Saiyuki AU- the Sanzo-ikkou finds themselves at an all-boys boarding school, with every Saiyuki character in a position, down to the Gaiden group. Co-written by myself and lilangelheather (on LJ). She'll be posting this up as well on LJ.

Chapter 1: It's nice to meet you, but stop staring.

Sanzo hadn't expected to arrive at the dorms of J. West Academy with people flooding the building. He had wanted to avoid all the rush around noon. Noon was when most students finally arrived, making a racket, having pulled themselves out of bed and dragged the last of their bags to the car before meeting at the school. In fact, that was the reason why he had woken up at the god-awful hour of four AM to make the long drive to the place that, for the next couple of months, would be his home.

A loud, noisy, overcrowded dorm.

He was going to kill the first person who even looked at him funny.

Carrying a box full of his things, he stomped over to the commons and waited impatiently for the boy at the front desk to give him his key. The third floor this time, a double. Heaving the box with him up the flights of stairs to his room, he made a point of glaring at every living thing that passed by him, allowing for more room.

The last roommate he'd had didn't get in his way. He'd been tidy, keeping to himself for the most part, which suited Sanzo just fine. Unfortunately, there was no way to affect who your roommate was unless you had either connections in the school, or you got into enough trouble to warrant separation. Sanzo had already tried to make Bosatsu give him a single, but the woman had refused, claiming that sharing a room was fun and helped "--build relations with other students. Ah, but it's also fun to watch you squirm, you know."

If the people in the hall were any louder, the sound barrier was bound to break. Wiggling the key in the door's lock, Sanzo entered the room, dropping the box on the nearest bed with little enthusiasm. How many times would he have to go down that hallway to bring more boxes up? It was six by now, and the crowd in the building was starting to swell to an even greater number. Soon the stairs would be impassible. Why were so many people awake at this hour, anyway?!

Sanzo found himself twitching slightly. Dealing with people wasn't his idea of fun. Building relationships was pointless. Living in a dorm was bad enough, but... He glared at the empty bed on the other side of the room.

He did not need a 'roomie'.

Hopefully he could scare off whoever had been misfortunate enough to be bunked with him for their last year.

Bravely stepping out of the room to bring up the rest of his belongings, he ignored the waves and calls of familiar students as he made his way to the car. Heaving up a second box, he almost ignored the person who appeared at his side.

"Would you like some help, Sanzo? I've already brought all of my things up, so I can carry something if you'd like."

"Hn."

He tilted his head in the direction of the side door and the student grabbed a box from inside. The two worked their way back up the stairs to room 304 and deposited the boxes there, Sanzo turning to face his old roommate with a nod. "Hakkai."

The brunette smiled at the familiar greeting. "It's good to see you again, Sanzo. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"…Only since last year."

"Yes, yes, I know," Hakkai replied glancing towards the open door as a crash and a string of curses filled the hall. "I do believe that's my roommate."

Sanzo craned his head to see a boy with red hair currently trying to send a fallen box and some books to Hell with a look. "You've got a double this year, too? A bunk?" He nodded and Sanzo looked the redhead up and down. "Do you know him?"

Hakkai's smile faltered a bit as he tried to remember. "He might have been in one of my classes a year or two ago… I can't say I know his name. Something with a G..?"

The blonde nodded. "You recognize him somewhat, at least. Bosatsu's probably stuck me with someone annoying this year. He hasn't come in yet," he gestured to the empty bed. "but I'm either going to kill him or commit suicide."

A laugh. "Try not to get blood on the walls. It'll take forever to get off." Hakkai looked back over at his room across the hall. "I suppose I should introduce myself…"

"Not looking forward to it?"

"Are you?"

"Your new roommate, at least be civil with him,"

"Sanzo."

Hakkai turned and left room, calling, "And don't lock him out!" as he walked away.

The door was promptly slammed behind him.

The number of people walking around the parking lot and the paths to the dorms had shocked him at first. His last school had been very small, but considering the neighborhood he lived in, it wasn't surprising that there were few kids. Goku shook off a nervous wave of anticipation and turned to look at his best friend.

"…You didn't mention there were so many people."

The head and upper body that had been buried in the car's trunk swiveled to face the dorms, surveying the crowd. Nataku seemed puzzled at the statement. "Didn't I? I guess it's just normal for me, so…" He shrugged.

"Why is everyone here so early?"

"They drink coffee? I dunno. Help me carry this, it's yours."

Shrugging the backpack handed to him over a shoulder, Goku frowned slightly. "And there's no way they'll let me room with you?" He picked up two boxes Nataku gave him.

