Resurfacing by Strawberry'd
Chapter Five: Obvious Romances
When Yoh and Anna reached the house, it was nightfall so HoroHoro and Ren couldn't be surprised at Anna. They were already asleep.
"Come on!" Yoh whispered, "We have to be quiet."
He tiptoed in while Anna walked normally, both making no sound. They brought all their shopping bags up to Anna's old room and laid them down on the floor.
"I'm so tired!" Yoh stretched and yawned, about to lie down on the bed.
"Um, what are you doing?" Anna asked him.
"About to go to sleep, why?" Yoh answered.
"No, you're going to sleep downstairs," Anna pointed out.
"Awww, please Anna, can't I stay upstairs?" Yoh pouted. With you?
"No, go sleep on the couch." With his head bowed, Yoh collected his clothes and toothbrush. He made his way to the washroom and then to the living room to sleep on the couch.
Anna starred after his soft padded footsteps, wondering if she had made the right choice. It could get awfully cold all by herself.
She dressed in her nightgown and brushed her hair, making a decision. Anna rose and walked softly down the stairs. She watched as Yoh prepared his makeshift bed on the sofa.
"Um, Yoh?" Anna spoke softly.
He turned. "Yeah?"
"Would, you… would you like to sleep… in my room?" she asked tentatively.
"Thought you'd never ask," he grinned happily and gathered the blankets and pillows off the couch.
He followed her upstairs.
Yoh yawned tiredly and plopped on the bed. "I'm so tired," he said, sleepily.
Anna smiled. "After that little shopping? Maybe you do need me after all; I think we should resume your training."
Yoh groaned but inside was smiling. Whatever keeps you with me, he thought.
Anna sat on the bed and looked over at Yoh. He was already sleeping. She smiled, slightly. He must have been really tired.
She lay down on the bed beside him and listened to his steady heartbeat, tranquility flowing through her.
As Anna's eyes started to flutter and close, she felt something heavy across her waist. She turned to look. It was Yoh, hugging her to him as he slept.
She rolled her eyes; this was why she wanted him to sleep downstairs. But even as she thought that, she turned and faced him, snuggling closer.
Soon Anna fell asleep being held in Yoh's arms.
The birds chirped and the sun rose as HoroHoro awoke. He yawned and stretched, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Sleepily, he scratched his head, wondering if Yoh was up yet. Yoh was the one who usually made breakfast.
HoroHoro walked to the bathroom and freshened up. After that, he peeked into everyone else's room, wondering if they were still sleeping. No one was in their rooms.
HoroHoro sighed, as usual, he was the last up. He neared Anna's - Yoh's room and shook his head. Ever since Anna left, Yoh had been acting not like himself.
He was quieter and less lazy, now that Anna wasn't here to tell him not to be. He was quiet and submissive, doing everyone's chores before they could do it themselves.
In fact, he was being quite irritating and everyone knew it was because he missed Anna.
HoroHoro knocked and then quietly opened the door. He looked in and was surprised at what he saw. It was Yoh… and in his arms… was a woman! He couldn't see her face, only long, blonde hair. Like Anna's.
He sighed. Yoh had gotten over Anna but he had to pick a girl that had hair like hers. He has to let her go! HoroHoro thought.
Oh well, it's good enough that Yoh found another girl. HoroHoro grinned and ran down the stairs.
Jumping from the last third step, he ran into the kitchen, where everyone was seated.
"Guess what!" HoroHoro asked. "Yoh has this girl in his bed!"
Ren looked at him with disgusted eyes. "Ugh, you hentai (1)! Spying on your friend!"
"No! No! Not like that! I went to go wake him up and he has this girl with him! You know what that means? He's gotten over Anna!" HoroHoro explained.
"I don't think he's gotten over Anna, onii-san. That woman is Anna." Pirika told her brother.
"Wh-what?" HoroHoro was surprised.
"Baka (2)…" Ren muttered.
"What did you say?" HoroHoro yelled.
"I called you a B-A-K-A, BAKA!" Ren yelled back.
"Well, look's who's talking!" he shouted.
"Yeah, you are!" Ren and HoroHoro started to fight, calling insults from across the table.
"Onii-san! Onii-san!" Pirika tugged at her brother's shirt. "Stop! Or else…"
"What is going on here?" everyone froze. They all knew that voice well. Too well, in fact.
