Chapter 1:

Gojyo stumbled and finally leaned against the corner of a building; his head was spinning just a little. This would be a good time to lie back and chill. The beer had given him a nice buzz but then, when one dude couldn't ante up cash, Gojyo had ended up winning a bit of heroin, prime for snorting. Now Gojyo was heading back to the inn with a lovely 'mellow' high; he'd sleep well, even if he'd have a bit of a hangover tomorrow. Gojyo's hanyou metabolism meant he would be able to avoid any significant lingering effects.

The porch was dark: the inn had shut itself up for the night, but Gojyo was able to get into the front door with his room key and he even made it up to the rooms. Narrowing his eyes in the dark, Gojyo squinted at the key tag. "Fuck." Was it six or nine? He couldn't help but laugh a little as he thought those were two of his favorite numbers. Angling himself in the hall, he tried to remember. Tonight he was sharing with the fucking pissy monk: Sanzo had figured if Gojyo was going to be gone all night, Goku should not be unsupervised.

After extended study Gojyo eventually decided six didn't seem right, so he went over to nine and tried to fit the key in the lock. He turned it two times and couldn't get it to fit so he huffed in exasperation and returned to room six.

"You could get arrested for that." Sanzo's voice was harsh, annoyed, and not at all sleep-laced. Gojyo turned around, the key still in his hand and his forehead furrowed in confusion. "Trying to break into that room. It's a mother and two kids," Sanzo clarified as he turned away and disappeared into the dark of room nine.

"The key didn't fit." Gojyo's voice was relaxed: heroin meant Sanzo's snark didn't faze him at all. He wandered into their room and collapsed on the unrumpled bed. "I thought I had the tag upside down.

"I think you are upside down," Sanzo snarled. Abruptly he switched on the light, leaning toward Gojyo. "What the fuck are you on?"

"My bed." Gojyo fumbled out his cigarettes, but even those cravings were dimmed by the heroin. He closed his eyes with the cigarettes on his chest.

"Gojyo," Sanzo snapped, standing over Gojyo's bed and glaring down at him. The monk was using the voice he usually only deployed in combat: not a yell, just a bark of attention-grabbing command. "Gojyo," he repeated more sharply.

"Yes, Sanzo-sama?"

"Look at me." Sanzo's voice was firm, commanding. Gojyo stared up, watching the beautiful features and bright eyes.

"What are you high on?" Sanzo demanded.

"Life?" Gojyo offered.

"Damn it, tell me or I will get Hakkai and he will tell me." Gojyo couldn't figure why Sanzo was so annoyed.

"Snorted a little heroin," he shrugged. "Just a little, won it in a game."

"Heroin." Sanzo stepped back his anger spiking palpably.

"Just a little, be fine in the morning." Gojyo closed his eyes. Even Sanzo being mad didn't take the edge of his rosy glow of contentment.

Gojyo realized a moment later that Sanzo was standing over him, still gazing down. "Gojyo, that shit is dangerous."

"What shit?" Gojyo wondered if Sanzo was reading his mind. Was he aware of the vague images of desire Gojyo sometimes let tumble through his head as a private erotic experience?

"Drugs," Sanzo snapped out. "Drugs are dangerous. They make you useless in a fight."

"Ah, eyes on the prize," Gojyo agreed. "Can't risk the mission." He rolled his head and closed his eyes. "I'll be fine in the morning. No more stoned than if I'd been drinking hard." Gojyo grinned a little as his mind's eye created the image of Sanzo, radiating rage and pride. Sanzo hated to be ignored and so Gojyo awaited the fan's descent; there were several minutes of a pause before the soft footfalls retreated. The ancient bed creaked and Gojyo heard Sanzo light another cigarette. He thought absently, almost nostalgically, of having a cigarette for himself, but he went to sleep instead.

Morning was no more of a trial than ever, Sanzo ripping the blankets off his bed. "You reek. If you plan to clean up before we get on the road, go now." Sanzo turned on a heel and left; Gojyo next heard him yelling for Goku to finish up or he wouldn't eat. Gojyo stretched and got up; handy, having his boots still on. Grabbing his toilet kit and a towel Gojyo ambled to the shower, ignoring the no smoking signs as he lit up. The shower was quick but refreshing. Since he'd foregone unpacking, Gojyo simply dumped the dirty clothes in his pack to replace the clean ones he was now wearing and headed to the dining room. There was almost nothing left on the table, but Gojyo charmed a to-go cup of coffee and some rice balls from the lovely girl who was waiting tables.

"Gojyo, you got in late," Hakkai observed.

"Did I?" He really didn't know. "I had no clean clothes so my dirty ones are in my pack." Hakkai cared about shit like that.

