Escaflowne 1. Awareness & Inspiration

A/N: Okies, Worlds is coming and Okaeri is having a time out (please don't kill me, I'm trying but its muses are vacationing). So this is a set of 30 kisses one-shots to appease you and I love writing them, but depending on what you think some may become two-shots.

I tried for drabble length but I can't seem to stop myself from writing more. Hope you like! Reviews are always treasured and plastered around my room!

AND HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY SHAIF! *super huggles*

Suilsie xx

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Awareness

Allen Schezar was very self-assured and unlike many jibes that were whispered about him, he was perfectly aware of it. He saw nothing wrong or shameful with being so. In fact, for a Knight Caeli it was a necessity. After all one could hardly go into battle filled with insecurities. Well, all Draconians aside.

But for some reason, all of Allen's ease disappeared around a fifteen year old honey haired female from the Mystic Moon. Most women would be doe-eyed and perfectly content to stay by his side, especially after his bestowing a kiss to them and paying enough attention to them.

But Hitomi wasn't like other women. It was clear when she ran off with Van in that strange guymelef of his back to a land filled with Dragons and returned with another member of the Fanel clan. One who had been trying to kill them all up until that point.

It was clearer still when his overly obvious hints of proposal went unnoticed, but she couldn't be that oblivious. Could she? Granted she had told him that on the Mystic Moon, fifteen was rather young to be getting engaged, but he wanted to protect her honour, to protect _her_.

These thoughts intensified especially when reckless members of foreign Royalty started brawls without a thought to the consequences or indeed Hitomi's safety.

But Hitomi wasn't oblivious to the Fanelian King. She could tell when he was angry or upset or tense. No matter how he looked at the King, Van still appeared to be the same broody teenager that he had known. Despite all this he was perfectly aware that Hitomi and Van were close in age, but he felt that Hitomi was older than her years.

Moreover, whilst Hitomi appeared unaware of _his_ attempts to move her to a safer, more secure place where she would be free from the risk of kidnap or being dragged into danger, she was eerily accurate on understanding the moods of the brat that constantly dragged her into _said _danger. Allen was grateful to him for bringing Hitomi back to Gaea after her abrupt departure, but Hitomi no longer smiled at Allen in the way she had before. That innocent, shy way that told him she was completely devoted to him, and seemed shocked he reciprocated her feelings.

Heck, she barely looked at him.

However she noticed when the _King_ entered the room; smiling to herself as they passed one another in corridors; knowing to extend a plate of food out to him when he walked into a room or look up to greet him. He could explain that easily he resolved, Hitomi was a seer after all. What he couldn't explain was the other gestures that occurred between Hitomi, who was technically his betrothed and the Fanelian King who couldn't look after a Kingdom, let alone a lady.

It irked him to the point of distraction where he seemed to watch the pair like an overbearing owl. Maybe he was spending a little too much time grooming Natal. He didn't walk over to Hitomi immediately anymore but watched who she looked to, walked towards, started a conversation with. And every time it wasn't him. It was Van. It was coming to a point where he couldn't explain away her behaviour.

Allen Schezar would never be described as a stupid man, he understood people's behaviour more than others thought he did. So when he saw Hitomi shoot up from a chair, assumedly dozing but crying out, tears streaming her cheeks as she mumbled she had had yet another vision; he saw it. Van walked over to her chair, knelt by it and reached out to her.

Watching as Hitomi leant into the unexpected embrace of the King, Allen Schezar needed no further evidence. Not when the apparently cold and emotionless King bestowed a kiss to the crown of _his_ apparent betrothed's head and she in turn slumped against the King, her hand fisted in his plain red tunic.

Theme 1 - Evidence

Words: 666.

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Yukari has all the evidence she needs when she finds two mugs instead of the usual one on her best friend's draining board. That and the highly ornate sword propped against a chair.

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Inspiration

Hitomi Kanzaki stood in front of the blazing image in front of her and gawped. It was utter shock that travelled along her synapses, seemingly incapable of passing along any other information.

"Good isn't it? I'd say it's one of his best works."

Turning to meet the gaze of a surprisingly pink-haired woman, she could only nod and turn back to the painting, pulled by its raw emotion and feeling entirely unsure of what on Gaea was happening. The woman who stood beside her smiled at her reaction and continued, "I have to say we were all worried he'd never come out of his dry phase. It's been two years and all of a sudden he produces this masterpiece."

Hitomi swallowed at the apparent passion and excitement the pink-haired woman seemed to gather from the painting hung in front of them.

Her eyes had remained fixed on the representation from the second she had stopped in front of it. Yukari had left her in search of free champagne, but Hitomi's stomach twisted in a very confused fashion as she could only stare at what lay depicted in front of her. Pulling out of her daze, she asked the woman beside her as casually as possible, "You know the artist?"

Hitomi was bedazzled further by the utter beam that the pink-haired woman who seemed like a teenager in her glee as she nodded, bouncing on her needle thin heels, "Of course, I'm Van's sister."

The woman squeezed Hitomi's arm as if there was some secret reason for excitement that hadn't been told to her, "Ever since Dad died he hasn't touched a brush and all of a sudden he produces this…" her hand spread out in front of them, gesturing at the painting as if Hitomi hadn't noticed it, "…this work of _art._"

Hitomi nodded, smiling as best she could, wondering if the pink-haired woman had taken something. After all Yukari had told her in some galleries cocaine was passed out as freely as champagne. But Yukari did have a knack of over-exaggerating things, nevertheless this woman chatting to her as if they were old friends did seem slightly off. Why was she so amazed by the piece of canvas in front of them? It wasn't anything special really, was it?

Maybe it was just her excitement, Hitomi pondered. After all, this woman was the artist's sister and _he_ hadn't painted anything for two years after a family bereavement. After her grandmother died, she had gotten a tattoo in memory, and rebellion; but she could still recall the aching sense of loss.

Still, the painting in front of her jarred and any sympathy she could have felt for the artist was lost as her eyes examined the face on the painting. So completely relaxed and carefree. As if they were unaware of being scrutinized from ever angle and being immortalized on canvas. "Just look at the background. It seems to give her a glow, doesn't it? As if the world around her is going to sleep in time with her. And the shadows!"

Hitomi would admit the painting was impressive. But it didn't mean she was happy with it, but the woman next to her had no relation to _the painting itself,_ so she could look on it impassively and exult in the artistic _genius_ she saw there. Hitomi still thought it was voyeuristic, and probably still would even if Picasso himself had done it.

A soft, masculine chuckle came from behind them, and both women turned to the noise; Hitomi in response to the abrupt noise amongst the quiet chatter, and the pink-haired woman with barely suppressed joy as she wrapped her arms round the startlingly handsome man who smiled down at her and then looked at Hitomi, his smile taking a secretive shadow that confused Hitomi further.

"Forgive Mereru-chan here, she's just extremely over-excited. I hope she hasn't mauled you."

"My name's Merle!" came from the pink haired woman but it didn't register in Hitomi's mind properly.

In fact Hitomi's phase of gawping had jumped from the painting to the man in front of her as he spoke. Maybe Yukari was right, she thought, coming here was worth it. Managing to shake her head, she smiled slightly, turning her gaze back to the painting so she wouldn't be shamelessly ogling the man whose dinner jacket was open, and shirt was unbuttoned to a degree that offered a charming view of his tanned, lean muscles.

"I was just saying Van," Merle piped up, "how long it's been."

"Yes, yes I know, the _dry spell_." Van responded, with a slight sarcastic edge to his words, "I've heard those words so many times tonight I think I won't paint anything more if I have to listen to people simper at me with such idiocy."

Hitomi flinched ever so slightly at the words of the very hot man who has slipped between Mereru and herself. If she had seen him in any other situation, she most likely would have blushed so hard, causing a haemorrhage somewhere. But the painting called out to her over and over again. Still she wasn't ignorant of how close he was standing to her and how her bare arm brushed against the sleeve of his no doubt expensive dinner jacket.

"So what do you think?" his voice had broken the new spell the canvas had put her in. Turning a fraction she met eyes that didn't qualify as brown or black but seemed to fit only as a shade of dark red that hadn't been discovered yet. His gaze was so wholly focused on her she didn't have the urge to stare at the painting again to check she wasn't hallucinating.

"It's absolutely—" piped up Merle and a hand slid across her shoulders and closed over her mouth, "Yes, imouto-chan I know. You think it's wonderful, but you're biased. I want to know what your friend thinks."

"I…" Hitomi managed to utter, making the incredulously hard task of turning back to the painting, and seemed unsure of what to say.

And all of sudden it fit together. The mystery that had swirled in her mind evaporated. Her eyes widened and she whirled back to the man watching her, anticipating something intellectual.

"You're…you're the artist?" A small part of her crumpled inwardly at the utter stupidity of her comment, but the sheepish smile on Van's face didn't seem that foreboding, especially as it gave him a swift boyish charm. A charm that she berated herself for noticing, as well as hating the rapid increase in her pulse.

Holding out his hand, he nodded, smiling and gripping his sister's mouth tighter as she giggled at the shaken expression on Hitomi's face. "Van Fanel, pleasure to meet you. A pleasure, I'm sure."

Any tentacle of attraction that had slid into Hitomi's brain sank back as her anger took over and only out of politeness did she take his hand, wanting to let go almost instantly, muttering,

"Hitomi Kanzaki." At this point she remembered she had brought her best friend here and she needed moral support now dammit! She noticed a flash of pink hair as Merle slid from her brother's grip and danced off into the crowd.

But any attention on the gold dress and pink hair disappeared as her hand was elevated and her focus unwillingly swung back to the deviously handsome man who smiled, causing her traitorous brain to short circuit. Her heart almost joined it seconds later as she felt his undoubtedly warm lips brush across her knuckles in more than just a polite gesture, his eyes seeming to convey some heated message that her unavailable cerebral cortex failed to pick up.

"Piacere." He murmured, still holding her hand inches away from his face.

Any temptation to slap him stilled as he let go of her hand, gesturing to the painting, repeating his question. Managing to hold onto some scrap of calm, Hitomi raised an eyebrow and asked as she once again looked away from him,

"Isn't that wrong? For the artist himself to ask what people think? I'm sure there are hundreds of yes-men here willing to tell you the Sun shines out of your arse."

Hitomi felt stirrings of hate rise for this unknown man, this unknown man who seemed to enjoy riling her and torturing her as he laughed openly, once again rising above the brainless chatter of the others in the room. She gasped as her synapses woke from their lust-induced stupor and she spoke again, "You invited me!" turning to the living embodiment of evil itself as he smirked at her, his eyes following her movements back towards him as if she were a highly amusing dramatic monologue.

"I merely felt that the inspiration of my latest piece should be invited along to see the finished work. And I would be grateful for your opinion." In her inner-rage filled curses, she caught the words _your opinion_ and a rather arrogant tone to his voice. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke, with her fury clear in every word she muttered as her fists clenched by her sides so she wouldn't give him two black eyes.

"My opinion? I think it's sick. Voyeuristic, on the level of a pervert no less." She saw the surprise on his face and some other emotion flick through his eyes but she hadn't finished as she got to the point,

"You painted me—" turning back to the canvas gesturing at it, as if he had been unaware of it up to that point, "—without my permission or any form of request. More so you did this—," and Hitomi felt the need to poke him in the chest, what was covered by the shirt of course, she wanted to release her anger, not give him the idea she was feeling him up, "—this whilst I was _asleep._ Does any of this seem acceptable to you sir? Or have I been brought up with the wrong set of morals?"

Looking at him directly, as she had focused her tirade at his shoulder, not wanting to be put off by his admittedly extraordinarily handsomeness, she saw surprise in his face. As if he hadn't thought she would be angry or uncomfortable with the entire situation. So having being brought up by a very earthy woman who said things as they were, giving Hitomi a detailed account of sex aged nine, Hitomi said her words without a trace of embarrassment.

"Fanel-san, looking at this depiction of me whilst I was asleep, which was obviously painted without any awareness on my part; such a thing makes me feel as if I've been watched in the shower or getting undressed."

Hitomi regretted the analogy immediately at the raised eyebrow on his face. Some people really were too good-looking. Van nodded after withdrawing the widening smirk on his face, and inhaled before replying in what seemed a genuine reply,

"Forgive me Kanzaki-san. I truly was unaware that my painting you would leave you feeling so uncomfortable. I came across you in the park that day and I found myself spellbound by you. You were so relaxed, completely at peace with yourself that you had allowed yourself to fall asleep in a public place."

"And look where it got me." Hitomi replied, turning back to the canvas as once again it pulled her back to it.

She heard him clear his throat, seemingly uncomfortable which pleased her as he continued,

"You've heard from my sister that I haven't painted anything since the passing of my father. I thought I would never paint again. And coming across you and the sheer tranquillity you radiated, I couldn't help myself." The passion in his voice, that restrained emotion she couldn't place made her turn back to him and his staggeringly fixed gaze on her, consuming any retort she had.

Whatever they had shared in the moment between them came to an abrupt halt. Another man in a dinner jacket, looking decidedly stuffy and with all his buttons done up tapped Van on the shoulder and murmured something, gesturing towards a group of people who stood by the large Ezgardian windows. Van looked at him with what seemed to be barely repressed annoyance as he nodded, gritted his teeth and sighed as the man with long blonde hair turned on his heel without any acknowledgement to Hitomi and walked back to the crowd he had gestured to.

"Forgive me Kanzaki-san, but I'm being forced to exchange meaningless pleasantries with boring people. Will I able to speak to you later?" Hitomi wanted to immediately reply negatively and call him something her mother would hit her for. But a look of almost childlike expectation on his face left the comment floating in her mind, as she scrabbled to say anything.

It seemed some form of fate was laughing at her as Yukari returned with two glasses of champagne in each hand, looking decidedly merrier than when they had entered.

"Yo. I found the free booze." Stopping next to her, Hitomi could only watch her best friend as she looked at the painting and then said, "Girl sleeping on hill at sunset. Cool."

Yukari paid no attention to the laughter as both Hitomi and Van burst into fits of child-like hysterics. Hitomi had to reach out and grab his arm as she gasped for air between raucous laughs and Van's eyes watered as he tried to stifle his own laughter. Managing to calm themselves, Hitomi came to a stop from her body's shaking and found herself inches away from her personal, extremely handsome Anti-Christ. By the look on his face, he seemed to have noticed as well and gripped her hand on his arm before she could run,

"Please, I would like to have at least a proper conversation with you. Could I—"

"—Van! The Duke has waited two hours to speak to you. Are you coming or not?" Spoke the blonde man again, with increased irritation, his hand clasping Van's shoulder.

