Chapter: Snowball
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"Oof!"
Snow poof up a little into the air around Ana. She stared up at the grayish sky, blinking rapidly as snowflakes were falling generously from the sky and landing upon her face. A fog escaped from her mouth, the warmth of her breath touched the cold air, creating a moist fog.
There was giggling off to the side making Ana to sit up and turn her head, seeing Higen was the one to laugh. She noted Nobutada stood nearby, trying not to laugh, but he could not stop the wide grin to appear on his lips.
With her hands pressed into the ground, she pushed herself up into a standing position. She had not been paying attention when she walked out of Taka's home. Ana was staring at the first snowfall in the village, seeing how the snow was coating everything. She had stepped off the deck, and forgot about how steep of a step it was, which resulted her to wipe out.
Ana stood up, brushing the snow off her kimono and gave the two boys a sheepish smile. The two continued to laugh at her, but let out surprise yelps as Ana threw snow at them. Ana bent down to pick up more snow, packing it together to make a snowball. Growing up with a brother like Nathan, Ana and he would always mess around with each other to make some sort of fun within their lives.
When Ana threw the snowball, it had created an all out snowball war. She let out a scream as she was hit in the back as she ran away from Higen and Nobutada. Quickly, she hid behind a pile of split wood, ducking as Higen threw a snowball at her.
"Need help?" Nathan appeared beside her.
"Yes!" Ana exclaimed.
With Nathan on her side, both Nathan and she began to pack a couple snowballs before they charged Nobutada and Higen. Snowballs were flying everywhere with their laughter echoing throughout the area.
"Well, well, if it isn't your future husband." Nathan pointed out.
Ujio was walking along the path with Katsumoto beside him. The two men gaze upon the snowball war happening, staying back to not get caught up in the mess. Ana knew her next action would be risky, but she wanted to see how much she could push Ujio.
The snowball in her hand was packed perfectly into a ball. With precise aim, Ana threw the snowball with a good amount of speed to make long distance. The snowball hit Ujio and burst into pieces against his shoulder. He jumped in shock and glanced at each of them to see who did it.
Before Ana could blame and point at Nathan, she saw Nathan already pointing at her.
"Traitor!"
"Hey, I got hit by him enough…I suggest you run now."
"Why should I—" Ana did not finish her sentence as she turned to look in the direction Nathan looked in.
Ana saw Ujio glaring at her and storming toward her.
"Yeah, I guess that I do have to run." Ana took a couple steps back before she turned around to start running as fast as she could in the kimono.
"Run, Ana, run!" Higen shouted with laughter in his tone.
Ana could hear fast feet stomping through the snow, the sound of crunching got louder making her to know Ujio was gaining fast on her. She knew that she could run faster if she didn't have the kimono on.
An arm came around her waist causing her to let out a scream, especially as she was swung around. She found herself picked up and thrown over her shoulder, which made her to slap Ujio back to set her down. He did set her down, but in a good amount of snow.
A shock expression was on her face for him dropping her in the snow. Quickly, she kicked his legs out from under him. It was enough to make him lose his balance and fall down into the snow. She threw clumps of snow at him, pushing herself up into a standing position to start running again.
"Ana!" Ujio shouted after her.
The path she ran was away from the village, away from wandering eyes. She moved around the snow covered trees in the woods and hid behind a large one. Panting, Ana peeked around the tree to see nothing but snow. The snow covered woods was quiet. It was as if the snow absorbed the sounds; thus, making everything silent.
There was a soft sound in front of her, which drew her attention forward to see a rabbit. The rabbit was completely white and frozen in its spot upon sensing the presence of Ana. Ana could not help but stare at the white rabbit with awe, finding the rabbit adorable and fit in with the snowy scenery.
Arms slid around her body from behind which a sharp inhale escaped her. She turn her head enough to see the side of Ujio's face. Her attention turned back to the rabbit, seeing it hopping a little around the area and toward pieces of grass which stuck out from the snow.
"Will this be in your sketchbook?"
"Of course." Ana nodded with a small grin.
Ana felt Ujio pull away from her, allowing her to turn around to face him. He held an arm out, which she slid her arms through and held onto his arm. She walked beside him on a path which would lead up to Katsumoto's temple.
"You have bravery."
Her eyes shot up to stare at him.
"To throw a snowball at me."
There was this small twitch in her lips, where she tried not to smile or laugh, but ended up doing so. Small chuckles escaped her before a gasp as Ujio scooped snow off a tree to drop upon her head. Her reaction was to shove him away, but did not realize the slope down a hill. Ujio arms waved around before he slid down and out of sight.
"Ujio!" Ana yelled, running to the hill ledge.
Ana watched as Ujio slid down the hill on his feet, but ended up on his back to slid down the rest of the way. Her hands were over her mouth, not believing she managed to do that. Without a second thought, Ana followed after him. She ended up on her backside halfway down and managed to stop herself before she slid into Ujio.
Ujio was on his back, unmoving and eyes shut.
"Ujio." Ana knelt down beside him, not caring about her kimono becoming wet due to the snow.
Reaching out and pressing her hands against either side of his neck, Ana felt his strong pulse. She gripped his shoulder to give a small shake, saying his name repeatedly with concern becoming deeper in her tone of voice.
