INTIMATE relationships, whee.
Because I like typing up random shit when I should be doing math homework. (Though really, this is more for me to keep track of things than it is to explain stuff to all of you--but if it better explains how I play Goku, then it's a plus!)
Put simply, this is a record of Goku's more... ah... intimate relationships. The four big ones I'm typing up now are the ones that influence how he reacts the most--and only three are at camp. The fourth is one I desperately want at camp one of the major influences on how I RP Goku and his romantic -- or even just physical -- relationships with people.
Introduction
Goku is one of my favorite characters. This -- and I'm not the only one -- aids in my 'shipping him with... well, a lot of people. I have my preferences, but characters I 'ship Goku with include but are not limited to Sanzo/Konzen, Gojyo, Homura, Kougaiji, and Zenon. (I do 'ship him with other characters, but I prefer these five.) Goku is a person who is -- in my honest opinion -- easily compatible with many people. He holds little to no secrets; he's open and honest and blunt, which makes it so easy for him to care and love--and hurt.
Goku is not ignorant to love or sex. He's naive; he can be slow on the uptake. But he's known Gojyo for 5+ years--the boy had to learn something sooner or later. He's childish, but not incapable of acting his age.
That said, he's very well aware there's a difference amongst love, lust, attraction, crushes, and infatuation. He may not be able to explain the differences, but he can feel them. And that's enough.
Canon
Genjo Sanzo and Konzen Douji
This is, easily, the most complex, confusing, and yet simplest relationship Goku has.
Everyone who knows Saiyuki has their own interpretation of this relationship. Some see it as a master/charge deal; others see it as a father/son. Still others simply say Sanzo can't stand Goku, and even others say they're nothing more than friends or companions.
But all of those are pigeon-holing this relationship. Sanzo and Goku are not that easy.
There's no one way to explain them. I tried to in my explanation of how I play Goku, but it's really not easy. These two are just... it's fate.
To explain Sanzo/Goku, one would first have to explain Konzen/Goku. In Sanzo's past life, he was a god--this was over five centuries ago, when Goku was born. Goku was more or less dropped into Konzen's lap as a child, and Konzen became his caretaker. (And, for the record, though Goku acts five, he was actually approximately 12-13 years old at that time. Minekura's official Saiyubito Saiyuki guidebook had a timetable that proves this.)
At this time, Konzen cared for nobody. He had no reason to. But in becoming responsible for Goku, he learns to care more about people -- and things, and events -- around him. Goku cares easily, but he adores Konzen. He calls him his "sun"--presumably because of Konzen's golden hair, but it was that which stood out to Goku, and later on he describes Konzen as a "warm presence." This is very important symbolism for the two of them.
There is a scene that sums up the sheer innocent caring between them. Konzen is more or less talking to himself, though addressing Goku. He says that people in heaven will try to use Goku, so perhaps it wasn't so great an idea for Goku to stay in heaven. Goku becomes very upset and tries to run, but Konzen holds him back, demanding he listen. Angered, Goku lashes out at him and knocks Konzen into the wall. (And the man is at least twice his height--remember, Goku's strong.)
As soon as he realizes what he's done, Goku is immediately horrified and rushes to Konzen, repeatedly apologizing and asking if he's okay. Konzen grabs his wrist, looks directly into Goku's eyes with the first smile we've ever seen him express, and says, "I'm not the sun."
He goes on to say that it's because of Goku that he's starting to stop acting likea child and take matters into his own hands. He's thinking about what he can do--and it's all thanks to Goku. Because they met.
Goku completely does not get it, and calls Konzen weird. In response, Konzen says, "If you think I'm weird... take the blame for it and stay here."
Considering he had just been contemplating sending Goku off, this is a profound statement. Goku's previous anxiety completely vanishes, and he happily agrees.
This is the kind of relationship Konzen and Goku had. There was pure caring, trust, and an unspeakable, undying bond. It's as if their souls are intertwined--because when Konzen was reincarnated as Sanzo, it was he who found the imprisoned Goku, and it was they who lived together (even if at a temple with other monks) for a couple years, before meeting Gojyo and Hakkai. As Konzen, Sanzo unintentionally but inevitably linked his life with Goku's. Even if one wants to argue they can never have a romantic relationship, the fact remains that neither is complete without the other. Who else but Goku knows just so how to pull Sanzo's strings? Who else but Goku can talk (or even physically force) Sanzo from the brink of insanity back to his usual (if still unstable) self?
In the Scorpion arc, when Sanzo was torturing a youkai, Hakkai and Gojyo felt Sanzo's "thorny aura," but didn't quite know how to deal with it. Gojyo tried; shaking Sanzo and saying that torture wasn't "like him." Sanzo returned with a nasty, "Then what is like me?"
All Goku did was kick Sanzo in the shins, ignore his cursing, and say, "Why don't you hit me with the fan and call me 'stupid monkey?' That's the Sanzo I know." Sanzo's eyes become less crazed, and he turns his back to Goku, but he's considerably calmer; back to his usual cool self. And Hakkai notes that Sanzo's "thorny aura" vanished--and that not even he could stand up to Goku like that.
On the flipside, who else but Sanzo can Goku really feel safe with? Who else but Sanzo does Goku feel utterly at peace with? It's Sanzo's opinion of him that he worries over, however flippant he acts when they're on good terms.
