Life is an extremely unfair thing, this was one of the first things Kuki learned since he was young.
It was such a beautiful thing, yet so painful, to live and stay alive. Maybe that's why all the spirits when they die and free themselves from their earthly business are guided to the Great Spirit, to have eternal peace after years of suffering and beauty. Not everyone decides to go, but everyone is welcome there. They deserve it after all they've been through in life.
Kuki hopes that when his time comes, his little piece of paradise will be worth it, because a part of him just can't take it anymore.
Maybe things would be different if he was born into another family, or if he didn't know that he was born with only one goal beyond perpetuating the Asakura family: Get stronger to kill someone.
It's bad enough knowing you were born with the sole purpose of destroying someone. It gets even worse when these people are your older brothers.
"Hey Kuki! Before I go, do you want to learn something cool?"
... But it's a nightmare when they know, and they still treat you more like a family than the family that raised you.
"Sure, why not?" And then the young man sits down, putting his shopping bag on the floor and looking intently at what his brother will do. Maybe he'll get slapped by Anna for delaying lunch, but for his brothers, it's worth the pain.
"Pay close attention, this will be important for Shaman Fight." Yoh explained, taking a few steps back. He straightened his gloves and guitar on his back, and turned to his other Spirit Guardian with a small smile. "Are you ready, Amidamaru?"
"Yes sir!"
"Amidaramu, Hitodama Mode!" At his command, the samurai's spirit was in the form of a small spiritual ball that fit in the shaman's hand. Yoh smiled and pointed at his Guardian Spirit. "Okay... So, Kuki, you already know the basic ways to use your furyoku. You know how to summon Shikigami to help you, how to make Hyoui-Gattai, and now you even know how to make a 100% Spirit Fusion, which is impressive for your age!"
Kuki couldn't help looking away as he ran his hand over the back of his neck, embarrassed by the compliments. The fact that he knew Yoh wasn't fawning over him, he never did, his compliments were always genuine, it just made him feel even more shy. Wasting no time, the older shaman takes the Harusame that was being taken with him and places it in front of him, again drawing the younger's attention.
"But there is another level of power, the ultimate and most efficient way to use your Guardian Spirit and your furyoku to fight…" In one fluid movement, Yoh joined Amidamaru with the katana, creating a glow that made Kuki unconsciously blink. When he opened his eyes again, Harusame was now surrounded with a spiritual energy emanating like orange fire, a large shield and the shoulder shield of the spirit materialized in the fire. "... And this level is called Oversoul."
"O-Oversoul?" Kuki couldn't help but stare at the katana's new form, feeling the power that exuded from it.
"Yes, remember when you managed to create that great sword using the power of Matamune three years ago? That was an Oversoul, but using Matamune's reiryoku and not your furyoku, that's why he almost ended up returning to the Great Spirit after transforming." The other Asakura explained, resting the katana on his shoulder nonchalantly. "Now that your furyoku is stronger and you've learned how to transform the Matamute from a Goryoushin to a Spirit Guardian and vice versa, it would be good for you to learn how to use it."
Yoh turned to face the large boulder behind him, straightened his stance and made a vertical cut in that direction. Even though it was a few meters in front of the object and it was a blow in the air, the pressure of the force of the blow ended up cutting the stone in half, as well as creating a path of destruction between the shaman and a few meters beyond the boulder. Kuki was pretty sure his chin was on the ground right now.
"Oversouls are very powerful, and can only be destroyed by other Oversoul, that's why they are so useful in battles." He continued explaining as he deactivated his power, not the least bit shaken by what he'd just done, turning back to the younger one. "But of course, the Oversoul will consume your furyoku from the moment it is created until it is broken, deactivated, or if the shaman no longer has enough furyoku to maintain. So you need to pay attention to using this, because in a battle, spending furyoku for nothing can end up causing your defeat, or your death, depending on your opponent."
"Not that it's a problem for you or Hao…" Kuki couldn't help commenting with a scowl, making the older one an embarrassed laugh.
"Yeah... You have a point..." Unconsciously, Yoh fingered the plaid printed scarf that covered his entire neck, which made his younger brother worried. He soon looked up again, a serious expression on his face. "Nii-chan said that the Shaman Fight fights were always brutal, sometimes causing deaths. And that all the contestants he's faced in all of his lives knew Oversoul, so it's definitely going to happen again. Be ready."