"Yes Allen. I'm coming." The defeat in his tone broke something in Hitomi and her hand tightened on his arm as she spoke quietly.

"Ok. We can talk. I'm guessing you have my phone number as you sent the invitations to my address." Once again his boyish smile stopped her breathing as the optimism rose on his face and he nodded.

"Van?" came the cutting tone from the man with feminine hair and the odd ringlet amongst his dead straight locks.

"Yes." Was the only word from Van's mouth as he turned to walk with the man who seemed to want to move him forcibly; but Hitomi could only focus on the feel of his calloused hand sliding over hers as he removed it from covering hers.

Her own arm dropped to her side, starting once more to turn back to the painting and her best friend. She wouldn't be surprised if she had worn a hole in the wood from turning back and forth so many times. As she moved back to face her very own portrait, her hand was enclosed in the warm grip of another and she watched as Van lifted her hand once more and kissed it, his eyes once again searching her face eagerly.

"Hitomi." he murmured and then walked away from her, leaving Hitomi floundering in confusion. What the hell had just happened?

"Told you this was a good place to pick up men. Seems that one was_ very_ hot for you, ne? Champagne?" came the words from her friend's slightly intoxicated conscious and Hitomi could only accept the glass and blush at the realization of her friend's words.

Theme 7: Muse.

Words: 2,620

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It seems that whilst fighting rebel Zaibach forces Van finds himself at his lowest ebb as he parries and destroys another young man, someone older than him. Turning swiftly to catch the opposing blow from behind, the chain around his neck moves under his tunic and he finds his strength rushing back to him.

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Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!

Hope you enjoyed!

Sina xxxx


	2. A Powerful Jolt

A/N: Thanks for reading! Welcome to the third one shot, I put two in the first one to keep you happy ;) but from now on it should be single shots unless they're small. So enjoy and comment! Comment away! I love comments!

Sina xx

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A Powerful Jolt

"It's all your bloody fault!"

"My fault? My _fault?!_ _You_ were the one who started the tavern brawl!"

"Don't even think of trying to blame me. You said there was shelter nearby—we've been walking for an hour!" his voice raises above the crackle of thunder, his focus on scanning the surroundings, not looking at her. If he did, he'd see her jump at the noise and quicken her pace.

"Oh, do forgive me, _your Majesty,_" as she turns to him and mock curtseys, "It must be utterly awful not sleeping on the finest of mattresses, swaddled in the warmest of covers night after night."

"Don't forget the piss poor company." He adds, gritting his teeth as she once again throws his rank in his face as if it is something to be ashamed of.

"Yeah well, we left Allen back at the Tavern." She mutters with a taint of amusement in her tone and hears the barely concealed snort of laughter, giving her the feeling she's won the argument.

She can sense the tension radiating from him, the anger at having to hide in his own country and the annoyance, no doubt because her _abilities_ have not procured them a shelter. Hitomi doesn't mind the rain so much; she's always liked the rain as it means that Allen won't be appearing at any moment as he hates wet—frizzy—hair But she's not at home anymore, is she? And the biggest worry isn't the chance of Allen appearing at their front door wanting to take her into town. She's hiding a King from his own army and trying to keep an overzealous Emperor from conquering the Eastern Kingdoms and crushing them under his volcanic will.

However this is no ordinary rainstorm.

The Emperor had arrived in Fenikkusu, the Fanelian capital two days ago. And Hitomi supposes that upon his discovery that the Fanelian King wasn't trussed up in chains in front of him the Emperor got angry. So angry it's been raining ever since. And the fact Van had slipped from his subordinates' grasp a second time led the Emperor to rage even further—Hitomi had once heard the Zaibach Emperor went into apoplectic fits—and brought about a potent thunderstorm.

No matter how enjoyable a walk in the rain is to Hitomi Kanzaki, no longer Seeress_ in hiding_ after Allen made her help him and reveal her gifts to some very important people, the sheer weight of the storm above her scares the length of her corset off her.

"Kanzaki, when on _Gaea_ are _you_ going to find _us_ shelter?" She sighs at the utter childishness of his tone and to be frank, she isn't surprised by it. Although this is the most _they've_ spoken to each other over the past twelve days, she's heard his grumblings and on many occasions outright abuse towards Allen and the other members of the Abaharaki.

To be fair, he has been usurped, and by an old man on the other side of the continent no less, and he's had to run from his home like a street urchin. But Hitomi wonders if he _still_ acts like a bratty child when he's comfortably ensconced on his throne surrounded by luxuries and has no one looking at him in a negative manner.

"Aren't you supposed to be a seeress or something? Or is that only a part time hobby?"

She also thinks that he should be grateful people are willing to risk _their_ lives to save his own scrawny hide, she never agreed to help Gaea's most exasperating cretin trek across his own bloody country to safety. She agreed to save the Fanelian King yes, but she never expected he would be so rude, so arrogant, so downright high and mighty. _He _is_ the aristocracy. Isn't that how they all behave? And he probably behaves like that because he doesn't see _you_ as anything worthy of his respect._

_Just like everyone else then._

Hitomi does not lie to herself, she finds it utterly pointless to confuse herself as well, so when she labels Van as a great deal more attractive than Allen, she decides it's best to think on it another time. When she can overanalyse the comparison between the two men and how her fingers itch to stroke his temples and thread through his ever so messy hair.

xoxox

His mood over these past twelve days has only gotten worse. And today of all days seems to be the worst of them all. Firstly, Allen—_not him_ as the girl wrongly accuses—started the tavern brawl by mentioning the Zaibach army and saying something he didn't catch but nonetheless the two of them had fought twenty men of varying states of drunkenness. After this, he had to search for the girl who was standing in a corner, all wide-eyed and shocked, pulling her out of the tavern and told her to find them somewhere to stay the night, she was a seeress.

Next, they had been walking for over an hour as the light, whatever wasn't hidden by the menacing black clouds, had faded rapidly. Also the chit had the impertinence to talk back to him, Van Fanel. Allen had said she was from the Asturian countryside, but surely she understood the concept of royalty? So why was she such a snarky brat who seemed to revel in his discomfort, and as a _supposed_ seeress how come she _still_ hadn't found them somewhere to shelter?

Oh, had he forgot to include the fact that sleet was pissing down and a storm had started raging above their heads?

Inhaling and ready to ask if they were lost, or rather demand as they desperately needed shelter; despite how she seems perfectly at ease wandering in the torrential rain like a street urchin doesn't necessarily mean _he_ is. But his words go unheard as the girl in front of him shrieks in abrupt terror as the clearing in front of them illuminates momentarily as a bolt of silvery lightening cuts the landscape in two and a tree is set ablaze. He steps right into her back as she trembles and then cries out again as the immediate sky over them sounds as if it's being torn asunder.

Any thought of asking about shelter—the thought of mocking her is still quite tempting — is pushed to the side as he can feel her back trembling against his sodden chest. A sudden and disturbing urge to wrap his arms around her in comfort is thwarted as she inhales a shuddering breath and steps forward, her pace increasing and she mumbles, "There's a barn behind that outcrop of trees. We can stay there for the night."

No matter what has happened over the past riotous twelve days, the Fanelian King hasn't felt greater relief or greater appreciation than he does now. As they have travelled, Van has watched the green-eyed waiflike girl who is surprisingly only one rotation younger than him. He had noticed how despite her silence, her face can articulate unspoken volumes, her expression different to others—as though she sees things others do not.

Allen told him Hitomi is a seeress, and he finds her name oddly appropriate, unusual but fitting for her, thinking of both the phenomenon of her eyes and her _gift_. He pretends—yes to himself—that he is not aware of the _doubly beautiful_ connotation, or that it is also very appropriate, even when she's drenched to the skin. And her blouse is slightly see-through.

As they have run from town to town, in the dead of night and in the densest of forests to avoid capture, he has observed her. He observes the atmosphere around her too. Every other person aiding him, aside from Allen seems to ignore her, or pretends to at least; he's seen eyes watching her and then turning away in fear perhaps or trepidation. His thoughts focus entirely on her, and Van doesn't see the tall stone building in front of them as they approach it.

When he sees her pick up her pace and lean against a large wooden door his shoulders sag in barely concealed fatigue. He watches her push against the door and walks forward to add his weight, but in surprise he hears the groan of the aged wood as it opens into the dark enclosure and Hitomi darts inwards, shaking. Recalling her earlier behaviour towards the lightening, he smiles wryly, the first smile in days, he notes absently. It appears the girl who seems so unmovable against prejudice and apparent persecution is afraid of thunderstorms.

xoxox

Van yawns as he leans against the surprisingly comfortable bale of hay, his hands resting on the sword between his knees. He is soaked to the bone, cold and in a much disused barn judging by the musty smell, but he is startled by the realization that he feels more relaxed with just a whippet of a girl in the barn with him, compared to the other nights when he has barely slept an hour surrounded by thirty armed men.

His eyes swivel across to the two bales of hay he kindly placed side by side for her to lie on an hour or so ago and is confused by how she seems to be shaking and how quite uneven her breathing is. Does she normally do this when she's asleep? Is she having a vision?

The storm outside is quieter than when they were trekking through the outlands of his domain, and he assumes it has moved on. But as another, disdainful bolt of lightening glows close to the barn and the rumble of thunder is louder than any other for some time; he is startled by the yelp from Hitomi as she jolts upright on her makeshift bed and whimpers at the noise.

_So she wasn't having a vision. She's afraid of the storm, _again.

Sighing to himself, as he knows there's nothing to be afraid of, he speaks to her—not knowing why, but he does.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. The storm's outside. It can't hurt you in here." He is taken aback by the abrasive tone his voice takes and he cringes at his now failed attempt at comfort.

He realises that he shouldn't be surprised by how she turns round to face him and glares, the back of her hand sliding from underneath her chin and towards him in an obscene gesture he hasn't seen in years. And he laughs at how _different_ she is. How she treats him as she would any other person.

He thinks that maybe he prefers she acts this way rather than bowing and scraping to him, it is rather interesting to be talked back to. And his instincts tell him it is not because she is from the _countryside_, she seems to have an acute grasp of social hierarchy and yet she treats him as if he were normal.

He sighs, wondering if the sleep deprivation is warping his mind as he watches her stiffen and remark caustically, "I'm ever so glad I provide amusement for Your Majesty."

He sighs and attempts to correct her assumption, slightly confused as to why he's making the effort.

"Kanzaki-san, there is no need to fear the storm. It's not like the lightening can reach you. And lightening rarely strikes people." He stops as she exhales in amusement and answers.

"I was struck by lightening. I was four years old. Ever since then I've seen things and heard voices that I couldn't explain. Not one scrap of good it's done me."

Van Fanel would normally ignore the wounded, almost broken tone of a female as he often had to remove surprisingly clingy female courtiers from his frame. However the woman in front of him made him feel something – remorse? He hasn't noticed he has stood up and he walks towards her, his heart pounding and his stomach turning in unease as he sits beside her and speaks quietly.

"The best way to forget about a storm is to distract yourself."

"Distract myself?" she asks, her eyes locked with his and he can't help but stare as she bites her lip in apparent confusion. Heat dazes his mind as he stops himself from looking down, but he tries to focus on his words and not the cold, frightened woman beside him who has caught his attention.

"Yes." His throat is dry, and if his mind wasn't jumbled so erratically, he just might realize why exactly that is. "Think of something other than the storm. Focus on it so you forget about it."

He watches in apparent fascination as her brow furrows in thought, the shoulders of her off-white blouse still plastered to her skin and semi-transparent. He knows that sitting so close to her now is a terrible idea as he could transfer his gaze lower if he wished and admire her freely. He wonders if she would notice. If she would react. He broods if she is aware at all that he has grown attached to her and his oddly protective notions have warped themselves to twisted ideas that should not be uttered.

The silence between them, charged with something he feels, culminates as another flash of light blinds them momentarily, followed immediately by the boom of thunder. But the noise dissipates quicker than it should as he notices her hands gripping his sopping tunic and her forehead pressing against his collarbone. He watches her spine as she shudders once again at the clamour and then her luminous gaze meets his and he cannot stop himself, "Distract yourself."

His lips descend on hers gently but he puts enough pressure to at least feed his desire momentarily if she pushes him away. The shock and adrenalin pulse through his body as her hands grip his tunic tighter and she timidly responds. One hand curls around her neck to keep her in place, hoping she won't recoil in delayed shock.

As soon as she gasps in pleasure and presses back as harshly as he is, his hands pull her against him as tightly as possible. Only their drenched clothing between them as a second skin bars the way, but that merely adds to their kiss, as she moves against him, tilting her mouth, offering herself wholly to him.

He takes it eagerly, slanting his mouth against hers hungrily, taking everything she offers to him, sliding his tongue into her warm delicious mouth and twining with her tongue, teaching her what to do as they both move restlessly against one another. His fingers tangle in her damp hair, cradling her neck, splaying against her lower back as she presses herself even harder against him and she bites his bottom lip as her palm slides under his tunic, her nails dragging up his chest. He can only show his appreciation by pulling her onto his lap.

A moan escapes her as she pulls away to breathe, followed by further gasps as his tongue trails down her neck, presenting her collarbone with enough attention to make her arch against him as he reaches the neckline of her blouse, causing blood to stir achingly for both of them.

The storm continues to rage outside of their awareness as they focus solely on each other.

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Theme 15: Storm

Words: 2,512

She keeps her head on the table as the storm rages over their heads. She can hear muffled versions of curses but chooses to focus on the hand that covers her own clenched one, stretching over her fingers and interlacing them. Hitomi smiles at her messy haired betrothed, surprised by the reversal of emotion.

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Thanks to the wonderful reviewers and alerters:

Lil' Dinky – Thank you! Thank you! Here's the update :P

Jav-chan – 30 dearie, 30. hmm, Van's POV might happen ^^ any more requests? :P

kiches-sarjilian – Okies thanks for reviewing! Any comments?

thepinkmartini – thank you and here's more! Any requests? Comments?

Niello – Thank you! And you're welcome ^^

KyriaHitomi

InLuvWidVan – very welcomes! How's this? :D

Kahoko

Pretty Much A Big Deal

The Moonspinner – thanks! And yeah I think up Esca fics all the time but don't have enough material for a full length fic, here I can explore them! The request is being considered :D


	3. Keenly Felt

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed, etc. Here's the next update and I hope you enjoy. As I've said, some are canon but not all. And length's varying. Something my beta enjoys harassing me over :D This is dedicated to Cloudancer! For all the overflattery! I LOVED it!

