Yami's koi: I owe you all an explanation for not writing, I suppose? Well, actually, if you have any interest left in this fic… Then you deserve it. But I have had a lot of turbulence the past few months. I sold my old computer, had my mom buy me a new one, but since my old comp was so shit, I had no way of transferring the old stories back onto the new, better computer. Then I had to get the Internet back up, which took ages. And then at New Year, I told my Mom that I'm bi. She thinks I've said that I am just to impress some gie she thinks I fancy… To follow the crowd. Then my sister moved out with her fiancée, and it's the first time I've been away from her for so long. On top of that there is a hell of a lot of exam pressure and coursework that is piled on me constantly… But I won't bore you further.
Here's the update.
Yoh couldn't quite bring himself to face his bisexual relative after that outburst, but it wasn't exactly a bad thing... He was cuddled in Amidamaru's lap, warm and secure. He never wanted anything to disturb him again.
But Anna decided that now was the time to give her own little confession, too.
"Silva! Haven't you even absorbed what he's just said! If he's going out with Amidamaru, he's obviously not engaged to marry me anymore, is he!" She half-asked to the black haired Officiant.
Silva exhaled some more of his fag, and raised his eyebrows, only just realising this newsflash. "Oh yeah. Oops." He stubbed the cigarette out into a nearby ashtray, exhaling bluish smoke through his nose as he spoke. "So who's your little fling, Anna? I would hardly expect such a foul tempered teenager such as yourself to stay single for long."
Anna gave him a dark smile, completely blanking the fact that he had badmouthed her attitude – Which, admittedly, could do with a clean up, now that she wasn't acting for Mikihisa and Yohmei. "Guess. She's in the room."
Again, Silva's eyebrows rose. He leaned back in his seat, staring at the cool teenager seriously. "Fucking hell, is anyone actually straight in here?" When he received no answer, he turned to Keiko, surprised. She was staring at him, not a hint of a blush on her cheeks.
"Keiko?"
Keiko smiled at him, feeling a strange urge to stick her tongue out at the man.
"Curious, Silva. It never got me into any trouble, purely because I was willing to do whatever it took to make my family happy, because that was the way I had always acted, but Mikihisa doesn't know." She gave him a wary look. "I'd appreciate it if he didn't find out, as well. We've got enough shit going on with his side of the family right now to have some more being stirred. I don't need him hating me anymore as well, as selfish as it sounds. But I know Mikihisa… He may simply be overreacting because of the shock." Keiko sighed sadly. "I just wish I could have stayed with him longer."
Silva gave her an offhand salute. "Yeah. Whatever you say, Mrs-in-denial- Asakura!"
"Whatever you say, whatever you say!" Silva wing croaked, flying around above the Shaman's heads at a dizzyingly fast pace.
"If that bird has a shit on me, then I'm gonna fucking shoot it," Yoh said simply, pausing as he waited for his mother to voice her disapproval, eyes closed. He hadn't meant to swear – he had been doing it so much recently, what with there being no parents around during the Shaman Tournament, that it had just slipped out.
When he received no lecture, he glanced up at her, leaving the warmth of his lover's chest behind for just one moment. "Mom?"
"Just because Mikihisa and Yohmei disapprove of you swearing, doesn't mean I do. I've just been forcing you to act the way I have always been expected to… I have to reinforce rules on you that I don't even follow myself. But if things get even uglier, you're going to be getting a lot of leeway in what you can and can't do, Yoh Asakura." She said in response, knowing what he had been about to ask.
Jun glanced over at the Shaman King, face beaming with amazement. "You have the coolest Mom, you know that, Yoh Asakura?"
Yoh nodded frantically. "Uh huh. And I love her."
Keiko just rolled her eyes as Yoh gave her a big hug. "If it's money you're after, you can forget it. But ever since you've met Amidamaru, I have noticed you being just a bit more camp than before. It's so endearing."
Yoh gave his Mother a sceptical look. "Me? Camp? I feel insulted."
"I agree with your Mother," Anna butted in, eyebrow twitching ever so slightly in impatience, "Now, what are we going to do about Mikihisa and Yohmei? We can't just leave this hanging."
Silva rubbed at his eyes tiredly, suppressing a yawn. Although he knew that this event included him, it was highly boring. He really didn't want to hear how stereotypically gay his cousin was acting. Silva reached out for his cigarettes, only to find Anna's beads slapping his hand back. He pouted up at the young lady instantly.
"Hey!"
"No more cigarettes until we come up with a plan, Incest boy. This is serious business and I'm not going to leave Dobie Village without a fight about this." Anna snapped, surprised at how bossy she sounded. Was she always like this? No wonder Yoh turned gay.
Nevertheless, it did make her sound like she lusted for a full-blown family argument. Even though she still had a lot to say to and about Yoh, she still considered him somewhat of a friend, and was willing to do whatever it took to incorporate this in just one very small motion of friendship.
