Serendipity




Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne!!!!

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The seventeen year old king smiled, as a few delicate snowflakes landed in his outstrectched hand. He looked up, through the sparkle of falling snow, at the mystic moon and wondered what Hitomi was doing at that moment. His smile grew, as he watched her smiling face flash in his memory.

*flashback*

"Hey! Van!"
Van turned to the young earth girl and was surprised when a cold wet substance hit him in the face. He quickly wiped the snow off and bent down to pack a snowball. Straightening up, he frowned when he couldn't see Hitomi's figure. Suddenly he realized what was about to happen but it was to late. Hitomi's small, athletic figure pounced on him from behind. Laughing, and practically sitting on top of him, she mushed some snow into his coat, grinning as she watched it melt into his shirt. He got a look on his face though, that she didn't like. Instead of countering her attack, he was laying calmly, grinning up at her. Suddenly, before she knew what was happening, he had slipped a leg in between hers and flipped them over so that he was now on top. Grinning, he picked a laughing and screaming Hitomi and through her on his shoulder. Handling Hitomi's kicking figure, he flew them over the snow bank, making sure Hitomi got wet and cold in the process. When they reached the bottom of the small snow hill, Hitomi sat up, her face flushed with cold.
"Van Fanal! That was not-."
He picked her up again and spread his wings, and she immidiatly quieted. Holding her body close, Van flew them through the clouds of snow until he landed in a small clearing. She recognized the place immediately, for it was the place where she had first seen his wings. She flooped down on the ground, completely breathless, and Van lay down beside her and they both looked at the sky in silence.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"For what?"
"This." she motioned to the sky, to the snow, and then to the two of them.
"Oh...your welcome.." He murmured.
"I guess that's what I get for starting a snowball fight with a king huh?" she said playfully.
He grinned at her, but said nothing and they fell back into silence. After awhile Hitomi spoke softly into Van's ear.
"You're my best friend you know. The best I've had in a long time."
Van smiled and brushed a peice of hair from her face. "I know. You're the only friend I've had in a long time."
"Ironic isin't it? How when we met, we didn't really get along. And now here we are, in the middle of war, taking time out of our lives to just be friends."
He nodded, his smile and eyes saddening. "You'll go home when this is over."
She closed her eyes. "When the war is over, and fanalia is rebuilt, you'll come back here on a day just like this. And you'll think of me. And perhaps, if that's what fate has in store for us, we'll be reunited again."
He nodded. "Serendipity"

*end flashback*

He sighed and reached into his coat pocket, fingering the small pendent that fit so perfectly in the palm of his hand. He remembered that day so well and the many days that had come after it.
He couldn't really remember exactly when he had fallen in love with Hitomi. In a way he always had. When they had first met, it was the kind of love that you feel for things that you need to protect. Later on, he found herself loving her like Merle. As a sister. But then, one night, when he was just sitting on the roof of one of the austurian houses, he realized she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. She was his friend. His best friend. He could tell her things he couldn't tell Merle, or Allen. He could tell her things that he couldn't tell anyone. He supposed when he realized he loved her..in a way he loved no one else, was when he realized he couldn't live without her.
'When the war is over, and fanalia is rebuilt, you'll come back here on a day just like this. And you'll think of me. And perhaps, if that's what fate has in store for us. We'll be reunited again.'
"Serendipity." A soft voice said from behind him. He turned around, knowing exactly who it was. Seventeen year old Hitomi Kanzaki walked up to Van and took his hands. A tear silently rolled down Van's cheek and she wiped it away before it had a chance to freeze. She sighed and rested her head on his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I've missed you."
He smiled gently and hugged her body closed to his.
"Not as much as I've missed you."
They held on tightly to each other in silence, Van resting his head on hers.
"Why did you come back, Hitomi?"
She didn't reply and Van hugged her closer.
"Because....because I needed to." she answerd in a small voice after awhile.
"You-did you see something? Are you in trouble?"
"No...I just-..." She stopped and sighed, absent mindedly tugging on Van's hair.
"It's okay Hitomi. You can tell me." He whispered gently.
She pulled back slightly and searched his face. "It's been two years Van...and when I'm back home...the only time I really find myself happy is when I'm thiking of Gaea and of you." She pulled him closer again and sobbed into his shoulder. " I tried to fight it. I really did. I tried to be happy for you and for my family and friends. But then I realized...that I should be feeling happy for myself...and the only way I could do that was of I was here...and I-." she continued shakily.
He took it a breath when he realized he hadn't been breathing. He leaned in so their noses were touching.
"And you?" he whispered.
"I love you."
He didn't wait to ask permission, like he normally would. He just kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her all the emotions he had felt for years in their kiss. Friendship, regret, passion,love. They broke apart in need for air. But Van only opened his eyes when he heard Hitomi call his name.
WHAP!
All he felt then, was the cold wet snow that was running down his back, and the sound of Hitomi's joyous laughter. He just grinned and turned his back to Hitomi. Laughing silently, he ran back to his village, willing Hitomi to follow him. She did, with a confused and curious look on her face. When she did catch up to him she gasped at the scene before her. Fanalia was rebuilt, but not as she remembered. The small, yet active village was like a place out of a fairy tale. The palace was big and white and the houses were white as well. It looked like an angel's village and, in a way, it was. He felt an arm slip around her waist and the cold chain of her pendent being refastened around her neck. She leaned into him, as Van brought his lips down to her ear.
"This belongs to you. I love you." He whispered.
She turned to him, her eyes mischeivious.
"You know what I want to do right now?"
"...what..?"
"Go say hi to Merle." She laughed and pushed him back down into the snow. Laughing, and getting out of Van's reach Hitomi ran down to the village, followed closely by a snow covered king.


the end.


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