Food and Friends

[Sha Gojyo]

"Like rot my teeth sweet?"

Even though Hakkai seemed comfortable with damn near anything and everything, Gojyo was not nearly as flexible let alone tolerant. He took the plate of Edamame and set it on the platter. Wu Tai had placed the bowl of miso soup for the bento meal as well as the salad for the yakisoba dinner on the sill, then went about finishing the bento box meal as he placed every bit in it's place in the sectioned wooden tray. Gojyo took those as well and made a quick delivery to the pair after he heard Hakkai's opinion on the matter.

After he served them their appetizer and the man his salad and the woman her soup, he refreshed their drinks. He then came back to the window with the appointment book in hand and set it on the sill. There were a few dozen pages scribbled and doodled in metallic pink ink little butterflies, flowers, and thensome.

"If I'm still working here at fourty...I'm not sure how I feel about that." Gojyo kind of liked bartending, he supposed he wouldn't mind it so much. But he didn't like thinking too much ahead as far as the future was concerned, one never knew when something would happen.

"And Hakkai...When a woman wears a pound of make-up on her face and a size too small in a dress, walks with exaggerated wiggles in their asses and have a nervous tic where they're constantly batting their lashes at people...They're usually skanks." That caused the round man to guffaw on the other side of the wall. The kappa above anyone knew better. He usually took them to bed afterall. Yanma was young, pretty, well-endowed and she gave the sense of being easy...Though that ease might come with the consequence of a major headache. She also struck him as the type that you would be paying for later down the road, in more ways than one. "A little deluded might be an understatement, especially if she thinks she has a shot at being Mrs. Genjo Sanzo."

[Cho Hakkai]

"Something like that."

Hakkai laughed as he stirred the frying noodles, paying attention to both the food and his friend. Couples that were sweet to one another always made him reminisce, but there was a limit to how much as there was a limit to everything. When Gojyo walked away, he began to quietly hum a soft song as he added shrimp to the yakisoba.

The larger cook worked beside Hakkai before he shooed the younger man away. Hakkai gave a wry smile and handed his nearly prepared yakisoba over. Wu Tai hated standing around doing nothing and tended to do exactly what he had just done. The green eyed demon spread his hands apart to surrender silently, still humming as he moved to organize what ever he could find.

Gojyo returned as fast as he could, which brought Hakkai's attention to him. He smiled as the other man pondered working here until they were fourty. It was a strange thought to think that their lives had settled down enough that they could even think about living that long.

"I never saw myself working here either, but here I am."

He had been a teacher once and it was something that he had really enjoyed. But with a new life, he found something new to enjoy and find peace in. Hakkai laughed, shaking his head slightly at Gojyo's bluntness. He liked having a friend who was frank with everyone, and actually had two more that did the same thing. Sanzo didn't tip-toe around anyone and Goku didn't know any better.

"You know better than I do. She is very attention needy."

If Hakkai had been any one else, he would've facepalmed right then and there. Seriously, did women not realize that Sanzo was a priest? Plus he just hated people to begin with. Hakkai chuckled again as he put away the dishes from the previous night. His eyes closed for a second as he smiled at Gojyo.

"I wouldn't be too hasty in deterring Yanma, she may just turn her attention to you then. Then you have to work with that."[/color]

[Genjo Sanzo]

Though he'd never admit it, Sanzo sometimes almost envied his little charge, just for the mere fact that he was so naive in so many ways, and had such a tunnel focus of the world. Eat, sleep, fight. That was basically it.

Actually scratch that. Cigarettes weren't on the list.

The priest closed his eyes, letting himself enjoy the sunlight. It actually wasn't all that bad spending time with Goku when he wasn't being a complete spaz. It was when he was jumping around, flailing, screaming about how hungry he was, picking fights with Gojyo, whining about how hungry he was, complaining about Gojyo, bitching about how hungry he was, bugging Sanzo for food, monks coming to Sanzo to complain about the monkey...