In the very same arc, Goku had to remove his limiter to save Sanzo. (He couldn't defeat his opponent in his usual state of mind, so he entrusted the others to turn him back to normal after he won.) In the end, Goku as Seiten Taisei almost killed everyone. After Sanzo turned him back to normal, all but everyone was exhausted. After all had a couple days to recuperate, Goku was acting his usual self around Gojyo and Hakkai. (He angsted briefly in front of Gojyo, but Gojyo kicked him in the head and snapped him out of it.) But Sanzo had been unconscious for that time, so Goku hadn't really talked to him.
As soon as he heard Sanzo was awake, Goku just freaked. He tried running at the suggestion of going to see him. Gojyo scoffs at him; apparently Goku has been pacing, restless; even more worried than the other two. But Goku doesn't know how to face Sanzo--the idea just terrifies him. He did a Bad Thing, and knows Sanzo doesn't exactly jump in glee to deal with his youkai self. How Sanzo views him -- whether or not Sanzo genuinely hates him, or is even angry with him -- matters to Goku. It means too much to him; it completely destroys Goku's composure when he's that afraid.
And yet, as soon as Sanzo "forgave" him (he smacked Goku repeatedly with the paper fan and yelled at him, calling him an idiot--all a familiar routine) Goku just slumps back into his old self. He laughs at the entire thing. Knowing Sanzo doesn't hate him, he can breathe easy.
If anything happened to Sanzo, Goku would be devestated. Goku may not consciously remember Konzen, but I believe he's subconsciously aware of the events. He doesn't want to lose his sun again. That's why, even when he and Sanzo claim they don't need each other's help, Goku will jump in to defend him. Goku was willing to carry Sanzo miles through the scorching desert, on his back, because Sanzo had been poisoned and he didn't want him to die. Sometimes, when Sanzo's in danger, Goku gets a sharp pang of bad feeling; he intuitively knows something bad may happen, and it can cause him to lose his cool.
Goku knows his limits with Sanzo. At the same time, he's not completely bending to his will--he's a rebellious child (especially during and after the Kami-sama arc). He doesn't treat Sanzo like an authority figure; that alone kills the pigeonholes of both "master/charge" and "father/son." They are friends and companions, but their bond goes back too far, cuts too close to the marrow, and is too strong for it to be bound to such simple terms. And, given Sanzo let Goku live with him for so long, rather than just hoist him off to someone else, it's clear Sanzo doesn't just regard Goku as a responsibility or nuisance. Sanzo has proven, in small ways, that Goku has his trust and -- perhaps even -- respect. Goku, in turn, blatantly cares for Sanzo through his actions and childish words--and there is also an equal degree of trust and respect there, as well.
In camp, Goku let his jealousy of Sanzo and Cal's relationship slip due to the influence of Omi's root beer. After that, since the dam had cracked, he's had too hard a time backtracking to the repression he'd had before. He's still jealous, still resentful, but he's learning to deal with it. Instinctively, he knows Sanzo won't leave him behind. Gradually, as he's discovering his deeper feelings for Sanzo, he's learning to cope with the fact that Sanzo may not feel for him in quite the same way--thus his resentful, sometimes bitter attitude. He's jealous. He's still childish about it. But he is learning to accept it, and Goku knows this is for the best, if he wants to even stay friends with Sanzo.
In a way, his attempts to cope with this acknowledgement is a part of what influences his "flings" with a couple of the other campers--currently, with Draco and Stan. And those will be explained later.
But for now, this is Goku, this is what and why he feels for Sanzo, and why I can justify his love for Sanzo--and why it's not just a part of his personality I play in camp because I like the pairing. Because it's there, and it's a part of Goku's learning to become an adult.
[EDIT: 10/17/05] Goku's relationship with Sanzo recently begins to calm down, through an episode that upsets Sanzo. Goku finds out Sanzo's unusually... disturbed. Though he doesn't get any real answers, looking at the photo album created a moment that seemed to dissipate any tension between the two.
Goku's relieved at such an occurance. He does, at this point, have a bit of a weird case of amnesia, but in his normal mindset, he's going to do his best to not get in Sanzo's way again. In his current mindset, he's more concerned with finding Konzen, but he still trusts Sanzo, despite the fact they "just met." [/EDIT]
(WARNING: Spoilers for the Homura arc of the anime within.)
Toushin Homura Taishi
Ah, Homura--one half of the anime-only pairing that I so adore. Though anime-only, Minekura-sensei was still the one who designed his character. She's done some colored pictures of him and his comrades, him and Goku, him and the Sanzo party, and even a short chapter dedicated to him. He's made a brief cameo appearance in the prequel, Saiyuki Gaiden, when the gods were speaking of what the war god's duty is.
And in that short chapter she did, I still have enough proof to support this pairing. Thus, Homura gets his own section with Goku as well.
First off, Homura is the main adversary of the second season of Gensomaden Saiyuki. He's older than Goku--several centuries old. He met Goku when Goku was still in the heavens; he remembers the Sanzo party in their past lives, and 99% of the time addresses them by those names, much to their confusion. But with Goku, he uses his full name: Son Goku. Only twice has he ever addressed Goku by only his first name, and when he's not calling him by the full, he addresses him as "Seiten Taisei" or, more frequently, "Seiten Taisei Son Goku."
In short, Homura has this strange... reverence... for Goku.
And Goku?
