Disclaimer-Shaman King does not belong to me.
"Well, if the party's moving outside, I think that I will take a quick dip in the hot springs. It's a perfect night for it." Anna said.
"That sounds like a great idea. The two of you are welcome to join us." Yoh told Ren and Pirika.
Ren's eyes widened as Pirika blushed furiously. "No. I think we will be quite alright on our own, thank you." he told them.
Once the couple left, Ren sighed as he watched Pirika gather up everyone's dishes to take them into the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" he asked her.
"I feel terrible sitting here by myself while everyone has gone outside to enjoy themselves. The least I can do is to help clean up." Pirika told him.
"Nonsense. That whole stunt was just a ruse on the part of mine and Yoh's guardians to distract your brother from being so protective of you. His behavior tonight was quite ill mannered, really." Ren said.
"He means well. He just wants to make sure nothing bad happens to me. I have a tendency to be too open and trusting sometimes." she told him.
"I'm quite the opposite. I've never had friends like Yoh and those close to him. The only confidente I've ever really had has been Bason and my sister Jun and even they can be difficult to talk to sometimes." Ren said.
"I understand what you mean. Trey and I have a great relationship, but I guess there's some things he and I will never be able to talk about." Pirika said.
Ren's heart lurched at her softly spoken words, making his chest ache and tighten in sympathy. It was no mystery to him why he liked this girl so much.
She was his complete opposite, loving, trusting, sincere with a pure, kind nature. Even though he knew it would take him a long time before he ever let his guard down as much as she did, he was drawn to her in more ways than one.
Feeling his pulse begin to race out of nervousness, he snatched up one of the small bottles of liquor on the table, the other obviously taken by Yoh and Anna for their rendenvous in the hot spring. Ren laughed to himself at that thought, not at all surprised that the normally repressed Anna would be drawn to the fircerely independent Yoh and vica versa.
Like him and Pirika, Yoh and his blonde fiancee were as different as night and day, their only things in common were their dedications to the Shaman fights and their mutual feelings for each other.
Ren attempted a weak smile, not used to doing much but frowning his whole life, as Pirika returned from the kitchen. Their heads both turned to the small stereo in the corner of the room as the CD they had been listening to started playing a slow, romantic song. Ren stood up slowly so not to startle her, and tentively held out a hand to her.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked quietly.
Pirika stared at his hand for a moment and then up to his uncertain face with the deep golden eyes she loved so much.
"Yes, Ren. I'd like that." she told him, placing her hand in his.
"I don't know who those two are trying to fool by making up some crazy excuse now to join all of us outside. You'd think Yoh and Anna would make the effort to be better hosts." Trey complained, arms crossed in front of him outside.
"It's not like you to be so concerned about people's affairs. Don't you think that you might be overrreacting just a little?" Ryu asked him.
Trey snorted. "I just don't like the idea of my sister Pirika being alone with that Ren guy." he replied.
"You're just being overprotective. I think she might like him." Manta said.
Trey's eyes widened with anger. "What?! You can't be serious! If he so much as lays a hand on my innocent little sister, I'll..." he began.
Li Pailong took a moment from instructing Manta to get involved as well. "It is good that you care so much for your sister, Horo Horo, but I have the feeling that whatever happens between them, is what is meant to happen." he told him.
Manta smiled. "That's why you're my hero, Pailong, because not only only are you an awesome fighter, but you're very wise as well." he told him.
Li laughed. "Thank you. I appreciate that." he said.
Not wanting to even contemplate the thought of his sister and Ren alone together, Trey smirked as he considered what exactly was going on in the hot springs close by, where the heat from the springs had concealed the couple from their company's view...
"You know, I'm surprised that they didn't card Ryu when he bought those small bottles of liquor for the party. It's not like he's old enough to drink yet." Anna said.
Yoh smiled. "Yeah well, I doubt anyone in their right mind is going to refuse Ryu anything given hisold reputation. For a first time buyer, he chose well, didn't he?" he asked her.
