Nothing Quite Like the First Time

The humid, cherry blossom-laden summer air hung thickly over the countryside as the very soil itself seemed to radiate heat. The sun was sinking rapidly towards the horizon, casting long shadows upon the ground, though the angle of the light made it more penetrating than ever. From his vantage point on his front lawn, Yoh Asakura squinted in the direction of the flower bed, nestled in the shade of the front porch.

Yoh ineffectually tried to mop the sweat from his forehead with his equally moist palms, then trudged wearily towards the garden hose. He grasped the green coil greedily, pointed the nozzle directly at his face and turned the water on full blast.

"Ack! Ptui!" Yoh choked as the water, baking all day within the kinks of the hose beneath the sun, assaulted his already burning face. Scalding water surged up his nostrils, flattened out his lips and forced its way past his eyelids. Coughing and muttering vague imprecations under his breath, Yoh diverted the stream into a metal watering can.

As he sprinkled the petunias with imprecise flicks of his wrist, Yoh mused with some resentment why everything seemed to be his responsibility. Though he tried to convince himself that Anna Kyoyama did, deep down, care for his well-being, it seemed to him that he was definitely getting the short end of the stick. In a way the flower bed he was rather inattentively watering was symbolic of his relationship with Anna. She wanted it planted to spruce up the porch, so he made the trek to town and back for potting soil and seeds. She wanted the flowers to thrive, so he worked fertilizer into the earth and gave them water (albeit somewhat lackadaisically). She wanted them to brighten up the room, so he picked out the choicest specimens, severed them from the bush, and plopped them into a vase.

That, in fact, was what he had just finished doing. He wiped his sword on one of the less sweat-encrusted spots on his undershirt before sheathing it. A burst of energy filled him as he strode up the porch steps to the front door: His errands and training for the day were behind him. Ahead lay a night of leisure.

Yoh's newfound optimism carried him through the doorway, where he snatched the wilting flowers out of the vase and replaced them with his freshly cut petunias. He resented them so much for all the work they required of him, yet he couldn't help but notice that their beauty made it all worthwhile. As he sniffed the funnel-shaped blossoms he mused, again, that the flowers echoed his feelings for Anna once more. She was a lot of work sometimes, but in the end, she was beautiful enough to make it all worthwhile.

His next stop was the shower; Yoh eagerly anticipated feeling clean again after a day of errand-running and perspiration. He thought it was a bit odd that Anna hadn't been around to welcome him home, or at least berate him for something he had forgotten to do, but before he could worry too much he had closed the bathroom door behind him.

He unbuckled the weights from his wrists and ankles and cast them aside. He removed his undershirt after that; it was so sticky from sweat it reminded him of wallpaper being stripped from an interior. He was about to unzip his shorts when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

Yoh made an exaggerated, almost comical battle face and unsheathed his sword, holding it midair as though about to mortally wound the mirror. "Ha," he intoned softly, failing to repress a chuckle, "so this is what I looked like in the Shaman Tournament. No wonder I got no respect." He holstered his weapon once more and tentatively ran a hand through his hair. The mirror dutifully duplicated his actions.

Feeling slightly abashed for taking so much interest in his own appearance, Yoh continued to admire the image of himself in the mirror. Although not endowed with rippling abs or tremendous biceps, Yoh had trained for years as a contender for the title of Shaman King and had a toned physique to match. He had finished contemplating whether his legs would look better shaven, though he wasn't hirsute at all anyway, and was in the middle of making his pecks move up and down when he heard a knock at the door.

He knew it had to be Anna, and even though he knew she couldn't have seen him checking himself out, Yoh still blushed furiously. He threw a towel around his waist and prised the door open.

"Hey, Yoh," Anna began after a second's pause. "I didn't hear you come in. Can we talk for a bit?"

The question would have been laughable in any other circumstance; Anna, chatting with Yoh in the hallway, there in just a towel, still reeking of dried sweat and soil. He noticed, however, that the simple white top Anna wore was wrinkled in the front, and her usually perky nose was somewhat red and puffy. Has she been crying?

Yoh didn't want to think about what could reduce the headstrong and resolute Anna to tears, but he knew whatever it was, it meant his shower would have to wait.

