Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Take it or Leave it ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Title: Take it or Leave it - Ch.5
Pairing: Gojyo/Sanzo (naturally)
Rating: Worksafe
A/N: Due to certain circumstances, there is no citrusy content in this chapter, but then again, just like any (real) relationship, if it isn't any good in the absence of sex then what good is the relationship at all? Also, the abruptness of time in the plot is a little more obvious during jeep rides, and for that I am sorry, but you must keep in mind that this originates from a very loose, fast-paced RP that I didn't want to alter too much (and if I did there's no telling how long it would be then).
Length: Magically, shorter than the last chapter O_o I'm not sure how that happened. I was conviced it would be longer.

COMMENTS PLEASE!!! I need to know what you think!

Disclaimer: No, they don't belong to me. If they did, all hell would break loose and fangirls everywhere would lose their minds.

Warnings: Yaoi, general potty-mouth, some violence, angst. Also possible fluff and/or sap and much childish behavior. Yay.


Take it or Leave it

Chapter Five


All too soon the sun rose, warm and insistent on Gojyo's eyelids. Sighing softly, he opened his eyes to find that he still had a sleeping beauty in his arms. He kissed the blonde head gently as he watched the monk sleep. Sanzo's brow furrowed a little and he murmured something, shifting closer to the warm body next to him. Gojyo pulled him closer, his eyes soft as he lightly ran his hands over pale skin, loving every inch of it. The blonde shivered and squirmed slightly at the touches as he pushed his face harder against Gojyo's stomach and mumbled, "Quit it."

"Aww, why?" Gojyo asked softly.

"Tickles..." Sanzo said to Gojyo's chest, still half asleep.

Gojyo chuckled. "But I'd love to hear you giggle,"

The monk pushed up on his hands and glared at the kappa through sleep-fogged eyes and mussed blonde hair. "I don't giggle." Gojyo brushed some hair from his face to see his eyes and kissed him, Sanzo kissing back for a moment before half-heartedly pushing him away and sitting, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "We should get going soon."

"Yeah," Gojyo said, not moving as he stared at Sanzo’s bare back and resisted pulling him back into his arms.

Feeling Gojyo's eyes still on him, Sanzo blushed a little and casually glanced down at the bandages around his waist. Fuck. He had hoped that the dull burn had been from last night's excursions, not...dammit. He just wouldn't say anything. There was only a little blood and he didn't need to ruin Gojyo's good mood over something like that. Hell, knowing Gojyo he'd probably think he was responsible.

The monk slowly stood, keeping the small spots of blood out of view as he found the clean laundry left in the room from the night before and pulled on his clothes. Gojyo stretched shamelessly and sat up with a groan. Sanzo grinned at him before throwing his clothing at his face. "Hurry up and get dressed so we can meet the others for breakfast." Gojyo stuck his tongue out before pulling his shirt over his head and proceeded with the rest of his clothing.

Seemingly presentable, the pair left their room and proceeded down the stairs to the dining room and joined Hakkai and Goku at their table, each taking an offered cup of coffee gratefully.

"Good morning," Hakkai said, smiling.

"Nn,"

"Morning, Sanzo!" Goku said cheerfully, pleased at the change of the monk's state. He seemed happy again; or at least as happy as Sanzo could be.

Lounging in his chair and ready to just leave, Gojyo sipped his coffee quietly before looking sideways at Goku and quickly swiping some food off of his plate.

"HEY!"

Sanzo glared at the kappa in warning, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'what?' as he chewed the stolen food in satisfaction. Unimpressed, Sanzo rolled his eyes and drank his coffee.

After a sustained moment of silence, Goku looked between Gojyo and Sanzo. "Are you guys still fighting?"

Gojyo raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Well, you guys were making so much noise again last night, I thought you must be,"

Gojyo choked and sloshed coffee down his front as Sanzo gagged and started coughing as his own coffee went down the wrong pipe. "DAMMIT!" Gojyo snapped as Goku blinked in bewilderment. Hakkai patted Sanzo on the back, not quite hiding his amusement.

"I don't have another clean shirt! Why'd you make me choke like that, you stupid monkey?!"

"What? What'd I say?"

"Are you all right?" Hakkai inquired to a very red Sanzo who was still coughing, referencing to more than the choking incident.

Clearing his throat and covering his eyes with his hand he muttered, "I'm fine," over the still ensuing argument between the monkey and the kappa. Hakkai nodded but still wasn't satisfied. He knew what had happened last night had not been exactly wise.

"Go buy me a new shirt," Gojyo said, smacking Goku upside his head.

"OW! It's not my fault you don't know how to drink properly!"

Sanzo's head hit the table with a soft thump. This was so embarrassing.

Gojyo scowled down at his shirt. He was tempted to take it off and rinse it out right there, but he knew he probably had some nice marks from last night. "Dammit."

"I didn't do anything," Goku pouted, "it was just a question."

"Yeah, well, shut up," Gojyo said as he pulled his arms out of his sleeves and turned his shirt to face backwards, putting his jacket on to cover the stain now at his back with a triumphant grin.

"You're such a jerk," Goku muttered.

