Author's Notes: We pause for a small intermission break from Sanzo and Hakkai to highlight the other couples in this twisted little tale. Please don't kill me! * x.x Silrayn gets strangled by several readers * Sorry, I just had to say that. Just see…the title should be more or less self-explanatory…

In Season SAIYUKI FANFICTION

Part 7 - Caught you!

I swore we left our dragon somewhere around here…but where is it? Did Kougaiji-sama or Dokugakuji move it? If so, where would they go with it? And when? They had to take time to pick up my trail again…

Yaone winced as a low branch thwacked her across the knee. She was crashing around the bushes looking for dragon. She tried to be as quiet as she could but the bushes were unexplainably thick all of a sudden. The branches heavily woven together so that there was very little she could do but crash through them. The were more like a rooted low wall, so dense that it reminded her of a hedge-maze she had seen once in a youkai noble's estate that Kougaiji-sama had visited.

As if they grew overnight…[1]

Distinctly odd, she didn't remember them to be this impenetrable.

We couldn't have landed the dragon around here if the bushes were this dense… Maybe I got turned around some place along the way and this is not the place…but I'm almost sure…

She took one more foray into the bushes.

"Yaone-chan, if you want this place searched you should've asked me." Dokugakuji said, as he swung his sword and cleared a fair sized patch of shrubbery.

"Yes, Yaone, we could have helped you." Kougaiji seconded, he sent a fireball to clear a slightly bigger patch. There was a competitive gleam in his eyes.

Yaone made a practice jump up to a low hanging branch and began to use them as a road to get away from her persistent admirers.

Now where did we really stash that dragon…

She really needed to find it. She was tiring from all this running.

Somewhere close by, a satisfied rumble was hardly heard over the crunch of leaves and creak of branches.

***

"Lirin, you know…" Goku stuttered as he ducked down to grab at a silvery shadow. They were both in the stream letting the water ran past their knees. Lirin was a bit farther downstream so that he had to raise his voice over the gurgle of the water.

"Hai?" Lirin asked absently as she doved down into the water after some fish. The front of her bodysuit was more than a little wet. The heavy material clung to her breasts, giving a tantalizing glimpse of shapeliness underneath.

"I don't know why never noticed this before…" Goku continued. He reached out into the water but his eyes were still trained on the girl beyond.

"Hai?" Lirin said. She looked up as she flung two scaly forms to the shore.

"But you look real pretty." Goku said as he bent down ostensibly to grab at a passing shadow in the water but his eyes were still at Lirin's chest.

She did make quite a figure with her slim waist, heavy breasts and lithe hips.

"Are you sure you're all right, Goku? That you didn't hit your head or something?"

She's concerned about me…

That mere fact made Goku's grin goofy.

"Goku...?" Lirin said, wading close to look at him in the eye closely.

"Hai." Goku said with glazed eyes.

"Aa. So let's roast these fish while they're still fresh. I think we have enough for now." Lirin said as she moved from foot to foot nervously.

"Hai." Goku said. His eyes were glazed over.

"What are you doing?" Lirin asked, rather puzzled. She was in the process of climbing a slippery rock treating Goku to the sexy sight of her pert butt.

"Um?" Goku asked.

***

"You're just standing there like you're frozen or something."

What is the matter with him?

Goku hadn't moved from his place in the stream so intent was he at looking at Lirin.

"Ahehehe."

"What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing. Let's get those fish roasted. I'm hungry." Goku's stomach growled loudly on cue.

"Aa." Lirin looked discontented at this but let it go. She had other problems; her feet were sliding off the wet boulder. She scrambled up frantically to safety but it wasn't much use. She felt a pain in her right ankle when she slammed it hard on the boulder as her left foot lost all purchase on the boulder. Then she was falling. Not for long though…

A strong arm went around her back and another tucked into her knees. Then she was on safe ground away from the steep riverbank.

