A/N: Meh...I don't know. The setting for this fic strikes me as being somewhere in the 50's, hence their clothing. Also, I get that sex is one of those things that's been around since Adam and Eve, but Lili strikes me as being one of those sheltered young women who thought the height of all intimacy between a man and a woman was a chaste peck on the cheek. One of those women, the kind who considered a man touching her hand to be tantamount to an offer of marriage.

Anyways, threeshot, looks like. I had planned for it to end with this chap, but I figured since the first chap was 3 pages, might as well leave this one at the same length. And I liked how this played out.

Chapter 2

Vash found her waiting in the foyer, standing demurely by the wide staircase. Her head was bowed, her fair hands clasped before her. It was a posture of such subservience that an immediate gathering of warmth below his waist had him closing the front door more sharply than he meant to. She was waiting. Clearly waiting for him, and prepared to submit to him. So feminine. So proper, though there was nothing proper about their attraction.

He stepped over to her and just stood at her shoulder. Her back was to him. Bowed as her head was, the faint outline of her spine was visible to him via the scooped neckline of her dress. He lifted his hand and ran four fingertips lightly down her nape, feeling the velvety fine hairs that led downward in a narrowing line between her shoulder blades. He stopped at encountering the neckline of her dress, hesitated, then deftly began undoing the large, clear buttons.

Her shiver passed to him, and his hand shook. The buttons stopped at her waist, where he slowly fanned the halves of her dress open.

Despite the fact that he'd been handling the water hose a short time ago, Lili found her brother's hands to be warm and dry. That caress down her nape had made it clear that they were both about to cross a line. Vash did not touch her much, and he had never touched her like that. It was a simple touch, and yet there had been nothing brotherly about it. It was acknowledgment of her womanhood, of the fact that they were not related by blood. It was the touch of a man, something she'd never known, and her body reacted in a way it never had to Vash's proximity and masculinity. Her entire body seemed to melt and go up in flames at once, and she shivered.

She felt her dress unbuttoned, the back pushed open. Those warm hands pressed along her lower back, curving along her sides to splay themselves against her abdomen. Such intimate touching… she could not recall anyone putting their hands on either her back, or her stomach. She certainly never had cause to touch her own stomach. Not even their physician touched her like this. That elderly gentleman only looked at her eyes and throat, perhaps feeling along the glands in her neck. She'd never been seriously ill to require anything else. This…the slow, warm slide of these male hands along what she considered a very private stretch of skin, made her knees go weak.

And then those hands slid to her sides again, up beneath her arms, where they left her to settle behind her shoulders. Something indescribably soft touched the nape of her neck, and she realized it was her brother's mouth. He was kissing her, kissing her skin, and this was completely in keeping with her secret fantasies. She often imagined him kissing her cheeks or her hands. Once, in a fit of utter impropriety, she'd imagined his closed lips pressing against her own and she'd had to cover her face with her pillow. She'd been ashamed and scandalized at her own daring.

Those hands smoothed over her shoulders now, taking her dress with them, so that the garment fell forward, away from her torso, to leave her suddenly topless. Her arms flew up to cross themselves over her bosom. The servants were not currently in residence, but the idea of being unclothed in anyplace but her dressing room had her eyes wide with shock, and her warmth being replaced with an icy shiver of embarrassment.

She pulled away from her brother's hands and turned around. "Wha-what are you doing?"

His eyes were on her hands, where they cupped her small breasts. He lifted them to her face slowly, a slight frown between his hazy eyes. "What do you mean what am I doing? This is what you want, isn't it? What you offered me out on the lawn?"

Yes, she'd made her feelings known, and issued an invitation of sorts, but not for this! "I…I didn't invite you to undress me!"

His frown deepened, even as his eyes dipped briefly to her hands and the prize they held again. "What were you offering then?"

"I-"

"You do know how men and women relate?"

Of course she knew. Sometimes a man and a woman lay on the same bed and kissed passionately. And she was happy to bask in his kisses, his embraces, and to even let him touch her back and her stomach if he wanted, but… "I only…I love you, Vash. I only wanted you to know it, and…" Her face dissolved into a frown of confusion as she fumbled her dress up over breasts. Her cheeks were very warm.

Vash studied her downcast face a moment, before looking up and glancing around. The house was deserted today. His servants were enjoying one of their bi-monthly days off. After another moment of thought, he gently led Lili's huddled form down the hall, and to the dining room.

There were a few couches in the sunny room, as well as the long dining table. He handed her onto the overstuffed settee, then sat beside her. He kept his eyes on her primly closed knees, ordering his thoughts.

"Lili…do you know anything about the intimacies between men and women?"

"I know men kiss women and…touch them as you touched me. I don't mind you kissing me," she was quick to say. "I think I'd like that." Her face was pink as she peeked up at him.

A sense of bemusement settled on him. "Outside, when you demanded that I 'come and cool you off', what were you asking of me?"

Lili frowned, calling up the memory. "Oh, that? I don't know…I suppose I wanted you to come and lay with me on the lawn chair and fan me." Her blush brightened. "That was terribly forward of me, wasn't it."

He could only stare at her abashed expression as he fought the urge to pull her bodice away and look at her breasts. "Lili…your love for me is returned. And when you touched me out there on the lawn…the way you looked at me…I thought you were offering me more."

"More than my love?" she asked curiously.

He hadn't missed the way her face lit up at knowing her love was returned. Her eyes were large and shining now, her smile wide and radiant. Coupled with her lingering blush, Vash thought her the most beautiful creature alive. A slow burn of possessiveness unfurled in his chest; he would claim her quickly, before anyone one else could see what beauty she hid. Her beauty, and all else she had to offer, was his and his alone. "Yes, more than that, though your heart is surely a gift without equal."

Lili squealed, a high, faint sound that she pressed the knuckles of one hand against. "Oh, Vash!"

Where had that eloquence come from? Probably something he'd heard Francis say, but it fit the moment. And it was the truth. He cleared his throat, moving to put his arm with studied informality on the back of the settee behind her. "I thought you were offering me your body."

"Oh, but I was! I mean I am. I've already said that you can touch me, Vash. You can touch me anywhere, even my stomach." There was nothing but trust and open adoration on her face.

Seeing it, Vash knew a certain primal satisfaction that she would learn no man's touch but his own. "There are many ways a man touches a woman, Lili. Ways that will seem strange to you, maybe even abhorrent-"

"Oh, no," she rushed to assure him. "I could never think that about you. You're so beautiful and gentle and…" She was unable to finish, though her love all but throbbed in her voice and expression.

Carefully, he moved closer to her on the settee, until his knee touched hers, and the arm he had behind her could drop around her bare shoulders. Her eyes grew larger and rounder as he pulled her against his body. Looking down into her face, he said thickly, "Ah, Lili. My sweet, innocent little dove. Allow me to show you."

"Sh-show me?" Her voice trembled; he was holding her so closely. "Show me what?"

"Everything," he whispered as his finger traced her lips. "I will show you everything."