Saiyuki: Reborn

Typical fanfic disclaimer: I don’t own Saiyuki so please don’t sue me! Please don’t use any of my characters without permission. This fic was written as a one-on-one RP so the POV tends to change often.

This story takes place in the modern world. After the events of the series, Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo continue to be reincarnated over the next several hundred years, but their monkey friend ages differently. Goku is left on earth to seek them out each new generation.

Italics for thoughts

Please read and enjoy!


Saiyuki: Reborn
Chapter Three:

Huyen waited until he was in the cheap cafe before making the call; he figured if he\'d done it at home, he would have lost his nerve before getting this far. He had dressed in an old white T-shirt with a cheap leather jacket and baggy jeans--a lot different from his school uniform, but he liked that. With a deep breath he dialed the number Goku had given him, and waited anxiously as it rang. I don\'t know what to say….

It had taken a lot of will-power to keep from following Huyen that day, and Goku was rather jumpy. It earned him some strange looks from his fellows as he hurriedly scrambled for his phone, ignoring the comments of a \"hot date.\" It\'s gotta be him. It has to be. \"Hello? This is Goku.\"

\"Hey.\" Huyen frowned--he sounded terrified. He licked his lips and tried again. \"Hey, it\'s me. Um...I\'m here. It\'s a cafe in Xiu-ling--it\'s called Vacancy.\" He paused. \"Can you come?\"

Goku closed his eyes briefly in relief. Thank Buddha. \"Yeah--I know right were that is. I can be there is a few minutes.\" He found himself already smiling. \"See you soon.\" Goku hung up quickly, giving his fellows a quick, vague excuse before bolting down the street.

He ran the whole way, and even though the cafe was downtown, he was only barely winded when he got there. Where is he? Huyen....

Huyen glanced up from a table in the back when he heard the door swing open; his heart was in his throat when he saw Goku\'s relief at the meeting of their eyes. Were we really…lovers? He glanced down at his cup of untouched coffee, kicking his feet like an anxious kid as Goku approached. But my dreams…. He managed a faint, if not nervous smile as he was joined by the other. \"Hey.\"

\"Hey yourself.\" Goku dropped easily into the other bench, not taking his eyes off the other. It\'s so strange.... He looks so unsure. Sanzo was never unsure. But he was still smiling. He did call, after all. \"You don\'t know how crazy today has been,\" Goku suddenly said, not liking the brief moment of silence after his greeting. \"My gang\'s gonna think I\'m on speed or something, considering how jumpy I\'ve been lately.\"

\"Yeah. I\'m sure Chao-ran is just loving all this….\" The truth was there wasn\'t anyone in his gang anymore that liked him--he\'d always had the feeling that they only put up with him because of how strong he was. Because…Jin had trusted him. He pushed those thoughts aside. \"Maybe I\'ll end up leaving the gang,\" he thought aloud. \"It seems kind of…pointless.\"

Goku thought of inviting Huyen to join his group, but he wasn\'t sure the Generals would appreciate that. \"I know what you mean. They\'re all decent guys, but...not the guys.\" Not one of us. He signaled a waitress, ordering a soft drink before devoting his attention back to the other. \"So are you feeling better today? Still head-achy?\"

\"A little,\" Huyen admitted, rubbing at the back of his skull. \"I didn\'t sleep so well, but….\" He gulped. Do I really have to tell him? It\'ll make him happy, but.... \"I, um, was dreaming last night, when I did sleep. I kept waking up so it was pretty disjointed, but I think I remembered a few things.\"

\"Oh yeah?\" Goku accepted the drink that was brought to him, then quickly shooed the waitress away as he leaned across the table. \"Could you...tell me?\" he asked eagerly. \"I mean, if you don\'t mind. I\'d like to know.\" He smiled encouragingly, hopefully.

I thought so. If it\'ll make him happy…. Huyen nodded vaguely and did his best to recall the images. \"Somehow, I can remember Hakkai the easiest,\" he began. \"He...only had one eye, and he had the dragon--the white one, that would...change....\" He pursed his lips. Keep it together. You know this already--it doesn\'t hurt to think about it anymore. \"But sometimes he has the eye...and he\'s dressed in old, traditional clothes. Or…in white. And he always smiled the same way....\"

Goku\'s eyes narrowed, remembering.... Ten-chan. You were always so kind. You and Konzen were so close...even later. \"The white was probably his first life,\" he replied quietly, not wanting the rest of the restaurant to hear. \"Hakkai was his second life.\" More--he has to remember more.

