You've Got Something

Notes: Goku and Hakkai's idea for a double date gets an appropriately chilly reception from Gojyo, especially when Gojyo finds out that he's got competition…

I may have been inspired by recent anime pop culture. Sorry!

26: On Ice

"Ice skating?" Gojyo's jaw fell open, but he quickly filled it with a mouthful of the coffee Hakkai had brought him. Hakkai chuckled from across the counter of the shop and held out a napkin.

"Yes, Goku reminded me of when Sanzo took me ice skating in high school. There's a park nearby that sets up a rink on a frozen pond." He waited for Gojyo to swallow. Gojyo tried to hide a frown. He didn't know jack about ice skating, and Hakkai probably figured as much.

"I guess it'd be fun, but you'd have to show me how it's done, yeah?" Gojyo chuckled a little and tried to gesture what he thought ice skating might look like, his hands out in mock-balance. "You know, hold my hand real tight and go real, real slow."

"Oh, I see." Hakkai smothered a soft laugh. "I'll teach you, of course. But you'll go?"

"Of course, babe." Gojyo grinned and leaned over the counter. "Just say when. You know when I'm free."

"I do." Hakkai's smile was one of approval, but Hakkai had been much happier with him of late. He'd been ecstatic when Gojyo told him he'd hired someone to close the shop five days of the week, meaning Gojyo could get to him sooner. "I'll talk to Sanzo and Goku and see when they're available. It'll be fun as a group."

"Hey, I know when Goku's available. I've got his class schedule and work schedule." Gojyo grinned and tapped the calendar behind him.

"He may have other commitments." Hakkai folded his arms and gave Gojyo a mock-stern look. "I know Sanzo may." His brow furrowed, and he added in a hush: "His father – Toudai – he's gotten some bad news about his health, and both Sanzo and Koumyou have been involved in helping make long-term arrangements."

"Long term, huh?" Gojyo frowned. "Is it that bad?"

"Worse than that." Hakkai sighed, happiness slipping from him. Gojyo flinched, but forced his smile back.

"Well, this'll be a nice distraction for 'im! Find out when he's not busy, we'll put it together!"

Hakkai admired Gojyo for a moment, eyes alight, then kissed his cheek. "I will. I'd best be returning. Will I see you tonight?"

"Depends." Gojyo winked. "What's for dinner?"

Hakkai crossed his arms, a smile playing over a failed attempt to look stern. "If you're on time, I'm making baked chicken roulade filled with a savory mushroom relish. If you're late, you get microwaved hot dogs."

Gojyo smirked and leaned over the counter. "Guess I'll just have to learn to teleport. Make sure I walk in the door right on time. I'll be there." He kissed Hakkai on the nose. Hakkai kissed him back on the mouth, lingering on his lips like caramel, and Gojyo tried to enjoy watching him leave. He was as beautiful from behind as from the front, his every step taken with grace. Hakkai was so good at everything, it damn near drove Gojyo up the wall.

"Guess I'll have to try an' learn to ice skate, too."

Hakkai hadn't been kidding about the outdoor rink. Gojyo had been to this park a few times (he had still had Sundays off to go flirt with joggers, at least back when flirting with joggers was important), but now that the duck pond was rock solid, its face had changed. The mountains had caught every snow cloud passing through, and the ground was blanketed in brightest white. There were more benches set up now and a trailer set up for skate rentals, but Gojyo was only really aware of one thing:

"Cold as balls and ain't no shelter!" Gojyo wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, trying to cover the little gap his sweater left, as Hakkai laughed politely and guided Gojyo towards the skate rental.

"I told you to dress warmly. Let's go, it seems Sanzo and Goku have beaten us to the punch."

Gojyo worried for a second that they wouldn't have his shoe size, but luckily, there was a set in his size. Hakkai marveled at them for a moment, giggling, "Goodness, I don't think I'd noticed that you had such large feet."

"You know what they say about guys with big feet." Gojyo smirked and carried the skates by their laces, eying the blades for a moment before grinning back at Hakkai. "Huge shoes." Hakkai laughed softly, and followed him as they approached Goku and Sanzo.

