Pitter Patter

Author's Note: Thank you all my loyal readers, for sticking by me while my computer was down. Please read and enjoy the second chapter of Pitter Patter, and I will do my best to get Chapter Three up before too long. Again, Thank you! I appreciate all your reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own this anime, nor am I making any money off of this story.


Chapter Two:
Two months had past when they spent two nights in the small village. Demons still hunted the group, and Hakkai seemed well over his bout of the flu. Goku grumbled and rummaged through the supply pack that they had filled two months earlier, he was searching for some of the chocolate he had. He whimpered and poked his head up looking at Gojyo.

"You stupid water sprite! You ate my chocolate!" Hakkai froze slightly and looked rather guiltily in the rear view mirror.

"I did not you baka! I hate Chocolate! Don't you remember I'm allergic to the damned crap!" Goku blinked but didn't back down.

"So then you threw it out! You bastard!" The argument continued and Hakkai felt more and more guilty by the second. Sanzo glanced over at him and frowned.

"Hakkai?" Hakkai stopped the jeep and hung his head, his voice was rather broken as he spoke.

"Goku...I'm sorry, it was me. Don't blame Gojyo, I promise I'll buy you more." Goku froze in mid swing at the red head and blinked.

"Hakkai? Hey, it's okay...don't get all upset about it." Goku went over and peeked over the demon's shoulders. He was so close he could pick up Hakkai's sent and blinked raising an eyebrow at it. He shook it off and tried to see Hakkai's face. He saw a shimmer of a tear and blinked in shock. Hakkai...crying? Over something as stupid as chocolate? Goku frowned and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Goku..." he turned his head away and acted like he was just cleaning his monocle and brushing his hair out of his eyes. Sanzo glared a bit and looked at the demon and put a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Hakkai? Are you all right?" Hakkai nodded and smiled at the blond, albeit a rather fake one.

"I'm fine Sanzo. I promise, Goku, I'll buy you some more okay?" Goku nodded and smiled back, noticing that Hakkai's hair was a lot fuller than it used to be, and his skin a little bit more puffier. Sitting back, Goku wondered what it was that he smelled under Hakkai's usual sent, it was, well almost feminine. He wondered about it but soon forgot when Gojyo stole his rice ball.

"HEY! That was mine!" Hakkai laughed easily, and all seemed to be forgotten. Sanzo frowned and leaned back glancing at Hakkai as he read his paper.

*************************

Evening came and the group stopped for the day. As the group set up their bedrolls Sanzo and Gojyo lit up their cigarettes. Hakkai looked over and got up, stalking over to the two.

"Do you HAVE to smoke all the time? For cripes's sake, you should be more conscious about your health. Not to mention my own health, and Goku's! I'm not going to heal you two when you die of lung cancer when you're forty! You'd think that you would have more consideration for the fact that I'm your lover, Sanzo, but no! You don't even seem to care! I can't believe you!" With a mighty THWACK Sanzo's cigarette went flying out of his mouth, and a red hand print appeared upon his cheek. Gojyo's mouth hung open and he gaped at his friend as he quickly went off into the forest.

"What...the hell...was that all about?" Gojyo looked at Sanzo who was gaping like a fish out of water. Even Goku had froze in the middle of chewing an apple. Hakaryu froze and blinked nervously. He wondered if he should have told everyone about Hakkai's condition.

"Sanzo...um...maybe you should talk to Hakkai. He was kinda upset." Goku said around his mouth full of apple. Sanzo nodded and hurried off after him. Hakaryu started chattering wildly towards Goku, apologizing for Hakkai and himself. Of course, Goku blinked at the dragon and offered a slice of apple.

"Don't worry, Hakaryu, I'm sure Hakkai's just fine," he said with a smile. Hakaryu muttered to himself and decided to give up for the moment.

**************************

Sanzo stumbled through the dense forest looking for the dark haired man. He had a feeling that Hakkai was being moody lately, but usually just took it out on the demons that cased them. Never on Sanzo himself. It worried the monk severely. He didn't want their relationship to be this way.

"Hakkai?" he called ducking a low lying branch from scratching his face. He blinked and saw a piece of fabric on a sharp branch and took it. It was the lush green that Hakkai's shirt was colored with. His heart raced and he hurried past a large tree.

"HAKKAI?!"

"I'm right here..." came the muttered and strained voice of the demon. Sanzo turned around and looked at the tall man his one hand clutched around his shoulder a soft glow coming from the grip.