"That's quite all right; you have no clean clothes mixed with them. I left all your clean clothes in the laundry bag, we can switch when we stop tonight. I hope to be at that large town we saw on the map. The inn keeper says that the roads are clear and there haven't been any real concerns." This last bit was directed at Sanzo, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Big town? They will have lots of good food then, right?" Goku asked.

"And lots of very pretty women," Gojyo offered. They degenerated into what was more annoying, being a bottomless pit of hunger or a pervy kappa. Gojyo was vaguely aware that Sanzo was not hitting them as often with the fan; he also noted the monk was watching him in the rear view mirror as if studying him. Absently Gojyo wondered what he was watching for; Gojyo to become a raving psychopath because he snorted a little heroin? Gojyo considered doing a sudden boneless flop or having an outburst; but he decided he did not want to be shot so he let that thought go. It could keep company with the thoughts of Sanzo's pale, toned ass when they were at that onsen several days ago.

It was well past dark when they arrived at the town. It was large, big enough to have a business district and multi-family apartments. Hakkai maneuvered Jeep through the narrow roads until they came to a crossing. "Is there a good inn nearby?" Hakkai called genially to a young man and woman who appeared about to enter a restaurant. The two looked at the Jeep, then the monk next to Hakkai.

After two false starts the young man said: "If you turn right here you will get to the town center in two or three blocks; there are three hotels."

"They sound expensive," Sanzo grumbled, his cigarette bobbing while he talked.

"That place was a restaurant. Can't we stop and eat? Please, please Sanzo? It smelled really, really good!" Goku was bouncing in the seat and the entire jeep bounced.

"We will eat when we get there," Sanzo snarled. Before it could escalate they stopped in front of a large hotel.

"I think we are here," Hakkai announced brightly. "And they have a restaurant in the hotel."

"Keep going: there are other places," Sanzo was snarling. "There are other places that look cheaper."

"We are here," Hakkai repeated in his very bright, very 'you don't understand, I have made a statement' voice. Sanzo subsided with no other complaint. They piled out, and Jeep transformed then perched on Hakkai's shoulder.

As usual, Sanzo led the way in. He strode up to the desk and slid his more-than-imposing figure between a middle aged, over-weight couple and the desk. He slapped the gold card down and stated, "We need lodgings for four people."

The man took the card and blinked at it, then at Sanzo. "I'm sure we can accommodate you, sir." He blinked some more.

"I'm hungry," Goku complained, sounding five rather than five hundred. Gojyo rolled his eyes but wandered the well-appointed lobby. He paused when he noticed the sign of 'Amenities'.

"Massage, hot rock, facial, manicure, pedicures and steam rooms, baths, weight rooms." Gojyo whistled. "Hey, Hakkai, don't you think one of us needs to have a few days break? Maybe stop a bad case of numb butt coming on?"

"Forget it, Kappa." Sanzo shoved a key in his chest, "We sleep, we get up, and we get on the road."

"And we eat. Right Sanzo, we will eat?" Goku was bouncing up and down to get Sanzo's attention like a jack-in-the-box.

"We will feed you," Hakkai assured the younger man. "Let's just drop our things off in our rooms, then we can go to the restaurant." Hakkai was now using his placating voice. They trooped to the elevator, causing a young family to step back and stare. The four were able to ride up alone, accompanied by Goku's litany of things he hoped to eat.

"If you eat all of that we will roll you to India," Gojyo drawled.

"Will not, I never get fat!"

"And you never get taller. Must be a physics issue," Gojyo mocked.

"Leave him alone." Sanzo's voice was flat, without the snap of command that had so affected Gojyo the night before. Gojyo put a cigarette in his mouth, but forwent lighting it until they were walking down the hall. As they approached 507, Gojyo noted he was the only one with a key. 'Oh no, he did not get us one room in this joint,' Gojyo thought as he fitted the key.

"One room, Sanzo?" Hakkai asked.

"Yes. One room. This place is expensive. He assured me there was plenty of room for four."

Gojyo pushed open the door and whistled again. "And he is right. Shit, look at this joint." Dropping his pack inside the door Gojyo stared around the sitting room of a deluxe suite. There was even a kitchen area. Two doors led off into bedrooms with two double beds apiece and a bathroom in each.

"This is very nice." Hakkai set his pack on the luggage rack and turned. "I think this would be an excellent opportunity to gather some supplies. All of us could use more clothing and several pieces of our camping equipment are damaged. With the resources of this town it's an excellent opportunity to restock."

"We are leaving tomorrow." Sanzo was going into the other room, "And take the monkey downstairs and feed him."

"Mmm, come along Goku, Gojyo. We might as well get some dinner." Hakkai stopped and looked at his companions. "A quick wash first?" He suggested, and Gojyo and Goku trotted off to the bathroom to wash their hands and faces like well-behaved school boys. Then they headed to the restaurant.

