Title: Strawberries and Death
By GuroStar
Rating: General Audiences
Prompt: Strawberries. I'm here. Lost . Cry. Funeral
Summary: Funerals were the worst and strawberries were bitter and explain the concept of death wasn't something Sanzo expected he'd have to do.
A/N: I've been using Prompt grids to try and get back into the swig of writing between homework.

Kind of a shitty way to start the day; Sanzo looked at the pale purple sky as the sun rose. There was a bell slowly ringing as a line of monks carried a cloth wrapped figure. It was dismal business to be woken moments before sunrise to be told the remains of a small child had been found. Funerals were the least favourite of Sanzo's priestly duties.

Not because they were sad but because he was expected to act sad and people cried. At least there was no one but the monks to attend. The worst thing had to be crying mothers Sanzo decided as he finished getting dressed and looked over at the child sleeping on a futon beside his bed; 'Their faces are the worst.'

His footsteps echoed slightly on the floor as he proceeded down the hall, hands tucked in the sleeves of his robe and he cursed about the cold. 'Going to this fuss for an unknown body' Sanzo scowled as he approached the room the funeral was to be held in. They were to chant and send prayers to the unknown soul before cremating the remains of the body; as was the Buddhist way.

Sanzo stood in the doorway and the kneeling monks bowed their heads to the floor and began a prayer. The blond walked slowly up to the laid out body. Sanzo hated seeing bodies, as his lip reflectively curled up in disgust. Thankfully his back was to the other monks so they couldn't see him.

As the monks prayer stopped, Sanzo's voice took their place, "May you be filled with loving kindness; may you be well. May you be peaceful and at ease; may you be free from suffering. May all beings be filled with loving kindness; May all beings be well. May all beings be peaceful and at ease; May all beings be happy."

They all bowed to the passed child before the soft chanting and prayers for good passing started again. Sanzo watched as the body was lifted and they proceeded out the door and into the gardens where a bed of wood had been prepared. The body was placed upon it and set ablaze as Sanzo's voice led the prayers. 'Goku will probably awake soon.' He thought as the funeral ended.

The air was thick with the stench of burnt flesh and the smoke it had produced. It almost made Sanzo not want to smoke. Almost. As if on cue Goku was standing in the door way, watching Sanzo and the cleanup of the ashes. He looked confused, worried, and his nose was screwed up as he sniffed the air.

"Breakfast time monkey," Sanzo muttered as he breezed past him and back into the temple, the brunet close on his heels at the mention of food.

Strawberries. That was different Sanzo thought as he picked up one of them and bit the end off. They were a little bitter but that didn't bother the priest; the monkey however exclaimed the tang loudly but continued to eat the fruit anyway paired with a pear and orange.

"What was going on this morning?" Goku asked with a mouthful.

"A funeral," Was the curt response.

"Whats that?"

Sanzo had forgotten how little his charge knew about things, but at least he usually learnt quickly; "It's a ceremony for the dead. Deposing of the body and helping the soul on its way till it's reborn."

There was a thoughtful pause from Goku as he seemed to be intently examining the fruit in his hand, "What's dying?"

Now that wasn't a question Sanzo was expecting to hear. His brow furrowed more as he pondered that; how was he meant to explain to Goku what the passing of life was. He tried to think of how he learnt it but there was nothing, he just seemed to always know the concept of death.

Golden eyes were watching him as he stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and signed, "Death is the end of living existence… That sounded dumb,"

Goku snickered.

"It's when the body stops and you go away forever," Sanzo was readying his fan, "Is that easy enough for your monkey brain to understand."

Goku nodded but he was frowning too now, "I don't want Sanzo to go away forever."

"Shut up."

The chance of a thunder storm continued to seem more and more likely as Sanzo looked out his office window and lent back in his chair. The sky was so dark and the wind bought the smell of earth. The breeze had sent papers flying around Sanzo's office while he'd stepped out to speak to the monks; 'I should have closed the window.' He thought begrudgingly as he gathered the paperwork and documents that had scattered themselves.

Then the realisation hit him; he hadn't seen Goku since breakfast. He said he was going out to play like usual but hadn't come back complaining for food nor had Sanzo seen him running around outside when he'd taken a break from work to look out the window and smoke.