Sanzo had clearly known that the weather would be cold, bundled in an olive-green peacoat, a beige knit cap, and a beige and green checked scarf. His gloves were off to give him the dexterity to tie his laces. Goku, too, wore a thick, down-filled coat (though his had obviously been mended in a few spots), a hunter's cap with earflaps, and he had his gloves on. He raised a hand to hail Gojyo and Hakkai as they approached, beaming.

"Over here! Glad you made it!" He stretched his legs out in front of him, showing that his skates were on but not tied. Sanzo glanced up from lacing his skates and acknowledged the others with a curt nod, then scowled up at Goku.

"Hold still, I'll get it in a second." He scooted over on the bench to make room for Gojyo and Hakkai, and Hakkai sat and started to untie his boots.

"Be sure you tie them on tight, alright, Gojyo?"

"Snug, but not too tight," Sanzo advised. "They're meant to be an extension of your foot, but if it squeezes your toes, you won't be able to balance, and it'll hurt."

"Jeez, I had no idea I was gonna end up squeezing my toes off." Gojyo chuckled and yanked his boots off anyway, then slid his feet into the skates. They were already snug. He winked at Hakkai. "Promise you'll carry me home if my feet fall off, hey?"

"Why not try the skates before jumping right to crutches?" Hakkai giggled to himself and continued tying his skates on. Sanzo scoffed.

"I've never had a problem. Only idiots have trouble tying–"

"Hey, Sanzo?" Goku kicked one foot out. "I'm having trouble gettin' the laces right. Could you help?"

Gojyo smirked as Sanzo's nostrils flared, but Sanzo silently crouched down in front of Goku and looped his laces up. "What was that about idiots, High and Mighty Sanzo?'"

"They shut up when they know what's good for them."

Sanzo laced Goku's skates with a practiced hand, squeezing the bridge of his foot in a few places. Gojyo watched him, then tried to imitate, weaving the strings in and out and across each other to the top, tugging the laces taut. Hakkai's fingers joined his, and Gojyo glanced up to see Hakkai had already put his skates on and was knelt in front of him, focusing on his shoes.

"Not too tight, okay?" Hakkai tugged one of the laces. "And keep them even. Otherwise, you'll be unbalanced."

"Thanks." Gojyo's heart warmed at the sight of Hakkai smiling up at him, but went on tying his laces, albeit a little slower so Hakkai could help him more. Beside him, Goku looked extraordinarily pleased to have Sanzo's help, and even threw Gojyo a smug little smirk that said, 'look what I got.' Sanzo patted Goku's skate as he finished, and stood, balancing on the blades of his skates with ease in the snow on the ground.

"I suppose the two of you are novices." Sanzo glowered between Gojyo and Goku. "There is a kiddie rink. Perhaps we should go there first."

"Pfft, ain't no kid." Gojyo stuck his tongue out as Hakkai backed away to check the ties on his skates, then checked out his own feet decked in off-white skates. He grinned to himself. "They're like knife shoes."

Sanzo's even expression sunk to a scowl. "What?"

"Goku, check it out!" Gojyo jumped to a stand, wobbling as he caught his balance for the first time. "Holy shit – I'm standing in the knife shoes!"

"Language," Hakkai scolded, glancing pointedly at a few small children a few rows away, but Goku choked on his laughter.

"Oh man, they are knife shoes!" He bounded to a stand, stumbling a little as he tried to find his balance on the thin edges, but chased Gojyo a few steps into the snow. "Hey, why don't they use these in, like, action movies and stuff!" He kicked one leg out. "Wha-taaa!" Then, he crashed into an awkward stand trying to catch himself and Gojyo howled with laughter.

"Shit, that'd be so cool!" He tried to strike a fighting pose, but fell onto his face in the snow, still laughing. Sanzo and Hakkai looked on from the bench, Sanzo impassive, Hakkai caught between amusement and embarrassment behind a strained smile.