His older brother's rare seriousness made Kuki agree without hesitation. Mentally, though, he was crying, preparing to add another kind of hellish training Anna would force them to go through. Well, more hell for him than for Yoh, this idiot is so in love with her that he'll go through all that grief with a stupid grin on his face if it means spending more time with her.
Also, according to him, hell is far more dangerous than her training. As Kuki never went there, he could only trust his words.
"As soon as I get back, I can help you with your training at Oversoul. For now, try not to try too hard, okay?" Yoh asked, his gentle smile returning to her face. The younger Asakura nodded again, watching the other young man start walking down the hill with his Spirit Guardian, and stop to turn to him. "Tell Anna I'm coming back with the new Awayaringo CD! And don't worry, I'm going to tell Nii-chan that you miss him and that you send him a hug!"
"But I don't…" But before he could argue against it, a sudden swirl of sand engulfed the older youth and the spirit, and they vanished. Kuki blinked, not knowing how to react for a second. In fact, he missed his older brother, who for obvious reasons was far more subtle in his encounters and affections than Yoh, but still... He sighed, running a hand over his face, he should have gotten used to it by now, with these last minute decisions of the other shaman. "... Forget it."
"Master Yoh is definitely pretty extravagant when he wants to."
"Don't even tell me." Kuki turned to the trees, looking at his Spirit Guardian sitting on the branch of a tall tree nearby. The feline Goryoushin closed the book he was reading and jumped up to join his young master, who had his arms crossed behind his head. "Two questions: How long have you been sitting here spying on us, and why whenever you can, do you disappear when Yoh-Nii is near? I kind of understand your apprehension about Aniki, but I also doubt he has any resentment."
"...I know that..." Matamute's face created a pained expression, and Kuki, realizing this, gave a small sigh and looked away. Even after three years, his spiritual friend still had some minor issues with being open about his feelings for the twins, especially for the eldest.
"... Nevermind. Come on, I still need to finish shopping before Anna kills me. And then bring back my spirit, only to banish it to hell." He commented, picking up the bag again and returning to his walk, this time with Goryoushin following him. "You might as well help me with that, don't you think? You have mass now so you can easily carry one of these!"
"Now, Master Kuki…" That smug little smile of the spirit returned, causing the human to smile involuntarily. "You know very well that if I intervene in your training, we will be being sent to the Great Spirit in record time."
"Hey! For now, she's still my fiancée, so I still have the right to complain!"
"NII-CHAN! I'M BACK!"
Hao couldn't help twitching his left eye as the shrill voice made him blur his writing. Slowly, he placed the brush on the table and turned to the person who completely destroyed his concentration, his expression almost murderous. Yoh continued to look at him outside his tent, with the samurai spirit beside him in the form of a spirit orb, katana resting on his shoulder, guitar being held in his other hand and a proud smile on his face, clearly amused by have interrupted his twin.
"Didn't I already tell you to stop calling me that?" Hao asked, his voice deadly cold and calm. Any human or shaman would have cringed at that presence, but the only thing Yoh did was smile even wider.
"Yes, and I will continue to ignore it." Was the response of the youngest, approaching without fear and placing the guitar and katana gently on the ground, sitting sloppily beside the other shaman. "I'm back, Nii-chan." He repeated more calmly. Hao continued to stare at him coldly before sighing and shaking his head, an amused little smile creeping across his face.
"Welcome back, Akari Douji." Hao angrily ruffled his twin's hair in revenge, which made Yoh chuckle as he tried to straighten his headphone and hairstyle again. Hao watched his twin remove his scarf and gloves, revealing a choker and two bracelets with frayed seals, before turning to the samurai Guardian Spirit. "Hello Amidamaru. I hope you're taking good care of this little trouble magnet."
"I'm not a trouble magnet!"
"Well... Yesterday Yoh-Dono faced Tokageroh, and it wasn't even two days before he fought that shaman who thought they could kill him..."
"Amidaramu! You should be on my side!" Yoh complained with a disgruntled grimace, causing his spirit friend to sigh in embarrassment and his older brother to laugh.
