Goku landed the end of his Nyoi-Bo brutally down onto the skull of another nameless youkai that had charged him. For the hundredth time, a hoard of youkai decided it would be a brilliant plan to sneak up upon the Sanzo-ikkou at an intolerably early hour in the morning, assuming they would somehow succeed where all of their companions had failed by catching them off guard. Little did these small fry understand that their plan was simply not enough to win.

Goku let an end of his staff hit the ground and leaned against it as his stomach growled loudly. “I’m too hungry to fight anymore,” he whined loudly as he let his eyelids fall shut. “An’ m’still tired.”

Two loud gunshots rang out and reverberated throughout the small gorge they had stopped for the night in. “Quit complaining and fight,” Sanzo demanded with a distinctively annoyed tone. “Or you won’t live long enough to eat afterwards.” Waking Sanzo up before he was ready to start the day was never a good plan; especially if you wake him by shouting that you are going to steal both his sutra and his life.

“Goku,” Hakkai said through a wide smile. “If we manage to take these youkai out in a decent amount of time, I can make you some stew with the food we still have from the last village.” As if it were punctuation to his sentence, he slammed his elbow back into the face of a youkai man that tried to sneak up behind him, making him slowly crumple down to the ground.

“Don’t you sound happy, Hakkai,” Gojyo grunted out as he sent the blade of his Shakujo flying through the air. The crescent moon sped around a small grouping of youkai before turning on its axis and returning towards Gojyo, taking down several youkai in its path.

“Of course!” Hakkai poured out a powerful beam of chi, incinerating a youkai who was attempting to take advantage of the short time Sanzo needed to reload his gun. “I’ve always been an advocate of exercise in the morning. It gets your blood flowing through your veins,” ironically, as he said this, he hit a man in the gut with immense swiftness, causing him to hack up a large amount of blood before falling down dead. “And supplies your body with energy for the rest of the day.”

“And it keeps you in shape for the ladies,” Gojyo added on with a wide grin.

“Among other things, yes I suppose so.” Hakkai’s smile faltered ever so slightly.

“Are you guys done killing them yet?” Goku said in the midst of a yawn. “I wanna go back to sleep.”

“It would go faster if you helped, stupid monkey!” Gojyo shouted while landing the other end of his Shakujo down onto the neck of one of the attackers, cleanly severing the head from his body.

“But I’m so tired, I can’t even keep my eyes o-” Goku’s sleepy whine was suddenly cut off when a shadowy figure behind him brought a dull edge of a sword crashing down onto the back of Goku’s skull. As if a switch had been flicked off, Goku’s body froze before he collapsed down to the ground.

“GOKU!” Hakkai’s voice broke through the air harshly.

Hakkai’s shout grabbed the attention of both Gojyo and Sanzo as they turned to see what was wrong. There was Goku, laying limply on the ground with a large youkai man standing over him and a small pool of blood slowly growing from beneath his hair.

Instinctively, Sanzo’s arm whirled around towards the offending youkai and fired three shots, effectively taking him down. “Hakkai, check on him!” Sanzo ordered as he began reloading his gun.

“I’m on it!” Hakkai hopped over a body and began making his way towards Goku.

“Hakkai! Behind you!” Hearing Gojyo’s warning, Hakkai ducked and narrowly avoided the edge of an axe as it swung over his head. Hakkai planted his hand on the ground and shot out his leg, sending the large youkai tumbling to the ground like a fallen tree.

Not getting a moment’s break from the attacks, Hakkai couldn’t get to Goku, who remained motionless and bleeding on the ground.

“Tch, these assholes are getting better at surprise attacks.” Sanzo growled out as he flicked the fully-loaded barrel back into its place.

“Goku! If you’re alive, you better respond, monkey!” Gojyo demanded while ducking from a sword that whizzed over his head.

Neither a sound nor even movement came from the boy in the dirt.

Several vital minutes pass before the three conscious members of the ikkou manage to vanquish the remaining youkai. The very moment the last one fell, Hakkai bounded for Goku, skidding his knees through the dirt and kneeling next to him. He could instantly see that the sticky mess of blood and hair on the back of Goku’s head was the point of injury. Cupping his hands just an inch above Goku’s skull, he channeled his chi and began to send his energy into the gash, doing what he could to stop the bleeding and close the wound.

Sanzo and Gojyo were there mere seconds later. Gojyo crouched down next to Hakkai while Sanzo stood, towering over his unconscious ward.

“What the hell happened? Is he all right?” Gojyo queried while eyeing the large pool of blood at their feet.

“He must’ve gotten hit unexpectedly from behind. I can close the wound, but that is an awful lot of blood. Head wounds bleed quite a bit more than one would imagine.” Hakkai’s voice was an octave deeper than usual as his body strained to pump out the energy to heal such a large wound. “There, I think that’ll stop the bleeding.” Gently, he rolled Goku over onto his back and cradled his head in his lap. “But he’s in pretty bad shape. We need to get him to a town right away.” Lifting his arm, he ran the back of his hand over his forehead, wiping away a few beads of sweat. “The next town is a few hours away, but we need to hurry.”

Gojyo leaned forward and scooped Goku up into his arms. Carefully, while stepping over corpses and discarded weapons, he carried Goku to the Jeep and laid him gently down in the back seat. He then climbed into the seat and maneuvered Goku so that his head was resting on Gojyo’s leg.

Exhausted now but not having the time to recuperate, Hakkai pulled himself up off of the ground. “Sanzo?”

Sanzo was still standing in the same place, staring down at the blood that was now slowly seeping into the earth. This was a far too familiar scene.

“Sanzo, we need to hurry.” Hakkai stated while placing a hand on Sanzo’s shoulder.

Tightening his fist, Sanzo tore his eyes away from the blood and hurried towards the Jeep with Hakkai. Not wasting a second, Hakkai started the Jeep up and sped out of the gorge towards the nearest village.

The entirety of the three and a half hour trip was spent in silence. Hakkai concentrated on the road as he pushed Jeep to high speeds, Gojyo did the best he could to keep the rattling of the Jeep from jostling Goku around too much, and Sanzo sat perfectly still. Perfectly still except for his eyes that kept finding themselves glancing into the rearview mirror at Goku as if to double check he was still there.

When Hakkai stopped the Jeep in front of the first inn they came across, Sanzo hopped out and went to pay for their rooms hastily while the other two saw to Goku making it inside safely.

