《SANCTUARY》 | Bungou Stray Dogs

January 10th // Fukuzawa Yukichi

Whaaaaat, an actual update? after a whole year??? :0000 lmaoo, A/N at the end!
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"Like this?"

"That's not how you strike to the neck."

"Then – how about this?"

"That's not how I taught you, Y/n."

Fukuzawa missed the glint of his own blade. The kitten burying its nose into his palm missed it too, and scampered off a second late. His throat had been left open – and had it not been you, standing proud as a stallion over his uncharacteristic fetal crouch...

"Was that any good, Yukichi?" An affectionate pat on his shoulder, and you were back to sword fighting an imaginary foe the way you wanted to – slashing erratically at the last of winter's breeze. He finally decided to forget the kitten, and instead took interest in you and your airy chuckles.

Even he wanted to know just what you were in his noble eyes.

Soft smile, chiseled confidence. Tender hugs, roughshod strength. Childish by nature, and every bit a woman in grace. Fukuzawa's ability was a tangible manifestation of man's underlying desire for balance, but even if your reckless ability needed his, he always begged to differ.

You were proof of order's inexistence without the spike of chaos. And whether he wanted to keep you or set you free, he didn't know either.

... No. He wanted to keep you. He definitely wanted to keep you.

"You've changed so much, yet so little," he remarked, having lost all the words he meant to stay. To that, you replied with a twitch of your frost-kissed nose and an amused "You talk like we're ten years apart."

You weren't. You were, however, a good 10 inches apart in height. He'd forever hold his jesting about that.

"We're not," he sighed. "January 10."

Lowering the sword and digging the blade into the snow shoveled sidewalk, you smiled again. "You're right, it is January 10th today."

"... It was January 10, twelve years ago, too."

"Yeah, would seem so. Have I changed so much?"

~

(12 years ago)

"YEAAAH! GET 'IM! GET HIM! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

If Fukuzawa weren't in a street brawl, he would've done a double take. 'Was that, just now, the laugh of this middle aged woman?'

"Which hand did he grope you with?"

"The right!"

Disgusted, Fukuawa narrowed his eye and tried his best not to wring the pervert's wrist.

"This is a warning," he murmured, which finally sent the guy scrambling away and into the shadows of a nearby alley. And even behind his back, his senses could pick up your profanities. What flustered him even more, was that you sounded somewhat disappointed, too.

"Thanks," you piped up.

He turned on his heel, and in an instant, his gumption fled as quickly as the pervert did. You weren't pressed down on his shoulders, but the weight of your scrutinizing stare was enough to deflate his lungs. Ribs caving in, he found himself stepping back.

You tilted your head at his hip, and he cleared his throat dry, losing his rigid street facade. Good god, he only wanted to ask you were hurt anywhere. You seemed to want to ask something you were hesitant about, too.

"Ah. Are you – Are you – "

"I thought – "

"All right?" He cleared his throat again, adjusting his haori.

"Actually – "

Both of you fussed at each other for a few seconds – and quite awkwardly at that – until you managed to complete your sentence first.

"Honestly, I was waiting for you to use your sword." You pointed a gloved finger towards the weapon at his hip. "To be carrying that around, you must be a martial artist of sorts. I wanted to see you swing."

"Mh," he nodded in reply. "... And I had no doubt you could handle yourself just fine, officer."

The corners of your mouth curled. You nodded in agreement, and your golden badge caught the sunlight. Clad in the bullet proof vest and the cap, you weren't exactly fooling anyone.

"I fight as well as any woman is able." You shrugged, then tapped your chin thoughtfully.

"That's too humble a thing to say."

"I'm on an investigation. Lots of talk about a freelancing 'silver blade'. He was an assassin at the government's beck and call... But was last sighted at the scene of his dead client."

You whipped the cap off your head and spun it distractedly on a finger, the wonder in your voice raw and piercing.

"You probably want to know if this is a personal investigation."

He did.

"It is! Out of sheer fascination, but it looks like I shouldn't be haggling into business that isn't mine.

Do you think so, Silver Wolf?"

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I believe this was an old request? It's unfinished, and I suppose it forever will be :""D  No matter what I do, I just can't seem to write just as good RIP-----

Mark my words, tho! I really, REALLY plan to put uo more chapters when my writing skills square da hecc up.

Thank you so much for the new reads and follows! It's starting to motivate me into picking this book up again.