Hey peeps! This is my first ever story where they're all adults; it's kind of scary for me, especially dealing with marriage. No ,the story doesn't end at the wedding; I fully intend for it to go on after that ;)
And… other things come with marriage. *turns red* Um… yeah. No. Not talking about it! NEVER! If you came here looking for smut, go stick your head in a toilet. Seriously. Flush three times, and maybe then your mind will be clean. Maybe.
I don't do smut; (is smut a bad word? I have no clue.) smut is very very bad. I simply can't wrap my mind around why people would go into such vivid detail describing something like that! Am I the only one who is offended when perfectly good fanfiction's are ruined with… uncleanliness?
Maybe I'm over-reacting. Maybe I'm too old-fashioned. Maybe I should go live in a convent. I don't really care what you guys think, but I'm making a promise here; yes, it will be mentioned, but NO! I am NOT going into detail. Ever. That's just wrong.
Rant over. Go back to reading please :)
LOSGAP =D
Ana woke up the next morning with a smile on her face; at first she couldn't remember why. She reached up her left hand to rub her eyes, but it felt a little heavier. She looked down at it and grinned. That was why. She was getting married.
The thought was both exciting and sobering; were they too young? Were they diving headfirst into something much bigger then themselves?
We've pretty much been married since we met ten years ago. Now we're just going to make it official in front of God, and everyone I love. No pressure there.
Ana sat up and automatically took her cell phone out, dialing a familiar number.
"What?" Kyo's voice was groggy.
"Morning, lover!" Ana said happily. She'd seen someone do this on TV. There was a pause.
"Since when am I your lover?" Kyo muttered, and she could almost see him blinking, struggling to wake up.
Ana's face heated up and she tried to think of a response.
"Um… awkward! Can I try that again?" Ana asked hopefully.
"Hang up, go back to sleep, and you can try again in a few hours." Kyo sounded faintly amused with her embarrassment, though Ana would have put money on that he was red as well. They were still kids at heart, after all.
"How about I try right now? Good morning, Kyo." Ana's voice had crept up a few octaves at the mention of… that. She shuddered, banishing the thought from her mind.
"Morning. Can I go back to sleep now?"
"No. It's almost seven Kyo! I actually slept in a bit." Ana frowned at the clock. There was a silence for a moment.
"Ana. The sun isn't even up yet. Why the heck* are you up?" Kyo's voice lowered to a growl. "Horse. Duh." Ana snorted. "Since when does that entail I having to get up at an un-Godly hour?" Kyo demanded.
"Since I became your fiancé." Ana said smugly. Fiancé. The word didn't fit them; it was just them, not boyfriend and girlfriend, not fiancés. Not even husband and wife; Ana couldn't put a label on what they were.
"Do I have to come over there?" Kyo sounded as though he'd given up on going back to sleep.
"Yes!" Ana said, jumping out of bed. She promptly tripped over her boots and crashed into the wall. "Do I even want to know what you're doing?" Kyo asked flatly. He knew she was a bit of a klutz.
"Getting ready in the mornings is dangerous business." Ana grunted, shoving her foot into her boot, her cell phone pressed between her ear and shoulder.
"I can tell." Kyo replied dryly. Ana laughed. It was good to hear his voice when she first woke up; it felt right. She wondered how it would feel to wake up next to him, and promptly turned red again, dropping the phone.
"Did you drop me?" Kyo asked when Ana finally picked it back up.
"…No…" Ana bit her lip.
"Yes you did."
"Metaphorically, yes I did. That doesn't mean anything." Ana said, succeeding in one boot and turning to the other. "You better not drop me." Ana said suddenly.
"Drop you?" Kyo asked, obviously confused.
"When you're carrying me out of the church, duh." Ana snorted.
"I'm not carrying you out." Kyo snorted. "They did in Last Chance." Ana pouted. She heard Kyo sigh. "It's still a no." He said flatly. "Aw! Why not, Kyo-Kyo?!" Ana wailed.