Time seemed to drag out painfully slow as Sanzo watched Hakkai and Gojyo did what they could to treat Goku while he leaned against the wall, staying out of the way. When they were finished, Goku was in a bed, stripped down to just his jeans and his undershirt, with a cool washcloth over his forehead and a thick blanket draped over his body.

With his elbow on the mattress, Hakkai propped his head up with his hand while he knelt on the floor next to the bed. “That’s about all we can do. Not only did he lose a lot of blood, but he took a severe blow to his head. He could be out for days. For now, his breathing and heart rate is normal, so it’s best to not disturb him and let him heal.”

“Hakkai, you okay man? You look all pasty.” Gojyo said as he folded his arms.

“Ah, I’m fine, thank you. I’m just a bit tired.” Hakkai said through a weak smile.

“Come on,” Gojyo said, reaching down and looping his arm under Hakkai’s. “Let’s get you some food. Last time you looked like that you got anemic.” He pulled Hakkai up to his feet and turned to look at Sanzo. “Sanzo, lets go. Goku’s not going anywhere.”

Sanzo remained leaning against the wall, looking over towards Goku. “I’ll stay.”

“Ha? Come on, Sanzo we can’t get food without-”

Hakkai cut Gojyo’s sentence off by raising his hand in the air, motioning him to stop. “That’s fine, Sanzo. Can we then borrow the gold card to purchase some food? We’ll also pick up cigarettes and enough food for us while we wait for Goku to wake up.”

“Fine.” Sanzo said flatly while he reached into his sleeve and retrieved the card.

After taking the card, Gojyo and Hakkai walked out into the hallway, shutting the door behind them. “If he’s so worried about the kid, why the hell doesn’t he just say it?” Gojyo asked rhetorically as he and Hakkai walked down the hall.

“You know Sanzo would never say anything like that out loud. I’m sure there is plenty going on in that head of his he never voices. Probably.”

“Right, because Sanzo-sama is so shy!” Gojyo mocked in a louder tone.

“Gojyo!”

Once the voices and footsteps of the other two faded into the distance, Sanzo pushed himself off from the wall and walked over to the small table in the room. On it, Hakkai had placed a bowl of cool water so he could re-dampen the washcloth, Goku’s clothes folded neatly in a pile, a blood-stained towel Gojyo had used to wash the blood away from Goku’s hair, and an ashtray. He grabbed the ashtray and a chair, dragged it over towards the head of Goku’s bed and sat down so that he was parallel to the bed. After setting the ashtray down on the low windowsill that was within reach of his chair, he looked over at Goku. He was breathing peacefully, which was the complete opposite of how he usually slept; his chest rose and fell slowly with each deep breath that crept through his parted lips. His face was pale and his hair was damp, clinging to the cloth and his cheeks.

Propping his arm up on the armrest of the chair, Sanzo rested his cheek against the knuckles of his fist and let his eyelids fall shut. “Even when you’re unconscious, you still don’t shut up.”

Gojyo shuffled out of his room and down the hallway scratching his stomach with only one eye open as he struggled to wake up. As he walked through the hall, he passed Sanzo’s room, where the door was wide open and it was completely empty inside. When he walked through the doorway that lead to the small kitchen and dining area the innkeeper agreed to let them use, he saw Hakkai brewing a pot of coffee. He was already showered, dressed, and ready for the day. “You know, sometimes I have to wonder if you even sleep.”

“Oh, Gojyo!” Hakkai, caught off guard, said as he turned around to greet his counterpart. “I didn’t hear you come out of your room. Good morning.”

“Mornin’. Droopy Eyes still in Goku’s room?” Gojyo let out a small yawn and sat down on a bar stool near a counter along the wall.

“It seems to be that way,” Hakkai replied while filling two mugs with ridiculously hot, fresh coffee. He approached Gojyo and set one of the mugs down on the counter next to him, then sat down in another bar stool.

“Didn’t think I’d see the day where Sanzo would wait by someone’s bed.”

“Well, if you take into account the last time Goku got hurt badly…”

“Right, don’t remind me. The prick practically went insane.” Gojyo fiddled with the coffee mug as he spoke, making it rotate on the counter. “Heh, at least he didn’t run away this time.”

Hakkai held his mug close to his face, taking in the earthy aroma of the coffee beans. “I think, whether he is willing to admit it to himself or not, Sanzo’s afraid to lose him. Goku means more to Sanzo than he is capable of voicing.”

“Uwah, watch it, Hakkai,” Gojyo said with a smirk. “If Sanzo heard you say that, he’d shoot you instantly.”

“Oh? Unlike you and Goku, he’s never once hit me or shot at me.” With his whole face smiling, Hakkai asked, “Why do you suppose that is?”

A cold chill shot up Gojyo’s spine. “… I’m not answering that.”

The faint sound of sheets rustling dragged Sanzo back into the conscious world. He had fallen asleep sometime in the night there in the chair. He groaned as he sat up, his back and neck stiff from the chair, and looked towards the bed. Goku was still out, but he appeared to be having some sort of dream. His little fists were clenching the sheet beneath him tightly, his legs groggily thrashed under the blanket, and his breathing seemed labored and quick.

“Hey, calm down,” Sanzo said as he stood up. As if Goku heard him, his body slowly relaxed and fell still again. Sanzo reached down and removed the now warm wash cloth from Goku’s forehead. He dipped the cloth into the bowl of water on the table and wrung it out. When he returned to Goku’s side, he nearly dropped the small towel when he saw tears collecting along the corners of Goku’s shut eyes.

“Sa…n…zo…” Goku muttered at a barely audible volume as a tear rolled down his cheek. Whatever dream he may have been having didn’t appear to be a pleasant one.

With a drawn-out sigh, Sanzo folded the cloth neatly and replaced it on Goku’s forehead. “Stop calling for me, idiot. I’m right here.” Gently, with the back of his fingers, he wiped the trail of tears away, gliding his knuckles over the warm skin of Goku’s cheek.

Shortly after Sanzo had resigned himself back to his watchful post in the chair, a soft knock came from the door followed by a concerned voice. “Sanzo? I’ve made some breakfast and a pot of coffee if you’d like to come join us.” Hakkai said without opening the door. “I’m sure you must be hungry by now.”

“No, I’m fine.” Sanzo said, leaning back in his chair.

“Come on, Sanzo, just sittin’ there the whole time isn’t going to change anything. The kid’s not going anywhere.” Gojyo shouted from down the hall.

A brief moment of silence fell through the hallway, and Sanzo was fairly certain that Hakkai had just glared at Gojyo to keep his mouth shut. “If you’d prefer, I can bring some food and coffee to you?”

“Fine, do what you want.” Sanzo growled out in slight annoyance.

