voidtreckerexpress | How Long Does It Take To Adjust

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How Long Does It Take To Adjust

Who: Genjo Sanzo & You!
Where: Random Parts of the Train~ Will emphasize With Each Thread
When: Month: Quicksand, Day: 10 (Just After Mission End)
What: Genjo Sanzo is finally started to accommodate himself to living upon the Voidtrecker Express. But that doesn't ease the many conflicted things he's feeling throughout it all. The nicotine withdrawal probably isn't helping.
Warnings: Nothing just yet besides Sanzo cussing up a storm as only Sanzo do.

I. Addiction Is A Very Powerful Thing

[It had been almost two full weeks since Genjo Sanzo had arrived upon the Void Treckers express. He was starting to get used to it, bit by bit. At least, walking between carts had felt simple enough. He even felt bold enough to wander out the train during the very end of the mission to peak about some.

Of course, that didn't stop his introverted nature from taking its due course.

He had spent most of his days sticking to the Quiet Coaches ~~by far a much better place to take his frequent naps than the training room~~ keeping to himself to sort out how he felt about all that had been going on. But as time drew on and days turned into weeks, there was a wild side to him that couldn't keep quiet just by sitting still and keeping to himself.

He needed nicotine.

He was good at conserving himself when times were tough, but even a priest of the highest patience couldn't go a full thirteen days cold turkey.

He needed nicotine terribly.

Others had told him about how one can get needed accompaniments as they completed tasks and spent time upon the train. But, after much struggle figuring out the store system, he was pretty agitated to find out how much alcohol and basic cigarettes cost.

And he was dirt broke.

And so he endured. Begrudgingly he endured. He persisted, gritting his teeth, clenching his fists, and tapping his feet whenever he grew restless.

Of course, it could only last so long.

He had just been up and about, completing his designated tasks for the day to keep busy. Of course, that meant time in the kitchen. He wasn't a decent chef by any means. But he at least knew how to clean and prep food. And as much as he wished to use the kitchen knife he was handling to quiet those who cheerfully chatted around him, he mostly kept to himself through it all.

But then those running the kitchen told him to go offer food out to others who may want it. And to aid anyone else who needed help throughout the carts.

And so Genjo Sanzo did.

And he endured.

But he was nearing his limit. Quite obviously so. He found himself helping out; no matter how curt, polite, or otherwise, those around him may have behaved, But they would eventually be cut off rather abruptly. Getting a rather snippy, almost aggressive reaction in response.]

Shut up! We're almost done, okay? Just walk, idiot!!

[He needed nicotine. He just needed to work hard and do what was required, and he could get nicotine. Just a little longer...]

II. Booknerd Problems

[In the end, Genjo Sanzo was an academic. And being in a new place surrounded by many things had left him with many questions that he needed answered. He hated not learning something. He hated feeling like an inept dumbass. And he especially hated thinking he would be useless to any degree.

And so, upon his days exploring the carriages, it was to his subdued pleasure that he found the wonder of the Library.

Of course, his joy was a momentary one. He was just as quickly reminded of one thing that he had been struggling with ever since he first arrived upon the express.

He was missing his reading glasses.

That didn't stop his attempt for knowledge, of course. But no effort and sheer willpower could prevent the inevitable headache of squinting one's eyes and hunching so close to a book that your nose was practically touching it.

His grumbling became audible at a point. Sighing out rather heavily, he pressed his fingers into the bridge of his nose between his eyes. The pile of nonfiction books that surrounded him was unable to hide the apparent struggle he had been experiencing.

Damnit.

[He finally spoke up. Not aware of anyone who may have been near him at the time. But he was at the point where he somehow needed to express his aggravation.]

... There is something I need to see for myself... So why does this place have to make it so fucking complicated?

[What was the point of starting everyone off with so little? How could anyone be of any help this way?]

III. Will Sell Soul For Cigs

[As with most of his time, despite how much of a loner he usually considered himself. Sanzo hated to think he was being useless in any way. And so he decided to utilize himself and possibly cease any of the aching boredom that came with simply skulking about the carriages.

It was a rudimentary attempt. But with Sanzo, it was all he had. He made a public journal post, available to anyone who happened to be looking. So now, all he had to do was wait for the tasks to come in.

Which was how he had found himself here now, a stringy young man formally bowed in front of a carriage door, head lowered as he introduced himself. Certainly, he took a far more polite tone than he had with anyone who had met him before this point.]

Genjo Sanzo, Envoy of the Heavenly Emporer of the North. You requested my services?

