Predilection Chapter 7: Progression, a saiyuki fanfic

Title: Predilection
Authoress: Hikaru Risqué Kudou
Ratings: PG
Chapter: 7/7
Genre: Shounen-ai / Mild yaoi, General , Romance, Angst, Humour
Pairings: Sanzo/Goku, Gojyo/Hakkai, one-sided Homura/Goku (as always)
Warnings: Minor OOC-ness, clichéd plot, the authoress' imperfect English, grammatical errors, late update, etc
Summary: Conflicts, fears and confusions arise as Sanzo and Goku struggle to explore and understand the foreign feeling they have for each other.
DISCLAIMER: It is a general knowledge that Saiyuki is under Minekura Kazuya-sensei's ownership.

Authoress' Notes: Yatta, last chapter! Expect lots of Sanzo/Goku sap and fluff!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Let's see…I've tried left…so this time I should go right," Goku mused. He sneezed as the cold wind pierced into his skin like ice, and he rubbed himself to keep warm. "Oh, it's a good thing Sanzo's warm and well in his room…" He sneezed again, and continued walking. "I'm going to get sick…Sanzo won't take care of me if I'm sick…I don't want to trouble Hakkai…"

He pushed the low branches away, and for a moment he caught a glimpse of gold tuft on the ground. Frowned, he thought that it looked almost like Sanzo's own tresses. His curiosity got the best of him, and he advanced towards it, and when the mist cleared away, he gasped when he saw whose hair was it.

"SANZO!!!!" cried Goku, panicking.

- - - - -

"I think I heard Goku's voice…" Hakkai said, wrinkling his forehead. "So which way should we head to?"

"Left, I think…" Gojyo pondered.

"Eh? I could have sworn it's from our right…" Hakkai sighed. "That means we are lost."

"Argh! That corrupted monk and stupid monkey owe us big time…" Gojyo pouted. "If we're not getting ourselves lost in the middle of nowhere, we could be spending ample, precious time having a get-to-know each other better session!"

Hakkai had to chuckle. "Why, Gojyo, I thought you know me considerably, what with all the other sessions we have had…"

"Oh, come on!"

"Gojyo, Gojyo, focus! We have to find them!" Hakkai caressed Gojyo's arm tenderly. "Once we're done, I promise you, we'll have the session for a longer period of time, ne?"

Gojyo grinned roguishly. "You know how to make a man feel better…"

- - - - -

"SANZO!!!!!!" Goku sprang forward, glided to his knees, and sat next to Sanzo. "Sanzo! Open your eyes! Please!" Goku raised Sanzo's head, placing the feeble head on his lap. Goku thought how dirt had ruined Sanzo's splendour. "Sanzo! Please wake up! Sanzo!" He stroked his muddled hair subsequently cleaning the grim away from Sanzo's face. Silently Goku thought how—adorable his master looked, so delicate, so…breathtaking. "Sanzo, I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…it's my fault…everything is my fault…if I didn't flee from you, you wouldn't be like this…" And he cried some more, his pearly tears descended from his mournful face, and fell on Sanzo's forehead.

"I don't want to leave you, Sanzo…" His right hand held the hand that was on his cheek, squeezing it lovingly. He closed his eyes, remembering how affectionate the touch was, and how similar the touch was to Sanzo's own…

"Sanzo?" His eyes flew open, and he was staring straight into Sanzo's half opened ones. Sanzo looked so weak, that it was hard to associate him to the strong man that he was. "I—I'm sorry…"

"Goku…"

"I shouldn't have run away from my sun…because I—I like you more than I like buns…" By then tears were blinding him, and he cried like a child.

"Goku…"

"I don't care if you hate me, Sanzo…but let me stay with you, please…I beg of you…I kept on thinking about you, and—and…when Homura kissed me, I couldn't help thinking about you—I know you're so angry with me—don't say that I love Homura, please, Sanzo…I don't want to see hatred when you look at me…I know you don't like Homura, but don't let it out on me…if you hate me so much, then shoot me right now. I'd rather die if you're just going to hate me for the rest of my life…"

"Oi, bakasaru…" whispered Sanzo, his tone impatient.