"If it starts raining while I'm out I'll kill the monkey," Sanzo grumbled as he made his way outside the temple.

Warm wind whipped around the priest as he made his round of the garden, expecting to find Goku in a tree or behind a bush sleeping. As he checked each place, Sanzo could feel an uncomfortable twist in his stomach. He'd circled Goku's playing and hiding places three times now and he couldn't find the damn monkey. Where the hell was he?

'Sanzo?'

The voice seemed to echo before the blond spun his head around, looking further than the garden. 'That stupid fucking monkey,' kept repeating in his mind as he left the temple boundary and entered the forest that surrounded. It seemed Goku had gotten bored of the area he was told to stay in and wondered off.

'Sanzo!'

The voice called again, ringing in Sanzo's head and he growled. The monkey was so fucking annoying. He lit up a cigarette as the sky rumbled and the clouds rolled further over the area. He damn near jumped when lightning struck and the voice yelled. Goku was in a panic and Sanzo knew he had to find him under threat of his limiter breaking again.

'Sanzo please where are you?!'

"Where are you? You dumb monkey."

A fat rain drop landed on Sanzo's shoulder, followed by another as the heavens opened up and it began to pour. It was hard to see through the rain. It was like a wall of water falling from the sky, icy cold and drowning out all senses. 'Oh for Buddha's sake.'

'I'm alone… what if I'm alone forever again?'

Goku's voice was frantic in Sanzo's mind as he tried to navigate through the rain; the child was crying now and seemed to be running around making Sanzo's job ten times harder. The blond threw his soggy cigarette down and huffed, pushing his wet locks out of his eyes and trying to peer through the rain as he walked.

"Goku!" He called, hoping the idiot could hear him over the rain.

He called again and again but got no reply. He feared the worse and quickened his pace, Goku was at his limit and Sanzo did not want to fight him in the rain. Sanzo wouldn't admit that what he was feeling was genuine panic for his charge. The little brat was nothing but a pain in the arse.

"Goku!"

"Sanzo?" The priest wasn't expecting a reply as he spun around trying to find the source of the voice.

Then out of nowhere popped the small brunet, drenched to the bone and sobbing heavily. He launched himself at Sanzo, wrapping his arms around the priest and pulling him down to his height. Sanzo felt relief wash over him as he slowly put his arms around Goku also.

"You stupid monkey where have you been?" His voice was calming as he stroked wet hair.

"I got lost," Goku hiccupped and screwed his eyes shut as he clung to his guardian for dear life, "I thought you'd gone away forever Sanzo…"

"Let's get out of this fucking rain," Sanzo didn't want to come across as being too nice as he let the child go.

Goku nodded and reached out his hand and Sanzo hesitantly took it as they navigated back to the temple. An abundance of monks stood in the doorway, obviously worried about where their Sanzo priest had gone to in the rain. They gasped as the soaked pair made their appearance and instantly began to fuss about them; to which Sanzo responded with a growl and proceeded to leave small puddles on the temples floor as he ushered Goku to their shared room.

Thankfully a fire had been lit in their room, the warmth was pleasant assault on their cold bodies. Sanzo picked up a towel and turned to Goku who was still sniffing. He placed it over the child's head and dried his hair, telling him to change out of his clothes or he'd catch a cold.

"You're really nice when you want to be." Goku smiled as he wriggled out of his shirt and pants.

"Shut up." Sanzo's robe dropped to the floor with a wet slap.

Soon they were dry and sitting before the fire with hot tea and the promise of a good dinner soon. Goku was still watching Sanzo, and looked tired as hell. Sanzo turned to face him with a frown and Goku smiled weakly.

"What's up with you?" The blond muttered around the brim of his cup.

"You won't leave me right?" Goku fidgeted and looked at his feet, "I don't wanna be alone… I don't want Sanzo to go away forever… Don't want ya' to die,"

"I'm here," Sanzo put a hand on Goku's head and ruffled his hair, "I'm not going anywhere any time soon got it?"

Goku nodded and managed an actual smile, "I'm really hungry."