And A Soul To Guide You
"Hey Kory?"
"Aa?"
"Umm…say…if…you know…if…Rinrei was ever out of the picture…what would you do?"
Still following Koryuu and Goku on their way home, the onlookers suddenly wonder if whomever has brought them here is on a coffee break, since they have been walking for many minutes with nothing too eventful happening. They are in a residential area now, walking along a short stone fence. No one is around but them.
Turning to look at the older Goku with a raised and somewhat offended eyebrow, Koryuu slows his step, peering at Goku through his periphery.
"What do you mean?" he asks slowly.
"Well…if she wasn't around, and…if…Homura actually was serious with all that stuff. What…what would you do?"
Koryuu's speed suddenly increases again and he is walking ahead of Goku, making a point to not look back as he speaks. "You say that is if I would have something to be worried about if that were the case. Would I…have something to worry about?"
It isn't hard for those watching to figure out what Koryuu is actually asking. Not 'would I'. 'Do I.' And though Sanzo continues to feign apathy over the whole thing, preferring to remain disinterested if it will keep him from having to pay any excess attention to the couple, Goku finds this topic just as fascinating as his likeness. He had, after all, been wondering himself what he would do if Homura were still alive, and it is something to wonder at: what would Sanzo do?
The older Goku rushes ahead to catch up to his lover and latches on tightly to the man's arm, knowing full well just how many nerves he has struck.
"Course you wouldn't, Kory. I'm just asking. What would you do if he was really coming after me?"
Dimly appeased, Koryuu allows Goku's hold on him, but still looks rather disgruntled as he thinks this question over. Though he seems to consider it for sometime, his answer still comes out steady, as if it is the only answer possible. "I'd kill him." he says, unflinching.
The younger Goku smiles, thinking that for once what has come out of Koryuu's mouth sounds exactly like Sanzo.
The older Goku lets out a laugh, apparently disbelieving, though every single onlooker and Koryuu himself know that the blonde did not mean his statement in jest.
"Come on, Kory, be serious." Goku stresses, tugging on the taller man's arm somewhat to lean against it more comfortably.
"I am being serious."
"Suuuure." Goku replies, unconvinced. "So…what would you do if you couldn't kill him? And…just for arguments sake…what if he managed to win me over? How would you win me back?"
This time, Koryuu rips his arm free from Goku's hold, thoroughly upset, and stalks ahead at a much quicker pace. His inherently short temper is finally showing itself, and Sanzo--for all his hatred of almost everything else about Koryuu and the man's relationship with the other Goku--takes quite a bit of comfort in the sight of a version of himself leaving a version of Goku behind in the dust. Serves the monkey right.
"Come on, Kory, don't be mad!" Goku calls ahead, once again having to run to catch up to his companion. He knows better than to grab for Koryuu's arm right away this time, and plasters on a pitiful pout in preparation for the damage he now has to undo. "I'm just making sure you still love me as much as you say you do. The way Homura gets under your skin when he flirts with me…it…it's kind of nice. It's nice being wanted so much, knowing it drives you crazy to think of me with someone else."
"Not someone else." Koryuu corrects, looking ahead rather than down at the monkey beside him. "Just him."
Goku roles his eyes. "Whatever. So…you still love me?"
This time, Koryuu stops dead in his tracks, and since the younger Goku has been following rather close to the pair, he nearly runs into the blonde's back as he did to Hakkai not long before. Luckily, he notices the stop in time. Watching transfixed as Koryuu turns to look into the older Goku's eyes, he sees a smile tugging at the blonde's lips even while Koryuu is trying to hold it back. "Of course I love you, baka. You shouldn't need him to prove that to you."
"I didn't say I need it." Goku defends himself, all smiles and dimples as he looks back into violet eyes, knowing already that he has won. "Just that I like it. I like seeing you all jealous."
Sanzo bristles. Goku would never talk to him like this. Ever. Had never anyway…until this trip of theirs into insanity. With a scowl, Sanzo looks ahead to gauge his Goku's reaction to the ongoing exchange and as always finds that the monkey looks only too pleased. Sanzo catches himself. What had he just thought? His Goku? He firmly tells himself that he had only meant that in way of differentiating between the two. Goku is not his.
His pet maybe.
