Disclaimer: Not ours, obviously.


Vestige of Dreams
by Apple-chan and da*mouse


Chapter 1: The Promised Dream

It was late evening, and the festivities were long over. All the guests had departed after bidding the bride and the groom goodbye, who were setting off on their honeymoon.

All the guests, that is…save for Ren and the gang, who had all volunteered to stay behind and help the Asakuras in restoring the Inn to its original state.

Ryu was cleaning the kitchen, with Jun, Tamao, and Pilica helping him, while Horo-Horo was messing about in the garden with Manta. Faust had kindly offered to take down all the banners and decorations, being that he was the tallest of the group; and Eliza, ever by his side, was packing all the decorations into labeled boxes. Ren was giving Yoh a hand with the chairs and tables. Or rather, Ren was telling Yoh what to do with them, with the Shaman King looking faintly exasperated. Hao, meanwhile, just contented himself with getting into everyone's way.

Anna was carefully packing all the crystal into their respective boxes. Picking up the last piece--a champagne glass--her fingers lingered on the sparkling surface, a brief smile flickering across her face. She remembered the last time the pieces were used--during her own wedding with Yoh, seven years ago.

Yoh.

She glanced at her husband, who was still arguing with Ren over the tables and chairs. Hana was running around them, picking up bits and pieces of rubbish and throwing them into a small plastic bag he was holding.

Yoh then happened to glance at her direction…and caught her looking at him. He flashed her an uncertain smile.

...She knew very well why, of course. He was wondering whether she was still angry with him.

…Was she? In all honesty, she didn't know. She didn't know why she was so angry with Yoh, and she didn't know why she had refused to speak to him for the rest of the evening just because he had given a bottle of Coke to Hana. She was just so irritated at her husband...and she didn't exactly know why.

Hastily, she turned her back to him, and began sealing the boxes with masking tape.

Yoh's face fell a bit as his wife chose to ignore him and resumed with her chores instead. With a sigh, he rested his hand on one of the chairs. Lately, things between him and Anna seemed…

"Hey, Yoh." Ren's annoyed voice broke into his train of thoughts. "Were you listening to me? Are we putting these bloody chairs into the garage or not?"

"Huh? Uh…"

"I have a better idea." A new voice, annoyingly chirpy, piped up. "…I can help you two burn these things so you don't have to worry about them anymore! And you'll be able to save the garage space! Ne, Otouto?" The speaker, of course, was none other than Asakura Hao.

"Onii-chan…" Yoh began, looking just a bit irritated. "We can't—"

"Why don't you GO find a hole SOMEWHERE and crawl IN it?" Ren retorted, with a huge glare. "Can't you just leave us ALONE, for GOD'S SAKE?"

"Ah, Ren-kun…I was only trying to help." Hao grinned infuriatingly as he fished out a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. Taking a stick, he lifted it to his lips, while his other hand searched around his clothes for a lighter. He held out his prized silver lighter with a flourish and subsequently lit his stick. His eyes met his Otouto's, and the latter frowned, his head inclining subtly towards Anna's direction. Currently, the blonde woman was carefully stacking up the boxes loaded with the crystal.

Oops.

God forbid…he had totally forgotten about his dear sister-in-law. Hastily, he threw away his cigarettes, dropping the pack and the still-lighted stick on the floor--which Hana promptly picked up.

Yoh shook his head at his older brother, who grinned sheepishly.

Ren, meanwhile, was practically hopping around with impatience. "Yoh, for the LAST TIME, about these bloody chairs--"

"Tou-chan!" Hana's voice broke in. All eyes turned towards the little boy, who was holding the lighted cigarette and grinning. "Look, I'm Hao-jichan!" He then began to imitate the movements of a smoking Hao, puffing away, as the cigarette smoke swirled in the air.

The three men watched, their mouths wide open in horror. It was only a matter of time before…

"ASAKURA HAO!" A decidingly furious female voice thundered. Yoh immediately whipped the cigarette from Hana's fingers, looking frantic, while his son just looked plain confused.

"I'll…uhm…put the chairs wherever you want to put them!" Ren was gone, faster than a speeding bullet.

"UH-OH..." Hao began to back away. "Do you think I have time to say my final prayers before--"

POW!

...Apparently not.

-

Hana trotted alongside Yoh, holding on to his father's hand. The little boy's eyes were filled with so much hurt and unshed tears, and he rubbed at his eyes, fighting back the urge to cry. Yoh cast a concerned glance at his son, who had just received a very thorough tongue-lashing from his mother.

As he gazed at his son's teary face, Yoh could feel himself getting grim, and feeling a tad bit angry with Anna. In his opinion, she had been harsh…way too harsh.

~*Flashback: A Few Hours Ago*~

Anna grabbed Hana's shoulders and shook him. "What did you think you were doing?" Her voice was loud, laced with anger.

"I...I..."

"Cigarettes are bad for you! How many times have I told you NOT to put anything you pick up into your mouth?!"

"Anna, maybe..." Yoh tried to intervene. "I think he just--"

"SHUT UP." Anna whipped towards her husband, her eyes extremely cold.

