Sorry for the late update! I almost forgot about this since my busy schedule had kicked in. I was shocked at the 10 reviews spawned by a sole person out of nowhere on a single day. I thank "I love Sanzo" for scaring me half to death with your spamming and the other kind reviewer who have followed me faithfully up to this date! I hope to get done with this soon for my sake and yours!
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Sanzo was getting tired. He placed his head gingerly on Goku's chest and closed his eyes. It was useless. He was just blindly repeating words he had neither knew nor heard till now. It was completely utterly use-…
Sanzo felt his head being pushed up once. Then consecutively in random order till it fell into a steady rhythm.
Sanzo's head jerked up.
"Goku…breathing…"
For a moment he stared, dumbfounded at Goku's chest rising and falling, indicating life.
Then he grabbed Goku up in a crushing embrace.
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And so it goes….
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Sanzo cradled Goku, waiting for Goku to open his eyes. Goku's breathing had fell into a steady rhythm. It soothed Sanzo somewhat that at least Goku was breathing.
A slight movement interrupted Sanzo from his thoughts. He glanced down and saw Goku's eyes open slowly. Starting from no more than a squint, to full round orbs filled with wonder. He saw Goku's jaws drop slightly as he saw Goku inspecting every inch of him. He too, saw Goku reaching out a hand but Sanzo didn't stop him. The hand slowly made its way to his hair and lightly tugged on it. It was almost as if the movement was trying to reassure its owner that he was really there.
"Sanzo…?"
"Yes?"
"I thought…I didn't mean… You told me never to give up… but I thought you left me… so I…well-"
Sanzo silenced him by lightly placing his index finger on Goku's lips.
"You don't have to give me a reason. You're here, I'm here, what else do we need to know?"
Sanzo saw Goku fall silent for a moment, his gaze away.
"I know you've told me in your own way, in your body language at times you show… but… I need something… I need to be sure…"
"Goku… " Sanzo paused as he tried to articulate the million thoughts running through his mind into a sentence.
"I… I won't go till you leave me." Sanzo watched as Goku's eyes widened and turned back to his.
"Will that be enough?" Sanzo whispered as he brushed a few stray bangs out of Goku's eyes.
"Y-yea…" Goku shyly stuttered and averted his eyes again.
"Ready to go back then?" Sanzo asked.
"Where?" Goku quizzically asked.
"Back to reality of course." Sanzo snapped back as he clicked back to his usual demeanor.
"Then what is this place?" Goku finally moved from Sanzo's embrace, not very willingly (the hands holding him included.) and looked around.
"Its an alternate dimension you created in your mind I guess… some dark place you keep warped dreams if I might add." Sanzo replied deadpans.
"I-I don't know how…?" Goku said, still gazing around in bewilderment, as if he could find the answers in the scenery around him.
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The doctor was confused. Really confused. One moment his patient wasn't breathing and all hope had seemed lost. Then the next moment he started to inhale again as if he had never stopped. He would have been relieved, if he weren't so confused.
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Hakkai gazed at the pool of red hair, framing a peacefully sleeping in front of him. He had always wanted to reach out and touch the strands, feel their softness. He constantly saw them flying in the wind when a gust decided to play around with the strands. He remembered the countless times Gojyo himself brushed a hand through them. He knew Gojyo never brushed them with a normal comb from the countless times he shared a room with him during their journey. Yet he could not remember anytime he had seen them tangled up or gleaming with excess oil.
Hakkai glanced down at the Gojyo's face again to make sure he was sleeping before tentatively stretching his fingers out to feel them. He had barely stroked them before he felt another hand grab his wrist.
"Well. Good Morning to you too."
Hakkai jerked in shock and looked down at Gojyo's face, and found to be greeted by Gojyo's trademark grin.
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"What do you mean you don't know how!?"
Sanzo stared at the cowering saru in front of him as he exclaimed loudly.
"How am I supposed to know?!" Defiance had creeped back into Goku again as he scrambled to his feet.
"Well you created this."
"… I want to get out."
"Then get us out!"
"I DON'T know HOW! YOU came in too! So why can't YOU get us OUT!"
"But YOU created this."
"You think I wanted to?"
