Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Take it or Leave it ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

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

Title: Take it or Leave it - Ch.6 Part 1
Pairing: Gojyo/Sanzo (naturally)
Rating: Not Worksafe
A/N: Well, I think this chapter turned out better the second time I had to write it...but I can't believe how outrageously long it took me to finish it >.< Can you guys ever forgive me? I really, really, hope it was worth the absurd wait. I've been absolutely assulted by plot bunnies and plot kappa's this past year.
Length: 15737 words ( 39.5 pages) @_@;

Disclaimer: No, for the last time, they are not mine! *cries*

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


IMPORTANT: This chapter, like one of the previous, has been split into two parts due to length. This is the first, and a link to the second will be provided IN THE ARTIST'S COMMENTS.


Take it or Leave it

Chapter Six



Sanzo woke early, grudgingly so, the morning sunlight spreading across his face refusing to be ignored. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, still foggy, and turned his gaze to Gojyo, who appeared to still be out cold. He really was a handsome bastard. Not that Sanzo would ever admit it and chance Gojyo's ego growing any larger than it already was.

He pulled away from the kappa's arms gently so as not to disturb him, idly playing with a few strands of long red hairs, watching Gojyo's chest rise and fall steadily and examining his features. Definitely handsome. As he continued to playfully twirl fiery hair about his fingers, an evil grin spread across the monk's face as an idea formed in his head that was just too good to pass up.

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When the sun had risen higher in the morning sky, Gojyo moaned softly and rolled onto his side, murmuring something sleepily into the covers. "Morning," Sanzo said absently, propped in the window seat reading his paper. Gojyo opened bleary eyes and sat up.

"Ungh, morning."

Sanzo tired not to laugh as he pretended to read. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah..." Gojyo yawned as he got up, heading for the bathroom and rubbing his eyes.

There was a moment of prolonged silence after Gojyo crossed the threshold to the small adjoined bathroom before he walked back out, fully awake, holding up his braided hair and wearing an expression that was priceless.

Sanzo started laughing quietly and peered at Gojyo with big eyes over his paper. "You don't like it?" He asked innocently.

Gojyo looked back at the braid in his hand and stepped back into the bathroom to examine himself at different angles. Sanzo's eyebrows shot up. The kappa washed his face and came back out, pulling on his jacket, the braid still intact.

"You're keeping it?" Sanzo asked in mild shock. He'd almost been hoping for a more...entertaining reaction.

Gojyo smiled over at him. "It looks good on me."

Sanzo blinked, still a little disappointed, and Gojyo walked to the window and leaned over the blonde, pulling his lips into a deep, lingering kiss. Sanzo smiled and leaned into the kiss, responding with fervor. Gojyo slid a hand to the back of Sanzo's neck as he began making up for what he had been too tired to do the night before.

The blonde dropped his paper carelessly to wrap arms around Gojyo's neck, pulling him closer as Gojyo moved around in front of the monk and straddled his thighs, moaning a little as he deepened the kiss. Sanzo made a soft sound that was swallowed promptly in Gojyo's mouth, pressing up against him as his glasses were knocked askew.

Gojyo reached a hand up and set the glasses aside, scooting up further on Sanzo's legs as he moved to kiss across the monk's face and down his neck. Sanzo started panting for breath as he was pressed back against the window, his fingers sliding over the red head's shoulders inside his shirt as a warm mouth set his body on fire. Gojyo groaned, so hungry for the blonde that he couldn't even speak, and gave in to letting his body do the talking.

Sanzo pulled back a little, still panting for air. "Can we move? The window latch is jabbing me in the back..."

"Aww, I'm jealous," Gojyo murmured against Sanzo's lips before he pulled them both to their feet and spun them around, backing to the bed as he consumed the blonde's lips once more. Sanzo sat hard when the backs of his knees hit the mattress, and let himself fall back onto the bed, pressing his hips up against Gojyo's while ignoring the dull throb of his stomach and side.

As if on cue, Gojyo snapped up and off of the blonde, remembering in a flash that he was still hurt. "Oh shit, are you okay?"

Sanzo opened dazed violet eyes and reached for the kappa, a small sound of need escaping his throat. Gojyo hadn't planned on going so far in the morning right before they left, but he couldn't say no to that face. He could never say no to that face. He leaned back down and Sanzo pressed their mouths together, lapping at the red head's lips and gripping his shoulders and neck tightly. Gojyo breathed and pulled back.

"Gojyo--" Sanzo whimpered.

"You've got your health to worry about."

"But--"

"Far be it for my to deny anyone sex, especially you, but I'm not risking hurting you again. You matter the most to me...Genjo." Gojyo said, ending in a murmur as he kissed the monk again.

Sanzo flushed an almost delicate shade of pink and kissed back, his eyes softer. Gojyo took his hand and helped Sanzo up. "We've gotta get back on the road anyways."

Sanzo groaned in frustration and pain before sighing. "I know..."

Gojyo smirked to himself at Sanzo's behavior as they packed their things and made their way downstairs to find Hakkai already checking out. Sanzo promptly pulled on a surly demeanor and walked outside where Hakuryuu was waiting, ignoring an energetic Goku's chattering. Gojyo followed Hakkai out a few minutes later, snitching some food along the way that he pushed into his mouth in a hurry.

Sanzo mutely stepped into the back seat of the jeep and sat down, avoiding Goku's wide-eyed stare of shock. Gojyo hopped in a second later, half-expecting Goku to whine about being hungry, and instead found himself next to the blonde and could do nothing but stammer.

As Goku jumped into the front passenger seat with glee and Hakkai could do nothing but smile as he started the jeep, Sanzo turned to the kappa defensively. "Got a problem with it?"

"...Not even a little one."

"Then close your mouth; you're gaping like an idiot."

Gojyo's eyebrows rose at that but he didn't say a word, his eyes smiling at the monk gratefully. Sanzo blushed slightly and pretended to scowl at the world in general. Gojyo moved to rest his arm behind the blonde as he had the day before as Hakkai took them out of town. "I like your hair in a braid like that, Gojyo. It suits you," said the healer with a smile.

Gojyo gave a small smile. "I thought so too."

Goku made a face. "I think it looks stupid."

"Your face looks stupid."

"Does not!"

"Does too,"

"Does not!"

"Does too to infinity!"

"Does not to infinity plus one!"

"Oh my God, it knows how to count!"

WHACK!

"Shut up!"

Gojyo winced. He'd managed to duck in time and only got clipped by the infamous harisen. The monkey on the other hand...

"That hurt..." Goku whined.

"It was supposed to!"

Gojyo took a breath and calmed his nerves. He liked not getting hit. Sanzo settled back in his seat with a huff.

Silence was sustained for nearly an hour, Gojyo twirling the tip of his braid in a bored fashion, until Goku started playing with the radio again at which Sanzo narrowed his eyes in irritation.

"No no no no, I like that song," Gojyo whined.

Sanzo sighed in resign and waved irritably at Goku in consent to leave the radio on, the kid greeting the concession with a wide smile. Gojyo leaned back in his seat and pulled Sanzo a little closer, although most wouldn't have been able to tell just by looking. The monk glared out the corner of his eye.

"Luckily for us, there's only a forest between us and our next stop. We should be there before dinnertime." Hakkai said complacently.

"Good, I'm starving," Gojyo said.

"Me too!" Goku said with enthusiasm. Sanzo rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, food for brains, I didn't eat last night at all thanks to you." Gojyo groused.

"What?!" Goku shouted indignantly. "I didn't stop you from eating; it was your own damn fault!"

"Stupid bottomless pit for a stomach. I'm never paying for your food again."

"I never asked you to!"

Gojyo glared.

"Well, I didn't! It's not my fault you lost some stupid bet." Goku stuck out his tongue.

"Put that back," Gojyo said, rolling his eyes, "you're grossing me out."

Goku glared and made to throw a punch before Sanzo's harisen came sailing out of nowhere and struck his head painfully. "SHUT UP!"

Gojyo smirked.

"But Sannnzo--" Goku whined.

"Just sit down and behave or I'm leaving you at the next stop!"

Goku pouted and sat down, grumbling under his breath.

After a brief, blessed moment free of idiocy, Gojyo broke the silence once more with a groan. "There's nothing to do."

Sanzo gave the kappa a look. "And that's my problem why?"

"Hey, Goku," Gojyo said over Sanzo, "Wanna play a game?"

"That's a good idea," Hakkai said genially.

Goku perked up. "Like what?"

"Um...the alphabet game? Rock paper scissors? I don't care, I'm just freaking bored!" Gojyo whined.

"Well, pick something," Goku urged, desperate for a distraction.

Gojyo smiled deviously as an idea popped into his head. "Truth. Or. Dare."

"Okay!"

Sanzo sweatdropped. "What are you, twelve?"

"You'll play," Gojyo informed the monk firmly. "Are you in Hakkai?"

"Of course," the healer said, glancing over his shoulder, "as long as we can continue driving."

Sanzo was glaring at the kappa. "I will do no such thing."

"You go first, Goku," Gojyo said, ignoring the blonde.

"'Kay. Umm...Hakkai. Truth or dare?"

"Hmm, truth."

"What's you favorite food?"

Hakkai laughed good-naturedly. "Probably...fried rice, generally speaking."

"Really? Neat."

Hakkai smiled. "Now I pick someone. Goku, truth or dare?"

Gojyo pouted at being left out.

"Truth."

"All right. What is your most embarrassing moment?"

"Umm..." Goku frowned as he thought quietly. "Probably that time I walked in on Sanzo when he was in the bath."

Sanzo choked on his newly-lit cigarette as Gojyo's jaw dropped.

"Oh...that would be embarrassing," Hakkai said with a nervous laugh as Sanzo fought to remain calm in the face of a building rage and embarrassment.

"It was kinda funny though," Goku added.

"What happened?" Gojyo asked, unable to deny that he was extremely jealous of Goku at the moment and interested as all hell. Hakkai's forced smile faltered.

"Oh, well the other monks were mad at me for stealing food from the pantry again, so I needed a place to hide--" Goku stopped cold at the appearance of Sanzo's Smith and Wesson pressed between his eyes and the click of the safety being switched off.

