Name: Sugar and Cocoa

Author: Rain on your Back

Disclaimer: Shaman King doesn't belong to me, I don't intend on making money with those games. I'm happy with playing in Takei's sandbox.

Note: Just a little cute (ahem) thing to celebrate Valentine's Day.

"Thanks a lot for helping me," whispered Jeanne as she stepped inside the large Funbari Inn. Tamao greeted her with a smile, before helping her get out of the heavy winter clothing. The fluffy coat, the white béret, the white, warm gloves... The albino was very cute in that dress, according to the young Japanese, she really loved that European style... Ah, well. Putting away the heavy garnments, she led her French friend into the large, well-lit kitchen of the Inn. Chatting the minutes away, the two came near the the table. While Jeanne sat and made herself comfortable, Tamao went to make tea. Without even asking, she prepared two mint infusions, with three cubes of sugar for Jeanne, only one for her. Then she came back, and the two drank in silence. It was warm, and sweet, a moment of pure happiness for the two of them. "I really hope I'm not being a bother," said Jeanne in a pensive tone.

"O-of course not," Tamao's voice was sweet, warm. "The Inn is empty at the time anyway...

- Is it?" Jeanne was worried all of a sudden, worrying her lip. "You know that if you need help, Tamao, I can...

- No, it's fine. W-we have a lot of c-clients coming in next week, everthing's f-fine," Tamao cut her short. "You have me all to yourself. So what can I do?"

Jeanne blinked a few times, letting a silence settle in. Her eyes falling in the hot water of her cup, she seemed to be wondering how to phrase her thoughts. "I've already told you the situation on the phone," she began. "Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and... well, I'd like to make some chocolates, but I don't want to cause some kitchen disaster like I usually do, so I thought... I thought you, you'd know how it's done."

Tamao raised an eyebrow. Her lips were curled into a surprised smile. Indeed she knew how to make that kind of candy, and she had in the various cupboards everything to bake some. But what surprised her was that Jeanne had decided to come to her for it. Because Jeanne had... "W-why not ask Marco-san? I'm not saying I don't want to, but... I'm sure he would love to do such a thing with you, Jeanne.

- I don't want his help," was the quick answer from the albino. Her eyes were slightly anxious, but focused. "I... It's time I grew up, I won't always be able to count on him. And that way I'll be able to surprise him." This voice, strained and nervous, this fast rhythm... Tamao smiled. Her dear friend hadn't told her the whole truth. Of, she wouldn't press the matter, there was no need to. She only had to wait. While she did so, the young woman rose to gather the ingredients they would need, turning away from her friend. It didn't take long.

"... Okay, I want to give some to a certain someone, and Marco would choke if he knew," Jeanne finally admitted. Tamao smiled, put down her findings on the plate, went to retrieve ?.

The albino was nervous, so nervous, she kept pushing her bangs one way or another. Without saying a word, the Japanese girl helped her inside her ?, it was too big (it was Ryu's). It needed to be rearranged in several places, which they did in silence. Finally Tamao had only to tie up the ribbons holding it into place, reaching down to make the knots tighter. Then she rose back up, tied Jeanne's hair up too.

"R-right," was the Japanese girl's fist word. "So how much chocolate do you want?"

Jeanne twirled around, her face lit up with happiness. Her large, grateful eyes embraced her friend. "W-well, with John and Marco and the others, that'd make ten, and with 'him'... Eleven, I guess? I brought chocolate and stuff, I know it's a lot...

- It's fine," Tamao smiled. "It's doable. I just - you want to make some for your family too?

That didn't make her uneasy, to her that was exactly how it went down, but she thought she knew Europeans only offered Valentine chocolate to their lovers. The albino herself frowned, then gently said: "yes. I just want to make them happy, and if it could make some of them agree to have some important discussions with me..."

Tamao smiled, she saw exactly what her frend meant. Well... They had everything they needed, Hana slept by Seyram, everything was calm... Sure, they could do that. But before they began, she said softly, as if not meaning anything by it, "would you mind if we worked for twelve? I..."

Jeanne's eyes began to sparkle. Stepping closer to the pin-haired girl, she reached for her hands, gently pressing down on them. "You are in love, Tamao?" The motions, the vivacity of the albino made her friend blush. "A- I -

- Who is it? If I can do something, anything to help you..."