Gojyo sighed and glanced at Sanzo who still had his head on the table and was muttering to himself. "We were never really fighting," Gojyo said, holding back a yelp a second later when Sanzo hit his leg under the table to make him shut up.

"You weren't? But I thought..."

"N-no...it was more of just a misunderstanding."

"Oh..." Goku said, still a little lost but deciding it didn't really matter. He still needed to finish breakfast.

As Goku resumed eating, Sanzo finally sat back up, still a little red, and went back to his coffee. Gojyo was relieved that was all Goku had had to say. He probably would have gotten shot if it had been anything more. The kappa leaned back and put his feet up on the table.

Resisting the urge to push him over, Sanzo sipped at his bitter coffee. "Stop doing that, you'll fall."

Gojyo stuck out his tongue. "Leave me alone and drink your stupid coffee."

Sanzo's eyebrows shot up but he didn't get a chance to say anything as Hakkai cut him off. "We really should get going soon,"

"Nn," Sanzo grunted as he drained his mug, "especially since we lost all that time."

"Exactly," Hakkai said as he stood, "so saddle up you three. I'll get Haruryuu ready."

Gojyo leered at the healer as he walked past. That little pervert. He'd said that on purpose.

"C'mon," Sanzo said gruffly as he stood. Goku looked at the remaining food on the table sadly as he rose and followed Hakkai outside. Sanzo glared at the kappa who had yet to move. "Well?"

"Well?"

Sanzo rolled his eyes and started past him. "Get up, we need to get moving."

Gojyo leaned his head back as he tracked Sanzo's movements, grabbing his arm when he got close enough and pulled him into a kiss with a laugh. Sanzo flailed and kicked the back of the kappa's chair to send him into the table. "Fucking--" Sanzo sputtered, cherry red.

"Ahh!" Gojyo yelped and managed catch his hands on the table before his chest slammed into it, Sanzo storming outside in a swirl of robes and the other patrons staring. Gojyo gave them all a dirty look as he hopped up and followed after the monk.

Sanzo sat down in his usual spot in jeep with a huff, his face still rather red and eyes hidden. He pushed his hands into his sleeves and gripped his harisen in one of them. Gojyo hurried next to Goku before he had a chance to get in and whispered in his ear, "Hey,"

"What?"

"Go tell Sanzo that I say for him to sit in the back with me and you can have the front."

Goku looked at the red head suspiciously. "Are you stupid? He'll hit me."

"I promise he won't," Gojyo said as he looked at Goku with big eyes, "pleeeease,"

Goku gave the kappa one more look before stepping over next to Sanzo. "Um...hey, Sanzo?"

"What?" The blonde snapped.

"Uhh," he said nervously, "Gojyo says that...that you should sit in the back with him and give the front to me," he ended in a rush, throwing his arms over his head to ward off a blow.

Sanzo narrowed his eyes dangerously and glared at the kappa who was carefully pulling himself into the back seat. Looking back at the monkey he said, "Go sit down and stop saying stupid things." He was mad about that kiss.

Gojyo looked down disappointed as Goku sat down beside him and pouted a little before kicking the back of Sanzo's seat.

The monk was thrown forward from the blow and snapped his head around to face Gojyo. "Hey!"

The kappa looked around innocently. "What?"

"Stop acting like a child," Sanzo said, glaring.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Sanzo sneered and turned back around as Hakkai started the engine and began taking them out of the town.

Gojyo kicked the back of Sanzo's seat again. He wanted them to sit together really badly. He'd gotten his hopes up and everything.

Clenching his fists the blonde turned around again. "For the love of God, what?!"

Gojyo looked up at the sky, ignoring the irritated monk. Goku scooted away from Gojyo and Sanzo's wrath.

"I know what you're doing and it's not going to work!" Sanzo snapped.

"Hm? Are you talking to me?"

Hakkai sweatdropped.

Sanzo smacked the kappa smartly over the head with his harisen.

Gojyo glared. "Do it again, I dare you."

Sanzo sneered and struck again.

"Gah!" Gojyo yelped and pushed his feet against Sanzo's seat, kicking it over and over and bouncing the blonde as if they were on a rocky road.

"...Gojyo, that's not good for the seats," Hakkai said as Sanzo clutched the back of the seat, his harisen slipping from his hand. Fuck, but that treatment did not help with his throbbing wound.

"Quit it you jackass!"

Gojyo frowned and lowered his feet. "You're such a jerk."

Sanzo gaped. "You were the one kicking my seat like a two year old!"

"Oh, like I'd just up and kick your stupid seat for no reason!"

"Oh for the love of--FINE! I'll fucking sit with you!" Sanzo spat, pained and far too tired for a stupid fight.

Silence reigned a few short moments before Gojyo found his voice again. "You will?" he asked surprised.

"If it means you'll shut the hell up and stop kicking me, yes!" Sanzo snapped as he clambered over the seat and ordered a dumbfounded Goku to move, slumping down into the seat with his arms crossed over his chest. Gojyo stared at him, wide-eyed as a smile broke across his face.

Goku sat down next to Hakkai, at a complete loss. All Hakkai could do was smile.

It became strangely quite for a while, Sanzo glaring at the passing scenery, a slight flush tinting his cheeks, and Gojyo still grinning. The quiet broke abruptly a few moments later when Goku turned on the radio making everyone jump.