Homura is strong. Goku loves that; he anticipates fighting him with such excitement, you can almost feel it rippling off his body. Homura is a challenge. In the anime, Homura was the first person to ever truly defeat Goku--beating him until Goku passed out. This only made Goku more determined to become stronger. He always swears that next time, he will win--and next time, he always goes into that fight with the biggest cocky grin on his face. And Homura always welcomes him with a smile, ready to do battle.
But for all they fight, neither hate each other. Goku especially does not hate Homura, even though Homura almost killed Sanzo twice. In fact, Goku has shown that he is capable of betraying Sanzo, if he can have Homura in return.
Infamous episode: episode 39, "Misty Rain." To sum it up simply, Goku and Sanzo have a disagreement that causes Goku to run out on his own. He intends to be alone, and he's sulking off somewhere--until Homura shows up, remarking that Goku looks like he's in a bad mood. Could it be, Homura muses, it has something to do with Sanzo? Goku flips, and they have a brief battle--ending after Homura beats Goku to the ground and dislocates his shoulder. Presumably, Goku passes out from the pain; when he wakes up, he's chained to a wall in a place he doesn't recognize.
As soon as Homura appears, Goku curses him. Homura gives him a cold look, walks forward and -- to Goku's surprise -- puts Goku's shoulder back in place. After a brief exchange Homura leaves, giving Goku time to simmer some more. When he returns, it's Goku who gives him the cold stare--even though Homura has brought a food offering. Goku refuses it.
Once he's had enough, Homura walks up to Goku, leaning in close, and speaks to him softly. He analyzes Goku to his face, bringing up his relationship with Sanzo and how -- to Homura -- it seems such a futile thing to pursue. Goku is clearly agitated by this, and afraid--a lot of what Homura says makes sense, no matter how much Goku tries to deny it.
Then, Homura delivers probably his harshest blow of all. He asks Goku to forget about Sanzo, and to join him instead. He says, "I'll give you everything you've ever desired. All you have to do is come with me."
The offer just completely boggles Goku. He starts shouting hysterically, saying Homura is crazy, why would he go with him--
And Homura replies by sliding his hands down the chains binding Goku, and snapping the manacles off him.
This is actually what did it for Goku. He followed Homura into the woods, watching Homura's team and the rest of the Sanzo party fight. Had Sanzo not shown up when he did, had he not put his hand on Goku's head and spoken cold words to Homura, Goku would have abandoned his teammates and followed Homura. I truly believe that--because as I said in the part explaining him and Sanzo; they complete each other. If all Goku had was Sanzo's complete and utter rejection, in every way, then he would try to make the pain better. Homura all but offered to take Sanzo's place; to treat Goku better than Sanzo treats him, to treat Goku as he deserves to be treated. (And, keep in mind, Homura's respect for Goku is far more awe-inspired and worshipful than Sanzo's.)
And in their final battle, Goku was truly shaken by the fact he had killed Homura. This, if nothing else, proved he had cared for Homura to a degree--he started punching the ground and cursing, that upset that Homura had let him win, that his adversary and strongest opponent was gone. Whether Goku liked it or not, Homura had influenced him, had made a spot for himself in Goku's life and heart. He left a strong impression on Goku--and despite how Goku is easily impressed, lasting ones rarely last long with him. They have to be profound. They have to strike him.
And Homura did.
As of right now, the camp does not have Homura. But I feel safe in assuming if we ever get one, Goku is going to have some major coping to do--after all, the Goku I play killed Homura a while back. That, and given Goku is currently "experimenting" (for the lack of a better word) with closer relationships... well, I can't say he'd be disinterested in any proposal Homura may have.
Camp Fuck You Die-verse
Draco Malfoy
This was a bit... odd, for Goku. He and Draco did not hit it off, what with Draco calling him an idiot and treating him with contempt. Goku's crush basically started when the pink goo oozed out, and he touched Draco in attempt to get him to "try it." He followed Draco obsessively after that.
Once the goo wore off, Goku was a bit disgusted with himself, as far as he acted. But Draco continuously taunted him (even if Goku did deserve it), so Goku couldn't bring himself to let Draco off easy and leave him alone. Occasionally, they would lapse into awkward moments where it was clear they were both being a tad too truthful, revealing more than they normally would have.
It was through these moments, I think, that Goku started to find bits and pieces of good things about Draco. In a way, Draco reminded him of Sanzo--though Goku does his best not to admit it.
Especially when Goku was turned into a girl. Draco showed obvious interest in Goku's... assets... and Goku wasn't blind to this. It embarrassed him, but also gave him a weapon, so he and Draco would argue even more, exchanging "you pervert!" insults. A lot of their later relationship was largely physical attraction, but they still shared calmer moments--such as when they shared a bed, because Goku's clothes were skimpy (and his own blankets stolen), and he would have felt bad if Draco slept in the cold.
Since Draco's disappearance, Goku's forgotten a lot of what happened between them. But he still uses Draco's blanket--and when/if Draco ever returns, Goku's just a tad nervous of how that will work out, given all his recent going-ons. His crush is, compared to his relationship with Stan, innocent, but nothing compared to what he feels for Sanzo. But Goku's not stupid--he realizes their relationship has the possibility of becoming more... unpredictable. So he's just not thinking about it, and he'll deal with it when or if the time comes.
