*A.N Well this is it. The Final Chapter (dun dun duuuun) I just want to thank everyone who stuck with this little tale and those who reviewed. You punks rock. Also I want to apologize for the amount of time this chapter took to finish. It's the week before spring break meaning teachers have to cram everything they can into these remaining days. Not only that, but I wanted to make sure this chapter turned out good. I hope you all like it. sniffles It's my pride and joy, but there's more journeys to write about and more boys to torture. grins Thanks again you guys. Enjoy. ^_^*
Sanzo sat beside and open window in the town hospital. He stared up into the sky vacantly as the smoke from his cigarette seemed to blend into the fluffy clouds above. It was another beautiful, warm, sunny day with a pleasant light breeze. Sanzo's gaze drifted to an orange butterfly that fluttered by, contrasting against the cerulean sky. Just like the paper airplane, the colors from opposite sides of the wheel complimented each other perfectly. The image helped with the nicotine to put him at ease.
It had been three days since Sanzo had arrived in town with his barely breathing passengers. It had been two and a half days of a hell ride to the town as Sanzo swore he stalled every time he switched gears. Luckily when he did manage the right gear, Hakuryuu helped him out as much as it could.
Three days....They were probably still unconscious but they should be waking up soon...hopefully. How many hours did the doctors say they had left to live when he rushed through the hospital doors? He couldn't remember, but he knew it was a single digit amount of time. Sanzo took another drag and casually tapped some ashes from the cigarette. *At least they're still alive.* During his stay at the hospital, Sanzo realized just how far their enemies were willing to go to obtain the scripture, and it made him shudder. But he also realized that since they made it (barely) through the hell they'd gone through, they could probably pull their asses out of anything. Sanzo finished off his cigarette, dragging it down to the filter before flicking it out the window. He exhaled as he stood, the smoke streaming from between parched lips. "Seven cigarettes...Time to have a look at their sorry faces again."
The priest made his way down the hall, passing by people who seemed less and less qualified as he journeyed to his comrades' room. *Four rooms down on the left.* The hallway was disgustingly warm and stuffy. Without a second thought, Sanzo slithered out of the top of his robe and let it fall over his waist as he fixed the tight black shirt he wore underneath. He got to the door and slowly opened it, trying his hardest not to make it creak this time. *Why do I bother? It's not like they can hear me anyway.*
Sanzo stepped into the cool, fresh room. The nurses had let the windows he'd opened stay that way, allowing an easy breeze to past through the room. Sanzo looked from Gojyo to Hakkai and Hakuryuu and let his eyes rest on Goku. They hadn't moved since he came in a couple hours earlier nor had the beams of sunlight that played across their serene faces.
He walked over to the sun-warmed chair besides Goku's bed and sat down, grabbing the paper from the table beside him. Sanzo pulled a pair of glasses from the folds of his robe and wiped the lenses before putting them on. He opened the paper up, scanning the headlines. "Hope you're all getting your rest because I'm not thanks to you idiots." Sanzo slid a sideways glance to Goku. "Especially you, Goku." He paused as he looked back to the paper and turned the page. "You had me worried sick."
"Sorry..." Goku's cracked voice drifted through the room.
The priest jumped in surprise, not only from the fact that he was awake, but also that someone actually heard an emotional comment from him. "Goku?!"
Goku's eyes slowly opened and the gold orbs sparkled innocently in the sun. He blinked slowly before the strands of hair, blown by the wind, brushed over the pools Sanzo was transfixed by. "Hey..."
"Hey." Sanzo closed the news paper and set it down on his lap, he then pulled off his glasses.
The two just stared at each other in silence as the wind ruffled the thin, white curtains. Sanzo's eyes caught Goku shiver underneath the thin, bleached bed sheet.
"Did you want the window shut?" Sanzo asked quietly.
Goku was surprised at the unusual lightness of the priest's tone. Goku just guessed this is what stress and sleep deprivation can do to an easily irritable monk and passed it off as that. Although, he did really enjoy it. "Nah, I'm fine."
"Suit yourself." Sanzo opened the paper once again after returning his glasses back to his face. Silence again. Sanzo sat there pretending to read as Goku looked him over. Irritated as he felt eyes on him, Sanzo glared at Goku. "What is it?" Sanzo asked curtly.
"Just wanted to see that you're OK."
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I- I just feel as though I hurt you pretty bad. Just a vibe I guess."
Sanzo smirked. "You're giving yourself too much credit, monkey."
Goku half laughed, "Still...I'm sorry."