"HELL, yea!"
"…"
Goku turned his back to Sanzo.
"I don't know what to make of you Sanzo. Sometimes you are nice. Other times you're totally bullshit. Why? Do you think I wanted to watch each of you die before my eyes? My only friends, leap to their death, and I helpless to do anything but watch? If you really think so, then go. Leave. I- I don't ever want to see you again."
Sanzo was shocked, to put it mildly. His mouth was hung slightly agape as he absorbed what Goku had just said. Never had Goku asked him to leave before, I mean Heck. Tons of time shad Sanzo asked him to go, but never the reverse.
"I- You- Didn't you hear what I said just now?"
Sanzo tried to make amendments, but he wasn't good with those.
"Fine."
Goku spoke in a low voice.
"If you won't leave, I will. I've had enough off all the scolding and beating. I don't deserve to live like this. I'd rather go back to a cave, preferably a dark one, so I'll never have to see the sun ever again. ."
With that Goku stalked off.
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"Ah- Good morning."
Hakkai smiled and tried to cover his embarrassment.
"Is that you're new wake up call?"
"Ah… I don't think you were asleep…"
"True… I was waiting for you to wake up."
"Then why didn't you get up?"
"If I did, then I would have woken you up."
"…Oh."
That was all Hakkai could manage after an insight to Gojyo's thoughtfulness in letting Hakkai get sufficient rest.
Gojyo flipped to his back and stretched luxuriantly, his legs sticking out of the end of the small bed.
A small incessant tapping at the window caught both their attention. Alerted, they both whipped around in a fighting stance towards the offending glass. It was Hakyuruu. It was only then did they remember about Goku and Sanzo again.
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"Wait… I said WAIT!"
Sanzo jumped to his feet, grabbed Goku's hand and yanked him around. Sanzo was surprised to see silent tears trailing down Goku's face. Sanzo hadn't seen Goku lose control of his emotions in awhile and he felt guilty for the cause of it. Goku was avoiding his eyes, staring away from him, the hand which he was griping was balled into a fist, but Goku kept still, giving Sanzo one last chance to make amendments. Sanzo knew the gravity of this moment. He carefully chose the words he was going to say, because he knew each one mattered and if anything came out wrong, he would regret it forever.
"Goku…I- I never meant to do anything to make you feel this way. I too am tormented by my past; I always try to think of it. I feel that if I were to ever forget it, it would be sacrileges on my part. The thing is you make me forget about it. You make me feel- feel lighter. Away from the burdens I carry. So sometimes, I vent it out on you… not to hurt you... but to cover my guilt… guilt for not remembering…"
Sanzo felt Goku stiffen under him. It was now or never.
"I… I'm sorry. Would you… would you forgive me?"
Goku's eyes came up to meet his again. Suddenly the world started to turn blur. It was wavering before his sight. He tried to clutch on to Goku, but he was pulled apart. Everything slowly went to a blank whiteness….
And he was thrown back to reality. Sanzo jerked backwards and fell off the bed he forgot he had precariously perched himself on. He quickly scrambled up to check if Goku was there.
Goku was. He was staring straight up. Goku slowly turned his to Sanzo.
"I will."
The answer was simply stated. Sanzo was at a loss for words, but was saved from saying anything as the door slammed open and two harried men and a dragon rushed in. It was only then did he notice the doctor staring agape at Sanzo and his patient.
"How's Goku? Is he alri-ight…"
Hakkai slowly trailed off as he saw Goku staring wide-eyed at him. Hakkai bustled to Goku's side and fussed around him, checking if he was physically fine, much to the protest of Goku's whose exasperation was clearly seen on his face for being touched almost everywhere.
"Well… he seems fine." Gojyo commented to no one blankly.
Gojyo was surprise when he heard a soft mutter from Sanzo.
"I hope so…"
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Oh dang, I wanted to try to finish the story by this chapter. Turns out I couldn't. I'm sorry to put Sanzo and Goku through that! Stress puts me in a morbid mood! I made them suffer! -Wails- ok! Hope to see you soon!
(p.s. oh ya.. I forgot to acknowledge the 2 poems I took from Dragon Lance for the last chap~ so I'm putting it here now!)