Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King and related stuff.

Elemental-Zero: Happy birthday! I know this came belated, horribly, but please forgive me. I prayed for you at the temple today, so hopefully everything will turn out fine for your hearing problems. And I'm glad you've enjoyed my story so far. :)

Sentra: Wow, thanks for letting me know that you loved this story! It means a lot to me. And just to let you know, I love your stories too, even though I couldn't understand every detail. But you were exceptionally mean to Horo in Frozen Letters. Oh well…

Freefaller: haha, ya, patience is a virtue, though I've probably tested you to the limits getting you to wait for this update. And happy belated birthday as well.

MeeLee: Here you go, their 'alone' time together, though I might have blotched up somewhere. I feel that something is lacking in my writing… haha, point it out if you find it alright?

Netami: At least you noticed it in the end, and I'm glad for it. Sorry for this late update, I hope you haven't forgotten about this fict. Lolx.

Lady girl: Thank you for reading my other fict too. I'll be alternately updating them, and I promise that updates would get faster. Lolx…

EternalSkies: haha, I don't have a definite signature, so I cant give you my worthless autograph. Coping with the stress from your parents' divorce must be hard for you, but you can release some of it through writing (at least I can relieve stress from exams this way) So update soon…

This chapter is dedicated to my good friend, Yin Teen, as part of her birthday present, at least the virtual type. Lolx

The Beauty of Silence — Chapter 16

"Start shoveling right now. There will be no lunch until I see that the driveway is free of snow." Everyone, with the exception of Horohoro winced as Anna slammed the door forcefully shut. With the arrival of the snow, they had generally assumed that Anna will be in a more 'Christmas mode', but it was just a fanciful wish on their part. Anna didn't get any more cheerful, nor was she in a festive mode; if anything, the snow only added to their workload. A thick blanket of snow had covered the driveway, and Anna had proclaimed that it would affect her business. Work had gotten harder for the shamans as Anna's business picked up. After all, there were more tourists from equatorial countries eager to get a slice of a wintry Christmas. And Anna's inn had an added attraction of natural springs, which contributed to the influx of people calling at their place.

Without taking his eyes of the snow and his shovel, Tao Ren wondered about yesterday night. It had been weird, though it did nothing to ruin the 'friendship' between him and Horohoro. Their last conversation merely transformed it a little, to say the least. It wasn't as awkward as he thought it would be, nor did he develop the jitters whenever he looked at his Ainu teammate. In fact, it was the 'normalcy' which they treated the situation with that were the strange parts. As it seems, both of them had actually been waiting for a chance to sort everything out.

Flashback

"Well, why did you call me out for?" Ren called across the park to Horohoro when he spotted the ice shaman comfortably sprawled on a bench before mentally kicking himself. He can't hear, so I'll just be wasting my breath. Tapping a few keys on his mobile phone keypad, he typed out the message and handed it over, where Horohoro gave it a quick glance. Without bothering to reply, the Ainu asked a question that had being haunting Ren himself.

"Err, Ren? How do you describe our relationship?" When Ren had raised an eyebrow skeptically, Horohoro had continued hurriedly, "And don't give me the nonsense about being normal teammates and everything, these few days, or weeks perhaps, I've… I've," here, the Ainu had hesitated, as if he wasn't so sure of how to continue this sudden question. He didn't have to finish his sentence, for Ren could understand, and he knew that even the Ainu couldn't be dumb enough not to realize this. Pondering over this seriously, Ren wondered how Horohoro could have been so blunt about this. It wasn't really illegal to develop a special liking for someone of the same gender as oneself, yet it would not be a socially accepted love, as such relationships are a general taboo even among the 'open-minded' people of this 21st century.

'I don't know, I seriously don't know. I agree that the feelings between us have changed, from being bickering teammates to something more… intimate. It's alike my love for Jun, yet not totally similar. I won't say that it's love, not because I'm ashamed to admit it, but due to myself not really understanding the situation as well.' Hoping that this message would clear things up a little, Ren passed the phone over to Horohoro. The Ainu, to his credit, didn't burst into an exclamation, but merely sat there and nodded in an annoying know-it-all way.

"Okay, that's all I need to know. Thank you," tilting his head backwards to rest on the backing of the wooden bench, Horohoro started typing, in a slow and clumsy fashion, a reply message. Ren had an inkling that it was done on purpose to test his patience, for every time he tried to steal a peek, Horohoro would shift surreptitiously so that the message would be hidden from his view.

'Can we try out something? Like a date of sorts to test your 'love' theory?' Ren swallowed, hard. He knew the Ainu was a blunt person, but, to be so frank about this kind of stuff? Ren knew it took a special kind of courage that he himself didn't possess to bring up this issue, but to take things so quickly, is it right? Looking into the ice shaman's eyes, he found sincerity, coupled with a sense of hopefulness that he was also feeling deep inside his heart. Will everything work out?

"You'll never know unless you try," Horohoro's words made sense, and it sounded earnest. Ren knew that deep down, he had made his decision. Might as well get it over and done with. Nodding in as casual a way that he could manage, Ren got up and made his way back to Anna's inn. Time will tell how this will work out…

End flashback

Horohoro watched Tao Ren intently, wondering what had caused the Chinese shaman to shovel snow in an automated way over the same patch of land repeatedly, as if he wasn't paying any attention. He too had wondered about the events that had unfolded the night before. What had made him bold enough to say what he did, he would never know. Perhaps it was the euphoria at receiving Ren's present had prompted him, or perhaps he just wanted to get it off his chest. The most important thing was, Ren had agreed. The simple agreement had taken him by surprise, yet it simply showed that his feelings might be returned. If Ren agreed to something, it showed his willingness to accept the situation, and acceptance is always the key to a successful relationship.

Funny how fast you get to the idea that you are in a relationship. Just yesterday morning he would have denied all traces of liking for the younger shaman, and 24 hours later, he was thinking on how to make their first date memorable. Horohoro shook his head lightly. Does all new couples feel so happy? Weird, by going out on a first date, that would have meant I'm a gay! No burning shame struck him in a sudden, merely an unnatural calm that settled and flooded though him. He must have showed such signs towards the impending admittance to being gay, and it would have explained why even though he wanted a girlfriend so badly, he did not feel any attraction towards any of them. What would my parents say? And what would Ren's parents say?

It was common knowledge that Tao En wanted his only son to succeed the throne to the Tao family, and Ren's part included provision of a future heir. For two guys to be able to fulfill this part of the Tao's head destiny, it was impossible and a sheer joke. I shouldn't be thinking too far. It could just be a small misunderstanding between our feelings. I wouldn't, and shouldn't hope for or think too much, if it is meant to be, it will happen. Having found an answer that could satisfy himself, Horohoro smiled, and returned to the shoveling task at hand.

Author's note: I've finally updated. The exams were over a week ago, but I was lazy, hence this ultra-late update. It isn't long, and I hope you guys can pardon me, for I've absolutely no experience in this kind of thing (including writing about it). I don't know about you guys, but to me, Horohoro had always been that kind of person that speaks his mind no matter how ridiculous it would appear, hence the frankness in this chapter. I don't want a relationship whereby both parties are trying to hide their feelings from each other. So yea, I hope you guys had enjoyed this chapter and remember to review. xD