Packing and Moving
AN: I'm so sorry, but Van doesn't get to wear a swimsuit in this chapter. Sorry, sorry! But he will in the next chapter, I promise! That being said, I hope ya'll still read this one!! I don't know where this chappie came from, and it's short and nothing really happens, but the story took over once again and forced it to come out this way. Oh well!!
Once again, Thank you!! to all who've read this story, and a double Thank you!! to everyone who's taken the time to review! It means a lot to me, and it does help keep me motivated and inspired. I really appreciate it! --hands out plushies of Van in swimtrunks!!--
I always forget to do this, so here goes: I do not own Escaflowne. Shock and surprise. On with the chapter!
The drive back to Annie's house was relatively quiet, due mainly to the fact that both Allen and Annie were tired and crabby. Hitomi's head was beginning to ache from their constant bickering by the time they'd reached home, unpacked the car, and eaten supper. When Van went downstairs to shower, Hitomi grabbed her chance to pack her bag for the snowboarding trip.
"Don't forget your bikini!" Annie said in a sing-song voice as she poked her head around Hitomi's door.
"Agh! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Hitomi gasped, whirling around to face her and clutching her chest. Annie grinned at her.
"So, did we have fun last night?" she asked mischieviously.
Hitomi sighed and tossed some clothes into her bag. "Sort of. I mean, not that I'm complaining, it was really great. But we really didn't do anything. He's just so...I don't know."
"Proper?" Annie supplied. "Hesitant?"
"Yes! How do you get a guy to, you know, make the next move?" Hitomi asked, frustration and embarrassment creeping into her voice. Annie perched on the bed with a thoughtful look.
"Hm. Well, there's lots of ways, I guess. But there's nothing I can really tell you to do, because it always depends on the situation. And besides, these Gaean guys seem pretty uptight about physical stuff. I'm guessing there's a whole lot of rules and protocols or something."
"Oh," Hitomi said, sitting down next to Annie. "Yeah, I suppose you're right about that. It's been so long since I was actually there, I didn't even think about it. Asturia seemed pretty uptight about it. I wonder how strict Fanelian customs are?"
They both sat in silence for a moment, considering. Annie wrinkled up her face in disgust.
"Ugh. Remind me never to go to Gaea."
Hitomi laughed. "Yeah, I think the dating policies might be too strict for you!"
Annie shrugged and slid off the bed. "So I like boys. Or rather, I like having fun with boys. Nothing wrong with that. You should try it sometime, Tomi."
"I am trying. It's just not going that well," Hitomi grumbled.
"So bring your bikini tomorrow. All the rules and protocols on Gaea won't stand a chance once Van sees you in that." Annie replied as she walked out of the room. "Trust me, Tomi."
With a sigh, Hitomi began digging through her drawers, searching out her skimpiest bikini, the one she usually reserved for tanning, not swimming. Reluctantly, she put it on and examined herself in the mirror.
The top wasn't exactly modest. And the bottoms were pretty skimpy, too. Hitomi sighed as she poked at her stomach. Christmas meals at the Goettenbergs did not do her any favors. And- eek!- was that cellulite on the back of her thighs?
Hitomi changed quickly back into her winter clothes. No way was she going to let Van see her in that! Wadding the bikini into a tight ball, she snuck into the bathroom and hid it under the sink. She wasn't taking chances with Annie checking her bags to make sure she'd brought it along. Nope, she'd be packing her nice, non-revealing sport one-piece. Maybe she wouldn't even go swimming at all. Damn those Christmas cookies, damn them!
After a quick shower, Hitomi made her way downstairs again. Annie's music blared through her closed door and reverberated through the house, and Hitomi sighed. At least she and Allen weren't still fighting. In the kitchen, she found Van leaning against the counter, a glass of water in his hand.
"What's that noise?" he asked, jabbing a finger up to the ceiling.
"Rammstien, I think," Hitomi answered as she got herself a diet cola from the fridge. She glared at the container full of cookies sent home by Aunt Vera. No more sweets for her!
"Does she always listen to that kind of music?" Van asked as he helped himself to a few cookies. Hitomi watched him with envy. Sure, he could afford to eat a few, with that perfect body. No fair!
"Naw, just when she's crabby like this," Hitomi said, taking one tiny little cookie. One couldn't hurt! "Actually, she listens to all kinds of music. Except Polka, thank god."
"Oh," Van said with what he hoped was a knowing nod. He had no idea what polka was, but Hitomi made it sound like something to be avoided at all costs. Annie's music pounded through the ceiling as they stood there, awkwardly munching cookies. Hitomi could hear the downstairs shower running, and hoped that Allen would take his time. He was as touchy as Annie right now. Besides, it meant that she and Van had some alone time. She could practically hear Annie's voice yelling, "Jump him, Tomi!". Yeah, sure. Right here in the kitchen. That'd go over well. This wasn't supposed to be so difficult!
"So, wanna watch a movie or something?" Hitomi finally asked. Van shrugged his agreement and they trooped downstairs.
"Feel like anything in particular?" she asked over her shoulder as she looked through the DVDs and Van settled himself on the futon.
"I dunno. Whatever you think's good," Van replied, thinking privately that he really didn't care what was playing on the screen, as long as Hitomi came and sat next to him. It was chilly, so he pulled a blanket out of the basket and draped it over himself, propping his legs up on the coffee table as Hitomi turned the projector on.
Hitomi settled herself a few feet away from Van as the movie started up, silently berating herself for being so nervous and insecure. Last night they had been all over each other! Well, sort of. But she'd already sat down, and it'd look odd if she scooted over now. She rubbed her hands over her arms and shivered, wishing for a blanket.
