Spoiler-free fluff; some pre-series antics courtesy of Sanzo and Goku. Birthday-fic for Hyatt Ayanami, 2003.

---

Fruits of Friendship by Mina Lightstar

It was quiet, calm, surreal. It was the kind of silence that Sanzo wished he could bask in more often. Despite the fact that his place of residence was a Buddhist temple, the establishment's atmosphere was rarely so silent. None of the monks residing in the temple were particularly loud themselves, but Goku could bring anyone's voice to an impatient shout in very little time. It was one of his defining attributes, as far as Sanzo was concerned.

Sanzo broke the peaceful silence himself by pulling out a cigarette and flicking on his lighter. The tiny flame sparked and Sanzo put the cigarette between his lips. He held the tip of the smoke to the flame long enough for it to begin burning, and then let the flame die out.

He took a deep drag from the cigarette, blew a smoke ring, and leaned back against the wall. Sanzo was settled on a cushion in one of the many outdoor chambers the temple possessed, primarily to avoid contact with anyone else. He wasn't particularly in the mood for socializing, and it was hard to find an empty room in this place.

It was even harder to find a *quiet* room in this place, he lamented sullenly. His ears caught a faint sound coming from outside. Somewhere in the courtyard, someone was making noise... It was distant, faded shouting, it sounded like. Sanzo tilted his head out of habit, mildly curious as to who was yelling. When there was no further calling, he shrugged one shoulder and leaned back against the wall. Whatever it had been, he hoped the disturbance had the good grace to stay far away from him. He wasn't in the mood for disturbances or games. He rarely was.

But alas, he was rarely lucky, as well.

Though he wished for it not to be so, the pitter-patter of quick little feet was heard in the distance. It was getting closer, closer, all-too-close... Sanzo sighed, resting one elbow on his knee and pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. It was obvious whose feet they were; Sanzo should have known it was too quiet.

"Oh, spare me," he pleaded, knowing it was useless. Goku had an uncanny ability to seek him out no matter where he went in the temple. The little imp spied on him, he was certain.

Unfortunately, he was right. The scampering of the feet drew nearer and nearer, and it wasn't long before a little blur of monkey whizzed by the open door of the chamber Sanzo was lounging in. He went so fast, Sanzo only recognized him because...well, because he was Goku. Goku was very out of place in the temple full of monks.

Then again, some would say that *Sanzo* was out of place in the temple full of monks...

Sanzo held his breath, kept his body very still. With any luck, Goku had been going much too fast for the sight of Sanzo to register in his feeble little mind. Maybe the little runt would go and find some other place to hide, instead of--/Shit./

Outside, further away, Sanzo heard the energetic little monkey skid to a stop, scamper around, and begin a jog back in the opposite direction. He took another deep drag from his cigarette as he reached within the folds of his robes for his trusty fan. With a crinkly, unfurling sound, it spread open, ready to cool him off - though admittedly, Sanzo seldom used the fan to cool himself off. At times it was, in his opinion, a more potent weapon than the sutra.

He listened as the feet brought Goku closer, until the monkey came to an abrupt stop in the doorway, panting a little from his running. Then, his quick little feet propelled him into the room.

"SAN--UMPH!"

And Sanzo brought him to a complete halt with the fan. The annoying little monkey dropped to the floor with a gratifying thud.

Ever determined and filled with boundless energy, Goku didn't remain flat on his face for long. "San~ZO!" he wailed pitifully. "What'd you do that for?"

"I don't think my reasons require any explanation," Sanzo replied dryly, leaning back against the wall with his cigarette in his mouth. He flicked his wrist, closing the fan once again. He settled the weapon on the floor beside his leg. He couldn't leave it too far away; it was the weapon considered most necessary when it came to his friends.

Goku was quick like the wind, and soon Sanzo found his lap swarming with a bundle of boundless energy. Sanzo's attempts to shove Goku away succeeded only in allowing the little monkey to tighten his grip.

"You'll protect me, won't you, Sanzo?"

"From your own chatter?" Sanzo asked, sour over having his quiet time come to a stop before it had really had a chance to begin.

"No!" Goku ignored his jibe and went on. "From the other monks!"

It was no secret that Goku and the other occupants of the temple didn't get along very well. It might not have been an issue, were Goku a creature with a smaller stomach and a quieter voice. With those characteristics, Sanzo might never bear witness to scenarios like this again. Alas, it was not to be.

"What did you do this time?"

Goku hesitated, looking up Sanzo's chest in hopes that he would take pity on the poor monkey. No such luck, and Sanzo made certain that the words were plain as day on his face. And so, Goku guiltily pulled away, settling onto his knees on the floor in front of Sanzo. He hesitated a moment more, and then reached into his tunic and produced the cause for all the commotion.

Pomegranates.

Sanzo dropped his face into his free hand. He sighed heavily, mourning the loss of his peace and quiet - and for *pomegranates* - and rubbed his cigarette out on the floorboards. "You *know* you're not supposed to take the fruit from the trees."

"I was hungry," Goku said piteously.

"You're *always* hungry," Sanzo shot back.

Goku shrank back considerably, but was then back in full force. "So? I need to keep my strength up - so I can defend you!" he added proudly.

Sanzo fought the urge to snort. "Please."

"Wh~at?"

"Stop whining," Sanzo ordered, lighting up another cigarette. He only had two left, he noted sadly. It was too bad Gojyo wasn't around; the red-haired man usually had spare cigarettes that he would share. "Why did you disturb me for *pomegranates*?"

Goku shrugged helplessly, trying to give Sanzo an angelic expression. "I was hoping you'd hide me from the others?"

Sanzo made a face and took another drag from his cigarette. "Why not use that strength you say you're keeping up and get away from them yourself?"

