Soda and a Kiss
A Shaman King Romance Ficlet
By Kikei
-
A/N: I have to say, I'm pretty proud of this ficlet. In my opinion, writing in Anna's POV is very hard, yet very rewarding and INCREDIBLY fun, so all in all I'm content with the revisions I've made on it over the years. Although I'm not all that content with the title. Ugh.
...Oh, well. I shall keep it. Just this once.
-
DISCLAIMER: Kikei does not own anything. :3
-
SUMMARY: But even the most coldest of Ice Queens needs a little kiss on this romantic of days.
-
Arrgh.
Anna continued to stare at Yoh's neatly wrapped present in front of her that was covered in a thin, orange paper that was known as "Gift Wrap" to the cashier at the store counter. She frowned at it, continuing her low "Humph"-ing as she ran her small, nimble fingers through the silken red ribbon that added a somewhat finishing touch to the simple present.
Why was she doing this, anyway? Anna sighed, reaching up to brush a stray wisp of blonde away from her narrowed, black eyes. Just because she and Yoh were engaged didn't necessarily mean that they had to shower each other with gifts (technically, however, the both of them had never actually GIVEN the other a real gift before, unless you counted the time where Yoh gave Anna a PICTURE of the gift he was supposed to give her for her birthday, of course). Other than that, though, gifts were usually an unmentioned topic in the Asakura residence.
But... why now? Especially on a meaningless, corporate-run holiday such as Valentines Day? If Anna really wanted to, she could've given Yoh this kind of present any time of the year. Sure, Anna loved Yoh; it was no secret. The fact that he was the only one she really cared about was enough of a hint. But why a... gift? Why something so... materialistic? Why not a simple, "Happy Valentines Day," like Yoh greeted Anna today when they ran into each other in the hallway in the morning?
Perhaps it was the thought of actually saying something nice to Yoh for once; for if she gave him a gift, all she had to do was hand it to him and force him, in her strict, cool voice, to run twenty laps around the neighborhood as if nothing happened.
Or perhaps it was the fact that this time, she was determined to show him. Show him how much she really cared, intentionally, instead of subliminally, that she was in love with him and that she cared for him more than anyone else. It was time he knew.
Hmm.
...It was probably just the fact that she wanted to do something different this year. Yeah. That was it.
Sure.
...Ahem.
Finally deciding that adding gift wrap and a red ribbon was a complete waste of money and time, the golden-haired blonde quickly unwrapped the present and stuffed it into a thin, plastic bag. The gift itself wasn't all that glamorous, really. It was just some chocolates, a few old records that sold for 1080 yen per 2 albums, and a "SOULBOB" keychain. Feeling that it looked too plain, she tied the red ribbon on top, smirking at the effect it gave her present.
"...hmm."
Grabbing a pen and a grey piece of paper ripped off from the latest edition of "Funbari Times", her hands carefully maneuvering itself to write, "TO: Yoh, FROM: Anna. Enjoy or die." The blonde smiled as she admired the elegant English words that she had mastered, the letters written in a fanciful, loopy cursive. She smirked again. The present was ready.
Sliding open the door to her room and slowly closing it behind her, she carefully made her way toward her fiancee's room, present in hand.
"Oh, PLEASE, Manta! I could TOTALLY win a milk-drinking contest against that arrogant Chinese!"
"...I'm RIGHT HERE, you snow-eating bastard."
Ugh.
"Oh, crap..." The blonde's eyes narrowed irritably at Yoh's ajar, wooden door, frowning. "His idiot friends are here. How the hell am I supposed to give this stupid gift to him now?"
Anna grumbled to herself, tempted to run into his room and pull out her spike-covered club and continue to clobber everyone within a 5-mile radius. If she didn't force them to leave soon, they'd have to sleep over! That fact right there ruined Anna's whole plan of SUBTLY handing Yoh his gift.
Looking down at her gift, she felt a pang of hurt and anger. How DARE Yoh invite his friends over on VALENTINE'S Day, of all days! Wasn't it a day to spend with your LOVER (not that she and Yoh were "lovers", per se...)? After all of the things she'd ever done for Yoh, this was how he had repaid her, by inviting his loud and annoying friends, when it was she who knew Yoh longer than all of them combined? It not only was unfair, it was MEAN.
