A Brand New Life

Disclaimer: I don’t own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. Yuuko is my own creation.

Yuuko woke early after spending a restless night. It wasn’t even 5 am yet. Her eyes were swollen and red from all the crying she did the night before. Her hair was in knots from all her tossing and turning. And she felt like she looked, horrible. She had a headache from crying herself to sleep. She rolled from her back to her right side, hoping to go back to sleep but a knock on the door startled her.

She grabbed a robe and went down to see who could be at the door at this hour. She peeked out the front window and saw Goku on the front steps, ready to knock again. She opened the door and was about to speak, when he barged in the house.

“Hakkai’s fever is back and I need your help.” Goku paced in the little kitchen.

“Let me get dressed and I will be right there. Run a cloth under cold water and put it on his forehead. It’s not much but it might help a little.” Yuuko was already running out of the kitchen and up the stairs as she gave Goku those instructions.

She put on a blue cotton yukata that was faded from many washings but she wanted to be comfortable. It might be a long day. She combed through her hair and pushed it over her shoulders, barely noticing her appearance in the mirror. If she had taken the time to take a closer look at herself, she would have noticed the bruise on her collarbone near her throat. But her mind was already on Hakkai and his fever. She finished dressing and ran down the stairs, put on her sandals and flew out the door.

She didn’t bother to knock. She opened the door and tossing her sandals aside, made her way into the living room. Goku was sitting on the futon by Hakkai, looking worried. His golden eyes were bright with tears. “I came down about 15 minutes ago to check on him and he was burning up again. I came to get you as fast as I could.”

She went over the teen and put her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. You did well coming to get me as fast as you did. I’ll fix the fever medicine again and take a look at him.” Yuuko went into the kitchen, pushing all thoughts of last night out of her mind. She didn’t have time to sit and think about that now. She mixed a fresh dose of fever medicine and took it in to the living room.

Although Hakkai’s fever was back, he was calmer than last night. He wasn’t thrashing about in a nightmare, screaming at past memories. He lay still, his breathing shallow. She stood by the bed and shook him by the shoulders and called his name. “Hakkai, I need you to wake up and take this. It will help your fever.” Hakkai’s eyes fluttered open. They were fever bright, but not as bad as last night.

“Yuuko?” He remembered her name. That was surprising. “Why are you here?” Ok, so he didn’t remember everything, but at least he knew her name.

“I’m taking care of you while you recuperate. Do you remember?” She watched him nod his head. “I need you to open up your mouth and take this. It will help bring your fever down. Goku, could you please help him sit up?” Goku put his arm behind Hakkai’s back and lifted him to a semi-sitting position. Yuuko held a spoonful of medicine near Hakkai’s mouth.

Hakkai opened his mouth and she put the spoon in his mouth. She noticed how his lips wrapped around the spoon and watched in fascination as he licked his lips to get all of the medicine. She shook her head. Why was she so fascinated by every little thing this man did? And why did her stomach feel like she had tons of butterflies in it? She pushed the thoughts from her mind and looked at Goku. He still had Hakkai upright. “I think he’s ok now. You can lay him down.” She watched as the teen gently laid Hakkai flat again. Goku drew the blanket over Hakkai’s shoulders and watched him for a minute or so.

Yuuko went into the kitchen. She thought about mixing another batch of medicine, but it was better if made fresh and she didn’t know how long it would be until Hakkai needed another dose. She put the spoon in the sink and looked around for glasses. She could really use a glass of juice and she didn’t think Goku would say no to one either. She found two glasses and poured orange juice in them.

Goku came in and sat down at the table. Yuuko brought over the glasses and sat one in front of Goku. He drank about half before setting the glass back down. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Yuuko, giving her a tired smile. “It’s really rude of me, but do you mind if I go back to bed? I’m kinda wore out from yesterday at the store.” He yawned.

“Go ahead, Goku. I’m used to getting up this early so I’m fine. I’ll just pick up a little in the kitchen. Then, I’ll watch over Hakkai.”

Goku stood up, drained his orange juice and went back upstairs, waving to her as he left the kitchen. Yuuko took the glasses to the sink and began to wash them. She checked the clock. It was almost 6. Too early to make breakfast, Yuuko thought. She decided to check on Hakkai again.

She moved silently to the living room, not wanting to wake him. It was too soon to tell if the dose she gave him was working but she felt his forehead anyway. It was cool but that was probably because of the cloth Goku put on it. She remembered her mother telling her that the belly was the best place to feel for a fever. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. What if he reached out and grabbed her like last night? She blushed as she remembered his passionate kisses. She could almost still taste him on her lips. Her fingers twisted together as she stood by the bed.