Yoh did shut up...but his lips were pursed into a grim line.

Anna chose to ignore her husband's severe face, her anger growing. What did he know? Nothing! First, he had given Hana Coke, and now, what the little boy was holding was something that belonged to his maniacal brother--something that was strictly forbidden in the premises of the Funbari Onsen Inn. He was supposed to be looking after Hana, for God's sake...and he had to go off letting his son pick up that cigarette!

"I..." Hana's eyes began watering. "I...just want to be like Hao-jichan..."

Anna snorted at that statement. "He's the last person you should ever wish to be." She glared darkly at her brother-in-law, a hazard to the environment, and then, at her husband, who were both wearing identical expressions of worry. Her eyes were cold with fury, and she berated her husband inwardly, for his irresponsibility and carelessness. She felt like lashing out at Yoh...but somehow, she managed to direct her anger at her son instead. "WHY won't you ever LISTEN to me?!" Her fingers dug into the little boy's shoulders.

"Kaa-chan…sorry…I'm sorry…" He whimpered softly.

"Stay AWAY from those things. Let this be your first AND final warning, Hana. Understand?" Her voice was low.

Sniffling, Hana nodded.

Satisfied, Anna released him, and turned to her husband. "Yoh," she snapped. "Put him to bed."

Silently, her husband took their son's hand, the stern look on his face telling her exactly what he thought of her words to Hana.

Unforgiving. Unpleasant.

"You didn't have to be so harsh." He said quietly.

"What do YOU know?" Anna shot back, scowling at her husband.

"I know that you were too harsh," he repeated with maddening calm. "He didn't deserve that. He's only six."

Anna just continued to glare at him darkly. And then, she turned to Hao. "You. Get OUT of here." She ordered.

Sighing, Hao took his cloak, shooting his twin a look that Anna couldn't decipher--and by all means, couldn't be bothered to. "Goodnight..." he murmured, and departed.

Little Hana timidly tugged at his mother's skirt. "Kaa-chan…please don't be angry…Hana is sorry…" She looked at her son, and the ice in her heart almost melted.

Almost, but not quite.

Turn to him! Hug him! Tell him everything's all right! Tell him you're not angry! You know it's not his fault, he's only six. Only six…not his fault…you know it…you know it! Anna's inner voice screamed at her.

But somehow, she chose not to heed to it, and shook her skirt free. "Put him to bed, Yoh." She repeated her earlier words as she stalked off. As she walked away, she heard Yoh's comforting voice. "Come, Hana-chan. Let's go to bed…"

She then looked back, and caught her husband's eyes. His usual cheerful expression was gone; a grim mask covered his features instead. With one last reproachful look at her, he took Hana's hand, and walked out of the dining room.

~*End of Flashback*~

"Tou-chan." A small voice broke into his river of thoughts.

Yoh forced all his unpleasant musings out of his head, and forced a smile for the benefit of his son. "What is it, Hana-chan?"

"Is Kaa-chan really angry? Really REALLY angry? Will she never talk to me again? Didn't she want me anymore?" Hana sniffed.

Yoh searched his mind for a suitable answer. "Kaa-chan is...angry now, but...she won't be angry tomorrow. She's just upset at Hao-jichan and his cigarettes. Of course Kaa-chan still loves you. She's your Kaa-chan, and you're her Hana-chan." He gave his son a reassuring hug.

Hana seemed slightly appeased by his father's words, although his eyes were still watery. "Then…" his eyes searched Yoh's. "Is Kaa-chan mad at Tou-chan? I don't want Kaa-chan to be mad at Tou-chan…"

Yoh gave a start. Is Kaa-chan mad at Tou-chan…? Was Anna mad at him?

Undoubtedly, perhaps a yes. But...how could he give such an answer to Hana? How could he answer a question that he inevitably had no answer to?

Meanwhile, Hana gazed at his father, waiting and hoping for an assurance that everything was fine between his parents. Yoh guided his son into his room, and slid the door shut, still contemplating his answer. Finally, he knelt down to the little boy's height, and ruffled his son's blonde hair affectionately.

"Everything's fine, all right? Hana-chan doesn't have to worry."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really REALLY?"

Yoh grinned at his son. "Really really."

Pacified, Hana hopped onto his small bed, and pulled the covers up to his chin. Yoh carefully tucked in the corners of the quilt so it covered Hana snugly. Hana yawned, and swatted away a blonde bang in his eyes, and Yoh couldn't help but smile; his son was adorable.

"Tou-chan, can I have a story, please?"

"Sure." Yoh looked thoughtful. "...What do you want to hear?"

"I want to hear about how Tou-chan became the Shaman King!"

Yoh laughed. His son never got tired of that old story. He began retelling his adventures, and the little boy listened contentedly.

Just as Hana's eyelids begin to droop, the door slid open with a faint sound, and Anna's figure was silhouetted in the doorway. She entered the room, and Hana's eyes snapped open.

"Kaa-chan!" He squealed. Then, he remembered what happened, and his face fell. "Are…are you still…mad…?"