"Don't call me that!" Kyo snapped.
"I can call you anything I like."
"Since when?!"
"Since… I said I could." Ana decided she had won this argument and went get some fresh clothes. She paused at the mirror; looking at the haystack on her head she called "hair". Maybe she should address that hairy little problem first. She guffawed. "Hairy" little problem! Hah! She cracked herself up!
"What on Earth are you laughing at?" Ana froze. She'd forgotten Kyo was on the line. "Myself." Ana replied simply, gritting her teeth and raking a brush through her hair, and yelped.
"Now what are you doing?"
"Morning beauty rituals." Ana spoke between clenched teeth. "Like, girl stuff?" Kyo questioned. "Yeah."
Click.
"Kyo?"
OoO
Kyo rocked back on his heels, watching Ana canter Fire in a circle. How that small person managed to keep a beast like that in hand still perplexed him. She must have slipped something in his feed. That would explain his apparent violent rage towards Kyo, then his puppy-dog behavior with Ana.
"I look pretty good, don't I?" Ana grinned, pulling Fire up beside the fence Kyo was standing in front of. "Eh? Oh, um, yeah. Sure." Kyo was jerked out of thoughts and blinked up at her. Under her, Fire glared at him.
"Your horse hates me." Kyo frowned at the huge red gelding.
"Fire? Hate someone? Impossible!" Ana scoffed, patting his sweaty neck. She grinned suddenly. "That gives me an idea. Want to ride him?" She was sliding off of him and holding his reins out to Kyo.
"Are you crazy?! I just said he hates me!" Kyo snapped, tired and cranky. "Stop yelling at your fiancé." Ana snorted. Kyo flushed at the title. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about it after she had left; had he rushed into it? Was this a bad idea?
"Yo, space cadet!" Ana waved a hand in front of his face. "It's not a good idea to day-dream in the presence of a two thousand pound animal." Ana pointed out.
"Come on. Please? For me?" Ana pouted and Kyo scowled at her. "No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"No."
"With sugar on top?" Ana was resorting to immature tactics. "No." Kyo said flatly. "Would you do it if we did it bareback?" Ana asked. "I'll ride with you, so you'll be safe. Plus he's tired and he can't reach his back anyway; he won't try to eat you." Ana winked at him.
"Why on Earth would I want to?" Kyo was beginning to cave in as Ana took his saddle and saddle pad, scratching the horse's sweaty back.
"You haven't truly tasted freedom until you've ridden a horse." Ana said simply. "I'll give you a leg up." She offered. "I don't take help from girls." Kyo snorted, seizing Fire's mane and attempting to swing up. For a moment he just dangled, wondering what to do next.
"Swing your leg over, but don't touch his back. And settle gently; unless you'd like to have him blow up under you." Ana grinned. Kyo obeyed, and Ana clambered up behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder and pressing her cheek against his.
"It'll be a little close, but I have the feeling you won't mind." Ana teased, wrapping her arms around his middle and taking the reins. Kyo didn't mind. Not at all.
Below them, Fire snorted and fidgeted. "Stop complaining, you big baby." Ana snorted. "Can he carry both of us?" Kyo asked skeptically.
"Kyo, look at him. He's got more horse power then your Porsche. Ha ha. Horse power. I crack myself up!" Ana laughed, and Kyo sweat dropped.
"OK, we'll start out slow." Ana decided, and Kyo could feel her nudge Fire in the sides. The gelding snorted and took off a gentle walk, one eye on Kyo, and he looked a bit miffed at having to carry him.
"By the way, I do think you have a point. He does kind of hate you." Ana breathed in his ear. "Gee thanks." Kyo rolled his eyes, trying to keep his balance at the even slow movement. He loved heights; it was in the Cat's nature. He wasn't so sure he liked moving so much though.
