Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Keep the Shadows At Bay ❯ Dark Shadows In the Night ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Keep the Shadows At Bay

Part 1:

Dark Shadows In The Night

By Chaosdreamer

< < < < <> > > > >

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Warning: This is a yaoi fic! Also a Saitou x Sanosuke pairing! You have been warned. I will be altering the backgrounds of certain people. I will do my best to stay in character, but I will be trying to represent more depth and alternate background for my favorite character, Sanosuke Sagara. Also, the main pairing with be Saitou/Sanosuke, so you have been warned!

There WILL be talks of rape and attempted rape, although there will be nothing graphic. If anyone has any problems with this, then I ask that you hit the back button right now. I am sorry if I make anyone uncomfortable, but I am trying to portray the harsh realities that many people have endured, although I have not a fraction of ability to possibly even comprehend what victims of rape or attempted rape go through.

< < < < <> > > > >

I couldn't believe it! That asshole, Saitou Hajime, was alive! Hell, he's been in Tokyo for the last three months! That guy just come strutting in like he owns the place, practically running the entire police station. Cho had followed him to Tokyo, and in less than a week crime had dropped almost by half and young and old officers were practically falling over themselves in reverence to the two men's exploits.

And Saitou hadn't even bothered to tell any of us that he was coming to Tokyo, let alone informing us that he had survived after the battle with Shishio in Kyoto, remaining in the city while we were there as well waiting for Kenshin to heal from his wounds.

…Well shit then…

Admit it, A sardonic voice whispered knowingly in the back of my mind, you were afraid that he had neither died from the fall nor had he been burned alive.

I didn't bother to respond to that wayward thought, merely continuing to trudge down the main streets near Ruffian Row. A cloudy sky barely allowed any sunlight to pass through, making it a cool and gloomy day for wandering around Tokyo while Kenshin and the others were busy cleaning the dojo since Kaoru had gotten into another cleaning fit. I had conveniently vacated the area, although I had wondered so far into town that I was unable to recognize where I was at the moment.

With my luck I'll probably get lost…This has not been my best day.

Understatement of the year. Waking up to the screeches and curses of my neighbors once again fighting. Visiting one of my buddies in a hospital since he had almost gotten mugged and the jackass who had attacked him had pulled out a knife and nearly gutted my friend. Finding out two days ago that Saitou was alive, which had definitely been a big shocker all on its own. I think it surprised Kenshin and the others that I didn't confront the amber-eyed man immediately and demanded a fight to settle old scores. Truthfully, though, I knew they just expected that from me, given my inability to sometimes control my temper and rush headlong into physical confrontations without considering the price beforehand.

Hey, I'm a nineteen-year-old former fighter-for-hire. What did ya expect me to do, write a letter of congratulation and welcoming to the guy?

I growled softly, my right hand balled into a fist at my side. Damn it. Every time I thought about that damn cricket-faced man, anger boiled furiously throughout my blood. But at the same time I couldn't deny the slight shiver of trepidation that traced along my skin whenever I recalled the man's golden eyes and the sharp features painted across his face. The eyes and face of a lone wolf baring its fangs within the shadows.

That damn, frustrating, egotistical, smirking.…argh!!! I managed to resist using my fists in order to better express my frustration, much to the possible appreciation from the vendors and their stalls.

"Did you read about it in the newspaper?" An elderly man whispered some distance away to another man next to him, their heads bent close together as they spoke softly. I unintentionally managed to catch large portions of their hissing discussion.

"Yes," The other man answered with a stiff nod, "Another person was raped last night. This time it was a young boy."

I somehow found the strength not to stumble when hearing those harsh words, harsh almost forgotten memories digging their talons deep beneath my skin.

The elderly man tsked softly. "Poor lad. The police had to call for a carriage to take him to a doctor. I doubt the young man will be able to handle the news of what happened to him when he wakes up. And his poor family…his mother was in tears and the father looked as if he were in a state of shock."

"I heard that the boy was pretty beat up, as well as the other victims. The person who raped them doesn't seem to have a problem with beating his victims senseless no matter how much they begged him for mercy." The other responded.

I shuddered softly, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

Not now...please not now… I begged fruitlessly, trying to ignore the heavy pounding of my heart, my chest heavy from the sudden inability to draw in enough air into my lungs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Let go of me!!!!" A young voice shouted within my head.

