Title: Somebody to love...
Author: kira
Genre: Slice of life, mild romance
Theme: Valentine's Day; Matchmaker
Pairing: Ban/Jak
Rating: older teen
Word count: 3104
Summary: Jakotsu worried his friend, Suikotsu, is lonely, decides to play matchmaker.
Disclaimer: Wish I own these guys; if I did; there'd be a lot less wankage in the world. ;p
Warnings: none
Betas: My beautiful and wonderful Jen!
FYI: Taken from the Encyclopedia Mythica's section on Japan. (pantheon. org/ areas/ mythology/ asia/ japanese/ articles. html [Just get rid of the spaces to find the site])
Aizen-Myoo
by Micha F. Lindemans
The Japanese god of love, worshipped by prostitutes, landlords, singers and musicians. Despite his ferocious appearance (he has a third eye vertically placed between his two other eyes and a lion's head in his hair) he is considered to be beneficent to mankind. Originally he was a god of the Shingon and Tendai and represented love that changes into desiring 'enlightenment.'
Benten
by Micha F. Lindemans
The Japanese goddess of love, eloquence, wisdom, the arts, music, knowledge, good fortune and water. She is the patroness of geishas, dancers, and musicians. Originally she was a sea goddess or water goddess, on whose image many local deities near lakes were based. Later she became a goddess of the rich and was added to the Shichi Fukujin. The island of Enoshima rose up especially to receive her footsteps.
Benten is portrayed as a beautiful woman, riding a dragon while playing on a stringed instrument. She has eight arms and in her hands she holds a sword, a jewel, a bow, an arrow, a wheel, and a key. Her remaining two hands are joined in prayer. It is often related that when a dragon devoured many children, she descended to earth to stop his evil work.
Mikan: A type of mandarin orange.
888
Jakotsu trailed along behind his comrades in arms and sighed. Suikotsu seemed more withdrawn than ever and nothing the eighteen year did could lift his spirits. He sighed again, earning a funny look from Renkotsu.
"Are you alright, Jakotsu?"
"Hunh?" The cross-dresser blinked.
"Are you alright?"
The cross-dresser nodded.
"You sure? You keep sighing and I thought maybe your stomach was bothering you." Takoyaki and Oo-Aniki's seed aren't sitting too well in your belly, hunh?
"I'm hungry... but I can wait until later," Jakotsu replied.
"That's it?"
"Yeah... unless..." The cross-dresser grinned. Hmmm... maybe I can get you to fall in love with Sui! You're pretty enough for him, and certainly much too pretty to waste on Gin...
Renkotsu smiled back him. He did not like the predatory look on the eighteen year old's face, yet he had no idea of how to redirect his attention elsewhere. "What...?"
Jakotsu draped himself on the fire-breather's free arm. "Can you help me buy some mikan?" He asked sweetly. "Aniki-chan'll probably give us some free time to wander around the marketplace..."
"Yeah, okay..."
"Oh good!" The cross-dresser beamed happily at him. "And you'll help me find the flower district too, right?"
"Excuse me?"
The cross-dresser sighed again. "The flower district, you know, where the whores are," he said testily.
"What do you want with a whore? I thought you were completely captivated by Oo-Aniki's charms."
"Hunh?" Jakotsu stared up at him like he had three heads. Frowning he said, "I don't need a whore, I just need a whorehouse. I want to make an offering to Aizen-Myoo so that he'll make Sui happy and find him somebody to love and I thought the mikan would be nice cuz they look like heavy balls and ummm..." the cross-dresser rambled on.
"What?"
"Hunh?"
Renkotsu heaved a long suffering sigh. "Who are you making an offering to?" Why do I have the feeling this isn't going to be good...?
"Aizen-Myoo. Sui's hurting cuz he's lonely and he needs somebody to love and I thought Aizen-Myoo would help him the same way he helped me."
"And this Aizen-Myoo lives in a whorehouse...?" What's this about Sui being lonely...? Renkotsu briefly turned his attention to the claw-bearer, who was walking ahead with their leader, while carrying a conversation with him.
Jakotsu nodded. "I used to have a small statue of him. Well, it was my mother's; some client gave it to her and she left it behind and I prayed to him everyday to find me someone who'll love me and take me away from the bathhouse..." he trailed off and looking Renkotsu in the eye, he said, "He sent Aniki-chan there and he made him fall in love with me and me with him so much so that Aniki-chan took me away from there."
Renkotsu nodded. Maybe there's some hope for you yet, you are praying after all... Now to steer you in the proper direction..."Okay... but don't you think it would be better if you made an offering to Benten-sama?"
"Who's that?"
