Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the Saiyuki characters nor stuff of the sort, i was just experimenting. Please, enjoy.
Chapter 1: Love 1st sight
It was Friday evening and Sanzo sat in a comfortable, green, cushiony chair smoking and reading the paper."I wonder what's taking them so long.", he thought aloud as he exhaled the menthol fumes of a KOOL. "Neh. Who gives a damn. It's better when it's quiet. For once in my life, I don't have a fucking headache"Hakkai, Gojyo, and Goku had gone out to buy supplies and to distract themselves, while Sanzo stayed at the inn to enjoy some peace and tranquility-CRASH! The window at the other side of the room was smashed open. "What the-hell?!", exclaimed the youkai who landed in the room. He was angry and apparently bleeding. Who ever or What ever threw him through the window was very strong. Sanzo stood up scowling and looking annoyed. The youkai jumped out the window and then all that was heard was the sound of cold, unsheathed metal going through flesh and the blood curdling shriek of the youkai. Blood squirted up and fell as quickly as flood waters wash away a whole town. The metallic sound came again, this time to be put back in its sheathe.
Sanzo walked over to the window and looked out. Almost immediately, he caught a glimpse of dark, ebony hair glimmering in the sun light. "Homura!", was the first thing that came to his mind. But as he took another look, he realized it was a woman, "A very beautiful one at that.", thought Sanzo. Wait up! Sanzo shook his head. "Beautiful? What the fedge?! What's wrong with me?!", he thought to himself. The woman walked up to the window, his heart began to race. She was an average height (about 5'6"), had short black hair that stuck out oddly, and big, semi-drooping, pink eyes.
A katana hung at her side, she wore grey, baggy pants, and a black leather jacket over an upper body covered in bandages.
"Hi there, Kuroi no Jusan, nice to meet you. You're a Sanzo priest aren't you?", she as she extended her hand to greet him. Her voice was level and musical, like a chord of bells, all in harmony. Sanzo cleared his throat and shook her hand slowly, his face rid of all expression as it had been all this time. "Jusan, eh? Genjyo, Genjyo Sanzo. it's nice to meet you,-I guess.", he responded dully. Jusan only smiled, she was really listening to the distant footsteps of Hakkai and company, who were hurrying back to see what happened.
"Hah-hah-wha-hah-what-happened-?", asked Hakkai as he arrived outside the window where Jusan stood and looked in to check on Sanzo. Soon Gojyo and Goku arrived. "SANZO, ARE YOU OKAY?! That youkai didn't try to eat you, too, did he?!", asked Goku excitedly. "Of course he didn't you Monkey! Can't you see Ol' droopy eyes is still here?", answered Gojyo. Sanzo stood there looking very irritated. He reached for his gun and fired a couple of rounds into the roof, the excited chatter ceased immediately. Everybody was quiet. Hakkai stood there with his usual smile, Goku cowered behind him,
Gojyo scowled at the ground, and Jusan just stood there looking unamused. "Well that was interesting.",she said dryly," Looks like someone has his robe wrapped on a little too tight." The three men nodded, they knew Sanzo wouldn't be happy until he trimmed some hair off of someone's head. It didn't matter which one, he will shoot. "Great. Now I have a headache. Must you blundering idiots talk so loudly?!", sighed Sanzo in an exasperated tone. "Well you can't blame us for worrying about you, Master Sanzo.
After all, you are the one who keeps the order between us and our leader. Who knows what would be of me if you weren't here to control Goku and the roach-I mean Gojyo.", said Hakkai cheerfully. "Hey! Who're you callin' a 'roach'?! You-you-uh...whatever you are!", replied Gojyo reproachfully. Goku just stood there- laughing at Gojyo's misery then he turned to Jusan. "Hey, I'm Goku. Did you kill that youkai that wanted to eat Sanzo?", he asked.
"Well, I'm not sure he wanted to eat him, but yeah, I killed 'm.", answered Jusan. "So sweet cheeks, you kill youkai. What else can you do?", said Gojyo, now looking attentively at the girl. Jusan looked at him for a while, then answered with a smile," I can cook. In fact, This right here's my inn. I wasn't around to receive you when you arrived, so to make it up to you, I'll cook dinner. How's that sound?" Goku's eyes lit up instantly, " Dinner? Hey Sanzo, I like her already!" The one with the eyes of amethyst only stood there, scowling, wondering if he'd need to use either his gun or his fan. He then looked up and told the kid,"Goku, you like anyone who offers you food. Now shut up and let me sleep."Sanzo climbed back into the room, closed the shutters to his window, closed the curtains, and laid himself down on the bed that lay adjacent to the wall, a few feet from that one window.
"Damn, this is stupid. If I get caught up in whatever the hell that chick made me think, some dumb ass youkai's going to tag me and I'll be done for. No, that's stupid. I'm not going to die any time soon, but if I do, it's her fault.", Sanzo murmured to himself, he turned to his side and fell into an uneasy sleep (as always).
Mean while, in the dining area, Goku and Gojyo argued over nothing while waiting for their food, while Hakkai helped Jusan in the kitchen.