The two soon began talking about what they'd been through these past few weeks, with Yoh proudly explaining the advance their younger brother had made. At one point, they realized that Amidamaru was gone, possibly gone out to provide privacy for the two of them, but neither of them stopped updating each other on their adventures, not even as the older twin went back to writing something on a sheet of paper.
"...His furyoku is still pretty low, I bet he won't even be 1,000 when he gets his Oracle Bell, and that honestly worries me a little." Yoh admitted with a small frown as he held out his arms, letting his brother exchange the old seals on the bracelets for the new ones. "But considering his combat talent and intelligence, I feel he can survive any challenge thrown at him."
"Considering the rare skill he was born with, these challenges will be good for him as long as he doesn't overdo it. Of course, he will never be able to reach the same level of furyoku as us in this lifetime, but he will definitely be much stronger than many shamans." Hao stopped his work and suddenly stared at Yoh, a serious expression on his face. "Speaking of furyoku level... How are you feeling?"
"Not good." It was the youngest's automatic response, a sad smile on his face, but no lie or hesitation in his words. He spent so much time with his older brother being able to read his mind that speaking his mind without hesitation to him became second nature. "It seems like it's getting worse, I think I almost spit blood the last time I felt the weakness in my body..."
Hao frowned in concern, yet Yoh noticed that he didn't comment on anything, just focused on finishing his work on his arms and then went to do the same process with the seal on the choker. A few more seconds passed in silence, with the eldest concentrating on his delicate work and the younger looking at the roof of the tent. Hao's grip on the choker lightened, symbolizing that Yoh could finally ask what was tormenting him so much.
"Nii-Chan..."
"Yea?"
"Do you think I'll survive until the end of Shaman Fight?"
The movement on the choker stopped, Hao closing his eyes for a moment while Yoh still stared at the ceiling. Slowly, the older one rested his head on the younger one's shoulder, who gently hugged him with one arm, stroking his long hair. The two stayed in that position for a while, neither of them daring to move until Hao let out a shaky breath.
"...I have no idea, Akari Douji." He confessed, still refusing to meet his twin's eyes. In the past, he wouldn't have cared, as the only reason he took Yoh with him that night was to make him strong enough to then absorb his soul and become whole again.
Now, after all these years of living together, training together, teaching each other their ideologies and respecting their differences? After he managed to free him from the grip of loneliness and silence the voices in his head? After he has healed the open wounds of pain and hatred against humanity that he has kept all these reincarnations, becoming an easily treatable scar? After he brought with him a light of hope with his mere presence after he'd been lost for years in the darkness of resentment?
Hao only had three people he really loved in all his lifetimes, and he had lost all of them, taking him to the state he was in previous lives and the beginning of this one. If he ends up losing a fourth person now, or losing both at the same time...
... He is sure that there will be nothing in any possible reincarnation that will get him out of the madness he would fall into.
"…Hey, don't be so worried. As you said, Kuki is strong, and he will get even stronger in this tournament. And I will not die until I fulfill my promise, that I guarantee you." Gently, Yoh broke away from his brother, giving a peaceful smile then. "Everything will work out, you'll see Nii-Chan." A small involuntary smile appeared on Hao as the younger one said his catchphrase.
"With so many phrases to use, did you really have to have such a weird one?" Yoh's offended look only made his twin's smile widen.
"That's a great phrase, okay? Much better than living saying 'So small' to people who challenge you! By the way, why are you still being so rude to them?
"Because they're weak, I don't see the point in being nice or saying anything beyond the truth."
"You could say something a little nicer, like 'You're strong, but I'm more' or something! Don't belittle it so much when you say it's insignificant!"
"Um...no, not willing."
"HAO! I ALREADY ASK YOU TO BE KINDER TO YOUR OPPONENTS!"
"I know, and I will continue to ignore it."
No matter what people say, Alex will always find Yoh cooler and more interesting than his twin brother. Maybe that's why she continued to follow and serve him, even when he officially left Hao's group.
'Officially left Hao's group' technically speaking, because every month he would return to renew his seals and spend time there, temporarily joining the camp to help the people there in some way. Like cheering people up, calming their worries, encouraging them to get stronger, helping them with their problems, or even keeping them from getting lost in the darkness of their hearts due to their hatred or trauma over something that happened before they decided to follow his older twin, who is kind but mentally unstable.
