Truce Between Two Kingdoms

By Sakuralily

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King…;___; Although I would very much like to own Hao.

Claimer: Lily belongs to me since she's me…I like to think I own myself! ^__^

A/N: Warnings include yaoi and shonen-ai, specifically, YohXManta and HorohoroXRen. And a self-insertion couple HaoXLily. Thanks, Wusai, for being my super great beta-reader! :D

A/N 2: Restate that Tall!Manta is not CTR-sama's Manta! :D

A/N 3: Regarding to "???" 's suggestion…that would be a SECRET! Himitsu desu! ^___~ I have plans…yes…plans! BWHAHAHA~~~ So I won't reveal anything…_ _ ::nods:: Just that HaoXAnna won't work.

~Chapter 3~

Horohoro blinked blearily at Hao and then rubbed his eyes.

"Tell me again why the hell I'm up so early?"

Hao grinned obviously delighted at Horohoro's discomfort.

"Yoh's visiting this morning and we're waiting for him to get here. You're up because you told me to wake you up before Yoh gets here." Horohoro groaned and rubbed at his eyes again.

"It's not my fault that you're grouchy in the morning and can't get up. The way you're acting it makes me think you didn't get any sleep last night."

The blue spiky-haired lord shoved absently at Hao.

"It's mostly your fault, I was up all night trying to think whether or not I offended you yesterday."

Hao laughed, grinning almost evilly.

"You offend me every day and I still put up with you."
"Shut up, Hao…" Horohoro paused for a moment, replaying their conversation in his mind.
"You know…that conversation sounded very wrong…" Horohoro glanced at his friend who was smirking all the more evilly.
"I know." Hao replied, wrapping an arm around Horohoro's shoulders and pulled him close. Horohoro sighed and pushed at his friend slightly irritated.
"Stop it Hao. You know I hate it when you do that." Hao sighed and brushed back his long hair, smiling still.
"I know. It's just that it's so much fun to tease you." Horohoro glared at the evil overlord briefly and shoved at him again.
"Find other ways of amusement other than insinuate that I should go to bed with you." Hao pouted which looked evil, but cute…somehow.
"Why ever not? You're cute enough to and I'd like to think that I'm good enough not to disappoint you." Horohoro blushed and pushed at Hao one final time.
"Because…it would be weird and you know perfectly well it would be." Hao sighed regretfully and grinned at Horohoro.
"True. That's why I haven't done more than just tease. But to be perfectly serious, if you wanted to I'd be willing." The evil overlord winked at Horohoro, which caused him to blush even more.
"Y-yes. Like that would ever happen."
"It could, you never know. It's a possibility you might want to keep open." Hao tugged at his cloak and it billowed as the chilly morning wind whipped at it. Horohoro never got to answer as two figures in the distance riding horses arrived.
"Aa…here comes Yoh and Manta now."

Yoh rode up first with a cheery wave and his customary large grin.

"Nii-chan! Boroboro!" Hao laughed and waved back as Horohoro besides him twitched angrily.
"It's HOROHORO! How many times do I have to tell you?!" Yoh shrugged with another grin and waited for Manta to catch up with him before dismounting from his horse. Manta dismounted as well and bowed to Hao and Horohoro.
"Good afternoon." He said with a small smile. Hao grinned back, which probably wasn't reassuring, but it was meant to be so Manta accepted it gingerly. Horohoro's cheery grin was much better and was just happy.
"There's no need to be so polite Manta, we're pretty much family after all." Hao said looking meaningfully at Manta then at Yoh as his twin flushed.
"Nii-chan stop teasing. It's not exactly a great way to great your brother." Yoh said struggling to look angry, but failing miserably since his face was still flushed. Hao laughed with careless shrug.
"You know that's all I do. Tease. It gives me amusement. But it is good to see you again, Yoh."

The evil overlord smiled again which seemed slightly more genuine than his last, but only slightly. Horohoro watched the exchange with a grin, but he noted that his friend was indeed happy to see his twin. Yoh seemed to notice this also and smiled back happily.

"And it's good to see you too, Nii-chan and…Horohoro."
"It's has been awhile hasn't it Yoh? The last time was at Meeret Falls with the race wasn't it?"

Horohoro reflected that it was easy to be around Yoh. It seemed like there was a warm air around the brown-haired lord that welcomed people into its embrace. Yoh took everything in with nothing more than a carefree smile and reflected back with nothing but comfort.

"Yes it was. That was a fun race, we should do that again sometime." Horohoro nodded and grinned in competition.
"Next time though you'll be the one to lose." The challenge didn't phase Yoh and all he did was grin silently. The grin disappeared for a moment as Yoh suddenly remembered something.
"Yes. I almost forgot. Nii-chan, can't you have more control over your shikigamis?" Hao blinked at the sudden change of topic, but replied easily.
"Why? They're doing their job fairly well." Yoh grimaced briefly.
"You know perfectly well that they attack almost anything that enters your borders especially anyone with magic abilities. They were trying to murder me when I entered the border." Yoh said gesturing absently at the direction in which he came in.
"It's true. The only reason that Yoh didn't destroy any was because the damage would come back to you and you did stop them in time…" Manta said hesitantly besides Yoh with a worried look on his face.
"Hmm…well I'll consider it, but I don't promise anything." Hao said tossing his long reddish-brown hair back with a smirk. Yoh could tell already that his twin was not going to change his mind anytime soon.
"Now let's go inside and we'll recount events while I tease Yoh and Manta." Hao inserted as the others nodded.
"You are not going to tease Manta and I though Nii-chan." Yoh said firmly as they walked into the castle.
"Really? Why not?" The evil overlord questioned amusedly, glancing at his twin.
"Because I don't want you to."
"That's not really a reason, Yoh. Besides as the older brother it gives me certain rights to teasing. You should merely be glad that I haven't gotten to the point of asking how good Manta is in bed. Not that I won't eventually, but still."
"NNNIII-CHHAANN!!!!" Manta looked ready to die from the blushing so red. Hao laughed and the laughter echoed as the castle gates slammed shut.


~*~

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