Setting Camp - PG (36th Challenge)
Title: Setting Camp
Author: Lauand
Beta: Avierra
Pairing: Gojyo/Hakkai hints, but I'd think it's rather gen.
Warning: Worksafe
Prompt: Domesticity - 45 min.
A/N: About one hour taken and probably more editing than this comm would expect from its authors. Thank you very much to the awesome Avierra for the beta-reading!
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According to Gojyo, the brat whined because he was a monkey and worried only about his basic needs. In contrast, Gojyo himself complained rightfully because this damned journey was fucking shit.
"This damned journey is fucking shit."
The rest of the ikkou ignored him and kept on setting the camp for the night. Which, in Sanzo's case, meant sitting down against a tree and smoking with a disdainful expression while he waited for dinner to be ready. Gojyo wondered how the monk could sit at all with that huge stick up his ass.
The monkey started sorting out the tents and Hakkai wordlessly handed him a big pot, not even acknowledging the possibility of Gojyo not feeling like going to fetch the water. The redhead sighed and, grabbing the pot, went down to the river.
When he came back, Hakkai had already started the fire. Gojyo let down the pot and crouched beside the man to watch him cook dinner and be able to pout at the small bonfire. He started worrying his bottom lip. It was chapped and that irked him, making him want to peel the dry skin off.
"Stop that, please." Hakkai asked, not even needing to look at him.
"Uh?"
"Your lips. It's only worse if you lick and bite your lips when they're in bad condition."
"Oh." Gojyo dabbed at them with his tongue anyway. "They're all dry and chapped," he added needlessly. "I used to keep them soft. You know, for the ladies. I swear this mission is fucking over all my chances of getting laid ever again."
Pausing in his task, Hakkai finally looked at him.
"I think I have lip balm, I could lend you some..."
Gojyo looked offended rather than grateful.
"No way. I'm not going to be caught dead putting on some lipstick. That's... girly."
Hakkai looked at him like he did sometimes when he was analyzing the way Gojyo expressed himself rather than listening to what he was really saying.
"I could apply it for you, if that were the problem."
"Eh?"
"And it's not in a stick, anyway. Wait a moment."
As so often, Gojyo was left speechless while Hakkai stood up and walked to the Jeep, rummaged a little through their baggage and came back with a small, rounded, plastic box. He then knelt next to him and gently turned Gojyo's chin his way, since the half-breed had been facing the fire.
"Tilt your head up, please."
"This is, uh, weird."
Gojyo did, anyway.
Hakkai opened the lid of the little box, rubbed his finger against the greasy substance inside and took it to Gojyo's lips.
"I don't have a manly reputation to maintain. I'm free to use and share my lip balm as I will."
Gojyo closed his eyes and repressed a smile. Sometimes he thought that Hakkai was so serious and formal about the most trivial things because he found it amusing to act so, as though it was a private joke for him, a sense of humor only he understood.
"Part your lips, please."
Gojyo didn't hesitate and complied, totally relaxed as he let Hakkai take care of him, the touch of his finger gentle against his mouth.
"Done."
The lid of the box was screwed back in place and Gojyo opened his eyes again to see Hakkai stand up and go back to the Jeep to put the lip balm back to whichever hidden spot the man put away all the unexpected shit he possessed and the rest of them only knew of when it was needed.
Gojyo smacked his newly protected lips as Hakkai walked back to the fire and their dinner.
"Ehm... thanks, man."
Hakkai didn't stop to look at him, but Gojyo was able to see the small smile in his eyes anyway.
"You're welcome, Gojyo."
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Not that he didn't consider them a bunch of idiots, but it was sometimes entertaining to watch them interact. Just like a Nature documentary displaying the distinct behavior of some species or another. It was surely better than to watch Goku make a mess out of their tents. So, Sanzo had observed the strange ritual those two followed, lit by the flickering orange light of the bonfire. They were so used to each other, so trusting, so at ease in one another's presence... and nevertheless, they somehow achieved to keep some unpredictability, some mystery in their mutual actions and intentions that created a subtle tension and balanced their relationship to never make it boring.
Sanzo huffed and took another drag of his cigarette.