Lighter, a saiyuki fanfic

By: Ami

Beta Reader: kitsune-oni

-- Lighter --

A Sequel to "Dreaming"

DISCLAIMER: Who owns what, who borrows what, you know it already. [Geez, I've gotta put this in every fic I write? ;; The whole world knows I'm not Minekura Kazuya!]

Here we go…

"Excuse me…"

The young receptionist could feel her face redden at the sight of the bishounen in front of her.

"Y—yes—what can I help you with?" She pushed up her glasses, still blushing.

"Umm… I came to deliver this…" The brunette showed her a lunchbox, wrapped neatly in a napkin with monkeys on it. "To—Genjo Sanzou—"

"Ooh, Genjo-san ka." The lady quickly remembered. Well, who would have forgotten the most gorgeous man in the whole office? "Are you his little brother?"

Goku flushed at the question. Well, I'm actually his lover, but I wouldn't tell you even if it'd kill me

FLASHBACK

Goku walked up to the door, happy that he'd finished his task so soon.

"Right after arriving, introduce yourself and give a gift to your nearest neighbor. That's important in maintaining a good relationship," his mother had said. Hmm… it wasn't such a bad idea.

Fuh, I am getting too excited about this. My body's getting cramps. After this, I'll take a long, long nap 'til tomorrow morning He thought, while softly massaging his shoulder.

Well, actually he would've preferred not to show his fatigue to everyone. It had taken a year for him to convince his parents that he could live alone for his school. And finally here he was, at the beginning of his new independent life. Ah, it's almost time. I'd better get this over with soon.

And so, he rang the bell.

And he waited.

And waited.

Huh? Is this flat empty? He thought, looking at his wristwatch. Well… usually at a time like this, some people would still be asleep… so maybe he should wait a while.

As expected, after waiting for a while…

click

Goku widened his eyes at the sight of the gorgeous blond in front of him, amazed that there was such a beautiful guy on earth.

He shines…The thought suddenly passed his mind.

The man looked surprised as well, for an unknown reason.

What on earth is happening to me? Goku blushed, alarmed at the sudden warmth in his chest as he examined the beautiful man in front of him. I feel like exploding… Goddess… I better finish this soon and take a bath.

Putting on a straight face, he smiled widely. "Good morning. I am Son Goku, 18 years old. I just moved in to the apartment over there a few hours ago. Starting now, I'll be living in the flat next to yours. Ha ha. Gomen for disturbing you so early in the morning. I just came to deliver this." He handed the blond the gift his mother had prepared. "I hope we can cooperate well because we're now neighbors! I think that's all! Thanks! You can visit me whenever you want or when you need someone to talk to! Ja for now—eeep--"

"Wait."

Goku felt like floating as a hand pulled him by the collar, and in a second, he was suddenly so close to the beautiful face that their noses were almost touching.

"Huh? Wha—MMMMMPPPPPHHFFFFF---"

And so there… it happened… his first kiss.

Goku's face was blue from lack of air when the older man released him. And the blue shade soon turned to a deep shade of red as their eyes met.

What the-- Goku widened his eyes at the smirking blonde.

"May I visit you now?"

--hell? Goku was struck dumb as the man grabbed him by an arm, pulling him in to his own flat.

Something is seriously wrong with this guy!

FLASHBACK – END

"Your name?"

"A—ah—" Goku was snapped back to reality. "I---I'm—Son Goku—"

"Oh. So you're not his little brother."

"E—err—yes—actually—I'm his neighbor… I came… just to deliver… his lunch…"

"How cute." The woman giggled before picking up the phone and dialing to Sanzou's office.

"Ah, looking for Sanzou? Sanzou has just gone to the editor's office to submit his new project…" Hakkai balanced the phone between a shoulder and his left ear, his fingers still busy typing.

"Who? Goku?!"

Hakkai stopped typing, now holding the phone with a hand, his eyes bright now that he finally had a golden chance to see the boy of Sanzou's dreams. Hehe… God was really there. Although Sanzou had always avoided the topic, he'd finally get to see the real thing!