"Hakkai...what happened? Why did you run off like that?" Sanzo went over and sat next to the man. His face was stained with tears and dust, and a scratch across his cheek was just beginning to heal. Sanzo gently brushed a tear away from the green eyes.

"I don't know...I'm sorry Sanzo. I just don't know what's been going on with me." Hakkai lent into the monk's body and sniffed the soft robes. They smelt of cigarettes, newspaper and booze. A sent that though moments before Hakkai had yelled at Sanzo about, was now more than relaxing. Sanzo held the younger man close and stroked his head.

"Hey...it's okay. You're probably just stressed out. I know I am. Look, we're only a few day's travel away from another town. We'll stop there and rest for a while. You need it more than anyone." Hakkai looked up and cleared his eyes.

"No, no it's okay. I just needed to let it out, I guess. I'm sorry that I hit you." Hakkai muttered fidgeting a bit. Sanzo sighed and held the man close frowning.

"Don't worry about it. I kinda needed it." Sanzo smiled a bit and kissed Hakkai gently. Hakkai leaned forward into the kiss and sighed.

"I guess so. You have been more of a hard-ass than usual." Hakkai's relaxed smile came back and the monk knew that the demon would be all right.

"Whatever," he dismissed the comment a slight smile still tugging at his lips.

"Let's get back to the camp before Goku eats all the food and Gojyo beats the crap out of him." Hakkai got up and brushed himself off waiting as Sanzo did the same. Sanzo glanced over and noticed that Hakkai seemed to have put on some weight. He shook it off, though, figuring it was probably better for the demon, Hakkai was always far too skinny to be healthy.

"C'mon, then, Sanzo." Hakkai smiled and began walking off, careful of his footing. Sanzo smiled and followed glad that Hakkai was feeling better.

***************************

"Hey, geeze you all right now Hakkai?" Gojyo asked looking up from pouring himself some drink out of his thermos. Goku was looking up from smothering himself in apples still.

"Hey Hakkai!" Goku smiled after swallowing his mouthful. Hakkai smiled and tool off his shirt taking the small patch that Sanzo had got for him and sat down at his bedroll and began to sew it. Goku went over and sat next to the older demon.

"Have anything you need sewn, Goku?" Hakkai asked smiling at the monkey. Goku nodded and took off his over coat and handed it over.

"Thanks. Yeah, it's from the last battle." Goku smiled and watched as Hakkai's lithe fingers began to sew the small tear. Goku grinned and yawned sniffing a bit and blinked. He moved closer to Hakkai and sniffed the demon.

"Um...Goku...what are you doing?" The smaller demon frowned and sat back.

"You smell different is all. I noticed it before but I didn't say anything." Goku shrugged and sat back on his bedroll. Hakkai smiled rather tightly and quickly went back to sewing. Sanzo gave Goku a dark look and clenched his fist to keep from shooting the demon. Hakaryu who was perched in the tree above Hakkai began chirping happily.

~Maybe the monkey isn't as dumb as I took him to be...~ the small dragon thought.

"Goku! You idiot!" Gojyo smacked the demon upside the head. "Ya don't tell people that!" Goku winched and rubbed his head.

"OW! Geeze sorry. It's not like he has BO or anything. Not like you! Geeze I'm surprised Hakaryu hasn't dumped you into the river yet." Goku smirked and sat back against a tree. Sanzo sighed and sat next to Hakkai and while Gojyo and Goku got into a wrestling match, he gave the demon a kiss on the cheek and slipped into his bedroll.

~Maybe I should dump you both in one...So much for thinking that I was with intelligent demons.~ Hakaryu groaned and covered his muzzle shaking his head.

"Night Hakkai." Sanzo yawned and lay down. Hakkai smiled and chuckled.

"Good night Sanzo, sleep well."

"I will, if those two would shut up!" A bullet grazed it's way just past Gojyo's head and the kappa yelped.

"HEY!! Watch where you're shooting that thing! You almost hit me!"

"GO TO SLEEP!" hollered the monk. Within an hour, the other two were sound asleep. Hakkai sighed and finished sewing and looked up through the trees to see the flickering stars above.