"We do know how to pick our friends, don't we?"

"Speak for yourself." Sanzo stomped over to them, hooked Goku's arm in his and yanked Gojyo up by the collar of his jacket. "Both of you, kiddie rink, now."

"Aww, m'not a kid!" Goku whined, and Sanzo scoffed.

"I beg to differ." He dragged both Gojyo and Goku along, with Hakkai following behind, and Gojyo heard him mutter something vaguely insulting towards the both of them, to the reward of a soft laugh from Hakkai.

Hakkai and Sanzo waited outside of the little ring set up at the edge of the pond as Gojyo and Goku took their first few steps on the ice, watching an instructor who was very obviously talking to the elementary-school children sharing the space with them. Gojyo practiced pushing himself off on the back heel, skating a few slides forward to the other end, and gliding his way back. He could tell Hakkai and Sanzo were talking, but he couldn't entirely tell what. He caught a snippet of their conversation as he paused for breath:

"… seen actual monkeys more graceful than him."

As if to prove his point, Goku went ass-over-teakettle again, his skate somehow slipping behind his head. Gojyo snorted, but steadied himself on the side of the rink so he could bend down and help Goku up. He could hear Hakkai laughing at Sanzo again as if his grouchiness were witty, and he noticed Goku frowning as he stood.

"This was a terrible idea."

"What'cha mean, monkeybrains?"

"I shouldn't'a invited Sanzo ice skating. I dunno how to ice skate." Goku nodded towards Hakkai and Sanzo. "Hakkai said Sanzo likes it and took him before, so I thought he'd have fun." He scowled. "'Cept Hakkai knows how to skate, and Sanzo knows how to skate, and Sanzo used to crush on Hakkai–"

"What?" Gojyo's eyes widened, and he spun around to look at the pair of them again. Big mistake. He slipped and fell directly on his ass, and Goku snickered.

"He said it was a while ago." Goku tried to lean down to pick Gojyo up, but had to catch himself on the bar. "Sanzo said the one time he took a guy on a date before me, it was ice skating, and Hakkai said Sanzo used to take him ice skating. Two plus two." He made a weird face, smiling but obviously anxious, even as Gojyo tried to slide back to a stand. "I guess thinking about that and seeing the two of them over there worries me a little."

Gojyo grimaced, and not just because the cold was seeping through his jeans. He could actually picture Hakkai and Sanzo gliding in graceful circles around the rink, hand in hand, and the idea set a flame in his chest. Shit, they'd actually have been a cute couple. Maybe even good together. He had known Hakkai had dated before him, had partners before him, but seeing someone who'd been connected to Hakkai before him so close to him felt like hot air in his lungs and smoke in his heart. He straightened himself up. "You know when?"

"Huh?" Goku followed Gojyo's sightline to Sanzo and Hakkai again. "You mean when they… They never dated, Sanzo said. Sanzo said his brother got to Hakkai first. But it was back when they were in high school."

"Sanzo has a brother?" Gojyo frowned. "And he and Hakkai dated?"

"Mhm." Goku's face fell. "Apparently it ended real bad between them. His name's Nii, and I met him, and he's a huge jerk." He scrunched his nose. "He's a college professor, I think, and he doesn't get along with Sanzo or his dads, and I think Sanzo doesn't want him and Hakkai to talk anymore."

"You sure know a lot." Gojyo felt himself tense up. "How d'you…?"

"Told you. I met him," Goku mumbled. "He came to his dads' house while I was there once and tried to make Sanzo give him Hakkai's number. Sanzo wouldn't, and basically said Hakkai never wanted to see him again." His cheeks turned bright pink. "And I told him Hakkai had an awesome new boyfriend, so he should maybe take a hike."

Gojyo wasn't sure whether to hit the kid or slap him on the back. He settled for slapping him on the back hard enough to topple him off the railing. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, kiddo. Also, thanks for telling me any of this."

