- Title: Once Upon Two Times
- Author: Meicdon13
- Pairing(s): adult!Nataku x adult!goku
- Rating: NC-17
- Summary: In the past, the beauty tamed the beast. Now, the beast wanders back to his first master with no memories of what they used to share.
- Website: http://meicdon13.livejournal.com/
- Warnings: AU
- Notes: Based loosely on the many Filipino folktales revolving around the diwata (fairy) Maria Makiling who lives on a mountain. More info can be found here. The Nataku here is the one as seen in the anime. Seitein Taisei as shown in Burial OVA2 proves that he can at least understand what's being said to him. Crappy smut is smut. Referring to Nataku as a fairy is not good for "srz bznz" mode. Written for despina_moon for 7thnight_smut 2008. Beta by xcerpted.

ONCE UPON TWO TIMES

He ran. Branches slapped against his face, leaving bloody scratches in their wake. His feet were bare and stones dug into them. They were bleeding too. The thin material of his clothes did nothing to protect him from the cold night air and he shivered, watching his breath making white plumes in the air.

Behind him, the angry voices of the villagers grew louder. He thought he was imagining it, but he could feel the heat from their torches against his back. He stumbled on the uneven forest floor and fell to the ground. He could taste blood in his mouth and his knees were scraped and bleeding but he stood up and continued running.

If he could just reach the stream, maybe he could lose them. He ran faster, ducking under overhanging branches as best as he could and keeping an eye out for wild animals as well as the villagers.

"There he is! There's the monster!"

I'm not a monster! he wanted to shout. He hadn't meant to…he hadn't wanted to…to kill those people…

Something sharp hit him in the middle of his back. The villagers were within range and throwing rocks. More rocks hit him and he stumbled again. He cried out as a particularly large rock hit the back of his head.

Then there was a flash of gold and white and the world disappeared around him.

xxx

Sunlight was slanting onto his face. He squeezed his eyes shut and threw an arm over them. In a few minutes, Sanzo would be shouting at him to wake up and help him in the fields. He rolled over onto his side and curled up into a ball, willing the sun to go away.

He was surprised when a smooth cool hand stroked his forehead, combing through his bangs. Sanzo never did that…

"Are you awake? Father Sun is high up in the sky and I think it's time for you to eat something."

The voice was unfamiliar and his eyes immediately snapped open even as he scrambled back on the bed, only stopping when his back hit a wall. Sitting on the bed in front of him was a young man with long black hair and sharp golden eyes. His white robes showed off a bit of his pale chest and the short-haired brunet felt his eyes drawn to that wedge of skin.

"I find it strange that I'm saying this but…I'm up here." The smooth hand was on him again, tilting up his chin and making him meet those golden eyes head-on.

The next thing he knew, he was being pinned against the wall by surprisingly strong hands and the long-haired man was barely inches from him. He could feel the material of his robes against his bare arms and the other brunet's hot breath against his face.

The man's eyes were studying his, sharp and piercing, and he felt exposed by that gaze. The hands on his shoulders held him in place, the white fingers digging into his tanned flesh.

"Impossible," the man said after what seemed like an eternity of scrutiny. He shook his head then let him go, pulling back and standing up. "I'm sorry. It's just…your eyes…" He shook his head once more and went on. "Breakfast is waiting if you're hungry." He turned around and was about to walk away when Goku finally found his voice.

"Wait! What's your name?" Sharp golden eyes looked at him from over the white-robed man's shoulder and he felt himself blush. "I'm Son Goku."

There was a pause before the other brunet replied, "I'm Nataku."

Nataku? The fairy of the mountain? The stories said that Nataku was a beautiful woman. While the person in front of him had the white clothes and the long black hair, he was most definitely a male. And he was handsome, not beautiful.

His confusion must have shown clearly on his face because Nataku smiled. "It must be the hair. I don't like getting too close to people so all they usually see is the hair. So, Goku, breakfast?"

