By: Ami
Beta Reader: Windy Hurrice
-- Dreaming --One-Shot
Well, as usual, expect a happy-ending angst from me. XP
Specially dedicated to Win-chan, Hanae-chan, Kitsu-nee-chan and Myst-chan. They're my lovely betas and great friends! And also for miracle*me (Da-chan ^w^), the miracle in my life, who has guessed the keyword excellently.
Ah, and anyway, cause I'm now rushing to finish my project to write 39 Sanzou/Goku fics before leaving ff.net for college, I'll need one or two more betas. ^^;; I know I sound greedy, but it's true. If you're willing, contact me, onegai!
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.
Here we go.
God knew, of all the people, Genjo Sanzou, 23 years old, was the one whom couldn't be called 'creative', despite his job as one of the programmers in one famous Game Company.
Tonight, Sanzou had finally gone home after spending almost 2 weeks in his office, so that he could have finished the latest console as soon as possible.
Tired?
No.
Exhausted would make a better phrase.
Sighing deeply, he managed to get himself a compress from the freezer, before lying on the sofa and putting the compress on his extremely tired eyes.
RIIIIIIIING!!!!!
Sanzou ignored the ringing phone, silently cursing himself for forgetting to disable the phone. He never liked noise. Especially the telephone- out of all the communication devices in the world. What's so GREAT about the f*cking THING? It's just a device people used to suppress him, to burden him with their problems, to choke him with their irresponsible strivings-to--
BEEP!
"I'm not at home now. Say something after a BEEP."
"Sanzou? Are you there?"
"Oh sh*t!" Sanzou gasped before rushing to pick the phone, ignoring the abandoned compress that had fallen on to the floor with a soft 'thud'.
"Yes, Mom."
"Ah, thank God you're there. I've told you to always pick up the phone."
"........."
"OK then. Dad and I are in Paris now. We were just wondering if you're well. Take care. Do you need something? We can send you some-"
"No. I'm fine. Don't bother." Sanzou quickly answered. He never liked it when his parents started underestimating him financially. He was fine with his life now, with or without his parents' money.
"OK then. Don't feel bad to contact us when you need something. We love you, honey. Good night."
"Good night."
With another sigh, Sanzou hang up before sinking limply onto the carpeted floor tiredly. His mother frequently called him in every week-just to make sure that he's alive, he assumed. His parents spent almost all of their times abroad, so they could barely meet. They just went back to Japan in every New Year for a day, and in the next day, they would have flown somewhere else.
..................
Ch. It's not like Sanzou cared. He's no longer mommy's little baby who would love to be cuddled every night. He was tough right? So he couldn't possibly be lonely-right?
Sanzou placed one hand to cover his eyes and yawned. Oh my God, he's so tired that he could barely move his finger now.
Getting more and more drowsy, Sanzou slowly drifted to the under-consciousness world.
***
Night.
The most peaceful time of all the day.
Better than the busy morning.
Better than the frustrating afternoon.
Better than the tiring evening.
Sanzou had been dreaming of enjoying the peaceful night sky, with blinking stars and smiling moon. Too bad, during his 23 years old life, he had been too busy to make the little wish come true.
But tonight.
Sanzou blinked.
//What's happening?//
Sanzou jerked awake and got on his heels, unconsciously surprising himself that he felt so light-headed at the time. His body felt so light that he felt like floating.
Or-
Did he really do?
"What the-hell?" Sanzou gasped as he realized that his surroundings had changed. It was no longer his living room. It was no longer his flat. It was simply. a vast night sky. with blinking stars and smiling moon. just like the things he had been dre--
"Ah," Sanzou put a hand on his head with a smirk. "A dream. That's it."
Sanzou lay on his back, watching the beautiful golden glows around him, simply relaxed. Ah. what a nice dream. Yes, this was definitely the best thing he could have gotten after 2 weeks working his brain out.
//It'd be even better if I've got someone I love here.// Sanzou himself couldn't believe his own mind. But who cared? It was a dream, right?
*sob*
O_o //Huh? A sob? Someone else is here?//
Sanzou looked at his side and realized that he wasn't alone. Just a few feet from him, he could see a small boy in pyjamas and was crying.
//What a strange dream. I thought there'd be only me.// He thought as he approached the boy slowly.
"Hey." He called. "What are you doing here?"