If this was a one-off thing, then so be it. But Anna Kyoyama was not about to allow Yoh's family to destroy one little part of his identity – the one thing he had always been able to maintain, no matter how many times the Itako had brought him down, scoffed at him. Anna felt a twinge of guilt burn in the pit of her stomach, but pushed the feeling back down. More pressing matters were at hand. This was no time for distraction.
Silva glared at Anna, but sighed, resigned to his fate. Whatever Anna said, he had found, went, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. No matter how high up that person was in authority, no matter how much power they held over Anna, with just one look, she could freeze the boldest man's heart into one of nothingness.
"So. Let's brainstorm. We need a plan to stop them being so homophobic. Any ideas?" Anna asked, going into a command, and alert mode.
Yoh thought for a moment. "How about we get a gay parade to stop by their house everyday until they find themselves coming out of the closet?" He suggested idly, playing with the ties on Amidamaru's samurai clothes. He blushed when he realised just how low down that was, and blushed into the man's chest whilst he chuckled from somewhere above.
Anna's eyes narrowed. "Brainstorm, not lame-storm, Yoh. If there must be one time in your life when you act at least half serious, can it not be now!"
Yoh gave her his trademark grin. "Don't worry, I am taking this pretty seriously. But just think about this – we can all see where they're coming from, but we're still going to try and change their opinions on this? Seems to me that they're pretty certain about what they think. They're very set in their ways."
Jun tugged at an emerald strand of hair, sighing.
"Don't be so negative. There must be a way to make them understand…" She murmured, eyes falling to a close as she thought, "Has there ever been any other gays in the Asakura family?"
Keiko's eyes echoed Jun's as she too, thought. "Well, I don't think so, otherwise I highly doubt Yoh would be here right now… Or myself, though I would still be alive, just not here…"
Amidamaru nodded. "Who knows? You could have been a Competitor in the Shaman Tournament." He gained a look of sternness from Anna, and grimaced, also trying hard to concentrate. But the evening's events, and the gentle touches of his liege, kept making his mind wander to… Other things. He held Yoh closer to him, not wanting to share the boy with anyone.
Silva flicked at his long, shiny hair, longing for the feel of Tobacco sliding down into his body, a sliver of smoke emitting from the end of a Cancer Stick, as many liked to call them… Oh, wait, he was becoming distracted again… He had to concentrate, right?
The trouble was, although everyone in this room wanted Yoh and Amidamaru's relationship to be accepted by his family, they were finding it difficult to concentrate. Silva glanced around the room, seeing people making an effort for just a few moments, before their interests filtered into a different chasm in their minds. He rolled his eyes and sighed, leaning back in his chair. Everyone had gone through a lot today… Obviously it had been a shock to them all. Collectively, they were weary, and in desperate need of a break from any form of thought.
"Again, a serious, proper brainstorm," Anna repeated, becoming exasperated. She too, had begun to notice that her friend's attentiveness was slipping, but the Itako would not allow that to happen. Anna was getting close to throwing something, and knew it wouldn't be an inanimate object. She had her eyes closed, and an eyebrow was twitching ever so slightly in both anger and deep thought… It even made Jun feel inclined to inch away from her lover.
"Oh, no you don't," Anna whispered, as if she had read Jun's mind. She gripped the girl's hand tight. "You're not moving anywhere."
"Oh, come on, a REAL brainstorm!" Yoh simpered, putting on a voice to sound like Anna's. He watched as his ex fiancée's eyes opened ever so slightly, grinning nervously.
"You're cruising for a bruising, Asakura." She said simply, before allowing her eyes to flutter peacefully closed. "And I mean it. I'm the only one trying to think here."
Something inside of Yoh slipped, and his smile faltered.
"See, that's what pisses me off about you. You always think you're the only one pulling your weight, and when other people do the same, you say it isn't good enough. Then again, you're at the centre of the universe, right? I'm glad I'm never going to understand the mind's of women." He said simply, leaning back in his chair. Amidamaru sighed, and entwined their fingers… he had been feeling pretty left out so far, but when Yoh gripped his hand tightly, he knew that deep down, his lover was just a scared little teenager, staring up at the great wide world, all alone.
"Okay… But Yoh, I think you are forgetting about a certain someone that everyone else hates… Do you think he will have recovered from your fight earlier on?"
Yoh stared up at his boyfriend, amazed as to why he hadn't thought of this earlier. He blinked.
"Well… He's a pretty tough gie, but I'm not sure…"
Amidamaru shrugged, stroking Yoh's hair lovingly. "Well, we can only find out one way, my friend. I'll go and find Manta."
