Title: Bar talks
Author: Nanfoodle
Challenge #5
Warning: None I think.Worksafe
Pairings: There's a little brother fluff but nothing else
Notes: This is only my second ever Saiyuki fic so wish me luck!
Bar Talks
It was a bright,sunny day in a little village in the middle of a forest.In the village the was a convenience shop,an inn for those rare travelers,some houses,and one run down bar.As the sun shone down through the musty windows of the bar,most of the people inside wished the sun was still hidden. Among those was one 12 year old Sha Gojyo.
Gojyo sat,or rather lay, in his seat.A groan escaped his lips and the bartender laughed at what he said. "I wish my head would just split in two already and leave me in peace!" The bartender poured a glass of water and brought it over to the kid. "Hangovers do that to you.Mabey you won't drink anymore?" He pulled out some aspirins and sat it next to the water.
"Hell no!"was the reply.He tried to sit up but the sudden movement made his head spin.He took a quick sip of water with an aspirin and put his head back down."I don't remember anything that happened,but I had fun!I know I did!" The bartender laughed again and went to serve his first customer that hadn't been there from the night before.
The new guy was tall.But that was really all you tell of him because he was wearing a travelers cloak that was pulled up over his face.He sat two seats down from Gojyo and ordered his drink.The guy looked around,stopping at this guy,laughing at the drunkards there.He finally came around an stopped at Gojyo.
"Aren't you a little young to be here?"
Gojyo reopened his eyes and look at what he could see of the guy."S' what if I am? None of your business" He closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.
"Does the barkeep know your age?"
Gojyo opened his eyes again,agrivated."Well if he does he doesn't have a problem with it.Now, my head hurts." He groaned again and closed his eyes.
The man turned back and took the drink that had just arrived.Everything was quiet for a while except for the occasional moan heard across the room.It must have been some night.
Gojyo was just about to drift off when the man turned to speak to him again."So why does a kid need to get drunk off his ass?"
Gojyo opened his eyes for the third time,his patience wearing thin. "I have some problems in my life I'd like to forget.I know beer is only a quick fix and later I'll only feel worse,but it sure as hell feels good while it's here." He shifted and took another drink of water."Besides it's nice to escape every once in a while." The man smiled and agreed."What are your problems?"Gojyo asked.It couldn't hurt to talk back to the guy,might as well.
The man looked down and, Gojyo thought, into his drink.He was quiet for a while and Gojyo thought he wouldn't answer.But then he turned again and said "I made a mistake,and I was too weak to face it.So I'm running."The answer was short and vague but it was an answer."What about you?"
Gojyo too had to take time to think of what to say.He eventually came up with "I'm looking for someone,my brother.He left me a couple of years ago after I…killed our mom."
The man sucked in a breath of air and tensed."W-what do you mean…killed your mom? You're just a kid."he waited for Gojyo's answer."Well I didn't actually do it,but it was my fault.If it weren't for me she'd still be her today.And so would my brother."
"Did he leave after she had died?"
Gojyo was silent.The man thought he had fallen asleep for his eyes were closed. "Yea…"He finally said. "He ran after I killed her cause he hated me." His eyes opened half-way an it was hard to tell if it was because he was sleep deprived or nostalgia.
"Why would he hate you?You didn't kill her on purpose did you?"
"No but," he had to top so he could stop himself from falling out of the seat.The man got up and pushed him back up saying something about being drunk and your senses being messed up.He sat on the seat next to him and waited. "She was his mother,not mine.I intruded on their life and family.I caused nothing but trouble" Gojyo sighed and gathered himself."In the end I wasn't strong enough to save myself or stop him from hating me."
The stranger turned his face to him."So now you're looking for a man who hates you? That doesn't make sense."
"Well I want to…thank him…and apologize."His voice was slowing down and he was losing the battle to stay awake much longer. "For what?"the man asked.
"Well"there was a long pause and then "For saving my life four years ago and…for not being strong.And when I find him after all of this…even if he hates me so much he wants to kill me…At least I'll be strong and he'll know" his eyes drifted close one last time and he was asleep.
The man took a drink,lay some money down and got up.When he reached the door he took his hood off and looked back to the child.The man was tall and tan with blue eyes and a blue marking on his face.He smiled,a little sad,and whispered something before he left.
"Come find me…little brother."