Gojyo... Live Undead
So I posted up some comment fic - a bit of backstory for my vampire crossover. I just need to find a way to get writing. Apparently Gojyo and Hakkai had a little something to say.
This sort of isn't a 'proper' fic but I'll give it some props anyway. Remember, it's comment fic. It may be a bit rough around the edges but I sort of want to keep it that way. Raw. Honest. Disjointed memories.
Title: If Bonds of Blood Prevail / backstory
Author: oracle_dreams
Fandom: WK / Saiyuki
Rating: R, blood and violence
Disclaimer: WK /Saiyuki are not mine.
A/N: comment fic. backstory on how Gojyo joined the clan.
It was with a certain amount of trepidation that Hakkai accepted Schuldig’s invitation. While he was sure it would be a perfectly casual, even friendly affair, the fact of the matter was that Schuldig and Crawford never appeared simply for the company. Part of him dreaded the chaos that followed in their elders footsteps and part of him reveled in it so long as he had a few decades of recovery afterward.
But this time - this time was nothing but a knot in his stomach, a lump lodged firmly in this throat. Crawford had already made it clear that he did not approve of Hakkai’s choice of scion. He even went as far as outright forbidding his induction into their clan. Of course he was perfectly polite about the entire affair as he was about anything else. But Crawford’s decision was final, absolute, leaving Hakkai without a single shadow of doubt about the penalty awaiting him should he dare defy him.
With a resolved sigh, Hakkai rose in response the energy signature he sensed approaching from the elevator from down the hall. He swung the door of his suite open, greeting an expectant Schuldig with a small smile.
“Am I really that obvious?” Schuldig cocked his head with a smirk.
“Your signature is… unique.” Hakkai stepped aside. “Please, come in.”
Schuldig gave a cursory glance around the somewhat posh suite and found himself a plush chair to flop into.
“This is a far cry from the aecetic hovels you usually haunt. I’m impressed.” Schuldig gave a sharp but honest smile. “ You’ve finally embraced the life.”
“Or the lack thereof…” Hakkai’s self-deprecating, dark humor always struck a chord with Schuldig. Or rather several of them, all at the same time, all off key in one big disharmonious mess.
“I’m surprised you’re here alone.”
Hakkai knew exactly where this was heading. He expected it. There was no sense in expecting Schuldig to be cloying about it.
“Gojyo was adamant about maintaining his independence.”
Schuldig leaned into the chair draping both arms over the back. After a silent moment of studying Hakkai’s mask like features, he dropped his gaze with a small sad shake of his head.
“He’s the first, isn’t he?” Schuldig eyes slowly lifted to find Hakkai’s. “You’ve never even shown interest before.”
“I wasn’t as if I went looking for him.” Hakkai offered a weak smile. “It just sort of… happened.”
“Yeah. Those are the worst. It’s only been a year. Cut it quick… the pain will subside faster that way.”
Hakkai’s eyes widened a bit, unsure where this advice was coming from.
“Crawford only said that he wasn’t to be turned. He didn’t say I needed to cut ties with him entirely.”
“It’s still fresh. Which is why I’m here. Think into it. How long do you want to keep him bound? So long that he can never be free of you… like Farfarello? There are very few equipped to deal with that sort of reality. Farfarello is unique. Your boy… mentally… not so much.”
“I…” Hakkai suddenly lost all words. If anything defined Gojyo is was his fierce independence. Keeping him,especially, as a blood bound slave, no matter how congenial or permissive a master he may be, would be incredibly cruel. “… I can stop sharing blood with him… “
Schuldig dipped his chin. It was worse than he thought.
“Listen, you can deal with your meal preferences how you like but I’m telling you… this won’t end well. Cut it clean. Not for his sake. For yours.”
Coming from Schuldig that was the closest thing Hakkai could hope to receive by way of a warning.
___________________________________________________________________________________
It had been an incredibly long time since Crawford found himself walking the streets of a slum. To his credit, Hakkai’s scion wasn’t entirely destitute. His choice of abodes, while not particularly desirable was expected. Gojyo’s guilt complex was so pervasive, Crawford actually had to reel Schuldig back in before he let himself get lost in it. It had been a century or more since he had to even consider censoring Schuldig in that way. The source of Hakkai’s attraction was blatantly clear after that.
