(no subject)
Goku gripped the long tail of his hair, uncertain as he looked up at Sanzo. He couldn’t give the excuse that his hair had always been this way and why cut it, because ‘always this way’ had been five hundred years and maybe more.
“The monks keep annoying the hell out of me, monkey,” Sanzo snapped. “It’s gotta go. Why do you want that stupid long hair, anyway?” he demanded.
Goku hesitated. There had to be a reason.
“It’ll just get in the way,” Sanzo snorted, cigarette tilted at an angle as he looked him over. “You’re a kid, but not that little of a kid. ‘Sides, next time you fight someone, they’ll grab it and ….”
Goyjo was watching the whole exchange and he had heard some of the shouting that had gone on between Sanzo and the monks. Stuff that Sanzo hadn’t quite shared with Goku and he shook his head in brief amazement that Sanzo was protecting the kid for such a stupid, trivial reason. He’d call this his good deed to the corrupt priest and tweak Goku’s tail into the bargain.
“Heh, maybe he likes having a leash,” Goyjo smirked down at Goku, smile widening at the look of annoyance that spread across his face. “He’s just a pet-so why shouldn’t he have a leash for you to grab onto and pull him back?” He demonstrated, yanking on Goku’s hair.
The monkey was fast-he’d give him that and he didn’t get a chance to react before he moved and the hair slid out of his fingers, earning him a scowl from Goku.
“I just think… I … whoever had me before…“ Goku’s eyes closed as he remembered, just briefly-that image of the person before. “Maybe they’d want to see me… I don’t want them to forget what I looked like.”
“Like anyone could forget your stupid chimp face,” Sanzo snorted. “You can grow it out after we leave here. Maybe your former keeper would like to see what you look like not chained to the past.”
Goku hesitated again, fingers brushing through his hair once more and then he nodded slowly. He’d already changed out of the clothing Sanzo found him in. Sanzo wanted him to cut his hair…
“Fine,” he muttered. “But not because of you, stupid pervert.” He glared up at Goyjo. “Because Sanzo wants it.” He was afraid, still-that if he cut it, he’d forget even more. Long hair was important, somehow. Someone had long hair like he did. But….Sanzo had short hair. He grinned suddenly. “I can be more like Sanzo this way!” The idea pleased him all too well. He’d be more like the person that saved him.
Sanzo gave another disgusted snort while Goyjo snickered.
“Anything to please your keeper, huh?” he jibed.
“Shut up,” Sanzo glared at him. “At least some of my headaches will go away.” He couldn’t help but hide his smile at the ridiculously wide grin that Goku gave him at the idea.
Yeah, some of the headaches would go away.