"Ah, Goku-kun, could we rest here a moment?" Lirin asked as she felt sharp needles of light on the edge of her sight and felt her knees giving in. Her ankle hurt like hell.

***

Youkai in heat are very persistent and would go to any lengths to get their mate. They will not stop at trying to get what they want. Worse yet, if they are balked and take a substitute...

They sure are...

Sanzo sighed at this particular passage, very glad that he had gotten out of the woods.

Just in the nick of time...I think I wouldn't be able to restrain myself from inflicting any damage for much longer...

***

Gojyo was waiting outside the tower pondering on what he should do next. He had been there waiting for hours but

Hmmm. I think I'll try the cunning approach first. Sanzo-chan seems to respond to it best...

Gojyo still remembered the time when Sanzo had allowed himself time alone with Hakkai leaving him and the monkey in the inn.

"Oi, Sanzo-chan, don't be shy. Open up." Gojyo yelled.

There that should get him sputtering with indignation...

"Are you afraid of me?" He added for good measure after a moment or two.

Still no answer came from the tower.

I think it's time for some drastic measures...

Gojyo was not a patient man in the first place. He'd had enough of all these delays in his courtship. He called his shakouji and lashed out at the heavy oaken door. The door splintered with a satisfying crash, revealing a stone staircase.

So you want to play hide and seek? That's all right. Ready or not, here I come...

***

"It was mean to leave us all in the forest while you stay here in an inn." Hakkai said cheerfully as he came through the door.

What will I do? I should've known I wouldn't have found Hakuryu alone without Hakkai...that was suspicious enough in its own... I'm rather trapped here... I don't know...maybe I should jump out the window?

A small voice in Sanzo's head suggested--very interesting--alternative courses of action. He told it firmly to take a hike.

It will cause more problems later than it will solve now...

Hakkai gave Sanzo, his most vacuous harmless look.

"We both know better so could you please drop it." Sanzo demanded, suddenly tired of playing this game by the rules.

"Aa. I guess we do." Hakkai replied, predatory desire abruptly surfacing in his eyes. It was extremely disturbing.

O-kay, I shouldn't have said that...

They both looked at each other for a long moment. Sanzo desperately thinking of things to say that wouldn't further aggravate the situation.

Me and my temper...

"I've strewn pepper at the start of our trail to mislead Goku's nose and created a trail to deceive the rest. Don't you appreciate that?" Hakkai asked in a lightning fast change of subject that had Sanzo blinking in puzzlement.

What is he getting at? What game is this, now?

"Thanks, I think…depends on what do you want in exchange." Sanzo glowered.

"Nothing really just--how about sleeping with me?"

"Hakkai!" Sanzo's mind blanked at the thought.

"Ano--I mean beside me." A sweat drop fell off the green-eyed youkai's brow.

Sanzo contemplated the advantages for one long moment...

If I surrender to him then... I don't have to run anymore...not from Goku or Gojyo...but...

"Hai."

Sanzo was sure he was going to regret the answer in the morning but for now, he decided to stop thinking.

***

Gojyo climbed up the stairs two at a time, almost whistling...

Sanzo-chan's going to be surprised...

Without warning, Gojyo found himself being attacked by a barrage of talismans as he came around the spiral staircase.

When did Sanzo ever get proficient with talismans? That was that guy…whatsisname… Rikudo's technique… Oh, no matter… If Sanzo-chan wants to play some more…

Gojyo whipped out his shakuji and destroyed the incoming missiles and put himself in ready stance.

~TBC~

Author's Notes:

[1] Hakkai *cough, cough*

- So…a lemon might or might not follow afterwards… Still depends on what Sanzo-chan and Hakkai get up to…though the odds are that there will be one...when they get up to it...

Sanzo: *blushes* You hentai! *starts to shoot at Silrayn*
Silrayn: *wears question marks (???)* Huh, hentai?
Hakkai: I don't think she meant it that way.
Silrayn: Meant what in what way?
Sanzo: *blushes a bit more*
Hakkai: @_@