The sound of a rough fist slamming into flesh and the sharp cry of a young boy.

"Stop it! Please!" Th plea was ignored, the sound of ripping fabric harsh and sharp as it cut through the air.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damn it! I thought I had buried those memories away years ago! I was just a kid when that man tried to…..I managed to hurry away from the two men deep in discussion, amazingly not drawing attention to myself as I hurried away from the memories that were trying to smother me with their intoxicating presence.

The sharp clap of a hand on my shoulder nearly caused me to leap out of my skin. I nearly pulled a muscle in my neck when I whipped around to see who it was behind me. Familiar gold eyes stared down at me with mute curiosity and I swallowed away the remaining tendrils of fear that were trying to dig their way deeper into my furiously beating heart.

"What's the matter, roosterhead?" Saitou inquired, his police hat tipped ever so slightly to the side, allowing someone a perfect opportunity to witness the intensely scrutinizing gaze that was unfortunately locked onto me.

"N-Nothing." I muttered, pulling my shoulder out of his grasp, turning my head away to avoid his blunt questioning stare. "It must be this heat…"

"Ahou. It's the middle of winter." If anything Saitou drew even closer, the stiff material of his uniform drawing even closer to the loose folds of my white kenkaya outfit. "You're sweating." He observed thoughtfully.

His words immediately made me aware of the cold beads of sweat that were trailing down my back and the lone bead of moisture tracing the edge of my jaw. I mumbled something indistinguishable, slowly backing away from the Mibu no Ookami. It was a stupid thing to do since Saitou's gaze narrowed at my lack of furious words aimed towards him. I half-heartedly muttered an attempted curse, my simple words of 'Suspicious bastard' hardly seeming to sate Saitou's sudden curiosity about my lack of ability to respond accurately to his questions.

"What do you want anyway?" I asked, not understanding why Saitou was cruising through this part of town, the man usually most commonly seen walking the market place or within the more lavish and more populated residential houses.

"I'm sure you've heard something or another about the rapes that have been taking place for the last two months or so." Saitou answered calmly, the four long strands of hair adding intense focus to the frustration and muted anger burning within his hard gaze. "Thirteen rapes is something that the police will not tolerate; even one rape or attempted rape will be quickly dealt with."

I only managed a short nod at the information before choosing my next words. "You still haven't answered my question."

Saitou's focused attention on me once again nearly made me cringe. "I will tell you this once, ahou, so listen well. Don't wander the streets at night, Sanosuke. That's when the attacks happen, especially around the area where you gamble and walk home."

There were many things that surprised me from Saitou's order. One was that he had used my name. Another was that he took the interest to acknowledge where I live and hang around, let alone the various routes I take to get home.

Of course, a small spark of anger ignited inside of me. Didn't he ever think I'd be able to take care of myself? I did help him and Kenshin when we dealt with Shishio and his fighters, adding my strength into the grueling battles whenever I was capable of doing so.

But still…My shoulders slumped visibly, when have I have ever argued well with Saitou's reasoning? "Fine. Whatever, cricket-man."

*WHAP*

"OW!" I yelped, wincing as I clapped my hands over the top of my head, the sharp smack stinging from the hand that had slapped the top of my scalp. "What was that for?!" I demanded, not able to avoid pouting from the sudden surprise attack, convinced that I hadn't done anything to deserve the sudden smack.

"Ahou ga. Disrespecting a police officer can end with you spending the night in jail." Saitou warned, sticking an unlit cigarette between his lips, the dull hiss of a match striking and the lit flame rising to spark a small ember of yellow light at the tip of the white cylinder.

Oh please, spare me the threats…Like the grown adult I was I disregarded Saitou's words like the mature person I am.

Okay, fine, I stuck my tongue out like a young kid being patronized by his parent. Happy now?

My antics only seemed to amuse Saitou, his face visibly smoothing of any anger and frustration that had been there earlier. "You're such a child." He chuckled. I muttered indignantly, a few choice words muffled beneath my breath. Saitou sighed softly, releasing a thin trail of smoke that created a white cloud around his face. "It's one of the many things that makes you so alluring."

"Huh? What?" I asked, confused at the sudden turn of discussion. Since when did me being 'alluring' or whatever come into this? "Are you talking about that guy who is attacking those people?" I asked curiously, assuming that's what Saitou was talking about.