"Ah, yes, Sanzo?" Goku stopped babbling. This time his eyes held fear, and they widened when Sanzo made an attempt to move his hand, the one not in his (Goku's) grasp. 'He's going to shoot me…it's better this way…'

"I—need you."

Goku was stupefied. That was one answer he did not expect coming out of Sanzo's trembling lips, yet he heard it clearly. "S—Sanzo?"

"Whether you like it or not it's 'I need you'. I don't say things I'm unsure of, so I can't say 'I love you'. I don't give a damn what love means anymore," thus resumed Sanzo, his face softening, and there was a tinge of scarlet colouring his pale cheeks. "Or whether I'm only lusting for you. But I know one thing—I want and need you, Goku. I swear on my gun, if you ever try running away again…I'll shoot you down."

"S-Sanzo…"

"That threat not good enough? Fine, I'll shoot myself."

"Sanzo! Don't even think about it! I don't want you to die!"

"Shut up and listen to me!" With this Goku pursed his lips in an attempt to stop babbling all over again. "Goku…I'm sorry for the outburst. I was on the verge of killing that screwed up god when he did that—that $%#@^&# will get it from me one day…"

Goku hated crying, but tears were flowing uncontrollably. "This is not like you, Sanzo…you mustn't say sorry to me…"

"Damn it, Goku…I am human too. And I'm certainly capable of this." The hand on Goku's face pulled his lips closer to his own, and without giving it any second thought, his devoured the real savour of Son Goku, the latter consenting obediently.

- - - - -

"DAMN IT! Where the heck am I?" demanded Homura, who was elsewhere, yet facing the same predicament. He did get out of the maze-like forest for one second, but later he got himself back in. "Am I this stupid!!?? Curse that God of Misdirection!!!! How am I going to find Son Goku??"

- - - - -

Gojyo was determined that they would find Sanzo and Goku before dawn. Cursing the two of them for putting him and his lover in this mess in the first place, Hakkai's touches did nothing to soothe the rage in him. "Hakkai, if we can't find them, can we just go back?"

"Gojyo!"

"Listen, listen…we'll take Hakuryu, okay? I know he's a busybody whenever I'm spending my quality time with you, but it's better this way. It'll be much easier for us, and for them too…"

- - - - -

When they broke the kiss, somewhat reluctantly, they found themselves admiring each other's worn out countenance. Goku started crying again, but Sanzo whispered "Baka saru…" and wiped the tears away with his wobbly fingers. "We should go back."

"Um…"

"Damned frigging rain," mumbled Sanzo, standing up groggily with Goku's aid. "By the look of things I doubt if it'll be stopping any time soon. I'm really going to kill the God of Weather…"

"Yeah, but Sanzo…at least now we're together, ne?" Goku virtually hopped a few times, making his enthusiasm known. "Let's go back!" He grinned joyfully. "I bet Hakkai and the kappa are worried sick. Well, maybe not the kappa…"

Sanzo snorted, suppressing a chortle and started walking, with Goku supporting him. "I bet they're screwing each other silly."

"Ne, Sanzo…what does 'screwing each other' mean?" asked Goku with considerable amount of naivety he was known to possess. "Is that what you do to your loved ones?"

'****…how am I going to answer…?'

"Ne, ne?"

"Idiot…"

"Sanzo, I'm serious! Oh, I get it! You don't know how to put it into words!"

Sanzo's eyebrows quivered. "You're too young to know."

"But, Sanzo! We're together! Like that kappa and Hakkai! I deserve to know!"

"When you're ready."

"Ha? I am now!"

Sanzo frowned, by no means annoyed. He was enjoying the conversation. "Maybe when you're older."

"SANZO~!!!"

- - - - -

"Hakuryu!" Hakkai burst into their room, scanning for his white dragon. "We need you now!"

Hakkai's pet flew to its owner and stood on his shoulder, awaiting instruction. "Kyu?"

"We have to find Sanzo and Goku. Let's go."

"Kyuu…?"

"Yes, in this weather."

Gojyo raised an eyebrow, wondering how incredible it was to see a human being—okay, a youkai, but a human nonetheless in other senses—talking, no, communicating with a dragon and understanding its every word. "Um, Hakkai…"

Before Hakkai could answer, the door was kicked open. On reflexes, Hakkai conjured a qi ball and Gojyo stood in a fighting stance.

