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Chapter Text

If I got up and kissed anyone in this bar the kappa would buy my cigarettes for the next five grocery runs with his own money.
There were enough people around that I had free pick and the idiot probably figured that I would choose the waitress that was already giving me googly eyes whenever she came around to refill our drinks but that was way too obvious and would create more problems in the long run since I wasn't planning on inviting her into my bed.
So I let my eyes roam around the room avoiding the wondering stares from various patrons that either recognised my get-up or were already ogling me for reasons I rather not think about.

"Are you chickening out, monk?", came the cocky question from across the table just when my eyes settled on an altercation at the bar.
"You wish, kappa", I answered, drained my glass and stood up.
"Ohohoho! That's gonna be good!", crowed the bastard as I made my way over to the tense conversation between the bartender and a newcomer.
"Gojyo, really", chided our driver, "Why do you feel the need to rile him up like that?"
The redheads laughter faded into the noise and I couldn't make out his response but I wasn't interested in whatever nonsense he would sprout anyway.

"Listen, boy", the bartenders voice cut through the noise and got clearer with every step, "that's what I'm gonna pay you."
"It is NOT what I was promised for that errant!", came the heated response from the young man that seemed to be in his early twenties but I guess anyone could be considered a boy compared to the bartender, "I can take it with me again and find someone else to do business with."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No dipshit, I am threatening your business!", came the reply without hesitation, "I will get my cut and give the rest to Chen. YOU can explain to him why you are so eager to swindle someone!"
"You wouldn't dare...!"
"Watch me!"
The old man relented quite fast after the young brunette grabbed the money and turned, "Hold on! It was a joke! Just wait a moment! No need to bother Mr. Chen with that! I will get the rest of the money!"

The bulky man did not see the way the other deflated as soon as he turned his back.
A bluff then.
"Hey", the young man jumped a little as I stepped up to him and eyed me warily, "I need to ask a favour."
It was refreshing that he turned away to wait for the promised money without giving me a second glance, "I don't do favours for strangers... or monks. I am not virtuous, sorry."
"I would be willing to... if I get something in return, beautiful", a voice said behind me and then there was a hand on my ass.
The brunette was between me and the groper before I had my gun in hand and held him by the lapels of his shirt, "Get your hands off, you sleazy asshole!"
"What's it to you, youngster?", spat the idiot and pulled back for a punch.
"Sanzo!", Goku was on him in a heartbeat and the drunk toppled over, crashed against a table and was out cold.

"What the hell?!", was the bartenders reaction to the scene infront of him when he came back, "What kind of trouble are you causing, boy!"
"That sleazeball grabbed Sanzo!", the golden eyed boy pointed accusingly to the unconcious man at our feet.
"Ah...", it was clear that he had planned on blaming the young man for the scene to have a reason to not pay him after all, "I do apologize. That idiot can get quite handsy when he had too much to drink..."
"A good time to cut him off then", was my plussed response to that before I turned to the brunette who looked at me, "There was no reason to intervene."
He nodded and started to grin, "It would have been fun to watch you deck him, I guess, hehe!"
Startled I nodded and turned to the barkeep, "You were about to pay him, am I correct?"
"Y-yes, of course!", the bulky geezer straighted up and handed the bag over, then went and tended to some parton that waved him over from the other end of the counter.

The satchel in his hand clicked with coins as he slipped it into his pocket and turned back to me.
His green-brown eyes peered into mine, "Guess I owe you now... What was that favour about?"
"Gojyo will freak!", cackled Goku behind him and turned to run back to our table where I saw the others watching us with interest. Fucking perverts!
His shoulder long hair faned out a little as he turned his head over his shoulder to follow my line of vision and returned to me with a raised eyebrow, "What was that about?"
"Just hold still for a moment", was all the warning he got before I grabbed his collar and put my lips against his.

Chapter Text

"Look who we have here!"
With a groan I looked at the brunette that was standing at the baskets of the baths entrance area.
"Really, Sanzo", admonished the know-it-all of our group, "that is no way to great the young man!"
"Oh, hi", he greeted us and finished putting his hair up in a messy bun so I could see that his nape was shaven. There was a towel around his shoulders and another one around his hips, hanging low but securely.
"Hey, I am Goku!", the monkey practically jumped with excitment to meet a new friend.
Like a moron he blinked out of his brown-green eyes, that flickered in my direction before settling on the monkey infront of him and nodded, "Ito, nice seeing you again."
"How rude of us! My name is Hakkai, this is Gojyo", the introductions went on, "and you met Sanzo, of course."
"Right...", from the funny way he looked at the healer I figured that he caught the tone the last part was spoken in, "I will go ahead then, see you."
He took a basket and was off without a second glance.
"Way to scare of Sanzos new boyfriend, man", the snicker got stuck in his throat as I put the muzzle of the gun under his jaw, "I meant that in a purely platonic sense!"
"There will be no problem cleaning up after I blow your brain out in here", I growled treatingly and pressed the metal a little into the soft flesh, "so keep your comments to yourself, pervert!"
"I think he understands quite clearly, Sanzo. Don't you, Gojyo?", came his buddy to the rescue.
Disgusted I eased the gun down and put it into the next basket I could grab, before I undressed and went to the showers.