"Not. One. More. Fucking. Word." Sanzo hissed, the ignored cigarette in his fist burning down to the filter.

"...I'm sorry?"

"It's your turn to ask someone, Goku," Hakkai cut in.

"Uhh--" Goku blinked as the gun was slowly eased away, Sanzo still glaring fit to kill. "Gojyo, truth or dare?"

Gojyo grinned. "Dare."

Hakkai smiled. Typical Gojyo.

"I dare you to...uh...not eat any meat for a week."

"What?!"

Goku grinned. "Want somethin' worse?"

"Fine," Gojyo grumbled. "Just as well, seeing as how I'm being deprived of everything else lately..."

Hakkai chanced a glance at Sanzo. Not everything, he thought with an inner smirk.

Gojyo turned his gaze to the blonde beside him. The monk glared. "I told you I'm not playing."

"Oh Sanzo," Hakkai chided, "It won't hurt, will it?"

"I don't need to take part in your childish game," he said with a scowl.

"Aww, c'mon Sanzo," Goku implored.

"Truth or dare?" Gojyo asked, looking at Sanzo commandingly.

Sanzo glared mutinously up at him before muttering a few minutes later, "Dare." He didn't much feel like sharing anything with those three bastards at the moment; Goku had already managed to embarrass him as it was.

Gojyo could have squealed with all of the ideas that began dancing in his head. "All right."

Hakkai glanced into the rearview, nervous as to what Gojyo was going to do. Knowing the red head, whatever the dare was it would most likely make Sanzo very, very angry. Goku had turned to face the back seat, watching in anticipation as Sanzo fidgeted in his seat, more than a little nervous himself.

"I dare you to..." Gojyo's plot bunnies partied in his head. He smirked. "I dare you to kiss me, right here, right now."

Gojyo, for one, had gotten over the fact that Hakkai and the monkey knew about his relationship with the monk (although one knew more than the other), and really didn't care what they thought about it at this point. Sanzo on the other hand, stared at Gojyo bright red and horrified. "WHAT?!"

"And if you chicken out I'll just come up with something better, so you'd might as well do it." Gojyo said, folding his arms across his chest.

Sanzo fought to regain his composure and sneered. "Oh, like you can make me do anything,"

"Are you brave enough to try me?"

Sanzo glared contemptuously. The peanut gallery was strangely quiet. "Go to hell." Sanzo growled.

"I've known I'm going to hell for a long time," Gojyo said idly. "Are you gonna take it or not?"

Sanzo continued to glare and folded his arms over his chest in a show of stubborn defiance.

"If you don't take the first dare I just get to come up with an even better one..."

"I'm not doing it," Sanzo said in a low, deadly voice.

"Fine." Gojyo looked away from Sanzo to gaze at the healer. "Hakkai, may I sleep in your room tonight?"

"Uh," Hakkai said falteringly, thrown by both the question and the air of politeness, "It's fine with me..."

"Now wait a minute--" Sanzo snapped in shock.

Gojyo raised an eyebrow. "Would you like a better dare or what?"

Sanzo flushed in outright irritation. "All right, you asshole, fine!"

"Fine what?"

Sanzo wanted to yell and hit the kappa as he bit out, "I'll take the fucking dare."

"It's a shame..." Hakkai mused to no one in general, trying not to laugh, "It gets so lonely in a room by yourself sometimes."

"Really?" Gojyo pressed at Sanzo, "Because I've got something better if you want." He leaned in close to the monk's scowling face, wearing a playful smirk. Sanzo glared in an attempt to hide his nerves and embarrassment. Why was Gojyo making him do something like that in front of an audience?

Hakkai glanced in the mirror every few moments; there was no way he was going to miss it. Goku watched with a look of abject fascination.

"What's wrong?" Gojyo asked in a soft, sultry voice as he leaned in close, his lips almost brushing the blonde's cheek.

Oh dear, this is priceless, Hakkai thought to himself. An odd noise escaped Sanzo's throat as he tried to think of a comeback and edged back away from the kappa.

"Your alternative is the monkey you know."

Sanzo stammered. "Are you high?!"

"Just get it over with, stop being a baby."

"...Hey!" Goku said indignantly, a little too late.

Sanzo glowered at the insolent kappa, who was looking quite pleased with himself at the moment, before hastily closing the space between them and placing a quick, chaste kiss on Gojyo's lips. Gojyo pouted. "Aww, that wasn't a kiss."

"I think it was," Sanzo sneered.

"I made the dare, and I say it wasn't."

"Now you're just making stuff up!"

"I'm not! You suck so much, that so doesn't count!"

"I say it does!"

Both members of the audience silently agreed with the red head but knew better than to give their opinions. They liked living.

"Deal with it!" Sanzo snapped.

"I can still stay with Hakkai you know!"

"You will not!"

"Watch me!"

"You're such a fucking baby!" Sanzo reached behind the kappa and gripped the back of his head, crushing their mouths together and nipping sharply at Gojyo's lips. Gojyo's eyes widened and he fell back in sheer surprise, whimpering and clinging to Sanzo's shoulders to try and stop from falling off the seat.

"Eh--" Hakkai couldn't pull his eyes from the mirror, Goku equally stupefied as the monk bore down on the larger man, forgetting in a flash at the feel of Gojyo's lips that they weren't alone. Gojyo instinctively opened his mouth to the monk, still trying not to fall to the floor.

"Mmh,"

Hakkai wiped a small rivulet of blood from his nose and swerved back onto the narrow road winding through the woods, having almost put them all into the mud because of his preoccupation with the rearview.

Sanzo pushed his tongue into the kappa's mouth and pressed it needily against Gojyo's as some of the stifled passion from earlier that morning flared back to life and drowned his senses. Breathless, Gojyo sucked on the blonde's tongue, well aware of where they were and just who was watching, but...again, who was he to deny?

The red head draped his arms about Sanzo's shoulders and trailed his hands down his back slowly, the monk whimpering and pressing more fully against him in response, unable to tear his mouth away.

As inconspicuously as possible, Hakkai slowed the jeep to a stop and turned his head to watch, as wide-eyed as a dazed Goku.

His hands trailing further down the blonde's waist, Gojyo held Sanzo's hips tightly and pushed up against him, still holding his lips to his own and unwilling to ever let him leave. Sanzo gasped breathlessly and pushed back against him, curling the fingers of one hand into the kappa's braided hair, the other tightly gripping his shoulder.

Hakkai bit his lip, forgetting to breath. Goku hadn't even noticed the blood slowly starting to drip freely from his nose.

Gojyo crushed his face against Sanzo's more and arched his body up against him with a small moan, pulling an answering noise from Sanzo's throat, the monk clinging tighter, wanting to be closer as his fingers slipped inside the collar of the kappa's shirt to brush against warm tanned skin. Gojyo gasped for breath between kisses and dove right back in, his body burning with each shot of electricity caused by every move, every sound, every touch, and every taste of Sanzo. The red head raised a knee between the monk's legs and pulled a very airy moan from Sanzo's throat in response.

When Sanzo moaned Hakkai had to clamp his hands over his mouth, and shifted to hide his eyes behind his bangs, his monocle relatively opaque. Goku couldn't tear his eyes away from...whatever it was exactly that was happening...a realization that was a little confusing if he thought about it. (A/N: In the words of my accomplice, "So don't, it's hot!")

Gojyo rolled his leg against Sanzo, mingling their tongues together as he took complete control of the kiss and covered the blonde's mouth with his own, feeling slightly egotistical when a choked groan caught in Sanzo's throat as he pressed back against the leg and started whimpering like a wounded animal.

Hakkai was appalled with himself as he had to fight not to make any noise, but...the whole situation had to be one of the most amazing things he'd ever seen, for many reasons. Goku still couldn't look away, and had little thought to ponder over why he was starting to feel strange.

Gojyo cracked an eye open enough to gaze at their surrounding from beneath his eyelashes and knew that if he let their little fun go any further that it already had gone Sanzo would be...a number of unpleasant things Gojyo really didn't want to think about at the moment, let alone the fact that the entirety of the remaining jeep ride would be horribly awkward.

Reluctantly, he lowered his leg back to where it had been before and started to slow the kiss down. Sanzo made a small noise of opposition and confusion and cracked open hazy violet eyes. Gojyo sucked gently on the monk's bottom lip and gave it a soft nip as he pulled away, ridiculously and childishly pleased with himself at Sanzo's upheavaled state, crimson eyes never straying from Sanzo's violet.

The monk panted for air, still vaguely confused until a slight movement caught in his peripheral vision and his head snapped to the side to stare at two very red, flustered travel companions with nosebleeds staring right back at him. Gojyo pulled the blonde's head back to face him and licked his lips. "Now that was a kiss."

Hakkai hastily cleared his throat and turned back around wordlessly, starting the jeep again.

Sanzo stared at the kappa with wide, fearful eyes. Oh fuck...oh fuckohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck--He wanted to die, or disappear, or kill someone, or scream, or cry--and dearly entertained the idea of running.

Gojyo wasn't stupid. He knew what the monk was thinking. He kicked the still dazed and staring Goku in the face to get him to turn around, ignoring the kid's indignant noise of pain, and hugged Sanzo close. "Ignore them, okay? Calm down,"

Sanzo couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe--he pushed away from the red head so he could curl up and die. Gojyo let him go and sat back up, running an absent hand through the loose hair that had fallen from the braid, watching as Sanzo pushed himself as far into the corner of the seat as he could and put his head between his knees, gripping his hair tightly in his hands. Sanzo knew he had just made a complete and utter fool of himself.

After a brief awkward silence, the soft sounds of the radio floating around them doing nothing to help, Gojyo quietly said, "...It's your turn, Sanzo..."

The monk moved just enough to pull out his gun and aim it at the kappa's head with deadly accuracy, despite the fact he still had his head between his knees. He dearly hoped the gesture was answer enough as he thumbed back the hammer. Gojyo held his hands up in surrender and sat back to give the blonde his space, but couldn't stop the grin creeping across his face. He had enjoyed that a lot.

His curiosity getting the best of him, Goku turned golden eyes to Gojyo. "Is that what you would always do with all those women?"