Van lifted a corner of his quilt, silently inviting her to move closer and share it with him. With a grateful smile, Hitomi slid over and tucked herself into the blanket, her shoulder brushing Van's. He shifted, lifting his arm as if to put it around her, when Allen walked into the room.
"Oh. Hey, Allen," Hitomi said with disappointment as Van's arm dropped back down to his side. Damn it! Allen's eyes flicked over them, then over to the screen.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked casually, sinking down into the easy chair as he continued to towel off his long hair.
"Of course not," Hitomi said brightly, lying through her teeth. Insensitive clod! She could feel Van heave a deep sigh next to her and wondered if he felt as frustrated as her. The movie droned on, and the three watched in silence. Hitomi felt her eyelids droop sleepily.
"He didn't fall? Inconcievable!"
"You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Her eyelids drooped again, and Hitomi rested her head against Van's shoulder. Allen wouldn't notice. He was probably asleep anyway. She felt Van stiffen momentarily, then his arm shifted to wrap around her as he pulled her into a more comfortable position laying against his chest. Hitomi smiled sleepily and snuggled in. The sound of Van's heartbeat was slow and soothing, and she drifted off into sleep.
Allen noticed their deep, even breathing a stole a look at the couple on the futon. Hitomi was curled up, her head resting on Van's chest, smiling in her sleep. Van's head tipped at a funny angle, his mouth slightly open as he slept, too. It was a sweet picture, and Allen would have smiled at it if it wasn't for the painful stab of longing in his own heart.
With a sigh, he stood up and stole as silently as he could up the stairs. The house was quiet except for the movie playing downstairs. Allen pressed his hands against the kitchen countertop and took several deep breaths. He could do this. He could. It wasn't that he still loved Hitomi, was it? It just hurt to be so...alone.
Slowly, Allen became aware of soft music, music that wasn't in the movie, drifting through the house. Piano music. He crept quietly past the dining room and looked into the living room.
Annie was seated at the piano, her small form illuminated by the dim light from the Christmas tree. Her back was to him, and Allen slipped in, unnoticed, to sit on the couch and listen. Her fingers drifted over the keys playing a sad, beautiful tune.
The water is wide, I can't swim o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I
Her voice was melodic, sweet and honey-rich. Allen sat, surprised and mesmerized by the unexpected beauty of it and the way her hands moved skillfully over the instrument. She sang quietly, her voice barely audible over the music.
I leaned my back against an oak
Thinking it was the strongest tree
But first it bent, and then it broke
And that's the way love treated me
Allen leaned back into the cushions, his eyes closed. The sadness in her voice resonated with the pain in his own heart. The pain of loss and loneliness, and of love.
For love is handsome, and love is fine
And love's a jewel, when first it's new
But love grows old, and it waxes cold
And it fades away, like morning dew
Marlene. He had been so sure that he loved Marlene. But how quickly their love had faded, leaving nothing behind but regrets and a painful secret. In the end, Marlene had come to love the Duke, and he had been left alone again.
The music grew quieter as she came to the end of the song, and her voice was achingly sweet and sad.
The water is wide, I can't swim o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
Build me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I
...and both shall row, my love and I...
The music came to a stop, and Allen opened his eyes. Annie sat silently, her head bowed, for several long moments. Then she heaved a deep sigh and turned around.
"Eep! God, Allen!" she gasped in a whispered shriek. "When the hell did you get up here? I thought you were watching the movie!"
"I got bored," Allen said with a shrug. "You never told me you could sing like that."
Annie gave him a dirty look as she slammed the cover down over the keys. "It's dangerous to sneak up on me like that, you know. The last guy who scared me peed blood for a week."
For a brief second, Allen contemplated how exactly she had made someone pee blood, then decided he'd rather never find out.
"What're Tomi and Van doing?" she continued.
"Sleeping. At least they were when I came upstairs. Why were you singing that song?"
Annie shrugged nonchalantely. "Because it's pretty and I like it. Why?"
"You sounded so sad," Allen replied, casually watching her reaction. "I don't think someone who's not hurting could sound that sad."
Annie snorted and stood up. "It's just a song, Al. It doesn't mean anything. Anyway, it's late, and we've gotta get up early tomorrow, so we'd better get the kids off to bed."
She disappeared through the dining room, and Allen could hear her going down the basement stairs. The movie stopped, and voices drifted up from the basement.
"Wakey, wakey, lovers. It's time for bed. Unless you're sleeping down here, Tomi."
"Huh?" Hitomi said groggily, coming reluctantly back to reality. She slowly pushed herself off of Van's chest, rubbing at her eyes. Van groaned slightly and tried to work the kinks out of his stiff neck.
"Well," Annie said impatiently, her hands on her hips. "Are you sleeping down here or what?"
"Uh, no. No, G'night, Van," Hitomi said, blushing furiously as she untangled herself from the blanket and climbed off the futon.
"Yeah. 'Night," Van returned sleepily as he watched the two girls head up the stairs. How long had he and Hitomi been alone down there? And he slept through it, damn it! Allen came down the stairs then, and the two men set up their sleeping spots silently.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd make sure they had another chance to be alone. And tomorrow they were going on that snowboarding trip. Snowboarding and hot tubs and bikinis. It sounded ominous.
With a worried frown, Van rolled himself into his blankets. There was nothing he could do about it until tomorrow, so he might as well forget about it and get some sleep. Allen seemed to be having a hard time getting comfortable, tossing and turning in his blankets. Suddenly, his voice drifted across the basement.
"Hey, Van. How do you think you could make someone pee blood?"
AN: Song is "The Water is Wide" by Niamh Parsons. See you next chapter!