Disclaimer: I Don't Own Chrno Crusade. You don't have any evidence saying that I do. So, will all you lawyers PLEASE stop calling my house? Thank You!

A/N: I was looking at Chrno Crusade fanfiction today,

And when I noticed something apparent, it made me think ..

Right then, an idea popped into my head, and made me say,

"I'll make a fic centered on Joshua and Azmaria, though my head will probably shrink!"

... Oh My God. I can't believe I just did that. Oh well! D Anyway, I originally had another fanfiction in mind for my Chrno Crusade fanfiction debut, but I noticed that the quantity of Joshua/Azmaria fanfiction was really ... really .. almost non-existant. o.o; SO! I decided to put an end to that! D Now, I think i'm going to make this a multi-chapter fic, and see how I do with that. People who have read my other fics know that multi-chapter fics and I don't mix at all .. so, i'm going to try get some practice in before I continue writing One Day and Welcome to the House of Chaos. Okay, enough with the mindless rambling .. here's the story!

Someone Like Me

By: Rika (Akiana-chan)

Chapter I : Tickle War

'There's something special about this day .. ' Joshua Christopher thought to himself as he strolled through the forest behind the Magdalan Order. 'Everything's so beautiful back here .. I wonder why I didn't notice this place before?' Joshua continued on his way through the dark forest, looking at different flowers, herbs, trees, shrubbery, wildlife .. 'Beautiful .. Beautiful .. Beautiful ..' He said to himself silently as he pointed out the plants and animals of the wooded area. He then came across a lake, looking out at it's wonderous beauty for a moment, before he looked up again and held his breath, quickly hiding somewhere safe.

In the water of the lake, singing to herself quietly, was the feminine beauty that haunted his dreams often these past few years .. His bright blue eyes roamed over her, starting at the top of her head, trailing down to where her long white hair cascaded down her back, ending at her thighs. He couldn't help but stare at her thighs for a moment before he blushed a bit and looked away, silently scolding himself for looking that long. After he calmed down about the whole 'staring-at-her-thighs' thing, he slowly turned his head to look at her again .. he slowly let out his held breath, so softly that not much could hear it.

" .. Gorgeous .." He whispered softly, loving the word since the instant he had first used it in his vocabulary. Gorgeous. That was the one and only word he could think of to decribe her .. he couldn't describe Azmaria Hendrick any other way, and he never thought about choosing another word. It was the only word that drifted into his thoughts everytime he saw her; Her eyes, her smile, everything about her just screamed the word. 'I'm crazy about her .. she's all I think about these days ..'

It had been 4 years since he was saved from the grasp of Aion by none other than his older sister, Rosette Christopher, and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Chrno. Joshua had always dreamed that they would get together somehow, and they would be married, and he would have a niece or nephew; Much to his surprise when Chrno told him he was going to propose to her. Joshua had been overjoyed, but had promised not to tell anyone at all, not even Sister Kate or Father Remington, who he knew were good at keeping secrets .. no, this was a man-to-man secret, which was soon to become public .. very public. In fact, half the order had known about it when Chrno and Rosette came back that night, so by morningtime, everyone had known, or at least had some idea that something special had happened between the two lovebirds.

Chrno had taken her out the same night he had told his plan of proposal to Joshua, and from what Rosette had told him - In an extremely elated manner, no less - he took her to the carnival and they rode the rides, played the games, and occasionally stopped to get some cotton candy, which Rosette promised she would share with her devil, but in the end it was always her who stuffed her face with it.

Chrno had to keep reminding Rosette about the resturaunt, the one they had both wanted to try, but was way too expensive for any of them to afford at the moment they had even thought about it. Chrno had somehow saved enough money to make them a reservation that evening, and, needless to say .. Rosette was excited.

"It was my dream proposal, Joshua! He was so wonderful, he treated me like .. " Joshua recalled his sister rambling on, then pausing for a moment, trying to find the right description. "Well .. I can't exactly say he treated me like an angel, seeing how he's a devil and all .. but Joshua! I felt like royalty!" Rosette sighed, sinking back into a cushiony chair, staring at the diamond ring on her left ring finger, a grin on her face that couldn't be washed away in a thousand years. Joshua swore that she was going to die with that cheerful grin on her face. He was glad his sister was happy, especially after all she and Chrno had been through just to save him ..