“Come on, Yuuko. You’re twenty years old, for heaven’s sake. Stop acting like a lovesick teenager.” She sat on the edge of the bed, gathered her courage and pulled the blanket down to his waist. She was still shocked at the scar on his stomach. How anyone could have survived an injury like that, was beyond her. She lightly traced the scar with her fingers. Hakkai’s breath hitched and he moaned. She snatched her fingers away. She watched his face to see if he was waking up, but he didn’t make anymore noise.

She got up off the bed, her face burning. She put her hands to her cheeks, trying to cool them off but it was no use. She wasn’t ready to admit it to herself, but she was falling for this handsome man.

Yuuko went and sat in the rocking chair, knowing she wanted to be near in case Hakkai needed her again. She pushed off and rocked back. SQUEEEEK! Lord, that was loud! Hakkai would surely wake up if she kept on rocking. She got off the chair and stilled it before it would make that horrid noise again.

She could bring in a kitchen chair in but they were too hard. She looked by the futon. She could just sit on the floor by Hakkai’s head. There was carpet on the floor after all and she could lean up against the wall for support. Yes, she told herself, that was the reason she wanted to sit by him. She could be near in case he got worse. And besides, the rocking chair squeaked so loud, he would surely wake up. And…and there was carpet on the floor. She paused. She already thought of that. She would not admit to herself the real reason why she wanted to be next to him.

She sat down by the futon and leaned against the wall. She looked over and saw Hakkai was within arms reach. She scooted closer until her right side was up against the mattress. There, that was close enough. She closed her eyes and let her mind go blank, letting the sound of Hakkai’s breathing lull her to sleep. In a few minutes, she was fast asleep.

Goku came down a few hours later and saw Yuuko sitting on the floor by Hakkai’s bed. Sometime in the early morning, she had shifted and now her arms were crossed on the bed, her head on them. Hakkai had shifted to his left side and his hands were curled with her hands. Goku smiled as he looked at the couple sleeping. Maybe Gojyo was right. She was exactly what Hakkai needed in a woman.

Goku left the house, deciding to make breakfast for him and Daisuke-san at his house. He was looking forward to his second day at work. He was glad that the group had decided to settle here. Sanzo would be close by and Gojyo and Hakkai would be in the same town. His little family wouldn’t be split up and if things were going the way he thought they might, Myhiko may be a part of his future. But, that was too soon to tell. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy life and the peace that came with the defeat of Gyoumaoh.




Sanzo stood on the front porch of Hakkai’s house, finishing up his cigarette. Knowing Hakkai, he wouldn’t allow smoking in his house. Tossing the butt aside, he thought about knocking but he couldn’t hear any sounds in the house and he didn’t want to wake Hakkai up. He wasn’t sure if that woman was there yet. She would probably give him hell for banging on the door and waking Hakkai up. So, Sanzo just let himself in the house.

He kicked off his sandals, noticing the smaller pair already there. So, she was here. She certainly was quiet. Unlike the first time he’d met her. Sanzo frowned. Gojyo laughed himself hoarse telling Goku that she was just like Sanzo. The stupid Kappa quickly stopped laughing when Sanzo pointed his gun at him.

Sanzo walked into the living room and took in the sight before him. Hakkai was awake and laying on his left side. Yuuko was on the floor next to him, arms and head on the mattress, fast asleep. They were holding hands. Sanzo watched Hakkai, careful not to alert the couple to his presence.

Hakkai’s left hand was holding onto both of Yuuko’s hands and his right hand was currently brushing her strangely colored hair back behind her ear. Locks of brown, shot with highlights of gold, silver and Sanzo thought he saw white, fell to the bed beside Hakkai. A gentle, true smile was on Hakkai’s face. Sanzo had seen that smile on Hakkai only a few times since he had known the demon slayer. Usually, Hakkai only smiled like that with children and a few times with Goku. But, Hakkai had never smiled like that with a woman.

Hakkai was fascinated with Yuuko’s hair. It was so soft and the colors! He could see strands of gold, silver and even a few pure white ones. It wasn’t like she was going gray, her hair looked like it was always this way since childhood. He wondered what she was like as a child. He smiled as he imagined her standing up the local bullies, playing in the mud when she was supposed to stay clean and climbing sakura trees. The images in his mind changed to more grown up ones. Yuuko leaning over him, touching his chest. Yuuko with her fingers running through his hair. Yuuko beneath him moaning as he kissed her. His hand stilled. Something tickled the back of his mind. Where had those thoughts come from?