Let me know your thoughts.

Sina xx

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Keenly felt

She knew she loved him the moment he appeared for her on the track that night, even after she had slapped him, run away and kissed Allen. Any excuse that would run through her mind to clear her conscience in front of him vanished at the second he appeared. After that she treated Allen with the utmost respect and acted as friendly as she could be, without appearing to be interested in him as anything more than a friend.

He seemed to acknowledge this and the sad smile on his face told her that her true feelings were obvious to him. But the one she had those feelings for, well he was utterly ignorant to them. She had a tingling hope, some sense that maybe he saw her as more than a friend. But it wasn't important. His kingdom and saving Gaea was his first priority, and she respected that. If anything she would slap him if he made any romantic advance on her whilst there were more essential things to do. They could wait. She was only fifteen after all.

Well she wouldn't slap him if he kissed her, he would keep his head wouldn't he? The likelihood of his actually kissing her was minute anyway, so she had no need to overthink this.

xxx

At fifteen years old, Van Fanel had to deal with the death of his mentor, the destruction of his kingdom, the re-emergence of his older, _traitorous_ brother who seemed to change his mind at the change of wind direction, a war against Zaibach, not to mention a psychotic soldier who might apparently be Allen's younger sister. But the second his hands gripped Hitomi's when he had come to the Mystic Moon for her, he realised that love was something he had to think about too.

He had tried after all to tell her of his feelings in a way that he conceded didn't go down very well with her. And of course the relationship she had with Allen seemed to have changed, making his confusion only sprout more seeds of doubt. Once the war had finished, he felt the selfish urge to keep her on Gaea with him. He wanted her by his side, he wanted to tell her he felt something for her. To show her.

But he had been raised properly, and the promise he had originally made her—to return her to her home—would have to be kept; he was a King and a man of honour. She had embraced him, making his indecision only worse as her body had pressed against his, making him think of ideas he had only heard of from listening to servants' conversations. However, the jolt he felt was surpassed by any other feeling for the girl in front him as she had been lifted by the pillar of light.

After her departure, and right up until her return, he would remember with the highest clarity the sensation of her fingers across his leather covered palm and brushing his own fingers. Her words that she would never forget him gave him hope, but her touch made him resolve that they _would_ see one another again. He would make it so.

As they spoke to each other in the years in between, each appearing to the other blurred and semi-transparent, they spoke of her return. They discussed their feelings for one another, but Van Fanel keenly felt the loss of her true presence. He knew he had loved Hitomi for a long time but he truly acknowledged the feeling when he felt a keening ache to touch her.

On the day Hitomi Kanzaki returned to Gaea with the full intention of staying there, she was greeted by her future husband who walked towards her with a very stupid grin on his face. Not that she noticed as she too wore an identical expression.

Van could not stop himself from drinking in every feature that was now in perfect clarity, and his hands reached out for hers, as he revelled in the touch of her hands against his own bare ones. Entwining her fingers with his own, he revelled in the sensation of her fingers against his, something he had longed for years to do.

Being dazed and overwhelmed by the new situation and the relationship they had embarked on, it took Hitomi four months to realize her fiancé no longer wore his tanned gloves. When she asked him why, she was baffled by the smile on his face as he pulled her against him and kissed her soundly.

Theme 5: Gloves

Words: 762

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He is well aware of how perceptive his wife is. It's scary sometimes. Especially when he recalls his five year old otouto handing over his gloves to a heavily bundled up girl with green eyes at _their_ wedding. Van blushes and smiles as his wife kisses his cheek and beams at Folken.

Folken sits down, rolling his eyes as Sora murmurs smugly, "Pay up."

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Thanks go to:

KyriaHitomi – thank you! And I find it easier this way ^^ I have a short attention span

jossi-31 – thanks!

fromconcentrate – thanks Paris. :P

Lil' Dinky – yes limes are good. *evil grin* I'm sorry. Evilness is inherent in my family. Well…I might continue a few shots. If not, I'll let you know what *would have* happened.

thepinkmartini – lol yes the lime. And the storm was a good trigger, don't you think?

La Temperanza

mysisterisasquijum – Thanks! And yep more soon!

EscapedPlotBunny

Kimmi0490

InLuvWidVan – Yeah we all would love to be distracted. Really what scene? :p

Cloudancer­ – You are AMAZING! And see! Dedication!


	4. VIP Escort

A/N: Like I said, varying in length ^^. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! *huggles*

Okies as for the end drabble – the bet between Folken and Sora is over whether V/H _would_ end up together or not. They did so Sora won! It was also separate to the main drabble, that help? Now read!

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V.I.P. Escort

Scanning the road for any other cars or headlight glare he knew this was his only chance. Someone famous made the joke how much could you lose from a coin toss. At that very moment Van Fanel thought he could and most likely would lose everything. And for once it wasn't his fault. Every other screw up in his life had something to do with him, but for once in his life he wasn't his own guiding hand in his doom.

The hand was all hers. And a twisted part of him felt reassured by it, relaxed even.

From the mirror he could see the complete ease she radiated as she sat on the backseat; blindfolded, gagged and her hands bound in front of her and held by the seatbelt across her. Without a shadow of doubt he knew she was aware of what was coming.

He only hoped that she had seen somewhat of a favourable outcome, at least he thought so by gauging her relaxed stance. But whatever would be favourable for her, he had an irritable notion that somehow it wouldn't be so favourable for him.

_Fortune favours the bold_ had been an overused expression in his childhood, and indeed the evidence in front of him showed that she did support and encourage the people who were courageous enough to help her. And in that split second of tumultuous thoughts, Van Fanel decided he would help Hitomi Kanzaki.

He only hoped she would favour him with realization, after all a man could only deal with ignorance for so long. Not that she was…well, like any other female. Or that she would ever envision him in such as way. But whatever the consequence, he had to help her; he couldn't just drive her to Dornkirk and his cohorts' clutches whilst she was bound up like a slave. Upon that decision Van had no clue as to what to do to save her.

Looking at Allen sat beside him, he could feel the discomfort radiating from his companion, clear in the way Allen was sitting bolt upright in the seat and twisting somewhat so he faced the back seat slightly in case she miraculously undid her restraints. It was clear that Allen had heard of the rumours surrounding her. Van would even guess that Allen was contemplating if they were true.

After all, if Hitomi was the earthly incarnation of the Tsubasa no Kami then in turn it meant that Dornkirk and Zaibach Conglomerate were the Shadows of Darkness that would contaminate Gaea. It meant that they were delivering the one hope that Gaea had from probably annihilation to the very people who were destroying the planet they lived on.

As Allen shuddered and murmured, "How much further?" Van shrugged and watched him flick the Sat Nav that seemed to have mysterious frozen as soon as they got out of the city. He noticed the involuntary jerk of Allen's head to turn to the woman sat in the backseat of the car and his hands twitched as he gazed out of the window towards the woods either side of the trees casting gloomy shadows by the light of the car's headlamps.

Van thought about the plagues that the Shadows of Darkness would unleash on Gaea, which would implicate Dornkirk and his motley crew further. After all, the first plague was of darkness, and there had been a continental blackout only a month before, supposedly an epic failure of the electricity supply from the west. And just weeks ago frogs _had_ fallen out of the sky, but it had been explained away by an apparent waterspout to the west of the city. But there had been no actual sightings of the waterspout, had there?

It was now or never he thought, glancing first at Allen and then in the mirror at the woman bound up in the back seat, sitting as calmly as though they were taking her to friends. A noise came from her and Allen jolted upright, almost hitting the roof of the car as a similar noise followed and Van recognised the sound of her sneezing. As Allen turned fully in the car, unbuckling his seatbelt to lean closer to her but managed to keep a slight distance, as if in wait for her to pounce on him; Van caught sight of something and his heart leapt.

Gripping the steering wheel and placing all his faith in Hitomi, he swerved to his left, accelerating as hard as he could before they left the road. He pressed his back to the seat and watched as Allen was thrown forwards as the car slid into the ditch and slammed back against his seat. Van opened his eyes, shuddering as he inhaled and winced at the blood pouring out of his companion's nose, he reached across and felt a strong pulse.

Turning then to the back seat, Van unclipped his seat belt and reached out for hers. He undid the rough knots that bound her hands together. The second her hands were free, he watched in awe at the speed she undid the tie behind her neck and pulled her gag free, inhaling deeply before sliding the blindfold up and off her head.

In that very moment when her eyes blinked open slowly Van felt his heart stop as her jade orbs shone back at him, full of gratitude. He couldn't help the blush that shot across his cheeks as her small, pale hand reached across through the gap and cupped his cheek. Despite his considerable confidence with the opposite sex, Van Fanel was completely floored by the smile that brightened Hitomi's face as she stared at him, examining his own gaze.

"Arigato." She whispered, and his heart sped as if she had declared her feelings equated his. He nodded and swallowed uncomfortably, entirely unable to respond or look away from the woman who had to be a divine creature just from the unearthly smile on her face, wishing he could do something as her fingers slid across his cheek and back into her lap.

"Van?"

"Yes…my…my lady?" he tore his eyes from staring at her. If she truly was the Tsubasa no Kami then it wouldn't be right to gape at her. She deserved respect, and he would need to apologise to her for the rough handling and the binds as well as the other times they had met and he had been less than kind or polite to her. But he had felt such a powerful lure towards her, so much it had scared him and caused him to act like a right arsehole.

He would make up for it, he decided. He had planned on just letting her go, but he wanted to make sure, he would find a way to keep her safe, get her away from Dornkirk and far from his clutches. He would hand his resignation in on Monday too.

All of these various and many worrisome thoughts were cut across by the most startling laugh Van had heard. His gaze snapped from the trees and their gruesome shadows to the enchanting woman sat in the backseat of his car as she threw back her head and laughed so eagerly, as if she hadn't been kidnapped hours previous and was on her way to her death.

Completely baffled by her, which wasn't unusual he admitted sheepishly to himself, he bowed his head and thought hard for an apology, but was cut across by the voice of the woman he was captivated by.

"Van please, _please_ don't call me that. There's no need for such silly words. I owe you a great deal for what you've done tonight; you have no reason to exalt me above yourself. I only wanted to tell you that your friend's going to wake up fairly soon, so I should get going."

Absorbing Hitomi's words, Van looked away from her, feeling even more embarrassed, wondering if he could actually do anything right for the woman he wanted to help. He mentally scrabbled for an appropriate response or _anything_ to say, and yet again she surpassed any expectation he held for her as her hand shot out and reached for Allen's neck. Her wrist turned slightly as he saw Allen slump even further down into his seat.

"Not very clever to undo one's seatbelt in a moving car, ne?"

Van's eyes widened in shock as the breath was knocked out of him as her lips twitched in a shrewd smile.

"You…you knew?" he gasped out, the feeling of awe toward Hitomi—who now seemed untouchable—spiralled. She shrugged gently, and smiled at him again, leaning back against her seat, the epitome of serenity.

"I had a feeling I was going to be taken by Dornkirk's people, I just wasn't sure when and by who. When I saw _you_ approach me I knew there was no danger."

Something like a mix of pride and gratification pumped round his veins as he smiled at what he hoped was praise.

"I should get going." Van followed her gaze to the woods, "I don't want to be late."

"Late?" he asked, speaking before his brain had a chance to shut him up. He watched her smile broaden.

"Yes, I knew you would never turn against me. And I made an appointment with some friends. It seemed appropriate for you to escort me." She smiled, with amusement in her eyes that he failed to comprehend. "I should get going before your friend wakes up and you get into trouble." He nodded, confused at her words, unsure of what to say or do with the woman who in his eyes was the earthly manifestation of the Goddess of Fortune. And that rendered any semblance of attraction mute, or to a whisper at the very least.

His eyes widened as her hand stretched out again and gripped his own with a shocking strength as she squeezed his hand and made his heart pulse erratically as her creamy fingers slid between his tanned ones. Looking up at her, Van was enchanted once again by the benevolent smile that adorned her lips.

"Arigato gozaimasu." She whispered and before he had a chance to nod or say something ridiculous, the door closed and he caught sight of her green jumper for only a few moments before it disappeared amongst the trees and darkness.

Turning back to the man slumped beside him pathetically with blood still dripping out of his nose, most likely broken, he smiled faintly to himself. If it had been on any other occasion, Van would have gladly found entertainment in his friend's messy predicament. Granted, he could have been harmed far worse, but Allen would only come out of the escapade with a broken nose and probably a bruised ego. None of that seemed to compare to the ache Van felt in his chest.

Sighing, he leant back in the seat waiting for Allen to wake up and scream blue murder. He thought the most likely option to take would be to _blame_ it on Hitomi and say she caused the crash and knocked them both out before escaping. A wry smile spread across his face as he recalled how the Sat Nav had fizzled out as they left the city, and Allen's abnormal action of removing his seatbelt, he was usually an absolute arsehole on safety. Hitomi really was one of a kind he thought to himself, and decided that it would be best not to think about her.

Specifically in _that_ way.

As Van no longer cared for his job it didn't matter that Dornkirk would be spitting missiles at them when they turned up empty handed. He could only think of the startlingly beautiful smile that appeared on Hitomi's face when she had removed her blindfold.

Minutes passed and Allen twitched a few times, his breathing deepening, indicating he would wake soon. Van settled into his own Hitomi-induced stupor and was yanked out of it when a blast of cold air hit him and he saw his own door open and a somewhat shy, smiling Hitomi stared back at him.

"Hi—"

He was unable to finish even reciting her name as she bent down, her lips curled over his and caressed them, coaxing him to respond as her hand slid against the back of his neck, holding him against her. Any thought of Hitomi being a Goddess, or a supreme being, or even just _out of his league_ shattered as he placed his hands on her warm face, responding eagerly to her. Sliding his tongue across her bottom lip and finding her own mirroring his movements, his heart swelled as she allowed him to explore her mouth and pull her close against him as she fluidly slid onto his lap.

Thoughts were incapacitated as she moaned at the movement of his lips under her ear and his hands pulling her tightly against him. The fact she kept whispering, gasping his name over and over between kisses only served to make his baser instincts urge him further. But he was surprised by the way she called his name in an almost reverent way. She was the divine one here.

As she pulled back gently, she slid her thumb along his jaw, her lips curved in a bashful smile as her cheeks coloured vividly. She slid her arms around his neck, and whispered against his ear,

"Fortune favours the bold Van."

