--A Chance Meeting
"No!" Hitomi yelled springing up in her bed. After taking in her surroundings, she fell back on her feather bed and panted. It was just a dream. The same dream that she had been having for weeks. At first the dream had scared her, but now, the dream was becoming annoying. She was tired during the day because of her lack of sleep at night. Everyone was beginning to notice it, too. The maids asked if she was sick, and Merle and Balgus only tried to comfort her. They thought that she was doing this because she was homesick or something.
After an hour of lying there and staring out the window to the stars above, Hitomi got out of bed, put her hair up, put a housecoat on, and threw a throw-blanket on her shoulders for extra warmth. She silently opened her door and made her way to the only solitude that she had: The roof. She made her way to the hidden door and slipped in. Barefooted, she climbed the stone stairs that reached the top. When she got there, she opened the door and walked outside to be met by the night air. She began to make her way to the best place on the roof. The place where the Phantom moon and its child could clearly be seen. Just as she stepped out of the shadows she was surprised to find that there was someone already there. She could see his muscular figure outlined in the moonlight. He had black hair and no shirt on. He had his sword drawn and was sparring with the air. Hitomi gasped as she recognized whom it was. Then, she covered her mouth with her hand and began to back away. As she did, she tripped on a loose stone behind her and fell to the ground. She tried not to scream. She wasn't hurt, but it had scared her. Instead, she gasped. She quickly tried to get up, and prepared to run. But, before she could move, she felt strong hands grasp her hands and help her up.
"Th-thank you, sir," Hitomi said, looking to the ground.
Van sighed. Everyone was so hesitant around him. He didn't think that he would ever get used to it. "You're welcome, Miss. Who are you?"
"Um…perhaps I should go. I did not mean intrude on you, Sir," Hitomi said, startled be his question.
Before she could make her get-away, Van captured her chin with his forefinger and thumb. He brought her face up so that he could look at her. What he saw surprised him. There, looking at him was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen. His eyes traveled over her face until they came to rest on her eyes. They were green. A green he hadn't seen since a year ago. These green eyes belonged to his wife.
The look in his eyes when he recognized who she was startled Hitomi even more than the question he asked her or the strength in his hands, or the tenderness that he used when he had cupped her chin moments ago. Hitomi looked at him waiting for his response for her being there.
"Um…" was all Van could manage.
Hitomi looked to the ground once again. They were married; they were supposed to be able to at least get one word out to each other. She got out of his warm grasp. She was surprised how cold she felt when she did.
"I should be going now," she forced herself to say. "I apologize again." She turned to walk off, but stopped when Van placed a hand on her arm.
"Don't apologize," Van said, not wanting her to go. "I didn't mean to frighten you. Please, feel free to stay."
Hitomi looked at him.
"Please," Van insisted.
Hitomi slowly nodded her head. Van left his hand on her arm and gently led her to the roofs edge. Hitomi didn't know what to do, so she followed him.
After standing there for a few minutes in awkward silence, Van said without thinking, "You cook good."
Hitomi turned and looked at him. How did he know that she had been cooking? "Th-thank you," Hitomi said stunned.
Van grinned at the look on her face. She had no idea that he knew about that.
Hitomi blushed at the grin on his face. She wanted nothing more than to remove the lock of hair that covered his left eye. She thought that she was going crazy thinking these thoughts. Then their eyes locked gazes. Van stared at her and Hitomi stared at him. They couldn't move. All of a sudden, Hitomi got weak in the knees. She began to fall. That broke the moment, and Van reached out to catch her. His strong arms encircled her waist.
"Are you all right?" he asked with concern.
Hitomi regained a little of her composure to be able to answer. "Yes, I must still be a little shaken from falling earlier," she lied.
"Did you hurt yourself?" Van asked. "Perhaps I should carry you to a doctor."
"No!" she said quickly. Then she corrected herself. "No, thank you. I'm all right," she managed to say. "I just got weak in the-I-I mean I've just got weak knees."
She was glad when Van took his hands off her waist. Now perhaps her cheeks would return to being tan again.
The silence returned as they turned to look at the moons once again.
Hitomi worked up the courage to ask Van a question. "What was your mother like?" she asked quietly.
Van turned to look at her. After a moment he answered. "The opposite of you I suppose."
Hitomi was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you have light hair and she had dark hair. You have tan skin and she had pale skin. You are hesitant at asking questions and she was not. You are shorter than she was, and you can cook. My mother never cooked anything in her entire life. Not that she didn't want to, but the counsel wouldn't let her."
"Why on Geia not?" Hitomi asked shocked that the counsel would do that.
"Well, they said that a Queen shouldn't mingle with the peasant maids or something like that," Van said looking at Hitomi again.
Hitomi caught him looking at her and asked quietly, "What?"
"How long is your hair?" Van asked.
"What?" Hitomi whispered.
Van reached his hand up and took her hair down. It flowed over her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. Van slowly ran his fingers down the sandy-blond hair. It was like silk to his fingers. His hand came to the end of her hair and he changed from there to her arm. He slowly went up her arm. Hitomi shivered. When he came to her shoulder blade, he went to her face. He slowly caressed her face and traced her check bone. He then traced her bottom lip with his thumb. Hitomi looked at him with wide eyes. He looked back at her.
"My mother always told me that the best way to fall in love was to become friends first," Van whispered to her, his hand on her cheek. "I want to become friends with you."
"Why?" Hitomi whispered as well.
"Because I want to love you."
A silent tear fell from Hitomi's eye. Van wiped it away with his thumb. "Can we become friends?" Van asked her.
"Yes," Hitomi managed to say. "We can."
"Then let's talk," Van said. "Let's get to know one another."
"All right," Hitomi said smiling.
And until the sun came up beckoning them back to their duties, they sat on the roof and talked to one another.
A/N: I would like to give a special thanks to: Natsuki-chan, aoao, TA, Sakura Scout, winter light, Kodoku Kaze Shiroi, Pretty Senshi 1519, minniedragon, anna, millie, redflye, Sailor Hope, hanako, Spooky Fyre, Beth, Rachel, Taz, Eva-chan, cookie chan, elena~sun, alissa, Akuma de Sourou, maniac bubblicous, and Dilandau's girl. Thank all of you for your support!