Oh, You

I do not own Saiyuki and made no money writing this.

++

"It's not right."

"Oh, Kouryou. This is what makes it worthwhile."

"It's dirty."

"All the better."

"I don't feel like it." You snatch your hand back. You glare. Oh, you. I could just eat you up, little Kouryuu. All that unwillingness is so genuine. So earnest. "Besides, I don't even like you."

"And if you did? Would that make it all better?"

You watch the butterfly land on a lotus. Watch it fly away as the frog's tongue darts. "Do you wonder if the frog imagines that butterfly tastes sweeter than it actually tastes?"

You get up, get away, like a good butterfly. "No one cares, but the frog."

"I wonder..."

++

You recline with him on the futon. You know you are too old for that. And too young. "Enjoying the evening?"

Koumyou draws from his pipe. You draw circles on his robe, waiting for that moment when he will one day, someday, put the pipe down. But not yet. The butterfly still waits on his lotus.

"Are you looking for something?" He knows I am not. I am waiting, too. Waiting for the moment you decide to be caught.

"It will be a full moon, tonight." I smile at you. "Are you waiting for it to rise?"

"You and your symbolism."

"Such crass disdain for nature in someone so young!"

++

"Stop touching me!"

"Go, if you don't like it."

"You know I'm supposed to finish cleaning master's room. You have no business here."

"So come back when I am gone."

"Stop!" But you do not fly away. Ah. So it is time.

"Are you tired of wondering whether you taste as sweet as you imagine?"

"Jerk!" You elbow me. You pick a pillow off the matt. You glare, again. "The frog imagines. You can't even remember your own lame crap." Oh, you.

"But the butterfly imagines, too. Worries if he will die just to be a disappointment."

You stop. The pillow, it should drop. And you, for a moment you should wonder if you will disappoint. You refuse to look at me.

"You're the frog."

"In this case." Little butterfly...

"I don't want to feed you."

"But you might."

"I have a choice."

"To fly. To stay. But one day you will not be able to fly."

"I will kill you before that happens."
"
A killer butterfly? "You just might." Yes. You just might. "Oh, you."