He was completely stunned as she kissed his cheek, and then her lips brushed his mouth tantalizingly, before the car door closed and her green jumper faded into the distance.

His complete brain failure only just picked up the groan from the man next to him minutes later and a muffled cry.

"Ow! My nose! Oh my God, what happened to my _NOSE?!_"

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Theme 24: Taxi

Words: 2,308

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Hitomi can't believe she's actually considering this. Sharing a taxi with the man she works for, the biggest arsehole in the city and yet organised a charity auction for Multiple Sclerosis only months after her mother's funeral. The whole idea has confused her and him suggesting sharing the last taxi left outside floors her.

As she sits next to him, trying not to lean into his warmth, she curses how innocent he looked as he stretched out his hand to her.

mysisterisasquijum – Thanks!

InLuvWidVan – Yep I'm super sneaky ^^. See A/N for explanation!

Lil' Dinky – Thanks. Yeah it was the second theme I wrote. *sigh* How I love your reviews :P

fromconcentrate – yeah it was, wasn't it? And yeah, it's my imagination making up for it.

thepinkmartini – Thank you! Yeah cute times. And see A/N for explanation!

effervescence – thanks! Really? I always want to write more

Jav_chan – thanks hentai :P I will consider it. *super huggles*

Cloudancer – DOUBLE REVIEW! *GLOMPS* Hope the explanation made sense ^^. Oh it wasn't film or series based, it was sort of A/U for the little bit at the end.

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Thanks go to:


	5. Home is where the Heart is

A/N: Hello again! As I've said before there are some themes I'm still free of ideas for. So if you have any requests or challenges let me know and I'll attempt them, fully accredited! ;) Here's the next one, and as always comment are worshipped! So enjoy!

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Home is where the heart is

"So we're clear on this? Fanel? Fanelia?"

"Dammit Van, pay attention!" Van turned his darkened glare on his fellow monarchs silencing any further comments as his gaze reverted back to the window where he could at least look in the direction of his country. At least the remains of his country and the wife that he had left there. They were only married seven months ago but for some reason the past two months he had been away from her he hadn't been able to get her off his mind.

Not that there was much to think about, at least if he took Allen's perspective. They still hadn't consummated their marriage, something that at the time held no weight in his mind, but all of sudden seemed so very significant. He had been surprised how easily the former Freid Countess had been prepared to lie to his entire kingdom about their marital arrangement. A memory came swiftly to the forefront of his mind as he remembered with startling lucidity how she had taken a decorative brooch from her wedding veil and stabbed her palm, squeezing her hand over the bed sheets and smearing enough blood to give the anticipated evidence.

Van Fanel was not a cruel person by nature, despite what many political adversaries and former devotees said. He had had some conversations with his wife. But for some reason he now found it jarring that he never seemed to think of her by name, only as _his wife_ or _the Queen_. If he were to think on it properly, he had the uncomfortable notion that he felt guilt towards her. She had been perfectly sociable towards him without flinging herself at him, neither behaving in an unseemly manner nor being rude to him for his standoffishness.

And the memory of his last words or rather the absence of them to her stung even greater – especially since Zaibach and Basram had virtually decimated his capital only a week after his departure to Pallas for a trade summit.

He wanted revenge for his country, his people and he prayed he wouldn't have to do so for his wife as well, little that there was between them already.

"Oh for the love of—"

"Please Dryden. Van is a troubled man. Cousin?"

He jerked back to the room by the Duke of Freid's voice and the specific title he now used for him. It had been a shock to discover that not only were Chid and his wife closely related, they had grown up together. Van was not a petty man by nature, but he felt a jolt of something that really wasn't jealousy at the idea that he wasn't the only one thinking of his wife.

For some reason Chid's address made him feel unworthy of the title. He nodded to the Duke and inhaled to reply to the conversation that he had paid attention to despite his demeanour. But any chance was stopped by a messenger running in, splattering the wooden floor with glutinous mud.

"Your Majesties…your maj-est-ies…" the man wheezed and bent over attempting to regulate his breathing.

"What is it Pyle?" Allen asked sharply, worry etching his features as his crew member stood up and inhaled shakily, turning to him instead of his own Royalty or his commander,

"There's…a woman outside. She…she says…"

"She says what man? Spit it out!" Cried Dryden, the sudden outbreak of war shortening his temper and dispersing his good humour completely.

The messenger again turned worriedly from his own King towards Van and murmured quietly, anxiously,

"She claims to be the Fanelian Queen."

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Clamour erupted in the room amongst his allies; Millerna shrieked to have the poor woman brought in, Allen muttered away in shock as to how she escaped, and Chid was babbling childishly how he knew she was alive and wouldn't have been killed.

As for him, the Fanelian King, he was silent. He wasn't sure of what to feel, how to react or what to say. Should he have been overflowing with joy that she was alive, or furious that she left their people—but that would be hypocritical, or baffled as to how she escaped and waiting for information of his…_their_ kingdom?

He managed to stand, still taken aback by the information. Maybe that explained why he didn't have a rush of any one emotion at the news, he was stunned by such an idea. He also thought it was possible it wasn't his wife, just a morally deviant woman looking for shelter and trying to pull on his heartstrings.

Van watched Dryden turn to him after conferring with his wife and it seemed that he too wondered whether it was a fraud waiting outside. The tactician of the group had noticeably thought of the prospect of spies. An emotion spiked him and he recognised nausea at the idea that someone would pretend to be the woman he had been married to for only seven months. Or rather only five, as they had been separated for two.

"Your Majesties. She…"

"What is it now Pyle?" Allen asked, apparently following Dryden's train of thought, also agitated by his losses in battle.

"The lady—"

"—we are aware it is a woman you speak of man! What is it?" Dryden snapped again and his wife gripped his wrist in some sort of rebuke as her eyes met his and then drifted with apparent sympathy towards Van.

"Go on." He found himself able to speak, curious as to why Allen's crewmate seemed uneasy by what he was trying to say. The messenger bowed to him and this time did not flinch at the harsh breath taken by the Asturian King, yet he didn't make any eye contact as he spoke,

"Your Majesty. The woman outside is heavily pregnant."

* * *

It had been an awfully uncomfortable journey along the mountains with only caves to rest in night after night. Her back felt dreadful. Not that she had slept at all, with the smallest of fires to keep away animals but not wanting to alert the enemy. Neither had she forgotten the state of her attire, but she wasn't a frivolous woman by any means. After everything she had done, Hitomi felt somehow that she had somehow become unworthy of her title. She didn't mean in any way that her husband was doing nothing—she had heard of the battles with the Zaibach army, her heart clenching tightly along with her stomach at each description grew more bloodthirsty and violent.

If it hadn't been for what Yukari and Amano had told her, she would have stayed with them, trying to help as best she could there. But it seemed the information she had received had _given_ her a reason to find her husband. The first time tears pricked her eyelids, she had put it down to her raging emotions after such trauma, after eleven days of travelling in such conditions she was slightly more willing to admit her yearning to see her husband.

Even though their relationship was no great love story, she still felt that they had grown an understanding, somewhat. Just because they still slept in separate beds didn't mean theirs wasn't a good marriage. She wanted to get to know him first, before anything physical passed between them, not that he seemed to mind. The stray thoughts of him not caring because of other women had bothered her, not to say that meant she had no trust in him. It wasn't as if he was similar to Allen Schezar in any way, or at least that she knew of.

Shaking her head to stop such ridiculous thoughts, Hitomi took a deep breath as she climbed the stairs alongside a messenger. She prayed that he wouldn't be angry or upset…or…or that he would be without care. Van Fanel was a hard man to read, even as his wife she hadn't completely come to understand him, and she knew that there was significant chance he would jump to conclusions and get angry with her. She only hoped that at some point someone would listen to her.

"Your…your majesty." The man gestured to the door and bowed, looking at the floor. She smiled.

"Thank you Pyle-san." If it had been any other moment in her life she would have been amused by the shock on his face, but she knew there were other people on the other side of the door that would be filled with disbelief.

Hitomi waited until the man had started down the stairs at what seemed a break-neck speed before she opened the door.

Stepping into the room wasn't as hard as she imagined, every pair of eyes on her that made her feel more nervous than the thousands of people that had stared so openly at her wedding. Before she could look at her husband and gauge his response, hoping he hadn't mentioned their marital situation out of embarrassment or something selfish she was assaulted by a man with strangely untameable blonde hair and shockingly blue eyes.

"Hitomi!"

Pulled into her cousin's embrace, Hitomi stiffened at the affection displayed when her cold, somewhat unmovable husband was in the room. Would he be unhappy with such an action? Would he be suspicious at a common Freid gesture? She barely caught the words of relief from her cousin as her hearing snared a far more worrying comment from the Asturian Queen,

"Chid! Be careful with Hitomi-san! Give her space to breathe, a pregnant woman needs to be treated gently!" Chid smiled as he pulled back from crushing her and placed a hand on her swollen stomach that only served to increase her nausea, a hand that typically should have been Van's. The strength with which her intestines clenched brought her slight dizziness to the forefront of her mind, as she just managed to hear the Duke say.

"It's so wonderful you're pregnant Hitomi-chan! Can I be godfather?"

She laughed in sheer disbelief at the opulent optimism her cousin had even in the face of war, gathering enough strength to pat his hand and attempt to find her husband in the room of Gaea's most powerful individuals. This time the Asturian Queen came to her aid as she remarked, with a gentle smile,

"Come on, I think we should leave Hitomi-san with her husband, ne? It seems they have some catching up to do."

"No. By all means stay." Came the icy tones of her husband as she met his piercing gaze. She felt the atmosphere in the room drop in temperature as her husband's almost outright accusation stopped everyone in their tracks.

It hurt her that her own husband seemed to have no trust whatsoever for her. She sighed and bent forwards as much as she could, ignoring both Chid and Millerna's worried voices. Lifting her hand under her skirts in the most ladylike fashion she possibly could, she found a corner and pulled as the waistline of her dress flattened dramatically and a lumpy overstuffed pillow fell to the floor. Hitomi didn't look at her husband as she didn't want to cry in front of the people she had audaciously acted, adding to her tumult of emotions and worries. A cold grip seized her heart as any thought or worry about Van seemed to pale in the image of his expression.

The room had stared in shock at her flagrant action before Dryden burst into raucous laughter, gasping for breath,

"Your Majesty! I'm…I'm…oh that was wonderful! Oh…I don't think I've…laughed…so hard—" The sound brought Hitomi back to the reason why she had risked her life and her family to come all this way and _embarrass_ her husband.

"Your Majesties," she spoke with the best commanding voice she could muster from all her elocution lessons as a child, focusing on the window over her husband's shoulder, giving the impression she was looking at him. "I've come from Fanelia with information I believe is important to you."

"What information might that be Your Majesty?" came with a mocking undertone from Schezar. She had never liked him, even now as he tried to further humiliate her in retaliation to her refusal of him. Pressing her nails further into her palms, she turned her gaze on the irritating Knight Caeli and replied caustically.

"Friends of mine have found routes by which the Zaibach and Basramian armies gained clandestine entry into our Kingdoms. The armies are using these routes to trade by and keep their supply of men, weapons and food constant. I may be no strategist by any means, but if you cut off these routes, surely it would disadvantage their efforts."

"Hitomi!" She flinched as once again her cousin and apparent ally in the room embraced her freely before standing back and beaming at her, "Disadvantage them? It would cripple them and give us the means to win this war!"

Hitomi blushed at the sheer buoyancy of her cousin, waiting for someone else to speak as she felt her cousin was rather biased and somewhat overly hopeful in many situations. Confirmation came swiftly as Allen's second in command spoke quietly,

"Your Majesty, we would be grateful for such information and if we succeed in finding them, the Duke paints a promising picture."

"Where did you get this information from?" Any hope or positive emotion halted abruptly as her husband spoke, once more without any warmth and somewhat accusingly.

"This is rather curious I must say. When did this information appear _Your Majesty?_ And why have we only heard it now?" Allen followed, his smirk rising before the base of Hitomi's stomach collapsed in shock at her husband's enraged voice,

"Are you accusing my wife Schezar? What on Gaea—"

"—Gentlemen please. We are not here to fight." Millerna spoke, evidently exasperated with the start of another of many quarrels in the room. Hitomi however felt lifted by it, Van had stood up for her even it was more likely because of his aristocratic breeding rather than a desire to protect her.

Any aspiration to see her husband paled as her discomfort grew, her thoughts turning to getting out of the room as quickly as possible. Swallowing to aid her dry throat Hitomi asked with as much courage as she could muster,

"Do you have a map of the mountains to the north of Fanelia?" She thanked the gods for her delightful cousin as he darted over to a corner of the room and flicked through a group of long scrolls leaning against the wall before he retrieved one and placed it on the table, unfurling it. Gathering strength from Chid, her only apparent ally, she walked over to him and examined the map carefully, her fingers tracing the air above the relief lines.

At the same time that Schezar exhaled in a rude fashion, Hitomi gestured to the map.

"Here," she ran her finger along a line signifying the river Flowne that led to the capital.

"That's a river Kanzaki. What about it?"

"It's Fanel actually, Schezar-san." Hitomi murmured, her irritation growing as all eyes widened at her biting tone, "And I'm aware it's a river. But that's the point. Up in the mountains there are tributaries, or what used to be. The dried out river beds are smooth enough for the armies to make a path down the ravines and bring them to the capital unseen. They would provide enough cover and shelter to keep them—"

"—virtually unnoticed. It's a perfect route. The border patrols—"

"—don't go anywhere near them. Which is what caught us off balance."

Hitomi watched the surprise in her husband's face as she cut him off from his observation. Thanking her parents and governess for teaching her to hold in blushes, she bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to prevent herself from smiling.

"Kanzaki? Your father was General Kanzaki?" The Asturian King stared at her once more, devoid of any humour this time, sounding surprised as she nodded. Once again, her cousin rather than her husband vouched for her.

"Uncle Mamoru was a military genius. As Hitomi was his only child, he taught her everything he knew. She's a wonderful Chess player. Ruthless too." He smiled at her and she had to hold back from beaming at him.

"So it seems we've found the chance we've been looking for. Thank you Hitomi-san." Millerna murmured, smiling gently at her, her eyes scouring her own tired face.

The room spun violently and she cursed the lack of food she had eaten the night before, waiting for her tired body to hit the floor. Yukari had told her tensing oneself would hurt more, not that Hitomi felt capable of doing anything but anticipating the pain.

