Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ A Simple Kiss ❯ Cause and Effect ( Chapter 5 )

Title: A Simple Kiss - Chapter 5: Cause and Effect

* * * * * *

Goku woke up to sunlight streaming onto his face and a warm body holding him close. As his sleep addled mind cleared, he realized that it was the very warm, very naked body of Sanzo that he was snuggled against. The realization quickly erased any traces of sleepiness. It surprised him to see that Sanzo was still asleep, and he warmed slightly when he remembered why the man was so worn out. Brief flashes of their night's actions whipped through his mind, unsettling him. He hadn't meant for it to go so far, but hadn't been able to stop the momentum. To be honest with himself, he hadn't wanted it to stop. But now the whole situation made him uneasy. What had he been thinking? More accurately, why had he not been thinking?

He managed to wriggle out of Sanzo's hold without waking him up, but chose to lie there a few moments before getting out of bed. He lay next to Sanzo, tentatively running his hand through the golden hair that always made him think of the sun. The monk really didn't know how beautiful he was, especially with his face peacefully relaxed in sleep like it was now. In the bright daylight, their moonlit actions seemed more of a dream than reality. But Goku knew it had been no dream. No dream could have felt that good. He found himself blushing again, and forced his mind onto safer topics. He was glad Sanzo wasn't awake yet. He didn't think he could face him right now. He was too unsure how he felt about what they had done. And what about Sanzo? How would he feel about it? Goku was suddenly filled with a paralyzing fear. God, Sanzo was going to kill him!

It was this fear that finally propelled him out of bed. Making as little noise as possible, he dressed quickly and paused at the door a moment to look at Sanzo. He knew that he probably wouldn't have this kind of opportunity again. Goku pushed down his disappointment at this thought as he slipped quietly out of the room.

* * * * * *

Hakkai stretched as he awakened, feeling the mild morning ache of muscles overused the day before. He was surprised to see the morning was more advanced than he thought. He had expected a moody Sanzo banging on his door at daybreak, wanting to get on the road as soon as possible. Not that it was that late - it couldn't be later than 6 in the morning - but they had been out the door around 4 every morning in the last week, taking advantage of every possible minute of day lit traveling time.

Hearing nothing from the room they shared, he surmised that the others were still asleep. Gojyo and Goku he could understand, but Sanzo? Sanzo wasn't a morning person, but he never overslept. Could he be sick? He had seemed fine the night before. Recalling the previous night, Hakkai wondered if the reason for the monk's lateness stemmed from the boy. He pushed that thought to the back of his head, not wanting to leap to conclusions. He hesitated at disturbing Sanzo though, for if something had happened, he didn't want to interrupt them as he had during their kiss.

Hakkai dressed and decided to cook breakfast, figuring that the smell of food would soon have his companions awake. He packed his stuff quickly, knowing that Sanzo wouldn't want to wait after breakfast. Hakkai exited his room into an empty common room, confirming his thoughts that he was the first one up. He laid out the breakfast supplies on the counter and had just started cooking when a very rumpled but dressed Gojyo wandered out of his room. The redhead waved a sleepy greeting on the way to the washroom, and emerged a few minutes later looking more like himself and much more awake.

Gojyo took a seat in the nearly empty room and glanced at Hakkai. "Sanzo's not up yet?"

"No," Hakkai replied, "And neither is Goku."

Gojyo nodded at the answer, but paused a moment, seeming to think about what had just been implied. He shot a sharp glance at Hakkai. "What do you mean by…"

Before he finished the question, the door to Sanzo's room opened and it was answered for him. Goku emerged from the room, shutting the door quietly. As he sat down at the table across from Gojyo, still wearing what he normally slept in, Hakkai noticed that he seemed to be preoccupied. Hakkai wondered if he had the same surprised look that Gojyo did. The redhead was sitting with his mouth open, wide crimson eyes staring at Goku with disbelief. 'There could be another reason for this,' Hakkai reminded himself, 'they could have switched rooms before they went to bed.'

This theory was disproved less than a minute later when Sanzo emerged from the same room and paused before walking across the common room. His face was set in his normal morning expression, sweeping the group with a belligerent glare. Hakkai couldn't help but notice that Goku refused to meet his eyes, staring down at the table. Sanzo hadn't dressed for their journey either, wearing nothing but his leather top and jeans. And he was barefoot. It wasn't that big of a surprise for Goku to come out looking sleep-rumpled, as he preferred to feed his stomach before packing up his stuff, but Sanzo rarely appeared before them - at least when he was unhurt - looking anything less than perfectly put together. This morning he was just as rumpled as Goku. Even his golden hair seemed mussed, and as Hakkai watched, Sanzo ran his hands through it, getting it back into some semblance of order.