Anna smiled, slightly under the alchol's influence. "I like the sour green apple flavor of it. It's kinda bitter, but not bad." she agreed.
Yoh laughed again. "I've never seen you tipsy before, Anna. I kinda like it, not like I've ever been tipsy before myself." he chuckled.
Anna frowned as she realized that she and Yoh were alone in the hot spring. "Aren't we being rude being in here all by ourselves? It is our party, after all." she told him.
"It was your idea to come in here, remember?" he reminded her.
She giggled softly. "That's right. I forgot." she said.
Taking a moment to laugh at their own confusion, Anna shrugged and began to take off her kimono to get into the springs.
"Here, let me help you." he said,
She stared up into his eyes as he moved close to her to ease the kimono from her shoulders. She mirrored his action as their eyes locked and held, falling into each other's embrace as they came together to share a deep, passionate kiss. Gasping into each other's mouths as their robes fell to their feet, Anna leaned her body against his as he deepened the kiss between them, weaving his hands around her waist as she tangled her fingers into his hair....
She couldn't even remember the last time she had she had felt so self conscious alone with a boy. Pirika and Ren had shared a very nervous dance between them before parting to sit beside the stereo to listen to the music. In an effort to ease their comfort level, Ren had taken it upon himself to mix some of the sour green apple liquor left behind into two glasses of clear fizzy soda for them. Pirika sighed, grateful for him doing so, twining her hair between her fingers with a smile.
"Thank you, Ren. I'm surprised that I make you so nervous. I've seen you in battle many times before. You always seem so confident then." she told him.
Ren smiled then. "Yes. I suppose that's because that is the state of affairs in which I am used to engaging in. It's quite different being alone with someone, although I daresay you would get no complaints from me about our present situation." he told her.
Pirika smiled. "You and your sister Jun have such wonderful accents. You always sound so cultered and elegant when you speak." she said.
"I've never really thought about it that way. I'm rather used to the way that she and I speak. I have to admit, it's rather different for me to be thinking about anything else but the Shaman King tournament and the duty to my family." Ren said.
Pirika nodded, understanding completely. "Yes. It's pretty much been the goal of mine and my brother's whole lives too. I'm not a shaman myself, but Trey's desire to save the enviroment and the people of our land has always been his driving force. I admire him for that." she said.
Ren was unsure of how to respond to that. He and Horo Horo tolerated each other at best, but he knew he had to get along with her spiky haired brother if he was to stand a chance with her.
"Horo Horo is lucky to have you by his side." he said.
She smiled. "Thanks. I believe in you too, Ren, as much as I do my brother. I want you both to succeed at whatever makes you happy." she told him.
Ren stared at her for a moment before finding his voice again. "Thank you, Pirika." he said.
"We're missing out on all the fun by being in here. Why don't we go outside and join the others?" she asked him.
He silently agreed, observing that this time she offered him her hand to lead her outside with him, neither of them deciding to let go. As they made their way to where they could hear the others, Pirika stepped out on to the patio just above the koi pond, her attention riveted by the brightness of the moon and stars above.
"Oh Ren! The moon and stars are so beautiful tonight! Trey has told me that Yoh and his friend Manta come out here often to stargaze, but I've never joined them before. I've spent so much time worrying about my brother over the years that I haven't had a chance to really appreciate the view." she said.
Ren nodded. "Yes. I understand what you mean." he said.
Gazing up at the stars above, Ren was reminded of the first night he had come to Japan. It had been in the middle of the night then too, and he had desperately wanted to lose his thoughts in the endless skies above. His consciousness at that time had not allowed it, his concentration fully on keeping his guardian under his control and proving to everyone that no shaman was stronger than he was.
He had more than proven that, it being the first night he had met Yoh's friend Manta. Concerned when he had seen Ren walk into the street into the path of an oncoming truck, he could still remember how shocked the short blonde had been when he and Bason had sliced the massive truck right down the middle.
