Okay everyone. Next chapter. I hope you all have your seatbelts on! Have fun!

It was just over an hour when the four of them made it in the town and to the nearest restaurant where Goku fell into his chair, heaving a great sigh.

"Ah, man. Those guys were a joke. I barely broke a sweat. What a bummer."

Hakkai sat across from him, Hakuryu sitting on his shoulder. "So does that mean you didn't work up much of an appetite this time?"

"Che. As if this black hole could eat less than a full herd of livestock," Gojyo said as he sat. "He's practically a giant stomach with legs."

"Hey! Don't talk about me like I'm not right next to you, you jack-ass!"

Sanzo's eye began to twitch as he shot off a few rounds in their general direction. "Not a good time."

Hakkai laughed. "Well, looks like we're in for a nice, peaceful dinner as usual."

Gojyo clapped his hand on the healer's shoulder. "Hakkai, my friend, I can only wish I had your kind of sanguinity."

Goku popped up as the waitress came by. "Miss! I'm ready to order!"

"What would you like, sugar?" she asked sweetly.

"I want two of those, and three of these, and definitely five orders of that! Oh, and ten of those!"

"Hey monkey, what did I tell you about cutting it down?"

Goku looked to Sanzo with his big, brown, puppy-dog eyes. "But I'm really hungry, Sanzo. Besides, I haven't eaten like this in a while. Come on Sanzo, please?"

The priest tried not to stare into the eyes but honestly, no one, not even Buddha himself could resist the eyes. Sanzo closed his eyes in defeat and rested his hand on Goku's head, that being answer enough.

Goku beamed at him with excitement and—

Gojyo's eyes narrowed. Was that adoration in his monkey's eyes? He looked from Goku to Sanzo: so distant, so uncaring. So why? He would never be able to understand why it was that Sanzo got so much of Goku being the bastard that he is and Gojyo had had to jump through hoops to get where he was with the twerp.

Then again...

Gojyo smiled mischievously to himself.

Then again, he was the one that got to share a bed with Goku. Victory: Gojyo - 1 , Sanzo - 0.

It was later that night after they all ate and played two games of mahjong that they all went to sleep, Goku and Gojyo having bugged the priest enough that he demanded he share a room with Hakkai. Mission accomplished.

The moment Gojyo closed the door, Goku was all over him. "It sucks not being able to kiss you all day," he said into Gojyo's mouth when he finally came up for air.

"We wouldn't have to hold out if you didn't want to keep it such a secret."

Goku bit his lip. "I know, but I'm just worried about this changing if we make a big deal out of it. I like it being a secret. Besides, it gives me something to look forward to."

Gojyo raised his brow roguishly. "You'll always have that to look forward to."

Goku smiled. "We will tell them. I promise. Just not right now. Let's wait a little longer."

Gojyo searched Goku's ever tell-tale eyes for any hidden messages. Finding none, he leaned down and placed a kiss on Goku's lips. "If that's what you want."

Goku nodded and rested his head on Gojyo's chest. It wasn't long before Goku let out a yawn.

Gojyo chuckled. "Bed time."

Goku groaned. "I'm comfy here."

"It's more comfortable on the nice fluffy bed."

The boy sighed before he smiled up at Gojyo. He stepped away and went to mess the other bed making it appear that someone had slept in it so in the morning, if anyone, mostly Sanzo, knocked on the door unannounced, it would be one less worry.

They double and triple checked that the door was locked, undressed, and climbed into bed and into each other's arms for a nice, long, well deserved rest.

Goku snuggled against Gojyo's chest and sighed contentedly when he was situated. Gojyo placed a kiss on the boy's hair, whispering into his ear, "Goodnight, love."

"'Night."

Goku didn't have to wait too terribly long for Gojyo's breath to even out, evidence that he was asleep. He looked up into the sleeping man's face and smiled. He was glad that Gojyo was willing to put off telling the others, but…

His expression turned somber as he snuggled back into his previous position.

But just how long was the taboo child willing to wait?

Gojyo woke to the feel of something shifting against his skin. He looked down and smiled when he saw Goku squirming in his arms, rubbing his face against the older man's clothed chest. He rubbed his hand up and down Goku's arm softly, letting him sleep.

He took that time to look out the window, gauging the best he could around what time it was. He figured early morning. Sanzo and Hakkai would be up soon. They still had a little time to bask, and bask he would.

He started thinking about the previous night, the way look of endearment in Goku's eyes when he looked at Sanzo. Someone didn't look at another that way if the said person didn't harbor some kind of feelings for the target, right? He looked back down to Goku's sleeping face and wondered. He knew there was some kind of emotional attachment to the priest, but he couldn't help but wonder how long Goku had cared for the priest? Better yet how long Goku had cared for the priest compared to how long he had cared for Gojyo. And if the feelings were the same, whether he cared for one more than the other. He groaned. This was become way more complicated than he ever thought it could.