\"His first?\" The other one…where he seems older, that must be…a third? Huyen licked his lips, trying to let Goku\'s expectant eyes encourage him. \"I remember a little about Jin, too,\" he went on. \"I remember...arguing a lot. I remember a bar, and thinking...that maybe he drank too much. That we all did. That I didn\'t care.

\"And I remember fighting.\" Huyen\'s voice rose a little, and he struggled to keep it in check. \"A lot. I remember the click of a gun hammer, and…and metal, and blood….\" He chuckled suddenly, almost bitterly. \"It doesn\'t make much sense.\"

Goku smiled. \"More than you know,\" he said. Then he laughed to himself. \"I don\'t think any of us had peaceful lives. Not for very long, anyway.\" Especially me. \"You were really good with a gun,\" he added lightly. \"In your second life, at least. You would always threaten me with it.\" I miss that, too.

\"I would? I\'ve only held one once….\" Huyen settled his chin on his hand, poking idly at his coffee cup. He was beginning to feel a little more at ease now, but there were still...a few things he remembered, and he wasn\'t sure if he could speak them. Even though I know it\'s what he wants to hear. Damnit….I don\'t know how to deal with this. \"Um...\" He shifted uncomfortably. \"I\'m sorry, I don\'t...really remember you that well. Expect….\"

\"Except?\" He jumped on the word quickly--he had to. Huyen...had to remember him; his caretaker, his friend…his lover. Huyen had to remember him. \"I could help explain it, whatever it is. It…might help you remember....\" Please.... His fingers curled tightly around his glass.

\"I don\'t think it needs explaining,\" he murmured, embarrassed as a few of the more prominent images returned to him. \"Um….\" Just say it. Glancing briefly around to make sure no one was watching--and to avoid meeting Goku\'s eyes at the same time--he finally forced out, \"I think I remember us having sex.\"

Goku choked and snorted, flushing darkly. \"Um…yeah. Yeah, that would be right.\" He scratched his head and squirmed in his seat. Just thinking about it.... It\'s been so long since we.... He knew his face was getting darker, but he couldn\'t help it--his most torturous dreams had, of course, been about the lover he could no longer reach...couldn\'t touch....

I can touch him now.

He coughed. \"That doesn\'t, um...bother you, does it?\" Please, please don\'t have been born homophobic.

Bother me? Huyen shrugged, trying to look calmer than he felt. \"I guess not.\" It…was good, after all. Even if I…. But he still couldn\'t meet Goku\'s eyes; he didn\'t know what the boy expected of him. It\'s not like I\'m just going to jump in bed with him because…even if he\'s…. He bit his tongue. You\'re being a coward again. He\'s been waiting seven hundred years for his lover, and this is the best you can do?

\"I\'m sorry.\" At last Huyen sipped from his cup, but by then it was cold. \"That\'s all I remember.\"

Goku tried his own drink, at least a bit reassured. He\'s not scared of me, at least. I wouldn\'t have been surprised if Gojyo had tried to warp him a bit. \"Well, I suppose that\'s pretty good after only a few days.\" I...want to touch him. He closed his eyes briefly. Later. Maybe. \"It…doesn\'t hurt, does it? Remembering stuff like that?\" Remembering me....

Huyen blushed faintly. If it does, I don\'t really notice.... \"No. No, it\'s probably...the only thing that doesn\'t.\" He pushed his cup aside, uninterested in it. \"I\'m just not sure what….\" He wanted to push the question aside, but the expression on Goku\'s face kept tearing at him, making his head hurt again. He curled his fingers into a fist against the table. \"Do you want to go somewhere more private?\"

Goku could barely keep from just crawling under the table right then--alone, with his lover…. “Sure,” he replied, trying not to sound as eager and excited as he felt. “Did you have something in mind? Your place? Mine’s kinda a walk, but it’s got a great view.” He brightened suddenly, straightening in his seat. “Oh, and I can introduce you to someone,” he added. “He might be able to help jog your memory a bit more.”

Huyen blinked, a little startled. Introduce me…? He considered for a moment--he wasn\'t sure if he really wanted anything \"jogging his memory\" at this point. He was already doing the best he could.... But Goku looked so excited about it, he couldn\'t tell him no. \"All right.\" He dug a few bills out of his pocket to pay for the coffee he hadn\'t even reduced by half. \"Wherever…you wanna go.\"

Seizing his own drink, Goku quickly finished it in a few gulps, waving Huyen\'s money aside. \"I got it.\" He fished out enough for both of them and a generous tip, to make up for his shooing the girl away earlier. Bouncing out of his seat, he stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep from grabbing at the other. \"I actually live in a decent part of town, on the west side. Really classy--I think you\'ll like it.\"

I guess if he\'s hundreds of years old.... Huyen shook his head slightly, tucking his money away as he pushed to his feet. \"Sure. Just...lead the way, I guess.\" He hadn\'t really wanted to go to Goku\'s place, however nice it was. It felt too much like things weren\'t progressing according to his terms. At least at home he would have been able to control the situation a little better....