And the visions that had forced Crawford’s hand would not be silenced.
Gojyo could not be turned. It was imperative, for the protection of the clan, however small it may be. And, Hakkai being Hakkai, and also one of Sanzo’s blood made simple words an ineffective deterrent.
Crawford found the small box of an apartment easily enough. He offered a small gesture of respect by actually knocking. The delayed rustling from within finally culminated in the door opening a scant few inches.
“Who the fuck are you? What do you want?”
“I’m an acquaintance of Hakkai’s. May we talk?”
“How do you know Hakkai?”
“As I said, he’s an acquaintance. He may have mentioned me. My name is Crawford. Brad Crawford.”
The long silence pause from behind that dark crack in the door spoke quite loudly. And also confirmed some of Crawford’s suspicions.
The door slammed shut but the sounds of chains and latches being unfastened quickly followed. As the door swung open, Crawford was somewhat surprised by the shirtless redhead that greeted him with a large vicious knife comfortably locked in his hand. So much about him instantly took him back to those first days when he had met Schuldig. The tug of nostalgia was forcibly silenced as he stepped through the door.
“What do you… I mean… “ Gojyo was clearly off guard and perhaps even a touch flustered as he shut the door. With a deep breath, he centered himself. “…why are you here?”
“Hakkai is not in trouble.”
The instant look of relief on Gojyo’s face confirmed a few more of Crawford’s more pressing suspicions.
“So…why…”
Before things became too convoluted and complicated, Crawford closed the distance between them without a hint of actual movement. With fingertips gently coursing down Gojyo’s face and an effortless imposition of sheer will, Gojyo was instantly in Crawford’s thrall, as easily and painlessly as falling asleep.
“This isn’t personal, Gojyo.” Crawford whispered as all traces of his presence evaporated from the redhead’s memory. After a few moments, Gojyo’s knees simply gave way. Crawford easily scooped him up, carrying him to the tiny water closet across the room.
After stripping him, Crawford placed Gojyo in the tub, turning on the water, letting the tub fill. As the water rose, Crawford brushed a few stubborn stray locks of hair from the redhead’s face, nostalgia tugging at him once again. His hand lingered on his cheek, curiously tracing the scars there, willing his inner sight to reveal a new outcome to the visions that brought him here in the first place. But no vision came. That in and of itself was not unusual and it did nothing to deter him.
He could clearly see Hakkai’s attractions to Gojyo, or, at least the most obvious of them. In almost any other situation, Crawford would simply drain Gojyo and be done with it. But, this was Hakkai’s scion. Crawford was under no obligation to honor the blood claim of one of his own progeny. By all tradition and blood inheritance, everything that belonged to his progeny was his. All of it. He was under no obligation to explain himself nor his actions. But still… this was Hakkai. There was more than one reason to treat this with some delicacy. This wasn’t personal - not against Gojyo nor Hakkai. And there would be no explaining that to Hakkai.
As attractive as draining the life from Gojyo may have been, Crawford opted for a more mundane method. Once the tub was sufficiently full, Crawford took up the knife Gojyo had grasped so tightly. With one last look to appreciate what could have been, Crawford incised one neat, clean line, wrist to elbow on each of his arms. The intoxicating scent of bright fresh blood lured him even further but his resolve would not be so easily eroded. He lingered there, watching the water bloom crimson, satisfied that this method would leave Hakkai with an impression they could all live with.
With a last gentle caress, tucking one stubborn lock of hair from Gojyo’s cheek one last time, Crawford turned to leave without a glance back.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Despite the seriousness of the initial conversation, Hakkai rather enjoyed his evening with Schuldig. It had been several decades since they last caught up and Schuldig always had a plethora of stories to tell.
Despite Schuldig’s friendly façade, Hakkai always had suspicious caution lurking just below his carefully manicured surface. It simply wasn’t in Schuldig’s nature to JUST be social. Everything he said and did had a reason. Usually some subversive, secretive, less than social reason. Despite that, Hakkai resolved to simply enjoy the candy coating as he swallowed down that much too bitter pill.
