[Recs] Saiyuki

[springgreen]

Saiyuki continues to eat my brain. I have, in fact, spent about three hours just going through campfuckudie and reading all the Gojyo-Hakkai threads (damn you, rachelmanija, this is all your fault!).

To be honest, from what I've read in the Saiyuki fandom recs space, these recs probably won't be new to anyone, mostly because I stole them from permetaform_rec and cicer's recs. But I don't care, because I need somewhere that links to all my very favorite stories so I don't keep forgetting where they are!

1. I am not observing the usual anime/manga pairing thing in which whoever's first in the pairing is the seme.

2. I've found that I tend to like "day in the life" type fic in this fandom, which is funny, since the manga's about kicking youkai ass and angst and etc. But many of the ones that I love the most have this beautifully simple language and a wicked sense of humor. Also, while I am in no way complaining about the plethora of Hakkai/Gojyo smut out there (I live for Hakkai/Gojyo smut! You have no idea how many hours of my time Hakkai/Gojyo smut has taken up!), I am sad because I can't find that many of the four characters just interacting. I love the pairings. But I love the ikkou too.

3. Speaking of things I like, there should be more Gaiden fic! More! Preferably with references to sakura and pinky promises and the Angst to Come! (yes, Gaiden is still feasting on my brain, why do you ask?)

4. The pairings are either smut or just the two interacting. I generally read the Sanzo/Goku relationship and Hakkai/Gojyo relationship as having extremely slashy subtext at the very least and as out and out on the path to married coupledom at the almost but not really most, because again, obsessed.

Some spoilers for Hakkai's past below.

Sanzo/Goku

I haven't actually read enough, but I've seen several people commenting that they find it difficult to find good Sanzo/Goku. Maybe that's why I can't find many being recced! This makes me sad. Oh well... my favorites are all ones in which Sanzo is Sanzo (aka, he is a complete misanthrope who is quite certain that everyone around him is stupid, and only puts up with Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo because they might just be slightly less stupid. And because he has to. And maybe, just maybe, he likes them a little).

Reaping What You Sow by trensaddiction - Sanzo has a slight moment of tenderness. Sort of. Buried under everything. This is so wonderfully quiet, and just the way Sanzo would show his (very, very, very deeply buried) affection. My very favorite phrase is probably Sanzo describing Goku as "his self-assigned friend."

Non-Perishables by lierdumoa - First, GUH. Second, Goku goes through puberty extremely quickly, which makes Sanzo uncomfortable. And not only is it hot, it's really funny.

Hakkai will make him pay for that remark later. Sanzo can see it now. Hakkai'll give Gojyo a look just the same as his regular look, only Gojyo will be able to tell something is off because Gojyo is always able to tell when something is off with Hakkai. Two weeks later Sanzo will wake up to find that his hair has been dyed pink, and Hakkai will smile softly and cook Gojyo an extra egg for breakfast and ask Sanzo if he wants to have his eye looked at, as it seems to be suffering from a muscle spasm.

and

He can't really tell if the stars he's seeing are from the bruise he's steadily pounding into the back of his head or from Goku's impossibly wet mouth.

*snork*

The Honeymoon by Hth - I adore this fic to bits, largely because Hth understands that in a Sanzo/Goku relationship, Sanzo is going to have a very difficult time dealing. And by very difficult, I mean utterly hilarious. Also, hot. In the author's words: "This story is about fighting it every step of the way. You know how sometimes characters have a flinty exterior, and deep down they're sweet? This story is about Sanzo, who I believe has a flinty exterior and deep down, oh look, more flinty! But this story is about how sometimes even when you probably don't deserve it, even when you never had a clue, sometimes you never had a chance."

A snippet by louiselux (there's a Gokyo/Hakkai one right above this one) - in which there is chocolate, and Sanzo and Goku are simply themselves.

harukami on why she loves Sanzo/Goku

Hakkai/Gojyo

Senses Working Overtime by devikun - Ok, GUH. Hakkai makes the first move. I love the narrative voice in this one: "Surely Hakkai, heterosexual as far as he knew, not to mention deeply emotionally fucked up, was not, in any way, shape or form, attracted to Gojyo, unremittingly heterosexual (again, as far as he knew but since Banri he'd begun to have his doubts) and somewhat emotionally fucked up." I also love that they have to fumble for the oil. Love the funny, love the hot.

