WARNING! There is mention of online child auctioning (which I do NOT condone by the way), swearing, EXPLICIT male/male actions, and violence. If any of this in any way offends you then don't bother reading this story. I'm telling you, you will regret it. This is canon and AU; it's set many years after the Saiyuki books but, as our four heros are remarkable youkai and a human, they've lived into the era of technology, complete with their powers. But that doesn't mean they all still know each other.
Bought Love
xx
The video feed was linked from a seemingly untracable site, powered by a self-sustaining battery source that never shut off. The kid on the screen appeared listless except for when he managed to strum up the energy to move a few inches and take a drink of water, provided by a large silver tin nearly half empty.
He was kept in what appeared to be a cell, very little moving room and no windows but for the bars that blocked the only entrance out of there and down the mountain. Chain links that were said to be forged by the gods bound his ankles, wrists, and neck as if he were a criminal. The video was hidden underneath the stalactites on the low ceiling, providing perfect coverage with little detection.
He was quite the pretty boy underneath what had to be layers of dirt with a toned body that belonged on no boy his age, his neglected appearance just added to with matted hair nearly the length of half his body.
Gojyo didn't know what made him bid on the boy. Maybe it was the horribly resigned look, the expression of absolute certainty that there was no way to rise above this deep hole that tore at his inebriated heart. Or perhaps it was the clouded look in those golden eyes, orbs to old to belong even to a veteran of the war with the youkai. Or maybe all those sappy late-night talks with Hakkai were finally getting to him.
Whatever the reason Sha Gojyo placed his bid just minutes before the online auction closed, unable to completely quell the sick feeling in his stomach and the thought in his head, What kind of sick fuck would auction off a kid? There was a half-full ashtray with one lit cigarette near his hand, two empty overturned beer cans at his feet and a full one by his mouse. He took a long swig and flicked the dripping ashes off his smoke before lifting it to his mouth, taking a long drag just as another screen popped up. A shipping form it looked like. He shrugged and filled it out, pulling out Sanzo's precious gold card for the payment slot. They used it for every other corrupt thing out there-alcohol, smokes, clubs-why not this as well? Besides, it's not like those three heads actually cared.
Elsewhere, one distinctly male form gave a loud sneeze and glanced around a little angrily.
The scarlet-haired man clicked "ok" just as the door to his apartment opened and a cheerful voice called out, "Gojyo! I brought supper and why do I smell beer?"
He smothered a chuckle with a cough as he stood, closing the lap-top and making his way to the other room. "Well I just got so lonely waiting for you, Hakkai, that I had to have myself a little beer. Since you bought food does that mean you don't have to waste time cooking?"
Hakkai wasn't sure, even after all this time, if he should huff in indignition as Gojyo slipped lithe arms around his waist or shiver in anticipation. He settled for neither as he glanced around, his non-monocled green eye widening at the mess he spotted. "Did you say "little?" You've got beer cans all over the room! They certainly weren't there when I left this morning!" He turned his head. "And ashes! I just swept today too." A hot mouth nibbled a wet path from his ear down to his shoulder, lightly grazing with teeth sharper than normal. "Don't try to distract me, Gojyo; you're still going to help me clean this mess." He waited until his lover pulled himself away, absolutely certain there would be a fierce scowl upon his face, before turning with a warm smile. "But afterwards if you still want we can have that evening that was interrupted the other day."
Like some kind of switch was pressed Gojyo perked up, nodding with an already forming lecherous smirk entering his eyes and slipping past his mouth. Hakkai barely had time to regret his decision before being pulled into a chair and having a bag of food thrust in front of him. A small secretive smile of his own formed as he thought of all the ways he could return the "favor" he'd just awarded Gojyo.
Said redhead felt a cold chill cross his spine but chalked it up to eagerness to the night ahead, the boy he'd apparently bought from earlier slipping out of his mind as easily as his nearly drunken state subsided.
xx
Cho Hakkai hummed an off-beat rendition of one of the more popular songs on the radio as he studied the board in front of him. He'd heard somewhere that playing oneself in a game of Mahjong was as stimulating as it was riveting but only after Gojyo had left to gamble for the day did he actually find out it could possibly be true. A cup of cooling tea lay untouched close enough that if need be he could pick it up easily and drink from it but so far he'd been far too into this game to bother. He was so into it in fact that he nearly missed the loud knock, glancing up with a disturbed frown. Who could it possibly be so early in the morning? Gojyo would be gone for the day and he didn't remember ordering anything-and they had no neighbors to speak of-so who could interrupt him now? He was still pondering the situation as he got up to answer it, opening the door.