"Dammit..." Gojyo muttered as he rubbed his forehead, embarrassed that he'd started. Hakkai turned the volume down but didn't stop a gleeful Goku from entertaining himself. Sanzo's lip curled.

They reached the end of the stretch of desert they'd been on for the past two weeks and pulled onto a rockier road, not particularly bumpy but full of potholes, one of which knocked Gojyo into Sanzo when Hakkai drove over it. Sanzo bit his lip sharply to stop his yell of pain at Gojyo hitting his side and pushed the kappa off only to be thrown across Gojyo's lap a moment later when jeep went over another pothole.

"Dammit Hakkai!"

"I'm sorry! There's not much I can do about it,"

"Oh, like hell!" Sanzo snapped as he pushed himself back up.

"It's not that bad," Gojyo mumbled as he helped the blonde steady himself.

After a few more minutes of rocky terrain, the road smoothed out and everyone breathed easier. Gojyo cast glances at the monk seated beside him every now and again before casually stretching his arms out to rest over the back of the seat behind Sanzo. The blond shot him a half-hearted glare.

Hakkai glanced at the rear view mirror at them every few seconds.

The red head inched a little closer, looking innocently straight ahead. Sanzo's eyes narrowed and he folded his arms across his chest again, a little red in the face. Gojyo tiptoed his fingers over the back of the seat and rested his hand on the monk's shoulder, receiving a warning growl for the move. "Gojyo." Sanzo said, his aura practically sizzling.

"Yes?" he asked innocently.

"Quit it."

"What? I always sit like this," he said with an air of oblivion as to why Sanzo was so bothered. Sanzo scowled.

Goku was watching quietly in the rearview mirror with Hakkai as he continued driving. They still had quite a while until they reached the next town.

Sanzo fidgeted.

After a long silence, Gojyo's head slowly tipped forward as he dozed off, leaning closer to the one he loved in his sleep. Sanzo stiffened and turned red.

Goku tried hard not to laugh at Sanzo.

The sleeping kappa's head bobbed with the small bumps in the road, tilting down to rest against Sanzo's arm. The blonde pushed lightly at Gojyo to get him to move, red and saying quietly, "C'mon, get off,"

Hakkai was trying to stop glancing back at them, but they were so damn cute together.

Gojyo sighed and cuddled a little more with the body next to him. "Geh--" Sanzo pulled his feet up as he tried to push Gojyo off and move away, neither action succeeding. "Gojyo, get off me--"

Goku snickered and Hakkai gave him a look to make him shush.

Gojyo moaned softly, sighing again as his arm slipped from around Sanzo and he slid into his lap. Sanzo bristled and shoved him hard. "Gojyo!"

The kappa blinked awake and looked up at him from his vantage point in the monk's lap. "Heh, well hello there."

Sanzo flared up and shoved Gojyo off of him and into his seat. "You're even a pervert while you're sleeping!"

"I'm a what?! No no no no no, there's a fine line between 'pervert' and 'professional lover'," Gojyo said and flipped his hair, "I like to think I walk that line every day of my life."

Quite red, Sanzo glared at the scenery again. "You're full of it."

Gojyo resisted the urge to say, 'No, you are.'

Goku pushed the knuckles of one of his fists into his mouth to stifle his laughter, Gojyo glaring and kicking the front seat again to bounce him.

"HEY! What was that for?!"

"I hope you choked on your fist, you dumb monkey," Gojyo said as he sprawled out again, his arm back behind Sanzo. Goku muttered something under his breath but didn't push it when he saw Sanzo put his face in his hands and heard him mumble something about idiots.

Gojyo sighed, content to just have his arm behind the blonde for now as Sanzo crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the scenery once more. Silence reigned once again, the only sound coming from the low music playing on the radio. Gojyo looked over at Sanzo, who was decidedly not looking at him, and eyed his scripture, staring at the calligraphy written over it. He'd planned on trying to read it but it was in a script he'd never seen before.

Sanzo had calmed some in the reprieve from idiocy and watched the scenery passing by, unaware of the monkey still stealing glances at them in the mirror. Gojyo made a face at the kid the next time he looked, causing Goku to hastily draw his eyes forward. Hakkai was doing a far better job of not getting caught.

Gojyo grinned some and nudged Sanzo. "Hey, can you read that?"

Sanzo gave him a look. "Read what?"

"The scripture," Gojyo said, pointing at it.

Sanzo glanced down at it in a bored fashion. "Yes."

"It's in some other language, right? It just looks like a bunch of chicken scratch to me."

Sanzo snorted. "It would."

Gojyo rolled his eyes. He should have expected something like that. "Don't get snappy, damn. How did you learn it?"

Sanzo paused for a moment before deciding to answer. "My master taught me."

"So it's something only a Sanzo priest can really learn?"

"You could say that," the blonde said carefully, "but back then I had no idea he'd name me as his successor...or at least not that he would when he did."

"He never really told you he would?" Gojyo asked, honestly interested.

Sanzo paused. "No...not until the night he gave me my Buddhist name," Sanzo said quietly, forcing his voice to stay calm as he hurriedly added, "I think I was about twelve."