"So, do you like cooking, or is it just something you learned and do because you're bored or you have to?", asked Hakkai while chopping some carrots. "Huh?", Jusan looked up from a pile of sea weed," Oh no, I love to cook, it took me years to make a decent dish of sashimi, though.", she added. The two continued their hobby-like activity and soon the whole "SHI-BAM!" was ready. Hakkai and Jusan walked out of the kitchen with Uber trays of food-the spread was beautiful.
"WOW!", Goku's eyes lit up. "Sushi, lo-mein, sashimi, curry chicken, spring rolls, meat and bean buns-", he drooled on and on, reciting the name of every dish set on the table. "Well, I guess I'll go tell Sanzo that dinner's ready", said Hakkai, already walking towards the room. "Don't bother Hakkai, I'l do it. You sit down and eat, 'kay?, said Jusan as she walked over to him and offered a seat. Hakkai nodded and sat down with an appreciative smile.
Jusan walked towards the door and knocked. The latch of the door opened from the inside and the figure of Sanzo came into view as the door slowly opened. "May I come in?", she asked. Sanzo shrugged and lighted a smoke. "You're half way through and the owner of the inn, do what you want, personally, I don't give a damn.", he said sternly. Apparently he hadn't been able to sleep because his shirt was off and he was wearing his reading glasses. "Well, I just came to tell you, sir, that diner's-", Sanzo cut her off. "Don' bother, I'm not hungry.", he said coldly. "Oh, okay. Well, I'll bring you up some sushi and lo-mein, just in case.", said Jusan with a cheerful tone in her voice. She closed the door behind her and walked back to the table.
"So pretty face, how'd it go with that arrogant prick of ours?", asked Gojyo, his face partially illuminated by the candles on the table. "Gojyo, I don't really think you should ask if you already know the ans-", Hakkai was cut off by Jusan who took a sip of her oolong tea and said," He said he wasn't hungry, but I promised I'd bring him up some sushi and lo-mein." Goku looked up from his 7th bowl of fried rice and curry chicken and said," Wha, Sanzo's not hungry? Is he sick or something?" Hakkai turned to him with his usual smile and responded," Don't worry, Goku, he's probably not in the mood to see any of our faces and would rather sleep." The air around them felt uneasy now, then the door to Sanzo's room opened. He walked over to the table and-WHACK!
"Who's the 'arrogant prick'?!", asked Sanzo while he whacked Gojyo repeatedly on the head with his paper fan. Apparently, he'd been listening to their conversation all this time. "Ow! Cut-it-out-you-scu-ffy-monk! Ow-Ow-Ow-Ow-OW!", cried Gojyo, who then got a hold of the moody priest's wrist. In the blink of an eye, Sanzo had his banishing gun pointed at Gojyo's crotch. The kappa let go, he knew Sanzo would shoot if you gave him a reason enough to do it. "Uh, Sanzo, please calm down and eat with us. After all, he's not worth you wasting your ammo on him.", said Hakkai in a very preoccupied tone. Sanzo lowered his gun and sat down next to Hakkai who now found himself between Jusan and the blond himself. "Master Sanzo, not to judge or anything, but you're a high ranking priest that drinks, smokes, curses, and kills. Doesn't that bother you?", asked Jusan, trying to hold a conversation with Sanzo, who was quietly sipping a glass of chilled sake.
"That's really none of your business, is it?", answered Sanzo, setting down the glass slowly and giving her a cold stern look from behind Hakkai. Jusan felt something like fear to be stared at like that. The gaze of those violet eyes were enough to stop anyone's heart, even the bravest of them all. "So, how long do you plan on staying here? I hardly get any company, so if you all are willing to spend the night, it would be lovely." said the woman warmly.
Dinner was over and there was a very uncomfortable silence. No one spoke for what seemed ages, then- "We'll stay here for tonight. But we'll have to leave early next morning, we have a very tight schedule.", droned Sanzo in a cool, calm, somewhat annoyed voice. Goku, who was now full and satisfied, reeled to his room, shut the door and soon fell asleep. Hakkai stood up and helped Jusan clean up the table, Gojyo was having his after dinner smoke, and Sanzo just sat there drinking sake and smoking a KOOL.
"Well, I think I'll go to bed now. Aren't you tired?", commented Hakkai as they finished washing the dishes. "Nah, man. I think I'll stay up a little later. I've got some matters to tend to", said Jusan. "Alright well, good night.", said Hakkai."Rest well", answered Jusan as Hakkai walked out of the kitchen and to his room. A few minutes later, Jusan came out and sat at the table with Sanzo and Gojyo. "What do you want?', asked Sanzo. "Now, now, monk. The lady just wants to give us some company.", said Gojyo in a cocky tone. Jusan only smiled at him and poured herself some sake from the bottle at the center of the table.
"So pretty lady, what makes a world wonder, such as yourself, have very few guests at this wonderful inn of yours?", asked Gojyo who was apparently trying to flirt. She was silent for a moment, took a sip from her glass and said, "What makes my place so isolated from the rest, you ask? I'll tell you. It's my heritage, my family, where I came from. I swear these damn townspeople are so screwed up!" everything went silent for a few seconds. Sanzo, who was secretly listening, puffed at his KOOL, Gojyo also took a hit from his smoke, and even the crickets seemed to shut up. "What happened?", asked Gojyo suddenly.