Instead she blinked in surprise as she met a cinnamon gaze filled with shock and concern. Hitomi could hear the loud overbearing tones of Chid asking if she was alright but all her words left her mind as her husband lifted her legs off the floor, pulling her more firmly against him as he strode to the door and into the corridor as Millerna opened it for him. It must be the dehydration she decided, as her heart pounded from the feeling of being held by him. Her head rested against his chest, but only because she was tired, she told herself.

Taken into another room, obviously his by the mess as she had been in his Palace chamber for one very awkward night, Hitomi felt surprise jolt her as he laid her down on his bed. Pulling herself upright to a sitting position, she tried her best thinking of what to do or say but was torn between gratefulness and panic as Van spoke,

"Would you like something to eat?" Her gaze shot up in complete astonishment as once again she heard concern in her husband's tone. She nodded and kept herself from staring at him slack jawed.

"You should rest." He murmured and turned back towards the door.

Whatever it was, Hitomi was unable to explain the force that pushed her off _his_ bed and grabbed a tight hold of his arm as he faced the door. The same force compelled her to meet his startled gaze as she spoke, unaware of what she truly wanted to say.

"I'll leave as soon as I can. I have to get back to our people."

Something flitted behind his eyes but she carried on, knowing it would be the last time they would speak before the war was over, "Fight for us Van. Come back to us." An inkling of truth misted her intelligence as she reached up to speak right against his ear, as quietly as possible, trying to limit her embarrassment, "Come back to me." She brushed her lips against his smooth, warm cheek and rested back on her heels, masochistically wondering why she was still looking at him. Her heart started to race, her head feeling light as he leaned down towards her, his face clouded with an emotion she had not seen before on his face.

* * *

Sipping the soup Pyle-san brought to the room, Hitomi couldn't help but blush as her husband left the room, leaving his action uncompleted but gazing at her in a way that she definitely understood and gave her hope.

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Theme 28: Whisper

Words: 3,220

Van caught whispers in the Asturian palace as he wandered towards the library of how the _handsome Knight Caeli_ had been left heartbroken by the Seeress from the Mystic Moon when she left after the war. He smiled as Merle irately told him of the maids giving her a rendition of the tale of the Knight and the Seeress. His smile only widened as Merle hit him on the arm and casually asked in a quiet voice when Hitomi's summer holiday began.

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Thanks for reading! Until next time ^^ Sina xx

**Thanks go to:**

jossi-31 – Thanks!

Doctor Kiba - *blushes furiously* thank you very much. Hope you liked!

thepinkmartini – yeah the quote brought about the chapter.

Jav-chan – Yes, Allen bashing galore. Present tense is fun isn't it? ^^ And they're elongated drabbles! :P

Lil' Dinky – Sorry! Sorry! I'm too lazy to write full stories and this makes it all the easier. As for continuations, we shall see ^^

effervescence – Thank you! The ideas come from very very boring afternoons. :D

InLuvWidVan – Yes I did! Ok your violence streak shall be satisfied. That's all I'm saying ^^

Kaitou-Shadow


	6. Walked These Steps Before

A/N: Wow you really liked the last one huh? ^^ And the request for sequels are definitely being considered, just a matter of whether they turn up in this set of 30 or another ^^. Enjoy!

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Walked these steps before

If it were under any other circumstances, Hitomi Kanzaki believes she would enjoy exploring the luxurious corridors of the Asturian Palace. But she can't whilst there is a bloody war on, she is surrounded by strangers, the war seems to somehow focus on her and an annoying pig-headed King, on and not to mention the fact she is on an _entirely_ different planet. Yeah, that looms pretty big on her perspective.

Hasn't she seen that painting in the last corridor?

And the mentioned bratty King? Well that _is_ the reason for her quest, as she has had a vision that showed Dilandau once again murdering Van as he tried to fight off others in his guymelef.

Hitomi thinks that surely in an era that is reminiscent of the Renaissance period, _surely_ there must be some etiquette about not stabbing anyone in the back. Thinking on such an idea and putting Dilandau into the situation brings her to the realization that any etiquette seems to fly out the proverbial window when Van and Dilandau fight.

She has definitely passed this window before.

Even though she has only been on Gaea a matter of months and is received with a warmer reception by Allen, it clenches her heart with abrupt terror when Hitomi sees Van in danger—whether in a vision or in reality. She has already brought him back from the dead, so why on Earth or _Gaea _isn't he staying away from further conflict? Or does he truly think he has nine lives or some other nonsense? Is he so overconfident he believes there is no danger to him?

Did the staircase move?

Hitomi will never admit it to herself, but she is minutely aware that any notion of Van being in danger throws any thought of Allen from her mind. The Asturian knight too is also confusing to her fifteen year old mind. After all a crush on Amano-sempai is nothing, absolutely nothing to her current situation. And to herself she admits that yes, there is a tingling of attraction for Van.

A girl would have to be blind not to see how good looking he is, in a few years time he will be pin-up material, as Yukari would say.

But then Allen's attentions add to the mix. Not that she implies or wants to imply that Van thinks of her in a romantic way or, god forbid, a _sexual_ way. They are only fifteen, and let's face it Hitomi decides, he's a King and the only heir to the throne. It makes a great deal of sense to assume he has been sheltered from such ideas. And they don't have TV or Britney Spears here, so sex is probably still something that is shameful and only meant to be done to conceive heirs.

Where is the bloody staircase?!

Entirely baffled by her thoughts, Hitomi awakens to the idea that she has seen this corridor before, which means she has probably walked in a circle. And she needs to see Van. Before someone attacks Pallas, or Merle latches herself to his side and prevents her speaking to him, or Millerna wants to play _dress up_ with the strange girl from the Mystic Moon. _Or_ Allen wants to take a stroll through the gardens with her in an _attempt_ to be romantic.

In a way the war gives her something to focus on, to cover the feeling of complete upheaval as she tries to function on another _planet_ for crying out loud. She's never left Japan before, so her sensitivity to the change is acutely painful some days. But for some undecipherable reason with Van's presence, even when he is glaring at her in anger—which can be quite cute—she feels slightly reassured.

Van is her priority and she needs to find him. To find him, whichever hole he's burrowed into, she uses her pendant. Slipping it over her head she checks the corridor to make sure it's empty before she holds her arm out in front of her, closing her eyes as she focuses on the pendant and _finding Van_.

"Hitomi!"

She jumps at the echo passing by her and continuing down the corridor as she turns to see the young King striding towards her. In her shock, she fails to notice the pendant slipping out of her grasp as she turns to face him; her only thoughts are to warn him. And to warn him in a way he doesn't get offended and runs off to fight Dilandau to spite her.

Wincing at the recollection of his lifeless body and wide, unblinking eyes she watches him come to a stop in front of her and throws herself at him, wrapping her arms round his shoulders and burying her face in the hollow of his neck.

"Van." She whispers, taking comfort in hearing the beat of his heart and feeling the warmth of his body compared to the recollection of the cold body she wept against. It takes her a few seconds to realize he has frozen out of shock and she has to fight back a laugh, hiding it as a cough as she sees the outright shock on his face and befuddlement in his eyes. She takes hold of his forearm so he doesn't turn tail on her and run away like a scared child.

She bites her cheek to stop from smirking at the notion of him trying to find a wife once the war is over. Hitomi imagines how terrified he would be by the over-affectionate female dignitaries.

Once again she stifles a laugh at the idea of him being scared witless by the females' attempted seduction.

"Hitomi? Are you…ok?" she notices the concern in his gaze and nods, holding back a blush as her mind evilly places her in the position of betrothed. The more focused part of her brain recalls the terrible vision and she tentatively explains what had been brought forth to her mind. Hitomi keeps a hold on his forearm in case he storms away from her in anger but to her surprise and relief he doesn't move.

She finishes with a trembling breath and pleads with him.

"Please don't go searching for Dilandau. We're needed in Pallas at the moment and I know you can defeat Dilandau but I can't…I can't watch you die…again." She whispers, wondering why the air around them feels so oppressive as she looks to the ground and lets go of his arm. Stepping back a few paces, she is fully prepared for him to yell at her or stalk off in furious silence.

It is her turn to be shocked when a hand reaches out and grasps her forearm and Van whispers,

"Thank you." Hitomi jerks her head up, wanting to see the expression on his face, to help her confusion. Why isn't he angry with her?

And no answer comes as she stops fidgeting with the hem of her school jacket. Van is staring at her, and although he has stared at her before, this is different. Hitomi is not the kind of girl to read romance novels, or examine the minute gestures of the opposite sex; but the way Van is looking at her makes her wonder if—just if maybe he thinks of her as more than a friend. If anyone would ask her at that moment of Allen's whereabouts, Hitomi knows she wouldn't hear them or care.

The distance between them has shortened she thinks, or is she just hoping?

And the difference in height between them is lessening. She always has to tilt her face upwards to meet Van's gaze. Not that she often wants to as he either glares at her in anger or stares at her in such an uncomfortable way. So why does it seem like his face is nearer to hers? Is that his warm breath she can feel on her nose…her cheeks?

Her eyes flutter shut, not that she particularly understands why, and his breath is heated and short against her lips as she moves those few inches closer. She can only pray that he doesn't turn and run, or that Allen finds them. And oh Gods, has she brushed her teeth this morning? A shiver passes down the back of her neck as she feels a soft, gentle pressure against her lips. Just for a moment, where her spine tingles in a delicious way and then it's gone.

Opening her eyes Hitomi looks down the long hallway, one that is one hundred percent devoid of any member of Fanelian Royalty. And the ever increasing feeling of disorientation only increases. But somehow, it feels different now. And that makes all the difference to the seeress from the Mystic Moon.

* * *

Theme 19: Lost

Words: 1,334

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Van is baffled as he watches his girlfriend move her feet to what's apparently called music and comes to stop as she leaps in the air, yelling in triumph as Dilandau kicks the supposedly _broken_ machine. Not that it matters as she leaps over a railing and runs into his arms, kissing him thoroughly. He has to take a step back to support her weight as she wraps her legs round his waist with ease. PDA doesn't even register on his mind, focusing on his girlfriend's ministrations.

Maybe coming to the arcade wasn't so bad after all.

**

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**

Thanks go to:

thepinkmartini – Thank you! Definite love for Chid! Yeah the not proper kiss was intentional ^^

effervesence – awww cheers! And yeah I enjoy writing mini-ficlets. Easier for lazy ol me.

jossi-31 – Thanks! And Van wasn't uncaring, just reserved.

InLuvWidVan – You and your Allen Bashing haan? Sequels…are possible :P

Jav-chan – Ok ok, not drabbles! And watch the threats!

mysisterisasquijum – Interesting. I think I may find something for this ^^ Keep 'em peeled!

Lil' Dinky – Thanks! And the pillow was needed to pretend she was pregnant *crazy logic* And yeah Allen needs a break from me I think, but he's such an easy antagonist!

The Moonspinner – Good question, my brain doesn't know either.

les amoureux – Thank you! And yes they are mostly sadly one-shots. :(


	7. Soaring Confusion

A/N: Hello all! Welcome to the next one-shot! I'm glad you're enjoying everything so far. And those who have requested or challenged, know I am thinking hard on it! They are definite possibilities ^^ Also…what are your thoughts on continuations? Enjoy!

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Soaring Confusion

Uchida Yukari wasn't an easily ruffled woman. When her ex-boyfriend told her he was gay, she took it in her stride. Granted she smashed his car windscreen, but that was for cheating on her. He couldn't help his switch in sexual preference.

Nor was she shaken when the Abaharaki revealed their existence to her in the form of the supremely yummy Susumu Amano; she hadn't regretted joining them whatsoever. Or the Sunday afternoons with her now beloved boyfriend. Even though she faced extraordinary things that would make any other human or man grab their balls and run, she accepted what she saw and dealt with it as best fit.

Meeting Kanzaki Hitomi was definitely extraordinary. As the woman who barely looked her 22 years with luminous eyes, it had knocked her for six when Hitomi had told her it was good she had wide child-bearing hips as she would need them. Becoming friends with the seeress was another matter. Yukari had grown to love the quirky woman like a sister and loved taking the socially deprived woman out shopping, to the park, or to nightclubs.

Hitomi seemed to be at the centre of a whirlwind in the Abaharaki and yet appeared totally unruffled by her importance or how people deferred to her automatically. She acted as if she was perfectly normal. Even the legendary sorcerer Dornkirk Izaac treated her with the air of an overindulgent grandfather.

Yukari observed the difference between that and his usual demonic like temper with a calm air as she believed everything had a reason and if she didn't know the reason for it, then maybe it was a good thing. After all the discovery of the black market trade on unicorn foals had been atrocious, especially upon hearing the disgusting _reasons_ as to why the traders had started it.

But on the gloomy, depressing Wednesday that Yukari drove her best friend to a location of interest she noticed the somewhat absence of her friend in the car. Whilst Hitomi was corporeally sitting next to her in the car, scouring maps and construction plans of a building the whole Abaharaki had been called to, Yukari felt that Hitomi wasn't completely focusing on the task ahead of them. Thinking about it properly, Hitomi hadn't been truly herself for quite some time; ever since the party she had forced her to come to where Commander Schezar had made a very stupid, untimely pass at her.

Yukari had ignored it at the time as Hitomi seemed to pay no attention to it. But what if she had felt more than she had let on? What if Hitomi had been affected by Allen's dumbass request to join him in the bedroom? Was Hitomi aware of the meaning behind his words?

Hitomi was not stupid in any way, but as she had spent most of her life with the Abaharaki chasing evil beings and keeping spiritual homeostasis to Gaea she hadn't had much of a life outside. Perhaps Allen's words had confused her, causing the seeress to overthink things.

Well Yukari would just have to put the smackdown on his prissy ass wouldn't she? Maybe they could go to the park for a morning run in the next few days and scope out a potential hottie for Hitomi. As far as Yukari had discerned from their conversations of Hitomi's past, she hadn't had much of a love life.

Yukari wondered if the very capable seeress wasn't above telling white lies as she often fingered a dusky pink pendant that she never seemed to take off.

Despite her immaculate self-control, Yukari still felt unnerved as she parked the car in front of a dilapidated housing block that towered over them. She could sense minor aura, but the tension coming from the building radiated. Even Hitomi held onto the car door for a few moments before closing it.

That wasn't the only thing.

