Male
Bonding
Chapter 1: Friends With Benefits
A Story for the Smoke Signals Thread
By Nekochan
Author's Note
Here we have my first introspective look on a much glossed over part of Gojyo's past: his time as Banri's partner in crime. It's actually a bit out of place due to being retrospective, but I can't think of a better way to do it than this. In addition, this is going to be my first look into slightly less canon stuff where sexuality is concerned. I would like to state here that I, myself, am a member of the "GLBT" community, so I would like to think of myself as at least a little knowledgeable of what I'm talking about.
The songs inspirational for the rough & tumble friendship between Gojyo and Banri is "Saturday Night's All For Fightin' " by Elton John, "Fight Fire with Fire" by Jefferson Starship, and "One Wild Night" by Bon Jovi.
Arigatou Minasan! (Thanks everyone!)
Nekochan
(-)(-)(-)
Gojyo (and Hakkai)'s House, outskirts of Chang'an
"Anyway, what the hell've you been up to?" Gojyo asked as he looked over at Banri across the table.
Banri smirked. "Jus' slummin' around nearby. I figured the fun'd about run out, so I came home."
Gojyo laughed, then launched into a story to try to keep Hakkai involved in the conversation. "Listen t' this, Hakkai-- This guy's sugar mama was the mistress of one of the big shots in town. He got cronies sent after him and everything."
"Ha ha," Banri chuckled. "Yeah, almost dying sucked."
Hakkai smiled pleasantly. "Ah. So is that why you left town?"
Banri looked stunned for a moment before answering, "Huh? Uh, not really-- I fly the coop a lot. What was your name again?"
Gojyo had lit a cigarette meanwhile, but jerked his thumb to his right. "Sorry. This's Hakkai. Shit happened an' he's here now."
"Oh yeah?" Raising an eyebrow in curiousity as his brain started working through just what kind of 'shit' had happened, Banri settled on the only logical conclusion he could readily come up with. "Hell, Gojyo-- I leave for a year an' you switch teams."
"Wha? Don't even joke," Gojyo sneered. Bastard should know better'n ta' out me without askin' first! I mean, yeah Hakkai knows but . . . Gojyo tried to come up with a neutral response, mindful of Hakkai in the room. "A lot happened while you were gone."
Heh, looks like Gojyo hasn't told that guy. Banri grinned, seizing the opportunity to embarass his friend. "If you were lonely, you shoulda' just said so," he teased and licked his lips. "Hmm?"
What on earth? Hakkai thought, blinking. Is he insinuating he and Gojyo- He shut his eyes, trying to will away the disturbing mental image of Banri and Gojyo in bed together, specifically any thought of Gojyo in the act . . . or the act at all, for that matter.
Gojyo groaned in annoyance, sensing Hakkai's uneasiness. "Get bent. This place was a lot quieter without you mouthin' off."
I need to get out of here . . . fast. "Oh," Hakkai said looking up at the wall clock. "Look at the time. I should get going."
Aw, fuck, Banri . . . Gojyo cursed to himself. He looked tentatively at Hakkai. "You off to Sanzo's place?"
"Yes," Hakkai answered as he put on his coat. "I'm sorry, Mr. Banri. You'll have to excuse me."
The brunet didn't care that his steps were heavy in the dirt, or that he'd forgotten to shut the door behind him, or that Sanzo wasn't actually expecting him at the temple until much later in the day.
After he'd walked for perhaps five minutes, he paused and watched the clouds in the midmorning sky for a moment. He sighed, "Perhaps that was a little rude of me." I know I told Gojyo I could never be with him, but . . . He closed his eyes, That really doesn't make it any easier . . . To forge- to move on when I-
Hakkai rubbed his temples and sighed again. "I hope Sanzo will forgive me for taking the short route through the city . . . I don't think I should be alone in my thoughts today."
With that, he continued in the direction of Chang'an, trying to focus on the scenery and not the intense memories plaguing his mind.
(-)
" 'You'll have to excuse me? Man, he's all proper," Banri said in a snooty tone as Gojyo stood up.
Gojyo drew in a deep breath as he shut the door, debating how to respond to that. " . . . I guess you'd think that."
Banri shot Gojyo a confused look, leaning back and crossing his right leg over his left knee. "What's with you Gojyo? I thought you couldn't stand well-bred types."
'Couldn't', yeah, as in, in the past, asshole. " . . . Yeah, well," Gojyo murmured.
"By the way, I'm on a pretty big job right now," Banri mentioned casually, pulling out his pack of Hi-Lites while he did so. Since Mr. Prissy's gone, maybe Gojyo'll be more relaxed now.
Gojyo decided they could chill for a little while and catch up if that was the only reason Banri had dropped in. So, he grabbed two beers while he was up. "Job? It can't be anythin' legit."
