain? It’s not just because I’m …you know?” Hakkai was having a hard time saying it out loud.

“Hell no, they don’t care about that so much. You are a demon. I’m even surprised you’re working with us. They don’t know you and they think you’ll get them in trouble with the Captain. They don’t know different.”

“You don’t seem to mind me.”

Shinji barked out a laugh, “If they had seen how pathetic you looked wandering around lost in the terminal with that dragon on your head they’d think different! Besides, I really thought you were human at first and it didn’t seem to bother me then. If you were someone else, it wouldn’t have worked out.”

Hakkai groaned. He eyed the portion of food he got. The man with the ladle had heaped a generous portion of muck onto his plate. He would have found it more distasteful if he weren’t so damned hungry. Under normal circumstances he would have eaten as little of the offensive stuff as possible. There was no guarantee he’d keep it down but that had little to do with the quality of the food. If this was what was available, then he’d have to make due. His stomach was getting loud and he was feeling faint.

Hakkai was just hoping Blow-hard himself wasn’t thinking the same thing as the crew. Unfortunately he’d gotten the distinct impression that was exactly what the Captain was looking for. Pangs of regret for agreeing to dinner with the man curled inside Hakkai. He took his extra helpings of food, smiled at the wink from the lunch man and followed Shinji to a table.

People’s eyes bugged out as Hakkai spread his food before him.

A woman who was seated down the table commented, “Are you really going to eat all of that?”

Someone else commented, “I didn’t think I’d see the day someone volunteered to eat that much of this crap!”

General laughter spread through the room. He was aware people were shooting looks at him.

Hakkai looked up and smiled. He started to dive into his meal, trying not to look too eager or make a spectacle of himself. His belly was loosening up already, like it knew on its own to expect to get stuffed. Once he got started, it was hard not to appear as starved as he was. Ghosts of Goku haunted him.

The people he had sat besides were staring at him. He started to arrange his meal about him in the order in which he intended to consume it. The deserts he was not necessarily saving for last. They were the only thing he had that was not bland.

His stomach hitched up and cramped a little, but he kept stuffing his face any way. Slowly, the people around him turned their attention to their food.

“Okay,” an older female hanyou who was seated across from Hakkai began. “Nobody here has the brass balls to ask you, so I will. What the hell is your story?”

Hakkai looked up at her. “Which one?” He was licking food off his fingers. A few people laughed at the cryptic response.

“Well, tell us about, that! Like why the hell are you eating so much food?”

“I thought all you guys already figured that out for yourselves.”

There were scattered nods and headshakes around the table. All eyes were on him again.

He sighed. “I am a man, and yes I’m pregnant. No I don’t know why, I just am.”

“You can’t be a man and be pregnant. It’s just not possible,” someone said.

“Well, you’re looking at him!” Someone else said. Hakkai stuffed something sweet and chocolaty into his mouth. A discussion broke out, and Hakkai was inclined to just let it play out so long as it didn’t get too personal.

“And I haven’t eaten in two days so please forgive me if I talk with my mouth full,” he mumbled. He was blushing and not necessarily enjoying the attention he was getting. However, he got the impression if he suffered through it, it might lead to a bit more acceptance from the rest of the people he’d have to spend the better part of a week with.

“You haven’t eaten in two days?” someone said.

“Wow, that sucks.”

“Why not, don’t you have any money?”

“Course he doesn’t! He wouldn’t sit here with us if he did.”

“Where did you come from?”

“Is there a father, or a mother?”

“Why are you going to the Oasis?”

“Why do you wear limiters?’

The questions started pouring in from all sides and Hakkai found himself inundated with them.

The lady who had begun the flow attempted to staunch it. “Everybody, please!” she shouted, “Let the poor boy answer your questions one at a time. Let him eat- you heard him, he’s hungry!”

The barrage slowed but didn’t stop. Hakkai mouthed “thank you” at her.

Hakkai tried to be as open with them as he could stand. However having a public inquiry into his internal plumbing was a little more than he was willing to accept over lunch.

People were a little easier around him after that.

That night, Hakkai was exhausted. He hadn’t worked that hard in years. He was already looking forward to the end of this journey.

When I’m home, I get restless, when I’m on the road I get tired.

In the evening, after shift change, Hakkai sat in his bunk with Hakuryuu in his lap and a good book. He was surprised when Shinji jumped up to settle at the edge of his bed.

“So, what do you think?”

Hakkai had to take a second to return from the world of his book. “About what?”

