Author's Note: This is a Hugue x Esther fic. Rather fluffy and maybe a bit out of character for Hugue, I'm not sure. I tried to keep him in character though. No specific timeline for this to occur on. Mostly just fluff I guess. I kind of like the idea of them together. So, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood or its characters.

The Sweetness

Esther could not sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed at the Vatican. Her red locks fell into her eyes and for lack of something better to do, she tried to blow them out of the way. It was a failed attempt and she ended up pushing them out of the way.

She huffed as she made another brutal attempt to sleep, throwing her body hard into the sheets. That too, was a failure, just as she knew it would be.

There was nothing left to do but get up and make herself some tea. She knew it was late and that she should not be wandering the halls alone, but she was desperate for sleep.

She dressed lightly in her undergarments and wrapped a robe around herself before heading for the kitchen. She prayed that no one who might report her was occupying the room. She could almost taste the tea.

She pushed open the heavy door and found someone she never expected to see in a thousand years.

There, standing in front of one of the stoves, was Father Hugue de Watteau.

"Father?" she asked as she stood in the doorway watching him. He must have just returned from a mission. He was dirty and covered in blood, but he was cooking something that smelled like heaven.

"Sister Esther?" he asked as he turned to face her. He seemed just as surprised to see he as she was to see him. She let herself in the kitchen.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one up," she smiled as she began looking for a kettle.

"I already have a pot of tea brewing," he told her, indicating the pot beside the pan he was working with. It was like he knew that she was going to join him in the kitchen that night.

"Oh, well if you don't mind me having some of yours."

"It's fine," he spoke. He was watching his pan intently. Esther sat down at a counter close to him. The dim lighting caught his golden tresses and marked arms. He had the sleeves rolled up so as not to burn them. He was a rather beautiful man.

He hid his emotions about Esther joining him in the kitchen. She was so bright and full of life, young. Hugue, himself, was young but felt old sometimes. He was secretly glad that the young woman could not sleep and had sought his favorite place, the kitchen, to ease her troubled mind.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, but what are you cooking?"

"I'm glad for the company," he told her. He held the pan away from the fire so that she could look inside. "It's a vegetable mix with secret seasonings."

"I never knew you were so skilled in the kitchen."

"Not many know." He almost smiled, it was something between a smirk and a frown. "Would you like to try some when it's done?"

"Yes," she answered, trying not to sound too eager. She was already drinking his tea as well. "That would be nice."

She was never sure what to say to him anytime he was around. He was so mysterious and tortured. She got the idea that cooking was one of the few things in this world that made him happy, but she wondered about others as well. She wondered about people. She wondered about how he felt about her, did he even notice.

She always waited to greet him when he returned and made an effort to reach out to him. She just never felt like it was enough. But, she was always there should he need her.

"Were you here for a cup of tea?" he tried to confirm, hoping that his instincts were still top notch. He fondly remembered his mother would rise in the middle of the night for tea.

"Yes, I couldn't sleep," she told him, feeling sort of childish and lame.

"Neither could I," he told her. "It's difficult to sleep on an empty stomach."

"Was your mission successful?"

"Mm." It wasn't much of an answer and Esther could have kicked herself for asking.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Just, I haven't seen you around here lately."

"I have been busy." He pulled the pan off the stove for good. She watched him move gracefully around the kitchen, gathering things for their meal.

"Do you need any help?" she asked him, not wanting to feel useless. She wanted an excuse to move beside him in the kitchen. She had admired him, for his determination on his missions, and the search for his sister.

He was so distant and she wished that she could bring him in some.

"No, it's okay." He gave her a rare and tired smile. She could see the scars on his arms, the smooth skin surrounding them. She could see the blood on his robes, face, and hair, but that added to his nobility. She could easily see him out of priest robes and in distinguished clothing, form fitting, his hair loose and pooling. "Are you okay?" he asked, his face just inches from hers. She had not realized she had been staring.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry, just lost my train of thought. I'm okay now." He set the plate and tea in front of her. The smell wafted up and she inhaled it, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She picked up the fork and took a bite.

"How is it?" he asked. She noticed that he had not taken a bite yet, the fork was poised from his thin lips.

"Father, you should cook all the meals at the Vatican. I think I have been starving," she smiled, shutting her eyes in pleasure. Hugue provided another smile and she looked just in time to see it.

"Thank you Esther." He had dropped her title and she felt a little guilty for using his. Hugue watched the young woman out of the corner of his eye. She could not feel his sharp green eyes upon her, or if she could, she did not react.

They ate in a comfortable silence. Esther was certain she had never tasted food so wonderful in her entire life. He was as skilled in the kitchen as he was with his weapon. It was even better than the last time he cooked for the agents. This was more like his very soul was embedded in it. She had missed the food, but not as much as she had missing having him around.

She didn't care what the Professor thought he was. Hugue was a free spirit.

"Father, please don't ever change," she said, not aware that she had spoken aloud until she could feel his eyes on her.

"What?"

"I-I" She could not cover up for what she had said. She wondered if the father was mad. He must have thought her mad though.

"Esther?" he asked. Her name sounded better when he said it.

"I'm sorry, I just meant that, you're wonderful Hugue, no matter what anyone says about you," she told him fiercely.

Hugue stared at the young nun, no woman, in front of him. He didn't know that she felt that way. He could see through the compliment to the longing in her eyes. How long had that been there? He had never used his battle skills to look at someone before.

"Esther," he said, it was not a question this time. "Thank you." He leaned across the table, closing the tight air between them, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. He was a gentleman after all these years.

Esther thought she was going to either faint or her heart was going to beat right through her ribcage covering. She touched the place his lips had burned their seal into her skin, blushing the same shade as her hair.

"Thank you," she smiled, trying to keep her breathing normal. It was the first human on human contact Hugue had shared with anyone. He was just as surprised as Esther was. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the young woman; it had just taken a while.

It seemed that she was always there when he returned, just watching him. He could tell from her expressions that she worried about him. He was the only one who saw the sighs of relief when he returned safely.

On a sudden and almost foreign instinct, he rose from his chair, walked around the table to her side and pulled her from her chair. He looked into her eyes, his green softening and searching her wide blue. Her eyes were the color of his memories of childhood skies.

He pushed some of her brilliant hair out of her eyes as his face grew closer. Both of his large and calloused hands rested on the sides of her face. "Thank you Esther," he breathed against her lips, his settling over hers, closing the gap.

They met in a single, beautiful and passionate kiss. He held her close to him, just holding, their lips still touching. He could taste the sweetness of the tea on her soft lips. "Forgive me for being blind," he asked her, though it did not sound like much of a question. She kept her eyes shut and nodded. "To the love that was waiting for me here, the sweetness."

"Forgiven," Esther breathed as their lips met again, the food and tea and purposes completely forgotten in young and realized love.

Author's End Note: So I hope you enjoyed this, whoever you may be. I cannot read minds, contrary to popular belief, lol, so you'll have to hit that review button and tell me.

Until next time friends!