Heartfelt Goodbyes

Summary: Anna wouldn't admit she was afraid, she refused to let such a weakness be publicized to Yoh or anyone else...but for one night, this night...she wanted to be the only person Yoh thought about...for just this night.

Anime/Manga: Shaman King

Pairing: Anna/Yoh

Genre: Romance

Rated: M

Authors Note: Many people have written their take on the night before the Second Trial for the Shaman Fight, and having started to Read the series for the first time, and Re-Watch the series for the second time, I decided that I would try my hand at the scene. Personally, Yoh and Anna are one of the only Canon pairings I like, so I do enjoy writing this pairing, just as much as I enjoy watching it.

I hope everyone enjoys, please leave your comments and let me know what you think. ~ Akuma Chibi

-x-x-x-

It was ten thirty at night, Tamao had already gone to sleep, tired of having waited up for Yoh to return, only to start falling to sleep at the table. It had been Anna who'd told her to put the food away and then go to bed, which Tamao had done without any complaint, too tired to argue with her new mentor.

'Yoh, you idiot...you spent the entire day with Manta, and completely forgot about me...' She sighed, making her way upstairs; she laid down on her futon, but didn't fall asleep. She couldn't, not until she saw him again, not until she said her goodbye...

-x-x-x-

Yoh slid the door open to the Inn he shared with Anna, making his way inside, he silently slid the door shut, trying not to wake anyone who might have fallen to sleep. Slipping off his shoes, he tiptoed up the steps of the Inn and quietly made his way past Anna's room, opening his door, he walked in, and slid the door shut. 'Anna must be asleep already, I kind of figured Tamao would be...it's so late...' He sighed, "Almost twelve o'clock..."

He shrugged his clothes off; slipping on his robe, he quickly laid down on his futon before pulling the comforter over his body. He was tired, but at the same time, he couldn't fall asleep. He heard his door slid open and closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling heavily as he tried to make a show of sleeping.

"You're very bold!"

His eyes opened, he wanted to say something, but really, what could he say? He wasn't good with expressing the way he felt when it came to the high-strung blonde.

"..."

He could feel her staring at him, as if contemplating what to do next, "Once you got home, you went to bed without saying a goodbye to me!" He grunted as the sack caught him by surprise. "That's your Senbei; your grandfather sent it to you. I also re-sewed your battle outfit! Don't forget to bring them tomorrow. Good night!"

Yoh clenched his eyes shut as tightly as he could, he felt like a jerk.

"Che...tomorrow's a special day..."

His eyes snapped open, surprised to hear that she hadn't just slammed the door shut and left. Her voice was softer, the voice she used when seriously pondering something.

"You act like nothing's happening."

He heard his door close and after a couple seconds, he chanced looking at the door to find that Anna had left his room. 'Such an idiot...' He mentally berated himself.

A soft padding from the other side of the door told him that she'd come back so he lay back down.

"You've truly...become strong."

He looked across the room at the other side, staring at the rather plan wall in his sights. She was on the other side of his door, he felt her, just standing there, nervous, frightened, worried...he wasn't used to that, not from Anna.

"...Yoh."

He listened with considerable focus, wanting to memorize every word she spoke before he had to leave tomorrow.

"You've already become so strong, and can still remain calm." She said softly, so not to wake her apprentice, "Although, I said that to Tamao earlier," She paused, unsure of how she should continue. "tomorrow, because your going to leave En...the one who doesn't want you to go is me."

Yoh felt his heart flutter; he had never heard Anna say anything remotely close to this, and now, all at once...it was overwhelming.

"Tonight...can I sleep with you..."

He was deep in thought, and for a moment, he wondered if perhaps he'd imagined the entirety of the conversation, but none the less, he responded, hoping it had not been his mind's eye playing tricks on him. "Yes."

He listened as the door once more slid open and moved carefully aside, making room for Anna. She was small, and so, she would by no means take up much room. Often, he found himself watching her, wanting to hold her, protect her and care for her...she looked delicate, breakable even; then reality would kick in and he would realize that it was Anna who could easily beat him up. She already got one good hit in on Horohoro; there really was no telling what she could do. He kind of wanted to pair her up against Ren, just to see who would cry mercy first. On the one hand, Ren was too stubborn to surrender, or lose to a girl; actually, he was too stubborn to lose to anyone, for that matter. Anna on the other hand...well, she was just scary, and strong, unbelievably strong. Yoh knew she had talent, but sometimes, even he had to wonder where all of that raw power came from.

"Yoh...are you sure it's okay?"

Sitting up, Yoh smiled, "Anna, you can sleep in my room anytime you want. I don't mind at all," He held his hand out for her, and she gently laid hers in his, letting him guide her to his futon where she kneeled down before him and slipped beneath the warmth provided by the comforter.