Sanzo grumbled as he dropped the paper to the floor and stood up, leaning onto the bed with both hands pressing into the firm mattress. His violet eyes were intense behind the magnified lenses as they mixed with the gold ones beneath him. "Listen...I...you...Ugh." Sanzo bit his lip as he wanted for once to speak from his heart so badly but his ego intervened once again. Not only that, but he felt as though he'd faint if Goku kept searching his eyes for an answer as intently as he was. But he didn't faint as a smile of understanding crept across Goku's dry lips.
"Heh, yeah I know."
Sanzo closed his eyes in relief as he sat back in his chair. The breeze was back again and this time it brought the distinct smell of fresh meat buns into the room.
A strand of hair blew into Goku's eyes and he immediately tried to blink it out. Goku tried to raise his arm but winced as he felt how stiff it was as it had not been moved in days.
Sanzo sighed, "Wait." With that, Sanzo brushed the hair away gently with his calloused fingers running lightly over Goku's brow.
Goku blinked and looked at Sanzo with a smile. "Thanks."
"Don't look too much into it." Sanzo glanced to the side as if seeing if anyone saw this rare act of kindness. No one...Good. The priest focused back on Goku and as his eyes laid upon him, the familiar sound of a growling stomach echoed from under the bed sheets. Sanzo couldn't help but let something that resembled a laugh escape his lips. "Hungry?"
"Starving..."
Sanzo stood up straight, replacing the robe back on his shoulders. "Fine, I'll get you some meat buns or something if it'll shut you up for a while."
Goku nodded a little as he smiled a bit, "Yeah!" It was good to hear Sanzo back to normal. Though he liked the softer side, it just seemed too surreal. Maybe he was a masochist, he didn't know, but hearing Sanzo being an asshole again comforted him.
"Could you pick up something for me as well?" A light voice floated from Hakkai's corner of the room.
Sanzo turned around to see Hakkai propping himself up on a pillow as he smiled at him with his happy, bandaged face.
"Ugh, fine."
"Thanks...I'm famished."
"Hurry up, Sanzo! I think my stomach's starting to eat itself!" Goku piped in, as he tried to slowly work the stiffness from his limbs.
"For Gods' sake, I'm going!" Sanzo stormed out of the room and down the stairs. Goku and Hakkai could hear Sanzo storm out of the hospital as they smiled at each other. "Oh yeah he's relieved." Hakkai started.
"No shit, it was plastered on his face."
"Who knew he was capable of...feelings."
Goku smiled. "We probably shouldn't bring it up."
"Blackmail?"
"We probably shouldn't bring it up....unless it's blackmail." Goku laughed with Hakkai. The monkey's gaze wandered to the unconscious kappa on the opposite side of the room from him. "You think he's gonna be alright?"
"Gojyo looks like he took a pretty bad beating. But I think I've heard him talking in his sleep so he should be waking up any moment now."
Goku shuddered. "The things he talks about when he's awake is bad enough. I'd hate to hear what he dreams about."
"Oh yeah...It's definitely not for kids." Hakkai congratulated himself silently as he restrained a blush.
* * *
Kougaji stepped into the his father's chambers, his footsteps reverberating off the cold, shadowed walls. He knew what his summoning was about and he was ready to hold back the rage that would build up from within when the slut sitting up on her throne opened her mouth. "You wanted to see me."
Lady Koushu stood up, a scowl fixed on her face. "Exactly, who's side are you on, Prince?"
Kougaji growled, "My mother's. You know that already."
"Yes, your mother. Speaking of which, she does look awfully nice decorating the wall in the other room doesn't she?" The concubine smirked as she saw Kougaji's fists clench. "I suppose with a few curtains and some better lighting we'd be the envy of every home decorator wouldn't we?"
"Enough!"
"Hit a nerve, hm? Well let me drill this into your thick skull *again.* Until you obtain that scripture you and your mother's asses are mine! So I suggest next time you want to go out and play with the Sanzo party you had better leave them dead in the sandbox! Do I make myself clear?"
"Irritatingly so."
"Good enough. Now get out of my sight so I can talk to your father about your behavior."
Kougaji stormed out of the room and down the hall. He wasn't more than ten feet from the room until he ran into Yaone, Doukugakuji, and Lirin.
"Got chewed out by the whore, hm?" Doukugakuji asked.
"Heh...Whore? Who would pay for that? And on that note, please don't ever repeat that sentence again."
"She's a goddamn slut!" Lirin threw in.
"Lady Lirin!" Yaone placed a hand firmly on her shoulder. "That's really not something someone your age should say."
"So what did she say?" Doukugakuji asked as they all turned and walked down the hall.
Kougaji shrugged, "Who cares. Her little rant went in one ear and out the other."
"So what do we do now, big brother?" Lirin quickened her pace to catch up with Kougaji.
"Oh...I don't know. We could send the Sanzo party a card." Kougaji smiled.