"Ah… OK. I understand. I'll take a look. Ask him to wait for me."

"Genjo-san isn't in his office right now. But Hakkai-san, his friend, will be here in a few minutes. He'll help you," the lady informed Goku with a warm smile. "You can wait here. Sit on the sofa and read some magazines."

"Thanks." Goku threw the lady a smile before doing as she had instructed.

Damn… why am I stuck in a place like this? Goku looked at the busy people around him. Well, Sanzou had once said that there was no time for rest in a game-making company. Especially because in Japan there were so many game-making companies, and competition was high. Sigh… life was just tough.

Goku turned his attention to the pile of magazines near him. Umm… he didn't really like to read. So he thought he'd just skip that idea.

He turned to the other side of the sofa and saw a small tropical aquarium.

"Wow," he gasped as he approached the aquarium eagerly. "Those fishes are real!"

"Yes. You're right," the kind receptionist replied with a smile. "Our boss is… err… a little bit… weird. Although it's a bother to take care it, she likes living things, saying that unchanging things are boring."

Goku nodded, still staring at the aquarium happily. "But she's right. I like the way she thinks."

"Oh, really?"

Both the receptionist and Goku jerked upright at the voice.

"K—Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama—" The receptionist blushed, hoping that her boss hadn't heard her earlier comment.

"Who is this pretty boy, Nanase-san?" the lady in sexy outfit asked, while approaching the flushing boy slowly.

"He's—"

"I'm—err—a relative of Sanzou's—" Goku quickly replied, bowing his head down. "It's nice to meet you."

"Ah… so… you're a relative of MY dear nephew?"

gasp

If she finds out that I'm Sanzou's--!!! Argh! Damn you damn you damn you, Sanzou! Why didn't you tell me earlier that the owner of this company was your aunt?! Is it OK if your family finds out?!

"Hmm…" Kanzeon Bosatsu put a hand under her chin, examining the brunette in front of her carefully. "…The grumpy brat's taste is nice… damn him for getting such a lovely lover…"

Goku was struck speechless, face turning bright red as the receptionist gasped loudly.

"What are you doing here? Wanna take him out for lunch?" the sexy lady added with a wink.

"N—nn—no! I just want to deliver this—" Goku picked up the lunchbox beside him. "He forgot to bring it this morning—"

"Ooh! How considerate!" Hakkai appeared on the scene, smiling widely. "Sanzou has been complaining about this since this morning! Thanks for delivering the lunchbox! I'm sure Sanzou will be really happy."

"Oho, so the finest gentleman is already here." Kanzeon Bosatsu smirked. Goku gulped at the thought that the way the sexy woman smirked and the way Sanzou did really looked alike, making it possible to think that they really WERE the same blood. "Where's my bloody nephew? Doesn't he know that it's impolite to make his boyfriend wait?" she asked, putting one arm around the flushing boy.

"Oh, sorry, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama. He's submitting his work to the editor now. I'm sure that he'll be back in a while." Hakkai smiled politely. Since the very first time Goku had seen the gentleman, he had started to like Hakkai. The guy looked so kind and gentle, which made it almost impossible for Goku to believe his next words…

"I'm going out for a while. How about letting Goku wait in Sanzou's office 'til he returns?" winks

And Goku almost shivered at the directress' reply.

"Great minds think alike." devilish horns

And the two pairs of predatory eyes were soon focused on him.

"So… Goku-kun… you'll reach the office fine through that elevator."

Goku was temporary paralyzed as Hakkai pushed him in to an elevator, passed his ID card through the machine, and pressed the button to close the door. "It's on the 9th floor. Have a nice trip."

"W—Wait—but I--" Goku didn't have the time to reply, as the elevator door was closed in his face. "---Don't know how to find the office—in the entire 9th floor--? And—won't I be needing an ID card or something like that to enter--?"

His questions remained unanswered.