IV. A Quiet Moment Of Introspection

[It was late at night—when most would have found themselves tucked away into their sleeper carriages, whether willingly or otherwise. But Sanzo was awake. He was sitting at one of the booths within the standard coach, facing out towards the pure black nothingness that was the void during nighttime. Its sight formed a sense of dread that had been all too familiar to him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he sat there, dazed out on thoughts and memories he usually would have preferred to ignore.

He had stared into such darkness before.

It's horrifying.

But as time passed and a slight headache began to throb against his temples, he realized that he was not alone. Not turning to face the other figure sharing the cart but simply speaking out.]

... I'm aware that you're here. It's rude to stare, you know.

[It was his own Genjo Sanzo way of a greeting. Not scolding or admonishing the presence watching him, but simply acknowledging it.]

V. WILDCARD

((OOC: As always, feel free to drop a starter if you have something else in mind/ anything you wish to play out with the old grump monk here. If you want to plot something out, feel free to reach out and PM me or contact me at

chohakkaifan -or- discord ChoHakkaiFan#5971)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Going about one's business in the train invariably means crossing through a whole lot of cars that don't have little segmented rooms and a narrow hall. The rock garden is just such a place, and here's Koumyou, sitting on a bench and smoking his kiseru.

He brightens visibly at the sight of his grumpy son, and digs into his sleeve for a cigarette, lighting it and holding it out in invitation. Come sit with an old man?

Genjo had seen the presence of the rock garden on the terminal map. Truthfully he was surprised to think that there was such a thing on the train. It was familiar, something he remembered from his days throughout various monasteries.

Perhaps it's why he shouldn't have been surprised when he found Koumyou there when he decided to go check it out.

What a surreal feeling. Here Genjo was an adult, standing within a rock garden (as strangely decorated for the season as it was), watching the all too familiar sight of his master lounging back and enjoying his pipe.

He was slightly less used to the sight of his master offering a cigarette out to him.

"Still smoking where people can see you," He mutters out with a sigh before finally making his way to the empty spot next to Koumyou on the bench. He reached out to casually take the offered stick as he plopped down beside him.

"So are you, Saaaanzo-sama," Koumyou returns, gently amused. "I guess I was a good influence after all."

He's just going to smoke in silence for a few long moments after that, and let his kid go through that first rush of nicotine in peace. Koumyou's smoking habit has never been as pronounced as Kouryuu's had turned out to be, but even he had just had to stand against a wall with his head craned back and tremble the first time he'd gotten a cigarette after two long weeks of nothing.

It had been damn near lewd, really. Best to give Kouryuu some quiet and privacy for a little bit, with Koumyou's gaze fixed lazily on a water feature. (And to be fair, it's what he'd been watching before his son had walked into the car. So at least it's a natural place for him to rest his eyes.)

Edited 2022-03-29 12:37 (UTC)

Sure enough, a particular type of meditative pace came with the first breath of nicotine after a period of protracted withdrawal. The white noise of the stone garden surrounding both Sanzo's brings a nostalgic serenity that Genjo hadn't experienced in some time.

There was something nice about the stone garden. Something familiar. Even more so now that Genjo found himself with his master sitting by his side.

He exhaled, watching the smoke rise from his lips and dissipate into the air, the backdrop of the void lights through the clear glass dome seeming to dance around it.

"... You wish."

It was an amusing thought. Something that made the corner of Genjo's lip twitch as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

In the end, he did enjoy this. There was no arguing that fact.

Koumyou smiles over at him, and then digs into his sleeve with the hand not holding his pipe. He pulls out... yes, an entire carton holding a fresh ten packs of cigarettes.

"Here, you won't have more points until after our next weird thing, so make them last. I had some nasty withdrawals by that point, cold turkey, and I don't smoke a tenth as much as you do. Oh!"

Once the carton is either handed off, or he sets it down, he digs in his sleeve again and pulls out a small handful of those generic, colorful, slightly transparent, cheap lighters. Koumyou offers them up next.

"They each come with one of these, but I don't really use them."

Edited 2022-03-31 11:32 (UTC)

.... Fucking hell, finally.

The very moment Koumyou placed the pack down, Genjo began to scoop it up into the pocket of his hoodie. After all, he won't turn down such a precious commodity with how desperate he was.

Besides, it was Koumyou. He can trust this gift.