[EDIT: 10/17/05] Minor Note: the RPer playing Draco at this time dropped, so the likelihood of Goku furthering this relationship is unlikely. But it's still considered a milestone for him, so it will be kept. [/EDIT]
Stanley "Stan" Hihat Trinidad XIV and Gohma
Crack pairing to the max.
Goku does not like Stan. Stan makes him want to beat him into the ground, punch his teeth out, maybe even break a bone or two. Stan is a total jackass, and unlike Sanzo, has hardly any redeeming qualities Goku can see.
Goku does, however, feel a strange something for Gohma. It freaks him out, given he only remembers Gohma from the bits and pieces of memory Seiten Taisei allows him to see. But, in my theory, Goku and Seiten Taisei are just two sides of the coin, with their own thoughts and emotions and rationality (or lack thereof). But being in the same mind and body, some of their emotions get a little mixed up.
Seiten Taisei doesn't care for Stan. Unlike Goku, he knows just about everything Goku sees and feels. (I'm taking liberties with him here, but the Seiten Taisei I roleplay is similar to the Seiten Taisei I wrote in my fanfic, Existence.) He scoffs Goku as being too weak to fight dirty and best Stan, and in turn, thinks of Stan as a being unimportant to his realm.
Seiten Taisei does have a strange... attraction, if you will, to Gohma. Gohma fought a good fight with him, and had it gone on longer, Seiten may not have won. The outcome was unpredictable, and that excited Seiten--with the Sanzo party, two of them are too easy for him to kill, and another has too strong a weapon against him. Gohma being an opponent of mysterious outcome piqued his interest. And, of course, the kiss threw him off--and given Seiten's animalistic instincts, he probably would have torn Gohma's clothes off if the Evil King had stuck around even a moment longer.
The big relationship here, though, is between Goku and Stan. Goku doesn't like Stan--but then, on occasion, he does. They have a lot more in common than Goku's had with anyone since Homura. Both possess another self; both despise their other self; both were trapped for centuries (Goku in a cave, Stan in a bottle). To Goku, the fact they both have golden eyes means a lot to him, even if he only aloud passes it off as a strange coincidence. Since Stan does look a lot like a youkai, it almost makes him... feel at ease, as much as Stan makes him want to kill him.
I realize what I've written contradicts itself a lot, so I'll put this in the simplest terms I can:
Goku/Stan: Largely physical attraction. Stan's an experienced kisser, and Goku's a fast learner. Also, Goku knew Stan's pride wouldn't let him announce to the camp that they made out -- twice, even -- so he felt safe making the bet so Stan would let Goku kiss him. And, admittedly, Goku enjoys arguing with him, though he doesn't fully understand why. In reality, it's largely because Stan is on a similar maturity level. XD
Gohma/Goku: WTF attraction, and intense awe at his power. It was this connection -- even if Goku was Seiten Taisei at the time -- that made Goku more interested in Stan.
Seiten Taisei/Stan: Uh. Seiten doesn't really care. Thusly, he doesn't care what Stan thinks of him.
Seiten Taisei/Gohma: Let's just say if camp rules didn't restrict such actions, Seiten would bring Gohma out whenever he could just to jump him. Lust. Like. Whoa.
There's very little chance the relationship will ever go past anything physical, but as far as Stan goes, Goku actually is trying to keep it that way. Partially because Stan's a jerk, but mostly because Stan and Sanzo clash, and between the two, Goku has no difficulty choosing who he'd rather journey with.
[EDIT: 10/13/05] A recent incident more or less had Goku outright admit that he wants Stan--not loves. Wants. The two now have an unspoken understanding of this, and they're more or less acting just as they always have around each other--just that now, making out won't be as odd an occurance as it was before. [/EDIT]
[EDIT: 10/17/05] Strangely enough, Goku is beginning to hate Stan less and less... and even, in fact, maybe like him. Just a bit. Just a little.
As a result of Riddle's Imperio curse, Goku acted as though he vehemently hated Sanzo and had, in fact, switched loyalties. In the end, the spell was aborted, and Goku returned to normal. Naturally, this causes even worse conflict between him and Stan.
Later, Goku says he is "takin' back my withdraw t' challengin' " Stan. Naturally, Stan's disagreeing with this--and, somehow -- perhaps because Goku was exhausted, or perhaps the planets were in strange allignment, or maybe they're both just getting along -- leads for Goku to give Stan a couple genuine smiles.
Given the conversation ended around there, one can only guess where this is going. [/EDIT]
[EDIT: 10/27/05] After Goku's computer posted a porn virus entry, Stan's expressed that he doesn't exactly dislike the concept. Unfortunately, Goku didn't quite take Stan's suggestions the right way. To the point he wanted Stan dead.
They argued very briefly, though only after Stan had taken a few hits from other people who took Goku up on his demand to kill his master. And Stan revealed that it wasn't his kind of evil to force himself upon someone like that.
Goku does feel horrible about the situation, but it's given way for him to express that maybe he doesn't hate Stan as much as he claims to.
Goku had no intentions of his relationship with Stan actually getting to the point where he likes him--and, in a weird way, feel a little affection for him. He's finding it harder and harder to resist giving Stan real smiles, rather than smirking like he used to. Still, he's not about to admit he feels something more than contempt or lust for Stan, but it's admittedly becoming harder denying anything more. [/EDIT]
And that's it, for now. If/when any major changes occur in the existing relationships, or any new ones pop up, I'll add on to this.