"Are you for real?" Lirin looked up and searched Kougaji's serious expression.
Kougaji just laughed along with Yaone and Doukugakuji as Lirin was too puzzled to take another step.
"You guys are a bunch of weirdoes!"
* * *
Sanzo came back up to the room holding a large box of meat buns with both hands. "I know this won't hold you over for more than five minutes, but if you want more, you can go get them yourselves." Sanzo grumbled as he shut the door behind him with his foot. When he looked up, he was surprised to see Hakkai and Goku sitting up in their beds. Sanzo set the box down on a table next to him and pulled out two meat buns.
Goku's face instantly lit up, it seemed like he'd almost fully healed in the fifteen minutes Sanzo was gone. The same went for Hakkai, Sanzo noticed as he handed him a meat bun and tossed the other to Goku, who, not surprisingly, caught it in his mouth. Sanzo then looked over to Gojyo who was still unconscious. "Still hasn't woken up, hm?"
Hakkai looked up after he swallowed a bite over to the kappa beside him. "I overheard some of the doctors saying that he was a tough one to bring back."
Sanzo nodded, "He was pretty torn up."
Goku lowered his gaze from Sanzo and picked at his thumb uncomfortably. "What happened to us, Sanzo? Me and Hakkai can't remember anything."
The priest sighed and pulled out a pack of Marlboros, shaking a cigarette up from the carton and pulling it free with his lips. He dug for the matches in his robe and when he found them, he lit up, proceeding to shake out the flame of the match and tossing it out an open window. Sanzo replaced the book of matches as he closed his eyes and began. "It seemed our friends in the west spread some poison into the rain which caused you guys to go berserk. Of course, that's the abridged version." Sanzo opened his eyes to see the solemn and ashamed expressions on Goku and Hakkai's faces. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Listen, cut the shit. You know as well as I do that you couldn't control anything that happened so stop being so melodramatic and accept it! Anyways," Sanzo's voice softened slightly. "We got through it didn't we?"
Hakkai nodded, "I understand, but I just--"
Sanzo's gun was cocked and aimed at Hakkai's temple before he could finish. "One more word and I'll kill you." The priest threw another meat bun to Hakkai and Goku who slowly drifted out of their bouts as they bit into the warm bun. Sanzo replaced the gun back in the holster hidden under the folds of cloth as he leaned back and took a meat bun for himself.
There was a slight movement from Gojyo's bed which caught the attention of everyone in the room. "N-no...please just a little....more...nnn."
Goku's brow raised, "Ugh, I *really* don't want to hear this! He's such a pervert."
Gojyo rolled onto his side as his brows furrowed, his eyes moving nonstop beneath the lids.
Hakkai looked up to Sanzo, "Why don't you try waking him up. I'm sure he'd like a meat bun before Goku gets a hold of all of them."
"Why me? You're right there?"
Hakkai smiled and held up a finger matter-of-factly, "Doctor's orders, I'm not supposed to leave this bed for a week. They came in to check on us while you were gone. It's a shame Gojyo wasn't awake, I'm sure he would've gotten his daily dose of babe from it."
"You really piss me off sometimes. And as a side note, if I were you, I'd find it rather uncomfortable that the nurses here look more like concubines than certified medical staff." Sanzo stood as he took a drag and walked to Gojyo's bed, shaking the redhead's shoulder as lightly as he could (though it still was rather rough). "Hey, open your stupid eyes." Sanzo growled when there was no more response than a soft groan. "Wake the hell up. Ugh. OK, there's naked chicks here with beer and smokes."
Gojyo's mouth twisted into a light smile as he grabbed Sanzo's hand and held it to his chest. "Oh, Ayame. You're the only one I want to serve me drinks."
Sanzo closed his eyes and clenched his teeth as he pulled out his gun once again.
"Sanzo! Calm down! He's just dreaming." Hakkai looked at the situation the priest was in and tried his best to hold back a laugh. He couldn't help that a bit slip but he covered it up as a cough.
"Shut up. I'll turn this dream into a nightmare if he doesn't let go of me." Sanzo forced himself to replace his gun as Gojyo purred a little and murmured some incomprehensible sweet nothings as he rubbed his hand over Sanzo's. "Gah! Wake up!!" Sanzo couldn't help but smack the kappa over the head with his fan, the vein in his forehead was throbbing.
Gojyo's cringed as he immediately awoke, his word's coming before his eyes opened. "Ayame...are we a bit of a sa--" Gojyo opened his eyes to find himself really clutching someone's hand. "--dist?" He looked up to see Sanzo's face and he could see just how hard the priest was trying not to kill him. Then a thought struck him which made him sick. "You pervert!! Trying to take advantage of an unconscious man!"
"What?! You were the one molesting my hand, you idiot!"
