Saiyuki: Reborn

More ficcy. >^.^< Light warnings for major angst and a visit to the
ER.

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Chapter 6


Goku held him close. He...wasn\'t sure what to say; he didn\'t know
what Huyen could be talking about. All he could do was comfort his
lover the best he could. \"We\'ll figure it out,\" he murmured into
Huyen\'s throat. \"We will. You\'ll stay here, with me. I won\'t lose you
again, okay?\" He rubbed his lover\'s back with strong hands, trying to
help ease the tension there. \"We\'ll figure it out.\"

Huyen nodded, and quickly reached up to begin scrubbing at his
tears. \"God, I hate this,\" he muttered, then winced when a bit of
soap from his hands got into his eyes. It made them water even more;
he chuckled bitterly. \"Damnit, will you look at me? It\'s so
pathetic....\" He urged Goku back just enough so he could wipe his
face on his shoulder. \"I\'ll be all right.\"

\"I know.\" Goku grabbed at some paper towel, insisting on cleaning
Huyen\'s face. \"We\'re together now, right?\" He offered a quick kiss,
rubbing gently at thin ribs. \"Feeling better? Cause I think my
breakfast is getting cold.\" He cast a playfully mournful glance over
his shoulder, hoping to lighten the mood.

Huyen nodded, already easing him back. \"Go ahead--I\'m fine. Sorry
about that.\" He finished washing off his hands and face and started
back toward the main room. \"I\'m just gonna get my shirt--thanks for
the breakfast. It really was good.\"

\"Uh huh.\" Goku flopped back in his chair, eating his food quickly
before dumping the dishes in the sink. //I\'ll clean later.// \"So when
do you want to move in?\" he called, snatching his pots and tossing
them in the sink as well. //We actually ate all that food.... Huh.//
He started out to find his lover.

\"I might as well do it as soon as possible,\" he called over his
shoulder as he slipped into his jacket. \"And today\'s Sunday. But
it\'ll be hard, considering I don\'t have a car. Not even a bicycle.\"
He fished out another cigarette. //I wonder if I should cut back…
nah.// \"Not that I have much to move--just clothes, I guess.\"

Goku considered the problem seriously, not sure what he could
suggest. There was a soft whish of air, and something landed on his
shoulder with a squawk. \"Huh?\" Hakkuryuu was perched beside his ear,
watching him with large eyes. \"What do you want?\" The dragon squealed
and nipped at his ear, buffeting his head with a wing. Realizing what
was being suggested, he started laughing. \"That\'s right! I almost
forgot.\" He faced Huyen with a grin, pointing at the small
beast. \"I\'ve got a jeep.\"

\"A...jeep?\" Huyen blinked at him stupidly, then looked to the
dragon. \"You\'re...kidding, right?\"

He laughed some more. \"Hakkuryuu can transform, remember? We used to
all go driving all over the country in him.\" Goku carefully set the
dragon on the floor, where he changed into a dog once more. \"Once
we\'re outside, we\'ll find a place where we won\'t be scene. We\'ll be
at your place in no time.\" He grinned before bouncing towards the
bathroom. \"Let me just shower super quick. Go ahead and watch TV. Or
call home, if you want. I\'ll just be a sec.\"

\"Okay...\" //Right. Home.// Huyen scratched the back of his neck,
stalling, before at last slipping up to the phone to dial his home
number. Hopefully his mother would be awake by now--or awake enough
to understand what he told her. He figured she wouldn\'t care,
but...he was curious, anyway.

Goku hastily scrubbed himself down, beaming the entire time, thinking
that only moments before Huyen had been standing right there, doing
the same thing. He dried off in record time, flew into his bedroom,
and got dressed. //I can\'t wait. He\'ll be staying here--with me. My
home. My sun....// Goku covered his mouth, though whether he was
fighting a laugh or a sob, he couldn\'t be sure. //My sun--here, with
me.//

The conversation was short, and he was long since finished by the
time Goku bounded into the room once more. \"Hey. Ready to go?\"
Hakkuryuu was on his shoulder once more, having made it his personal
duty to nibble at every hair on his head.

