Disclaimer: If I owned Saiyuki, you should be afraid.
Warnings: …cross dressing? Slight spoilers for the reason why Nataku's comatose.
Author's Notes: Self-beta. All fuck-ups are mine. Written because I adore Nataku with his hair down. Set in the anime's version of Gaiden. Happy birthday, Goku.


RIBBONS

"You know, you've got really long hair."

"So do you!"

"But yours is way longer!" The brown-haired boy tugs Nataku's blue-black hair for emphasis and the Toushin Taishi wishes that he hadn't let his friend undo his bun.

The brown-haired boy laughs. "You've got girly hair!"

Nataku blushes and glares. "I do not!" He pokes his friend's chest with a finger and adds, "'Sides, if I look like a girl, then you do too because you've got long hair too!"

The Toushin Taishi wonders why he hasn't asked his friend what his name is and he opens his mouth to do so when the other boy suddenly says, "Want me to put ribbons in your hair?"

He chokes at the query and glares when the other boy laughs at him. Nataku is about to refuse when he has a sudden idea. "I'll let you if you let me."

The other boy looks confused for a moment before comprehension dawns on his face and he smiles at Nataku and Nataku wonders how he can refuse his friend anything.

"I know where to get the right clothes," the Toushin Taishi says.

xxx

Kenren is walking along the corridors of Heaven, sake jug swinging from one hand and a small grin on his face. The buzz of alcohol runs through his system, not enough to inhibit his senses but enough to make his thoughts run a bit slow. He rounds a corner and bumps into a little kid.

She promptly falls down on her behind with a cry of surprise and her playmate instantly bends to help her up. They're both cute little girls with their hair done up in red ribbons and wearing colorful silk robes. The brown-haired one is fussing over the one with blue-black hair and Kenren is so amused by the entire thing that he almost forgets to apologize.

"Sorry, little miss," he says and squats down to be on eye-level with them. "Are you okay?"

Eyes wide, the girl nods, not speaking. Upon closer inspection, the ribbons aren't that well-tied and there are some strands of hair that fall loose around the girl's face. They probably did each other's hair, Kenren thinks, and is amused by the notion.

The brown-haired one tugs on her friend's arm but doesn't say anything. Without so much as a 'good-bye', both of them hurry along the corridor in a flurry of silk and red ribbons.

It's only when he's stood up and brushed off his pants does Kenren realize that both little girls have golden eyes.

He stands still for a moment before he bursts out laughing.

xxx

Tenpou is reading in his quarters when he hears some females pass by outside. It's hot today so he's left the door open a crack. Because of this, he clearly overhears their conversation.

"My precious baby's new robes! Stolen! Right from my courtyard!"

"Who would do such a thing?"

"I have no idea. And two sets! Not one, but two!"

The field marshal listens to the second woman sympathize about the stolen silk robes and turns to the next page of his book.

xxx

Konzen's eye twitches as he looks at Goku's get-up. He wonders where the monkey got the robes and ribbons and decides not to ask. His head would probably hurt more if he did.

"Can I keep them, Konzen?" Big golden eyes look up at him and the blond is hard-pressed to refuse but somehow, he manages to.

He glares at Goku and asks, "Where'd you get them?"

"Nataku gave them to me."

Nataku. That meant that even if he did throw out the damn robes, the little idiot would probably go hunt for them the moment he thought Konzen wasn't looking.

He orders Goku to take off the stupid girly things immediately and begins to untie the ribbons in the itan's hair as the boy undoes the clasps and sash and fastens of the robes.

xxx

Goku watches Nataku fall backwards, blood spurting from his wound, his sword clattering to the cold marble of the floor and wonders why the blood looks like the red ribbons they tied around each other's hair long, long ago.