Self-conscious suddenly, he retracted his hand and turned so that he was staring up at the ceiling. He had never really been this close to her, not physically at least.

-x-x-x-

Anna wasn't sure what she was feeling right now, but her heart was beating fast, and she wanted it to stop. "Yoh?"

"...hm?"

She looked at him for a moment, "You'll be careful, won't you?"

A soft laugh drifted to her ears, easing her a bit.

"Yeah, I will."

Staring at his hand as it lay idly on his stomach, she didn't even think as she brought hers up and gently placed it atop his. Moving closer, she wondered why she was doing this, putting herself through this. Her head gently touched his chest, and she listened as his heart beat seemed to skip before speeding up. 'At least it isn't just me,' she smiled.

His right arm pulled her nearer and held her close to him. For the first time in a long time, she felt warm, safe and as if nothing could ever hurt her. "Yoh,"

"Yes?"

"...tonight, just for tonight..."

-x-x-x-

~Thump Thump~

He couldn't breath, he couldn't think anymore. Anna was so close to him, and he was only holding her closer, her body fit against his like another layer of clothes.

"Tonight?"

"I just..." Anna sat up and moved closer, the moon shined in through the window behind her, outlining her in an otherworldly glow. "I want you to think of me, only me, even if only for the night...just..."

Yoh moved to sit up only to feel Anna's lips meet his, his eyes widened and his heart felt like it would jump out of his chest. 'Anna!' He wasn't sure what he should do, but his hands seemed to have a better understanding of what was happening. They moved to hold her, pulling her closer until she was in his lap. When they broke apart, he gazed into her eyes, her eyes that mimicked a pair of precious obsidian stones that were overflowing with raw emotion, emotions he didn't know she had. "Anna..."

"Yoh," She kissed him again, and this time, Yoh responded with a kiss of his own. His arms wound around her waist before he moved to place her down on his futon; now straddling her, he couldn't help but wonder if she would kill him in the morning for what he was about to do. 'Perhaps...I should ask first...' He pulled apart from her and smiled softly, "...Anna, are you sure you are okay with all of this?"

"Yes," Her cheeks were flushed with a pink tinge, "Please continue."

He did so, placing kisses along her neck and collar bone before making his way back up to her lips. His left hand found hers, sliding up against her arm and to her shoulder before deftly maneuvering his hand beneath the fabric of her robe and caressing her smooth flesh as he removed the robe she wore from her body. She moved up against him and pressed into his kiss with an alarming amount of passion foreign to Yoh. He took the opportunity to completely push off the robe she was wearing so that it pulled onto the futon beneath him, and then laid her back down, continuing his first exploration of his fiancé's body.

He had always thought of Anna as beautiful, and she was...but she was so much more than that to.

She was talented, naturally beautiful, strong-minded and equally strong-spirited. She was...to put it into a single word...incredible. He wanted to show her just how much he cared for her. He really didn't think he showed her much of how he felt, and now, he regretted it. She was here because he didn't...she thought he didn't think of her...she was wrong, she was always on his mind, and he would show her what he thought of her tonight.

He gazed down at her form that lay sprawled across his futon, "Anna..."

He leaned down and placed a kiss above her heart, moving, he trailed kisses and soft caresses down her lethal figure and to her navel. He ran the tip of his tongue up the very trail of kisses he'd just made before following up a small mound, tracing his tongue over a now perk nipple before enclosing his lips around the areola and sucking it enough to draw out a gasp of euphoria.

"Ah~!"

He felt the tremor run through her body at the simple gesture he'd made upon her body only a few seconds ago. It was something of an encouragement for him to continue, to hear her this vulnerable, something only for his ears, something for only him to cherish...no one else would ever see or hear his Anna, the way he was on this night; this, forever to be treasured, night.

He felt her hands run through his hair, which he had free of any ponytail ties or earphones, her fingers lacing tightly into his chocolate brown tresses, his free hand moved to cup her other mound, kneading it and drawing out more mewls and sweet sighs of delight as she arched her back into his touch. He felt himself growing hard at the resonance and agile motions made by Anna, stirring within him sensations he was unaccustomed to.

While his left hand played with her left breast, and his tongue occupied her right, his right hand had begun to journey further down her abdomen, trailing his fingers lightly across the exposed flesh of his beautiful fiancé.

-x-x-x-

Anna felt herself falling into a haze of pleasure only to be jolted out of it when she became aware of Yoh's finger teasing her nether folds. She swore, her heart could beat no faster if he tried...he clearly begged the differ, dipping his finger inside her and biting down on her nipple, all at the same time, her eyes widened and she cried out her surprise; his name upon her lips, which, to her pleasure, were claimed rightfully by his once again. She enjoyed his kisses, both playful and loving, like him.