Astonished, Hakkai glanced at Gojyo. He was still sitting with his mouth gaping even wider than before in surprise. Hakkai turned back to their breakfast to hide his laughter at the totally befuddled hanyou.

"If you don't want to eat a bullet," Sanzo growled as he passed, "I suggest you close that mouth of yours."

Gojyo shut his mouth with an audible gulp. "Good morning to you too."

Sanzo shot him a deadly glare and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Into the sudden silence, Goku spoke anxiously for the first time. "Hakkai, that smells great! Is it almost done? Do you need any help?"

Hakkai glanced back in surprise; it wasn't often that the others offered to help cook. "Yes, it's almost done. If you like, you can get us something to drink, and then grab some plates."

Hopping up from his chair like the saru the others called him, Goku grabbed four glasses and filled them with water. He placed them on the table and ran to get the plates, placing them on the stove next to Hakkai. He waited patiently for Hakkai to fill them, then carried two over to the table as Hakkai followed him with the last two. Sanzo came out of the bathroom as they sat down, and shot an angry "Hurry the hell up, it's time to go" over his shoulder as he disappeared into his room again. He came back out a few minutes later dressed in his robes, and sat down to breakfast without another word.

They ate breakfast quietly, with a minimum of fighting between Goku and Gojyo. Sanzo ignored them all, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Hakkai speculated on what had happened between the monk and the monkey. Where last night they couldn't seem to take their eyes off each other, this morning things seemed strained between them. They were very pointedly not looking at each other. Their discomfort showed plainly when Goku brushed Sanzo's hand as he reached across the table to hit Gojyo. Sanzo had been reaching out for his glass, but at the sudden contact they both started badly and jerked away. Hakkai narrowed his eyes in suspicion, catching Sanzo's eyes and receiving a 'what-the-hell-do-you-want' glare in return. He stared back at Sanzo until the monk turned away.

* * * * * *

Sanzo had awoken to the sound of the door closing, relieved to be alone. He lay there on the bed, wondering as he had the night before, whether either one of them was ready for the changes their actions might cause. He was acutely aware of the silence both in his room and beyond, and wondered for a moment if Hakkai and Gojyo were up yet. He knew that he needed to get up and hurry the others so they could get started, but found his desire to be alone outweighed his sense of responsibility. Letting his mind wander for a moment, he found himself thinking about the look of longing he had seen in Goku's eyes. Was this really what Goku wanted? He shook his head, pushing the image out of his mind. As he brought his attention back to the room, he found himself haunted by the smells and sounds of the night's activities. He couldn't seem to stop thinking about it. He quickly got out of bed and walked to the door, hoping that removing himself from the room would stop the disturbing playback.

He stepped into the common room and saw that he was the last one to get up. That probably meant that Hakkai and Gojyo had seen Goku come out of his room. Damn, now not only would he have to deal with the saru and himself, he would have to convince the other two to mind their own business. Sanzo walked towards the bathroom, reaching for his gun. Threatening the kappa probably wouldn't help, but it would make him feel better. When he returned to his room to dress, feeling more in control, nothing haunted him. He packed his stuff quickly and headed back out for breakfast.

Now Sanzo sat at the table, picking at his food. He tried not to notice how Goku stiffened when their hands brushed, how he had stiffened as well, but he was too acutely aware of the young man. It was annoying, and not like him at all to care what the saru did. His frustration mounted through breakfast, his companions' bickering doing nothing to ease his tension. It didn't help that Hakkai was giving him suspicious looks, no doubt wondering what was going on. By the end of breakfast he couldn't wait to get out of there.

* * * * * *

As soon as breakfast was over, Goku jumped up to clear the table and help Hakkai wash up. He made a wide berth around Sanzo as he picked up the dishes, making sure he didn't come into contact with the man. Goku said nothing while he worked, and Hakkai didn't try to draw him out, preferring to let the boy volunteer information when he was ready. Sanzo paced the room as he smoked, wanting to be on the road, occasionally muttering a quiet curse at the delay.

Gojyo lit up at the table, raising his hands in surrender at the glare Sanzo shot him.

"Don't look at me, I'm packed and ready to go."