Goku couldn\'t help a laugh--Huyen\'s hair was beginning to get an
oddly spiky look to it. \"Yeah, I\'m all set.\" He leapt forward,
snatching Huyen\'s hips and pulling him close for a slow, affectionate
kiss. \"Mmm...I can\'t get enough of you,\" he said playfully, licking
at his nose.

Huyen flushed in embarrassment, but he was about to return the kiss
anyway when Hakkuryuu licked his check, ruining the moment. He
snorted as he stepped back and tipped the beast off his shoulder--it
fluttered to Goku\'s instead. \"Well, let\'s get this over with.\" He
shoved his hands in his coat pockets as he moved to step into his
shoes.

---

Goku paused, leaning heavily against the back wall of his apartment
building, hugging his stomach tightly. He was beginning to feel a bit
light-headed. //I\'m...not going to make it to the elevator without
attracting attention. Shit--shit!// Slowly, he knelt in the shadows
of the ally, flinch as his wound shifted. It wouldn\'t have been that
serious, but the bullet hadn\'t come out, making it impossible to
heal. //I...need help. Damnit, not even a full two weeks of living
together and....//

He groaned, fumbling with one hand for his phone. He hit the speed
dial for Huyen\'s cell, hoping he was still awake.

Huyen blinked lazily at his cell phone on the table across from him;
he had fallen asleep watching TV, with Hakkuryuu perched on his
stomach. Normally the ring wouldn\'t be able to wake him up, except
that the feisty little dragon was biting his ear. \"Hey--fuck off.\" He
swatted Hakkuryuu away as he picked the phone up and at last
answered. \"Yeah?\"

Goku took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm. \"Huyen?\" //He
was asleep.// He fought back a cough. \"Hey I...I need some help....\"
Goku closed his eyes, leaning more heavily against the wall. \"D-
damnit....\"

Huyen blinked himself awake, though he was having trouble focusing on
Goku\'s e, ae, and the roughness didn\'t register with him as being
anything out of the ordinary. \"What is it?\" He pushed himself lazily
to his feet. \"Where are you?\"

\"Downstairs,\" he said, and this time he couldn\'t help the
cough. \"Out...outside.\" //Damnit, I\'m sorry, Huyen.// \"Can
you...come? And…and call for some...help....\" His fingers were
starting to get cold.

\"Goku...?\" It came to him suddenly, and he paled, nearly dropping to
phone. //No--no, what happened?// \"Goku, I\'m coming--I\'m hanging
up.\" //Fuck. Fuck!// Huyen hung up and dialed for an ambulance. He
didn\'t know what was going on, but Goku was asking folp, lp, and his
stomach was suddenly twisting in panic. By the time anyone picked up
on the other end he was almost outside. \"Yes--yes, I need an
ambulance,\" he said briskly. He hadn\'t bothered with shoes, and the
cold pavement stung his feet as he desperately sought his
companion. \"Goku?\"

//Thank God.// \"Here.\" He lifted his head, spotting the other, and
tried to pull a weak smile to his lips. He kept his hand tight across
his wound, hoping the darkness would cover up most of the
blood. //It\'s...getting cold.// \"I\'m okay...really....\"

Huyen stumbled over to him, his face deathly pale as he dropped to
Goku\'s side. \"Goku...damnit, what happened?\" He didn\'t really want to
know, and from the way Goku was gripping his side--hiding his grimace-
-he knew it was serious. \"I called an ambulance,\" he said, and then
remembered the phone in his hand. He cursed, and quickly returned it
to his ear to give the address. //God, this can\'t be happening.//

Goku sighed, reaching out with one hand to grasp his lover\'s
arm. \"Calm down,\" he muttered. \"I\'m not dying or anything; not from
something like this....\" He felt better, now that Huyen was with him,
and he relaxed slightly into the concrete wall. //Still
cold....// \"Just...need to get it out...\" he murmured, distracted.

But Huyen barely heard him, until that last phrase; he turned on Goku
sharply with wide eyes. //Get it out? He\'s been shot.// This time the
phone did slip from his hand, and probably would have been broken if
not for it bouncing off of Goku\'s thigh. \"Shit, Goku, what happened?\"
he asked breathlessly, reaching out hesitantly. He pulled back before
he could touch the blood.

