genessia | [Action | Closed] Don't do that

Entry tags:

[Action | Closed] Don't do that

Who: Amberdrake and Sanzo
What: Sanzo is being a self-destructive idiot and looking for Ukoku. Drake takes offense to this.
When: Within a week prior to posting date.
Warnings: Nah

This was the second day Sanzo had been out searching for Ukoku. It was less trying to hunt him down, Sanzo wouldn't find the other priest unless he wanted to be found, and more putting himself out as bait. It would only be so long before Ukoku grew bored enough to start real trouble, Sanzo had no intention of just waiting for that. If blood was to be shed, let it be sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, Sanzo didn't even know where to start. He stalked the streets of various towns, mostly circling Attleton where he knew the dark priest had been spying on Drake, and likely Sanzo himself as well. The thought made him furious. He'd call Ukoku a coward but he knew better. The other Sanzo priest had the advantage and was holding back for whatever reason. It amused him to do so? Sanzo didn't care about his reasoning, he wanted to find him and fix the problem.

The futility of this plan didn't deter him, it never had before.

The crows were his first hint that Ukoku was around. The birds themselves weren't uncommon but just how many there were in this one undeveloped patch of trees put him on edge. Exactly as they were meant to, he was sure. He stepped off the sidewalk and strode into the trees without hesitation. He vividly remembered the last time he'd faced off against the other priest. The memories didn't slow him down.

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The first day, Amberdrake had been slightly wary of Sanzo's mood, but also incredibly busy.

The second day, his suspicion grew and he cleared his schedule, setting out to track the blond down. Perhaps he'd just find him in the middle of some scheme with that warrior lady he'd taken up the company of... in that case, he'd leave and let him be. But if Genjyo was doing something stupid...

Like, oh, hunting Ukoku...

Sanzo had been hoping Drake wouldn't pick up on what he planned and honestly thought he'd avoided being tailed in this 'outing'. He knew Ukoku was around now, it was hard to mistake that intense malice for anything else, and that proved more than a worthy distraction. Gun drawn, Sanzo scanned the area, trying to pinpoint where the fucker was hiding.

There.

Ukoku didn't bother to hide. He was sitting high up on a tree branch, leaning against the trunk. He swung one foot back and forth as he looked down at the younger priest with a lazy smile. He hadn't even bothered with his robes for this, there wouldn't be a real fight.

Not that Sanzo wasn't still prepared for one. He pointed the gun straight at Ukoku's head, daring him to make a move, as if he could actually hit him.

Amberdrake came upon this little tableau and immediately marched forward. He was in all his kestra'chern finery, of course, and kept his expression neutral. Genjyo would know he was in deep shit without him having to show it. To his fellow Empath, his approach was not unlike a tidal wave of 'you done fucked up'.

Ukoku's smile spread into a wide grin as Sanzo froze. What Drake was oh-so-clearly projecting was bad enough but Sanzo was far more concerned about him walking into a fight! With this bastard! This wasn't safe, damnit! Of course, it wasn't safe for Sanzo either, but he didn't really consider that.

"Leave," he snapped, not looking away from the other priest.

Amberdrake ignored the order and drew up beside Genjyo, peering up at the grinning Ukoku as though this was just any old outing.

"Hello, Ukoku Sanzo," his voice gave nothing away, as usual. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to break up this little meeting. You understand, I'm sure. And you," Drake turned his attention to the blond beside him, turning, "are a self-destructive bastard."

He actually let himself sound a little angry, there.

Sanzo didn't let his surprise show on his face, though Drake was sure to feel it. He shouldn't be surprised, it should be more shocking it took this long for Drake to get honestly mad at him. Sanzo had a way of provoking anger in anyone he spent more than thirty minutes with. If they lasted that long.

Right now really wasn't the time. He was busy. What was Drake planning to do?

"And?" His gun stayed put, pointed at Ukoku's horrible face as the other priest laughed. If he fired, it would start conflict in earnest, not something he could risk with Amberdrake right there. He'd get slaughtered.

"And, you are in no position to order me to leave," Amberdrake snapped at Genjyo, over Ukoku's laughter, "just what were you hoping to accomplish? No, don't answer that. Think carefully about it on the way home."

Then he bent, as graceful as ever, grabbed Sanzo around the hips with both hands, and threw him over his shoulder as he straightened back up. It was like the priest weighed nothing at all.

He began marching away, hands remaining firmly in place. Guess who wasn't getting away from the kestra'chern?

Shock kept Sanzo from responding quickly enough to avoid getting tossed over Drake's shoulder like an irritable sack of potatoes. He made a sound not unlike a squawk in protest and squirmed in Drake's grip. Of all the undignified- Fury surged in response to his wounded pride, Ukoku's laughter following the pair as they exited the trees.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he shouted, whacking Drake on the back with his unarmed hand. He had no fucking leverage like this and Drake knew it to. Sanzo radiated 'fuck you' as he continued to struggle.

"Using my head," Amberdrake replied as calmly as though they were just out for a stroll, "someone between us has to."

That only annoyed Sanzo further and he was hardly the kindest person while in a rage. He didn't care much if he gave Amberdrake a few bruises if it got him the fuck down. Honestly! Being treated like a child! He thrashed, like that would prove he wasn't acting like a child, and even aimed a blow at the back of Drake's head.

"Put. Me. Down!"

"Not until we're home," Amberdrake said firmly, bells and beads jangling at the rather hard blow to the back of his head. Ow, fuck.

There was nothing to visibly give away what happened, in case they were still being watched, but Sanzo's unarmed hand -- well, the whole arm, actually -- suddenly stopped working and went limp. A warning. Drake didn't want to paralyze all four limbs for the walk home, but he would if he had to.