His head was beginning to hurt and various aches and pains were making themselves felt across his body. Food sounded good right about now. It always made him feel better at any rate and the scents coming from the other end of the small one-room hut smelled delicious.

xxx

"Are you hurt? Let me look at that."

His head snapped up and he glared at the tall figure that was slowly approaching him. He snarled, baring long blood-stained teeth and clutching his injured arm. If this boy didn't back away soon, he'd be adding one more victim to his body count.

"Come on, let me see."

Hurt and annoyed, he launched himself at the young man, claws extended and mouth open in a growl. He was surprised when the man seemingly disappeared and reappeared somewhere behind him. A blow to the base of his skull sent him falling onto his knees, the sharp stones on the forest floor digging into his knees.

"Are you going to cooperate or do I have to knock you out?" the man snapped. He snarled in response but didn't make any move to attack again. There was something different about this creature, something that felt strong and wild, something as strong as him. Maybe. When the man didn't make any move towards him, he held out his wounded arm grudgingly.

He considered attempting to gouge out the man's golden eyes at the sight of the smug look on his face.

xxx

"What do you mean I can't go home?" Goku shouted angrily, standing up. His thighs hit the small table in front of him, upsetting the bowl with the fish stew, the cups, and the bowls of rice.

"It's only fair that I get something in exchange for rescuing you," Nataku said calmly. "You would have been killed if I hadn't stepped in."

"I never asked for your help," Goku snapped. His hands clenched into fists at his sides and his eyes narrowed.

Nataku stood up as well, his hair falling to his waist. "But you needed it," he replied. He took one step closer. "I'm lonely up here in the mountain. Wild animals and fish can only provide so much companionship."

"I have a family—" he stopped talking as a wave of dizziness hit him. Nataku must have seen something wrong because he immediately pushed Goku back onto his seat. The other brunet turned around and walked towards a cupboard built along one wall, pulling out a hunk of bread and placing it beside what was left of the stew.

"Eat," he commanded sharply. "You were running through the mountain most of the night. You need food and rest. And I need to check your bandages so hurry up."

When Goku opened his mouth to say something scathing, Nataku simply popped the bread into his mouth. "Eat."

He made a sound of protest around the bread but his stomach chose that exact moment to growl. The farmer decided that staying a little while longer to eat and rest before escaping would be better than making a run for it. He tucked a lock of his short brown hear behind an ear before he resumed eating. The stew was good…he wished he hadn't spilled most of it.

Goku ignored his slight headache and went on eating, studiously ignoring Nataku's presence. Suddenly, there were hands on his temples, massaging them. The dull ache melted away and Goku found himself unconsciously leaning back into the touch.

He opened his eyes when he realized that he had closed them and found himself looking into golden eyes. Nataku was looking down at him, a cheeky grin on his face. "I've got a healing touch."

The short-haired brunet pulled away and swallowed the last of his food. "I'm not staying here," he said, standing up and turning around to face his savior. "I've got three people waiting for me. Well…two people. One of them must be thinking up ways to kill me right now…"

"Before I tell you why you can't leave, take off your shirt, get back on the bed, and let me see your injuries."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I do this." Nataku grabbed his shoulders and pressed his mouth against Goku's. Warmth spread out through his body, radiating from the contact of lips on lips. When the white-clad brunet pulled back and began walking towards the bed, the farmer felt himself following, his feet moving on their own.

When he reached the bed, he sat down, took off his shirt, and laid back. Hands moved across his chest, inspecting bandages and bruised flesh, and Goku couldn't help but notice how cool they were against his warm skin.

"Everything seems to be in order," Nataku said. He leaned over Goku's body to inspect his arm and his long hair fell onto the short-haired brunet's skin. It felt soft and silky. And he told himself that he wouldn't reach out and touch it. Besides, he was still under the enchantment Nataku had placed on him.

xxx

They sat on the bed, moonlight spilling into the room through the half-open window. His head was on the man's shoulder and the man was playing with the long locks of brown hair that fell on his lap.