"Jerk!" Gojyo rolled his eyes and helped Goku back to his feet, as he hurriedly brushed himself off and scowled at Gojyo. "Look, I didn't say nothin' before 'cause–"

"Hey!" Sanzo barked from where he and Hakkai were. "If you two have time to fool around, then you're done practicing." He stormed over, but took Goku's wrist with gentleness that didn't match his expression. "Come on, I'll teach you now that you can stand on your own." He led Goku onto the main rink, and Gojyo found Hakkai waiting a few steps back, smiling and fixing his scarf.

"You seemed to be having an interesting conversation. What were you talking about?"

Gojyo panicked on the inside for a second, but shook it back. "Eh, stuff. He was just telling me 'bout how long you and Sanzo've known each other. I thought Koumyou was exaggerating."

"Ah! You know, I'll have to take you to Koumyou and Toudai's sometime." Hakkai giggled to himself and closed a mitten-clad hand around Gojyo's palm. "Koumyou has most of my childhood photographs. I'm afraid I was a rather unpleasant child, though. It would have been charitable to describe me as 'sullen.' I doubt I smiled for a single camera."

Gojyo struggled to imagine Hakkai as a child, even as a sulky little brat. He could only imagine the same man, just shorter and maybe with round-apple cheeks. "I'd love to see it. I bet you're way cuter than you remember."

Hakkai chuckled, but shook his head. "I'm much happier that I met you now, rather than then." He led Gojyo to the edge of the rink. "Hold tight, won't you? It's been a while since I've been on the ice."

"Yeah?" Gojyo unconsciously tightened his grip. "It's my first time. We got this."

Hakkai stepped down first, sliding a step onto the ice, and Gojyo followed. Hakkai wobbled for a second, but caught his balance, then tugged Gojyo's hand. Gojyo took a few precarious steps after Hakkai, but watched his feet and made to follow. Hakkai soon looked natural, and Gojyo followed, clasping his hand tight.

Moving across the ice in the open air, amongst the shouting and shrieking of children chasing their parents, the cold wind in Gojyo's face and hair, was exciting. Even more so, that Hakkai grabbed onto him as they swung around the curve and looped around the pond. Little bits of ice and snowdust blown by the breeze melted on their cheeks and bare skin, but Gojyo only felt the rush of motion and Hakkai's pulse where it hummed under his thumb.

They twirled a few careful circuits around the rink, hand in hand, and Gojyo let himself sink into Hakkai's warm hand and the even scrape of their skates on the ice, the hum of conversation and someone playing pop music on a cell phone radio. Then, Gojyo caught a glimpse of Sanzo and Goku. Somehow, Sanzo had coached Goku from barely being able to toe a straight line to smoothly skating the curves and balancing on his own as Sanzo twirled to skate backwards, facing him. Sanzo had a strange confidence, lax and steady, elegant and practiced. He made it look impossibly easy, even as Gojyo's legs ached from the tension of holding his balance.

"Shit," he muttered. "He's good."

"Hm?" Hakkai followed the angle of Gojyo's face to see where he was looking. "Oh, Sanzo? He's been skating for years. Toudai would take him skating often when he was young. He was in a few local competitions, but I don't think he ever placed higher than sixth. Still." Hakkai's mouth curved into a knowing smile. "It's somewhat unfair for you to compare yourself, your first time here, to someone who was ranked as the sixth-best skater in the county once."

Gojyo felt steam under his collar. "I'm not comparin', I'm just–"

"Are you jealous?" Hakkai nudged Gojyo's ribs with his elbow, and Gojyo ducked a little as Hakkai slowed his pace.

"Ain't jealous."

"Really?" Hakkai laughed softly and tickled the center of Gojyo's palm with his thumb. "Not even a little?" Gojyo chuckled, smiling helplessly, and shook his head, but then Hakkai tugged his hand and pulled him to a stop, and Gojyo had to catch himself. "Be honest, are you jealous?"

Gojyo huffed, his breath crystallizing into a big, smoky cloud. "Naw, c'mon. What do I gotta be jealous of?"

"I have no idea." Hakkai gave Gojyo's wrist another pull and guided him to the edge of the rink. "How about a quick break? I could use a warm beverage."

