Body Heat

Disclaimer: I don’t own Saiyuki- I just like to play with them!

PWP- just something fun to get the juices going

Okay, this is the second fic I\'ve posted. I got just a few encouraging reviews from my last one. I do desire to be a good writer, and I\'m practising here. Now, if this one goes over well I do plan on doing a longer piece in which I substantially abuse poor Hakkai (I do it because I just love him soooo much!) So please review! This one got so long I decided to divide it into chapters. If you make it to the end of this one you\'ll pretty much know when the lemon is coming. Still, I won\'t bother without encouragement! Let me know if you have any ideas as to where I should take this one!

I GOT A SPELLING CHECKER WORKING so the spelling and I can\'t believe how many typos I missed during my proof reading are pretty much gone. I also got my books out so I have all the correct spellings of the character\'s names. I\'m also gonna rewrite it just a tad- but the changes will be pretty small. Have fun!

SO REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


It was like nothing Hakkai had experienced before. The sand storm kicked up suddenly and ferociously, leaving little time to react or think.

Hakuryu bleated his protest. Hakkai could understand. Hakkai found himself squeezing his eyes shut against the onslaught of sand that seemed to have picked up out of nowhere. It ate at his skin and threatened to blind him permanently if he looked into it. It was becoming quite apparent that he wouldn’t be able to drive much longer. He needed shelter, but the sand storm made it so he couldn’t see past Hakuryu\'s dash board. He was choking on a mouthful of sand while he tried to comfort his little dragon turned Jeep.

“I know,” Hakkai drawled, “We do need to stop! Please just hang on until I can locate some kind of shelter!”

Hakkai felt a pang of guilt that he wasn’t so sure he would be able to keep up his end of that bargain.

Hakuryu beeped back at him. His headlights were on but they only seemed to illuminate the swirling sands without penetrating them. Hakkai glanced back at the supplies he had gathered. If he allowed Hakuryu to transform now, without finding shelter Hakkai would be left to carry all this crap back through the dust storm and he didn’t even know where shelter might be!

A tree came at him then and Hakkai had to swerve to miss it.

“Damn-it!” he swore under his breath. Jeep careened one way and then the next as trees, rocks and other obstacles came into view. Hakkai found himself spinning the steering wheel wildly one way and then the other. He was desperately trying to regain control in a fight he had already lost. Jeep spun out. Hakkai’s whole world briefly became a mirage of swirling sands and spinning debris. The spin had caused Hakkai to lose all sense of direction and he became disorientated. He could barely tell up from down, and could no longer sense where the sun was. Jeep came to rest beside a large boulder.

Any hope of walking back toward either the town he had come from or the Inn he was going to was lost. He had no idea which direction they were in. Even though they were close, and probably barely a twenty-minute walk, in this storm it might as well have been a hundred miles.

A moment later Hakkai was unceremoniously dumped onto his ass in the dirt. The living Jeep he\'d been riding transformed out from under him. Hakuryu was quite upset. He couldn’t blame the little dragon, he could have killed Hakuryu had he smashed him into a tree or rock. Hakkai cursed himself for trying to drive on for the few moments he had. Truth was, although he tried to convince himself he wasn’t, he could be as hard-headed as his companions. His first thoughts had been of getting back to them.

He had little opportunity to think on it though, as the storm was beating on him and picking up speed. It was all he could do to grope around for whatever shopping bags he could locate. His eyes were tearing up and his nose and mouth were getting caked with sand and dirt. He couldn’t even speak to Hakuryu any more for fear of inhaling more of the swirling sands.

The little dragon did its best to crawl up Hakkai’s shirt, clawing him up. Hakkai arched his back as the little sharp nails dug into the flesh of his back. Hakkai blindly tried to reach for the dragon and succeeded only in spinning around. He wanted desperately to grab at the dragon, but couldn’t reach him well and keep his balance in the ever changing winds. Once Hakuryu had jammed himself up there though, Hakkai figured it best for the moment to just leave him there. Pulling him out now would only cause him to gouge Hakkai\'s back more.

“Haka….” Hakkai started and regretted the mouthful of sand he received. His very skin felt like it was being abraded from his face. He had to get out of this!