"Uh, sure," he answered, in the most comforting tone he could manage while utterly bewildered. He took a step closer to Anna and quietly asked, "What did you want to talk to me about?" When she remained silent, Yoh took the fingertips of her hands in his, and a spark not unlike static electricity seemed to rocket up his forearms into his chest. It was the first time he had ever grasped Anna's hand so tenderly, the first time his knurled hands had brushed her smooth knuckles, her slender fingers that were now grasping Yoh's sinewy arm as she wordlessly made her way downstairs to the porch.

Anna sat down stiffly on the rocking bench. It was odd that she now abruptly avoided Yoh's empathetic gaze; instead, she absently twirled the suspending chain around her finger and draped her other arm upon the backrest. Yoh hesitated, then joined her on the bench.

The silence persisted. A few agonizing seconds ticked by and Yoh could sense Anna's unvoiced yet palpable malaise. More to break the tension than anything else, he abruptly shifted his gaze from the ground to the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he started, trying to keep his nervous voice from faltering. "I like sunsets. They're nature's way of rewarding us for making it through another day, don't you think? All golden and sparkly, a great way to end the day-"

"Yoh, I'm sorry!" Anna blurted, her face now buried in her hands.

"I-I-well…" Yoh stammered. Though he had suspected it earlier, the sight of Anna weeping into her hands stunned him speechless. He knew the obvious question to ask, but also had a feeling that voicing it would only make things worse. Finally he could stand it no longer. He steeled himself and asked:

"Anna, sorry for what?"

"Like you don't know!" Her breath came in great gasps between sobs. "I boss you around, I push you to your limits, and I hate myself for it, but I can't stop myself from doing it! I know you're under enough stress now as it is, what with the Tournament and all, but I…I keep pushing you! I do it because I don't want to see you defeated, to…" At this point Anna gave a tremendous sob; Yoh recoiled but quickly recovered, urging her to continue. "To…lose you. Because, well, you're not going to believe me, but…but…" Anna fell silent again, only breaking the silence to sob intermittently. Yoh gaped at her, thunderstruck at what she had just confessed. Yet he licked his lips and spoke, without thinking, instinctively, as though her outburst had triggered an automatic and mechanical response.

"Because you love me."

For the first time since they took seats upon the bench, Anna looked upwards slightly, into Yoh's eyes, and the traces of a smile graced her lips. Quieter now, but with the same intensity, Anna spoke again. "Yes. I may not show it to you by the way I treat you sometimes, but I…I love you, Yoh Asakura."

She continued her unremitting stare into Yoh's eyes, perhaps scanning for some sign of incredulity, but he simply returned the stare, and said, "Anna. I know you want to see me succeed. I know you care for me a great deal, and to force yourself to be so hard on somebody you care that much for, must really take its toll on you. But without you behind me, getting me out of bed and forcing me to get up when I've collapsed, I never, ever would have made it this far. I honestly don't think anyone could ever care for me as much as you do. Even if you have a rather…unusual way of expressing it." Yoh smiled broadly at Anna, and the last of her tears scuttled down her cheeks as she joined him in a laugh. "I can't imagine having it any other way. Anna Kyoyama, I love you."

They stared at each other for a moment after that; what they had both known and felt for each other had finally been spoken. Anna's last teardrop slid from her chin onto Yoh's veined forearm, acting as a catalyst, setting it in motion. Again acting purely from what seemed to be instinct, Yoh's hands locked together behind the small of Anna's back. He drew his face ever closer to hers, until he could smell the tears drying on her cheeks. He had never been this intimately close to any girl before, much less one that was as important to him as Anna, and pure adrenaline rushed through his bloodstream. Yoh forced himself to stop shaking, closed his eyes, cocked his head ever so slightly, and bridged the remaining inch of gap between his and Anna's lips.

Yoh felt as though he were floating through the house, his lips locked with hers. They passed under the doorway to the bedroom; Anna gave Yoh a passionate, meaningful look for a brief moment before pulling him to herself, one of her hands fiercely pushing against the rear of his head, the other searching his bare back. Anna's tongue shyly flitted between Yoh's lips, finally mustering enough courage to break through and pirouette with his tongue, until they danced and cavorted in the ballroom that was their mouths. Still reeling from the adrenaline, Yoh seized the initiative, scooped Anna off her feet, and deposited her onto the bed. Her dextrous hands were exploring his chest, his hips, his abs; Yoh took the hint and ran his hands under her top, to which Anna gave a scandalized gasp.

