December Snow
Shadows: Well, as so many of you requested more from my song-fic 'My December', here's the sequel. This will also be a stand alone one-shot, so this could be a rather long one-shot...Scrap that, it's over 3,000 words long, - what's wrong with me!
Kitty: One day, Shadows will show you a picture of ME! The REAL ME! (yes, I do exist and I am currently on Shadows' lap) Oh, and Shadows' doesn't own Shaman King...
Shadows: A few quick review notes from My December:
DragonStorm85: You're about to find out...Yes, you rock:D
Sleepy Vampire Neko: Sweet? That's not what everyone else told me! examines your head
Azalee: Yes, it was depressing and depressed angst.You'll like the end of this, honest...
DayDrEaMiNg-child I'd tell you if someone died...
SaturnMax: I give you teh sequel! Heh, heh, yes it was that bad...
MeeLee: I don't work under pressure:sweatdrop:
Gift-of-the-elves: I was playing the song whilst writing it.. it seemed to help...
Nirah: One sequel coming up! Heh, you guys love it!
Espoir Noir: I can see Horo doing something too... Right now it's freezing to death...
Jen-Tao07: It was a one-shot...but this is the unofficial big brother to it!
The first chapter will be a stand alone, the story continues from here. Right then... on we go!
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The wind was cold, blowing across the frozen lake. Winter had settled thick and fast in Tokyo, and the snow was still falling lightly.
Horo Horo didn't care about how cold he was. He didn't care about anything much. All that ran through his head was the words, the words that had shattered everything around him.
Breath lightly carried on the cold winter winds, Horo stopped to lift pen from paper, fingers lightly shaking from the cold. He could only look down, fixated on the words he had just written. His whole hearts confessions, set
not into stone, but into paper.
Roughly silencing the thoughts running around in his head, Horo took a few minutes to eventually slip the pen back into his pocket, folding the crisp white paper over, and pocketing it also.
He never heard the footsteps, padding lightly, until a hand rested gently on his shoulders, and he turned to meet deep pools of chocolate brown.
"Yoh." It was more of a statement than a hello, but the brunette took the hint, and settled on the bench beside Horo.
"It's getting late. And colder. Don't you think it's about time you came back?" Yoh held genuine concern for his friend, Horo had not been the same since his argument with Ren. And boy, had it been a fierce argument. Everyone had heard the two from the other end of the house and back again. When Horo wanted to, he could show some serious stubbornness, and he often had the guts to match it. Unfortunately, it had only caused more problems, - Ren's equal stubbornness and arrogance had drawn the argument into one big fight. A fight that had left Horo upset and depressed, and Ren hurt and offended, although he had chosen not to show it.
"I don't care Yoh. Ren still won't talk to me. It's been what - three, maybe four weeks?" Horo bitterly answered, lip curling.
"He's still hurting. I don't blame him, you, said some rather, hurtful things..." Yoh hesitated, not wanting to anger the other shaman.
It was a little late, Horo snapped back with a voice full of venom, eyes burning with rage and passion.
"I said sorry, didn't I? Is that not enough? I know I said some wrong things, and most of those things were said in anger! Can't the damned stubborn bastard just swallow his pride for once and accept my apology, instead of pretending I don't even exist for four fucking months!"
Eyes closing in equal hurt, Horo turned away, biting his lip as his anger rapidly faded.
Yoh blinked, unfazed. "I know it hurts Horo. But you know how stubborn Ren is."
"Yeah, and? It's not as if he can give me the benefit of the doubt for once. He always does this, running circles around where it hurts the most. " Horo blinked back tears, trying his hardest to not show how devastated he was feeling.
"Well, there's nothing you can do now apart from wait for him to come around." Yoh narrowed an eyebrow, casually leaning back to rest against the frost bitten bench.
"That, Yoh, could take forever."
The dark haired shaman sighed, before carefully getting up from the bench. Dusting off the snow that had settled in his lap, he turned to go, throwing one last, pitiful glance back at the depressed Horo Horo in front of him.
Ren you bastard. Can't you see how much this is killing him?
0o0o0
Horo stayed for hours still after Yoh left.
