"I know what you're doing."

"Oh? You mean, sorting through files?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I know there's more to these rumors than you're letting on."

"Hmm. I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"Damnit, Tenpou, I know you're sleeping with that fool!"

Tenpou pauses to set his papers down on his desk, looking up from his seat behind it at the rather ruffled dragon king standing dangerously in front of him. "Commander Goujun, if I may be so forward, I'm afraid I don't really see how my personal life is any of your business. That is, if any of these rumors are true. They are not, of course. So, unless there is anything else, I would ask you to leave so that I may get back to work."

Red eyes flash menacingly, Goujun's white fists clenching at his sides.

He arrived at Tenpou's office only a few minutes ago, at first consenting to small talk and discussions concerning recent mission, but quickly turning things onto the subject he was actually interested in. Rumors that Tenpou Gensui and his subordinate, Kenren Taisho, have reached all corners of Heaven now, and, being the highest ranking official of the Western Army, the dragon king means to find the truth out for himself.

"That man is a menace." Goujun growls, ignoring Tenpou's suggestion that he leave. "He has been nothing but trouble since he transfered here, and you coddle him like a pet!"

"Be that as it may, he is my pet, and under my command." Tenpou tosses back, staring forward with luminous, green eyes that would have frightened most anyone. "You wouldn't be...jealous, would you, your highness?" he adds with a slight smirk.

Goujun's scales practically puff out like feathers. "How dare you..."

"I mean no disrespect, sir, I only wish to understand why you have taken sudden interest in my love life."

"If things continue as they are, he will destroy your reputation."

"It is mine to be destroyed."

"He can gain you nothing."

"Who ever said I was in it for anything?"

"Then you admit you are in a relationship with him?"

"I didn't say that."

"Urrg!" Goujun growls, slamming his fists down onto the desk. "Deny all you want, I know there is something between you. And as far as being...jealous...it disgusts me that you would even imagine I would see you in such a light. We are comrades in arms, and I am merely looking out for your best interest."

Tenpou opens his mouth to banter back, but stops himself. Goujun's eyes hold nothing but honesty, as always, and the marshall suddenly feels a bit guilty for having allowed this little game to go on as long as it has. "I appreciate your concerns, Goujun, but you needn't worry. If you are correct, and all of Kenren's insubordination ends with him going down in flames...then I will gladly burn beside him."

Goujun is stunned to be spoken to so directly and openly, and takes a step back as he stands up straight from his recent perch looming over the desk. "Are you...in love with him?" he asks, with clear hesitation.

Tenpou smiles. "He is a competent general and a good friend, but I would never persume myself capable of falling in love. You've known me long enough to recognize that, I believe."

"Yes. But when have you ever been given the opportunity to truly find out?"

Just as Tenpou is about to reply, there is a knock at the door.

Knock. Knock. "Oi, Tenpou! You awake in there?!"

Tenpou's smile broadens. "Come in, Taisho! And mind the books, please!"

The door opens, the swaggering general preceeded by a grey puff of cigarette smoke. "Mind the books, he says. As if I have a choice when the damn things are--woah. Sorry, sir. Didn't see you there."

Goujun and Kenren's dislike for each other is as immediately tangible as the many books litering the floor. Kenren puffs out another billowing of smoke, forcing Goujun to turn up his nose at the fowl smell he has never cared for, and they regard each other with little respect and very little tolerance.

Tenpou, however, is smiling ever brightly, still seated behind his cluttered desk.

"Commander Goujun and I were just finishing up, Taisho. I'm eager to get to work on the pressing matters we need to attend to. That is...if you're up to it?"

Kenren smirks. "I'm always up for what you have planned, Gensui." he says with a small bow, casting Goujun the tiniest glare out of the corner of his piercing blue eyes.

The truth behind Kenren and Tenpou's little exchange has not gone unnoticed by Goujun, but he is a man of honor above all else, and holds his tongue. "I'll be leaving then, Marshall, but I hope you will earnestly consider what I have said. For your best interest, as I mentioned before. We wouldn't want you demoted to general, after all. I think you're a bit better than that." On these words, Goujun returns Kenren's glare, but then quickly returns his attention to Tenpou to bow before taking his leave.

The second Goujun is out the door, Kenren's fists clench. "Fucking prick. What the hell was that all about?"

Tenpou only laughs, leaving his papers for another time as he comes around the desk to stand next to the irate taisho. "I'm sure you can guess. He was expressing concern over certain rumors about me and thought it prudent to offer me some words of caution."

"Meaning, he told you to quit fucking around with yours truly."

"In so many words."

"And?"

"And what?" Tenpou shoots back, slightly hurt, though he would never admit it. "I expressed my gratitude and asked him to kindly mind his own business. Would you expect any less?"

Forgetting his anger and sharply narrowed eyes in a second, Kenren smiles and reaches out to grasp Tenpou's waist and pull the brunette beauty in closer. "Not at all. Just being sure. I'd hate to think you put more stock in the dragon than me."

"Don't be silly. I put more of everything into you." Tenpou purrs, slinking his arms up around Kenren's neck. "Oh...wait...I suppose it's the other way around, isn't it?"

