Scars
by Miko-chan
Disclaimer: All of this characters are borrowed from Takei-san. Standard disclaimers apply.

"eh...Anna?" It was uncertain and tentative. Afraid. "Are you sure about this?"

She merely looked at him fiercely, silencing any complaint that he had a nerve to say.

"Take off your shirt." A command.

"Demo..." Hesitation.

"Now." It ascended in the tone of death and more torture.

And anyone who has a half-brain would not dare to disobey if she utilized that chord in her words.

"Maa...Maa..." He managed to reply as he settled himself upon the tatami, taking out obstructing item clinging from him. The undistinguishable tattered shirt that had earlier been easily identified as a white, polo open buttoned top, was now something incomprehensible due to the torn and stained blood covering it. She gazed at it with an reproachful stare, her knuckles gripping at the basin she placed beside him. He sat cross-legged upon the floor, sighing wistfully as he closed his eyes. Kneeling in front of him, she need not to ask what had taken place for him to be in such a state, this had been happening more currently.

She soaked the white rag as she observed the wounds that had clearly all over his broad chest. Scrutinizing the uneven slashes upon his body and the coagulating blood that was covering the sides of his lacerated skin, she briefly considered the fact that he had a great loss of blood from the way it was seen. How could he had gotten home in one piece was a phenomena to be believed...A normal being would not even has enough strength to give his facade with a terrified grin as he scratched a bulging lump behind his skull.

Yes, typical humans would have been dead. But not him.

She had enough sense to assure herself of that.

However, that could never tame the flicker of anxiety glowering in her eyes.

She wringed the fabric tightly, swiftly squeezing it against the gashes upon his chest. She roughly scrubbed the flaky mass of dark crimson forming all around him. He squirmed. He yelled. He shouted in protest and screaming that he was dying all over. But she took no heed from his ridiculous objections, her ministrations were not administering upon her brain. Her notions were suddenly crowded with voices, chattering diverse opinions. He was already living the life as a Shaman King, fulfilling the promise he was obliged to keep to his autocratic clan. The dream of existing in languid lifestyle was now at his hands. However, within the past few weeks, a small number of shamans had been attacking at him randomly. They were either seeking for fame, glory or power, disrupting the seemingly tranquil life of everyone around him. He did his best to avoid any damage or disputes, yet somehow the ever-calm patience of his disintegrated...

She absent-mindedly poured alcohol upon the large bruises as she pondered at why he was always driving himself to protect...why?

"ANNA!" he shrieked at the blazing sting of that despicable fluid. He was burning. Roasting in full flare of the ethyl. That --absolutely-- hurts.

"It's good for you." She merely replied in dull monotone when he nearly bawled in sheer horror of her actions.

It means you're alive, idiot. When you can still feel something...that truth will only matter to me.

"But not so haaAAAARD!" He yelped the last syllable as she whacked a cold, stinging medicine for pacifying those raw slits of his. She was unremorseful when she did so, grazing it severely to ensure that no other clinging dirt had found its way inside.

"Shut up."

I'm always doing it for your sake... She resolved, determined. Even if this kills both of us.

He bit his lip as the painful sensation crept up to him, her touch became soothingly pliant as she applied some sort of a cooling colloid upon those rebelling gashes of his. He silently pondered at how he could be undeniably dim-witted at times. He was not taking the guy seriously, ignoring him for the whole hour that he had been buying supplies, until it reached the point that they had been targeting the Onsen. For their minds sake, she was minding her own terrifying business at home...

But on second thought, she can take care of herself very well.

And him too. He couldn't agree more to that.

Opening a wrapped sterile gauze from her pocket, she ripped the plastic off. Pulling the fabric with a yank and snarling at him to behave, she began to do the ministrations.

Unrolling the bandage, she tenderly wrapped it around his chest, the material deftly wrapping his body. She was unconsciously had her arms encompassed around him as she rotated it around his shoulders and chest, the tempting scent of roses delicately wafting below him as the proximity of her presence was madly tormenting. She was here, within his reach...just a breath away.

Yet he was terrified.

If he made himself lost to her actions--as she innocently bonded the obstructing fabric between her and his sensations--then he might fall deeply and could not return back to the way it should be. He knew those eyes, as he observed her behind half-closed lids. There were the concern that she would never reveal, only if you stared long enough and knew to read those dark turmoil beneath that frost.

She always wanted to shield him from those who had the desire to harm him, but like she always said...

A good wife is only a spectator.

And for Anna, whether she admit it or not, that would be slowly murdering her. As of now, he could perceive the blades that had penetrated him was also stabbing her because of worry. Her delicate features were concealing those apprehensions that he would never let her feel. That has sent a washing guilt over him...

He knew her more than she have known herself, as she can comprehend greater his nature than he can be aware of.

As her nimble fingers were fiddling upon the stubborn knot that had been taking a few seconds, she was nearly leaning upon his shoulder. Her breath tickling the unexpected sensitivity of his nape.

Yoh, use your head.... not instincts.

Instincts are being so abusively noisy in his head at right now...

However, when the gap between them was so consuming, he finally gave into his impulse.

Maybe he was already pleading to the Great Spirits to have mercy upon him...

He hooked an arm around her nearly kneeling posture, enrapturing her in a firm hold.

Her erratic breathing.

The deafening rhythmical beating below her ear...and yes, her heart too.

Her intoxicating scent.

Her fair locks sagging upon his chest, savoring the warmth radiating from his body.

Hands brushing her nape, his thumb idly circling her reddening cheek.

She was unable to move, frozen to the spot.

He smiled contentedly. Anna can make him cower, but he can change that.

Like this.
After a few minutes of her hypnotized trance, she barked, "WHAT WERE YOU..."

Then a smooth finger, tenderly tipped off any flames that were starting to rain upon him.

She tugged at the knot tightly, constricting his lungs from the need of oxygen.

A woman, too frosty to thaw.

But that's what motivates for him to blaze more, right?

"Arigatou." he placed a delicate kiss upon her nose.

This was short, painless (except for poor Yoh-kun) and swift. First ever written waff for Yoh-Anna (July 19, 2003...finished at 4:00 pm with the final rough draft)

I love to write Anna-Yoh fics as I can write my Hao-Anna ones. Yes, I play the both pairings with much enthusiasm...The only difference would be the intensity of the words used by the players...

Review please!