He tried not to think about it for the next several minutes but it was proving to be rather difficult. Eventually, Goku began to stir, waking up slowly and moaning from the light coming in the window. "You're awake. About time."

"Please tell me it's still dark outside," Goku mumbled as he tried to bury his face further into Gojyo's chest.

Gojyo smiled as he released his captor and looked down into the other's smiling face and kissed him. However, the one question that had been rolling around in his head since he had woken that morning to a blissfully sleeping Goku started to haunt him once again. He couldn't push it off to the side any longer. He had to at least voice it to get it off his chest.

Changing his position so he was still somewhat hovering over Goku, Gojyo sat on his hip and leaned on his extended right arm, his left still possessively on Goku's lower waist. "Goku, there's something I was wondering about."

Goku noticed the serious undertones in his lover's face and remained silent, allowing him to say what seemed so important to him.

Gojyo thought over his words carefully and looked Goku directly in his eyes. "How long have you liked me?"

Goku blinked at the unexpected question. "I've always liked you."

Gojyo sweatdropped, though he was still quite amused at the innocent nature of the answer. Hell, it was one of the main reasons he was so drawn to Goku. "No, I mean, how long have you loved me?"

Goku paused at this for almost a full minute just staring at Gojyo with the same expression that gave away nothing as to what he was thinking. Gojyo's mouth dried as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. The silence was driving him crazy. He could swear he never saw Goku blink once. It was actually kind of creepy. He was just about to voice as such when Goku beat him to it.

"I don't really know."

"What?" Gojyo had not been expecting that as an answer. He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed and oddly rejected.

Goku looked to the side as though thinking. "I can't pinpoint the exact time I realized I loved you. Although, as I think about it, I guess it just kind of built up after a while. But one thing I definitely remember was how confused I was for a long time."

"Confused? About what?"

"How I felt. Don't get mad, but I used to think I was in love with Sanzo." He felt Gojyo stiffen at that statement, especially the hand that was still gripping his side. "But it was just for a while," he said as he sat up in the same position Gojyo had adopted. "It was mostly before we ever even met you or Hakkai. Actually, it was around then that I started to feel really weird sometimes. Like I was hungry but any food I thought about didn't seem appetizing. It used to get me really angry. But then I asked Sanzo what that meant."

"And what…did he say?" Gojyo was prepared for the worst. He wasn't sure he would ever really be able to look at the monk with a straight face again.

"He said, 'Next time you feel that way, take a moment and see where you are and who you're with. Then think carefully about each and every thing you see. Maybe things will be a bit clearer for you if you look at them individually than all at the same time.' So, the next time I felt that way, I did what he said. I thought about everything without actually understanding why I was doing it. It felt pointless. But then when I thought about you…I don't know. I just felt different, like my face would get hot and my stomach would feel like it had fallen off a cliff without me. I didn't understand at the time. But after I thought about it a while, I finally realized that I was in love with you."

Gojyo looked at Goku's smiling face in wonder. He had felt all that just from thinking about him? It seemed like such a crazy idea but he felt like he had fallen in love with Goku all over again.

Goku's smile seemed to dissolve quickly after a few moments. "Did I say something wrong?"

Gojyo was shaken from his dreamlike state. "What? No, I…"

"It's just that now you're looking at me like I'm crazy."

Gojyo remained silent for a few seconds before he closed his eyes and smiled. "No, you're not crazy. I was just thinking. Sure did take you a while to let me know," he said in a teasing manner.

Goku looked at Gojyo's happy face before he asked. "What about you?"

"Huh?"

"You know. How long have you loved me?"

Gojyo leaned in and pressed his brow to Goku's in a loving manner. "Just shy of two years, now."

"Two years?" Goku asked as he pulled away.

Gojyo held his smile. "About."

Goku's face was shocked as he stared at Gojyo. "Two whole years?"

Gojyo now started to catch on that Goku might not have been exactly happy about his answer. "I guess. What's the matter?"

"What's the matter?"

"You know, if you keep repeating everything I say, the conversation is going to take twice as long."

"You've liked me for two years!"

"Loved, not liked, and I thought that was a good thing."

"Well yeah, normally it would be."

"Normally? What do you mean?"

Goku groaned and moved to the edge of the bed as he picked up and put on his pants.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Goku stood and started looking around for his shirt. "I'm going to find Sanzo."

"What? Why?" Gojyo stood, putting on his jeans hurriedly.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I want to."

"No, it' more than that. Why are you mad?" Gojyo asked as he grabbed Goku's wrist.

Goku, however, jerked out of his hold. "Because of you!"

Gojyo blinked at Goku's outburst. "Me? What did I do?" He took a step toward Goku's back but he stopped as he saw his shoulders start to shake.