... He cut off that train of thought. He had a feeling it would never end. Exhaling deeply, he let the acrid smoke escape his lips, thinking on the events to come. He had already been told that he would not be able to do this alone, and that his demonic companions would have to join him. That caused him to double-take, and question the Three Aspects. They told him, however, that he would learn why so-

... What the fuck did the monkey just say?

The monk stopped dead in his tracks, blonde hair falling into his eyes. Silence hung in the air, dark and ominous, and so thick that the nearby birds had either fallen out of their trees or flown away hastedly.

"What. The fuck. Did you just say?"

Though his eyes were shadowed, the scent of hell flames could almost be whiffed in the air.

[Son Goku {Saiyuki}]

Okay, apparently Sanzo had not been on the same bandwagon as he had been with Hakkai. Though Goku had not entirely understood what the green eyed man had talked about. He only argued that throwing Sanzo and Gojyo in a bed together...There'd probably some kind of blood bath. The naive monkey had yet to really learn the nitty gritty of sex and all that jazz. Most of what he heard came from Gojyo actually and that was kind of traumatic for the most part.

Why did it suddenly smell like brimstone? He looked at the blond man, mouth hanging open slightly.

"Uh...That you and Gojyo-" Goku stopped, taking a step back from Sanzo who was starting to scare him. Wait, finishing that might not be such a good idea. "I said...uh...I said...LET'S GO EAT! WHOO!"

He was pretty sure repeating what he said would not be good. If Sanzo was that pissed from hearing it the first time, there was no way in hell he was saying it again! The second those last four words left his mouth...Goku took off down the steps as fast as he could manage without tripping and tumbling the rest of the way. However a well aimed shot or toss of the harisen would probably knock him off balance. He half-pictured an enraged monk charging after him to give him the greatest beating of his life.

But Sanzo wasn't that mad...Right?

Right?

The panicked monkey was starting to figure out, as he ran screaming down the steps from the temple, why Hakkai had said such a thing to him rather than directly to Sanzo. The healer certainly knew better.

[Genjo Sanzo]

Quick to anger, quick to strike, and fuckingscaryasallhellohdeargodpleasedon'lethimlookatme!

.. That was how people tended to describe Sanzo when his temper was fraying. Or in full-blown brimstone mode. Like he was now! Oh joy!

Be in bed with that half-blooded punkass lecherer?! For fuck's sake, he was a priest, not a goddamn prostitute peddling wares on the corner of East City! But hey, he was a priest, right? Surely he could just accept an honest mistake and forgive Goku this once for such an intolerable idea?

"Get your ass back here you stupid monkey!"

... Or not.

Should the poor kid look behind him, he would be greeted with a sight that would cause nightmares in all but the hardiest: A pissed-off Sanzo, blonde hair pushed back from his head as he chased after Goku, the dreaded harisen in his hand, fire in his violet eyes.

... Looks like they were getting to the restaurant faster then they thought.

[Sha Gojyo]

"I don't shit where I eat, Hakkai. Or however that saying goes." Yanma was rather close to the type of woman he usually took home, except she gave him a headache. He knew it was because he dealt with her for longer than he did most women.

Once Wu Tai had finished up the last of the cooking, it was passed over to the waiting redhead who carted the rest of dinner back to the couple. While he was finishing up on serving them, a small group of men came in also. They were some rowdy bunch around their own age and seemed mostly interested in getting drunk for the afternoon. Gojyo had them sit at the bar while he took their drink orders and fixed them their drinks before he came back to the window.

"The bar buddies want...Two Great Sage Platters with tataki being beef on one, tuna on the other, medium...the yakitori being chicken on one and shrimp on the other, and the sushi for both as Kali rolls." Gojyo went cross-eyed as he read off the details for the two platters. He hated reciting people's fucking orders sometimes, especially when they got really detailed on what they wanted. He knew one woman that sometimes came in and she practically dictated portions of this and that, how well cooked each part had to be, how much salt...Hell, thinking about it caused him to stop and rub his temples.