EDIT: (10/27/05) Added to Stan's section.
Put simply, this is a record of Goku's more... ah... intimate relationships. The four big ones I'm typing up now are the ones that influence how he reacts the most--and only three are at camp. The fourth is one I desperately want at camp one of the major influences on how I RP Goku and his romantic -- or even just physical -- relationships with people.
Introduction
Goku is one of my favorite characters. This -- and I'm not the only one -- aids in my 'shipping him with... well, a lot of people. I have my preferences, but characters I 'ship Goku with include but are not limited to Sanzo/Konzen, Gojyo, Homura, Kougaiji, and Zenon. (I do 'ship him with other characters, but I prefer these five.) Goku is a person who is -- in my honest opinion -- easily compatible with many people. He holds little to no secrets; he's open and honest and blunt, which makes it so easy for him to care and love--and hurt.
Goku is not ignorant to love or sex. He's naive; he can be slow on the uptake. But he's known Gojyo for 5+ years--the boy had to learn something sooner or later. He's childish, but not incapable of acting his age.
That said, he's very well aware there's a difference amongst love, lust, attraction, crushes, and infatuation. He may not be able to explain the differences, but he can feel them. And that's enough.
Canon
Genjo Sanzo and Konzen Douji
This is, easily, the most complex, confusing, and yet simplest relationship Goku has.
Everyone who knows Saiyuki has their own interpretation of this relationship. Some see it as a master/charge deal; others see it as a father/son. Still others simply say Sanzo can't stand Goku, and even others say they're nothing more than friends or companions.
But all of those are pigeon-holing this relationship. Sanzo and Goku are not that easy.
There's no one way to explain them. I tried to in my explanation of how I play Goku, but it's really not easy. These two are just... it's fate.
To explain Sanzo/Goku, one would first have to explain Konzen/Goku. In Sanzo's past life, he was a god--this was over five centuries ago, when Goku was born. Goku was more or less dropped into Konzen's lap as a child, and Konzen became his caretaker. (And, for the record, though Goku acts five, he was actually approximately 12-13 years old at that time. Minekura's official Saiyubito Saiyuki guidebook had a timetable that proves this.)
At this time, Konzen cared for nobody. He had no reason to. But in becoming responsible for Goku, he learns to care more about people -- and things, and events -- around him. Goku cares easily, but he adores Konzen. He calls him his "sun"--presumably because of Konzen's golden hair, but it was that which stood out to Goku, and later on he describes Konzen as a "warm presence." This is very important symbolism for the two of them.
There is a scene that sums up the sheer innocent caring between them. Konzen is more or less talking to himself, though addressing Goku. He says that people in heaven will try to use Goku, so perhaps it wasn't so great an idea for Goku to stay in heaven. Goku becomes very upset and tries to run, but Konzen holds him back, demanding he listen. Angered, Goku lashes out at him and knocks Konzen into the wall. (And the man is at least twice his height--remember, Goku's strong.)
As soon as he realizes what he's done, Goku is immediately horrified and rushes to Konzen, repeatedly apologizing and asking if he's okay. Konzen grabs his wrist, looks directly into Goku's eyes with the first smile we've ever seen him express, and says, "I'm not the sun."
He goes on to say that it's because of Goku that he's starting to stop acting likea child and take matters into his own hands. He's thinking about what he can do--and it's all thanks to Goku. Because they met.
Goku completely does not get it, and calls Konzen weird. In response, Konzen says, "If you think I'm weird... take the blame for it and stay here."
Considering he had just been contemplating sending Goku off, this is a profound statement. Goku's previous anxiety completely vanishes, and he happily agrees.
This is the kind of relationship Konzen and Goku had. There was pure caring, trust, and an unspeakable, undying bond. It's as if their souls are intertwined--because when Konzen was reincarnated as Sanzo, it was he who found the imprisoned Goku, and it was they who lived together (even if at a temple with other monks) for a couple years, before meeting Gojyo and Hakkai. As Konzen, Sanzo unintentionally but inevitably linked his life with Goku's. Even if one wants to argue they can never have a romantic relationship, the fact remains that neither is complete without the other. Who else but Goku knows just so how to pull Sanzo's strings? Who else but Goku can talk (or even physically force) Sanzo from the brink of insanity back to his usual (if still unstable) self?
In the Scorpion arc, when Sanzo was torturing a youkai, Hakkai and Gojyo felt Sanzo's "thorny aura," but didn't quite know how to deal with it. Gojyo tried; shaking Sanzo and saying that torture wasn't "like him." Sanzo returned with a nasty, "Then what is like me?"
All Goku did was kick Sanzo in the shins, ignore his cursing, and say, "Why don't you hit me with the fan and call me 'stupid monkey?' That's the Sanzo I know." Sanzo's eyes become less crazed, and he turns his back to Goku, but he's considerably calmer; back to his usual cool self. And Hakkai notes that Sanzo's "thorny aura" vanished--and that not even he could stand up to Goku like that.
On the flipside, who else but Sanzo can Goku really feel safe with? Who else but Sanzo does Goku feel utterly at peace with? It's Sanzo's opinion of him that he worries over, however flippant he acts when they're on good terms.