~Hopefully it is just stress, and nothing serious...~ He thought as he lay a hand on his stomach. Hakaryu flew down from his perch and landed gently on Hakkai's lap. He nuzzled the demon's hand seeking to comfort his friend. He didn't know how demons went through the process, but it was obviously taxing on the young man. If there was one thing the white dragon hated seeing,it was his friend and savior hurting. Hakkai smiled at the dragon and patted the feathered head. He set aside the sewing kit and lay down in his bedroll pulling up the blanket he had. Hakaryu chirped and curled up next to him enjoying the body heat.

"Goodnight Hakaryu..." Hakkai whispered. With a pause the demon placed a small kiss upon the dragon's head. Hakaryu blinked and chirped his own goodnight nuzzling close to his heat source. He listened to the demon's heartbeat as it slowed slightly. The dragon smiled to himself and sniffed at his neck trying hard to pick up the secondary sent of the time left for Hakkai. He smiled and shook his head a bit.

~ I feel bad for Sanzo, he's got to deal with him more than I do. At least, though, Goku is noticing more and more what's going on. Hopefully Hakkai will find out too. Well...Goodnight Hakkai.~ Curling up with his thoughts Hakaru smiled. ~ Goodnight little one...~ With a yawn, the dragon fell asleep.

Hakkai was still sound asleep when the others woke to get moving for the day. Sanzo sighed and gently picked up the sleeping demon and put him in the back of Hakaryu. Goku frowned and sat in the back watching as the older demon slept.

"He really has been acting weird lately, Sanzo. He's acting like a hormonal woman." Gojyo said sitting in the passenger seat of the Jeep. "And trust me, I KNOW hormonal women." Goku nodded and sighed.

"Yeah, I mean he smells like that one woman we met in that town. She was kinda fat..." Goku said thinking. Gojyo glared at him and smacked him.

"That woman was pregnant, and Hakkai can't be pregnant, he's a guy.

"Look, when we get to the town we'll have Hakkai see another doctor. I'm sure it's just stress. We've all been under a lot of it lately. Now shut up, sit down and buckle up, before I make you." Sanzo started Hakaryu and began driving off towards the town, having Gojyo as his navigator.

The road was unfortunately long and rough. Hakkai had woken up around noon that day, and drove the rest of the way. Gojyo sat in the back with the dwindling supplies and Goku. The road was starting to clear up and become well traveled as the clouds began to gather above the traveling party.

"Goku, if you keep staring up at the clouds like that, you'll drown when it rains." Gojyo smirked and leaned back in the jeep watching the road pass by. Hakkai shook his head and drove along the road. As it widened, the clouds threatened rain. Putting on Hakaryu's headlights, Hakkai frowned.

"One of the few times I hoped that you had a roof, Hakaryu," Hakkai said with a pat on the dashboard. The radio chirped in agreement.

"Well, let's try to get a little further before we make camp." Sanzo looked up from his reading and folded the paper away.

"I'd rather we stopped now, I don't want to have to sit back here with a soaking wet monkey!" complained Gojyo.

"Yeah, besides, my ass is numb from riding back here." Goku sulked in the back and shifted his weight again. Hakkai smiled and nodded.

"All right, we'll pull over and make camp." Sanzo looked at Hakkai and growled about being out voted again.

"Relax, Sanzo, nothing is going to happen. And besides, in this rain doubt anyone will want to bother us." Pulling over, Hakaryu let the four men out before transforming and landing on Hakkai's shoulders.

"Hey, here's a pretty good spot. Lots of cover and stuff," Goku said looking back over his shoulder at the three older men. The four began to set up camp, getting as much cover as they could from the trees and the tarp they had bought back in the village. Hakkai smiled and set up pan in an open area so that they could catch fresh rain water for drinks and baths later.

"There, we should catch a good amount here. How much food do we have left?" Hakkai walked over to the group and sat down looking over the supply bags.

"Maybe a days worth. And we're still two days away from the town, at least. If we drive straight for the next day or so we should make it sooner. But there's no guarantee," Sanzo grumbled sitting heavily under the blue tarp and shrugging off his heavy robes. The humidity and the summer heat was just beginning. Gojyo growled and rubbed his forehead brushing his heavy bangs out of his face.

"Great, the stupid monkey's been eating all our food again!"Gojyo smacked him hard across the head and Goku yelped sniffling and holding his head.

"It's not all my fault! Hakkai's been sneaking food too!"Hakkai blushed and swallowed hard looking away and pulling his knees close to his chest. His own behavior was terrifying to the demon. In his heart, he wondered if he was starting to become affected by the negative aura that was washing over Shangri-La. Sanzo frowned and put a hand on Hakkai's shoulder and frowned.

