Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Thoughts ❯ A First Step ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, or any of the character therein. And since I forgot to do this for the other two chapters, count this for the others as well.

You readers can consider yourselves lucky. Very lucky. I had a relatively free weekend, and managed to get myself immersed in the part. Be glad, very glad. But don't get used to updates three days apart, because they will be rare in deed.

If you may have noticed, I changed the rating. The characters are getting more…adult, maybe? They're beginning to think more about each other in a sexual way, so to speak, which means more adult-rated thoughts. Not really adult, but let's just say that hormones are beginning to talk. So, I had to raise the rating. And I'm warning you that the rating will probably get higher eventually. At the moments, it's only thoughts, but wait until the characters try to act on them. So, beware in future chapters. I will make a note before each chapter, just to be sure.

I noticed that I skip around a lot in the character's thoughts. But have you noticed that we do that as well, when we think? I know that I do at least. You think of something, which makes you remember something totally unrelated, which is what I have my characters do. And if you haven't noticed, don't expect very much dialogue from me. My writing style is very descriptive, and I prefer spending time divulging into the characters' minds and the scenery instead of having lots of dialogues. But since most of you have praised me for this, not complained, I don't think you have a problem with it.

Anyway, though I wasn't on the internet this weekend, something's wrong with my phone line, I'm going to thank all those who reviewed, since I don't know who exactly to thank, since I can't read my reviews. So, thanks everyone, whoever you are.

Now, I present to you Chapter 3

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Chapter 3: A First Step

"What?" His eyes were bright, a cinnamon which peered brightly into her green ones. She had always heard to look into someone's eyes when you were talking with them, no matter who it was. But the problem was that it was making her burn, looking into his eyes. She wanted top pull her eyes away from his, just to save her from their unrelenting gaze. Unfortunately upbringing and habit stopped her from releasing his gaze.

"Oh- oh, I couldn't sleep and came out here." She managed to chock out, finally breaking eye contact. She brought her eyes down to her feet, but in doing so, it gave her a view of Van. She swallowed. She was glad Van had put on his shirt again, she wasn't sure if she would have been able to keep her composure if he still had his shirt off. Even with his torso fully clothed, she had a hard time not staring at him.

He was built, and his sweat-soaked shirt clung to him. His raven locks were messed in the front, covering part of his eyes and in the moonlight he positively glowed. She kept her eyes on her toes, wiggling them through the fabric of her slippers. They didn't make that hot, burning feeling go through her.

"And why did you say my name?" His arms were crossed, a frown on his face, the same expression he always had. It just made him look even better and breath-taking. He was fairly tall, around one-hundred-and-seventy-five centimetres. He was thin, with a tall lean structure, and if he turned out anything compared to his brother, he'd be drop-dead gorgeous. She blushed at the thought. She had no idea what was running through her, but it was generating a state she wasn't sure she was ready for. Especially in the situation she was in.

"I- I didn't know I said it out loud…I was thinking that you were practising well." She tried to gain the use of her tongue back. "I think you're doing really well in your duelling." For heaven's sake, she wasn't supposed to be feeling this! She didn't even know what she was feeling, but she knew it wasn't right. Not to mention she liked Allen. Remember Allen? You know, he looks just like Amano, and you're in love with him? Sir Allen Schezar? Knight Caeli? Long blonde hair, bright blue eyes to die for?

Hitomi was brought out of her thoughts by Van's voice. "No I'm not." His answer was short, hiding a tint of anger behind his voice. How could she tease him? He loved her, he was ready to die for her. And she sneaks out to watch him, and won't tell him why. His fists clenched.

His eyes swept over her. Clothed in a white silk nightgown which hung on her small curves, the dressing gown open over it, the tatted lace of the night gown's sleeves and

collar showing through. The belt hung loosely on her waist, going to her ankles, where the lace hem of the nightgown showed through, to her small, white slippers. Her hair was a bit mused, a few strands in her eyes, her skin already pale, shone in the moonlight. Her eyes were dark, much darker than they usually were. She was breath taking, and Van barely managed to pull his eyes away from her.

He scolded himself for his thoughts. He loved her. He knew that. She didn't love him. He knew that. But the heat washing over him showed him his want and desire for her in a new light. He didn't just love her, he wanted her. He desired her. He wanted to kiss her until she was senseless. He wouldn't even object if he ever got her in his bed. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, before anything happened that he couldn't control. He already felt himself reacting to her, and turned around, facing the Freidian Gardens.

"Van?" Her sweet, melodic voice whispered his name. "Are you all right?" How he wanted to wipe the anxiety off of her face, to assure her he was fine, to wrap her in his arms, to meet her lips with his. But the view of the gardens stopped him. Though the gardens in Fanelia had different plants, they were structured mostly the same, with an area limited for nobles, the Royal Gardens, for members of the Royal Family and the select few with Royal permission, and gardens for everyone. In the moonlight, Van could almost imagine himself being read to on a bench by his mother, or Folken and he playing hide-and-go-seek in the bushes.

He remembered one instance, when he and Folken were playing in the bushes. He thought it was Folken coming around and jumped out grabbing his legs. Unfortunately it was the Lord Declan and Lady Adelina of Heiran's Grove, a fief on the Fanelian border. They weren't often in the Capital, and were only visiting because Lord Declan had needed to discuss something with King Gaou. Van was clasped around Lady Adelina's skirts. He remembered backing slowly away, fearful for what she might say, when she started to laugh. Oh my little Prince, no worries. You must have thought I was your playmate. Please, go find your friend and finish your game. He had always liked Lady Adelina after that. She had been young then, sixteen and newly married. He wondered what she was doing eleven years later. He knew that she wasn't dead, on a fief on the Fanelian border, she wouldn't have been in the Capital that day. He had received a slight scolding from his mother, but she had been smiling and he knew that she wasn't angry.

