Saiyuki Reload Fan Fiction ❯ Protection ❯ Protecting the protector ( Chapter 6 )

Sanzo kicked the youkai off his leg and grumbled softly. “Pain in the ass.” The priest grumbled, tucking his gun in his robe and turning around.

“Alright monkey, what the hell is your prob-?” he froze at the sight of Goku's motionless form.

Something was very wrong with this picture; Goku was never this still, not even when he slept (which was why Sanzo had started keeping a fan hidden in his pillowcase at night) But now, he laid almost lifelessly on the ground, small wisps of sand whipping around him.

Sanzo felt something shake deep into his core as he stared at the boy. Then, before he knew it, he had rushed over and gently flipped Goku onto his back.

The boy's face was pale and flushed and his head fell to the side against Sanzo's shoulder.

The priest gently stroked his hair away from his face, feeling the fever that consumed his body.

Thunder rumbled above causing him to look up at the blanketed sky. Cold, silver drops began to fall from the clouds, peppering the ground around them.

Sanzo gathered the unconscious boy in his arms and lifted him carefully. He looked around for some kind of shelter, knowing full well that the weather was about to turn to shit. He spotted a small cave hidden among the trees and walked over to it, cradling his charge close. The cave wasn't very deep but it was dry, which was more than he could say for anything else as the rain began to fall heavier.

Once inside, he lowered Goku to the ground, supporting his back with one arm. The boy's breathing sounded harsh and labored in the quietness of the cave and Sanzo felt a wave of alarm sweep through him.

Goku's fever continued to render him unconscious but now tremor-like shivers had begun to course through his small body.

Sanzo stared helplessly for a few seconds, wondering what he should do. He'd never felt helpless before, especially not when Goku was involved.

Goku's teeth chattered softly, his shivering still racking his still form. Without Hakkai here there was no way to get his fever to go down or cure whatever it was that was ailing him.

Sanzo looked on for a few more seconds before getting up and walking to the mouth of the cave. He deftly ripped on sleeve of his robe and held it out, allowing the rain to soak it. He wrung out the excess water and walked back into the cave, kneeling beside the unconscious boy.

Sanzo gently brushed away and strand of hair that had plastered itself to Goku's face and pressed the cloth to his forehead, causing the boy to jump at the sudden contact.

“Shh…”the priest soothed softly, running the rag over Goku's face and neck. Slowly, the shivers began to subside little by little until Goku was laying still, his breathing quiet and raspy.

The blond got up and went to re-wet the rag, coming back in and sitting down, continuing his ministrations.

He carefully unbuttoned Goku's shirt (does it have buttons?) and slowly began rubbing small circles into his chest, hoping it was helping him breathe a little easier.

After a few minutes had passed and he was satisfied he'd at least accomplished something, Sanzo rested the rag across Goku's forehead and walked to the mouth of the cave, looking out into the rain.

Hakkai and Gojyo would be grounded until the rain let up leaving him and Goku stranded in the cave.

Sanzo glanced back at Goku, his face etched with concern. Until help arrived, he was Goku's sole source of protection. And that bothered him. Not the fact that he had to protect him but the sheer fact that Goku needed protection. He had never seen Goku so heartbreakingly helpless before and it was hard for him to see him this way. Even when he'd rescued him from the cave the first time they met, the boy had a defiant spark behind his eyes that proved his ability to take care of himself.

But not that spark was hidden behind a fever-clouded shine that rendered Goku helpless against it.

The priest sighed softly and walked back into the cave, sinking down and sitting by the unconscious boy. A few moments passed in silence, nothing but the sound of the rain echoing throughout the cave.

Sanzo never made the conscious decision to pull Goku into his lap and cover them both with his robe. Nor did he decide to start stroking his hair as the boy snuggled closer to older man's body.

The blond wrapped his free arm around Goku's chest, his hand slipping beneath the fabric of his shirt and coming to rest on top of his sternum, feeling the reassuring heartbeat that settled there.

As Goku's head fell back against his shoulder, he took the opportunity to rest his cheek against the soft brown hair that caressed his neck. Sanzo smiled ever so softly as he took in the scent of sunshine from the boy. It was such a contradiction, but for some reason, it fit Goku perfectly. The boy was gentle and warm but equally vicious when need be.

Sanzo closed his eyes slowly, keeping a firm yet gentle hold on charge. The rain began to dull his senses and felt his eyes slowly begin to close. After taking one last look around the cave and unconsciously gripping his gun at his side, Sanzo let himself fall into the comforting embrace of sleep.

A few hours late, Sanzo woke with a start, his entire body rigid and tense. Two things had startled him back to awareness; first was the fact that it had stopped raining and had become eerily silent. Second was the fact that he could no longer feel Goku's heart beating beneath his palm.