Goku's fists clenched as he stared at the floor. He was silent for a long time until he finally started to speak softly. "Do you know why I waited so long to let you know I loved you?"

"Shyness?" Gojyo asked in an almost hopeful manner still utterly confused about what was going on.

"It was because I was afraid."

This struck Gojyo as odd. Goku was never scared of anything, even of dying it seemed at times. "Afraid of what?"

"Of this…not happening or…or…not working."

If Gojyo was confused before he was utterly baffled now. He was lucky if he could put a single word together with as scrambled as his brain was.

"If you've liked…loved me for so long, why didn't you ever tell me? Drop a hint? Anything?"

"I could very well say the same for you."

Goku turned to glare at Gojyo. "But I wasn't the one gallivanting every night with random women!"

Gojyo was taken aback. "Is that what this is about?"

"Yes. No…I mean…sort of."

Gojyo crossed his arms as he spit out sarcastically, "Oh good. I was so worried you were going to be extremely vague in your answer."

Goku's lips tightened in a grim line as he sighed. "If you wanted to be with me, why weren't you?"

"Again, I could ask you the very same question."

Now Goku was getting annoyed and Gojyo knew that when he got annoyed…let's just say good things didn't happen.

"If you loved me, why did—" His voice started to crack. He closed his eyes to compose himself before continuing. "Why did you have to go be with them? Do you have any idea how I felt when every time you were assigned to room with me you would leave me alone thinking about someone else being with you? Their eyes on you? Their hands on you?" He paused as tears gathered in his eyes. "Your hands on them?"

Gojyo saw the accusation and blame in Goku's eyes but what he saw the most was the raw pain that hid behind them. It hit him hard; harder than he would have thought possible.

"I'll tell you," Goku hissed. "I felt miserable and angry. But the worst part was that I felt so completely rejected. If I felt this way before I even confessed my feelings for you, what was the point? Why should I even bother to tell you since you obviously hated me to begin?"

"I never hated you!"

"What else was I supposed to think?" he asked desperately. "Tell me what else I was supposed to think when the nicest side I ever saw of you was your back!"

"How do you think I felt with you always pining over Sanzo?"

"What? Don't change the subject!"

Gojyo glared. "Cut the crap! You know that every time he was hurt, you would pour your heart and soul into doing whatever it took to get him better. But did you ever do that for me, the one you claim to love, even once? Huh?"

"Don't do this," Goku said softly, shaking his head. "That's different."

"Oh, really? Mind explaining that?"

Goku turned away. "It's none of your business."

"It became my business when you jumped in my bed."

"That was my bed, jack-ass! And don't you dare put that blame on me!"

"I see. So it's okay for you to play the blame game but the second I decide to put in my two cents, you say I'm disqualified?"

"You know that's not true! It's just…it…" he sighed. "It's complicated."

"I'm sure it is," Gojyo ground out with a glower.

Goku winced at the force of the hidden insult.

Gojyo cursed under his breath as he fisted his fingers through his hair.

The silence was deafening as they both stood still for several minutes, the tenseness growing thicker
with each breath.

Gojyo lifted his head and took a deep lungful of air as he asked, "Answer me one question."

Goku looked up, his glare still set on his features.

Gojyo turned to look at Goku but he couldn't bring himself to look into the boy's eyes, saying each word with precision and purpose. "Do you still love him?"

Goku blinked in shock. That was the last thing he expected to come out of Gojyo's mouth. "You can't—"

"Answer the damn question, Goku."

Goku felt his mind go completely blank. What was he supposed to say? He opened and closed his mouth torn between answers. Finally, he came to the conclusion. "I don't…know."

Gojyo felt a stab of rejection and sheer jealousy deep into his core. He didn't even try to keep them from his face. Closing his eyes he held in the urge to scream in complete rage. "Then you had better find out because you can't care for the both of us."

Goku's eyes widened. He wasn't suggesting he…

"Decide," Gojyo said with a shaky voice. "Right now. Right here. Choose who you are willing to love."

Goku felt the blood drain from his face. "You're making me choose between you and Sanzo?"

Gojyo's face was set in stone as he awaited his answer. "Decide."

"Gojyo—"

"Decide!"

"I can't!" Goku wailed.

Gojyo's expression became dark as he turned to leave. "That's answer enough."

"No it's not!" Goku rushed forward and took Gojyo's arm. "Gojyo, please! I love you, I do! It's just with Sanzo, it…"

"I don't want to hear it."

"What?" Goku froze as he looked up to Gojyo with misty eyes.

Gojyo's face was dark and filled with betrayal and hurt. "You've made your decision. Now you have to live with it."

With that, he slipped from Goku's hold and closed the door behind him, leaving the boy frozen in his bubble of shock, disbelief, and anguish.

I know, I know. Some of you want me dead. But I promise, this opens all kinds of doors for all kinds of things to happen. And trust me, they will happen.

See you guys soon!