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The meeting of humans and yokai had started at the hill with the cherry trees.
In the visible rareness of Sanosuke’s strength, there was something majestic about him. That draw that mankind had to wild mustangs was the similar pull Saitou himself was now experiencing. In a way, he wanted to tame this divine, innocent creature that had graced his morning path. But not only to tame but to fully dominate and take possession of the yokai before him. However, the wolf in the cop growled in the back of his mind, as if demanding they protect and make this unknown individual a part of their pack...to protect him at all costs and if need be, shield him from the public gaze. Oh how tempting this boy was..how amusing that from the manner the yokai carried himself without a care in the world, this mystical being didn’t even realize the extent his mannerisms had on simple-minded humans. His slender form just oozed perfection like sweet nectar...
Ever since their first encounter, Saitou found that each time he went on his evening patrols around the city that his feet would always carry him to the same cherry tree. He caught himself starting to put away his cigarettes whenever he grew close to the location the wandering yokai liked to visit for a resting ground.
Though they spoke little to each other and had yet to know each other’s names, their eyes spoke volumes. Whenever the yokai teenager was in a good mood, he would welcome the human by eagerly pinning Saitou to the ground to pick a harmless fistfight, a fight that he always ended up losing. They both knew deep down that Sanosuke allowed the mini battles to always conclude with the officer as the victor. The yokai felt like a winner though whenever he lost, since afterward the wolf would settle with his back against the bark of the cherry tree and let the yokai settle in his arms. Sometimes if Saitou was in a truly good mood as well, sometimes Sanosuke would get an occasional touch to his hair, and man...that always felt amazing.
While Saitou saw beauty and divineness in Sanosuke, the yokai saw a restrained individual who was like a locked treasure, just waiting to be discovered. There was something so attractive about the possibility of cracking Saitou’s shell open. But these meetings were becoming too good to be true. After all, humans and yokai were kept in separate worlds for a reason. Just like vinegar and oil, they aren’t meant to mix.
Like always, Saitou started up the outskirts path to reach the final goal of seeing Sanosuke again today. At the sound of an unknown commotion, the cop’s pace picked up. Something wasn’t right...there were crimson droplets on the ground...blood?
Hearing a crowing cry, from only a certain rooster yokai, Saitou’s blade was already out in an instance. Making the night rain with the attacker’s blood, the police officer made quick work of the troublemakers that had beaten Sanosuke black and blue. It was easy enough when fighting such weaklings to let his mind wander and ask the obvious question that needed an answer: why hadn’t Sanosuke won? Even weak yokai were stronger then the average human...and yes the numbers weren’t in the yokai’s favor, but STILL.
Letting the last body fall lifelessly to the Mother Earth’s floor, Saitou sighed and wiped his blade clean only to return it to its master’s side. However, the cop had been too caught in his own thoughts that he didn’t see at all what was coming. But a certain yokai did. Crying out, the boy ran forward to toss his body in front of the cop and acted as a shield as one of the fighters attempted to slice Saitou in half. Eyes wide, Saitou watched as, in the blink of an eye, Sanosuke took the hit meant for him.
“....!” Whirling round to deal a deadly kick that surely cracked the attacker’s skull open, Saitou caught Sanosuke before his body hit the ground. “Ahou….Ahou…” Saitou whispered as if that word was his only lifeline to Sanosuke.
Was this how Kenshin felt when his first love had protected him as well?
Adjusting the boy and cradling him against his chest, Saitou felt something wet run down his cheek but he quickly ignored the sensation when his yokai smiled, fighting through the pain as he reached up to gently cup the cop’s face, wiping away the single tear. “Name’s not Ahou, y’know….”
“Well, it should be...it would be fitting…” Saitou whispered, managing to still find his sense of humor even in a situation like this.
“Hey, human….I’m not going to die,” Sanosuke whispered, leaving the previous comment behind as the back of his thumb gently stroked the skin beneath it. The doubtful look the cop through almost made the yokai laugh. Who knew that getting hurt would crack that shell open a bit?
“And I’m to believe an ahou that he isn’t on death’s door?” If a stranger heard those words rip from Saitou’s tense lips, they would misunderstand the intention behind it. Through this banter, Saitou could stabilize his emotions and not give in so quickly to inner hatred he felt for being so idiotic and letting this beginner's mistake happen.
“Heh, see for yourself cop.” Sanosuke chuckled only to cough, his chest hurting from all the motion. Saitou ignored the cough to pull open the rooster’s front to eye the gory mess….that was healing before his very gaze?!
“See?” Sanosuke whispered, letting his hand drop down to wrap around Saitou’s waist. He leaned into the human’s warmth to help distract himself from the discomfort of his body pulling a Wolverine move.
Saitou didn’t voice a response and rather settled back to sit fully on the ground, allowing the yokai’s motions to snuggle closer against his chest. “Just like this...hold me.” Sanosuke whispered softly, his hand forming a fist with the fabric of the human’s jacket in it. And so Saitou did, unable to refuse such a simple yet somehow intimate request. Nor did he regret it when Sanosuke leaned up and brushed their lips together. Though Saitou didn’t move his own lips right away, the kiss remained tender and sweet, only deepening when Saitou took control. Wet sounds filled their ears as they made out on top of that hills. A muffled whimper joined the mess as Sanosuke was tugged further up into Saitou’s lap, their tongues battling it out. It was no surprise that Saitou won this match. Panting softly as Sano struggled to catch his breath, Saitou’s lips found the boy’s throat and started marking the skin while the trembling yokai clung to him, gripping onto his broad shoulders.
“Nn...ah..” Sanosuke tugged on Saitou’s hair hard enough that the cop finally pealed his lips off of Sanosuke’s throat which was now littered in darkening, claiming marks. “N-Not here cop…”
Saitou paused at that only to stand up with the yokai still in his arms and started down the path. “We’re going home.”
Sanosuke clung to Saitou’s strength as he was carried. “Home?”
“Yeah….home.”
Sanosuke’s eyes teared up at that, but he quickly buried his face in the crook of Saitou’s neck. The only way the cop could know that the boy was getting emotional was by the occasional sniffles.
He was going home….in the arms of the human he cared for…. Sanosuke finally belonged.