Disclaimer: I still think Sanzo and Hakkai are soul mates ^_^

Pairings: Shounen-ai [393, 585]

A/N: Am not a believer of 393 but don't worry, professionalism is guaranteed. This fic is for my sister, Saiyuki G.H.S.G. whose birthday falls on 21st March. She adores Goku and 393 fics but unfortunately, since I'm a 383 lover, she rarely reads my stories *sob*

Anyhow…Happy B'day! Take this fic as your birthday gift…I'm broke lah. Tahun depan je lah…

Warnings: Probable OOC-ness.

Title: Nikuman of Love

"Sanzo! Sanzo!"

There went his concentration. "Urusai, baka saru!" the named one shrieked as he hurled his trusty harisen towards the golden-eyed lad who had just entered the room. "Can't you leave me alone for a few minutes? I was trying to read, damn it!"

Goku rubbed his sore head as he bent down to pick up the harisen lying limply on the floor after a job well done. "Ite naa…" he pouted as he approached the fuming monk who had one super huge throbbing vein popping out at one temple.

"What is it?" Sanzo demanded angrily as he snatched the harisen off the lad's hand and slammed it down on the table beside him.

Golden eyes immediately widened. "Gojyo and Hakkai…" he began dramatically, the tone of his voice one of absolute horror.

Sanzo narrowed his eyes, already guessing the source of Goku's distress. "Save it. I already know. Just mind your own business, saru!" he cut in and flipped the newspaper back up. Squinting past the glass barriers, he attempted to read once again.

"You knew?" Goku gasped, peering over the newspaper and looking straight at the blonde. "Are you sure you know what I know?" he pressed, not satisfied.

In one quick motion, Sanzo grabbed the harisen off the table and brought it hard on the saru's head. "I know, damn it! What could possibly freak you out if it isn't about…" he struggled for the right word then. "…that?"

"Okay, okay!" the golden-eyed lad groaned as he took a step back and rubbed his head for the second time. "So you know what I know." Though that had been said, Goku was obviously still disturbed. "But just in case you don't know, I saw the two of them kissing!" he quickly rattled off.

"Die, you stupid moron!" Sanzo yelled as he fired the Smith and Wesson which he had fished out somewhere in the middle of Goku's last sentence.

"Ahhh!"

As he kicked a small pebble that was in the way of his step, Goku heaved another huge sigh. His shoulders were slumped in a dejected manner and blue lines of depression were seen hovering by the side of his face. "Sanzo's such a meanie!" he mumbled sulkily under his breath. It was such a close shave a while ago. Had he not dodge the three whizzing bullets, he would have surely…

"Meanie!" he muttered again and looked up. The town that they were in was surely active and bustling and to his right and left were rows of stalls selling all kinds of delicious food. Goku felt his stomach rumbling then but somehow, he was not in the mood to get something to eat.

"Piping, hot nikuman! Get your piping, hot nikuman!" a loud voice boomed. Sluggishly, Goku turned his head to the right and spotted the nikuman vendor, a buxom lady with bunned-up grey hair. She saw him looking at her and smiled cheerfully. "Hey, love…come and get some nikuman to ease away your gloom."

Instantly Goku's eyes widened and before he knew it, he was walking towards the friendly lady. "How do you know I'm feeling gloom?" he asked with a tilt of his head, face so endearingly gullible that the vendor reached out and ruffled his hair.

"I can see it in your eyes, love. If I'm not mistaken, it has to do with someone you care about right? Oh, and it seems like you're quite disturbed too."

Goku's jaw dropped opened. "Sugoi! You're so smart, obasan!" He stared straight into her purple eyes and was slightly taken aback by them. They looked just like Sanzo's.

She laughed. "Neh…it's just that I've been a vendor for so many years and have seen so many people that I could tell what someone's feeling just by looking." Upon seeing Goku nodding his head thoughtfully, she continued, "So, love…who and what could possibly upset such a fine, young lad like you?"

Goku hung his head. "You see…"

It was just after lunch and Sanzo had already gone upstairs. Gojyo and he were still fighting over the piece of dumpling that was the only food left on the table while Hakkai was finishing up the last bottle of sake. And when the brunette was done, he had calmly told them to stop their squabbling. "Besides Gojyo…surely there's something more satisfying than that dumpling? Let Goku have it."

Being the naïve one that he was, Goku was grateful for the smiling man's thoughtfulness and immediately snatched the dumpling, sticking out his tongue even at the redhead. But unfortunately, Gojyo was busy looking at Hakkai to notice his mockery.

