[TEAM ONE] Setting Suns will Rise Again

[luciferxdamien.livejournal.com]

Aaah, running late and don’t feel like posting to Ao3 tonight. xD I’ll do that later.

One year later, an Ao3 link appears!



"I deserve that. I apologize," Saitou whispered around another yawn, bowing his head, eyes upturned and Sanosuke felt his heart sink.

This had all been his idea, after all, asking Saitou out with his friends. A lump formed in Sanosuke's throat, realizing just how uncomfortable Saitou had been with all of them. He hadn't even argued or tried to talk Sanosuke out of this, out of inviting him along. Saitou had just set his sword aside, dressing down from his police uniform into a kimono, and accepted his invitation to the festival, sword left at home.

He accepted, even though he was exhausted and Sanosuke bit his lip, feeling guilty for dragging him along like this. But the man needed to get out, have some fresh air, see the sun, instead of spending his days cooped up in the police station, only to come home and work some more, until Sanosuke pleaded him to lay down and rest.

“Haha, is this what happens to ogres when they come out during the day? Or are we just boring?” Yahiko teased and Saitou just smiled at him, while Sano wanted to strangle the kid. “Look, Kaoru! He’s yawning again! We must be really must be too boring for him. Or maybe he’s just getting too old to be up so late, hahaha.”

“How rude of me…” Saitou turned away, and he looked exhausted and Sanosuke felt frozen. “I really must apologize for this…”

Kaoru said something to Saitou again, her cheeks puffed out, and Saitou only bowed and apologized. Sanosuke's fist ached as he curled his fingers into his palm, resisting the overwhelming urge to pop her over the head.

He longed to be with Saitou as often as he could, and he hated leaving Saitou alone, left in their shared home with only his lonely thoughts. It wasn't in Saitou's nature to socialize more than necessary, but Sanosuke's heart always skipped a beat when Saitou did agree to come out with him.

And he was a fool, pining after a man that was so beyond him. Dignified and elegant and...

"H-hey... Where'd Saitou go?" Sanosuke spun around, looking for the wolf, but he was nowhere to be seen, and it was no easy feat for a man as tall as Saitou to hide in a crowd.

"Why do you always invite him along?" Kaoru said, indignant with her hands on her hips, as if she had no fault in chasing Saitou off. "He's so sour, I don't get what you even see in him, Sanosuke."

"K-Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin was between them, hands up and trying to calm him down, but he was pissed. Saitou turned down most of his invitations, and no wonder, with Kaoru or Yahiko chasing him off.

"Saitou might be sour, but at least he's not bitter!" It was petty of him, but it was worth it to watch the steam rising from her ears. He spun away before she could start in on him. Let Kenshin deal with her tantrum…

“Tch…” He was going to make more of an effort to keep her away from the sake, the next time Saitou came out with him. If, he did…

Sanosuke twisted and turned through the crowd, looking for the wolf, still wondering why Saitou had asked him to live with him, all those months ago. At the time, Saitou had said he had grown weary of dealing with the complaints brought against Sanosuke, for being up so late, so noisy, such a nuisance, but… But Sanosuke still held a hope deep in his heart that it was more than just a convenient arrangement for Saitou. And that is was more than just mere companionship for the wolf, as well.

"Saitou-san..." Sano heard Kenshin's voice and he stopped, straining to listen. He knew that Saitou would open up more to Kenshin than him, about something, things that Sano just wasn't there for. "Are you all right? This one worried when you left suddenly…”

"Hmm? Ah, Himura..." Saitou turned, his arms folded into the sleeves of his kimono, collars folded high up on his neck, like always. "I thought it best to leave, before I upset your Tanuki woman more... I am fine, however."

Saitou wasn't fine, smiling at Kenshin with his eyes upturned. That was the smile he used to disarm people and Sanosuke hated it.

"Saitou..." But Kenshin was no fool, and he could no doubt see the pain, too, that Saitou tried to hide.

"I miss them..." Saitou sighed, looking off and both he and Kenshin were left puzzled. "Your woman and the boy, they're so energetic and..." Saitou trailed off and smiled, a real smile and Sanosuke felt his heart lumping in his throat. "I..."

"Right..." Kenshin nodded. "The Shinsengumi..."

"Yes..." Saitou looked away again, the sun beginning to set, casting him in a warm glow. "I am he who remains of the Miburo."

Kenshin sucked in a breath. "So, they are all gone, are they?"

"Ah..." Saitou chuckled, shaking his head. "I see Nagakura from time to time, but he is..." he winced. "Busy writing his books... And there is Souji's elder brother, and we talk, but alas... That is painful for us both."

Sanosuke sucked in a breath. He knew that name, mostly from Saitou muttering things in his nightmares. His heart clenched, feeling jealous of a man that was long passed. Sanosuke wasn't even sure that Saitou and Souji had been lovers. And he really ought to stop staying up to watch over Saitou sleeping…

He sighed and a yawn snuck up on him before he realized he was supposed to be keeping quiet.

"Sanosuke..." Saitou whispered, looking in his direction. "There is no need to hide yourself away..."

Of course Saitou knew he was there the entire time... "Sorry," Sano whispered, shaking his head as he came around the corner.

Saitou smiled, soft and sad. "I do hope my restlessness doesn't keep you up at night..."

His chest ached, his throat burning as he tried to swallow. Warmth crept up his cheeks and down his neck and Kenshin was standing there. He hoped the setting sun cast a red enough glow to hide his blush, at least somewhat. “Y’don’t keep me up at night, Saitou…”

“I am sorry that my home is so small, and you are forced to share sleeping quarters with me, Sanosuke…” That was a lie, the house wasn’t so small, not at all. Kenshin was still there, Saitou’s golden eyes glinting in the fading sunlight, sharp and wicked and Sanosuke swallowed hard, trembling as he felt on the verge of being devoured.

“S-Saitou…”

Kenshin turned then, smiling as he tucked his arms into his kimono. “I think it best I go find Kaoru-dono, that I do, before she’s allowed anymore sake…”

It was just the two of them left, in that alleyway, people scuffling by as the festival continued on. Sanosuke hesitated, his fist aching at his side, but he made himself move, to stand next to Saitou, to watch the sunset as petals danced in the street.

“I do thank you, Sanosuke, for inviting me out.”

“O-oh… I’m, I’m kinda, surprised ya ain’t mad at me, or somethin’, I know you’re tired an’ all, an’-an Kaoru, with Yahiko, I know they can be a lot t’handle,” he was stuttering, flushing. A hand brushed against his, but he tried not to let his heart run away with his mind. Saitou was… Saitou was a much older man, so dignified and elegant, he couldn’t possibly be interested in Sanosuke that way.

“I might sleep better if… I had someone warm, to share my futon…” Saitou whispered after long moments passed between them.

Slender fingers entangled with Sanosuke’s, bent and crooked from fighting. He gasped, looking over at Saitou, the way his golden eyes focused far off, caught on a memory, or maybe just a hope… “Sai… Hajime?”

Saitou looked at him with a genuine smile. “That is, if such an invitation would be accepted…”

“Bastard,” Sano gasped out, pulling Saitou into him, pressing their mouths together. Months of controlling himself, to keep from doing just this, but it was worth it when Saitou groaned and kissed him back.

The sun set and he felt content, holding Saitou’s hand in his own as they walked home.


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