This brought him back to his present situation .. Azmaria had done her share in helping as well. He didn't know what he had thought when he had seen her for the first time .. he was still wearing Chrno's horns, and it had altered his thinking pattern quite a bit. He thought he might have felt something special from her .. but after he had gotten over that, he probably thought she was just another Apostle nuisance that Aion had needed. 'But she's like me, in that way,' Joshua thought, 'She can relate to some of the things i've been through, and that's probably why we've gotten to be so close ..'

Once he was rid of Chrno's horns for good, he and Chrno were back to their normal selves, and Rosette's remaining life had been prolonged, thanks to Chrno's astral energy from his horns, Azmaria had formally introduced herself to him, explaining that she too was an Apostle, Just like him. At the time, Joshua had merely smiled and told her it was nice to meet her, introducing himself as well, though there really was no need to introduce himself; Rosette had already told Azmaria all about her younger brother. He was the one who they had spent all that time trying to save, after all.

Joshua and Azmaria had become good friends ever since then. Of course, Joshua had a few other friends, but there were none who's friendship he treasured more than Azmaria's. She was his first friend when he came to the order, and she remained to be his best friend, aside from Chrno and Rosette.

'And .. I fell in love with her .. my one true friend .. and I fell in love with her ..' Joshua thought as he started to stare at the beautiful 16-year-old girl who was singing in the lake, clad in only her slip. His head rose higher to get a better look at her, admiring her beauty .. admiring the girl .. no, young woman that she had become in a matter of 4 years. Joshua normally wouldn't dare do anything along these lines, as he was slightly afraid of the word 'perverse,' but even as he gained control of where his eyes were looking, he found he couldn't not stare at her for long.

Many guys had come to her and asked her out on dates .. she was very popular among the guys at the order, most of his guy friends among his group even thought the way he did about her! They knew that he was in love with her, and always teased him about his feelings, seeing as he was the one who was closest to her. Joshua always had something to say to them that shut them up, but he knew they were right for the most part.

"Tell her how you feel, Joshua!" They always told him. It wasn't the least bit encouraging. He had wanted to tell her oh-so-badly for the past two or three years .. but everytime he tried, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Before he could even utter a single word to her, he would freeze up, and Azmaria would be left to smile at him sweetly, although he knew that inside she was wondering what was so important. He thought that sometimes he could see a small glimmer of hope in her eyes; but that was probably just his imagination.

His thoughts were interrupted when he realized she had stopped singing, and was staring curiously over in his direction. Joshua held his breath again. 'Damn. Damn, Damn, Damn.'

"Is someone there ... ?" Her soft, feminine voice drifted over to him. He froze, he stayed where he was, he didn't breathe in fear that she would catch him here and accuse him him being a pervert. She suddenly started walking out of the lake, in the exact direction of where he was hiding. He squeezed his eyes shut, and remained that way, until he heard a small, shocked voice call his name.

"Joshua .. ?" She asked, surprised, but somewhat happy to see him, in a way. Joshua let out his held breath, opened his eyes, and stood up, looking down upon her. He might of seemed calm, but what he did next definately gave away his nervousness.

"Az, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to spy on you like this, I was just walking through this area, I didn't know you were here, I didn't know this place even exis-" Joshua stopped his hurried exlamation abruptly as he felt Azmaria's hand take his own. He looked her in the eye with a confused expression.

" .. Come join me, Joshua?" She asked softly. Joshua, though he was shocked at her offer, slowly nodded his head, and watched as a huge smile appeared on her face. She pulled him along as she went to the side of the lake, stopping and sitting there with her legs in the water. She looked up at Joshua and nodded, telling him it was all right to sit down. Joshua quickly complied. They were both silent for a moment before Joshua broke the awkward silence.

".. Aren't you going to scold me?" Azmaria looked to him, a shocked expression upon her facial features.

"What?" Joshua sighed and tried to explain again.

"I was looking at you, while you were barely dressed! It wasn't a very good thing to do, and you know how Rosette's always giving me those 'talks,' telling me that I shouldn't stare at women .. so, aren't you going to scold me and tell me how wrong I was for looking?" Azmaria stared at him a little longer, before she looked away and started giggling. Joshua looked to her again, dumbfounded at her response to this whole thing.

"What? Why are you laughing, Azmaria?" He asked her, growing a bit red in the face from embarassment. 'She's laughing at me!' He thought in a panic. This only made his friend laugh even harder. Joshua had had about enough of this, and was about to get up and leave, when an idea struck him. He smirked.