"But, 'Maru!" Yoh whined…
Silva glanced over at the now arguing couple, and sighed, getting out of his seat. "If it's Mosuke or Manta you're looking for, then I'll make Silva Wing get them for you. Otherwise just do something about it yourselves." The man declared, running his fingers through the lengthy black locks he had floating around by his sides.
Yoh hesitated.
"It's not that, but… I guess if we're going to go through with this plan so soon, we'll need to tell everyone, right?" Yoh conferred with Amidamaru, something that was really beginning to piss everyone else off.
"What IS IT, Yoh?" Anna snapped, being the least subtle of everyone in the room. Keiko sweat dropped, despite herself.
"And again with the bitchiness. Control your temper, Anna Kyoyama."
Anna whirled around in her seat, glaring coldly as Mrs Asakura.
"No offence, but the teachings from your family are over." She answered icily, making Keiko's eyes flash with anger.
"Then if that be the case, hand back your beads." Keiko said quietly: a definite sign that she was in a furious rage. She extended her palm, awaiting the cool touch of the Itako's beads. "Come on. I'm waiting. They were a gift intended for the bride of my son. But now that you are no longer engaged to him, hand them over."
Anna fell quiet, unsure as to if Keiko was being serious or not. Naturally, she had always assumed that no matter what, the beads would always belong to her. But with that determined, serious look in Keiko's eyes, she realised that she felt different.
Reluctantly, Anna's hand went to lift the blue beads from around her neck, shading her eyes from everyone's view, before she heard the sound of Yoh's bedroom door opening. She did not have to raise her eyes to know that everyone had paused to look at who had just entered.
"Sister? What are you doing here?"
It was Ren. Jun left Anna's side at once, and went over to greet her younger brother, speaking in Chinese. She spoke frantically, and Ren's facial expressions turned into an interesting assortment, including that of shock, horror, embarrassment and disbelief. Occasionally he glanced around the room at the collection of people, to which Silva just saluted the young Shaman at every open opportunity, finding this an appropriate time to slake his need for cigarettes, now that Anna was distracted.
After a few minutes of this, Jun stood back to allow her brother entry into the room. The purple-haired Shaman glanced around before taking a seat onto the floor next to Yoh's futon.
"You're all exhausted." He began, voice echoing in the now oddly silent room, despite it being quite full. "You're not going to make any kind of useful, foolproof plan with your minds in this kind of state. I'm not suggesting you let this subject lie at all," Ren added hastily, seeing Anna's eyes flash, "But I'm being truthful. You won't do anything without a good plan, which you won't be able to make when you're constantly distracted. Now, take my advice, and have half an hour's break.
"Do whatever you want: go for a walk, take a shower, wank yourself blind, have some beers… But just make sure that you're back after that half an hour is up. Otherwise the Itako mistress will have you hung up by your balls." Ren finished, standing up. He nodded over to Yoh and his ghost companion, smiling ever so slightly. "Half an hour… And I won't speak a word of this to anyone. Not even Bason."
With that, the uncharacteristically casually dressed teenager turned and walked out of the room, setting an alarm on his watch so that it went off after thirty minutes had passed. He vaguely heard his friends do the same as he softly proceeded down the stone steps of the apartment his companions had shared for the past few months.
Heading outside to get some fresh air, Ren turned away from the main centre of the Village, finding his feet taking him to somewhere on the more peaceful areas. Grass gently brushed against his partially bare legs as he slowly approached a tree that stood alone on the top of a small hill. Sighing in content at the thought of being at his favourite meditation spot, Ren sat himself down in the blades of grass, inhaling the sweet scent.
He had found himself coming here more often of late, finding the spot in itself to be soothing to the soul. After every battle he had faced, he would locate this tree, heading towards it until he stilled, turning around to marvel at the beautiful view that lay below him.
From this spot, Ren was able to see the entirety of Dobie Village. In the evening it was at its prettiest, with different coloured lights giving an eerie glow to the painted buildings. Leafy trees would sway gently in the breeze, carrying with it the quiet noises of the Village nightlife. And, if Ren cared to lie down on his back, or even turn his face up towards the night sky, he would see the intense glare of the stars above, reflecting light onto the boy's dimly lit body.
For now, it was only beginning to get dark, but the nights had been darkening quicker than usual as of late, which was unusual for the time of year, for it had not even passed midsummer's eve yet. Sighing, Ren turned his face away from the sky, having laid down on his back a while ago, allowing himself to smile up at the night sky as he mused about the day's events.
He began to do this by forming a list in his mind. First of all, Yoh had defeated his twin brother, Hao. Then, Yoh had confessed his sexuality to his family, with near disastrous results. His sister, Jun, had decided to date Anna Kyoyama (obviously, Jun saw something in Anna few others could), and, to top it all off, Silva had confessed his sexuality as well.
'By the end of this,' Ren thought to himself, smiling ever so slightly at the beams of light that were filtered in through the tree's leaves and branches, 'If there isn't a single straight person left in Dobie Village, then I won't be surprised in the least. I think Yoh might be a trend-setter.'
