"Hikaru!" The voice and the man it belonged to came bounding towards him, and the teen gritted his teeth.

+ + +

The Right Moves
-or-
Why You Shouldn't(?) Say No to an Obsessive Angry Ghost
a Hikaru no Go spamfic
by Erin Ellis

+ + +

"Ne... Hikaru~" Fujiwarano Sai wheedled, putting on his best cute girl face.

"For the last time, Sai, I am not playing go tonight! We're going to the concert with Tsutsui and Kaga and that's final!" Shindou Hikaru scowled, running a comb through his hair. He was in a foul mood; school and life in general had been giving him hell for the past week or so, and it was a condition that wasn't exactly helped by having an effeminate ghost nagging at him to play go 24-7.

"But Hikaru... if Kaga and Tsutsui are right there, then we might as well--"

"Shut up, Sai. We're not playing go, so why don't you just-- go to sleep or whatever it is that dead people do when they're not bothering me?" He gave one last scowl at the ghost whose face was not reflected in the mirror, then stuffed his hands into his pockets and stomped downstairs.

Sai was not to be put off so easily; one doesn't haunt a go board for hundreds of years without a considerable amount of persistence. "But Hikaru~," he pleaded, eyes large and watery. "We haven't played go in so long. I thought you were a professional." He pulled out the big guns. "You can't possibly beat Touya with practice habits like this."

Hikaru whirled. "Don't you even start about him. -Some- of us have more to worry about than constantly playing go! Now, I'm going to go do something like a normal person for once in my life, and I would appreciate it if you would just leave me alone to do it!"

"But--"

"No buts!" he yelled, drawing the attention of some children playing across the street. "If you don't like it, too bad. Nobody asked you to come along anyway. Maybe it'd be better if you didn't!" The teen stalked off, leaving Sai looking small and quiet. "And don't even think about getting all snivelly. If you make me puke in front of the others, you're going to be wishing it was just a week off."

He began walking again, Sai still watching from where he had stopped in the middle of the street. Now, it was possible that Hikaru was just having a bad day... er, week. But that was no excuse, after all the things he'd done for Hikaru, all the friends, the training, the -- everything he'd received in his time with Sai. The ghost gave and gave and gave. All he wanted in return was the Hand of God. Was that so much to ask?

Sai didn't have an answer to that; he was just really, really mad. Hikaru also didn't have an answer, though for the reason that Sai didn't allow him one. The teen did turn, looking exasperated. "Sai...?" Then he looked afraid. Then he was gone.

+ + +

Shindou Hikaru walked disjointedly down the street. He wore a small, satisfied smile on his lips, which seemed pinker, somehow. Puckering them, he whistled experimentally, a tune that hadn't been popular since... well... the Heian period.

"Do you know how long it's been since I could whistle?" he almost giggled. Well, maybe he did, a little. "Fujiwarano Sai has returned!" Sai smiled to himself, and Hikaru's body did as well. Who knew that when Sai got really really mad he'd possess Hikaru... well, more than he usually did. Good thing (for Hikaru) that Sai didn't usually get very angry. "Maybe I'll just keep it," he said, voice pithy. He immediately tripped over his own feet, Hikaru's body flopping ungracefully to the ground.

"...Or maybe not. I'll give it back. We can even go to that silly concert... after a quick game of go, of course." Grinning goofily, Hikaru walked/minced to the go salon. What a wonderful place, a venue for the masses to play go. Hopefully there would be someone worthwhile to play. Then, as if the gods had answered his plea, Sai spotted a familiar charcoal-haired head.

"Touya!" Sai exclaimed, bounding to where the boy was making his way down the street. "How are you doing?"

"Shindou!" Akira said with a start. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a go parlor... I've come to play go, of course. Actually, I was hoping you'd be here."

The teen looked thrown off-kilter. "Hoping... for me? ...You want to play?"

"I always want to play," Sai replied, voice dark. Hikaru was such a scrooge! "Ne, Touya, let's play together!"

"Shindou," he trailed, staring at him for a long moment. Akira seemed to be weighing something heavily, and when he finally answered, his eyes were hooded and clouded with emotion. "Why not play at my house? Our board is better quality than the ones here. I... I thought you might want to see it."

This was an interesting development. The go salon's boards weren't -that- bad... still, it would be interesting to see Akira's house and board. He'd always been interested in that sort of thing. And maybe he could see Touya Meijin, and play him too! Ooh, that would be a real challenge. Getting there and back before the concert might be tight, but... the thought of actually feeling a go stone again was making Sai tingle all over. There really wasn't much deliberation needed, in the end.

Hikaru nodded happily. "All right. Let's go!"

It was almost frightening how wide Akira smiled.

+ + +

It was almost unbearable.

The knowledge he'd been looking for him, especially.

The trusting nod as he'd accepted his offer to come to his house.

The way his eyes seemed to roll back in his head (he'd stopped audibly squealing after the first couple of moves) whenever he placed a stone.

The look in his eyes as he played; usually when playing Akira, Shindou just looked determined to win. Today, he looked engrossed in the game for the love of it, and when he looked at Akira, it was with friendly challenge-- and something else; deeper... a need being filled.

Akira loved it. It was intriguing. It was...

He was...

*clack* went another white stone. Shindou's fingers seemed extra graceful, long and willowy as he played, his face almost glowing with happiness. He looked like an angel. Or a demon. Yes, a demon, tempting him with luminous green eyes and oddly pink lips, a sharp mind for go, and surprisingly soft skin that for some reason was touching his own right now...

"Touya... I'm afraid you have no more moves," Shindou said, patting him on the hand. "Would you like a rematch? You don't seem yourself today."