Goku bit his lower lip nervously as the elevator slowly brought him to the 9th floor, and it didn't show any indication that it'd stop to pick others up. Gee, wasn't this a busy office? Shouldn't people be walking around? Then why did he feel like the only person who used the elevator?

A short notice on the wall answered his questions.

'EMERGENCY LIFT'

…Yeah… did delivering someone's lunch sound like enough of an emergency?

But nobody answered him except the sound of the moving elevator.

Goku sighed, bowing his head down. Actually… before 'IT' he hadn't felt well in an elevator. He had felt like he was being locked in a box. Well, at LEAST, he could have been in a glass elevator that would've let him see what was happening outside. That would have helped him a bit in getting over the fear of being locked forever inside that narrow box.

But now…

Riding in an elevator didn't feel scary again. Even if the lamp went out and the elevator stopped, Goku didn't think that he'd shiver, like what he would've probably done before.

Goku smiled as he looked at the wrapped lunchbox, imagining what kind of expression his blonde lover would have when he magically appeared in front of his office.

And suddenly, everything went black.

FLASHBACK

Making coffee was an art. Even if it was the same coffee, two cups of coffee tasted different, depending on the maker's skill. Each portion of sugar, each spoon of cream could create a different taste, a different sensation.

Goku was well known as a great coffee maker. All of his family members and some relatives knew that his coffee was the best. Even his mother, who had been making coffee for years, couldn't beat him on this point. Goku's coffee was just the best. Even the cheapest coffee could taste like the most expensive one in Goku's hands.

At the time, Goku hadn't been really paying attention to this talent. He had been happy just by making his father smile, and by being called the 'Genius Coffee Maker'.

But now…

"…What kind of coffee is this? Have you ever made a coffee before, boy?"

twitches

"EXCUSE ME for making such an awful tasting coffee." He pouted at his 'regular' guest.

Yeah.

Starting the 'destined' day, his neighbor had been visiting him frequently, almost every evening. He had been having dinner in his flat too; so much so that Goku was now used to buying groceries for two. Well, Goku didn't really mind the visits—umm—for some reason he just felt OK with the guy around. cough cough But the point was—that Sanzou had never directly told the brunette the reason behind his visits.

"You'll learn," Sanzou spoke calmly, sipping his coffee quietly.

He just came to mock me! Goku mentally groaned.

After putting the tray on the table, Goku sat on the sofa across from the blond beauty, knowing that the temptation was starting. Sanzou wasn't a person who liked to talk. He just sat there, sipping his coffee while reading the newspaper, acting as if it was his own flat—for hours. And when he had felt he'd had enough, he'd go home by himself. That's all, folks! There weren't even the slightest limes to entertain you!

Swallowing nervously, Goku decided to start a conversation. Yeah. It was time to melt the whole freezing thing!

"Ano, Genjo-san…"

glares

"Y—you—really live in the flat next to mine, right…?"

"…Yes. I have been living there for 2 years," Sanzou replied after staring at him for a few seconds. "May I ask you something?"

"S—sure," Goku stammered, feeling nervous as the blonde suddenly moved his body forward, staring at him intensely.

"Have ever we met before?" he asked, quietly, carefully; still staring at the boy to make sure that the brunette would answer honestly.

"N—no. Of course we haven't," Goku quickly answered. "What makes you think so?"

"…………………." Sanzou didn't answer. Instead, he leaned back on the sofa, inhaling quietly as if he was trying to calm himself down, while muttering unknown chants which sounded like 'I'm going out of my mind' and 'what the hell have I been thinking of?'

"Ne," Goku gave in to his curiosity, "I've been feeling strange. Did we really know each other before? And the way you—kissed me—I didn't feel like we were complete strangers—and your visits—maybe--"

"…Yes. We're not strangers." Suddenly the always-curved-down lips turned up into a smirk. "…If only you knew…"

"Knew… knew what?" Goku widened his eyes in confusion.

"…I'll be late for work." Sanzou rose up from the sofa, before making his way to the front door with quick steps.

