[Geez you'd think with such short chapters I'd update more. Sorry. Really,
really sorry. This chapter has the smallest slightest amount of fluff in
it. Or a lot depending on your definition of fluff.]
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne.
Arigatou
I woke up to warm breath on my ear. I groaned slightly at my sore back from sleeping on the ground as I shifted slightly. As my eyes flickered open to the morning sun I noticed a pleasant warm heaviness on my chest. I was content to just lay there with the breath and warmth until I heard the owner of both murmur and snuggle closer to me. Now the breath is in the hollow of my neck stirring my black hair lightly and my whole side is warm as someone cuddles closer to me, searching for warmth in the cool dewy morning.
Someone? That's not someone. That's Hitomi! Gods it's a good thing she's still asleep. I've encountered one of her slaps before and don't wish to face another. My face burning I attempt to ease out of her rather tight embrace without waking her. I wince as she stirs and moves against my side. "Van?"
Uh-oh.
"Van . . . where are you going?" Her voice is almost fearful, as though I'd leave her all alone in the forest. I slump defeated on the ground. I hadn't even managed to get out from under her hand on my chest; the source of the pleasant weight. I turn my face to hers and she blinks at me and I realize our faces are very close together. Her eyes travel up to my chest where her hand still remains, she blushes and quickly removes it and I feel its loss. Her eyes go back to me and we both blush. I sit up quickly. "I wasn't 'going' anywhere. I just wanted to start breakfast."
"Oh." Her voice is small and quiet. I turn back towards her and she's sitting on her knees staring at her clenched hands.
"Hitomi?" Her head shoots up at my voice. "Are you alright?"
She takes a deep shuddering breath looks into my eyes, gives a genuine smile and says, "I am now, Van. I am now."
I grin slightly at her answer and then turn to get the fire started before she can see my threatening red cheeks.
She sits quietly as I cook more of the grubs we'd had before. She's just gazing into the sky. I'm enjoying the companionable silence. Too bad it's shattered when Merle wakes up, smelling food. "Van-sama!!!!"
She bounds over to me, feline tail whisking about, and jumps onto me giving me a tight hug that I return. Poor Merle, I'm her only family now. I became her adopted big brother when her family was killed. It's been rather disconcerting to me to notice that her love is not quite as sisterly as before.
I glance at Hitomi's face to see her reaction to Merle's hug. She had looked in our direction at Merle's outburst, but now she'd returned to looking at the sky, a slight frown on her face. Jealous? Maybe . . .
Merle must have noticed my zoned-out expression because she prodded me sharply to tell me that the food was burning. I hasten to pull our breakfast form the fire. "Hitomi." She turns. "It's ready."
I smile inwardly as I see her grimace in distaste upon seeing our food. But she stands and walks over to sit near the fire. I hesitantly pass her a stick with two steaming grubs on it. She gulps and takes it in her hands. She looks at me cautiously then back at her food. I sigh.
"It really does taste okay, Hitomi."
She nods and takes a bite of one. She chews slowly a thoughtful expression on her face. Then she swallows. I watch her intently for signs of being sick. I've never really cared much, but some people are very squeamish. "It tastes like really juicy chicken."
"Chicken?" I raise a eyebrow quizzically at her.
She laughs, a tinkly musical sound. "It's a type of bird on Ear . . .er . . . the Mystic Moon."
"Oh." I'm embarrassed by my lack of knowledge and I turn to my own breakfast. "So . . . so it's good?"
She laughs again as I had hoped she would. "Yes, it's fine. Thank you, Van. For . . .for more than just breakfast."
I turn to her sharply trying to understand the depths of her downcast eyes. Maybe . . .
"Sure, Hitomi. Anytime."
If hearts could sing I swear the world would be deaf from the noise mine would be making. The happiest man alive couldn't compare to what I was feeling right then. Thank *you* Hitomi. Thank *you*.