Surveying the area, Yukari felt a prickle of nerves as the scene in front of them was deserted. The housing block reached high into the sky, blocking out most of the sky behind them casting shadows over the Abaharaki owned cars. But Yukari felt confused by the lack of people.

On many a raid or response to a situation, there were often ordinary people standing behind cordons or barriers as members dressed as policemen or government officials held them back. Yukari felt it made no sense for a housing block to be devoid of life. With the aura that seemed to hang over them, surely any residents had been evacuated.

So where were they? Why were there no people in the area? She had had nightmares like this before, like being in the ruins of Atlantis. Turning to make sure Hitomi hadn't disappeared on her, she sighed in strangled relief as Albatou Dilandau appeared out of the main doorway and strode towards them, lacking his usual arrogant swagger. In fact he seemed to hurry towards them, his fiendish eyes darting from one direction to another.

If Albatou Dilandau was acting like a jumpy rabbit, then Yukari felt it was perfectly reasonable to be nervous herself. Maybe a newly discovered caster had been found and implanted an emotional field, causing everyone to feel nervous.

She still remembered the teenage boy who had caused a squad to return all rather inflamed and frustrated by their hormones. It still brought a smile to her face every time she passed the broom closet Amano had pulled her into. But this aura was not something inexperienced, it held power. That at least she could tell.

Her job was protection, holding up shields and keeping witnesses and powerful sorcerers safe whilst they were casting spells. Or stopping seeresses from being kidnapped, having her soul stolen, or…losing her life. Not that a gun could do much damage to the most powerful of sorcerers, but Yukari hadn't failed yet. Taking comfort in that thought, she watched as Dilandau came to a halt in front of them and gestured for them to follow him, turning immediately in the direction he had come from and returning towards the building.

Yukari was baffled once more by the actions of the mage, but said nothing as she had been told many a story as a rookie about the demon mage who had raised the beasts of the underworld and was taken over by them, explaining his red eyes and silver hair. She had whispered them to Hitomi once, who had laughed and told her mirthfully that the overconfident mage had always had issues with attempting pentacles and summonings above his rank.

The result of one underthought attempt had brought the spirit out of the pentacle, who leapt at Dilandau. His features were nothing more than the mark of the spirit's attempt to kill him. Or as if he had been around to survive the annihilation of Atlantis.

Overconfident or not, Yukari reluctantly respected the domineering mage who looked down on all beneath him, as he had saved many a population single-handedly. She didn't understand why he had a fan-club though, she found his personality lacking and his ego far too inflated. Nor was his odd behaviour attractive she thought as the mage practically crept into the building, directing flames at all corners of the entrance hall they had entered, still without speaking.

Only when they entered the lift did Dilandau turn to both of them and speak; Yukari detecting an undercurrent of concern that baffled her further, only adding to the creeps she was getting about the overall situation.

"Kanzaki-dono, we're placing you on the 14th floor. We've placed wards around the entire apartment we're placing you in. Uchida-san will accompany you and my own squad will stand outside and occupy the floor."

"Do I have something to work with?" Hitomi asked quietly and Yukari felt a strange urge to grab her best friend's hand in support for some reason.

"Unfortunately no, Kanzaki-dono. If you could search for anything unusual we would be grateful. The aura is nothing we've come across before and there is no trace of it anywhere else in the city. If you find anything, we'll have you escorted up to us on the top floor."

Yukari saw Hitomi nod, shuddering at her friend's appearance. Did her skin look more pale then usual, or was it just a trick of the dim lighting in the lift? Or the shadows playing on her face?

Just seconds before the lift doors opened, Dilandau bit his lip, taking Yukari in complete surprise—wasn't the first rule of all superior mage to not show emotion? Or at least that's what Yukari thought as the pompous gits often swanned about with impassive faces. Watching the demonic mage sigh sent a chill down her spine as he muttered, seemingly worried,

"Izaac-sama seems nervous. He hasn't done anything. No pentacles drawn or incantations cast—" He turned to face the doors as they opened, and Yukari noticed with melancholy that there was even less light in the corridors than there had been in the lift.

Dilandau nodded to two men standing either side of the lift as he stepped out of it and walked along the corridor, Hitomi striding after him and Yukari followed, examining the tense posture of her friend that served to demoralize her further. The situation seemed different to any other she had faced before, and she definitely wasn't the only one who had noticed.

Even Dilandau's goons were silent, no crude remarks to her or comparing the size of their weapons together. They stood as menacingly as possible, their eyes constantly moving.

The two in front of her stopped as Dilandau fiddled with a chipped, eggshell blue door and opened it. Once again they passed two of his squad, a man and a woman, both of whom Yukari knew well enough to chat to but the atmosphere dictated otherwise. The mage had shown them into a small oblong sitting room with a stained coffee table, a broken TV and a large window that opened out onto a balcony with a dismal view of the area. As he left, Yukari took her position by the window, leaning against the wall so she could see both Hitomi, outside the window and the door, covering all exits.

Normally when Yukari was left to guard Hitomi, they talked. Hitomi would happily chatter away about the latest anime, or what Millerna-san wore to the last conference as she scryed for someone or something. But this time, Yukari didn't dare say a word as her best friend sat on the ramshackle sofa that had been patched with other materials, even scraps of denim on the arm.

Hitomi sat on the edge of it, her hands locked together and eyes unfocused. She didn't know whether to push her friend against the back of the sofa in case she was having a vision or touch her at all.

"Uchida!"

Both she and Hitomi broke from their mental haze as Yukari strode quickly towards the doorframe, then along the narrow hall towards the front door of the apartment to open it to whomever had called her. They sounded officious enough, though it wasn't a voice she recognised. Maybe one of the guards outside?

Her hand reached out for the door handle and stopped. Her arm wasn't moving her brain told her, and she wanted it to move, so why wasn't it? It was strange. Had someone cast a freeze incantation on her for a joke?

She tried to turn back towards the sitting room she had left Hitomi in and mentally cursed herself as she found herself unable to speak or run towards her friend, who she had _left_ in a room, _alone_ without any protection. Inhaling deeply she opened her mouth to scream or produce any sort of sound but nothing came. In the midst of her inner turmoil, screaming for help or to alert Hitomi she heard something.

The sound of something scraping or sliding and her throat tightened as she remembered the window that opened onto a balcony. Then silence. Had Hitomi already been kidnapped? Had she said nothing, done nothing, put up no fight? Was she…was she dead? Had Yukari been tricked by some low level magician only for her best friend to be killed? She willed her arms or legs or anything to move but any thought ceased as she heard the wonderful voice of the seeress.

"So."

"Is that all you have to say to me?" Yukari shuddered at the sound of a male voice that dripped with undertones she would happily hear from Amano. But who was the man in the room with her best friend, sounding threatening and very alluring, who had probably taken her out of his way?

"Shouldn't you be out looking for your brother rather than playing games with the Abarahaki?" Why hadn't Hitomi yelled for help? Yukari mentally shouted at her to break whatever casting the man had put on them both and come for help.

"Well, well it appears you've grown resilient to me in the time we've been apart."

"No. You just never change. It's easy to get used to."

Yukari was completely baffled by the exchange that sounded more like a fencing match as her friend seemed to mock whoever had created this awesome aura that not only had brought the entire Abaharaki to him, but had not found. The man who now held her and Hitomi captive.

Why on Gaea hadn't Hitomi cried high hell to bring in reinforcements? Even if she knew the man, he didn't sound like he had dropped by for a friendly chat. Yukari felt Hitomi was often too trusting, but surely she could see where the danger lay this time.

"I suppose it's too much to ask to even be grateful?" the man mocked Hitomi further and Yukari cringed as her friend's voice rose in anger,

"Give me one reason why I should be grateful to you. _You,_ of all people?"

It hurt more than anything as Yukari found herself even more unable to move, her breathing restricted further as an almighty crash echoed through the apartment and possibly the city district. She only just caught sight of Hitomi flying back against the wall of a deserted room covered in soot and Yukari realised the man had thrown her through three concrete walls.

There was blood at the corner of her mouth and Yukari felt tears scratch her unmoving eyes as she noticed Hitomi slump against the wall, her knees shaking.

Yukari inwardly clamoured for a response as the noise surely had brought the attention of everyone in the building. So why had no one come to their, yes, _their_ aid? Hitomi was being abused by someone and no one was helping her. The 'someone' appeared in her field of vision as a man with obsidian hair stood in front of Hitomi and pulled her against him, leaning her back against the wall.

Apparently unaware of his onlooker, the man brushed off dust that had fallen on Hitomi as he had thrown her through three walls ignoring the dust on his black jacket and jeans. In doing so, he seemed cautious, running his hands gently over her shoulders and across her face with such care that contradicted his actions seconds ago. Yukari inwardly winced as she inhaled deeper than the freeze on her allowed, relieved as Hitomi stood up to her full height and stared her captor fully in the face.

She was proud of her friend's courage, but why on Gaea hadn't Hitomi called for help? So what if she knew her captor? He had tried to kill her! Why was she starting another conversation with him?

Yukari strained her gaze, noting the tension on her best friend's face, a hardened gaze and expression that seemed completely out of place as she stared at her dark haired captor. He stood close to her, unmoving and staring with an awful gaze back at her. And yet Hitomi didn't falter. Yukari wanted to collapse from the sheer strength of the aura the man emitted and it possessed no kindness, just raw power.

She fought to stay conscious, trying to focus on her friend's words rather than the pain,

"Why have you come here? Or have you forgotten your hell-bent obsession to kill your brother?" Hitomi mocked the man who slammed his hands either side of her head as he stood only inches away from her, his face expressionless but his voice filled with malice.

"You scorn me? You deride my family's massacre? The deeds my brother committed?"

"No." Hitomi choked, seemingly affected by the pressure he radiated, "I want to know why you've come here when you should be chasing after Folken. Or were your words just empty threats?"

"You really don't remember do you?" the man asked, his face turning slightly and Yukari saw his tanned, rather attractive face contorted by startling eyes that seemed to be from another world.

"Remember what?" Hitomi spat back, apparently unconcerned by the change in aura from rage to something more disturbing as his fingers caressed her jaw.

"The first time we met, the shower of stars, the _tower_—"

"—So that's why you summoned me here? To reminisce? After everything?"

Yukari jerked involuntarily at the sudden affection that crept into the man's tone, her eyes painfully unable to widen in shock as his hair meshed with hers, his forehead resting against her shoulder.

"You've always been far too optimistic Hitomi. You know that when I reach Folken it's unlikely I'll even survive. Is it wrong of me to come and say goodbye to you?"

Any fright Yukari had felt seemed to slide off her radar of consciousness as her heart clenched at the pain on her friend's face.

"How can you be so matter of fact? You seem so at ease with the trail of destruction you leave behind. I won't let you!" She felt awe at Hitomi's audacity and the clarity with which she displayed her anger, her hands grabbing the sides of his jacket. "I can't let you destroy another world. After everything on Atlantis there is no way I will stand aside for your sibling rivalry Van!"

Yukari's stomach clenched in shock and fear at the abrupt identification of their captor and the knowledge didn't serve to calm her. Dear Gods! Van Fanel had caused this entire fiasco? The most powerful being on Gaea. A legend among legends, even Izaac-sama was below him. Van Fanel wasn't exactly on the Abaharaki's hit list as self preservation was rather important to the sorcerers. He was a force of nature and acted like one, levelling mountains and causing raging storms.

The past two hurricanes over Basram had been caused by him. As a rookie then Yukari had been told of the great Fanel-sama who seemed to oscillate between acts of ultimately terrifying destruction and breathtaking benevolence, he had rerouted the flow of a river that could have flooded an entire city in Daedalus. And Hitomi knew him? Somewhat intimately it seemed by their conversation.

Also what on Gaea were they talking about Atlantis for? The first group of sorcerers that had formed a city and tried to build a tower to touch the sky and was destroyed by the Gods for getting too big for their boots. A tower? Oh Gods! Were the two in the room across from her talking about—?

"I watched as you levelled Atlantis in your grief. Folken needs to be punished, but you cannot destroy another world! I gave you this! _I gave you_ this world to set things right, not to use it as your own funeral pyre!" Awe seemed to be the buzz word in Yukari's brain as Hitomi's voice echoed followed by Van's. Even though he spoke quietly, the anger was enough to make the mobile hairs on Yukari's neck stand on end.

"_Your_ world, your universe, _your_ people, your creations. I never seem to fit into any of this do I? Even before, when we were innocent and you would smile at me, I was always second best. That night in the tower you stared at the stars more than you did me." Hitomi laughed and her fingers brushed the mess of bangs from his forehead as she smiled bitterly.

"My world, my universe, my stars, my people. _You_ Van," she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks as they seemed oblivious to every other being, "You are the most precious being in all of entire creation. I brought this world into existence for you. I gave you life so you could find Folken and get revenge for what he did. Nothing else comes close."

Yukari found her eyes sore as she was unable to turn away from the obviously private moment as Hitomi slid her hands to cup the man's cheeks and pressed her lips to his. She watched Van's hands clench either side of the honey haired woman's face as he seemed unsure of how to respond. Hitomi pulled back and whispered, "One month Van. One month left."

"I know." He murmured, his gaze still locked with hers.

The pressure that had grown over Yukari which seemed to squeeze her ribcage even harder at Hitomi's declaration, ebbed away slightly as the two supremely powerful beings radiated with intensity. If she wasn't having so much trouble breathing, she would have put her hands together in prayer for them. Then everything spun physically and metaphysically for Yukari as a lance of pain and supreme, unknowable longing shot through her.

"Van." Hitomi cried, the force of her voice visibly rippling across the air as Yukari fell to the ground. She pulled herself up instantly, hands going to her holster but her eyes were fixed on the woman who switched from indomitable to distraught in seconds.

Striding across the debris of the three destroyed walls, Yukari bent down and pulled her friend into her arms gently, unsure of who or what she really was. All she knew was that she needed comfort.

"Hitomi, Hitomi, it's ok."

"Van." Was all she seemed capable of whispering brokenly, tears mingling with the dust on her face as shouts came from the apartment door only for it to be blasted apart seconds later and a gaggle of sorcerers to appear within. All staring at the two women crouched together.

* * *

Theme 17: Tower Block

Words: 3,730

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Celena can only gawp as she's pushed back up the stairs towards the dodgy lift. Turning to her silver haired twin she sees the grin on his face and notices his phone clutched tightly in his hand. Her expression mirrors his as they walk into their apartment, knowing that sooner or later the son of the building's owner will have a tough time if he antagonises them. Especially if he doesn't want people to watch him passionately explore the throat of the youngest member of the Kanzaki family on the 9th floor stairwell.