Yoh jerked back as though he had been shot. Blushing violently, he cradled his hands in his lap in an attempt to hide a distinct bulge. "I-I'm sorry, I should have asked-"

But Anna had slid off her top with gusto. "Hey, whatever I do to you, you can do to me. Only fair, right?"

Yoh didn't reply, owing to the fact that he was now openly gawking at what lay beneath the top she had just flung across the room. Anna's shapely torso contradicted her usual no-nonsense personality; its gentle curves and contours were so feminine, so primal, they rendered Yoh senseless. Before even he knew it, he was fumbling with the brassiere strap. The breasts underneath were the perfect size for his hands, and the erect nipples were just right for his titillating lips and tongue. She tasted like a mixture of body wash and excited sweat, her nipple like the cherry atop a decadent shake. His fingers fondled the area around her other nipple, brushing it, teasing it, and she whispered softly, "Mmm…Yoh…"

The sound of her aroused voice emboldened him. He was caressing her now, two hands at opposite sides of her chest, moving downwards along with his kisses until he needed to slide her panties down to go any further. The coarse, lacy black band contrasted with Anna's peachy, silky flesh, and Yoh, breathing harder than he had even during the most heated shaman fight, hesitated with two fingers poised to pull down the strap.

He glanced upwards again, his eyes involuntarily shifting to Anna's perfect breasts before coming to rest upon her face. The dying sunset just outside the window enveloped the pair in a spectacular golden aura that brought a healthy, beautiful glow to Anna's torso, face, and blond locks. Her eyes were closed from the ecstasy of Yoh's surprisingly bold explorations, but they opened now as he continued to hesitate.

His throat had dried; Yoh swallowed hard and whispered, "Should I-"

"Please do, Yoh," Anna answered, and he resumed where he had left off. The lacy band went slack as he drew it lower, past her shapely thighs and beneath her ankles. His eyes drew level with where the panties had just been, and what he saw rendered him senseless once more.

He kneeled there for several moments, immobile, having not the slightest idea where to go from there. The instincts that had guided him to find her back, her lips, her curves, abruptly dried up. Anna's most private area, a narrow slit of the most delicate light crimson, as tantalizing and moist as it was intimidating and unfamiliar to him, simultaneously invigorated and cowed him.

Slowly, Anna inclined herself and favored Yoh with a smile that might have been a bit sympathetic, even condescending, were it not for her overwhelming desire. She reached out for his taut wrist and guided his fingers exactly where she wanted them. Yoh experimented nervously; he wanted to please the woman he loved, but had been trained by the very same woman to be as meek as possible. Suddenly, however, Anna's torso shivered with delight, and she let out a soft, delicate moan; Yoh's thumb had grazed the top region of Anna's flower.

Her moan disarmed him, sent his mind reeling in endless blue waves of ecstasy, and any thoughts of holding back-any thoughts at all, actually-were gone, replaced by the singular goal of hearing more of her outbursts, until he was cuddled up right against her side, his free hand caressing the nape of her neck, his tongue undulating uncontrollably. Through the thin towel wrapped around Yoh's waist, Anna felt a pulsating hardness grazing against her inner thigh now. The moan she let out was muffled somewhat by his mouth; Yoh liked the feeling of Anna's passionate breath exhaled upon his lips and tongue and let out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a grunt.

"M-more, Yoh," Anna managed between moans, and he hastened to comply. As his fingers built momentum and his knuckles began to disappear into her prize, Yoh vaguely noticed a warm liquid begin to trickle down the back of his palm. Anna's eyes were unfocused in her bliss, but Yoh whispered urgently, "Is this…I didn't cut you…or…?"