Hakkai staggered about, managing to drag along most of the groceries. Hell hath no fury like a Sanzo denied his cigarettes and the kappa wouldn’t be much better. He didn’t suppose that they would go easy on him even in light of this strange and sudden storm, if he lost them.

Hakkai stumbled and groped his way in whatever direction he was pointed. He couldn’t even see to walk any more and simply squeezed his eyes closed and put his hands out before him. Even though he only had good vision from one eye, this experience served to remind him how close he had come to completely blinding himself. He doubted he could have functioned if Goku hadn’t intervened. An image of the monkey, sitting on his chest and saying “You’re eyes are beautiful,” flashed through his mind.

Despite himself, Hakkai smiled and whispered Goku’s name into the howling winds. Then he bashed into a cliff face. The impact dislodged Hakuryu and Hakkai was rewarded with another fresh set of claw marks. He hadn’t even been able to see that a whole mountain was standing before him, so thick was the dust storm. Still, it served to at least orient him a little. He had admired the cliff face as he drove past it on his way out and it gave him some idea of where he was. He choked and felt his way along the wall, hoping for some kind of crack or crevice that might offer shelter or respite from the biting wind. He was pretty sure he had seen a cave earlier, but locating it was something like a roll of the dice. Hakkai was good at dice.

It seemed an eternity passed as he felt along the wall. In reality it was probably not long, but it didn’t take long to suffocate in this crap either. It was steadily getting harder to breathe and if he coughed out the dirt, he only inhaled more. With one hand along the cliff face and the other covering his mouth and nose he crept along.

Hakkai was really beginning to think this sand storm of all things was going to kill him. “This is the second time sand has tried to kill me,” he was thinking. Then at last he found what he was looking for- the cave. His fingers slid around the rock face and into the blessed hollow of the mountain. When he managed to stumble in and was suddenly no longer fighting the variable winds of the storm he came close to falling on his face. He allowed himself to drop to his knees, shedding what few grocery bags he had retained, and focused on choking the dirt out of his lungs. It took several minutes before he could breath more or less normally. He spat and hacked and shook the dirt from his hair. It felt like boulders were forming inside his nose (probably were too.)

Hakkai assessed himself first. He was most definitely filthy. The wind didn’t penetrate too far into the cave so he was able to watch the dirt fly in currents about him when he shook it off. There was very little light and it took some fumbling about in his bags until he located the pack of lighters he had bought to keep Gojyo and Sanzo from killing each other when theirs ran out. He lit one and glanced around his cave.

It was pretty small, about the size of a small bedroom, but would do for the moment. I had a sandy bottom (probably sand from storms past) and rocky ledges further up the walls. Large rocks poked up here and there throughout the cave\'s floor. Hakkai was just thankful he had found a place to sit it out in relative comfort. It was pretty damned lucky for him to have found it at all, stumbling blindly in this storm.

Hakuryu, who had emerged from Hakkai’s clothing bleated his complaints. Hakkai tried not to be too angry at the dragon, but he could feel the trickle of blood soaking into the hem of his pants. The shallow scratches would heal quickly enough. Becoming a demon had some advantages, even if it still sickened Hakkai to think about that sometimes.

“We’ll have to stay here until it ends, little one. At least we’re out of the sand!”

Hakuryu chirped at him. Hakkai had an uncanny ability to understand the dragon. He thought Hakuryu was apologizing to him for scratching him up.

He wrapped his arms about the little dragon. “Hey, at least we aren’t alone, we’re here together! I’ll be fine. Are you okay?” Hakuryu bleeped his agreement.

Hakkai began to rummage through his bags again. He’d managed to retain most of the food and at least one carton of cigarettes and the lighter fluids and such he usually bought along with them. Marlboros. The Hi-Lites were gone. Sanzo was duty bound to resist sharing his cigarettes with Gojyo. So it was to be Gojyo he disappointed this time around. He was fervently wishing he had a warm blanket, or a flashlight, or something to start a fire, but he had none of those things. The winds had brought a chill with them. Hakkai felt the cold to his bones.