"Goku." Koryuu begins, very slow and deliberate with each following word. "I. Love. You. I will always get jealous when others put the moves on you, especially when it is that…insufferable man. Now, knowing that I will always get jealous when such things happen…" Koryuu pauses for effect, darkening his gaze just enough to show Goku that he is dead serious about the next words that leave his lips. "Don't. Encourage. It. Or him. Understand?"
Goku nods, only too sweetly.
"Good. And…I don't have anything to worry about, right?"
Goku shakes his head this time, that sweet smile still plastered on his face. "Course not. Who wants moonlight when I get my very own sunshine everyday?"
The tendons on Sanzo's neck tense. How often has he been called the sun? Too often.
"I like the sun way too much to go after the moon." the older Goku continues. "The moon's really pretty, and it's bright enough at night, but the sun…the sun is gorgeous. The sun shines light on everything. And it's so warm, I always feel safe."
Listening only too well to this poetry, the younger Goku feels a warmth spread in his chest, very much agreeing with every word of it. All he ever wanted was a little sunlight on his face without bars to block it. Sanzo gave him that. Sanzo gave him the sun. Sanzo is the sun. His sun. And always will be.
A light chuckle escapes Koryuu as the blonde shakes his head at the older Goku's words.
"You and your analogies." he laughs, all animosity forgotten as he reaches out to ruffle Goku's hair before at last moving to continue down the path.
For once, Sanzo decides he is going to ignore all that has been said and not get upset over it. Koryuu has spoken that dreaded L-word only too many times. Sanzo can just pretend he doesn't hear it anymore. He can pretend he doesn't hear any of the sweet sentiments. After all, it has nothing to do with him, and this world means absolutely nothing too. There is no truth or sense to any of it. Yes, Sanzo thinks with a firm nod to himself. As long as he keeps reminding himself of that, everything will be fine.
The problem is, he doesn't really believe that everything will be fine, because he knows it won't.
A few moments pass with the group once again following behind the couple when suddenly the older Goku speaks up again.
"So…what would you do to win me back?"
Koryuu audible groans. "Goku…"
"Come on, Kory. Hypothetical."
Koryuu does not spend any time thinking this time. With a quick leap he is suddenly walking on top of the stone fence and slows his step, spreading his arms out as if to embrace the whole world. Then, with the smooth baritone of his voice ringing only too true and beautifully…he sings. "I'd give you stars and the moon and a soul to guide you and a promise I'll never go…"
"Hey."
Koryuu stops singing, willingly being pulled back down from the wall as Goku tugs on his hand.
"What did I just say?" Goku says with a slight smirk, pulling the blonde in closer now and leaning up towards that pale, pretty face. "I don't want the moon. The sun…is just fine." And with a grin playing on both their lips, those lips press together, meeting in slow, mutually blissful passion.
The onlookers stand stunned, not at yet another moment of intimacy playing out before them, but at the truly lovely sound of Sanzo's voice rising in song. Koryuu's voice granted, but…Sanzo's too, in all fairness, seeing as how their voices hold no true difference. But…Sanzo doesn't sing. Sanzo would never, has never, could never…ever…
Could he…?
"Your voice carries rather well, Sanzo." Hakkai comments, with a very real and bordering on teasing smile.
Sanzo huffs and folds his arms over his chest, ignoring the green-eyed youkai.
"Yeah." Gojyo puts in, all a grin himself, and feeling a little better for the moment, knowing he can turn his attention onto something he has always enjoyed: joking at Sanzo's expense. "You moonlighting as a lounge singer in those towns we pass? Come on, confess, we know you are."
Goku is giggling now, and Hakkai holds back a series of chuckles as Gojyo grins on, ready with a comeback no matter how Sanzo responds.
But Sanzo doesn't respond. The monk, ignoring all of them, merely walks on ahead to follow after the pair continuing down the path. Goku and Gojyo exchange looks of utter shock, but Hakkai's brow furrows in worry. He had seen the look in Sanzo's eyes, a look the others seem to have missed, and it was not one of irritation or annoyance as he expected to find. It was one of true fury, burning like a pot of water too close to spilling over the edges. The fact that Sanzo kept it in, held it back, only worries Hakkai more.
"Shit, bouzu, what's your problem!"
"Gojyo. Don't."
"Wha-! Hakkai-!"
"Just. Don't." Hakkai states firmly, and when Hakkai is firm in a way that is not accompanied by a smile, you listen.