Still listening, Hakkai felt himself growing wary. Gojyo didn't realize that he was tiptoeing around a very sensitive subject. He wasn't even sure how Sanzo would really react to a question like--

"What was your name before that?" Gojyo asked. He'd never known any of that before.

Sanzo's face tightened and he shifted to hide behind his hair, closing off as he snapped at Gojyo, "I'm not talking about that!"

Gojyo blinked in shock. "Uh...okay,"

The blonde avoided all eye contact and stared out the side of jeep. Gojyo sighed. Every fucking time. He always managed to find just the right way to piss Sanzo off. He pulled his arm out from behind Sanzo and folded them, staring out the opposite side of the jeep, any remains of a good mood left in the dust behind them.

Minutes passed, and Sanzo flicked his gaze over to Gojyo and felt a twinge of guilt for getting angry. It wasn't like Gojyo knew.

Hakkai could feel the tension as if it were bearing down on him, and was pretty sure he was probably the only one who knew anything about Sanzo's past and in turn why he hated talking about it.

Gojyo was brooding. He just didn't get Sanzo at all, it was as if he were bipolar or something. Hell, he was worse than a chick with PMS.

The monk stared at his feet, uncomfortable. How was it he always managed to do this to Gojyo? He didn't mean to, not really.

Overwhelmed by the pressing silence, Hakkai spoke up. "We've got about four more hours, guys."

"Aww, man," Goku said loudly.

Hakkai raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong Goku?"

"I'm hungry..."

"We'll eat when we arrive," Hakkai chuckled.

"But--"

"Shut up, you can wait!" Sanzo snapped as he smacked the monkey on the head.

Gojyo chuckled and Sanzo rounded on him. "What, you think it's funny? You're the one who'll be buying him dinner."

Gojyo gaped. "Son of a bitch!"

Sanzo chuckled. "Think I forgot?"

Gojyo turned away from him, even more frustrated than before. At least he hadn't gotten hit.

Sanzo's smile faded at the look on the red head's face and felt guilt turn in his stomach once more; the distraction hadn't made Gojyo forget that he'd snapped at him again.

He thinks this is easy for me I bet, Gojyo thought savagely, just because I fake love all the time he probably thinks this is nothing different. I don't think he'd lie about all that stuff last night, but still...

"No Goku, you can't drive." Hakkai said in the background.

"Why notttttt?"

Sanzo took a shuddering, steadying breath and wrapped his arms around his stomach, bowing his head to hide his eyes."Kouryuu," he said quietly.

Hakkai's eyes widened. Sanzo had just...he maintained his fight with Goku to give him cover.

Not sure he'd really heard anything at all, Gojyo blinked and turned his head slowly to look at the blonde.

"My name...was Kouryuu," Sanzo said almost inaudibly, head still bowed as he continued to hold himself. Why was he doing this?

"...You don't look like a Kouryuu," Gojyo said softly, "It's a nice name, but you're Sanzo. It's just you."

Sanzo laughed softly, unable to hide the bitterness. "Do you know what it means?" Gojyo shook his head. "River rat. I was Kouryuu, the river rat."

"River rat?" Gojyo made a face. "That definitely isn't you," he said as it slowly started to hit him as to why Sanzo had gotten so snappy.

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not," Gojyo said as he leaned down to see under Sanzo's bangs.

"I didn't go to the monastery by choice," Sanzo continued with a dead voice as Gojyo blinked at him, "Master Sanzo found me in the river when I was very small. Where I'd been dumped and left to die."

"Please," Hakkai said to Goku, "if it's not raining we don't need the windshield wipers on."

"But it's fun," the monkey pouted.

Gojyo's jaw was clenched tightly as his heartbeat echoed in his ears. He'd had no idea...never...

"I should have died," Sanzo mumbled, "but he didn't let me."

Gojyo's eyes widened at that and he sat up, grabbing Sanzo's shoulders and pulling him into a tight embrace. Sanzo tensed horribly. "Don't ever think that, please," he whispered against Sanzo's hair. He didn't care if Goku and Hakkai saw. Sanzo relaxed in Gojyo's arms, sighing softly as he pressed his face against Gojyo's shoulder. "We're all alive because we're supposed to live." Gojyo said quietly.

"Which is why everyone tries to kill us, right?" Sanzo asked with muffled sarcasm.

Gojyo chuckled. "Well, we do have fun kicking ass," he said as he let go and leaned back again, resting his arm behind Sanzo once more and a faint smile returned to his face.

Sanzo sat back, fidgeting, red-faced, and exceedingly self-conscious. Why had he just said all those things, why the fuck had he even opened his mouth?

Gojyo watched Sanzo out of the corner of his eye, his eyes much softer and his own brand of guilt settling in his chest at having spurned such a confession from Sanzo when he had obviously wanted to do otherwise. He moved the hand hidden behind Sanzo and rubbed his back lightly with his thumb, knowing that Goku and Hakkai couldn't see.

"It’s called a gear shift, Goku, not a jeep stick," Hakkai said lightly.

Sanzo and Gojyo both held back a laugh.

"Oh..." Goku said, a little put out.

"It's okay, that's how you learn things," Hakkai said genially.