"Why in Gods' name would I want to--" Gojyo winced as he raised the arm that had been impaled days earlier. "Ah! Fuck..."
"Just shut up and eat." Sanzo shoved a meat bun into Gojyo's mouth as he went back to his seat. "Now that everyone's awake--"
"Sanzo!! Can I have another meat bun?" Goku interrupted, an action causing a bun to be thrown into his face, the impact produced some burning filling from the side to ooze onto Goku's cheek. "Ow! This one's hot! Hot!"
"Then don't interrupt me again, stupid monkey. As I was saying--"
"Hey monk, how about throwing one of those over here?"
*BANG!!* A bullet seared past Gojyo's ear.
"I meant a meat bun, you bastard!"
"If you all don't shut up I swear--!" Sanzo threw a meat bun to Gojyo hard enough so that when he caught it, filling popped from the side. "Aw, mine's cold."
"Then sit on it for a while. Ugh, what I was going to say was that..." He hated having all their eyes on him. Although he was unimaginably relieved that he could look into familiar green, red, and gold orbs once again. "Just...Hurry up healing alright? This place is really grating on my nerves."
"Sanzo...I think I'll heal faster if you give me another meat bun." Goku asked with his hands ready to catch. But he was surprised when Sanzo carefully grabbed the last meat bun and got up. "Sanzo?"
Sanzo walked over to Goku's bed and handed him the meat bun as he looked out the window. "It's the last one. So I guess if you wanted more, I could go back out."
Goku stared up at Sanzo as he took the bun.
"Ah, who am I kidding? Of course you want more." Sanzo turned and walked to the door. "I'll be right back." With that Sanzo left once again, and for once...he didn't have to try to not slam the door.
"Wow," Gojyo started. "Willingly going out of his way for someone else. He really must be bent out of shape."
"Or very relieved," Hakkai offered as he turned to Gojyo. "So how are you feeling?"
"Like shit. And I'm confused as all hell. How did we end up in the hospital after setting up a tent?"
Hakkai looked down. "Sanzo's not saying much...and we don't know what happened either. However, whatever we went through, we came out alive and I have to agree with Sanzo that that is the only thing we should dwell on."
"Poor Sanzo." Goku's voice drifted softly. "He must've gone through a lot of shit with the way he looks. I could see it in his eyes. It was almost like...he'd seen someone die. But when I looked again, just now. He looked like he'd brought that person back from the dead."
Gojyo stared at Goku in amazement, but it wasn't long before he almost split the stitches in his sides laughing.
"What?! Can't you take anything serious?!" Goku shot at Gojyo.
"I can't take you serious when you're being serious! Seriously!" Gojyo winced as he held his sides.
"I hope you rip something, stupid cockroach!!"
"I'll rip *you* a new one if you call me cockroach again, stupid monkey!"
As the insults flew over Hakkai's head to opposite ends of the room, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Well, it's good to know things are back to the way they should be."
Sanzo stood with his back outside the door, still reflecting on what Goku had said. Had his eyes been that obvious? Or was he just loosing his talent of hiding things from the monkey? Whichever it was, Goku had seen what Sanzo was desperately trying to put into words. Sanzo couldn't help but smile. *Thank you, Goku.* With that, the priest headed back out into town.
* * *
It was another week and a half before the party was back in the jeep and speeding through canyons and around plateaus with the wheels kicking up huge clouds of sand. They all were feeling much better even though their faces and arms were still adorned with small bandages. Sanzo was subliminally watching how Hakkai shifted the gears every now and then, taking mental notes.
"Ugh, another desert." Goku grumbled in the back as he weaved his hand through the air, utterly bored.
" I couldn't say that I mind. Ya know it's weird. I've suddenly developed a tree complex for some reason." Gojyo leaned back and pulled out a hi-lite. He immediately reached for his silver zippo and held a hand over the flame as he inhaled deeply. The lighter clinked shut as it was returned to Gojyo's vest pocket.
"Be it in the desert or not, it's a beautiful day out. Let's just enjoy that instead of the scenery for once, eh?" Hakkai chimed in hoping that he could cast a better mood upon his passengers. But, it was all for nothing as another brawl began to break out in the back.
"Gojyo! Your smoke's blowing in my face!"
"Well if I have to deal with your feet you can deal with my smoke!" With that Gojyo took a long drag and exhaled a cloud of smoke into Goku's face.
Goku shut his eyes tight. "Goddamnit it burns! You're such an asshole!"
"Well you're an annoying little chimp!"
"I'm not a chimp, cockroach!"
"I'm not a cockroach, assface!"
"*You're* the assface!"
"IF YOU BOTH DON'T SHUT UP---" *BANG!!* A bullet flew past Gojyo's ear, leaving his eardrums ringing.