Hakkai opened the door while balancing a plate of pastries on his arm, a plastic bag dangling from the bend of his arm, and carrying a steaming coffee mug in his other hand. Smiling, he set them down on the table. “As you ordered.”

“Hakkai… You already knew I wouldn’t be leaving the room, didn’t you?” Sanzo said with an unamused face.

“I just had a feeling, that’s all. Oh, and,” Opening the plastic bag, Hakkai pulled out a few items. “Here’s a carton of your cigarettes, today’s newspaper, and a new lighter.” Stepping backwards towards the door, his smile faded to a gentle, warm expression. “Can I bring you anything else, Sanzo?”

“No. You’ve done more than enough,” Sanzo said as he got up and approached the table to pick up the coffee mug.

“Then,” Hakkai said simply as he headed out the door and headed back down the hallway.

Sitting back down, Sanzo blew over the surface of the coffee; the steam billowed through the air like rolling fog. “You’ve got to be kidding me. They’re more worried about me than the one who’s injured.” He took a sip of the coffee and then eyed the mug. Hakkai seemed to have learned just the right amount of cream that Sanzo liked to put in it. “How pathetic.”

Several days pass without any indication of improvement. For the most part, Goku laid still, peacefully breathing as if he were just taking a soft nap. But on occasion he would have these fever fits filled with thrashing and panting, but they never lasted long. For the most part, Goku looked as if he’d simply just wake up like a normal morning and everything would be fine.

Sanzo, on the other hand, was a mess of worry, anger, and impatience. It had nearly been a week since Goku fell, and it was weighing heavily on the monk’s psyche. He had long since abandoned his robes, which now hung from the bathroom door corner, and he looked as if he hadn’t had a single solid night’s sleep in months. The room was trashed by now as well. The ashtray, though having been emptied every morning by Hakkai when he brought Sanzo his coffee, was filled to the brim. The window was open, letting a soft breeze in, to keep them from asphyxiating themselves on cigarette smoke. And the table and its surrounding floor area were covered in various forms of trash such as empty cigarette packs and food wrappers. He would move to the windowsill whenever sitting in the chair began to make his body too stiff.

That’s where he was now, perched in the small frame. It wasn’t wide enough for his liking; he couldn’t sit sideways with his legs up, so instead he let his legs drape over the sides, one dangling out the window and the other propped up on the chair. He was just a couple of cigarettes away from going through an entire pack that day already and the sun was still up.

“It’s quiet.” Sanzo said low to himself. He had been watching the view from that window, birds bouncing around through the trees and villagers milling around with their individual lives. Humans were amazing. Even with the constant threat of youkai attacks, they could still live their lives in a carefree, happy manner. They were content with their little lives, living from joy to joy. Sanzo looked over at Goku, who had, for over six years now, had been the source of his only joy, which was embarrassing to admit to just himself. If it weren’t for the slow rise and fall of his chest, Goku’s bed would look more like a death bed.

Then it dawned on him. “It’s actually quiet.” Sanzo stubbed his cigarette out into the overflowing ashtray and pulled himself off of the windowsill. Stepping towards the bed, he looked down at the usually overwhelming presence known as Goku that now looked so weak and small. “I can’t… hear him?” He noticed as he watched him, that Goku’s breathing began to become more shallow and slower. His eyes widened and he crawled into the bed, kneeling over Goku. He pressed his right hand on Goku’s chest, feeling his heart beat. It, too, was slowing down and become weaker.

“Hey, monkey! If you’re even thinking about giving up right now, so help me I will beat you senseless! You listening to me?” In any other circumstances, Sanzo would’ve thought that speaking to someone in a coma would be ridiculous and pointless. But if it’s Goku, he’d definitely hear him. “I know you can hear me, damnit! Knock it off! You can’t die! Of all people, you can’t die! Got it! Don’t leave me!”

Beneath his hand, he felt Goku’s heart begin to slowly pick back up to a normal, steady beat. Likewise, his breathing caught back up, and he returned to his peaceful, sleep-like state. Letting out a heavy sigh, Sanzo’s head fell down and rested on Goku’s chest. The solid, steady thumping of his heart was so relieving to hear. It sounded so powerful, like that heart beat could move mountains. “Stupid monkey…”

“Look, Gojyo! I made ear muffs for when winter rolls around in a few months for us all!” Hakkai said holding up four sets of baby blue ear muffs… all connected together.

“You know…” Gojyo said with a flat, discontented expression.

Day seven rolled around, and Sanzo’s exhausted, mentally beaten state had forced himself to fall asleep in the chair. The full moon was casting a glowing blue ray into the room, lighting it up quite nicely.

Fabric rustling woke Sanzo instantly. His mind was so set to keeping Goku alive that he, when he did manage to sleep, slept so lightly that a mouse in the hallway would’ve woken him up.

Figuring it was just Goku having another dream, Sanzo’s sleepy eyes rolled to the side to look at Goku just to double check. But when he saw Goku’s eyes struggling to open, he shot out of the chair. Standing next to the bed, he leered down at Goku and said, “Goku? Hey, are you awake? Goku!”

A soft groan from Goku was followed by his eyes sleepily opening. “Nh, Sanzo?” His eyes took a few blinks to focus, but when they did, they saw a very concerned Sanzo standing next to him. “Sanzo? What’s wrong? Is it time for breakfast?”

Sanzo’s legs nearly buckled under him in relief just by hearing Goku’s voice. Not just his voice, but talking like the normal, carefree Goku. His head fell limply, shielding his face from Goku with hair. “Thank God…” he muttered very quietly under his breath.

“Huh? Sanzo?” Goku said as he reached up to rub his eyes like he would on any normal morning.

“Goku… Are you feeling okay?” Sanzo said as he lifted his head back up. He removed the washcloth from Goku’s forehead and placed his hand there instead. Any hint of a fever was gone now, and his complexion was back to his usual tanned, healthy skin tone.

“What? Yeah, m’fine. Why? Wait, when did we get to an inn?” Goku tried to sit up, but Sanzo’s hand wouldn’t let him.

“Stay still. Goku, you’ve been in a coma for a week now. That morning we were attacked, you got hit, hard. We… couldn’t wake you up.” Sanzo’s voice shook, and he had to stop himself from talking. He was just so relieved that he could barely handle it.

“Eh, really? A whole week?” Goku’s hand wrapped around Sanzo’s wrist and pulled his hand away. “I feel fine though.” He tried to sit up, but a sudden rush of dizziness sent him falling back down onto his pillow hard.