"The goddess of love."
"Heh!" Jakotsu laughed. "Why would I pray to some bitch?" he asked sweetly.
"Because she'll grant your prayers, which sound like they've been answered already..."
The cross-dresser blinked. "They have?"
"Well... you've got Oo-Aniki, no?"
"Yeah... but ummm..."
The fire-breather sighed. "What?" he asked, trying hard to keep his impatience from bleeding into his tone.
"Well, I was praying to him cuz Sui's been so unhappy lately. I think he's lonely." Aren't you paying attention to what I've been saying? Idiot!!
"Yeah?" I still can't believe no one's noticed Sui's lonely except you... Then again, no one hangs all over him as much as you do, so maybe you are aware things the rest of us have missed... Imagine that!
Jakotsu nodded.
"He tell you this?" Renkotsu asked.
"No..." The eighteen year old smiled sweetly. "But I can tell these things!" He giggled like a girl at the expression on the older man's face.
"Oh really?" the twenty year old said dryly.
"Yeah! He does let me sit in his lap and cuddle me, but I can tell he'd rather cuddle someone else." Someone like you, Ren... You're smart like Sui and you like to talk about stuff...
Renkotsu looked at him pointedly. "You don't think that maybe the reason Suikotsu is uncomfortable cuddling you is maybe Oo-Aniki doesn't like it."
"No..." The cross-dresser blinked.
The fire-breather sighed. "Let's go get this done and over with. Oo-Aniki!"
Bankotsu looked over his shoulder at him. "What?"
"Jakotsu's hungry. I thought I saw a fruit vendor back there."
The young leader of the Shichinintai grinned as he knew what Jakotsu was up to. "Just don't take too long in the flower district, okay?"
Renkotsu wordlessly sputtered.
"We won't, Aniki-chan!" Tugging on the older man's arm, Jakotsu started dragging him in the opposite direction.
"Try to keep an ear open for work too!" Bankotsu added, before they melted into the crowd.
888
Jakotsu wandered from stall to stall, eying the fruit, occasionally handling the mikan, while trying to find the best ones, until Renkotsu explained they all looked the same from the outside.
"Stop squeezing them or the vendor will make us buy them. Mikan are delicate little things like real balls."
The cross-dresser looked that tiny orange in his hand and giggled. "Yeah?"
The twenty year old nodded. "Besides, won't this Aizen Mu, or whatever his name is, get mad if you give him rotten fruit? Especially when it's rotten because you couldn't stop playing with it," Renkotsu said pointedly.
"Aizen Myoo" the eighteen year old corrected, "and no, he wouldn't be mad, cuz he'd know I got him the best fruit that I could afford. Whores don't exactly have a lot of money, Ren. They have to give it to whoever owns them."
The fire-breather shot him a surprised look, before frowning. "I guess not. So let's get some of these and a couple of peaches," they laughed, "and head out for the flower district."
"Okay!"
888
After entering several brothels in search of a shrine to Aizen Myoo, they finally found what they were looking for and not a moment too soon in Renkotsu's humble opinion. Taking a string of coins from inside his kimono, he paid the mama-san a token amount for the use of the small shrine. The twenty year old waited off to the side with her while Jakotsu lit the stick of incense the fire-breather had insisted on buying along with the fruit.
The cross-dresser had attracted the attention of several of the girls, who had been sitting around, waiting for customers. They came over and knelt behind him, watching his every move intently as he placed the mikan and peaches on the shrine's small altar. When he bowed his head to offer up a few prayers the girls did the same. Clapping his hands together three times, Jakotsu rose in one fluid motion. Turning around, he was surprised to see the girls, and yet, he somehow found it in himself to smile sweetly at him.
"May Aizen Myoo grant your prayers," he softly, before politely excusing himself. He was so happy he was able to make that offering that he was willing to put up with them as part of him hoped Aizen Myoo would look more kindly upon him and his request if he did.
"May Aizen Myoo grant yours as well," one the girls replied. "And if he decides that perhaps this Ren and Sui aren't a good match, please bring them back so we can console them..." she said hopefully.
"If we're lucky enough to pass this way again, I'll try. So ummm... I'd better go." Jakotsu turned and walked away without a backwards glance. He carefully kept his irritation, over their sighs and comments about his and Renkotsu's good looks and what a pity it was they would not stay for a bit of fun in the futon, in check. While he was slightly more tolerant of whores in general, having been one before, he still had his limits in what he was willing to put up with.
"Finished?" the twenty year old asked when the cross-dresser approached.
"Yeah..."
The fire-breather turned to the women. "Thank you for your time, ladies," he said, before following Jakotsu out of the brothel.