"Arghhh!" Goku cried out as he pulled on his hair. "Now I know what that look on Gojyo's face really meant!"

The vendor leaned forward eagerly, mighty bosoms thrusting out as she did so. "Aiyah, don't stop like that! Continue!"

The golden eyes bulged out in astonishment but nonetheless, he nodded his head. "Aa…ok. Well, then the stupid cockroach said…"

"Aa…sou ka?" Goku watched as Hakkai merely widened his smile slightly at Gojyo's words and stood up, his movement somewhat slow and languid.

"Well then, I've got to go unpack our stuff. You just take your time, Goku," the brunette said cheerfully before walking away and up the stairs. As he did so, he cast an intent gaze towards Gojyo. That look was so unlike Hakkai but Goku had not the opportunity to ponder about it. Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw Gojyo standing up and stretching lazily.

"Where you going, Gojyo?"

The half breed turned to Goku with a start, as if the golden-eyed boy had just appeared by his side. Goku frowned at the blank look etched upon the half breed's face. "What's wrong with you, ero kappa?"

Only then did Gojyo's facial muscles slowly materialize into one of those 'you-are-still-a-kid-so-butt-out' looks. "Go get yourself more food," he said as he tossed a couple of coins one the table. "Ja na!" And with that, he walked off and traipsed up the stairs…

"Hold on, love. Let me get this man's orders first."

Goku merely nodded his head and waited patiently for the lady to attend the old man beside him. She was a quick worker and in less than one minute, she was done and giving him her undivided attention. "Continue!"

He was puzzled by Gojyo's sudden generosity but nonetheless, free money was free money after all. Scooping up the coins eagerly, Goku then headed towards the counter and began looking through the side dishes menu. After much deliberation, Goku decided to buy something that he could take-away instead of eating alone at the table.

Hopping up the stairs joyfully, he munched the fried chicken he had bought with gusto. He reached the top then and walked down the corridor towards the room in which Sanzo and he were sharing. Usually, he would be rooming with the damn kappa while Sanzo with Hakkai but it had been almost two months then since that arrangement was disregarded.

He passed the room in which Gojyo and Hakkai were in, idly aware that the door was slightly ajar and idly noticing Hakkai pinning Gojyo to the wall and kissing the horny guy on the lips…

"I was so shocked! I even dropped the chicken I was eating! And the next thing I knew, I was running straight to Sanzo. But Sanzo…" he trailed off and looked away.

The lady nodded her head sympathetically. "I understand, love. So this Sanzo just waved you off, right?" She paused slightly. "You like this Sanzo person, love?"

Goku's head snapped up instantly. "Like Sanzo?" he echoed. Of course he liked Sanzo. The blonde was his precious sun after all. But what kind of like was the kind lady talking about? Was it like Gojyo's and Hakkai's kind of like? Masaka? He could not think of kissing that active volcano…

Unconsciously, Goku began to visualize Sanzo's thin lips…soft, thin lips…moist, soft, thin lips…

The lady's chuckling broke his sinful reverie. "Saa, love…forget what I say. Well then, would you like to buy some nikuman?"

Goku's eyes roved carelessly upon the display of nikuman. "I'm not that hungry…so just give me 20 of them please."

She chuckled again. "20 of them then," she said breezily and began packing the desired amount. "Here you go."

"Thanks!" Goku answered as he handed her the money. "It was nice of you to listen to me. But I've got to go now or Sanzo will seriously kill me this time." He gave her a big smile and spun round to walk away.

"Hey, love…" she called out.

He halted. "Eh?"

She smiled as she held out her hand, a most beautiful-looking nikuman upon her palm. "Here, love…take this. It's free."

The golden-eyed boy shook his head. "No, I can't take that, obasan," he declined politely.

"No, it's ok. Come here, love. This is not an ordinary nikuman. It's special."

Strange but Goku could have sworn he heard her voice echoing in his mind instead of in his ears. And she suddenly looked so familiar… For the second time that day, he found himself drawn to the smiling vendor.

"This is a special nikuman," she whispered. "See, I'm a herbalist too and sometimes, I make nikuman that can be medicinal. This one, love…is my greatest pride. It's called nikuman of love."

"Nikuman of love?" he breathed as he gazed at the enticing, marshmallowy white piece of delight.

She laughed softly. "Yes, nikuman of love. When a person takes a bite of this, he or she will immediately fall in love with the person who had given it. But it's only effective for two hours though. I know you love that Sanzo person you are talking about so I want to help you out."