"W—wait! You haven't explained anything to me!" Goku tried to catch up with him.

"See you later."

The door was slammed in Goku's face.

FLASHBACK – END

"WHAT?! GOKU IS INSIDE?!"

"Whoops, calm down, Konzen… remember about your heart's health." Kanzeon Bosatsu grinned at her furious nephew. Well, the angrier her nephew was, the more fun everything would be. Ohohohohohoho

"Just how am I supposed to react after all the mess you've caused, old baba?!" The blonde clutched his jaw impatiently in front of the cheerful lady. "And STOP calling me with my childhood name!" [It's 'Konzen' audience! XD]

"Maa maa, calm down, Sanzou. Yelling will not help Goku get out of the lift." Hakkai appeared with a cup of green tea. "All we can do now is wait. I'm sure that the officers will do their best to get Goku out of the lift."

"Yeah, right! All I can do is WAIT!" Sanzou muttered sarcastically before rushing to the elevator's entrance. "Goku! Goku, are you all right?!"

"Yes, Sanzou!"

Sanzou breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he could still hear his precious boy's voice. "You're not shivering, right? Remember what I said and stay calm!"

"…It's him who needs to be calm," Gojyo muttered to his lover.

"Ssst…" Hakkai smiled, wanting to see more of the affectionate side of his best friend.

"Sure, Sanzou! Every word of it! I remember!" Goku replied cheerfully.

"Good." Sanzou turned his eyes back to the officers who had just arrived on the scene, and had stopped for a while to listen to the conversation.

"What are you looking at?! Hurry up and fix the goddamned elevator!"

"Y—yes!"

FLASHBACK

"Goku!"

"Oh, Nataku." Goku's eyes brightened at the sight of his new friend. Nataku was his first friend in college, and Goku was grateful that he had such a fun, nice friend. "What's up?"

"Well, we've got no homework to do for tomorrow, so I'm wondering if we can go and have fun in the Arcade Center today," the golden-eyed boy explained happily. "How does it sound? Then after that, I'll treat you an ice cream!"

"Wow! It sounds great! But—" Goku suddenly turned pale. "Umm… No. Not today…"

"Huh? Why?" Nataku widened his eyes in confusion. "You turned me down the day before yesterday too. Actually, what's going on? Are you busy?"

"Umm… kind of that… you know… I just moved in and there're a lot of things to do…" Goku stammered nervously. "I—I promise, this weekend, we'll really have fun together. OK?"

Nataku frowned before shrugging. "OK then. See you tomorrow."

"You're late today."

"You don't have anything to do with it." Goku glared at his neighbor, who was leaning back on his door, smoking with a peaceful face. "Excuse me, I wanna open the door."

"Sure." Sanzou moved away, standing behind the boy.

"Don't tell me you're staying at my place again this evening." Goku groaned as the taller man entered the flat casually, as if it was his own flat. "You have your own flat, right? Then why do you—"

"You don't like me? OK then. I'll leave--"

"Wait." Goku felt his face flush as he grabbed the older man's shirt just before the blonde turned away. "—I—I've bought dinner for two. Don't make me waste it."

And Sanzou smirked. "…Good."

"Ne, Sanzou. What's your job?" Goku asked as he munched on his omelet rice.

"…A programmer," Sanzou replied, his eyes still on the newspaper as they sat across to each other in the small dining table. "…Why do you care?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know," Goku quickly replied. "It's just strange that we've been eating dinner together almost every day and I don't know a thing about you."

"Oh." Sanzou settled his reading spectacles. "Just ask anything."

"Really?" Goku widened his eyes. "You'll tell me about you?"

"Hhn."

"…Why did you kiss me when we first met?"

"…Not gonna tell you."

"See?!" Goku pouted. "You always avoid the topic!"

"I just told you to ask me anything, not promising to answer that 'anything'."

"So meaaaan!!!!"

"Urusai, saru!"

"Hmph." Goku stood up and collected the dishes. "I'll wash the dishes. Hurry up and finish your coffee."