In one impassioned motion, she shook her head and pulled Yoh's back to intimately face hers again. From such a distance Yoh could hear every last whimper Anna was trying her best to suppress. Relieved to find he hadn't hurt her, he licked at the beads of sweat slowly gliding down her temples, arcing his tongue until it found her lips once more…Suddenly Anna's unfocused, enthralled eyes closed, and any attempts to moan softly were abandoned-

"Oh God, Yoh, I…I'm coming!"

Anna's entire body convulsed upwards, her lovely locks of flaxen hair flailing Yoh's heaving chest. He gingerly removed his fingers, now sopping wet, from her, deftly wiped them on his towel, and collapsed onto the bed, rolling her over to face him. He twined his legs within hers and embraced her; they were both still breathing hard, and he cradled her head upon his left shoulder. She felt so warm, so inviting, so loving, even, three words that Yoh had never even thought of using to describe her before. The warmth her bare body radiated onto his filled him with joy for some indescribable reason, and it was with a nearly tearful grin that he turned his face ever so slightly to whisper into her ear:

"I love you, Anna."

She shifted her figure slightly so that Yoh could stare directly into her eyes. They were no longer unfocused; now they unwaveringly looked into his, he noticed; and for the first time he noticed something else too. Anna was stunningly, awe-inspiringly beautiful. He could not keep this sudden discovery to himself for long, and as he mentally caressed her delicate cheeks and luscious lips he failed to notice that she had begun to speak.

"I love you too-"

"You're so beauti-"

Yoh felt his cheeks warming up, and knew it had nothing to do with Anna's body heat. She simply smirked, let her eyes rove from his innocent face to his taut chest, and, tousling his black bangs affectionately, replied, "You're not so bad yourself."

His blushing intensified, and before the crimson could begin to leave his cheeks, Anna purred, "Now it's my turn to show how much I love you." She cajoled him until he was lying flat on his back, and she knelt down between his slender yet well-defined calves.

"Oh…Anna," Yoh intoned as her hands and mouth discovered his nipples, hard like the pecks that lay dormant beneath them. She briefly flitted her fingertips across his still-smooth chest, leaving a trail of kisses crossing his rapidly breathing diaphragm, until her lips and tongue crisscrossed the fine ridges of his abs like a record player's needle skipping on a scratched disc.

Yoh had closed his eyes in an overdose of pleasure, but when he felt Anna's fingers trying to untie the knot that kept his towel on, they opened hastily. He laid his hand upon hers and requested, "Hold on!"

She looked into the boy's panicky eyes. "What?"

Yoh could not return her glance, his focus nervously bounding around the room. "I, uh, well," he stalled, "err, how will I be able to train tomorrow if I tire myself out tonight?"

The lie didn't convince Anna for a second. "Nice try. Now out with it. What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, he looked down nervously, toward the protrusion in his towel.

"Clearly it's in working order, but," she winked, "I can run a few tests just to make sure."

He did not laugh at this, but instead shook his head, took a deep breath, and finally formed the beginnings of a response. "About that…well you see, it's not very…"

Anna stared at him for a few seconds, not comprehending. Then she jerked her head back in disbelief, even giving an incredulous laugh. "Yoh, are you worried about, of all things…size?"

He nodded in response. She looked almost hurt, or maybe it was just compassion that was in her eyes. "Yoh, I don't care if it's one inch or ten. I love you, not the size of what's in your pants…or in your towel, in this case." He managed a weak laugh, but inwardly he felt relief wash over him. "Now, can I show you what you mean to me or what?"

Yoh smiled and lay down again. Anna's nimble fingers untied the knot and spread the towel out slowly, revealing a hairless thigh and something else that was definitely not hairless-

Anna gasped. How could he be worried about its size? It's the perfect size…I won't choke on it…In order to confirm her thoughts, she knelt once more, teasing the fine line of hair beneath his navel with her tongue, feeling his manhood squirm with delight in her loosely clenched palm. She rubbed the base of it with the pads of her fingertips up and down, teasing out a few drops of clear, sticky excitement. Her other hand caressed the innermost part of his thigh, moving upwards slowly, exploring gently, feeling the two orbs inside.

