Title: Home

Chapter: One-shot

Series/Character(s): Shaman King; Yoh, Anna

Author: Rekino

Disclaimer: Shaman King is not mine.

Notes: For the Yoh/Anna community.

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Home is home.

Home; the word is common, but it's meaning not so. A place of comfort and security, of warmth and tranquility, we all wish that one day we could have a home to go to; a place where we could feel safe and where one's self can be at peace. For some, wandering aimlessly around the streets in the darkness was a sign they had not found their destination. But for others, home was just right there in front of them.

He had been assigned but a simple task, to venture to the outside world and retrieve an item of such importance that his obligation had preceded its limits. His wife felt the need to include that if he did not do so – and though she had never voiced it out loud, for she was beyond that – she would certainly make him feel pain, as she had made it all clear with an effortless look.

Asakura Yoh, heir to the Asakura fortune and current Shaman King, was asked – no forced – the unthinkable.

Slugging the load easily on the table, the pleasant aroma of pumpkin pie assaulting his nose, Yoh shook the cool flakes of his hair and shrugged off his coat to one side in a somewhat careless manner. Before him, the imposing figure of Asakura Anna accompanied with her stoic-like features motioned to the item he had set down.

"What took you so long?" No 'Home sweet home' or 'Welcome back honey!'. Such was the daily life in the Asakura household, something they had come to be familiar with.

"Sorry Anna, I had a hard time finding what you wanted exactly," he replied with a sunny grin despite the opposing weather outside. Chill winter air, pitch darkness illuminated only by various streetlights and layers of whiteness were the only things visible for miles outside; everything else having been buried under all the snow.

She gave the bundle an appraising glance, not quite in disbelief but rather in silent contemplation. "Was it so hard to get cookie dough ice cream?"

He sheepishly beamed, scratching the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "I thought it was mint chocolate chip?"

Anna's eyes narrowed, and she gave a slight warning. "Yoh…"

Yoh chuckled in that way of his, cheery disposition seemingly unaffected. "I'm kidding Anna," he took the ice cream out of the plastic bag for her inspection.

She was silent for a couple of seconds, strands of hair

"Good." Seemingly satisfied, the itako nodded and stored the tub in the freezer. She turned around and flicked off a stray flake off Yoh's hair absently. "And, welcome back."

She left, leaving Yoh accompanied with a dumb smile. Sometimes Anna could just surprise him.

Home is home, and it was good to be home. Because for Asakura Yoh he was happy.

He had found his home.
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