Hakkai turned the volume down on his mental lever as he fazed out the ongoing argument plus one. "Here we go again." He smiled and shifted gears. *But I wouldn't want it any other way than this.*
THE END
Sanzo sat beside and open window in the town hospital. He stared up into the sky vacantly as the smoke from his cigarette seemed to blend into the fluffy clouds above. It was another beautiful, warm, sunny day with a pleasant light breeze. Sanzo's gaze drifted to an orange butterfly that fluttered by, contrasting against the cerulean sky. Just like the paper airplane, the colors from opposite sides of the wheel complimented each other perfectly. The image helped with the nicotine to put him at ease.
It had been three days since Sanzo had arrived in town with his barely breathing passengers. It had been two and a half days of a hell ride to the town as Sanzo swore he stalled every time he switched gears. Luckily when he did manage the right gear, Hakuryuu helped him out as much as it could.
Three days....They were probably still unconscious but they should be waking up soon...hopefully. How many hours did the doctors say they had left to live when he rushed through the hospital doors? He couldn't remember, but he knew it was a single digit amount of time. Sanzo took another drag and casually tapped some ashes from the cigarette. *At least they're still alive.* During his stay at the hospital, Sanzo realized just how far their enemies were willing to go to obtain the scripture, and it made him shudder. But he also realized that since they made it (barely) through the hell they'd gone through, they could probably pull their asses out of anything. Sanzo finished off his cigarette, dragging it down to the filter before flicking it out the window. He exhaled as he stood, the smoke streaming from between parched lips. "Seven cigarettes...Time to have a look at their sorry faces again."
The priest made his way down the hall, passing by people who seemed less and less qualified as he journeyed to his comrades' room. *Four rooms down on the left.* The hallway was disgustingly warm and stuffy. Without a second thought, Sanzo slithered out of the top of his robe and let it fall over his waist as he fixed the tight black shirt he wore underneath. He got to the door and slowly opened it, trying his hardest not to make it creak this time. *Why do I bother? It's not like they can hear me anyway.*
Sanzo stepped into the cool, fresh room. The nurses had let the windows he'd opened stay that way, allowing an easy breeze to past through the room. Sanzo looked from Gojyo to Hakkai and Hakuryuu and let his eyes rest on Goku. They hadn't moved since he came in a couple hours earlier nor had the beams of sunlight that played across their serene faces.
He walked over to the sun-warmed chair besides Goku's bed and sat down, grabbing the paper from the table beside him. Sanzo pulled a pair of glasses from the folds of his robe and wiped the lenses before putting them on. He opened the paper up, scanning the headlines. "Hope you're all getting your rest because I'm not thanks to you idiots." Sanzo slid a sideways glance to Goku. "Especially you, Goku." He paused as he looked back to the paper and turned the page. "You had me worried sick."
"Sorry..." Goku's cracked voice drifted through the room.
The priest jumped in surprise, not only from the fact that he was awake, but also that someone actually heard an emotional comment from him. "Goku?!"
Goku's eyes slowly opened and the gold orbs sparkled innocently in the sun. He blinked slowly before the strands of hair, blown by the wind, brushed over the pools Sanzo was transfixed by. "Hey..."
"Hey." Sanzo closed the news paper and set it down on his lap, he then pulled off his glasses.
The two just stared at each other in silence as the wind ruffled the thin, white curtains. Sanzo's eyes caught Goku shiver underneath the thin, bleached bed sheet.
"Did you want the window shut?" Sanzo asked quietly.
Goku was surprised at the unusual lightness of the priest's tone. Goku just guessed this is what stress and sleep deprivation can do to an easily irritable monk and passed it off as that. Although, he did really enjoy it. "Nah, I'm fine."
"Suit yourself." Sanzo opened the paper once again after returning his glasses back to his face. Silence again. Sanzo sat there pretending to read as Goku looked him over. Irritated as he felt eyes on him, Sanzo glared at Goku. "What is it?" Sanzo asked curtly.
"Just wanted to see that you're OK."
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I- I just feel as though I hurt you pretty bad. Just a vibe I guess."
Sanzo smirked. "You're giving yourself too much credit, monkey."
Goku half laughed, "Still...I'm sorry."
Sanzo grumbled as he dropped the paper to the floor and stood up, leaning onto the bed with both hands pressing into the firm mattress. His violet eyes were intense behind the magnified lenses as they mixed with the gold ones beneath him. "Listen...I...you...Ugh." Sanzo bit his lip as he wanted for once to speak from his heart so badly but his ego intervened once again. Not only that, but he felt as though he'd faint if Goku kept searching his eyes for an answer as intently as he was. But he didn't faint as a smile of understanding crept across Goku's dry lips.