Hakkai shivered. “It\'s chilly in here!” he stated, and hugged his dragon closer to him. The little body could radiate a good deal of warmth. “What I wouldn’t give for a wet nap right now. Anything to clean this dirt off my face.” Hakkai realized belatedly that somewhere out there he had lost his monocle. He spent a few moments trying to clear the dirt from his eyes.

An hour went by and it was all Hakkai could do but count the minutes until the sun went down and he would truly be in the dark. The wind howled outside, sending in the occasional puff of sand that managed to blow all the way in. It was already dark enough that he couldn’t make out the farther walls of the cave any more.

“I think we’re going to be spending the night here, little one,” Hakkai moaned. “It should be gone by tomorrow. The others will be worried.”

Hakkai tensed then and stood up. He could feel the powerful presence of a strong youkai aura approaching. He realized that whoever it was was probably as stranded out in the storm as he was, but he readied himself for defense. No matter what the situation, the youkai approaching may or may not be hostile. The Qi he materialized lit the cave up. He stared through to the opening of the cave, ready for who it was that approached.

A large shape loomed through the flying dust. A good sized flying dragon slithered in and shook rotes of sand from his body. He looked about the place and noticed Hakkai. Then another smaller figure just behind entered. He was choking and spluttering in much the same manner as Hakkai had earlier.

“God damned baka storm!” a deep voice purred out. “You found a cave! Thank goodness…”

Kougaiji stepped in. The dragon who had noticed Hakkai at once squealed a protest. Kougaiji seemed more intent on shaking the dust off himself than to question the source of light. A steady stream of curses issued from his mouth as he stumbled in and got his bearings. He had used a blanket draped around his body to protect himself from the sand and was shaking it off when he realized he wasn’t alone.

He glared at Hakkai, who was staring in astonishment at who it looked like his new chamber mate was going to be.

“You!” Kougaiji cursed. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Hakkai smiled. “Same as you, I suppose. I got trapped in the storm.”

Kougaiji sniffed. “Feh. Looks like we’re stuck here then. I don’t suppose you might leave.”

“I don’t plan on going anywhere until this passes,” Hakkai motioned toward the cave entrance. “I hope you’re not planning to fight me for it?”

Kougaiji looked him up and down, assessing him. “No, no point in that. I say we call it a truce until this thing blows over.”

Hakkai smiled, relieved. “Agreed.” He let the materialized Qi poof out. Darkness descended again until Hakkai produced and relit the lighter .

“Why don’t you just keep the Qi going,” Kougaiji grumbled, “You make a better light bulb than that stupid thing.”

He was pulling the saddle and harnesses off of the flying dragon. Hakkai noted that he had a good deal of supplies with him- including blankets and a flash-light. He had something akin to fire wood too. Kougaiji made busy turning the cave into a camp.

“Qi takes a lot of life force to maintain. If I try to use it to keep this place lit, I’ll wear myself out.”

“Huh,” Kougaiji sniffed. “So what use are you then?”

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like Sanzo.” Kougaiji stiffened up at that, but kept his back to Hakkai as he made busy work of unpacking the dragon. He shot Hakkai a sideways glance over his shoulder and Hakkai thought he heard him issue a low growl.

Hakuryu bleeped and flew over to watch. Within moments the two dragons seemed to be having quite the conversation with each other. Kougaiji\'s face showed that the irony was not lost on him as he watched the two dragons converse.

“Ha-ha” Hakkai laughed and scratched the back of his head. “They seem to get along well.”

“Yeah,” Kougaiji said. He turned to face Hakkai again, “What about us?”

“What about us?” Hakkai asked, flummoxed.

“It is looking like we might be trapped here for a while. “

“Yes.”

Kougaiji glared at him. “I don’t suppose you’ll lend me that lighter.”

Hakkai quickly handed him the lighter fluid and one of the lighters. Within moments Kougaiji had a small blaze going on the pads of wood he had set up. The heat it threw was astonishing.

“The wood has a spell on it that makes it burn like that. This will keep us warm all night.”

“Wow. There have been nights we could have used this stuff.”

“Yaone makes it.”

There was several moments of uncomfortable silence and then Kougaiji cursed. He was looking at Hakkai out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t suppose you have something to eat?”

Hakkai smiled, and waved toward the bags. “Help yourself! In return you wouldn’t mind sharing your blankets?”