But there was no one outside. Only a medium-sized bin with two handles on the front and a piece of paper taped inconspicuously on the side reading, "Thank you for your purchase, Gojyo-san. I hope you're pleased with the merchandise." By now he was more than a little curious even as he wheeled the bin inside, noting that it was considerably lighter inside than he'd originally thought. Perhaps the shipping order of whatever it was messed up and there was nothing in it but there was no way to check until he'd opened it up. He spent a considerable amount debating whether or not to open the bin though; it was Gojyo's property but since they were officially lovers it was therefore his property as well, wasn't it? In the end he decided it didn't matter; whatever it was it couldn't be that bad and if Gojyo were mad that he'd opened it well, a nice well-oiled massage could easily fix that.
One of the handles was rusty; it took a moment of jerking and pulling to get it open. The other slipped through like nothing and he flipped the lid, his contemplative look quickly replaced with shock and anger.
Inside was a boy. A bronzed boy too dirty to know if it was dirt or actual skin-tone, too skinny to be well-fed, and too young to even be what he so obviously was by the shackles still attached to his ankles, wrists and neck. He was obviously terrified; washed-out golden eyes watched Hakkai's every move with pretended indifference and wary defiance. He wore nothing but a pair of light brown cloth pants, ripped at the knees.
The stunned Hakkai reached down to lift the boy out of the bin but he shrank back, his pupils going impossibly wider as if he anticipated some type of violent attack. Hakkai drew back, unsure of how to proceed, placing his best "motherly Hakkai" smile on his face and speaking in a soothing tone as if he were talking to the pet bird-like creature that frequented their home. "It's alright. I won't touch you if you don't want me to but you're dirty and I'm sure you want to take a bath." When the boy still made no move to speak, or even acknowledge that he heard Hakkai, he released a barely audible sigh and took a step back, noticing the barely perceptible relaxing of bony shoulders. "I suppose you don't have to take a bath right now if you don't want to. But I-hm. Ah, I got it! I can cook you something to eat!" He smacked his left fist on his right palm, smiling as if he'd just come up with the cure for cancer.
He knew wary eyes watched him as he moved around the kitchen, preparing the most nutritional and fattening meal he could think of. Meat, vetetables, potatoes and bread, pasta, and some weird dark purple-colored vitamin drink that didn't look or smell appetizing. There was even a large bowl of rice. Hakkai nodded in satisfaction at the large spread that weighted down the small green table, turning around and starting when he realized the boy was now standing a few feet away from him, eyeing the food with a hunger that was only seen on the desperately homeless and morose vagrants. But he made no move towards the table; Hakkai could only guess that he was afraid that showing an interest in the food would incite him to take it away, although why anyone would think that he couldn't fathom right now. He smiled and tilted his head, the one monocle he wore flashing in a shaft of sunlight.
"I think I'll go wash some clothes; I'll be just through that door if you need me. Go ahead and eat whatever you want; I'm not that hungry; and leave the dishes on the table when you're done." He slipped away to begin his daily "chores," humming quietly to pass the time. The scent of the lavender Downy he'd used as fabric softener wafted up to his nose and calmed away the tumultuous thoughts that circulated around the boy he hoped was wolfing down the food in the kitchen. But while his mind was tuned to happy thoughts now he knew it'd all be downhill when Gojyo returned-he intended to find out exactly what the half-breed had thought to buy a boy off the internet.
xx
"Honey, I'm home~" Gojyo snickered quietly as he swung inside his apartment, the plastic bag holding his booze and smokes swishing and almost banging against the wall. When he didn't hear a response-or see Hakkai walking into the room to greet him-he frowned and stepped into the kitchen, freezing in his tracks.
Why was there a half-naked shackled kid sleeping with his head in his arms on their table, empty plates so clean they could have been licked scattered all around him? Better yet, why was he there in this house?