Anna knelt by the futon, managing a small smile, which, to Hana, was better than all the chocolate and candy in the world. His mother's smile meant that he was forgiven. "I'm not angry anymore, Hana. But you must promise me never to touch those things again."

"I promise!" Hana said happily. He'd promise anything to see his mother smile again. Then, his grin faded a little as his exceptionally sharp eyes noticed how Anna had been avoiding his father's gaze ever since she came into the room...and the sad expression in his father's eyes.

"Don't be angry at Tou-chan, please? I want Kaa-chan and Tou-chan to be happy and smiling. Please?" He gave his mother a pleading look.

If she had looked over at her husband, she would've seen a similar expression, tinged with just a bit of sadness...But she didn't, and she chose to evade the question as well.

"Oyasumi, Hana." She said softly, dropping a kiss on her son's cheek. Hana's sleepy eyes began to close, and soon, he drifted off to sleep. Anna sat vigil, gazing at her son, looking so innocent and vulnerable in his slumber. She then felt an arm around her shoulder.

Involuntarily, she stiffened.

"Let's go to bed, Anna." Yoh murmured gently into her ear.

"...You go on ahead." She said without looking at him. She rested a hand on Hana's forehead. "I want to stay with him for a little while."

Yoh opened his mouth to say something...but then, thought better of it, and gave a loud sigh instead. "I'll see you in the room later." He said quietly, getting to his feet.

Anna didn't acknowledge him, and moments later, a soft thud told her that he was gone.

Her son's earlier plea echoed in her head, loud and clear.

Don't be angry at Tou-chan, please…?

"I...didn't want to be angry…" She whispered, brushing the blonde bangs off of Hana's forehead. "But…you don't understand, Hana."

...A pause.

"I don't think I understand either…"

-

Yoh removed his shirt, tossing it carelessly into the laundry basket, and slipped on his bathrobe. Picking up his toothbrush, he began brushing his teeth, in almost mechanical strokes, as he stared at his spiky-haired reflection in the mirror. When he finished, he rinsed his mouth, washed the toothbrush, and hung it up near the mirror next to a purple one…Anna's.

Anna. His fingers brushed the handle of the toothbrush...and then he stopped, mentally kicking himself. Why was he getting sappy over her toothbrush?

Shaking his head with exasperation at the way he was acting, Yoh exited the bathroom, and climbed into his side of the futon, picking up a novel that he was reading. Not surprisingly, he couldn't concentrate, and after reading two lines, he put it aside with a loud sigh.

Thinking about the wedding earlier on, a glimmer of a smile came onto his face. He was happy for Lyserg and Jeanne; it certainly took them long enough to get together.

It was obvious that they were very much in love, if that special glow they both possessed was any indication.

That glow...the glow that he and Anna had, seven years ago.

~*Flashback: Yoh and Anna's Wedding, Seven Years Ago*~

It was almost time for the ceremony, and Yoh was waiting.

He was nervous. Of course he was nervous. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, anxiously looking around, fidgeting, seemingly unable to stand still.

"Stop squirming around. Save some of that energy for tonight, eh, Otouto?" His twin brother, who was standing beside him, grinned cheekily and gave him a very significant look.

Yoh blushed at that thought, and then elbowed his brother, as the latter dissolved into fits of laughter.

"Calm DOWN, won't you?" Ren complained. "You're giving me a headache with your constant jumping and squirming."

"...Then you should choose NOT to look at him, like me." Advised Horo-Horo, who was wearing a pair of dark glasses. Manta smacked his head at Horo-Horo's antics, while Faust just laughed.

"It's natural to be jumpy," the doctor said cheerfully, patting the hand of his wife beside him. "I was pretty jumpy myself, all those years ago." He chuckled, as Eliza smiled shyly.

Big tears were running down Ryu's face. "It…it's so romantic! Yoh-danna and Anna-okami...it's just TOO romantic! WAAAAHHH!"

Beside him, Lyserg rolled his eyes and handed the tall man a tissue. "Blow your nose," he advised dryly.

Yoh was hardly paying attention to all the chatter around him. He was focused on one thought, and one thought only: Today, he and Anna were to be married.

Today was the day when they would begin their lives together as husband and wife.

Today was the day when they would finally be united as one.

Pilica then walked into the room, and clapped her hands. "...Anna-san's here!" She announced in an excited whisper.

Immediately, everyone settled into his and her seats. Everyone, that is...except for Yoh and Hao--the groom, and the best man.

Horo-Horo sniggered, looking at the identical faces. "Let's just hope Anna won't end up marrying the wrong man…OUCH!" He groaned as that earned him a bonk on the head from Tamao.

Yoh's eyes were on the doorway, awaiting the appearance of the bride. As the music swelled dramatically, Anna, dressed in a simple white gown that set off her pure, exceptional beauty, stepped into the room.

...And his breath caught in his throat. Beautiful could not begin to describe her. In fact...nothing in the entire universe could describe how perfect she looked. How perfect she was.

Perfection that could not be articulated in words without losing its essential meaning.

Anna caught his eye, and her face broke into one of her rare, lovely smiles. Yoh could feel himself grinning back, aware that he probably looked like an idiot...but he didn't care. He didn't care one bit.