“I only have enough for one bedroll”

“Uh huh.”

Kougaiji picked through the bags, “Were you shopping or something?” Hakkai vaguely thought it rude that he help himself to his groceries like that.

“Yeah, you?”

“I heard you were in the area, I came to see for myself if you were.”

Hakkai laughed, “Well you found me! Your reports were correct.”

“I wasn’t looking for you, baka, I was looking for Sanzo,” Kougaiji griped.

“Must be fate,” Hakkai said. He warmed his hands over the blaze. “This makes very little smoke.”

“That stuff comes in handy. I have some cooking equipment too, the only thing I don’t have is food.”

Hakkai’s smile was genuine now, “Well then, leave it to me!”

Hakkai picked through his bags again until he found something he could make edible over a fire. He had long since learned to pick items he could easily cook this way. When they were well stocked up on supplies they ate well even on the road. Goku would not have it any other way. Sometimes Hakkai got the impression that was his main purpose in the group- feeding Goku and retrieving supplies.

Hakkai became aware that Kougaiji was watching him. He was sitting in the fire light, gazing at Hakkai in a way that made the hairs rise on the back of his neck.

Kougaiji had never really looked at Hakkai before. He recognized him, even knew his name, but hadn’t ever felt a need to take much note of him. Whenever he had encountered the group he had always been focused on either getting to Sanzo or past Goku. The other two were of less concern to him and he usually left them to his subordinates. He was vaguely aware that Yaone had a thing for this one. He had never given it much thought- until this moment. He could see the attraction.

Hakkai’s green eyes flicked in his direction every once in a while as he set about his tasks. He was well aware of Kougaiji\'s appraisal. Kougaiji knew he was making the man uncomfortable but something in him was enjoying it. Maybe being stuck in a cave with Hakkai wasn’t such a bad thing. When you really looked at him, Hakkai was something of a dish. Kougaiji figured that people tended not to notice Hakkai’s better qualities because he was just so good at turning into wallpaper.

When Hakkai turned to him again he made strong eye contact with Kougaiji. There was a hint in his face of darker things for a moment before he smiled. A less perceptive youkai would have missed it. Kougaiji focused his gaze right back into those eyes. It was then that he noticed the missing monocle, another detail he had previously only been subconsciously aware of. While the good eye radiated that kind of luminescence the youkai possessed, the other was somehow darker, just a little clouded. The colors matched, but there was no life in that other eye.

Kougaiji took the food that was proffered to him.

“I’m impressed,” Kougaiji said. “I didn’t think I\'d be eating well tonight.”

“Until you showed up I was looking forward to a real cold, dark night by myself. Ironic, isn’t it?”

Hakkai was sounding very pleasant. Kougaiji saw through it.

Hakkai had even gone so far as to cook up some meats and Kougaiji was secretly thankful. He inhaled the smell and his stomach clenched up in anticipation.

The two ate in silence for a while.

Hakuryu, having shared from Hakkai’s plate, curled up under the wing of his much larger newly found friend. Hakkai smiled at him. It wasn’t long before Kougaiji was making a nest for himself from the bedding he’s unpacked. He threw his jacket aside. Being that this was the only garment he wore on his upper body he was now bare-chested. The earrings and jewelry he wore glinted in the fire-light.

There was just a fleeting moment when the long deep red hair reminded Hakkai of Gojyo’s. Damn if he didn’t miss the kappa when he was cold and alone. Gojyo’s arms would be a welcome warmth right now. To make the effect a little more dramatic, the markings Kougaiji had on his face reminded him of Gojyo’s scars. The similarities were disturbing and intriguing. Hakkai shook his head to rid himself of the comparison. It was too superficial. The small man before him was a powerful and dangerous full blooded youkai.

Still, the demon looked pretty comfortable half clothed in this damn chill. The cold made Hakkai shudder and it seemed to make his scars ache. His damned stomach just never seemed to have really healed properly.

At times like this, he realized how emotionally attached he’d become to the presence of the rest of the Sanzo ikkou. Body and soul he’d become Sanzo’s possession. Hell if he’d admit that aloud though. He\'d follow Sanzo to the ends of the earth, as he was now, with far less reason than he presently had.