Saitou lifted a thin eyebrow, looking like a large bird of prey inspecting a small mouse that had performed a unique trick. "You have no idea, do you?"

"Huh?" Yeah, my vocabulary is really profound, really.

Saitou sighed, seeming to draw in a large amount of patience. A gloved hand patted the top of my head. If that wasn't enough to surprise me, then Saitou's long fingers tangling with the soft spikes of my hair was enough to gain my attention. I looked up at him crossly, giving him enough of a glare to portray how little I was enjoying being petted.

"You really are naïve, ahou. You have no idea how much attention you attract with that body and those eyes of yours. Men and women both are drawn to you like moths to a flame, yet you merely walk by them without even noticing those who would love to perform the most carnal of acts with you." Saitou huffed softly with an air of long suffering. "Innocence and the fire of youth and impudence all rolled into one body. You have no idea how potent of a mixture that is."

My face was definitely beet red from Saitou's calm words, though I didn't bother to snuff the small growl as I wrestled to try to remove his hand from the top of my head, although Saitou merely shifted his hand so that it cupped the back of my head. "I'm not a dainty little virgin, old man." I growled, although a brighter flush of color washed over my face.

"Dainty? No. A virgin?" Saitou laughed softly, "Your flush gives that away."

"Aw, shut up-"

"And because of the amount of temptation that hovers around you," Saitou interrupted, his eyes once again hard as they locked my gaze to his, "That is why I do not want you out on the streets at night alone."

"W-wait a second!-"

"Heed my words, ahou. I won't repeat myself. I have a low tolerance for disobedience, especially when it concerns a person's well being."

"You may be a police officer, but that doesn't give you the--" I jumped as the hand behind my head clenched, reminding me that it was still there. I suddenly found myself pressed up against Saitou's chest, hands trapped between our chests as my head was caught tightly within Saitou's grasp and pulled back as warm lips covered mine, almost suffocating me with intense heat and the taste of nicotine.

What the hell?! I gasped against the sudden onslaught, my mouth unintentionally opening as I made an involuntary sound. Saitou dove in for the kill, his tongue snaking its way past its lips, twisting around mine in a blatant act of domination, lips and teeth forcing my mouth to open wide beneath his attack. I met Saitou's gaze, his eyes alive and burning fiercely with an intense heat that nearly made me weak in the knees.

"Mmmpphh!!!!" I whimpered, clenching my eyes tightly shut as my lungs begged for air, my hands pushing against the center of Saitou's chest. To my relief Saitou finally pulled away, his tongue pulling out with a lasting flick across the inside of my bottom lip. Pulling away I was thankful that there was no one around to have witnessed our little spectacle, otherwise I'd never live through the embarrassment of Megumi or even Yahiko having seen something like that happen. I gulped in a large breath of air, clapping my left hand over my mouth, still tasting Saitou on my lips and on my tongue. The soft flesh of my lips was red and almost painful from the forceful presence of when teeth and lips had opened my mouth to his attack. "Y-YOU! What was that for!!?" I gulped raggedly, confused, flustered, and angry, those emotions all rolled into one. It didn't help when Saitou merely smirked at my indignant expression, allowing me to witness how his tongue ran along his bottom lip and across his upper front teeth and canines. I sputtered furiously, not able to find the words to express neither my fury nor the ability to try to pound the man's face in.

"Hmph. Calm down, ahou, it was just a kiss." Saitou tsked, bringing his lit cigarette back to his lips, although for the life of me I couldn't figure how he kept that damn thing lit during the kiss let alone make sure neither of us had been burned by its close proximity.

"From you!!" I said indignantly, practically bristling as Saitou merely blew a stream of smoke in my direction.

"Caution." Saitou warned, catching my chin between his middle and index finger, "The next time I won't be so willing to let you go so easily."

"Next time? Bastard, there won't be a next time!! Anyway, why the hell are you even interested in me in the first place?!" I demanded, tugging my face away from his loose grip, watching him with a wary gaze.

"You are such a moron, you never seem to grasp the complete picture. All right then, I'll explain it in the simplest terms so that you may understand. You may be a young impudent, temperamental, whiney, generally uncouth brat…"

Aw, geez, flatter me, why don't ya? I wondered sarcastically, my face portraying my lack of amusement towards Saitou's continuing speech.

