Title: Heart To Heart (Part 5 of Torrent)
Author: Befanini
Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/~befanini
Disclaimer: Wishful thinking… LOL
Rating: T
Summary: It is Gojyo and Hakkai / Sanzo and
Goku's turn to have a heart-to-heart. 58/39? Not what you think! XD Part 5 of
Torrent.
A/N:
I gave up a whole night's sleep to give in to my muses. I was thinking back on
True Colors and Man to Man, and realized that there was still something
missing. And so despite how hectic and insane "RL" is these days, the
muses wouldn't let me be until I'd delivered this to you. XD
---
Accept the things to
which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together,
but do so with all your heart. - Marcus Aurelius
XxXxX
---
"So…" Gojyo coughed, and cleared
his throat, making Hakkai wince. Here it comes… the healer thought
ruefully.
"About
me and Sanzo…" Gojyo continued, cursing the hot flush that he felt
staining his cheeks.
Hakkai
smiled gently, understanding his friend's embarrassment. So this was the
reason for the unusual rooming arrangements. Or the "usual". That was
what made it unusual; that he found himself once again sharing a room with
Gojyo, given how things had turned out the past few weeks.
Since
that day when Goku had unknowingly barged in on Sanzo and Gojyo in bed
together, thus "exposing" everything out in the open, it had been a
given that their leader and his best friend shared a room whenever
circumstances allowed. Goku had seemed satisfied with the unspoken arrangements
as well, since it meant being far away from the harisen that did a nasty job of
"stopping his infernal snoring". Better still, it meant not having to
share quarters with the "perverted kappa" whom he loved to "hate",
in the contradictory manner of a younger brother to an older sibling whom he
still looked up to and depended upon nevertheless.
All
the better if their rooms happened to be on the opposite wing, far enough away
for them not to hear their friends "sleeping". It was still a little
awkward; especially when Gojyo was wont to get overexcited, or Sanzo
overwhelmed, and they forgot to be quiet. Hakkai gave a little grin. Goku had
had every right to request them to "keep the noises down" when they
were – ah – "boinking".
It
really was too funny sometimes, whenever the thought hit Hakkai anew. Sanzo – "arrogant,
smug, bitchy Sanzo" as his friend had often ranted to Hakkai – Sanzo
together with Gojyo, for whom the monk had always been very vocal about his
opinions also, regarding "the bastard's cockiness and being a slave to his
libido".
Gojyo
and Sanzo together. It almost sounded like a mistake, if not
for what Hakkai had confirmed during Gojyo and Goku's adorable little
man-to-man talk a few nights ago. The naughty kappa and the aloof priest, a couple.
Still spitting at and insulting and irritating the heck out of each other at
every opportunity; but hopelessly addicted to one another nonetheless.
The
very cuteness of it made Hakkai chuckle, although he seriously doubted
if "cute" was exactly the word to describe the intensity so obvious
between their two traveling companions. Even back then, before he'd gently
pushed Gojyo and set the ball rolling, Hakkai had already sensed the potent
chemistry that crackled like a live wire between his happy-go-lucky best friend
and the cold, solitary High Priest. In fact, the electricity between them
bordered on the obscene, and Hakkai hadn't known whether to be shocked
or embarrassed. In the end, his curiosity got the best of him, and he'd
encouraged Gojyo to take a gamble and follow his heart.
And
now it was time for "the talk". Hakkai sighed. He knew Gojyo
so well, he'd sensed this coming for a while now. The past three nights that
they'd spent camping out, Gojyo had gone from gazing longingly at Sanzo to
staring probingly at Hakkai. The healer knew that the other two were decent
enough, and considerate enough of their companions to keep their distance from
each other when the ikkou were all together. (Not to mention the fact that
Sanzo would rather shoot Gojyo and himself than display his emotions in
public.)
So
the past days that had gone without them coming to a town, and Gojyo being
forced out of his blissful state of consciousness when he was with Sanzo, meant
that the kappa had finally had time to reflect on the inevitable changes that
had taken place in their lives.
Which
meant that Gojyo was anxious.
"Dammit,
are you listening to me, 'Kai!" Gojyo demanded restlessly, bringing Hakkai
back to the present.