"Hakkai, what the hell?" He called but quietly so as to not rouse the kid.
"Gojyo, we need to talk." Hakkai spoke from behind him and, wiping his hands on his shirt, motioned the redhead into the only secure room in the apartment-their bedroom; he discarded his bag on the ground as he followed.
"What's going on, 'Kai?" He asked, confused as hell and not afraid to show it.
"I was hoping you could tell me." Those green eyes were shadowed, not revealing anything of what he thought to his lover.
"What do you mean?" Without another word Hakkai drew a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket and handed it to Gojyo. Said gambler glanced down at it, confusion mounting when he read it. "That's my name." Again he got no response. Scowling he racked his brain for any memory of seeing the kid. He began to pace, shaking out a cigarette to ease his tension as he tried to remember. Hakkai waited-impatiently, he did admit-until at last a flicker of recognition drew through those red eyes and the second cigarette lit put out against the ashtray at the windowsill. "I don't remember much except I was surfing the internet, passing the time while I waited for you to get back." Gojyo pulled out his laptop from beneath the desk, flipping it open and searching the history. "I don't even rememeber finding this site; honestly, I think one of my drinkin' buddies sent it to me. I saw the kid and that people were bidding on him so I did too. What would you have done, Hakkai? Leave him there for some sick pedophile to buy and use him like a piece of trash?"
The other couldn't formulate a reply as he stared at the screen where already other live video feeds were placed, all showing boys and teens of various ages and sizes for the "viewing pleasure" of the public. Few were even placed in chambers suitable for comfortable living, complete simply with a toilet, bowl of water, and food enough for a day. While most of them were skinny, malnourished, none seemed as off as the boy they now housed.
Gojyo sighed. "They're actually a lot better off than our kid; he didn't have a toilet or food, just water. So think about it, Hakkai; could you have just passed him up?"
Hakkai wordlessly shook his head and closed the laptop; there was only so much he could bear of looking at the suffering of the kids. Such sights sickened him beyond belief and he couldn't help but feel relief that at least one child was saved from this. He barely noticed Gojyo stand up and walk back into the kitchen but he managed to hear the words he said, obviously to their new roommate who must have just woken up.
"Good, you're away. You already met Hakkai; I'm Gojyo. I actually own this place." He paused as if waiting for a response; if he got one Hakkai didn't hear it. "Huh. Well, you've got food, you've got something to drink, and you smell like you rolled in monkey shit." He closed his eyes at Gojyo's "subtlety." "Guess that means it's time for a bath. Come on; hey, don't bite me! Ow-dammit!" There were sounds like a struggle, mainly Gojyo shouting and the sound of ripping cloth, pounding steps, before he heard the faucet being turned on and a loud splash. "There! Here; soap to wash off all that dirt, and shampoo. When I come back in half an hour I expect you to be so clean I can eat off ya." Hakkai gave a half-laugh half-cough at that sentence, quickly schooling his features when a slightly wet and bleeding Gojyo stomped back into the room. "Damn, that kid's got sharp teeth!"
Instead of replying Hakkai asked, "Do you think he'll actually wash up, or just sit there in the tub for half an hour?"
Gojyo glared at the doorway. "He better wash or else when I get back there I'll do it for him! That stupid monkey boy." He grumbled, poking at the bloody teeth marks in his forearm.
Hakkai gently removed said fingers and took his arm, studying the marks before reaching placing a glowing hand on it, calling upon his use of chi to heal it so that not even a scar remained. "I admire your handling of him, Gojyo, but I advise you be more careful with your words and actions. I don't want you scaring that boy and making him act this way."
"You say that, Hakkai but I don't think you get it. That kid doesn't want to be coddled, not if he's in this kind of situation. It'll only make him more of a shell. He needs to be engaged, made to interact with us. Plus, the less fake we act and more like ourselves the quicker he'll learn what we're really like. You rather lie to him?"
For a moment Hakkai could only stare at Gojyo in speechless amazement. When he finally recovered he couldn't resist reaching up and capturing those stern unyielding lips in a quick kiss. "How suprising. Have you actually been listening to Sanzo all those times he's come over?"