He was, after all a man in love...and this was his wedding day.

Anna approached him, and he took her hand. Together, they walked towards the altar, readily presenting themselves to the Lord. Ready to utter the words that would bind them together for the rest of their lives. Ready to vow themselves to each other. Ready to make a promise.

They reached the altar, and from the moment he looked deeply into her eyes...Yoh could hardly remember the rest of ceremony.

The only thing he knew was that...today, their dreams were finally unfolding into reality.

Finally.

~*End of Flashback*~

That day was a dream come true...for him, at least.

However, recent events started to question the validity of that dream.

Maybe it was just that--a mere dream, and nothing more. Because...if it is indeed, something more than a dream, then...why the hell did he feel this way?

Why were things so strained between him and his wife? When did all this tension begin?

...He didn't know. He honestly, truly didn't know. But he had been feeling distant from Anna lately, and he knew that she was distancing herself from him as well...more or less.

He hated it.

His train of thought was broken by the sound of the door sliding open, and then, his wife stepped into the room. She headed to the bathroom without even so much as a single word to him. Pretty soon, he heard sounds of the faucet, and running water as she probably washed her face.

Sighing, Yoh fluffed his pillow down, and turned Anna's pillow for her as well. His wife came out of the bathroom, still dressed in her formal attire.

"Anna? Aren't you coming to bed?" He inquired.

"In a moment." Was the curt reply. He noticed that she still wasn't looking at him. He watched her as she opened the closet, took out a small towel, and her nightgown.

A sigh. "...Are you still angry at me for some reason?"

He was answered by the slam of the bathroom door.

Exhaling with frustration, Yoh slumped down on his pillow and relaxed his body onto a sleeping position. If Anna didn't want to talk to him, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He tried to go to sleep.

...But he was still awake when she came out from the bathroom, and he was still awake when she rustled the blankets. He sat up, and she looked at him.

"Why don't you just tell me what's wrong?" He asked, a slight note of desperation lacing his voice.

There was a small pause before she replied. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just exhausted. I need to sleep, and so do you." She then settled into her side of the bed. He lay down again, and, deciding that he wanted to talk with her further, he rolled over...and found himself face-to-face with her. Her eyes were still wide open.

Once he had caught her gaze, he found himself almost breathless for a moment, his whole being transfixed at her eyes. Those dark, dark eyes...so beautiful that he couldn't help but drown in them. Eyes that reflected how extremely perfect she was. Eyes that made him forget about all the tensions of that night.

Those beautiful eyes...

Reaching out, he traced the outline of her features, his fingertips brushing over the contours of her smooth cheek, and then...his hands paused at her lips.

Her lips.

The whole time he was touching her, Anna remained quiet, but she continued to look over at him, her eyes meeting his squarely, an oddly closed expression on her face.

Leaning over, Yoh tentatively brushed his lips against hers. She responded hesitantly, her lips lingering on his, softly.

For him, kissing her has always been more of a spiritual experience than a physical one. More than flesh meeting flesh, and saliva meeting saliva...kissing her was something that transcended time, space, and the earth. Almost heavenly. Practically celestial. Inconceivably blissful. Indescribable, yet...imaginable. Tangible, yet abstract. Physical, and emotional. Floating, yet earthbound.

Sweet and innocent...yet at the same time, incredibly hard, hot...and demanding.

Passionate, and lustful.

...And just as he was about to reach out and pull her closer to him, she pulled away forcefully, at an instant. Almost as if she didn't want him to touch her.

"I'm tired." She told him simply.

Hurt clouded over his facial features. "Anna…"

"Go to sleep, Yoh." Her tone left no room for argument. She inched further away from him, raising the blanket up to her chin.

Sighing, he turned away from her, settled down on his pillow, and shut his eyes...perfectly aware that, although he had his eyes closed and his body was in a resting position, he knew quite well--the sleep he would be getting was going to be minimal.

It was going to be a long night.

-

Anna could hear Yoh tossing and turning beside her on the futon. She, on the other hand, kept vigil beside him, almost at the very edge of the soft cushion.

Why did she push him away? Why?

...Why?

It had been such a long time since they had been intimate with each other...a very long time.

...It must have been long, for she really couldn't remember the last time they had made love.

She really couldn't remember. When was it?

The last time they had made love...was...

...When?

During their wedding night? Anna was horrified at that thought.

They've been married for seven years, and the last time they had made love was during their honeymoon? Somehow, she didn't think so.

...But it was the only one that was still fresh in her mind. Everything else...every other time they had done it--they were all a blur, inside her mind. The first time they had joined bodies--that was the only one that mattered right now.

The first time they had made love...

Making love with him--it was always sensual, exhilarating...and beautiful. Extremely poignant, somewhat inconceivable...and passionately wonderful. Spectacular.

...Especially that first time.

She could still remember it, very clearly--that very first time…

Their honeymoon.

~*Flashback: Yoh and Anna's Wedding Night, Seven Years Ago*~

The second they got into the room, his arms automatically wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer against him. Against his body.