You know, typical Yoh stuff.
Like now, with him sitting by the fire and tuning his guitar, the newbies looking at him in confusion while the older ones were excited. They may not verbalize it, but of course they love it when Yoh appears and starts singing to them, or along with them. It's one of the only times they can stop thinking for a second about the future and the consequences of what's to come and just... relax and enjoy the moment.
And of course Yoh knows that, because that's the only reason he keeps coming back with that guitar, staying for a few days before going out again, usually to look after his little brother, Asakura Kuki. Or to be hanging around, looking with that silly look in love at his little brother's fiancée all the time.
Yeah, definitely cooler than Hao. And a lot more fun to follow.
Not that Alex will admit it out loud, she values her life a lot, and aside from his twin, no one knows what Hao's true mood will be under that smile.
Better not risk it.
Yoh pats the floor beside him with an invitation, and excitedly, Alex picks up her little drum and sits in her usual spot: Yoh's right side. Yoh's other loyal follower, Jeck, an adult who looks like a mountain of muscle with red hair, occupies the left with his harp. A near-perfect reflection of how Opacho and Luchist sit with Hao, who are on the opposite side of the fire, and Alex still wonders if the twins do it on purpose or if they keep repeating this position because it's been unconsciously implanted in their heads. Knowing the Asakura Twins, it could be anything.
"I brought a song a little different from the ones I usually play." Yoh warned, finishing up tuning his old guitar. Pretty old. Yoh told her that this guitar is the same age as his headphones, and if it weren't for the fact that he specifically said they were gifts from Hao when they were younger, Alex would have been sure he was born with those objects. She still thinks, honestly. "But still, I think you'll like it."
"Be my guest. Entertain us with your human amusement." Some of the novices frowned at Yoh when Hao used the word 'human', but his only response was a slight shake of his head and an affectionate sigh. He looked at his two most loyal followers and started the first chords.
"There's a silencing
As the machine arrives here
I feel it pulling me
I feel the past that's died there
I hear it calling me
'You can come alive here.'
I hear it beckoning
Until I am inside
Riding the horizon
Falling into you
Feel the vessel tighten
I feel you pull me through
A new world is breaking
Your heart is unveiling
Breaking into pieces
In the gravity of you
In the gravity of you"
An English song, originally rock music with a lot of piano in the background, which for good reasons cannot be played. Still, somehow, the younger twin's acoustic guitar along with the beats of the small drum and harp manages to sound almost as good as the original. Maybe because even though it's rock, the music is naturally calm, and instead of the screaming chorus singing, they're using Jeck's naturally deep voice to accompany Yoh's serene voice.
"I see the empty dreams
Race across the sky here
I see energy streams
Where the ashes lie here
I feel you here with me
When all the hope has died here
It's boring holes in me
Enough to get inside"
A quick look around made her catch the exact moment when Hao closed his eyes as his body subtly swayed in time to the music, his smile softening as he unconsciously relaxed. He always does this when Yoh sings, and only when he sings. Not that Alex blames him, music makes a lot of people want to just close off the world and float into a good stranger to the beat of the sound, and she gets the feeling that Yoh's voice is the trigger he needs to follow that instinct. .
Something about a loved one doing something for you always makes people let down their guard, consciously or not. Maybe that's why it always hurts more when something happens to that person, or if they betray you.
Alex wonders how many times Hao has been betrayed or had to see a loved one suffer to reach the level of seclusion he normally has.
"Riding the horizon
Falling into you
Feel the vessel tighten
I feel you pull me through
A new world is breaking
Your heart is unveiling
Breaking into pieces
In the gravity of you
In the gravity of you"
The veterans, for a long time, were already relaxing, some tapping their hands on their legs to the rhythm of the music. Newbies aren't far behind, Alex realized, as the music bewitches them, seducing them into a trance of calm and contentment, as a siren's song draws its victims into its death trap. If so, would Yoh be the mermaid?
So he might be the laziest mermaid in the world, but at least when he works, he works fine. Almost one hundred percent sure that you listen to his music, hear the way his soft voice seems to enter your head and force your body to stop stressing for a while, if only until the music ends, you end up being bewitched.