Gojyo holds up his hands in mock defense, conceding, and the two of them begin to walk on. Goku, looking a little confused over the whole thing, follows as well, but wonders just what Hakkai thinks he is protecting them from. After all, Goku wants to push things. Goku wants Sanzo to yell and scream and lose his cool. It might be the only thing that knocks any sense into the man.
Fully believing in this line of thought, Goku decides that pushing is exactly what he is going to do right now, Hakkai's stern advice be damned.
"Sanzo?" the monkey begins, walking up next to the blonde and doing his best to mask the evil grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He feels so liberated, plotting against the older man this way. "Can't you take a compliment? We just thought your voice sounded nice."
Hakkai's emeralds dart to Goku in an instant, shocked that the boy is bringing things back up when it should be clear that Sanzo needs to be left alone for a while.
Althought Goku can feel that gaze burning into the side of his head, he keeps his attention focused on Sanzo and waits for a reply.
"It wasn't my voice, idiot." the reply comes, practically growled. "I. Am. Not. Him. Get it through your head…before I pound it into you."
Pound it into me, huh, Goku thinks wickedly. But he is not so bold as to say that out loud.
Not yet, anyway.
"Someone around here is an idiot, alright, but it sure ain't me." Goku chooses to say instead, bold enough within itself, to be sure. But before he has to brave the brunt of Sanzo's reaction, the young man increases his pace and moves ahead, leaving the blonde behind to mull on what has been said.
A quick look into violet tells Hakkai that the water is very near the edges of the pot now, and he shudders to think what might get burned when it blows.
While he is still watching the monk, noticing how white fists are clenching tight enough to draw fresh blood from former wounds, Gojyo leans over beside him and whispers.
"Hey…what's happening here exactly?"
"What do you mean, Gojyo?" Hakkai whispers back. His eyes are still watching crimson meet alabaster, praying that those fists don't find any other use besides clenching.
"I mean…what the hell is up with monkey-boy? He's holding more ground than ever. Standing up to Mr. Stick-up-his-ass like nobody's business. Pressing buttons I didn't know the monkey had the balls to press. He really serious about all this?"
"He said as much, did he not? He said…he would give anything to trade places with his other self."
"But…he didn't mean…I mean…he doesn't really think of…Sanzo…like that. Does he?"
Hakkai at last turns his gaze to regard Gojyo and does not try to veil his incredulous look in the slightest. "Gojyo…though I admit I had to hear it from Goku's own lips before I believed it fully…you and I both know…we have long known…the answer to that question. Why else would we jump to Goku's defense when Sanzo condemns the love between Koryuu and the other Goku. Hmm? Clearly…we both recognize how much this is hurting Goku…"
"Because of how much he loves Sanzo?"
Hakkai does not need to nod.
"Shit." the kappa curses, his hand coming up to run through red locks in a nervous gesture. "Why do I get the feeling…things are only gonna get worse before they get better? Hell, I don't even know if they can get better."
A somber smile touches Hakkai's lips. He knows not to dwell on what Goku spoke to him about, on what the younger man alluded to. Not now. Right now…it would only make things worse, just as Gojyo said. Things are often better left alone, the brunette thinks soundly, turning his gaze back to the front where he once again catches sight of Sanzo. The monk's fists are looser now. But not by much.
"Hey, Kory…" the older Goku starts in suddenly, a naughty little smile planted on his face as he looks sideways at his companion. And then… "Race you home!" …he takes off running, his smaller stature speeding him far ahead of Koryuu in no time at all.
Koryuu does not follow suit at first, but calls ahead. "Hey! What are we, five-years-old!"
"You say that, Kory, but the extra three years on you sure are lagging you behind!"
Koryuu smirks.
The onlookers make a mental note. Extra three years. Three years. If Koryuu is twenty-three as Sanzo is, that makes this older Goku…twenty.
"That little brat." Koryuu mumbles to himself, but a moment later he has broke into a run, sprinting ahead to catch up to Goku as best he can. "Just wait till I get my hands on you, monkey!" But there is no malice or threat in Koryuu's words, and as he nears the older Goku, both are laughing as much as they are breathing hard. It is clearly on purpose when Goku allows Koryuu to catch him--he so did want to be caught--and after a successful tackle, the pair is still laughing as they continue home with Goku pulled in so tight against Koryuu's side and their steps so in sink, one might think they were bound together.