"Oh!
Sumimasen," Hakkai replied sheepishly. "I was just thinking that it's
been a while since I inhaled so much smoke into my lungs." He waved a hand
in front of his face.
Gojyo
glared, and stomped over to the window and pushed it open. He took one more
drag from his Hi-Lite before crushing it out, and then proceeded to light
another one immediately.
"Yare
yare…"
"Sorry,
sorry," the kappa muttered, dangling his hand that held the cigarette out
the window and trying valiantly to blow the smoke outside. "I'm just…"
His voice trailed off; and for the first time in their acquaintance, the
redhead dropped his gaze from keen green eyes, unable to bear their earnest
scrutiny.
Hakkai
smiled fondly. "You were saying?" he prompted.
"Uhrm!
Yes…" Gojyo cleared his throat. "About me and Sanzo…"
"It
seems to have worked out pretty well, hasn't it?" Hakkai commented cheerfully.
"What happened, by the way? You never got around to telling me – did he
smack you with the harisen and yell that he loves you too?" And Hakkai
chortled, seeing the image as if it were real.
"Kinda…"
Gojyo frowned. Hakkai noticed it and sobered up immediately, and started to
apologize for poking his nose into their business.
Gojyo
cut him off. "Stop! Shit, Hakkai, don't I tell you everything!"
"Er…
I thought I'd offended you – perhaps it was a deeply private matter—"
Suddenly
Gojyo laughed, and then scratched his head ruefully. "Damn. This was
exactly what I was afraid of…" he muttered. "This thing with Sanzo –
I don't want it to fuck up our friendship…"
Hakkai
stared. "What—?"
"You
know! Like right now, this awkward bullshit stuff." Gojyo waved a hand
vaguely.
Hakkai
laughed softly. Gojyo glared at him. "You think this is funny?"
"A
little," the healer grinned. "It's just that this is so like you,
Gojyo." He shook his head. "I bet you told Sanzo to have a little
talk with Goku as well," Hakkai said merrily.
Gojyo
scowled and looked away. "He wasn't too happy about it either…" he
mumbled. And then the kappa stared as his best friend erupted into hysterical
laughter, clutching his stomach.
"Oh-oh-oh…"
Hakkai wheezed, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just that Goku told me
about that previous 'talk' they had, when he—"
"—asked
Sanzo if he was gay!" Gojyo finished, now chuckling too.
"Maybe
I'd better go switch with Sanzo right now before he murders poor Goku…"
Hakkai sputtered weakly, his stomach still aching as he couldn't seem to stop
laughing. Gojyo joined him wholeheartedly.
After
a while, Gojyo sobered up first, and looked at his best friend with fond eyes.
It was all going to be all right, after all.
Hakkai
sensed Gojyo's change of mood, and glanced up to find his best friend grinning
affectionately at him. He smiled back warmly.
"So
are we okay, Gojyo?" he asked gently.
Gojyo
snorted, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "I'm supposed to
be the one asking you that…" he muttered.
"In
that case, let me put your mind at ease. I'm fine, Gojyo," Hakkai stated
simply, his voice clear and true. It was all Gojyo needed to hear, and the
kappa sighed in relief.
"We're
friends, Hakkai. That will never change," Gojyo declared earnestly.
"I
know. And I'm glad."
"I'll
still kill for you."
"I
know, silly. I'd do the same for you."
"No
matter what, you're still my conscience."
"You
can depend on me."
"Good."
"Good."
Gojyo
sighed mightily, feeling like he'd just survived a shipwreck. He felt so
drained from relief, and it was a wonderful feeling.
"As
long as you know that I don't value our friendship any less, just for loving
him so much…" he said sincerely, meaning the words from the bottom of his
heart, and hoping his best friend could hear how important it was to Gojyo that
Hakkai realized this.
But
it was the latter part of Gojyo's sentence that had the healer smiling softly.
"What—?"
Gojyo demanded self-consciously as Hakkai gave no soothing reply and just sat
and looked at him with fond, smiling eyes.
"It
really is the real thing, isn't it?" Hakkai finally spoke up, as
Gojyo began to fidget. "I'd always hoped you would get to experience the
kind of love I had with Kanan."
