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The Seven: Wanted Dead or Alive	By : Hairann Category: InuYasha AU/AR > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2712 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Title: Clothes make the man

Author: Hairann

Prompt: Protection

Rating: M must be 18+ to read!

Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Western, Yaoi.

Word count: 1429

Warnings: None

Characters: Bankotsu, Jakotsu and Renkotsu.

Summary: Part 25 of The Seven: Wanted Dead or Alive which is an AU story set in the 1800s of how the Band of Seven, the notorious outlaws, came together.

Prompt Summary: After changing into something less attention grabbing, the two head into the next town. Won second place for prompt.

Dusk had already begun settling over them when the two outlaws finally arrived at their destination and decided to stop in town for the night. Even if they had wished to continue on, there was really no choice for them as the dust clouds could already be seen appearing on the horizon and they would need to seek protection from the incoming storm. But at the same, it would mean the lawmen that were no doubt following them already, would have to seek shelter as well; giving them a night of peace before they would be on the run once more.

“Hold up a moment, we can't go in there like this,” Jakotsu insisted, just moments after Bankotsu had informed them they would be stopping in the town ahead of them for the night. Confused, but curious to know what he had in mind, Bankotsu did as instructed and helped Jakotsu off of the horse. “Wait for me here, I'll be right back,” he assured him before hitching up his skirt and running across the desert toward the only house around before they got to town. It was then that Bankotsu finally noticed that Jakotsu was in fact barefoot.

Wondering when he had managed to lose them, since he was sure he had been wearing heels inside the jailhouse, Bankotsu decided it was something best worried about later and turned his attention back to the town down the road. Though it was still too far away to see much of anything, it was not hard for Bankotsu to pick out the saloon or jailhouse that stood closest to his current location. Knowing there was no chance the law had been able to arrive before him, did little to ease his worries.

It wasn't until a strange man appeared from behind the house and started making his way toward him, that his earlier worries were forgotten and replaced with all new ones. Where was Jakotsu? Who was the strange man before him? Had he done something to his new companion? Would Bankotsu be forced to take his life in order to protect his own?

Even as he thought this and realized the man was coming even closer, Bankotsu climbed down off of his horse and gave him a closer inspection. Though his features were rather striking and his long dark hair framed his face nicely, Bankotsu found he looked somewhat off for a man.

Where there should have been hardness there was softness, where he should have been tanned from the sun he was as pale as a woman. Where there should have been purpose and strength behind his step, there was poise and grace. If Bankotsu had not know any better, he would swear the person before him had been a woman dressed as a man.

It was then that what he was seeing finally started to dawn on Bankotsu. It wasn't a woman pretending to be a man that was only a few feet away from him now, but a man pretending to be a woman who was currently dressed as his true gender. Confused by the sudden change, Bankotsu could only stand there staring at him in silence as Jakotsu stopped a mere foot away.

"I know I look ridiculous, but in case anyone is able to detect my birth gender, two guys will stick out far less than two guys when one is pretending to be a woman. And if the sheriff has discovered that I was actually helping you, they might be on the lookout for a man and a spoon girl since he did not know I was born male; at least to my knowledge," Jakotsu explained before gesturing toward the horse for Bankotsu to climb back on. Seeing him still standing there in silence, he prompted, "What?"

"I can not tell if you make a better man or a woman," Bankotsu began only to be met by a soft giggle. "I take that back, definitely a woman," Bankotsu decided before finally climbing up and helping Jakotsu back up onto the horse behind him. A moment later when he realized he still intended to sit side saddle and knowing it would drawn unneeded attention to them, Bankotsu pointed it out to his companion.

Though he grumbled under his breath, Jakotsu took a more male appropriate position and held on tightly as they began heading toward the town once more. Two days later when the town doctor returned from his trip out of town to deliver the sixth child of a local mining family, he would realize that an entire outfit, including his only spare pair of boots, were missing from the clothesline behind his home, but for now there was no one to notice their absence and drawn attention to them.

...

Things seemed to be going their way that evening as not only were they able to procure the last available room in the saloon, but all of the town's lawmen were currently away from town. The day before, a group of outlaws had robbed the bank and the sheriff had formed a posse to go after them. Deciding to take advantage of not only the storm slowing down those following them, but also not having to worry about the lawmen of this town, Bankotsu made his way to the saloon's community bathing room and was about to find someone to fill one of the baths for him when he spotted Jakotsu pouring hot water into the only tub slightly hidden from the view of the door.

Noticing his arrival at the same moment, the currently 'male' Jakotsu smiled before gesturing to the tub in front of him. "I was just about to one get you to let you know it was ready. Go ahead and bathe. I will see to some supper and be right back," Jakotsu informed him before crossing to the other side of the room and was about to leave when Bankotsu's hand on his arm stopped him.

"You don't have to give up your bath to me, I'm not your customer anymore," Bankotsu reminded him only to be startled a moment later when Jakotsu started laughing; for once his laughter sounding more masculine then feminine. Not sure what he found to be so funny, Bankotsu simply stood there crossing his arms as he waited for him to explain.

"I drew the bath for you in the first place. You're right, you're not my customer, but honestly you never really were. I only know how to be two things, Bankotsu, a saloon girl and an unwanted child. It is all I have ever known. I realize you are not interested in my many talents as entertainment, and I don't fault you for that, but for the short time you allow me to follow you, let me do the small amount I am able to. If not, what is the point in me being here?" Jakotsu questioned before continuing on his way out the door to see to supper as he had said he would.

Not really sure how to reply to something like that, Bankotsu simply stood there in silence watching him until he could no longer be seen before making his way over to the tub Jakotsu had prepared for him and quickly climbed in once he had undressed. As he laid back, draping his long braid over the edge to prevent it from getting wet, Bankotsu went over the conversation in his mind. What was the point of him continuing to follow him?

Originally Bankotsu had simply planned on dropping him off once they had arrived at this town, but he had no move to make him stay or even to inform him if this since they had taken off after escaping for jail; and he doubted Jakotsu even remembered that. While Bankotsu knew he would be able to travel much quicker alone, he also knew that having a companion could make some things easier on him.

He seemed completely happy to be seeing to his basic needs and if the day arrived when the showed up in a town, where word of him being wanted had reached its borders, he could send in Jakotsu for supplies or to uncover information. Having a saloon 'girl' working for you could have its own advantages when it came to getting old men to talk. If Jakotsu had no problem continuing that line of work anyways.

'It would be nice to have someone to watch my back,' Bankotsu decided before finding himself wondering if he could even fight.
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The Seven: Wanted Dead or Alive