She, on the other hand, savored the way he felt against her as she allowed herself to fall into his arms. For a moment, they stared deeply into each other's eyes, reveling in the beauty of silence...and of each other.

He was beautiful, she realized. Much more beautiful than any woman on the planet...with his deep, dark eyes, exquisitely chiseled face, that extremely well-defined body, sculpted by years and years of training, with the first couple of years under his grandfather, and then, with the rest of his life, under hers. And of course, that smile. That incredible, unbelievably beautiful, heart-stopping smile. Granted, most of the time, it bordered somewhere along the lines of idiotic, but nonetheless, it was the kind of smile that can melt even the hardest block of ice to a sweetly warm puddle of water. She should know. She was that block of ice.

Was.

But he had successfully managed to melt her. She didn't know how exactly he had done that...but he did.

He had melted her...and now, she was a weak puddle of water, helplessly flowing towards...towards...

Him. She felt her heartbeat quicken as his eyes darkened...not with anger, but with passion. Desire. His eyes lazily roved all over her face, down to her neck...and moved slowly, painstakingly lower, as if he was stopping so he could caress every single inch of her with his eyes. "...You're beautiful." He declared reverently.

She could feel herself blushing beneath his gaze. And she couldn't reply to him...even though she really wanted to. Not while he was looking at her like that--with his dark eyes smoldering, growing even more hazy with passion. And they hadn't even kissed yet...

Kissed.

Out of the blue, his eyes traveled back upwards and paused at her lips.

And her heart stopped.

Gently, he leaned towards her, just as she simultaneously leaned towards him. And then slowly...slowly, they moved closer...one inch...half an inch...one centimeter...one millimeter...and finally, crossed over the half a millimeter gap between their mouths...and kissed.

It was different from any other kiss they've ever shared. Compared to the wedding kiss, which was filled with such joy, such warmth, so much sweetness, and so much promise...this particular kiss was overpowering, blazing like a furnace, melting like fire, passionately thrilling, and overwhelmingly demanding. His mouth moved over hers hungrily, like a desert longing for water, like a fish that was deprived of the sea...and like a hungry little child who couldn't get enough of sweets. She responded to him with equal fervor, gasping as she felt his tongue drive into her mouth, frantically searching for hers, and then, groaning with satisfaction as he finally found hers, and they danced, in eternal, heated flames...her tongue melding with his, and his becoming one with hers for a seemingly endless chasm of a moment...until they broke apart, both breathless--yet extremely eager to do it all over again.

Yoh rested his forehead against Anna's, his eyes gazing deeply into hers as his fingers traced the lingering warmth of their kiss on her soft, soft lips, chuckling a little bit when he noticed that her hair was impossibly disheveled, even though he knew for certain that it hadn't been that way just a little while ago.

"...What's so funny?" She murmured questioningly, frowning at him. Her arms were tightly wrapped around his neck, but...she noticed that half the buttons of his formal shirt were undone, and she wondered about that. She couldn't recall placing her hands on his chest and unbuttoning what he was wearing at anytime while they were kissing. But then again, she couldn't recall having done anything at all besides kiss him, either...

He pressed a fleeting kiss at the bride of her nose. "Nothing," he replied, his lips brushing across her cheek, then down to her chin, and then lower, to the base of her throat. "I just find you so incredibly damn beautiful, Asakura Anna..." his breathy whisper tickled her neck.

She drew a breath. "D..don't swear like that, Yoh..." She managed, her eyes slowly drifting shut as he continued to kiss her neck, while his hands at her waist, meanwhile, traveled upwards, towards her back...and swiftly unzipped her gown in one smooth motion.

They'd waited such a long time for this. Both of them. And now that the opportunity was here...

"Yoh...wait..." Anna fought the urge to moan as her husband's mouth moved against her neck, tasting the ivory column of her skin, his tongue savoring the flavor within that was uniquely hers and hers alone. "S...stop...don't...no..."

"YES," He breathed as his hands slid inside the white, filmy dress, his fingertips caressing the soft, creamy skin underneath. Both of his hands shifted, pushing the gown down to her waist impatiently aside, baring her shoulders and torso as his mouth kissed a path upwards and devoured her lips once more, silencing any more protest she happened to come up with. "Please...don't refuse me," he whispered in between heated kisses. "...not now. I know you're scared. I'm scared, too. But Anna...we've come this far..."

"I know," She murmured against his mouth, her fingers clutching the hem of his shirt as his hands skillfully undid the remaining undergarments on her upper body, then, tossed it carelessly away. "We're married now. But it's just that--" She gasped when she felt his warm hands slid around her front and worshipped the soft, silky globes that were her breasts, his fingers moving over them reverently, like they were the most precious, most beautiful things that ever graced the face of the earth.

"You're...exquisite," he managed in a slightly choked voice as his hands continued their magic, his mouth still hovering above hers as he captured it once again in a searing kiss. He leaned against her with much more force than was probably intended as she simultaneously pulled him down towards her, deepening the kiss that was already in danger of overheating.