In the very same arc, Goku had to remove his limiter to save Sanzo. (He couldn't defeat his opponent in his usual state of mind, so he entrusted the others to turn him back to normal after he won.) In the end, Goku as Seiten Taisei almost killed everyone. After Sanzo turned him back to normal, all but everyone was exhausted. After all had a couple days to recuperate, Goku was acting his usual self around Gojyo and Hakkai. (He angsted briefly in front of Gojyo, but Gojyo kicked him in the head and snapped him out of it.) But Sanzo had been unconscious for that time, so Goku hadn't really talked to him.
As soon as he heard Sanzo was awake, Goku just freaked. He tried running at the suggestion of going to see him. Gojyo scoffs at him; apparently Goku has been pacing, restless; even more worried than the other two. But Goku doesn't know how to face Sanzo--the idea just terrifies him. He did a Bad Thing, and knows Sanzo doesn't exactly jump in glee to deal with his youkai self. How Sanzo views him -- whether or not Sanzo genuinely hates him, or is even angry with him -- matters to Goku. It means too much to him; it completely destroys Goku's composure when he's that afraid.
And yet, as soon as Sanzo "forgave" him (he smacked Goku repeatedly with the paper fan and yelled at him, calling him an idiot--all a familiar routine) Goku just slumps back into his old self. He laughs at the entire thing. Knowing Sanzo doesn't hate him, he can breathe easy.
If anything happened to Sanzo, Goku would be devestated. Goku may not consciously remember Konzen, but I believe he's subconsciously aware of the events. He doesn't want to lose his sun again. That's why, even when he and Sanzo claim they don't need each other's help, Goku will jump in to defend him. Goku was willing to carry Sanzo miles through the scorching desert, on his back, because Sanzo had been poisoned and he didn't want him to die. Sometimes, when Sanzo's in danger, Goku gets a sharp pang of bad feeling; he intuitively knows something bad may happen, and it can cause him to lose his cool.
Goku knows his limits with Sanzo. At the same time, he's not completely bending to his will--he's a rebellious child (especially during and after the Kami-sama arc). He doesn't treat Sanzo like an authority figure; that alone kills the pigeonholes of both "master/charge" and "father/son." They are friends and companions, but their bond goes back too far, cuts too close to the marrow, and is too strong for it to be bound to such simple terms. And, given Sanzo let Goku live with him for so long, rather than just hoist him off to someone else, it's clear Sanzo doesn't just regard Goku as a responsibility or nuisance. Sanzo has proven, in small ways, that Goku has his trust and -- perhaps even -- respect. Goku, in turn, blatantly cares for Sanzo through his actions and childish words--and there is also an equal degree of trust and respect there, as well.
In camp, Goku let his jealousy of Sanzo and Cal's relationship slip due to the influence of Omi's root beer. After that, since the dam had cracked, he's had too hard a time backtracking to the repression he'd had before. He's still jealous, still resentful, but he's learning to deal with it. Instinctively, he knows Sanzo won't leave him behind. Gradually, as he's discovering his deeper feelings for Sanzo, he's learning to cope with the fact that Sanzo may not feel for him in quite the same way--thus his resentful, sometimes bitter attitude. He's jealous. He's still childish about it. But he is learning to accept it, and Goku knows this is for the best, if he wants to even stay friends with Sanzo.
In a way, his attempts to cope with this acknowledgement is a part of what influences his "flings" with a couple of the other campers--currently, with Draco and Stan. And those will be explained later.
But for now, this is Goku, this is what and why he feels for Sanzo, and why I can justify his love for Sanzo--and why it's not just a part of his personality I play in camp because I like the pairing. Because it's there, and it's a part of Goku's learning to become an adult.
[EDIT: 10/17/05] Goku's relationship with Sanzo recently begins to calm down, through an episode that upsets Sanzo. Goku finds out Sanzo's unusually... disturbed. Though he doesn't get any real answers, looking at the photo album created a moment that seemed to dissipate any tension between the two.
Goku's relieved at such an occurance. He does, at this point, have a bit of a weird case of amnesia, but in his normal mindset, he's going to do his best to not get in Sanzo's way again. In his current mindset, he's more concerned with finding Konzen, but he still trusts Sanzo, despite the fact they "just met." [/EDIT]
(WARNING: Spoilers for the Homura arc of the anime within.)
Toushin Homura Taishi
Ah, Homura--one half of the anime-only pairing that I so adore. Though anime-only, Minekura-sensei was still the one who designed his character. She's done some colored pictures of him and his comrades, him and Goku, him and the Sanzo party, and even a short chapter dedicated to him. He's made a brief cameo appearance in the prequel, Saiyuki Gaiden, when the gods were speaking of what the war god's duty is.
And in that short chapter she did, I still have enough proof to support this pairing. Thus, Homura gets his own section with Goku as well.
First off, Homura is the main adversary of the second season of Gensomaden Saiyuki. He's older than Goku--several centuries old. He met Goku when Goku was still in the heavens; he remembers the Sanzo party in their past lives, and 99% of the time addresses them by those names, much to their confusion. But with Goku, he uses his full name: Son Goku. Only twice has he ever addressed Goku by only his first name, and when he's not calling him by the full, he addresses him as "Seiten Taisei" or, more frequently, "Seiten Taisei Son Goku."
In short, Homura has this strange... reverence... for Goku.
And Goku?