The younger Goku, still leading the pack after bypassing Sanzo some time ago, turns back to his companions and is a grin from ear to monkey ear. The light sparked in his golden eyes states without a word that he believes the group should follow the couple's example, especially considering that the couple is now quite a bit ahead of them.
It is that smile, that joy, the sheer happiness in Goku at anything and everything regarding Koryuu and the other Goku that not only boils the pot over, but sends it crashing to the kitchen floor.
Pivoting just so, Sanzo's fist suddenly cuts the air, very intent on a target as it moves with almost inhuman speed. Hakkai would have flinched if he didn't already know where that fist intended to land. He does flinch when he hears the sickening crunch…of Sanzo's hand breaking when it makes contact with the stone fence.
"Sanzo!" calls Goku, his smile gone as he runs back to the group with sudden desperation, not understanding why the monk would do something so foolish. "Are you okay! Why did you do that!"
"Shut up." Sanzo responds darkly, his words holding very little volume, but more than enough venom. His eyes remain veiled by golden strands, his head bent, his now broken hand limp as the other remains in a tight fist. His broken hand is bloody and grotesquely twisted.
For all the broken bones and wounds Goku has seen in his life, it causes the monkey to grimace.
Hakkai sighs, shaking his head as he approaches slowly, having anticipated something like this. He had honestly thought Sanzo's outburst would come out directed at Goku, but he is not surprised seeing it manifest like this. Lifting his hand as he builds a good amount of ki with which to heal, Hakkai does not ask permission, but knows Sanzo will not protest as long as nothing is said to draw too much attention to the act being carried out.
Before Hakkai can truly begin healing, however…the need for it is suddenly gone.
Truly amazed himself as the pain fades, Sanzo stares at his recently broken hand, lifting it to his face, and cannot believe…that it is healing itself, the blood fading. In moments only it is his own, flawless hand again. Even the silk is no longer stained. Staring, Sanzo thinks to turn his hand over, and looking at the palm he sees that the cuts from his own nails are gone as well. Had they healed this quickly before and he had just been too preoccupied to notice?
"Holy shit." This is Gojyo, having since remained silent, but unable to hold back now. "How…how did it do that?"
"Hmm." Hakkai speaks thoughtfully, tilting his head as he gazes at the healed hand and draws back in the ki he had meant to use. "I should have thought as much."
The others turn to stare at him, each with their own look to say, 'what the hell do you mean by that?'
Hakkai only smiles, not at all taken aback by their unified stare. "It makes sense really, when you think about it. Gojyo, Sanzo…have either of you thought of your lost cigarette's since first missing them this morning? Out of true necessity, that is, not just comfort."
The two smokers dart their eyes to one another quickly and then back to Hakkai. Their answer is clear, despite their inability to say so aloud.
"And you, Goku." Hakkai continues, calling past the others to where Goku stands, the monkey still somewhat shaken by Sanzo's strange act. Gold eyes look back at Hakkai, expectant. "Aren't you hungry?" the older brunette asks. "You have not mentioned so once."
Goku opens his mouth to say something, perhaps to say, 'of course, I'm hungry,' but never quite finds the right words. The truth is, he is not hungry at all. But how can that be? How can two nicotine addicts not be craving cigarettes? And what does it have to do with Sanzo's hand healing itself?
"It's quite simple." Hakkai says matter-of-factly, nonplussed by his companion's continuously vacant and confused expressions. "This place, however tangible it may seem, does not exist in any physical reality."
The others blink back at him.
Hakkai sighs. "Our minds are here, but our bodies are not. Wherever our bodies are, real time is not passing there as it is passing here. Hence…we are not hungry or craving our addictions, and wounds sustained right themselves because they have no basis in reality."
Gojyo nods slowly, hoping he understood all that.
Goku's brow is furrowed, the gears in his head almost visibly clicking into place, but most likely focusing on how impossible it is for him not to be hungry.
Sanzo, happy to keep his eyes focused on Hakkai since it means Goku remains at his back, lifts his recently injured hand. "If that's all true…then why the fuck did that hurt?"
Hakkai sighs again; shouldn't that be obvious? "The mind is still very powerful. If it believes the body to be hurt, pain is felt, regardless of the body actually being hurt. It's a rather fascinating area of study."
This sudden shift of Hakkai into sensei-mode causes Gojyo to forget his confused, 'I hope I understand what's going on' state, and the kappa breaks into a smile. Hakkai really is adorable like this--so in his element. Gojyo catches himself for thinking that, though, his smile nearly slipping. Did he just think of Hakkai…as adorable?