\"Just some punks,\" he murmured. \"It\'s not that bad.\" Goku raised his
head, still gripping Huyen\'s arm. \"I\'ll be fine--I\'ve had a lot
worse.\" He wavered suddenly, sight blurring, his hold keeping him
from pitching forward. //Lost too much. Where\'s the damn ambulance?//

\"Fuck.\" Huyen wasn\'t listening anymore--the blood was making his own
sight blur, reminding him too much of…. He trembled as he tugged Goku
against him, into his arms, trying to keep him warm. //Damnit, this
can\'t happen. I can\'t do this again--I won\'t. I won\'t!//

Goku winced at the harsh treatment, but he didn\'t complain. \"I\'ll be
fine,\" he whispered again, and he kept repeating this, hoping Huyen
would eventually hear it. When he finally heard the sirens, he sighed
in relief. \"Good.\" He tried to slip out of Huyen\'s arms, still
smiling. \"You\'d better grab them--they might...not be able to find
us....\"

\"Right. Right….\" But Huyen didn\'t let go at first, still shivering.
At last he forced himself to retreat, and in a daze he waved down the
incoming ambulance. The lights were blinding. He couldn\'t think as
the technicians swarmed out, even as he led them to his companion. He
was just...shaking, all over.

Goku obediently let them load him onto the stretcher, flinching as he
was forced to uncurl. It wasn\'t until they started to put a mask over
his face that he remembered, and he quickly tried to break
away. \"Wait! Wait--don\'t--\" He grunted as the medics grabbed at his
struggling limbs, and he hissed painfully. \"No, my headband! Huyen--!\"

Huyen rushed over at the sound of his voice, but he didn\'t understand
the problem at first. \"Wait—I\'m coming with you,\" he said at last,
climbing into the ambulance. \"And don\'t take that off--I mean it.\"
The technicians started to protest but he was firm, and they quickly
gave up to treat his wounds.

Relieved, Goku relaxed to let the men work. He turned his head a bit
to see Huyen. His sight was wavering a bit, but he held on. \"Don\'t
let\'em...take it off,\" he murmured, tone serious despite his
weakness. \"Don\'t let\'em put me out, either, but don\'t let\'em
take...off my headband....\" //The last thing I\'d need is to go crazy
when I\'m like this.//

Huyen nodded seriously, though he felt as if he were going to be
sick. \"Just...relax, okay?\" he said weakly, licking dry lips. From
where he was he could only reach Goku\'s shoulder, but he rubbed it
anyway in reassurance. \"You\'ll...be fine...right?\"

He snorted lightly. \"\'Course I will,\" he replied easily. Goku grunted
as one of the medics examined his side, and he frowned down at
them. \"Watch it,\" he muttered, though his voice was getting
softer. //Getting tired....// He sighed, eyes closing even as he
remained awake.

\"Goku...?\" Huyen tried to stay calm--Goku was a demon, right?
Something like this couldn\'t kill him. Couldn\'t possibly…. But he was
still shaking, and he could barely move the entire way to the
hospital. Only when they were at the hospital, and they began
unloading Goku from the ambulance, did he regained his senses enough
to follow.

Goku glanced around as he was unloaded. He was relieved when he saw
Huyen following, but then a few orderlies came between them. \"Hey,
he\'s with me,\" he muttered, tugging at one of the nurses.

\"I\'m sorry, sir, but he\'ll have to wait in the waiting room,\" she
replied without taking her eyes from his injury.

\"No,\" he pouted. \"I want him with me--\"

Huyen tried to follow, but when it became obvious he wasn\'t going to
get far he gave weakly up. \"Don\'t touch his headband!\" he called
after them, falling back. He stumbled over his feet--only then did he
remember that they were bare, and he sank wearily into one of the
waiting room chairs. \"Goku....\"

Lan glanced into the trauma room, seeing he obviously wouldn\'t be
able to get in there yet. He grabbed a nurse coming out to get the
boy\'s stats, and he learned about the other. Glancing into the
waiting room, he only meant a quick peek, then changed his mind. He
slipped in and moved in front of the blond teen. Luckily, there was
no one else around at the moment, and they had the room to
themselves. \"Excuse me. Did you come in with Goku?\"