This train of thought, however, was soon interrupted, by no other than someone who Ren often found to be very annoying.
"Horohoro has entered the meadows!" The Ainu sang, jumping through the knee-high grass, a bright smile on his face as he swiftly began to approach Ren.
Despite himself, Ren's mouth forced itself into a smile. At least this half an hour wouldn't go terribly wasted. He sat up, resting his back against the tree's bark delicately.
"Hello, baka." He said casually, interrupting the ode to Horo.
At this, the Shaman paused, and spotted Ren's smirk through the semi-darkness. He growled inwardly, and bounded up to the teenager instantly, finding little else to do but keep himself quiet, if only for two minutes.
"Who you calling baka, asshole?" Horo asked innocently, as he found a spot next to Ren that was comfortable.
Ren rolled his eyes. "You're only worthy of my time because I appreciate the knowledge that I am in inferior company." He drew his eyes away from the tree's canopy, smirk widening as Horo blushed. "So, why are you so far away from the Village?"
Horo shrugged, throwing himself back onto the ground forcefully, gazing up at the few stars that illuminated the sky.
"Well… Manta and Faust got talking about Doctor's stuff, and I guess I just wandered off until I found this place." Horo explained, stretching as he did so. Ren turned his head to look at his friend, and rolled his eyes.
"You really do make me wonder sometimes, Horo."
It was now Horo's turn to look vaguely puzzled. His head turned to meet with Ren's, and for one moment, he was in wonderment. Ren's eyes were glowing oddly in the fading light, and the beautiful arrangement of colour behind him made the entire scene look surreal and slightly eerie. Shaking his head to clear such thoughts, Horo returned to conveying his bewilderment.
"… I don't get what you're saying, Ren."
The Chinese Shaman sighed, turning his head back up to face the sky. "I didn't expect you to. Allow me to explain.
"One day, you can be the most inconsistent man to ever walk the earth. Sometimes, it's difficult to take what you're saying seriously, even if the words are coming straight from your heart. Then on other days, you can be the loudest bastard I've ever met. You'll be hyperactive, unpredictable, and quick off the mark, and sometimes, I'm not sure if it's detestable or endearing. Then on another day… You'll be serious, and you'll act like those around you usually do, even though they may be acting slightly off on those days, too.
"So I guess the question remains, which is the real Horo? Am I just over exaggerating? Or am I correct?" Ren's eyes gazed unblinkingly up at the stars, hardly daring to do so much as glance over at Horo. Today he had been hyperactive, leaving his actions not very predictable, or reasonable.
The air was still. Although warm, an aftermath of the day that had just passed, there had been little wind, but right now… Everything seemed silent. Even the Village's inhabitants seemed to have quietened down for Horo's response.
After a while, when Ren thought that he had really offended Horo, he made to move, when the boy finally began to speak, softly and sincerely.
"I suppose you're right. Maybe it's my inconsistency that makes me a… What did you call it? A detestable character. It takes one of a kind to like me, I guess, and you're just… Not one of them." Horo shifted uncomfortably, sighing as he struggled to stand properly. "But that's okay, right? There are plenty more people out there who can… Relate to me…" Horo trailed off, suddenly looking thoughtful.
At this, Ren felt horrible. Was Horo simply using the various moods as a mask, to shield the truth away from everyone? More importantly, was he about to find out what Horo was hiding from everyone, if anything at all? He leaned closer, intent on finding out. He touched Horo's arm softly.
"Horo…" Ren whispered, looking into his friend's cool eyes sadly, "I…"
"Ren! Where the hell have you been?"
At Yoh's apartment
Keiko shook her head, smiling ever so slightly at the Shaman's antics as she saw his back disappear from her view. "I agree with Ren. Take a break. It will do us all some good." She smiled, seeing pretty much everyone depart. In fact, the only person who had lingered was Yoh.
"Mom…"
"Any questions you have, I will answer when the break is over. Now do something constructive!" Keiko chivvied the boy out of his own room, Amidamaru in hot pursuit. Before he exited the room, however, choosing to leave through the wall, he murmured a word of thanks and appreciation to his lover's Mother, receiving a tired smile from the beautiful, but emotionally tested woman.
"Thank you, Amidamaru…" She smiled, before pointing to the door. "Now, go make out with my son for a while, it will keep you two quiet for some time."
Amidamaru didn't allow his cheeks to blush, but just smiled at the Asakura lady one final time before going down to meet with his boyfriend again. They were totally alone.
"Finally," Yoh breathed, locking the front door silently to come over and press a kiss onto Amidamaru's lips…
Yami's koi: You're going to kill me for leaving it there, and I know you'll all mention it in the review, so… That's why I did it. Your fury will make me write! XD Lol, see you gies later…
