Tricks of the Trade
Chapter 1: April Showers

A Story for the Smoke Signals Thread

By Nekochan

Author's Note

Here comes 3rd person omniscient and attempts to knock some sense into Gojyo's 16-year-old emo-self (laughs). Give it up for plot-hole-filling! (waves itty bitty flag)

Gojyo's inspiration song for this one is "tears of pearls" by Savage Garden (Savage Garden). The new character introduced here gets the song "Watch Me Shine" by Vanessa Carlton (Legally Blonde Soundtrack) for reasons which I hope will become obvious. I don't want to give it away just yet, though.

I will remind everyone once again that this story is rated M. There's a fair bit of adult sexual material, but the bulk of the M rating will come from foul language.

Arigatou Minasan! (Thanks everyone!)

Nekochan

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The next morning - The Flowing Sands Tavern, Chang'an

On the edge of dreamy sleep and waking consciousness, Gojyo stirred in bed underneath the sheets. Turning onto his right side, he picked up the pillow from underneath of his head and slammed it back down on top in attempt to block out the sun. It was no use pretending he could fall back asleep, but this was his morning ritual of trying to deny the sun's power - the power to make him rise out of bed as if he had somewhere to be or something to do - even when it was cloudy or the curtains were drawn.

Cautiously, he lifted a corner of the pillow, testing his protesting eyes. That was when he heard the faint sound of water droplets falling.

It was mornings like this that he cursed his heightened senses.

"Fuck, iss still rainin'?" Sitting up and pushing the multitude of sheets away, Gojyo stretched and yawned lazily a few times. He smacked his lips, disliking the utterly dry feel of them. Musta' slept with my mouth open.

He groaned and swung his long legs over the side of the bed, stretching those as well as his arms again. He gingerly stepped out of bed, thankful he didn't have a hangover, but walking a little on the wobbly side nonetheless.

Gojyo gripped the doorknob to the bathroom a little harder than normal so as to stabilize himself then pushed it open, wincing at the brighter light filling the room as well as the more acute sounds of a gentle downpour. He sighed audibly and simply turned towards the shower; a warm shower to soothe taught muscles - followed by a large breakfast - ensured his relatively good mood each morning.

Drawing back the curtain, Gojyo thought, I swear it'd better let up by the time I leave-

Red eyes went wide.

A naked woman was in his hotel room's shower.

"OH!" She gasped, holding one hand in a fist near her mouth and her other arm across her chest. "Good morning to you, too."

Gojyo shut the curtain again, turning around. What the hell . . .

He heard her giggle and push the curtain aside again. "Well, gee Gojyo, never thought you'd be the type t' get embarrassed!" She pressed against him from behind, hands on his shoulders. "I'm so glad you came to see me . . ." she whispered, trying to pull him under the water with her.

He turned back around, already feeling aroused at the mere sight of her wet skin, her full breasts, and her glistening black hair. He tried to ignore it and focus on her brown eyes. "I didn't come t' see you, I came t' wash up."

"Come on in, then, I won't stop you." She winked at him and once again 'invited' him with her hands on his shoulders. "We can get clean together."

"Somehow, I doubt that's what you have in mind."

She laughed, "Okay, fine, you caught me." She smiled brightly, closing the gap between them so that she passed underneath of the shower-head. "We can get dirty first and then get clean, how's that sound?" She reached down between them, intent on stroking him, but he caught her wrist on instinct. "Geez, you're a flinchy guy," she whined, pouting her lips fully.

She is the girl from last night, no mistake. He glared at her. "Why the hell are you still here?"

She smiled playfully. " 'Cuz I'm curious about you."

"Tch. Good luck gettin' me ta' answer any questions." Gojyo moved into the shower against his better judgment, turning toward the wall as he stood under the shower head.

She hugged him from behind, not saying a word. He could feel her tougher nipples as well as her softer breasts on his mid-back, not to mention her head resting between his shoulder blades.

He sighed, leaning to press his forehead against the cool tile. "Look, this isn't how one-nighter's are supposed t' act."

Her voice was barely audible over the shower's steady rhythm. "And I care because?"

She needs t' take a hint, Gojyo thought ruefully. "I'm not lookin' fer a girlfriend."

"That's nice."

Okay, now she's just pissin' me off. He looked over his shoulder, furrowing his brow. "What is with you?"

He saw and felt her shrug even as she remained pressed against his back. "I'm just milking my one-night for all he's worth." Her right hand trailed lightly along his chest before settling on his hip.

"Don't even think-a' touchin' my dick."

"I won't if you kiss me."

He went back to staring at the wall. "Like hell."

"Y'know," she began, her tone on the verge of scolding. "You could show a little more respect for your lover, Gojyo."

'Lover'? Bitch, I haven't even used yer name, so how can you call us lovers? He demanded of her in his mind.

She continued, interpreting his silence as a denial of her statement. "What? Even one-nighter's are lovers, aren't they? There's no reason t' be cruel to people who can give you pleasure. For example . . ." she rubbed her right hand over the front of his thigh, "You could make out with me an' let me give you a hand-job."

He spun around to face her, making her pull back her wandering hands. "I already told you-"

"Y'know, you would be drop. Dead. GORGEOUS if not fer whatever . . . complex it is that you've got," she said angrily, gesturing wildly as she did so and puncturing her words for emphasis. She crossed her arms indignantly, but leaned her face up towards his. She chuckled in a low, taunting voice, "Don't like aggressive girls?" She let her right hand fall away and brush his chest, fingertips dancing down his happy trail. (1) "Or are you afraid of letting someone else give you that pleasure?"

