... ~*~ ... Wanting to Forget, Wishing to Remember ... ~*~ ...
~By: Lauren~
-Chapter 13-
"Love Lift Me"
Hitomi smiled, sinking into the cool grass under the sun-dappled sky. Next to her Van aired out a large cotton orange blanket before he lifted it up, letting it billow out. He then brought it down, letting it settle overtop the grass. The Mystic Moon girl smiled, crawling onto the blanket while pulling a wicker basket full of food off of the ground and onto the cloth. She blushed under Van's gaze while she pulled out the variety of food. It ranged from chicken to potatoes to apples and more. Her mouth was practically watering just smelling its yummy aroma.
Van smirked as he watched her watching the food. She giggled, poking him in his ribs which causing him to jump up.
"Does a mere girl frighten a king?" Hitomi teased while she plucked a snowy white daisy from the earth. She sniffed up its fragrance before she tucked it behind her ear gently.
"Of course not." Van replied while attempting to sound as manly as possible. They both laughed before letting out a deep breath. Stretching out under the warm sun, he helped her set up the food.
~*~
Somebody told me
Once in a lifetime
Destiny finds you and blows you away
Spins you in circles
Pulls you in pieces
Bleeds you like Jesus
And goes on its way
~*~
Suddenly, she looked up at him with a serious expression. "V-Van...?" She said and he looked up from the box of food he was just about to open.
"Yes?" He asked slowly. He knew that the playing and teasing time was over by her tone of voice.
"You don't find me disgusting...?" Hitomi hesitantly asked. "Do you think any lower of me because...of w-what happened...?"
Van raised a hand to silence her because he knew what she was talking about. He frowned, thinking to himself, "Is this what she has been worried about? That I might not like her because of that one morning?"
A thick silence filled the air before he spoke.
"Hitomi, you've got it wrong. If I did think any lower of you, I wouldn't be here with you now, would I?" He relaxed, giving her a tender smile. "I'm so sorry I didn't make it...that I wasn't there for you in time but...I won't ever let anything near to that ever happen to you again. Not while I'm alive!"
"I'm sorry." Hitomi squeaked quietly.
"It's okay. I'm not telling you to forget about it because I know that that's something you wouldn't be able to set aside. But the fact that it happened isn't going to change what I've always thought of you and...felt for you. So you can stop worrying about it."
~*~
But it's oh so simple sometimes
Just to lay your heart open wide
If you wanna get to heaven
Then you gotta take the ride
~*~
Hitomi blushed faintly, returning his smile. "...Thank you."
"Okay. So if there aren't any more doubts, let's eat!" Van lifted up a chicken leg. "I'm hungry!"
Hitomi sighed happily. "Yeah." She reached down, resting her hand on top of his while she thought to herself, "You're too nice Van."
For the next few minutes, there was only silence as they ate their lunches, save for the occasional rustle of branches and leaves.
Suddenly, something large burst through the bushes and ambushed Hitomi.
"GUESS WHAT HITOMI!?!?!" Gaddess bounced in front of her, knocking over some of the food. He grabbed the trembling girl and brought her into a bone-crushing hug.
"What Gaddess?" Hitomi muttered as she struggled to breathe and tried to stop from laughing. Van could only stare forward in confusion.
~*~
Love lift me
Wherever you are
Convince me
I'm safe in your arms
Love lift me
Make sense of it all
Teach me to fly
And don't let me fall
~*~
"I confessed and she said yes!!!" He practically yelled. "SHE LOVES ME TOO!!! HAHA!!" He laughed, a gigantic grin on his face. In the distance, Hitomi spotted Celena watching them joyfully. The timid girl waved over at them and Hitomi quickly returned the gesture.
"Congratulations!" Hitomi grinned and chuckled, patting him on his back. "See, this did work out! Our deal is complete now!"