"You're welcome! Do come again! Bye!!"
888
"Oo-Aniki, if I may ask a stupid question..." Suikotsu said as they loitered near the entrance to the flower district while they waited for their comrades.
"Jakotsu is worried about you and he thinks Ren would be good for you, so he wanted to make some kind of offering there to some god the whores pray to."
The gentle healer was surprised. "Really...?"
"Yeah... He umm..." Bankotsu shrugged.
"Say no more, Oo-Aniki."
The young leader of the Shichinintai nodded. Watching the sea of humanity drift by, he spotted his fellow comrades-in-arms. "There they are!" Bankotsu said. He waved. "Hey, Jakotsu! Renkotsu! Over here!!"
"Aniki-chan!!" Jakotsu hurried over to them, Renkotsu in tow.
"There's no work in the area so we're heading home."
"Oh..."
"I thought you liked sleeping in your own futon..." Bankotsu quipped, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Yeah..." The eighteen year old giggled. "And then there's Sui's garden..." He winked.
"Hey! You two stay away from my garden!" Suikotsu said sternly. Softening his tone, he added, "Unless you want to help me weed it?"
"I'll help you, Sui! Do you think the hydrangeas bloomed yet?" Jakotsu asked.
The gentle healer thought it over. "It's possible; some of the bushes had buds before we left."
Jakotsu giggled with excitement. "Yes!" Butterflies!!
"That doesn't mean you rabbits can play in there," the claw-bearer pointed out.
The cross-dresser blinked. "I wasn't thinking about that..."
Renkotsu laughed. "No? Well, that's a first."
Jakotsu rolled his eyes at him. "I was thinking the butterflies will be there when we get back."
"Oh..."
"Yeah! The hydrangeas always get the most butterflies! If you spent more time in Sui's garden, you'd know that, Ren," Jakotsu sweetly replied.
"Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of free time like you do," the fire-breather relied dryly.
Whatever Jakotsu was going to say died on his lips when he spotted some silk kites fluttering in the gentle breeze. "Oooh..." He hurried over to his young lover. "Aniki-chan...?"
"No."
"Why not?" the eighteen year old whined. Any thoughts he had had about Suikotsu's loneliness and his plan to help ease it, vanished like dew on a hot summer morning. All he saw were the kites and a chance to get his lover to indulge him like he always did, so Bankotsu's reply came as a bit of a shock.
"Because, I said so, that's why."
Jakotsu, shoving his hands in his sleeves, pouted like a spoilt child.
"We need a job, Sweetness, and soon," Bankotsu patiently explained. "We need supplies, the kind we can't grow or make for ourselves and we need to further our reputation, so people will come to us for a job, not the other way around. I promise you this, if we can get a job in the next few days, I'll buy you a kite, okay?"
"Okay..." Smiling happily now that he was mollified, Jakotsu threw an arm around his lover, kissing his cheek. Looking over at the others, he said, "Hear that, Sui? Aniki-chan's going to get me a kite. Want to come fly it with me?"
"Only if Oo-Aniki is busy and I'm free to do so."
"Yeah?" Jakotsu replied, drawing the older man into a spirited conversation about kites and kite flying.
Renkotsu, watching their exchange, wondered if the cross-dresser was right. He found it hard to tell as Suikotsu was naturally quiet and subdued except for his violent side. He continued to watch them, while his mind slowly put things together and he realized with a start that Jakotsu was correct. Suikotsu appeared to be lonely to some degree. He only entered a conversation if the cross-dresser drew him in, he spent long hours in his gardens, giving the same attention to the ornamental plants as he did to his medicinal ones and he read just as much if not more so than Renkotsu did himself.
As they walked home, the twenty year old resolved to do something about it. Unsure of what to do, Renkotsu decided to follow Jakotsu's lead. He was about to open his mouth and relate a story about his own childhood experiences with kites, when he spotted it in the distance. They had been traveling alongside a river and someone, in ages past, had built a little shrine to Benten there since she was originally a water goddess. Now she was one of the lucky seven gods of good fortune, and one of her duties was as the goddess of love.
The fire-breather slowed his pace enough to hang back a bit without attracting too much attention. By the time his comrades-in-arms had passed it by he was several paces behind which was fine with Renkotsu. He hurried over to the tiny, moss-covered, stone shrine and knelt. Reaching into the top of his kimono, Renkotsu pulled out the mikan; he had saved as a snack, and placed it in the shrine. Bowing his head, he offered up a quick prayer to the goddess, asking her to find Suikotsu someone to love.
"Ren...?"
The twenty year old looked up over his shoulder in surprise at the sound of the voice. "Sui...?"