The cold was rather beginning to get to him by about 1 am. But still, the starry night sky was rather beautiful, and it took the ice shaman's mind off his current situation. However, he really was getting chilled to the bone now - even Horo wasn't that resistant to the cold.
Breathing out deep clouds of breath into the frozen winter air around him, Horo rose from the bench, turning to head for home. His head remained bowed where it was, eyes dark and hardened on the snow covered ground around him. It had stopped snowing a few hours ago, and all that remained of the broken shaman were the dragging footprints that trailed across the snow.
As he trekked back across the frozen footpaths, Horo remembered the letter still in his pocket. Reaching his trembling fingers into his pocket, he pulled out the now slightly crumpled folded paper.
He couldn't help himself. Trembling tears dropped, spreading a momentary liquid heat across the fragile paper.
Why on earth was Ren so stubborn? It wasn't as if their fight had been that bad..
0o0(FLASHBACK)0o0
The door slammed roughly behind Horo Horo as he entered the room. Things were getting a little too bad now, enough was enough. Sure, Anna, Yoh and Jun had known about him and Ren for months, but now Chocolove and Ryu had found out. And Chocolove hadn't taken kindly to one of his best buddies being gay.
As such, Chocolove had blamed Ren, choosing to torment and pick on him. Tension had built up, and only a few hours ago, Horo had watched the shaman storm off in clear distress. He had rounded on Choco, but the results had been worse.
And he was just hoping Ren was alright. The last thing he wanted was more tension between them because of Chocolove's inability to leave them alone.
"Ren?" He called lightly, spotting the shaman leaning against the window frame, gentle but audible sobs coming from the defeated figure.
"Oh come on Ren, don't give up on me, please. I know he's a bastard, but we can do this." Horo let his hand rest gently on Ren's shoulder, who simply ignored him for a few minutes, trying to keep himself from breaking down.
"What's the point Horo? He'll only continue to torment us." It was a low whisper, but the ice shaman understood him.
"Then we'll show him that we're better than that. Even if I have to get you to scare him into submission." He drew the other into a loose embrace - Ren didn't like to be in a restricting or forceful position.
"Hn, we both know what he's like. Come on, we both had a go at each other last week because of what he was spreading behind our backs."
"But we know what's the truth Ren. We can't make this go away, we have to face it sooner or later."
"And? I don't want to anymore, it was bad enough facing my father." His steady expression faltered, and he turned himself around, golden eyes fixed on Horo's deep blue ones.
"Ren please.." Horo dropped his gaze, eyes focusing anywhere apart from at Ren.
"Horo...I told you. I'm not doing this anymore. I'm tired of everyone digging at us!"
"As am I! Don't you think I'm getting fed up of it!"
"Not as if you seem to show much concern most of the time!" Ren was angry by now, eyes narrowed to slits, flashing with a dangerous glint. Horo was no more calmer, his grip subconsciously tightening, eyes hardened in anger.
"Well maybe I'd prefer to worry about solving the problem rather than getting upset about it! I know it's hurtful and annoying, but we can't sit around and sulk all day!"
"Oh shut up!"
"Why don't you take your own advice for once, you bastard!"
Ren pulled away at that, eyes continually fixed on the equally angry shaman in front of him. Horo wasn't normally one to get this angry; hell he rarely even raised his voice. But his anger matched the Tao's at that moment, and part of Ren was just a little bit worried, and a little bit full of doubt.
Had Chocolove really done this much damage to their relationship?
With the little nagging doubts plying the edges of his already stressed mind already, it was no wonder when he snapped completely.
"Come on Ren, there's no point fighting like this! Stop being such a stubborn bastard for once and actually talk to me!"
"What if I don't want to! Ever thought of that!"
In a quiet, barely audible voice, the answer came. "Then don't bother coming after me."
He turned, headed for the door, refusing to register with the cold golden orbs before him.
Ren never heard Horo last words.
A barely heard whisper.
"Come and find me when you're ready."
One simple sentence - that started one of the worse fights Ren and Horo Horo had ever faced.
0o0(FLASHBACK)0o0
Biting his lip nervously, Horo turned into the yard, seeing the small figure of Morty fast asleep against the window frame of the lounge. Stepping in, he moved over to shake the smaller one awake, giving him a small, cold smile to show that he was alright. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of Ren, before continuing on his journey into the kitchen...
