Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Quenching a Thirst ❯ Cause and Effect ( Chapter 3 )

Quenching a thirst

by Myka

Chapter 3 "Cause and Effect" (aka 'how long will this last')

Beta: naaha

~~~

Hakkai had set up a fire to cook, and when it started getting cold and they all sat around it. The only one talking was Sanzo. "Why are you guys so quiet?" he asked, shifting his eyes to each of them and finally settling on Gojyo.

"We're just tired, Sanzo, that's all," Hakkai responded in a friendly manner.

Sanzo huffed. "And why aren't Gojyo and Goku fighting over something stupid?" Gojyo blinked and spared a glance at Hakkai who seemed to be as perplexed as him.

They shrugged the comment off and kept doing what they could in an effort to not fall asleep since Gojyo, Hakkai and Goku hadn't had a chance to discuss their current situation.

It was a silent game that everyone played. At one point, Goku headed towards Hakkai, whispering something in his ear that Gojyo was certain Goku didn't want Sanzo to hear. Gojyo watched as Goku returned to his 'spot,' and before he knew it Sanzo was at his side. The monk imitated what Goku just did, but instead of whispering something in Gojyo's ear he just bit at it softly, provoking Gojyo to yelp without meaning to.

"Stop it, Sanzo! Go back and sit down." Gojyo kept repeating it, yet Sanzo seemed to be very content with staying there and licking his ear. "No! Stay on your side! Over there!" Gojyo pointed towards Sanzo's 'spot' five feet from him. Sanzo pouted at him, and eventually returned to his 'side' since it seemed to please Gojyo.

Sanzo was sitting just a few feet from him and Gojyo constantly had to make sure the monk kept his distance; twice the half-youkai had dozed off, and woke to find that Sanzo had sneaked closer to snuggle him. Both times Gojyo snapped at Sanzo. The monk finally fell asleep after another hour.

"Hakkai," Gojyo whispered kneeling beside his friend and ignoring Goku who had succumbed to slumber a long time ago. "Sanzo fell asleep, Hakkai."

"Eh…?" Hakkai blinked a few times before he managed to get the sleepiness out of his brain. He noticed both Sanzo and Goku sleeping; he rose slowly from the ground and signaled to Gojyo to follow him. Gojyo rose too, careful not to wake Sanzo up. Hakkai was the first to speak once he'd made sure they had traveled enough distance from the camp to talk freely without fear of being overheard. "What happened, Gojyo?"

"I don't know!" Gojyo exclaimed, slightly exasperated. "I just went to get him like you told me to and when I did he just grabbed me and kissed me."

"This is a problem, Gojyo. Sanzo is obviously under some sort of spell and from the looks of it, it's a love spell."

Gojyo frowned. "I sort of noticed that," he said sarcastically. "He keeps wanting to touch me."

"He thinks he's in love with you."

"And he also thinks I like the attention," Gojyo added, then thought,"Not that he's a bad kisser or anything - Wait! What the hell am I thinking!"

Hakkai took a deep breath. "My main concern is how it happened. Do you remember anything in particular?"

Gojyo thought for a bit. He remembered. "The spring!" he suddenly shouted. Hakkai jumped. "He was drinking water from that spring when I found him."

"Did you drink from it?" Hakkai asked.

"No, I didn't," Gojyo almost whispered.

Hakkai nodded. "I need to see that spring."

Gojyo led the way to the spring, where they both took their time in inspecting it and reading the sign in front of it. They discussed their findings on their way back to camp.

"That spring is definitely enchanted," Hakkai said. "The first thing we need to do is make sure that none of us drink from that place again."

"That's a given, I don't need any more thorns in my side," Gojyo added with a frown.

"That would depend on whether you are the first person the 'victim' sees." Gojyo blinked in confusion. Hakkai sighed. "Didn't you read the warning?"

"Something about a queen?" Gojyo offered.

"To those who drink from this spring: Let your heart be filled with the one closest to you, for nights and days until the queen of the night appears," Hakkai recited the words he already knew by heart. "It means that whoever drinks from that spring will 'fall in love' with the first person they see."

"That would be me," Gojyo muttered as he rolled his eyes. "What about that 'queen of the night' part?"

"I'm only guessing here," Hakkai answered, "but I thinks it refers to the full moon."

"You mean Sanzo's condition is only temporary?" Gojyo asked hopefully.

"Yes."

"That's great news!" Gojyo beamed. "His smiles were making my skin crawl."

"It is quite odd seeing him acting like that." Hakkai added.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'nasty,' my friend. But still, it's good news that it'll just last for a couple of days," Gojyo finished, feeling a bit better about the whole situation.

"Not such good news, Gojyo."

"What?"

"The last full moon was two nights ago."

"What?!" Gojyo shouted and Hakkai frowned at him. "You mean he's going to be like that for a month?!" he said after lowering his voice.

"Pretty much," Hakkai muttered.

Gojyo groaned. "This isn't happening…"

Hakkai thought for a bit. "I think our best option here is just let the situation play on its own and just roll with it."

"Easy for you to say," Gojyo huffed.

"And don't tell Sanzo he's under a spell, it might make things worse."

"In what way?" Gojyo asked.

"He doesn't seem to grasp that his advances are quite unwanted," Hakkai mentioned.

Gojyo huffed, but didn't reply to that. He didn't understand much of what was going on with Sanzo and most of it didn't even make sense, but Hakkai was probably right. All he'd been doing is push Sanzo away and the monk just kept coming as if Gojyo was welcoming him with open arms. He pushed the matter aside; it was something he could ponder in the morning.

They reached the camp and went straight to sleep, agreeing to leave in the morning as soon as Hakuryuu was up to it. Gojyo made sure there were a good ten feet between him and Sanzo before his eyes finally closed and sleep came to him.