"Isn't Sanzo eating?" Goku asked in the elevator, sounding subdued. "Is he angry at me?"

"No," Hakkai shook his head. "He isn't angry at you. He. . ."

"Is he angry at Gojyo for being out so long?" Goku sounded hopeful; there was nothing the damned monkey liked more than having Gojyo be in trouble. Well, except for food.

"No. He's not angry at Gojyo," Hakkai lied sweetly. Gojyo winced. Hakkai wasn't happy that Sanzo was mad at him. They ate quietly because Hakkai was in his bright, cheerful mode and Gojyo wasn't willing to annoy him further. Sanzo joined them a while later and Goku was suddenly more well behaved, not wanting to piss off his irritable sun.

Gojyo finished dinner and pushed his chair back. "I'm going down to the baths. Maybe get a massage if they have a pretty masseuse," he grinned

"I'm not paying for you to perv out," Sanzo snapped, Gojyo again missing the note of command.

"I have money," Gojyo grinned and then winked at them.

"I wanna go," Goku bounced up.

"Take the monkey," Sanzo directed. Gojyo suspected it was penance for the heroin.

"I think I will join you," Hakkai also pressed his chair back. "If you will excuse me, Sanzo?" The monk only nodded, so Hakkai rose and walked with Gojyo and Goku down to the bath area.

Gojyo, annoyed at Sanzo's pissy-ass attitude, considered a massage. The baths were the old 'segregated by gender' type, and Goku had to be reminded several times he wasn't supposed to PLAY in the bath. Finally the younger man got annoyed and went to dress. "What?" Gojyo demanded of Hakkai.

"What, 'what'?" Hakkai responded. They stared at each other until Hakkai sighed and glanced around; it was a large bathing area and they were fairly private. "Sanzo is concerned about your choices for recreational behavior."

"Heroin," Gojyo suggested.

"Yes. He's worried about the effect it will have on Goku."

"I'm not planning to give the monkey drugs." Gojyo actually laughed, "I wouldn't like to see that. Heroin might not be the worst choice but shit, can you picture him on cocaine?"

"I'm not sure I'm familiar enough with it to make an assessment." Hakkai sounded annoyed and more definitively prim. "It's not that you will give it to Goku. It's that he might emulate you."

Gojyo struggled with that image. Set him on fire? "Immolate me?" He wondered if that meant make him into jewelry.

"Goku looks up to you as an older brother. . ."

"He calls me a pervy kappa," Gojyo laughed again.

"Yes, because he's more interested in pleasing Sanzo and I now but, developmentally, he will have to begin to rebel. And you have to admit you certainly seem to have a great deal of fun. When Goku begins to make his adolescent differentiation it is reasonable to assume he will attempt to emulate you."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Why would he set me on fire?"

"Goku is physically a young man, and his behavior will catch up. Running out to clubs and picking up woman is one thing; having him using drugs is quite another."

"If you and Sanzo don't tell him, how will he know?" Gojyo finished the sentence in his head. "Does that mean you guys think it's fine if I take him bar- and bed-hopping?"

"Goku isn't an idiot." Hakkai was using his prim voice again; he was ignoring the fire and bed-hopping.

"No, he's not." Gojyo wished for a cigarette. "So the point is Sanzo has enlisted you to guilt trip me about being a good example for the monkey to control my behavior?"

"It's not a matter of control, Gojyo. It's. . . it's about not . . . Gojyo, drugs are bad."

Gojyo laughed again, more honestly. "I think you just sounded like the dude in the tight tie from 'South Park'." He laughed again at Hakkai's stunned expression.

"Ok, drugs are bad," Gojyo repeated when he finally got control of his laughter. "I get it: no more hard drugs." He held up his hand at Hakkai's incipient comment. "I'm getting out of here. I have places to go, money to earn and women to charm." Hakkai joined him in the dressing room several minutes later and they exited in a more companionable silence than they had entered. Goku had been in the game room and bounced up begging for Gojyo to play a game with him. "Sorry runt, I'm off to change and then to win some cash and women."

"You win women?" Goku asked.

"Sometimes," Gojyo winked. "Sometimes I let them win me."

"Perv." Goku made a disgusted face.

Gojyo spent the night drinking, gambling and flirting. He hadn't meant to actually pick up a girl: he wasn't into bringing a chick back to a suite with Hakkai, Goku and Sanzo's damned pistol. He always felt better when he could at least OFFER to bring 'em back to his place, though he generally hated it, trying to get them out so he could go to sleep.

Best laid plans and best laid Kappas. . . The woman with the bobbed hair and darkly lined eyes was just making herself too tempting. She was mature with a perfectly curved body and a wickedly smart sense of humor. Gojyo left the game and they drank at the bar for a while, talking and joking.