"Your damn right it is..." Kenren purrs back, capturing a quick, fierce kiss. "Brought you something." he adds, pulling back just enough to retrieve something from his back pocket. It is a fresh new pack of cigarettes. "I noticed you were running low last night and thought I'd save you the trouble."

"How thoughtful." Tenpou replies, accepting them eagerly before placing them on the desk. Kenren's arms are still wrapped around his waist, making it a little difficult when he moves to retrieve something of his own. "I have something for you, too." he explains, producing a silver-etched lighter. "You left this on the nightstand."

Kenren snatches it with a look of extreme relief. "Am I happy to see this. Thought I'd lost it. Been bumbing lights all day." He releases Tenpou to pull out a fresh cig from his own pack and lights it gratefully.

Slipping one from the new pack on the desk, Tenpou puts it between his lips and leans forward. "If you would be so kind?"

With a rather coy wink, Kenren puts his lighter in his pocket, but then leans forward to meet the marshall halfway, lighting the other's cigarette with his own. "I can be very kind when I want to, ya know?"

Tenpou smiles back, enjoying the shared smoke. "Oh, I've been meaning to tell you something."

"Eh?"

"I went to see Konzen yesterday. Had a few things to discuss, and I wanted to see how he's getting along with that new charge of his."

"You mean that thing they found down below? I heard something about it. Miss Bitch of Mercy told him to take care of it, right?"

Tenpou nods. "He's a regular foster father, it seems. I met the child and found him to be rather pleasant, actually. There is danger behind his eyes, for certain, but it is well-contained at the moment, and I think his presence is having a marvelous affect on my old friend."

Tilting his head questioningly, Kenren is slightly puzzled. "Behind his eyes, did you say?" he asks, hopping up to sit on the edge of the desk as Tenpou leans back on it beside him. "Is there something weird about 'em?"

Tenpou looks away somewhat thoughtfully and takes another drag. "Mmm. They're golden."

"Golden?!" Kenren coughs, practically choking on his own drag at the time. "Holy shit. Gold eyes? So he's..."

"It would seem so."

"Well, fuck me. I'll have to see that for myself."

"I'm sure you'll get the chance."

Something about these words echo in Kenren's head unwelcomingly, and he finds himself biting back a curse. "Really? You mean like the chance I got when I met your dear Konzen?" he sneers, snuffing his cig out in the ashtray half buried by papers on the desk. "Oh wait, that's right, I haven't met him. I'm your first officer, damn it, not to mention the fact we've been screwing for months. But I guess I'm not good enough to meet the one other person who actually matters to you."

Tenpou turns to look at Kenren and positively gapes. He had not been expecting that. "Have I missed something?" he counters, snuffing out his own cig with a flash of light glinting off his glasses. "Well, I'm sorry to inform you, but I don't make it a habit of introducing my underlings to Konzen, and I highly doubt he'd care to meet the man currently sharing my bed."

Kenren's mouth falls open, and--being the unruly general that he is--he is not about to leave thing as they are. "So I'm just an underling, huh? Just a random fuck? Well, fuck you, Gensui, coz you sure as hell won't be fucking me anytime soon."

Practically leaping from the edge of the desk, Kenren bounds away, straight for the door on the other side of the room. His anger keeps him from looking back, and he wouldn't have stopped for anything...

...other than Tenpou's pleading voice calling after him.

"Kenren, please don't go!" the marshall cries, sounding completely different from the man who spoke mere moments before. "That was foolish of me. I didn't mean it the way you think, I just...I'm not sure how you and Konzen would get along."

From Kenren's place before the door, he can feel the marshall coming up behind him.

"You'll probably hate each other." Tenpou adds with a weak smile, hoping Kenren will understand and forgive his unthinking words.

"Hard to know without meeting the guy, doncha think?" Kenren growls back, still facing the door with his back to his friend.

Tenpou reaches his companion and slowly slips his arms around Kenren's waist to pull the general back against him. "If it matters so much to you, we can easily remedy that. My friends should be friends with each other, yes?"

A small part of Kenren almost wants to push Tenpou away, but one thing he has come to realize about the marshall is that it is impossible to refuse him anything. "Well...I guess I could stay...if you promise to make it up to me."

"Most definately..." Tenpou smiles against Kenren's neck, nipping lightly at the tender skin.

"And...you're not sleeping with any other friends, right...?"

Tenpou's smile widens. "...not today..."

Kenren is about to protest that evasive reply, but instead, his open mouth forms into a moan at the feel of Tenpou's expert hands slipping beneath the waist of his pants. "...uhhnnn...damn you...Tenpou...aghn...you're not...playing...f-f-fair..."

"...you say that as if you expect me to..."

If Kenren wasn't so busy enjoying himself at the moment, he probably would have laughed out loud. But, things being as they are, anything left unpoken can decidedly be addressed later.

Much...much...later...

End Part 3

A/N: I think this is my fave part so far. Clearly this part comes right after Tenpou meets Goku, but before Kenren meets either. Thanks so much all for the reviews, and since I have much in store for you in the coming parts, I hope you'll stick with me. Ja!

Crim