The torrent of emotions that engulfed Gojyo was varied and powerful, and definitely unexpected. He acted instinctively, by picking up Hakkai in his arms – who was lighter than he expected, and carrying his injured friend onto his bed. Concerned, he peered into Hakkai's eyes, those beautiful green orbs now swimming with pain and confusion, and swept the hair from his face as he prayed to all the Gods he would be alright. Gojyo ran to the bathroom and collected as many bandages and creams he could carry, almost tripping on his way back to his bed. Hakkai was now asleep; at least he couldn't feel the pain anymore, Gojyo thought. His heart almost stopped when he realised his friend might not be sleeping, but in a far deeper sleep than he thought. What if Hakkai was dead?
He felt tears come to his eyes, and a sensation much like a fist curling around his heart, squeezing with all it's might. Gojyo summoned the courage and lifted two fingers to Hakkai's neck, and felt the fist around his heart recoil, as he felt a faint but regular pulse. He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, and started to inspect Hakkai's wounds. They were deep, and painful, but it was possible that they weren't fatal. A huge gash swept across Hakkai's chest, and several smaller wounds crossed the larger one. A small, thin cut sliced over the top of Hakkai's left cheekbone. Oddly, Gojyo couldn't see any obvious wounds to his friend's abdomen through his shirt – and Hakkai had been clutching it when he found his way to the kappa's room. He carefully removed Hakkai's very blood stained shirt, and quickly bound the large wound with his own shirt to stem the bleeding. He applied the healing creams to the older man's smaller wounds, then moved his eyes down to Hakkai's abdomen. The youkai had been punched hard on exactly the spot of his oldest scar, riddled with memories from the past. The punch had been enough to cause a substantial bruise, but nothing worse. Gojyo felt himself wondering about why, if the pain was so little to that area of his body, did Hakkai clutch at it? The kappa washed and bound his friend's wounds with bandages. Now Gojyo had time to think about what could have happened to his best friend that would cause such injuries and pain. He was obviously attacked – but why when he was alone? And why was he outside wandering around on his own at this time anyway? Gojyo could think of nothing but seething anger at Hakkai's attackers, and made his decision in the same split second that he gazed down at his friend's brutalised body.
The kappa ran down the hall and knocked furiously on Sanzo's door, almost breaking it off its hinges. He was greeted by a gun pointed in his face, the usual morning greeting from Sanzo, and Gojyo swiped it away unconcerned.
"What do you want, and make it short, before I blow your head off." Sanzo glared.
"Hakkai's hurt, and I mean seriously hurt. He came stumbling into my room covered in blood. He's in my bed now, I've bandaged him up. Make sure you watch him for me, I'll be back soon." Gojyo left Sanzo staring after him as he tore along the corridor and down the stairs to the bar. He had to do something, had to seek revenge. No one did this to his friend. Ever. He had no idea where he was going to start tracing the youkai attackers, but he would damn well make them pay when he found them. Gojyo ran out of the doors, and down the street towards the market, not feeling the sharp stones under his bare feet.
Sanzo sighed, irritated by lack of sleep, worried about Hakkai and Gojyo, and Goku was definitely not helping the situation. He wished that he had not woken the monkey up.
"Maybe we should wake him up? Maybe he's hungry? Shall I get him another blanket? Do you want some more cigarettes?" Goku twittered in the background, while Sanzo checked Hakkai's bandages. Gojyo had done a good job, he decided, sitting back down on the chair opposite the bed. There was nothing to be done but wait now, and the monk hated waiting. Goku, unanswered, sat on the floor next to Sanzo's chair.
"He's gonna be ok, right, Sanzo?" Goku asked, looking for reassurance from his sun.
"Mmm. Let's hope." This clearly was not the response that the monkey had wished for, as he rubbed his eyes and fell silent for the first time in years.