Gojyo blinked suddenly. Why did he get a sense that all hell was going to break loose? The redhead arched a brow at Hakkai, as if questioning if he was feeling it too. And was he hearing someone screaming outside from a good distance away?

He slowly looked towards the front, blinking in confusion. Above the laughter of their new boisterous customers, he could barely make out what seemed a familiar voice. "Uh, hey man...Is that Goku or am I going crazy?" After staring at the door for another few seconds and realizing the sound was drawing closer, it was almost unmistakable. He turned back to the others, "This can't possibly be good..."

[Son Goku {Saiyuki}]

Goku dared a glance back...

And ran all the faster!

'Crap, crap, crap, crap...!' There was no way he was letting Sanzo catch him, at least if he could help it. Goku huffed and puffed, running as fast as he could while still occasionally screaming. A lot of it consisted of 'Oh come on!', 'It's not that big a deal!', 'I'm sorry!', or 'Gojyo's not that bad to touch!' Wait, why had he yelled that?! Even to Goku, that sounded so horribly wrong. His face turned beet red. He hoped that the pervy water sprite had not heard that!

"WOAH! I don't mean that! Not like that! Not what I meant to say! SANZO, put the fan away!" Despite all his screaming, he knew the minute he slowed enough, he would be under the unrelenting hammer until he was knocked back into the mountain or something.

Much to part of his relief though, they made great timing in getting to the restaurant. Now he just needed Hakkai to save him!

"HAKKAI! SANZO'S GONNA KILL ME!! HAKKAI! HAKKAI! HAKKAI!"

The front doors flew open and Goku rushed in, almost getting knocked off course by the podium that someone had decided to put there in his way. The monkey made a beeline right for the kitchen doors where he really didn't need to be going but he couldn't help that. He had to hide from Sanzo until Hakkai could smooth this all out...or Gojyo calm his nerves with ample booze. "Gojyo! Get him drunk! Fast! Hurry!" Goku scurried on all four through the kitchen, weaving between the cooks' legs as he sought a hiding spot.

[Cho Hakkai]

"Well that's good."

Hakkai chuckled before finishing his rearranging. He turned around to have a quiet conversation with Wu Tai about nonsensical topics while Gojyo went to deliver the food to the couple. There were a few new recipes that he wanted to try out, some of them the same thing on the menu only with added/changed ingredients.

From the corner of his working eye, he noticed his friend seating two men at the bar. Hakkai turned around as Gojyo approached the window to place orders.

"Careful Gojyo, your eyes are going to get stuck like that."

He teased lightly with a smile before halfing the order over to the older cook as he got started on the other half. Hakkai cooked multiple things at once rather than single things, able to keep his attention divided and work efficiently. He didn't mind keeping busy and rather preferred that to standing around doing nothing. Even when relaxing, he had something to do such as read a book.

Hakkai looked up, sensing something that put him slightly on edge. Oh boy, this wasn't going to be pretty. Looking back at Gojyo he smiled with his eyes closed.

"It sounds lively outside."

A few moments later the doors flung open to accomidate Goku's fleeing form. He continued to smile as he stepped slightly to the side in order for Goku to slip beneath his counter in a small spot his size. Hakkai returned to standing where he was before as the young teen hid, and he returned to preparing the food for the men at the bar while smiling.

"Well now, what's the screaming for?"[/size]

[Genjo Sanzo]

All the hellspawn in the world couldn't stand up to the levels of fury radiating from this priest. Those violet eyes, such a rare color among humans and most humanoid species, snapped with fury that was only repressed enough to keep the atoms in the air around him from self-imploding and causing a nuclear reaction. That's right. This monk was so pissed, that he could probably cause a nuclear explosion.

You think I'm exagerrating? Say that to the crater in the Temple courtyard that volunteers are only now turning into a koi pond.

