Mother's day special. For Sanzo, of all people. What was I thinking?

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from Saiyuki. That includes: Goku, Sanzo, and Koumyou for this fic. Kamiyan, however, is mine. My gosh, I actually do own something...

Contrasts

Sanzo blinked as a bright orange paper plane landed at his feet. He picked it up and examined it. It was neatly folded, and surprisingly well-made. But where had it come from?

"Mother!"

A five year old, giggling girl ran over to him. Bright violet eyes looked up, reminiscent of his own.

"Is this yours, Kamiyan?" he asked, showing her the plane.

"Uh-huh. I made it."

"It's very good. But who taught you how?"

That was what really puzzled him. Master Koumyou had taught him, but he'd never taught anyone else. The orange color of the paper was dredging up memories long buried.

"Goku-nii taught me Mother."

Goku? But where had he-? Oh. Sanzo remembered now. It had been several years past, not long after he brought Goku down from the mountain.

-flashback-

"Would you settle down?"

It was bad enough he had a youkai in the temple, but it was worse yet that it was a rambunctious youkai.

"But I'm bored," the boy whined, "there's nothing to do here."

"And there was in that cage?"

"Well, no. But I was bored in there too."

"Figures," Sanzo grumbled. What was he supposed to-? Ah, yes. That might work.

"Stay here. I'll be right back."

"Alright," the younger reluctantly agreed.

Sanzo returned a few moments later, carrying a small stack of origami paper.

"What's this for?" Goku asked.

"Just watch."

Truthfully, it'd been so long since he'd done this, Sanzo was surprised he remembered how it went.

"Hey, neat!"

Golden eyes brightened.

"Then you try."

-end flashback-

It had felt odd watching Goku fumble with the paper, trying to copy what he'd done. Still, it had felt kind of nice, too.

They'd spent a few hours making the planes. It had taken a while for Goku to get it, but his fingers had been long disused to such delicate work.

"Sanzo?"

Violet jerked up to meet gold, startled out of the reverie.

"Ya okay Sanzo?"

"I'm fine."

He turned to watch his daughter playing.

"I'd forgotten."

"Huh?" Goku looked at him questioningly, "forgotten what?"

"That I'd taught you how to make those. It's been a long time. But one question: why orange?"

"It brings out the blue in the sky, 'cause they're opposites. That's what you told me back then, remember?"

"Yeah, actually, I do."

Funny how things get passed on, even when you're not paying attention.

owari

For anyone wondering about Kamiyan, she's my original character from a m-preg fic I'm writing. I should hopefully start posting it within the next couple months here.