Disclaimer – I do not own or profit from Saiyuki. You can sue me if you want, though. I have this coupon for a free piece of bubble gum that I know everyone just covets.
Rated M for slash, violence, and darkness that aren't yet Mature-rated. Makes sense, right? ('wink')
Also, this contains small Gaiden references, but I wouldn't consider it a spoiler, as I have no real idea what happens in Gaiden, and so anything I say is pure conjecture based on repeated, obsessive watching of the Saiyuki anime and repeated, obsessive reading of the Saiyuki manga. Please do not take me seriously. I know nothing. (Oh, how dangerous that quote is, taken out of context... 'lol')
Thank you to all the readers and reviewers. You make writing this a real treat.
And I'm thrilled to know that it isn't just Sanzo/Goku fans who are enjoying this story. Considering the content, I'm incredibly flattered. Cookies for everybody! ('grin')
Chapter Summary: In which Gojyo gets ('gasp') a role, Hakkai continues his descent, and Sanzo and Goku wonder if I've written them out of their own d-mn story.
Anyway, enjoy. Peace, all.
--X--
And When The Sun Goes Down
Chapter Five: The Devils Come Out
by Ghost Helwig
--X--
It was the silence that alerted Gojyo.
True, the slamming and crashing (the crack of flesh on wood and brick) that came amid the silence was a giveaway, too, but by then he was already curious; when Hakkai had said he'd track down Goku and Sanzo so they could play mahjong (anything to relieve that damn monk's foul temper), he'd rather assumed there would be some talking involved in the asking.
And the stupid monkey's voice could carry easily enough to his room, because the kid talked like everyone was a room away from him instead of a few feet. Possibly the result of spending too much time in Hakuryu, when you had to practically shout to be heard over the rush of wind and the glorious beat of the engine, but he didn't feel like giving the kid excuses. The stupid monkey was just loud.
But right now he'd give anything to hear the kid's voice, just so he'd know what he was walking into.
Hakuryu 'koo'-ed sleepily when he passed by the bed, and he spared a moment to be thankful that the little dragon was too tired to follow him – if demons were attacking, protecting him would be difficult, if not altogether impossible in the confined space within this inn. The little animal would just get hurt.
Though how could there be demons attacking? He'd heard none of the sounds of breaking in, and his hearing was especially keen; unless they'd come in the front door. Were they smart enough for that, for sneaking in that way? If so, the quality of Kougaiji's assassins had improved
And if demons weren't attacking, Gojyo wasn't sure he even wanted to know what the hell was going on.
Yet somehow, he found himself outside Sanzo's door anyway.
The door had been blown completely open by the wind, so once outside the doorway he could see inside the room, though the flickering candlelight made his visibility poor. But almost immediately he saw a few, select (important) things-
The glint of gold and red on Goku's head, as blood oozed over his limiter.
More gold by the window, though topped by a forbidding, shadowy form.
And most importantly-
The body that actually belonged to that gold wasn't moving.
Gojyo froze for just an instant, not seeing anything in that moment but that golden hair. He felt like he'd seen this man dead before – which was ridiculous, because though he'd come close to dying several times, Sanzo had never actually died. But if he stared-
-long golden hair spilled onto the floor as the body collapsed, not dead before it hit the floor but dying, and doing it quickly; and there was a hollowness in his chest that hadn't been there before... until the boy-beast started howling, and the hollowness was filled by fear-
-he saw too much, and not enough. But later for that. All that mattered now was moving, because if he let the little bitch die he was absolutely fucking certain the blonde would come back from death to haunt him until his dying day, thus ensuring that he never got laid again.
Bastard monk.
He raced forward, whipping out his shakujou-
And hurriedly pulling it back, away from the danger zone, the instant he realized exactly who it was on top of Sanzo.
He had two options, he realized in the split-second before Hakkai turned to him and struck: he could try to reason it out with Hakkai and possibly let Sanzo die, or stop Hakkai now and maybe salvage the time necessary to save the pissy monk's life.
No choice at all, really.
So, in a move he knew he would not have gotten away with had Hakkai not been consumed by this single-minded intent, this murderous rage, he feinted to the left when Hakkai struck out with his hands (not his chi – he was too far gone for that now, for which Gojyo wasgrateful) and used the other man's movement to put him in the exact right position, so that when he brought his shakujou down the long pole collided with the back of Hakkai's head. Hakkai went down.
And despite his worry for his friend, his sudden guilt, Gojyo ignored him in favor of making sure that when Hakkai woke up, when he was back to himself, he wouldn't have Sanzo's death (I won't let you bloody your hands further, my friend) on his already marked conscience.
--X--
There was nothing in the world but them, these two, him killing and the other being killed. He could feel that strong life force draining away beneath his fingers, getting darker and colder-
But a soul that perverted deserved to be frozen and shadowed. It was only fitting.
And then he felt it; another presence, approaching quickly, one that bled confusion and pain all over the floor...
He knew the instant that presence decided to really go after him. He turned, swung-
And missed. By quite a bit.
Then something was crashing into him, carrying him to the floor.
He would've screamed in rage, but all around him was suddenly dark, and he knew no one would hear.
--X--
Gojyo felt for the pulse in Sanzo's throat with a hand that would not, could not, stop shaking. He counted in his head: one, two, three...
Still, nothing.
But it couldn't end this way, not like this. Where was the honor in this, the death a man like Sanzo deserved? It's not like he's earned anything, but to die like this... Not even I would put him in the ground.
He shoved all these distracting thoughts aside, grabbed Sanzo's chin and tilted it up. He'd seen people do this, but never done it himself...
But if Hakkai crushed his windpipe, this won't matter anyway.
He put his mouth over the monk's cold lips, no time for perverted thoughts and no inclination towards them, instead blowing air into that unmoving body, sharing his breath as the Merciful Goddess had once forced him to share his blood. Not that I wouldn't have done it anyway, but – and where is that bitch? Where was she when Sanzo needed her?
He pulled off, checked for a pulse. Nothing yet. So he fisted his hand and slammed it over Sanzo's heart (I know you've got one, you gods-damned blasted monk, so get the fuck up before you break Goku's), again and again and again.
More breathing into his mouth, now, and if he was panting from exertion and fear no one was awake (alive) to know it.
Maybe he was doing this wrong. Because that would make sense, wouldn't it? Sha Gojyo often got things wrong, and Sanzo would just love the chance to taunt him from the afterlife...
I shared my blood with you, and now my breath. What else can I give?
He pulled away again, and Sanzo's lips were a shade of blue he thought he would always remember (and always hate). This was over, then. Their whole goddamn mission was over, and for what?
A chill overcame him then, one he could not, did not even try to curb.
When Goku wakes up, he'll kill us both. Me, for failing to save Sanzo, and Hakkai... for doing what he did.
He closed his eyes. It wasn't nearly as bad as he'd thought, knowing death was forthcoming. He sat back on his heels, wished for a cigarette-
And nearly fell over when he heard a cough from the body (corpse) in front of him.
Sanzo?
--X--
The man opened his blurry eyes, caught sight of one blood-red head bent over the body of the priest he'd slaughtered in cold blood. And it was that hair that brought him back to himself, always that goddamned hair, that was penitence and censure all at once...
"G-gojyo," he whispered, but his voice was too faint even for Gojyo's half-youkai ears.
I'm sorry, he wanted to say, though he could not quite remember what he was sorry for.
Then Gojyo moved away, and through dazed eyes he saw a single shaft of bright, shining gold. Sanzo.
He remembered, now. And as unconsciousness claimed him once more, he wished he would never wake up again.
Somebody kill me. Please.
--End Chapter Five--