Homura is strong. Goku loves that; he anticipates fighting him with such excitement, you can almost feel it rippling off his body. Homura is a challenge. In the anime, Homura was the first person to ever truly defeat Goku--beating him until Goku passed out. This only made Goku more determined to become stronger. He always swears that next time, he will win--and next time, he always goes into that fight with the biggest cocky grin on his face. And Homura always welcomes him with a smile, ready to do battle.
But for all they fight, neither hate each other. Goku especially does not hate Homura, even though Homura almost killed Sanzo twice. In fact, Goku has shown that he is capable of betraying Sanzo, if he can have Homura in return.
Infamous episode: episode 39, "Misty Rain." To sum it up simply, Goku and Sanzo have a disagreement that causes Goku to run out on his own. He intends to be alone, and he's sulking off somewhere--until Homura shows up, remarking that Goku looks like he's in a bad mood. Could it be, Homura muses, it has something to do with Sanzo? Goku flips, and they have a brief battle--ending after Homura beats Goku to the ground and dislocates his shoulder. Presumably, Goku passes out from the pain; when he wakes up, he's chained to a wall in a place he doesn't recognize.
As soon as Homura appears, Goku curses him. Homura gives him a cold look, walks forward and -- to Goku's surprise -- puts Goku's shoulder back in place. After a brief exchange Homura leaves, giving Goku time to simmer some more. When he returns, it's Goku who gives him the cold stare--even though Homura has brought a food offering. Goku refuses it.
Once he's had enough, Homura walks up to Goku, leaning in close, and speaks to him softly. He analyzes Goku to his face, bringing up his relationship with Sanzo and how -- to Homura -- it seems such a futile thing to pursue. Goku is clearly agitated by this, and afraid--a lot of what Homura says makes sense, no matter how much Goku tries to deny it.
Then, Homura delivers probably his harshest blow of all. He asks Goku to forget about Sanzo, and to join him instead. He says, "I'll give you everything you've ever desired. All you have to do is come with me."
The offer just completely boggles Goku. He starts shouting hysterically, saying Homura is crazy, why would he go with him--
And Homura replies by sliding his hands down the chains binding Goku, and snapping the manacles off him.
This is actually what did it for Goku. He followed Homura into the woods, watching Homura's team and the rest of the Sanzo party fight. Had Sanzo not shown up when he did, had he not put his hand on Goku's head and spoken cold words to Homura, Goku would have abandoned his teammates and followed Homura. I truly believe that--because as I said in the part explaining him and Sanzo; they complete each other. If all Goku had was Sanzo's complete and utter rejection, in every way, then he would try to make the pain better. Homura all but offered to take Sanzo's place; to treat Goku better than Sanzo treats him, to treat Goku as he deserves to be treated. (And, keep in mind, Homura's respect for Goku is far more awe-inspired and worshipful than Sanzo's.)
And in their final battle, Goku was truly shaken by the fact he had killed Homura. This, if nothing else, proved he had cared for Homura to a degree--he started punching the ground and cursing, that upset that Homura had let him win, that his adversary and strongest opponent was gone. Whether Goku liked it or not, Homura had influenced him, had made a spot for himself in Goku's life and heart. He left a strong impression on Goku--and despite how Goku is easily impressed, lasting ones rarely last long with him. They have to be profound. They have to strike him.
And Homura did.
As of right now, the camp does not have Homura. But I feel safe in assuming if we ever get one, Goku is going to have some major coping to do--after all, the Goku I play killed Homura a while back. That, and given Goku is currently "experimenting" (for the lack of a better word) with closer relationships... well, I can't say he'd be disinterested in any proposal Homura may have.
Camp Fuck You Die-verse
Draco Malfoy
This was a bit... odd, for Goku. He and Draco did not hit it off, what with Draco calling him an idiot and treating him with contempt. Goku's crush basically started when the pink goo oozed out, and he touched Draco in attempt to get him to "try it." He followed Draco obsessively after that.
Once the goo wore off, Goku was a bit disgusted with himself, as far as he acted. But Draco continuously taunted him (even if Goku did deserve it), so Goku couldn't bring himself to let Draco off easy and leave him alone. Occasionally, they would lapse into awkward moments where it was clear they were both being a tad too truthful, revealing more than they normally would have.
It was through these moments, I think, that Goku started to find bits and pieces of good things about Draco. In a way, Draco reminded him of Sanzo--though Goku does his best not to admit it.
Especially when Goku was turned into a girl. Draco showed obvious interest in Goku's... assets... and Goku wasn't blind to this. It embarrassed him, but also gave him a weapon, so he and Draco would argue even more, exchanging "you pervert!" insults. A lot of their later relationship was largely physical attraction, but they still shared calmer moments--such as when they shared a bed, because Goku's clothes were skimpy (and his own blankets stolen), and he would have felt bad if Draco slept in the cold.
Since Draco's disappearance, Goku's forgotten a lot of what happened between them. But he still uses Draco's blanket--and when/if Draco ever returns, Goku's just a tad nervous of how that will work out, given all his recent going-ons. His crush is, compared to his relationship with Stan, innocent, but nothing compared to what he feels for Sanzo. But Goku's not stupid--he realizes their relationship has the possibility of becoming more... unpredictable. So he's just not thinking about it, and he'll deal with it when or if the time comes.
[EDIT: 10/17/05] Minor Note: the RPer playing Draco at this time dropped, so the likelihood of Goku furthering this relationship is unlikely. But it's still considered a milestone for him, so it will be kept. [/EDIT]
Stanley "Stan" Hihat Trinidad XIV and Gohma
Crack pairing to the max.
