Disclaimer: The boys belong to Minekura-sensei. I'm just borrowing them for awhile. I make no profit from this, and I don't intend to.

Notes: This is rated PG for language (hello, this is Saiyuki), descriptions of violence, and character death. The story takes place prior to Saiyuki Reload Blast, which makes it an AU.

Brothers
by Mako-clb

Chapter 1: Waking Up

Goku shifted, half-formed thoughts of breakfast floating through his mind as it and his body slowly awoke. He lay there with his eyes closed for a few moments, debating if he should go back to sleep or get up and eat, but his decision was made for him.

"I know you're awake, so stop pretending," Sanzo said.

"I'm up! I'm up! Let's get breakfast," Goku said as he got out of bed and looked around for his clothes, deciding food was always more important than sleep. "I feel like I haven't eaten in days. Hey, do they have a buffet here?"

"How would I know?"

Goku glanced out the window as he put on the first things he grabbed out of his bag, which happened to be his jeans and a t-shirt. "Shit, it's late! That crappy kappa's probably eating all my breakfast."

"Don't worry about that idiot."

"But, that stupid cockroach will eat everything!"

"I told you not to worry about him," Sanzo said as he fished around in his robe. "Just go downstairs and ask the clerk to send some food up to the room. If he complains, just tell him to put it on our tab. And then, you come right back here."

"Huh? We're not gonna eat downstairs?"

"Just do what I tell you."

"But, how come?"

Sanzo's paper fan descended on its target, followed by Goku's usual "Ow!" and head rubbing. "What the hell? I didn't do anything."

"Don't question me," was all Sanzo said as he turned back to his newspaper and coffee.

Goku just shrugged and turned to leave the room when he realized something. He and Sanzo must have shared a room last night, but Goku didn't remember. He usually did because Sanzo made a big fuss about it; Sanzo preferred to room alone or, if he had to share, with Hakkai. It sucked to forget good stuff like that, but a great breakfast would help make up for it.

-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-

Goku was just finishing his last moon cake when Hakkai knocked on the door. Goku knew it was Hakkai because of the knock. Angry yokai and Gojyo wouldn't knock, and the innkeeper was too in awe of Sanzo's title to disturb the priest. So, Goku reached for the napkin instead of licking his fingers. Finger-licking was more fun, but it was bad manners. Hakkai really disliked bad manners. Sanzo was already acting all weird, and Goku didn't want Hakkai getting all scary, too.

"C'min," Goku called around a mouthful of moon cake.

"Ah," was all Hakkai said as he walked in wearing a big smile. Goku swallowed hard. It was one of Hakkai's scary smiles, the kind that looked like they hurt Hakkai to make. Smiles shouldn't hurt. If they did, then maybe you weren't supposed to be smiling.

"How are you feeling?" Hakkai asked, sitting down next to Goku.

"I'm good. I'm still hungry, but not starving hungry, ya know?"

"I'm glad to hear that. I have something important to talk to you about, and I want to make sure you're feeling up to it."

"Okay," Goku said when Hakkai just kept looking at him.

"What do you remember about our battle a few days ago with Kougaji-san and Dokugakuji-san?" Hakkai asked.

"Huh, that was just yesterday," Goku said, getting an uneasy feeling.

"No, it was three days ago. You've been asleep since then," Hakkai said. "I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but somehow your diadem came off. Sanzo found it not far from where you were, unbroken. Did you…remove it?"

"Crap!" Goku instinctively reached for his diadem, fingers easily finding the gold band securely wrapped around his head.

"It doesn't matter," Hakkai continued. "In any case, it was much like that time in the desert. You were attacking Kougaji-san. When he fell, Dokugakuji-san forced his way between you two. And, when Dokugakuji-san fell, Gojyo tried to protect him."

"Gojyo's okay, right? Right?" Goku asked, suddenly realizing he hadn't seen the redhead since waking up and knowing that in his other form he didn't always recognize friend from foe.

"Gojyo received a mild concussion and a few scrapes and bruises, but otherwise he's fine, physically."

"For fuck's sake, we don't have time for this," Sanzo said, finally putting his paper down. "That idiot kappa's brother is an even bigger idiot for trying to take on the Seiten Taisei, and that's why he's dead. End of story. Got it?"

Sanzo walked away, the door shutting behind him before Goku had a chance to process what he said. Then Goku heard Hakkai say, "I'm sorry. I tried to stop you, but I couldn't. Sanzo, he found your diadem without too much trouble, but it was already too late."

"I killed Gojyo's brother," Goku whispered, looking at Hakkai as if begging to be corrected.

"Yes," Hakkai said. "I'm afraid you did."

to be continued

Author's Notes: I started this story more than a year ago, but set it aside before I finished chapter 2. That was long before I saw a single episode of Saiyuki Reload Blast. But, after seeing the recent episodes on Hulu, I was inspired to start working on this again. So, while I had this idea before I saw Reload Blast, it did help inspire the story, sort of.