Hakkai guided Gojyo back to their seats and left him sitting on the bench as he went to join the line for drinks. He left Gojyo with a warm kiss on the cheek, and encouraged him to watch others skating: "Watch and learn." Gojyo stretched his legs out, surprised at just how much his calves ached, and observed, little kids holding their parents' hands tight, teenagers in daisy-chains linked by their arms, a few people in the middle doing tricks in a ring marked off with orange cones. Gojyo caught sight of Sanzo again there, and squinted to watch as Sanzo started at one end of the center oval, picked up speed, then pivoted about, launched himself into a jump and spun in mid-air before landing on his heel and smoothly skating onward. The sunlight caught and gleamed off of his skate, blinding Gojyo for a split second. The sensation of steam building in Gojyo's chest caught up with him again, and he gripped the bench.

Okay, maybe he was jealous.

Nobody liked knowing someone was better than him, and as he watched Sanzo twirl and dance through the center of the ring, his coat clinging to his form and his scarf swirling around him, he just felt that nag him harder, his fire burn a little hotter. So what if Sanzo was richer, had a college degree, and had stupid hidden talents like this? He was still an asshole! Besides, it wasn't like Hakkai had gone with him, and Sanzo'd had his chance. And Sanzo was clearly showing off for Goku, who was watching him, enthralled, from the edge of the rink. Hakkai wasn't even looking at him. Hakkai was more interested in getting cocoa. Gojyo still found himself observing Sanzo, no matter how hard he tried to look at anything else.

Fuck it, Sanzo wasn't that hot shit. Him, Sanzo's asshole brother, any of the guys who'd been lucky enough to get Hakkai's attention, Gojyo was as good as any of them, and he'd prove it.

When Hakkai returned to the bench, Gojyo was gone. He frowned and looked around, only to catch a glimpse of the distinctive bright red of his hair from the trick ring in the middle of the rink. He hurried to the edge of the ring and tried to beckon Gojyo back. "Gojyo! That center area is for tricks and jumps!"

Gojyo seemed to hear that he'd been called, but not what Hakkai had said, as he turned and grinned and waved at Hakkai. Hakkai could see his mouth moving, but couldn't hear him. However, he motioned to the space in front of him, and Hakkai immediately understood: 'Watch this!'

Hakkai sped out onto the ice towards the center of the rink, swerving around children and parents alike, as Gojyo backed all the way up to one end of the ring, then launched into a swift dash forward. He spun around and tried to kick off into a jump – Hakkai could kill whoever had showed him how to do that! – but the second his heel hit the ice, he lost his balance and flopped onto his back in the middle of the ice. A safety referee blew a whistle to clear the trick ring, and though Hakkai caught sight of Sanzo ushering Goku out of the way, he only stopped when he got to Gojyo's side. Gojyo grimaced, but blinked up at him as Hakkai got onto his knees.

"I'm guessin' I didn't do a cool jump-spin."

Hakkai shook his head. "No, no, you flopped like a fish launching itself out of an aquarium." He sat back as the referee checked Gojyo's eyes and looked him over.

"Are you in any pain, sir?"

"Mostly my pride." Gojyo cringed and turned away from Hakkai's gaze, then carefully rolled to a kneel. Hakkai helped him the rest of the way to his feet.

"I'll take him and sit him down for a spell." Hakkai put a habitual smile on for the referee, but escorted Gojyo off of the ice with a firm grip on his shoulder and arm. Gojyo at least had the sense of mind to look ashamed and hang his head low, even as Hakkai placed him on the bench and put the cocoa he'd gotten for him into his hands.

"Thanks," he mumbled, gripping the cup in both hands, and lowering his face further as Hakkai sat flush next to him. Hakkai could see him breathing into the cup, blowing steam back onto his face. He rested his palm on the small of Gojyo's back, and Gojyo shivered as the wet spot on his sweater was pressed against his skin.

