Sanzo hated it. He could have spent the rest of his life avoiding it. The mere thought of it made his skin crawl and left a bad taste in his mouth. He hated receiving it just as much as he hated giving it, and even when he does it, it is still reluctant. When it was stolen from him the first time, that gentle touch, he was going to make sure he never felt it again. So he draws away from it behind a mask of indifference and a sharp tongue. Maybe they'll stop trying, then.
--
Goku wanted it. After spending so long without it, he'd forgotten what it was like to have it. He forgot how good it felt to have fingers sifting through his hair, or the warmth that a simple brush of a hand could produce. All of these things spoke of love, affection, and something that he'd lost. He couldn't remember them in his mind, but the memories of it were etched into his skin. He did it so he could remember, or at least make new memories of it.
--
Gojyo needed it. He'd spent his whole life searching for it, reaching for it when it was dangled above his head with no success. That's why he sought it out, every other night. He didn't care that the faces changed and the bodies blurred together; all that mattered was that he felt it. Skin sliding against skin, warm breath against his lips...it all reminded him that for a moment, just a moment, someone needed him. He could handle that.
--
Hakkai avoided it. In his mind, he had no right to seek it out again. He'd had it, and then he squandered it in a sea of red that still stained his hands. Who would want to feel his hands on them after all of that? He wasn't worthy of receiving it or giving it to another person anymore. That's why he healed the way he did, so he did not have to feel the soft give of flesh beneath his fingertips or the warm, slick feel of blood between his fingers. No. He couldn't do that. It was too much temptation.