Yoh had never felt so stimulated before; never had he the energy or privacy to try the things Anna was giving him now. A light, tingly, pleasurable tension began building up inside his nether regions; her lips that had felt so good kissing him now felt even better as they clenched and suckled upon his most erogenous zone. He involuntarily thrusted slightly into her mouth, wanting his turgidity engulfed completely within her gaping maw, and there was only about an inch to go…He felt his tip brush the back of her throat and couldn't stop himself from moaning…

More surprised at Yoh's boldness than anything else, Anna pulled her head up and coughed, rubbing her throat. The uncontrollable urges that had overwhelmed him just seconds ago fled, and the caring, gentler Yoh returned.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered, getting up off the bed and placing a twitching hand upon her throat, "I couldn't help myself-"

"It's fine," Anna smiled reassuringly. "I thought I could take it all in but…well…you must have really liked what I was doing, it must have sent you to new heights." She winked.

The interruption was quickly forgotten as Anna cast her spell upon him again, this time kneeling before a standing Yoh. She looked up at him with eyes that were at once deeply caring and arousing. His grip tightened slightly upon the back of her neck as her tongue swirled around his tumescence, and he gave up on holding back his sighing groans of pleasure. She seemed to take them as encouragement, sweeping her hand over his inner thigh. The tingling tension below his pelvis slowly built to a fever pitch as Anna's lips repeatedly rimmed his head. He saw her irresistible eyes again, and his already excited heartbeat went into overdrive. He gave a heaving, shuddering breath as fingers of unadulterated nirvana spread out from his spine. Every last cell of his throbbing implement burned with a fire Yoh never wanted to extinguish, but he knew he couldn't hold out much longer; his moans were loud and frequent now, and despite knowing what it would lead to, Yoh grasped Anna's shoulder and head with viselike, amorous hands and thrust into her perfect face-

"Anna! I think I'm-"

The tension in Yoh's groin began to release, in great shivering spurts. Streams of thick white liquid were engulfed in Anna's mouth, at least three or four, before he panicked, realizing what he was doing, and withdrew it quickly. She seized it with her hands then, and several more white streaks shot onto her face.

For a change, it was Yoh's mouth that was now wide open and Anna's that was closed. She played with the tablespoon of warmth in her mouth for a second and swallowed it just as Yoh, looking appalled by what he had just done, burst out, "Anna, I'm sorry! I didn't know-I didn't mean to-"

"Yoh…" Anna said sultrily. She stood up slowly, and Yoh could smell the salty sperm slowly sliding down her face. "You taste wonderful. I wish you'd left it in my mouth for the whole climax." He looked at her face, now splattered with milky, viscous fluid, and for some reason was filled with shame. "I…I panicked. I didn't think you would have liked it in your mouth or on your face, but you were just too good. I'm sorry."

Then before she could protest, Yoh wrapped both his arms around her slender waist and began licking up what he had squirted there moments ago. He planted his lips firmly upon hers and bridged his tongue across.

"Actually, I'm glad you did it that way. I wanted seconds."

A blanket of fatigue fell upon Yoh at that moment, and he lay down on the bed. Anna crawled in next to him, and they snuggled as he slowly regained his stamina.

"That was…quite a load you showed off earlier," Anna commented, visibly impressed.

"Don't be too surprised. It's been building up for all these years," Yoh replied, "waiting for the right person and time."

Anna smiled, looking at Yoh expectantly; Yoh ran his fingers through her hair, out of both affection and nervousness.

"That time was tonight. And that person…"

Yoh's pulse quickened again, yet he was in his element, cradling Anna's warm, soft body within his strong yet unsteady hands. He finished, "That person is you. I love you so much, Anna."

She placed her "famous left" hand upon his chest, feeling the rapid rhythm of his heart. "I know. I…love you too, Yoh. More than I have ever shown, and more than you will ever know."

They simply gazed at each other for a long moment, basking in the latent love that had just manifested itself not two hours ago. Eventually Anna spoke.

"Wait a second…"

"Huh?"

"What did you mean when you said, 'That time was tonight?'"

Anna's question befuddled Yoh. "Uhm, I meant, well, we just did-"

"You don't mean to tell me, you think the fun's over already?"

"Erm-"

"Yoh," and Anna's no-nonsense personality returned for a fleeting instant. "Let's make love."