"Hakkai, we need to talk. Come on." Sanzo got up and Hakkai followed him, nervously, into the forest. Shocked into silence, Goku and Gojyo worried about the monk and demon.

"You sure that you saw Hakkai sneaking food? That's not like him." Gojyo looked at the brown haired demon who frowned and nodded.

"Y-yeah. I didn't want to get him in trouble. I was just mad. You...you don't think that...that he's starting to loose himself do you?" The realization of the drastic changes in Hakkai's behavior slammed hard into the two demons. Gojyo frowned and got up.

"Come on, let's find out." The red head followed quietly after the other two, leaving Hakaryu to guard the camp.

***************************

The rain began to come down. Hakkai shook, feeling that everything was his fault, and that he was losing his sanity to his suppressed demonic powers. Sanzo was leading him to a quiet place deep within the forest. An occasional raindrop hit the leaves and splashed onto their clothes, darkening them in small drops. The two stopped in a small clearing, being pummeled by raindrops.

"Tell me the truth, Hakkai," Sanzo said not turning to face the other. "What's going on?" He turned just enough to look at him out of the corner of his eye. Hakkai froze under that gaze, half filled with fear and concern, the other half filled with the knowledge of the dark duty of the monk.

"I...I don't know what's wrong with me Sanzo. I'm hungry all the time, like Goku. Sometimes I just feel like smacking their heads together to get them to shut up and leave me alone. I've been gaining weight...and I'm terrified. What if I'm starting to become affected by the negative aura? What if I'm going to turn on you and the others?" Tears openly began to stream down the demon's face mingling with the rain. Sanzo let go of his gun in his holster under his arm and went over to the demon and wrapped his arms around him.

"I know...Look, when we get into town, we'll figure this out. Just hold out for a few more days okay? Fight it. We'll figure this out..." he repeated, drawing the smaller man into his embrace. Hakkai sobbed against his black leather body suit and skin, clinging to him like a lifeline to sanity.

"I'm afraid..." he whispered, pausing in his sobs. "But...if it comes to it, Sanzo, don't hesitate, okay? Don't you dare hesitate to pull that trigger...!" Sanzo froze and crushed the body against him, his eyes narrowing, tears coming unwanted. Would he be able to do it? Would he be able to draw his gun on the man he had come to love? Sanzo pushed his face into Hakkai's lush black hair and sighed deeply letting the rain pour down on them, soaking them.

*****************************

Gojyo and Goku sighed with relief for the time being and snuck back to the camp.

"I feel bad for them," Goku said once they were well out of hearing range. Gojyo nodded and sighed in agreement.

"Yeah, they really hit it off when we all first met. I just hope that it isn't that aura. I don't want to loose my best friend y'know? Well, let's just hope that it doesn't come to that, okay?" Goku nodded and entered the campsite, surprised to see that a fire had been started and a man sitting under the tarp, huddled up away from the rain.

"Hey! Who are you!?" cried the Monkey King, activating his bo staff. The man jumped and looked at the two men and got up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I'm just resting for a bit." Coming out from under the tarp the two demons could see he was wearing black rimmed glasses and a traveling cloak over jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was dark brown as well as his eyes. Upon his left hand was a gold ring simple in design.

"Who are you?" Gojyo glared and brought out his own weapon, trying to intimidate the man. The man smiled and raised his hands.

"I'm Dr. Mantizi, I'm from the town up ahead. I was coming to a patient who's a cripple just on the other side of this forest. I mean you two gentlemen no harm. Your dragon here welcomed me actually. He says that one of you is ill possibly." The doctor looked between the two as Hakaryu came from a tree branch and landed on a post that was holding the tarp up.

"You can understand Hakaryu?" asked Goku. Dr. Mantizi smiled and shrugged.

"A little. Though I'm by no means an expert on his language. Gojyo frowned and lowered his weapon, hearing the footsteps of Hakkai and Sanzo come from behind.

"Goku? Gojyo? What's going on?" Hakkai's voice cut through the rain as he came out from the woods. Sanzo looked over at the strange man and narrowed his intense purple eyes.

"Who is that?" he asked coarsely. Dr. Mantizi frowned and coughed into his fist.