Hakkai wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. It was going to be a long night. The wind was showing no sign of slowing yet. The fire was nice and it kept the shadows at bay, but he was still uncomfortable laying on the bare rock and sand of the cave’s floor. Despite the radiating warmth on one side of him, the chill air and sand bit into him and the howling wind disturbed him. He’d be gone when the last particle of sand settled even if it was before dawn.

The others couldn’t even look for him until then.

Kougaiji rolled over and regarded the half sitting form of Hakkai, propped up with crossed arms against a rock. His face was turned away so that Kougaiji couldn\'t see his _expression, but he could see the man shivering. He sighed.

“How did you lose the eye?” he asked.

Hakkai rousted from his revelry. “What?”

“Your eye. What happened to it?”

Hakkai laughed. “You\'d think I was deranged if I told you. Lets just say I’ve been through some bad times.”

“You’re the demon slayer, right?”

Hakkai looked surprised for a moment. “Nobody\'s really called me that.”

“I’ve heard about you. You don’t look like someone who could kill that many demons as a human. I know better. I’ve seen you fight.”

“What else do you know about me?”

“Nothing much. Just your reputation. Just that, that means you were human once. Is that why you fight for them? Is that why you don’t come over to my side?”

“I’m not on anybodies side.”

“But yet you fight.”

“Yes. I fight.”

“I understand Sanzo. I don’t understand the rest of you.”

The two lapsed into silence again.

“Why do you fight, Kougaiji?”

“I fight for what is precious to me.”

“Then I suppose, I do too.”

Hakkai shivered again and pulled himself into a tighter ball. His dragon squeaked over to him from his warm spot in the folds of the bigger dragon’s wing.

Kougaiji looked towards the entry to the cave and watched the bursts of sand that came in and dissolved to the floor of the cave. The wind moaned. The space beyond the fire light had long faded to blackness.

“It doesn’t look like the storm is passing.”

Hakkai made a small noise in agreement but didn’t look up.

“We have some time to kill.”

“Hmm?”

Kougaiji rose from his blankets to all fours. He pulled one apart from the others, threw it over his shoulders and slinked over to sit beside Hakkai. Hakkai didn’t look directly at him, but gave him a slow sidelong glance. He didn’t know exactly what to make of the sudden nearness of Kougaiji.

“It\'s rude to stare,” Hakkai grumbled.

“We might as well make the most of our little truce until this blows over,” Kougaiji said, ignoring the rebuke. “You shared your food, you cooked for me,” Kougaiji said, “I’ll share my blankets with you.\"

Hakkai laughed. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly,” Kougaiji said. “Besides. I’m bored. I don’t think I can sleep in this god forsaken cave with you in it any way.”

“What’s wrong? Don’t you trust me?”

Kougaiji smiled, “Only so far.”

Kougaiji held out the blanket across his arm. Hakkai blinked at him for several moments and leaned forward and allowed Kou to drape half the blanket across his shoulder. The two now sat wrapped up together against the boulder, shoulder to shoulder. The effect of Kou’s body heat in the already warmed blanket was a balm to Hakkai. He tried not to show it though. He wasn’t so sure allowing Kougaiji this close to him was a wise thing, but he couldn’t ignore the comfort he offered either.

“See,” Kougaiji said, “now we’re both warmer.”

Kougaiji\'s breath tickled in Hakkai’s ear.

“Dokugakuji,” Hakkai said at length.

“What about him?”

“He’s Gojyo’s brother.”

“I know,” Kougaiji said. “What of it?”

“Well,” Hakkai was trying to find a circumspect way of saying it, “Is he like Gojyo?”

“How should I know, I don’t know what Gojyo’s like.”

“Right, stupid question,” Hakkai thought on it some more though, “I just wonder what either of them would think if they saw us like this.”

Kougaiji chuckled, “Dokugakuji probably wouldn’t like it too much.”

“I have no idea what Gojyo would say either. It probably wouldn’t be nice. Your hair, reminds me a little of Gojyo’s sometimes.”

“Heh, that’s what Doku-kun says too.”