“Tch, I told you to stay still, idiot!” Sanzo turned towards the table and remoistened the cloth with some fresh water. After draping it over Goku’s forehead again, he said, “There. Don’t push it. You were in really bad shape for awhile.”

Goku’s hands met up with the washcloth, a few drops from it rolled down his temples. “I don’t remember getting hurt. Didja get the guy that did it?” Goku said with a small smile.

“Of course,” Sanzo replied as he grabbed the chair from against the wall and turned it so that he could sit and face the bed.

Rolling his head to the side, Goku could see through the moonlight the mess that Sanzo had accumulated throughout the week. “Sanzo?” he asked as he turned his head back to look up at Sanzo. “Why’s it so gross in here? An’ why do you look like you’re sick or somethin’?”

Propping his elbow up on his knee, Sanzo rested his head down with his palm against his forehead. “Because I’ve been here this whole time, keeping your troublesome ass from dying.”

“Wah, really? But you look so tired, Sanzo! M’sorry!”

“Don’t apologize, I’m just glad you’re okay now.” Whether is was from sleep deprivation, from utter relief that Goku was awake now, or both, Sanzo was finding himself to be more honest than usual.

“Eh?” Goku couldn’t believe he just heard what he thought he heard.

“So don’t go pushing yourself now, just take it easy.”

If Goku wasn’t certain it was completely impossible, he could’ve sworn he heard a wavering in Sanzo’s voice. “Sanzo?” Reaching out, he placed his hand on Sanzo’s head, lacing through his hair. “I’m okay now, right? So don’t worry about it.” Goku’s eyes widened in disbelief when he saw a drop of water fall from beneath that veil of blonde hair. He rolled onto his side and propped himself up onto his elbow. Cocking his head to the side, he tried to look beneath Sanzo’s hair. “Sanzo?”

Sanzo reluctantly raised his head just a bit. Confirming Goku’s suspicion, there were in fact tears falling from his eyes.

“Wh-what? Sanzo, you’re crying? I’ve never seen you cry before!”

“That’s because I don’t cry. Ever.” Sanzo said with a shaky voice. His hand quickly moved to wipe the tears away as he sniffed. Then, while shielding his eyes with his hand again, he added, “You have no idea how scared I was.”

Goku’s chest ached hearing Sanzo say that. “Yeah I do. Those times you were hurt real bad, Sanzo, I was always crying. I was so scared of losin’ you.”

Sanzo looked over at Goku finally, meeting his eyes. “How’d you deal with it?”

Goku smiled and tilted his head back up. “Nh, I don’t think I really did. Each time Hakkai had to keep me from totally losing it.”

“You know, I don’t know if I’m just saying this because of how tired I am, but,” Sanzo said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. “I really didn’t know what I was going to do if you didn’t wake up.”

“But I did, right?” Goku gestured in the small space between them with his hand as he spoke. “Like always, cuz I’m rechargeable,” he added with a chuckle.

“You can say that now. But you barely pulled through this time. What about next time?”

Goku’s eyes lowered and he pursed his lips to the side. “Ahhh, what’s the point in worrying about what ‘might’ happen in the future? I’m here right now, and we’re all okay, right?”

Goku, even with his simplistic way of saying it, on occasion showed profound wisdom. “How like you,” Sanzo said with a huff.

“Hnn,” Goku rolled his head back as he hummed. “I do remember something.”

Sanzo rose an eyebrow and lifted his head a bit further. “Oh?”

Rolling his head back, Goku was now grinning from ear to ear. “I heard your voice. You were telling me to not give up. To not leave you.”

Sanzo’s eyes grew wide in slight embarrassment. “You weren’t supposed to hear that… Well, you were, but you weren’t supposed to remember it.”

“Hm?” Goku’s voice rose up a notch in pitch. “But you sounded so upset.”

“Didn’t I already say I was?”

“Not really…” Goku let out a small laugh.

“Well, I was. I…” Sanzo struggled to force the words out of his mouth. “I thought I was going to lose you, and I couldn’t take it. I’ve already gone through that before, and I know I wouldn’t survive that again with you.”

Goku was now certain he had died, because Sanzo was being more honest with himself than he had ever seen before. “Sanzo…”

“I… couldn’t stop thinking about how much you’ve changed me, that I was happy I met you.”

“Sanzo.”

“And that if you died before I could tell you that, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”

“Sanzo,” Goku said again, this time reaching his hand over and caressing Sanzo’s cheek.

Slowly leaning forward, Sanzo closed the gap between their faces, and, a bit hesitant, his lips brushed against Goku’s.

There was now no question in Goku’s mind, he had died and this was the afterlife. Sanzo would never kiss him. But if he was dead, he might as well enjoy it. Responding to Sanzo’s faint, shy kiss, Goku closed his lips over Sanzo’s, breathing out a contended sigh through his nose.

At first, their lips moved slowly over one another’s, tenderly pouring out their emotions through an innocent kiss. Sanzo’s hand stretched out and cupped the back of Goku’s head when he began to mentally liquefy. A bit less timid but still unsure, Sanzo’s tongue slipped past his lips and grazed over Goku’s. Instantly, Goku’s lips obeyed and parted. Sanzo’s tongue delved inside Goku’s mouth and slid over Goku’s tongue.

Goku now decided that if he was in fact dead, that he was fine with that if this was how death was. His hand fell to Sanzo’s shirt and gripped it tightly, pulling Sanzo closer. Ignoring the nervousness brewing in his gut, Goku rolled his tongue over Sanzo’s with a small hum. It was such a delicious feeling. He’d even give up eating for this.

Much too soon for Goku’s liking, Sanzo pulled his head back. His eyes opened and he stared at the bed, in shock of what he just did.

“Sanzo…” Goku said with the sweetest tone in his voice. “Even if you didn’t tell me everything, I already knew. You can’t hide anything from me, Sanzo. I understand you.” That brilliant smile appeared on his face again. “But m’really happy you did.”

“It’s only been a few days since Goku woke up and he seems to be recovering quite decently, wouldn’t you say?” Hakkai said as he stirred in ingredients to a stew he was preparing. He had an olive green apron protecting his black shirt and khaki pants and a bandana tied over his hair. He seemed to be enjoying the fact he had been turned into the chef to help Goku gain his strength back. His smile was wide and his voice had a soft tune to it.

“Hakkai…” Gojyo said through a sigh as he leaned his chair back on the back legs. “I think you’re enjoying the chance to play mother hen too much.” He had his hands laced behind his head and a foot propping him up along the ledge of the table in front of him.