"Gojyo, are you sure you're alright?" Gojyo nodded a few times, wishing he could just melt like the ice soaking his pants. "Then, would you care to explain why you thought that was a good idea?" His tones sharpened. "Or perhaps, retrieve your beer from whoever you asked to hold it, since I can think of no other excuse for this other than inebriation?"

Gojyo muffled a groan in his throat. "I wasn't drinking. I just, I saw him doin' it, I thought I could do it too."

"You mean Sanzo? But he's had lessons and years of practice." Hakkai crossed his arms, leaning down to try to catch Gojyo's eye. He couldn't quite read Gojyo's expression, his eyebrows pushed low, his mouth sealed in a wide pout. "What's wrong?"

Gojyo sniffed, then glanced up at Hakkai before focusing on his shoes again. "You know he used to have a thing for you, right?"

"Sanzo?" Hakkai raised an eyebrow. "Why, no, I hadn't the first clue." He smiled a little. "I suppose I'd best hurry away from you as quickly as possible and pursue that old lead, eh?" Gojyo shot upright like a bolt, gaping in horror, and Hakkai had to stifle a laugh. "You are jealous."

"I got nothin' to be jealous of, he's a jerk!"

"Yes, he is. He's a jerk and an old friend, and yes, I knew he was attracted to me when we were teenagers." Hakkai put a hand on Gojyo's knee. "And I knew then that it could never work. I prefer someone more openly affectionate. Did you really think that I'd be distracted from you just because he's better at this?"

Gojyo hung his head. "No, s'just… I guess it sucks for me to think that people you were with before are better'n me."

Hakkai sat back, eyebrows raised with surprise. "Whatever makes you think any of them were any better than you? And better in what way, even? I don't compare my lovers." Gojyo scowled, but didn't answer. Hakkai slid a hand onto his knee. "Have I made you feel like you're less-than?"

"No," he muttered. "Forget it."

"I refuse." Hakkai squeezed his knee. "If I have done that, then I must make amends."

"No," Gojyo repeated, shaking his head. "It's me, okay? I just… I guess sometimes it's hard for me to believe that someone like you could wanna be with someone like me, so if there's someone near you that's, y'know, better, I guess I get jealous."

"I see." Hakkai slid his hand up Gojyo's leg, studying the shadow of his hair over his downcast eyes. "You know, you can repair a car, and lots of people can't do that at all." Gojyo hummed tonelessly. Hakkai squeezed his leg a little. "You're charming. Ah, and you're funny. I think you're funny. You have a talent for making me smile. I don't think I've met anyone with a bigger heart." He slid his palm up to Gojyo's chest. "Those are things that others I've been with can't match. You're unique. I don't care that you can't skate, or about any of the things that others are better at. I like you just as you are."

Gojyo was quiet, but he brought a hand up and clasped it around Hakkai's. "Makin' me get a little misty here, babe. Thanks." He sucked in air through his nose, then exhaled steam and faced Hakkai. "I was kind of an ass. Sorry."

"I'm not angry with you." Hakkai gave his hand a squeeze. "I should, perhaps, be flattered that you wanted to be the brightest thing in my view." He kissed his cheek. "Now, are you in any pain? If you'd like, we can finish our drinks and take a few more laps. I really was enjoying skating with you."

Gojyo lit up, his eyes as bright as the light glimmering off of the white snow. "Yeah, sure."

Gojyo drank the rest of his cocoa, let Hakkai check him for bruises, then tightened his scarf around his neck. He also paused to make sure Hakkai's hat was covering his ears, muttering that his lobes were cherry red. When they returned to the ice, Hakkai decided the time was right to admit: "I'm not very good at ice skating either. You may have noticed."

"Huh?" Gojyo frowned, but Hakkai was already leading him onto the ice. There was a lot more space, as the sky had started to turn purple with dusk and people had gotten cold and cleared off, but Hakkai still skated close, his arm hooked around Gojyo's.

