I want to say thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed my other fic! Thank you for reminding me there are so many awesome fans out there and I should post more fic for you guys!
I wrote this to celebrate watching the Toriko OVA, which basically just covers the first chapter.
If he focused, Toriko could still smell a faint hint of blood in the air. The wound on Komatsu's hand had mostly closed now, so the scent was nearly overpowered by the multitude of other smells still clinging to Komatsu's body. Overall the small chef stank with the lingering odors of an animal hunted and cornered and fearing for its life, but that would fade with time. What was most important right now was the scent of blood.
Toriko's supernatural metabolism had eventually taken him from too full to move to merely very pleasantly full. At the same time Komatsu had managed to finally exhaust himself. He was fast asleep now, curled up in an insensible heap by the fire. The low flames made flickering patterns across the canvas of his still face.
While they had eaten and rested, the other creatures inhabiting the island had slowly congregated once again about their camp in a search for scraps. The boldest ones were now close enough for firelight to glint in their eyes. The garara gator that had scattered them before was no longer something to fear, and many of them could surely catch the tempting whiff of Komatsu's blood.
Innocently oblivious, Komatsu slept on.
Toriko moved to lean over that tiny, defenseless body. He stretched one arm directly across Komatsu like a shield, clenching his fingers into the dirt as if to dig in with claws. Like a wolf defending a fresh kill he hunched his body, baring his teeth on pure instinct.
Just the faintest hint of his aura was enough to convince the creatures lurking just beyond the firelight that they would not find an easy meal here. Once again they scattered, knowing a predator to rival the garara gator when they saw him.
The wordless communication didn't cause Komatsu to so much as stir in his sleep. Toriko sat back enough to look down at that slack face, smiling with amusement. Komatsu had spent most of the day reacting with terror to the slightest thing, but now he slept as if completely assured of his safety. Well, with the company he was in he had the right. He would be kept utterly safe.
Toriko found he had taken quite a liking to the little chef. Komatsu was lively and likable enough, and fought on in spite of his fears. Besides, once Toriko had convinced him to help carve up the garara gator he had pulled his weight with the obvious skill befitting of a head chef.
Shifting to lie comfortably on his back next to Komatsu, Toriko let out a contented burp and stretched out to sleep. He would stay close to his companion tonight, more than close enough to wake if anything crept up on Komatsu while he slept.
If anything tried to take a bite out of Komatsu he would be serving it up for breakfast. That had been decided before Toriko even had time to think about it. Komatsu slept on at his side, snoring softly, as if knowing by instinct that he was completely protected.