"Heh, yeah I know."
Sanzo closed his eyes in relief as he sat back in his chair. The breeze was back again and this time it brought the distinct smell of fresh meat buns into the room.
A strand of hair blew into Goku's eyes and he immediately tried to blink it out. Goku tried to raise his arm but winced as he felt how stiff it was as it had not been moved in days.
Sanzo sighed, "Wait." With that, Sanzo brushed the hair away gently with his calloused fingers running lightly over Goku's brow.
Goku blinked and looked at Sanzo with a smile. "Thanks."
"Don't look too much into it." Sanzo glanced to the side as if seeing if anyone saw this rare act of kindness. No one...Good. The priest focused back on Goku and as his eyes laid upon him, the familiar sound of a growling stomach echoed from under the bed sheets. Sanzo couldn't help but let something that resembled a laugh escape his lips. "Hungry?"
"Starving..."
Sanzo stood up straight, replacing the robe back on his shoulders. "Fine, I'll get you some meat buns or something if it'll shut you up for a while."
Goku nodded a little as he smiled a bit, "Yeah!" It was good to hear Sanzo back to normal. Though he liked the softer side, it just seemed too surreal. Maybe he was a masochist, he didn't know, but hearing Sanzo being an asshole again comforted him.
"Could you pick up something for me as well?" A light voice floated from Hakkai's corner of the room.
Sanzo turned around to see Hakkai propping himself up on a pillow as he smiled at him with his happy, bandaged face.
"Ugh, fine."
"Thanks...I'm famished."
"Hurry up, Sanzo! I think my stomach's starting to eat itself!" Goku piped in, as he tried to slowly work the stiffness from his limbs.
"For Gods' sake, I'm going!" Sanzo stormed out of the room and down the stairs. Goku and Hakkai could hear Sanzo storm out of the hospital as they smiled at each other. "Oh yeah he's relieved." Hakkai started.
"No shit, it was plastered on his face."
"Who knew he was capable of...feelings."
Goku smiled. "We probably shouldn't bring it up."
"Blackmail?"
"We probably shouldn't bring it up....unless it's blackmail." Goku laughed with Hakkai. The monkey's gaze wandered to the unconscious kappa on the opposite side of the room from him. "You think he's gonna be alright?"
"Gojyo looks like he took a pretty bad beating. But I think I've heard him talking in his sleep so he should be waking up any moment now."
Goku shuddered. "The things he talks about when he's awake is bad enough. I'd hate to hear what he dreams about."
"Oh yeah...It's definitely not for kids." Hakkai congratulated himself silently as he restrained a blush.
* * *
Kougaji stepped into the his father's chambers, his footsteps reverberating off the cold, shadowed walls. He knew what his summoning was about and he was ready to hold back the rage that would build up from within when the slut sitting up on her throne opened her mouth. "You wanted to see me."
Lady Koushu stood up, a scowl fixed on her face. "Exactly, who's side are you on, Prince?"
Kougaji growled, "My mother's. You know that already."
"Yes, your mother. Speaking of which, she does look awfully nice decorating the wall in the other room doesn't she?" The concubine smirked as she saw Kougaji's fists clench. "I suppose with a few curtains and some better lighting we'd be the envy of every home decorator wouldn't we?"
"Enough!"
"Hit a nerve, hm? Well let me drill this into your thick skull *again.* Until you obtain that scripture you and your mother's asses are mine! So I suggest next time you want to go out and play with the Sanzo party you had better leave them dead in the sandbox! Do I make myself clear?"
"Irritatingly so."
"Good enough. Now get out of my sight so I can talk to your father about your behavior."
Kougaji stormed out of the room and down the hall. He wasn't more than ten feet from the room until he ran into Yaone, Doukugakuji, and Lirin.
"Got chewed out by the whore, hm?" Doukugakuji asked.
"Heh...Whore? Who would pay for that? And on that note, please don't ever repeat that sentence again."
"She's a goddamn slut!" Lirin threw in.
"Lady Lirin!" Yaone placed a hand firmly on her shoulder. "That's really not something someone your age should say."
"So what did she say?" Doukugakuji asked as they all turned and walked down the hall.
Kougaji shrugged, "Who cares. Her little rant went in one ear and out the other."
"So what do we do now, big brother?" Lirin quickened her pace to catch up with Kougaji.
"Oh...I don't know. We could send the Sanzo party a card." Kougaji smiled.
"Are you for real?" Lirin looked up and searched Kougaji's serious expression.
Kougaji just laughed along with Yaone and Doukugakuji as Lirin was too puzzled to take another step.
"You guys are a bunch of weirdoes!"