Two hours? Sanzo will love me for two hours? "But that love doesn't come from the heart…" Goku said quietly.

"But at least, two hours is still better than nothing right?" she coaxed.

Two hours ka? Aaa…two hours is definitely better than nothing. "I'll take it then," he concurred as he took the nikuman off the vendor's outstretched hand. He gazed at it and noted that it had a pink marker on the top centre.

"That's to differentiate it from your other nikuman."

Goku looked up and felt his eyes moistening. "Thank you, obasan…" he whispered. "Thank you…"

"Are…where's Sanzo?" Looking around the empty room, Goku felt his heart ached then. "He's not here…" he sighed dejectedly.

"You're back, Goku!" a familiar voice exclaimed from behind him. Turning round, he saw Hakkai gazing at him in relief. Goku lowered his gaze to the brunette's neck then as he felt a hot blush creeping up his cheeks. "I was so worried! Daijobu desu ka?"

Goku nodded his head. He looked up slightly and careful to avoid eye-contact, he asked. "Where's Sanzo?"

"He went out to get some cigarettes. He will be back before dinner."

"Oh…" Goku tightened his grip on his bag of nikuman, a wave of sorrow flooding through him. "Hakkai…"

The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Hai?"

"I'm sleepy," Goku said simply.

"Oh. Well then, you just get some rest ok? One of us will wake you up for dinner."

Goku issued a small smile. "Thank you." He headed to his own bed then and curled up with the bag of nikuman pressed dearly against his chest. And soon enough, he drifted off to dreamland…where Sanzo was always smiling and welcoming.

He found it difficult to breathe. His mouth widened as he attempted to gulp in as much air as possible. Masaka? Was he dying? How?

I can't die like this! It cannot be!

"You're not going to die, moron!" someone said then and all of a sudden, he felt the cool breeze of life rushing up his nostrils. His lids fluttered opened and he found himself gazing up to a blonde with amethyst eyes.

"Sanzo?" he croaked.

"Hn," the said one snorted. "Wake up, saru."

Goku groggily sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Is it dinner time already?" he asked, looking at the monk who was sitting on the edge of his bed. His nose felt pinched and sore and he realized that Sanzo was the one responsible for his inability to breathe a while ago.

"Dinner?" the monk grunted. "It's ten."

"Ten?"

"Urusai!" And thwack came the mighty harisen upon the unfortunate lad.

Goku was near to tears. "Ten? I missed dinner? Why didn't any of you wake me up in time?"

"You were the one sleeping like the dead! Don't blame it on us," Sanzo muttered. When Goku did not answer, head hung and looking so irritatingly, conscience-breakingly miserable, Sanzo sighed. "What's in the paper bag?"

"Paper bag?" Goku echoed, confused. He looked down to his hand that was gripping the paper bag Sanzo was talking about and immediately recalled the afternoon's encounter with that friendly vendor. "Nikuman! I bought nikuman!" he exclaimed, as if surprised.

"Baka!" the blonde muttered again. "Well, aren't you going to eat your dinner?"

Goku pouted. "I guess…" he whispered. "But they are cold and probably squashed and there are only twenty of them—"

Thwack!

"Ite naa!" the boy groaned. "I'll eat them already!" he grumbled. Goku then rummaged through the bag and fished out one cold nikuman. He was about to take a bite when he remembered about that special nikuman of love. Making sure that the one he had taken was not it, he anchored the bun with his teeth between the lips and rummaged again.

There it was. The milky white nikuman with a pink marker. Goku immediately thrust the bun to the blonde, who raised an eyebrow at it.

"I don't want it," he said coolly.

Peeling off the bun from his mouth, he spoke. "Take it, Sanzo. This is for you. Pleaseee…"

Sanzo was still staring at the bun, his expression of one forced to eat a truckload of worms. He shifted his gaze to the saru, who had one of those puppy looks on. Sighing, he then snatched the bun and without another word, bit into it.

"Yatta!" the golden-eyed lad whooped.

A dangerously pointed brow had been raised. Goku immediately clammed up and waited in anticipation as Sanzo finished off the bun.

"Aren't you going to eat? I thought you were starving?" the blonde asked once done.

"Oh, yeah…" Goku answered absent-mindedly and Sanzo watched in astonishment as the saru popped one bun after another into his suddenly cavernous mouth. In less than two minutes, all buns were safely on their way to the bottomless pit to be digested. 'Ne, Sanzo…are you feeling…different?" he asked in a timid voice.

