Disclaimer: Shaman king does not belong to me, but to Hiroyuki Takei. If it was mine, then I wouldn't be bothering just the minority of you who actually read these fanfics with mine fantasies.
About the story… It takes place a couple of months after the end of the anime…
It's slight shonen ai, so… if you don't like those kind of stories, don't read it. I warned you.
So, please R&R, and excuse my grammar mistakes…
A soul of his
Yoh sat on the soft grass in his garden. He felt warm breeze on his skin and listened to the rustling of the leaves in the wind. It was so quiet… so calm…
He waited for everyone to be asleep before coming down here. He just wanted... needed some time alone...
The stars are shining so bright tonight... He was looking at the sky.
… so beautiful… Usually, watching the stars made him happy, but right now… he just felt empty.
He felt like that for some time now… In front of the others, though, he concealed it. He was the usual, carefree Yoh.
He wasn't sure they would understand it. None of them would. And so, every night, he would wait for everybody to be asleep, then he would come out, and watch the stars… alone… contemplating…
He was like this ever since the Shaman tournament had finished. Ever since… his battle with Hao.
But… why? He had done what everyone expected from him. What he believed was the right thing. It wasn't like Hao had left him any other choice, right? He did try to kill him, right?
So... then… why did it feel so very wrong?
Hao was his brother, that's why. So maybe he was the homicidal maniac, but still the same blood coursed through their veins.
I had no right… he was my brother… no… he was more than that… He was studying the Orion belt.
NO! I cannot… MUST not think like that. We were of the same blood. Then he saw it… a falling star… tearing the night sky…
He had a wish… but was afraid to wish it…
The worst thing about Hao was… A thought just passed through his mind… What if he wasn't really that wrong?
'Otouto…' his heart stopped beating as he heard the voice. He quickly turned around, but no one was in sight.
'Hao?' …no answer… He probably just imagined it. He wasn't really sure he actually heard it… His heart sank. This made him realise just how much he missed his twin.
He remembered the falling star.
'I wish you were here, Hao…' he muttered. Right away he felt silly. Wishing upon a star… what good will that do? His brother was dead! And he, Yoh Asakura, had his brother's blood on his hands. And there's nothing that was ever going to change that.
He angered at that thought. He grabbed a tuft of grass and threw it away.
'So… you finally said it, Otouto.' This time he did hear a voice. He jumped to his feet and turned around.
And there he was… leaning on the tree, with a smile on his lips. Yoh just stood still, paralysed… All he could do was not to cry.
'But what do you say we go talk somewhere more… private?' Hao reached out his hand to Yoh. For a moment Yoh did not move, looking at Hao, then at the hand… then he reached for it… still feeling confused…
Next moment, they weren't in the garden anymore, but in a cave of some sorts. A fire was lit in the middle, a blanket lying next to it.
'You're… you're…' he finally spoke…
'Alive… yes…' Hao finished.
'But… how? Didn't I kill…?'
'Almost…' the smile was no longer on his face '… you did a pretty good job, but did you honestly think you could kill me that easily?'
Yoh made no reply. He really had hoped so. And he was so glad that he is here now, with his… brother. He's my brother
'So, what took you so long?' after the starting shock has passed, Yoh was starting to get angry at his brother. Why didn't he come sooner for him? Why did he let him suffer all this months? What kind of a brother would have done such a thing? The same kind that would slash open his sibling's chest…
Hao just took his white cloak off, revealing his muscular chest. Yoh looked at the scar. It was more than enough to kill any normal… other human being... And it was just a little token of brotherly love…
'It took a while, till I healed, but after that… I waited for you to call for me…' smile was back on his face.
Yoh sat down on the blanket, watching the fire in the darkness of the cave.
'What made you think I would?' he asked him coldly.
Hao sat next to him, brushing hair off Yoh's face, finally resting his arm over Yoh's shoulders. Yoh shivered… this felt just too good…
'Because my dear, dear brother…' As Hao whispered in his ear, Yoh could feel hair on his neck rising… '…we are one and the same...'
Yoh closed his eyes… One and the same…
'We are the same soul, torn in two …'
…But same nevertheless…
'So you see... We belong together…'
… Together… yes…
'And I knew you would realise that, and call for me…'
…Brothers… We are…
'Besides… we are exactly alike, you and I…'
Yoh listened… letting Hao's hypnotic voice seduce him…
'…And you know why?
…You spilled my blood. You were ready and willing to murder your own flesh and blood, your own brother…' his voice was soft…
'And that's why I let you wound me…'
To make me realise that… yes… I know… Harsh lesson, wouldn't even you think so, brother?
...no… not brothers, one and the same… one soul, belong together… words sounded so beautiful. So natural. Yoh knew now that this was where he really, truly belonged…
So he turned to Hao. He was looking in his deep dark eyes, his dark brown hair… he is just so perfect…
With one hand, he traced Hao's scar, while other stroked his hair. And then gently and slowly he kissed him on the lips.
He drew back, ever so slowly, a smile on his lips.
There… all said and done…
And then he felt Hao's arms coiling around him, drawing him closer into another, much longer kiss.
When they finally parted, they just stayed there, in silence, lying next to each other. Hao's arm protectively put over his younger brother.
Yoh just lay there, enjoying every moment spent with his already twice lost brother.
They say that perfect love is when two hearts beat as one, when two souls understand and fulfil each other so they finally become one and the same… Well, what can be more perfect than this?
'Yoh…' his brother finally spoke. Yoh turned to face him. Hao stroked his hair and then kissed him once again, ever so gently…
'…stay with me Yoh…' he finally said, in a whisper, watching him with his deep dark eyes…
A long time Yoh had said nothing. He wanted to stay more than anything… but… he couldn't just leave his life… everything… everyone… his family, his friends, they were all out there.
He knew that if he stayed, he wouldn't be able to go back… ever… They would hate him for being a traitor… he knew that they just… wouldn't understand.
Then he looked at his brother…
'I will…' he quietly said, and sealed his answer with a kiss…