Laughing, Banri tossed his pack in the air and caught it, repeatedly. "Ha ha! Since when is that a problem? Like you're so innocent, Mr. Accomplice, c'mon-- Clean work doesn't suit deviants like us."
Setting down one of the beers in front of Banri, Gojyo locked eyes with Banri. Wait, 'us'?
"Get in on it with me - it'll be fun. Just like old times," Banri said barely above a whisper.
Gojyo looked at his old friend dumbfounded. "Wuh-"
"You remember the good ol' days, doncha' Gojyo? Gamblin' at the tavern . . ." Banri remenisced as he popped the tab on his can.
When he'd taken his cigarette between his first two fingers, Gojyo chimed in, "Dodgin' punches in tha' streets." He sipped his beer when he'd opened it as well.
"Snaggin' stuff right under the fuzz's noses." (1)
"Gettin' shit-faced every weekend."
"Hell yeah!" Banri slapped the table, "Dude, we should totally do that tonight!"
"Man, I dunno--" Gojyo said hesitantly, taking a drag from his cigarette.
"Come on, where d'you keep the real booze in this place, now? D'ya' hafta' hide it from the little wife?"
"It's still in the same place," Gojyo answered as Banri went into the kitchen, "An' he's not my 'little wife' either."
The sound of clinking glass accompanied Banri's voice as it wafted from the other room. "That's right, you never did like the idea of settlin' down with anyone after that one chick-"
"You leave her out of this, Banri-"
"Fine, fine," the youkai shot back as he reentered. He had three bottles in his left hand and a six-pack in his right in addition to the corker he balanced easily between two fingers. "Look, you're still the best thieving partner I ever had, Gojyo . . ." He set the alcohol down on the table, returning to the kitchen for glasses. "An' I need that for this job. Can I help it if I know you're better at the long-range stuff?"
Gojyo took another drink before replying, " 'Long-range stuff', huh? Is that a reference to my shakujou or what you trained me to do as your 'Partner-In-Crime'?"
Banri pulled the tab off of his own beer. "Take your pick, man." Shrugging his shoulders, he took a drink himself. "Gamblin', street-fightin', thievin' . . . I taught you everythin', didn't I? Heh."
"Everythin' except prostitution," Gojyo chuckled.
"Nope, too good for that, weren't you?"
"Hey, I had my 'girls', you could've had 'boyfriends', but you preferred to make them 'Pay for an audience with your huge dick', isn't that what you said?"
Banri took a drag on his Hi-Lite. "Most guys on the street aren't looking for relationships, you should know that by now, Gojyo. So why not make 'im compensate me for my pleasurable services?" He took a long gulp of beer as he thought, An' it's not like I can knock up dudes. "Same with everything else. Gamblin' or fuckin', it doesn't matter - I need cold hard cash just as much as the next guy."
Gojyo sighed. "Even if it's just for fun, I don't need extra cash these days, Banri. I get by just fine on gamblin'."
"What? I thought girls were expensive t' keep around . . ." Banri narrowed his eyes at Gojyo, "You sure you're not sleepin' with him?"
" 'Bi' doesn't mean I sleep with anyone remotely attractive, dickhead."
"That wasn't an answer-"
"Look, it's none of yer goddamn business who I sleep with these days, OKAY?!" Gojyo roared, moving forward in his seat.
"Well, fuck me for askin', geez . . ." Banri grumbled, returning his cigarette to his mouth. "You get a complex or somethin' after I gave you this place?"
The playboy leaned back roughly, rocking the chair. "You didn't 'give' me nothin', dude - if you recall, after your little incident with that official's Tranz (2) mistress, you got bored with tha' nightlife here in th' sticks an' decided t' head fer tha' inner city. If tha' roommate leaves, it's not the other guy's fault fer takin' over an otherwise empty house."
"Point," the youkai said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, if there's no way t' convince ya' t' help me out later, at least let's try t' enjoy ourselves t'night then, huh?" Banri held up his can of beer.
"Last one t' pass out gets th' rest ta' 'imself?"
"Naturally."
"I'll drink t' that." Gojyo raised his can up as well and they slammed their drinks together. "KAMPAI!"
The youkai and hanyou were soon engrossed in a game of Poker, but when betting cash and Hi-Lite cigarettes wasn't amusing enough to the drunken companions, they started using beer cans as well. That lasted them through Banri's account of the Chang'an nightlife, which in Gojyo's opinion wasn't all that much of an improvement over what little nightlife the suburbs managed to have.
After ten hands, four of which Gojyo had lost, Banri upped the stakes to shots of pure Vodka and proceeded to pry Gojyo's past year out of him. Even intoxicated, Gojyo did what he could to conceal the true nature of how he'd found Hakkai - rather, at the time, Gonou - and anything about Sanzo and Goku.