Huyen didn\'t look up until he heard Goku\'s name, but when his eyes
rose to the man his breath left him. The man\'s face...it sent a cold
chill through him, and he clutched suddenly at his chest as a
familiar, tugging pain clawed from his stomach to his head. //Wait--
he\'s--// \"Who...?\"

Lan smiled gently, crouching down so the boy wouldn\'t have to crane
his neck to see him. \"Goku? Did you come in with Son Goku, that teen
with the gold headband?\" He touched his own forehead for
emphasis. //The likeness is incredible.//

\"Son….\" But Huyen could only tremble, staring at the man\'s face as if
trying to fit it to one of his dreams. //It\'s…him. It\'s....// He
reached out, but his groping fingers missed the man\'s face, and
instead curled in his collar. \"I know you....\" But his sight flared
red, and with a tiny moan his eyes rolled back as he abruptly fainted.

Startled, Lan quickly supported the boy back in his chair. \"Well
then.\" Glancing around, he finally just scooped the boy up and took
him to the back himself. Lan insisted on taking care of the blond,
setting him up in a quiet room near the back with a warm blanket. He
checked his pulse, then clasped the blonde\'s hand between his,
rubbing it faintly. \"Come on, kid. This isn\'t very flattering for
you.\"

Huyen wasn\'t out for very long, and when he regained consciousness it
was all at once. He gasped as he opened his eyes to sharp lighting
and a blurred face. \"You….\" He coughed quietly. \"Where\'s Goku? Is he
all right?\"

\"Last I heard, he was doing well. They took the bullet out and are
patching him back up.\" Lan reached up, gently brushing back the
other\'s long bangs, eyes dancing over the faint spot on his
forehead. \"What about you? How do you feel?\"

\"Sick.\" Huyen rubbed at his stomach for emphasis. \"But...I\'m okay.
But you...?\" He frowned now that he could see the man\'s face clearly,
and it started to raise some of the same heat along the back of his
skull. \"You\'re him, aren\'t you?\" he whispered.

Lan smiled faintly. \"There are an awful lot of \'hims\' in this city to
go calling me one of them,\" he replied. \"But my name is Lan Xiopou.
I\'m a doctor here. However, if you meant to ask if I am one of that
little monkey\'s crazy friends, then you would be correct.\" //It
really is him. It\'s...almost too hard to believe.//

\"So...you know me, too...\" Huyen\'s eyes began to water, and he cursed
softly as he turned away to wipe them clear. \"I\'m sorry. I\'m a little
stressed right now.\" //Damnit. But…it\'s him.// He chuckled quietly
against the blanket. //It really is him. God I\'m glad….//

Chuckling, Lan pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to
the youth. \"There now, we can get all weepy later. Right now you need
to get better to visit Goku when they let him out, hmm?\" He slipped
away, retrieving a glass of water. \"Here--have a drink. And why don\'t
you tell me your name? I think it\'s unlikely that it\'s anything I
could suggest.\"

\"It\'s Huyen,\" he introduced, sitting up so he could accept the
water. \"Xi Huyen. How long do you think it will be before I can see
him? He\'s all right, isn\'t he?\" Though he was feeling reassured once
more he knew he wouldn\'t be able to shed his anxiety until he saw
Goku safe and sound.

\"He\'ll be fine,\" Lan assured. \"It\'ll take more than a little bullet
to keep Goku down for long.\" He stood patiently beside the other,
waiting for him to be ready. \"As soon as you think you can stand,
we\'ll go look for him. If we can\'t get in, I\'ll wait with you.\" Lan
took the cup back once Huyen was finished, tossing it in a nearby
garbage bag.

Huyen nodded eagerly. \"I\'m fine--let\'s go.\" He pushed to his feet,
and though he had no trouble standing on his own, he found himself
curling his hand on the doctor\'s sleeve anyway. He blushed and forced
himself to let go. \"All right.\"

Lan smiled in understanding, solving the problem by setting his hand
on the boy\'s shoulder, as if guiding him through the halls. //It\'s
important, after all, finding each other. If Goku wasn\'t hurt….// He
paused them halfway down the hall, glancing into one of the larger
rooms. There was a surgeon speaking with the ER doctor, and on
catching his questioning look, he nodded and waved. //Not that
serious then.// Goku seemed to be behind them, though the curtain
was partially drawn, hiding his face. He glanced at Huyen—he looked
a little dazed. \"How are you doing?\" he asked quietly.