...Not that Anna cared. She didn't. Not one bit. She just wanted to get this day (and her gift) over with.
Yeah.
The female growled to herself, sighing. Well, she wouldn't let THEM ruin her plan. She would have to think of something to get rid of them, even if it meant humiliating herself in the progress.
She would not let them get away with ruining her night with Yoh.
...Not that she... WANTED a night.
Hmm.
-
Ahem.
"Uh... A-Anna!" The blonde itako looked down to see Manta staring at her with tennis ball-shaped eyes, holding out Yoh's door. "C-Can we help you?"
Anna smirked, walking into the room while pushing the unfortunate, 3-foot high teenager down.
"Oh, nothing!" replied Anna, a forced smile of happiness playing on her lips. "I just... wanted to give you guys some nice, refreshing sodas...! You guys don't mind, do you?" she squeaked playfully, the wide smile contorting itself into a less-than-friendly grin.
Hah.
Yoh, Ren, Horohoro, and Manta exchanged looks of combined confusion and terror as the smirking teenage female walked over to each of them, handing them a cup, or rather, forcing the cup into their hands. Yoh coughed. Ren raised his eyebrows. Horohoro had a look of fear hanging off his face. Manta took deep breaths, wide, tan eyes growing to the size of tennis balls.
Hrm.
"So, what are you guys talking about?" Anna asked with force, her lips twitching as they attempted to part her lips into an even broader grin. With a loud CLRK! the blonde opened the soda can in her hand, almost crushing it slowly.
This was going to have to be settled slowly and painfully, she thought.
Anything for Yoh.
"...Uh," Yoh's eyebrows raised into an inquisitive line, more curious than fearful, "are you okay?"
Without glancing at him, Anna smirked. "I'm... more than okay, Yoh!" she cheered, nonchalantly tipping the soda in her hand over Ren's pants.
"...GRAAH!"
With a smile, she shook her head. "Oops!" she smirked in astonishment, slapping her hand on her forehead. "I'm such a klutz!" Anna mock-laughed, glaring as the younger teen swore violently, running out of Yoh's room as the soda from his pants slowly dripped on the floor, creating a puddle that smelled of grape. "I guess I should be more careful, ne?"
No one said anything to counteract Anna's malevolent statement.
Gradually turning around, Anna's dark eyes landed on her next blue-haired target. "Well, here's your soda, Horohoro," the blonde sneered as she "gracefully" tripped on an unseen rock located on the floor, the liquid in her hands flying out and landing on the Ainu's shirt with a loud "SPLASH!"
"Darn it!" Anna sighed heavily as she watched the shaman dash away from the room as fast has he could, desperately clutching his soda-stained T-shirt. "Let's hope I don't miss this last time, right, Manta?"
Manta was practically in tears as soon as the cold, sticky beverage hit his head, slowly drizzling through his normally clean, sandy hair. Anna grinned to herself, watching with a strange wickedness as the feeble boy walked out of Yoh's room, sighing and weeping to himself, muttering about "crazy girlfriends" and "this will never come out of my hair!"
Anna could no longer glance at Yoh now. She could tell that his mouth was agape, eyes widened in both fear and shock, and possibly even anger. Without looking, she could tell that her fiancee was...
Well...
"...Sorry, Yoh," the blonde muttered slowly, bringing the practically empty can of soda to her lips, "I guess they won't be sleeping over tonight."
She couldn't hide the grin on her face, however, as Anna slowly walked out of the room, still holding the can of soda in a death grip.
Heh.
-
It was late at night, around 11:00, when Anna had finally decided to give Yoh his present. It was late, and the itako had to admit it: she was tired. Besides, her task at hand wasn't hard: all she had to do was knock on Yoh's bedroom door, open it, force him to open the stupid present, then end the day with a light and satisfied heart. Yup, she thought, just as simple as that.
She thought.