They had talked long into the night, in fact, into the early morning. Schuldig had called it a day just as the deep indigo of midnight gave way to the moody blues of an approaching dawn. It was still enough time. Despite Schuldig’s warning - or maybe because of it - Hakkai needed to speak with Gojyo. All these damned undead politics meant little to him, while Gojyo’s opinion meant everything. He knew they were from two entirely different worlds but he still felt he owed Gojyo, at least, a conversation before making a decision that affected him as well.
Hakkai made it to Gojyo’s apartment just as the horizon was taking on the pale shades of dawn. He knocked soundly on the door. Gojyo was home, he could sense him even though his signature was somewhat faint. Perhaps just deep asleep. He rapped harder. And again. The signature on the other side of that door was fainter and growing fainter by the second. In a moment of sudden panic, Hakkai put his shoulder to door and shattered the frame. The unmistakable scent assaulted him as he crossed that threshold.
“Gojyo?!”
The small one room was empty, leaving the closet sized washroom. The sight that greeted him from that doorway instantly brought him to his knees. Gojyo was awash in a pool of crimson, his glassy eyes lulled half open, his head lulled lifelessly against his shoulder. His skin was a stark white, in sharp contrast to the blood red background. The past came flooding back like a tsunami scouring his mind clean of all thought or reason. A single choked sob was the only action Hakkai’s traitorous body allowed him to make.
With that sound, Gojyo’s head twitched ever so slightly, his eyelids fluttered in a feeble attempt to open and focus his eyes. Hakkai sprang to his side.
“Gojyo? Can you hear me?” Hakkai went into crisis mode, assessing his wounds, checking his pulse. The wounds to his forearms were deep. Single, clean deliberate strokes without sign of hesitation. His pulse was beyond weak. It was immediately clear there was little he could do.
With another sob, Hakkai dropped his forehead to the top of Gojyo’s head silently cursing himself for missing some crucial sign. There was something he could have done and he had obviously failed.
“I failed you.”
“…don’t…” the weak whisper rattled past Gojyo’s dry lips.
“I’m so sorry Gojyo…”
“…no…” Gojyo’s whisper took on an edge of anger. He tried to raise a hand but only manage a slow heavy twitch with no hope of finding its mark.
“…save your strength…” Hakkai whispered between tears.
“…NO… don wanna…” Gojyo forced the words with his last ounce of strength. “… die…”
Hakkai put himself directly in Gojyo’s line of sight, his hands catching Gojyo’s face to meet his glassy gaze. He searched Gojyo’s eyes feverishly. Gojyo wasn’t sure he wanted this life. He had serious misgivings after learning what he did of their kind. While he was comfortable and trusting in Hakkai, he held a much different opinion of vampires in general. Hakkai found no fear in his eyes. All he saw was grim determination staring back at him from crimson eyes as the light behind them began to wane.
“You’re sure? You are entirely sure?”
“…yessss… “ The sound was so faint as to be inaudible to even Hakkai’s ears.
Instantly, Crawford’s words and Schuldig’s warnings all assaulted him in a moment of indecision. Did Crawford foresee this? Was this why he made his decree? Could he have warned him and prevented this altogether? The flood of questions was silenced in an instant as Gojyo exhaled a weak breath, and failed to take another.
All rational thought abandoned Hakkai. He bit cleanly through his lower lip and leaned in to kiss Gojyo deeply, tilting his chin up and back further and further, letting his own blood flow between them and slide easily down his throat. He could feel the last few flutters of Gojyo’s heart until they simply ceased.
After a long few minutes, Hakkai pulled away, tear stained and bleeding, a shiver working its way under his skin. It had been much too long but he realized, in a detached way, that he was going into shock. He had never witnessed the turning of a new fledgling but he was taught the academic version well enough. He managed to keep his wits about him just enough to pull Gojyo - pale, cold and lifeless - from the tub, clean him up and tuck him into his bed. Dawn was imminent and now, potentially, a threat to them both. He sealed off the single grungy window with the shutter Gojyo had rigged for Hakkai’s occasional overday stays. The door frame was shredded. The best Hakkai could do was prop it closed with a chair to the handle and the chains, bolts and locks still functioning along its length.
Hakkai stood there, just watching Gojyo’s lifeless form despite knowing that this could take quite a bit of time. Weak and shivering, Hakkai, crawled into the bed and curled around Gojyo, burying his face in his hair. He would stay right here and wait as long as it took. It was a small comfort knowing that, at least, Gojyo would somehow know that he wasn’t alone.
