A Ghost Story

Chapter 8

Gojyo wobbled into the door with his numerous grocery bags, refusing to make more than one trip. He managed to get them all on the kitchen table without dropping anything. As he was putting the food away, he thought back to the library and how close he had came to getting those records. He was even more pissed at himself for not being able to charm the old hag. Everything about Hakkai’s past and death was a pure mystery to him and he was curious about it. Even more so now that he knew all these ‘records’ were behind closed doors.

“Hey Hakkai! You there?”

/You summoned?/

“I came THIS CLOSE!” he showed him with his thumb and forefinger “THIS CLOSE to learning about your past!” Hakkai’s eyes widened at that.

/How did you ever manage that?/ Gojyo told him about what the shop keeper said and what he did to try and receive the records. Hakkai sighed sadly. /I see…I guess you can not just go up to the committee and say ‘I have a ghost problem and would like to see what happened to him’./ Gojyo chuckled dryly at that.

"Yeah, guess not.”

/Oh, your, what is it called- oh, cell phone! Was ringing while you were gone./

“It’s probably the prick and the monkey saying that they’re on there was and can’t find the place.” He sighed miserably and checked his voice mail, giving a dry smile. “Yup. I was right. Fucking bastards…”

/Oh Gojyo, a car just pulled up next to your truck./ Hakkai told him from the window. /It looks like something too a mallet to it./ Gojyo laughed and went to the door.

“Yup, that’s them. You better go hide in a wall, or something.” Hakkai pouted and faded away.

Gojyo stood on the doorstep, tapping his foot as Goku was struggling to carry their backpacks. Sanzo walked a few steps ahead of him, smoking a cigarette. Goku was whining at Sanzo as they walked to Gojyo. Both men stopped and looked at Gojyo, Goku with a smile and Sanzo with a trademark frown.

“Whoopie-Fucking-Doo! Look what the rats dragged in!”

“Fuck you, you worthless waste of skin.” Said Sanzo, strait faced.

“Hey Gojyo! Nice house! Thanks for letting us stay here! Hey! I see grocery bags on the table! That means food! FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!” He dashed passed Gojyo, dropping the bags and running into the kitchen. Sanzo just muttered under his breath and pushed passed Gojyo. Goku was rustling through the bags until Gojyo pulled him by the back of his shirt.

“You haven’t even been here for more than a minute and you’re already eating all my food!”

“WAH! But I’m hungry! Sanzo didn’t feed me today!” Sanzo was too busy looking around at the house, frowning at the framed model pictures on the wall.

“Rather them be guys, Sanzo?” Gojyo grinned at him as he came from the kitchen, dragging Goku with him. Sanzo just ‘hmphed’ at him and tossed his cigarette into the stone fireplace. “Remember now, this is MY house. So you HAVE to treat it with respect! My house, my rules.”

“Whatever.”

“Hey Gojyo! Can we go pick out our room now?!” Goku asked him excitedly, jumping up and down.

“The only one big enough for you two is up the stairs and to the left.”

“Okay! I’ll go-“ Goku stopped and blinked, then shook his head.

“What’s wrong Goku?” Gojyo asked him.

“I thought I saw something…” he scratched his head. “But nothing’s there…I could have sworn someone was just standing there by the door!”

Gojyo smirked as he had an idea. He was curious as to see their faces if Hakkai were to appear before them. If they were going to live here, it was not fair to Hakkai if he had to stay hidden all the time. Gojyo’s smirk grew wider.

“Oh, that’s just my other roommate.” Goku and Sanzo both looked at him.

“Roommate?” Goku questioned, looking confused. “But you said no one was with you.” He smirked again.

“I lied. I do have a roommate. He’s older than all of us put together!” Goku was still confused and Sanzo did the calculation in his head.

“That would make him over 60 years old, Gojyo.”

“WAAAAAY over 60!”

“So you’re living with an old man?” Goku raised an eyebrow.

“Well, PHYSICALLY he’s not old.”

“What the FUCK are you talking about, cockroach?!” Sanzo hissed at him. He did not like these teasing games of Gojyo’s.

“Hakkai! Come on out!” Gojyo called out, but Hakkai did not appear. Both men stared at him as he called for Hakkai again.

/You told me to stay hidden, did you not?/ Came Hakkai’s voice from the room. Sanzo and Goku looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

“I want you to meet your new roommates! Don’t be shy now.”