FLASHBACK – END

"That's it. If you let him wait there for another hour, I can make sure that you'll be back home without your heads."

The officers shivered at the intimidating blonde. "Y—yes—sir. We'll finish—in 15 minutes."

"…You'd better keep your word." Sanzou frowned before moving back to the entrance of the lift, looking down into the darkness. "Goku, you heard that? You'll be free soon."

"Good. I'm so hungry that I think I can eat the elevators' buttons now."

"Don't sound so cheerful, saru." Sanzou sat on the floor, taking a deep breath, tired after glaring at the officers all the time. "…You're really OK, right?"

"Sure. I told you so."

"Hmph… you've grown." Sanzou lit up a cigarette, his lips curved up slightly. "So… you're not afraid of the dark anymore?"

"No. I'm still afraid," was the reply.

"…………………………"

"But it's not dark here. So I'm not afraid."

And Sanzou's smile broadened.

FLASHBACK

"So, do you think this one looks good?"

"Hnn."

"How about this one?"

"…It's fine."

"And this one?"

"…It's all right."

"Ooh," Goku looked at the droopy-eyed blond impatiently. "Listen, Sanzou—if you give all ties the same value, then how am I supposed to choose one?"

"…Just pick one and get the hell out of here." Sanzou brought one hand up to cover his yawn.

"But you promised that you'd help me choose a tie for my father's birthday!" Goku insisted. "So we're not leaving 'til you choose the one you think is best."

"…OK, OK… fine." The taller man picked one of the ties closest to him before tossing it to the brunette. "Buy that one and let's have some coffee in the nearby café."

"All right." Goku brought the tie to the cashier to pay for it. "Let's leave now. Gee, you seem so sleepy."

"…I stayed up very late last night… for work…" Sanzou yawned again.

Goku smiled at the cute scene in front of him. He didn't know when exactly he had started to be so close to the blonde. Their relationship just—flowed—so naturally, as if they had been living together for years.

He had come to know Sanzou's favorite brand, he had come to know Sanzou's favorite coffee [he wanted it bitterer than normal people did. Wait, does that make him abnormal? XD], Sanzou's favorite suit; plain white shirt and black trousers, Sanzou's favorite channel, Sanzou's favorite food—well—in short, suddenly he had become a Sanzou-expert.

But I still don't know the reason behind his visitshe mentally noted. --And why he kissed meflushes

"…What?" Sanzou narrowed one eye, looking at him suspiciously.

"…Uhn. Nothing." Goku grinned wider.

"…Stupid." Sanzou flushed.

"Hey, the elevator is empty! How lucky! Now you don't have to walk up the stairs with that sleepy head!" Goku ran in to an elevator nearby before beckoning to the sleepy blonde. "Sanzou! Sanzou! Hurry up! It's empty!"

"I know, I know… don't yell… you're giving me a headache…" Sanzou slowly walked in to the elevator and yawned again as the doors closed in front of them.

…To think about it… there're just the both of us in this elevator…Sanzou looked around, still sleepy. …Does it give me a chance to--

thud

The lift stopped, and everything went dark all of a sudden.

"What the hell…?" Sanzou reflexively moved his hands around to seek for the shorter guy in the darkness. "Oi, saru! Where are you?"

No answer.

"Oi, saru! Damn it; don't scare the hell out of me! Where are you?!"

Still, no answer.

Shit. Where the hell could he be?! We're trapped here now, right?! Sanzou moved his hands around in panic, trying to somehow find Goku while silently promising himself that he'd never let him go again. "If it's a joke, I'm telling you that this is NOT funny at all!"

Sanzou jerked at the sudden coldness on his leg. Someone was grabbing him.

…Or was it a ghost?

shakes head

Being irrational was stupid!

"G—Goku?! Is it you?!" he stammered, gulping nervously.

"S—Sanzou—"

The trembling voice was enough for Sanzou to kneel down and hold the cold hand tightly. "What's happening to you?! Your hand is freezing, damn it! And why didn't you answer me earlier?!"