That particular action caused the two of them to lose their balance...and the warm, soft cushion of the bed creaked slightly as they fell, Anna on her back, and Yoh anchoring his weight on his elbows, his clothed body a mere couple of inches from her half-naked one. Abruptly, he tore his mouth from hers, earning him a slight whimper of protest. He chuckled as he slid himself downwards and pulled the gown completely off her body, sliding the soft, silky material over hips, then...over her feet, along with the rest of her clothing.

A brief rush of cool air passed over her naked form, but it disappeared quickly into nothingness...and was replaced by a wonderful, comforting warmth as he laid over her, fingertips lightly brushing against her shoulders, sliding upwards towards her collarbone, to her neck, and then, to the stray hairs at her face. "You..." He bent down and kissed her. "...are..." Another kiss. "...the..." One more kiss. "...most beautiful..." Yet another kiss. "...woman..." Then, he kissed her again, longer, deeper this time. "...in the Universe." This time, his tongue tasted her lips with slow, torturous tenderness, urging them to part for him, and when they did, Yoh willingly gave in to the demands of his body as he plunged down into her mouth, his hunger for her still as evident as the morning sun, and his desire for her, unquenchable.

She sighed with pleasure against his mouth as she kissed him back, her hands choosing that time to slide over his front and undo the remaining buttons of his formal shirt. Their mouths continued to move against each other, fusing, tongues stroking each other with passionate, bottomless intensity, occasionally breaking apart for a fraction of a second to breathe, then...melding again, every kiss deepening with each passing moment, the desire building up in between them in heights previously unreachable. When the last button of his shirt was undone, she pulled the garment off of him and hastily threw it away. Her hands were on top his chest, softly caressing, her fingers teasing as they brushed over his nipples, causing him to groan against her mouth and completely fall over on top of her.

They moaned simultaneously at that unbearably wonderful body contact. Their mouths abruptly broke apart as they regarded each other in silence, eyes meeting each other's in an inconceivable, unspoken gesture.

Finally, Yoh spoke. "You feel good." He rasped out.

"...So do you," she managed breathlessly. "But--" A finger pressed against her lips, silencing the rest of her sentence.

"I know." He confirmed quietly, as his hands traced a path from her lips down to her neck. "I won't hurt you, I promise that. I'll...try to slow down." He vowed. "I'll never hurt you. Ever." He bent his head and began to press hot, worshipful kisses down her throat, to her collarbone, to her shoulder, and then, to the hollow in between her breasts.

"I...I know that." She gasped out, her hands tangling in his hair as his mouth continued its endless journey, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses on her right breast while his hand stroked the other, as if he didn't want to deny himself even just an inch of the mind-blowing bliss that came with possessing her. His mouth and his hands shifted, and he resumed his tender, exquisite torture...torture that felt both incredibly wonderful yet somewhat excruciating at the same time, making her feel like she was going to go crazy. Anna's blood stirred hotly, the desire desperately screaming all throughout her entire body like wild, blazing lava. "But...but...Yoh..." She uttered his name in a moan as his lips surrounded her nipple, sending flames shooting through her.

Reluctantly, he raised his head up, a combination of fiery need, bottomless desire, and endless wanting in his deep dark eyes as he gave her a questioning look.

"Don't slow down," She breathed out firmly, as an order. "...Do it fast. Don't you dare make me wait."

Upon hearing this statement, a wicked grin spread across his face. "Your wish is my command." He quickly stood up, kicked off his pants, socks, and the rest of his undergarments, flinging them haphazardly about. Then, he laid over her once more and captured her mouth with his again, kissing her briefly before tearing his mouth from hers and softly tracing a fiery trail of kisses downwards, from her chin, to her throat, his mouth lingering on her breasts for a long while, driving her almost into a state of madness. Sparks of desire burst all throughout her entire body, and she moaned with intense rapture. The fire inside her burned even hotter as his mouth moved lower, the magic unceasing, seemingly unending.

"Y...Yoh...oh...GOD..." She screamed as his mouth finally reached its intended destination. Her eyes drifted shut and her fingers tangled in his hair, her body unconsciously arching upwards as he began his torturous assault on her senses down below. His hands followed suit, alternating with his mouth in toying with her womanhood again and again, practically driving her to the brink of insanity. "S...stop. Stop it...no. Yoh...oh...DAMMIT!" She managed to shout out the last word as she finally shattered into a million pieces.

He chuckled against her skin, savoring her incredible climax that was the product of his own doing. "Who's swearing now? I thought you said I shouldn't...OUCH!" He groaned as a pair of hands demandingly pulled him upwards by the hair.

"STOP teasing me," She ordered in a slightly breathless tone of voice. At the same time, her hands reached below him, fingers enclosing the incredibly hard and throbbing evidence of his manhood...that ONE part of him which had been struggling frantically ever since the onset of the very first kiss they had shared that evening. She had felt that well enough from the second he had pulled her towards him and their whole bodies touched. Ever since earlier tonight...

"A...anna..." This time, it was HIS voice, which pleaded to her. "Don't do this. Please...don't...STOP..." he bit back a groan as she increased the pressure on him.

"No more torture." She whispered firmly as she continued to caress him. "...No more of your torture, else I'm going to do to YOU what you've been doing to ME for the past couple of minutes." As if to prove her point, Anna leaned towards him and began to press hot, open-mouthed kisses on his chest.