The car trunk closed, and grabbing his own set of boxes, Nataku began walking towards the entrance to the dorms. "It's 'cause we're in different grades. We'll still see each other a lot, though! And it's not like you'll be alone. You've got a roommate." He grinned and looked back at Goku who was following him. "But no replacing me as your best friend, got it?"

Goku perked up, jogging to stay even with his friend while dodging people passing by. "Hey, you got me here. You couldn't get rid of me now if you wanted to." He playfully pushed the other and looked up at the building. "So where am I going to stay anyway?"

"They'll tell us at the front desk. When we find your room I'm gonna go search for mine, 'kay?"

"Mm!"

Making their way to the front desk, Goku stated his name and waited for the boy to find the room number and key. Nataku waved to a few people as they passed, some stopping to be introduced to the new student. After successfully signing in and dragging the boxes up the stairs, Nataku ran off to find his own place, leaving Goku standing at the door.

Twisting the key in the lock, he attempted to push the door open.

It didn't move.

Gold eyes blinked and stared hard at the key in the lock. He tried turning the key the opposite direction and pushing the door again. When it refused to move a second time, the boy scowled and pushed harder against the door to no avail. "Oi!" He banged his fist against the door, making it shake in its frame. "Anyone in there? Hey!" He shook the doorknob.

"I did tell him not to lock it," a voice came from behind him and Goku turned to see a smiling brunette looking at him.

"But I've got a key! That should unlock it… right?"

"Well, it should, but—"

A head poked out from the door across the hall and looked pointedly at the green-eyed man. "Hey, Hakkai, what's going on out there?"

"We're having a little problem with the door is all. You can go back to unpacking, Gojyo."

Gojyo looked past Hakkai to the smaller boy glaring at the door and smirked. "It seems we've got a new monkey who can't even open the door, huh?"

"I'm not a monkey! I'm Goku!"

"Monkey. Definitely a monkey."

"Why you—"

Hakkai stepped between them, smile in place and arms spread out in a sign of peace. "Now, now… There's no need to fight. Gojyo, you really should finish unpacking. I'll explain the locks to Goku." He sighed as the redhead stalked back into their room and walked over to the locked door, knocking sharply. "Sanzo! I told you not to lock the doors!"

There was a pause before a muffled response came though the door. "Hmpf. Your idiot roommate's right. If he can't get the door open, he's worse than a monkey."

Goku tensed at Hakkai's side, his mouth opening to retort when the door flew open, the blonde leaning against the doorframe.

Sanzo was scowling, giving the taller boy a look of pure loathing which was answered with a smile. "You need anything else, Hakkai, or are you going to stand outside my room all day?"

"Well, since I'm here, I should introduce you to your new roommate," the smile went wider. "This is Goku. Goku, this is Sanzo. I trust you'll both get along wonderfully."

Goku and Sanzo glanced at each other, then turned to face Hakkai incredulously.

"That monkey's going to be so much fun to tease," muttered Gojyo from his desk chair as Hakkai entered the cramped room across the hall.

"He's just nervous," said Hakkai. "And a little bit shorter than the rest of us. Come on, you can't make fun of him."

"Well, if I can't tease him, that immediately qualifies him as a major pain in the ass," replied Gojyo, kicking up his feet on the desk with his hands resting comfortably near his ponytail.

Hakkai smiled, leaning over the many cardboard boxes that littered the carpet. "I guess you win," he said. "Are you done unpacking already?"

Gojyo looked from his overstuffed dresser-- to the desk where he had messily plopped down all his schoolbooks-- to the bunk bed in the corner. "Yeah, I guess so," he said. "Remind me again why I can't have the bottom bunk?"

Hakkai smiled cheerfully. "I got here first, which means that I get to choose the bed."

"Yeah, but you can't seduce chicks when you have the top bunk," said Gojyo.

"We go to an all-boys school!"

"Doesn't mean there aren't any women in town!"

After a long bickering match, and possibly a game of poker, Hakkai was still in possession of the bottom bunk.

"What's your full name, anyway?" asked Hakkai, turning to face a scowling redhead sitting near the window, attempting to open it. "Don't think I caught it, I only remember your first..."

"Sha Gojyo," he responded. He succeeded in unsticking the window, then set an ashtray on the windowsill.

The brunette smiled and bowed again to his roommate. "I'm Hakkai Cho. It really is nice to meet you."

"But you already introduced-- Ah, whatever... Hey, you don't have a cigarette, by any chance?" Gojyo was fumbling in his pockets only to produce an empty box of Hi-Lites.

Hakkai's smile faltered. "Uh…no, can't say I do."