"Because you're stealing his precious woman." Ana grinned; Kyo could feel her lips curving up against his cheek. "Little faster now." Ana kissed his cheek encouragingly and urged Fire on.
"WHOA! TOO FAST TOO FAST!" Kyo shrieked, hanging on for dear life as Fire cantered in a circle around the ring. It would have been a simple, gentle rocking movement but Kyo's yelling spooked the horse, and he leaped up into the air.
"Kyo! You're being an idiot!" Ana laughed, reining Fire in and turning him in a circle. "If he had reared, we probably would have gone over. Smooth move." She snorted, sending him off again at a canter.
"It's still too fast." Kyo spoke between clenched teeth; he was petrified. "Calm down and enjoy it. Close your eyes; trust me, you're not going to fall." Ana's voice was unexpectedly reassuring; Kyo hesitated, then allowed himself to relax into her and the horse, cautiously lowering his walls for a moment and closing his eyes.
The gentle rhythm of Fire's hooves on the hard-packed Earth was soothing; the gentle rocking moment helped him relax, and Kyo could only sum up the moment in one word; freedom.
OoO
Ana smiled as Kyo leaned back against her, allowing himself to enjoy it. She would have known Kyo would like it, if he let himself. He would certainly never be an equestrian; but who could resist the wings a horse lent you?
"It's like flying, isn't it?" Ana murmured into his ear. Kyo made a noise of agreement; it was hard to talk when you were flying.
"Want me to stop?" Ana asked. Kyo opened one eye. "Please." Ana laughed as she slowed Fire to a halt and Kyo jumped off instantly, hitting the ground with one hand and two feet, crouched like a cat until he straightened.
"How was it?" Ana grinned, sliding off Fire and patting his shoulder. "It was OK." Kyo admitted. "You loved it!" Ana beamed, leading Fire away.
Kyo continued to protest while Ana kept laughing as she cooled the horse down, walking him around and occasionally placed a hand between his front legs to check his temperature. If she let him at the water bucket before he was cool he would colic; same with the food. Fire was a heavy, fast eater.
"Well, anyways, have you told anyone yet?" Ana asked suddenly as she finally put the cool horse away, running a brush over him while Kyo leaned against the wall, a safe distance from Fire.
"About what?" Kyo asked, and Ana sighed. "About this." She waved her left hand. "I still haven't told Hatori yet; I'm going to tell him eventually, don't worry." Ana laughed at Kyo's raised eyebrows. She continued grooming Fire in silence; a comfortable one, the kind they often found themselves in.
"Do you think we're ready for this?" Ana asked suddenly, looking at Kyo out of the corner of his eye. "Would I have asked if I didn't think so?" Kyo replied.
"I don't know. It's just…" She sighed, fumbling for words. "I mean, I can't help it. I'm scared, Kyo." She looked up and met his eyes. "Aren't you?"
In response,
Kyo came up behind her, silently wrapping his arms around her. "Of
course I am." He said quietly, not meeting her eyes. Ana pressed
her face into his shoulder, breathing him in, momentarily forgetting
the annoyed looking horse nearby. She knew what a big deal it was for
Kyo to admit he was scared; Kyo didn't let himself get scared. But
neither did she; but now they were staring eternity in the eye; of
course they were frightened. Who wouldn't be?
"But I
love you. We can do this." Ana said firmly, stretching up and
kissing him quickly. "Think of it as a challenge." She smiled
coyly. "You love your challenges." Kyo laughed. "I do, don't
I?" He kissed her back. "But I don't want to think of this as a
challenge." He said thoughtfully.
"What do you want to think of it as?"
"I don't know." Kyo admitted. "I mean, it's not like I don't want to spend forever with you. I think we've already figured out that we can't live without each other, right?" He smiled weakly. Ana smiled back. "We have, haven't we?" She rested the back of her head against his chest.
"Maybe it was a good thing, then." She decided. "What was?"