"You can't speak but you can understand me. Okay. Nod if your answer is 'yes' and shake your head if it's 'no'."

He nodded once, liking the feel of the white robes against his cheek and nuzzling against the warm body next to him.

"Do you have a name?"

He shook his head.

"Is it okay if I name you?"

He nodded.

"How does Seiten Taisei sound?"

xxx

Goku pulled on his shirt, not meeting Nataku's amused gaze. A bird flew into the hut and landed on the long-haired brunet's shoulder. It twittered and Goku remembered the stories of how Nataku could supposedly speak to all the creatures of the sky, water, and earth.

"Really? Burned down?" Nataku frowned thoughtfully. "I wonder why. Fly away, cousin. Come back to tell me more news." He petted the bird's head with a finger then smiled as it flew away.

There was an awkward silence as the two of them sat on the bed. The occasional birdsong from the forest outside was the only thing that could be heard in the hut.

"You can leave if you want."

Goku looked up at the other brunet, surprise evident on his face. "You're not going to curse me the moment I step out of your hut, are you?"

"No," Nataku snorted.

"Not going to turn me into a wild boar when I arrive at the village?"

The long-haired brunet leaned closer and grinned. "Maybe I'll turn you into a monkey to spite you. But, no. I'm not going to do anything to you." He poked Goku's chest. "You are going to come back of your own volition. I'm not going to cast any spells or pull any tricks. So if you're going to leave, go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back."

Goku immediately stood up and moved towards the door. "What makes you so sure I'll be back?"

"There's something in your eyes."

The farmer paused mid-step, not daring to look over his shoulder; he didn't want to see the expression on the fairy's face. "What are you talking about? My eyes?"

"They're the same as mine. And that's saying something. Don't tell me you've seen someone with golden eyes before."

"It doesn't matter! They're just eyes. So what if you're the only one I've ever seen with gold eyes too?" Goku walked out of the hut. "It doesn't mean anything."

xxx

The afternoon heat plastered his long red hair against his skin and he cursed the buzzing insects that landed on him.

He was pretty sure that the creature went this way; he could see the broken branches and footprints on the ground, marking the path he took. The redhead transferred his spear to his other hand and swatted at yet another fly that landed on his cheek.

Hakkai and Sanzo didn't know where he'd gone and he needed to track down the monster and kill it before sunset. With that in mind, he quickened his pace, sharp eyes looking right and left.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack somewhere to his right. He froze, shifting the grip on his weapon into a more appropriate one. His red eyes narrowed and he changed his stance.

There was a snarl and a blurred brown ball hurtled towards him. It crashed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He toppled backwards, narrowly missing hitting his head against a rock. The hunter was about to kick the creature off of his chest before it leaped off of him, landing a few feet away.

The redheaded hunter got his first good glimpse of his quarry. Long unruly brown hair, ragged claws, bloody fangs. It growled at him, seemingly about to attack but it pulled back as if reconsidering before running off.

"No you don't!" the redhead shouted, running after the beast. He wasn't going to let it get away after it killed his mother. He was going to catch it, skin it, and display its hide on the wall of his hut.

He ran through the foliage, hacking at the undergrowth with his bolo when it became too thick. Finally breaking through the trees, he stumbled into a clearing.

There was a hut in the middle, the door open, and in the doorway stood a long-haired white-robed figure. His quarry was standing at the long-haired man's side and the man had his hand on the beast's head. The brown head barely reached the man's shoulders.

"You can hunt any animal in my forest, but you leave him alone," the man said coldly.

"He killed my mother," the hunter answered, voice as icy as the strange man's.

The beast growled and shook his head. The man looked down at it then at the redhead. For the first time, the hunter noticed that the pair had the same gold eyes. "Are you even sure it was Seiten Taisei who killed your mother? Maybe it was some other wild animal."

The hunter's grip on his spear tightened. "I saw him standing over my mother's body as the life drained out of her. He killed my mother!"

The creature named Seiten Taisei growled and shook its head when the long-haired man looked at him.

