Another poignant 58 piece. I love how your writing of Hakkai is so thoughtful. And I love Gojyo's straightforward wisdom.

I love your after-the-journey stories. Strange to think that after-the-journey really brings more angst than during-the-journey... but I can really see that being true. In the aftermath, there is no immediate threat and ensuing adrenaline rush to keep them going... and they are faced with whatever reality the Minus Wave left behind.

And, as always... I just LOVE your Gojyo and Hakkai interactions.

Oh! Definitely a surprise - to realize that Hakkai himself was the one who was missing, that the dream was an out-of-body experience, so to speak. A bit twisty, there. ^_^

I rather like the message of the story - that sometimes, real life is harder than the adventure.

Very, very very good story ^^ Thank you ^^

Poor Hakkai, feelin' scared 'cause everything's... normal! ^_^; 'Nother great work no da! And just so you don't feel as left out, I can't watch Reload either! T_T
~Nagi

By the way, writing Hakkai is good for you. Writing Hakkai and Gojyo is really good for you. ^^

I miss the journey already. Don't want it to end. You created a very real post-journey setting.
You haven’t seen Reload? Neither. I don’t even have Book 9! Either the manga is too damn popular here or the publisher didn’t make enough copies. Wait, that’s almost the same thing… Anyway that’s why I’m very prone to fic-withdrawal. Glad I don’t have to bear it too long this time. ^^

I like the use of the present tense in this. It was nice to see him figuring instead of had figured ya know? I love the Gojyo/Hakkai couple because they seem to balance each other so nicely and you kept that quite well. A few seemingly simple questions from Gojyo were enough to sort things out. Beautiful, ne?
Zek

Cute title, very appropriate. ^_^ I liked the use of present tense--it was a good fit for the story. The elusiveness of the dream and Hakkai's unease about it came across quite nicely, as well as Gojyo's matter-of-fact assessment of the whole thing. Everything that's mentioned--the descriptions of the trip home, the problems with returning youkai, the difficulty adjusting to a normal, quiet life...realistic is probably the best way to describe it--it feels like things really *could* turn out this way. I liked the way you ended the fic, too. Glad that the reviews have been helpful. I always enjoy reading your stories. Please keep up the good work! ^_^

Absolutely beautiful fic! I really enjoyed it and the entire theing was very well written. Thank you!

While I certainly have no objection to fanfic with fighting and sex, my own writing experiences tell me that depicting the everyday flow of time and conveying a sense of three dimensional reality to two dimensional characters is a far more demanding art. It's easy to keep a reader's attention when fists are flying or the windows are getting steamy. But holding a reader's attention for a story such as this, where most of it is played out with a single character alone in a sleeping house contemplating secrets his own subconscious is trying to reveal requires real talent. You have that in generous measure. Thanks for sharing with us.

Nice journey there and back.
Er, hello. (am not a 58 fan though...)

I've been reading your fics, and now I'm really looking forward to them- they're happy, and they're a really balanced kind of happy that makes them feel realistic for Saiyuki. Keep writing well! ^_^;;

I often wondered what would happen when their journey was over. This was a sweet story. Liked it very much.

A nice treatment of a valid point; things _aren't_ going to be the same when they get back. I found Hakkai's dream particularly touching.

Oh, don't get me started on 'Train,' you shameless plugger! "Dropped his hands abrubtly" my eye. (grumbles.) How's freezeheart supposed to *wake the bleep up* if playboy chickens out on him? Inquiring minds want to know!
The way I see it, a reader who wants to know what's going on will either read slowly or read twice. I tend to clock about a minute per page on the first read-through. It is a bad habit which gets me into trouble. ^_^
Okay, so what do you mean by sap? Because I usually think molasses. Gooey schmoopy saccharine bleah. You're possibly thinking, what, amber? Really, I think you mean melancholy.
Okay, actual review.
First of all--Silver card! (snickers mightily)
I really like the aside about Gojyo's hair. If Hakkai were paying attention, that might tell him something; that a person stops meaning something and the thing instead comes to mean the person.
It's interesting that he says 'the' dream instead of 'a' dream. Gives it this sense of 'it's the only one that matters.' Gojyo deals well.
Heh. 'Doesn't make sense that someone would be missing on the way there.' Oh, no? Very, good, Gojyo. And the mention of smiling. Clock him with the common sense mallet, Sha-san. Go ahead! Although I'm still not sure what it was about the sun that clued Hakkai in.
Neat, neat, neat, that the 'harder' way forward means nothing but distraction to Hakkai. I know how that is. You stop for a moment and your brain attacks you, so you don't stop until you run out of distraction, and then you have to *deal.*
Also a lot of fun, Gojyo giving Hakkai an epiphany and then blinking at it in confusion.
Regarding Reload, take comfort. Everybody but *me* seems to know about Kami-sama.