Craving Touch

Epilogue

by: eternalsailorsolarwind AKA youkaigirl

Disclaimer: Saiyuki and all of its characters are owned by Minekura Kazuya, her Japanese publishers, and Tokyopop. I just write fanfics with them for fun.

A/N: And so it ends. Or does it...? Written from Sanzo's point of view, now that Gojyo and Hakkai have finally gotten themselves together.

0o0o0o0o0o

Genjyo Sanzo was highly displeased. He had, over the last year or so, become very used to having his morning coffee and his breakfast waiting for him when he got up. Thanks to the idiots he traveled with, he'd become something of a morning person – since early mornings were the only peaceful times left to him. No annoying saru invading his head, no oversexed kappa. Just peace and quiet.

No matter how early he got up, however, Hakkai had always beaten him. Somehow, the converted youkai timed things so his coffee was ready for him just after he sat down with his paper. Sanzo had been pleased – most of the time – with the arrangement, and expected it would continue for the rest of the insane trip west. Barring injury, of course. He'd recently discovered that that wasn't going to be the case.

He blamed Gojyo for this turn of events, though he (in the silence of his mind) did not begrudge Hakkai his little bit of happiness; just wishing he didn't have to hear the two of them going at it night after night after night. It was way past time the healer got over his obsession with his dead sister anyway. Lighting up his first cigarette of the day, the blonde turned to his paper, again grumbling about the lack of caffeine.

About halfway through his second cigarette, the familiar sound of the brunette's footsteps came to him, and the monk lowered the paper to glare daggers at the the green-eyed man. Completely unfazed, Hakkai offered him a small smile and bustled over to the coffee pot.

"I am sorry, Sanzo. It seems I overslept a bit. I'll start your coffee, and begin breakfast."

Grunting in response, Sanzo tipped his paper back up, thinking evil thoughts about a certain hanyou. Soon, a steaming cup of coffee was placed at his elbow, and his plans of well-placed punishment dissipated. A kick in the balls would only infuriate the converted youkai anyway, and he had no wish to deal with his passive-aggressive retribution.

The smell of cooking food floated to the purple-eyed monk, and he knew that Goku would soon be making an appearance. It occurred to him that making the golden-eyed young man roust the redhead out of bed might be a good idea...until he remembered why Gojyo was likely still asleep. He had no intention of letting the hanyou corrupt his charge any more than he already had.

The sound of raised voices came to him, and the monk knew that Goku and Gojyo had finally decided to join the land of the waking.

"Stupid gimpy kappa! Get the hell out of the way! Harehetta," whined the monkey as he tried to pass the taller man in the hall.

"Bastard. Get off my back, will ya? I'm movin' as fast as I can," the redhead's whiskey voice edged into a snarl. "It ain't like the food's gonna walk away."

Frowning behind his paper, Sanzo wondered why Goku was calling the hanyou a gimp. His last major wound was to the chest, not a leg. Right?

"Ah, Sanzo," said Hakkai, interrupting his thoughts. The healer placed a dish down beside him. "I believe we'll need to stay here for a day. Gojyo is in no shape to be bouncing along the poor roads they have in this area, I'm afraid."

Not even taking his eyes off his paper, the monk responded, "Hell no. We're leaving right after breakfast. If he's not ready, we'll leave his sorry ass."

"I really must insist, Sanzo."

It was the tone that made the purple-eyed man look up to meet an unyielding green gaze. He blinked, attempting to understand why Hakkai was being so adamant about the kappa getting a day off.

Realization struck, and the monk's head slowly rotated as he lowered the paper just in time to see the redhead easing himself into a chair with a wince. Once he was down, the hanyou maneuvered until he was comfortable, and then relaxed. All in all, he looked like he'd been...ridden hard – and proud of it. Sanzo's head rotated back to face the converted youkai, who flushed slightly under his horrified gaze. He did not want to know.

"Half a day."

Looking unapologetic, the brunette replied, "We'd have to camp out, and..."

Unbidden, images of Hakkai and Gojyo entwined in the tent appeared in his head. Shuddering, he raised his paper as a barrier to hide his own flush. "Fine. One day. If he's not ready tomorrow, we will leave him."

"Thank you, Sanzo." The healer sounded quite satisfied. "I'll make sure he is ready to continue tomorrow."

Not bothering to respond, the blonde continued to hide behind his paper. He really did not want to know.