"I'm Dr. Mantizi, I live in the village up ahead. As I told your two companions, I was simply looking for a place to avoid the rain. I apologize for my rudeness." Hakkai nodded and put a hand on Sanzo's arm to relax the monk.

"It's okay, you're welcome to stay with us for the night. We're headed for the next town if you need a ride, I'm sure the others won't mind an extra passenger. Right Hakaryu?" Hakaryu blinked and chirped that he would be fine carrying a fifth person. Mantizi blinked curiously at the dragon.

"Well, I'd be glad for a ride, but I don't want to overburden your dragon in flight." Hakkai blinked and laughed warmly.

"No, it's quite all right, Hakaryu transforms into a Jeep. But come on, let's get under the tarp before we all catch a cold. Oh, by the way, my name's Hakkai. This is Goku, Sanzo, and Gojyo." Hakkai went under the tarp, letting Hakaryu land on his shoulder gently to get out of the rain.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Thank you so much, I truly appreciate your kindness," the doctor said sitting down in a corner, letting the four other travelers have most of the room. Goku sat next to Hakkai and rummaged through their bag to find some snack to have.

"Knock it off, monkey, if you eat everything we're not going to have anything for breakfast!" Gojyo smacked Goku upside the head and grabbed the bag away from him.

"But I'm HUNGRY!" he cried. Sanzo and Hakkai shook their heads at the two before completely ignoring them.

"I take it they're always like that?" Sanzo nodded to Mantizi before shooting a bullet over the two demons' heads.

"Always," he grunted.

"HEY! Sanzo! That almost hit me!" Goku's scratching voice barely could be heard by the monk. He had become quite good at ignoring his charge's complaints.

"Even when we all first met they were like this. I suppose it's just a part of their character. Although lately they have been driving even me a little more crazy than normal," admitted Hakkai. He rubbed the back of his head and gently scratched Hakaryu's ear. The small white dragon cheeped in agreement before yawning and fluttering down to Hakkai's lap to sleep. Mantizi smiled and chuckled.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Your little dragon here told me that one of you is a bit ill." Sanzo looked up at the doctor and frowned. Hakaryu lifted his head up and nodded cheeping before curling back up to rest. Hakkai glanced over at Sanzo and frowned before looking to the doctor.

"Yes...I...have been feeling rather out of it lately. It started really since my bout with the flu about two months ago." Dr. Mantizi frowned and reached for his bag that he put behind him and pulled out a notebook and pen, along with a stethoscope, blood pressure wrap, and thermometer.

"Well, let's see if I can't help out then for a bit. How about you tell me your symptoms." Hakkai gently slid Hakaryu off his lap and onto a bundle of blankets next to him.

"Well, I occasionally get bouts of nausea usually in the morning after I've eaten. I've been urinating more frequently."

"He's been having mood swings like crazy..." muttered Gojyo lighting a cigarette.

"And eating a lot more," added Goku. Hakkai sighed and nodded.

"Both true, as well as I've gained a little weight. Occasionally I'll get pains in my lower abdomen, but it comes and goes very quickly." Dr. Mantizi frowned and put the thermometer in Hakkai's mouth before taking a listen to his chest. His mind began to process the symptoms and he glanced up at Hakkai's ear after taking his blood pressure, and looking at the thermometer.

"Well, everything seems to be in order. Your blood pressure's fine, as is your temperature. Your heart rate is a little elevated, but it could be from stress and nerves. Now..." Mantizi looked up at the man and took off his glasses to clean them. "I know this is rather...intruding upon your privacy, but it's necessary for me to know. Are you a demon?" Hakkai blinked and frowned nodding after a moment.

"Yes, I am. What does that have to do with this though?" Mantizi smiled and chuckled.

"It has a lot to do with it. In the village I come from, I specialized in demon physiology and pathology. Now, I know these questions are intrusive, but I am a doctor, and this information will not leave this tent to any other ears by my lips. Have you had any intercourse with men in the past three months?" Hakkai and Sanzo both tried to force back a blush, Sanzo simply taking another harsh drag off of his cigarette. Hakkai coughed and nodded blushing and swallowed.

"Y-yes...I have. Do you...think that this could be an STD?" Sanzo blinked and looked up, his mind automatically searching his own memory of any sort of symptoms he could have that might be an STD he transfered to his lover. Mantizi laughed and shook his head with a bright smile.

"Absolutely not, my friend. Although I still need a blood test to confirm this diagnosis, I am nearly positive that you are pregnant."