"Azmaria .. do you want me to give you something to really laugh about .. ?" He said with a mischevious grin on his face. Azmaria stopped laughing, staring at him with a frightened expression on her face. Joshua thought the look on her face was priceless. He reached his hands out to her sides, just barely touching them, forcing a giggle out of Azmaria.

"Joshua .. what are youAHH!" Azmaria was trying to say, before she erupted into fits of laughter, due to Joshua tickling her gently on her sides. His hands roamed over her sides, then to her stomach when she fell on her back due to her immense laughter. Joshua smirked even more, his fingers moving to her arms, making her laugh harder.

He was surprised when he felt a petite pair of hands grasp his arms, their owner's fingers gliding gently over the skin on his arms, forcing a snort out of him, as he attempted to supress the laughter he knew was going to come out sometime. Azmaria shot up into a sitting position just then, attacking his sides with her fingers until he was laughing so hard that he thought his sides would split. When she was in the transition of bringing her hands from her sides to her stomach, he grabbed her arms before she could, but in the process lost his balance and fell over .. where he was on top of Azmaria.

Joshua pushed himself up, staring at the young lady under him .. his face was now very red, and he could see a pretty blush forming on her cheeks as well. His blue eyes stared into her brown ones, and vice versa; neither of them dared to break eye contact for even a moment. Joshua could feel his heart beating faster, and he didn't know what Azmaria could have been thinking right now .. he wasn't even sure he wanted to know. He didn't realize that his face was slowly leaning in torwards hers.

"Are you all right .. ?" He whispered softly. She nodded her head as best as she could, her eyes never leaving his.

"I'm fine .. are you?" She answered, just as softly.

"I'm wonderful .. " He answered, leaning in more .. more .. his lips almost touching hers ..

And then ...

"JOSHUAAAAAAA! AZMARIAAAAAAA!" The familliar voice that belonged to none other than Rosette Christopher called loudly throughout the forest, breaking the two teenagers from their short-lived fantasy. Joshua's head jerked up at the sound of his older sister's voice, a sigh escaping his lips as he realized who it was. He looked down to Azmaria, realizing that he was still on top of her, and scrambling off of her as fast as he could, his face feeling very heated right then. Azmaria sat up and looked away from him, her face extremely red.

"JOSHUA CHRISTOPHER AND AZMARIA HENDRICK! YOU ARE BEING PAGED!" The older girl called from where she stood, which was somewhere close to the backyard of the Magdalan Order, from how far away her voice sounded. Joshua sighed and called back to her.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT, ROSETTE?"

"LUNCH IS READY! COME GET IT BEFORE I EAT IT ALL!" Rosette yelled back, the laughter obvious in her voice.

"WE'LL BE THERE IN A FEW MINUTES!" Joshua yelled one last time, and stood from his sitting position, holding a hand out to help Azmaria up. Azmaria looked to his hand, then to him, then smiled, taking his hand with her own, and pulling herself up so that she was standing.

"I'm going to head back," Joshua said with a smile. "Are you coming?" Azmaria nodded.

"In a few minutes i'll follow. I .. kind of need to change .." She said, the blush appearing on her cheeks once more. Joshua realized that she was still in her slip, which was wet from the lake. He nodded and began to walk away, torwards the order.

When he was far enough so that she couldn't see him, he turned around and began walking backwards. He watched her gather her clothes and dissapear behind a tree that covered everything of her thin frame. An image of her still remained in his mind, however, and he blushed, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Gorgeous .." He muttered to himself softly, then turned around again to walk the rest of the way to the order. He thought about that moment, in which they had almost kissed, and sighed.

"Damn."

A/N: YAY! I FINALLY COMPLETED CHAPTER ONE! xD It took me about a week to do it, because everyone is always INSTANT MESSAGING me .. -glares at all her friends who have prevented her from writing this fanfiction.- Oh well, whatcha gonna do about it? Lol. Anyway, hopefully it won't be too long before I have another chapter up .. hopefully .. e.e; I'm tired. It's 4:38 AM, because I stayed up to write this dear little fluffy fanfiction for you. Okay, maybe it wasn't for you, because no one knew that I was going to do this .. oh, who am I kidding? Yeah, it was for you. Are ya'll happy now? HMM? Okay. Time to get to bed.

Next chapter .. Chrno and Rosette know! -LE GASP!- And what's better .. Rosette and her dear fiancee are going to play the game that oh-so-many people have played in the past .. their ultimate goal being to get Joshua and Azmaria together! Stay Tuned!