"...Shut up, Hakkai." Gojyo commanded his silence in more way than one, stealing his arms around that thin waist and forcing those warm lips open in a scorching kiss more his style than the chaste one he'd just received. He decided an estimated twenty minutes was more than enough to accomplish something he'd been thinking about all day.
xx
It was closer to fourty minutes when Gojyo ambled into the medium-sized bathroom but he didn't figure the extra time was unappreciated. And when he glanced at the figure in the tub he found he wasn't disappointed. Long brown locks were shining already as they air-dried and skin with a healthy tan hue to it no longer held a second skin of dirt. Those heretic eyes were still angrily glaring at anything that resembled a human but it seemed that being clean had at least helped a little with that defiant attitude. He nodded decisively and, without any warning, hauled the kid out of the tub and into the awaiting towel-laden arms of Hakkai, leaving it to him to dry him off. He decided he was done dealing with kids-that was Hakkai's department anyway-and figured now was a great time for a smoke and a nice cold beer. He might even make himself some food.
Hakkai made quick work drying off the kid and slipping an over-sized t-shirt over him, promising himself he would throw away those tattered pants the first chance he got. "I don't know if you're hungry anymore-" A glint in those eyes stopped him and he nodded, "alright, it seems you are. I can make you something to eat while I make dinner for Gojyo. There's only one bedroom but the couch pulls out into a bed so you can sleep there tonight. In the meantime while you're waiting to eat you can watch some tv or even play a game."
There was a low buzz, a quiet mumble from lips that barely seemed to move. Hakkai blinked and bent as close as he dared, murmuring, "Pardon? What did you say?"
"...said 'm not a monkey."
He blinked again, more rapidly, before smiling a little. It seemed someone had very good ears. "Don't mind Gojyo for saying that; he just likes to make fun of people. Besides, we don't really know what your name is or what to call you." He waited, hoping he would get an answer to that not quite question. It took a while, long minutes before another mumble,
"...Goku."
Hakkai clapped happily and let his smile stretch across his whole face, a real smile. "Wonderful! Despite the circumstances it's a pleasure to meet you, Goku! I'm Hakkai but I'm sure you've gathered that. Now why don't we go cook something?"
There wasn't a vocal response this time but Goku's stomach did choose that moment to growl loudly and Hakkai chuckled, hesitating only a moment before putting a hand on one of those shoulders to lead him away. It was progress! He hoped that soon they'd have whole conversations with this kid.
xx
Gojyo, his hair tied back from his face with a band and the two antennae-like pieces falling into his eyes, blew smoke noisily across the table as he studied the Mahjong board in front of him. Hakkai, a serene yet secretive smile on his face-Gojyo just knew that bastard was hiding something, most likely a winning hand-sat directly across from him, carefully writing down a list while awaiting the next piece. Goku, his youthful face a mask of concentration, chewed his lower lip as he mentally examined all the pieces on his side and the board. While still not fully his old self he no longer flinched when people moved towards him or watched everything with leery eyes and the movements of a frightened animal. He'd calmed enough that he fought both verbally and physically with Gojyo when continually referred to as "saru" and even went so far as to help Hakkai during the day. The last two weeks were good to him and the kid, who they found out was actually NOT as young as they'd been thinking, was growing into the environment he'd been bought into.
Of course that was all about to be put to the test when another figure was added to the mix.
A loud and rather insistent knock broke the silence and concentration and all three looked to the door, wondering who the hell could possibly be this far out in town at nearing midnight on a Thursday. Goku and Hakkai glanced at Gojyo, the closest to the door, who simply grunted out, "What?" Another knock, harder, and an annoyed voice through the door,
"Dammit, you assholes better open this door. I know you're still up." The speaker paused before continuing, a distinct click spicing up his words. "Either come open the door or I blow it off its hinges."
Gojyo groaned quietly and heaved himself up, placing a big grin on his face as he threw open the door. "Oh, Sanzo-sama! We didn't think you'd be back today! Don't tell me you missed this pretty face so much that you rushed back to me?" What he got for his troubles was a face full of the barrel of a gun and a violet glare. "Kidding, I was kidding."