Hakkai shifted around to bring his arm up. Kougaiji nestled his head in the crook of his arm and leaned against Hakkai. More body heat. Hakkai had to deal with the contradicting realities that this man was his sworn enemy, had tried to kill him, and probably would again, and the reality that he was warm, soft and for the moment, sharing a blanket. He smelled good and Hakkai had to refrain from inhaling deeply.

“So,” Kougaiji drawled, “you think the two of them are alike?’

“They are brothers.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what do you mean?’

Kougaiji\'s hand found its way to Hakkai’s upper thigh and the long nail traced patterns across it. Hakkai’s first impulse was to break that hand, but he denied it, not wanting to break their truce or lose what scant comfort he had obtained. Then, he became intrigued.

“I can smell Gojyo on you. He doesn’t smell much different than Doku does.”

“What are you getting at?”

“You’re Gojyo’s lover, no?”

Hakkai sniffed. “I don’t think that is any of your business.”

“No,” Kougaiji said, twisting around to face Hakkai and lay more of his body up against him. “But I want to know anyway. I think we can compare notes.”

“You assume a lot, Kougaiji.”

“No assumptions here, pal. I can smell him on you.”

“We do travel together.”

“Yeah, but that kind of smell doesn’t come from traveling.”

Hakkai’s face was starting to burn. He had pale skin and it tended to show a blush easily. It had taken Hakkai a long time to school himself against it, but now it was starting to show and Kougaiji was grinning. Anger began to form in Hakkai.

“Don’t worry, It’s not noticeable unless your really up close like this.”

Kougaiji leaned his head into the crook of Hakkai’s neck and inhaled. Little flurries of sensation radiated through Hakkai’s body. He realized belatedly that Kougaiji was very deliberately trying to rile him up. When he turned to look Kougaiji in the face he found himself nose to nose with him and Kougaiji had a dangerous look in his eyes. Hakkai’s heart beat a little faster.

“Hmm,” Kougaiji moaned, “I like the way you smell.”

Hakkai stared at him. As much as he was becoming frustrated with Kougaiji\'s latest line of conversation, he was bringing some things to Hakkai’s attention. Hakkai hadn’t been a youkai all his life, he didn’t understand all of the differences in their cultures or in their perceptions. He didn’t know his body had started to produce the pheromones that encouraged Kougaiji\'s advance even before he had offered the blanket- and his heat.

He inhaled and concentrated on separating the different smells his sharpened nose was capable of sensing. There was Kougaiji\'s normal, natural scent, and then there was the added benefit of those hormones that bespoke of sex, and heat and skin on skin. His arm WAS draped about Kougaiji\'s shoulders, and every sense he had told him he had a receptive bed partner in his arms. No matter what Hakkai could say, he had already betrayed his desires because he didn’t completely understand how his body worked. He had complete control over his outward body language, his face, and his expressions. He hadn’t thought to try to control how he smelled.

Kougaiji smelled wonderful.

“You, want to… with me?”

“That was the idea, wasn’t it?” Kougaiji said.

“Not that I’m aware.”

“Well, since we’re stuck here with nothing better to do, I say it’s a good idea,” Kougaiji started running his fingers along Hakkai’s body, and Hakkai could feel himself responding. He could feel his groin tightening. Without meaning to, his free hand brushed over Kougaiji\'s cheek. His skin was deceptively soft.

“Are you suggesting we have sex?”

“Yes, you fool. Why else would I lay beside you like this.”

“And all along I thought you were just trying to be conserve body heat.”

“No, I say we make some.”

The fingers, with their longs nails curled under the hem of Hakkai’s shirt and lightly scratched the skin there.

Hakkai inhaled sharply. “What about the others? I am Gojyo’s lover.”

Kougaiji chuckled. “With that one\'s reputation I’m surprised you\'d use him as an excuse.”

“An excuse for what?”

“For not responding to me.”

Hakkai ran his hand up the back of Kougaiji\'s head and gathered his hair into his fist sharply. In no way daunted Kougaiji arched and purred at him. The sharp talons he had never ceased in their exploration of Hakkai’s body. When they found the scars in his belly, Kougaiji\'s eyes flickered and the grin on his face tightened.

“You want a response?” Hakkai asked.

“Yes.”