~~~

When he started to wake there was something warm pressed against him. Gojyo moaned softly, keeping his eyes shut, still tired from the lack of sleep. He felt the warmness around him and settled himself in it. It was very nice. He became more aware as time passed and suddenly a sense of foreboding consumed him. Slowly Gojyo opened his eyes to stare into Sanzo's deep purple ones. He screamed.

"AHHHH!"

Sanzo released him. Gojyo scrambled to his feet, fully awake now. "What are you doing?" he yelled.

"Keeping you warm, idiot," Sanzo answered calmly as he stood up and dusted his clothes off. Gojyo blinked. Sanzo was acting… normal (aside from the snuggling, of course). He wasn't acting like the love-fool he'd been the day before. Gojyo couldn't help but ask. "Are you okay, Sanzo?"

"Of course I'm alright," the monk answered with a slight huff.

Gojyo let out a sigh of relief, maybe the spell wouldn't last until the full moon after all. "Where're Hakkai and Goku?" he asked.

"They went to get some breakfast." Sanzo pointed. Gojyo looked around the camp, ignoring Sanzo for the moment, until the monk's hand wrapped around his catching his attention. There was a big smirk across Sanzo's lips. "They left just a short time ago," he purred. "It's just you and me for a while." At that moment Sanzo put his other arm behind Gojyo's back and held him close. Gojyo noticed how he was at least a good four inches taller than Sanzo; the monk just had to lean upwards ever so slightly and... Gojyo jumped slightly when Sanzo's hand moved across his back, and he started squirming, trying desperately to get away. Sanzo snatched at his neck, forcing their eyes to lock. "Stop squirming," he hissed. Gojyo froze. He stared into those violet eyes and saw the difference there. This wasn't the running, glomping fool Gojyo had been trying to tolerate the day before. It was like he was more 'Sanzo' now, to some degree at least.

Gojyo resumed his squirming and finally managed to break away. "Awww, c'mon, Gojyo. Why do you have to be so squirmy whenever I want to kiss you?" Sanzo pouted.

"Why?" Gojyo snapped. "Because it's weird, that's why! It's not -- Don't give me that look, Sanzo. Besides, it isn't…" Gojyo hushed, remembering Hakkai's warning the night before.

Sanzo pouted even more, his eyes confused. "It isn't what?" he asked.

Gojyo frowned slightly, was that… sorrow in Sanzo's voice?

"It isn't real." He thought.

Gojyo closed his eyes and when he opened them again, Sanzo was right in front of him, this time the monk wasted no time in grabbing Gojyo's neck and kissing him deeply. As he closed his eyes, Gojyo decided that - just this once - he could let it slide.