Almost a hundred percent, because Ashil and three other Hao followers continued to refuse to relax, their bodies completely tense as they looked with some disgust and revulsion at Yoh.
Lucky them Hao is too mesmerized to notice, or they would probably be ashes by now.
"To fall in the star is to be nothingness
To escape is to be empty
Fall into the star and then we won't exist
Or escape into the nothing
To fall in the star is to be nothingness
To escape is to be empty
Fall into the star and then we won't exist
Or escape into the nothing
Your sky
The beauty alone is worth it
I, I will risk it all to own it"
Yoh stared for a second at his relaxed brother, his own body relaxing at the sight, his smile widening as he guided his gaze to the sky. He was always happiest when his brothers and friends, or rather, when his family was also happy.
Far from civilization and human pollution, it was possible in the night sky to see several galaxies together with the constellations, and looking at them always made Alex re-believe in the belief that all stars are or were parts of the Great Spirit that lodged in the sky to try to guide those who still live.
"Riding the horizon
Falling into you
Feel the vessel tighten
I feel you pull me through
A new world is breaking
Your heart is unveiling
Breaking into pieces
In the gravity of you
In the gravity of you"
The last chord echoed across the plain, signaling the end of the song, and soon the only sound was the branches burning in the fire. There was no applause, there never was, none of them were human enough to do something like that, but the group's light collective sigh of contentment was the biggest compliment they could get, and it widened Alex's smile.
"... And when I think you can't get better, you go the extra mile." The elder Asakura's calm comment caught everyone's attention. "You never cease to amaze me, Akari Douji."
"I'm glad you liked it." Yoh responded with a goofy grin, straightening his scarf. Hao opened his eyes, and a calculating gleam came into his eyes.
"You didn't create this song, did you?"
"No, it was the humans. They've been making philosophical songs or protests in the form of music for a while, you know? To increase the chances of people becoming aware from an early age and such."
And... There it is. The discussion between the twins about the fate of humanity.
Honestly, Alex even thought it took quite a while for that moment to show up today. With such different ideologies about the world, it was normal that they didn't always see things from the same point of view. And it was always interesting for the group to see their views.
"And yet, it seems that more and more the world is getting worse."
"Well, humans are like little insects. Some of them might even want to do things differently, and even in better and smarter ways, but a single bee is no match against an entire hive."
"And that's exactly why we should exterminate them all, eliminating the problem at its root."
"But if we exterminate all the bees, what will happen to the plants and animals that feed on them?"
Hao raised an eyebrow but was silent. Gently, Yoh took a piece of candy he had in his pocket and placed it on the floor. In the great Mother Nature you are in, it didn't take long for a little ant to appear and try to claim the piece.
"Humans have failed many times over the centuries because of their selfish nature, I can't deny that. But like it or not, we're all a little selfish inside, but that's not the only thing that defines us. Just as not all good shaman make good decisions, not all humans do bad things because they are bad." Yoh held the candy, preventing the ant from taking it, but letting it walk on his clenched fist to try and catch it. "It's the law of survival, or you adapt, or you die, and that's why there are still good people following this corrupt humanity."
"Do you think if we got this corrupt system out, things would be better?" A few new ants appeared, and the little ant slipped out of Yoh's hand.
"Yes, but only for a while, whether like it or not, eventually their selfish nature would come back to control them." The little ant went to join the others, and soon they all started to walk towards the closed hand. "They need a guide." The younger twin opened his hand, letting the ants take the candy and march towards the colony. "And a little push in the right direction."
"It seems to be quite tiring and boring work, considering they are just fragile insects."
"Yes, but a good leader should take care of his followers and encourage them to look their best rather than just dismiss them as nothing." Yoh looked directly at his brother, a gentle smile on his face as he pointed to all the followers. "After all, the first thing a good king should do is love his people, right? And what is a Shaman King, besides a being with great power and who has the whole world as his people?"
Hao didn't say anything for a while, his eyes fixed on his twin brother as the group stared at him, maybe with a little anticipation in their eyes. It didn't take long for him to give an amused sigh as he shook his head, a small smile on his face.
"... You got me. I don't think I ever thought of it that way." He stared up at the starry sky for a few seconds before simply saying, "I'll think about it."