"However, you also have an immense amount of pride, honor, immense empathy for those you care about, an intriguing sense of naivete without bordering on being ignorant, as well as a pleasing desire to prove yourself." Saitou smirked as another blush burned across my face. "And don't try to disillusion yourself about there not being a next time, ahou. Once a wolf has sunk his fangs into his prey," Saitou offered a pleasant grin that did not fool me now nor the first time he had used it when we met for the first time, "The wolf will not allow its prey to flee."

< < < < <> > > > >

"Sano! I haven't seen you for almost two days!" Kenshin greeted me brightly as I closed the main door into the Kamiya household. I grinned in response to his enthusiastic greeting. Obviously the past few days of cleaning hadn't dampened his spirits, although Yahiko was looking decidedly grumpy as he stomped towards the dojo to train with Kaoru.

Yes, two days had passed since I had conveniently passed on visiting the Kamiya residence in order to avoid having to help with cleaning the place. It had also been two days since I run into and had that little incident with that bastard Saitou.

Damn it! I couldn't even admit that the 'little incident' had been a deep breath-wrenching kiss without a full-blown blush washing over my face. Fine! It was a kiss, damn it, and there wouldn't be anything more like that! Nope! Not gonna happen!

"There you are!" Kaoru shouted from the dojo entrance, waving her shinta dangerously through the air in my direction, "Don't think you can fool me, Sano! I know you weren't around so that you could avoid helping out!"

"I think she's onto me, Kenshin." I whispered conspiratorly to Kenshin, the shorter redhead laughing at my loudly staged words. Kenshin turned a little to face me at a better angle, his mouth opening to say something yet closed immediately, his amethyst eyes were focused over my shoulder, his gaze narrowing ever so slightly at whatever had caught his interest behind me.

I looked over my shoulder, jumping as I recognized both Cho and Saitou standing in the entrance behind me, Cho tilting his head in greeting while Saitou merely smirked at the attention he had gained. Both were dressed in police attire, although Cho forgoing the police cap since his stalk of blond hair had on numerous occasions flipped the hat off of his hat, much to the amusement of those around him.

"Saitou, what are you doing here?" Kenshin inquired as I moved to stand beside him in order to face the two men.

"Another attack took place last night within this neighborhood. We need to ask some questions about anything strange you may have heard within the past day or so." Saitou answered, pulling his cap off and tucking it underneath his arm, conveniently above where his left hand was resting above the hilt of his katana.

"Oh." Kaoru said softly, holding her shinta distractedly between her worried grip, "Well then, I guess we can use one of the rooms in the house, if that's alright with you-"

"We will need two separate rooms." Cho interrupted.

"Oro?"

"What for?" Yahiko demanded, silenced when Kaoru batted him on top of his head for his rudeness.

"I'll be questioning ya all about the previous night or so." Cho answered, "While Saitou here talks to tha roosterhead about some happenings around Ruffian Row." Cho indicated to the taller man beside him.

Oh sure! Put me in a solitary room with the cricket man, why don't you?! I opened my mouth to argue and demand a different room arrangement but Saitou merely grabbed me by the arm, tugging me away towards the interior of the house. The former member of the Third Squad of the Shinsengumi ignored the intense amethyst eyes glaring into his back as well as the flustered young woman who escorted Cho inside to another room of the house that could hold all of them comfortably.

"Hey, slow down!" I ordered even as Saitou bustled us into a large and comfortable room, closing the sliding door behind us.

"Make yourself comfortable." Saitou said casually, releasing me so that he could comfortably sit down on his knees in a formal seiza position where an individual is seated upon their knees. Saitou removed his sheathed katana from his left hip, placing it alongside the cap on top of the low table beside him. Acknowledging that there was no way to avoid him I sighed in defeat, dropping down to sit Indian-style with several feet between us, "So what do you need to ask me?" I asked, since this was something possibly relevant to helping the police find the rapist that was running loose on the streets of Tokyo.

"Has anyone new moved into the Ruffian Row?" Saitou began, not having to pull out a writing utensil or a pad of paper since his memory was sharp enough to remember whatever information was given.

I scratched my head thoughtfully. "Only two that I can remember. Old Ganzo moved out to live with his son, so a small family with one little girl moved in shortly afterwards. Then another tenant further down was kicked out for starting a huge fight among his neighbors, so the landlord just moved a guy in there."