"You should be more careful, Gojyo", the green-eyed man admonished his friend and started undressing as well.
The red-head blinked his eyes in astonishment, "Me? What's with your 'and you met Sanzo, of course'? You saw the way the guy looked at you, right?"
"It was a true assessment", the healer got a little defensive but heaved a heavy sigh afterwards, "I guess I could have handled that better as well..."
"You guys are way to hung up on what happened in the bar anyway", came Gokus easy reply as he grabbed a towel and a basket to vanish too.
"How come the monkey is the mature one all of a sudden?", the half demon shoke his head in disbelief and followed suit.
"How indeed", was all the last member of the group said as he did the same.

-

I had started washing my hair when the shower in the booth next to me went silent.
I found myself listening for the footsteps that padded pass me without missing a stride.
"Hey, Ito!", yelled Goku in the next second, "Oh, sorry Sanzo!"
Before I could hit him for startling me, he was at least two booths over and under the shower himself, safely away since I didn't feel like chasing after him.
With a frown I finished up and went with a towel around my waist to the pool where I caught myself looking for the brunette, who was nowhere in sight.
I eased myself into the hot water and tried to relax.

"Hey, where did Ito go?", came Gokus chipper question just as I had cleared my mind of brunettes with green-brown eyes.
I shrugged my shoulders where I had put my arms over the edge of the pool, "I don't care."
"Aw, I really wanted to ask him if he new any fun places around here", there were small waves as he got in the water, "Do you think he's coming back?"
"Monkey...", I practically growled and fixed him with a blank stare, that he returned with a blissfully silent blinking gaze, "I don't care. If you want to talk to him, find him. It's that simple."
He laughed it off and scratched his nose, "Right, sorry Sanzo!", then he grinned and turned to the approaching idiots, who looked around themselves.
"I thought Ito would join us?", commented the next nosy bastard and considered me with a curious glance.
"Yeah! Where is the guy who got our Sanzo-samas attention in a bar full of people?", teased the idiot kappa and slipped into the tub too, "I wanted him to give me some pointers."
"I think that the altercation is what drew Sanzo in", remarked the ever-smiling-idiot and the water rose again as he slipped in as well.
"He was already gone when I stepped out of the shower"
I let it slide, because I didn't feel like beating them up and closed my eyes to relax into the warm outer layer of the tub.
"He might be uncomfortable with the concept of an open bath", theorised our healer crypticly.
That asked for a better explanation and the monkey happily asked, "What do you mean, Hakkai?"
"Well, not to seem overly pretentious but I don't think he is from around, which means that he might be uncomfortable sharing a bath with other people and strangers at that", came the long answer, that made me think about the whole deal.
"Yeah, he got the exotic features, doesn't he? Maybe that's what our Sanzo-sama noticed", came the unnessecary reply from our groups playboy.
Having quite enough of that conversation I snapped at him, "Shut the fuck up or I'll help you accomplish that."
"So touchy...", was his meek response.
"I think Hakkais right", Goku considered Hakkais remark from before and added, "Maybe I freaked him out a little."
"You are worse than gossiping housewives", I groused and rose to get out of here.
I heard the monkey call for me but I got dressed and left for my room without a glance back.

"Sir? Excuse me!", with an annoyed sigh I turned to the clerk that was trying to get my attention, "I am very sorry but we seemed to have double booked the room that was given to you."
"What's that supposed to mean?", I asked already out of patience and stalked to the desk the coward tried to disappear behind.
"W-well, ehm... The colleague that checked you and your traveling companions in, seemed to have been misinformed about the size of your group and mistakenly gave the second room key to another young man that arrived today", was the meek reply as he busied himself with the registration, "Since you had claimed the double room for yourself he believed that the young man would share with you."
"Oh, I didn't know that that was the case", I turned around and found the brunette - Ito a few steps away, approaching the front desk as well, already holding the key in hand, stepping next to me and putting it down, "Can I get another room then?"
He still had his hair in that loose bun he had put it up in back at the baths but now I saw small silverhoops in his earlobe. I was quite sure that these hadn't been there before - someone would have mentioned that as some unusual jewellery on a guy. People mentioned it on Hakkai all the time.
The clerk shook his head with nervous eyes, "Unfortunately not... We are fully booked. If it really is an issue, we could try finding another room for you but it might be with a ehm... less fortunate crowd I'm afraid. I do apologize again!"
I felt his gaze on me and really wished for a cigarette as I turned my head to look him in the eyes.
Crossing my arms I shrugged and mumbled a, "Whatever", before turning and climbing up the steps.
"Thank you very much, most esteemed guest!", came the clerks reply, "I wish you a good nights rest!"