Gojyo choked and gave a hasty sideways glance at Sanzo who seemed to have tensed up even more, if such a thing was even possible. "Uh...some of them...why?"

"Well, I--" the monkey froze as Sanzo's aim deftly switched targets to point at him. "...N-never mind..." He said shakily as he turned back around.

Hakkai’s survival instincts were far too strong to do something as foolish as speak until everyone had calmed down.

Sanzo's arm dropped eventually, but he didn't lose his grip on his Smith & Wesson, as Gojyo twiddled his thumbs and tried not to think about the fit Sanzo would be throwing later. It had still been worth it. He turned around to dig in to one of the bags of food to find a snack, as it was nearing lunchtime, and was half tempted to grab a beer considering that Sanzo's head was still hidden.

He lost his appetite a moment later, however, when Goku still seemed unable to fight his curiosity. "...What were you doing with your tongues? Doesn't that feel weird?"

Sanzo tensed horribly, the hand still gripping his revolver tightly starting to shake. Gojyo stared at Goku. "Uh..." Sanzo huddled further into himself and sorely wanted to kill something. Someone. Goku gazed at the kappa with big eyes. "It's something you need to get older for to fully appreciate."

"I'm older than you," Goku said sourly.

"Not mentally or physically," Gojyo said with a smirk.

Goku scowled at the kappa but pressed on. "Why were you rubbing against each other like that?"

"Uh, well..." Gojyo floundered. Shit. He looked over at the monk when the gun fell with a clatter, Sanzo's hand shaking so badly that he'd lost his grip. Gojyo took the opportunity and snatched it from the floor, grateful for the chance to rid them of that particular threat. And if he didn't know any better, Gojyo would have sworn Sanzo was trying to rip out his hair.

"C'mon, why?" Goku prompted.

"It feels good," Gojyo said as he slipped the blonde's gun into his jacket pocket, looking at the twitching Sanzo monk warily. He was really going to be in for it later. "You like it when people hug you, don't you?"

"Well, yeah...It's just I've never seen people do that before...animals a couple times, yeah, but..."

Sanzo debated whether or not he should bite off his tongue and drown in his own blood. Or maybe just bleed to death. That had just as much merit...

"It's not something that's...watched...normally..." Gojyo said in discomfort.

Goku eyed the form of their twitching leader. "Is that why Sanzo's about to kill something?"

"Probably. Hey, when he kills me I wanna be buried with a smoke in my mouth, you got that?" Gojyo laughed nervously before taking on a slightly more serious tone. "But really, Goku, I don't see you experiencing anything like that for a looong time."

Goku flushed a little and looked down. "But...I kinda liked it...it was really interesting." He couldn't help but think about it over and over in his head. He'd never seen anyone, let alone Sanzo, like that.

"Hey, don't you go getting any ideas!" Gojyo snapped, a startling bout of possessiveness erupting in his chest. "It was a one time thing, no joke!"

Unless he was very much mistaken, Sanzo was quite sure he'd felt something in his mind break.

"I shouldn't have let you guys see that in the first place," the kappa said sourly.

"What? What did I say?" Goku asked in confused irritation.

"Just forget you ever saw it," Gojyo said with a glare.

"You're the one that made him do it!"

"Oh look," Hakkai said in a much too cheerful voice, "we're almost there. You can see the town."

"What's the matter," Goku said tauntingly to the red head, "don't have anything to say to that?"

"Well, forgive me for being the one to set the fire of curiosity ablaze in your little virgin imagination," Gojyo spat as he leaned back in his seat. Sanzo vaguely felt the sting of his nails digging into his scalp and the warmth of blood oozing in their wake, sluggishly seeping onto his scalp. None of it was happening. Goku had not said those things. He had not just done that in plain view of the others.

"Who says I wasn't curious before?" Goku groused in irritation.

Hakkai stepped on the gas. He had to get everyone out and away before Sanzo went insane, or homicidal, if he hadn't already. He skidded the jeep to a stop just inside the town's boundaries. Breathless and still too cheerful, the healer said loudly, "Goku, let's go find some lunch, ne?"

The monkey glared at Gojyo again, not wanting to end the conversation, but the draw of food was much stronger. He'd hardly had any breakfast. Gojyo waved with a fake smile before rolling his eyes as he climbed out of jeep. "Fucking shit..." He looked over at Sanzo again as the monk managed to slowly pry his fingers from his hair, noting it was now tangled and slightly darkened in some areas by blood, and wished he hadn’t let everything go so far. He really felt bad now.

Sanzo glared at his shaking hands as he unfolded from his cramped position and climbed out of the jeep silently. Gojyo bit his lip. "...I'll buy you a beer."

Sanzo stilled before nodding tersely and pushing his shaking hands into his sleeves, his eyes hidden stubbornly behind his bangs. Gojyo sighed, weary and a little depressed; the morning had started off so good. Together they headed off towards the nearest bar, noting, Sanzo with irritation, that the town was bustling with preparations of some kind, the stands of noisemakers and fireworks swarmed with people.

They found a decent-looking place and ducked inside, away from the crowds, and sat down, Gojyo getting a beer for the monk. Sanzo accepted it in silence and downed a third of it in one gulp, slightly pacified with the promise of a buzz later on if he kept drinking. Gojyo leaned on his elbows and stared at the wall of bottles before him longingly, trying to ignore his body's complaints from lack of his favorite vices...or at least two of them.

"Stop looking pathetic and just get a drink already," Sanzo said in a low growl tinged with exasperation.

Gojyo's head jerked over to look at the blonde in complete shock. "WHAT?!"

Sanzo's head hit the bar with a soft thump. "Just forget the fucking bet. Nothing good has come of it." He said with a muffled voice.

"...Are you kidding!?" Gojyo asked in exasperated shock. "Everything good that's happened to me lately is because if that bet. Why do you think I'm sticking to it?"

"To push me over the brink of insanity?" Sanzo asked, his voice still muffled against the wood of the bar.

Gojyo turned away again. "I'm sorry, okay, I didn't think ahead..."

"I'm such a fucking idiot...when did I become so damn wanton...?" Sanzo asked the bar. He looked up at Gojyo pleadingly. "How do you do this to me?"

Gojyo blinked at him. "Is that rhetorical...or do you want another demonstration?"

Sanzo gave the kappa a look, not amused, before putting his head down again. "I can never look either of them straight in the face again..."

"Aw, c'mon, Hakkai knew."

"Seeing is different than knowing."

"Well...try not to think about it."

"Goku is asking questions about sex...Goku."

"Yeah, but he is like five hundred years old...biologically eighteen or so..."

Sanzo glared up at him reproachfully. "It's Goku."

Gojyo grimaced; there really was no arguing with that. Sanzo let his head drop back to the bar once more, grumbling to himself. "I still don't know why you haven't shot me yet," Gojyo mumbled. Fuck but he wanted a beer, but he was determined to hold out the remainder of his sentence. In a small way, he felt keeping to the bet was a testament to Sanzo how serious he was about everything, how much he meant all of it.

"You know," Gojyo said softly after a moment, " Really, if you love someone, who cares what anybody else thinks?"

"Is that so? Then was I seeing things or did they both have nosebleeds when I looked up?"

"...Can you really blame them? I mean, you even surprised me with how far you went, and who knows how much further it might have gone if I hadn't stopped it..."

Sanzo sat back up, very red in the face. "You are not helping. Don't you think I get enough looks without throwing those two into the mix?"

"...Can you really blame them?" Gojyo asked again, trying not to smile and losing the urge completely when Sanzo glared at him again, something insecure shining behind the anger. "Please, just calm down, get another drink. I promise I won't do something like that again, okay? I just...really wanted it." Gojyo looked down at his hands and twiddled his thumbs. "I always want it."

Sanzo picked up his drink again and sipped at it for a few minutes, ignoring the warmth that had spread through him at Gojyo's words. "Look," he said after a while, "it may not bother you, but...I want to keep certain things just between the two of us. It isn't anyone else's business."

"I'm sorry," Gojyo said for what felt like the millionth time. "I'm new to this too, and getting to know you has been far more of an adventure than I ever dreamed it would be."

Sanzo sighed and buried his face in his hands. "What are you sorry for? I'm the one who was so damn...needy." It needled Sanzo somewhere deep admitting such a thing.

Gojyo looked at the embarrassed blonde in shock. "Hey--that's nothing to be sorry for!"

"It is when it's in front of Goku and Hakkai." Sanzo said sourly.

"Given, yes, but personally I rather liked it," Gojyo said smiling, bumping their shoulders together.

"You like giving Goku ideas?"

Gojyo sighed and rolled his eyes. It seemed there was no reasoning with the monk at the moment. He looked around a little, deciding to give Sanzo his silence for a change, and prodded the shoulder of the guy who had appeared next to him. "Hey, what's with all of the fireworks and stuff?"

The stranger blinked at him. "The Harvest Moon Festival is tonight, don't you know?"

"Oh...uh, no, we're just travelers passing through."

The stranger brightened. "Well then friend, you picked a lucky day to stop here. The festival's always a great party. You should go have fun," he said as he walked back to his group of friends a few feet away.

Sanzo drained his glass. "I guess none of us will be getting much sleep with all of the damn noise then," he said distastefully.

Gojyo chuckled at the monk and rolled his eyes. "Like it would make much difference anyways. Let's go see." Gojyo stood and headed out the door, Sanzo stammering angrily for a moment before rising and stalking after the kappa.

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

The sun was setting slowly on the horizon, but a number of impatient, overly-excited children were already setting off firecrackers in the alley beside the bar, gleeful at the loud bangs produced. Gojyo leaned against the side of the building with his hands in his pockets to watch as he waited for Sanzo to catch up, a small smile on his face. Sanzo eased next to the red head and stared at the children in mute fascination; he could never remember being so ignorantly happy.

Gojyo's thoughts running along the same lines, the kappa looked over at Sanzo. Feeling the other's gaze, Sanzo blinked back. A childish grin crossed Gojyo's face. "I want to get some."

Sanzo stared at his companion blankly, hoping somewhere in the back of his mind that this wasn't a blunt request for sex. Damn, I've been spending too much time with him, he mentally chastised himself. "Huh?"

