Shine For Me
By Sukunami Taka
When the stars start falling, it become harder for you to carry the darkness, again…
I see the light dim softly, going out from your eyes, it has become harder to see…
It always hurt, never ending, again the pain sometimes becomes unbearable…
I feel like falling, when your hand reaches out…
Catches me again, the fall never ending stops…
Now I see the light in your eyes, you're shining for me…
You're shining for me…
Warm crimson blood smattered across the eroding desert floor, sliding away red and gold as the desert sun. Son Goku, earth child, demon child, watched as his shining light disappeared as fading smoke. Someone had snapped the wavering candle light and shut it away. Someone had taken away his shining living light. That someone was him…
So you won't let anything happen to me? Anything…you promise? Baka, there's no need for promises. But you promise? Do you… Ha…fine, I promise, I won't let anything happen to you.
The gentle dry air carefully blew the long strands of sepia across wide golden eyes, obscuring the black, black outline of the tall slender figure. Obscuring the sight. Obscuring his numbing pain.
His light shining hair fell across the sun averse cheeks, pallid colors among the stark brightness of the sand and sky, yellow and blue….bright colors, the cruel gold…the firm hands shook, breathe became catching, then gasping……hard to cling onto parched desert air……..
Goku watched…unable to help, unable to….do anything…… haven't I done enough?
flashback
"Goku……….Goku………doko ni?? Baka…..Goku!!" the furious monk cursed, much to the amusement of his two more nonchalant companions.
"Mah, mah" comforted Hakkai, "He must be just hiding somewhere………demo Sanzo, you've hurt him……"
"Nani yo??!!"
"Mah…….dai joubu….we'll find him soon………"
The two went off, leaving Sanzo alone…..with a start, he realized that it had began to rain and cursed again, he was getting wet………
Yanking his trailing robe through the scratching underbush, Sanzo looked apathetically for the young demon child, then a whimper caught his attention. He half turned, narrowing his eyes to see better through the half light and shadow games of the forest…his sardonic smiled returned.
With a single sweep he parted the flowing leaves, revealing the dripping form of Goku all hunched up in the slashes of shade. Towering over him Sanzo growled, "Had enough fun, baka?"
The voluminous eyes with swirling liquid gold looked up…sadness, disappointment…..clarity……
Something softened within the priest…"Nani yo……"
The boy shivered… "Promise……onegai…."
"This is not the time for promises……."
"Onegai…….Sanzo………"
Dark purple eyes looked away, he sighed, "Nani…….."
"Promise…….promise that you'll always be here…….with me…."
Sanzo looked at the waiting boy, sitting in the cold, in the damp…..and held out his hand, "Iko ne, baka……let's go back……together……."
Goku looked up, his golden eyes trembling, and grabbed onto the waiting hand……
The red blossomed like passion upon the robe, spreading as wet paint on canvas…..an open red, red rose, blood dripping….the lank scroll slipped down, his arms dropped…the slender form began to fall….
I'll protect you! I promise…I'll always protect you with all my strength! Don't make promises so easily baka, you have to keep them… I'll keep them! I promise, I'll protect you…..I promise…..
He pounded into the shifting sands, a seemingly loud crash into the silent desert, gold upon gold……mirage……a deception…..yet he had fell……and sank into the waiting harshness…
I promised, I will keep my promise…..but here… I can't protect you….
The rain had come unnoticed, pounding into forgiving sand. Pitter patter pitter patter…tat a ta tat a tat ta……………….sssshhhhhhhhh……each drop slamming hard, consistently, constant……..tat a ta tat a tat ta…until it's hardness faded away to a silent whisper…….unnoticed.
A calm soft hand rested on the boy's shoulder. Wide golden eyes turned…….meeting a tender smile. "Come along Goku…it's raining….."
Come along Goku, it's raining…
"Uh…hai….." The rain had made the harsh gold into dimmed grey, the desert now became a shadowless haven beneath the beautiful night sky.
Wide golden eyes turned to meet emerald cut eyes…. Hakkai…
Waiting behind……….. Gojyo…
Now I see the light in your eyes…
The sinking everlasting eyes opened…….violet swirls…….violet loss….
San…zo…
"Iko, baka………you've kept us waiting long enough….."
"Uh…hai….."
Beside the slender form, he felt small, inadequate…..the small demon child…
You won't let anything happen to me…
"Sanzo….I won't let anything happen to you…I promise…..I promise…..I won't let anything happen to you……"
Violet eyes shifted…..
"Baka…….this is no time for promises…… I don't need your promise….."
Now I see the light in your eyes…
"I won't…..I'll keep you safe…"
Sanzo stopped……a barely heard sigh…..he placed his hand upon the boy's head, violet eyes watched the trembling golden, melting tears….
"I can't promise that nothing would happen to you…..baka…..but…"
He took his hand away, tucking both in the billowing sleeves.
"But, you're safe with us…..with me……..that I promise…….now let's go…"
You're shining for me…
Above the dunes, a new awaken sun began to rise, its molten rays received by evanescent cerulean darkness.
Dedicated to Koori chan for her sixteenth birthday…..otanjoubi omedetou, and hope you like this fic…….