[Another short one. They'll all be this way. Why? Because I can write one chapter in one day and not lose the continuity of things. It's just easier for me is all. Thanks for reading and don't forget to REVIEW. ^_^]
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne.
Arigatou
I woke up to warm breath on my ear. I groaned slightly at my sore back from sleeping on the ground as I shifted slightly. As my eyes flickered open to the morning sun I noticed a pleasant warm heaviness on my chest. I was content to just lay there with the breath and warmth until I heard the owner of both murmur and snuggle closer to me. Now the breath is in the hollow of my neck stirring my black hair lightly and my whole side is warm as someone cuddles closer to me, searching for warmth in the cool dewy morning.
Someone? That's not someone. That's Hitomi! Gods it's a good thing she's still asleep. I've encountered one of her slaps before and don't wish to face another. My face burning I attempt to ease out of her rather tight embrace without waking her. I wince as she stirs and moves against my side. "Van?"
Uh-oh.
"Van . . . where are you going?" Her voice is almost fearful, as though I'd leave her all alone in the forest. I slump defeated on the ground. I hadn't even managed to get out from under her hand on my chest; the source of the pleasant weight. I turn my face to hers and she blinks at me and I realize our faces are very close together. Her eyes travel up to my chest where her hand still remains, she blushes and quickly removes it and I feel its loss. Her eyes go back to me and we both blush. I sit up quickly. "I wasn't 'going' anywhere. I just wanted to start breakfast."
"Oh." Her voice is small and quiet. I turn back towards her and she's sitting on her knees staring at her clenched hands.
"Hitomi?" Her head shoots up at my voice. "Are you alright?"
She takes a deep shuddering breath looks into my eyes, gives a genuine smile and says, "I am now, Van. I am now."
I grin slightly at her answer and then turn to get the fire started before she can see my threatening red cheeks.
She sits quietly as I cook more of the grubs we'd had before. She's just gazing into the sky. I'm enjoying the companionable silence. Too bad it's shattered when Merle wakes up, smelling food. "Van-sama!!!!"
She bounds over to me, feline tail whisking about, and jumps onto me giving me a tight hug that I return. Poor Merle, I'm her only family now. I became her adopted big brother when her family was killed. It's been rather disconcerting to me to notice that her love is not quite as sisterly as before.
I glance at Hitomi's face to see her reaction to Merle's hug. She had looked in our direction at Merle's outburst, but now she'd returned to looking at the sky, a slight frown on her face. Jealous? Maybe . . .
Merle must have noticed my zoned-out expression because she prodded me sharply to tell me that the food was burning. I hasten to pull our breakfast form the fire. "Hitomi." She turns. "It's ready."
I smile inwardly as I see her grimace in distaste upon seeing our food. But she stands and walks over to sit near the fire. I hesitantly pass her a stick with two steaming grubs on it. She gulps and takes it in her hands. She looks at me cautiously then back at her food. I sigh.
"It really does taste okay, Hitomi."
She nods and takes a bite of one. She chews slowly a thoughtful expression on her face. Then she swallows. I watch her intently for signs of being sick. I've never really cared much, but some people are very squeamish. "It tastes like really juicy chicken."
"Chicken?" I raise a eyebrow quizzically at her.
She laughs, a tinkly musical sound. "It's a type of bird on Ear . . .er . . . the Mystic Moon."
"Oh." I'm embarrassed by my lack of knowledge and I turn to my own breakfast. "So . . . so it's good?"
She laughs again as I had hoped she would. "Yes, it's fine. Thank you, Van. For . . .for more than just breakfast."
I turn to her sharply trying to understand the depths of her downcast eyes. Maybe . . .
"Sure, Hitomi. Anytime."
If hearts could sing I swear the world would be deaf from the noise mine would be making. The happiest man alive couldn't compare to what I was feeling right then. Thank *you* Hitomi. Thank *you*.
[Another short one. They'll all be this way. Why? Because I can write one chapter in one day and not lose the continuity of things. It's just easier for me is all. Thanks for reading and don't forget to REVIEW. ^_^]