Goku does not like Stan. Stan makes him want to beat him into the ground, punch his teeth out, maybe even break a bone or two. Stan is a total jackass, and unlike Sanzo, has hardly any redeeming qualities Goku can see.
Goku does, however, feel a strange something for Gohma. It freaks him out, given he only remembers Gohma from the bits and pieces of memory Seiten Taisei allows him to see. But, in my theory, Goku and Seiten Taisei are just two sides of the coin, with their own thoughts and emotions and rationality (or lack thereof). But being in the same mind and body, some of their emotions get a little mixed up.
Seiten Taisei doesn't care for Stan. Unlike Goku, he knows just about everything Goku sees and feels. (I'm taking liberties with him here, but the Seiten Taisei I roleplay is similar to the Seiten Taisei I wrote in my fanfic, Existence.) He scoffs Goku as being too weak to fight dirty and best Stan, and in turn, thinks of Stan as a being unimportant to his realm.
Seiten Taisei does have a strange... attraction, if you will, to Gohma. Gohma fought a good fight with him, and had it gone on longer, Seiten may not have won. The outcome was unpredictable, and that excited Seiten--with the Sanzo party, two of them are too easy for him to kill, and another has too strong a weapon against him. Gohma being an opponent of mysterious outcome piqued his interest. And, of course, the kiss threw him off--and given Seiten's animalistic instincts, he probably would have torn Gohma's clothes off if the Evil King had stuck around even a moment longer.
The big relationship here, though, is between Goku and Stan. Goku doesn't like Stan--but then, on occasion, he does. They have a lot more in common than Goku's had with anyone since Homura. Both possess another self; both despise their other self; both were trapped for centuries (Goku in a cave, Stan in a bottle). To Goku, the fact they both have golden eyes means a lot to him, even if he only aloud passes it off as a strange coincidence. Since Stan does look a lot like a youkai, it almost makes him... feel at ease, as much as Stan makes him want to kill him.
I realize what I've written contradicts itself a lot, so I'll put this in the simplest terms I can:
Goku/Stan: Largely physical attraction. Stan's an experienced kisser, and Goku's a fast learner. Also, Goku knew Stan's pride wouldn't let him announce to the camp that they made out -- twice, even -- so he felt safe making the bet so Stan would let Goku kiss him. And, admittedly, Goku enjoys arguing with him, though he doesn't fully understand why. In reality, it's largely because Stan is on a similar maturity level. XD
Gohma/Goku: WTF attraction, and intense awe at his power. It was this connection -- even if Goku was Seiten Taisei at the time -- that made Goku more interested in Stan.
Seiten Taisei/Stan: Uh. Seiten doesn't really care. Thusly, he doesn't care what Stan thinks of him.
Seiten Taisei/Gohma: Let's just say if camp rules didn't restrict such actions, Seiten would bring Gohma out whenever he could just to jump him. Lust. Like. Whoa.
There's very little chance the relationship will ever go past anything physical, but as far as Stan goes, Goku actually is trying to keep it that way. Partially because Stan's a jerk, but mostly because Stan and Sanzo clash, and between the two, Goku has no difficulty choosing who he'd rather journey with.
[EDIT: 10/13/05] A recent incident more or less had Goku outright admit that he wants Stan--not loves. Wants. The two now have an unspoken understanding of this, and they're more or less acting just as they always have around each other--just that now, making out won't be as odd an occurance as it was before. [/EDIT]
[EDIT: 10/17/05] Strangely enough, Goku is beginning to hate Stan less and less... and even, in fact, maybe like him. Just a bit. Just a little.
As a result of Riddle's Imperio curse, Goku acted as though he vehemently hated Sanzo and had, in fact, switched loyalties. In the end, the spell was aborted, and Goku returned to normal. Naturally, this causes even worse conflict between him and Stan.
Later, Goku says he is "takin' back my withdraw t' challengin' " Stan. Naturally, Stan's disagreeing with this--and, somehow -- perhaps because Goku was exhausted, or perhaps the planets were in strange allignment, or maybe they're both just getting along -- leads for Goku to give Stan a couple genuine smiles.
Given the conversation ended around there, one can only guess where this is going. [/EDIT]
[EDIT: 10/27/05] After Goku's computer posted a porn virus entry, Stan's expressed that he doesn't exactly dislike the concept. Unfortunately, Goku didn't quite take Stan's suggestions the right way. To the point he wanted Stan dead.
They argued very briefly, though only after Stan had taken a few hits from other people who took Goku up on his demand to kill his master. And Stan revealed that it wasn't his kind of evil to force himself upon someone like that.
Goku does feel horrible about the situation, but it's given way for him to express that maybe he doesn't hate Stan as much as he claims to.
Goku had no intentions of his relationship with Stan actually getting to the point where he likes him--and, in a weird way, feel a little affection for him. He's finding it harder and harder to resist giving Stan real smiles, rather than smirking like he used to. Still, he's not about to admit he feels something more than contempt or lust for Stan, but it's admittedly becoming harder denying anything more. [/EDIT]
And that's it, for now. If/when any major changes occur in the existing relationships, or any new ones pop up, I'll add on to this.
EDIT: (10/27/05) Added to Stan's section.