"S—Sanzou— I—I—" Suddenly a light was on. It took Sanzou a few seconds to adjust his eyes to the sudden light. It seemed that Goku had somehow a lighter with him. With the small glow, Sanzou could now clearly see that Goku was shivering hard. He had even had a hard time in keeping the lighter on with his trembling hand.

"Don't tell me that you're afraid of the dark." Sanzou took hold of the lighter, his other hand pushing the cold body closer to him.

"I—I—I—can't—stand—it---"

Even his voice is trembling. Ch. Now he looks so fragile…Sanzou curled his left arm around the smaller guy's waist, while pressing his warm chest on to the cold back, completely surrounding him, hugging him close. "Now, now… you're not going to cry, are you?"

Goku swallowed and nodded, feeling comforted by the warmth. "…Are they going to save us?"

"Sure they will. Or they'll lose their precious customers," Sanzou snorted, tightening his embrace till the boy stopped shivering. …Distracting him might be a solution… damn it… I can't stand him shivering like this…

"By the way, Goku… why did you have a lighter on you?" Sanzou asked.

"I—I—bought it—for you—"

For me? Sanzou blinked.

And Goku was severely thankful that the only light in the elevator was the lighter; that Sanzou wouldn't be able to see the thick shade of red on his face now.

"I—I just wanted to—give you a present—and since you smoke—I thought--" I thought you'd always carry the lighter with you. And you'd never forget that I exist.blushes

"…Oh." Sanzou tried to fight a wide smile that was too OOC for him to show. "…Your taste isn't so bad, saru."

"Mou, Sanzou! I've told you a billion TIMES! Saru ja nai yo!"

FLASHBACK – END

"Ooh…" Gojyo brought one hand up to his chin, and couldn't help smiling. "So… that's how the blonde met the saru… hehehe…"

"Why, why, Gojyo… I kind of… dislike the way you smile." Hakkai sweat dropped, sipping his green tea, feeling quite thirsty after telling the story to the curious Gojyo [who kept asking 'why' and 'how'].

"By the way, you said that since that time on, they became an item, right? Where's the love-confession?" Gojyo widened his eyes in curiosity.

Hakkai chuckled. "Both of us know Sanzou isn't the type to say 'I love you'." He looked at the busy street through the window, eyes softening at the thought of the affection Sanzou had shown for the cute boy. "…They don't need it at all."

"Hnn…" Gojyo rolled his eyes. Honestly, I have never seen Sanzou panic as he did today. So, is that the power of love?

"But don't spit it out to Sanzou. He'll kill me if he knows that I told you his whole romantic experience. You know, it was very hard to make him tell me the story in the first place," Hakkai warned, for the xth time.

"I know, I know." Gojyo grinned, placing his arm around his lover's shoulder. "Now, since the story is over, how about—"

"NO, Gojyo." Hakkai stood up, still smiling despite the pout on the redhead's face. "I've got work. And now, let's get back to the office. Maybe Goku is already out now."

And Gojyo shrugged.

"…OK then."

Gojyo looked at the setting sun, feeling slightly, strangely warm after listening to the tale.

Maybe it's a little bit late, but… He moved closer to his slender lover, gripping the soft hand gently, ignoring Hakkai's soft warning that they were in public.

I'm taking back my words that you're an unromantic bastard, Sanzou

OWARI

OMAKE

"You hear me, saru?! I'm telling you, DON'T ever listen to those 'tricky bastards' [refer to Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama and Hakkai-kun, of course XD XD] again!"

"Yes, yes. I know, Sanzou! Gee! Hurry up and eat your lunch!!"

"…This is barely LUNCH…"

TIME: 5:00 PM

smiles smiles fluffs hearts bubbles

sweat drop "Why are you looking so happy?"

"…Uhn. Nothing."

"Hmph. Stupid monkey."

"Meanieeeee!!!!!!"

GOJYO: They're not that romantic after all!

---

OWARI