“It’s not very often I get the chance to cook anymore. What’s so wrong with enjoying a simple hobby?” Hakkai did a small twirl as he headed towards a cabinet to get some spices.

“Ya, but… You’re putting so much effort into something the little monkey will scarf down without even tasting.”

Hakkai let out a soft chuckle. “I suppose so. But he won’t be the only one eating. Now,” Hakkai scooped up some broth into the wooden spoon and approached Gojyo. “Tell me what you think.” He held the spoon out in front of Gojyo, directing him to be his personal taste tester.

“I didn’t sign up for being a guinea pig, Hakkai.” Gojyo jested with a smirk.

“How rude! Are you saying my cooking is dangerous?” Hakkai’s hips jetted to the side, feigning anger. “Fine then, you don’t get any.”

Just as Hakkai was about to turn away to return to the pot on the stove, Gojyo’s fingers wrapped around his wrist and held his arm still firmly. “I was just kidding, jeeze.” Parting his lips, he sipped the broth from the spoon with a little slurp. “Mm, tastes great. You really know your way around the kitchen.”

“Among other places,” Hakkai retorted with a teasing tone.

“Oh? Can you prove that fact?” With his grip on Hakkai’s wrist, he pulled him a few inches closer.

“Hey,” a recognizable voice came from the doorway. Sanzo’s voice completely interrupted Gojyo and Hakkai, and they separated instantly. “Not to interrupt…” Sanzo said flatly.

“Then knock first.” Gojyo mumbled under his breath with a disappointed expression.

“But is the food ready or not?” Sanzo asked as he glared at Gojyo who returned the glare right back.

Hakkai, smiling awkwardly, nodded at Sanzo. “Yes, Gojyo was just tasting it for me. It’s filled with plenty of vegetables and meat for vitamins and protein.” Grabbing a ladle and large bowl, Hakkai filled the bowl with the stew and handed it to Sanzo.

“Right. You’ve been a big help.” Sanzo said while grabbing a spoon from a drawer.

“Oh no, Sanzo. Goku’s recovered health is all thanks to you sticking by his side.” Hakkai reassured while waving his hand in the air.

“Thank you, Hakkai.” Sanzo said softly before turning around and heading back out of the kitchen.

Both Gojyo and Hakkai, with their eyes wide in disbelief, watched Sanzo walk out before turning to look at one another. “Did… Did Sanzo-sama just thank you, Hakkai?” Gojyo said shakily.

“It certainly sounded like he did.”

“The kid getting knocked out really did mess with him, didn’t it?”

Down the hall, Sanzo opened the door to Goku’s room carrying the bowl of steaming stew in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. “Dinner,” he said matter-of-factly before setting it down on the table.

Goku was sprawled out on the bed; the sheets had been kicked off and he was simply wearing a pair of ragged, torn jeans. “Can I leave the room yet, Sanzo? It’s boring just sitting around in here.”

“Just eat and don’t complain.”

Goku sprung up in the bed and let his legs drape over the edge. “But I’m fine now!” He clenched his fist and punched the air. “I could even take on a whole army of youkai by myself.”

Sanzo tossed the spoon at Goku, who caught it as it sailed through the air. “Fine. Then go take on some youkai after you eat.”

“You’re not even listening to me, are you Sanzo?” Goku stood up and pointed at Sanzo with the spoon.

“Of course I’m not.” Sanzo crossed his arms over his chest. “My ears refuse to listen to idiots.”

“Haa!? How can you say that after what you said a couple’a days ago?” Goku dropped the spoon into the bowl of stew, a few drops splashing up onto the table.

“Hm? I don’t know-”

“An’ don’t even pretend to have forgotten already, you old jerk!” Goku interrupted Sanzo as he took a step closer to him. Now closer, their eyes locked on one another and wide golden eyes channeled into Sanzo’s heart. “You were telling the truth then, right?”

Sanzo sighed slowly and let it his head shift to the side. “That shit was embarrassing enough to say, why would I say it if it weren’t true?”

Now smiling, Goku stepped closer again, leaving just a small gap between their bodies. “And you’ve been taking real good care of me this whole time.”

“Your point?”

“And you kissed me.”

Sanzo could actually feel Goku’s body heat radiating off of him like an aura at this close range. He could also smell him, a pleasant combination of Goku’s own rich scent and soap. He wanted to reach out and touch him, to press his hand against Goku’s chest and just feel that powerful heart beat again. But he didn’t and kept his arms securely against his own chest. “Where are you going with this conversation?”

“I just want you t’know that I’m grateful.” One of Goku’s hands crossed the small gap between them and pressed flat against Sanzo’s stomach as if he just wanted to touch him, anywhere.

“Don’t get used to it.” Sanzo’s tone was soft again, he finding himself incapable of his usual scornful tenor. “It’s just until you’re 100% again so we can leave.”

“And I just said I was perfectly fine, didn’t I?” Goku fingers pinched the fabric of Sanzo’s shirt and pulled up, revealing a bit of ivory skin and a small belly button. He slid his hand under the shirt and teased the soft skin with his finger tips. “I can prove it to you.”

Entranced by Goku’s eyes, Sanzo simply raised a questioning eyebrow. He couldn’t bring himself to push Goku away, nor did he even want to.

Goku rose up onto his toes in an attempt to fix their height difference, though it still wasn’t enough. “Kiss me again, Sanzo. Like you did that night.” His eyelids fell to half-staff when he leaned closer to Sanzo.

For a moment Sanzo remained still. Even if his protective walls were torn down a few nights ago, they had been securely rebuilt since. Mostly. But then what Goku said before replayed in his mind. “Even if you didn’t tell me everything, I already knew. You can’t hide anything from me, Sanzo. I understand you.” It was true. He never had to explain himself or apologize to Goku. Goku understood everything. He knew Sanzo. Slipping his hand out from beneath his other arm, he reached up and ran his fingers through Goku’s messy hair. Goku let out a satisfied sigh at the small gesture and let his eyes fully close. Then, dipping his head down, Sanzo lightly pressed his lips to Goku’s.

But Goku wasn’t going to be satisfied with just that. He was far too impatient and far too needy at the moment for a slow, soft kiss. The entire time he was stuck in that bed for those three days, he couldn’t get that kiss out of his mind. It was so passionate and delicious. For that brief moment, they were completely connected, and he wanted to feel that again. More. More of that raw emotion that made his whole body feel as if he had just jumped off a cliff. But stronger this time, more than just a passionate kiss. He wanted to be connected in every possible way. His other hand found Sanzo’s arm and gripped it tightly as his tongue met up with Sanzo’s. Their flavors intermingled as Goku ran his tongue over the top of Sanzo’s with a soft purr crawling up his throat.