"Aww, you guys are too loud… you know if you want to fight, you should fight outside, where no one can hear you and wake up from sleeping." Yoh rubbed his eyes, grinning.
"That's all? No punishment?" HoroHoro asked, happy.
Yoh laughed nervously. "I didn't say that…" he looked at them, and then at Anna, nervously. "I'm going to have breakfast now, who wants to join me?" he ran out of the kitchen with everyone except Ren, HoroHoro, and Anna.
They all winced as they heard poundings and yelps.
"We're –ITAI (3)—sorry ITAI—Anna!"
She walked out of the kitchen dusting her hands, smiling. "I haven't done that in a while. Glad to know I haven't lost it." she looked at everyone. "Yoh, make breakfast."
"Way ahead of you." He said, strolling out of the kitchen with a bruised and basked Ren and HoroHoro carrying plates.
They all sat down to eat.
Anna ate slowly, not really believing that she was here again, at the onsen (4)with Yoh and all his buddies. HoroHoro and Ren arguing as they've always done. Ryu, with his wooden sword while Tamao and Pirika were talking.
Yoh ate his breakfast happily. Here was Anna, by his side once more, and everyone else talking and laughing and in HoroHoro and Ren's case, finghting.
Anna smiled. From under lashes, she watched Tamao stare at Yoh with longing, and HoroHoro stare at Tamao with the same kind of look in his eyes. She watched Pirika and Ren glance at each other from time to time, and blushing whenever that happened. The only this she didn't notice was that Yoh was staring at her. Something that everyone else noticed.
This looks like a scene from eight years ago. Anna thought. It's been so long and no one has changed. Have I?
Anna finished her breakfast and brought her bowl and chopsticks to the sink. Seeing that, Yoh got up as well and followed her. Everyone else smiled.
"Anna, I was thinking of going to see Ayame-chan, would you want to come?" Yoh asked her.
"Afterwards, will you bring me home?" Anna questioned. Right after she said that, she noticed a look that appeared in Yoh's eyes. He looked taken back.
"You-you don't want to stay?" he asked, hoarsely, a look of sadness and sorrow emerged.
Don't hurt him, don't turn his into what he was before… words from Hao came to haunt her. Was this what he had meant? She had to figure out.
"I'll stay, anyways, I have to continue your training. You've slackened." Anna spoke crisply and walked past Yoh. But not before she had a glimpse of the gratitude and thankfulness in his eyes.
"HoroHoro-kun, do you think Anna will stay with us?" Tamao asked him as they cleared their dishes.
A faint red blush settled on the bridge of his nose. "Uh, I can't say. Do you want her to?"
"Well, Anna-sama is nice, but Yoh always seems to pay more attention to her when she's here." Tamao blushed at the thought of Yoh.
HoroHoro was consumed by jealousy, why was it always Yoh that got everything? He wouldn't even return the affections of Tamao that he would pay almost anything to have. But then again, Yoh was his friend, a really good friend and he had Anna to deal with.
HoroHoro grinned. And he thought Pirika was hard to handle! Imagine having Anna to live with!
"HoroHoro?" Tamao called.
"He can't hear you, sorry, he's too busy fantasizing about his dream girl." Drawled a too familiar voice.
"I am not!" HoroHoro glared at Ren.
As the two continued to bicker and fight, Pirika walked into the room. Ren automatically shut up and blushed slightly.
"This is childish!" he yelled. "I'll deal with you later."
Anna chose that moment to walk in, eyebrows raised. "Yoh needs help with the chores. Guess who's going to help him?" she asked, smirking.
"HoroHoro and Tamao, go do the laundry and fold the ones that are already dry. Ren and Pirika go and clean the dishes in the kitchen and the kitchen itself."
"That's not fair!" Ren yelled. "They get to do less work than us!"
Anna turned to him, an icy look in her eyes. "What were you saying about something being childish?" she asked, coldly.
He shrunk under her fierce gaze and grabbing Pirika's warm hand, ran out of the room.
Anna smiled widely. Now, maybe they'll realize they're all in love with each other and stop being so annoying!
Notes: (1): pervert
(2): idiot
(3): ouch
(4): hot springs
End of Chapter Five