"In fact, I only ever did it before because I was invited." Hakkai looked and sounded wistful, his gaze far away as he thought of the last time he'd gone, how he'd fallen a dozen times and how Sanzo would pull him back to his feet, only to fall himself and take Hakkai with him and leave the pair of them snickering to themselves on the ice. "I remember it being fun, but only because of who I was with." He smiled, unable to help it. "I wanted a few new memories,. It's not that I enjoy skating, in and of itself. I wanted to enjoy it with you." He held Gojyo's arm tight in his as they took the curve in tandem, as Gojyo turned to stare at Hakkai, only to find himself admiring his profile against the winter sky.

"Didja have a little fun with me?" Gojyo tried to hold tighter to Hakkai, wishing he could just lock him in and keep him close.

"I am." Hakkai held on a little more loosely. "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah." Gojyo grinned, and pushed off the next slide forward with a little more energy, and Hakkai laughed softly.

"I suppose I'd hoped for a little more enthusiasm." Hakkai loosened his grip turned, skating sideways without releasing Gojyo's wrist. "Perhaps if I show you a trick?" He let go then, then turned a careful circle in front of Gojyo to loop to his inside, dancing carefully around him. Gojyo watched his lithe form spin in front of him, dazed for a second, but he whistled and clapped when Hakkai took hold of his other hand and led him through the next curve.

"Damn, you're talented."

"I learned a few little tricks." Hakkai demurred and pivoted again, this time taking both of Gojyo's hands. "Follow my lead, okay?" With that, he guided Gojyo back into the trick ring, but kept hold of his hands and guided him through a slow, swirling dance in circles. Gojyo tried to match his motions with Hakkai's, letting him lead. His heart pounded a little faster as Hakkai's expression cleared into a bright, genuine grin, and though snow and ice still flecked his cheeks and soaked through his jeans, he didn't feel cold at all.

He also, at least for now, couldn't possibly envy anyone else in the entire universe.

Sanzo and Goku had retired to the benches after a while on the ice, and while Goku occupied himself with a big cup of cocoa, Sanzo stood and flexed his aching feet while watching Hakkai and Gojyo dancing in the middle of the rink like the most awkward music box ballerinas he could imagine. "That was a ton of fun!" Goku groaned and stretched like a satisfied cat, then craned his neck to peer around at Sanzo. "Looks like they're having a good time, too."

"Mm." Sanzo's brow furrowed. "Idiots. The cockroach is gonna go ass-over again if he doesn't watch his step."

"Looks like Hakkai's doin' most of the turning here." Goku eased up to stand and trudged to stand next to Sanzo, still wobbling though he'd traded his skates for his snow boots. "I'm just sorry you couldn't do that with me. I'm pretty steady on the soccer field, but the knife shoes –"

"Say knife shoes one more time and you're walking home."

"Skates are super different." Goku got onto tiptoes and stretched, his face twisting up for a second before he sighed it out and relaxed again. "D'you think you could show me more next time?" Goku lifted his arms over his head in another stretch and slipped one arm around Sanzo's shoulder as he lowered them. Sanzo huffed a little, but as he lit up a cigarette, he made an affirmative noise.

"You're learning. You'll get there. I wouldn't mind showing you."

"Hehe." Goku beamed, satisfied, and snuggled up to Sanzo's chest. Sanzo scoffed, but made no effort to shake him off. "So, was this the best date you've ever had on ice?" He winked at Sanzo, and Sanzo raised an eyebrow.

"That's a weird quantifier." He leaned subtly into Goku's arm around his shoulder. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Sanzo let Goku lean into him, unconsciously leaning back as he exhaled a cloud of smoke into the chilly air. The heat in his lungs drove back the chill in the air, and Goku's body against his sealed the warmth in.

He had a feeling Goku had wanted to do this because he'd mentioned taking someone else here before. He also suspected that Goku had figured out just who that 'someone else' was. He wouldn't play into any of Goku's stupid jealousy, if that was his goal here, because there was no comparison. He'd had a good time and a new experience, and (if he was fully honest with himself) got to show off. It had been a good day.

He could worry about that little bit of jealousy much later. They were happy now.