"And did the man move in alone?" Saitou inquired.

"Yea. Pretty good size guy too. 'Bout as tall as you though a little bigger in the shoulders and arms."

"What else does he look like?"

"…Long black hair, kind of scraggly looking, about down to the middle of his back. He's got a mean cut along his cheek just recently. Any other marks I can't see since he wears a pretty long almost western style shirt."

"This wound on the man's cheek, could you tell what may have made the mark?"

"It was kind of thin and ragged along the edges. A blade couldn't do that, since the cut would be a lot smoother."

Saitou nodded his head in agreement. "How long has it been since the man moved into the Ruffian Row?"

"Let's see…" I bit my lip, trying to remember when I first starting seeing the guy coming and going, "Little over a month ago, maybe even two months."

"Hmmm.." Saitou seemed deep in thought for quite a span of time. "The victim from two nights ago managed to survive the attack and also wound her assailant. She says she hit him across the face with her fingernails. It surprised him enough for her to run away and luckily bump into an officer patrolling the area. Your 'neighbor' has also begun conveniently living within Ruffian Row just about the time the attacks began to occur."

"No way…Are you saying that guy who's attacking and raping those people may be living five houses down from me?" I demanded, startled from the information suddenly laid out before me, my hands clenching tight into the fabric of my white pants.

A rapist practically living next door…rapist… I shuddered faintly, snuffing out the vivid images before they sunk their claws in.

"It's too soon to make such a powerful accusation, though there is a need to look into the information surrounding this neighbor of yours." Saitou said dispassionately, not helping to soothe my worries, although easily noticing my physical reaction towards the knowledge that a rapist may be living close by to where I lived.

"But if he's…" I couldn't finish the sentence, merely concentrating on the white bandages wrapped around my right hand, idly thinking to myself that I needed to visit Megumi soon in order to have the wrappings changed.

A smooth white-clad hand caught my right hand, the comparison of our two hands making mine appear smaller and even paler with its wrappings within Saitou's grasp. I glanced up, gulping shallowly as I realized how close Saitou now was, his knees pressing up to mine. Saitou appeared to inspect my hand with keen interest, his fingers tracing along the tightly bandaged fingers yet careful as if he could tell that the bones were still mending even though it didn't hurt to clench my hand into a fist. "Now you know why I didn't want you wandering the streets at night, ahou. If this is the man doing all of the attacks, then he's been this close to you the entire time. You have no idea how fortunate you are to be in good health if that is the case." I drew in a sharp hiss of air when Saitou pressed his lips against the palm of my hand, the tips of my fingers reaching far enough to feel the long strands of his hair tickle across them.

Suddenly I found myself on my back, the tatami flooring taking the impact lightly, Saitou's katana and cap wobbling slightly as our body weight landed unevenly. I glanced up worriedly, my right hand still caught within Saitou's left, the amber-eyed wolf leaning over me. I jumped slightly as he leaned closer, my legs drawn even closer to press against his sides as he shifted to lie within the cradle of my hips. A smooth and hard smash of lips cut off any furious demands, my mouth once again opened up beneath his attack of lips, tongue, and teeth. I groaned softly into the kiss, unable to push him off, my left hand grasping his shoulder tightly, wrinkling the dark blue fabric. Saitou growled against my mouth, the fierce rumble trickling down my throat and causing me to shiver in trepidation. The man tilted his face so that his tongue seemed to plunge deeper into my mouth, somehow pulling mine into his mouth, the immense heat of Saitou's mouth and the smooth touch of his tongue along mine making me feel lightheaded. I jerked viciously as Saitou's hips pressed firmly to mine, a noticeable bulge between his legs easily portraying that he was enjoying his position very much.

I couldn't smother the whimper of doubt, jerking my mouth away from his. "W-w-wait! I don't want this!" I gulped, pushing ineffectively with my elbows to try to rise up. Saitou merely allowed his full body weight to drop on top of mine, and I was pressed down completely.

"Relax. I won't hurt you." Saitou shushed gruffly, damp brush of lips trailing down my face.

"That's not…that kind of thing can't do anything but hurt…" I moaned softly, turning my face away from Saitou's, hiding my face against my arm. I almost flinched when strong hands grasped my face, unconsciously expecting a hard blow like the last time I had turned my face away from a man pressed against me.