"Nonono...DON'T! I'll stop!" His statement came out in a rush of breath. "I'll stop," he repeated with a hint of plea. "Please...I...can't stand it..."

"You like it," She threw back at him as she continued to kiss his chest, her tongue tracing unbearably erotic circles on his skin. "I KNOW you do..." Her mouth started to go even lower...

He raised her head up, preventing her from moving any further downwards. "...Yes," he answered seriously. "I DO like it...but it hurts." He added, a mournful expression on his face. It was quite obvious that he was referring to...HIS...*ahem* "If you continue this, I won't be able to control myself...and I might..."

"HURT me?" She finished his statement in a soft voice. "I KNOW you'll never hurt me...at least, not intentionally," she paused. "And besides," she added dryly, "...didn't I just tell you earlier? DO. IT. FAST. I don't LIKE waiting." She flashed him a meaningful look.

Yoh grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. I heard that part," then, his face went serious again. "...but Anna...if I DO go fast, I might just--" her mouth silenced him with a kiss.

"Shut UP," She said fiercely as placed her hands back up around him, pulling him down towards her. "Do it NOW." She kissed him again, longer this time.

With a sigh, he reached down below, returning her kisses as he caressed her once again, making sure she was all ready for his entry. That action earned him a little bite on his lip. "...Ouch." He murmured against her mouth. "Have a little patience, Anna..."

"STOP TEASING ME." She breathed out demandingly, her hands digging onto his back tightly. She could feel him hard and hot against her, but it was quite obvious he was hesitating...and she knew why. She knew VERY WELL why. She was a virgin, and he didn't want his entry to cause her any pain...as it inevitably will. He was very evidently trying to think of the best possible way to do this...the fastest and least painful way--at least, for her.

For her. It was always for her. It warmed her heart...the way he always constantly made sure she wasn't in any pain. However, in this case, it would be even MORE painful if he doesn't do what he was supposed to already...because she was starting to lose her mind. She wanted him. She wanted to feel him inside her...ALL of him. "Don't worry about me," She assured him. "Just...do it."

He nodded, swallowing nervously as he shifted, quite slowly. "Anna...I'm sorry." Then, he positioned himself and entered her in one smooth thrust.

The faster it is, the less painful it would be.

One of their friends had told her this...Tao Jun, if she remembered correctly.

Although it would really hurt at first, once he's inside you...you will gradually forget all the pain. You will only remember him. Him, and the wonderful, blissful feeling of being joined together...as one.

As one...

"...Anna?" Yoh whispered gruffly against her lips, interrupting her thoughts. Right after that swift, smooth entry, he had paused, evidently contemplating whether that thin barrier his manhood had encountered in that split second before he drove deeper inside her was, indeed, her maidenhead. Her virginity.

"W...what?" She heard herself ask. She had her eyes closed, and that particular moment when he had entered her was a mass of blurs inside her head...and her thundering heart. All she knew right now was that he was inside her, filling her, completing her the way she could never completed by anything else. By anyone else...except for him.

Him, who had completed her heart and soul and life long ago...had now completed her, made her whole in the most essential, most ultimate sense of the word. Now, she was truly his, and he was truly hers--mind, heart, soul, body...and life. Fully completed. Undeniably one.

"...Please be honest with me. Did it hurt?"

Oh. The pain. He was asking her whether she had felt any pain from his hasty entrance.

...She honestly couldn't remember. "No."

"No?" A frown. "Are you sure?" His hands were at her hips, fingers digging somewhat desperately against her flesh. He was trying to restrain himself, she could tell. He had entered her, yes...but it wasn't over yet. He hadn't gotten his release yet, and although he was dying to, he wasn't about to force himself on her--not if she was in pain. She wondered where in the name of heaven he was able to acquire that much willpower. Was it one of the perks of being the Shaman King?

And...her pain, or lack thereof--was...that one of the perks of becoming his Queen? "Yes," she answered simply, her body arching up as he drove into her, pulling her lower body up against his own without meaning to. "No pain," she breathed, a moan escaping her lips as he repeated his earlier movements. "I didn't feel anything. Just...just you...YES!" she managed to scream as he drove into her again. Another moan threatened to escape her lips, but his mouth silenced it as he kissed her again. Her arms tightened around his back as he withdrew, then thrust deep into her again. "...Do that again." She whispered.

"Are you sure?" He repeated his earlier question, growling it against her mouth. "I mean...I'm sorry. I know I told you I'll slow down and try not to hurt you, but I just can't help myself--" He groaned as her body bucked up against his, her tongue grinding inside his mouth, imitating in great detail the movements of their bodies down below.

"Yes…" she said breathily, as their mouths and tongue continued to tease each other, while at the same time, Yoh grounded himself inside her deeply, her hips arching up against him with demanding urgency each and every time he withdrew. They rocked back and forth against each other, bodies moving with exquisite slowness, and at the same time, with demanding urgency...in an ancient dancing ritual that was way older than even time itself...and yet, oddly enough, much, much younger and fresher than the blooming of a new flower.