"Fireworks, let's get some."

Sanzo gave Gojyo a look. "...Why?"

"Because I want to, and it'll be fun."

"Won't we look ridiculous?"

"You don't have to light any, but I want to get some," Gojyo said sticking out his tongue before heading for a nearby stand.

"Hey--wait!" Sanzo said angrily before running after him.

Gojyo browsed through the selection as if he were a connoisseur of fireworks, inspecting the different products before grabbing a wide variety. "Hakkai and Goku will like this too." He turned to Sanzo and smiled sweetly when the man who owned the stand told him the total, as the kappa still obviously had no cash. Sanzo gave him a look, but handed his gold card over to the vender none the less.

"Just don't let Goku mess with them too much."

The couple wound their way through the crowd towards the lone inn someone had directed them to and found their companions seated in the restaurant next to the lobby, waiting for the kappa and the monk to join them for dinner. Gojyo smiled widely like a child, the large brown bag full of fireworks in his arms. "Look what we got!" They sat down, Sanzo avoiding any and all eye contact.

"What's that, Gojyo?" Hakkai asked in genuine interest.

"There's some kind if festival tonight so we got fireworks."

"Wow! Are you serious? We really get to have fireworks?" Goku asked in pure excitement.

Gojyo regarded Goku cautiously. "You can watch me light them,"

"Aww, but I wanna do some!"

"Well, maybe, if you behave."

Goku perked up at that, and picked a wide variety of dishes a moment later when the waitress came to their table to take their orders. Gojyo asked for almost as much as the kid did, starved from not eating much the day before or earlier that day either. Sanzo ordered tea.

Both Hakkai and Gojyo looked at the blonde in concern when he asked for nothing more than that. Sanzo huffed slightly at the looks, irked. "I'm not hungry, is that a problem?"

Hakkai sighed and rolled his eyes, deciding not to press the issue; he'd had the same fight with the monk a million times and nothing good ever came of it.

"You need to eat something," Gojyo pressed, "and don't think I didn't notice you just pushing your food around last night."

Sanzo glared. "I'll eat when I feel like it. Drop it."

"If I give you one of my egg rolls will you eat it?"

"If I do will you stop bugging me?" Sanzo snapped in irritation.

"I swear."

"Fine."

Gojyo smiled in satisfaction and left his irate lover alone for the time being. Hakkai blinked. It was still so strange to see Gojyo caring about someone like that, and even stranger to see Sanzo concede on something, but he couldn't be happier with the development of things; both of them needed whatever it was they had together, as was becoming more and more obvious by the day.

The food came moments later and Sanzo sipped at his tea, trying to ignore the way Goku inhaled his food. Gojyo placed an egg roll on a spare plate with his chopsticks for the monk before diving into his own meal, not as fast as Goku but with enthusiasm to match. Sanzo eyed the proffered food with distaste and stuck with his drink for the time being, Goku noticing the look but knowing better than to mention it.

Gojyo sighed in bliss. "This food is amazing,"

Hakkai smiled and nodded his agreement, Gojyo mimicking the gesture in a far more energetic manner. "I agree. It really is exceptional."

Sanzo ignored them all.

The conversation, for one of the few times ever in memory, failed to stray towards embarrassing subjects nor material worthy of rousing an argument and the consequential death threats and gunfire that without fail would follow. Hakkai couldn't remember such a relaxing evening.

Goku sighed in satisfaction after cleaning his plate. "That was great."

"I'm quite full." Hakkai smiled.

"Oh, it feels so good not to be hungry," Gojyo said as finished off his own plate.

Sanzo drained his mug silently.

Goku slid his eyes back over to the egg roll still lying untouched on the monk's plate. "Uh...Sanzo? Why haven't you eaten that yet?"

Gojyo rolled his eyes and tried to hide his disappointment in Sanzo's lack of enthusiasm after promising he would do that one small thing. "He doesn't have to eat it. You can have it, Goku."

Goku looked at Gojyo scornfully. "I don't want it, I just wanna know why he hasn't eaten it yet."

Sanzo snorted and finally spoke once again. "Somehow I doubt that."

"Well, if you're not gonna eat it than give it to the chimp so he'll shut up," Gojyo said in mild irritation, obviously still worried about the monk but not willing to get into another fight over something so stupid.

Feeling a small amount of guilt, Sanzo glared balefully at the egg roll before tearing it in half, swallowing one of the halves, and throwing the rest at Goku, who caught it, surprised. "There, now can we go?" Asked brusquely, wiping his mouth on his sleeve as he stood and made for the door.

Gojyo blinked and smiled a little as he stood and followed, the bag of explosives in hand. Damn but he loved Sanzo.

Goku and Hakkai caught up to the pair quickly, Goku's excitement apparent. "Are we gonna do the fireworks now?"

"You bet!" Gojyo said cheerfully.

"Awesome! C'mon Sanzo, can't I light some?" Goku asked imploringly. "I promise I'll be careful,"

Sanzo looked at the monkey steadily. "...Maybe,"

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

The sun had long since set, and the moon hung low in the night sky, full and golden orange. People were flitting about the streets and settling themselves to set off and watch the fireworks on the large hill near the far side of the town, the very place the four travelers were headed. Goku broke away from them to run ahead as they reached the base of the hill, eager to find a good spot. Hakkai managed to catch Gojyo's eye before he chased after Goku, smiling at the red head as if thanking him for this, for a lot of things. The kappa shrugged and smirked back as he turned to pursue the monkey. "Don't just choose on your own!"

"Then hurry up!"

Sanzo continued walking at his own relaxed pace, shaking his head and trying to hide the slight grin on his face from Gojyo and Goku's behavior. Hakkai had slowed his pace a bit and walked beside but not with him as he knew the monk was still embarrassed about earlier. Goku and Gojyo claimed a free spot midway up the hill and were setting up by the time Sanzo and Hakkai reached them.

Gojyo went for the small firecrackers first and lit them, adding to the crackling already in the air, he and Goku covering their ears and laughing as Sanzo seated himself on the grass pretending that he wasn't enjoying the frivolities a little.

Goku laughed madly with the redhead as they moved on to the bigger fireworks and starbursts of color splashed across the night sky. Hakkai stood a few feet away to the right of Sanzo, glancing at him every so often and smiling at the knowledge that the monk was having fun, even if he wouldn't admit it.

Gojyo set up one of the biggest fireworks, and everyone seemed to watch as it shot into the sky and erupt into one of the biggest explosions of color of the night, illuminating everyone on the hill in a warm red-violet glow. Gojyo looked up at it, smiling widely before turning his gaze to Sanzo, laughter in his eyes. Sanzo's face softened at the expression on Gojyo's face, and was smiling before he even realized it. Gojyo winked before turning back to push Goku and light the rest of their fireworks, having the kind of fun he should have when he was young.

Hakkai had caught Sanzo's smile and felt a warmth spread through out out his chest. Sanzo really was beautiful underneath all of his walls. He felt as if nothing could go wrong that night. Sanzo watched bemused as Gojyo let Goku light one of the fireworks and the monkey adopted the expression that suggested he'd been offered a free buffet.

Soon they exhausted their supplies and joined Sanzo on the grass to watch everyone else's fireworks, lulled into a strange unwavering calm by the festivities. Gojyo couldn't help but think about his childhood as he watched children running around and having such fun, undaunted. He ached at his own memories, of being ridiculed for what he was, especially by the one person who's love he'd wanted more than anything, more than anyone else's...it would have been so nice to have had a real chance at normalcy like the kids running past him laughing shrilly and shrouded in blossoms of warm color.

Gojyo glanced down at the monkey that had curled next to him using his leg as a pillow and happily watching the continuing bursts of color breaking the dark of night. The kappa couldn't help but pat Goku's head as a nostalgic smile spread across his face as the fireworks lit up their faces once more.

Sanzo watched the pair with could possibly have been called fondness, but hell if he'd ever admit it. He turned his face up skyward once more and shifted his position, pausing when his hand brushed against something soft. He glanced down and saw a flower, lying forgotten in the grass. He curiously picked it up and twirled it delicately between his fingers, studying it. It didn't look damaged at all, and as he peered at it in the half light he realized it was red...the same red as Gojyo's eyes. For that reason alone he held onto it, thinking he could show it to him later, and placed it carefully in his sleeve.

He looked back at the kappa again to see Goku look up at the redhead and ask him something, to which Gojyo answered with a smile and patted the kid's head once more. Seemingly satisfied Goku laid his head on Gojyo's leg once more. Gojyo looked over at Sanzo and smiled as he pointed at Goku snuggled against him and rolled his eyes. Sanzo chuckled. It was amazing how diverse Gojyo's relationship with Goku was. They either hated each other or acted like family.

Hakkai smiled over at them too. They really were like a family in a strange way, having found something with each other that they had not been able to attain on their own separately. He knew that without the other three, he'd probably be dead. The healer moved to sit next to the monk, who looked at him cautiously. "Only those to could fight one minute and do that the next," he said in soft amusement, nodding towards the other two.

"Mmn," Sanzo sighed in agreement as he watched them again for a moment, unaware of the softness in his eyes.

"It is nice to just have fun every once in a while, being able to forget about this whole journey to the West for a night."

Sanzo couldn't disagree with that. "I suppose so."

Hakkai sighed, a real smile gracing his features. "I think I'll go and explore the rest of the festival," he said genially, stroking Hakuryuu head as he got to his feet and stretched, the dragon seated comfortably on his master's shoulder. "Maybe I can find a card game somewhere. I could use some pocket money."

"That's nice." Sanzo said vaguely, his focus on the redhead that was walking over to them with the monkey in tow.

"Where are you going, Hakkai?" Gojyo asked.

"To see the rest of the festival, maybe play some games before I turn in for the night,"

"Can I come?" Goku asked with enthusiasm.

"All right," Hakkai said with a laugh before setting off down the hill towards the crowd of stands and people and the glow of paper lanterns, listening to Goku's animated chatter.

Sanzo shook his head. "He's such a kid..."