By that time, the hunter was sure that this was Nataku, the guardian of the mountain and all its creatures and forests. But fairy, or spirit, or whatever supernatural being he was, he wasn't going to back down. That monster was going to die by his hand or he would die trying.

"Go home, hunter. Seiten Taisei didn't kill your mother."

"How do you know?"

"Because he says he didn't. And I believe him."

"Do you seriously—"

White.

Everything was white.

The redhead rubbed his eyes and when he opened them, he was in a strange clearing. A long-haired man was in front of him, standing in front of a hut.

"What—?"

"You got lost," the strange man said. "I'll call one of my cousins to guide you to the edge of the forest. And before you go…" The brunet turned around and walked into the hut, emerging a minute later with a basket full of ginger. "Here. A gift."

"…Thanks," the redhead said awkwardly, accepting the full basket. A bird suddenly landed on his shoulder and cheeped merrily.

"Hello, cousin," the brunet said happily. "Can you show him the way out of here?"

The bird twittered happily and then took flight. The hunter turned around to follow it. "Thanks," he said, glancing over his shoulder and grinning at the brunet.

"No problem!"

The hunter kept his eyes on the bird as they went along. Even though the journey wasn't that long, he found himself getting tired carrying both the basket and his spear.

When he reached the edge of the village, he said good-bye as his tour guide flew off into the sky. Whistling, he made his way to the house he shared with his two friends.

"Hakkai, Sanzo, I'm hooome!" he called out. He set down the basket on the floor and saw it was filled with gold.

xxx

Goku snuck back into the village under the cover of night. His sharp ears picked up the sounds of steady breathing from a nearby hut and he walked carefully past it, trying to make as little noise as possible.

He rounded a street corner, approaching the other end of the village, and froze, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him.

In the square plot of land where his house should be, there was nothing but a mass of blackened and burnt thatching and wood. There were small fires burning in the fields beyond their house and Goku couldn't help but remember all those times he had worked on the crops with his three friends.

He was distantly aware of walking closer to the black hulk and he saw what looked like a charred hand sticking out of the mess. The smell of burnt flesh reached his nose. Everything was gone. And it was his fault. Because the villagers couldn't catch him, they had turned on his friends. His family.

Something was cracking in his head. It was breaking, splintering. It hurt.

There was a slight pause as he stared wordlessly at the ruins of what had been his house—what had been his life—before the world shattered into a million pieces.

xxx

Nataku sat on his bed, absentmindedly running his fingers through his hair. It was getting too long again; maybe it was time to cut it. As he was contemplating the pros and cons of shorter hair, a snake slithered up his bed and bumped its head against his knee.

"What is it?" the fairy asked curiously, bending a bit to hear the snake clearly.

The reptile hissed urgently, tongue flicking in and out. Nataku's golden eyes widened before he snapped, "Are you sure?" The snake hissed indignantly before bumping its head against the brunet's knee again.

Nataku stood up and ran out of his hut. He didn't bother dodging the trees and rocks; they seemed to move aside, making way for their guardian. In no time at all, the brunet was only a few feet away from the village.

Screams were echoing throughout the night air. There was something that sounded like a battle cry but it was cut off abruptly, replaced by a horrible gurgling sound.

By that time, Nataku was close enough to make out the shapes of the villagers and the grisly scene, lit up by the torches that some people were holding.

There were dead bodies on the ground, blood pooling around them. Those that were left alive were either trying to escape the carnage or were attempting to fight against the creature that was responsible for the mayhem. The cloud covering the full moon drifted away and the slaughter was lit up with silvery light.

Nataku saw glints of gold on the ground. And a pair of crying golden eyes.

Everything clicked into place.

xxx

His head hurt. He tried opening his eyes to see where he was but that hurt too. Goku moaned and tried to curl up into a ball but there was something stopping him from doing so. And it smelled nice. The farmer tried moving again and found out that he could at least move closer to whatever he was up against and press his face against it.

It smelled really good, whatever it was.