And at long last, with one final thrust, they both screamed as they found release. Anna's inner walls contracted just as Yoh shuddered, the pulsating of his muscles evident as he poured himself into her, filling her with his warmth in complete, utter possession. He collapsed on top of her in exhaustion, his breath coming in short gasps, his manhood still embedded inside her as his fingers stroked the side of her hips.

"That was...that was..." Anna shook her head, her arms still around his neck, her fingers caressing his hair, and unable to describe how wonderful joining with him...becoming ONE with him--felt. It was probably something that cannot be expressed in words. Something unspoken. "Yoh?"

"Hmm?" Her husband raised his head up, a look of inquiry in his eyes as he smiled at her. That incredibly beautiful, melting smile.

...And she forgot what she was going to say. "I...uh...Yoh...I..." She swallowed, her cheeks turning a little pink as he continued to stare at her with that damn smile. Darn it, he was turning her into a weak water puddle again.

"Yeah...?" His face inched closer to hers, his mouth hovering over hers.

What was she saying again? She really couldn't remember...oh.

That.

That.

"Yoh," she tried again, seriousness all over her face this time as she called for his attention. "I--" His mouth chose that time to capture hers, abruptly cutting off the rest of her sentence. He kissed her, long and hard...and she kissed him back, her lips and mouth and tongue demonstrating in action what she couldn't articulate in words...words that somehow couldn't escape her throat…

But as they say...action speaks louder than words.

They broke apart, moments later, both breathless. She ran her fingers lightly over his face, his every feature, and brushed back his brown bangs, which was slightly damp with sweat.

Yoh caught her hand, and kissed her fingertips. "Anna...I want to tell you something."

She nodded, looking up expectantly at him. "What is it?" Granted, she had not been able to say what she had wanted to tell him earlier, but...she was able to tell him exactly how she felt in that kiss...wasn't she?

Wasn't she?

"Anna...I..." Her husband gazed at her face, long and intently, as if he was contemplating something in his mind. "I..." He held up their clasped hands, and placed her palm to his cheek, turning his head and kissing her hand again. His eyes were dark with emotions that she couldn't recognize...

"You what?" She was beginning to feel a bit puzzled. He was hesitating far too long...

"...I..." He tried again, swallowing nervously. "I..." And at that moment, he paused, an odd expression crossing over his face as he continued to gaze at her. Almost reverently, he grazed his fingertips across her delicate features, his touch soft, gentle, and loving...

...He didn't say anything more after that. He closed his eyes, sighed, and buried his face at the crook of her neck.

As she enfolded him in her arms, embraced him with all her heart, mind and soul...her emotions ran deep, and the words she hadn't been able to say floated in the air above them...

I love you.

It was never said, but it was there. It was.

...Wasn't it?

~*End of Flashback*~

Anna rolled over to her side, away from Yoh, still filled with memories of the first night. The first time they had demonstrated their love to each other.

...Love...

It was love...wasn't it? She had wanted to say it to him that night.

...And she had thought that he felt the same. All those years ago...she had never said it, not even once, in the years that followed. She had thought there was no need to.

There was no need to...was there?

Now that she thought about it, she found herself unsure. Wondering.

Was it really love?

Had it ever really been love in the first place? She felt the pain slicing through her heart as her mind continued to wander.

...He had never told her that he loved her.

And her...

She had never told him that she loved him, either.

Not once, for the length of the time that they had been married, had they ever verbally declared their love for each other. Not even once.

...But he knew, didn't he? She didn't have to say it. He knew.

She loved him. She did--with her whole heart, body, mind and soul.

...And he loved her. Right?

Right...?

Suddenly, a huge surge of emotions poured over her, overwhelmingly. All the questions, all the doubts, the hesitation--everything just surfaced itself.

...What was love, really?

Was it this...the life she was having right now?

Was this the life I had dreamed of, years ago? The life that I so longed for...the life that I yearned so much for?

...And now...this...

Is...this the life I really want?

Years before, when they were just starting out on their journey as a married couple, the answer to that question would have been an undoubted, undeniably sound yes. They had been so happy, and their lives had seemed so fulfilled, so blessed...most especially after Hana's arrival, whom she had always suspected was conceived during the night of their honeymoon. During that first time.

But...now?

She just felt...confused. Things had been increasingly strained over her relationship with Yoh, she knew. But she didn't know what was really wrong with it. It was just another question that she didn't have a clear answer to.

But still, what she feared the most was...this. Their life. Their marriage.

Was this the life he wanted?

For all she knew, this wasn't it. This wasn't the life he really wanted.

He had never told me he that loved me.

Anna's grip on her blanket tightened, and she pulled the covers further up to her chin.

They were so happy. He was the Shaman King, and they had Funbari Onsen…all their dreams were realized. Their life together had been just a dream--a promised dream. And that dream has now been fulfilled.

Or...has it?

She wondered if...maybe, just maybe--this, their lives, had never been a fulfilled dream. That it really, actually was just that--a dream.

A mere dream.

And just like all dreams...they will, one day, wake up to reality.

One day.

-to be continued-

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