Goku shrugged again. "I figured you wouldn't want that."

The consideration Goku displayed was almost moving enough to make Sanzo take pity on the little monkey. Almost. "So instead of roughing up the other monks you decided to come and bother me." It wasn't a question.

"Well...better bother you than cause an uproar in the entire temple, right?"

"You've already done both," Sanzo pointed out.

"You're mean, Sanzo." Goku pouted again, scrunching up his face in an attempt to gain favor. Sanzo was steadfast.

"Mm." Sanzo closed his eyes for a moment, wishing that the spoilage of his perfect afternoon had all been some sort of cruel daydream. But no, Goku was still there when his eyes opened again. "Are you going to leave yet?"

"I can't," Goku said, pausing to listen for pursuers. "They're probably still looking for me. They never give up this easily - and I stole a few pomegranates," he added sheepishly.

Sanzo sighed softly. Goku's pranks - or simply baiting of the other monks - brought out the worst in most of the temple's inhabitants. "And?"

"Hide me?"

He snorted. "You eat - and steal - my food, take up house on *my* property, and now you want me to be your human shield?"

Goku thought about that, and then nodded.

Sanzo wrinkled his nose. "You don't appreciate a damn thing I do for you."

"I do so!" Goku declared, emphasizing his point by stamping his foot.

"Don't be so loud; they'll hear your racket and then your cover will be blown."

Goku's eyes widened, and he fell silent again, listening for the sounds of any other monks. While he did so, Sanzo closed his eyes again, willing the noisy little monkey to take his mischief elsewhere. He much preferred Goku's company when the brat was being serious.

Wait, did he ever prefer Goku's company?

...Maybe sometimes.

He tried to lean back against the wall again, and bumped into something. "What--?" He glanced down at what was blocking his path, and scowled. "What are you doing?"

Goku tried to look innocent - a feat made impossible by the monkey's hands on Sanzo's long robes. The little imp was trying to burrow beneath the billowy fabric. "Um...hiding?"

"Get out from underneath there," Sanzo ordered. He did *not* want an energetic monkey next to his skin!

"But, Sanzo!" Goku mock-wailed. "I don't want to be beaten by *them*. They've never hunted me down before, and I don't want to lose!"

"Them" were probably the other monks - that was easy enough to determine. Those poor fools spent many hours of their lives trying to catch the troublemaker in the act. They rarely succeeded. And as far as catching Goku went... "Did it ever occur to you that this is not a playground?" He made a face when Goku continued to tug on his robes. "Stop that."

"*Please*, Sanzo?" Goku was begging now. It was almost amusing.

"Give me one good reason why I should," Sanzo challenged, prepared to meet the arguments with dry replies.

"Because I'm your friend!" Goku blurted.

So simple, so honest, so...out of the blue. The answer was unexpected, and Sanzo needed a moment's recovery. "Are you? I was unaware of that..."

"Sanzo!" Goku sputtered, stung. He made a face and muttered, "Well, *you're my* friend..."

"Oh, am I?" Sanzo mused, not certain if he should find this argument humorous or potentially serious.

"Well, yeah." Goku yanked on the cloak and grinned. "You're smart, you're cool, you kick ass... And if it weren't for you..." Goku shrugged one shoulder, beginning to look a mite uncomfortable. "I just like you!"

Sanzo considered the reason and supporting arguments Goku had put forth - he considered them for a while. He supposed he *did* think of the monkey as a friend - but the gods knew Goku didn't have to know that.

But, really...what were a few pomegranates, anyway?

"Don't touch anything," he said curtly, and leaned forward a little to allow Goku to hide under his robes without difficulty.

Goku beamed at him, and wasted no time cloaking himself in Sanzo's clothing. The mischievous monkey curled up into a tiny ball between the wall and Sanzo's back, and with the robes draped over him, he looked very much like part of Sanzo's outfit. When Sanzo leaned back again, he doubted anyone would notice that Goku had taken refuse underneath his clothes.

He hoped so, for Goku's sake, as one monk who stayed at the temple suddenly appeared in the doorway.

"Lord Sanzo," he said breathlessly, giving Sanzo a quick bow. "Have you seen...little Goku?" He tried to keep the bland irritation out of his voice. It almost worked.

"Seen him?" Sanzo mused. "No. Heard him? Yes. He caused trouble again, I gather."

The monk didn't grace that statement with an answer, and merely nodded.

"I assure you," Sanzo said in his dry tone, "if I do see him, I'll deal with him. But I think he has sense enough that he'll be avoiding all of us for the next few hours, at least."

The monk bowed again, panting "Thank you, Lord Sanzo" on his way out of the room to resume his search.

They waited for several minutes, making sure that no other monks would come across Sanzo's chamber in search of the elusive fruit thief. When Goku was apparently satisfied, he scurried out from underneath Sanzo's robes and wrapped his arms around Sanzo's shoulders.

"Thanks, Sanzo!"

Sanzo endured the embrace, albeit begrudgingly. "Stay out of trouble," he said, knowing the reminder wouldn't do any good. Goku would always discover ways to get in trouble. Either that, or trouble would find ways to find him.

Goku nodded - his usual response to the empty order - and tossed Sanzo something. "Here you go."

Sanzo caught the object and immediately recognized it as a pomegranate. "I want no part in your pilfering," he said.

"Just take it; it's a gift!" Goku beamed brightly again. His smile and words were full of a child's enthusiasm, but with undertones that were hardly those of a child. "For being my friend!"

Sanzo stared after the noisy monkey as Goku retreated from the tiny room back out to the temple's property, and shook his head. Sometimes he wasn't sure if Goku was a gift or a curse.

But he bit into his pomegranate and sealed the deal.

- The End -

Back to Mina Lightstar's Fictions
Back to Fictions