Hey guess what? Note to Sanzo/Gojyo fans: Y'no how there's that insanely- common thing where two lovers each such on one end of a pocky and keep getting closer and stuff? It's real romantic and all… yeah. That doesn't work with cigarettes. Random fact.

So Hakkai had a little talk with Gojyo. As a result of that talk, no one talked to Sanzo. And Sanzo didn't do horribly painful things to Gojyo.

Goku, busy with food and fighting and making sure the kappa didn't cheat at cards, was unaware of any of this. Unusual, for such a perceptive little monkey.

"Oi, monkey, Get off my half of the backseat!"

"Make me!" Goku replied, leaning quite obstinately on Gojyo's shoulder.

"I will!"

He shoved the monkey off, but the monkey bounced right back, ending up much closer then before. So Gojyo shoved him away again.

And he bounced back. It was a bit annoying, really.

A vein in Sanzo's temple began to throb. Hakkai started to notice. Ever since his little discovery he policed their wrestling matches a lot more closely. Gojyo had told him over and over he didn't need to bother, but Hakkai had just smiled his little smile, and gone on policing.

Goku was getting awful close for the publicity they had, and Gojyo was starting to worry about what was in the monkey's head. It was the first and only time he was glad to hear the report of a gunshot.

"If you two don't stop making out back there I'm really going to kill you!" Sanzo hollered. Gojyo froze, but realized he meant it as an insult.

Hakkai really hadn't told him anything. If only the same could be certain for Goku.

"We can't do this."

Somehow, despite everything, they had ended up rooming together again. Hakkai had protested, but there was only so much that he and Gojyo could do without looking suspicios. And Goku was all for it.

Said Saru's golden eyes now looked up at Gojyo with false innocence. He was missing his shirt again, and seemed very determined to get Gojyo into the same condition. It was going to be easier for him that it should have been, because somehow Gojyo ended up on the bed, securely pinned down by the monkey's lesser weight.

"What? This?"

Goku leaned down, capturing Gojyo's lips. His tongue pushed at Gojyo's mouth, and for once in his life, the kappa didn't oblige. Goku drew back, still straddling Gojyo's waist, and pouted.

"What's wrong?"

"We can't do this, Goku. It's not right, you're just a kid-"

"I am not! I'm older than you are, erokappa."

"It's still not right for us to-"

"Then why didn't you go out again tonight?"

… good question. It's not that there hadn't been anywhere to go. The town was positively packed with not only bars but other, more questionable establishments, as well. The kappa could have easily had four women that night… possibly at the same time, depending on how late it was.

So why was he still here? Here, in a room completely devoid of women and booze. Not to mention rather full of monkey.

Speaking of monkey, Goku was still waiting for an answer.

So, the truth, or the moral rationalization?

Wait… what the fuck even is that?

"If Sanzo finds out it'll be my ass. Because I'm the pervy water sprite, and they'll just assume that I started this whole-"

The palms of Goku's hands rested on his chest as the saru leaned forward.

"I'll just tell him you didn't-"

"Will you be explaining this to our calm, rational priest before or after he shoots my dick off? Because I really need that, you know. It's one of the most important parts of my body."

"So… then we just won't let him find out."

Goku's hands had found some rather sensitive spots, and it was making arguing with the boy a bit difficult. Gojyo, to his credit, persevered.

"He'll find out. You can't hide stuff like this- ah… mmm- see? There's an example. That's going to leave a nice bruise in the morning… those are okay on me, but if they see one on you, there will be explaining to do."

"I'll say I got hit."

"On your neck?"

"Mm- hmm."

Gojyo's body was beginning to respond to Goku's ministrations, and what was worse, the boy could feel it. Now that he was paying attention, Goku's pants looked a bit tight as well.

Goku's hand traced a line down his stomach, heading for the button of Gojyo's jeans, and the Kappa caught it in one of his own. The boy could have easily gotten loose, and they both knew it.

But he didn't.

"Goku, stop it. I'm not going to have sex with you. It's not you. It's Sanzo, mixed with the fact that I like being alive."

The boy was quiet, but he didn't move.

"One last kiss?"

"If you go back to your own bed."

"Deal."

Their lips pressed together one last time. This time, when Goku asked for entrance, it was given to him. He tried to memorize the taste, like whiskey, cheap cigarettes, and something else, almost but not quite buried by the other two.

He didn't know what that was, but it made him think of a feeling he had had, a long time ago.

He had to breathe, there was no more delaying it. Their lips separated, and Goku reluctantly returned to his own bed. Gojyo sat up, stared at a blank wall for a long time, then pulled on his boots and slipped out of the room.

If he returned to the room at all, Goku didn't hear it.

Boo yah. That was a good chapter. You will notice that the story is not over.

I had qualms about the taste thing… people say that smoker's mouths taste awful. I don't really think so, but maybe that's just an opinion.

As always, feedback is appreciated!