They have been in this…non-reality…for far too long.
"Thanks for the lesson." Gojyo says, renewing his smirk and winking at the former teacher jokingly, if only to ease his own mind by pretending everything is okay. "But considering I can barely see the distant dots of the too cute couple up there, we better get a move on."
Hakkai nods, brought back suddenly to the matters at hand, and almost scolds himself for having forgotten the now very distant couple who have indeed become fading dots in the distance.
Goku, having noticed the flinch Sanzo gave when Gojyo used the words 'too cute couple,' hangs back as Hakkai and Gojyo walk past him. He does not pay attention to the emeralds that look back at him, looking on with disapproval, because he doesn't care if what he is about to do is dangerous. Right now it isn't about pushing buttons. He just wants to make sure Sanzo is okay.
"Sanzo…?" he speaks softly, timidly, for a moment allowing the submission in his voice that is usually wrapped up all around him and within him, if only for Sanzo. "Don't do that again, okay? It was scary."
Slowly, in a strange daze, Sanzo's violets lift up, steadying on Goku's face for only a moment, before the monk is moving past his charge, without a word. Without even an 'idiot,' or 'stupid monkey,' or 'shut up' to tell Goku that things are still kind of okay. Because things aren't okay. And for the first time, Goku wonders if his pushing…is such a good idea after all.
He doesn't have time to dwell though, because that old pain comes flooding in, bringing him to his knees, and slight cries from his companions alert him even more to what is happening. What he doesn't understand fully, is why the shift…is hurting him again when it had started to stop.
Is it because, for a moment, he let the fear win…?
-----
More silence than ever blankets the group as they sit in various places in Gonou and Gojyo's living room. The couple along with Kanan had all been in the kitchen cooking when they first arrived, but when Gonou left things to the others for a moment to decorate the living room, telling Gojyo to keep a close eye on Kanan to be sure she doesn't burn anything, they decided they would rather follow him since the living room offers so much more space.
Now, while Gonou is busily humming to himself as he straightens up and puts a few streamers around to dangle across the ceiling, 'just to be festive,' Goku watches from his chosen spot on the floor, Hakkai and Gojyo sit in their chosen spots on the couch, and Sanzo…sits in one of the chairs, too weary in too many ways to lean against the wall as he had before. Still, as often as Goku turns gold towards violet, violet never once looks up to meet gold.
Couple that with the fact that Hakkai keeps passing strange looks at Gojyo, with the kappa noticing them only too easily, and what you have is painfully clear: a very uncomfortable ikkou.
Another wayward look from Hakkai, and Gojyo has had enough. Forget the monk and monkey. "What?" he asks shortly, not meaning to sound as aggravated as he does, but to be completely honest, aggravated is exactly how he feels.
"Yes, Gojyo? Something wrong?"
Gojyo almost growls at that neutral tone. "You keep looking at me. What, is there something on my face? Have I grown another head? Coz I'd believe it at this point."
Hakkai only chuckles, and damn it if that doesn't just aggravate Gojyo more. "Forgive me, Gojyo. I don't know what you mean." the pleasant man replies, and Gojyo knows he is being completely honest, which means Hakkai probably hasn't realized that he keep glancing at him every ten seconds. Still, somehow, that just makes it all the more worse.
"Never mind." Gojyo grumbles, pushing the heal of his palm into his right eye, tired. He would ask Hakkai how it is possible to feel so tired when it's just his mind, but he figures he doesn't really care what the answer is.
Ding. Ding.
"I'll get it!" Gonou calls towards the kitchen, abandoning the last bit of streamers on the floor and rising to attend the door.
It is almost 4 o'clock now, the group realizes as they check the timepiece on the mantle of the farthest wall. This could be anyone. Many are expected for this party, after all, and the prospect of seeing someone new almost excites them and helps them forget all the recent discomfort.
Almost.
Still, with expectant eyes, all four watchers turn to the door and look on intently as Gonou opens it.
"You better not have stayed on your feet all morning baking that." Gonou reprimands the very pregnant youkai woman at the door, who is cheerfully holding up some deliciously smelling dessert with her slightly swollen fingers.
Smiling sweetly, the lavender haired youkai laughs very softly, offering her gift despite being scolded. "I couldn't very well come empty handed, now could I…Gonou-kun?"
"I suppose not…Yaone-chan."