And poor Goku... Every thing he shouted in sheer desperation and fear to his sun only backfired, feeding the fires, with the monk swearing and shouting after him, in variations of 'Shut UP and let me hit you, you stupid runt!', 'Shut your DAMN mouth!', 'If you were sorry you wouldn't have sa- WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY!?'

The restaurant loomed into view, but Sanzo barely noticed as he charged after the kid. Mere seconds after Goku had dived through the door, the blond spirit skidded in, rope sandles sliding on the ground as he looked around quickly, the fan clenched so hard in his hand that it was most likely leaving an imprint on his hand, despite the arm-long gloves he wore.

"Where the hell did that brat go?!" He demanded, head whipping back and forth before his gaze settled on Gojyo, pinning him with the rage in his eyes. "That smart-ass little punk's got a special day with this god-damn harisen!"

[Sha Gojyo]

Gojyo stood frozen with the pen in his mouth when Sanzo burst into the room and gave him the mother of all death stares. Whoa. Why did he get the feeling that he was somehow connected? Wait, that stupid monkey didn't tell the monk about how he had wound up watching him in that bathhouse the one time, did he? When Gojyo stopped for a second to think, he realized that couldn't be the case, as it seemed the blond was pissed with Goku rather than him. So he had to be safe so far.

His ruby eyes shifted from the rage filled violet eyes to see a few potential customers think twice about coming in. "Oh, great, you scared some customers away, ya dumb monk..." He handed the lovey dovey couple their bill before he came over to Sanzo.

"Don't come in here making a fucking scene. Your psychotic ass is going to scare away business. Now sit down." Gojyo started to nudge the monk towards the nice window seat that overlooked the neatly trimmed rose bushes that lined the front of the building. He left a small piece of paper on the table before he went to go deal with the kitchen pest. Odds were Sanzo only planned to drink himself into a stupor, his eating habits being similar to that of a fasting monk.

The paper had the Sake Week list on it...

Two for one selection for the week! 1. Black Samurai (Shot) Sake, Soy sauce 2. Bogomip Sake, Coconut milk, Pink lemonade, Ice 3. Haiku Martini Sake, Dry Vermouth, Cocktail onion 4. Hokkaido Cocktail Gin, Triple sec, Sake 5. Mt. Frying Pan Mountain Dew, Sake 6. Purple Wind (Shot) Chambord raspberry liqueur, Sake 7. Sake Bomb (Shot) Sake, Beer 8. Saketini Gin, Sake, Olive 9. Tokyo Rose Vodka, Sake, Midori melon liqueur

While he let Sanzo cool down at his table, the redhead made his way into the kitchen and looked around for the monkey. He spotted him in the little niche he had managed to crawl into without being inhibited by either of the cooks who were busy cooking. He arched a brow at the chibi-chimp. "Okay, monkey, what the fuck did you do this time?" He whispered harshly, not wanting to have Sanzo storming back there or Gods forbid scaling through the window to get at Goku. He would pay to see that, then watch the hothead land on the fucking stove. That would be hilarious.

Gojyo threw his hands up. For all he knew, it was something incredibly stupid. "Nevermind. I'll let you know when the worldy dickhead out there is liquored up enough that he doesn't stain our restuarant floor with your blood." With a huff, he turned away and stalked back out to the table where he sat the priest. He was half tempted to take his bolero jacket off now that it felt warm from Sanzo's rage, but he had seen how leery the bar buddies had started to get after a handful of Sake Bombs. "What sort of poison will it take to cool you off, baldy?"

[Son Goku {Saiyuki}]

"Uh, 'm screamin' cause Sanzo wants to kill me..." Suddenly his fear dissipated and was replaced with indignation as he pointed accusingly at Hakkai like this was his fault. It was only so by a fraction though, Goku was still wholly responsible for opening his big mouth without thinking. He pointed at the calm man, "All I did was repeat what you said about him and Gojyo needing to share a bed if we end up together for a long time like we will soon and he frickin' exploded!!"