At those words Yoh became starkly aware, again, that the gorgeous young woman whom he loved with all his heart was lying there, close enough to feel his body heat upon her bare flesh, and who was now gently running her hands down his entire torso; fingertips ruffled up the sparse hair beneath his arms, lilted upon his aroused nipples, tickled his sensitive midriff…

Yoh's lips locked with Anna's as four hands cavorted upon velvety flesh. The exhaustion he had felt was supplanted by titillation, that seemed to crawl upon his skin just as palpably as Anna's tender touch. The apprehension he had felt subsided when he realized not just what he was about to do, but why as well. Nobody could ever love Anna more passionately than I will for the rest of my life. The consummation of his unvoiced thoughts was at hand.

Yoh's lips separated from Anna's, and found a different orifice to nuzzle. Her silky thighs involuntarily closed upon the sides of his head as she twitched with pleasure. His tongue writhed deeper, wriggling into every nook it could reach, picking up the unique flavor of a woman in love. When he felt wetness begin to engulf his chin, he gradually withdrew. He maneuvered gracefully until he was poised above her. From a foot above her face Yoh asked with quiet intensity, "Are you sure?"

"Yoh, I've always believed in you. Never been surer of anything in my life, and we turned out all right."

"I love you, Anna."

Her eyes and hands betrayed the mock brusqueness of her response. "Prove it."

Yoh's breath quickened twofold when he slid his tip into Anna's seat of delight. The way her flesh molded and pressed itself tightly against him instantly made him hunger for more. He slid it in further, and an almost numbing wave of pleasure burst through him. It made its way almost completely in, when Anna's soft moans were replaced by a sharp, pained scream.

Yoh pulled out completely, and drops of hot crimson liquid flecked onto his stomach. He realized what it was and yelped, horrified. "What did I-Oh my God, I-"

Anna looked pained, but she grimaced gamely. "Yoh, it's my first time. That was just my cherry, it's normal." Seeing the concern in his eyes, she continued, "Please don't stop."

Yoh understood; he uneasily reentered, and when she began calling out his name softly, he knew the pain had passed and Anna was feeling all the pleasure he was. With a gentle thrust, the entirety of Yoh's rock-hard shaft was enveloped inside of Anna.

"Uhhhh, Yoh," she moaned as he slowly worked his way in and out of her softness.

"Ohhhh, Anna," he gasped as she traced rivulets of sweat upon his back with her fingertips.

"Yoh!" she screamed when his coarse hairs grazed the most sensuous bit on the lips of her opening.

"Anna!" he cried when her thighs rubbed the insides of his, giving him goosebumps of pleasure.

Yoh accelerated his pace gradually, felt Anna's hot breath against his Adam's apple, their lips jostling together, moaning and whispering names into each other's mouths. She squealed erotically with each of Yoh's thrusts now, and he felt the nearly masochistic tension building within him again. They were as close as two people could ever become; he knew she could see the expression on his face the way he could see hers…

"Uhhh, oh God!" Anna clasped her hands upon Yoh's toned buttocks, her arms oscillating with his rhythmic pushing and pulling. They were moving too fast to keep their lips locked; they simply exhaled excited, red-hot breath upon each other's faces. Yoh's hands found the sides of Anna's midriff, and her eyes opened wide. Yoh gave a little hiss of restraint, pinching off the tension that was now threatening to leak out.

"I'm coming!" Anna moaned, her breath choked off by the unparalleled pleasure Yoh had just given her. She pulled on his rear firmly, making sure he could feel each contraction, each clenching, of the walls inside her.

"I'm coming!" Yoh too called out, feeling the tightening of Anna's walls against his hardness. He gave a great impassioned sigh as he released the tension inside of her, each white-hot squirt exiting him with the force of a bullet. They gasped and moaned together with each orgasmic shot until at last he ran dry.

Yoh collapsed onto the mattress beside Anna, their exhausted yet radiant faces speaking for them the words they were both too exhausted to speak, yet knew were true anyway. Anna laid a hand upon Yoh's chest, and Yoh tucked a hand between Anna's breasts, and they knew that while they might not beat in perfect unison, their hearts were indeed made one forever that night. They gradually drifted off into sleep, each one dreaming of the happiness they would share with the other until Kingdom come.