Melting into the heating up kiss, Sanzo’s previously unmoved arm looped around Goku’s frame, his hand on the small of his back, and pulled him closer. When their bodies collided together, both men groaned into each other’s lips. Goku’s hand trailed further up Sanzo’s chest and Sanzo’s grip on Goku’s hair tightened as they crossed the line between a simple kiss and far more.

Collapsing down onto his heels, Goku broke the kiss to catch his breath. His face was flushed and his lips were parted as he panted softly. He finally managed to open his eyes and looked up, where all he could see was a deep shade of amethyst surrounded by gold. Sanzo’s usually cold, angry, distant eyes now looked as if they were burning and were endlessly deep. Just knowing that Sanzo was looking at him this way, that only he could see Sanzo in such a state sent a crawling chill along his spine. And, just as their first kiss that night, the feeling was overwhelmingly fantastic. Both his body and mind were reeling out of control. If just a kiss could wreak such havoc on his senses, what would happen if they went further? He couldn’t take it anymore. Lunging forward, he wrapped his arms around Sanzo’s neck and crushed his lips against Sanzo’s, desperate for more of that feeling.

The sudden pounce muddled Sanzo’s footing and he had to take a few steps back to keep his balance, pulling Goku with him. But Goku’s incessant pushing against Sanzo, as if he could somehow get even closer, combined with the dizzying effects of all that untapped need finally threw Sanzo completely off his balance, and he fell down onto the floor on his ass.

As if Goku didn’t even notice they had fallen, he still clung to Sanzo tightly even as he landed on his knees over Sanzo’s legs, unwilling to give up his delicious meal. But in his descent, Sanzo’s elbow slammed down onto the floor hard. Sanzo instinctively pulled his head back to hiss through the obnoxious twinge that shot over his arm. Goku opened his eyes and saw the wince that had taken over Sanzo’s face. “Ah, Sanzo, are you okay? I’m sorry!”

Not actually caring about the pain, which was quickly subsiding on its own, Sanzo’s hand rose up and cupped Goku’s cheek tenderly. “I think…” He paused, breaking apart his sentence as he struggled to force himself to actually say it out loud. “I think I’m more ‘okay’ now than I ever have been.”

Goku’s eyes washed over with a veil of tears that welled up along the corners and clung to his eye lashes.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to cry when I’m actually being nice to you, you know.” Sanzo retorted.

Goku’s eyelids fell shut, knocking the tears loose from his eyelashes. “M’not crying…”

“Oh, then what’s with this?” Sanzo ran his thumb underneath Goku’s eye, swiping up a damp trail.

“It’s just… that I’m so happy.” Goku pulled one of his hands back from around Sanzo’s neck and rubbed his eye.

Goku’s smile was so bright and pure that Sanzo felt a twist in his gut just from looking at it. Goku was always smiling widely and whole-heartedly, but his smile now was brimming with an emotion that Sanzo couldn’t quite place. It was impossibly contagious, that smile. His features melted and molded into a soft expression complete with a small smile.

When Goku opened his eyes again, he saw Sanzo’s gentle smile, and he couldn’t help the small laugh that seeped out. “Sanzo’s acting weird.”

“Hn,” Sanzo huffed as his head rolled to the side just a bit. “Then take responsibility for it.”

Lowering his hips so that he sat down directly onto Sanzo’s lap, Goku pulled his hand away from his eye and took a hold of the back of Sanzo’s neck. Arching his back, he drew their abdomens close once again and ran his tongue over Sanzo’s lips.

Chasing that taunting tongue, Sanzo’s lips wrapped around it and drew it into his mouth, dragging out a pleased hum from the body on top of him. They both melted completely into this kiss once again, succumbing without hesitation to rapidly growing passion that seemed to catch like a wildfire. Brains began misfiring and self-control evaporated into thin air. The wildfire grew into an unchecked blaze when Goku rolled his hips, grinding down into Sanzo’s lap. Sanzo groaned into Goku’s mouth and met Goku’s grind with one of his own.

The hand Sanzo had against Goku’s cheek pulled away and found its way down to Goku’s hip bone. With Goku’s lean build, his hip bone served as a decent handle. Simultaneously pressing down on Goku’s hips and raising his own up, the powerful friction and the grinding of their mutual desires forced out a synchronized moan from both lovers.

Goku broke the kiss and tilted his head down so that his forehead rested against Sanzo’s. He was panting somewhat heavily when he finally managed to force his lungs to remember how to breathe. His eyes opened just barely, and he all he could see were small slits of vibrant purple looking back at him. “Sa-Sanzo…” he said in more of a moan than anything else. “I don’t really know what m’doing.”

“You think I do?” Sanzo said with a low growl.

“What am I supposed t’do now?” Goku asked meekly while wiggling, shifting his weight. His knees were getting sore and stiff from being pressed against the cold wood of the floor.

Sanzo’s hand slithered around the smooth skin of Goku’s side just above his hip bone. “You’re not supposed to think about it, idiot.” Noting the way Goku shifted in discomfort, Sanzo lowered his hands and tucked them under Goku’s bent legs on his thighs. “But more importantly,” before Goku could react to Sanzo’s hands on his legs, Sanzo was suddenly standing up, lifting Goku up into the air.

“Uwah!” Tightening his hold around Sanzo’s neck, Goku held on as Sanzo carried him to the bed.

Putting one knee down on top of the mattress, Sanzo gently laid Goku down on his back. “That’s better.” He then crawled onto the bed, coaxing Goku’s legs to spread farther as he knelt down between them with his hands on either side of Goku’s head. Goku was looking up at him in a way he could only describe as a level of hungry that only a monkey like Goku could reach. Plunging down, Sanzo mouth came in contact with Goku’s neck with just the right amount of teeth and lips.

Goku’s eyes fluttered shut as he hissed through his now clenched teeth. His hands instinctively needed to cling to something and the bed sheet was what he found, gripping the fabric tightly for purchase.

Sanzo’s body lowered down, returning their full-body contact and Goku’s legs wrapped around his waist in response. He shifted his weight so that he was supporting himself on just one hand and moved his other hand down, gliding over Goku’s bare chest and stomach, which heaved under his finger tips. When his hand met up with the fly of Goku’s well-worn jeans, Sanzo rose his head up so that his lips were just next to Goku’s ear. In a low voice that was closer to a whisper, he asked, “Are you scared?”