His mother. His mind went unconsciously to the rings in his pocket. That was the next step. Tell her that you lover her and then if she feels the same for you, propose. Unfortunately the first step was to tell her. And the woman he was in love with loved another. He didn't know what to do. And then he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Hitomi stood behind him. "What is wrong with you? I called your name five times and it was as if you didn't hear me." Her gaze swept over him. She noted the tiredness of his stature, his dark eyes. "You're tired. Go to bed." She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. The fire which had subsided came back in an instant, and she fell herself wanting something she couldn't describe.

Van didn't know what to do. Though the fire and desire in him had receded a bit, it was still there. And to be told to go to bed by the woman he loved…how close he was to asking her to join him, with only a thin thread of his conscious and coherent mind hanging on to his control. She isn't in love with you, if you ask her such a question, you'll ruin your friendship. And what about the Fanelian and most of Gaean tradition of waiting until marriage? You can't ask such a thing of her yet. And as much as Van hated to admit, his mind was right. He fought against the fire burning within him. "I'm not tired." He managed to force out. Why couldn't she just go to bed? He needed to sort out his thoughts.

"Not tired? Van, you're falling asleep where you stand." Her eyebrows raised, she took her hand from his shoulder, placing it on her hips. "You can't honestly tell me you're absolutely not tired." Her lips were parted just a bit, her cheeks flushed. How graceful and tempting she looked. And without thinking, Van turned around, coming closer to her.

"I'm fine. You shouldn't worry about me so much." His eyes took her in, as she stared at him, a small frown on her face. How he wanted to-

"I have to worry about you, if I don't, no one else will…well, except Merle, but I don't really trust her with you…she's too smitten with you to be a good judge of your actions." She interrupted his thoughts. Van focused on her entire being. Did she mean that she was able to worry about him because she didn't feel anything for him, or did she mean that she didn't like him? But the latter made no sense, for why would she worry about him if she didn't like him, nor if she didn't feel anything for him, even friendship. The fact that she worried about him alone should that she cared for him enough to worry about him. He wasn't even sure if his last thought made any sense, but he didn't care. They were his thoughts and no one else could hear them. His conclusion was that she cared about him at least somewhat, even if it were only as friends.

She was continuing. "-understand why she's always so hyper. How could someone have so much energy? And-" With her attention distracted, Van walked closer to her, without thinking. Eventually she noticed, and her lips parted. She started to back up. "Van, come, you have to go to bed, you're dead on your feet. Oh, you probably don't know what that means, I mean, you no almost none of my expressions so why-"

"It means that you can barely walk, you're so tired. Apparently that's one expression that both worlds have." He answered her, coming even closer. She stopped backing up, staring at him. "You're acting quite odd lately, I could see you sitting in the bushes for the longest time today, watching me. What's-" But she was cut off as he came closer, finally grabbing her, and pulling her into his arms.

"Oomph." Hitomi didn't know what had come over him lately. He had been acting so strange, and then he was holding her. She had to admit how good it felt, his arms around her, his spring sent of fields and open spaces mixing together with her scent of flowers, due to the shampoo she had used to wash her hair earlier. It was amazing how nicely the two scents mixed together, how safe and comfortable she felt in his arms. She hadn't thought of Allen once while he was holding her.

His lean and tall structure fit with hers perfectly, and though she didn't have many curves at the moment, the few curves, which she had molded perfectly into his angles. Her chin came to his shoulder, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. If he wanted to hold her, she wasn't going to protest, though it occurred to her that she should. It just felt so right in his arms, though she didn't know why. "Van." She whispered, letting his name sit on her tongue, noticing how wonderful it felt. She didn't want to disturb the moment, but she couldn't help her self.

She felt him pull back from her, his arms still around her, as he held her out in front of him. She noticed how it seemed he was shaking lightly, his eyes bright, his skin so pale. He looked so gorgeous, she didn't know what to say or think, though the thought of him being gorgeous was fremd to her indeed. It was amazing how the snobby, arrogant, hot-headed boy could morph into such a breath-taking gorgeous man in seconds.

"Hitomi." He whispered her name, catching her eyes with his, as he closed the distance between them again, leaning towards her. She looked up, wondering what he was doing. He lowered his face to hers, his lips parted slightly, when the thought hit her. He's going to kiss me. The thought felt odd in her head, but she couldn't help but to admit that a part of her wanted him to. Come kiss me. I want to feel your lips on mine…I want to see what you taste like. She waited for him expectantly, for the touch of his lips. He came closer and closer- and then she almost stumbled as he shoved her away, and ran for the castle. She stared after him, the fire in her subsiding as she watched him run. The bewilderment of his actions ran through her mind, as she stood out on the palace balcony, trying to make sense of the young King's actions.

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A first step indeed. I hope you al enjoyed this, and I'd like to thank all of you who have read it. Now go and please write me a review. I love getting feed back, and it really makes my day, especially when I have a long shift in the emergency room, which really takes everything out of you. So please, review. And if you want to write me an e-mail with a question, comment, or just for fun, I have no problem with that either. I like getting mail, and don't get e-mail too often.

So, I think I'll leave you all here.

Madrilène, the first of December. Oh yes, happy 1st Advent, everyone, who celebrates Advent, that is.