His touch was fire on Akira's skin. It was unbearable.

"You're cold, Shindou." His voice was low, and full of more feeling than the teen had ever let himself show. His hand brushed against Shindou's; against his face. "Let me warm you up."

"Um... Touya?" Shindou asked, looking slightly alarmed at the stones spilling onto the floor as Akira leaned over the go board. "Y-you don't want another game?"

"Oh no, Shindou, no more games. Let's skip to the ending." He jumped over the table, making quite a mess of the go board and landing quite neatly atop Shindou. Akira was pleased at how neatly they fit together. He peered down at the shorter boy, eyes smoldering. "What do you want right now more than anything else?"

The teen barely hesitated. "The Hand of God," he said, green eyes shifting as if revealing a big secret.

"I'll give you hands of God. You'll be screaming for God when I'm done with you." The eyes widened slightly, glinting like emeralds. It was all Akira could do to not devour him right then and there. However, much like in go, it was best to think through every move lest one become stuck. Still, it didn't seem like there would be much left to wait for. "Don't try to deny it. I know you want me as much as I want you." He moved against him for emphasis.

Shindou blushed, looking somehow even more desirable. "Oh, but really, I just came to play go."

"Oh, you will," he grinned wickedly. Then he moved downward.

Akira -really- hoped Mother and Father weren't planning on coming home early tonight.

+ + +

Sai wondered briefly if he should stop Touya from continuing. It wasn't his fault that playing go turned him on so much! Usually his robes covered that up, and the whole dead thing made it a non-issue, so... Anyway, Touya had promised another game of go afterwards if he was any good, so Sai agreed. Hikaru probably wouldn't mind too much anyway. And if he never found out, no worries.

Concerns thusly addressed, Sai proceeded to sit back and let Touya er... take care of things. And it wasn't so bad at all. Touya was surprisingly enthusiastic, and rather creative. The surrounding him with go stones and 'claiming' the area inside idea was quite clever. And Sai got quite a few more games of go for his troubles. Everyone was perfectly happy.

...Right?

+ + +

Hikaru woke up and immediately wished he hadn't. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel well at all. His head was pounding; he felt sweaty and sticky, like he'd tossed and turned all night; and his legs and back were sore... and places inbetween. But the previous evening was all a blank. That was actually what puzzled him the most. Maybe he'd slipped and talked about go, and Kaga beat him up? But that didn't really explain everything. He felt like he'd gotten the kancho from hell.

"What happened last night, Sai?" asked Hikaru, taking a soak in the tub. There was no response; it wasn't like he always saw the ghost in the bathtub (that'd be kinda weird, you know?), but it wasn't unheard of. It was also strange that he hadn't said anything... usually Sai was waiting for him to wake so he could beg him for a game.

Oh... he was probably off sulking somewhere. Hikaru -had- been pretty mean to him. Well, he'd make it up today... as soon as he could think about being conscious without wincing. "Sai, I'm sorry about last night. Do you wanna play go or something?"

"Really?" Ah, that was the magic word. The ghostly bishounen appeared before him, a wide-eyed look on his face. It then changed to a smile. "Of course. Forgive my selfishness," Sai said, looking slightly penitent.

"Only if you forgive mine," Hikaru said, wearing a crooked smile. "I didn't mean to--" He broke off, noticing Sai's expression had wavered as he looked at him. "What?"

"Nothing," the ghost said quickly. "Take your time, I'll wait for you in your room."

"Wait, wha-- what happened?" But the ghost had gone. Frowning, Hikaru lifted himself from the tub as well, staring at himself in the mirror. "Eh?" he grunted. There was some redness, like a rash, all down his neck and towards his collarbone, and lines on his back and even a few bite marks..? "What the hell, was I attacked by an animal or something? Sai?"

The ghost said he didn't know what was going on but avoided his gaze at the same time, so Hikaru didn't know what to think. Creasing his brow, he pulled on some sweats and padded downstairs to see if Mom had any cortisone cream for his rash. Sai followed, that same trying-to-hide-he-was-worried worried look on his face. But Mom was already at work-- it was later than he thought-- so he just checked the fridge for some breakfast... er, lunch. There was a note on the door from Mom, saying to try and stick around for dinner and please come in earlier next time and he had some messages on the machine.

"Okay..." Grabbing a rice ball, he wandered to the phone and checked the answering machine. The first was from Tsutsui; between Kaga's florid cursing in the background, Tsutsui seemed to be wondering where he was. "Wasn't I with them?" Hikaru asked, looking at Sai, who gave an innocent look and turned away. Then the second message began, and Hikaru could only stare at the machine.

*BEEP* /Shindou./

"Touya," Hikaru breathed. It was possible that Sai 'eep'ed.

/I hope you understand what you've done. What -we've- done. I don't quite understand it myself. The way you made me feel... I didn't think it was possible. I can't even think of you without-- oh gods, Shindou... I'll be looking forward to our next game... you'd better not keep me waiting. Find me./ *BEEP*

Hikaru continued staring at the machine for a few beats as his mind rebooted and started adding things together. "Sai, why wasn't I at the concert last night? Why don't I remember anything? Why were there go stones in my shorts? Why is Touya calling me sounding-- needy?" His voice rose in pitch and intensity with each word. "Well? Sai?"

The purple-haired man looked quite embarrassed. "Um, it was really good go?" he offered.

+ + +

Fujiwarano Sai sat on the roof, by this point only cringing a little at the bile-filled shouts coming from the house below. "Well, it -was-..."

+ + +

owari.

+ + +
notes