For a while the room was filled with nothing but traces of smoke and the sound of dishes being washed and dried. Hakkai brought out the map as soon as he had dried his hands, and he and Sanzo conferred over the best route to the next town. Unfortunately it was more than a days drive away, so they would be sleeping in the forest that night. Goku emerged from his room with his bag as they were folding the map, having shot through his door as soon as the dishes were done. They grabbed their stuff and headed out the door, an impatient Sanzo on their heels.

Hakkai, Gojyo, and Goku jumped into the jeep and settled themselves into their normal positions, delayed a moment while Sanzo paid for everything. As the monk exited the inn, Hakkai noticed that his face acquired his most fearsome glare. The brunette sighed to himself; It was going to be a long day if Sanzo was already that irritated. He wondered about the reason for the irritation. Setting aside the question, he focused on driving as smoothly as possible. No need to focus Sanzo's ire on himself if it could be avoided.

The morning drive was uneventful, though Goku seemed less inclined than usual to argue with Gojyo. He responded only when Gojyo started taunting him about being a stupid monkey. Goku's anger was swift and hot, startling them to the point that Gojyo backed down without another word. Sanzo hadn't even had the chance to reach for his fan. Goku settled into his seat with his back to the group, and kept to himself for the rest of the morning. They drove along in silence until Gojyo declared he couldn't take another moment without a beer, so they stopped for lunch. Normally they would sit together in the jeep and talk while they ate, but today Goku took his lunch and went to sit behind a tree, out of sight of the rest of them. Hakkai watched as Sanzo's eyes followed his retreating back, an uncomfortable look on his face. As if he felt Hakkai's eyes on him, Sanzo turned quickly, and Hakkai quirked an eyebrow at him. Sanzo met his look with a challenging glare, and Hakkai turned back to his lunch.

As they finished eating, Hakkai called out to Goku, but there was no answer. Assuming he hadn't heard him, Hakkai walked towards the tree. As he got closer, he thought he could hear muttering, and when he caught sight of Goku, he realized the boy was talking to himself.

"Damn it, this sucks. I wish he'd hit me or something, at least then I'd know how he felt. How can it have felt so right yesterday when it feels so weird today?"

"Goku?" Hakkai called quietly, not wanting to startle the young man.

"Oh, Hakkai, I didn't hear you. Is it time to go?"

"Yes. Are you alright?" Hakkai asked tentatively.

Goku flashed him a smile that reminded Hakkai of himself. "Yeah, of course. Let's go." Without another word he leapt up and raced towards the jeep.

They hadn't gone far before screeching to a halt in front of a small group of youkai. 'I don't think any of us are in the mood for a fight,' Hakkai thought as he got out of the jeep. Even Goku didn't have the normal anticipation on his face at the prospect of a battle. Dispatching the youkai didn't take long, but one unusual event occurred that confirmed Hakkai's sense that something was wrong.

Gojyo swung his weapon, the blade screaming out and cutting down one of the last two youkai in front of him as Sanzo shot the other. They were glancing around the clearing to make sure they had killed them all when a screaming youkai jumped out of the tree line, knocking Sanzo down. Goku was there before Sanzo even hit the ground, knocking the demon away and obliterating it. Entirely on instinct, he turned to Sanzo, extending a hand to help the man up. Sanzo started to take it, then stopped, staring at him. When their eyes met, Goku dropped his hand and quickly backed away, trembling slightly. He nearly ran into Gojyo, who gave him an odd look and stepped around him to pull Sanzo to his feet. When Hakkai got to them a few seconds later, Goku had already recovered himself, and acted like nothing had happened.

They drove for the rest of the afternoon, Goku and Gojyo napping in the back seat after their exertions, until Sanzo tapped Hakkai on the shoulder.

"It's getting dark."

"It looks like a clearing up ahead. Let's stop there," Gojyo piped up.

The clearing was large enough for their setup, so they stopped and Gojyo and Goku set up their tents while Hakkai cooked. Dinner was as quiet as both the previous meals had been. Goku didn't leave the group this time - he knew better than to wander away after dark - but he did distance himself from them, making sure to put either Hakkai or Gojyo between himself and Sanzo. Hakkai tried to get them all together for a game of something afterwards, but Goku said he was tired and went to his tent to lie down. Sanzo shot him a glare and snarled, "Don't bother me," as he headed over to lean against the jeep and smoke. Gojyo was willing to play cards, but it didn't take many hands to realize that neither of them had that much interest in the game. They called it a night and Hakkai went over to Sanzo to ask him when he wanted to take watch.

Sanzo glared at him as he approached, but Hakkai took it in stride. "Sanzo, do you want first watch, or do you want me to take it?"