It was Tamao's turn to be anxious, she was turning her wrists and fidgeting without really knowing how to answer. Moving away, she tried to find a way. Telling her the identity of the one who made her heart beat... But the albino was so close to him, so friendly with him... The Japanese girl already thought he loved her friend; now that Jeanne had said she loved someone, what if...? "I-it's L-Lyserg-kun," she finally said, with an oh-so-small voice. There, she'd said it. Was her friend going to scold her now? Did she make herself a rival for the English boy's heart?

"This is so great!" Jeanne's hands clamped down on her shoulders, turned her around. Her face shone with joy. "You two would make such a cute couple! I'll do my best for you to win him around! You know, it's been months since he broke up with Mathilda, and now he's single, really single I mean, his heart is all ready for you! Oh, do you want me to take you to see him tomorrow?

The pink-haired girl felt her cheeks heat up, she protested, she would never dare to do such a thing! Jeanne smiled, promised herself she'd convince her elder, or at least do everything to make the two meet and chat together. Oh, she loved the idea!

"O-okay," Tamao tried to calm her down, "we have, how do you say that in french again? We have du pain sur la planche, there's a lot of work to do."

The two girls then got to work. It wasn't a silent moment, rather the contrary: there were whispered secrets, laughs, tickle fights, chocolate smears. When they were finished, an impressive pile of chocolates, white, pink, black, orange even, was lying in front of them. Jeanne was laughing like she'd lost a rib, Tamao had coloured smears on her cheek, and she'd been convinced to go and tell Lyserg on the next day.

All was well.

A squirrel approached, attracted by the smell of warm bread and the calm of Jeanne. The albino scared him away with a tiny wave of furyoku. She did not want her picnic to be stolen before her partner even arrived. Opening her bag with two fingers, she glanced at the orange box, full of delicious chocolates... Sigh. Would he even come? She had asked Rutherford to give him the message, but... he could very well decide he didn't want to come... New, softer sigh, she looked down at her shaking hands. Maybe she should go back home...

"Bonjour, Jeanne," a voice whispered a soft voice behind her. The albino turned around. Hao was there, in the red kimono he never left anymore. His arms were crossed across his chest. He looked peaceful, and his beauty was as arrogant as it had been last time she saw him. She offered him a shy smile. Rutherford had transmitted the message. "Hello, Hao."

He came closer, 'sitting' close to the young woman. "So you wanted to see me." She nodded silently, eyes back on her hands as she got her present out of the bag and gave it to him. He looked at the box. "How do you propose I eat those chocolates, little Jeanne?" He showed his translucent arms. "A ghost king does not have much of a need for chocolates."

She raised big surprised eyes towards him, shocked, disappointed already, her fingers clasped on the box. "I-I hadn't thought of that," she said softly. How could she forget? He was but a spirit now, king perhaps but still a mere shadow in the wind. "Y-you really can't eat anything?" Her voice shook. No, really, she didn't have any right to be disappointed, she should have asked first...

He smiled, almost mocking. "Of course I can. You are still underestimating me." There was a second, and then his spiritual form seemed to fill itself with matter, and soon he was there, sitting close to her. She blushed slightly, scooting away as he leaned against the tree, stealing the orangey box. "You played the mariage maker today," velvety voice, accusing tone.

Jeanne looked back up with an apologeptic smile. Tamao was to call him tonight, to tell her how it went. "They match so well," she observed. Her dear Tamao, sweet but strong, and Lyserg, so kind Lyserg... "They can make each other happy, and they'd deserve it..."

Soft slap on the back of her head. "You are not responsible for their happiness, little girl. You are not in charge of their destiny, they can make themselves happy without you poking your nose into their business." She didn't answer, staring at her boots in silence. He was talking about her friends, she still felt responsible. If she could only help... Silence.

"So," he started again after some time, "you are deeply enough in love with me to dare enter a kitchen and bake something. That's a lot, knowing you." Neutral tone, almost flat. He was staring at her with his big black eyes, never letting his emotions show.

It was too much. She looked away. "I know it is dumb," she apologized in a murmur, cheeks flushed. He was Shaman King, after all. How could he love, even like, someone like her? She was nothing, he was everything, she was a poor excuse of a Shaman, while he had conquered his throne. It was ridicule to be in love with God... But anyways, she'd always been ridicule in his eyes, so what was one more time?

He had a merciful smile. "Alright," he laughed, like he had been the victim of a good prank. "The least I can do is give you one day. Ready?"

Jeanne took a deep breath, smiled shily. "Of course!" Then she took his outreached hand, and the two Shamans disappeared, leaving the rest of her meal to the squirrels.

Hao: I'm OOC.

Jeanne: What should I say then?

Rain: ... Eh... I suppose you're both right.