DISCLAIMER: I own as much Saiyuki as Minekura Kazuya owns Ultraman (hint: she doesn't!). Fluffiness warning. Age estimated from short snippets of the Saiyuki Reload 'Burial' arc. This version of 'Komoriuta' lullaby taken from a site on the Net. Kaisho Sanzo non-canon.
FF.Net doesn't allow me to post URLS in my fics, but suffice it to say this was inspired by one of the sweetest Koumyou Sanzo-centric sites I've EVER seen. All hail Delilah-san's Koumyou Sanzo and Genjyo Sanzo projects! (komyou.tripod.com - Nihongo)
And *just* in case you don't know, Koumyou is (Genjyo) Sanzo's master.
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Love has never needed words to speak, ever
since man first drew breath.
Koumyou Sanzo didn't realise his charge had awakened until he felt something inching its way into his bed. Still used to waking up late at night to soothe a crying child, it didn't take long for him to rouse himself once awakened. He threw back the blankets to reveal a very small, scared ball of Kouryuu, clutching tightly to a little bit of his master's sleeping robes. The child froze in mid-crawl, too scared to move anywhere. His short blonde hair shone in the moonlight like liquid light as it fell over his eyes.
"Kouryuu...what's the matter, child?" he asked the four-year-old.
All at once, the boy flung himself at Koumyou's chest (eliciting a quick and pained 'oof!') and clung tightly to him, bawling his eyes out. "Don't go! Don't ever go! You can't! Kouryuu don't wanna be alone!!!" he sobbed, drenching Koumyou's robes with warm, frightened tears. The monk of thirty-odd years was surprised at his charge's sudden outburst; after all, he was usually such a calm-natured little lad. He let Kouryuu cry himself out, stroking his silky hair and murmuring tender words of comfort until he calmed down.
"My, my...you really seem upset. Did you have a nightmare, Kouryuu?"
There was a muffled sound of confirmation from the depths of Koumyou's sleeves. Kouryuu broke the embrace, rubbed his eyes and looked up at his beloved master, amethyst eyes still overflowing with tears. "Kouryuu dreamt...I dreamt that some bad men came to the temple and began to fight with the other monks. They were really strong and nobody could win against them. You went to help, but..." He refused to say any more and bowed his head, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
"And then?..." Koumyou asked encouragingly.
Kouryuu's voice was small and bitter. "They put a sword to your chest. So much blood came out onto the floor! They let you go but they did it again and again until you fell down." The memory of the solid thump of flesh on wood could still make him wince. "I ran to you because I was scared, but you didn't get up or even move..."
"My poor Kouryuu," Koumyou sighed, ruffling the boy's hair softly and gathering him into his arms. "You needn't worry. I won't leave you alone that way. How could I leave my 'son' alone in this world when he's still so small?"
"You *promise* you won't go anywhere?" sniffled Kouryuu.
"I will always be with you, Kouryuu. Always and always. I never break my promises." Kouryuu nodded mutely and hugged his master tight round the neck, his head buried in the man's shoulder and loose, long incense-scented hair.
They stayed like that for a long time, master and disciple wreathed in summer moonlight. The child's rapid heartbeat slowed to a more sedate rhythm against his master's chest, and at length he looked up and into his master's eyes.
"Do you want to stay here the rest of the night?" asked Koumyou Sanzo after some time.
Kouryuu shook his head stolidly. "No, it's o-kay. I'm a big boy now, I can go back to sleep..." He bowed his head, seemingly changing his mind. "...unless it's all right with oshishou-sama for me to stay?"
"Of course it is!" Koumyou replied with his trademark warm, paternal smile. Kouryuu managed to match it with a relieved, sheepish little grin of his own.
"Just for tonight, of course, oshishou-sama."
"Just for tonight, Kouryuu," Koumyou chuckled as he tucked the blankets warmly around the boy before settling down to resume his own interrupted slumber. "Now, off to sleep you go."
"Oshishou-sama?" a small voice piped up in the darkness, accompanied by a hesitant tug on Koumyou's sleeve.
"Mmmn?"
"Would you sing me the song?"
"The song? Oh, yes, the song. Of course I'll sing it for you, Kouryuu." Koumyou gathered the boy in his arms again, small and warm against him, and started crooning sweet and low to the child.
"Nennen korori yo okorori yo
Kouryuu-chan wa yoi ko da nenne shi na
Nenne no omamori wa doko e itta
Ano yama koete sato e itta
Sato no miyage ni nani moratta
Denden taiko ni shou no fue..."
Go to sleep quietly, off to sleep you go
Kouryuu is a good boy, off to sleep you go
Where is your sleeping charm, where did it go?
Off across the mountains to a far off home
What did it get in the land far away?
A drum to beat and pipes to play.
Kouryuu snuggled down, feeling safe and warm beside his master and father, and was soon off to sleep, his nightmare forgotten. Koumyou reached the end of the song and took a little time to look down upon the peacefully sleeping face. Quietly and softly, Koumyou wiped away the tears still remaining upon the boy's cheeks.
_I could never leave you alone, Kouryuu-chan..._
"But you will," came a deep, somewhat androgynous voice.
Koumyou turned to see Kanzeon Bosatsu sitting on the window frame, idly twirling a lock of hair round her finger. Her eyes bore a strange, glazed look.
"What do you mean?" Koumyou asked, perhaps a little more sharply then how one would usually speak to a god(dess).
"You remember what happened the night you were granted your chakra by your own master? It is doomed to happen again, much the same way as my nephew dreamed it."
Koumyou paled. "No."
"Yep. 'Fraid so. You knew that full well. I told you that when I descended as you were praying for Kaisho Sanzo's soul that night. And you, silly man," she said with a bitter smile twisting her lips, "you had to pass out."
Koumyou flinched. He remembered, all right. "He is still young," he replied quietly. "While he still needs me, I want to be able to protect him. Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama, at least grant me that boon."
Kanzeon sighed and shrugged. "I'll do my best. Teach him as your own shishou taught you, Koumyou, Brightness of Light, and make him strong. I read the stars every night like you read the papers. I see things too frightening even for you to know. Fate is a cruel mistress to all of us."
Koumyou blinked, one arm wrapped protectively around little Kouryuu.
"Well, that's what I'd like to say...but the truth is, I think you're in for a wilder ride than you might expect. You take care of that nephew of mine,
Koumyou. Have fun." She bestowed the monk a saucy wink and swinging one leg
over the window frame, prepared to leave. She hesitated, though, and looked
back, her eyes bearing a trace of gentleness again,
"Who knows...perhaps you will be able to persuade Fate to turn aside her hand..."
Then she was really gone.
Koumyou Sanzo didn't go to sleep for a long while after that, but sat up stroking Kouryuu's head lovingly and
softly humming a lullaby overflowing with love. He would not leave this child still weak and helpless, and not even wild demons could make him do so.
Somewhere in dreams, the child felt the warm touch of those old hands upon his head, and smiled happily.
After all, love has never needed words to speak, ever
since man first drew breath.
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ねんねんころりよ おころりよ
江流ちゃんは よい子だ ねんねしな
ねんねのお守りは どこへいた
あの山こえて 里へいた
里のみやげに 何もろた
でんでん太鼓（だいこ）に 笙（しょう）の笛
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(As you may have read, if you've flipped/scrolled through the reviews, this fic has been MSTed on Smartania. Woo-hoo. I've come of age. :P)
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