TITLE: With Eyes that Cannot See

PART: 03 – To Hide

PAIRING: Cho Hakkai x Genjo Sanzo

GENRE: Yaoi (Alternate Universe/Angst/Drama/Light Humour)

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to does not belong to me… only this weird story does.

NOTE#1: Blah or Blah is for emphasis. /Blah/ is for conversations over the phone or flashbacks (if any). /Blah/ is for the conscience or whatever inner voice there is talking. Blah is for thoughts or random Japanese words. Some of these words are footnoted at the end of every page (I'm beginning to understand the need for footnotes in fiction. Thank you dear friend, you know who you are. XD).

NOTE #2: The characters' ages in this fic aren't that much the same as the series.

The first thing he heard was the almost inaudible scraping.

And then there was the unmistakeable sound of a branch breaking – followed by a surprised cry as something heavy hurtled down... and bumping hard against PVC pipes. Eyes snapping open in alarm, Sanzo grabbed the gun under his pillow and quickly got out of the bed, bare feet padding along the carpeted floors and staircases until he finally got to the first floor landing.

Slowly, quietly, he crept towards the window where he heard muffled arguments. He could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears. The sudden burst of adrenaline left his throat dry as he quietly opened the window, slipping through it as lithely as a cat would, and he stalked, violet eyes wide and luminous, pupils dilating to accommodate more light.

And there the culprit was, holding on to a segment of the rainwater drainpipe for dear life, feet dangling freely in the air. Sanzo frowned. Somehow, the pipe segment was rattling. The culprit knew it, which was why he was asking for help and arguing with...

His eyes narrowed, cocking his gun, primed to fire as he tilted his head up to see the figure half-dangling from the second storey window.

Such an unexpected sight.

He growled. The fierceness and anger were enough for the one who had been sneaking around to yelp and claw involuntarily, destroying the pipe completely and falling flat on his bottom.

Shaking uncontrollably, Sanzo fired, close enough to the person's left leg. The silencer did its job of concealing most of the sound.

But it was still audible. "Kougaiji!" Came the female scream of terror.

Ch'. Sanzo thought crossly. Brats. "You!" He growled, marching forward and grabbing the one called Kougaiji by the collar and unceremoniously dragged him away, paying no heed to his sputtered protests. "You ruined my house you idiot! Yaone!" he called out, not turning back, focused only on his way to the window he got out of. "Come to the living room, you've got some explaining to do!"

OxxxOxxxO

"Don't shoot me!"

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't."

Yaone was in the pits. "Sanzo-'otousan, please, just don't shoot him! He didn't do anything wrong!" It was partially her fault really, that things came to this. If she had just gone outside to talk, then...

"He trampled over my rosebushes."

"But he couldn't see in the dark –" She reasoned out, trying to coax her surrogate father to calming down.

"He broke the branches off my favourite tree."

"It is hardly noticeable..."

"He snapped the rainwater drainpipes at the side of the house and I need good quality PVC ones to repair it."

"He couldn't help hanging on to it – he almost died!"

Sanzo's hand didn't waver, his violet eyes slitted as he gauged the personality of the young man standing right in front of him. He was somehow gratified that the man was not the least bit trembling. He was staring at the mizzle of his gun, and sweat broke out on his temples, but that was it. The only thing he could say about him is that he was raised in a place where this type of thing was not uncommon.

"Who are you and why are you sneaking around outside and targeting Yaone's room like some perverted panty thief?" He growled, gun still pointed – his stance relaxing somewhat but not losing its deadly potency.

"My name is Kougaiji, I'm the stepson of Mr. Ni Jen Yi sir, and I just wanted to see her..."

"Hmmm, stepson of the toy-maker, huh... and a stalker."

"NO! I mean, yes, I'm the son of the toy-maker, but no, I'm not stalking her," The young man responded quickly, a dusting of crimson on his cheeks. "I just needed to talk to her about something and she's not answering my calls... it's really important..."

"Yaone."

She flinched. "Yes?"

"You have to work off the cost in the kitchen."

It took all her strength not to slither on the floor in embarrassment. It was the usual punishment in the house – housework... not just plain housework, but the ones they hated the most doing. Their home was huge and sprawling, but the servants were told to step aside and take a rest when one of 'the children' did something that couldn't be justified by words or actions alike. She hated washing the dishes. Hated it with a passion.

"I'll work it off as well." Came the valiant effort to ease her burden. She was changing her opinion of this guy; that was for sure. Well, she had a crush on him after all, so wouldn't it be fun to wash plates with him or something? Then, she frowned. Wait... because of this guy I'm now obliged to wash the dishes! Shouldn't I hate him right now? Sanzo-otousan is so unreasonable sometimes – uh, most of the time.

"No." Sanzo retorted dryly. "It's supposed to be a punishment."

Yaone nearly choked, crimson spreading on her cheeks in mortification.

It was either the man was oblivious or he was slow, for he didn't get the implication of the household head's words. "Then I'm going to be punished along with Yaone-chan."

Dark blonde brows lifted up in amusement. "Yaone-chan? You seem really close to her and yet she doesn't want you lurking around like some nut. That's strange."

It was now the young man's turn to be embarrassed. "Uh, well, everyone calls her that... so I..."

Sanzo shook his head, a small smirk gracing his lips. "Fine, go ahead." He turned to a fidgeting Yaone and commanded, tone softer now. "Tell Sugiyama-san that she can rest for the whole of tomorrow. You two are going to clean up the kitchen the whole day. As for now, get reacquainted or whatever." Slipping his gun back to its holster, he waved them away. As they scurried out of the living room, he called out after them in his blandest tone:

"No stains on the bed!"