Without having to think about it very hard at all, Hakkai decides he likes 'Hakkai-san' much better than 'Gonou-kun' even with the added formality. But Yaone-chan…isn't so bad really.
Nothing can be too shocking in this world anymore, so none of the group responds with so much as wide eyes upon seeing Yaone so very pregnant, her lavander hair loose down her back. They watch as Gonou accepts the dessert she has brought, taking it from her with a small bow.
The woman's stomach gives a little jump, and Yaone lets out a pleased laugh. "They're very active today." she smiles.
They. Twins, Hakkai thinks with a smile of his own, rather envious of his other self when Gonou places a hand to Yaone's stomach to feel the babies kicking.
Yaone and Hakkai have always been a little more than enemies even if they must always be a little less than friends. He imagines it would be rather pleasant to be friends instead, especially in sharing such wondrous joins in life like children. Yes, envious is exactly what he is feeling…for more, perhaps, than just this one encounter.
"Is your husband with you, or was he kept at work?" Gonou asks, motioning for Yaone to come inside.
Moving in only a few steps, having some difficulty moving at all with how far along she appears to be, Yaone happily shakes her head. "Oh no, he's coming. Right behind me, in fact. He's just busy reeling in the wayward…as always."
"And if I have to get a call from Mom one more time saying you didn't tell her where you where going…I swear, Lirin…" enters a voice the ikkou may or may not have expected next, but certain things click a little clearer in their heads with its arrival. Sure enough, Kougaiji appears in the doorway, pulling Lirin along behind him with a firm grip on her arm.
"Oniichan! I just went to visit Goku at work!" Lirin whines.
"Well next time, tell someone. I know you're not a little girl anymore, but 15 is not old enough to go gallivanting around town without anyone knowing where you are. Understand?"
"Yeah, yeah." Lirin whines a little more, pulling her arm free and dashing into the house. She throws out a quick, "Hey Gonou!" before heading for the kitchen to disturb the cooks, or to at least steal a bit of the cooking food.
Kougaiji sighs in distress but is soon breaking into a smile, and before long he is laughing along with Gonou and Yaone.The comfort with which the three of them are interacting is far more…unfair and unsettling than it had been to watch Lirin with Goku.
Mainly because…Kougaiji is an enemy they will almost certainly face again. An enemy they will almost certainly have to kill…to complete the mission. To be honest, they will probably have to kill all of the Kougaiji-tachi, but here and now, especially here and now, no one in the ikkou wants to think about that. Hearing Kougaiji's very pleasant sounding laughter is enough to make them all very sick to their stomachs in knowing full well where the future might bring them.
"Hmm…I should see if there is anything I can do to help in the kitchen." Yaone mentions, looking rather thoughtful as she moves to shift her enlarged belly.
Eyebrows raise from both men with her, and a conspiratorial look sets them both in agreement.
"Gonou?"
"Right."
"Wha-! What are you two doing?"
But Gonou and Kougaiji already have her by the arms and are lifting her with impressive ease over to the couch. Hakkai and Gojyo scramble off of it, not really keen on the idea of being crushed, even if Yaone proves to fall right through them as they imagine she would. Soon, having worked as a rather effective team, Gonou and Kougaiji have managed to lower Yaone to the couch and have her feet propped up on the end table.
"I hardly think this is necessary." the youkai woman pouts, hating to be out of commission when she has an innate need to care for others, always ready to be at someone else's beck and call, not the other way around. This whole pregnant thing is really irritating for her in that regards, since everyone is so careful with her. "I'm not an invalid. I'm just--"
"A week and two days from bursting." Kougaiji finishes for her. With a quick smile, he looks over at Gonou. "She's never going to make it to the due date, you know."
"Oh I know. We've already placed bets. I'm down for Wednesday."
Yaone releases a near-offended 'Oh!'.
"Nice team work, Kou." Gonou smiles then. "Now let's see how long we can keep her there." the man extends a hand that is met by one with claws, each gripping the other's forearm as Koryuu and Gojyo had done earlier in the day.
The onlookers realize that it is a rather effective way for the humans of the group to avoid claws.
Yaone is still half-scowling when the kitchen door bursts open and Kanan followed by Gojyo comes bounding into the living room, having finally found a point in their cooking where they could stop.