"Well, I knew there had to be some reason why they don't let monkeys drive," Gojyo said, unable to hold back his laughter any longer.

"Shut up you stupid kappa!"

"Hey, I knew it was called a gear shift," Gojyo smirked.

Sanzo glared at Gojyo as Goku yelled something back. "What have I told you about instigating?" he asked in irritation.

Gojyo blinked. "You never say anything, you just hit us and tell us," he made an angry Sanzo face, "to shut the fuck up!!!" He lost the face and laughed.

Sanzo turned red, fuming. "I don't look like that!"

Gojyo looked at Goku. "Was I right?"

Hakkai sweatdropped.

Sanzo stammered for a moment before turning redder. "I don't!"

Goku was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Maybe the eyebrows should be more down..." Gojyo said frowning as he leaned his head outside the jeep to see himself in the side mirror, trying to contort his face to look like Sanzo's.

Sanzo was mouthing wordlessly, cherry red.

Goku turned around to look at Gojyo. "I don't think you have your lips tight enough...and there's no way you can get that same vein in your forehead,"

"Hmm, you're right," Gojyo muttered as he pursed his lips tightly together and clenched his teeth as he tried to get a vein to show.

Hakkai was trying not to laugh in spite of himself.

Sanzo was creeping very near his boiling point and was red enough that it was amazing there wasn't steam coming out of his ears.

Gojyo stopped trying and laughed hard, still hanging over the side of jeep.

"You--I'll--" the blonde stammered as he could not suitably articulate his anger.

Gojyo was still laughing and couldn't even get a full sentence out. "Did you see when--hahahahahaha--and with the vein, and--haha--"

In a movement far too fast to perceive, Sanzo whipped out his gun and pressed it beneath Gojyo's chin, hard. The laughter died in the back of the kappa's throat ending with a choke. "C'mon...we were just joking,"

Sanzo pulled back the hammer. "I don't think it's funny."

Gojyo's eyes widened. "S-shit, Sanzo, c'mon!"

"BANG!" Goku yelled.

"FUCK!" Gojyo yelped and fell off the seat, curling into a ball on the floor as Sanzo fumbled his gun and landed on the floor beside Gojyo. Hakkai laughed.

"GOKU!" Sanzo yelled, smacking him on the head.

"Dammit you little monkey freak! I'll kill you!" Gojyo shouted as he smacked him over the head too.

"OWWW! It was a joke, geez!"

Fuming, Gojyo whipped around to look at Sanzo. "I seriously thought you shot me!" He smacked Goku again. "Dumbass!"

"AM NOT!"

"Are too!"

On his last nerve, Sanzo fired at Goku. "SHUT THE FUCK UP AND SIT DOWN!"

"Gah-" Goku yelped as he ducked and turned back to face front. Gojyo fell back into his seat grumbling to himself. Sanzo irritably shoved his gun back into his sleeve as he tried to ignore the reinforced pain in his abdomen from the fall.

Still shaken, Gojyo looked back over at Sanzo after a while. "You wouldn't have really shot me...would you?"

Sanzo looked at him sideways. "Maybe."

"...No you wouldn't."

Sanzo stared at the back of Goku's head, not answering but with a light blush crossing his features. Gojyo smiled and looked ahead again, proud of himself for actually winning one against the priest.

The blonde lightly smacked Gojyo's shoulder. "Take that stupid grin off your face and stop looking so proud of yourself," he said in grumpy embarrassment.

"You think all my grins are stupid."

"And that would be because you are stupid."

"Well, you're a jerk, so I guess we're even."

Sanzo kicked Gojyo's leg. Gojyo kicked him back and smirked. Sanzo glared and kicked back harder. Gojyo narrowed his eyes and retaliated. Scowling, the monk shoved Gojyo's side with his foot. "Stop it," Gojyo mumbled as he did the same back. Sanzo bit his lip again as pain spiked through his stomach as he hit the side of jeep and repeated the motion, harder.

"You're so immature," Gojyo said, failing at holding back a laugh as he sat still.

Watching in the mirror, Hakkai raised his eyebrows. Sanzo scowled and sat back down properly, smacking a laughing Goku. Hakkai did his best to not laugh either. "We're getting ready to pull into town," he said bracingly over the awkward silence.

"Good," Sanzo grumbled, ready to get out of the damn jeep.

"Woo! We can eat!" Goku chirped.

"Woo...eat..." Gojyo said, sulking.

Hakkai stepped on the gas, anxious to get out of the car and somewhere that there wouldn't be nearly as much tension. Hopefully.

Sanzo snickered a little at Gojyo's plight.

"Shut up."

"No."

"Well, at least this bet's coming to an end soon," Gojyo grumbled as he leaned his elbow on the side of the jeep.

"Are you forgetting about the other week without alcohol and cigarettes?"

"No," Gojyo mumbled, "I'm hoping you will."

"Fat chance."

Hakkai pulled up and parked in front of an inn. The town looked lively enough, people bustling around through the stalls and no apparent signs of demons anywhere. Sanzo stretched and hopped out along with Goku and Hakkai, followed by a very unenthusiastic Gojyo.

"Can we eat now?" Goku asked hopefully. Hakkai looked back at the other two. Gojyo's head was hung with dread.