"Sanzo's sick!" announced Goku as he entered with a staggering Sanzo in his embrace.

Gojyo was momentarily flabbergasted. "You're back!"

"Don't say I'm sick, saru," said Sanzo, sitting on his bed, "I'm just a bit—tired."

"No, no, no, you are sick. I'm taking care of you. Take your clothes off."

"What?"

"They're dripping wet. If you keep on wearing them, you'll never get better! I'll help you with your robe!"

Sanzo glared at both Gojyo and Hakkai, mentally ordering them to evacuate the room and leave him with Goku. Gojyo was unwilling, his horny minds thinking what would he be missing, and was about to give a retort when Hakkai pulled him away, shut the door, hauled him to their own space, and fulfilled the promise he had made earlier.

Sanzo permitted Goku to undress him, first starting with his robe, and then his black bodice. In doing so Goku could not help awing Sanzo's lean body. "I like your body…it's so…you." He seemed embarrassed not able to find a suitable adjective to describe Sanzo.

"Baka…" Deep down, Sanzo was amused. "You should take your clothes off too."

"No, your health is more important." Goku squealed when Sanzo pulled his shirt off. "Sanzo!"

"Idiot, I've been taking care of you since—since I found you. I'm not stopping now."

"Waaahhh!" Goku stared at his naked chest, then at Sanzo's. He squealed some more, until Sanzo pulled him towards the bed.

"Quiet. I don't want you deafening my ear." Goku shut up immediately, and Sanzo, with a sigh of satisfaction, cradled him fondly. Goku, relaxing, placed an arm around Sanzo.

They stayed in that pose until the rain stopped, each appreciating the other's company as they gazed out of the window, into their future.

- - - - -

"Homura!" Shien called. "Where could he be?"

"Well, my guess is he's still under Shihou's getting-lost effect," said Zenon, raking the dried leaves stuck in his hair. "I just hope he's not in—I just hope he's somewhere near."

Suddenly they heard an infuriated scream. "DAMN IT!!!!! I'm LOST!!!!!!! ARGGHH!!!!"

"Isn't that Homura's voice?" asked Shien, looking in the direction of the yell. "He is lost."

"We'd better go and find him." Zenon sighed. "Let's just hope we have enough aspirin for the three of us should we're taken ill by flu—or fever."

"ARGGGHHH!!!!" Homura's roar was heard again. "Damn it all!!!!"

- - - - -

"Morning, Sanzo…" wished Hakkai when the monk joined him at the table in the restaurant the next morning.

"Hm." Sanzo sneezed. "Damn, I hate flu."

"That's what you get for being out in the rain." A chuckle.

"It's Goku's fault."

"Without him running away, I don't think you two will be in a relationship at the moment. Or—it could be worse."

"Worse?" Sanzo unexpectedly had cravings for a conversation regarding Goku.

"Uh-huh…for one thing, maybe Homura—"

Sanzo, on cue, threaded his cigarette box heavily on the table. "Don't mention that freak's name."

"Very well, I won't. Oh, hello, Gojyo…" Hakkai smiled at the redhead who had just appeared.

"Hello, darling…" Gojyo awarded his lover with a quick peck on his cheek. "By the way, monk," he slid into an empty chair beside the monocled youkai before continuing, "how's your first night?"

Sanzo gave him a dirty look. "None of your business."

"Come on! Be a sport! Since you're normally an early bird, yet today you woke up later than usual, I deduced there must be a special event last night. How's he in bed?"

Sanzo pulled his revolver out, much to the other customer's surprise and terror, and pointed it exactly between Gojyo's eyebrows. "Nothing happened."

"Wha?" Gojyo blinked dumbly. "Nothing?"

"I have enough dignity not to screw him, unlike a certain perverted kappa." This was by all means true. Sanzo decided that as long as Goku was not well prepared for the act, he would not force it upon him. No, he would wait patiently, and for now, it would solely be kissing, tender touches, embraces, and other innocent things like that. Yeah, the key word there was innocent.