And came face to face with said Tao.
Ren looked as shocked as he did, blinking rapidly and breathing deeply.
Horo's heart missed a beat. It was the first time Ren had looked him in the eyes in weeks, let alone stayed in the same room as him for more that 5 seconds.
It missed two beats when the Tao actually spoke to him.
"Horo..." It was a low, remorseful, sad tone, and momentarily soft golden orbs focused on the other's shocked azure eyes.
For a moment, Horo couldn't speak. He simply couldn't. After all this, and the other shaman was just gonna suddenly speak to him like that?
Horo swallowed uncomfortably, hardly registering when Ren turned away, milk bottle clutched in one hand. His gaze lifted when he noticed a small, folded slip of paper lying near the kitchen entrance. Shrugging, he picked it up as he went out, intending to dump it in the nearest bin.
But then curiosity got the better of Ren, and by the time he got back to his room, he set the milk bottle aside before carefully prying open the softly rustling paper...
And barely remembering to breathe when he read what was carefully written in Horo's handwriting.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The next day was a quiet, subdued one. Pilica gave Horo hell for staying out so late, Anna ordered extra training for everyone, and Ren seemed even more depressed than he usually was.
No change there then. By now, Chocolove had learnt to stay as far away from Ren and his Kwan Dao, - he would suffer much pain if he did.
As far as Ren was concerned, the damage was already done. At long last, denial had manage to shift itself into guilt, and the Chinese was feeling incredibly guilty indeed, especially after what he had read last night. He would admit, only to himself, how stubborn and pride driven he was, - after all he had been brought up to honour his pride. Perhaps a little too much?
Sighing lightly, Ren observed the now more chaotic situation evolving in the yard, as Horo was getting more and more desperate to find what he'd lost.
He'd lost something alright. Too bad it was sitting in Ren's pocket.
Oh come on, it's got to be here somewhere... Horo ran his fingers through lightly greasy hair, that really needed washing. But he wasn't concerned about that. His letter, the very thing that he had intended to keep for his eyes only, was missing.
And he was really beginning to panic now. Although Ryu and Yoh had volunteered to help out, Anna's cold gaze quickly found them something more beneficial to do.
The search went on, and on. And nothing came up. By early evening, when everyone else had retreated inside, Horo eventually gave up, falling softly onto the porch. Tears pulled lightly at his eyes, threatening to spill at any moment. Everyone else had done their best to help, Morty had even gone through the bins for him earlier, but it was no good.
"Why oh why am I cursed with such damned disasters?" He muttered aloud to himself, burying his head in his hands.
He didn't hear the soft pads of someone else behind him, didn't feel the weight of someone sitting down beside him.
He didn't notice until his left hand was lightly pulled away, and a small, folded slip of paper settled in it. And even then, it took him about 2 minutes to register with exactly who it was who had returned his letter to him.
A extremely guilty, and extremely sorry Tao Ren.
For nearly 10 minutes, the two sat in silence, Ren's fingers still lightly curled around Horo's wrist. He seemed content to leave them there, this time waiting for Horo to find his voice.
It took him a while, but finally, he realised that he was going to have to say something.
"Ren?...But...but why?" It was a mixture of shock, wariness and a underlining current of relief.
"Because you were so damned worried today, I figured it was the most I could give you to return it."
For a few moments, Horo was too shocked to say anything again - before he did the most natural thing he could and smile, gratefully.
A few, content minutes passed, each lost in thought. Eventually, Ren spoke up again, fighting to keep his voice steady and failing miserably.
"Look...Horo... I'm...I'm sorry, okay?"
Ren nervously bit his lip, looking away and instead focusing his gaze on anything but Horo. Feeling the other shaman's grip slip a little, the Aniu twisted his wrist around, and laced their fingers together, feeling the other's hand curl to hold the grasp.
When Ren was about to speak again, he was cut off by two pale fingers that hushed him gently, feeling Horo subconsciously shift a little closer.
"You're a complete and utter stubborn bastard, - you know that?" Despite his words, Horo's tone was light and mocking, a small smile gracing his features.