[ chapter 1 ] [ chapter 2 ]
This sort of isn't a 'proper' fic but I'll give it some props anyway. Remember, it's comment fic. It may be a bit rough around the edges but I sort of want to keep it that way. Raw. Honest. Disjointed memories.
Title: If Bonds of Blood Prevail / backstory
Author: oracle_dreams
Fandom: WK / Saiyuki
Rating: R, blood and violence
Disclaimer: WK /Saiyuki are not mine.
A/N: comment fic. backstory on how Gojyo joined the clan.
It was with a certain amount of trepidation that Hakkai accepted Schuldig’s invitation. While he was sure it would be a perfectly casual, even friendly affair, the fact of the matter was that Schuldig and Crawford never appeared simply for the company. Part of him dreaded the chaos that followed in their elders footsteps and part of him reveled in it so long as he had a few decades of recovery afterward.
But this time - this time was nothing but a knot in his stomach, a lump lodged firmly in this throat. Crawford had already made it clear that he did not approve of Hakkai’s choice of scion. He even went as far as outright forbidding his induction into their clan. Of course he was perfectly polite about the entire affair as he was about anything else. But Crawford’s decision was final, absolute, leaving Hakkai without a single shadow of doubt about the penalty awaiting him should he dare defy him.
With a resolved sigh, Hakkai rose in response the energy signature he sensed approaching from the elevator from down the hall. He swung the door of his suite open, greeting an expectant Schuldig with a small smile.
“Am I really that obvious?” Schuldig cocked his head with a smirk.
“Your signature is… unique.” Hakkai stepped aside. “Please, come in.”
Schuldig gave a cursory glance around the somewhat posh suite and found himself a plush chair to flop into.
“This is a far cry from the aecetic hovels you usually haunt. I’m impressed.” Schuldig gave a sharp but honest smile. “ You’ve finally embraced the life.”
“Or the lack thereof…” Hakkai’s self-deprecating, dark humor always struck a chord with Schuldig. Or rather several of them, all at the same time, all off key in one big disharmonious mess.
“I’m surprised you’re here alone.”
Hakkai knew exactly where this was heading. He expected it. There was no sense in expecting Schuldig to be cloying about it.
“Gojyo was adamant about maintaining his independence.”
Schuldig leaned into the chair draping both arms over the back. After a silent moment of studying Hakkai’s mask like features, he dropped his gaze with a small sad shake of his head.
“He’s the first, isn’t he?” Schuldig eyes slowly lifted to find Hakkai’s. “You’ve never even shown interest before.”
“I wasn’t as if I went looking for him.” Hakkai offered a weak smile. “It just sort of… happened.”
“Yeah. Those are the worst. It’s only been a year. Cut it quick… the pain will subside faster that way.”
Hakkai’s eyes widened a bit, unsure where this advice was coming from.
“Crawford only said that he wasn’t to be turned. He didn’t say I needed to cut ties with him entirely.”
“It’s still fresh. Which is why I’m here. Think into it. How long do you want to keep him bound? So long that he can never be free of you… like Farfarello? There are very few equipped to deal with that sort of reality. Farfarello is unique. Your boy… mentally… not so much.”
“I…” Hakkai suddenly lost all words. If anything defined Gojyo is was his fierce independence. Keeping him,especially, as a blood bound slave, no matter how congenial or permissive a master he may be, would be incredibly cruel. “… I can stop sharing blood with him… “
Schuldig dipped his chin. It was worse than he thought.
“Listen, you can deal with your meal preferences how you like but I’m telling you… this won’t end well. Cut it clean. Not for his sake. For yours.”
Coming from Schuldig that was the closest thing Hakkai could hope to receive by way of a warning.
___________________________________________________________________________________
It had been an incredibly long time since Crawford found himself walking the streets of a slum. To his credit, Hakkai’s scion wasn’t entirely destitute. His choice of abodes, while not particularly desirable was expected. Gojyo’s guilt complex was so pervasive, Crawford actually had to reel Schuldig back in before he let himself get lost in it. It had been a century or more since he had to even consider censoring Schuldig in that way. The source of Hakkai’s attraction was blatantly clear after that.
And the visions that had forced Crawford’s hand would not be silenced.