* * *
Sanzo came back up to the room holding a large box of meat buns with both hands. "I know this won't hold you over for more than five minutes, but if you want more, you can go get them yourselves." Sanzo grumbled as he shut the door behind him with his foot. When he looked up, he was surprised to see Hakkai and Goku sitting up in their beds. Sanzo set the box down on a table next to him and pulled out two meat buns.
Goku's face instantly lit up, it seemed like he'd almost fully healed in the fifteen minutes Sanzo was gone. The same went for Hakkai, Sanzo noticed as he handed him a meat bun and tossed the other to Goku, who, not surprisingly, caught it in his mouth. Sanzo then looked over to Gojyo who was still unconscious. "Still hasn't woken up, hm?"
Hakkai looked up after he swallowed a bite over to the kappa beside him. "I overheard some of the doctors saying that he was a tough one to bring back."
Sanzo nodded, "He was pretty torn up."
Goku lowered his gaze from Sanzo and picked at his thumb uncomfortably. "What happened to us, Sanzo? Me and Hakkai can't remember anything."
The priest sighed and pulled out a pack of Marlboros, shaking a cigarette up from the carton and pulling it free with his lips. He dug for the matches in his robe and when he found them, he lit up, proceeding to shake out the flame of the match and tossing it out an open window. Sanzo replaced the book of matches as he closed his eyes and began. "It seemed our friends in the west spread some poison into the rain which caused you guys to go berserk. Of course, that's the abridged version." Sanzo opened his eyes to see the solemn and ashamed expressions on Goku and Hakkai's faces. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Listen, cut the shit. You know as well as I do that you couldn't control anything that happened so stop being so melodramatic and accept it! Anyways," Sanzo's voice softened slightly. "We got through it didn't we?"
Hakkai nodded, "I understand, but I just--"
Sanzo's gun was cocked and aimed at Hakkai's temple before he could finish. "One more word and I'll kill you." The priest threw another meat bun to Hakkai and Goku who slowly drifted out of their bouts as they bit into the warm bun. Sanzo replaced the gun back in the holster hidden under the folds of cloth as he leaned back and took a meat bun for himself.
There was a slight movement from Gojyo's bed which caught the attention of everyone in the room. "N-no...please just a little....more...nnn."
Goku's brow raised, "Ugh, I *really* don't want to hear this! He's such a pervert."
Gojyo rolled onto his side as his brows furrowed, his eyes moving nonstop beneath the lids.
Hakkai looked up to Sanzo, "Why don't you try waking him up. I'm sure he'd like a meat bun before Goku gets a hold of all of them."
"Why me? You're right there?"
Hakkai smiled and held up a finger matter-of-factly, "Doctor's orders, I'm not supposed to leave this bed for a week. They came in to check on us while you were gone. It's a shame Gojyo wasn't awake, I'm sure he would've gotten his daily dose of babe from it."
"You really piss me off sometimes. And as a side note, if I were you, I'd find it rather uncomfortable that the nurses here look more like concubines than certified medical staff." Sanzo stood as he took a drag and walked to Gojyo's bed, shaking the redhead's shoulder as lightly as he could (though it still was rather rough). "Hey, open your stupid eyes." Sanzo growled when there was no more response than a soft groan. "Wake the hell up. Ugh. OK, there's naked chicks here with beer and smokes."
Gojyo's mouth twisted into a light smile as he grabbed Sanzo's hand and held it to his chest. "Oh, Ayame. You're the only one I want to serve me drinks."
Sanzo closed his eyes and clenched his teeth as he pulled out his gun once again.
"Sanzo! Calm down! He's just dreaming." Hakkai looked at the situation the priest was in and tried his best to hold back a laugh. He couldn't help that a bit slip but he covered it up as a cough.
"Shut up. I'll turn this dream into a nightmare if he doesn't let go of me." Sanzo forced himself to replace his gun as Gojyo purred a little and murmured some incomprehensible sweet nothings as he rubbed his hand over Sanzo's. "Gah! Wake up!!" Sanzo couldn't help but smack the kappa over the head with his fan, the vein in his forehead was throbbing.
Gojyo's cringed as he immediately awoke, his word's coming before his eyes opened. "Ayame...are we a bit of a sa--" Gojyo opened his eyes to find himself really clutching someone's hand. "--dist?" He looked up to see Sanzo's face and he could see just how hard the priest was trying not to kill him. Then a thought struck him which made him sick. "You pervert!! Trying to take advantage of an unconscious man!"
"What?! You were the one molesting my hand, you idiot!"
"Why in Gods' name would I want to--" Gojyo winced as he raised the arm that had been impaled days earlier. "Ah! Fuck..."