The gentle healer smiled. "Oo-Aniki sent me to find out what happened to you."
"You mean Jakotsu sent you."
Suikotsu nodded. "Yeah... He means well, Ren."
"I know." The fire-breather stood up.
"And thank you."
"For what?" the younger man frowned as he reached down to brush the dirt off his bakama.
"For humoring Jakotsu," Suikotsu replied. And for thinking of me... I know who Benten-sama is and I know what Jakotsu's concerns are... "He's playing matchmaker."
"What?" The fire-breather stared at him like he had three heads.
"Jak's playing matchmaker. Oo-Aniki said that's the reason he wanted to go to the flower district."
Renkotsu chuckled. "Why? So he could get you a woman?"
"No... I think wanted to pray there because he's trying to push us together. He's somehow gotten it into his head that we would be perfect for each other."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"I wish I were, Ren. Don't worry; I'm looking for anyone just yet," Suikotsu looked the younger man in the eye, "but maybe we could make it look like his plan has worked, since I doubt he'll give up anytime soon otherwise. Besides, I was hoping I would have a new friend."
The fire-breather nodded, knowing Jakotsu's enthusiasm could cause him problems as well. "A friend is not a bad thing."
"I'm glad you said that as I'm not sure if I could give my heart away like that again..." the gentle healer said softly. "I used to have a wife, whom I loved very much but she died way too soon." Suikotsu sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's okay. It happened another life-time ago," the other man replied. "Come; let's go before they look for us." Suikotsu stared at their comrades in the distance. "And thank you again."
This time when the gentle healer smiled, Renkotsu saw some of the sadness had left his eyes. He smiled back at him. "You're welcome." They walked along in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they hurried to catch up with the others, and yet, neither one minded the quiet in the least.
888
"You really think Sui's going to be happy with Ren?" Bankotsu asked, slowing their pace so that the other two could easily catch up.
"Yeah... I know Ren's really serious and has a big stick up his arse, but I have the feeling Sui'll be the one to pull it out," Jakotsu replied somewhat smugly.
"Yeah?"
"Uh-hunh... He's very gentle, except when Scary Sui's awake, but Ren can handle him, especially if Sui likes him."
The fifteen year old nodded.
"And I think you should send Ren out on missions with Sui too."
"But you and Sui are a good team."
"I know... But this way they can get to know each other better, you know... without Gin getting in the way."
Bankotsu laughed.
"Don't laugh! He and Ren are very close, but I think Ren would be much better off with Sui. And don't worry; Gin won't be alone. That young widow who comes to do the laundry likes him." Jakotsu held up a hand, halting his lover's protests. "He must be really good in the futon, cuz he's not much to look at and he's not rich..."
"True..." Bankotsu thought it over. "Okay, next mission, I'll send Ren and Sui."
"Good..." The eighteen year old smiled as he put arm around his young lover. "You won't regret it, Aniki-chan, you'll see."
"I trust you, Sweetness." The fifteen year old grinned. "So now that Sui and Ren are taken care of and Gin too, what about Mu and Kyo?"
Jakotsu rolled his eyes. Licking his lips while he thought it over, the cross-dresser replied, "Well..." He smiled sweetly. "Kyo doesn't need my help; he's already in love with food." They laughed. "Mu, however, is on his own. As powerful as Aizen Myoo is, I don't think even he can help him." The eighteen year old sighed.
"Oh well."
"Yeah..." Jakotsu looked over his shoulder at his approaching comrades-in-arms and waved. Turning back to his lover, he said, "As long as they're happy, my work is done."
"Hey! What about us?" Bankotsu teased.
"We're already happy, my lil dumpling..." the cross-dresser purred. Leaning in, he kissed his lover.
"Indeed..." Bankotsu murmured, kissing him back.
"Oh hell! Can't you two wait until you get home before you rabbit?" Renkotsu grumbled as he and Suikotsu walked towards them.
"Jealous...?" Jakotsu smirked, pulling his young lover close.
"Not any more," Suikotsu quipped, pushing the fire-breather past the startled cross-dresser. "Since we're nearly home, is it alright if we meet you back there?"
Bankotsu nodded wordlessly as he was just as stunned as Jakotsu. The two separated, staring wide-eyed at their comrades-in-arms as they walked away. Suikotsu had placed his hand on the younger man's back as he moved alongside Renkotsu. He murmured something too soft for anyone but the twenty year old to hear, making the former monk laugh.
"It worked!!" Jakotsu squealed with delight. He threw his arms around Bankotsu, hugging him tightly. "Just like I knew it would!" He giggled madly.
"Indeed!"