indelicateink

"Goku could use a tutor," Sanzo said, one night, abruptly. "When you're able."

"That...might be nice," he said.

He'd enjoyed the children. Laughing and playing with them.

The blood flashed behind his eyes again, and Sanzo had to put a hand on his shoulder and shake him to bring him back.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, when he came back, his fractured sight focusing again, his breath hollow and pained.

"Why am I doing what?" Sanzo asked.

"This," Hakkai said. "You argued with me. Before the Three Aspects. You agreed to...to this."

Sanzo didn't answer for a long time. The ash on his cigarette was long; he hadn't been paying attention to it for a while. How long had Hakkai been--

Gone?

"Don't ask stupid questions," Sanzo said, and hauled Hakkai to his feet. "Go sweep the courtyard."

Hakkai walked outside. The air was cool, and it wasn't raining.

He picked up the broom.

1. "DI Lestrade. Pleasure to meet you." American voice. Sounded like a young man's. The answer to American or Irish was, apparently, American.
2. "So," Gojyo said. "When the fuck were you going to tell me? Were you gonna wait until I'd killed somebody?"
3. Mamoru was too old for these stupid games. But of course, he was too old to do anything else, too. Too far along in his career--both careers--to retire. Too old and well-known to disappear.