A/N: This was a fun chapter to write and I had a long internal debate over whether or not I wanted to keep going. In the end I decided to end it where I did because I have a lot planned for the next chapter and didn't want to weigh this one down. I hope you all are enjoying this one as much as Everybody Learns From Disaster. I've read through all of your old reviews and solemnly swear I'll take care of some problems that were not resolved. As always, R&R and much love. :)

Night was closing in quickly as Goku and Sanzo made their way back to the temple. With their hands laced together, Goku was overcome with a sense of security. He felt safe; Sanzo made him feel safe. He squeezed the hand around his gently, inwardly thanking the man walking beside him.

As soon as the temple lights came into view, Goku scooped the bags of clothes out of Sanzo's arms and bolted towards the grounds, eager for dinner.

"Welcome back, Goku." An acolyte greeted. Goku smiled and nodded in his direction, still hurrying towards the room he shared with Sanzo. As soon as he made it through the door he dropped the bags and scooted behind the door, waiting. His hunger was replaced with an overwhelming sense of mischief. Familiar, white robes came into view and Goku pounced, nearly sending both of them to the floor. Sanzo recovered in time though and found himself cradling his lover, their noses touching.

"You are a brat," Sanzo sighed, tossing Goku onto the bed. The brunette only laughed pulled Sanzo down to join him.

"You can handle it." Goku countered, trapping the priest between him and the mattress.

"Your dinner will get cold." Sanzo managed to say between enthusiastic kisses.

"It can wait." Continuing his descent down Sanzo's neck, Goku could only scowl in irritation when he stomach let out a loud growl. "Maybe not."

"You're taking care of this later." Sanzo murmured before planting one last kiss on Goku's smiling lips.

Lounging lazily on the bed, Goku let his eyes wander from the book he was reading to Sanzo, who was perched on the windowsill, surveying the night sky. From the heaviness that was beginning to weigh in the air, he could tell that it would probably storm tonight. Lovely. The rained seemed to bother Sanzo less and less these days, but even on the best days it still soiled the mood. Goku tried to return to the novel in his hands, but realized he couldn't focus after he'd read three whole pages and not remembered a thing. With a soft sigh, he closed the book and tucked it into a shelf in the nightstand. He rose from his position and shuffled over to the window, locking his arms around Sanzo's waist.

"Come to bed," Goku whispered in his ear.

"Give me a minute." Sanzo replied, reaching for his pack of cigarettes. Goku wrinkled his nose at the smell and retreated back to the bed, where he sat patiently, waiting for the blonde to finish.

"I wish you wouldn't smoke." Answering only with a dark look and a shrug, Sanzo took one last drag and stubbed out what was left of his cigarette. He cast an annoyed glace at Goku before walking past him and into the bathroom. Goku smiled when he realized he was brushing his teeth.

"Happy now?"

"Yes, thank you" Sanzo turned off the lights and lowered himself onto the mattress, removing everything but his shorts.

So much for that. The sound of rain on the window told Goku it would be a just sleep night.

"What is it?" Sanzo asked after hearing Goku let out a long breath.

"It's just," Goku hesitated, noting the sharp tone in his lover's voice. "Does it still bother you? The rain?"

Even in the darkness Goku could feel Sanzo's stare. He immediately began to worry that he had crossed a line. Despite all that had happened, they had never really talked about Sanzo's bad moods triggered by the rain, or what caused them, though they both knew why.

"Sometimes." Sanzo confessed finally.

"Why?"

"What the hell brought this on? Why the sudden interrogation? I can't just be in a bad mood without it being questioned?"

"Sorry." Goku laid back and propped his head up on his hand, watching Sanzo and trying to decipher his body language. Please don't be mad at me.

"Well?" He realized Sanzo was still expecting an answer from him.

"I guess I just don't want to see you sad like this. I want to make you happy and when it rains like this and your mood goes all sour, I feel like I'm failin' at that. You make feel so safe and it kills me knowin' that I don't do the same. I love it when you smile and you've been smilin' more and more. I don't wanna see it disappear every time it rains. Is that selfish of me?"

For a while the only thing Goku heard was the soft patter of the rain and his own heartbeat.

"Yes. It is selfish." Goku felt his heart drop. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Sanzo cut him off. "But I think after everything you can afford to be a little selfish." Sanzo wrapped an arm around Goku. "Rain will probably always bother me. There are too many memories that come with it. But don't think for a second that you're letting me down in some way. You're the only thing that's kept me going all this time."

"I'll always be here. I love, Sanzo." Goku leaned up and kissed Sanzo gently, hoping it was enough for Sanzo to believe him.

"I love you, too." That's enough for me.

Goku couldn't see where he was, couldn't see where he was going; he only knew that he was running from something and that something was catching up fast. His lungs burned and his legs felt like they were going to give out every time he stumbled on the obstacles underfoot. No matter how fast he ran, he knew he wasn't going to be able to outrun whatever was chasing him. Fear planted itself in his chest and began to invade his veins. Suddenly he knew; he knew that he had been caught. He screamed as a new kind of pain set his body aflame.

"Goku! Goku!" His eyes snapped open, finding himself staring back into violet ones. Goku's immediate reaction was to lash out, distancing himself as far away from the person as he could. Slowly realizing that he was no longer trapped in his nightmare, he slowed his breathing and gave Sanzo an apologetic look.

"Sorry."

"Are you okay? You scared the shit out of me."

"What happened?" Goku used the edge of the sheet to mop up the sweat beaded across his forehead and chest.

"That's what I want to know."

"I guess it was a nightmare."

"You think?" Sanzo moved up beside Goku, brushing the damp strands of hair out of his face. "What was it about?"

"I don't remember." Goku responded, desperately trying to recall what it was that he dreamt. What the hell was that? All I can remember is being terrified. He sighed and leaned into Sanzo, frowning at how cold he felt. Goku instinctively flinched when the blonde kissed him. They both froze in place, processing what just happened. Shaking his head, Goku smiled and pressed his lips to Sanzo's, resisting the urge to pull away that overcame him. He'd be damned if a dream ruined his morning.

"C'mon. Let's go eat breakfast."

"'Kay." Sanzo slid off the bed and offered Goku a hand. He watched as the priest slipped into his robes and reveled in the way they only made him more beautiful.

"You're staring again."

"You know why."