Title: A Great Day - Chapter One: Here Comes the Rain Again
Summary: It was a rainy night and Sanzo and Hakki felt the heavy weight of memories.....what can Goku and Gojyo do?
Disclaimer: No, in real life, I do not own the boys. I just wish I did!
Warnings: Just some minor bad language.
The Sanzo party had barely made it to the inn before the rain started. The sky had steadily turned darker all afternoon and each person in the jeep had hoped the rain would hold off until they could reach their destination for that evening. They all had different reasons for hoping this and each one kept that reason to himself. The afternoon ride was unusually quiet. Sanzo and Hakkai always turned quiet and withdrew into themselves whenever it rained, and Goku and Gojyo knew better than to push either of them when they got this way. Thankfully, the elements were held at bay until the inn came into view. By the time the torrent of rain finally chose its moment to unleash itself, they were secure and dry in the lobby of the only inn in this little town on their way to the West.
Luckily, the inn was not full, so everyone was able to have his own room. After stowing their gear and cleaning up a bit, Goku and Gojyo each made their way down to the restaurant that was connected with the inn. Neither one was really surprised that their companions had chosen not to join them. Gojyo made a slight attempt to bicker with the boy and Goku tried to argue back, but neither one was really in the mood. They concentrated on eating a meal that was not the best they had ever eaten, but certainly not the worst, either. Several times during the meal, they each caught the other glancing at the door hoping that one or both of the other members of their party would come down to the small diner even though they both knew it was not going to happen tonight.
"Should we take them up something to eat?" Goku asked Gojyo, pausing now that most of his hunger had been assuaged.
"We should, but I doubt they're going to eat it anyway, so why bother?" Gojyo replied, with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He pulled out a cigarette and lit the end, drawing the smoke in deeply. It always bothered him when Hakkai got this way, probably because it irked him that he could never seem to ease the pain he knew absorbed his friend. He did not really care about the cranky monk that much, since he always seemed to be in a bad mood anyway, but his friend Hakkai was another matter.
"Can I get you anything else?" Their Waitress was back with another question. She had told them when they first ordered that her name was Evette. Gojyo noted that she seemed to be spending an inordinate amount of time at their table, and he finally took a good look at her. Blonde hair, blue eyes, her too-tight dress barely concealing any of her voluptuous attributes. He wondered how she managed to wait tables in the thing. She did not bother to hide her perusal of him and smiled at him in a way that let him know she was interested in him. Very interested. Without a conscious thought, Gojyo lapsed into his playboy mode, dropping his voice a little lower.
"Well, Evette, we need to get a meal to go for our friends upstairs, but I'm not sure what they would like. Perhaps you can suggest something?
Goku rolled his eyes and snorted. What a load of crap. "Well, I know what Sanzo would like" he said, naming off numerous menu items, not even waiting to see if Evette was going to bother writing them down.
Gojyo's seductive voice disappeared in an instant as he launched into a tirade directed at the hapless boy. "No, you stupid monkey, all that food would be for you, not Sanzo. The monk has probably never eaten that many things in his whole life, let alone all of them in one night. Now just sit back and let the grownups do the ordering, will ya?"
"Shut up, ero kappa." Goku's voice grew louder. "I know better than you what kinds of things Sanzo likes."
"Puleeeze, monkey boy, the only thing that monk is gonna want tonight is cigarettes, and you know it. Now, let's just get a quick, simple meal to go and get it up there before this stupid diner is closed for the night."
Before Goku could retaliate - and Evette could see he was about to do just that - the buxom waitress smiled at Goku and spoke in her best soothing voice. "You know, sir, we have a combo meal right here that has several of the menu items you mentioned,"she said pointing to a spot on the menu. "I can have the kitchen fix it up for you right away."
A little suspicious that the waitress was somehow conniving with Gojyo to pull a fast one on him, Goku carefully read the paragraph. He could not really see anything wrong with the suggestion, so he decided to let it pass. "Ok, I guess that would be all right. But make it fast. He's probably starving by now."