"The separation thing. Not that I wish it hadn't happened." She said hurriedly. "I mean, I appreciate you more. I love you more; distance makes the heart grow fonder, ne?" She said.
"I guess." Kyo said, sounding distant. "I'm sorry." Ana said suddenly, holding him closer. "For what?" Kyo sounded a bit annoyed she was apologizing for something he didn't know about.
"For not being there. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for you; I just had Hatori's word you were dead. You… you were there when…" She trailed off, the memory flashing before her eyes. It would be forever burned into her brain; it still sometimes haunted her at night.
"I know. It was awful." Kyo murmured, pressing his face into her hair, as though reassuring himself she was there. "And that's why I'm sorry. For putting you through that." Ana said. Kyo sighed. "Don't be sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't with you all this time; I should have known you were alive." Kyo sounded bitter, and Ana looked up, meeting his gaze. "Kyo. You couldn't have known. I didn't know; trust me, I would have swam the ocean to get back to you if I had known it was all a lie." She said seriously. Kyo smiled faintly and kissed her forehead. "I know. Same." He replied and Ana smiled against his chest.
She heard an annoyed grunt and was suddenly nudged in the back. She laughed and gently removed herself from Kyo. "Sorry boy. Got a wee bit distracted." She grinned at Fire and back at Kyo. "See why he hates you?" She winked at him and resumed her grooming.
OoO
Ana pulled over and stared at the cemetery in front of her. She had to do this; it was going to eat away at her if she didn't.
Kyo didn't know what she was doing; she knew he wasn't ready for this. He wouldn't be for a long, long time. No Sohma would. But Ana knew she had to let this go.
She got out of the truck, clutching the flowers she had bought uncertainly as she wandered the gloomy place, looking for a certain marker. She finally found it.
AKITO SOHMA.
She read the name and date with little regret. She still felt no grief over his death. The man had destroyed so many lives before his had finally ended; he hadn't been mourned over a single day.
"Hey." Ana said awkwardly, kneeling on his grave instinctively. One always had to kneel in Akito's presence.
"I know you're dead, and you were a total bastard, but I wanted to say some things." Ana paused.
A/N: I cussed. I'm so hard core ^-^. But I couldn't think of a substitute lol.
"I know what you did to me and Kyo was cruel and hateful, not to mention selfish, but still. I can't help but think it brought us closer together, you know?" She twirled a blade of grass between her fingers as a cold wind blew, ruffling her hair.
"And, I can't believe I'm saying this, but… I forgive you." Ana swallowed hard. She had to let this go; all this hatred, all of those painful emotions and memories… they were eating her away. She had to do this.
"For everything. You destroyed me; you tore me down, again and again. You banished me, you banished Kyo, you hurt everyone you touched… but yet, I have to forgive you. I just can't keep hating you." Ana hesitated, then set the flowers down in front of the grave. They looked lonely, a splash of bright colors against the dreary grey.
"So Akito, wherever you are, I hope you can hear me. I know someday, everyone else will come to forgive you. Hopefully. Or at least forget you. No offense. But, um, anyway…" She stood up and stared down at the grave.
"I forgive you. Somehow, deep in my heart, I forgive you." She whispered. And then she walked away, leaving her built-up hatred and painful memories behind her.
A lot of people are probably going "Are you out of your mind?! How could you forgive him?!" But Ana just can't harbor hatred, you know? She needed some closure- I know most of the Sohmas will never learn to forgive like Ana, but one can hope :D
Any yay for weddings- it's going to be soon, next chapter or two, because I don't want to waste a lot of time dancing around the plans lol- and I know nothing about weddings, so expect a lot of things you've seen on TV XD
Anyways, please review! Pocky to all reviewers!
LOSGAP =D
PS. I don't even know what Pocky is; I saw it on Vampire Knight, the chocolate kind, and they seemed pretty partial to it… so I'm guessing people like it? What is it anyway? *feels like a total noob*
I am stoopid xD
Bai bai now ^-^
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