Sacrifice

A Shaman King one-shot: Asakura Yoh and Kyouyama Anna

Author's jibberish: One of the very few with an R rating for this pairing. I dunno, I'm not used to writing them like this. By the way, I like the movie The Princess Bride.

Spoiler alert: Mentions of Funbari no Uta; the last page.


He said it was the right thing to do. She always trusted him. Yet this decision was too extreme, so problematic, so…risky.

"It's the right thing to do."

Perhaps he was right.

"It would benefit us all. It'll benefit the world."

He was truly a Shaman King. Perhaps not the Shaman King, but he embodied every aspect that made the coveted position noble, just and admirable.

She loved him. She really, truly did. And although she did not look forward to performing his request, she didn't have the heart or tenacity to refuse…especially since he never really asked her for anything in their life together. She always forced him through intense training, yet he never asked for anything.

This was her gift of thanks. This was his reward for trying to fulfill his promise to himself and to her. She nodded.

She was young; he was the same age as her. But she still feared of their future.

"Who will you be when it's over, Yoh?"

He just shrugged, a silly smile on his face. "I don't know," he shrugged.

That smile. Would it still be there when it was over and done with? And she hoped that her child would inherit that warm, caring smile; warmth that she herself could not display on her face. Yet, maybe there was a chance that their offspring would…

Unless, after it was done… would that mirth that drew her in, disappear? Her chest felt tight. Oh Great Spirit. She didn't like that idea at all. She loved him for everything he was. And if…what if…a small part was lost? Would he still be the same person? Her fiancé, her future husband, her future children's father, her one and only love…

She felt him touch her hand. "What are you thinking of, Anna?"

She loved him. She was scared. "Of…" Anna swallowed. "One thing."

"Yes?"

"I want our child to come from you. From who you are now, not…" she chose not to continue.

"I ask too much of you," Yoh sat beside her. "It's alright. I understand what you want."

Anna looked up to receive his kiss. It hurt, it hurt… the thought of losing him hurt. He was her light. He was the reason why she was there. Although she never vocalized it, she felt it. When she breathed, she spoke his name.

"I will, Anna," he assured her. "I will." He continued to kiss her as he proceeded to disrobe her. Her yukata slipped off her shoulders. She tossed it aside, not releasing her lips from him. Anna sat in front of Yoh, completely naked in his embrace. He laid her down, slowly, and ran his hands over her body.

Under his touch, Anna felt her insides shake in response. Anxiety reached up to her neck as he touched every line of her body, every inch of skin…His tender, soft, almost hesitant touch brought warm pleasures of longing up from her toes to her ears.

Anna wanted him now. Not what he was to become. Not anyone else.

Anna pulled Yoh's robe off and felt the thrill of skin against skin. He whispered her name; she wanted to forget it all. He wouldn't really go through his request, he wouldn't change…

Her brain was sent in the air as Yoh planted trails of hot, wet, hungry kisses up and down her body. The way his palms rubbed over her breasts, down her curves, to her nether regions…The way his mouth kissed her lips, sucked her neck, licked her skin…Anna's thoughts were sent to the sky and she shut her eyes tight, feeling Yoh's emotions conveyed through his caresses.

She moaned. She screamed. She called his name. And when Yoh finally slipped inside her, logic was out the door. She didn't think, she just… Anna wanted him and everything that conveyed him. She felt her heart crying but she didn't let it show through her eyes.

And as he loved her, at a faster pace, deeper, tighter, she screamed out, panting, gasping for air, and called his name, until they reached into sheer bliss together.

It wasn't until sunrise that they decided to stop. Anna felt tired and torn, weary, and drained as she lay on her side molded against Yoh's chest. She thought he was napping, as his breath was rhythmic against her neck. She herself couldn't sleep.

Her thoughts had returned back to…

A groan escaped him and he began to lace her shoulder and upper back with lazy kisses.

Anna bit her lip. She didn't want to do it. She truly didn't. But he wanted to. She knew he was right. She wished he wasn't.

"Morning," he greeted, burying his face in her hair.

She sighed.

Yoh traced soft circles on her stomach.

Anna's lips trembled.

"I know you're worried," he finally said.

He was always able to read her. She couldn't hide anything from him no matter how much she tried. "Is that so?" she turned so she lay on her back, facing him.

Yoh nodded and wrapped his arm over her, tracing more circles on her shoulder farthest from him. "It'll be okay. We'll be okay."

"You're so sure," Anna spoke, her tone very still, free from emotion. Her words hung in the air between a declaration and a question.

Yoh smiled at her. Not a grin, not his usual dopey face; it was a smile of warmth, tenderness, care and sacrifice. "I am sure. It's true love, Anna. This doesn't happen everyday."

She didn't want to doubt him. Not after he said those words and kissed her with the true love he had for her.


It had been years. It was complete. It was done.

He had let his hair grow long. She wasn't completely against that unconscious decision of his.

He must have been six by now. Has it really been three years since they left him?

Yoh walked about five paces ahead of her, his oversize coat blowing in the wind. She peered up at his figure from under her black hood, and then looked down to the ground she walked on.

Tamao would have taken good care of him. He was in good hands. Tamao sacrificed her life to their family. She was eternally grateful to the prophetess.

"Anna."

The blonde looked up from underneath her hood.

Her lover stopped his step for a moment, the click of his sandals freezing on the ground. He turned, his gaze over his shoulder. Yoh smiled. Not the goofy grin he often made as a child. He was a man, and smiled at her with warmth, tenderness, care and sacrifice. "Come on," he gently encouraged. "Hana's waiting."

Anna smiled gently and quickened her steps slightly, eyes returning to the ground.

When she was finally beside him, he took hold of her hand and they walked home, together.

…fin…