Hakkai stood to greet Sanzo, waving to the fourth chair at the table. "Hello, Sanzo. You're just in time for Mahjong; Gojyo's losing. How was your mission?"
The golden-haired monk sighed heavily as he removed his upper robe, exposing the tight black shirt and sleeves he wore beneath the yellow robe. Before answering he shook out a cigarette and lit it, suppressing a groan of pleasure as the nicotine he hadn't tasted in a day drove itself home to his shaky system. "Boring as hell. I had to listen to these old guys sit and discuss how corrupted they think the world is, then offer them solace which didn't help them anyway. On top of that, on my way over here a fucking dog chased me and I came pretty close to shooting it. So yeah, it sucked. Who's the kid? Did Gojyo finally figure out how to be asexual and save the female population a lot of grief and produce a midgit?" He'd seen in his peripheral vision the boy studying him as if he'd never seen a monk before, eyes wide and awe-stricken and now more than a little amused.
"Are! As of I'd never think to deprive the beautiful women of this body."
Hakkai laughed quietly behind his hand. "Of course not, Sanzo. This is Goku, our new roommate. Goku, this rather...corrupt monk is Sanzo, a good friend of Gojyo and I. He tends to come and go at various and impromptu moments in time."
When Goku didn't say anything Sanzo glanced up through the haze of smoke, finding still those glittering eyes locked on him. "What?" He snapped; a day of pointless whining from stupid people and a long drive had made him even more irritable than normal.
"Hey Sanzo, don't yell at the saru; you might hurt his feelings." Gojyo passed along the ashtray and opened a can of beer, sliding a plate of meatbuns in front of Goku so he wouldn't complain to the insult.
"..." "..."
Gojyo sent a helpless look at Hakkai who just glanced back at him as if to say, "you drew this upon yourself, work your own way out." He smacked his hand against his forehead and turned to drink his beer, deciding maybe it was best to let the conversation pick up before he spoke again.
"Hm, well it's rather late so I think I'll turn in now. Sanzo, Goku's taken to sleeping on the couch bed so I'll pull out the futon for you. Gojyo, if I'm woken up by shouts of "urusei" and gunshots then you are going to be one very unhappy kappa." Hakkai left with a positively devilish smile on his face, one designed for the mere intent of inciting fear and obedience in the lower population.
Gojyo, to preserve face and libido, followed soon after, taking both his cigarettes and some more beer with him.
Goku and Sanzo were left alone. An uncomfortable silence descended, broken only by steady breathing, soft exhalations of smoke, and loud chewing. Sanzo could feel a tick forming at his temple as he waited for the other to speak but nothing was forthcoming. Finally he lost what little patience he had to begin with and lifted his head, intending to order him to either speak or leave him alone, but gold caught and held violet captive, communicating more than words could in a gaze Sanzo had seen on many others-more than enough directed at him in a futile effort-but this was the first to ever faze him.
He was still studying the unrestrained emotions he encountered in that gaze when Goku stood up and walked slowly over to him, soft mouth slightly parted to show teeth that only could belong to a true meat-eater. He got closer and closer until he was within striking distance, until he could lean his head down and place his lips so close to Sanzo's the blond could feel the heat from his breath. Sanzo was frozen-not with fear, not with arousal, but suprise and a tiny, very very tiny wonder of what he would do next-and could only watch as heavy lids slid down to hide that piercing gaze.
And just like that he could move again. Before those last centimeters could be crossed Sanzo snatched his paper harisen from his robes, a weapon he carried to protect himself on the streets before resorting to his gun, and brought it down heavily on Goku's head with a resounding thwak!, scowling deeply. "What the hell are you doing, bakazaru?! You don't just creep up on someone like that and expect to kiss them!"
Something sounding suspiciously like a whimper came from the bowed head below him.
"I don't care if you "think" you like me! We just fucking met and even if I did intend to sleep with you-which I don't-I wouldn't do it because you're too young. God, you've got a brain so why don't you act like a human and think with it!" He didn't seem to realize that words hadn't been exactly 'spoken' to him a moment ago.
Goku raised his head and glared up at Sanzo. "So if I weren't a kid and we knew each other it'd be okay, right?"
"...Urusei, baka." He refused to even consider such a thing.
tbc