Easy by emungere - A fic in response to the picture of Hakkai tied up and bleeding. And ohhhh, Hakkai's issues, and Gojyo's issues, and the angst!

Cut Off by emungere - And wow. Disturbingly hot. Hakkai helps Gojyo deal with his mother issues. Sort of. The two are incredibly fucked up.

Tea by emungere - A nice, hot, sweet fic after the two angsty ones above, in which Gojyo is surprised in his own kitchen. I don't know what it is, but I love Gojyo and Hakkai in the kitchen.

Five Nights by harukami - Ow, ow, ow. I have a difficult time reading fic that mentions Kanan, especially with the reading that Kanan was somehow selfish by killing herself. I can see why Hakkai would be resentful of that, but given that the girl was just raped by youkai and impregnated, and quite possibly half crazy herself (her smile reminds me very much of crazy!Hakkai), I don't think it's nice to chalk it up to a character fault. Anyway, I digress. I meant to say that I liked this one because it has Gonou/Kanan and Gojyo/Hakkai without feeling the need to denigrate Kanan.

Of Recklessness and Water by daegaer - A small, quiet fic of Gojyo and Hakkai interacting during the journey. I especially love Hakkai in the lake being mean.

ETA: Doh! I almost forgot Hakkai's Gift by edonohana - Gojyo is at a complete loss as to how to deal with Hakkai on a rainy day, but thankfully, he figures something out. I love the small details in this fic, from Gojyo's complete inability to pass by anything that needs his help to the assorted things Hakkai does around the house. It's such a lovely, quiet little fic about much bigger things.

Ne Me Quitte Pas by louiselux - Woe, angst! Hakkai leaves after the journey is over, and Gojyo has to figure out what to do next. I love how louiselux makes Hakkai and Gojyo into mirrors of each other, and I love the slow, awkward scenes together in the very end, with Gojyo trying to figure out his life yet again.

Into Bed by lebateleur - Gojyo, totally in denial.

harukami on why she loves Hakkai/Gojyo. I don't actually agree with all of it, but that's because I love the part of them that isn't necessarily reinforcing their own brokenness with each other. I love them as people who have been broken apart and cut into pieces, but are still going on with life and living it and even healing a little on the way.

Gaiden, of which there is entirely too little, especially considering how much I love this series.

The Courtship of Tenpou Gensui by mistressrenet - Yay! Kenren/Tenpou smut! Of course, it's been jossed with vol. 2, but whatever.

Kenren/Tenpou drabble by untrue_accounts - I adore the teasing in this one, and the book love. And the last line.

Reunion by Veszelyite - I haven't even read many (read: I have only read this one), but I am already a complete, total sucker for the Sanzo-ikkou get together and remember their prior Gaiden incarnations and are reunited and... *incoherent* It's that sense of doom and of lifetimes waiting to meet up again, of promises and five hundred years under a mountain. Gaiden kills me. There should be more fic like this, with the four of them.

lebateleur on why she loves Tenpou/Kenren. Tenpou/Kenren! My love has no bounds! I adore Sanzo/Goku and Hakkai/Gojyo very much as well, but I feel like they are taken care of more than my Gaiden characters.

Assorted:

Heaven and Hereafter by harukami - AWWWWWW! The Sanzo-ikkou make it up to heaven (which means Gaiden references!), except one can't enter. I love the pairings, but I love the four together the most, and that's what this fic is. And I adore the last line, which is what the entire series is about, to me.

cicer on why she loves Kanzeon and Hakkai (as individuals, not a pairing. The mind, it boggles)

harukami on Hakkai's kill count

Actually, just go read _diesmiling_, which is the Hakkai character for campfuckudie, because harukami occasionally posts there on things she thinks about as she makes Hakkai decisions in the RPG.