"I'll take it. I'm not tired anyway." The lines on the monks face belied his comment.

"You look tired. Are you okay?" Hakkai hesitated as he said it, but thought he would give Sanzo an opportunity to talk if something was bothering him.

"I'm fine." The answer was swift and short.

"Are you sure? You and Goku seem… out of sorts today."

"I fucking said I'm fine. Go to bed."

Sanzo turned away from him then, and Hakkai shrugged. Sanzo would tell him in time if he felt like it. He headed towards the tent Goku had retired to earlier and went to sleep.

* * * * * *

Hakkai woke to his shoulder being shaken roughly. "Let's get a move on," a voice growled in his ear. He blinked his eyes open and crawled out of the tent, surprised to see that the sun was just beginning to rise. Why hadn't Sanzo woken him for his watch?

Gojyo was already taking down the other tent, and when Hakkai glanced at him he commented, "Damn monk stayed up the whole night. Didn't wake anyone else to watch."

Hakkai looked at Sanzo in surprise, but the monk just ignored him. "Damn it, let's go!"

Hakkai crawled back into the tent and shook Goku gently. The young man woke quickly, disappointment flickering across his face as he realized who had woken him. He greeted Hakkai with a small smile, then packed up his stuff without another word. Hakkai did the same, and together they collapsed the tent and stuffed it into the jeep. Sanzo looked so cross this morning that no one wanted to mention breakfast, so they started out with nothing more than a handful of snacks they had left over from the day before. Goku said nothing about this inadequate breakfast, but Gojyo started to until he was silenced by the barrel of a gun pressed against his temple. Sanzo didn't even say anything, just glared, and Gojyo wisely shut his mouth.

The journey started out as usual, Sanzo sitting in the passenger seat smoking quietly, Goku and Gojyo in the back. Gojyo gave up trying to pick on the young man after being ignored multiple times, so they made their journey in silence. It was a pleasant enough drive, the road being well maintained and the forest surrounding them stately and beautiful. The silence was so thorough that Hakkai found himself humming quietly to keep from falling asleep at the wheel. He was surprised at the peace that descended on him despite the emotional unrest of two of his companions.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, he caught Gojyo's eyes on him. The kappa inclined his head slightly towards Goku and then Sanzo, a questioning look on his face. Hakkai knew that he was bothered by their behavior over the last day, but this was no time for explanations - not that he had any to offer - so he shook his head. Gojyo frowned slightly, but turned away and lit another cigarette. When Hakkai next looked up, he saw that Goku had fallen into a restless sleep and Gojyo was watching him out of the corner of his eye, still frowning. Hakkai glanced at Sanzo and noticed that while the monk was pretending to nap, narrowed violet eyes were studying Goku in the side mirror. There was none of the normal irritation on his face, just a faint puzzlement. So, the unshakeable monk wasn't quite as unshakeable as he wanted to be. That spoke volumes as to how deeply he had been affected by their interactions.

Hakkai continued humming to himself as he drove, just a small piece of melody he had heard a few days ago in an inn. He liked it, and could imagine the corresponding harmonies singing along with him. Four instruments, brought together in music. It reminded him of the four of them, brought together by fate and the three Aspects, brought together by their mission, brought together in friendship. He felt comforted by the thought. Whatever was going on between Goku and Sanzo, it wouldn't tear them all apart. Any instrument could play alone for a while, but the true beauty was captured when they were together.

They drove without stopping until Hakkai decided it was time for lunch. The growling of Goku's stomach reminded him it was around noon, but again the saru hadn't said anything. Lunch was a brief hurried affair, none of them wanting to linger despite their beautiful surroundings. They were all eager to get to the next town. Goku stayed with them this time, knowing that Sanzo would want to get moving again quickly, but he said nothing, drawing into himself even more than when Gojyo had tried to tease him. Sanzo was quiet and sullen, glaring at any who dared say a word to him.

Hakkai was glad when they got moving again, eager to get to the next town. The atmosphere in the jeep was now slightly uncomfortable, as Gojyo's continued confusion and frustration added to the emotional mix. Hakkai tried not to let it bother him, tried his hardest to ignore his companions. He almost wished for another battle to break the tension. His wish was not granted, and they finally pulled into the town in the early evening without having been beset by youkai.

The town was a small one with just one inn, and only two double rooms were available. Hakkai was anxious about their room arrangements, but found it was solved with a minimum of difficulty when Goku and Sanzo each grabbed a key and headed into different rooms. He and Gojyo exchanged glances, then agreed to meet for dinner in an hour. He headed into Sanzo's room as Gojyo headed into Goku's.