The boy stopped sobbing and lifted his face to him. Sanzou felt a loud thud in his heart as the shimmering golden eyes looked deep into his lavender orbs.
"You. who are you?"
Sanzou sighed. What a weird dream. Why would someone ask his name in his own dream?
"That's my line, little boy." He said. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"I-I-I can't remember my name." The boy slowly stood up, brushing his swollen eyes with a sleeve. "I've been here for a long time. and this place is so dark."
"Dark?" Sanzou lifted an eyebrow. He soon noticed that only around the boy, there weren't any stars, but just an empty, dark solitude that surrounded the boy.
How does it feel to stay in an endless darkness?
How does it feel to never feel the sunshine?
How does it feel to never have anybody to talk to?
How does it feel to be alone.?
Sanzou had never thought about it before, but now, suddenly, the questions just passed his mind.
*YANK*
Sanzou blinked as he realized that the boy was pulling his white shirt with a smile. One more proof that this was a dream. There's no way someone could have such a pair of-pure innocent eyes. .No one in the REAL world could be THAT innocent, right?
"What?" He asked.
"Ne, ne, you're shining, nii-chan." The boy smiled brightly.
"What the hell--?" Sanzou could feel the sudden hotness on his cheeks.
"You're shining like the sun." The boy repeated, still with the sweetest smile on his lips. "May I touch your hair?"
Sanzou seemed hesitant for a moment. In the real world, the answer would be surely clear: No. But. since it's just a dream. maybe become a bit softer wouldn't hurt.
Further more.
The boy had somehow. touched his heart.
"OK. But don't pull it or I'll kill you." Sanzou felt a bit amused with his own words. Even IF he wanted to kill him. could he? And even IF it's the REAL world and he wanted to kill him. could he?
With the words, Sanzou kneeled down so their heights were balanced.
Without any longer thought, the boy ran a hand on the neat blonde strands, feeling its softness with his skin. "Ne. ne. it's so soft." He commented with an amazed smile. "You're so beautiful, nii-chan. you're the most beautiful person I have ever seen."
Sanzou flushed at the naïve statement. ".Shut up."
"A-yes. Sorry." The boy backed off and bowed his head down. Sanzou couldn't help feeling guilty for snarling at the boy for no reasonable reason.
"Ch." Sanzou snorted before walking away, ignoring the gasping boy. "Come on, saru. Or I'll leave you behind."
"W-wha-you're going to take me?" The boy blinked unbelievingly.
"I'm not taking you with me. If you want to follow me, do it and if you don't, then stay here as you like." Sanzou replied calmly as he walked faster to the place where he had been before.
Sanzou swore that he could see the boy's wide grin although he was in the impossible position to do it.
"OK! I'll follow you!"
***
Sanzou's eyes fluttered open slowly as the morning sun greeted him cheerfully from outside the window.
//.So. that's really a dream.// Sanzou sat up and touched his forehead with one hand. //.How real.//
Without any further thought, Sanzou got on his heels and walked inside the bathroom. For the very first time in his 23 years old life, he woke up with a very light feeling.
***
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Sanzou." The man with glasses greeted his best friend with his usual cheerful smile. "I thought you'd be absent today."
"Aa. I thought so too." Sanzou put his bag on the table before settling himself on to the seat. "But today I feel very well. So maybe I can start working on the next game."
"Wow." Hakkai gasped. "That's new. I'm sure that the boss would be really grateful."
"I'm not doing this for him." Sanzou snorted as he turned the computer on.
"Ha ha ha, I knew it." The brunette shrugged before turning to his monitor that was currently displaying a: YOU'VE GOT A MAIL message. Hakkai flushed for a moment before clicking on the X button just a second after Sanzou noticed it.
"A message from him AGAIN?" The blonde smirked. "He is such a hard-worker don't you think so?"
"Aa." Hakkai displayed his worksheet back.
"So?" Sanzou asked as he nodded at the officer who had served him a glass of tea.
"I don't know." Hakkai put a hand on his chin, his emerald eyes was clearly displaying hesitancy. ".I don't even know if I can fall in love again after Kanan-"
"That's enough." Sanzou snorted. "Until when will you stop thinking about a dead person?"
Hakkai bowed his head down and chuckled. "Yeah. I know I should have let her go."
