Thankful For Rain
The rain was slow and pattering and irritating. It drizzled over the window panes, over the terracotta tiles, over the cobblestone streets and pooled into miniature oceans and sloshed as pedestrians bustled as best they could through the endless, dreary water.
Sanzo made no noise, sitting completely poised on the window sill, mouth turned down into a glum frown, a cigarette dangling between his lips. Through the haze of smoke he watching the rain. The rain. It always made him quiet. He couldn't help but stare out at the infinite drops, the patterns of ripples in the puddles. The slosh of feet and the disturbed reflections.
"S-Sanzo…"
The whine disturbed the melancholy peace, and were it not for his sour mood, Sanzo might have appreciated Goku for it. Instead, he grit his teeth and clenched his fist, tossing a venomous glance at the monkey king from where he stood pitifully by the door, eyes downcast and near luminous in the half darkness. He scuffed his feet, and seemed to open his mouth to softly whisper the priest's name again.
"Go away, stupid monkey."
Goku flinched, but shuffled a little closer. The sound he made was near drowned out in the rain. The endless, suffocating rain. Sanzo turned back to the window, and didn't give the monkey another glance. Goku continued to shuffle, arms held behind his back. "S-Sanzo… I know… me and the others have been really noisy….and I'm sorry if we really bothered you." he stuttered through his apology, fidgeting. "b-but you've been really, really sad… so…"
The rain had carried on for days. A continuous torrent of water, easy him back into memories that tormented him, as infinite as the many drops that blended together, becoming puddles, flooding gutters, over flowing rivers. And with the gray clouds, Sanzo had remained melancholy. He didn't feel like eating. He didn't feel like admonishing the monkey and the roach. Wallowing in self pity wasn't exactly his style.
But it was the rain.
Without knowing it, he had made Goku worry. His depression had been enough to get through Goku's thick skull.
When Sanzo looked at Goku again, he was by his side at the window, a meat bun held out in offering. "If it was my fault, I wanted to make you feel better, okay?" Goku's gold eyes looked up at him, wide and dewy and hopeful. Sanzo huffed, and couldn't help a small smile. Simple minded monkey. As though a meat bun could solve all his problems. Goku proffered it again, a little more confident with Sanzo's smile.
Outside, the torrent increased, driving the townspeople into their homes. It beat against the window, until the world beyond the glass was nothing but wet misty gray. But beside him, Goku grinned, offering the meat bun.
"Thanks, monkey boy." Sanzo grunted, taking the meat bun, and gently petting Goku's hair. Goku's grin widened until it was blinding, cheeks flushed in joy and pleasure. Without asking, he clambered onto the other end of the sill with him, staring out at the washed out town, smiling gently.
"You're welcome. Just so long as you don't get like that again, okay?"
Sanzo snorted. "Move over, monkey, you're taking up all the room."
Owari