"Anna,"

She heard her name being spoken and looked up to see slightly hazy chocolate brown eyes gazing down at her. "...Yoh..."

"I want you to trust me, okay?" He smiled.

"...right, I trust you."

He nodded resolutely before kissing her once more on her lips, then decisively trailing sweet kisses down her neck, his hands caressing each mound possessively as his lips traveled skillfully between there ravine and to her belly.

-x-x-x-

Gently nipping at the rim of her bellybutton before moving down further, his hands leaving her breasts, causing tremors to rake down her body with each gentle stroke of his hands along her sides; his lips pressed softly against the silken patch of blonde that crowned her nether lips before using his two forefingers to separate her lips for his tongue to dip in and taste.

"Yoh!"

He almost burst out laughing; the chances that he would ever see her so flustered and unable to speak again, were slim to none, so he held in his laugh and continued on his way.

-x-x-x-

Anna wanted to cry out in embarrassment, but she had been the one to initiate this to begin with, and had even gone as far as to tell him that he could continue, that she trusted him, and she did...now she would have to stick with it until the end. Her whole body was wrecked with shivers and tremors; she could barely keep her hips from bucking forward into his ministrations with his tongue on her flower. She felt herself thriving to reach a peak, something that was just out of reach, and...gone...it was gone, the feeling, the tingling, the searing in her core...was gone...groaning out her annoyance, she didn't expect to hear a small laugh from above her.

She glanced up to see Yoh smiling cheerfully down at her. Any signs of fatigue that might have been there earlier were all extinct now. "Why did you..." She blushed, "I mean," She noticed that it was now his turn to blush and look away. "Yoh?"

He turned at ease eyes on her and smiled that very carefree smile that she had so long ago fallen for. "Anna...do you know I love you?"

"...what?" Her cheeks were going through multiple hues of red now.

"Yeah, I love you, and...I want our first time to be special, and not rushed or invoked upon by a fear of me not returning." He sat up next to her and lifted her so that she sat curled up in his lap, "So if it's okay with you, I'd like to wait until I get back."

"..."

-x-x-x-

When Yoh didn't hear a reply from her, he got worried and chanced looking at her, his eyes widened at the sight of tears streaming down her face, he almost dropped his arms which were wound comfortably around her waist. "A-Anna?" He wasn't sure why she was crying, but he knew he didn't like it. "What's wrong! What did I say? I'm sorry, for whatever I did to make you upse─"

She pressed her lips to his and he felt the saltiness of her tears on her lips. When she pulled away and smiled, he was left speechless.

"Oh Yoh, I'm not upset. On the contrary, I'm happy, very happy..."

"You are? Why?"

She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, "Because, I'm loved. You love me, and that makes me happy. That's all I wanted, all I cared about...I'm just happy to hear you say it."

Yoh laid back on the futon, pulling the comforter up over them as he let her slip onto the futon beside him and wrapped his arms securely around his fiancé's waist. "I've always cared for you, loved you and wanted to protect you Anna. Even before you and I were arranged to be married, I remember when I first met you, I decided then that I would protect you, and find your smile, and one day...you would feel safe enough to smile for me and our friends..." He kissed her on the cheek, "You have such a beautiful smile Anna, I want to share it with the world, and one day, I will...but for now, I'm content with being the only one capable of seeing it, these happy moments."

"I love you, Yoh," She nuzzled her head against his chest with a smile, she realized, she did feel safe when she was with Yoh, and perhaps that was why she allowed herself the luxury of smiling. "Promise you'll come back safely,"

"I love you too, Anna...and it's a promise,"

She sighed, "...good."

The two fell into a blissful sleep, lost in each others embrace as one guardian ghost seemed to watch over the sleeping couple.

-x-x-x-

Amidamaru sat on the rooftop of the Inn, right above his Lord's room, where Lady Anna laid sleeping too on this night. Beside him were the unconscious Ponchi and Conchi, both of which had tried to sneak a peak on the lovers below, only for their attempts to be prevented by Yoh's loyal guardian spirit. The ghost Samurai stared up peacefully at the starry skies, happily watching over his Ladyship and Lord Yoh.

-x-x-x-

Me: So, no, they didn't sleep together, but to be perfectly honest...I can't really foresee Yoh doing something like that, not yet. Can't really see what I wrote happening either -.-... I see, both lying peacefully asleep, neither touching, except, maybe Yoh hugging her close to him, but anything NC17, . NOT GONNA HAPPEN! They haven't even kissed in the series nor Manga, for that matter, no way are they going to participate in the naughty! ^_^ Lol, anyways, I hope you guys liked this unlikely chapter, I tried to keep everyone in character, and...yeah, I love this pairing, so I hope I did them justice! Leave reviews and tell me what you guys think!