“This? How do you like life on the caravan?”

Hakkai chuckled. “I don’t think I can really form much of an opinion in one day.”

Shinji swung his feet. “I guess. But how do you like it so far?’

“So far so good.”

“What ‘cha reading?”

Hakkai looked at his book, “Moreta- DragonLady of Pern.” It was sort of a juvenile story, but imaginative and had dragons.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah. It’s about a woman who is the leader of a planet of dragons.”

“Sounds cool- can you read it to me?”

“Why don’t you read it yourself?”

Shinji looked away, “I can’t read. I never learned.”

Hakkai stared at him for a few heartbeats. “Shit, even Gojyo can read. We’ll just have to teach you.”

“Really?” Shinji seemed exuberant. “Nobody ever offered to teach me before!”

“How old are you?”

“15.”

Hakkai smiled, “Well, I’ll start it over.”

Shinji didn’t hesitate in squirming up to lay beside Hakkai, surprising him. Hakuryuu chirped a protest and he was pushed aside and had to relocate against the other side of Hakkai’s body. Shinji rested his head against Hakkai’s shoulder and looked into his book. It had been some time since Hakkai had had so much contact with another person.

“Who’s Gojyo?”

Hakkai had shift gears again. He hadn’t realized he’d spoken Gojyo’s name. He tried to recount ever mentioning the name. “Gojyo is…,” he trailed off, not certain exactly what to call Gojyo, “my best friend.”

Shinji said, “You miss him? I can tell. Is he the father?”

Hakkai shrugged, “No.”

Shinji rolled onto his side to face Hakkai, “What happened? Something bad must have happened for you to be here. It’s like that you know.”

Hakkai looked into over large red eyes. “I’m not running away.”

“Okay, but, I want to know.”

Hakkai found himself winding his arms around the boy. He was beginning to pry, and it was making Hakkai think about things he’d been avoiding for a long time. His immediate reaction was to close off from the kid, or anybody, who started to ask questions. It brought Hakkai back to a time when he was Gonou, and Gojyo didn’t even know his name. For some reason Gojyo had allowed him to tell him in his own time- always had, and eventually Hakkai would open up.

This child was not going to afford Hakkai that luxury. So far, he was the only person who Hakkai even vaguely considered a friend, so he figured he had a choice.

Hakkai’s face screwed up for a moment before he got his control over it. “I left because Gojyo isn’t the father and I didn’t want to force a child that isn’t his on him.”

Shinji thought about it for a moment. “Kind of like me.”

“What?”

“Most of us hanyou only have one parent. There are a lot of us, but not too many demons and humans marry even in the Oasis. So it was just me and my Mom. Not too many demon parents care about us.”

“Was?” Hakkai, “Did something happen to your mother?”

Shinji’s eyes glazed over, “Yeah, she died a couple years ago.”

Something in Hakkai twisted up. “So, you’re all on your own here?”

Shinji nodded, “Yeah, but its okay. I was lucky to get a position on this caravan. Most kids like me end up in orphanages or in the mines, but my Mom knew some of the caravan people and they took me in.”

“What are the mines?”

Shinji shrugged against Hakkai’s body, “The mines! You know- the Oasis is built around these big mines. The ore and minerals from them are what keep the Oasis so rich.”

Hakkai smiled. He hadn’t thought about exactly why there would be a city in the desert. He’d surely find out more once they got there. He decided to change the subject, “I guess so. Gojyo is a hanyou.”

Shinji brightened. “Really? Tell me about him!”

Hakkai put his book down. “Well, let’s see…”

Hakkai found himself telling Shinji more about himself than he ever intended. The child was very interested in Hakkai’s hanyou lover. He was even more interested in the demon who loved a hanyou. He put his book down and weaved tails of their journey west, edited to protect the names and privacy of a certain monk and party. Hakkai hadn’t spoken to one person for so long since long before he left the comfort of Gojyo’s apartment. By the time Shinji fell asleep, Hakkai’s voice was sore.

Shinji listened raptly. Eventually the kid fell to sleep against Hakkai’s, snoring softly.

“All on your own, little one?” Hakkai murmured to him. He looked down at the sleeping face, noticing a light spray of freckles across the boy’s nose. “You are an orphan, like me, and a hanyou like him. We have much in common.”

Not wanting to disturb him, Hakkai eventually fell asleep as well. In this way, Hakkai acquired his first follower.
- 15
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Hakkai's Secret