It had all been because they had gotten in the way of him seeing the moon and the stars.
Ren frowned, not wanting to think about his past when it was more important to live in the present. It had taken him a long time to accept such words, but somehow being there with Pirika mad eit easier to accept. He looked over at her, staring dreamily at the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the koi pond and he found himself actually smiling, grateful to share this moment with her.
"You looked so thoughtful just then, Ren. I think I could stare at your eyes all night. I've never seen a boy with eyes like yours before." she remarked.
Not expecting her to say such a thing as she looked at him with her kind smile, he began to reply when she jumped slightly from something landing on her arm.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I think it's about to start raining. We should get inside before we get soaked." she said.
Not waiting for an answer, she dragged him by the hand into her and Horo Horo's darkened room, crouching by the window to open the curtains a little.
"You know, I really love the rain, even though I hate getting wet. The sound of it soothes me." she told him.
Not in a particular hurry to reunite with their friends, Ren locked the door behind them and knelt down beside her to watch the rain. He watched as she shivered a little under the chill of the night air, and he responded by reaching out to rub the goosebumps away with his hands across her arms.
"Thank you, Ren." she told him.
She smiled as she leaned back against him, as he leaned back against the wall. Taking the hand that rested on the floor beside him, she moved it around her waist as she moved closer to him. He felt much less self conscious with her back to him, even though his arm muscle twitched under the curious touches of her hand.
"I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable, Ren. It just feels really nice being here with you right now." Pirika said.
"Not at all. I was actually more concerned about you. While that short dress is very becoming on you, I'm sure it's not helping in your case." Ren said.
Feeling self conscious now, Pirika stood and walked across the room to grab a thick blanket to wrap around herself. Worried that he might have hurt her feelings as she turned away from him to watch the rain, Ren reached out to find one of her hands underneath the blankets to take it into his.
"What are you doing?" she asked him.
With his hand over hers, he extended one finger out to touch the windowpane, tracing the path of a fallen raindrop.
"Do you think you may have room for two under that blanket?" he asked her.
"Well, if the party's moving outside, I think that I will take a quick dip in the hot springs. It's a perfect night for it." Anna said.
"That sounds like a great idea. The two of you are welcome to join us." Yoh told Ren and Pirika.
Ren's eyes widened as Pirika blushed furiously. "No. I think we will be quite alright on our own, thank you." he told them.
Once the couple left, Ren sighed as he watched Pirika gather up everyone's dishes to take them into the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" he asked her.
"I feel terrible sitting here by myself while everyone has gone outside to enjoy themselves. The least I can do is to help clean up." Pirika told him.
"Nonsense. That whole stunt was just a ruse on the part of mine and Yoh's guardians to distract your brother from being so protective of you. His behavior tonight was quite ill mannered, really." Ren said.
"He means well. He just wants to make sure nothing bad happens to me. I have a tendency to be too open and trusting sometimes." she told him.
"I'm quite the opposite. I've never had friends like Yoh and those close to him. The only confidente I've ever really had has been Bason and my sister Jun and even they can be difficult to talk to sometimes." Ren said.
"I understand what you mean. Trey and I have a great relationship, but I guess there's some things he and I will never be able to talk about." Pirika said.
Ren's heart lurched at her softly spoken words, making his chest ache and tighten in sympathy. It was no mystery to him why he liked this girl so much.
She was his complete opposite, loving, trusting, sincere with a pure, kind nature. Even though he knew it would take him a long time before he ever let his guard down as much as she did, he was drawn to her in more ways than one.
Feeling his pulse begin to race out of nervousness, he snatched up one of the small bottles of liquor on the table, the other obviously taken by Yoh and Anna for their rendenvous in the hot spring. Ren laughed to himself at that thought, not at all surprised that the normally repressed Anna would be drawn to the fircerely independent Yoh and vica versa.
Like him and Pirika, Yoh and his blonde fiancee were as different as night and day, their only things in common were their dedications to the Shaman fights and their mutual feelings for each other.