Gojyo barely restrained the urge to hit her. "I'm not afrai-"

Her left hand reached up behind his neck to pull him down so she could cut him off with a kiss. "That's what I thought." She kissed him again. "Since you're such a bad-boy." The next kiss encouraged him to open his mouth as she opened hers.

But Gojyo was distracted by the hand now grasping his cock.

Before he knew what was happening, Gojyo had pushed her against the opposite shower wall with his left hand behind her head, the water now falling down his back. His right hand had come up to massage her left breast and he gave in to her demanding kiss, slipping his tongue into her waiting mouth.

Taken by surprise, her grip only tightened while her other hand splayed against his chest between both of them.

Goddamnit, he winced inwardly, pulling back from the kiss. "I really don't like you right now."

She smiled at that, happy to have finally gotten a reaction out of Gojyo. "I have a name, y'know."

"Remind me," he breathed out huskily, his left hand moving to grip her fleshy buttocks. "It's your fault I'm not thinkin' so clearly right now."

"Oh is it now? Ah-" She gasped when his hand kneaded her breast. "It's Ruiping."

"Ruiping . . ." he drawled before kissing her deeply.

She licked his tongue with her own, sucking in a deep breath when he gasped, knowing he'd be right back to devour her again, which he did. Gods, but this is a nice change . . . I'll reward the prick a little. She stroked up his shaft twice before flipping her hand over to start pulling faster. As she did so, she tightened and released her grip one finger at a time in rapid succession.

Gojyo pulled back again, rasping, "Fuck, do that again."

Ruiping giggled. "Gladly." She pulled him to another kiss as her other hand expertly worked him to climax, shuddering as he gripped her flesh even tighter.

Despite his wishes, Gojyo could not hold back a rough intake of breath and a hum of contentment when he orgasmed. As he tried to get his heartbeat to slow down, he whispered, "You . . . are one . . . crazy chick . . . Ruiping."

She rinsed her hand directly under the shower-head before combing the last of the conditioner out of her hair. "Heh, I wasn't the one trying to turn down a free hand-job, Gojyo." She stepped out of the shower as she pulled back the curtain.

Gojyo closed it again, looking for the shampoo so he could quickly take a real shower. "Why is that such a big deal to you?"

Ruiping dried herself off and wrapped the towel around herself as she answered loudly. "Every single other guy I know - okay, straight guys . . . yeah, I guess Bi guys too - will do just about anything to have me touch their dicks so they can touch my breasts. So, why don't you tell ME what the big deal is? At least it got you to respond to me, not like last night . . ."

Gojyo started rinsing his hair. "What do you mean 'respond'?"

Ruiping stood near the shower entrance, gawking though Gojyo couldn't see it. "Merciful Goddess, are you a virgin or something? Didn't you hear me gasping and moaning underneath of you last night?" She demanded, speaking in an overly dramatic voice. "That's a response to you."

"And . . .?" Gojyo asked as he exited the shower, also grabbing a towel.

Moving into the main room, Ruiping grabbed her clothes and started putting them on while she continued, "And, when I tried to touch you or pull you closer, all you did was shy away - didn't you enjoy my company?"

Gojyo dried off and gave her a confused look. "How can you enjoy one-nighter's? Why should you? The person always leaves in the morning."

Ruiping appeared thoughtful for a moment. "But you're not looking for a girlfriend," she stated.

He only shrugged, not answering.

Fully dressed, she hooked her arms around Gojyo's neck, who still had his towel around his waist. "You gonna' be gamblin' t'night at the tavern?"

"Prolly, if that's what Banri's got planned."

Ruiping stole a quick kiss before moving to the doorway. She turned around and smiled at him, saying, "See you t'night, then, bad-boy." She started to leave, but Gojyo spoke up.

He reached out his right hand. "Wait, say what?"

She only blew him a kiss and waved innocently. "Later!"

Gojyo could only blink dazedly at his doorway. She's gone . . . What the hell was all that about, anyway? He tried to get dressed as he pondered that. She said somethin' about bein' curious about me . . . but I didn't say anythin', did I?

It's not like I haven't woken up as the girl was leavin' b'fore, but they've never actually stuck around ta' chitchat . . . or any-a' that other stuff, either . . . Gojyo shook the thoughts away, mad at himself for letting her get away with touching him there. I'm just glad she didn't bring up that fake kink-a' mine. Geez . . .

He double-checked the room for any of his belongings. An' why'd she ask about my plans for t'night? His eyes went wide with realization. Is she plannin' ta' tail me? Keep tabs on me? Waitin' ta' jump if I decide I want a girlfriend?

But I didn't give her any reason ta' like me . . . did I? Gojyo groaned as he shut the door behind him and locked it. Dames are so freakin' complicated.

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To Be Continued

4/1/2007

(1) 'Happy trail' refers to the line of hair that increases in width starting below the bellybutton and ending with the mass of hair in the genital area, almost always used in reference to men.

Pretty much Ruiping in a nutshell, I think. Her character will get a little more developed later on, but I'm not naive to the fact that the spotlight is on Gojyo. He's the one who goes beyond this story, not her; he's the one who has to mature a little before he meets Gonou/Hakkai, Sanzo, and Goku in another 3 years. So, I basically figured: why not give him a story to grow up in? After all, I can relate to him in the sense of what he heard as a kid - me, it was just my parents; him, it was his Mom & brother, so a little bit more on the disturbing side in his case.

Nekochan