"Just shut up and eat." Sanzo shoved a meat bun into Gojyo's mouth as he went back to his seat. "Now that everyone's awake--"
"Sanzo!! Can I have another meat bun?" Goku interrupted, an action causing a bun to be thrown into his face, the impact produced some burning filling from the side to ooze onto Goku's cheek. "Ow! This one's hot! Hot!"
"Then don't interrupt me again, stupid monkey. As I was saying--"
"Hey monk, how about throwing one of those over here?"
*BANG!!* A bullet seared past Gojyo's ear.
"I meant a meat bun, you bastard!"
"If you all don't shut up I swear--!" Sanzo threw a meat bun to Gojyo hard enough so that when he caught it, filling popped from the side. "Aw, mine's cold."
"Then sit on it for a while. Ugh, what I was going to say was that..." He hated having all their eyes on him. Although he was unimaginably relieved that he could look into familiar green, red, and gold orbs once again. "Just...Hurry up healing alright? This place is really grating on my nerves."
"Sanzo...I think I'll heal faster if you give me another meat bun." Goku asked with his hands ready to catch. But he was surprised when Sanzo carefully grabbed the last meat bun and got up. "Sanzo?"
Sanzo walked over to Goku's bed and handed him the meat bun as he looked out the window. "It's the last one. So I guess if you wanted more, I could go back out."
Goku stared up at Sanzo as he took the bun.
"Ah, who am I kidding? Of course you want more." Sanzo turned and walked to the door. "I'll be right back." With that Sanzo left once again, and for once...he didn't have to try to not slam the door.
"Wow," Gojyo started. "Willingly going out of his way for someone else. He really must be bent out of shape."
"Or very relieved," Hakkai offered as he turned to Gojyo. "So how are you feeling?"
"Like shit. And I'm confused as all hell. How did we end up in the hospital after setting up a tent?"
Hakkai looked down. "Sanzo's not saying much...and we don't know what happened either. However, whatever we went through, we came out alive and I have to agree with Sanzo that that is the only thing we should dwell on."
"Poor Sanzo." Goku's voice drifted softly. "He must've gone through a lot of shit with the way he looks. I could see it in his eyes. It was almost like...he'd seen someone die. But when I looked again, just now. He looked like he'd brought that person back from the dead."
Gojyo stared at Goku in amazement, but it wasn't long before he almost split the stitches in his sides laughing.
"What?! Can't you take anything serious?!" Goku shot at Gojyo.
"I can't take you serious when you're being serious! Seriously!" Gojyo winced as he held his sides.
"I hope you rip something, stupid cockroach!!"
"I'll rip *you* a new one if you call me cockroach again, stupid monkey!"
As the insults flew over Hakkai's head to opposite ends of the room, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Well, it's good to know things are back to the way they should be."
Sanzo stood with his back outside the door, still reflecting on what Goku had said. Had his eyes been that obvious? Or was he just loosing his talent of hiding things from the monkey? Whichever it was, Goku had seen what Sanzo was desperately trying to put into words. Sanzo couldn't help but smile. *Thank you, Goku.* With that, the priest headed back out into town.
* * *
It was another week and a half before the party was back in the jeep and speeding through canyons and around plateaus with the wheels kicking up huge clouds of sand. They all were feeling much better even though their faces and arms were still adorned with small bandages. Sanzo was subliminally watching how Hakkai shifted the gears every now and then, taking mental notes.
"Ugh, another desert." Goku grumbled in the back as he weaved his hand through the air, utterly bored.
" I couldn't say that I mind. Ya know it's weird. I've suddenly developed a tree complex for some reason." Gojyo leaned back and pulled out a hi-lite. He immediately reached for his silver zippo and held a hand over the flame as he inhaled deeply. The lighter clinked shut as it was returned to Gojyo's vest pocket.
"Be it in the desert or not, it's a beautiful day out. Let's just enjoy that instead of the scenery for once, eh?" Hakkai chimed in hoping that he could cast a better mood upon his passengers. But, it was all for nothing as another brawl began to break out in the back.
"Gojyo! Your smoke's blowing in my face!"
"Well if I have to deal with your feet you can deal with my smoke!" With that Gojyo took a long drag and exhaled a cloud of smoke into Goku's face.
Goku shut his eyes tight. "Goddamnit it burns! You're such an asshole!"
"Well you're an annoying little chimp!"
"I'm not a chimp, cockroach!"
"I'm not a cockroach, assface!"
"*You're* the assface!"
"IF YOU BOTH DON'T SHUT UP---" *BANG!!* A bullet flew past Gojyo's ear, leaving his eardrums ringing.
Hakkai turned the volume down on his mental lever as he fazed out the ongoing argument plus one. "Here we go again." He smiled and shifted gears. *But I wouldn't want it any other way than this.*
THE END