Page 138 of A Soul to Touch

Before Faunus could pry any further, she saw the top of her chimney in the distance and almost sighed in relief.

“Come on, quick,” she said, knowing she was the one slowing them down. “The shadows are almost long enough that Demons might start approaching.”

After a few minutes of jogging on her part, they made it to the cleared centre of her front yard. She instructed him to tie its hind legs together by a long rope before he just... lifted the thing so she could tie it off at a height she could never reach.

Mayumi checked the rope leading to the ground hook to make sure it was perfectly secured. Then she ran inside and immediately dumped her weapons on her coat rack and up against the wall next to it with Faunus following in behind her.

Walking halfway across the main room, she was already stripping her clothes off. She dumped them in a messy ball on the single-seater couch she rarely used and walked into the storage room.

“Okay. So first, you’ll block your nose and then cut open the deer to attract the Demons. I’ll be in my usual spot on the roof, and you’ll be in the trees or the ground, whichever you prefer,” she said while jumping back into the main area with one foot inside her Demonslayer pants as she tried to get the other in. She almost tripped onto her face and had to steady herself. “I’ll watch your back and make sure you’re safe from harm.”

“I feel like we’re going about this the wrong way,” he grumbled with his arms folded across his chest and leaning against the door frame. “Aren’t you meant to be the one hunting them, and I protect you?”

His orbs were yellow, but she swore they flashed purple when she stood and placed her hands on her hips. It was probably because she was wearing nothing but her pants right then, her breasts out for him to see.

“Do you know what a hunting dog is?”

She groaned when he licked at his snout and quickly shoved her skin-tight, long-sleeved uniform shirt on. She tucked it into her black leather breeches to make sure it wouldn’t ride up and expose her back to the elements.

“I have seen dogs with humans, yes. Are they not just companions?”

Going back into the storage room, she grabbed her special boots from the personal chest she had sitting on top of another. Her personal items were often used, so they caused little dust to flurry into the air.

She always felt the urge to sneeze in this room, though.

“They are, but they’re also specially trained to hunt down other animals and kill or trap them. Depends on the commandit’s given.” Once more, Mayumi was hopping her way back into the room, a single foot thudding against the ground. “It’s a different way to hunt. The human protects the hound as it runs headfirst into danger.”

Faunus gave a mean growl. “I am not a dog, Mayumi.”

“I never said you were one!” she shouted as she got her second foot in her specialised boots. “But you have claws, fangs, and are super fast. You’re also really fucking strong, and I just can’t help myself from wanting to use your full potential.”

When she realised their talking had caused her to mix up her boots and put them on the wrong feet, she groaned and sat down to take them off. It was an easy mistake... when rushing.

She gave a shrug with one arm.

“Did you know you are literally the apex predator? It goes Duskwalkers, Demons, bears, wolf packs, and then mountain lions. Humans are barely even on the scale, even with all our swords and arrows.” She stood once her boots were on the right feet and started tucking her ponytail into the back of her leather uniform shirt so she could bring the hood over her head. She turned to him once she’d fastened the mouth covering over her face. “Look, I have a Duskwalker here, and I happen to think you’re pretty freaking awesome.”

Mayumi smiled under her face covering when his orbs changed into a reddish-pink in embarrassment.

“Why can’t I use you as an extension of myself in hunting, Faunus? We got the bait together, brought it back, and now webothget to lure Demons here and kill them. You, being the better half of our team, will take them down, while I, being the slow, weaker half, will be on the roof with my arrows. I will take any chance I can to kill them myself and make sure you aren’t taken from behind.”

The colour of his orbs darkened in their reddish-pink hue. He even fidgeted slightly by turning his head away, then looked up before coming back to her.

A frown crinkled her brows.I’ve complimented him before. Why is he acting so shy now?

She wondered if it was too many at once or if it was because she was complimenting his strengths rather than his body.

Regardless, Mayumi internally shrugged and came forward. She lifted her hands up and removed the cloth covering his snout before untying the enchanted rope clamping his jaws shut – thankful she didn’t have to cut it.

He spread his fangs apart, moving his bottom jaw side-to-side while rubbing it before clanking them shut.

Mayumi then reached up and dragged his head lower, cupping the top and bottom of his snout, as she kissed it through her face covering from the side.

“I trust you, and you’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to hunt with like this that isn’t from the guild.” She leaned her forehead against his bony jaw. “This is a big part of who I am. It brings me a lot of relief to not only be able to do this but also do it with you. I don’t want you to protect me as though I’m incapable, Faunus. I want to protect you as though I’m strong and cunning.”

“I trust you, too,” he said, as he rubbed his jaw against her. “But if I become enraged, my mind won’t be what it normally is. I won’t be able to see the difference between you and them, friend or foe. Everything will be prey, and you will smell much more enticing. I’m worried that I will turn on you.”

“You won’t,” she stated without a doubt. “And even if you do, I’ll just tie you up and wait you out.” A chuckle began to leave her right before she said, “Maybe we can have fun with that when the Demons are gone.”

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