"I need to move along," Gojyo said finally, and with sincere regret.

"Really," she glanced at him sideways and licked the booze off her lips. "Maybe we could walk along and consider your, options?"

"We could do that," Gojyo paid for the drinks and followed her out. "You live around here?"

"Not really, just came to town. We are staying in a small inn." She took Gojyo's hand and swung it. "Come here," she pulled him into a darkened alley. "Maybe I could make a suggestion of a good reason to come back with me?"

"I just bet you could." Gojyo vaguely wondered who the rest of 'we' was but really, she had a fantastic body and when he found her lips with his, he decided it was even better pressed between him and the wall.

Gojyo liked kissing, it was one of his favorite aspects of the seduction process, but Takae was in a hurry. Stepping back, she placed her hand on his zipper and urged him to change positions; Gojyo wasn't one to refuse a drink or a hand job. When Takae slid down Gojyo groaned and let his head fall back to the bricks. OK, that was definitely not something he was gonna turn down.

Gojyo stroked his hands through the soft strands of her hair as her mouth worked on him. OK, with more vigor than skill but really, it had been quite a while since he'd had a quick blow job in an alley. He came quickly, more out of courtesy for her knees than lack of control. He really wanted to figure out how to make a counter offer and moved forward to wrap one arm around her as he tucked himself away. He hadn't gotten his belt buckled when something burned into his back.

"Fuck," Gojyo jerked away, realizing he'd been stabbed.

"Fucking hanyou," Takae snarled. Two men, who must have been there all along, stepped out of the shadows. Gojyo blinked and realized that the knife, while little, was fucking hurting. He shoved Takae and considered his options. He didn't really want to kill a common street thief, especially a pretty one. Even with her two guy friends in the mix it seemed—extreme—to kill her just for mugging him. He was feeling the adrenalin of the battle but he also felt damned weak. The knife was deep, and he knew better than to try and pull it out. He turned and headed back to the inn full bore. The woman and her two man friends weren't armed with guns and had not expected him to run.

Gojyo heard Takae urging the men to catch him, yelling about 'letting that fucking hanyou have his hands all over me, not gonna lose the money.' Did she think he had some cash? He wasn't holding much at all. He'd have fucking given it to her.

The distance back to the inn was endless. There were some people on the street but most of them averted their eyes and moved away. Gojyo realized, in some weird half operational part of his brain, that running back to the inn was not his best plan. He could turn and face them, but spinning his weapon against the three of them still seemed absurd in some way.

Gojyo had never been so glad to see the steps of an inn before. He was surprised the three muggers had followed him so far. There had been no more shouting, just silent pursuit. They sounded winded and one of them said, "We can't go in there."

"Then get him now. If he weren't more animal than human he'd have fallen, look how much he bled." Really, Gojyo thought her voice had been nicer than that in the bar. He made it up the steps and swore he could FEEL them behind him. He gained the wide porch and hit his knees.

"Fuck," Gojyo muttered.

"You idiot." Gojyo had never been so glad to see those damned sandals and the hem of the robe.

"He's just a monk," Takae shouted. "Finish the hanyou and we can get out of here. Do it! No one else is awake. . ."

"Back the fuck off," Sanzo suggested quietly. Gojyo wished he had the energy to look over his shoulder at Takae and her friends.

"The monk has a gun!" Hearing their shock, Gojyo grinned as he sagged forward onto his hands.

"Why didn't you kill them?" Sanzo demanded. He was using his 'hey idiot that I know' voice instead of the 'hey random idiot that's fucking with me' voice.

"She—was alone," Gojyo coughed.

"And you let her stab you?"

"She didn't ask first!"

Gojyo heard the report of the gun and the woman screamed. He forced himself around; Takae was still standing but one of the men lay on the ground. "Don't move!" Sanzo ordered them in his 'talking to scum I don't know' voice.

"Go get Hakkai." That was Sanzo barking an order to 'scum I know'.

"Just a second, need to catch my breath." Gojyo was somehow sprawled half on his side; he really didn't want to roll onto his back, there being a knife there that would fucking hurt. Gojyo closed his eyes and focused on breathing.

The door to the inn was open and there were voices, but best of all were the voices of Hakkai and Goku. Gojyo was pretty sure he hadn't gone to get them yet.

"Sanzo?" Hakkai's voice, which changed abruptly as he dropped by Gojyo's side. "Gojyo, what have you done now?"

"Got stabbed," Gojyo answered. There was so much chaos that the three, or at least the two standing, must have decided to try and run. Goku raced past him in a rush and Sanzo's gun barked.

"Don't kill her," Gojyo demanded, trying to see who Sanzo shot as Hakkai pressed his hand to the knife.

"Gojyo, stay still!"