But then he looked up, spotting the many various dollar-brand lighters that Koumyou had begun to pull out of his sleeves. Just as quickly scurrying them into his arms. Although where he would fit them, he wasn't quite sure yet. It was not as if he brought his tote around with him everywhere.

Maybe he should.

Regardless he took what he could—perhaps looking more like a squirrel gathering food for the winter than a prestigious monk.

But then again, valuable items like this were rare on the Voidtreckers Express. He needed to make sure to hold onto any precious gift given to him.

"So how often does it happen? These 'weird things'?"

He needed to do the math. To figure out how much he should take daily.

Edited (It is a carton and not a box~ So I am now aware~) 2022-04-04 07:01 (UTC)

"Hmm... I'd say about, once a month?"

There's really no 'about' about it. It's one of the only predictable things about life on the train.

But, he's Koumyou. So... here we are, with 'about' anyway.

"We just had that mission, so the next thing will be something super strange. It could be a stop on a nice planet, or it could be we all turn into cute little fuzzy animals or something for a day. There's really no telling. One time, I got turned really young again, memories and all, for a whole day."

Koumyou hums in amusement, as if that hadn't been hell at all, and takes a long, ponderous drag off his pipe. "I'm not sure what you would have thought of me in that state. I've changed quite a lot since my name did. I suppose we all do."

Hard not to change with the weight of a sutra bearing down on your shoulders, let alone two. Koumyou taps the hot ashes from his pipe's elegant little bowl out into an empty coffee cup on the bench on his other side.

"Did you know we have an ice cream machine on this train?"

Non-sequitur? Maybe, maybe not. That's just his way.

Edited 2022-04-04 13:18 (UTC)

Koumyou as a kid, huh? Now that was a thought. With how unpredictable Koumyou was generally, he couldn't even comprehend how he must have been as a brat. Was he a kind, sweet, and good-natured child?

Probably not.

But it wasn't easy to picture him being an all-out delinquent-type either.

One-hundred-percent a trouble maker in some way, though. He can see his master being mischievous in his youth. He had to be considering how many rules he brazenly broke well into his adult years.

"An ice cream machine? Why the hell would I care about that?" Genjo did have a little bit of a sweet tooth, admittedly. Far more than he would ever care to admit.

And not a one of those guesses were technically correct. Well, maybe the first, if you added 'starving' and 'terrified' to the list. A fellow temple brat, but one without someone looking out for him. A burden, dead weight, an obligation, barely worth keeping around to scrub the floors. And so, so very certain, that it was all his own fault.

A liar and a thief, he'd been labeled, despite never remembering doing any such thing. Somehow, stolen food would sometimes turn up in his meager belongings. Somehow, the adults had always known where to look. Somehow...

It hadn't been until fifteen that Houmei had finally started to rebel.

He had tried his hardest to be everything for little Kouryuu that he had lacked for himself as a child. Yes, many of the other monks were still assholes, but at least Kouryuu had always had someone in his corner from the day he had been born to the day Koumyou Sanzo had died.

"Because I'm going to get some," Koumyou declares, "I got bored of it after a while of eating a lot of it, but it's still novel. And it's not too sweet if you don't add a bunch of stuff to it."

He stands up, and this time knows better than to offer his hand. Instead, he pulls his own train-issued backpack from his sleeve and holds it out. "I want this back later, but you can borrow it."

Because, you know, cigarettes and lighters everywhere.

"... Mnph," It was with a resigned sigh that Genjo took the backpack. He was quickly starting to shove what lighters he couldn't squirrel away on his own before zippering it up and pushing himself to a stand.

Still puffing upon his cigarette, savoring every inhale, he took his place beside Koumyou.

Genjo still wanted to clarify certain matters between them now that he had adjusted to his time on the express. But he could hold off on that for now.

"So... What flavors do they have?" At least until he gets ahold of this ice cream.

Koumyou starts in the direction of the front of the train, toward the dining car.

"The basics, I think? Vanilla, chocolate. There are all kinds of toppings available for people to put on it, but I prefer it plain. Gets too sweet too fast for me."

It wasn't like Kinzan had freezers. Or like Taisouji had had ice cream (even though that whole place had been a freezer). So it's very novel! To him, anyway! Who knows what Kouryuu's encountered in his travels, even further across the land of Shangri-La than Koumyou had ever roamed?

Koumyou's not going to assume either way.

He keeps up his usual level of idle chatter as they move through the train, waving cheerfully at some of the people they pass areas they're in. Some of them just look very confused in return. Koumyou finds that terribly amusing.