\"I\'m all right,\" Huyen quickly assured. He tried to peer into the
window, but he couldn\'t see much of exc except for his limp
feet. //Goku...// \"What about Goku? He\'s all right, isn\'t he?\" He
glanced between the boy and Lan anxiously.

\"He\'s probably sleeping,\" he replied knowingly. \"They aren\'t rushing
him up to surgery, so they were probably able to fix him up here.\" It
was unlikely they\'d be allowed in just yet, but.... //Not like any of
us ever followed the rules.// Lan gave him a slight tug. \"Come on--
let\'s go say a quick hi.\" He pulled the boy with him as he entered
the trauma room, nudging him towards their friend. \"Go on--I\'m going
to speak with the doctors.\"

\"Okay….\" Huyen licked his lips as he slid forward, hurrying to Goku\'s
bedside. He cringed a little at the tubes entering Goku\'s forearm,
the mask over his face. But...he seemed to be breathing all right,
and he didn\'t look quite as pale as before. \"Hey, Goku?\" He slipped
his hand over Goku\'s, squeezing it lightly.

Goku blinked his eyes open, and he smiled to see Huyen
there. \"Hey...sunshine,\" he teased, curling his fingers over his
lover\'s. He could vaguely hear the voices of his doctors in the
background--they sounded like they were arguing with someone. He
turned his head, stretching the mask a bit. \"You look like hell. They
said...you passed out?\"

Huyen sighed quietly in relief. \"Goku….\" He shook his head. \"I\'m
fine. More importantly, you….\" His fingers tightened. \"You\'re a
little idiot. What the hell were you doing, getting shot? You scared
the shit out of me.\"

He smiled faintly. \"Not my fault.... They jumped us.\" He licked his
lips, glancing around to make sure no one was near enough to
see. \"Sneak this thing off a moment,\" he muttered, eyes
bright. \"I...want a kiss, before they sneak me away again.\"

Huyen rolled his eyes, but he was also relieved. After taking a quick
look for himself he tugged the mask off and bent down, offering him a
brief, but firm kiss. \"Now relax, damnit. I\'ve got some good news for
you.\"

Goku brightened, licking his lips again. \"Oh? Could use some good
news.\" He settled back onto the hard bed, obeying his lover and
waiting for whatever he had to say. \"Better...be good.\"

\"I met someone,\" he explained briskly, his face brightening. \"I
think...you could hear him arguing a second ago. He\'s one of the
doctors here--Lan something, I forgot already--but he\'s one of us. Hecogncognized me--it\'s got to be Hakkai.\"

\"Hakkai...?\" He blinked, confused a moment. \"He...he\'s here?\" //A
doctor? That....// He was getting sleepy again, though he would much
rather have heard more. //Hakkai\'s here. Huyen found him....// Goku
tried to stifle a yawn, and he frowned. \"Damn...drugs...\" he
muttered. \"Huyen...?\"

\"It\'s okay,\" Huyen assured, ruffling his hair. \"Go to sleep--he\'ll
still be here. I\'ll keep an eye on him.\" //Just…God, I\'m glad he\'s
all right.// \"Don\'t scare me anymore, or I\'ll make you regret it. Got
that?\"

For a moment, with the light making a halo of Huyen\'s hair and his
tone slightly roughened, he sounded...just like Sanzo. Goku\'s
expression softened, losing some of his brashness. \"Uh huh...\" he
murmured, fingers curling tightly. He felt small, all of a
sudden. \"Okay...Huyen.\"

Huyen frowned, a little concerned by the sudden change in Goku\'s
demeanor, but a moment later he\'d forgotten why. \"I\'ll be here when
you wake up,\" he promised, touching the bit of Goku\'s face he could
reach. He rubbed his thumb over Goku\'s knuckles.

He nodded. \"Kay....\" Closing his eyes, Goku relaxed as best he could,
allowing sleep to overtake him.

Lan slipped around the curtain, setting a hand on Huyen\'s
shoulder. \"They\'re going to take him upstairs,\" he said softly,
seeing that Goku was asleep.