Gojyo chuckled as he watched them go. "I kind of wanna try some of those games they have set up too," he said, offering a hand to help the monk to his feet. Sanzo raised an eyebrow and accepted the hand, stretching wearily once he was upright on his feet again. "You can go back to the inn if you're tired," Gojyo added with a smirk.

Sanzo scowled at the redhead for a moment before saying, "I'd rather take a walk," and eyeing Gojyo somewhat shyly from behind his hair.

The kappa blinked in slight surprise when he realized that Sanzo was trying to ask him for company, for alone time. Saying he wanted something simple and intimate. Warmth bloomed in Gojyo's chest at the implications of Sanzo's shy request and he smiled. "Or we can take a walk."

The couple walked down to the lit town and wound their way between people and booths, ducking under decorations and dodging small children. "Hey look," Gojyo leered, "a shooting range."

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Ha ha."

"I always have wanted to try shooting," Gojyo continued, still grinning.

Sanzo looked at the cheap fake guns sitting on the booth counter. "Good luck trying with those; they're not even close to the real thing."

Gojyo's smirk widened. "Then I'll use a real one," he said as he pulled Sanzo's Smith & Wesson out of his jacket pocket. Sanzo's jaw dropped.

"Wha--when did you take that?!"

"In the jeep when I thought you were going to kill us," he said, smiling smugly as he twirled the gun idly.

"Give it back!" Sanzo snapped angrily, grabbing the kappa's arm.

Gojyo tossed to gun into his other hand, keeping it from the blonde. "I will, when I'm done with it."

"Now!" A number of passerbyers stopped to watch at the sound of the monk's shout. Gojyo raised his eyebrows at them, still holding the gun out of Sanzo's reach. Sanzo jumped and swiped for it. "I'm serious!"

"It's not like I'm keeping it! I just wanna shoot it,"

"And I don't want you messing with it!"

"Aww, c'mon, I just want to shoot it once! Pleeease? I've always wanted to. You didn't even know I had it,"

Sanzo flushed at that. "You have your weapon, and I have mine! Hand it over!" Fuck, but he hated being unarmed, especially in a crowd like he was at the moment.

Something in the monk's voice made the retaliation die in Gojyo's throat and have him flick his eyes over at the growing audience and back to a very flustered Sanzo. He was being rather stupid, he supposed, and Sanzo did look genuinely upset even though he was trying to hide it. "Fine," he said, rolling his eyes and presenting the handgun to the blonde.

Sanzo blinked in slight shock at Gojyo’s abrupt acquiescence before taking the gun and straightening his robes, trying to ignore the people sill staring at them. "Thank you," he grumbled.

Gojyo glanced at the murmuring people around them and turned wary when he realized that a number of them had figured out just who exactly the blonde was, evident by the hands pointing to the sutra around Sanzo's shoulders, his robes, his fair hair, and the gun that was currently being placed into a volumous sleeve. The redhead moved closer to Sanzo and said, "C'mon," before pushing the smaller man forward. Sanzo stammered for a moment at the abrupt move but allowed himself to be lead away towards the edge of glowing lights and prying eyes, feeling relieved to be away from the noise and just walk in Gojyo's company.

"Should I even ask?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Gojyo smiled blandly. "A few of those people looked like they wanted a piece of you, and quite frankly, I don’t like sharing.”

Sanzo turned red. "Wh--"

"I had a nice time tonight," Gojyo interrupted as they walked slowly beyond the bustle and lights and moved towards a lake near the edge of town, the harvest moon casting a gentle reflection on the still water.

Sanzo looked slightly bewildered still, but decided to let it go. "I did too." He said, still soundly mildly irritated.

Gojyo sighed softly in the calm silence as they started walking the edge of the lake. "I never got to do stuff like this as a kid."

"Me neither." Sanzo sighed, feeling his edginess fading away in the calm and quiet.

"And Goku, he really had fun. He needs stuff like this, even if he's an annoying chimp sometimes."

"I know," Sanzo said softly, "he hated the monastery when I brought him there...can't say I blame him either," The monk shifted to push his hands in his sleeves when his fingers brushed against the flower hidden there. "Oh, I forgot..."

"Forgot what?" Gojyo asked turning to look back at Sanzo, who had stopped walking.

Sanzo felt heat rush to his face and was thankful that it was dark. "Well, you've probably seen one before, but I found it on the hill and it reminded me of you."

"Oh God," Gojyo turned completely to face the blonde, wearing a smirk and expecting some kind of smart remark or joke.

Sanzo moved closer and gave Gojyo a small sheepish smile before producing the flower from his sleeve and saying softly, "It's the same color as your eyes..."

Gojyo stared stunned at the thing held in Sanzo's fingers and couldn't speak, wearing an expression as if he'd just been shot. The smile faded from Sanzo's face. "Gojyo...?" he asked uncertainly.

The kappa's lips trembled slightly before he twitched his head to shield his eyes behind his hair. The flower slipped from Sanzo's hand as he stepped towards Gojyo, his hand extended towards him tentatively. "What...what's wrong?"

"...My eyes...and my hair...Oh god..." Gojyo mumbled more to himself that anyone else.

"Gojyo?" Sanzo asked again, staring to get anxious.

"That color stole so many things from me," the redhead said in a low, quivering voice.

"...What are you talking about?"

"I'm a half-breed is what I'm talking about," Gojyo said louder, close to tears. He'd already thought about his childhood too much that night with out this.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Sanzo pressed, confused and rattled.

"The cursed half-breed...that's all I heard growing up...everyone hated me...wouldn't go near me...even my moth--my mother despised me..." Gojyo felt tears welling in his eyes.

Sanzo was speechless. "But..."

"My brother killed her...the day she tried to kill me. There was so much red, and it was all my fault," he said in a wavering voice.

Mouth dry, Sanzo found that through the storm of emotions that had welled up inside of him that he was a little angry. "It wasn't your fault!" he said sharply.

Gojyo covered his face with his hands. "If I had died mother would have been happy,"

Sanzo's almost came undone at the pain in Gojyo's voice. He took another step forward and reached for the redhead once more. "But I wouldn't be! Or Goku, and Hakkai wouldn’t be here at all!”

Gojyo fought so hard to hold back his tears, but they came anyways. He took a quivering breath and said, the tears obvious in his voice, "I'm sorry Sanzo, the flower is beautiful,"

Not knowing what he was supposed to do, the monk simply stepped forward and held Gojyo, tight. The kappa leaned into his arms, pressing his face against Sanzo's shoulder. He hadn't cried in front of anyone since that awful night, so long ago but so fresh in his mind.

"Gojyo, I'm sorry," Sanzo whispered, "I didn't..." the monk held Gojyo closer and ran fingers through his hair and down his back in an attempt to soothe the other man.

Gojyo's small sobs slowed and eventually ceased, leaving him feeling weaker and more vulnerable than he could ever remember as he stayed hugging Sanzo. "I never wanted anyone to see me like this," he mumbled against the monk's shoulder. "I think you caught me on a bad night. Those flowers used to grow all over the field near our house, and I picked them for her...but she...she associated them with me like you did, and it wasn't a good thing." Gojyo's voice cracked and he clung tighter.

Sanzo relaxed some as Gojyo calmed and continued to stroke his fingers through fiery hair, a deep swell of guilt settling in his stomach. He'd messed up, bad. "It's okay," he murmured, not entirely convinced that was true but no knowing what else he could say. Gojyo finally pulled back and wiped his eyes on his jacket, and Sanzo looked away and picked at the hem of his sleeve. He felt faintly sick as he said softly, "I guess we have more in common than I thought..."

Gojyo sniffed. "You mean Kouryuu?"

Sanzo flinched a little at the name and bowed his head, nodding. "...We both hate ourselves for living at the expense of someone else."

"...I suppose faking it with beautiful women on my arm or a confident attitude is my way of trying to get past it." He flicked his eyes at the monk nervously. "You're the only person who knows this much about me, besides Dokugakuji..." He reached for the monk's hand and laced their fingers together before leaning down and picking up the flower, twirling it in his fingers as he looked down at it, really looked at it.

Sanzo looked up at Gojyo cautiously. "No one really knows about...Kouryuu either. Hakkai knows some things, I guess, but only what he's gathered from scraps I throw him when he wouldn't leave me alone." he said quietly.

Gojyo's eyes softened just a bit as he continued to look down at the flower. "Same," He switched his gaze to violet eyes, "but I'm glad you know."

Sanzo smiled sadly. "Same."

"I've heard so many things over the years. Some people say my hair and eyes are striking, some say they're hideous...some don't remark at all. It's just a part of me though, and I can't really change it, no matter how much I want to sometimes."

Sanzo stared up at the kappa earnestly. "I love them," he said quietly, "because they're you."

Gojyo's heart lurched in his chest and he stared at the blonde, speechless. Sanzo held the gaze tentatively, hoping he hadn't said something wrong again. "You..." the smallest of smiles tugged at the corner of Gojyo's lips.

Relief flooded through the monk and he smiled back shyly, Gojyo squeezing the pale hand he was still holding. Sanzo leaned up carefully and softly brushed their lips together, never breaking eye contact. Gojyo's heart fluttered. He didn't answer at first before capturing Sanzo's lips suddenly and taking control, grabbing the back of the monk's fair head to push their faces together.

"Mmph--" Sanzo melted into the kiss after the initial shock of Gojyo's sudden ardor passed and his lips parted for the kappa of their own accord.

Gojyo pulled back after a moment. "You--Sanzo...I can't explain anything when I'm with you...I'm never at a loss for words." he said with a small laugh.

Sanzo tilted his head to the side and smiled in a way that could only be described as impish. "Very true. I've spent what feels like half my life yelling at you to shut up."

Gojyo's mouth fell open at the new look he was receiving from Sanzo. "...And now?"

The blonde smirked. "Your voice doesn't seem so annoying anymore and you can't even complete a sentence."

Gojyo rolled his eyes but kept his smile. "Ready to head back?"

Sanzo nodded and held out his hand, Gojyo pressing it to his lips after taking it. "You really didn't want me to share with Hakkai that bad, huh?"

Sanzo scowled with a blush.

"He's probably twice as needy as you are, now that I think about it," Gojyo mused to himself.

Sanzo's eyebrows shot up. "And you know this how?"