"If you're done sniffing me, do you want dinner?"

…Shit.

"Sure," he mumbled, not trusting himself to say anything else.

Nataku wiggled. "I can't stand up if you won't let go of me," he said calmly, a faint trace of amusement in his voice.

Somehow Goku couldn't bring himself to let go of the other brunet. There was another wiggle and he automatically tightened his hold on Nataku. He hadn't even realized that his arms were around the white-robed figure. "I'm not really hungry," he said against Nataku's shoulder.

"Me too."

The other brunet shifted a bit and worked an arm free. "It's asleep," he laughed, raising it and shaking it in an attempt to revive circulation. His sleeve fell down to his shoulder, covering most of Goku's face. The farmer blinked and shook his head, clearing his line of vision and watched the moonlight dancing on the skin of Nataku's arm.

xxx

"Don't you remember anything?"

"Everything's still mixed up. The…last thing I remember with you was you protecting me from Gojyo."

"Who made the coronet?"

"Sanzo did. I think he used the gold you gave them."

"…Did they take care of you?"

"Hakkai acted like my mom all the time."

"I missed you."

"I didn't remember you."

xxx

Goku pulled back sharply, eyes wide and full of panic. "Don't take it off!"

"You won't hurt me," Nataku insisted, hands threading through the farmer's hair, coming to rest against his coronet. But he didn't try to take it off anymore. He hovered a moment above Goku, only a few inches apart, before he slowly lowered his naked body against the other brunet's. "You won't hurt me," he repeated, voice soft, eyes soft, everything soft except for the heat rubbing against his own hardness.

"I don't want to go back to being him," Goku answered, arms going up to wrap around the fairy's waist, holding him closer. "This is me."

Then their lips met, and words disappeared. Nataku shifted, straddling Goku, moving against him, bodies pressing together, hands roaming. The farmer pulled back a bit to tilt his head and bite down gently on the pale neck offered to him.

Nataku moaned, thrusting hips wildly against Goku's and the short-haired brunet dimly felt the fairy's fingers digging into his shoulders. There'll be bruises there tomorrow, he thought deliriously, sucking and licking on Nataku's neck.

He ran his hand down Nataku's back, reveling in the feeling of the soft pale skin. The other brunet raised himself a bit, reaching for something on the floor. He pressed a small bottle into Goku's hand before diving back down to kiss the farmer senseless.

The short-haired brunet coated his fingers in oil then placed his other hand on Nataku's thigh, urging him to raise his hips. Carefully, he rubbed his fingers against the long-haired brunet's entrance and the fairy pressed his face against the side of the farmer's neck, stifling a groan.

Goku slipped one finger into the other brunet, moving it in and out. He added another one when Nataku began nibbling on his ear. "Hurry up," the long-haired brunet whispered into the shell of his ear before licking it.

Goku's movements grew jerkier and he practically yanked his fingers out of Nataku. He poured the rest of the oil on his erection and moaned, throwing his head back, when the fairy ran his hands up and down his length to spread the lubrication.

Nataku lifted his hips, reaching behind him to hold Goku and guide him to his entrance. Slowly, he lowered himself, golden eyes falling half-closed as he impaled himself on the hot length. It was all Goku could do not to come the moment he was inside the other brunet.

"N-Nataku…" he panted, eyes half-lidded as well. His hands clenched and unclenched on Nataku's hips.

"Move, Goku." Nataku leaned down and pressed his lips against the farmer's.

The short-haired brunet began moving, thrusting his hips up into the tight heat of Nataku's body. He knew he wouldn't last long and he reached between them and gripped Nataku's hardness. He pumped it, rubbing his thumb over the slit.

It was all too much, all the sensations flooding his senses. Nataku's smell, the way he felt, the moonlight spilling into the room and painting everything silver. With one last thrust, he came, crying out loudly and hands tightening on Nataku's hips. The fairy followed soon after, teeth digging into the flesh of Goku's shoulder.

They fell asleep bathed in moonlight.

_____________
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