"Really, Sanzo, this delays development…"

"Gojyo, Gojyo…" Hakkai carefully pushed Sanzo's arm away, thus freeing Gojyo from the aim. "I presume they had an innocent night together."

"Innocent is right." Sanzo poured coffee into his cup, and drained it down. Standing up, he went out of the restaurant in his trademark manner.

"I think it's very gentlemanly on Sanzo's part," Hakkai mused, sipping his own tea. "I believe it's his way of showing Goku that he cares about him…how sweet of him…"

"All right, all right." Gojyo leaned closer. "But let's not talk about them…we have more significant matters to discuss, yes?"

- - - - -

Sanzo opened the door silently, keeping the creaking noise to the minimum. After locking it in fear of intrusion of any sort, he sat on the bed, lying next to a sleeping Goku. His precise hand caressed Goku's untidy mass of hair, a small smile creeping on his face.

He froze when Goku suddenly turned, and moved closer to him, his expression was that of bliss. "Umm…Sanzo…"

'Lust…no, it's not lust…it's only obsession. The pain of knowing that he was so near yet far from my grasp—that caused my sudden brutality upon him. But now, everything is different.'

Goku sighed with a smile, and Sanzo took it as an agreement from his lover. Sanzo rested his head on a pillow, and after draping a protective arm around Goku, he closed his eyes. If Kanzeon Bosatsu appeared and demanded him to continue the journey, he would just tell the goddess to go to the West herself because he and Goku were sick (of course, although this was true, Sanzo intended it to be an excuse for him to stay with Goku in a room, undisturbed) and the other two were busy attending to each other.

"Sanzo…" Goku, who just woke up, smiled at the taller man. "How long have you been up?"

Sanzo, who would normally give an acid reply to that, did not do so. Why? Because he suddenly found a side he never knew he had—the romantic one. "Long enough." True, he did wake up extra early, but he was gazing at Goku that he forgot about the time…

"Oh, yeah, Sanzo…yesterday…I met someone in the forest." Goku said, striking up a conversation as he played with Sanzo's hand. "He looked like me."

"He looked like you?" asked Sanzo, somewhat curious.

"Um! He told me that I should stay with you…he was thinking the same thing as I was." Goku sighed contentedly. "He said he's with Konzen…"

"Konzen?"

"Yeah, so I thought that's what Homura called you. Do you know him? The one who looked like me?"

"No. Who's he?"

"I don't know. I forgot to ask for his name. I was too worried about you."

"Idiot…"

"Ne, Sanzo…" Not minding the insult in the least, Goku snuggled closer, enjoying the warmth Sanzo was radiating. "I like you so much."

Sanzo kissed his forehead. "I need you too."

- - - - -

"Yatta! Score one for the Goddess of Mercy!" said Kanzeon with a snigger. "See? My pigheaded nephew should appreciate my help for bringing him together with that cute Son Goku! I wouldn't mind calling Son Goku my nephew-in-law!"

"Uh, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama…I believe Son Goku was thinking of going back to him in the first place," interrupted Jiroushin as the hermaphrodite sat on her throne and gazed at her pond. "Besides, it's Nataku-sama who should be given the credit."

"Oh, yes, the dear Nataku…" Kanzeon laughed, looking at the said ex-war god. "It's a good thing he was able to project his memory of Son Goku to the world below. Even more amazing that he was capable of making the chibi Goku talk the way I wanted him to talk to…"

Jiroushin could not find a remark to that, silently thankful that Nataku had enough sense to, err, censor several parts of the speech. Perhaps it was because Nataku himself had no idea what Kanzeon was talking about…

- - - - -

Homura moaned, and he applied a bag of ice on his forehead. Zenon and Shien had succeeded in finding him ten minutes ago, which meant he spent almost one whole night in the rain. He blew his nose loudly. "ZENON! MORE ASPIRIN!"

Zenon entered his chamber, grumbling about how aspirins could bring side effects – gastric and stomach ulcer to name a few. Having placed them exactly next to Homura's glass, he retired to his own room, sneezing endlessly.

