A/N- this is not part of the Livejournal Community, I just like using their themes. Saitou/Tokio. Because there's not enough of them. First Rurouni Kenshin fic, please don't crucify me.

Theme #19: red

Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Saitou finally gave in to the urge to light a cigarette—the striking of the match and subsequent flame that followed with a puff of smoke came so naturally and fluidly that it was as though he hadn't moved at all.

"Hajime, now? Your ashes ruins the pureness and beauty of the snow," a soft but amused voice interrupted his bored contemplation as he opened his narrow golden eyes to stare at his wife Tokio. She was standing several feet away, dressed in heavy layers and reveling in the pure white flakes making their home and ultimate demise on her dark hair and face.

Saitou's response was to flick the ashes onto the purely white, just-fallen snow. Tokio scowled. The left corner of his mouth twitched up into a smirk. He loved to rattle her nerves.

"It'll fall again, Tokio," he answered, as though explaining things to a child. "Cover your face, I'm not nursing you back to health if you get sick."

The smallest of smiles on Tokio's lips had the power to entirely brighten her already pretty face—and, deep down, Saitou thought she was the most beautiful creature in the world.

Not that he'd ever admit it to her. She may not show it often, but Tokio had quite an ego, and he'd thought it'd be good for her to knock her down a couple of pegs every now and then.

"You're wearing less layers than I am, anata," she stuck her tongue out, dancing back several steps away from him, spinning in a circle with her arms outstretched.

"I am not so weak as to fall victim to such trifles as cold weather," he retorted, putting out the cigarette in the patch of snow he had ruined earlier, but instead of leaving the stub, he set it in the pocket at his chest. He would dispose of it once he was out of Tokio's sight. "You, however…"

"You're such a curmudgeon," she nearly sang, still twirling in the snow, laughing with the joy of a child. Saitou watched her movements in silent admiration, taking in her long lashes studded with the cold white gems of snowflakes; her cheeks kissed red from the cold air. Utterly desirable.

"You—are such a child," he retorted, walking towards her until he was able to reach out and redo her scarf more securely around her, covering her neck and the bottom half of her face from the cold. Her eyes squinted from what he knew was a full-blown smile hidden under the red wool. "I hope you don't teach our children such frivolities."

Her cheeks brightened from what he knew was not a result of the cold. They had only been married a year, after all, and despite years of being in love with him, she was still shy about such things. He smirked at the result of his teasing, standing even closer so there was scant inches between him. She was so much smaller than him—her nose came even with his chest.

He tugged the red scarf from her mouth and she immediately exhaled a breath of warm air—the resultant vapor condensed on the buttons of his police uniform. He bent, and she stood on her tiptoes, grabbing at his jacket and using it as leverage as their lips met in a soft kiss that held more than words could ever convey.

As soon as he pulled away, he tugged the scarf back over her mouth, and she leaned forward to rub her cold nose against his chest.

Finally, Saitou pulled away, taking a few steps from her. "Come, woman, you're late in making my dinner."

He did not see her glare at his back, but he sure felt it, and an emotion he could only describe as glee overcame him. Yes, he loved to rile her up.

Don't know when the next chapter will be. This is just something I'm going to write on the side, so updates will be sporadic. Hope you like! Let me know what you think!

Edit: 1/16/12. Just fixed the sentences up a bit so they were a little more fluid. Er, hopefully.