Which is his way of saying, "You are, or you may be right, but I'm either too proud or I still have too many past issues on this particular issue to have seen it from that angle. And as I'm not yet emotionally ready to face my dilemmas, I'll file it away in my memory and go over it when I'm ready, or when it suits me, whichever comes first."
That is, as close to a 'Yes, you're right' that anyone will get it from him. And that's always how arguments between the two end.
"Of course, use as long as necessary." Yoh again checked to see if the guitar was still in tune before looking at the group. "Does anyone have a request?"
As soon as he said that, the group started arguing amongst themselves, trying to come to an agreement on what the next song would be. As this was happening, Alex noticed that Jeck was gazing in wonder at the younger twin, as he usually did after a debate.
But it wasn't like she could blame him after all, Asakura Yoh...
... It was the greatest manipulator she had ever known.
She knows very well why he chose this song, because with it it would be easier to cast the bait for Hao to bite. And when he started using the insect metaphor, she knew he'd already won the argument before it was over. He used Hao's followers as an example, practically asking if he would take care of them or get rid of them while they were on his side, dammit! She even suspected that the ants appearing so quickly during her words had also been coldly calculated.
And the way he always ends the debates when Hao speaks that simple sentence, because he knows that if he pushes too hard he can lose all the progress he made at that time...
Alex knows that Hao is a master manipulator, the champion of chess, maybe some of his followers know that too. But not everyone realizes that Yoh also has this ability, and this blindness is due to his gentle, carefree nature. And this is possibly his biggest weapon, after all, who is going to believe that this lazy walking slacker can be as manipulative as his older twin who has about a thousand years of knowledge and schemes up his sleeve, and must have already done it several times?
Few remember in these moments that Yoh is literally the other half of Hao's soul. Or don't even know it.
Hao certainly knows this side of his twin, but Alex wonders if he realizes too late when he ends up falling into Yoh's complex spider-web trap, or if he decides to fall into it on purpose in an attempt to force himself to change for the sake of his brothers.
Again, when it comes to the Asakura Twins, it could be anything.
The luck of the people is that Yoh uses this power responsibly, and only on people who seem to be in desperate need of therapy, who for some reason Yoh draws them like a lightbulb draws moths. If he had a heart corrupted by humanity like Hao did, she was sure the world was over.
Alex nudged Yoh's arm, who turned to her with an innocent smile on his face. She started to signal with her hands, a smirk on her face.
'You are evil. Even more terrible than the stories the Asakura tell about your brother, did you know that?'
His only response was to laugh a little.
Yeah, he's definitely cooler than Hao, and a lot more interesting to understand.
"I-Is there still a long way to go?"
"Fifteen more minutes."
"Anna, I'm sure those fifteen minutes passed about ONE HOUR AGO!"
"Do you want me to raise to thirty?"
Letting out a mixture of growls and whimpers, Kuki looked back at the vase of earth that was balanced on his outstretched arms, his face contorted in a grimace of concentration so as not to fall from his invisible chair position and end up tipping the vase, his whole body trembling from the effort. From her relaxed position as she watched TV, Anna again looked at the timer where, in fact, there is about an hour more than she had said.
Kuki's accurate timing perception never ceases to amaze the blonde.
"Don't forget that after that, you need to make dinner."
"... Demon..."
In a blink of an eye, the young blonde's slipper hit the boy's head squarely, leaving his face with a red mark with the perfect shape of the object. To his credit, he quickly regained his balance and didn't drop the vase.
"Just because of that, you'll have three more hours of training after dinner." she ordered, annoyed. Kuki looked at her in disbelief before growling.
"AND THEN YOU DON'T WANT ME TO CALL YOU A DEMON?! IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TORTURE ME THAT WAY IN MY TRAININGS, THEN I HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN AND CALL YOU A DEMON, DEMON!" He yelled, surprisingly still not getting out of his pose, and Anna scrunched up her face a little more.
Kuki is probably the only being who wasn't intimidated by her presence, apart from his older brothers for whatever reasons, and that knowledge always brought a conflict of feelings to her. On the one hand, he was never really scared of her, maybe a little intimidated by her presence, but never really scared. He knew the times when she needed space or a friendly shoulder, even when she didn't say anything. And he always knew the difference between being angry about something, or worried about his safety. After all, he's been her best friend since they met three years ago, despite the strange circumstances of their union.