"Great, just great…" lamented Homura bitterly. "How am I going to meet up with Son Goku when I'm sick like this? Maybe he's sick in bed too…"

"Hello, Homura…" Suddenly he heard that voice. That annoying voice, belonging to the God of Peace. "I heard that you are sick, so I came to visit you." Anshi looked down at the sick god on the bed. "Getting any better?"

Homura glared daggers at him. "I think it just got worse…"

"Oh, the poor dear!" said Anshi, worried. "I told you not to cause problems, now look what you've gotten yourself into!"

"I'm so going to kill that God of Misdirection…" said the sick god, not paying any attention to his companion.

"Homura, you brought this onto yourself…"

Homura shot him a death-glare. "Come closer, you bumbling idiot, so that I can pass you this horrible sickness…and show you a thing or two about messing around with my life…" Another sneeze.

- - - - -

"I've been here before…" Shihou, noticing a recognizable face in the crowd, pulled the man aside. "Excuse me…"

The black man stared at him in surprise. "You again?"

"Ano…where's this place?"

Exasperated, "I told you, Africa!"

"So how do I find my way to Homura-sama's place?"

"How the heck should I know? Stay away from me you weirdo!"

- - - - -

"Excellent, your fever is wearing off…" Hakkai smiled at the monk. "That means we can continue the journey today!"

Gojyo glared coldly at the tray filled with food that was meant for Goku. By Sanzo's strict command, he had demanded Gojyo to bring food for Goku and send it straight to their room. "You mean I wasted my energy for nothing?"

"Shut your gap, kappa, or else you'll waste your life," said Sanzo with a deadly snarl.

Gojyo held his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay…"

"Are these for me? Wow!" Goku bounced off the bed and suddenly he was at the table. "Yay, they even have buns! Sanzo, it smells great!"

"You know, you should give me one for bringing these foods up for you," said Gojyo, snatching the bun which Goku was holding. "You're right, it does smell nice…" Before he could bite into it, Sanzo had shot the wall behind him, approximately a centimetre to Gojyo's right ear. Stunned, Gojyo's jaw hung open, the bun falling down and Goku grabbing the bun before it fell on the floor.

"That is not yours," warned Sanzo, giving him a dirty look.

"Thank you Sanzo!" said Goku triumphantly and chewed on the bun.

"Well, Gojyo…" said Hakkai, smiling in amusement. "It seems that from now on, you'll be the punching bag of Sanzo's, since he won't be hitting Goku anymore now that they're an item…"

"This is injustice! I thought with them getting together Sanzo's mood would improve!" Gojyo swore so badly that Sanzo shot the wall for the second time.

"Let's go, Gojyo…" Hakkai pulled his hand mildly. "I'm sure Sanzo doesn't want to be disturbed."

"But—" protested Gojyo but Hakkai had shut the door, leaving Sanzo and Goku in some well-deserved privacy, and in the process rewarding themselves with their own.

- - - - - [owari desu] - - - - -

Authoress' Random Ramblings: No, I don't think I made Sanzo that OOC in this story, mostly because I believe he is capable of being a romantic once in a blue moon…especially towards Goku. And so sorry if the story seems a tad—what's the word—damaged, lacking, etc because I did not edit the final few chapters, but I just typed them into the laptop with subsequent ideas all crumpled up in my head. Excuse all the imperfections found in the story from the start till the end.
I decided for them not say "I love you" to each other on purpose, for they were still uncertain what love really means even though they do love each other (ha! It's not like I know its true meaning…), so it seems only right for them to express things they are certain of. So it has to be "I like you so much" and "I need you" for now. *grins* I know, I am evil…
Something extra for Sanzo/Goku fanatics… *bows*

---[Summarizing Sanzo/Goku in 1 Minute]---

"Sanzo! The buns smell great! Wow!"

"Shut up, baka saru, and grant me a moment of peace!"

"Sanzo!"

"What, damn it?"

"After all these years, I have mustered enough courage to disclose my feelings. Sanzo, I love you, my sun, more than I love buns!"

"****! Now that you've finally said the words which I cannot say in fear of acting OOC (save, perhaps, the one about the buns), I 'm taking a break from being a heartless *******, drop my icy cold front and steam you senseless!"

"Huh?"

+[Owari desu (aren't you glad it's finally over?)]+