The brunette squeaked fearfully as he felt the very embodiment of rage burst in. He curled up in the nook he had found to hide in and listened as Sanzo demanded to know where he was. Oh crap, a special day with the fan? It was a special day? What the fuck did that mean?!

He thanked the Gods Gojyo was there, he would soon become the sponge for Sanzo to pour his anger out on. Goku never really stopped to worry that the kappa might hate being the compensation for lack of the real target being around. So long as he wasn't the one being yelled at and hit, the monkey had no problem letting Gojyo be the one taking the punishment.

Again, Goku yelped as he jumped, hearing someone barge into the kitchen. Ho crap! Sanzo had bipassed the water sprite and had zoned right in on him! But there was no striking fan or screaming. Just some angry whispers.

Oh.

It was Gojyo.

"Geez...!" He whispered back in agitation. He used his best indoor voice he could. "I just said-"

Goku was cut off as the redhead seemed far too frustrated with the newly arrived pair to stick around for the explanation, which the monkey would have hauled off and told him without thinking again. After he had a second thought, he slumped in relief that he had missed telling the kappa the truth. That would just make it so much worse for him...Then Gojyo would sit there and tease Sanzo till his sun really went postal. 'Just drink and chill, drink and chill...' It was a rare and frightening thing when he was more worried about getting attacked than eating. Still, Sanzo was bound to put 2 and 2 together considering that Gojyo had stepped into the kitchen and left with nothing.

[Dr. Ni Jianyi]

"How...cute."

Smoke heavily clouded the air of the cluttered lab as a lazy man in a wrinkled white jacket sat back, watching the entertainment that was little Kouryuu. Or rather the man little Kouryuu had grown into. A one Genjo Sanzo.

It was funny how the monkey let such little insidious thoughts spill out without a second thought, though the observing scientist was fairly certain that they probably weren't that far off. He then watched with amusement as the holiest of priests tore the stone steps and asphalt a new one as he charged after his wily pet. "I always find it funny when people feel the need to fight that which they desire so. I must admit I find Kouryuu's taste in sin to be surprising. Who would have thought he would go for that."

His little black spy bug, something small and petty and highly unlikely to arouse suspicion, flit through the air in pursuit to further enjoy the show. Not far behind it was it's larger and more sinister companion, which would sit itself on the back burner till the time came to start the party. As he expected, they were heading for the pretty little restaurant and it's pretty little workers. Oh look, open windows. Things were always smoother when they made it easy.

The tiny metal bug flew through an open window as Goku went crashing in and settled on the wall over the door shortly after Sanzo also burst in. The threadlike antennae of the itty bitty device wiggled to determine the best reception for listening in. Jianyi was mostly curious about the blond and the redhead than he was about the monocled man and the monkey. He had plans and one of the prismed eyes zoomed in on the water sprite whom he had his eye on in particular.

"Mm..."

The good doctor let out a low chuckle.

"Kouryuu has good taste."

[Cho Hakkai]

"Oh, boy."

Hakkai commented with a smile, his eyes closing for a few moments as he worked. Goku was huddled in the niche below his workstation, and Sanzo was screaming bloody murder. Today was turning out to be quite exciting already. The smiling man felt pity for the poor redhead in the front who had to attempt to calm the monk down, the two of them barely got on as it was.

"I'm sure it was a misunderstanding in any case. It usually is."

He finished his share of the work and put the food on plates, placing it where Gojyo could deliver it after he had served Sanzo. Hakkai's hand froze above his cutting board as Goku explained what he had done. Just keep smiling.

"Well, some things are not meant to be repeated. This is one of those things. I'm sure you've learned your lesson."

Sometimes, the human appearing demon could be quite threatening while still reassuring and this just happened to be one of those times. When he had made the comment, Hakkai had forgotten that Goku repeated everything everyone else said no matter what you told him. Oh well.

"He'll calm down, he always does."

Hakkai took a clean, damp cloth to the top of his work station to make sure that nothing got mixed with anything else. He chuckled as he heared Gojyo attempting to calm Sanzo down without starting a fight. This was going to be a long day, he could tell already.

