🌙 Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Who: Genjyo Sanzo, Koumyou Sanzo, Amberdrake.
What: OP & thread 1: Koumyou Sanzo visits his son in the middle of the night. Thread 2: Drake and Sanzo talk about Koumyou and briefly about what went down in thread 1. Thread 3: Koumyou and Sanzo talking some more.
Where: Drake and Sanzo's house in Attleton.
When: OP & thread 1: The same night as Singles Night, after Koumyou eventually leaves. Thread 2: Around noon, the day after. Thread 3: Evening of the same day as thread 2.
Warnings: FEELS. Angst, suicide mention, probably Warm And Fuzzy Feelings, y'know, the whole gamut.

It was very late at night when Koumyou glanced up to find himself having wandered to his son's house. The intense moonlight lit the cozy little cottage enough to make it impossible to not know where he was.

But, it was far too late at night.

He wouldn't knock.

Koumyou sat down on the wide, circular short step before the door, and sighed quietly. He tucked his legs half-under him, and wondered what he was doing, just sitting out here on the cold stone. In the morning, he could call Kouryuu from his apartment, hear his voice. Right now? There was nothing to do but lurk, and wallow in his own sadness.

Between the other night at the shrine with the little golden dragon, and several more instances tonight, he'd spoken of his death and the burden it had left on his young son many times, recently. Too many times...

He was no therapist, like Amberdrake. Ripping open his own wounds constantly wore on him far faster than it did the kestra'chern. Right now, he just wanted to be near his son. And so here he sat, breath fogging in the cold air.

The sun would rise when the sun would rise. And perhaps the moon would still be out when he did.

Comments

[badly_behaved_priest]

As usual, Sanzo was awake before Amberdrake and too bored to reread the newspaper again. He'd washed the dishes from last night, folded the blanket and placed it back on the couch, and scooped the damaged beads into a small bowl. Koumyou had left the spare room tidy, so there was nothing to tend to there. The birds ate up some time and a considerable amount of fruit.

He could've left the house a while but he had something to discuss with Amberdake, so he waited, browsing various articles on his laptop. There was a lot to be learned about different breeds of magical and non-magical birds it turned out.

[amberdrake]

Amberdrake came downstairs at around his usual time, tying a final feather into place in his hair as he did so. He smiled at Sanzo, and attempted to take a peek at what he was reading up on this time.

[badly_behaved_priest]

Sanzo leaned back to let him look, seems he was reading about some very colorful finches. He looked up at Drake, his usual scowl not yet in full force and a wariness to his guarded emotions that suggested something was on his mind.

"Koumyou Sanzo stayed here last night," he said, tone mild. No big deal that his father had shown up without warning, right?

[amberdrake]

Amberdrake smiled over Sanzo's shoulder at the monk's research topic. How cute! He turned his attention properly to Sanzo at his words, however.

"Oh? Did something happen?"

As was always the case these days, the unspoken question was... had Ukoku done something?

[badly_behaved_priest]

"Nothing serious." No, it wasn't the raven. "He wasn't happy, I thought it'd be best if he stayed the night. There's... more I need to talk about. Get food first."

Get breakfast before he suggests something potentially stupid, Drake.

[amberdrake]

"...Oh dear," Amberdrake went to the kitchen to do as suggested, and came back a while later with his food of choice, sitting down at the table. Then, he folded his hands together and waited expectantly. He got his food, now talk.

[badly_behaved_priest]

And now his sour look was active as he gave Drake a mean look. Drake knew Sanzo was trying to put off talking about this for longer and wasn't going to let him. Nosy piece of shit, this is what Sanzo got for being involved with a therapist.

"Several people have gotten him to talk about-" Sanzo sighed, pausing to consider his words. "Talk about the night he died. He came here afterwards."

Even talking so vaguely about that horrible night made Sanzo's stomach twinge.

[amberdrake]

Amberdrake nodded slowly, "I can see why that may upset you both..."

But that clearly wasn't the whole story, or Sanzo wouldn't have brought it up.

[badly_behaved_priest]

"We spoke for a while," he said reluctantly. It was clear Sanzo had been thinking on this conversation for a while, probably all morning. Talking freely about any uncomfortable experience was rare occurrence for him.

"Some things he brought up were your doing, no doubt."

[amberdrake]

"Oh, I must already be at work," Amberdrake smiled slightly, but it wasn't exactly a denial, per se. He'd given Koumyou a rundown on what had gone on with his son since his death, yes. Including the bit about the gun...

"You know he wouldn't want to live in a bubble of safe, silent ignorance, especially about you."

[badly_behaved_priest]

"If he wanted to know, he could've asked me," Sanzo retorted, resentful. Given the chance, he would've given Koumyou a much different account of his life. Something that wouldn't have the older Sanzo worried about him of all people. He was fine. Totally fine.

"There was a lot he didn't need to know, things I didn't even know you knew." That was his fault for not asking, really. "He doesn't need to be concerned with how I feel, it's making this all more difficult."