When Hakkai entered the small room, he found Sanzo sitting on the bed nearest to the window, a cigarette already lit. The man didn't look up at his entrance, but Hakkai hadn't expected him to. Sanzo knew them all well enough to know who would room with him after the monkey had taken the other key. Hakkai didn't say anything as he lay down on the empty bed and closed his eyes. He could use a nap after the last two days, despite the fact that he hadn't had to take a watch the previous night.

Hakkai had just started to drift off to sleep when Sanzo spoke for the first time since lunch. "Hakkai."

Hakkai opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows to look at Sanzo. "Yes?"

"I know you're curious. Don't involve yourself in things that don't concern you." There was a hint of warning in his voice, just enough to let Hakkai know he was serious.

Hakkai just looked at him. Did he really think they could continue to travel the way they had the last two days? Did he not care about how Goku felt? "What about Goku?"

Sanzo started just a bit, but hid it well. "It's nothing, just a minor… interruption. I said don't concern yourself with it."

Hakkai didn't believe that it was minor at all. He had seen Sanzo jump at Goku's name, had heard the slight pause in his words. There was much more to this than "minor interruption". He eased himself back onto the bed, not replying to Sanzo because he wasn't about to let this alone. He would be patient now, but this evening he didn't intend to let the stubborn monk go until he got some answers.

"Ch'" was all that Sanzo said to his silence.

* * * * * *

Hakkai eased the door closed, seeing that Gojyo was already standing in the hallway. When he saw Hakkai was alone he commented, "The monk not coming down?" At Hakkai's negative gesture he continued, "Goku doesn't want to come either. Says he's not hungry, but I think he just wants to avoid Sanzo. I'll bring some food up to him later." They walked down the hallway to the stairs and headed down to the dining room.

After ordering dinner, Hakkai looked at Gojyo. "What are we going to do about these two? Are we expected to have all our meals separately from now on?"

Gojyo agreed with a frown. "I don't know what happened, but they sure have been acting weird. I've never seen Goku so quiet, and it's really getting on my nerves. They need to get over this, whatever this is"

"I don't know if it's going to be that easy. Whatever happened was enough to shake both of them badly. Sanzo actually jumped slightly when I said Goku's name earlier. If I didn't know better, I'd almost say they're afraid of each other."

Gojyo nodded. "That pretty much sums it up. I just don't get it. How in the hell did this all start?"

Hakkai realized suddenly that Gojyo hadn't been there for the kiss he had unwillingly witnessed. "Remember how Sanzo reacted to Goku getting hurt protecting him? I'd be willing to bet that made him recall Koumyou's death all too vividly for it not to affect him. When we were at the inn the other night and you were getting food, well… let's just say that I became an unwilling observer of exactly how much it affected him. It was just a simple kiss, but with the way they are reacting to each other now, it may have gone further after we went to bed. And it doesn't seem like either one is comfortable with it."

Gojyo's eyes widened as Hakkai talked. "They kissed? The monk kissed the monkey? In front of you? That's fucked up." He shook his head in disbelief. "I never would have thought that Sanzo would let something like that happen. And possibly even more? That's definitely fucked up."

Hakkai smiled slightly. "That may be true, but in the meantime, we have to deal with the aftermath of their actions. Poor Goku. He has just gotten more and more miserable since we left the inn."

Gojyo replied hesitantly. "I think you might want to save your 'poor Goku's'. You didn't see him in the room just now. He isn't pining away like a rejected lover. He's just as uncomfortable with this whole thing as Sanzo seems to be. I think he's beginning to feel like he's in over his head. It's one thing to love Sanzo quietly to himself, it's another thing entirely to have it exposed and acted on."

For some reason, that cheered Hakkai up. "You know, that may be a good thing."

Gojyo looked at him oddly and quirked an eyebrow upward. "How is any of this a good thing?"

"Well, we both know that if Goku went to Sanzo spouting words of love, he would get kicked out the door before he could get a word in edgewise. But having had this confrontation already, maybe they'll give their feelings a chance, now that the worst is over. We know Goku loves Sanzo, and I really believe that Sanzo returns those feelings, even if he doesn't realize it. You didn't see his eyes that night. I had trouble believing it was Sanzo."

"Aren't you the hopeless romantic? You sound like you want them to end up all lovey dovey. Come on, do you really think Mr. I-don't-need-anyone-to-protect-me is going to open his heart to our little monkey boy up there?" Gojyo looked skeptical.