Keys clinked and footsteps followed me up the stairs as I made my way to the room.
"Thanks", his voice drifted through the corridor, "It is just for one night since I will be gone in the morning anyway but it would be a pain to move into another building."
I gave a hummed acknowledgement and stepped up to the door, browsing through my sleeve so we could get in before anyone of the noisy idiots saw and could comment on it.
"Let me", and just like that he held his keys out, put them in and turned so the door could swing open.

Chapter Text

"How did this happen?"
"Maybe they thought it was fine since you kissed me?"
We looked at eachother and then back at the double bed that was the centre of the room.
"That coward never even mentioned the fucking bed!", I growled and looked at the monstrosity with ire that should have set the damn thing aflame.
"Well", he started and walked into the room we would share to sit on the end of the bed and pull his shoes off his feet, "Let's make the best out of it. There is plenty of room. You don't mind sharing, right? I would hate to sleep on the floor."
"As long as you keep your hands to yourself we are good", I answered and walked to the window for a smoke.
He had the audacity to laugh at that, "Hey now, you are the one who kissed me, remember? What was that about anyway? Did you lose a bet or something?"
"Tch!", buying a litte time I cracked the window open and lit my cigarette, inhaling deeply, "I actually won one by kissing you."
"Excuse me?", the disbelief was quite evident in his voice and face as he blinked owlishly at me, "Now I am confused..."
"A normal state I presume", releasing a deep breath I rolled my eyes and crossed one arm over my chest to rest my palm on my elbow, taking another pull from my cigarette before answering, "The idiot kappa, the tall redhead, dared me to kiss someone in the bar. If I did it he would buy my Malboros for the next few grocery runs with his own money. Which he has to do now."
"Wow... I feel so used...", was his flabbergasted reply to that, "and here I thought you fell for my natural charms. Silly me!"
I looked at him and watched the way he put his shoes beside the bed before he stood up and stretched until his back popped twice. My gaze flickered to the small expance of skin that got exposed just as he lowered his hands again.
"You just seemed like a reliable choice", was the next thing I said as I averted my eyes and turned to look out the window to lift the filter to my lips.

"What if I wanted to kiss you again? Would that be okay?"
Surprised the motion stilled halfway to my mouth and I slowly turned to face him. He hadn't moved from the spot beside the bed. I wasn't sure what I would have done if he had.
"Why?", was all I asked.
His eyes shifted to the floor for a short moment after which he bit his lip and looked back up at me, "Because I really liked it..."
Considering that and the way he fidgeted I took a last drag, put my cigarette out and stepped up to him.
I hummed nonconversational and reached out to grab him by the back of his neck. My eyes followed the way his tongue flicked over his lips and how his adams apple bobbed when he swallowed nervously.
As I pulled him the last distance, he breathed a sigh of relief and moved in too.
It wasn't as different as the soft press we had shared in the bar.

I startled when I felt how he laid his palms against my jaw to cup it on both sides.
He leaned back a little and looked at me, "Is this okay?"
For a few seconds I gazed into his green-brown eyes.
Since he waited for my consent I nodded and he tilted our heads to meet once more only this time his lips moved against mine. It was still hesitate until I felt the way he opened them and his tongue skipped against my bottom lip. The warm wetness of it intrigued me so I opened up and licked against it.
A groan left his throat as he pressed against me and pushed me back until I stood against the wall - not crowding me but he was still being close enough so that I felt his bodys heat.
His palms were gently cupping my face while mine had found a place in his hair and the hem of his shirt.
I moaned into the kiss as he leaned into me. He used that to deepen our kiss and worm his way alongside my tongue. Prooding it and engaging me to push and suck and swallow. I was quite willing to follow as he leaned back but he held my head in place and looked at me like he was willing do devour me.
My heart skipped a beat when I realized that I would probably let him do it too.

"I am sorry", he breathed against my heated face, "I got carried away for a minute or two."
"No problem", was all I could manage before I cleared my throat and let my breathing get back to normal.
He blinked a few times before he snorted amused, "Sounds like we could continue..."
"I'd rather wash up and go to bed. We will leave in the morning", I replied without thinking and would have kicked myself for the disappointed look that crossed his face before he stepped back with a nod.
"It is kinda late, I guess...", he relented and chanced a small glance back at my lips before he turned away and went back to the bed, "Do you want to shower first?"
I simply nodded and grabbed my bag on the way to the bathroom door.