Roughly fifteen hands later, seven of which had been in Banri's favor, just as he was pressing for more details, Gojyo passed out on the table.
"Well, more fer me," Banri chuckled as he pushed the cards aside. "Now, let's see if I can get me s'more'a tha' good stuff . . ." he mumbled aloud as he stumbled towards the kitchen, intent on raiding the rest of the liquor stores.
Gojyo soon began to dream.
(-)
I hadn't wanted to leave home. Jien made me - figured sooner or later someone would show up t' visit Mom an' figure out what'd happened . . . only they'd blame me an' not Bro. So, he gave me some cash an' told me t' head for town, then try t' get as far away as possible when I had the chance.
I was only 12 at the time.
But no one wanted t' sell a horse or anythin' in that tiny town - they all needed what they had-a' that kinda' stuff . . . or so they said t' "that half-breed brat." All I could do was walk from one small town to the next, staying for maybe a month before walking again. The problem became how long I could stay in a town, living off of what I could steal an' dry places t' spend the night. After two years of wanderin' an' hidin', I eventually stumbled upon the gates of Chang'an.
Not a week had gone by before Banri found me, slightly exhausted from havin' just cracked three more skulls of guys that'd thought they could just insult me an' get away with it.
He'd whistled, then remarked, "Those're some skills ya' got there. You must be new to town."
His voice was just as cocky as theirs an' th' only reason I didn't start pummelin' 'im right away was that I noticed he was youkai - an' that meant he was more of a threat than those three bastards had been.
"Hey. How much for you?" He'd been leanin' on some boxes at th' entrance t' th' alleyway, then started walkin' closer.
I knew that question - I'd been asked a dozen times already, but no way was I gonna' turn inta' some prostitute; I was 14 years old by then. I'd glared and demanded, " . . . What?"
He'd stopped a few feet from me. "Easy, man. I didn't mean it like that."
Like hell he hadn't meant it. His tone'd reeked-a' coverin' it up.
"What's it gonna' take t' get'chu on my team?"
" 'Team'? What th' hell is that supposed t' mean?" I'd asked, my face pinched in a scowl, clearly visible since I still wore the ponytail back then.
"Listen, I got a place tucked away where the fuzz hasn't found me yet," Banri had explained. "If you help me out with some odd jobs, I can help you make a tonna' money."
Shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I'd asked, " 'Odd jobs'? Can't be anythin' legit."
Banri had laughed. "Like you really care?"
I'd flashed him a grin then - not a coy one, just my now-trademarked gamin-smile. "Nah, I guess not. You are?"
"Banri."
"Gojyo."
"Nice t' meetcha', Gojyo. First things first . . . " He'd pointed at the lump in the front pocket of my shirt. "What brand you smoke?"
"Marlboro."
"Feh, sissy sticks," Banri'd teased an' tossed me a pack, which I'd caught on instinct. "Try those on fer size, big boy."
It was my first pack of Hi-Lites.
From that point on, I'd lived with Banri outside the city limits-a' Chang'an. He'd started me out street fightin', lettin' me do all the fightin' while he took care-a' takin' my bets. We'd split the pot when I won, but I had t' buy th' things I needed when I lost - that didn't happen often. Didn't make those few times any less painful, though.
He'd started teachin' me Poker around that time, too, so we moved on t' gamblin' next. We didn't cheat unless we saw someone else cheatin' - he taught me how t' count cards an' spot Card-sharks before I even went inta' my first bar.
Soon, word got around about us an' Banri started takin' offers for some high-end snatch-jobs. He just made me play lookout mosta' th' time, unless th' job called for someone shorter than Banri was - that worked for a few years, anyway, before I hit my growth spurt.
Banri never told me he was gay, he just started bringin' guys home that I'd heard proposition 'im whenever I was fightin' or gamblin' or even when we'd just been walkin' down the street. I think his shaved eyebrows must've been the sign'r somethin', 'cuz all tha' other guys he brought home had them shaved that way too. Maybe it was just a thing for Youkai
One day, he brought it up so that if I ever got propositioned by a guy, I could just send 'im over t' Banri an' he even offered t' give me a cut from those requests. I'd agreed as long as he never tried to get in my bed. He told me all the slang then, too - Tranz, Twink, Bear . . . Gay, Bi, Het, DL - all of it. (3) Every time a new part of the underworld was introduced t' me, Banri'd made sure I knew all th' slang t' go with it.
I'd started bringin' girls home a few months before that, when my hormones got the better of me an' I couldn't stand it anymore t' watch Banri bring guys back an' me trudge over t' my room all alone - thankfully I couldn't hear any-a' that noise or I really woulda' gone mad. I only did one-nighter's an' only about once a week - the memories that stuff brought back were just too painful . . .