"Damn…" responded Gojyo.

Hakkai didn't know what to think of his new roommate. At least he and Sanzo had always been on fairly good terms. Gojyo, however…there were a million things he could see Gojyo doing to get them in trouble. He could forget to open the window when he smoked and set off the fire alarm, get everyone drunk with the cases of beer he was likely to cart in, and then there was that whole thing he had mentioned about sneaking out to go on dates?

"What?"

Gojyo's voice broke Hakkai's train of thought. "Excuse me?" asked Hakkai politely.

"You're staring."

Hakkai felt his face turning pink. "I'm very sorry," he responded. "I was just thinking."

"Yeah, well, don't look at me when you think," said Gojyo. "It creeps me out."

"Of course not," said Hakkai, returning to his unpacking.

"Say," Gojyo eyed the picture frame that Hakkai had just set on his desk, "Who's that chick? Is she your sister or something, Hakkai? She has green eyes just like yours."

Hakkai smiled sadly. "Well, that's half of it," he said.

"Whaddaya mean?" asked Gojyo, pulling open a can of soda and taking a swig.

"She was also my lover."

Soda sprayed across the room.

"But then she died in a car accident. Hit by some drunk driver named Chin Yisou." Hakkai looked fondly at the photograph. "I loved her a lot, though."

Gojyo didn't know what to say to this. He resolved by taking another gulp of soda, choking on it, and coughing violently for a few minutes. "I guess there's no chance of me asking her out then?" he asked tentatively a few moments later.

Hakkai smiled sadly, shaking his head. Gojyo scratched his nose and muttered something of an apology.

"Uhh," said Gojyo, after a long awkward silence. "Do you want to go downstairs and get some breakfast? See who else has arrived?"

"Sure," said Hakkai, getting up from his chair, and exiting the room.

Goku sighed and fell back onto his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He was completely unpacked and thoroughly exhausted.

And hungry.

He glanced over at the bed near the door, eyeing his roommate. The blonde had been reading for the past hour or so and seemed perfectly content with continuing to ignore him.

'He probably wouldn't even tell me where you can get food around here...' thought Goku, as he rolled onto his stomach and watched Sanzo. His face was hidden mostly by the book in his hands, so Goku wasn't sure if he noticed the attention. Deciding he didn't care either way, gold eyes studied the figure, noting the contrast between the fair hair and skin and the dark shirt and jeans. How could anyone be so pale? Was it just the clothes, or…

Violet eyes stared accusingly back from over the book. "What?"

"Er, well…"

"You're staring."

Goku shook his head and looked back down at his bed, idly tracing a pattern on the fabric. "No, I'm not." There was silence for a minute before the other sighed and closed his book.

"What do you want?"

"Food."

The answer was automatic. Sanzo raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you eat breakfast before coming?" A growl from Goku's stomach answered his question and the blonde stood, stretching. He turned to the shelf by the door and grabbed his set of keys. Those eyes were following him again. "You're new, right?"

Goku seemed to understand Sanzo getting up was some sort of agreement to showing him around and also stood, following the taller boy as he walked out into the hall.

"Yeah, my best friend goes here, so he bragged to the soccer coach 'till I got a transfer," he said, looking around the hall at the boys moving around. Goku saw a flash of red over the heads of some students. "Ah! It's that bastard from earlier!"

"Who?" asked Sanzo.

"Oi, Hakkai! Hakkai's bastard roomie!" Goku yelled through the crowd.

The green-eyed youth turned around to find Goku pushing his way towards him with a disgruntled blonde in tow. "Sanzo! Goku! We were just on our way down to breakfast! Would you like to come with us?"

"…Did the monkey just call me a bastard?"

Goku grinned and ignored the annoyed red-head, looking up at Hakkai. "We were going down to get some food too," he said as a loud rumble emitted from his stomach.

Hakkai laughed and nodded. "I can see that."

"No, really. Did he just call me—"

Sanzo interrupted. "You need to get your ears checked? You're going to have trouble with this one, Hakkai."

Gojyo's jaw dropped before he started twitching angrily. He clenched his fist and gave Sanzo his best look-of-death. "Damnit, ass-face, you and the midget are really asking for it..." His roommate stepped between the two, holding his arms out as a gesture of peace.

"Now, now," Hakkai looked rather worried about the direction the conversation was heading in. "Let's not fight when we've only just met."

Goku perked up. "Yeah, we need to get food! You can fight with Hakkai's bastard roomie later, Sanzo!" He grabbed the other's sleeve and proceeded to attempt to drag him down the hall.

"I HAVE A NAME, YOU KNOW!"