"Yeah, it is!" Gaddess' eyes suddenly became distant, as if they were looking at something that Hitomi could never see. A sorrowful hint seemed to fill them but it was a mixture. A mixture of sadness, regret and grief. "You're just like my little sister, you know that?" He said softly.
"You had a little sister?" Hitomi looked up at the man, understanding beginning to fill her eyes.
Gaddess nodded. "If she hadn't have died then she would have been just about your age right now."
"I'm sorry." Hitomi and Van both said.
~*~
Somebody told me
Love makes you stupid
Makes you go crazy
Makes you go blind
Comes uninvited
And leaves when it wants to
Calls you at midnight and ties up your line
But it's oh so sweet when it's right (there's nothin' better)
And you swear you won't but you might (you're gonna try)
Gotta fumble in the dark if you wanna see the light
~*~
Gaddess gave them both a lopsided smile. "Oh, it's okay. It's been a long time. She was killed when a group of bandits raided our village. I had been out of town so I was the only one who survived. When I returned home...I found my home burnt down with bodies all over the place..." He shivered. "She was only nine..." Turning his head away, he sniffed before forcing a smile to take over his face. "But you're just like her! A girl with a clear mind and a strong heart!"
Hitomi blushed, hugging Gaddess quickly before he got up and ran after Celena. She understood now. She understood why he acted so brotherly and gave her free advice so willingly.
"I'm happy for those two." She whispered after a minute or two.
Van laughed. "And I didn't even know they liked each other..."
~*~
And when it's all said and done
It's just the same for everyone
You're busy making your plans
Love's like a bird baby
Flying out of your hands
And it's oh so hard to explain (we don't know nothin')
And your heart gets hold of your brain (but still we try)
Better batten down the hatches baby
Here we go again
~*~
"You'd be surprised what you don't know about other people..." A voice whispered from hidden within one of the bushes but when Van inspected each for a person, he found them empty and vacant of any human life form or anything that could speak.
"That's strange...I could have sworn I heard someone talk..." He scratched his head, trying to figure out what he had heard.
"I heard it too so you're not just going crazy." Hitomi replied. "But let's not worry about that right now...let's just have a good time." She sat back on the blanket and Van sat back next to her. Hitomi cuddled closer towards him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders tenderly.
~*~
Love lift me
Wherever you are
Convince me
I'm safe in your arms
Love lift me
Make sense of it all
Teach me to fly
And don't let me fall
~*~
Hitomi hummed softly to herself while she spun in her nightgown then collapsed on her bed happily. She giggled to herself before she stretched and stood up, wandering out onto her balcony. She leaned her elbows on the edge and rested her chin in her palms while she closed her eyes, the silvery moonlight bathing her in its glow.
Her thoughts began to wander. She was so happy at this very moment. Life was...blissful. The hurt had lessened into a dull ache. She loved Van and he loved her. Hitomi couldn't ask for more.
But what about her mother? Her father? Her friends? Where they worried about her? Did they truly miss her? Was she better off in Gaea or back home? What if she got called back there? How could she leave Van? Hitomi didn't want to leave Gaea but at the same time...she was being torn into two pieces. She sighed, unsure of what was to happen or what she was supposed to do.
Her heart began to thump wildly as she heard a creak coming from the direction of her door but before she could search for the intruder a razor sharp dagger blade was pushed against her throat. A thin line of crimson blood dripped down her pale skin.
"Don't say a word..." A voice snarled.
Hitomi trembled as fear gripped her. She wanted to scream and to run but she was unable to. Her heart cried out for help and a blast of light filled the room. Its source was Hitomi's necklace.
~*~
I'm waiting on you
'Cause nothing can lift me
The way that you do
Love lift me
Love lift me
Love lift me (only love can take me higher)
I wanna fly
~*~
Lauren: Cliffhanger! Gah, I stared to get writer's block but I just managed to pull out of it! What do you think of the new chapter? Liked it? Thanks for all the great reviews! I've been so busy lately so I'll try my best to write when I can!
