Author's Note: So.. Yeah, this didn't come out so great, it's downright a bad piece of Fanfiction. But I don't really care, I wrote it all the same, and here I am, posting it. If you don't like it, don't read it. Besides, it's my first Escaflowne Fanfiction.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All rights to Escaflowne belong to Sunrise Studios and Kazuki Akane.
"Van?" Hitomi snapped out of her thoughts as she looked up to see the familiar silhouette of the Fanelian prince outlined against the darkened sky, the sun barely peeking above the horizon as Hitomi shook the last dregs of sleep from her eyes, having woke in the early hours of the morning and, unable to fall back asleep, had wandered aimlessly throughout the corridors of Austria's castle, unaware as to where her feet had taken her.
"Hitomi!" Van started slightly and turned around, blinking. "What are you doing out here so early? You should still be sleeping. You need your rest."
Out here? Hitomi thought. Slowly, gathering her wits, she looked around at her surrounds, blinking in amazement. She stood above the battlements of the Asturian castle, gazing down at the courtyard below her owlishly. I'm atop the castle! Her voice cried in her head. Why had she come up here?
Because Van's here, she thought, her heart tightening in her chest as her cheeks colored softly at her apparel, nothing more than a small, thin blue gown she had worn to get the night before to bed.
"I'm fine, I couldn't sleep anyway.." Hitomi replied, walking forward and standing next to Van, her arm narrowly brushing along his as she shivered faintly at the scant amount of contact.
"Is something bothering you? Are you cold?" Van tilted his head down at her, his eyes full of concern at her statement, misinterpreting her shivering.
Hitomi's cheeks brightened once more, a warmth seeping, seemingly into her bones, at his worrying over her.
"A little." She lied quickly.
Before she was aware of what had happened, Van's arms were around her, drawing her, gently and hesitantly to him and up against his chest, her left hand lifting to press along his stomach as a reflex to push herself away.
"Let's get you back inside. You'll catch something if you don't." Van's voice was low and soft, his breath frosting the air before him.
Hitomi could vaguely hear his words over the faint rushing in her ears, the warm press of his body, and hard muscles beneath the palm of her hand nearly causing her to swoon against him.
"No, no." She replied, shaking her head slightly from side to side.
"It's.. Better.." She murmured hesitantly, her fingers spread across his stomach and slowly inching along his sides, wrapping around Van's middle. She could fill him stiffen slightly, before relaxing, his own arms lifting in turn and settling about her shoulders.
"All right." His voice was husky, thick. She could feel his body shift and undulate against hers as he perched his chin atop her head, snuggling along the length of his body.
"Look." Van stated suddenly.
Hitomi shifted in his arms and turned her face toward the horizon, the sun fully blooming over the vast expanse of land and illuminating every tree and rock, ravine and crevice of Asturia. She could feel the warmth of it on her face, soft and welcoming.
She smiled to herself as the sun continued it's slow ascent in the sky.
Like Van, she thought.