Huyen started a little at the touch, but he quickly relaxed once
more. \"All right.\" He gave Goku\'s hand one more squeeze before
forcing himself to let go and step back. \"Can I go with him?\"

\"Not just yet,\" he replied, gently urging Huyen away. \"They want to
get him settled in, keep an eye on him for the night.\" He eyed the
boy closely, noting the darkness around his eyes. //It\'s pretty
late....// Lan straightened, keeping his voice light. \"Why don\'t you
let me take you home, hmm? You should get some rest, not to mention
some shoes.\"

\"Oh...right.\" //But I told Goku….// He rubbed at his eyes. //He\'s not
a child, he understands.// \"Okay. It\'s...\" And he smiled
suddenly. \"There\'s someone else you should meet,\" he
said. \"But...aren\'t you working?\"

Lan shook his head, already directing them out to the employee
parking. \"I was finishing some paperwork when I overheard Goku\'s
name, so I checked out a bit early.\" He patted Huyen on the
shoulder. \"I\'d leave anyway, considering these circumstances.\"

\"Yeah. I\'m....\" Huyen sighed, feeling a little more of his energy
drain as they left the hospital. \"I\'m really glad you\'re here. I
don\'t know what I would have done...\" The thought of just sitting
there in the waiting room, not knowing what was going on, hanging
around the hospital.... \"Do you...really know us?\"

\"It would be difficult to mistake you as anyone else,\" he replied,
hunting for his car. \"Especially with this.\"ching upg up, Lan briefly
pushed aside Huyen\'s bangs, revealing the small holy mark. His lips
curled. \"Also, Goku doesn\'t get close to too many people, so your
being here in the dead of night for him....\" A shrug, and he
brightened suddenly as he finally spotted his small, black
car. \"There we are,\" he said happily, heading towards it. \"Oh, and
lastly, I felt it.\" Lan patted his chest briefly as he unlocked the
doors.

Huyen frowned slightly. //He seems so easy about it. As if it\'s
totally natural….// \"You must remember a lot,\" he remarked as he
slipped into the passenger side. He waited until Lan was seated
beside him. \"I couldn\'t tell at all when I met Goku.\" That wasn\'t
entirely true--he had felt something, but nothing as specific or
positive as how Lan was making it out to be.

He nodded. \"Quite a lot, actually.\" Starting the car, he paused as he
navigated the parking structure, speaking again when he was on the
road. \"I remember pieces from, I believe, all my previous lives, save
the original, of course. You could almost say tI\'vI\'ve been studying
them--trying to remember, writing down what I can, checking to see
how accurate I am. That sort of thing.\"

\"Oh....\" //That means he must remember a lot about Goku, and me,
and....// Huyen cringed slightly; he should tell him, but he wasn\'t
sure if he could just come out with it. \"Goku mentioned he\'d found
you before,\" he said thoughtfully, wondering if he could possibly
work up to it. \"Does that mean...you\'ve met me, too? Since...I was
Sanzo, I mean.\"

Another nod. \"Yes, though it was a very long time ago,\" he replied
honestly. \"It was our fourth incarnations.\" He frowned thoughtfully,
wondering...just how much he should say. //I\'ve come to grwithwith
what happened, but...I don\'t know what he\'ll do if he remembers.// He
decided to let it drop for now--they could deal with such things
later. \"How long have you been with Goku?\" he asked instead. \"How
long ago did you meet?\"

\"Just two weeks ago.\" //He does remember, then. I wonder if that was
really the only time we\'ve met? Even though he and Goku were able to
find each other….// He relaxed a little into his seat as the back of
his skull began to tingle. //Damnit.// \"It doesn\'t hurt when you try
to remember things, does it?\" he asked abruptly. \"You know a lot more
than I do about all this….\"

He chuckled faintly. \"It does,\" he assured quietly. \"At least the
first time you start to remember. Once you get past that, it doesn\'t
hurt to remember that moment again. Well, at least not physically,\"
he added humorously, though his words were serious. Lan glanced at
the other from behind his glasses. \"It might be best if you don\'t
think on it too much yet,\" he advised. \"It\'s been enough of a crazy
night.\" //And now that we\'ve found each other...we\'ll have time.//

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