Goku chuckled at the other boy\'s expression. \"Don\'t be so nervous,\" he teased lightly, wanting to brighten the mood a bit. \"It\'s not like I\'m just gonna jump ya or something.\" He winked. \"You were always the one to start things.\" Goku hurried out of the restaurant ahead of Huyen, trusting him to follow.

I was? Huyen shook his head incredulously as he followed Goku outside, falling into step beside him. How much of me has changed? No wonder Jin always said.... He fished out a cigarette to help calm his nerves. \"What was I like?\" he asked abruptly. \"Back when we were...you know.\"

\"Hmm....\" Goku cocked his head as he walked, watching the sky as if it held all his memories for him. \"Well, when we were lovers, you were Genjo Sanzo, a priest.\" His eyes flickered briefly to Huyen\'s hidden forehead, wondering.... \"But you did everything you could to not be a priest. Mostly smoking, drinking, palling around with demons--sleeping with one.\" He chuckled faintly. I shouldn\'t tell him too much about myself yet. I...don\'t know how he\'ll react. It\'s one thing for me to be looking for this long, but to actually have been alive all that time.... \"You had a short temper, but mostly because Gojyo and I would always fight over food or where to sleep or whatever. Pretty much everything.\"

Drinking, smoking, demons…maybe we\'re not so different after all. Huyen scratched the back of his head, even as a faint smile was attempting to pull at his lips. It sounds like fun. Genjo Sanzo--

But when he tried to think on it too deeply, on the owner of the hands that touched him in his dreams, his skull began to ache again. Why can\'t I remember? He grimaced, and just as quickly sought to erase the expression, for Goku\'s sake. \"You said...you haven\'t found me until now,\" he pressed on instead. \"Does that mean I\'ve lived other lives, alone? More that I don\'t remember?\"

Goku nodded. \"Yeah, probably. I mean, almost seven hundred years.... You\'d have to have had a lot of lives.\" And I could never find you. His fingers curled in his pockets. \"I did look for you,\" he suddenly went on, a bit meekly. \"Especially when I found one of the others--I thought, maybe, you\'d be nearby, too. A few times...I thought you might not have come back. That you might have gone back to heaven....\" Where...I wouldn\'t be able to reach you....

Huyen frowned seriously. \"You haven\'t been dying,\" he interjected, though he wasn\'t very surprised by the revelation. \"You really are a demon, aren\'t you? You haven\'t been reincarnated at all...\" And he waited all this time for me. It was a lot of pressure to live up to, and he couldn\'t help glancing nervously away.

Goku gulped, but since Huyen didn\'t seem all that terrified.... \"Yeah. Well, sorta.\" He scratched his head. \"I\'m not quite a demon, but I\'m not human either.\" He tapped the headband on his forehead, unable to completely meet Huyen\'s eyes. \"This thing keeps me normal. Without it, I\'d be a real monster.\" I don\'t think he needs to know that I could destroy the world--that\'s a little much right now. \"But you\'re right, saying I haven\'t been reborn,\" he continued, facing the sky once more. \"I\'ve aged, a bit. Last time we met, I looked about thirteen, fourteen or so. In your first life I looked about eight or nine.\" Konzen....

\"My first life….\" It was still a lot to take in, but Huyen was starting to get used to it. \"So...I was sleeping with an underage half-demon,\" he summarized, blowing a puff of smoke. \"No wonder I was a bad priest.\"

He couldn\'t help laughing a bit at that. \"Hey, I was already five hundred years old by the time we started that, so there.\" Goku grinned, glancing at the other. He\'s...starting to look better. He\'s looking more like Sanzo, with his expressions. Goku dared to slow his pace a bit, just to bring them side-by-side. \"You never complained, though. Except when I tossed in my sleep.\"

When Huyen closed his eyes briefly, he could almost feel it; a shift of a body next to him, tugging course fabric across bare skin. \"Yeah….\" He blinked his eyes open once more to watch the street. He was starting to feel a little better. \"Were you any good?\"

Goku laughed again, though he could feel his face darkening. \"Like I said--you never complained.\" God, I missed you. He bumped the other playfully as they walked. He wanted to say maybe Huyen would get to find out for himself, but the taller boy looked too at ease for him to want to chance spoiling it. \"Though, you were pretty loud. I\'ve always loved your voice....\" I can still hear it, sometimes, just before I fall asleep....