Gojyo could not be turned. It was imperative, for the protection of the clan, however small it may be. And, Hakkai being Hakkai, and also one of Sanzo’s blood made simple words an ineffective deterrent.
Crawford found the small box of an apartment easily enough. He offered a small gesture of respect by actually knocking. The delayed rustling from within finally culminated in the door opening a scant few inches.
“Who the fuck are you? What do you want?”
“I’m an acquaintance of Hakkai’s. May we talk?”
“How do you know Hakkai?”
“As I said, he’s an acquaintance. He may have mentioned me. My name is Crawford. Brad Crawford.”
The long silence pause from behind that dark crack in the door spoke quite loudly. And also confirmed some of Crawford’s suspicions.
The door slammed shut but the sounds of chains and latches being unfastened quickly followed. As the door swung open, Crawford was somewhat surprised by the shirtless redhead that greeted him with a large vicious knife comfortably locked in his hand. So much about him instantly took him back to those first days when he had met Schuldig. The tug of nostalgia was forcibly silenced as he stepped through the door.
“What do you… I mean… “ Gojyo was clearly off guard and perhaps even a touch flustered as he shut the door. With a deep breath, he centered himself. “…why are you here?”
“Hakkai is not in trouble.”
The instant look of relief on Gojyo’s face confirmed a few more of Crawford’s more pressing suspicions.
“So…why…”
Before things became too convoluted and complicated, Crawford closed the distance between them without a hint of actual movement. With fingertips gently coursing down Gojyo’s face and an effortless imposition of sheer will, Gojyo was instantly in Crawford’s thrall, as easily and painlessly as falling asleep.
“This isn’t personal, Gojyo.” Crawford whispered as all traces of his presence evaporated from the redhead’s memory. After a few moments, Gojyo’s knees simply gave way. Crawford easily scooped him up, carrying him to the tiny water closet across the room.
After stripping him, Crawford placed Gojyo in the tub, turning on the water, letting the tub fill. As the water rose, Crawford brushed a few stubborn stray locks of hair from the redhead’s face, nostalgia tugging at him once again. His hand lingered on his cheek, curiously tracing the scars there, willing his inner sight to reveal a new outcome to the visions that brought him here in the first place. But no vision came. That in and of itself was not unusual and it did nothing to deter him.
He could clearly see Hakkai’s attractions to Gojyo, or, at least the most obvious of them. In almost any other situation, Crawford would simply drain Gojyo and be done with it. But, this was Hakkai’s scion. Crawford was under no obligation to honor the blood claim of one of his own progeny. By all tradition and blood inheritance, everything that belonged to his progeny was his. All of it. He was under no obligation to explain himself nor his actions. But still… this was Hakkai. There was more than one reason to treat this with some delicacy. This wasn’t personal - not against Gojyo nor Hakkai. And there would be no explaining that to Hakkai.
As attractive as draining the life from Gojyo may have been, Crawford opted for a more mundane method. Once the tub was sufficiently full, Crawford took up the knife Gojyo had grasped so tightly. With one last look to appreciate what could have been, Crawford incised one neat, clean line, wrist to elbow on each of his arms. The intoxicating scent of bright fresh blood lured him even further but his resolve would not be so easily eroded. He lingered there, watching the water bloom crimson, satisfied that this method would leave Hakkai with an impression they could all live with.
With a last gentle caress, tucking one stubborn lock of hair from Gojyo’s cheek one last time, Crawford turned to leave without a glance back.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Despite the seriousness of the initial conversation, Hakkai rather enjoyed his evening with Schuldig. It had been several decades since they last caught up and Schuldig always had a plethora of stories to tell.
Despite Schuldig’s friendly façade, Hakkai always had suspicious caution lurking just below his carefully manicured surface. It simply wasn’t in Schuldig’s nature to JUST be social. Everything he said and did had a reason. Usually some subversive, secretive, less than social reason. Despite that, Hakkai resolved to simply enjoy the candy coating as he swallowed down that much too bitter pill.
They had talked long into the night, in fact, into the early morning. Schuldig had called it a day just as the deep indigo of midnight gave way to the moody blues of an approaching dawn. It was still enough time. Despite Schuldig’s warning - or maybe because of it - Hakkai needed to speak with Gojyo. All these damned undead politics meant little to him, while Gojyo’s opinion meant everything. He knew they were from two entirely different worlds but he still felt he owed Gojyo, at least, a conversation before making a decision that affected him as well.