"I know I am... " Ren added with a sigh, before ultimately giving in and allowing Horo to slip his arms around his waist, chin coming to rest on the shaman's shoulder. It was significantly familiar, yet seemingly different, the time apart having taken its toll on the two. Once more, silence settled, the only sounds being the deep breaths of the two shaman, and the late night chirping of the crickets.
Without even realising it, Horo snuggled just a little, finding himself close enough to whisper in Ren's ear.
"Just explain one thing to me then...Why the hell were you stubborn enough to make me wait nearly a month before deciding to talk to me!" Horo didn't shout, and he didn't yell. He simply kept his tone firm and calm.
And oddly enough, Ren decided to explain himself.
"Look, Horo...You know how much I friggin' value my pride...It sometimes gets in the way of situations that I would like to resolve, like this one. It takes a lot for me to swallow my pride and say sorry, you know that?"
"Of course I understand that Ren, why do you think I've left you alone for the last month? For my own amusement?" Horo cocked an eyebrow, watching a ghost of a smile flicker across the Tao's face.
"Hey, normally I am willing to sort things out...But I think the only reason this has gone on so long was because damned Chocolove had to go and stir the shit.." Ren swallowed momentarily, subconsciously cuddling in a bit more to the Ainu. He felt more content than he had been in weeks, and the Chinese was feeling rather consciously aware of how much of an idiot he had been.
"He did. And I was nice, I tried to sort things out. But you went all feral on me, and I wasn't gonna stick around for you to kill me all night - " Horo was cut off when Ren interjected with his own two cents, and left rather speechless.
"For your information I was actually worried."
"You what?" Horo's eyes widened, as the other shaman turned a familiar gaze on him.
"I was worried. Worried that Chocolove might have done too much damage beyond repair. And you know how defensive I get when I'm worried..." Ren held his head high, he hated degrading himself like this. But at times, it was what made his relationship with Horo work - even if he did completely loathe having to explain himself at times.
"Aww, Ren... If you'd just told me that weeks ago, we would never of put each other through this!" Horo's face lit up considerably with an almost long forgotten smile, pulling the shaman close in a tighter embrace. Ren gave a little whimper of complaint, wriggling a tiny bit as Horo gave a chuckle of laughter. This led to immense tickling on the Tao's part, as he aimed carefully for the most sensitive areas of the Ainu's body.
Laughter echoed up to the stars, as the two rolled off the porch and onto the soft earth below. Ren had grown in the two years since the Shaman Tournament, and he was easily able to pin Horo to the ground, before eventually attacking his neck amongst the tickles.
"Ow! Ren! Get off! Hey-omfh..." He was cut off when the Tao promptly pressed their lips together, savouring the taste of their first kiss for nearly a month. Horo could only deepen the intimacy between them, flicking his tongue out to lick gently at Ren's lower lip like he always did, silently asking permission to enter. The Tao accepted this, parting his lips long enough for the other shaman to push forward, playing and duelling the dominance with Ren's own tongue.
Eventually, a lack of air forced the two to reluctantly separate, panting and gasping in air on the ground, Ren still pinning Horo to the floor by sitting on top of him, legs carefully positioned either side of Horo's. The two simply lay catching their breath for a few minutes, before the Chinese lowered his head gently, relaxing on top of Horo.
"So...Can I take that as a 'you forgive me'?" Horo asked with an exceptionally big smile.
"Forgive you? I should be the one asking you to forgive me...But yeah, apology accepted."
Horo nuzzled, lightly, kissing the other before entangling their fingers again.
Hours later, it had begun to snow heavily again. Thick sleets came down, and a fierce wind rattled the house to it's core.
Horo let his gaze flicker upwards from the bed momentarily, taking in the heartless December snow outside.
"Ren?"
"Mmm?" came the sleepy reply from his chest.
"I love you."
"..Love you too..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Shadows: T-T I had to put the fluff in! This fic demanded fluff! (and you lot loved it anyway.) My god, did I really write THAT much! Wait, it's no wonder, I wrote this over the course of three days...
Kitty: Show them a picture of me. Go on...
Shadows: I'll think about it. Now, I think we ought get back to Seductive Lies, hmm?
Kitty: Or we could write more angsty one-shots...you know your fans love it...