"It doesn't always have to hurt." Saitou murmured, his words trying to soothe me, as one would do with a cornered and injured animal. I shook my head in denial, "You're lying!" I hissed, finding myself struggling fiercely within Saitou's grasp, the samurai having a surprisingly hard time keeping me still beneath him.

"Sanosuke!" Saitou barked sharply, his words effectively stilling me, his hands wrapped tightly around my wrists and trapping them firmly against the tatami floor. "You don't have to be so afraid!"

"How can you say that?" I demanded, my mind and voice suddenly numb, "There's a possible rapist practically living next door to me, and you want me to act calm? You can't- You don't know what's its like to be shoved into a dark alley and pinned roughly to the ground! No matter how much you scream and beg, no one is listening! And he- he wouldn't stop hitting me, no matter how much I fought or even when I stopped fighting him!" I sobbed weakly, holding back the tears of regret and humiliation that threatened to spill, "He just laughed at me when I begged him to stop. And then- he started to tear off my clothes. By then he had hit me so hard across my skull that I couldn't even lift any of my limbs to push him away."

My head fell back onto the floor as I relived those painful moments when I had stumbled away hours after seeing Captain Sagara's head mounted in the town plaza like some sort of sacrificial offering. "One act of mercy was when I passed out from the shock and the pain, right before he began to tear my pants off."

I sighed softly, remembering how the darkness had clouded my vision just as the shadows had risen behind the large man above me, his yellow crooked teeth and mouth reeking of alcohol. "But I knew what had happened. When I woke up I had somehow ended up in a hospital. The nurses were removing my old clothes in order to throw them away, but I was coherent enough to see that my clothes were completely covered in blood."

I blankly met Saitou's gaze, noting that I had his avid attention, "And that is why I am so afraid of running into another guy just like the man ten years ago. In that one evening, the proud nine-year-old Sagara Sanosuke became a man's whore." I closed my eyes dispassionately, accepting the conclusion that I had come up with so many years ago, no matter how many times the doctors and nurses had assured me that I wasn't to blame for the attack.

*SLAP*

The harsh sting across my cheek jolted me. I pressed my hand over the stinging redness, realizing that Saitou had just slapped me, his left hand still raised.

"You fool," Saitou hissed with an intense look that scared me, one of the few times I have ever seen him so livid, "you act as if you deserved to be attacked."

"I should have been stronger. I should have fought him harder-"

"You-were-a-child." Saitou growled, with each pronounced word giving me a rough solid shake. "No matter how painful it is, it is in the past. You can't change the past by saying 'I should have'. You should be grateful that you are alive, Sanosuke. Most people don't come out as fortunate."

"But-" Saitou didn't allow me to finish. Instead he jerked me tightly against him, wrapping me tightly within his arms. I turned my head to the side in order to avoid being smothered against his chest, finding myself relaxing within the solid warmth surrounding me, not having the mental or physical strength to continue fighting him.

"Be quiet, ahou ga." Saitou ordered, one hand shifting restless through my spiked hair. I sighed softly, bending compliantly under his command, closing my eyes as I listened to the endless repeating mantra of Saitou's words.

It is in the past. You can't change the past by saying 'I should have'. You should be grateful that you are alive, Sanosuke. Most people don't come out as fortunate.

…Am I fortunate?…

Idiot, A voice whispered sarcastically in the back of my head, look where you are now. Look at the people around you. Don't you consider yourself fortunate to have them with you, even if they are only a memory?

I mulled over those words, thinking of the past. Captain Sagara, Kenshin, Yahiko, Kaoru, Megumi, Misao, the Aoiya, Katsu... The happiest of moments and the worst of moments selfishly tucked away within the safest corners of my mind…

…And this man above and on top of me, seeming to try to shield me away from the brutal memories that had followed me for ten years, the Wolf of Mibu shielding Zanza, the lone wolf. The warmth of his body surrounding mine, our limbs tangled so that we were pressed together fully from head to toe.

I suppose then…that I am fortunate…I pressed my face closer to Saitou's chest, winding my arms around his torso in an effort to draw in his heat…

I just wonder how long it will take me to finally realize and appreciate that?

Next Part (Coming Soon):

Part 2:

Red Moon, The Wolf's Conquest