Hakkai made it to Gojyo’s apartment just as the horizon was taking on the pale shades of dawn. He knocked soundly on the door. Gojyo was home, he could sense him even though his signature was somewhat faint. Perhaps just deep asleep. He rapped harder. And again. The signature on the other side of that door was fainter and growing fainter by the second. In a moment of sudden panic, Hakkai put his shoulder to door and shattered the frame. The unmistakable scent assaulted him as he crossed that threshold.
“Gojyo?!”
The small one room was empty, leaving the closet sized washroom. The sight that greeted him from that doorway instantly brought him to his knees. Gojyo was awash in a pool of crimson, his glassy eyes lulled half open, his head lulled lifelessly against his shoulder. His skin was a stark white, in sharp contrast to the blood red background. The past came flooding back like a tsunami scouring his mind clean of all thought or reason. A single choked sob was the only action Hakkai’s traitorous body allowed him to make.
With that sound, Gojyo’s head twitched ever so slightly, his eyelids fluttered in a feeble attempt to open and focus his eyes. Hakkai sprang to his side.
“Gojyo? Can you hear me?” Hakkai went into crisis mode, assessing his wounds, checking his pulse. The wounds to his forearms were deep. Single, clean deliberate strokes without sign of hesitation. His pulse was beyond weak. It was immediately clear there was little he could do.
With another sob, Hakkai dropped his forehead to the top of Gojyo’s head silently cursing himself for missing some crucial sign. There was something he could have done and he had obviously failed.
“I failed you.”
“…don’t…” the weak whisper rattled past Gojyo’s dry lips.
“I’m so sorry Gojyo…”
“…no…” Gojyo’s whisper took on an edge of anger. He tried to raise a hand but only manage a slow heavy twitch with no hope of finding its mark.
“…save your strength…” Hakkai whispered between tears.
“…NO… don wanna…” Gojyo forced the words with his last ounce of strength. “… die…”
Hakkai put himself directly in Gojyo’s line of sight, his hands catching Gojyo’s face to meet his glassy gaze. He searched Gojyo’s eyes feverishly. Gojyo wasn’t sure he wanted this life. He had serious misgivings after learning what he did of their kind. While he was comfortable and trusting in Hakkai, he held a much different opinion of vampires in general. Hakkai found no fear in his eyes. All he saw was grim determination staring back at him from crimson eyes as the light behind them began to wane.
“You’re sure? You are entirely sure?”
“…yessss… “ The sound was so faint as to be inaudible to even Hakkai’s ears.
Instantly, Crawford’s words and Schuldig’s warnings all assaulted him in a moment of indecision. Did Crawford foresee this? Was this why he made his decree? Could he have warned him and prevented this altogether? The flood of questions was silenced in an instant as Gojyo exhaled a weak breath, and failed to take another.
All rational thought abandoned Hakkai. He bit cleanly through his lower lip and leaned in to kiss Gojyo deeply, tilting his chin up and back further and further, letting his own blood flow between them and slide easily down his throat. He could feel the last few flutters of Gojyo’s heart until they simply ceased.
After a long few minutes, Hakkai pulled away, tear stained and bleeding, a shiver working its way under his skin. It had been much too long but he realized, in a detached way, that he was going into shock. He had never witnessed the turning of a new fledgling but he was taught the academic version well enough. He managed to keep his wits about him just enough to pull Gojyo - pale, cold and lifeless - from the tub, clean him up and tuck him into his bed. Dawn was imminent and now, potentially, a threat to them both. He sealed off the single grungy window with the shutter Gojyo had rigged for Hakkai’s occasional overday stays. The door frame was shredded. The best Hakkai could do was prop it closed with a chair to the handle and the chains, bolts and locks still functioning along its length.
Hakkai stood there, just watching Gojyo’s lifeless form despite knowing that this could take quite a bit of time. Weak and shivering, Hakkai, crawled into the bed and curled around Gojyo, burying his face in his hair. He would stay right here and wait as long as it took. It was a small comfort knowing that, at least, Gojyo would somehow know that he wasn’t alone.
[ chapter 1 ] [ chapter 2 ]