Disturbed- Ch.2

Gojyo and Goku slid the last few feet down the hillside and landed in front of the impatient monk. Laughs followed the descent.

"Have fun?" Sanzo barked from under the golden locks that had fallen over his eyes.

"Hey, we came down as fast as we could, man!" Goku replied.

"Whatever. Can we get Hakkai somewhere safe, please?" The blonde stood up and walked off as Goku helped Gojyo get a good hold of Hakkai. The red-haired youkai ducked under one of the limp form's arm and it rested on his shoulder. His own arm that was free held him by the waist. He scampered off into the entrance of the barn after the others.
Hakkai was placed gently onto a haystack at the furthest left corner of the barn. The other three sat around him, contemplating on what do to next.

"So…what now?" Gojyo broke the awkward silence before pulling out a magazine of matches and lighting a cigarette.

"Gimme one of those." Sanzo snapped and snatched the box.

"Well, someone's got PMS."

"Shut the hell up!"

"Sanzo…" Goku scooted over to sit beside him. "What's wrong? Hakkai'll be okay, honest… I'm hungryyyyyyy!"

"You're always hungry, you monkey." Gojyo rolled his eyes, and Goku turned to face him.

"Stupid kappa! You don't know anything about me!"

"I've spent more time than I can TAKE with you!"

Sanzo's left eye twitched in annoyance as the two continued bickering. After waiting a while for it to stop to no avail, the monk sprang up and stalked out of the barn. The others stopped immediately.

"I don't trust him on his own…" Gojyo followed him.

"Find me something to eat!" Goku called out after him. He decided to stay with the older one.

--- -

"Hmm…I see. How long have they been gone?"

"A few hours, I think. And I'm SO hungry, I'm about ready to go look by myself…"

This complaint was followed by a faint growl that emanated from the little one's stomach.

"They'll be back soon, I'm sure of it." Goku was washed over with relief when he was subjected to Hakkai's reassuring smile again.

When Hakkai didn't smile, something had to be wrong. There was rarely a time when the youkai actually frowned. And it was usually that smile that helped them along the arduous journey they were destined to travel. The smile was flawless, even when the feeling behind it wasn't a good one.

About an hour later, after the two left behind fell asleep, Gojyo and Sanzo got back with solemn faces and empty handed. Goku's supreme sense of hearing startled when he heard the padding of Gojyo's boots and the sliding of Sanzo's robes along the ground.

"Food? Food for me?! Where's the food?!" He leaped onto the shoulders of Gojyo.

"Sorry! This entire village is totally abandoned save a few residents living on the streets."

"Did you find out what happened?" Hakkai's faint voice asked. Both Gojyo and Goku noticed the relieved expression on Sanzo's face before it faded seconds later.

"Don't worry about it right now. How're you feeling so we can leave?"

The kappa shifted his weight to another leg to make supporting the hyperactive youkai on his shoulders easier.

"I'm alright, really. We can head out now. I'm curious as to whom is responsible for the abandonment."

Sanzo snorted.

"We were told the villagers were chased out by a band of wandering youkai."

"Hm…"

"I'm hungry you guys! Oh yeah, where Hakuryuu?"

The little dragon squeaked as it flew down from its roost on a crevice in the ceiling. It landed on Hakkai's shoulder.

"There he is! Why didn't he sleep with you?" Goku poked at it and it hissed in agitation.

Hakkai stroked its neck lovingly before slowly rising to his feet.

"When I have nightmares, I tend to shift around a lot. One time I rolled on top of him and he was stuck there the entire night." This elicited a laugh from the three into the grim atmosphere. Of course, Sanzo only shook his head.

"Well, let's go to the next village you guys! I'm about ready to eat one of you!"

"I'm sure you are, Goku." Gojyo choked back laughter as he left the barn. Goku smacked him across the head from his seat on his shoulders.

"Get down from there before I toss you off!"

Sanzo turned to face Hakkai after they had left. It was rare he stared at anyone, much less for a long period of time.

"What is it?"

The monk's eyes widened as if he was knocked out of thoughts he was deeply engrossed in. "…Nothing. Let's go."

The last two of the group followed the kid and the kappa out.

They were on the road again before they knew it, and sped off down a road past the village and into a flowery field. The youkai invasion of the town didn't involve them, and it was pointless to try and save an abandoned town anyway.

"Hakkai, stop!" The moment the jeep slowed down to do so, the boy leaped out of it and bolted a certain distance away before allowing himself to drop onto his back on the grass. The sun was beginning to set. The multicolored sight was fading to one of shades and it did, but the pink and oranges of the sun only gave way to night filled with dashing stars.

Sanzo let out a deep growl.

"Since when did we have the time to lay about, Goku?!"

"Come on, now. My stomach can wait a little longer."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT YOU HYENA!!" The monk pulled out his fan and followed Goku's actions to reach him and smack him a few times with it.

"Owie! So, I'm a hyena now?"

Suddenly, Sanzo felt a huge weight on him and tumbled to the ground. Gojyo sat on him and laughed heartily.

"I'm going to kill you."

"Aw, Sanzo…You're such a loser."

Hakkai sat next to Goku and Hakuryuu took up a post in the crevice of his legs when he crossed them.

"Not you too, Hakkai…We've sat in one place enough! It's already nighttime! What are we going to sleep here all night?!"

All three of his companions smiled.

"No…No freaking way! I'm not going to sleep on the ground, no matter how fruity you all are!!"

Turned out Sanzo fell asleep where he layed with Gojyo and Goku sleeping not far away. Goku kept kicking at the monk in his sleep so was forced to sleep at a distance. Gojyo decided to keep him company.

Small gasps and cries from the sleeping figure beside him jolted him awake. He turned his head, and Hakkai was having a night terror; sweat and all.

"Hey Hakkai, settle down. You woke me up." He complained groggily. The yelps didn't stop, so he sat up to look down at the other. His hair and clothes matted his skin with the sweat, and his normally serene face was contorted in pain. With a small tap from Sanzo, the youkai opened his eyes and glanced up at him from his position. This caused the monk to blush, so he turned away.

"You were having nightmares."

"Oh. Thanks, Sanzo." He folded his arms and rested on his two hands that supported his face in the place of a pillow. It was a very childish action, but his eyes closed soon after. He glanced over at Gojyo and Goku who were in deep sleep, then turned to Hakkai again.

"Hey, are you comfortable?" He asked this hastily as if to get it out of his system.

Hakkai's eyes shot open at the question. Sanzo would never even smile at anyone…Why was he acting that way?

"Don't act so surprised. Are you or not?" He spat out.

"I have a headache, but I'm okay otherwise."

"Why can't you use your chi?"

"It's not that simple…It takes a lot of energy to summon even a bit of it up. I wouldn't do it for something this small. I guess it's because I've slept wrong the past couple of days."

"You need support for your head and neck. Rest your head on my shoulder."

No answer or even any movement.

"I'm only going to do this once, so take advantage."

"…Thank you, Sanzo. And I'll keep it between us."

"I was expecting you to anyway."

Hakkai smiled and half crawled over to lay his head on the monk's slim shoulder.

"Until tomorrow, Sanzo."

"Yeah."

The two drifted off to sleep, Sanzo a bit later than Hakkai.

Goku shut his eyes, a twinge of jealousy keeping him only resting his eyes for a while. He cuddled into Gojyo's taut stomach.