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A/N: Continuation? Yes? No? And as always thanks for reading! Hope you all had a great St. Patrick's Day!

**Thanks go to:**

thepinkmartini - :D Glad my sense of humour is appreciated. Thanks!

InLuvWidVan – Isn't he? Sequels? Ask and ye may receive ;)

Doctor Kiba – Fangirl squeals are always appreciated ^^

Niello – awww thank you! How about this one?

Jav-chan – you enjoyed straight up fluff? Really? :O

jossi-31 – Thanks!

fromconcentrate – Yes, Van has left the building. That's twice now! XD

chibimimi – cheers! And yes they kissed at the end!

False-Image

Tanwen Whitefire

lesamoureux – I get crazy looks all the time! And thanks!

Silver Souhait

effervesence – totally pin up material. *nods* And good luck with exams!

Lil' Dinky – Thank you! And Van completely pwns Zac Efron :P


	8. Unknowing Confession

A/N: Thanks to everyone and I'm happy to declare there _will_ be a continuation of the last theme ^^. I think my beta would kill me if I didn't. :S Here's the next theme, enjoy!

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Unknowing Confession

There was something oddly comforting in talking to a stranger. And not in a drunken – I wonder if cats do land on their paws every time – way, or to a mad person whilst trying to get away and agree with their strange statements. What else was he supposed to say to Allen's tirade over his sister _stealing_ his hair care products?

As a King, a diplomat and most of all, Allen's friend he had to ignore the blonde Knight's peculiar obsession and accept it as a quirk. After all he had the somewhat odd habit of staring at the Mystic Moon, less odd than Allen's as he had a good reason for it.

But discussing it actually helped. Usually when Merle or even Millerna tried to pull the caring is sharing routine with him, he would ignore it or smile tightly and look for an escape route. Wouldn't they be so awfully surprised to hear him say aloud things he hadn't _dared_ say for nigh on four years.

"—And women are so complicated. You try and compliment them and they take it in the entirely wrong way. Then run off and kiss other men. Men who look like women. What does that mean?"

A strangled laugh and a covering cough was heard before Van listened to the reply. "I wouldn't say it means anything orientation wise," and another laugh followed as Van tensed, blushing terribly. "But, sometimes compliments can warp themselves in the time between thinking and speaking. Maybe what you said held another meaning, something more obvious to her. Had you complimented her before?" the voice tentatively asked.

There was no need for a response as his posture said it all. From his hands touching the rail to slumping so his arms folded, resting his elbows as he looked out towards the gaps in the harbour. Van crumpled inwardly at the realisation, choking out, "No. I never…it wasn't…I couldn't…during the war…"

"Ah I see." Van didn't turn back to the voice with the mysterious lilt he couldn't figure out.

He hadn't planned the conversation, only responded to when he spoke aloud, or rather had thought aloud. He had surprised himself talking back to the person who had replied to him but he hadn't turned round. The last thing he wanted was for this new sudden confidant to flee in the wake of the Fanelian King, or for his thoughts to be spread around Gaea.

Allen was a smug bastard already, Van wouldn't be able to stand him if he knew what Van thought.

"He kissed her. He did. Not…not me."

"Not you. _Would_ you have kissed her? If you had had the chance?" the voice asked curiously, only to have him snort and sigh, as he ran a hand through his thoroughly messy hair.

"I _wish_. I had enough to deal with back then, let alone newly-discovered hormones." A raucous laugh brought him out of his self-pity parade as a response came, "So I take it that's a no?"

Van shrugged and gritted his teeth. He really was a masochist coming here. Every time he and Merle were invited to Pallas he somehow wound his way round the streets and came to a stop at this very place. Without fail he would appear at the bridge where Allen had kissed Hitomi.

He winced at the memory, it had lost its stark clarity over four years but the stab of pain never lessened. Why hadn't he kissed her? Quite a number of female courtiers had attempted the same with him, was it really that easy?

"Maybe..." the voice inhaled deeply as if they too had trouble thinking clearly, he always did when it came to Hitomi, "…maybe it wasn't so easy for her either?"

"What do you mean?" Van asked, hoping for some insight into the female mind. The voice laughed again, gently this time and almost regretful, "Men aren't all that easy to figure out either, you know. One minute they accept you and talk to you as an equal, the next you're a burden and useless, then you're in the way and getting on their nerves. Yeah I'd say women don't have it any easier either."

"Men don't have mood swings." Van pointed out, starting to enjoy the albeit strange conversation.

"Ha! Men are childish, rude, and stubborn. And when things don't go their way they sulk and hold grudges. I know my first kiss caused issues with people and apparently still do."

Van was curious by the sudden change of topic back to his thoughts and he queried, "How did it—"

"— cause problems? Well there was a witness to it. And the events leading up to put me in a very stupid position. But I don't really count it. Not as a proper kiss anyway, I wasn't in the right state of mind." Van smiled at the female's words, picturing a drunken embrace that sobered up the recipient immediately.

His jaw dropped at the woman's next words, "Damn Zaibach Sorcerers."

Something gripped Van's throat as he gaped, turning round to meet the figure standing behind him. His lungs seemed to collapse as he took in the honey coloured hair, green eyes and definitely un-Gaean clothes. Hitomi still had legs that made his trousers feel very uncomfortable. She sat on the opposite rail of the bridge, staring at him intently, biting her lip which she always did when nervous.

"Don't be mad ok? I know I shouldn't have said…but you talked and I couldn't…and I wanted to know—" Her words faded as he strode towards her, resolved only to make sure it was her.

"Hitomi." he murmured as his arms wrapped round her, her own hands gripping the back of his tunic with surprising force, "Don't let go! Van! Don't let go!"

"I won't," he whispered, smiling against the crook of her shoulder as she murmured embarrassed, "I think you pushed me slightly over the edge, I'm going to slip."

Blushing, he pulled her forwards onto the rail more steadily as he stepped back and let go, looking away and cursing himself for always acting like an idiot in her presence. Daring to look back at her he saw she too had a slight blush dancing across her cheeks, but she seemed to have overcome her crushing episodes of embarrassment as she smiled broadly at him.

"It's so good to see you Van!" She tilted her head to one side and smiled cheekily, "You cut your hair, I can see your eyes now."

Van found himself smiling back and boldly reached out and tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear, "You've grown yours."

He watched, in sheer amazement of her as she laughed and rolled her eyes. "I got bored of being called a boy by classmates, and I like it." She smiled shyly back at him as he swiftly withdrew his lingering hand. "You've grown taller too. Expected, but I can still remember when I didn't have to look up that far to talk to you." He laughed at her words and watched her eyes somehow glow as she looked at him.

"How…how—"

"—did I get here?" She asked as he nodded, still unsure of what to say or do after four years of fleeting glimpses and waving to translucent images. She grinned and gestured widely, "Well I wondered how you were after so long. I mean it's practically—"

"—four years."

She smirked making him wonder what was so amusing and seemingly incapable of not looking at her lips, "You're picking up my bad habits, interrupting people. I didn't realise I was that influential," he shook his head and laughed again as she continued, "I was thinking of you one minute and the next I'm here. You've no idea how terrified I was." Her voice faltered and the part of him that had got used to females, well as much as he could, told him to comfort her. Something he had failed in desperately four years ago and especially what it had led to—piscus, what had he been thinking?

So Van screwed up his courage and put his arms round her, praying her inclination for slapping had subsided. He felt warmth flood his body and his heart started pumping blood again when she placed her own slender arms around his neck, resting her forehead against his shoulder. For a few seconds Van felt at peace with the world before Hitomi started moving, her shoulders were shaking and he prayed he hadn't made her cry. The pit of his stomach almost collapsed when she whispered anxiously. "I was so worried. I thought it'd all happen again."

The last thing Van wanted was for Hitomi to associate his planet, his home with war. How the hell was he going to persuade her of the opposite? That she would be safe here? With him in Fanelia?

"It wouldn't. Zaibach were defeated and Gaea's been at peace ever since. Nothing…" Van stopped as her shoulder shook even more forcefully and he stood stock still as he heard her start giggling. Further baffled by her actions he felt incapable of movement as her lips ghosted his cheek as she whispered, "Coming back to this very spot. I was terrified I'd see Allen. Good god the memories! I'd have nightmares for weeks."

Van slid his arms from her back to taking a gentle hold of her forearms as he studied her gaze, increasingly confused as well as unable to think having her so close, "I don't understand," he mumbled, hating how he felt like a fifteen year old awkward boy again that seemed ever increasingly inept with her. She smiled, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Kissing Allen certainly wasn't the highlight of my stay here all those years ago. And all I wanted to see was you. Imagine Allen turning up instead, at the very place…" she faltered, her expression changing to guilt?

"I never…" she inhaled deeply, "…I mean if you hadn't…or I—"

Somehow Van felt he was starting to learn something about women or one in particular as he smiled, trying not to look like a giddy child or the way Merle did when presented with a wound up ball of string. He pressed a finger to her ever so soft lips, that seemed to be covered with some cream that only served to bring his attention to them further.

"I'm here." He murmured, "Not Allen."

And as Van leaned down to press his lips to hers, he felt nervous, but the exhilaration and delight overwhelmed any other emotion as his mouth touched hers gently, sweeping her lips over and over as her hands curled at the back of his neck, keeping him from moving away.

Such a prospect was very unlikely. He wasn't going to move away. They had four years to catch up on. And to make up for three awkward, confusing months.

* * *

Theme 2: I'm here.

Words: 1,824

* * *

Merle had never expected to be standing in such a location, but here she was. Exchanging wedding vows with the Fanelian King. It had taken her a very long time to get over the losses of the Great War but when he had asked her to become his wife, she had readily accepted.

It wasn't just about healing wounds, or replacements. When her Van-sama had died and his second cousin had been handed the throne, the feline had felt all-encompassing resentment for the bastard who didn't deserve to take _her_ Van-sama's place. But over time her grief had mellowed and her attraction for the new Fanelian King flared. Four years later and here they stood.

The elderly Priest turned back to the altar and Merle found her soon to be husband whisper in her ear, "Can you hear that?" then tilted his head behind him. The feline felt her expanse of skirts whisper as she turned round.

Bypassing shock, Merle found tears springing to her eyes. Having no real family left, she was most decidedly alone, despite Dryden walking her down the aisle and Millerna and Celena being her bridesmaids. But there they were, sitting on one of the Cathedral balconies and looking down at her.

Two teenagers grinning at her so clearly, offsetting their translucence. The girl with obnoxiously short hair waved as the boy sitting next to her put his arm across her shoulders and waved with his free hand. Merle beamed back at them before turning back round.

Her fiancé raised a silent eyebrow as the Priest continued to intone, giving Merle the time to whisper, "Just my family arriving. Noisy bunch that they are."

* * *

A/N: Hope you liked ^^. There probably won't be very many canon one-shots left, my brain seems to like A/U better. But who knows ^^

**Thanks go to:**

thepinkmartini – Thanks and yeah I wanted something a bit more serious. Also glad you liked the end snippets.

chibimimi – Yes, let's hope so.

Jav-chan – Continuation coming coming! Demanding? Hmmm…

KyriaHitomi – Full fic unlikely. Continuation will happen though.

Tanwen Whitefire – Thank you and I'm glad.

jossi-31 – Ok, well I hope the continuation won't mystify you too much.

fromconcentrate – Cheers! And Worlds is soon to be updated! And there will be a cont.

Lil' Dinky - *blushes* And the sequel is coming! Promise!

Doctor Kiba – I'm happy I made you grin! :D Big compliment!

InLuvWidVan – No idea. :P And yes, I will ^^

effervesence – Aww cheers and yes there will be more ^^

Utuu – Lol thanks and there will be an end. :S

Cloudancer – Aww Well done! And glad you enjoyed. Though Hitomi wasn't _all_ powerful you know. There will be a continuation ^^


	9. Bouquets and Bombshells

A/N: Very appropriate for April Fool's ne? Thanks to all reviewers! And the beginning is inspired by a scene from Pushing Daisies. Which isn't mine either. *mopes* Also there is some swearing and hints of violence.

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Bouquets and Bombshells

"…and Yukari's sleeping with Amano again. Not that I'm jealous, I've seen his running backwards and forwards so many times I'm glad I never dated him. Nor do I like the idea of Yukari going though it either. But how can I tell my best friend that the man of her dreams is an arse? _How can I forget,_ he's also engaged to someone else. It won't end happily."

She sighed and straightened her dress, not bothering to look in the mirror at the tragedy she'd no doubt witness. Instead she chose the minutely better option of looking out the small window out onto the rainy streets below.

But the world outside didn't hold her attention for long with its similarly bleak population as she turned back to her audience, no longer caring whether her dress wrinkled at the back. Not that anyone would see it anyway.

"Where was I? Oh yes. I've intruded on your space, and forgive me for it. Really. I suppose you don't want anyone coming in here and moping around your domain do you?" A mocking smile slid across her face at her listener's expression. She wasn't too impressed herself either.

Her fingers traced the invisible hems of the skirt, trying her best not to fist her hands in the pristine silk and crease the front as well as the back of her dress. Her eyes went to the carved wooden clock, noting that she had only a short while left to confess her troubles before she had to go out _there_. Pulling away from the monotonous movement of the hands, she reverted her gaze back to her confessor with similarly shaped eyes, but they were blue.

"Back to me." Her expression twisted into a grimace attempting to be a smile which she ended quickly at her recipient's gaze. "Sorry. Well Yukari has Amano to worry about. And when he's not skirt chasing he's trying to encourage Allen. If you've ever had the disadvantage of meeting Goldilocks' male incarnation then you'd know he needs _no_ encouragement _whatsoever_."

Words trailing into silence, she let the Chapel bells ring to signify the arrival of midday. Around the country old women would be endeavouring to kneel and pray the necessary amount of prayers to the gods as the Angelus bell rang. It stung to remember when she would fall to her knees in devotion and whisper the prayers in time with her mother. A childhood full of kneeling had led to many bruises. Ones she still had to erase.

It was only when she flinched at the pain she realized she had dug her apparently sharp heel into her calf and scraped the skin. Of course she would bleed, and ruin all of this. Not that it was such an extravagant occasion to ruin.

Her wedding dress fell a short way past her knees, not like the gowns she had seen in magazines or her mother had forced her to try that ghosted along the floor, but it was new. It was the one thing he had insisted she get, refusing to marry her in a tank top and skirt or cheap sundress. Superstitious git.