"If I put you down, you'd just march back in there to try to prove something. Shall I set you down and sit on you for a while, instead?" Oh no, he was not pleased with the monk. Not at all.

Sanzo was well beyond the concept of common sense at this point. If he was to suffer this vicious blow to his dignity, he would at least earn it. He continued to struggle, fueled by the faint laughter they were fast leaving behind.

"You do not control me!" he snarled as he whacked Drake's back again.

Aaaaand there went the other arm. Somehow, his hand was allowed to keep gripping the gun. Only because Drake didn't want to have to try to stoop down to collect it while keeping ahold of the priest.

"We are not having this conversation out in the open."

And indeed they didn't. Amberdrake carried Sanzo all the way back to their house, removing one hand from his hips -- the one near his own head -- to open the front door. He got it shut behind them, and marched inside before dumping Sanzo unceremoniously on the couch.

He turned the priest's arms back on, and folded his own. Not demurely inside his sleeves, either, but sternly, his eyes slightly narrowed as he stared at the blond.

Sanzo glared back up at him, his shouting now turned to cold fury. Interrupting the fight with Ukoku was one thing, that would have annoyed him enough. But carrying him? Leaving them both open to Ukoku to boot? Unbelievable.

"Piss off," he said before Drake could say anything. He rubbed at his forearm, getting used to sudden sensation after their was none.

"I didn't think I'd ever find you lying to me, Genjyo Sanzo."

Drake's tone was even and flat; quiet but firm. His emotions had snapped shut, shields raised high.

Sanzo sank back against the couch, still glowering up at Drake. Was he seriously using his name like one would speak to a naughty child? He teetered between exploding in rage and frustration from the guilt that shielding brought. Drake wouldn't do that if he was just angry, he was clearly angry.

"I'm not surprise to find you butting into my business."

"Oh, is your welfare only your business, now?" Amberdrake asked, not skipping a beat. He stared down at Sanzo with a kind of blank aloofness that few ever got from him. "I suppose that means our agreement is officially at an end, Sanzo."

"We didn't make that agreement while he was around," Sanzo retorted, carefully forcing his expression to not show how much that stung. He knew going after Ukoku was stupid, he knew that while he was trying to hunt him down! He didn't see it as any less stupid to just wait to be attacked!

Amberdrake's gaze shifted away, staring silently at the far wall while his thoughts raced. None of it showed on his face, his kestra'chern mask firmly in place... just without the smiling.

The only indication he was thinking instead of purely ignoring the priest was the slight shake of his head at his many different thoughts.

"...What?" Sanzo asked after a while, a snarl in his voice hiding the concern. Now some of the rage of the embarrassment was wearing off, he was starting to realize he might well have fucked up severely and had many, painfully ideas about the possible consequences. He quickly set to steeling himself against them, working on convincing himself that the worst case scenario running through his mind was completely bearable.

"I find myself almost wishing you remembered the time we first made that agreement," Amberdrake said without looking, "or rather, the reason for it. In the shadow of a different soulless, powerful, evil thing with a fixation on you. After years of piecing you back together, over and over, only for you to run off and throw yourself at him again and again, all out of some misplaced desire to protect me."

He finally looked down at the priest on the couch, mask firmly in place. "There are many worse things than death, Sanzo. I wonder how he would delight at sending you back to me after he'd had his fun. At least this time I would know who it was that did it when he later came by my office to pick and prod and tell me about how welcoming my office is to predators like him."

Drake let that sink in for a moment.

"Years, Sanzo. If you're demanding a war with him, I'll start it myself. At least I know what a war truly is."

Dire threats to his mental and physical safety had never stopped Sanzo from flinging himself into the face of danger before. His friends didn't react the same way as Drake did to this, none of them, himself included, had much thought for the consequences. Sanzo hadn't much thought for how Drake would react to this, other than annoyance. This was more than he expected, or intended, for the confrontation that was sure to follow.

And there was bringing up that. Something Sanzo tried to put out of his mind whenever he remembered it was real. Unremembered but real, still painful for Drake while Sanzo could only feel a faint chill when it was brought up.

"Hn."

He stared up at Drake, anger faded to a still, wary expression. Protecting Drake hadn't even been his intention! Not entirely. He had wanted to face the threat, not hide from it. That was clearly not how Drake saw it.

"That's not necessary," he said at last.

"And how do I know that's not another lie?" Amberdrake watched Sanzo with an aloofness that could only be described as icy. "Oh -- I'm sorry... I mean... a truth. One that can be modified. At whim. In silence. At-will." Kestra'chern were masters of many crafts. One of them was acting. He made his tone sound ever-so understanding, while his expression remained flat and unimpressed. This wasn't an act he was trying to sell, after all. "Of course. That type of truth. The best kind."

Sanzo was silent again for a while. A part of him urged him to take this chance to detach. It was easier to be detached, aloof, to retreat and concern himself only with himself. That did not wrap him up in so many emotions he didn't want to face. Another part of him knew well that idea wouldn't work and he would suffer for it. He wasn't necessarily opposed to that either, though he had to consider how selfish he really wanted to be.

"You can't," Sanzo replied, tone bland, even. "I won't convince you after this. It's not a lie, if you wish to believe that."

"Of course I want to believe you," Amberdrake looked away again, but only because his mask might slip if he didn't do so immediately. It threatened to anyway; sorrow was always its greatest weakness, but he kept a grip on it. His expression remained neutral; eyes remained dry. "Of all the people on all these other worlds, you're the one I always want to trust."

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