"Devero likes to put honey in his. I tried it, it was..." a gesture with the hand not minding his pipe, a see-saw-like 'eh'. "Different. Not bad, just not my thing."

He'll still take his plain.

"Buttercup is a sweets-fiend, she probably piles all kinds of stuff on there when no one is looking."

Ah. There it was. The very thing Genjo had been meaning to bring up with Koumyou upon running into him again.

He had a fair bit of experience with his encounters of Koumyou's new family and had developed his own opinions because of it. But more than that he wanted to hear that confirmation from Koumyou's own mouth. As much as he had heard those people talk about Koumyou, he had never heard Koumyou bring them up until now.

"So, you've pretty much surrounded yourself with people who like to rot their teeth out," Not that he was one to talk. But at least Genjo was picky with his sweets. He tucked his hands further into his pockets, bracing himself for bringing up what he was planning to talk about next.

"So that man, he really has taken you on as a lover."

It felt weird saying that to Koumyou of all people. He most certainly never expected his master to be someone who would run off and fraternize with such idiots.

At least Buttercup he could understand. Koumyous' taking on Buttercup was similar to how he had taken on Genjo.

That made sense.

"Well, Yondu eats his plain like I do, at least..." Koumyou manages to sneak in there, before...

Before his son asks him about his sex life. Not about being engaged, which is something he can chat even to Buttercup about, but about being 'taken as a lover'.

Koumyou stops dead in his tracks and covers his face with both hands in dismay.

"I might need something stronger than ice cream," he mumbles, muffled, into his own palms.

"... Hmn?"

Meanwhile, Genjo could only give the blankest and blandest response back to Koumyous loud sudden expression of embarrassment. Mild confusion only expressing itself in the way his eyebrows knitted together.

Did he say something wrong?

Was his master embarrassed about it?

Or was it something else? Was it unrequited? Was it frustration that Koumyou was expressing? Was there a story behind all this? What was that man's relationship to Koumyou, if not a lover like he had stated?

Did he need to shoot Devero?

No.

He would need his gun to do that.

Maybe he should try beating him up again.

Genjo Sanzo did not understand what would cause Koumyou Sanzo to respond in such a way.

It's Koumyou's fault, really. And he knows it. He didn't socialize his feral river brat worth a damn, and he knows his world sure didn't step up to do it after he was gone. Not in any polite way, anyway.

Still.

Koumyou slides his hands down his face hard enough to make his face look weird for a moment there, all with a long-suffering sigh.

"Devero and I are engaged, Kouryuu. He's become important enough to me to become family."

Just, you know, not in the adoption sense. More like Genjo and Buttercup have two dads now, sense, although Koumyou's certain Devero is more than smart enough to not try to dad Koumyou's grown son.

(Unless said grown son wants him to, anyway.)

"The topic of 'lovers' is something I'd rather not go into with one of my kids! Even if you're all grown up now."

Edited 2022-04-18 09:39 (UTC)

Oh.

Engaged was far worse than lovers.

Engaged meant that Genjo had the possibility of being stuck seeing Devero's face forever.

Were Sanzo priests even allowed to get engaged? He was pretty sure not. Not that they were known for being particularly devout or strict to the teachings they were supposed to enforce.

But now, he was also starting to understand why Koumyou was freaking out. His eyebrows knotted together as his frown sunk deeply upon his face. He took a step back and lifted his arm a bit in front.

"God damn it! I asked if you 'were lovers' in a romantic sense, not the fucking details of your intimate affairs!!!!"

Although that reaction did confirm that intimate affairs were a thing that was happening between them.

And now Genjo was thinking about it.

And now he felt gross.

Ew.

"I should have socialized you more. I see that now."

Yeah, that's right, he said it. Koumyou digs into his sleeve and produces a generic plastic bottle, uncaps it, and takes a long pull.

Then he holds it out in offer to share.

That's absolutely booze. Strong, strong booze.

"I'm forgetting this part of our chat ever happened, I just decided."

"I-- What!?" What the fuck.

What the fuck!?

He will not allow this conversation to end in embarrassment like this! He will not allow you to drop this topic so quickly, Koumyou Sanzo!!!

"Must you immediately make the conversation so... So gross!?" No, he is not red. That's your imagination. Genjo Sanzo does not blush. Ignoring the offered alcohol ~~, for now,~~ he did his damndest to stick to the subject like glue."I just needed confirmation about your relationship with that man!!!"

"You asked if he's taken me on as a lover, Kouryuu," Koumyou points out cheerfully, since apparently this conversation is going to continue after all.