“Nh, a little bit,” Goku replied with only a hint of nervousness.

Sanzo’s hand skipped over the button and slid over the taught jeans, applying just enough pressure to Goku’s hard on so that his fingers could feel just how hard he was. As he did this, he whispered, “If you don’t-”

Goku let out a loud gasp, cutting Sanzo’s words off. “Haa! No, I-I do!” Goku rose his hips up, grinding against Sanzo’s hand. “Nngh, don’t stop, I want this.”

Just hearing Goku being so responsive sent a tingly chill through Sanzo’s body. At the same time as he nipped at Goku’s earlobe, his hand slid back up and tugged on the button, prying the button out of its slot. Goku rolled his head to the side with a small moan, informing Sanzo he enjoyed having his ears played with. While running his tongue around the edge of Goku’s ear lobe, his fingers were tugging the zipper down. He then took a firm hold of the waistband of both Goku’s jeans and boxers and tugged down.

Complying, Goku lifted his hips a few inches off of the mattress so that Sanzo could pull his clothing down. It was terribly embarrassing to now be laying there, with his jeans and underwear wrapped around his thighs, beneath Sanzo, but he forced himself to not think about it like Sanzo said.

Sanzo lifted his head so that he could see Goku’s face. He was flushed and breathing heavily as if he had just finished running a marathon. His eyelids opened, revealing a shady tone of gold that looked up at him with complete trust. While keeping their eyes locked on one another, Sanzo’s hand met up with Goku’s cock, sliding his palm over the length of the shaft.

Just with that, every last ounce of nervousness washed away and Goku moaned wantonly. His hands reached up, needing to hold on to Sanzo to stay grounded. One hand reached around Sanzo’s frame and grasped his shirt, while the other reached up next to his head and grabbed Sanzo’s wrist.

Encouraged by Goku’s candid reaction, Sanzo’s finger wrapped firmly around the base of Goku’s cock and slowly pumped up the full length of the shaft to the head. This time, Goku’s whole body arched up into the touch.

If Goku was anything, he was honest and he never felt the need to mask how he felt. And this felt incredible. More than incredible, this felt better than anything he could’ve imagined. His mind was already a blur of emotions from learning of how Sanzo felt, but now his head was spinning out of control with Sanzo touching him. His head rolled back, tilting his chin up as he spoke through small gasps. “Ah… More… Sanzo, touch me more!”

There was something incredibly tantalizing about Goku begging him for more and it made Sanzo just want to devour him completely. Flicking his wrist over Goku’s head, his hand began moving in a slow but steady speed. Each time his hand rose back up and glided over the tip, Goku would openly moan without modesty.

The thought about their volume or bothering anyone else in the inn didn’t cross either of their minds. They were the only ones who existed right now. Just Sanzo and Goku, the only two people that existed on the planet, on this moderately comfortable bed, the only place that existed in the world.

Within a few short minutes, Goku was no longer capable of any restraint. With his head still tilted back, his eyes opened and he looked through the small cracks up to Sanzo. “I can’t… nngh.. take it, Sanzo. I-ahh! I want you!”

Hearing Goku say that was far too provocative, no one on earth could say no to that. Raising up onto his knees, he took in the first sight he had of fully exposed, lusty Goku sprawled out beneath him. Having now lost the ability to hold on to Sanzo, Goku reached above his head and gripped the pillow beneath his head tightly. It was a delectable work of art, seeing Goku so worked up like this. He lifted the hand that had been previously supporting him on the mattress to his mouth. He couldn’t remember how he had come to learn this information, but he knew that Goku would need to be stretched, and that some sort of lubricant would be needed. But it’s not like either one of them had been previously sexually active, so there was no lube to be had. And he’d be damned if he was going to leave this bed to go acquire some. Opening his mouth, he slid his index and middle fingers inside, sliding his tongue all around, trying to moisten them as much as you can with just saliva.

Goku watched with earnest interest as Sanzo licked his fingers. Not only was it a total turn on, it almost made him a bit hungry. He couldn’t help but wonder what Sanzo’s fingers tasted like, if they tasted like his cigarettes, or if they tasted like something completely new. But that thought process was interrupted when Sanzo’s now moist fingers slid out of his mouth and lowered down to between Goku’s legs. Then there was suddenly a very new sensation, a slippery finger sliding inside of him. His eyes clamped shut and his teeth clenched tightly as he tried to breathe through the indescribable sensation. His elbows rose up, his arms now covering his face as he tried again to not think about it.

“Hey,” Sanzo said low. His other hand pulled away from Goku’s dick and pulled one of Goku’s elbows down to the side. “Don’t hide your face.”

Goku opened one eye and looked up at Sanzo. He could trust Sanzo to not hurt him. It felt weird, but not painful. He let his other elbow fall, revealing to Sanzo that there were, once again, small tears forming in one of his eyes.

Sanzo’s hand brushed over Goku’s cheek comfortingly. “Does it hurt?”

Goku rolled his head from side to side, shaking his head. “Just…weird.”

“Bear with it for now, okay?” Sanzo said and began moving that finger in and out through the tight muscle ring.

Despite his best efforts not to, Goku couldn’t relax his muscles. But then Sanzo’s fingers found that magical point inside of every man, his prostate, and his mouth flew open wide letting out a silent moan.

Before long, Goku was writhing and moaning again, fervently, his whole body reacting pleasantly. The muscles granted access to Sanzo’s fingers, and it took no time at all for Goku to be adequately stretched. “Hu-hurry up, Sanzo. I… already-”

Sanzo let out a little sigh of relief. If he had to wait any longer, he might explode. He pulled his hands away, leaving a heaving, panting, flushed mess of Goku to see to his own clothes. First he tugged his shirt up over his head and chucked it over his shoulder. He then peeled his sleeves off of his arms, letting them fall somewhere on the floor next to the bed. Looking down, he saw two pairs of jeans that needed to get out of the way. Now. He grabbed Goku’s jeans and boxers and yanked them the rest of the way down impatiently. Then, lastly, he worked at undoing his own pants.

Goku’s eyes followed every movement that Sanzo made. Even though it took Sanzo just a matter of seconds to remove everything, it felt like forever. Though, when Sanzo pulled his own jeans down, Goku’s whole body shivered when he got a view of a turned on Sanzo, something he was sure no one had seen before. “Nnh, hurry.”

Sanzo leaned back over, hovering over Goku with one hand holding him up again and his other hand on his own cock. His eyes darted between Goku’s eyes for just a second before pushing his hips forward, thrusting deeply into Goku’s body.