"Ya-Ya!" Kanan calls excitedly, rushing to her friend's side as she sits beside the pregnant youkai on the couch. She leans over, placing the side of her face against the swelled stomach to hear and feel the twins in one action. "Ooo, feisty today. They must take after their father." she laughs lightly, and Yaone has forgotten Kougaiji and Gonou's treatment of her in an instant as she joins in, both women thoroughly enjoying a little girl-time.
Kougaiji just smiles at the comment and sits down in the chair Sanzo has quickly vacated. "Are you calling me feisty?" he challenges, only humor in his eyes as he looks back at the woman next to his wife on the couch.
"That she is." Gojyo says, looking up from having placed his hand on the pregnant stomach as well. The black-haired youkai grins broadly over at Kougaiji then. "She must not know the meaning of the word." he teases.
Raising an elegant, red eyebrow, Kougaiji does not see this as deserving of a verbal response, but chooses instead to lift a clawed finger…and flick Gojyo off, smiling with gleaming fangs the entire time.
The majority of the group laughs, but even while Kanan is laughing with the others, she places her hand over Yaone's stomach again as if to cover eyes that aren't there. "Really, Kou. Not in front of the fetuses." she says, in as serious a tone as she can muster before breaking into laughter again that is echoed even more vigorously this time than before.
Looking on at all this, the watchers--all standing off to the side now out of necessity with their seats taken up--don't know what to do with themselves. Until now they have dealt with only a few people at a time, but now…the whole group is together with more on the way, all at ease and so very happy…it makes them feel sick. Honestly sick.
Even Goku, the one holding onto the most hope out of the four, feels sick, wondering if such happiness can ever be found, or…if in the end…there is no happy ending for any of them.
tbc...
A/N: I really enjoyed this part. Hope you did too. Now, as for Koryuu singing, that little line he sang is from "Stars and the Moon," taken from the musical "Songs for a New World." I broke into song myself a few weeks ago and just couldn't get the idea of Koryuu singing that line out of mine head. It's a very pretty, though sad song, if you choose to find and listen to it. I hope you enjoyed a pregnant Yaone too, and now the couples are all laid out. Honestly, I am completely open when it comes to couples within the Kougaiji-tachi, but my favorite and the one I see as the most feasible is Yaono and Kou. Sorry if you're more of a DokuxKou or YaonexDoku person. Anyhoo...
Diva Urd: Okay, I claim ignorance on the whose/who's thing because I always forget with that. So that wasn't something I missed, just something I'm stupid about. :-) And...you made my day mentioning the Homura line about "Do you often have that problem," because I love it and nobody else said anything about it. I hand you virtual chocolate to reach a settlement on you sueing me. I hope it is enough. The comments you made about Nii make me wonder if there are things I don't know. I have planned who is behind all this and how, but...perhaps I need to research the dear Doctor a bit to make sure I don't miss something. It shouldn't make much difference, but I like to be up on things. I blame him for everything regardless, just like I blame Hojo in Final Fantasy VII for everything. They're eerily alike.
RedEyedRavenWolf: Well, there's Kou for you, and he'll have more of a part to play too. I will not have the twins (assuming you mean Kinkaku and Ginkaku) because their story happened when their parents turned crazy from the minus wave, which isn't a concern here, so they are probably happy in their hometown right now. As for whose behind this...I wouldn't spoil it for you, but I can say that no one has guessed entirely correct.
Whisper Reilman: "Jien and Kana, eh? That's...freakish almost." Oh, did I laugh at that. And I completely agree. But...it just seemed so right and that's where the characters took me. Just you wait, I have some interesting things in store for them. Well, interesting scenes involving them in the near future. Poor Gojyo...I feel almost mean...
Sorchafyre: Man...you have a whole other plot going there that is a really good idea. I will say that it gave ME some insight into how I want this to end, but...I wouldn't want to spoil things by saying anything else. I do agree that Koumyo is more of a pull than Goku right now. Sanzo is such a bastard sometimes, selfish and stupid. Oh, the things I have planned for him...
Animage: Okay, it is very late and though I was going to type, 'thanks for the cookies' to you, I see that I have typed 'Thanks for the Gokus' instead. Man, I am more tired than I realize. Anyway. Cookies. Yeah. They were metaphysically tasty.
K, off I go to bed here at 2:30am, and I will have the next part up pronto. We are getting so close to some of my favorite parts. Eee! Things only get more entertaining from here, I promise you. Thanks, as always, and do keep hitting that review button.
Crim