Hakkai then did appear, coming out slowly behind Gojyo. Sanzo and Goku just stared at him, their eyes wide and unblinking. Hakkai gave them a friendly smile and a tiny finger wave. Still, the two were left staring. Gojyo started to chuckle at their expressions.

“See? I told you he was older than us! He’s from the Paul Revere days!” Gojyo jutted a thumb at Hakkai who gave him a strange look. “He pretty much owns this place and he can’t leave, so you have to get used to him. He may be a ghost, but he’s a friendly ghost, like Casper! He’s harmless.”

“Uh….” Goku just blinked and slowly walked up to Hakkai “Are you a…a real ghost?” Hakkai chuckled at that.

/Yes, I am a real ghost./

“Wow! Hey Sanzo! I’m talking to a ghost!” He grinned from ear to ear. “Hey! Can I like, go through you!?” Without awaiting an answer, Goku just jumped through him. Hakkai gasped at the sudden quick movement and his body disappeared where Goku had went through him. “WOW! That was so cool Sanzo! He’s all cold and stuff! It kinda felt like snow!”

“Hey Goku! That was rude of you!” Gojyo scolded him. Hakkai chuckled politely.

/Oh, it is quite alright. Children can be curious creatures./

“HEY! I’m not a kid!” Goku puffed his cheeks out. Sanzo came up to Hakkai next, looking him up and down.

“He doesn’t bite Sanzo” Gojyo smirked. “What’s wrong? Scared of a itty bitty ghost?” Sanzo glared at Gojyo.

“I’m not scared, just surprised. I’ve seen worse and more frightening things in my time. Can’t say that I thought I’d ever see a ghost.”

/It is a pleasure to meet you two. Gojyo has told me much about you./

“That can’t be a good thing.” Sanzo said with a frown.

/He said very nice things about you./ Gojyo blinked

“I did?” Hakkai narrowed his eyes at him.

/Honestly Gojyo! They are not as bad as you made them out to be. You said they were your friends./

“yeah well…yeah I guess” he said. Goku suddenly took his hand and pulled Gojyo away from the other two. “What the hell, man?!”

“Gojyo,” he whispered “Can you tell him, like, not to walk through our wall when Sanzo and I are- you know. It would be weird!” Gojyo smiled at Goku’s shyness and ruffled his hair.

“No problem, monkey!” He waltzed over to Hakkai and pretended to put his arm around Hakkai’s shoulders. “Hakkai, Goku has asked that you not walk through the wall while he and Sanzo are making the bed rock.”

“GOJYO!?” Goku shouted, completely shocked. Hakkai threw his head back and laughed.

/That will not be a problem, Goku. I assure you./ He smiled at him. /Gojyo already told me to leave him alone when he is with the ladies./ Gojyo’s chest swelled with pride.

“Is he a great guy or what!?” He said with a grin “he doesn’t even care you two are fags!”

“Watch your mouth cockroach. You’re the one who’s in the closet.” Gojyo glared at him with an aggravated smirk. “Bragging about how popular you are with the ladies is a way of hiding the fact that you want your little ghost boy there.” Sanzo smirked as he lit up another cigarette. He was liking this.

“WHAT?!” Hakkai covered his mouth politely and turned his head away.

/Oh my. That was unexpected./

“Watch your mouth you filthy prick!” Gojyo grabbed him by the front of his shirt. “I can have any man I want, just like I can have any woman I want! I just prefer the ladies! And trust me, if I were gay, you’d be begging for me!” Sanzo pushed him away and narrowed his eyes.

“Oh please, doesn’t my choosing of the monkey say anything about this? I choose a monkey over you.” Gojyo felt his pride practically ripped in two by that statement. Goku whined at Sanzo for being cruel and Hakkai watched the spat from behind.

“Alright that’s it! Lets take this outside! I’ll whoop your pansy ass!” Hakkai flew between them.

/Now, now gentlemen. There is no need to exchange fists./ Gojyo pointed his finger at Sanzo’s face.

“Watch your mouth you rotten bastard. This is MY home!”

“Technically, it’s his” Goku added, referring to Hakkai.

/Goku is right. This really is my house, so lets all try to get along somewhat?’ He smiled ‘I have not had so much excitement in this place for a long time! It is quite refreshing./ Gojyo sighed and flopped down on the couch.

“Yeah, yeah. Goku get your stuff and Sanzo’s shit upstairs.” Goku nodded and stumbled up the stairs with the bags. Hakkai looked from Sanzo to Gojyo as they were in a stare down.

/Oh my,’ Hakkai thought to himself ‘Things are going to be getting a bit noisy around here./