Gojyo
winced. "Let's not get too sentimental. This is still Sanzo we're talking
about. I still want to throttle his superior throat half the time…"
But
the scarlet eyes betrayed him, as the crimson depths glowed with an intense,
feverish light. The look was not just the usual lust that ignited whenever
Gojyo had caught sight of "potential conquests" in the past. This
time it was Sha Gojyo who looked conquered. Gojyo's eyes now held
exactly that indefinable quality that had first set Hakkai wondering, months
ago, and which had resulted in the healer saying those words that had started
it all.
I've
known you for a long time now, Gojyo, and you've NEVER looked at any woman the
way you look at a certain someone…
The
look was full of longing, and barely restrained passion, and a possessiveness,
a savage selfishness for the other that bordered on obsession. It was raw, and
intense, and searingly hot and meltingly cool at the same time; and it was the
very same look that Hakkai had caught Sanzo giving Gojyo that day in the
garden, when he had told his best friend to take a chance.
"I'm
really happy for you, Gojyo," Hakkai now told the redhead, and he meant it
with his whole heart.
Gojyo
wrinkled his nose.
Hakkai
laughed. "You don't have to look so miserable!" he chided. "You're
exactly what he needs, you know."
"Am
I?" And for all his obvious bliss Sha Gojyo for the first time looked
uncertain.
Hakkai
nodded sagely. "Who else is willing to put up with his short temper, and
dark moods, and all his considerable issues? Who else has the stubbornness and
the strength to match him will-for-will, and stand and break down his defenses
and declare that you belong together?"
Gojyo
snorted. "You're digging too deep," he drawled casually, attempting
to lighten the mood. It was a bit unnerving to have their relationship analyzed
and explained. He much preferred to think that it was his irresistible charms
that had won Sanzo over. "I'm just waayyy too addicted to his—"
Hakkai
hastily covered his ears. He and Goku heard enough through the thin
walls of these unfortunate rural inns, thank you very much.
"—kisses,"
Gojyo finished, looking at Hakkai perplexedly. "What did I say?"
---
XxXxX
---
Meanwhile in the other room, Sanzo gnashed
his teeth as Goku prattled away knowledgeably.
"—And
Hakkai said, that both of you being guys is… er… im, immaterial, yeah, and that
it didn't matter. You just fell in love," Goku told Sanzo, oblivious to
the fierce red staining his idol's cheekbones.
"'Course,
if he ever hurts you he knows I'll kill him, so you just tell me if he ever
flirts with anybody else and I'll flatten him."
Sanzo
rolled his eyes, and lit up another Marlboro with a long-suffering sigh.
"But
he did give me his word… remember? Or were you sleeping back then, when
me and him had a talk?" Goku snickered. "That was when I told him to
keep the noises down when you're b—"
THWAK!
"Don't
even say it, bakazaru!" Sanzo hissed, taking a furious drag on his
Marlboro.
But
Goku, instead of protesting at the stinging whack, only grinned up at him,
further confusing the agitated monk. He'd expected more of an awkward
conversation with Goku – hell, the damn kid must be feeling somewhat upset
at having to share his attention, at the very least; but Goku was not reacting
the way that Sanzo had expected at all. If anything, the bakazaru was as
cheerful as always.
Purple
eyes narrowed suspiciously on his charge, and encountered nothing but pure
earnestness in the great golden eyes. Sanzo folded his arms and frowned. And
Goku chuckled understandingly, earning him a deeper scowl from the stiff, pale
figure.
"Yeah,
he's an annoying cockroach and he always steals my food and I hate his guts
sometimes, but I can see he makes you happy," the kid said simply,
observing as the violet eyes widened and stared at him in shock. Sanzo
swallowed hard, rendered speechless for once.
Goku
scratched his nose, embarrassed. "You'll always be my sun, Sanzo…"
the boy confided solemnly. "I'm just glad he makes you shine."
…So
when Hakkai knocked softly and opened the door seconds later, he found Sanzo
gruffly ruffling Goku's hair with one hand in that odd, affectionate manner
that the healer had seen a few times before, while Goku stood sheepishly with a
shy grin and great golden eyes sparkling happily up at Sanzo.
