Ficlet: Sweet, Antique Bakery/Saiyuki

[louiselux]

So, I was incapable of keeping this to drabble size.

For daegaer, who wanted Hakkai/Ono--




"So, eight éclairs, four choux buns and a hazelnut macaroon," the waiter said, writing carefully on his pad. He was wearing sunglasses, inexplicably. "And what will the other gentlemen be having?"

"Beer."

"Shortbread and green tea."

"Hmmm. Can I ask, does the chef use 80 per cent cocoa in the mille-feuille?"

The waiter froze, then trembled. "Ah-- I'llbebackinamoment."

He hurried off. Sanzo broke the silence.

"You got us lost again, didn't you?"

"Well, not lost as such, more-- er, misguided."

"Right," said Sanzo, and slumped in his chair. "I agree."

"I just thought we all needed a pick-me-up," Hakkai went on.

"Do I ever," Gojyo muttered.

"Hey," Goku said, breaking off his silent, intense contemplation of the chilled desserts cabinet, "I can sense something funny."

"What is it?" Sanzo said, looking about. "Youkai?"

"I dunno," Goku said, sniffing some more. "Not exactly. I can smell sugar-- and cream-- and uhhh--" he made sound that was quite indecent and turned in his seat, "good things."

A slim, red haired man in chef's whites was approaching, wide eyed and smiling as if someone had just told him he'd won the lottery. The waiter in sunglasses hovered nervously behind.

"So... is he a youkai?" Sanzo said, scowling.

"No," Hakkai said, slowly. "I think not."

The man in the chef's outfit got closer, beaming at each of them in turn.

"Something's not right," Gojyo said, clearing his throat and shifting nervously in his seat. A flush spread across his skin, starting at his neck and rising up. His eyes were fixed on the man's face.

Hakkai noticed that Sanzo's sutra had started to twitch on his shoulders in tiny jerks and that Sanzo had sat up straight in his chair. He looked, even more than usual, like he wanted to shoot someone. He wasn't going for his gun though. In fact he seemed almost paralysed, except for his fingers, which were clenched tight on the edge of the table. A faint high-pitched whining noise was coming from his throat.

Hakkai stood up, feeling a little dizzy and warm. His throat was very dry and his limiters were entirely too tight. Clearly something needed to be done.

"Goku, get Sanzo and Gojyo to safety. Start Jeep and drive away as fast as possible."

"But the cakes--"

"I need to set up a protective shield. Run, quickly!"

Hakkai loosened the laces at his shoulder and his shirt fell open at the throat. The man in the chef's outfit stopped in his tracks and his gentle, brown eyes glazed over.

"Uhh-- I-- ahh-- did one of you-- gentlemen want to know about the mille-feuille?" he stammered, stumbling back a little.

"Yes, please," Hakkai said, stepping closer.

"Oh. It's a-- a delicate balance of sweet and bitter, while a layer of dark caramelized sugar gives the pastry extra bite, for-- ah-- lovers of textural pleasures."

"Sexual-- what?" said Gojyo, as he was dragged away, mouth falling open.

The poor thing looked very confused. Hakkai smiled, thinking of how he might enlighten him, and turned his attention fully on the man in front of him.

"So, do you want m-- it? The cake," the man said, hands twisted in his own apron. "Or anything else?" he sighed.

Hakkai heard Jeep screech away from the kerb. The others were safe, or at the very least increasingly far away. That was-- actually very satisfying. He relaxed a little and dabbed a spot of moisture from his brow. He smiled again at the young man and began to button up his shirt.

"It's a tempting offer," Hakkai said. "But perhaps I'll settle for just a cup of tea."

Comments

[bastardlady.livejournal.com]

You... this... Hakkai...
*flails with mad, crazy love*

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you!