And too late, kiddo, Koumyou caps the bottle and slides it back into his sleeve to vanish into his ARMs band. He offered!

"That man is my fiance, we plan to get married. So you may as well get used to him, don't you think?" Koumyou continues serenely, and starts to wander in the direction of the fabled ice cream machine again. "His name is Devero, by the way."

"No way," Ah. That managed to get a stubborn response out of him. The blush settled but was still there as violet eyes pierced into his master with anger. Koumyou Sanzo can do as he wishes and take on whomever he likes, but that didn't mean that Sanzo had to approve of them simply because his master said he had to. "And I meant it in a romantic context! Like how people who are-- are couples are described in written verses. It did not mean I needed you to act so goddamn embarrassing!"

And gross.

So super gross.

"I just needed that confirmation of your relationship with him. That was all."

He says, huffing out and crossing his arms as he follows behind.

"And now you know!" Koumyou says cheerfully, "And, you know you're stuck with him."

So there. But his son isn't going to let him pretend he'd never asked him about lovers, so Koumyou pauses and turns back to him again, curious.

"You look really red, you know?" Because that's helpful, as is reaching up to attempt to pat his son's cheek with a hand. "Why does it bother you so much? Unfortunate wording aside."

Edited 2022-05-22 21:04 (UTC)

Genjo's reaction to Koumyou reaching out for his cheek was faster than his verbal response. His body tensed as he quickly winced and took a quick step back.

Only to catch his behavior just as it happened. His body froze as he looked up to meet Koumyous gaze. His expression gave way to a fleeting moment of vulnerability before he almost immediately saved face and returned to a strained deep-set scowl. He was turning his head away and squeezing at his sleeves—an apparent show of his evident agitation.

"'Tch. It doesn't bother me. I think you have shit taste. That doesn't mean you can't do what you want."

Koumyou's hand stays up, hovering in the air. He saw that look, that second of the boy beneath Genjo Sanzo's hard candy shell. No one has to put into words why the man before him is like this, now. He knows what a hellish world they're from.

So... very, very slowly, Koumyou takes a step forward. And just as slowly, he reaches to try to lay his hand against the side of his son's face.

"Would you rather I don't try to do this sort of thing? Or is the negative reaction just a reflex?" he asks gently, ignoring the conversation for at least the moment. "Devero and I call this sort of thing a... mental land-mine. We both have quite a few of them, too. You can be honest with me about it, Kouryuu, I won't judge."

Tell him to stop trying to touch him, and he will. Otherwise, Koumyou will just quietly, patiently, gently rub at these sharp edges to try to dull them over time, little by little. That's his way with serious things, isn't it? Like the erosion of the water he's always had such an affinity for.

Edited 2022-05-25 10:09 (UTC)

Fuck.

He didn't mean to react in such away. Not with Koumyou. It just felt very foreign. Different. Something he wasn't used to experiencing.

He never understood naturally touchy people. Eventually, he adjusted to them if they stuck around him for long enough, but he certainly didn't understand them.

It felt weird and uncomfortable.

But he was prepared for it this time. His body was tense as Koumyou reached out to touch his cheek, his body flinching slightly to the contact but otherwise acting unphased.

"It's nothing," Lies. He hated lying to his master. Especially when Koumyou just told him it was okay to talk to him. But he wasn't sure he was ready to talk about things like that yet. "Just not used to it, is all."

His eyes finally glanced back up, meeting Koumyous with the same sullen pouty expression he always held as a kid.

"It's been a very long time since anyone behaved such away in front of me."

"I can imagine," Koumyou agrees, leaving his hand cupping the side of Genjo's face. His expression is quietly, calmly serious, brown eyes a little less squinted than his default. "I know what our world is like."

There's no angst at that statement, at least. Water is wet, the sky is up, and the world the Sanzos come from is a hellish one. His son doesn't have to explain the kind of attention he'd probably garnered as a young boy off on his own. Sheltered as he had been, protected, the shock had probably been... a lot.

Plus...

"...And what having this rank is like, too," Koumyou adds with a sigh, and lets his hand fall away, as well as the topic. "So, let's get ice cream, and discuss my fiance if you want."

Since that did seem to be a point of curiosity, and all. Not that that was unreasonable, of course. Koumyou offers a squinty smile, and turns to lead the way onward once more.

"I can't imagine you've gotten to know him at all yet, have you?"

WILDCARD in prose for my poor eyeballs

Shhh prose is good~ I like prose

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