I hope you\'re not expecting too much from me. He glanced at Goku sideways. Though…maybe, for him, I could…it\'s not a big deal for me, after all. He frowned thoughtfully around his cigarette. It means a lot to him. Maybe....

\"Tell me more,\" he said suddenly, even if he was already anticipating another headache. \"Tell me everything.\"

He smiled. \"Just a sec.\" He pointed up at a tall apartment building. \"We\'re home.\" Goku eagerly led the other inside, waving to the clerk behind the desk as they got on the elevator. \"I\'ll tell ya whatever you want to know, though first you have to meet someone.\" He shifted a bit closer, not really realizing, so he could lean against the wall next to Huyen.

\"All right.\" Huyen shifted, curious. It couldn\'t have been Hakkai--Goku would have told him if it was that important. When they at last reached the room he was startled to see how nice it really was; bigger than he\'d expected. It struck him as being remarkably well lit, for an apartment, making everything seem a little livelier. \"It\'s nice,\" he complimented as he toed out of his shoes.

\"It\'s a mess,\" Goku protested, kicking his extra shoes off to the side, snatching a sweat shirt and empty chip bag off the floor. At the sounds there came a great barking from the next room. \"There he is!\"

A dog came hurrying out of the back room, small and thin of no determinable breed. It had a long face and broad forehead, red eyes, and thin, pure white fur. Goku knelt down to pet the creature\'s head, but on seeing the visitor the dog quickly abandoned him. Long tail wagging furiously, he ran to meet Huyen, barking happily and bumping up against his legs. Goku laughed. \"Well, at least he doesn\'t have a fuzzy memory.\"

Huyen stared at the dog dumbly; he didn\'t really like animals, and his first impulse was to shoo it away. But there was something about the smooth white fur that caught him, and he sank slowly to his knees. \"Is it...him?\" he asked somewhat wondrously, scratching lightly behind its ears. He looked up at Goku. \"It\'s the dragon, isn\'t it?\"

Goku nodded, grinning. \"Hakkuryuu. He kinda belonged to Hakkai, but he took off after he died.\" He crouched down beside the two, petting the dog\'s back. \"He found me, eventually. Staying as a dog makes it easy to hide him, now that dragons aren\'t that--\" He was cut off by a loud pop and a burst of smoke, and as it cleared a small dragon was left, turning its head playfully against Huyen\'s cheek. Somehow, the scene made his throat close up.

\"Ahh--\" Unprepared, Huyen fell back slightly at the sight of the small creature. \"Shit, it really is a dragon,\" he breathed, poking Hakkuryuu\'s nose. It nipped lightly on his finger before crawling up his arm to settle on his shoulder, nibbling at his hair. Huyen snorted. \"Little brat.\"

Laughing, Goku stood and moved to the kitchen. \"I\'ll get him some food--maybe he\'ll let ya alone then.\" He grinned as the dragon continued to make a fuss over Huyen. If there was any proof of who it was...that\'s it. Hakkuryuu wouldn\'t have shown himself if.... He hurried to the next room, wanting to force the lump from his throat before the other could see. It…really is him.

Huyen pushed to his feet; the dragon was so light he almost couldn\'t feel its weight against his shoulder. \"What...does a dragon eat?\" He reached up to scratch idly beneath Hakkuryuu\'s chin with a single finger. He seemed to enjoy it. I guess this is even more proof, then. I really am this \"Genjou Sanzo.\" He glanced in the direction Goku had gone. Maybe I really can….

\"Whatever he wants,\" Goku replied with a wry snort. He opened up a package of hamburger, dumping some of it raw into the animal’s dish. Hakkuryuu looked it over, then decided he\'d rather nibble playfully at Huyen\'s ear. \"Huh. Ungrateful beast.\" He started hunting around the disorderly kitchen for a bag of snacks he already hadn\'t devastated.

Huyen licked his lips nervously as he watched Goku scurry about the kitchen. He leaned against the kitchen doorframe in an attempt to appear casual. \"So...I want to hear more,\" he said, a little distracted. \"What have you been doing all this time?\"

Goku set aside a bag of potato chips, then began another hunt for a bowl of some sort. \"Just...living, I guess,\" he replied, a bit distracted by his search. \"Getting used to all the changes that happen around here--you wouldn\'t believe how hard it was to learn how to use that computer thing.\" He grinned as he finally set a bowl down. \"Sometimes I go to school, just to refresh and learn what\'s changed. I work. I sleep. And I...search.\" Goku glanced back with a light smile. \"It\'s not really exciting, now that most demons and monsters and stuff are long gone.\"

\"I can imagine.\" It didn\'t seem real, to think that the boy before him had lived for so long, through ancient times, through wars…. For me. He lifted a hand, coaxing Hakkuryuu onto it; with a soft jerk he sent the dragon fluttering to the counter. \"Hey...Goku?\"

\"Hmm?\" He refilled Hakkuryuu\'s water bowl, setting it beside the food before grabbing the bowl of chips. \"You wanna sit down or something? I\'m starving, so I hope you don\'t mind if I eat.\" Goku started towards the living room once more.