Ujio continued to not move, staying limp in the snow.
"This is not funny." Ana whispered, shaking his body again.
"You have strength to take me off my feet." Ujio cracked open his eyes to stare up at her.
There was a slight puff of her cheeks before a huff escaped her. She picked snow up to throw it on him, but he caught her wrist before she could. He shook her wrist to make her drop the snow, and then tugged her down to be pressed against him. Ujio turned them enough where she laid halfway on her side and back, staring slightly up at him as he was hovering halfway over her body while holding her wrist in place.
"I want to shove snow in your smug face."
A snort escaped Ujio as he sat up. He stood up, brushing the snow off of him. He turned around and held his hand out to her, which she grabbed and he helped her to stand. Ujio brushed snow from her back and hair, but made sure to press his lips against her forehead.
"Come."
"Maybe we should stay away from hill ledges." Ana pointed out, glancing up at the hill they came down.
"Yes, agreed." Ujio nodded as he glanced up at the ledge he slid down too.
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The wooden kaiken smacked together and then pulled away.
Ana ducked, swirling around Ujio and placing the kaiken to his lower back. He whirled around to get around her, but she moved to block another strike from him. The training with the wooden kaiken dagger was constantly used to make sure it was one of Ana's strongest skills.
When it was only Ujio and she, Ana would put on a women's hakama to wear for bottoms. It was easier for her to move, and she was able to kick at Ujio without the kimono restricting her movements.
The two continued to exchange blocks and attacks back and forth. That was until Ana kicked at Ujio, but he blocked the kick with an arm. She twirled on her toes to swing her arm out with the kaiken, but he caught her arm. She continued to move on her toes until she faced Ujio again, bringing her knee up into his stomach. The move made him to let go and it allowed her to lock arms with him with her free arm, to press her body against his own and press the kaiken to his underside of his chin.
Her moves were enough to catch him off guard, but also to show how much she learned. It was taking her less time to find an opening on Ujio, which showed his teachings were successful with her.
The wooden kaiken was lowered away from the underside of Ujio's chin. His eyes were firm as he stared down at her, but Ana could see a flicker of proudness in them. Ana took a step back from him and bowed, which Ujio returned. He took the wooden kaiken from her and turned away to put the training tools away while she walked away to make tea.
As she made the tea, she felt Ujio's presence. He sat down near her, watching as she made the tea the way he showed her. Going through the motions, a ceremony type movement when it came to make the tea. Everything was smooth, swift and to Ana it was patiences.
When the tea making was all done and through, Ana and Ujio found themselves on the back deck of his home. The back area faced the woods, where the clearing they usually go to could be seen slightly through the bare trees and shrubs. The winter weather was chilly, yet the hot tea and previous training warmed up their bodies.
Ana glanced at Ujio, seeing him make a facial expression as if he wanted to say something. She lowered the cup of green tea down, eyeing him with a single raised eyebrow.
"What is on your mind, Ujio?"
Ujio lowered the cup of green tea from his lips to glance at her.
"I believe you are better fighter than your brother."
"Ujio." She scowled, but not in a serious way, more of a jokily way.
"It is true." Ujio shrugged his shoulders as he brought his tea back up to his lips to take a sip.
"Then you should take credit, Ujio."
"Why?"
"You are the one who taught me, and continue to teach."
"As my future wife of course I want you to be strong. To protect the household and any future children."
"Indeed. With me soon to be your wife, everyone would probably expect the wife of Ujio to be a brute of a woman." Ana said dryly, but could not help but let out low laughs as Ujio shot her a look.
"Everyone will know to not tempt you."
"So, you do not mind a brute of a wife who would beat up men?" Ana teased.
There was a couple seconds in silence until Ujio set his cup of tea down to turn his head to stare at her.
"If it means to protect the house, to protect what is important to you, beat anyone up…" Ujio said, but the way he finished the sentence Ana knew he was not done.
"Although your beauty does need to stay. I wish to think of your beauty every time I look at you. Be strong all you want, it is also a part of your beauty too."
The comment, more of a compliment toward her made a blush to appear on Ana's upper cheeks. Ujio reached out to rest his hand on top of hers since she set the cup of tea down too. He stared down at their hands, watching her fingers brush against his own.
"Thank you for seeing me in that view, but to tell me too." Ana said lowly, staring down at their hands and brushing her fingers against his own.
Ana pulled her hand out from under his, untangling their fingers too. She picked up his hand to turn it palm up and traced his whole hand in a caressing manner. Fingertips brushing over the callouses and tiny scars too. Ana saw Ujio's hands as hardworking hands, hands which were always in use to train and work. Such hands showed the commitment and effort in everything he does.
"Ana."
Her mossy green eyes lifted up to meet his eyes, her dark thin eyebrows raised in a questionable manner.
"Try not to become a brute."
A smile cracked onto her lips, and she could not help but lightly laugh. Ujio grinned and turned his attention away from her, but he allowed her to continue tracing his hand, which was trapped in her hold. Her touches were soothing against his harden hands, and he never experience such softness before. Ujio found her touches welcoming, and he would continue to welcome these touches, especially the warmth sensation it brought and spread throughout his body.
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Hi Everyone,
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