On the other hand... It also means that he is the only being with guts and lack of self-preservation to challenge her and face her like that. A double-edged sword indeed. Sometimes she's not sure if it was worth going through what she went through to have someone like him as her best friend, and she knows he thinks the same thing sometimes too.
The two stared at each other, golden eyes cold as ice against brown eyes burning like flames. Matamune and the spirits of the house had long since left that room, knowing full well that those two together and alone were like a time bomb that no one was sure if it was turned on or not.
The staring contest was cut short when a soft, sweet laugh echoed from the doorway.
"Sorry. It's just that you two act so similar and so different at the same time, that I couldn't help myself." Yoh commented as he walked in, placing his guitar and katana leaning against the wall near the door. "Great balance, Otōto. I doubt that I would be able to continue in this pose after this blow." He turned to Itako and held out a bag, his smile softening. "For you, Anna. As promised."
"Did you buy or steal this?" Kuki asked, raising an eyebrow. Yoh gave a small laugh, which wasn't an answer, but the Itako honestly didn't care which way he got the CD, as long as it came with no bad consequences.
She stared at the object for a few seconds, letting her thumb go over the CD cover she wanted so badly, but refused to say it out loud, before facing the other Asakura. His warm brown eyes watched her with a gentle smile on his lips, and her chest tightened for a second. A part of her wanted to thank him, show him how much she liked that gift.
"You are late." Was all that came out of her mouth, her eyes narrowing. Yoh scratched the back of his neck as he looked embarrassed.
"Nii-Chan had some important things to talk about and I kind of lost track of time…" Was his reply, fiddling with his scarf as he always did when he was nervous. Anna hummed as her gaze wandered around the room, looking thoughtful before refocusing on the older shaman.
"You can make up for your lateness by making dinner tonight. Don't do something too complicated this time. And add a little more seasoning, got it?" He nodded excitedly before starting to walk towards the kitchen, determined to make the best dinner possible. And Anna couldn't help but close her eyes and sigh, feeling her chest tighten, as it usually did whenever she was in Yoh's presence.
Loving him and not being able to show it is becoming increasingly difficult.
Things were a lot simpler a few years ago, when she and Kuki weren't forced to become engaged, back when the Asakura family thought Yoh had been killed by Hao as a baby. In fact, she was never the very affectionate type, and the power she had at that time made her life hell on earth, but Yoh's experience of Reishi due to his twin only made him more determined to help her, and it was that determination and kindness in his heart that managed to win hers.
She still remembers very well the way he always stood on the bridge far from the inn, waiting for her to come by to buy what Kino asked for. How she deliberately walked slower just to have more time with him. How when the cruel voices around her grew loud, he would yell in his thoughts to force the Reishi to focus on him, and then start saying kind things or humming in an attempt to calm her down. How she rested her head on her shoulder every time they stopped on a bench to take in the view.
A part of her keeps wondering if things would have been different if Yoh had been raised by the Asakura and not his twin. If maybe, with him being the heir of the family, the two of them would end up being compromised and then neither of them would have to go through with it, with the two of them liking each other but being unable to do anything about it. After all, she is Kuki's fiancée whether she wants to or not, and as the good fiancée she was trained to be, she would never betray her future husband.
Whenever she thinks about it, however, she is reminded that this change could also mean that Kuki would never have been born, and there is no guarantee that Yoh would continue this stupid, adorable lazybones with a gentle soul who managed to win her heart. And then she ignores those thoughts and scolds herself for being so childish, Kino trained her better than that.
"Anna."
Kuki's voice made her open her eyes. He had finally come out of training position and was now crossing his arms as he faced the blonde with a neutral expression, very similar to the one she carried on her face.
They didn't say anything for a while, words weren't much needed by any of the three most of the time, and none of them were much of a talker. Slowly, the younger Asakura's gaze moved to where the kitchen was, then to where the front door was, and finally back to Itako.
"... I just remembered that today there will be a meteor shower, and that the cemetery nearby would be a great place to observe them." He suddenly commented, causing the blonde to raise an eyebrow. "I would love to take you to see…" He closed his eyes and sighed as he shrugged. "...But I have a lot of training to do, and I still have a lot of homework to do."
