So Eliza finally has something to answer for in our game of "who can lead whom to hell faster." Therefore, it's only fair she betaed it, right? Right. This was written for her for the Wishes for Kisses Mini-Fanworks Challenge.

There's a blond beside Hakkai. The wrong blond. The only blond they have now, since Sanzo walked into thin air in pursuit of a sutra, and Goku walked into thin air in pursuit of Sanzo. All that walked out is this young man who says his name is Ed. He frowns after saying it, as though trying to remember the rest, then shrugs and leaves it. Ed, who says he came through a gate, and Sanzo and Goku must have gone through it in another direction, but can't say where.

Hakkai feels Gojyo staring at them both. Ed's watching him oddly, and he's not sure why. Hakkai looks around the clearing where Sanzo and Goku disappeared, at the mess they all made of the youkai waiting there. Even Ed, who called a weapon from the ground and killing the last of those holding Hakkai and Gojyo back from where their friends had vanished.

He's not youkai, Hakkai can feel it in his chi. He's not quite human, either, but he hasn't attacked them, he came from wherever Sanzo and Goku went, and so Hakkai smiles and gently prods in the hopes of shaking memories loose.

He turns his head to give Ed his blandest smile. "Ed-san--"

Ed grabs him by his tunic, tugs him down, kisses him. He's so startled he doesn't pull away, despite Gojyo's squawk. Then Ed's shoving him back, scowling. "No. Damn it!"

"What the fu--"

"Ah," Hakkai says, overriding Gojyo. "What was that for, Ed-san?"

"Nothing," Ed mutters, crouching and picking up a stick with his strange metal hand, beginning to sketch a circle in the dirt. "Just...you remind me of someone. Doesn't matter. Let's get your guys back."

It does matter, but Hakkai knows a ghost when he hears it. He doesn't ask again.

~END~