Sanzo patted the kappa sarcastically on the shoulder. "Sure."

"All right!" Goku said as he started off down the street towards the best smell he could pick up. Gojyo drug his feet as he followed after the rest of them.

Goku made his way to a decent looking place, the others following behind in his wake. "Fucking starved animal..." Gojyo grumbled to himself as he sat down, not looking forward to facing the doom about to befall upon his wallet.

Sanzo seated himself sedately besides Gojyo as the monkey rambled about what he thought sounded good. Gojyo wanted to throw up.

The waitress appeared in short order, and everyone ordered their food, Gojyo choosing to pass.

"I'm not hungry."

Hakkai gave him a sympathetic look. "You should eat something, Gojyo,"

"Somehow I've lost my appetite."

"Suit yourself," Sanzo sighed as Hakkai continued to look concerned.

It wasn't long until their food came, and Gojyo tried not to watch as Goku ate with fervor. Hakkai ate politely, noting that Sanzo was merely picking at his scant meal. "Sanzo...you need to get some food in you," he chastised, giving the blonde a motherly look.

The monk scowled. "I'm not hungry. Is it a crime?" He felt himself lacking an appetite. His side was throbbing quite badly.

"If you keep neglecting your body it will start to backfire."

Sanzo stared at him blandly. "It does anyways so what difference does it make now?"

Hakkai sighed. "I worry about you,"

"Yes, I know," Sanzo said gruffly, his eyes narrowing, "it's annoying. Worry about someone else.

Hakkai rolled his eyes and decided to leave it alone for the moment.

Gojyo was staring at the wall blankly, drinking water. "I'm never playing cards with you again, Sanzo."

"I believe you."

"This water tastes like piss."

"Don't be gross," Goku said, his mouth full of food.

"Don't be stupid," Gojyo snapped, "but wait, you can't help it. My bad."

"I'm not stupid!"

Sanzo's lip curled.

"Baka baka baaaka," Gojyo teased as he swiped one of Goku's spring rolls.

"HEY! Give that back, it's mine!"

With a malicious smile, Gojyo dropped it on the floor.

Goku couldn't speak for a moment. "YOU--"

Sanzo smacked the both of them sharply with his all-mighty harisen. "Shut UP!"

"Dammit!" Gojyo yelped.

"How old are you?!"

"At least I don't walk around whacking people with a fucking fan!"

The other patrons of the restraunt had started to stare.

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't incapable of going five minutes without starting a fight, Gojyo!"

"You're always in such a foul mood that if I even said 'hello' to Goku you'd hit me, Genjo!"

Hakkai's jaw dropped as Goku choked on his food and the harisen slipped out of Sanzo's hand, the monk's mouth open. Gojyo smirked and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest.

Sanzo clamped his mouth shut and stood abruptly, glowering down at the insolent kappa. Gojyo really didn't care. He was pissed; he hadn't had a drink or a cigarette for days and was about to turn out his pockets for a damn monkey.

Sanzo roughly grabbed the collar of Gojyo's shirt and hauled the red head to his feet and pushed him outside into the street.

"DAMMIT, let go of me!" Gojyo snapped as he had to stumble to regain his balance.

Sanzo was angry beyond words. "What the fuck?!" he shouted. People stared.

"Don't 'what the fuck' me! I've got just as much a right to be pissed off as you!"

"Yeah, well you have NO RIGHT--"

"No right to what?"

"To call me that, you asshole!"

"What, your name?! You think I'd wig out if you called me Sha?"

Sanzo twitched with anger and was a little hurt. "You only did it because you knew it would piss me off!"

"I haven't had alcohol or nicotine for almost a WEEK dammit! I'm on edge and your whacking me with that goddamn fan all the time doesn't help much!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't be an ass all the time!"

"Well according to you, I am an ass all the time!"

"I think humiliating me in public counts as an asshole thing to do, so excuse me when I say it leads me to believe that you are!"

"...I embarrass you?"

"You called me Genjo in a fucking restraint!"

"It's your name! Now we're just going in circles,"

"Just forget it!" Sanzo snapped as he turned back to the door.

Gojyo groaned. "I'm sorry, okay, I just did it to piss you off."

"Which is why it makes me so mad," Sanzo bit out as he stormed back inside. Sanzo sat back down and stared moodily at his food, not even pretending to be interested in it anymore. Hakkai and Goku had heard most of the argument but both were wise enough to not say anything.

Gojyo sighed and shook his head. He felt really bad now. Sanzo was a very private person and Gojyo hadn't even called him by his first name when they were alone yet. He'd been wanting to though.

He pushed his hands into his pockets and stood outside for a good ten minutes before building up the nerve to go back inside and face his lover. Gojyo walked slowly back like a prisoner to his death sentence, but as he made his way back a woman stopped him and took hold of his arm, flirting quite blatantly. Sanzo stiffened visibly in his seat.

Gojyo didn't say anything to her, trying to politely show her he wasn't interested and get back to the table. He shook his head no and held up a hand but the woman persisted, clinging to his arm and trailing her fingers through some of the loose strands of his hair. Gojyo tried to pull his arm free and step away, telling her 'no' a little more forcefully as he looked helplessly at the blonde who was now shaking with rage.