He remembered his nightmare from last night with his daughter and he could remember Kannon coming back. He had begun to make love to Kannon in his dream but he didn’t remember anything besides kissing her, pressing up against her, nipping at her shoulder. Hakkai’s hand in Yuuko’s hair began to shake. What if it wasn’t a dream? What if it was Yuuko he did those things with and not the Kannon from his dream? He pushed her hair over her right shoulder. There, right above her collarbone, was a bruise. A love bite, he used to call them. He had marked her last night.

Sanzo watched the play of emotion on Hakkai’s face. The gentle smile leaving his face, replaced by one of confusion and finally, strangely enough, one that looked like guilt. Sanzo decided to let his presence known.

“Oi”, Sanzo said walking in the living room. “How are you feeling?”

Hakkai dropped the strands of Yuuko’s hair he was holding and withdrawing his hand from hers, rolled on his back and scooted up on the pillows. “Better. I suppose I had a fever last night. I remember Yuuko giving me medicine.” Hakkai looked up at the ceiling. “Is Goku still here?”

“Damned if I know.” Sanzo sat down in the rocker and pushed back. It made the horrible squeaking noise again and he jumped up. “Shit! What kind of crap furniture did Gojyo buy?” Sanzo glared at the rocker and came over to Hakkai’s bed. He eyed Yuuko who was still asleep. He noted with a smirk that her mouth was open and she was drooling a little. “What’s up with your little nurse here?” Sanzo motioned towards Yuuko with his head.

Hakkai flushed as visions of Yuuko flashed through his mind. The one of her writhing beneath him was proving difficult to get out of his mind. He looked down at her and watched the top of her head. All of a sudden she sighed and stretched her hand out, grasping for something. She moved it around the mattress until she felt Hakkai’s arm. She moved her hand down his arm to his hand and grabbed his hand again, mumbling in her sleep and folding her fingers over his.

Hakkai scratched the back of his head. “Ha ha”, he said with his trademark placid smile on his face. Hakkai gently pulled his hand out of Yuuko’s grasp and put her hand back by her other one. “I guess, she’s worried about me.” Hakkai began to sweat under Sanzo gaze.

Yuuko started to stir. She picked up her head from her arms, wiped the spit from her mouth and looked around with bleary eyes. She wasn’t fully awake, yet. She turned to the left and looked at Sanzo, smiled and said good morning. She smacked her lips together a few times and rolled her head to the right. Hakkai came into view. She smiled and sighed. “Good morning.” She stared at him, a goofy grin on her face. Her eyes went wide when she realized where she was.

Sanzo snorted. “Well, well, sleeping beauty awakens.” He sat down at the foot of Hakkai’s bed.

Yuuko knew he was being snarky , so she just ignored him. Maybe he would leave quicker if she did that. She got up from the floor with an unladylike groan. She was stiff from sitting there for so long. She heard a bark of laughter that sounded suspiciously like it came from Sanzo. She was determined to ignore the monk. She stretched a little and made her way into the kitchen.

“You drool in your sleep, you know!” Sanzo couldn’t resist one last jab as she left the room. The only answer he received was the sound of her slamming cupboard doors and pots and pans around in the kitchen.

“Now, Sanzo, that wasn’t very nice. You should apologize to the lady.”

“When hell freezes over.” Sanzo dropped the grin. “I’m leaving today for the monastery.”

That was it. Hakkai knew he wasn’t going to get a big long good-bye speech but he did think after traveling with the monk for four years, Sanzo might show a little emotion. But, he wouldn’t be Sanzo if he opened up and let his emotions show. Hakkai looked down at the blanket. “Is the monastery far? Would you like to take Hakuryu? He can fly back here after dropping you off.”

Sanzo shook his head no. “It’s only a few hours walk from here. It will do me good.” Sanzo kept his feeling from surfacing. He really would miss the three of them, despite how much he complained about them on the journey. They had become like the brothers he longed for and now he was leaving them.

Sure, he would still take Goku with him to round up rogue youkai but it wouldn’t be the same. No arguing with Gojyo about how many times they had to stop so he could check out the women. Not having to listen to Goku complain about being hungry. And no Hakkai to make sure they ate well and cleaned up after themselves.

Sanzo stared out the front window, not seeing the street in front of it, but memories of the long journey. He had to get the hell out of here before he cracked.