Sanzou stayed silent and tried to concentrate on his new worksheet. Cho Hakkai, 22 years old, who was also his friend, may look cheerful and strong in mere appearances, despite the fact that actually almost all of the people in the company had known how depressed he had been after the death of his sister, who had been also his lover *gulp*, Kanan. Sanzou was one of the people who chose to act innocent and let him be. He was pretty sure that Hakkai would be up again in a few months. Especially that now he had got someone who was chasing him like a desperate; a game-maniac redhead he had met in one of the Game Launchings, his name was-Goyo or-what? He just remembered that it was such a weird name. Other than that, he had no idea.
Sigh.
Better than thinking about other's problem, it might be better for Sanzou to concentrate on his job. It had been a long time since the last time he had been such in a good mood. He mustn't waste this.
Thinking about the cause of his good mood today.
"You're shining like the sun."
"May I touch your hair?"
Sanzou didn't really remember about the boy's face, but he DID remember about the strange fuzzy feelings in his chest when he had seen him at the time. The boy was special, and he didn't know why. It's just felt that way.
//I can't wait to see tonight's dream.//
***
Sanzou opened his eyes slowly to realize that he had been in the same position as he had been in the previous night-in the middle of vast night sky, with glowing stars and smiling moon.
//.Isn't it another dream?// Sanzou touched a glow in front of him with one finger, feeling its warmth with his pale skin. //Funny. I thought dreams couldn't be repeated.//
"Ne, ne."
Sanzou blinked and almost reflexively jumped away at the voice. His eyes turned almost as big as saucers as he realized that the boy in the previous dream was also there with him.
"Y-you-"
"Why are you looking at me like that, mister?" The boy blinked innocently.
"Why are you-"
"Mou, you're so forgetful." The boy chuckled cheerfully. "Didn't you tell me that I could follow you if I wanted?"
Sanzou sighed, bringing one hand to cover his forehead. ".Yeah. I said so. last night. in the previous dream." //So, dreams COULD be continued.//
"Ne, ne, mister, where will we go now?" The boy asked as he cheerfully ran in front of Sanzou. Sanzou got stunned for a moment until he felt the boy's arms around his waist.
"Ne, mister! May I touch your hair again?"
Sanzou narrowed one eye for a moment before putting a hand on the chocolate locks to shake him off. "No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to. Now get-your hair is wet!" Sanzou quickly retreat his now wet hand.
"Yes! So you noticed!" The boy grinned. "The nee-chan has just washed my hair! I knew that I would meet you tonight, so I cleaned myself well this afternoon!"
Sanzou snorted. Ha ha. What a weird dream.
"Ne, ne, mister! Where will we go? Will you take me to a restaurant? Or to an amusement park? Mister? Mister?"
"Urusai! Stop calling me like that!" Sanzou snapped. "I'm Sanzou. Genjo Sanzou."
"OK then, Sanzou! Where will we go? Where will we go? Sanzou~ Sanzou~ Sanzou~ Sanzoooooou~!!!! I'm huuuuuuuuuungry~ where will we go now~?"
Sanzou sighed as he tiredly brought one hand to cover his face. Even in his dream he couldn't get his peace.
"URUSAI SARU!" # # # # # # #
*WHACK*
And when Sanzou regained his senses back, he was already holding a paper-fan in his hand, and the boy had fallen on to the invisible ground, moaning a soft 'itai'.
"Mou~ you don't have to whack me like that." The boy slowly sat up and pouted.
"Then you can just shut the f*ck up and sit tight like a good boy." Sanzou laid himself beside the boy and looked at the sky. It's rare that he had got such a nice dream, so he'd better not wasting it by arguing the noisy stranger.
But then a soft voice from the corner of his heart replied: It's also rare to meet someone like the boy. He might not appear anywhere but in your dream.
Sanzou shook his head, trying to get the silly idea off his head.
"Ne, ne, ne, Sanzou~ Sanzou~ Sanzou~"
"If you want to talk, just call me once." Sanzou sweat-dropped, actually feeling quite amused with the boy's antic.
"Ah, really?" The golden eyes suddenly shimmered. ".Can I talk to you just by calling you once?"
"Of course. Do you think I'm deaf?" Sanzou replied.
The boy bowed his head down with a mysterious smile. ".Thanks."