[Genjo Sanzo]

Frankly, that 'dumb monk' didn't give two fucking shakes whether or not the fucking cockroach of lechery was pissed at him. Right now, he wanted to pound some fucking monkey skull in and teach him never to say shit like that again.

"If it wasn't for Hakkai's cooking, there wouldn't be any business here. Not with that tramp you usually have running the front desk." Sanzo growled, only noticing now that the cigarette he had lit up before had somehow vanished in the wild chase. His violet eyes swept across the restaurant, locking onto the kitchen doors. Chances were that the runt had torn his way into the kitchen. Sanzo, however, had seen the menu that Gojyo had grabbed.

Fucking hell, I need a drink.

His eyes drifted to the door again as he took a seat, reaching into his robes for the pack of cigarettes. If anyone bitched at him, too bad. He was by a fucking window seat, and he wasn't fucking hurting anyone.

Goku's in there, and Gojyo's going to come out here with every intent to get me drunk to calm me the fuck down. They should know by now that doesn't work. Still. That should have scared the little monkey enough, to know better then to start spewing that shit again.

Truth be told, it was actually rather hard for Sanzo to stay mad at him. Annoyed, yes, because the kid was too energetic for his own good, and ate far too much. But the kid had grown on him, almost like a surrogate son, despite his own relatively young age. Goku was his charge, and he might smack him around, but the kid was tough and could take it. He'd never seriously injure him.

Goku really was the closest thing to family he had. He'd just never fucking admit it.

"Purple Wind. Sake Bomb. Then Tokyo Rose, and keep those coming." Came the monk's short response as he lit up, inhaling the smoke. Fucking Gojyo and his Hi-Lites.

Taste like cat shit.

[Sha Gojyo]

Considering how volatile Sanzo had been coming in, Gojyo kept in mind to tread softly at first for now. Both because he didn't want to get hurt and also to maintain his professional image with what limited clientel that they had at the moment. "Gotcha." Once he came back with the drinks, he would see if the monk even wanted some food. He didn't bother saying anything about the smoking, since the blond was at an open window. Besides, saying something would most likely get him a snarled 'Fuck you' from the holiest of assholes.

Leaving the monk to simmer down, he made sure to collect the couple's payment and their dirty dishes before dropping them off and retrieving the appetizers for the gentlemen at the bar. He made sure to mutter a good 'Dumb fucking monkey!' as he swept by the window, taking the Great Sage Platters with. Without much chit chat, he slid the appetizers in front of the gentlemen before giving them more Sake Bombs.

Getting the monk buzzed would make him less likely to murder Goku. Unfortunately, it didn't really make him any nicer. He was a pretty mean drunk sometimes. Still, some booze would help.

Quickly and efficiently, he mixed up the two shots while he simply made an impressive pitcher of Tokyo Rose. That way Sanzo would go at his own pace, which would probably be alarmingly fast, and Gojyo wouldn't have to be going back and forth too many times bringing drink after drink. Setting the shots and a chilled glass on a small platter, he brought them over to Sanzo along with the pitcher.

He shot the monk a mock pout. "You sayin' my ability to make awesome drinks isn't a good reason for business? I'm hurt, ya shitty monk. And after I make them stronger than they normally would be just for you." Which was true. He knew the monk liked his liquor and subconciously Gojyo worked to satisfying that when they came in because deep down he hoped it would at least make him seem like less of a waste of skin to the other man somehow. Sanzo's opinion of him was pretty bad, at least from what he could tell. Gojyo sat the shots and glass down, before filling said glass then setting the pitcher down.

"You want anything to eat with that? And should I let Hakkai know to start on the monkey's buffet or would you rather wait till he grows enough balls to come in here?" Goku would probably start begging soon, considering the smells already in the air but it wasn't likely Hakkai would feed him till he got his ass out of the kitchen. At least Gojyo hoped so.