Both Goku and Hakkai had stopped to watch the morbid irony of it all. Sanzo was about to snap.

Gojyo finally managed to shake the woman off and sat back down at the table without a word. Sanzo's fists were clenched tightly, knuckles white, and the vein in his forehead was throbbing furiously.

Gojyo's eyes trailed to Goku and he hoped with every fiber of his being that the kid would fill up soon. He couldn't bear the tension and was too scared to even look at Sanzo.

Goku was glancing between the two from time to time and tried to hurry and finish his meal; when Sanzo did snap, it wouldn't be pretty. The blonde was still twitching.

Gojyo had never turned down a chick like that before, ever. He already felt like shit as it was, and with Sanzo so mad...he wasn't going to have a very good night.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence Goku sat back, full. "That was really good,"

Gojyo quietly pulled his wallet out as the waitress began to clear the dishes from the table, and smiling, handed the bill to Gojyo's waiting hand. His face blank, Gojyo crossed off Sanzo and Hakkai's food and added up Goku's. "...I don't have that much."

The waitress' smile faded as she took the gold card from Sanzo and looked back at Gojyo. "You don't have enough for your part of the tab?"

Gojyo shook his head. "I'll work, I guess."

The waitress nodded in affirmation and lead him back to the kitchen. Gojyo looked at Sanzo blankly and touched his shoulder gently in apology as he passed and followed the waitress into the back of the restaurant.

Staring at the table, Sanzo felt some of his anger ebb away at the touch. Hakkai stood and broke the silence. "I'm going to get rooms for us at the inn we stopped in front of earlier. Coming Goku?"

"Yeah," Goku said as he stood.

"You're welcome to come as well, Sanzo." Hakkai added gently.

Sanzo studied the wood of the table for a moment. "I think I'll wait," he said quietly.

Hakkai nodded in understanding, smiling a little to himself as he left with Goku.

--------------------------------

Gojyo washed what felt like every dish in the place, cleaned the grill, and was then directed to mop the floors. He still had a ways to go. He was worn out, going through withdrawal, broke, and Sanzo was mad at him. He tried very hard not to think about all the people who were at home getting ready for bed.

--------------------------------

The blonde sat at the table for well over an hour and a half, ignoring the looks and leers he received from time to time and mulling over the day's events in his head. It had been a long one. He propped his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands, chancing to let his eyes droop shut for a few minutes. He really was tired, especially since his side had been burning persistently all day.

A drunk harlot spotted the pretty blonde head and sat next to him at the table, smiling. "What's a handsome man like you doing all alone on such a beautiful night, mm?"

"Fuck. Off." Sanzo said, not even bothering to look up. He was not in the mood for something like this.

"That's what I do," she laughed as she pushed up and stood by his side, "I'm a professional."

"Go away. Now."

"C'mon, I'll let you have a free sample since you're so damn cute." She moved behind him and ran her hands down his front and breathed against his neck.

Sanzo stiffened and pushed her away roughly as he stood. "Don't put your fucking hands on me!"

The woman persisted and moved close again, putting her hands on his sides. Sanzo very nearly yelped when she put pressure on his aching wound and grew furious at her nerve. "Get off!" He pushed her away again. He did not need this right now. He was having a bad enough day as it was.

Gojyo was standing quietly towards the back of the restaurant and had been watching for a while, unable to speak.

The woman stumbled away and looked irritated before she noticed that one of her hands was bloody. She gave him a frightened look and ran off. Shocked, Sanzo looked down and saw blood blooming across his middle. When had that happened? "Shit..."

Gojyo stared as Sanzo sat down with a hiss and hunched over, pressing a hand over the wound and cursing. He waited for me! There was a woman all over him...He was hurt and he didn't say anything,

"Fucking..." Sanzo mumbled as Gojyo walked up to him.

"Sanzo..."

The blonde jumped as if he had been scalded and stood quickly, ineffectively trying to hide the blood. Gojyo sighed and pulled one of the monk's arms around his shoulders and walked them forward. "You should have said something."

Gojyo leading him outside, Sanzo mumbled, "It's not a big deal..."

"I'll bet it's been like that since last night too, which makes it my fault."

"It has not. There was only a little blood this morning."

Gojyo was very tired and not at all happy. All he wanted was to get them both to the inn, and couldn't believe that Sanzo had almost let him go, had almost let what they had end because he was scared he would hurt Gojyo, and yet hadn't bothered to speak up when he was the one being hurt.

Allowing himself to be steered towards the inn, Sanzo really didn't know what to say to break the tense silence.

Recognizing the building they had stopped in front of earlier, Gojyo went inside and found out what rooms they were supposed to be in before helping Sanzo upstairs and sitting him on the bed, still not speaking.

Sanzo sat on the bed quietly and stared at the floor. He felt like a child waiting to be punished as he knew Gojyo must be mad.

More than anything though, Gojyo was tired, and hurt, and also a little wary that Sanzo was still angry with him. "I'll get Hakkai," he said quietly.

Sanzo nodded and let his robes slip of his shoulders to hang around his waist, moving cautiously near his bleeding side. He probably should have said something.