Anna's eyes widened slightly before closing and her face returning to a neutral expression.
"You're right, you must focus on training if you want to survive Shaman Fight, and I'm not going to let you repeat a year just because you forgot some activities." Kuki nodded stiffly, crossing his arms again.
"As your fiancé, I'm very sorry about that... But as your best friend..." At the same time, the two opened their eyes and looked at each other, identical complicit looks in their expressions. "...I tell you to go anyway, you never know when something like this might happen again."
Kuki wasn't the kindest person in the world, on the contrary actually, for the most part the rought and sarcastic attitude he created is almost as harsh as her cold and controlling attitude. It was part of their nature, the world shaped them that way and old habits are impossible to eliminate, especially when almost everything around them prevents them from changing if they don't want to be hurt. And that's exactly why moments like these, moments of kindness they give to someone they care about, are so important to the person as well as to themselves.
And it's at times like this that they decides it was definitely worth what they went through to have someone like them as a family.
"Well, since you have a lot of tasks, just for today, I'll release you from your night training." The brunette blinked, his mouth going slightly open, which Anna decided to ignore as she started to leave the room. She stopped at the door and glanced sideways at the young shaman. "... And thank you."
Kuki blinked once more before giving a smile very similar to his middle brother.
Leaving the room, she calmly marched towards the kitchen, where Yoh was already wearing his apron and hood as he maked some rice balls. He lifted his head, a questioning look at her sudden arrival, Anna couldn't help comparing that expression to that of a confused puppy with something it's encountered.
"Leave Kuki's food on the table and put ours in a lunch box, we'll eat out. Meet me at the front gates in half an hour." Her order made him stop what he was doing for a moment, processing what she had just said. He suddenly gasped and slapped his hands on the table, a blush creeping into his cheeks.
"O-Of course! I-I will finish this right now!" Yoh stuttered with a big smile, his blush getting stronger and stronger. Was someone really allowed to be so stupid and so adorable at the same time or was he an exception? Anyway, she turned around, ready to go to her room and find some towel to use outside. "...Hey Anna?"
The Itako turned around, and even though the blush remained strong on her face, the shaman now had a soft, almost shy expression as he stared at her.
"...You know I would do anything for you, don't you?"
Anna felt her cheeks warm slightly at that phrase, it had been a long time since she had heard those words and the meaning of it hit her chest as intensely as the first time. After all, this was the way he said 'I love you' to her without speaking those words.
A part of her, the part that was well trained to be the wife of the future head of the Asakura family, didn't want to say anything and give Yoh hope. The other part, the broken girl who had been delicately restored with that boy's golden touch, commanded her to respond as she always responded, those words burning on her tongue and her throat trembling so that her voice was light and delicate.
For the first time in three years, she decided to listen to that girl in love inside her.
And as always, she replied 'I love you too' in her own way.
"Then you better stay alive, Yoh."
Little details:
-Alex isn't completely mute, but an accident has caused a vocal cord problem and because of that she prefers to speak in sign languages.
-Kuki is about two years younger than Anna, Yoh and Hao.
-The events of 'Osorezan Revoir Arc' still took place, but in a slightly different way, and this difference is the reason why Kuki has Matamute and Yoh has something that is slowly killing him.
-Yoh already has the Spirit of Earth, somehow. It's his first Guardian Spirit, but he doesn't like to use it too much, so he looked for another spirit and ended up meeting Amidamaru with the help of his younger brother.
-The kaiji of Kuki's name is "茎", which means 'Stem'.
-Hao calls Yoh 'Akari Douji' (Light Child) and Kuki 'Ritoru Tora' (Little Tiger). He would originally put a nickname with the word 'Douji' as well, but decided 'little tiger' sounds better than 'tiger child'.
-Anna and Kuki know about Asakura Hao and the things he's done since 'Osorezan Revoir Arc', and that's precisely why they know Hao has regained much of his sanity in this reincarnation.
-Neither of them know how the twins found out where Kuki would live, and Kuki is a little afraid of the answer, but one of the rooms in the inn has already become Yoh's room, by the time he spends there.
-Neither Kuki nor Anna tell the Asakura Family about the twins visiting them sometimes.