"Well, I mean...he's been in love once before...and he doesn't have anybody now."

Sanzo looked at the ground. "I almost wonder sometimes if I did him an injustice by saving him."

"Nah, he's happy with us," Gojyo said, leaning in closer to Sanzo, "and to tell you the truth, I think he likes that hot chick that hangs out with Kougaiji."

Sanzo smirked. "So it wasn't just me that thought so."

Gojyo laughed. "They should so hook up. And Goku and that little spaz of a girl that's always all over you."

"Don't even joke about that," Sanzo said darkly, giving the kappa a look.

Gojyo smiled and swung their hands as they walked back to the throng of people towards the inn. Even though people started to look at them he wouldn't let Sanzo go. Even so, the monk still couldn't help but glance around self consciously, hating them for having the gall to stare at them.

It seemed Hakkai and Goku were still out as the couple made their way up to their room, and Gojyo finally relinquished his hold on Sanzo's hand to unlock the door. Sanzo followed him into the room and closed the door with a sigh, stretching wearily and letting his robes fall to hang loosely about his waist. Gojyo watched him with half-lidded eyes, taking in his beautiful form before heading to the bathroom. "I need a shower...I smell like fireworks."

Sanzo stared after him for a moment before kicking off his sandals and following, Gojyo failing to notice and leaving the bathroom door open without thinking about it. The kappa started stripping and finally realized he had company when Sanzo pointedly threw one of his gloves at the half-naked redhead 'accidentally' and began pulling off his other clothes.

Gojyo turned and his eyes widened. "You're just gonna..." Sanzo looked up at him, pokerfaced. Gojyo took off his belt and let his pants fall from his hips. "That's really hot Sanzo."

Sanzo pulled off his shirt and looked down at Gojyo's lower body where an obvious bulge was concealed by the kappa's boxers with a smug grin. "I can tell."

Gojyo grinned at him before kicking off his boxers and leaning over to turn on the water in the shower. Sanzo blinked and tried not to stare at the pretty picture so conveniently leaning over in front of him and focus on removing the rest of his clothes as he pulled off his jeans. Gojyo peered over his shoulder just to catch a glimpse of Sanzo stripping. The blonde noticed the look as he slid his boxers off and forced a straight face even as he failed at stopping the blush.

Gojyo winked and licked his lips teasingly as he tested the temperature of the water. The monk moved next to him and couldn't help but run his fingers down the curve of Gojyo's back. The kappa turned to face the monk and pushed their hips together, the wet fingers of the hand he tested the water with tracing Sanzo's lips. The blonde's breath caught in his chest as his lips parted and his hips responded to the push.

"How hot do you like it?" Gojyo asked, grinning playfully.

Sanzo raised an eyebrow in a teasing manner. "How hot can you take it?"

"Oh god," Gojyo moaned and consumed Sanzo's lips. The monk had a brief moment of smug humor before he succumbed to the kiss and melted into Gojyo's arms. "It seems I'm rubbing off on you," Gojyo said huskily after pulling away.

Sanzo pulled back as well, trying to catch his breath. "Is that good or bad?"

"Definitely good..." Gojyo breathed as he reached to massage pale hips and feel his bare backside, leaning down to suck on his neck. Sanzo moaned languidly and ran his hands down Gojyo's sides. The kappa ran his tongue over Sanzo's jugular as he reached back to feel the water.

Sanzo whimpered and clung. "Can we get in now or what?"

Gojyo grinned deviously. "Any time. And here I was thinking I'd get out of the shower fast tonight."

Gojyo stepped into the shower, pulling in a very willing monk alongside him who moved under the soothing spray of hot water and turned his face up against it. Gojyo moved backwards just to watch the water pour over Sanzo's beautiful body. The blonde reached up and slicked his hair back, turning to look at Gojyo with burning eyes. He tilted his head to the side again, giving Gojyo that smile as he grabbed his hand and pulled him back under the flow of the water with him.

Gojyo willingly went to him and tried not to slip, the friction of their wet bodies together almost chilling. The kappa moaned softly and rolled his head back, water pouring down his neck and chest. Sanzo stared with lingering hooded eyes at the water running in rivulets down Gojyo's body before chasing the same path down his chest with feathered touches. Gojyo ran his hands down Sanzo's arms before he suddenly burst into a fit of laughter that made Sanzo jump.

"What?" Sanzo asked in agitated confusion.

"If I drop the soap," Gojyo laughed, "would you pick it up?"

Sanzo frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing," the kappa said airily, still grinning.

The monk fixed him with a glare and Gojyo rolled his eyes before picking up a bar of soap and lathering it up to rub over Sanzo's chest and shoulders. Any protests the blonde might have had caught in his throat as his eyes slid halfway shut at the gentle motion and he sighed in pleasure.

Gojyo grinned to himself at the dreamy expression on Sanzo's face as he continued to gently run his hands over his limbs and knelt down as he worked his way lower towards his belly and pale hips. He caught the small change in Sanzo's breathing as he moved lower and kissed his twitching abs lingeringly as water washed down Sanzo's front and splashed over Gojyo's face.

The monk was finding it hard to keep his breathing even as he watched the head of red hair drifting lower and was starting to become overwhelmed by the soft, fleeting touches that left his skin tingling and sent shivers through his system despite the hot water. The kappa kneaded the soft skin of Sanzo's backside, brushing his fingers barely inside of him every now and then as he nuzzled the hardening groin in front of his face.

Sanzo whimpered loudly and had to throw his hands out to brace against the shower walls to keep him steady as his knees started shaking. Gojyo looked up at him, pressing his chin against him gently and grinning. "Don't slip." Water splashed over his face, long strands of red hair plastered to his forehead.

"Easy for you to say--" Sanzo stammered, ending with a yelp as fingers slipped inside of him again.

"I'm almost done." Gojyo smiled and ran his hands down quaking legs with soapy hands as he lowered his head to tease the blonde with his tongue a little more before standing and running fingers through wet blonde hair. Sanzo was breathing hard now, clinging to Gojyo's waist in favor of the shower walls and his head tilting back to follow the motion of the fingers in his hair. Gojyo kissed and licked up his neck, pressing against him more.

Sanzo backed against the wall beneath the shower head, trembling from head to foot and flushed with excitement as he pressed back. Gojyo pulled back some and starting rubbing shampoo into the monk's hair, swinging his hips for him a moment later as he rinsed it out in the spray of water. Sanzo's eyes followed the motion of Gojyo's hips almost hypnotically as warm water ran down his face unheeded.

Gojyo kissed him and backed off as he started to wash himself instead, giving the monk a pouty look. "You're not gonna help me?"

Sanzo snapped from his trance and smiled up at him mischievously, pulling the bar of soap from the kappa's hands to run soapy fingers through wet red hair and over the contours of his face. Gojyo leaned into the monk's hands with a smirk on his face. "Mmm, maybe you just wanted to watch me do it myself?"

Sanzo raised his eyebrows at that, the idea tantalizing. "I could go either way,"

"Obviously," Gojyo chuckled, kissing him. "I'll give you a show some other night."

Sanzo grinned cattishly before sliding his hands over the column of his throat and down his shoulders and arms, rubbing in small circles. Gojyo gave a breathy moan and brushed their lips together again, taking a gentle hold of Sanzo's jaw in his hand to keep him there. Sanzo flicked his tongue over Gojyo's lips, his hands now descending down his chest, smoothing around over his back and drifting lower, gently squeezing the flesh there before running his hands back around to his front over sharp hip bones.

Gojyo's eyes closed halfway as he pressed their lips together again with more enthusiasm, Sanzo's hands on him feeling like heaven. Sanzo kneaded Gojyo's stomach, liking the way the muscles twitched under his hands, before sliding lower to stroke the kappa with a firm hand. He knelt down in front of Gojyo and briefly contemplated the erection in his hand before leaning forward to kiss the tip and move his hands down Gojyo's legs, paying no heed to the water splashing into his eyes as Gojyo gasped at the contact and did his best to keep his balance.

Sanzo spent a few moments swiping his tongue over Gojyo in an experimental fashion, marveling at the way the organ twitched at his touch and at the feel of Gojyo's pulse beneath thin, silky skin as the kappa stammered before Sanzo stood again to help the flow of water wash the soap from Gojyo's bronzed skin. Gojyo cupped his hands after the soap was gone and let them fill with water, letting it fall over Sanzo's hair with a smile. Sanzo sputtered and shook the water from his eyes and looking at the kappa balefully as he reached down and turned the water off.

As Gojyo moved to climb out of the shower, he caught Sanzo's gaze as he stared up at him through dripping bangs, his eyes glittering, and licked his lips. Gojyo felt a spike of arousal rush through him. "You drive me crazy," he said with slight awe as he got out and started toweling off. Sanzo grinned at the statement and followed suit, rubbing a clean towel over himself. Gojyo grinned; damn but he wanted to pop Sanzo with a towel.

As Sanzo moved to dry his hair some, Gojyo dropped his own towel carelessly and swept the blonde off his feet and muffled his startled squawk with a deep kiss. Sanzo's towel joined Gojyo's on the floor as he latched his arms around the kappa's neck and returned the kiss with passion.

"Did I scare you?" Gojyo asked, grinning against the monk's lips as he carried him to the bedroom. Sanzo nipped sharply at his bottom lip in response. The red head pressed their faces together and laid Sanzo on the bed, leaning over him and not wanting to break their kiss. Sanzo moved from Gojyo's lips down along his jaw to suck at the tender skin below his ear at the juncture of his jaw, running his fingers through damp red hair. Gojyo sighed in bliss and moved slowly onto the bed on all fours, hovering over the blonde as he nuzzled his cheek, enjoying the sensation of Sanzo's lips on his neck.

Sanzo breathed in the clean scent of Gojyo's skin, running his tongue up the column of his throat and pressing against him with a growing want. Gojyo lowered and rested his body completely on top of Sanzo, grinding his hips in slow circles and pressing him into the soft mattress. Sanzo moaned, winding his arms around Gojyo's back as his breathing began to become slightly erratic. Gojyo smiled to himself with a moan; he'd been ready to be inside of the blonde since the incident in the jeep earlier that day.