Goku’s head slammed back into the pillow as he practically shouted. There was a bit of discomfort, but the immense ecstasy completely covered it up. Sanzo shuddered over him as each inch was engulfed into that burning hot entrance. “Ahh haaa! D-don’t stop moving, Sanzo!”

Groaning in his low voice, Sanzo pulled his hips back accordingly and began thrusting and grinding without hesitation. If Goku’s going to demand that he didn’t stop, he wasn’t going to stop. When Goku arched his back up off of the bed, he slid his arm underneath him, lowering himself down onto his elbow. His hand cupped the back of Goku’s head and pulled him up into a kiss.

The very second he felt Sanzo’s lips on his own, his arms shut up and clung to around his neck, holding him tightly. The kiss was barely even a kiss, as more of a flurry of lips and tongues and moans. Their bodies rocked together, rolling with each thrust of Sanzo’s, which were picking up in speed and power. When he heard the small moans and groans that were beginning to sneak out of Sanzo’s mouth, Goku’s brain completely shut off. “Ah! Ahh, God, Sanzo! So.. So good! I can’t – ah! – I’m gunna-”

“Haa, me… too,” Sanzo managed to say between his breathy moans against Goku’s lips. His other hand slid between their bodies and once again took Goku’s cock into its grasp. “Together.”

The double attack of sensations sent Goku’s mind reeling and he couldn’t stop moaning now, his head falling back into the pillow. “Ahh, Sanzooo! I,” his words broke apart by an exceptionally long moan, his orgasm was just a hair away. Forcing his eyes to open, he looked up to Sanzo again, whose glazed over eyes met his. “I love you, Sanzo.”

For that split second, time seemed to completely stand still. If it weren’t for the loud thudding of his own heart beating in his skull, Sanzo would’ve thought time had in fact stopped. He had always refused to let anyone else mean anything to him again, and had purposefully shut himself off from humanity to prevent that from happening. But just now, when Goku said that, his chest ached. It felt as if his heart was going to either leap out of his chest, or stop beating all together. Goku was looking up at him with such sincerity and the look in his eyes threatened to send Sanzo into a fit of emotions he swore to never feel again.

“I-I do, Sanzo. You don’t have’ta say it back.” Goku said as his arms tightened around Sanzo’s neck. “I already understand how ya feel.”

That did it in for Sanzo. Lunging down, he kissed Goku hard and pumped his hand earnestly over Goku’s cock.

Goku’s muffled moans flooded Sanzo’s mouth, and like a sudden explosion, he was cumming hard, his seed splashing over both his and Sanzo’s abs.

It was Sanzo who broke the kiss this time as he met his orgasm just about at the same time, filling Goku with his warm, sticky essence. They moaned together and Sanzo’s head fell down onto Goku’s chest, who held him closely.

Down the hall, a few rooms from Goku’s, Gojyo and Hakkai were disturbed by what sounded like a couple of the other patrons were having one hell of a passionate night. Hakkai had been sitting up in the bed with his back against the wall, reading a book, while Gojyo lounged next to him, his elbow propping his head up. They both looked at one another with raised eyebrows.

“My, those people sure do sound enthusiastic,” Hakkai said through an uneasy laugh.

“Some people just don’t know how to keep their voices down,” Gojyo said with a smirk.

A small blush crept over Hakkai’s cheeks as he smiled. “Well, I do hope they don’t wake Goku up, he needs his rest.”

“Sanzo, Goku?” Hakkai softly said from behind the bedroom door. He didn’t want to wake Goku up if he was still asleep “We were going to do the dishes,” as he said this he opened the door quietly. “So I’ll be needing the bowl from-” He stopped dead in his tracks when he got quite an eyeful. There on the bed, both Sanzo and Goku were fast asleep, Goku wrapped protectively in Sanzo’s arms with his face happily buried in Sanzo’s chest. His initial shock wore off and he smiled contently, very happy for his friends. He tip toed through the room to grab the bowl that Sanzo had taken into the room earlier, but when he tried to pick it up, he realized it was still full. His smile completely faded as he left the room with the bowl.

Gojyo, who had his hair tied back and an apron of his own over his clothes, turned his head when he heard Hakkai approaching from behind him. “Hey, bring it ‘ere, the hot water is about to run out… Hey. What’s with that face? You look like some chick just broke your heart.”

Hakkai, with an expression that seemed both upset and mad, held the bowl up to Gojyo, showing him that not even a bite of the stew had been eaten. By now, it was beyond the point of salvaging as well. It had an oily film over the surface, and the contents were soggy and falling apart.

Gojyo let out a snarky laugh. “I told ya, man! They’re just a bunch of ingrates.” He took the bowl from Hakkai and poured the wasted stew into the garbage beneath the sink. After setting the bowl under the faucet and letting it fill with warm water, he looked back to Hakkai who now had a grin that stretched from ear to ear. “Wh-what’s with that now? You’re going bipolar all of a sudden.”

“Something quite interesting happened.” Hakkai said with an obviously amused tone to his words.

“Hn, what,” Gojyo said as he turned his attention to washing the bowl. “Did the monk finally screw the monkey?” He said this sarcastically, not even expecting it to be the truth. When Hakkai said nothing and didn’t correct him, Gojyo dropped the bowl into the sink and turned his head back again. “You’re kidding me! No way!”

“I would never kid about something like that, Gojyo.” Hakkai’s words now had a small laugh to it.

“Well I’ll be damned. I guess that’s what we heard last night.” Gojyo let out a little chuckle as he picked back up the bowl.

“You’re not going to let them live this down, are you?” Hakkai took a step forward and leaned his back against the counter just to left of Gojyo so they could see one another.

“Are you kidding me? And let such a golden opportunity to see the Buddha prick blush? Never.” Gojyo gestured with the sponge in his hand as he spoke.

“I suppose. But, Gojyo,” Hakkai leaned over just a bit, sweeping into Gojyo’s line of sight. “Don’t make fun of them too much. You don’t want to make Sanzo so mad that it ruins their newfound happiness.” He folded his arms over his chest and smiled. “Love is nothing to make fun of.”

Smirking coyly, Gojyo leaned closer to Hakkai as well, drawing their lips close to one another. “I guess you’re right.” He followed his words up with a soft, tender kiss, lightly sucking Hakkai’s bottom lip between his own. He then pulled his head back and bopped Hakkai on the nose with the sponge, which made Hakkai crinkle his face when the rich aroma of Gojyo was suddenly replaced with the distinct sponge smell. “Now stop that or I’m never going to get these dishes done.”