"You never know. After all, why couldn't they find happiness together? Stranger things have happened. I like the idea of them together. Call it what you want, but I just have this feeling that they're meant for each other." Hakkai smiled wistfully.

Gojyo snorted with disbelief. "Yeah, sure. You know, it's very possible we're talking out of our asses here, and those two are just nursing massive stomachaches or something. We really don't know anything."

"You could be right, but I don't think so. Something happened, I'm sure of that. I guess we'll just have to be patient and see what happens." Despite his words, Hakkai couldn't help but want to give the two a little push in the right direction.

Their food arrived then, and they switched to talking about other things. It was pleasant to sit and chat, just the two of them, like they had in the days before this journey started. Hakkai realized that he had missed the time they used to spend together. All too soon they finished, then they ordered some food to take up to their missing friends. Gojyo smoked as they sat in companionable silence, both thinking about those same friends and the predicament they were in. He stubbed out his cigarette when the food arrived and stood, waiting while Hakkai paid with the Gold card.

They walked up the stairs together, but Gojyo paused before opening Goku's door. "You know, I think a little talk with the monkey boy is way overdue." He grinned. "Besides, he has put me through enough silence in the last two days to last me a week. It's about time for me to torture him right back."

Hakkai smiled. "Be nice. You know this is hard on him. Oh, and if you hear gunshots, it's probably Sanzo expressing his displeasure at being pressed for information. Just ignore it."

Gojyo grinned again and nodded. "Sounds like we may be about to get the shit kicked out of us. Couldn't ask for anything better to do on a quiet evening." With that he kicked Goku's door open and sidled through it, pushing it shut behind him.

Hakkai just shook his head in amusement, then turned to Sanzo's door. Taking a deep breath to quell his rising anxiety at the forthcoming confrontation, he opened the door and stepped in.

* * * * * *

A/N: A couple of my readers have commented on how serious I have made Gojyo in this story. I feel that while his fun-loving playboy attitude is part of what makes him who he is, he is actually much more than that. Especially with Hakkai (5x8 fans can take that as they want). They lived together for a couple of years before they all started west, so I like to think that they would have formed an easy camaraderie. And Gojyo is concerned about his friends, especially Goku, whom he thinks of as a little brother. All these things combined allow him to show his serious side, as he does quite a bit here. Don't worry, we are going to see him in the next chapter with Goku, and he will be much more his fun-loving, big-brotherly self.

Thanks to stitcher2ficcer for all your help with this.

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers:

dream-eater-is-hungry: Sanzo is just so drool-worthy, isn't he? I try to update once a week, that way I have a week to write the next chapter.

Iapetus: I was happy to see you updated 'Kindred Spirits' last night, and you are promising another chapter of 'Somewhere I Belong' tonight. Both are wonderful stories, and I'm looking forward to seeing them continue. I'm glad you are liking my story. I love the Sanzo x Goku relationship. There is so much delicious tension between them, it's fun to write!

Bakasaru Boi: Thanks!

Pervasive Threnody: I'm glad you liked the yaoi. I agree with you, sometimes it's better to let the imagination fill in the pieces. I think it's actually more intense that way.

R.A.Ducko: I'm glad you feel better. J

Yuki Kurai: I've enjoyed 'Thank You For Being There' and 'A Few Lifetimes With You.' I'm glad you are enjoying my story.

Catchfire: I'm happy you are liking my story. Hope this chapter got to you before you fell off.

Hikaru R. Kudou: Yeah, Sanzo is awfully stubborn. As you saw in this chapter, he only gets worse.

mabaroshi16: I'm glad I made your night! I like the ending too. I didn't think he could do it on purpose, but if he's asleep, there's no telling what his body would do, right?

Crimson1: Loved the newest chapter of 'Don't Speak'. I'm glad you think I'm getting things right.

Me-Nuriko: I'm glad that stitcher2ficcer pointed you here and that you are happier with it. Thank you for the thoughtful compliment. I hope the readers continue to be happy with my story.

Zek Majiri: Yeah, sometimes I wonder why I read wips as well. Isn't the anticipation just delicious though?

Callie: *giggles* I'm happy you like it. Yeah, Goku-loving is always good.

Am1-13th: Okay, I hadn't heard that one before. Hope you enjoyed the 'h' then, and there will be more in the future.

Forsaken^On3: Thanks for the compliment. I try.

Stephanie: Thanks. Sanzo can be difficult at times, but he's just great when you can pin down his character.