He kneed Sanzo's legs apart and slid up his naked body, creating a friction that had Sanzo gasping and spreading his legs further apart, arching up off the mattress against the body above him. "Ohh, Gojyo..."

"Oh yes?" Gojyo asked, breathless, always managing to be a smartass. He stroked Sanzo's flushed cheek, smiling at him before moving his fingers over the monk's lips to delve inside, greeted by a warm tongue that sent shivers through his system. Gojyo swallowed hard and fought to contain himself as Sanzo began to suck on the digits, watching with amused violet eyes and a pale eyebrow quirked. Gojyo extracted his fingers and moved his hand between Sanzo's legs, teasingly raising his eyebrow in imitation of the blonde's earlier expression as Sanzo's breathe hissed through his teeth at the contact of slick fingers at his entrance. Gojyo circled his fingers around slowly, amused at the obvious impatience growing in Sanzo's eyes as he drug out the process, before moving one to press inside, slipping in easily in movements that were now becoming quite familiar.

Sanzo bit his lip and made a small sound, whether in pleasure or discomfort Gojyo wasn't sure, as he pressed in further and stroked gently. Sanzo sighed with a shudder and reached a hand to curl in Gojyo's loose damp hair, coaxing him down for a kiss. Gojyo obliged happily and with passion as he added a second finger, feeling Sanzo clench around him momentarily before relaxing again and kissing him adamantly.

Gojyo kept his movements slow and unhurried, his free hand ghosting over a pale chest, having every intention of making their nighttime activities last for once, to make love without urgency or fear of being disrupted by something, to explore and become wholly familiar with the beautiful person in his arms the way he deserved to be known; he'd dreamed of such a thing since their first night together, an idea that had been utterly foolish at the onset but that now was in his very grasp...except for the fact that said beautiful person was growing obviously more and more impatient and glaring at him with desire-darkened violet eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you--" Sanzo cut of with a gasp as Gojyo's fingers twisted and he squirmed on the mattress. "Just hurry up alReADY!"

Gojyo smirked to himself as Sanzo suddenly yelped and ruined the effect of his statement in response to what Gojyo's fingers had found inside of him, and focused on that spot, adding a third finger and taking great humor and satisfaction in watching his beautiful blonde bombshell writhe on the sheets below him. "Not tonight, Genjo," he chuckled, leaning down to kiss the chakra standing out starkly on Sanzo's pale, sweaty forehead, "we have all the time in the world for once and I plan on taking advantage of it."

"But--" Sanzo groaned and bit his lip as he stammered and fought unsuccessfully for some form of composure as Gojyo's fingers continued circling against his prostate, effectively driving him to the point of incoherence as he moved restlessly on the bed, defenseless in the kappa's hands. "Thi-this isn't--ahh--funny! St-stop f-fucking torturing me!"

Gojyo's smirk widened as he moved his fingers and started thrusting them shallowly, keeping his gaze avidly on the form below him. "Torture? I would never dream of doing such a thing."

"Aahn!" Sanzo arched as Gojyo's hand picked up speed and reached to grab Gojyo's flaming red hair none too gently, yanking on it to bring his face level with his own and glaring dangerously. "Quit fucking around and stroking your ego! It is not--ahh--amusing!"

Gojyo winced and his movements faltered when he met Sanzo's burning, agitated eyes. If he didn't know any better he could have sworn he saw embarrassment and insecurity in those violet depths. He moved the hand that had been trailing lightly over ribs and pink nipples to grasp the pale wrist of Sanzo's fist to ease the tight pull on his hair and pressed a tender kiss to swollen lips. "Hey, hey, easy." He pried Sanzo's fingers free from his hair to lessen the burn of his scalp and intertwined their fingers. "All I want is to make you feel good...it does feel good, doesn't it?" He pressed his fingertips to Sanzo's prostate once more and felt muscles convulse in response, Sanzo's moan stubbornly cut back by teeth clamping down on his bottom lip. Gojyo frowned and kissed him again, gently. "We've never really taken our time with this before, and I've been dying to, Genjo. To go slow, explore your whole world."

Sanzo flushed brilliantly at that and tried to stammer protests and poison, but the words were lost in translation as Gojyo's fingers lingered on that area again. Gods that was unfair, he couldn't even see straight when Gojyo did that, let alone be expected to speak.

"It's supposed to feel good," Gojyo continued earnestly, moving to kiss the chakra again before trailing his lips to pale eyebrows and red cheeks, "and isn't anything to be embarrassed about."

Sanzo's stomach clenched painfully. How the fuck had Gojyo hit the nail right on the head like that? Sanzo whimpered in a fashion that left his pride aching and fisted Gojyo's hair again more in desperation than in anger, and gripped the wrist of Gojyo's errant hand to stop the slow, agonizing strokes so he could fucking breathe again.

Gojyo stopped his ministrations immediately at Sanzo's desperate touch and watched his flushed face in slight concern, waiting for the monk to look at him. "Stop--" Sanzo pleaded breathlessly, trying to get his brain to function well enough to complete a full sentence and stop stammering like an idiot.

Gojyo stroked Sanzo's flushed cheek and, after some difficulty, managed to coax Sanzo to open his eyes and look at him. "Where did all this come from?" He asked softly. "You never used to get so self-conscious before."

Yet even as he said it, Gojyo remembered all of the times the blonde had stifled his vocal reactions during some of their activities, how he sometimes turned irate when he felt himself to be on display. A small voice in Gojyo's head even wondered if it Sanzo's sudden concern had been prodded on by the public show of intimacy in jeep that afternoon.

The flush never left Sanzo's face as he debated responding, but even as he wished to do anything but respond he was compelled to speak by the genuine emotion in Gojyo's eyes. He averted his gaze and fought to regain his breath as he mumbled low enough that Gojyo had to move closer to hear. "Because...you never just... play...with me...and stare..." more heat rose up his neck and he looked distinctly uncomfortable. Vulnerable.

Gojyo was hit with a swell of affection for the priest and kissed him hard, succeeding in making his calming breathing erratic once more. "Do you have any idea how fuckable you look when you're embarrassed?" He murmured lovingly.

Irritation flared in Sanzo's eyes again. "F-fuck you!" he snapped defensively.

"Hmm, no," Gojyo laughed lightly, managing to shake Sanzo's slackened fingers from his wrist to move his fingers in slow strokes inside of the blonde again, "you're the one who's going to get fucked, remember?"

Sanzo hissed in pleasure-pain and clenched around him, glaring at Gojyo balefully through half-lidded eyes.

"While the concept may still be new to you," Gojyo continued, moving his other hand to glide over Sanzo's ignored erection making pale hips jerk hard and Sanzo inhale sharply, "I do indeed want to know everything about you. Especially," he said, giving Sanzo a squeeze and producing a groan, "hearing all the lovely sounds you can make, feeling every inch of you, finding every sweet spot," he gave a pointed rub on Sanzo's prostate earning a shuddering gasp, "and seeing the effect of each and every thing I do to you. Especially those of a sexual nature." He kissed Sanzo again to quiet the half-hearted protests that started stumbling past the blonde's lips. "You are mine, Genjo Sanzo, everything about you, and for no one else."

"S-since when are you--nnh--so damn possessive?" Sanzo mumbled, trying to regain a little dignity as he quivered under Gojyo's duel touch, though he'd be pretty hard pressed to find any such dignity by now.

"Since I had something worth being possessive over." Gojyo said in a soft serious voice, red eyes never straying from violet. Sanzo swallowed hard and blinked up at him in mild bewilderment. "And whether you like it or not, I want to see you, and hear you, so you'd better get used to it," he smirked, "'Cause you aren't going to just stop being my own personal obsession. If I make you feel good I wanna know it, and if you don't let me know, well..." he smiled cockily down at the still-bewildered monk, "I just might not know what you like and won't be able to give it to you."

Sanzo turned red once more and looked like he was trying very hard to contain whatever vicious words were rallying to fly out of his mouth. Gojyo couldn't help but laugh affectionately and nuzzled Sanzo's burning face. "I want all of those things because I love you, dumbass. Remember?" He murmured gently, brushing their lips together.

Sanzo felt the heat that had been dominating his cheeks creep down his neck and chest and swallowed. It wasn't that he didn't believe Gojyo, or that he didn't love him, but that he still couldn't let go of the fear of bearing himself in his entirety to another person without fear of being used, hurt. He abso-fucking-lutely hated vulnerability. His eyes were overly-bright as he gazed steadily up at Gojyo. "You're really not going away, are you...?" He asked softly, the fact that the question could be received very badly not crossing his mind as he said it.

Gojyo blinked at him in surprise. He'd rather thought they'd gotten past some of these issues, but apparently not. Not that he was entirely surprised, but the look on Sanzo's face wrenched something deep and he felt compelled to quell any doubts Sanzo may still reserve. Sadly, he had no idea how to do such a thing.

Oh, fuck, Sanzo was starting to look distinctly worried at Gojyo's long silence. "Are you fucking kidding? Hell no! Did you not hear a thing I just said? You." He pressed a kiss to Sanzo's lips. "Are." Kiss. "Mine." Deep kiss. "And nothin' ain't gonna change that now. There's nothing you could do short of killing me to get me to leave you alone."

Gojyo smiled to himself as Sanzo looked embarrassed again and tried not to show that he was pleased by Gojyo's response. A quick thrust of Gojyo's finger had that expression disappearing completely as a low moan drifted unheeded from Sanzo's throat. He gave a squeeze to Sanzo's cock as he stroked and relished the whimper it earned him. "Now will you allow me my fun? Hmm?" he asked, feathering his fingers against sensitized flesh.

Sanzo bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut, whimpering and just wanting so damn badly. Hadn't Gojyo wound him up enough already? He wasn't sure he could put up with so much fucking teasing much longer. For that matter how the hell could Gojyo stand to do all of this so calmly without receiving anything in return when he was obviously very aroused? Perhaps the kappa's experience did give him an upper hand after all.

"Ah ah ah," Gojyo said rather sternly, prying Sanzo's mouth open once seeing him bite down on his lip again. "None of that tonight. If you want to come anytime soon I get to hear you."

