Tyrianna's Crush

Author's Notes (b/c I love them '): Tyrianna's Crush was inspired by a particularly goofy moment between my brother and me. This is my attempt to take the ridiculous humour of that moment and transform it into something more intelligent. Hope you all enjoy. I certainly have.

Tyrianna reached down to test the shimmering, clear water with her hand. Finding it adequately warmed from the desert sun, she smiled and waded into the deep pool that sustained the large oasis. As she carefully walked deeper, her feet sinking in the soft sandy silt at the bottom, she was thankful that the water would soon be over her head. Almost the entire summer had passed without presenting her one opportunity for a good swim. Now that her over-protective mother was away, she was going to take advantage of everything that their oasis provided.

As the water rose up to her chin and wetted the ends of her short, brown hair, she moved her arms out with decided strokes and lazily swam into the deeper waters. She rolled over onto her back and looked up at the clear blue sky, which was almost too bright for her eyes. Surrounding the pool were smooth, moss-covered rocks, some jutting out close enough to serve as the perfect place from which to dive. Beyond them grew a few trees that helped to keep the oasis adequately cool. Through the trees, coming toward the pool, was a shadowy figure of a caped rider on a horse.

Tyrianna righted herself in the water. "That rider!" she whispered in awe. "Can it be? Is it really? Surely not, but…."

She knew who he was. Even though she could not see him very well, as he slowly travelled through the trees, she could easily identify him by the unique points rising from his shoulders and the physically impossible shape of his broad-brimmed hat. The man was D, the dhampir vampire hunter, and Tyrianna's crush since she had first heard about him.

"Oh my gosh! It is him!" She let out a small squeal of delight as she hugged herself in the water. "I can't believe I'm actually looking at him! Oh my gosh, he's so hot! And he's coming this way! I wonder if he's actually going to stop at the pool. Oh bless! I'll get to talk to him, see him up close, I might actually get a smile out of him." Another squeal escaped her mouth as little tremors of excitement ran up and down her spine. "I can't believe this! He's so close!"

D was actually still several hundred feet away, a small figure slowly winding through the trees directly toward the pool, but Tyrianna didn't care. This was as close as she had ever come to him and every second was bringing them closer together. Now all she needed to do was to get him to notice her.

With a mischievous grin, she glanced at the rocks and began to swim as fast, yet as quietly as she could. She didn't want him to notice her until the perfect moment.

When she reached the shore again, she looked towards D and smiled to see that he was still riding towards her and was, in fact, only several yards away on a higher ledge. She hurried as naturally as she could to her chosen rock, stood on the edge, and threw her arms up in the air. With one last subtle glance at D to be certain that he could see her now, she dove headfirst into the water.

D watched the expert forward dive and then started to turn his mount aside. He had planned to make camp near the pool, but upon seeing the young woman, he had changed his mind.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Lefty protested loudly. "This is the only watering hole for several miles. You can't pass it up at this hour! I'm thirsty!"

D directed his gaze to the pool again as the symbiot continued to rant when he gave no indication of returning to the path. Something was out of order. The young woman seemed to be in distress.

Lefty paused in his ranting to see what had made D hesitate. "D," he began again, but in a much more pleasant manner, if such a thing could be said of the parasite's voice. "D! I think she can't swim." Then he had a thought and the taunting tone returned full-force. "She's drowning, D. You can't leave now. You've got to help her. And while you're at it, let me have a drink."

D flicked his eyes at his left hand. He was always annoyed when the parasite was inconveniently correct, but even more so when it took advantage of its correctness. Resigning himself to listening to Lefty cheer about their continued progression, he directed his cyborg horse down the path to the pool once more. He hated satisfying the little imp, but the woman did seem to need help. However, by the time he reached the water, she had fallen unconscious, floating on her back on the surface.

He was coming. D, the hunter, was coming for her. For her! Tyrianna almost couldn't keep back the squeal of delight. D was actually walking through the water toward her. A shiver passed through her as she felt the ripples he created lap around her. Oh my gosh! He's in the same pool with me. I am so going to swoon, and then he'll really have to rescue me. She fought back the smile that threatened to steal over her mouth and give her ruse away.

Then, his strong hands began to guide her limp body toward the shallower waters. Tyrianna breathed as little as she could, but the charade was not difficult to play. She almost couldn't breathe, anyhow, because he was actually touching her. D, the one about whom she dreamed and fantasised, was there, holding her in his arms. She lay as limp as death, imagining that she had really passed out in her struggle to stay above water and revelling in the pity that D evidently felt for her. Her D had come to save her! That thought was the most glorious and romantic thing she could imagine.

He laid her on her back in the sand and then knelt down by her head. Gently tipping her head back, he opened her mouth, and felt to see if she was breathing while he watched her chest.

Tyrianna held her breath, waiting for that moment when his lips would meet hers. Oh the bliss of the thought!

D gave a small grunt of surprise and then straightened back up. With a slight narrowing of his eyes and the merest hint of an evil grin, he removed the glove on his left hand. The symbiot grinned widely up at him and winked. D checked the position of the woman's head, again, and then very calmly placed his hand over her mouth. The moment that Lefty began to breathe out, Tyrianna sat bolt upright and screamed.

"Aaauuh!?! That's disgusting! How could you?" She batted D's left hand aside. "That is not what you're supposed to do! That's…that's just disgusting." With that, she bent over and began to rinse her mouth out with the water from the pool.

"Hey, now! Don't be so rude," Lefty protested. "I was only trying to save your life. You shouldn't be so inconsiderate to your rescuers."

"You are not the one rescuing me," Tyrianna spat back. "D is."

"Well, serves you right, anyhow, for just pretending. Anyone could see that you weren't really drowned."

D clenched his fist shut, but it was too late. The woman turned on him with fire in her eyes. All along he had been suspicious of her. No one that could dive as well as she could, would be unable to swim. However, he hadn't been completely certain that she was pretending until he had felt her strong, normal pulse. Now, she knew that he had known that she was faking, and she was livid. Quietly, he stood up and returned to his horse. A silent nod in her direction had to serve as both his adieu and his apology.

The woman sullenly watched him ride away. In the back of her mind, she wondered why she had ever had a crush on him. Then again, the reasons were obvious, and she sadly admitted that she was already quickly forgiving him.

Several miles away, in between the oasis they had just left and the nearest town, Lefty finally spoke again.

"Back there at the pool, I didn't know you had that kind of mischief in you. What ever made you do it?"

D didn't answer at first. When he finally did, it was accompanied with a slight shrug of his shoulder. "I'm tired of their ridiculous attentions."

And he thought, maybe you're rubbing off on me a little.

Last notes: Warning, all fan-girls. I am not as gushy as Tyrianna (thank goodness!), but I am VERY possessive. Keep your hands of my D-sama. He's MINE. 3 3 ALL mine…even down to his fun little parasite. So…go away. '

And lastly...I absolutely HATE this new editing feature. I no can have snowflakes anymore. cries I want my snowflakes back!!! --,,,

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