Ren attempted a weak smile, not used to doing much but frowning his whole life, as Pirika returned from the kitchen. Their heads both turned to the small stereo in the corner of the room as the CD they had been listening to started playing a slow, romantic song. Ren stood up slowly so not to startle her, and tentively held out a hand to her.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked quietly.
Pirika stared at his hand for a moment and then up to his uncertain face with the deep golden eyes she loved so much.
"Yes, Ren. I'd like that." she told him, placing her hand in his.
"I don't know who those two are trying to fool by making up some crazy excuse now to join all of us outside. You'd think Yoh and Anna would make the effort to be better hosts." Trey complained, arms crossed in front of him outside.
"It's not like you to be so concerned about people's affairs. Don't you think that you might be overrreacting just a little?" Ryu asked him.
Trey snorted. "I just don't like the idea of my sister Pirika being alone with that Ren guy." he replied.
"You're just being overprotective. I think she might like him." Manta said.
Trey's eyes widened with anger. "What?! You can't be serious! If he so much as lays a hand on my innocent little sister, I'll..." he began.
Li Pailong took a moment from instructing Manta to get involved as well. "It is good that you care so much for your sister, Horo Horo, but I have the feeling that whatever happens between them, is what is meant to happen." he told him.
Manta smiled. "That's why you're my hero, Pailong, because not only only are you an awesome fighter, but you're very wise as well." he told him.
Li laughed. "Thank you. I appreciate that." he said.
Not wanting to even contemplate the thought of his sister and Ren alone together, Trey smirked as he considered what exactly was going on in the hot springs close by, where the heat from the springs had concealed the couple from their company's view...
"You know, I'm surprised that they didn't card Ryu when he bought those small bottles of liquor for the party. It's not like he's old enough to drink yet." Anna said.
Yoh smiled. "Yeah well, I doubt anyone in their right mind is going to refuse Ryu anything given hisold reputation. For a first time buyer, he chose well, didn't he?" he asked her.
Anna smiled, slightly under the alchol's influence. "I like the sour green apple flavor of it. It's kinda bitter, but not bad." she agreed.
Yoh laughed again. "I've never seen you tipsy before, Anna. I kinda like it, not like I've ever been tipsy before myself." he chuckled.
Anna frowned as she realized that she and Yoh were alone in the hot spring. "Aren't we being rude being in here all by ourselves? It is our party, after all." she told him.
"It was your idea to come in here, remember?" he reminded her.
She giggled softly. "That's right. I forgot." she said.
Taking a moment to laugh at their own confusion, Anna shrugged and began to take off her kimono to get into the springs.
"Here, let me help you." he said,
She stared up into his eyes as he moved close to her to ease the kimono from her shoulders. She mirrored his action as their eyes locked and held, falling into each other's embrace as they came together to share a deep, passionate kiss. Gasping into each other's mouths as their robes fell to their feet, Anna leaned her body against his as he deepened the kiss between them, weaving his hands around her waist as she tangled her fingers into his hair....
She couldn't even remember the last time she had she had felt so self conscious alone with a boy. Pirika and Ren had shared a very nervous dance between them before parting to sit beside the stereo to listen to the music. In an effort to ease their comfort level, Ren had taken it upon himself to mix some of the sour green apple liquor left behind into two glasses of clear fizzy soda for them. Pirika sighed, grateful for him doing so, twining her hair between her fingers with a smile.
"Thank you, Ren. I'm surprised that I make you so nervous. I've seen you in battle many times before. You always seem so confident then." she told him.
Ren smiled then. "Yes. I suppose that's because that is the state of affairs in which I am used to engaging in. It's quite different being alone with someone, although I daresay you would get no complaints from me about our present situation." he told her.
Pirika smiled. "You and your sister Jun have such wonderful accents. You always sound so cultered and elegant when you speak." she said.
"I've never really thought about it that way. I'm rather used to the way that she and I speak. I have to admit, it's rather different for me to be thinking about anything else but the Shaman King tournament and the duty to my family." Ren said.
