31_days | Sept 12, Dear Confucius, Saiyuki

Title: The Noble Eightfold Path 2/8
Series: Saiyuki
Disclaimer: Characters are the creation of Minekura Kazuya and are used here for fun only
Pairing/Notes: Sanzo/Goku. Swearing, especially from Gojyo. Non-explicit violence. Inspired by researchotaku's rant.
Summary: Sanzo acts according to his nature. So does Goku.

-----------------

The next day didn't begin for Gojyo until about noon, which was when he woke up. For once, no one had woken him up. He got, grimacing at the bright daylight coming in through the windows, and stumbled out to the back of the inn, looking for Hakkai.

"…the famous sage said, 'Only the most intelligent and the most stupid do not change'… Gojyo!" Hakkai's words broke off as he saw him.

"What are you doing, telling the monkey philosophy?" he asked, approaching them and crouching down beside where Goku was sitting. "Where's Sanzo, anyway?"

"A couple of monks came to invite him to the local temple," Hakkai said. "He said that we'll leave tomorrow, instead. Just as well; I have to replenish our supplies."

"Oh," Gojyo scratched his stomach with a lazy hand. "I'm starving."

"Now you sound like Goku," Hakkai said, smiling.

"I sound like the monkey?" Gojyo said indignantly, before he turned his eyes towards Goku. "Oi, you haven't said a word since I got here," he said. "What's going on?" He gave Goku a nudge.

Goku looked up from his scrutiny of the mud-packed ground at that. "Maybe not all of us talk non-stop like you, you dumb water sprite!!" he retorted, jumping up and making for the inn before Gojyo would catch him.

Gojyo watched as Goku scrambled back to the inn. "What's wrong with the monkey?" he asked.

Hakkai shook his head. "He wouldn't say," he said. "And he looked a bit down, after Sanzo left, so…"

"You tried to teach philosophy to the waking stomach?" Gojyo said, chuckling. "It's a lost cause, Hakkai."

He spent the rest of the day helping Hakkai to buy supplies from the shops nearby, and returned in the evening to find the monkey on tenterhooks because Sanzo hadn't come back.

"Hey, no big deal," Gojyo said without thinking. "With luck, the monks will want to keep a Sanzo around, and we'll be free of that violent monk."

Goku looked up at that. "No!" he said. "Sanzo is going to travel with me!"

It was interesting that the monkey had said 'me' rather than 'us', Gojyo thought, but he had no chance to tease Goku, for the monkey had leaped to his feet and rushed out of the room. They could hear the clatter of his steps down the hallway and out of the inn.

"Where does he think he's going?" he asked Hakkai. "Should we go after him?"

Hakkai looked disapproving. "He's gone to find Sanzo, of course. You shouldn't have made comments like that. You know how he is about Sanzo."

Abashed, Gojyo volunteered to help Hakkai pack the supplies. "And he ran off without eating dinner, too," he remarked.

They knew when Sanzo and Goku entered the inn, even though there was no outward sign. At their entrance, the other customers, who had been busy gossiping and chatting, suddenly found their food to be absolutely engrossing. Gojyo didn't blame them. If one ever needed to be convinced of the oxymoronic concept of a murderous monk, he only needed to look at Sanzo's expression.

Wordlessly, Hakkai and Gojyo led the way to their room. The monk was restraining himself, Gojyo could tell; there was vein throbbing at his left temple. "What is wrong with you?" Sanzo finally roared. "You almost destroyed the temple when you tried to drag me out!"

"I..."

The force of Sanzo's yelling, though, seemed to restore the Goku's usual self, Gojyo thought. He didn't look panicked at the idea of Sanzo leaving anymore.

"I was discussing something with the monks!" Sanzo continued to yell. "Can't you use your common sense for once? The Three Aspects ordered me to go west, and I'm not about to stay in this remote outpost anyway!"

"But I..."

"You never change! Stupid monkey!" With a final shout, Sanzo crossed his arms and gave Goku a look of severe displeasure.

Goku, who was looking very sheepish by now, shuffled his feet and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Sanzo," he said softly. "I don't know what came over me."

Sanzo frowned at that. Reaching out firmly, he grabbed hold of Goku's chin and looked intently into his eyes. At his sudden action, Goku's eyes widened until they threatened to overtake his face. If Gojyo didn't know better, he would have said that Goku was holding his breath. A glance at Hakkai showed that the other person was also watching the proceedings intently.

"Looks all right..." Sanzo murmured after a short scrutiny, releasing him.

Reassured, perhaps by the fact that Sanzo had not produced the fan, Goku regained his usual spirits. "Sanzo, I'm hungry..." he said to the monk.

Sanzo narrowed his eyes at him. "Sounds all right..." he murmured.

"Sanzo..." Goku whined again.

"Shut up!" Sanzo yelled. In the silence, he glared at all three of them. After a few seconds when it seemed like he was about to reach for his gun, or fan, he muttered, "I need a drink," to no one in particular, and stalked towards the door. Before he reached it, he took hold of Goku's shirt and shoved him towards Hakkai and Gojyo.

"And feed that monkey!" he shouted, slamming the door behind him.

It was left to Gojyo to exclaim, "We are not your servants!" to the closed door.