Sanzou snorted. The boy was getting more and more complicated. What a weird dream. And wait-he didn't know why, but suddenly the boy looked a bit taller and bigger than yesterday. or was it just his imagination?
With the thought, darkness claimed Sanzou's mind. once more.
***
//What a strange dream.//
For the nth time of the day, Sanzou had tried to stop thinking about the bloody dream and the boy. And for the nth time of the day. he had failed to do so.
"What's wrong with you today, Sanzou?" Hakkai blinked at his best friend confusedly. "Did something happen? You look so dreamy today."
"Ch." Sanzou settled his seat and straightened his back, trying to concentrate on the monitor screen in front of him. "You don't look better too. What's with the bags under your eyes?"
The brunette blushed before touching his own cheeks cutely. "Err---uh-you see---I was just-lacking of sleep."
"Ah. So, I knew it. I saw you kissing the redhead in front of a restaurant yesterday. Is that the cause?" Sanzou smirked victoriously. "So you two are finally getting together?"
"Yes, right, Blondie. You're such a smart ass."
Hakkai gasped as an arm was suddenly clung around his neck, and the familiar scent of his newfound lover filled the air around him.
Sanzou narrowed one eye at the redhead. ".So. you're the maniac-"
"Who the hell is a maniac, damn it?!" He protested. "I sent Hakkai things because I loved him! In the name of love, nothing is wrong! Any objections?! Why are you looking at me like that?! Are you admiring my natural beauty? XD"
".Nothing. After looking at you closely, I just realized that you're much uglier than what I thought before." Sanzou coolly turned his back at the furious redhead and the sweat-dropping brunette.
//Thank you, Sanzou.// Hakkai watched his best friend's back with a smile. //Thank you.//
***
Dream is a mystery.
It's another world under your consciousness.
It feels so real,
That sometimes it's hard to make difference between dreams and reality.
A nightmare could make you scream in your sleep.
A sweet dream could make you smile to your pillow.
If only you can choose.
Would you rather remain dreaming than waking up?
Sanzou opened his eyes in his sleep to find himself in the same world he had been yesterday. It's the night sky world, with glowing stars and smiling moon-the best scene he could imagine himself in.
And as soon as he realized it. the familiar voice rang in his ears.
"Sanzou."
Sanzou turned his head to the smiling boy, and surprised himself that the boy had somehow transformed even bigger than the last time he saw him. His hair was now short, and he looked a few years older. Last time, he looked like a 10 years old, but now suddenly he looked like a 15 years old boy.
"You-"
"Hi. I have been waiting for you." He grinned.
"Waiting?" Sanzou widened his eyes, and for once, was trying to assure himself that he was still sane.
Well. a dream could be continued.
"How could you wait for me?" He asked. "Isn't it just a dream? How could-"
"Mou, what have happened to you? You look so pale." The boy ran a hand on one pale cheek, adoring its softness. "Even if it's a dream, I don't mind. As long as you're with me, Sanzou."
Sanzou flushed, before turning his head away. ".Idiot."
"What?! I didn't do anything wrong, did I? Mou. You always call me idiot." The boy pouted.
Sanzou snorted and chose to ignore the whines until the boy seemed to tire himself and instantly fell silent.
Despite his pride not to admit it, Sanzou felt kind of uneasy with the unusual silent atmosphere between him and the boy.
".What's wrong?" He looked at the boy who was now smiling at one glow in front of his nose, while trying to convince himself that the scene in front of him was NOT cute AT ALL! [Such stubbornness.]
"Ne, ne, Sanzou! Listen! I told nurse-nee-chan about you, and she told me that I was lucky for having you! She also said that she wanted to see you, so I drew your face and showed it to her! Look!" The boy slipped one hand inside his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "I had never drawn anything before so I felt a bit unconfident, but she told me that you're really handsome in the picture! I'll let you keep it because you're the dearest person to me! ^_^ Come on! Keep it! Don't be shy!"
Sanzou sweat-dropped at the picture. He looked like a teruteru-bouzu there! Fighting an urge to burst out angry again, he folded the paper and slipped it inside his pocket. But-hey-what's with the 'NURSE' thing?
"Nurse? You mean the one who takes care of you?" Sanzou asked. "Don't tell me that you have been living in a hospital."
Sanzou expected a loud laughter, but instead, the boy blinked at him unbelievingly.