"Sanzo-otousan!"

"Just a reminder." He called back, sauntering towards the direction of his room.

Kids these days...

OxxxOxxxO

He was in pain.

It was as if memories were coming back, things he felt, and things he heard. Since he was young. Hakkai had never been much of an active child, he had always stuck beside his twin sister, Kanan, playing with her all day long, giggling over silly little things. While she was at school, he was dealing with his home tutor and wrestling with text in Braille.

He was making his homework when the earthquake struck. He heard the screams of his family as the roof caved in, cutting the cries of his mother so abruptly and silencing the desperate cry of his father permanently. Kanan saved him, shoving him away from where the ceiling above him collapsed. The doctors said she died instantly.

Every night for the past two years, he had been dreaming of that fateful day... he kept on dreaming of the lives lost, of the luxuries he was deprived off as he was passed from kin to kin, until he was left alone to fend for himself out of spite and trouble. He could still remember the sour breath of the last of his uncles who had adopted him in a short period of time as he tried to get him under the covers. He felt the rough skin of his palms as his hands caressed his bare legs, running up to his hips. It was disgusting, and he cringed in fear and revulsion, bile rising up his throat in memory. Because he was unconquerable, he was thrown in the city dump, and there he found Hakuryu, dusty, and just as alone as he was.

Since he became part of this household weeks ago, he felt as if he had regained his family, his luxuries... and his life.

He felt as if he had a father again, not in the person of Sanzo, but Sha Jien, Gojyo's older brother. He was more of a father figure than the true head of the house who seemed to be much more of a spoiled child with homicidal tendencies when spurned to anger. He found a mother in the form of Yaone, who seemed to dote on him too much especially when he was craving for something to eat, as she did with the others. He found a younger brother in Goku, whose endless energy was contagious enough to make him all hyped up for the day despite the undernourished condition he was recovering from at present. He found a friend in Gojyo, who always made him laugh with his silly stories and his imitation of his brother when they were young.

But what about Sanzo, the one who was his saviour? What was he to him? What persona did he find in him?

His heart skipped a beat.

Is he my...

Suddenly, Hakkai heard a commotion downstairs and was instantly on the alert. There were much threats and accusations that he knew he should learn of. After debating on whether or not to get out of bed, he finally decided to explore, pushing his thoughts at the back of his mind. He had lots of time to think about it later.

Slowly, he made his way downstairs. For some reason, he could make his way around perfectly, with only minimal bumping on his first try, and none on his second. It made him feel uneasy, thinking that they had probably arranged the furniture to make way for more space to help him recuperate. Or maybe he just had a knack for figuring things out easily. It was also possible that he had just been to the living room and dining hall without any help. He needed assistance when he ventured outside since, he gathered, it was vast, considering the echoing of Nataku and Goku's laughter as they pulled him to play the other day.

He inched his way down the stairs, his bare feet making almost inaudible sounds as they landed on hard, smooth steps until he was on the final landing. Heaving a small sigh of relief for not stumbling and humiliating himself over present, unknown company. Homura and Nataku went home already, but the usual rowdiness was still intact, what with all the different personalities crammed in their living space, no matter how huge it was.

"It's too early for breakfast."

He stiffened for a moment before relaxing as recognition set in. "Ah, Sanzo-sama..."

"Just Sanzo. Geez, you really have problems with following directions."

Hakkai laughed softly, so as not to disturb others' sleep. "Sorry. Sanzo then." He amended. "I didn't go down for breakfast though..."

"Hm? Then why are you here?"

"I thought something was wrong, I heard people arguing..." He grinned sheepishly. "My ears are quite sensitive, you see."

"I bet." There was a slight clink of metal and then the smell of cigarette smoke assaulted him.

Chastisingly, he reached out in where he felt the general direction the smoke came from, stepping forward, closer, and closer, until he felt the point of heat where the butt of the cigarette was. "This –" He grimaced, snatching the offending thing by the stem and crumpling the unlit end with fervour.

"Oi!"

"You shouldn't smoke too much." He declared sternly. "Besides, second-hand cigarette smoke damages the lungs too, so stop."

Sanzo muttered in irritation, snatching the ruined cigarette and throwing it in a nearby trashcan. "How come you don't tell Gojyo that?"

Hakkai's ears perked up. "I already did, but he didn't listen. He's hopeless."

"And you think I'm not the same?"

"Yes."

There was a short moment of silence before a snort came from him. "I'll think about what you just said." He allowed, reaching up to place a hand on his shoulder, pushing it until Hakkai was turning the other direction and soon, he was pushing him towards God-knows-where. Hakkai gulped, aware of the hotness of the palms resting firmly on his shoulders. "Where are we going?"

"My room."

"Y-your room?"

"Don't look so scandalised." Sanzo tsk-ed. "I'm not that idiot Gojyo."

"Well, why are we –"

"Your room is beside Yaone's. Who knows what would go on in there now that the toy-maker's brat is in there with her talking. You might not get any sleep."

Crimson splotched on Hakkai's cheeks as he stuttered, unable to speak clearly. "They –"

Sanzo snorted again, still pushing him along. "I'll rest easier if you stay ignorant of other people's sexual escapades... then the hospital bill and blood transfusions wouldn't come through mail so often. For someone who had been out in the rookery for more than a couple of years, you are very innocent."

"Eh?"

"Your nose bleeds easily over the mere mention of sex."

As if on cue, a trickle of blood ran out of his nostrils and Hakkai had to wipe it quickly. Too late, his companion had already seen his conditioned response.

Sanzo chuckled.

"There you go."

TSUZUKU