Title: Good boys

Author: kira

Rating: T

Characters/Pairings: Ren, Sui, Ban, Jak

Genre: general

Word Count: 750

Summary: Renkotsu complains about Ban's and Jak's behavior…

Any possible warnings: none

Author's note: Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over as well as to Sensei, for feeding my plot bunnies…

888

"Damn those rabbits!" Renkotsu grumbled as he entered the room he shared with Suikotsu, closing the shoji behind him with loud bang.

The gentle healer looked up from where he sat behind the room's low table, sorting his herbs. He was half tempted to say, "They're good boys, Ren," but the irritated look the fire-breather shot him, had him asking instead, "What did they do now?"

"The library smells like a brothel! And sounds like one too!"

"You walked in on them again," Suikotsu said softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Renkotsu nodded. "I don't know how they do it, but they seem to know when I coming and they'll wait quietly too, so I don't know they're there." He rubbed tiredly between his eyes. "I swear if Jak asks me one more if I want to join them, I'll set them on fire It would have been well worth the loss of the scrolls!." He grinned wickedly as he imagined that scenario playing itself out.

"They're good boys, Ren, they really are."

The fire-breather arched his eyebrow as he sat down opposite the good doctor. "I find that hard to believe. I've lost count over how many times I've given Jak an order only to have him do what wants instead."

"And how many times has he asked you nicely if he can look at your sketches and watercolors and gone away without complaint when you told him 'no'?" Suikotsu countered.

"Well…uh, how many times has he faked an illness or injury just to get attention from you when he knows damned well that I wanted to be alone with you?" The fire-breather neatly folded his arms across his chest.

"And how many times has he assisted me in taking care of you when you're sick or injured? When we all know he'd rather be with Oo-Aniki?"

"Okay, I'll give him that, but how many times has Ban sent me on some stupid mission, when he knows Jak could have easily done it in his sleep, because he wants his butterfly home with him."

Suikotsu got up to make them some tea. "True, true, but you know a lot of times that was done to allay Jak's fears that Oo-Aniki is tired of him."

"It's still annoying," Renkotsu groused. "What's worse is Ban doesn't give a rat's ass about any of it. As long as it doesn't impact on whatever they want to do, they'll do it and everyone else be damned!" He slammed his fist down on the table, rattling the old teacups the claw-bearer used to brew healing teas, and rustling the papers he had scattered about the table.

"He does too care, Ren," the gentle healer soothed.

"I find that hard to believe, Sui," he said dryly. "Every time I go into my workshop, I want to burn that table since they violated it." Renkotsu heaved a long suffering sigh.

"Well, Jak did offer to have another one made for you."

"I know…" Renkotsu said. Changing the subject, he added, "Do you need help with that?"

"No thanks, it's ready." Suikotsu brought a steaming cup over to the fire-breather. "Jasmine, just the way you like it."

"Thanks, Sui…" He sipped his tea while the older man went to get the cup he had made for himself.

They drank their tea in companionable silence. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect, as Renkotsu seemed just as tense before. Mentally sighing, as he wondered just how badly their leader and his paramour "violated" the library, Suikotsu got up to sit behind the younger man. Without saying a word, he began to knead the knotted muscles at the base of Renkotsu's neck and shoulders. As his strong fingers worked their magic, the fire-breather began to relax under his touch.

Renkotsu closed his eyes. He idly wondered if he should slip out of his kimono. The rough cotton was mildly irritating, despite Suikotsu's gentle touch. Just as his musings took a decidedly naughty turn, involving a vial of love oil, someone knocked on the shoji. Renkotsu groaned when it was followed by a voice.

"Sui? Is Ren there?" Jakotsu called out.

"Yes, come in, Jak."

The cross-dresser entered followed by their leader. "Hey, Ren! Look what Aniki-chan found!" He giggled.

"What?"

"Your lucky bandana!" Jakotsu handed a colorful bit of fabric to Renkotsu.

"Thanks."

Bankotsu shrugged in reply. "Come on, Sweetness, let's go."

"Bye!"

"See, I told you they're good boys," Suikotsu said as they watched them leave.

"Yeah…"