Sanzo managed to look outraged and bit down none too gently on the digits hooked on his bottom lip, even as his body shook madly as Gojyo continued fingering him with his other hand.

"Gah--" Gojyo winced but didn't withdraw either hand, instead moving to press hard against Sanzo's prostate in retaliation, causing the blonde to exclaim something incoherent that had probably been meant to be an expletive. Sanzo's chest heaved and he squirmed madly against the sheets, unclenching his jaw and gripping Gojyo's broad shoulders compulsively.

"Fuck--" he gasped, the word almost sounding like a sob as the pressure concentrated on that bundle of nerves stayed and intensified. His blood pounded wildly in his ears and the pressure in his cock grew to the point of being unbearable. "Goj--Gojy--" The blonde arched painfully off the bed, unaware of Gojyo's shocked amazement at the unexpected response, before he abruptly orgasmed, his essence splashing hot between them. Sanzo wilted in Gojyo's arms, light-headed and nerves singing.

The blonde came back to himself at the feeling of fingers stroking through his hair and against his cheek and whimpered softly, abruptly regaining much more awareness moments later at the swipe of Gojyo's tongue across his abdomen. He summoned the strength to lift his head and stare hazily down at the sight of Gojyo cleaning the mess from pale skin with his tongue. Seeming to feel the heat of his stare, red eyes flicked up to meet violet, glittering in the half-light of the room.

When he was finished, Gojyo crawled up Sanzo's body and kissed him soundly, an odd spike of arousal going straight to Sanzo's groin when he tasted himself on Gojyo's lips. That and the impossible-to-ignore erection digging into his hip. When the kappa pulled away from the kiss Sanzo blinked up at him to see a smirk gracing the kappa's face. "That was a little unexpected. Amazing, but unexpected. I guess I really was teasing you awful bad if you were that wound up already, huh?"

Sanzo glared at him half-heartedly and grabbed crimson hair to jerk Gojyo down for another kiss, the meeting of their lips much gentler than the kappa had expected. "You enjoy making me a babbling ball of sensory-overload, don't you, asshole?"

Gojyo smirked. "It's my new favorite pastime." He ran his hands lightly down Sanzo's chest, liking the feeling of the twitching muscles underneath soft pale skin. Lips soon followed the trail his hands made, sending shivers over Sanzo's body and to his surprise reawakening his arousal. Was he really that damn sensitive, to be reacting again so quickly? Good God, I'm pathetic, he groaned to himself as Gojyo swept his tongue across hard nipples.

Gojyo noticed rather promptly the rehardening of Sanzo's groin and was quite pleased with how quickly the monk was returning to that lovely, flushed state that made all reason in Gojyo's head fly out the window. He wished Sanzo could always look like that, always have that odd softness in his face that reminded Gojyo of just how young they really were, how human Sanzo really was, and marvel at how easily that thought was forgotten.

A sudden squeak from Sanzo's mouth made Gojyo pause from nipping at the monk's ribs. Sanzo was staring intently at the ceiling with an air of bewildered embarrassment. Gojyo kept his eyes on Sanzo as he dipped his head and nipped again at that one spot and was pleased to hear a small noise of pleasure. Eyes glittering, Gojyo committed the location of the sensitive spot to memory and focused on it with teeth and lips, delighting in the soft noises emitting from Sanzo's throat and the way that he was squirming against him as he made a nice new mark in commemoration.

Gojyo shifted away, taking slight pause to run his fingers lightly down Sanzo's ticklish sides to earn a soft laugh and a smack on the head. Chuckling, the red head dipped his tongue in the monk's navel in response. Sanzo pushed his fingers through bright crimson hair and sighed softly, feeling the slight joyful rush of retaliation when Gojyo shivered on contact. At least there's one way to fight back from this position, Sanzo thought grudgingly, knowing that Gojyo was leaving him defenseless and submissive for nothing more than his own personal entertainment.

Gojyo's mind halted immediately at the feel of those fingers on his scalp and his hands stopped in mid-caress--what did it matter what he'd been doing anyways--and all he could focus on was the electrifying feeling that ripped through his system at that touch. He moaned deep in his throat and couldn't bring himself to raise his head to catch Sanzo's grin at the response. Why--why did something so simple, so mundane turn him into a pile of goo? He sighed blissfully and pressed his face to Sanzo's belly, his hands drifting down lean white thighs as he let the sensations momentarily drown out desire. I couldn't hurt to just lie there and be stroked like a cat for a while, could it?

Gojyo's breath fluttering warm over his sensitized skin did nothing to help Sanzo's situation, but having the kappa all but purring in his lap nearly made it worth it. Even so, the blonde couldn't stop the squirm or the soft noises that together proved effective enough to refocus Gojyo to his task.

Red eyes glittered mischievously up at the monk who swallowed reflexively, making the kappa chuckle. Tan calloused fingers glided over pale hips and curved around thighs to rest underneath as Gojyo pressed creamy legs up and open with little resistance. By the Gods, Sanzo was a beautiful display, and he was all Gojyo's. The red head dipped down for a slow kiss as he stroked slightly shaking inner thighs, breaking away only when he simply couldn't wait any longer. He shifted back onto his knees and hastily gathered some saliva--When will I remember to buy some God-damned fucking lube so I can do this the right way?--and slicked himself with a groan as his aching erection finally received some attention.

Leaning forward Gojyo pressed into the blonde with a gasping moan, his grasp tightening on Sanzo's thighs as the monk let out a shuddering cry and gasped for breath. After entering him completely Gojyo shook with effort as he held still, sweat dripping off of his nose, waiting for Sanzo to adjust. Sanzo drew his knees further up to shift into something more comfortable as his passage twitched around Gojyo and wound his arms about the kappa's neck as he gave a small push back with his hips in indication. Gojyo had never been more relieved by such a simple movement.

Despite his earlier words and all of his original intentions, Gojyo's hips snapped into a pulsating rhythm, driven by a maddening passion and lust that was starting to envelope his entire life. His grip on pale thighs loosened enough to slide down to Sanzo's backside and over his hips to grip tightly and keep him in place, making sure their hips met at each thrust.

Sanzo's moans were already reaching a tender pitch and starting to sound relatively pitiful as Gojyo's passion engulfed him and threatened to swallow him whole. He wrapped his long legs about the kappa's middle to bring him closer, drawing his lips to his own once more. Gojyo kissed him back with little precision, his breathing so erratic he couldn't keep it going, and opted instead to just leave his mouth resting open against his, breathing heavily, and sped up the pace.

Sanzo choked on a groan at the change of pace and gripped the red head tighter, arching his head back and away from Gojyo before rolling it forward to bury his face in Gojyo's shoulder to stifle his cries. Gojyo put a hand on the bed to steady himself so as not to fall over, clutching tightly at the sheets, shaking with pleasure, and managed a growl at the blonde head panting against his collarbone as he crashed into him again. "Let me hear you, Genjo,"

Teeth sinking into his skin and a series of whimpers were his answer.

"Gah--" Gojyo's pace faltered and he decided to switch tacts as he twisted his hips in search of the blonde's pleasure. He couldn't stop the smug satisfaction from washing through him when Sanzo cried out sharply and threw his head back, tightening like a vice and panting wildly. Guess I found it.

Gojyo flicked his tongue in and out of Sanzo's mouth, brushing their lips together every now and then. Oh, how very badly he wanted to make him cry out his name, and to think of him, only him, forever. Sanzo whimpered and haphazardly returned the kisses with soft brushes of his tongue as the world and his thoughts spun around him. Damn it all but he could not figure out what he did to deserve any of this human comfort, happiness.

Gojyo only had one thing on his mind at the moment, and that was the gorgeous body underneath him. He moaned shamelessly against Sanzo's swollen lips as he felt himself getting close. The blonde was outright writhing in Gojyo's grasp now, his breath coming in quick painful gasps as orgasm came rushing at him. Sanzo threw his head back wantonly, exclaiming loudly as his body seized and his release flooded his senses, his nails digging into tan shoulders. Gojyo didn't register the small pain as pleasure washed over him, bursting behind his eyes and in his chest as he drained himself into that warm, perfect body with a quivering moan, blazing with hot passion.

Sanzo went limp and sank into the bed as senses returned, body tingling, before lifting a weary hand to smooth back damp clinging tendrils of red hair from Gojyo's forehead, feeling an absolute calm fill him in the afterglow. Gojyo's eyes hung closed as he came down from his peak, arms shaking from the exertion of keeping himself upright as he tried to catch his breath. The monk ran lazy hands up and down Gojyo's back, staring up at him with eyes that almost glowed in the moonlight. Gojyo's eyes opened slowly to gaze down into Sanzo's burning violets. Fuck, he just wanted to melt into him and never leave. "Sanzo..."

Sanzo smiled serenely, slightly bewitched by Gojyo's face shining with a sheen of sweat in the half light and lulled by the emotion apparent in his voice. The kappa leaned down and brushed their lips together. "You know I'm completely in love with you, right?"

Sanzo kissed him softly in response, putting his feelings into it as best as he could. "I love you too."

Gojyo moaned softly at those words. The monk hardly ever said them, but it meant so much when he did. He sighed in contentment when Sanzo placed a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling away with a soft grunt, not sure he could hold himself up any longer, to lie and Sanzo's side. He pulled the slighter man close to him to feel his heart beating.

Sanzo noticed the particular motive with a weary quirk of an eyebrow before taking one of the kappa's hands and pressing it against his chest, over his heart. "To think all these years it was rumored I had no heart," he murmured.

Gojyo grinned and kissed his forehead. "You're just good at hiding it."

Sanzo sighed softly and curled closer into Gojyo, snatching one of the blankets at the foot of the bed and throwing it over them, not caring that they were sticky, only that they were satisfied and exhausted. "Apparently not good enough; you managed to find it." He murmured sleepily.

Warmth blossomed in Gojyo's chest and he pulled Sanzo closer, unable to stop the smile from spreading on his face. "Yeah, I guess I did." Contentedly, he closed his eyes and drifted off, he and Sanzo wrapped in each others arms.


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TBC -- I swear ^.^;; *ducks flying tomatos*

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