".How could you know that?"
And Sanzou was struck dumb.
"What the-hell?"
"Since I was a baby, I have been suffering an illness. So my parents put me in a private hospital and never let me out of the hospital even for once." Golden eyes looked empty as word after word flowed out of the slightly pale lips.
"Not letting you out. you didn't mean. you have never come out and seen anything outside the hospital?" Sanzou asked unbelievingly.
"Uhn. ^_^ And to tell you the truth, I have never seen anyone else but my parents, doctors and nurses before I met you. That's why I was so happy when I met you, Sanzou!"
Sanzou felt a stab in his heart at the boy's statement. Until a few minutes ago, he had been still cursing his life, feeling unsatisfied with what he had got so far. and now. suddenly his mind was crystal clear. He was too lucky compared to the boy.
"I felt sad because I had no one to talk with. But it's OK now because I have you! I can talk to you even it's just at night! I'm happy now!" The boy smiled cheerfully, before the smile faded in to a gloom. ".But. tomorrow. I mightn't be able to come and meet you. because my mom told me that I was going to have an operation."
"What operation?" Sanzou narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know. But I heard my mother and my father cried when the doctor told them about it. Then my mother told me that after the operation, I mightn't be able to see them again. She also told me that I was ought to be strong."
Sanzou couldn't believe his own ears. Sanzou couldn't believe his own eyes.
It was too real to be a dream.
What the hell-was actually happening to him?
Had he somehow entered to a parallel door that had connected him to the boy's soul? The boy was simply too real to be just a mere dream! No. The boy was real. His story was real. His sorrow was real. His pain was real. His illness was real.
.and.
The death that was coming closer to him. was also real.
And the boy. could still smile, although he knew that he might not be able to survive to see the day after tomorrow's daylight.
And when Sanzou realized it, he had the boy in his arms, hugging him like a desperate.
".Sanzou?" The boy's voice was questioning. "What's wrong?"
A drop of tear flowed out of one lavender orb, as he pressed his face deeper on to the boy's skinny shoulder, feeling the softness of the hygienic-scented thin white pyjamas.
"Sanzou?"
Sanzou tried his best to form a word, but only a sob escaped from his mouth, as if he had gone mute in all sudden. And so, he just clutched the boy tighter and tighter, as if he might fly away.
.and he would really do.
Fly away from his life.
Fly away from his dreams.
Fly away from him.
".Don't." He nearly choked at his own tears as he spoke, still hugging the boy tight. ".Don't you. dare leave. bakazaru."
The boy sighed before slowly pushing Sanzou's chest away, trying to face him. Sanzou skipped another breath as he realized that the boy had transformed again, in to a more mature one, with a confident smile on his face.
"Don't worry." He smiled without any hesitation. "I'm strong."
***
Still having the words ringing in his ears, Sanzou drifted back to consciousness. His cheeks were still wet with tears.
//.Was that really a dream?// He brushed the tears with one sleeve. His heart was still beating hard, and his breath was still irregular.
Sanzou didn't have any time to think, as his doorbell started to ring.
RIIIIIIIIING!
RIIIIIIIIING!!!!!
//.Who the hell.?// He looked at the clock that clearly displayed the current time: 07:00 AM. Sanzou lazily got on his heels and went inside the bathroom, in front of the mirror, just to make sure that people wouldn't notice that he had just cried in his sleep. Hmph. What an embarrassing scene on behold.
After making sure that he looked all right, the blonde started approaching the door. without realizing that the twist of his fate was coming closer.
"Good morning. ^o^"
"........."
"I am Son Goku, 18 years old. I just moved in this apartment a few hours ago. Starting now, I'll live in the flat next to yours. Ha ha. Gomen for disturbing you in the early morning. I just came to deliver this. *handing a gift* I hope we can cooperate well later because we're now neighbours! I think that's all! Thanks! You can visit me whenever you want when you need someone to talk with! Ja for now! ^o^"
And.
End of the tale.
There left Genjo Sanzou with a towel in his hand - was still in a deep shock.
Ignoring anything logical on the earth.
"Wait!" *grabs*
"Huh? Wha-MMMMMPPPPPHHFFFFF---"
A few kisses later.
".May I visit you now?" *smirks*
@o@//// //Something is seriously wrong with this guy!//
***
~OWARI~