Overcrowded (Challenge #4: Opposites; the Sanzo Ikkou; PG-13)

[opalmatrix]

Title: Overcrowded
Author: opalmatrix
Warnings: Swearwords. Worksafe.
Pairing(s): n/a
Spoilers: none
Notes: For saiyuki_time challenge #4: Opposites. Time given: 45 minutes. I'm not very happy with this: it went overtime (about an hour), and I lost any ending I had in mind somewhere in the middle of it.
Summary: Four tired travelers and a

Comments

[opalmatrix]

Ever since Saiyuki 9 and his smarts about the Kami-sama situation and how to handle his friends, I've decided that Goku probably sees almost everything, but just doesn't see any point in commenting about most of it, or sometimes isn't sure of what to say. Most of the time he still thinks like a kid: Sanzo and Hakkai are going to take care of most of the things that can't be solved by beating on them, so he doesn't need to step in. In this case, he'd rather watch for Sanzo by himself - one of the only kinds of "quality time" he'll get from his Sun - so he has an extra reason to speak up about what he saw going on with Gojyo.

[macavitykitsune]

Lovely. ^_^ Goku is unexpectedly smart at all the right times, isn't he? Which makes me wonder how much he's hiding the rest of the time.....

And Gojyo's reaction was so typical.

[opalmatrix]

The trip's been very educational for Goku! I think he's just not always sure he has anything to add in non-combat situations. The mahjong game in Saiyuki 9 convinced me that there's an observant little mind hiding behind that cheery smile.

Yeah, I was mainly thinking about how Gojyo sort of typifies the extrovert (he gets a buzz off a crowd) and Sanzo the introvert (even quieter human interactions drain him).

I'm glad you liked it.

[despina_moon]

Well, you might not like it, but I did. This was a lot of fun to read and I was sorry to come to the end. Smart Goku, worried Gojyo and surly Sanzo, really, what's not to like love?

Well done!

[opalmatrix]

I'm glad you liked it! Goku's got more going on inside that tousled head than people usually think. I just wish I'd've thought of a smarter ending to wrap it all up.

[stalkerbunny]

They are so aware of what the other are doing. Such caring is just heart warming ♥

[opalmatrix]

Even though they sometimes claim to hate each other after a long day crowded into Jeep, I think they don't feel right without each other around! Glad this warmed your heart ....

[stalkerbunny]

I know ^__^
That's what makes it even more adorable ;)

[clytemnaestra]

awww, that was just fun to read! i liked all of the interactions between the boys, they seemed very genuine. gojyo's concern was touching of course, as was goku's. but i also really liked how you worked in a touch of sanzo and hakkai's dynamic- how hakkai knew where to find sanzo, and their understanding of each other's needs. it all came across perfectly, in a nice, understated way. if that makes sense :)

[opalmatrix]

In a lot of ways, Hakkai's the glue that holds them together: there's their sense of mission, of course, but the whole thing would fall apart without his constant little adjustments. (That's what's so shocking when he loses it after Gojyo goes off in the Kami-sama arc.) Of course, it's funny, when you consider that in many ways, he's the most seriously unstable of them ... but by making order for the others, he's also regulating himself.
I was trying to contrast the introvert-extravert pairing of Sanzo vs. Gojyo, but I'm not sure that's what came through!

[clytemnaestra]

One of the things I love about the dynamic between the group is that when one person leaves, the whole situation changes. I agree that Hakkai is definitely the one that makes the four of them able to get anything done- without him there would be no peace within the group, but without Gojyo, Hakkai goes a little crazy, and without Hakkai...and it goes on. These four all need each other, and they can't-won't-hate-to admit it :)