-

Half an hour later the light was out and we lay side by side on the twin mattresses.
I could smell the products he had used, listened to his breathing that gradually slowed and changed to quiet snores. Turning my head I looked into his relaxed face and wondered.
I was still lying on my back. He had turned on his right side after a while not exactly breathing down my neck but close enough that I felt his body temperature along my left side. I was trying really hard to keep myself from reaching for his warmth.
His eyes blinked open, "What's up?"
"You snore", I stated.
"Oh, yeah, I do. Should have warned you...", he admitted and buried deeper into the pillow while his lids closed again, "Why do you sleep in your jeans?"
"It's more convenient if I get attacked during the night", I answered honestly and watched him crunch up his nose.
His left eye opened with a confused hum, "You don't mean by sleazy bastards, right?"
"Demons", I replied and watched him nod in understanding, "but they can be just as sleazy as that moron back at the bar."
Closing his eye again he breathed a deep sigh, "Sure sucks to be that handsome, ha?"
Snorting I turned on my side and continued to watch him fall asleep, "Sometimes... so you did notice."
"Hard not to...", was all the responce I got.
A smirk formed on my lips as the little snores started once more.
I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

-

I was warm when I woke up.
An arm was draped over me and a body pressed against the lenght of my backside. Puffs of breaths tickled the hairs in my neck and a nose was buried there that rubbed into the short strands.
Not willing to fully wake up yet I cuddled into the pillow that smelled like herbs and felt lips on my skin.
"Stop that", I growled and blinked to the window.
It wasn't quite dawn yet so I still had time to sleep a little longer and I sure as hell would.
"Sorry", whispered a voice behind me, "couldn't help it."
"Go back to sleep", I ordered and felt him nod before he pulled me against him and settled with a deep breath.
Reaching across my stomach I put my hand on his forearm and started to doze off.

"What's that noise?"
"Hm?", came the sleepy reply, "Oh, that. It started raining during the night. Why? 's something wrong?"
"...no", I responded and now I could hear it clearly - the pitter-patter of the rain hitting against the window and some tin roof nearby. I wasn't as bothered by it as I usually would be and wondered about it.
"I love the sound of the rain", he commented unprompted as I lay in his arms and listend to his quiet voice and the steady backdrop beyond the window, "and the energy in the air as it falls to the ground. It calms me down like nothing else can and centers me. There is nothing better then getting buried in a blanket with a cup of tea or cuddle while listening to rainfall or a storm."
"So I am a tea substitute?"
"Well, I could nip on you, I guess", a puff on my nape told me that he was highly amused by that and shortly after that the curve of his lips was on the skin under my ear.
"Don't even think about it", I put a stop to that by pushing my elbow hard into his rips which wrangled a breathless "sorry" out of him.
As soon as he got his breath back he mumbled, "You were the one to come to my side of the bed."
"I noticed...", I had to admit since the other side looked hardly slept in as it was and I would have started awake if he had grabbed me, "that doesn't mean anything."
He stayed silent and that was somehow worse than pointing out that it kind of did. We were complete strangers. We met yesterday. And somehow I felt safe enough to fall asleep right beside him, move on my own to get into his arms to soak up his warmth and pretty much slept through a rainstorm beside him. Annoyed I turned on my back and glared at him.
"I didn't say anything!", he got defensive and I snorted.

His arm was still drapped over my midsection and his thumb started on drawing small circles just under my ribs.
"Fuck this!", I pushed him onto his back and straddled him the next second.
"Woah! What's happening?", he exclaimed while I put his hands next to his head and leaned over him.
I watched how his adams apple bobbed and the way his eyes flickered nervously across my face to figure out if he was in trouble.
"What's with all the little touches?", I questioned.
"Ehm...", he blinked stupidly up at me and licked his lips, "I didn't mean anything by it?"
"So let me get this straight... You do not expect me to do anything when you touch me or kiss me or press up against me like that?", I tried to sum up all the things he had done over the last couple of hours.
His nose scrunched up again, "Of course not! I am totally fine with cuddling! If I had any ulterior motive you would have known by now, wouldn't you? And I did stop yesterday too!"
"You did", I agreed and leant down to his ear, "But I didn't want you to stop. Not really."
He stilled under me and even his breathing seemed to stop for some time before he took a shaky breath and leaned his cheek to mine so he could whisper in my ear, "You didn't?"
I raised my palms up his wrists and hummed pleased when he got the idea and slipped his fingers between mine to knot our hands together.
I shoke my head no and enjoyed the way he gasped as I licked the shell of his ear before murmuring, "We could continue now. There is still time."
The shiver that went through him after my words made me smirk - as did his breathy reply, "Yes, please."