Sanzo narrowed his eyes. "Different? What the hell are you babbling about, bakasaru? Just go back to sleep!"

A crestfallen look graced the chibi-ish face. "But I just woke up. And I don't want to sleep. I want to wait."

"Wait? For what?"

Goku hastily shook his head. "Nothing… I was just talking to myself."

"Baka!" Sanzo grumbled. "If you're not going to sleep, then I will."

Sanzo's going to sleep? But he can't! The bun's effect will be wasted then!

But since Goku was busy babbling away mentally, he did not notice that Sanzo had already stripped off his robe and tossing it to his bed. And it was only when Sanzo spoke that his trance was broken.

"…move over."

Goku blinked, trying to refocus. "What?" he asked.

Sanzo sighed exasperatedly. "I said, move over. How am I going to sleep if you're hogging up the whole bed?" A point to note; the words were said in a most tender manner.

"You're sleeping here? But your bed's over there!" Goku protested. Wait a minute! Why on earth did he protest? The nikuman of love worked after all!

And to further prove the brilliant effectiveness of that special nikuman, Sanzo did the unthinkable. He smiled! A small, genuine smile! A small, genuine smile that was warm! A small, genuine smile that was warm and affectionate! Sanzo had smiled!

"Of course I'm sleeping here. Why would I want to sleep alone when I have you?" the icy, I-don't-care-about-others-cross-me-and-you're-dead-touch-me-and-you're-dead-too 31st Doa Genjo Sanzo houshi sama whispered huskily as he gently ran his knuckles down one of Goku's cheeks.

"Sanzo…"

"Shh…" the blonde breathed as he leaned forward.

Goku froze. He was as stiff as a tree trunk, as blank as an empty piece of paper, as terrified as a youkai about to be shot dead by a certain Smith and Wesson when Sanzo's lips—those moist, soft, thin lips—brushed against his own. He felt the nicotine-tinged breath, warm and caressing, upon his skin and he shuddered involuntarily. Now he was melting. As runny as butter upon a warm toast, as intoxicated as a glass filled to the brim with sake, as excited as when he kicked the living hell out of Kougaiji and Homura.

"Sanz—"

He was silenced once again by Sanzo's gentle but persistent lips. Unable to help himself, Goku sighed into the vicinity of Sanzo's mouth and fall back slowly into the bed, with Sanzo atop him. Never had he felt such bliss before and when Sanzo slipped a tongue past his lips, Goku felt his blood rushing up to his head with white-hot ecstasy.

Thank you, obasan!

"I thought you said kami do nothing but to watch and witness, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama."

Se laughed. "I am just watching and witnessing. I did nothing at all, Jiroushin."

Right, Konzen?

Was it wise of him to do that? He did not know. But it did not matter. When the saru awoke the next day, he would believe in that two hours crap that lady vendor was telling about. Honestly, that saru was just too naïve hence, so easily tricked. And dumb too, for not noticing him standing, observing and hearing everything from one of the nearby stalls.

But he was no better himself. He, too, had taken advantage of the boy. But what better time than to show that side of him and not let his reputed, cold persona be tarnished? Besides, he ought to thank that lady whoever she was. He did not know why she told that lie to Goku but it helped him immensely. The past two months that he was forced to room with the saru had stirred what he thought he had suppressed. And though the lad was one who slept like the dead, there was only so much he could do such as a mere caress on the cheek or a quick peck on the lips.

Nikuman of love?

Bullshit!

= owari =

It's finished! Finally finished! Arghh…this was difficult ne! Please, allow me to complain a bit.

Complaint #1 = Not really a good piece cuz I couldn't incorporate much humor in it. Note that I'm more of an angst/general writer and 393s are mostly humorous in nature, are they not? So if you're a 393 fan and reading this fic, do forgive me for not meeting up to the standards.

Complaint #2 = I had to read SO many 393 fics just to get the mood to write and would like to thank Ami-13th and Hikaru R. Kudou for their brilliantly funny stories. I'm not a 393 lover but I do know how to appreciate good stories. Kudos to them for inspiring me.

Complaint #3 = This is such a long chapter! I've never wrote anything this long before! (for a one-shot, I mean)

Well, that's about it. Anyhow, if any of you know my sis, Saiyuki G.H.S.G [393 fans should be familiar with this name popping up in their reviews], do drop her an email wishing her Happy B'day alright? I'm sure she would like that. Here's her email: saiyuki_gal [at]

Cheers and hope you enjoy reading this terrible first attempt at 393! Reviews would be nice ^_^