"My grand father was a youkai. When he and my grand mother married, they were shunned. Later, their son met my mother in this town, it was a scandal. "A woman who fell in love with a taboo child ?!" they said. Then I was born, and everybody stared us down. We were spit at, cursed at, and nobody gave my father work. He stayed at home and did odd jobs here and there, but we hardly had any money most of the time. My mother had to resolve to being a whore to make a living. Father never really liked it, but there was no other choice. Eventually, my mother became ill and died, and my father soon followed. I was orphaned, all alone in this world of hypocrisy. Then a very kind woman took pity on me and took me in, and when she died she left everything to me. Now I own this inn, but what good is it when hardly anybody stops by? I live off the inheritance that kind woman left me, it's all I have right now. Yet I have no one to talk to.", Jusan was crying now, her voice was hoarse and tears were running down her almost angelic face. Gojyo got up and wrapped his arms around her. "Cry it out sweetheart, it's alright.", he said as he poured her another cup of sake. She accepted it gratefully and drained it in an instant. She then wrapped her arms around Gojyo and continued crying until she was almost completely asleep. "I'm sorry for bothering you this way, enjoy your stay.", said Jusan as she lifted her head from Gojyo's shoulder and reeled off to her room.
"Hn. That was annoying, glad that's over.", said Sanzo out of nowhere. "You cold hearted prick! Weren't you listening? She's had it hard, you're not the only one here with problems, y'know that?! Asshole!", exclaimed Gojyo. Sanzo took out his gun and pointed it at the kappa. "Let's see, 500 yen I hit your fat head." BANG ! "Hn. Looks like I missed, I must be getting lazy. Well, I'm going to sleep, later you annoying bastard", said Sanzo coldly. Then-BANG! He shot again, this time it singed one of the kappa's antennae.
"You dumbass! Watch what you're doing!", exclaimed Gojyo. Soon they were both in their respective rooms and Sanzo was feeling pretty uneasy. "all alone in this world of hypocrisy", kept drifting through his mind.
"-the fuck?!", he whispered to himself. He turned to his right side to face the wall. There was a knock at his door soon after that. Sanzo grumbled and slowly got up to see who it was. He unlocked the door and opened it ajar. There was a quick flash of surprise on his cold, set, face. Then he said, "Oh it's you, what do you want?" Jusan stood in the door way wrapped in a white blanket to keep her warm and to offer her some comfort.
"M-may I come in? I j-just want to t-talk.", she said in a shaky voice.
Sanzo let her in and closed the door after her. He then offered her a seat in the green chair he"d been sitting in when they first met. Again, Jusan felt those amethyst eyes upon her, and she couldn't help but blush. Sanzo sat on his bed, lit another KOOL, and said, "Okay, let's hear it. What do you want to talk about?" Jusan looked up in surprise, he actually wanted to talk! "You seem very quiet and collected, I never thought you'd actually agree to talk to me.", she said slowly as she stared at her lap. The priest lifted an eye brow, "What do you think I am? Some cold-hearted prick who doesn't give a damn about others?", he asked.
"Heh. Actually, yes. You seem so cold and distant, so aggressive and protective about your own emotions, that I thought you wouldn't care about anyone else's. Not to mention mine.", Jusan was blushing in embarrassment, she felt like she'd committed a terrible mistake in saying that, but it was the truth, and the truth must be told. Sanzo stared at her, scowling at the top of her head because her face was looking down at her lap all this time. "Damn this chick! What the hell gives her the right to judge me?! She isn't all that perfect!", he thought as he sat there scowling at her.
"Please forgive me, master Sanzo. It wasn't my place to say such things.", responded Jusan as she felt the gaze of those purple eyes hit -100 degrees Fahrenheit. She felt...afraid? "Yes, that must be it", she thought as she faced down ward with her eyes shut tight. Sanzo sat there looking at her, for what seemed like ages, as if he was about to shoot her for what she had just said. Then he spoke, "Is that it?", he said dryly. "Master Sanzo, please for-", she was cut off by Sanzo who said, "Why don't you look at me? What do you have to hide?" Jusan lifted her head up slowly until those killer eyes met up with hers. Tears were running down her face. A shadow of understanding came to Sanzo's face, but only for a few seconds. "Hey, stop crying, you'll flood the place. Besides, all these predicaments are not worth your tears.", said Sanzo as he got up to get her a tissue or two or three, etc.(the whole box). "Here", he said handing her the tissues, "dry your face. You're too pretty and strong-willed to be crying over such nonsense as the ignorance of the people.■
Jusan blushed, and it was only then that Sanzo realized what he'd just said. A faint shade of pink appeared on his still, emotionless face. Jusan couldn't help smiling and apparently, neither could Sanzo. (Only a little, though. It was one of those quick invisible smiles of his.
END OF CHAPTER 1!