"Um…
I came to see if Goku would mind staying with me tonight, after all," Hakkai
laughed weakly as the other two turned and faced him questioningly. "I
find that I've grown accustomed to breathing fresh, clean air when I sleep."
And Hakkai coughed tactfully, while squinting his eyes through the cloud of
cigarette smoke that permeated this room as well.
"'Ch."
Sanzo gave an embarrassed snort, seeing right through the feeble excuse, and
feeling grateful for it all the same.
Goku
whooped and gave Sanzo a parting smile as he eagerly gathered his stuff and
joined Hakkai at the door. "You have no idea how much I was wishing the
same thing," he whispered to Hakkai, glancing sideways at Sanzo. "I've
already been smacked once," he winced dramatically.
Hakkai
choked and fought back his laughter, imagining more of the scenario that had
happened before when Goku had tried to talk to Sanzo about Gojyo. However, the
healer decided it would be best to wait until they got back to their nice,
smoke-free room before he asked Goku about it, since Sanzo was now glowering at
them both, apparently overhearing Goku's whispered confidences.
"We'll
see you in the morning then, Sanzo," Hakkai said cheerfully as he prepared
to pull the door shut behind him. "Eight o'clock as usual, right?"
"Fine,"
Sanzo bit out, cheeks still flushed a bright red.
"G'night,
Sanzo!" Goku called back happily, dashing ahead of Hakkai to their room.
Hakkai
met Sanzo's eyes as he closed the door, and he smiled warmly, causing the
priest to curse softly and clap a hand to his forehead.
---
XxXxX
---
Gojyo opened the door eagerly, and found Sanzo
standing by the window, staring sightlessly out and finishing his smoke.
The
kappa covered the distance in a few long strides, and engulfed the monk in his
arms, pulling the blond back against his hungry body. "C'mere,
Beautiful..." he groaned, propping his chin on Sanzo's shoulder and
wrapping strong arms around the priest's waist. "I wasn't sure if I could
keep myself from coming in and kicking the monkey out to the hallway if Hakkai
hadn't suggested we switch rooms after all…" he confessed with a low
chuckle.
Sanzo
crushed out his smoke and muttered under his breath. "Happy now?" he
ground out between clenched teeth, still indignant at having been put through
that torture. And not just his talk with Goku, but thoughts of Gojyo discussing
Sanzo with Hakkai, as well. All of it made him squirm with embarrassment,
having lived the better part of his life avoiding such intimacy.
"Mmm…"
Gojyo replied, sighing softly and nuzzling his bronze cheek close against Sanzo's
pale one. Long lashes drifted close as he murmured huskily. "I just wanted
to make sure everyone was okay, so I wouldn't feel guilty for being this happy…"
He shuddered as his arms tightened around Sanzo.
"'Ch,"
Sanzo snorted, turning around in Gojyo's arms and linking his arms possessively
around the kappa's neck. "You're such a marshmallow…"
Gojyo
grinned at him as he bent down and pressed a soft, tender kiss on Sanzo's
waiting mouth. "I'm rock hard where it matters, though..." he
breathed, running his tongue sexily against Sanzo's lower lip. And wicked
eyebrows waggled teasingly as he ground his hips against the blond.
"Baka…"
And
Sanzo shut Gojyo up the best way he knew how.
---
-owari-
---
---
A/N: I'm working on the last part of my
parody, "Truly Madly Deeply Forever", based on Gensomaden Saiyuki. Yes,
this series was written backwards, starting from Gunlock, because that's the
way my mind works sometimes. LOL I won't be posting it here, though, or it's
strike three for me. For those who are interested, this will be available
sometime next week ("real life" permitting) on mediaminer dot org. As
some readers have complained of difficulty navigating the site, just do an
author's search on "Befanini" as a last resort, and it should be
there.
This
fic inspired by the following quote:
"The
truth will set you free. But first it will piss you off." – Gloria Steinem
LOL
Sanzo is just too cute when he's embarrassed… XD
Japanese
mini-glossary:
Harisen:
paper fan
Sumimasen
– forgive me/excuse me
Yare
yare: boy oh boy (expression of displeasure)
Bakazaru:
stupid monkey
Baka:
idiot/stupid/moron
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