Pirika nodded, understanding completely. "Yes. It's pretty much been the goal of mine and my brother's whole lives too. I'm not a shaman myself, but Trey's desire to save the enviroment and the people of our land has always been his driving force. I admire him for that." she said.
Ren was unsure of how to respond to that. He and Horo Horo tolerated each other at best, but he knew he had to get along with her spiky haired brother if he was to stand a chance with her.
"Horo Horo is lucky to have you by his side." he said.
She smiled. "Thanks. I believe in you too, Ren, as much as I do my brother. I want you both to succeed at whatever makes you happy." she told him.
Ren stared at her for a moment before finding his voice again. "Thank you, Pirika." he said.
"We're missing out on all the fun by being in here. Why don't we go outside and join the others?" she asked him.
He silently agreed, observing that this time she offered him her hand to lead her outside with him, neither of them deciding to let go. As they made their way to where they could hear the others, Pirika stepped out on to the patio just above the koi pond, her attention riveted by the brightness of the moon and stars above.
"Oh Ren! The moon and stars are so beautiful tonight! Trey has told me that Yoh and his friend Manta come out here often to stargaze, but I've never joined them before. I've spent so much time worrying about my brother over the years that I haven't had a chance to really appreciate the view." she said.
Ren nodded. "Yes. I understand what you mean." he said.
Gazing up at the stars above, Ren was reminded of the first night he had come to Japan. It had been in the middle of the night then too, and he had desperately wanted to lose his thoughts in the endless skies above. His consciousness at that time had not allowed it, his concentration fully on keeping his guardian under his control and proving to everyone that no shaman was stronger than he was.
He had more than proven that, it being the first night he had met Yoh's friend Manta. Concerned when he had seen Ren walk into the street into the path of an oncoming truck, he could still remember how shocked the short blonde had been when he and Bason had sliced the massive truck right down the middle.
It had all been because they had gotten in the way of him seeing the moon and the stars.
Ren frowned, not wanting to think about his past when it was more important to live in the present. It had taken him a long time to accept such words, but somehow being there with Pirika mad eit easier to accept. He looked over at her, staring dreamily at the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the koi pond and he found himself actually smiling, grateful to share this moment with her.
"You looked so thoughtful just then, Ren. I think I could stare at your eyes all night. I've never seen a boy with eyes like yours before." she remarked.
Not expecting her to say such a thing as she looked at him with her kind smile, he began to reply when she jumped slightly from something landing on her arm.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I think it's about to start raining. We should get inside before we get soaked." she said.
Not waiting for an answer, she dragged him by the hand into her and Horo Horo's darkened room, crouching by the window to open the curtains a little.
"You know, I really love the rain, even though I hate getting wet. The sound of it soothes me." she told him.
Not in a particular hurry to reunite with their friends, Ren locked the door behind them and knelt down beside her to watch the rain. He watched as she shivered a little under the chill of the night air, and he responded by reaching out to rub the goosebumps away with his hands across her arms.
"Thank you, Ren." she told him.
She smiled as she leaned back against him, as he leaned back against the wall. Taking the hand that rested on the floor beside him, she moved it around her waist as she moved closer to him. He felt much less self conscious with her back to him, even though his arm muscle twitched under the curious touches of her hand.
"I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable, Ren. It just feels really nice being here with you right now." Pirika said.
"Not at all. I was actually more concerned about you. While that short dress is very becoming on you, I'm sure it's not helping in your case." Ren said.
Feeling self conscious now, Pirika stood and walked across the room to grab a thick blanket to wrap around herself. Worried that he might have hurt her feelings as she turned away from him to watch the rain, Ren reached out to find one of her hands underneath the blankets to take it into his.
"What are you doing?" she asked him.
With his hand over hers, he extended one finger out to touch the windowpane, tracing the path of a fallen raindrop.
"Do you think you may have room for two under that blanket?" he asked her.