\"Sure,\" Huyen replied easily enough, but when Goku passed by him he reached out suddenly, curling his fingers in the front of Goku\'s shirt. I can do this. Without giving himself a chance to lose his nerve he pulled the youth to him, tilting his head to meet him in a firm kiss that seemed to make his lips burn.

Goku gasped between them, startled, and the plastic bowl bounced across the floor to spill chips everywhere. His attention was elsewhere, though. Huyen...? Suddenly he was trembling, eyes stinging as he was filled with the scent and taste he hadn\'t had for centuries.... He leaned close, wanting to return the kiss, wanting to just wrap himself all around the other, but only able weakly press closer.

Huyen almost pulled back as abruptly as he\'d begun--there was something about Goku\'s desperate, plaintive movements that frightened him. He wasn’t prepared to be loved by someone like this.... But he held himself still a moment, collecting his wits. This is everything to him. He separated their lips only long enough to take a deep breath before pulling Goku against him again, offering the fevered kisses from his dreams.

Choking softly, Goku finally gave in to the other\'s hot mouth, pressing forward anxiously. He wrapped his arms around a thin, strong neck, kissing Huyen fiercely. I missed you--God, I missed you so much! There was almost no difference between Huyen and his previous self, save the slightly sweeter cigarette flavor. It was the same body that Sanzo had had in his youth, the same strength, and it was all Goku could do to keep from just crawling all over the boy.

Huyen could feel that he was trembling; he felt as if his entire body had been flooded with heat, guiding his limbs in familiar movements. He groped at Goku\'s ribs and smooth stomach--he stroked the outside of Goku\'s thigh with his own. He couldn\'t remember ever acting like this before, with such desperate aggression, and it was frightening.

Goku found himself almost grinning between them, the last of his doubts vanishing; this was his lover. This was the sun he\'d been waiting so long to find. He growled softly, nipping playfully at thin lips, wiggling against wide hands. Huyen, you remember me, right? All this...you have to remember.

Huyen gasped abruptly, separating them so he could catch his breath and keep his hands from shaking. I really do want him. So badly…with just this? He licked his lips, and with a soft moan pressed into Goku\'s thin, strong body. \"How am I doing?\" he asked, half teasing.

Chuckling, he offered another biting kiss. \"You\'re perfect,\" he replied, eyes bright with contained laughter; he could have sung aloud. Goku tilted his head to nibble along the length of Huyen\'s jaw, pinning him against the doorframe with his hips. His skin felt almost too hot, and he was already painfully tight with anticipation.

I was a little afraid of that. Determined not to be intimidated, Huyen kissed him back forcefully. He said I usually started things, but…why does it feel like he\'s stronger than me? He pulled Goku closer, twisting his fingers in dark hair. \"Do you want to...find a better place for this?\"

Eyes gleaming, Goku wordless stepped back, pulling Huyen with him. There are some differences.... I wonder what Huyen\'s going to be like. He was eager to find out--he wanted to know everything. Goku lead them to his wide sofa, the one real luxury he had, besides the apartment itself. Sanzo always liked it strong.... I wonder if Huyen will be the same. Still grinning, he drew Huyen into another kiss, this one slow and deep, before urging him down into the thick cushions.

Huyen shivered a little; Goku was strong despite his small stature, and every move of his seemed to catch him off guard. Before he realized it he\'d been prodded onto his back. It made his pulse rise a little faster in his ears. We\'re really here. Goku…this is what you\'ve wanted, right? Will you be happy? He drew Goku down into a kiss, and though he had intended to do this for the boy\'s benefit, he couldn\'t say he wasn\'t enjoying himself, either.

Goku kissed him eagerly, carefully laying himself out on top of the other. When they were both breathless and gasping, he pulled back just enough to meet hooded violet eyes. \"Do you remember any of this?\" he asked softly, almost a whisper. He ran a hand through thin hair, pushing back Huyen\'s bangs, eyes widening on the dark mark on his forehead. Of course it\'s there--he\'s still Heaven\'s Chosen.... Goku brushed his thumb gently over the spot, wiggling his hips against the other. \"Do you remember me?\"

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