"ten-chan, this was in the pocket."

"oh? give it here."

tenpou unfolded the rumpled piece of paper- something that hakkai had ripped from one of his books. poetry?

it said:

saeva indignatio and the labourer's hire,

the strength that gives our blood and state magnanimity of

its own desire;

everything that is not god consumed with intellectual fire.

****

when upon waking, hakkai saw the fire, he thought nothing, except: 'perhaps i should leave before the roof collapses.' but there was no roof. there were no walls. there was rain.

his second thought, this time voiced: "hell's a lot more simple that i'd have expected."

"well excuse me for giving you a simple life." a voice said behind him where he lay.

hakkai smiled, then turned to face the half-breed. "gojyo." ing husband.

"hakkai."

the green tent stretched over them, the fire revealing five slumbering shadows. in the corner, goku snored softly with an occasional mumbling about food. "gyoza...yes...oh... and can i have mu shi also...ow...not enough food...sanzo." to the other side, sanzo was...hakkai noted with amusement...pretending to sleep.

"so you found your way."

"don't i always?"

"we won't be leaving till tomorrow."

"mh."

"it started raining right after you..."

"so?"

"it's weird."

"not really."

"why?"

"heaven is simply trying to put out a fire it can't reach."

gojyo laughed and ruffled his hair, pulling him close for a chaste and quiet kiss before falling back. it was their first, though it certainly didn't feel like it. "you causing trouble without me?"

"wouldn't dream of it." tired. he was still tired. hakkai closed his eyes.