This time it was Gojyo's turn to roll his eyes and snort. Before Goku could start a new argument Gojyo turned to the relieved waitress and told her, "Give us two of them, please," flashing his famous 'this is just for you' smile.
"Hmmph!" Goku murmured, turning back to finish the few remaining dishes left on the table, now that his beloved Sanzo would at least get something to eat tonight. He had a strong suspicion that Gojyo was right, and neither Sanzo nor Hakkai would eat, but at least this way, the food would be there just in case. Goku was just finishing the last of the meat buns when the waitress came back to the table bearing the two take-out meals. Fearing another argument, she made sure to give each one his own tray, feeling somewhat like she was dealing with children who each had to be given his own toy or another fight would start. She sighed a little, thinking that boys never really grew up, no matter how old they got. Looking at this one she decided, glancing at Gojyo, this one might be worth the trouble.
"You know," Evette purred, "I get off in about an hour and me and some friends are going down to the tavern at the end of the street to hang out for a while. Drink a few beers, play some pool...stuff like that...if you're interested." Her voice seemed to whisper that she might just want a bit more than that...if he was interested.
Well, Gojyo was definitely interested, but he was not about to look too eager. "I don't know," he said. "My mother told me never to go out to taverns with strangers."
Getting into the game, Evette pouted. "But I'm hardly a stranger, I've been taking care of you all night."
Gojyo laughed to himself. Pouting. He wondered why woman always seemed to think a pout was irresistible. It did not do anything for him except make him want to laugh. And he was pretty sure that laughing at her was the last thing on this girl's mind.
Goku decided he did not want to listen to this stupid banter any longer and, with a totally disgusted look directed at both of them, picked up Sanzo's meal and stomped out of the room. Heading up the stairs, he paused for a moment outside of Sanzo's room. He could smell the stench of cigarettes, even from out here. Taking a deep breath, he knocked and without waiting for an answer, barged into the room.
"Hey, Sanzo," Goku cheerily started babbling "Since you didn't feel like coming down, I got you something to eat. It's one of those combo meals and it has..." Goku started listing off all the things he could remember from the menu.
Not even letting Goku finish his list, Sanzo cut him short with a terse "I'm not hungry."
"Yeah, well maybe not now, but later on..."
Sanzo glared over at him and the look was deadly. "I said I'm not hungry!"
"Uh...well...Ok. Do you want some more cigarettes, or..."
Before Goku could even finish his sentence, Sanzo was pulling out his Smith and Wesson and cocking the revolver.
"What I want is for you to get out of here and leave me alone. That's what I want."
Goku stood there for a moment with a pained look on his face, then turned around and quietly left the room. He slowly made his way down the hall back to his own room and flopped down on the bed, his chin resting on his forearms. He knew Sanzo did not really mean it - at least he didn't think he really meant it, sometimes Goku just could not help but wonder - but it hurt when he just barked at him to leave in that cold way. After all, he was only trying to help.
He wondered, as he had a thousand times before, just what it was that was going through Sanzo's mind when it rained. What could he possibly be thinking to put him in such a foul mood? Goku rolled over, crossed his arms under his head and laid back. He wondered if there was anything that would bother him badly enough to make him like that. No, he thought, I put bad things to the back of my mind and just not think of them. He wondered if Sanzo had tried that, but decided he was not going to suggest it to the cranky monk right now. Sanzo might just decide to do more than cock that revolver, and he did not want to be anywhere near him if that was going to happen. His mind started to drift off in no particular direction, and in a short time, he was fast asleep.
AN: This is my very first fiction. There will be a total of 3 chapters. I am looking forward to any helpful hints and/or suggestions to improve my writing skills. I want to thank keistje so very much for not only taking the time to read and correct my story, but for her encouragement to even write it in the first place. She has inspired me with all her own wonderful fictions, and if you have not read her "A Simple Kiss" story then you just do not know what you are missing. No true Sanzo/Goku fan should miss it.