The blonde teen walked to her fiancee's bedroom, slowly resting her head on the door and knocking quietly.
...Nothing.
Sighing, she knocked again, stifling a combined yawn and grumble as she raped on the door once more, this time with an air of angrier and annoyance. Her knuckles began to ache in a dull pain before she could hear the faint "SSSHHZZ" on the other side of the door.
...Was he asleep?
Anna growled exasperatedly and slowly slid the door open, walking in.
The first thing she had noticed was that it was cold in her fiancee's room. She sighed, looking around. The window was still open.
Arrgh.
"Why is it that he is one of the most powerful Shaman in the world, and he can't even remember to close the window at night?" the blonde muttered to herself, harshly slamming the window shut, half-hoping that it would startle Yoh and wake up.
A trembled snore escaped Yoh's open mouth, earning him a growl from Anna.
Figures.
It was then that Anna noticed the whisper of music coming out of Yoh's headphones, which were locked over his ears.
"That...idiot!" she mumbled angrily, clenching her fist and half-temped to slam it against Yoh's peaceful face. She bit her lip, sighing heavily to herself.
Hmm.
Instead, she walked over to his futon placed on the floor, turned off his music, and carefully removed his orange headphones, laying it neatly next to his present, which sat near his head.
Anna silently stared down at the face of her fiancee. She could hear short, quiet breaths escaping from his half-open mouth, and his chest was slowly moving up and down, one of his hands moving up and down with his rising and falling stomach.
Yoh looked... utterly clueless. It was almost amusing how oblivious and childish he looked at the moment, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, murmuring incoherent words of which were probably meaningless. And yet, Anna thought, her fiancee seemed to have the normal, easy-going demeanor going about him, occasionally flashing his goofy grin at random times, and even spontaneously giggling, which made Anna raise her eyebrows in amusement.
Hah.
"...Oh, Yoh."
Anna let out a long, tired sigh escape from her lips. She bent down slightly, Yoh's warm breath caressing her pink cheeks as strands of light blond hair fell across her face, covering her eyes. Carefully, the blonde lowered her head, gently placing her soft yet chapped lips against the shaman's.
Chu.
"...Mmm."
She could feel the boy beneath her shifting as she held the soft kiss on Yoh's tender lips, breaking apart. Anna let her chest rise and fall, breathing in and out of her closed mouth as her heart began to beat a mile an hour. She had just kissed Yoh.
She had just KISSED Yoh.
The female gulped as she stared at Yoh's sleeping face, looking for any hints of discomfort, her heart terrified and slowly waiting to see if he would wake up and object.
Yoh's mouth turned upward into a loud grin as his head turned to Anna, as if he could tell she was sitting over him. Anna smiled in relief, a true smile this time, staring at Yoh who seemed to smile back in his peaceful, naive way. Anna smiled at her future husband, strands of dark brown hair falling all around his face.
"The things I do for you, Yoh." She managed in a whisper. "You're such a fool of a fiancee, y'know that? If you're asking for one more kiss, you definitely aren't getting one."
Hah. Sure, Anna told herself. Sure.
The female bent down once more, licking her slightly puckered lips again before lightly pressing her lips against Yoh's once more. She held the gentle kiss there for a second or more longer than the last, enjoying the feeling of Yoh's breath mingling with hers, the feeling of such warm lips caressing hers, and the feeling of pure... content.
The kiss lasted longer than she imagined, and when she finally pried her mouth away from Yoh's, she felt him shiver and whimper quietly, earning a small thwack on the head, courtesy of his fiancee.
Heh.
"Yoh..." Anna slowly shook her head as she stood up, looking down at her fiancee. All Yoh could do was lie there, still smiling contently as the blonde approached his door to leave his room.
"...Happy Valentines Day."
-
FN: x33 So how was thar for a redo? LOOK I TOOK OUT THE LAST PART 8D I'm sorry. I just thought that the story was already good enough as it was without the next day. I've done everything I've wanted to do, so I thought that I didn't need it anymore. It's more of an... epilouge kind of thing, anyway. Still, though. I think I did rather well for a redo. Don't you think? No? Oh, well.