Yuuko finished cooking breakfast. She made rice porridge because it was nice and bland for Hakkai’s stomach. She didn’t want to serve him anything spicy or too rich too soon. She poured it into three bowls. It looked kinda lumpy and there were little bits of burnt rice in it but she couldn’t do anything about that now. She shrugged. Yuuko searched through the cupboards looking for the sugar. She would just sprinkle a little on top and maybe that would help the taste. Since none of the paper bags were labeled, she found one that she assumed to be sugar. She sprinkled some on each bowl and put spoons in them.

Sanzo and Hakkai looked up as she entered the room. Hakkai smiled at her and Sanzo frowned. Yuuko felt like dumping Sanzo’s breakfast all over his blonde head. The mental picture of the monk with porridge dripping down his face cheered her up.

“Breakfast!” She handed Hakkai his bowl and smiled at him. She smacked Sanzo in the chest with his bowl. She didn’t meet his eyes but she was sure from the sound he made, he was startled. She stifled a giggle and went back into the kitchen. She felt much better now.

Hakkai looked at the bowl in his hands. It didn’t look appetizing but maybe the taste would make up for the way it looked. It was warm, anyway. Sanzo was eyeing his bowl warily, as if he was expecting bugs to come crawling out of it at any moment. Hakkai took a spoonful and put it in his mouth. He froze, with the spoon still in his mouth. All he could taste was salt. How could she mix up salt and sugar? Gojyo’s cooking was pretty bad but compared to this, his cooking was four star gourmet.

Hakkai spit out the spoonful back into the bowl. He needed something to get the taste out of his mouth. “Yuuko, I hate to trouble you, but may I have a glass of juice?” And hurry, he thought.

She came back, holding a big glass of orange juice. “Did you squeeze that yourself?” The question came from Sanzo, who was still holding his porridge away from him, like it might attack him at any time.

“No, why? It came from a carton. Do you want freshly squeezed?”

“NO!” Both men yelled at the same time. How she could mess up squeezing orange juice, they didn’t know but they were in no hurry to find out.

“I mean, no thank you , Yuuko.” Hakkai said with a smile. She tried, he had to give her that. “I don’t want to make anymore work for you than you already have.”

She nodded at him and went back in the kitchen.

“What the hell did it taste like?” Sanzo put his bowl on the floor. “You look like you just ate some of Gojyo’s rotten cooking.”

“I wish. Oh my, she’s worse than that woman we ran into that made the horrible buns.”

“I’ll go tell her she’d better hire someone to deliver meals here until you get better enough to cook. I don’t want her killing you with her cooking.” Sanzo went to get up from the bed, but a hand grabbed the front of his robes before he could get far. He looked into Hakkai’s face and was surprised at the expression. Hakkai looked angry, almost angry enough to kill.

Through clenched teeth, he said, “You’d better not hurt her feelings. Go out and tell her that you forgot to mention that one of the benefits of caring for me is not having to cook for me. Tell her you made arrangements with a nearby restaurant to have meals for both of us, delivered three times a day.” Hakkai gave the front of Sanzo’s robes a little shake. “Are we quite clear on that, Sanzo?”

Sanzo nodded and Hakkai let go of his robes. Gojyo was right. This woman was what Hakkai needed and by what he saw this morning, Hakkai already had feelings for her. The situation almost made him wish he was staying in town to see where this went, but the 27 year old monk had been traveling for more than half his life and he had no desire to settle in one spot. It was going to be hard enough staying at the monastery waiting for orders to track rogue youkai.

Sanzo stood and made a production of straightening his robes, all the while glaring at Hakkai. Hakkai glared right back. Sanzo dropped his glare and his face was emotionless once again. “Hakuryu has been waiting outside for the last few days. He’s parked around the corner.”

“Would you please go and tell him to come here? I’ve missed his company.” Hakkai settled himself against the pillows behind his back.

“Yeah, and I’ll let her know about the cooking arrangements.” Sanzo put his hand up in the air when he saw that Hakkai was about to say something. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, asshole. I said I would be nice.” He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

Hakkai could hear voices but couldn’t make out the words. Yuuko didn’t sound mad and Sanzo kept his voice even and low. He heard the door open and looked out the window to see Sanzo crossing in front of it and then he disappeared. A few minutes later, Hakkai could hear the familiar “Kyuuu” of Hakuryu.

He could hear Yuuko from the front door. “Goku wasn’t kidding! You really do have a dragon!” He heard the front door close and the soft padding of Yuuko’s feet as she came into the living room. There in her arms, snuggling her neck, was Hakuryu. She was laughing at the way Hakuryu was tickling her neck and Hakkai felt his pulse leap. She wasn’t cute as he had first thought. She was beautiful.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-