Autumn came early to the south-eastern reaches of Japan; it was merely the beginning of September, a month that would usually be pleasantly warm and sunny, and the town of Tokyo had been engulfed by a sudden wave of coldness that was responsible for throwing off any later-summer plans its inhabitants might have had. Due to the chilly air, people were easily forced into their heavy coats, with scarves wrapped around their necks and warm shoes covering their feet. An umbrella was to be kept close-by in case the dark sky decided to unexpectedly open up, soaking the city down to its very core.

It was late at night now, and while the surroundings were quiet, the nature was not. The gloomy grey clouds that had taken residence in the sky a few days prior poured down sheet after sheet of rain, lightening flashing in the sky while thunder rattled the otherwise still town.

In an old inn on the outskirts of the city, in a room shrouded by darkness, a blonde-haired, amber-eyed woman was having trouble falling asleep. The sheets tangled around her petite body, sighs of frustration and annoyance escaping her lips every now and then, she tried her hardest to keep her eyes closed and let herself be claimed by unconsciousness.

Hearing a storm unfold outside of the confines of her bedroom used to relax her; a peaceful feeling would wash over her, and the sound of raindrops hitting her window repeatedly would gently lull her to sleep. In the morning, she would always wake up feeling refreshed and in a relatively better mood than usual. It seemed like that would not be the case this time, though. But that was alright. Because then again, there would be nobody in the house who she could involuntarily take her anger out on. She was alone, completely alone… which takes us to the reason why she was unable to fall asleep, in the first place.

In the past, she could barely stand the thought of sleeping in the same room as another person. She was quiet, timid by nature; she cherished her privacy dearly. But ever since he came into her life, ever since she opened up and actually let him in… well, let's just say things had gone downhill for her independence and self-sufficiency.

Because now, instead of locking herself up into her room whenever she had problems, she chose to openly discuss them with him; instead of wandering outside in the middle of the night, hoping to clear her mind whenever she was brutally awakened by a horrible nightmare, she resumed at crying into his chest; instead of burying herself under layer after layer of blankets in her bed in an effort to keep warm in winter, she simply wrapped herself around him, absorbing the heat that his protective embrace so selflessly provided for her.

Needless to say, being without him now, even for a small period of time, was torture — pure, unadulterated torture. It was the fourth night that she wasted like this — trying to rest, but not quite managing to. He was gone on one of his so-called missions, his duties as the Shaman King needing to be respected and fulfilled, and was due home in another five days.

Now that she thought about it, this might as well be the longest they had been apart since they got married. The thought that there was a chance that, in the future, she would have to go even longer without his presence was terrifying — and in the middle of the night, vulnerable and emotionally worn out, Anna was not afraid to admit it.

She missed him — she missed him so damn much. Another day without him seemed unfathomable; how on earth would she deal with five more?

Releasing a quiet sigh, the blonde rolled over onto her side, facing the place he should have been occupying — a place that was now vacant, save for his pillow. Biting down on her lower lip in a vain attempt to keep herself together, she reached out with her hand, gently touching the fabric; then, in a sudden fit of rebellion, she grabbed it more roughly and swiftly brought it closer, partially hugging it to her chest as she buried her face into the soft material. Inhaling deeply, her senses were immediately flooded with his fresh, manly scent, and she was suddenly engulfed by a sense of comfort and security that she only felt when his arms were wrapped tightly around her, his muscular frame pressed against her petite one.

Reaching for the blanket at her waist, she arranged it so that it covered all of her body, for the room was cold, and her usual source of warmth was nowhere to be found. Snuggling deeper into his pillow, her eyes shut on their own accord, her ears picking up the sound of raindrops falling steadily from the sky — a sound that had once again become comforting.

Sleep claimed her before any other thoughts could cross her mind, offering her the well-deserved rest she was in such need of.

It was only in the wee hours of morning that she felt herself slowly awakening, as the bed dipped with another weight and someone removed the pillow from her grasp. A small noise of annoyance might have escaped her, which was rewarded with a soft chuckle. Strong arms guided her small body gently, handling her like a fragile piece of china as they carefully arranged it so that it melded to their owner's side. The refreshing, musky scent grew stronger as she unconsciously responded to his touch, returning the embrace.

The last thing she felt before she fell back into unconsciousness was his strong arm winding around her waist, along with the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat thumping reassuringly beneath her.

Making up for the lack of progress on Pieces of Me? :D The chapter is slowly but surely coming together. An update is in order before the year is out. Maybe even before Christmas.

Review!