[amberdrake]

"So... was the point of this chat to scold me for being a kestra'chern?" Amberdrake smiled despite his words, unbothered. Yep, he'd told Koumyou some pretty hard things to hear. Things Sanzo would have hid from his father in a heartbeat so that he'd be free to continue slow-cooking away in his own awful feelings. Business as usual, with Genjyo.

"You realize of course that he would have figured this all out at some point," the Healer pointed out, "he's known you longer than I have, if not as recently. And he's certainly not as oblivious to things as he likes to act. That one must run in the family."

[badly_behaved_priest]

Sanzo glared, he didn't like being called out on the fact he was full of shit. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence and it was equally uncommon that he got pissy about it. So he scowled but he'd already talked himself into starting this conversation, he might as well finish it.

"My point being that there's unneeded strain on both of us, he's fixated on thinking I blame myself for anything. And you know my nightmares have gotten worse." And that, sometimes, it was hard to believe that Koumyou was really alive in the mornings. Several times Sanzo had to be convinced of this, to pull him out of his misplaced misery.

"It might be easier, for him, if he was to stay here, more long term."

[amberdrake]

"Oh, of course," Amberdrake blinked, and tipped his head a little to one side, "did you think I would object to the idea? I've lived with your whole ikkou before. Sharing a house with you and your father would be fine."

They'd find plenty of time for things they didn't want Koumyou to hear, he was certain.

He reached out to run the backs of his fingers down Sanzo's cheek, if the priest allowed it.

"Although I do have to ask what the ground rules would be with him around. Other than the most obvious, of course."

No screaming shenanigans with Koumyou next door was a given. Genjyo wasn't a very quiet guy about some things... though that made Amberdrake smile a little at a mischievous little thought...

[badly_behaved_priest]

Sanzo didn't pull away but he did squint suspiciously at that smile. Amberdrake smiled at him a lot, he was so damned affectionate. Sanzo still had reason wonder why.

"I felt it would be best to explain." Sanzo sounded a bit defeated, all the same. There was a lot he didn't have to admit to ask that? Damnit.

"As for rules, you'll have to ask what he thinks. I haven't brought the idea up to him, he left early to go tend to the shrine." And didn't drag Sanzo into it, what a miracle. "Hn, one, at least; none of that bullshit flirting you two do. And that cat will have to stay in his room."

[amberdrake]

Amberdrake laughed. "He likes the flirting! It's very harmless. But if you insist, I'll leave that out of the house. I more meant rules about with you."

He'd gone through many iterations of rules with Sanzo over the years, from pretending they weren't a couple at all, to... well, not much better than that, really. Would he be allowed to do things like that cheek-touch a moment ago?

"If Koumyou Sanzo was eating breakfast with us -- let's pretend for a second that we're all on even remotely the same schedule," he had to add, with a laugh, because they really weren't. This was around noon and it was ungodly early to a kestra'chern. "And I touched your cheek like I just did..."

[badly_behaved_priest]

Sanzo huffed and looked away, he had to think that one over. It'd taken time for Drake's affection, even in private, to not be embarrassing and foreign. Having anyone share space with them would make it all the more complicated. He'd been more focused on how to approach the question at all than the ramifications of Amberdrake agreeing to it.

"How much do you think he knows about that? He's mentioned little to me." But that didn't mean Koumyou hadn't said anything to Drake.

[amberdrake]

"Let's just say he definitely puts 'roommate' in air-quotes," Amberdrake chuckled, "and no, not because I told him anything. He's clearly quite aware of the reasons our two-bedroom house has a spare room."

[badly_behaved_priest]

"Goddamnit." Sanzo always thought he was better at hiding his attachments than he really was. He wasn't completely convinced Amberdrake hadn't said something, as that was easier than admitting to himself that he wasn't very subtle.

"Just... Don't be as blatant when he's around. That, earlier, is acceptable." If he was formal enough, he could pretend he wasn't talking about affection.

[amberdrake]

"Mm," Drake was pleased with that response, but he couldn't help but tease -- and clarify! -- further. "Hand-holding? Cheek-smooching?"

[badly_behaved_priest]

Drake got more scowling for his efforts, along with a muttered, "I hate you." Sanzo was far more embarrassed than angry.

"Don't draw it out with either and fine. He'll blow it all out of proportion otherwise." Koumyou was a lot more animated after being revived from death. No one could blame him for that.

[amberdrake]

It was a little bit possible that Amberdrake enjoyed flustering Sanzo. Just a little bit. Just a possibility. He grinned.

"Deal."

[badly_behaved_priest]

And Sanzo knew Drake enjoyed that, damn him. Sanzo made an easy target.

"Is that all?" he asked, all huffy now that everything seemed settled.

[amberdrake]

Drake continued to grin, and leaned waaaay over to attempt a quick cheek-smooch. Then, he worked on breakfast. He was going to be late at this rate!

...Well, late for him. He was usually in the office an hour before his first appointment.

[badly_behaved_priest]

"Hn." Sanzo hadn't dodged but he looked annoyed at Drake daring to act like they were a couple. He turned back to his laptop, whatever, he'd read about birds instead of snapping at Drake.