Gojyo paused in the doorway with his hand on the knob. "I know you're probably still mad at me, but I really wish you had told me you were still hurt."

Sanzo swallowed as he felt guilt pool in his stomach. "...I'm sorry," he said quietly. He really meant it too.

Gojyo left to find Hakkai and tell him what happened, the healer coming in a few moments later to fix the priest back up. Gojyo wasn't with him.

Sanzo sat still and let Hakkai do his work, his face tight with pain and something far more complex. He was such a fucking hypocrite.

"Please be more careful, Sanzo," Hakkai said quietly as he stood and left, surprisingly not having anything else to say.

Left alone, Sanzo felt rather empty and flopped back onto the bed, putting a hand over his eyes. "Shit..."

After a long few moments Sanzo removed the hand and stared at the ceiling with a pained expression. He hated this. He hated messing up because he was socially retarded, because he wasn't used to someone caring so much about what happened to him.

Gojyo wanted to cry. He was so fucking tired, and confused. He didn't want to sleep with Goku or Hakkai, and Sanzo was in a bad mood. He just wanted to sleep. He went into Goku's room where he found the monkey snoring and swiped a pillow as he decided to head downstairs where he'd seen a couch earlier. It figured that Hakkai had only gotten three rooms. He hugged the pillow to himself and slowed as he passed Sanzo's door. It couldn't hurt to just tell him good night and I'm sorry... He knocked gently on the door.

Assuming Hakkai had decided to come back and chew him out, Sanzo said listlessly, "What?"

A little hurt at Sanzo's manner, Gojyo said tonelessly, "I just wanted to say good night. I shouldn't have called you by your first name tonight. It was out of line, and I'm sorry...sleep well."

Sanzo looked sharply at the figure in the doorway, shocked. "Wait--Please don't go," he said as he sat up, wincing.

"I'm really tired...I need to sleep." Gojyo said, shifting his weight to one foot, the pillow hanging at his side and the light from the hallway behind him casting him as a silhouette in Sanzo's line of vision.

"Oh..." Sanzo said as he looked away, more than a little hurt, "All right..."

"...So, Hakkai fixed you up?"

Sanzo nodded meekly and let his head drop forward. Was Gojyo really so mad that he didn't want to share a room with him?

"...So you'll be better in a few days," Gojyo continued as he couldn't quite bring himself to leave Sanzo.

The blonde nodded again, bending over a little further. Gojyo sounded so distant...he really must have fucked up this time.

"Sanzo..."

The monk couldn't bring himself to look up. "Yes?"

There were so many things Gojyo wanted to say. “Are you still mad?"

Sanzo propped an elbow on his knee and rested his forehead against his hand, his other arm wrapping around his waist. "Right now I'm more concerned about your anger," he said in a voice that was not quite as steady as he would have liked.

"I'm not angry."

The blonde raised his head and looked up into Gojyo's darkened face with vulnerable, uncertain violet eyes. "You...you're not?"

Gojyo shook his head. "I'm worn out, and broke, and I have someone who I care more for than anything who was hurt and didn't tell me." He moved inside the room and shut the door, kicking his shoes off as he went over to Sanzo.

Lowering his head again Sanzo said guiltily, "I didn't know it had started bleeding like that again...it wasn't like that this morning and I just...didn't want to worry anyone over nothing..."

Gojyo sat down on the bed behind the monk and pulled him between his legs in a careful hug, resting his chin on Sanzo's shoulder.

"You're...really not mad?" Sanzo asked uncertainly.

"Just don't do this again, please," Gojyo said softly as he squeezed him gently from behind and kissed the side of his neck.

"Why did you do that today?" Sanzo asked quietly after a long moment.

"Do what?"

"...Call me Genjo."

Gojyo gave a small smile. "I knew it would piss you off...but I always have wanted to call you that."

"I've kind of wanted you to," Sanzo said, his embarrassment apparent in his voice, "but not in a situation like that."

"I really am sorry," Gojyo murmured.

Sanzo sighed. "I probably shouldn't have gotten so mad."

"Nah, it's who you are. I wouldn't change that."

Sanzo snorted. "That's a pretty bold statement."

"I wouldn't," the kappa said grinning, "there's no fun if it's easy."

"Well then that would make you a masochist, wouldn't it?" Sanzo asked as he tilted his head back and placed a wet kiss on Gojyo's chin.

"If that's what I have to be, yeah, I guess it does," He said chuckling. "You wouldn't...really have shot me this afternoon, would you?"

Sanzo laughed and let his weight fall back on Gojyo fully. "That wouldn't be much fun."

Having more trouble keeping his eyes open that he would like to admit, Gojyo fell back on the bed, Sanzo now lying on top of him. The blonde rolled to the side and pillowed his head on the kappa's chest beneath his chin. He wrapped an arm around Gojyo's middle, feeling oddly content now.

Gojyo's eyes slid shut. He was completely exhausted. "Why did you wait for me?"

"...Do I need a reason?"

Gojyo smiled, his chest rising and falling under Sanzo's weight as he began to drift off. "Guess not,"

Sanzo nuzzled closer and let himself fall into sleep's waiting arms, lulled by the rhythm of Gojyo's heart.

TBC