Jien an' Mom . . . those noises she'd make out of pleasure . . . his moans that he tried t' suppress 'cuz he knew I could hear . . .
The same kind that I stifled whenever I was with a girl . . . 'cuz I couldn't bear t' hear myself . . .
She coaxed all of that out me . . . it was all her fault that I became more of a playboy than a horny street punk . . . taught me to respect women . . . taught me to enjoy sex . . .
She couldn't just let me stay in that lonely little corner of my brain - kept findin' me night after night . . . then, one day, just gave up entirely . . .
The first beauty that dumped me . . . (4)
She gave up on me . . . then Banri left too . . .
I was all alone in that house . . . in my cold bed-sheets . . .
All alone . . . That scared little redhead punk in the shell of a 'man' . . .
All alone . . .
All alone . . .
Wait . . . I'm not alone anymore-
(-)
Stirring to consciousness, Gojyo groaned as he sat up. He blinked sleepily, realizing that he wasn't dreaming anymore. It really was Hakkai and he really did have Banri pinned by the arm in midair straight in front of his face. " . . . Wha' tha' . . . hell . . . What're you two doin'?"
"Oh! Hello," Hakkai said as he smiled, letting go of Banri. "We're not doing anything."
"Tch!" Banri huffed as he flopped back into his chair.
Hakkai started walking towards his bedroom - Gojyo's old room.
"Hey, Hak-"
"I've done enough," the brunet insisted. "I don't . . . want to hurt anyone anymore." With that, he slammed the door shut.
"Dude, Banri, what the hell?" Gojyo demanded, his sleep-addled brain still trying to make sense of what had just happened. I just had to go an' fall asleep, didn't I? Go frickin' figure . . .
"Ask Mr. Youkai-hater, yerself, Gojyo. I'll see ya' 'round . . ." Banri grabbed his pack of Hi-Lites from off the table and straightened his shirt.
Huh? "Look, Banri-"
"I said 'Later!', Gojyo," the youkai called back in a coarse voice. Banri stepped over the broken door and stalked away into the night.
Good ol' Banri . . . never cleanin' up after his own damn messes . . . Gojyo sighed inwardly. He cautiously walked over to Hakkai's room and spoke to the closed door. "Hakkai . . . I'm sorry if Banri made you upset . . ." The redhead slowly pulled the ponytail out of his hair, trying to calm his mind working a mile a minute to understand what had just happened. "If it's any consolation . . . You're a hell of a better roommate than he was, 'kay?" He waited for a response and, when he didn't get one, added, "See ya' in the mornin', Hakkai . . ."
It was faint, but as Gojyo walked away, he was fairly certain he heard Hakkai answer, "See you in the morning, Gojyo." (5)
(-)(-)(-)
-owari-
3/8/2007 & 3/31/2007
(1) Fuzz - slang term for policemen or law-enforcement officers.
(2) Tranz or Trans is the slang term for 'transvestite', here implying the 'mistress' was actually a Drag Queen, or Male-sexed person dressing in a Female-gendered manner.
(3) Twink - slender / lithe / beanpole, but slightly toned young, gay man; Bear - rather beefy, slightly hairy, typically older gay man; Gay - sometimes refers to exclusively homosexual men, but sometimes refers to all homosexuals; Bi - short for bisexual; Het - short for heterosexual, instead of straight; DL - short for down-low, or a person who is publicly heterosexual, but engages in homosexual relations.
(4) In episode #16 - Be There, Gojyo makes the comment, "That's the second time I've been dumped by someone pretty." This is a reference to the first time he was dumped.
(5) In spite of being 'mad', Hakkai still manages to use the polite form of 'goodnight' in Japanese, which is "Oyasumi nasai" rather than Gojyo's more casual "Oyasumi".
I really didn't want Gojyo's dream to devolve into angst, but it seemed like the only way for it to show that spiral effect that happens when your stirring to consciousness. I'd love to explain what 'she' Gojyo was talking about in his dreams, but this wasn't the place for that. That gets addressed in Tricks of the Trade, which I haven't finished yet except in note-form, but it naturally comes before this in terms of chronology (laughs). Sorry, I didn't want to mention her, but I just couldn't pull it out.
This was mostly building up one of the biggest plot points in Smoke Signals - Gojyo's bisexuality - so I hope it turned out all right. I started it before I posted Tricks of the Trade, but I was still working out some plot points and now, as you can see, they're worked out (laughs). A second simu-chapter will come later, when I'm finished with Wishful Thinking - my story centered around the Sannenmae arc.
Nekochan
Japanese Definitions
Shakujou - staff; name given to Gojyo's weapon
Kampai! - "Cheers!" / "Bottoms up!" or, literally, "Dry-glass" (Identical in usage to Prost! in German and Dibei! in Chinese)
Hanyou - half-youkai