Her virginal shoes with a small heel were borrowed from Yukari, who had no idea what was really happening—as was needed—but she keenly felt the loss of a bridesmaid or a _friend_ to watch her on the supposed most important day of her life. The ring would be his grandmother's. A ring that had been passed from one generation to the next. Something old she thought to herself.

Her witness tilted their head at her expression and seemed to say, _well your mood's blue. So it's all covered._ She would have laughed at the idea but her throat was too dry. She swallowed a few times and the humour had gone. So she carried on with her confession.

"That's why I'm here really. My parents and _society_ dictates that I should happily marry Allen sodding Schezar with eminent gratitude to him. I'd rather take crack and I remember the health class videos. Allen seems to enjoy this idea, of marriage that is, not drugs, he apparently finds me _intriguing._ I doubt that'll last once the honeymoon ends."

Memories of recent arguments fell like a blunt trauma to her head as she screwed her eyes up, trying not to cry. Foregoing the circumstances, she was going to be married and she would not cry come hell or high water.

She broke off from her outpouring of grievances and ran two slightly shaking fingers along the back of her calf and found that the bleeding had stopped. Twisting her ankle, she adjusted the strap of the shoe and examined the rather small wound that produced more pain than the visual evidence gave. The other individual in the room cleared their throat and Hitomi smiled sadly.

"It's odd that for once someone actually wants to listen. Yukari won't hear it that Amano's a bastard. My parents won't believe that I don't love Allen or that I'd strangle him with his hair and have it filmed as a momento. Then Allen, _Mr. Biggest Ego on Gaea_ would sooner cut his damn hair than think I found him anything less than irresistible. But that's not the point. The point is why I'm here. My family made a deal with people. Allen's family have invested money in my father's business and in return Allen gets me as his heir-provider."

A car horn below and a torrent of swear words silenced her again and she smiled at the rage expressed. People would listen to that driver on the street regardless of caring, the angry person would have their audience's attention. Something she had never gotten.

"It all sounds fairly simple right? All I would have to do is run away. My parents don't appear to care for my welfare so they wouldn't bat an eyelid? No. They want their cash flow kept afloat and access to Schezar privileges. Meaning the money laundering they all do would remain locked tight between them. If I tried to run away I'd be dragged back and beaten into submission. Poor Millerna."

Her eyes left the interrogating gaze of her spectator and swivelled back to the window, then to her arm watching the shadows of raindrops adorn her bare skin. A far more appropriate garment than necklaces, earrings and bracelets she thought. Gritting her teeth she raised her arm and traced the raindrops, trying to guess when they'd connect to one another.

"I don't blame her sleeping with Allen. She's loved him for years. I can't say I understand it, but she does. Not that I condone her breaking Dryden's heart. He's far better than Allen. Aside from his thieving national treasures. Not that I should know. But each to their own. And her father-in-law's a terror with his above the law status. Still, I had to get out from everything. That's where Folken came in—"

She cut off her sentence as the room coolly echoed with a knock to the heavy wooden door. Standing up, it took effort not to try and press the wrinkles in her dress with her hands or curl her hands into them further as she walked to the door. Opening it, an old lady appeared with a box outstretched. "—Miss, the item you requested." Hitomi smiled at the woman and reached out for the box, but the old lady scowled and murmured apologetically, "I'm sorry Miss. But it's the only one I could find."

Hitomi shook her head gently and took the box, squeezing the weather-beaten fingers in her own. "Thank you very much. I didn't feel the need for it but my fiancé is being quite demanding." Her expression brightened as the old lady smiled at her, making her stomach twinge with an angered ache at the idea she was getting married without any family, no mother, grandmother or Yukari. Coming back to the old lady she muttered sheepishly, "I hope you didn't get too wet."

The old lady laughed so uproariously, Hitomi could almost see the young woman in her, grinning at her own friends or at a young man. Her hand was patted by the darker one and a beam extended onto the woman's face, "Miss, you're getting married all by yourself and you're concerned about me. This is _your_ day. Focus on yourself. And congratulations. I wish you many years of happiness."

Before she could run into the room and take out money from her purse, the old lady walked away with a calm and rather youthful gait for her appearance. Shutting the door behind her, Hitomi wondered if this small Chapel had ghosts come to life and run out for veils for unprepared brides. Rolling her eyes at her imagination she placed the box on the table and opened it, removing the tissue paper carefully.

Despite her earlier words that she had no need of a veil or bouquet, her dark haired and apparently dark tempered fiancé flat out refused the negligence of such things. So a bouquet of lilies had been cut from the Chapel garden and placed in the room she had dressed in. Carefully taking out the veil from the box, she couldn't help the childlike beam that spread across her face at the delicate semi-transparent material.

It was the first moment she had actually felt excitement about her impending nuptials. Her distaste for the well-fitted gown fell to the wayside as she stepped in front of the mirror and slid the comb on the veil into her hair snugly. The white swirls complimented her wavy hair she thought.

All in all, the dress wasn't too bad. An array of thin straps on each shoulder spreading out like a fan, matched with a modest but flattering neckline. A seam under her breasts and another just above her hips, accentuating them in a good way unlike many other garments she had. Then the gown flowed out just past her knees, the glossy material whispering as she moved.

Looking past her own reflection she met the gaze of the other in the room and smiled sheepishly,

"I know. I shouldn't complain. A beautiful dress, delicate veil, pretty flowers which my fiancé insisted on; not an occurrence that would happen with Allen even on a parallel world. Where was I?" her eyes darted back to the clock, her time slowly running out with her confessor she inhaled deeply.

"Yes. Folken met me during an infernal dinner my parents staged to impress the Schezars and every nosy busybody they considered important. It was stupid of me to be in the garden on my own, and even worse that I didn't get up and run the second I caught sight of his infernal blonde hair. But I stayed, thinking he and his friends wouldn't see me. I listened to their words, their _plans_." She spat nauseously recalling the bile that appetized her that night.

Hitomi knew she was a masochist and so turned back to scrutinize the image reproduced before her. Her eyes went instinctively to her neck where the purple tones had faded well enough that the make up worked. And the lighting in the Chapel was intimate, so no one would be able to see the slight change in her skin tone, having to borrow tan-a-holic Yukari's foundation.

Clenching her fists then releasing them and relaxing her tensed posture, she raised her gaze to her veil and set about fixing it unnecessarily. Inhaling like a sufferer of the oxygen starving Bends she spoke to her confessor, not wanting to meet their judging gaze,

"So they discussed their political scheme to takeover the current presidency. Murder was mentioned, or temporarily poisoning a politician or something and I gasped. Of course our garden acoustics are excellent so they found me and Allen showed the side of his family I wasn't meant to see until after our wedding."

Hitomi knew it was odd but she laughed anyway at the next memory, "Some silver haired cousin of his, demon-like, grabbed my neck and started squeezing, not in a way to scare me, but permanently silence me. Not that in my horror I was all that surprised. There's a litter of accidents that trail behind Allen. I don't know of any fatalities but I suppose there's always a first time for everything. But then Folken knocked over a plant pot and scared the bastards away."

Turning round she looked at her confessor and smiled gently,

"I should be grateful Allen didn't take me with him. Apparently thinking isn't his strongest point. So Folken appeared and asked if I needed help. I suppose with purple fingerprint indents on my neck and a blue face I looked like it. He said he had heard everything the men had said and if I didn't leave…"

Sighing, Hitomi swivelled on her borrowed heels and walked to the table with her bouquet, tracing the skin like petals and blood coloured pollen.

She placed her hands flat on the table, "…Well you can guess what would have happened. For some reason I let Folken take me away. Everyone at the dinner seemed to secretly scorn him under their fawning and fake respect so I trusted him, dim-witted I know. But I met his wife and they explained how they would help me by yes, marrying me to someone who could protect me. Apparently Van has an important and more importantly _respected_ status in society and will protect me from Allen and…and my family." She ended in a whisper, hating the guilt that travelled like lactic acid, gripping her lungs.

Her hand closed around the small but pungent bouquet as the room once again paled at the knocking of the door. Hitomi straightened and inhaled deeply before releasing to bouquet and running to her bag, yelling "Just a minute." Rifling through, she found the clear lipgloss and applied a generous coat squinting at the mirror and making sure she looked ok.

It struck Hitomi that even though she was getting away from Allen she was still going to marry a man she didn't love, someone she knew _even less_ than Allen and yet was essentially pledging her life to. Why hadn't Folken arranged for her to enter a Convent? Smoothing her dress once more, she went back to the bouquet and then turned back to her witness, her confessor.

"Thank you for listening to me. I know you're just a cat but you stayed and listened, which is more than anyone else has done for me. So I'm grateful."

A wry smile on her face, she opened the door to an altar serving boy who looked like he had barely caught puberty by the skin of his teeth. Surprised she wasn't nervous or scared shitless by the walk she had to make, she smiled brightly – how a blushing nervous bride should and had to clear her throat to bring the boy back to Gaea and look away.

Was she really that pretty? Or had he never seen a bride before?

Wordlessly the boy reddened like a traffic light, passing by green and yellow and gestured along the offshoot towards the main aisle. Hitomi nodded and once again felt a tickle of astonishment at how she felt no dismay there was no arm to link through to guide her to the altar and her _fiancé_. Two deep breaths and Hitomi walked forwards slowly, keeping her eyes ahead as she stepped into the main aisle of the Chapel and turned towards the altar.

Her gaze caught the dim lighting of candles surrounding the altar. The darkened Chapel despite it only being midday eased her embarrassment. She had expected a registry office but her fiancé who she only knew as Van had said they would get married properly in the Chapel under the eyes of God. Hitomi caught the back of his obviously tailored suit, noting to herself that if Yukari were here she would be whispering about her future husband's _idyllic_ backside.

She carried on in her measured, delicate fashion noticing his back swivel as he turned to her but her focus was getting to his side.

All her insecurities landed heavily on her shoulders and pecked at her maliciously. What if her parents walked in? What if Allen walked in? Had she been reported missing? Would she bring harm to Van? To Folken and Sora? To their delightful twins who would have made adorable flower girls?

Her hands tightened round the bouquet and she expertly held back her wince as the decorated cellophane round the flowers slashed a thin scratch on her index finger. More blood, that was all she needed. But her thoughts of crimson soaked white dresses and bullet ridden statues ceased as she stood shoulder to shoulder with her fiancé who turned to her.

She smiled up at him and inhaled almost painfully as his gaze met hers. He seemed to stare at her with an intensity she had never seen before on any man and his eyes gave the illusion as if they wanted to ingrain her image her entirely. Blushing she accepted his outstretched hand and tried her best to listen to the Priest as Van matched her unending exposed stare.

Hitomi wasn't unlike other women, she _had_ often dreamed of a perfect lavish wedding as a child. Changing to an elopement with a rough and ready Prince Charming, stealing her away from her parents; she didn't know Van well enough to categorize him. She did know that she owed him her life and for that she would do all she could to help him.

When she had pictured her wedding, she had imagined getting irritated during the ceremony, being impatient to get to the rings and the all important _Kiss_. Obviously Van had picked the short version as they were swiftly served communion, then the priest asked them to repeat after him. A glinting gold band was placed onto her hand and before she realized it, the priest spoke his gentle words,

"You may kiss the bride."

Tuning back into reality she watched him lift her veil slowly, only adding to her sudden restoration of nerves as her gaze fell to his rather appealing mouth. Was he really going to kiss her? Really? Her eyes fluttered shut in panic, feeling sick at the apparent oncoming gesture. Would she be expected to respond? Would he use tongue?

His warm and rather large hands cupped her chin, raising her face towards him, her eyes still shut. And it happened. His kiss was tender, heartstoppingly unsure and yet it sent a tingle down her as her hands gripped his arms for balance when he finally pulled back. Meeting his gaze wasn't all that uncomfortable and he smiled so wonderfully at her Hitomi felt that maybe she had done the right thing.

She had to blush when the priest coughed for their attention. Van didn't seem embarrassed as he took her hand – the adorned one in his own, and he had a rather stupidly happy smile on his face. It definitely felt like a good omen that her stomach quivered at his expression rather than tense with nausea.

As the priest mentioned signing the marriage register and certificate, she let her _husband_ respond, still dazed from the whole thing. Her reverie only expanded when he turned his delicious gaze back to her and smiled wonderfully, touching her cheek,

"You look beautiful."

Her bridal blush deepened extensively as she managed to murmur a meek, "Thank you."

It took her a few seconds to realize his smile had gone, replaced with something else, something worrying. Apprehension?

Her growing and abrupt shift to panic halted briefly when a loud meow echoed along the Chapel's main aisle and the priest smiled as he brought out the official documents and laid them on the altar before them.

"Merle loves a good wedding. We think she brings good luck. Any wedding she's invited herself to – the marriage is always a happy, long lasting one. I'm sure there is no doubt of that Fanel-sama." Hitomi saw the dry smile emerge on the sinful lips of her fiancé, no _husband_.

It would take a while to adjust to that. Mrs. Fanel. The name sounded powerful, it rang out demanding respect. But before she did, she turned to the ginger tabby cat sat calmly behind them in the centre of the aisle watching them with large blue eyes. Hitomi smiled and nodded to her confessor. Strange as it seemed, the presence of the unnervingly human-like cat soothed her nerves.

Van squeezed her hand gently and led her towards the marriage register, the true start of her new life. As Hitomi turned she swore the cat—no—Merle smiled at her.

Feeling relaxed amidst the utter oddity of her situation she watched Van sign the register carefully and with a rather aristocratic signature before handing the pen to her. She could feel him watch her sign her new name with deliberate care, not wanting to make her first married signature a mess.

However as she finished and set the pen down, the way he exhaled—as if in deep relief, Hitomi felt the tendrils of panic curl round her again as she turned and met her newly wed husband's nervous gaze.

"Hitomi, there's something I need to tell you."

Oh no. Her parents had set her up. _Allen_ had set her up. As she felt his now slightly clammy palm enclose over hers, she mentally prepared herself for running in heels. Her swiftly sensitive ears caught the sound of the priest entering the sacristy, leaving them _alone_ in the Chapel. She wondered if her sudden connection to Merle would help her in anyway to escape.

It appeared Van could read her worry or saw her face drain of colour as he smiled worriedly, "You're not in danger. Nor am I in any way connected to your parents. It's more something I've kept from you. I—"

As Hitomi waited for her stomach to mimic a volcano the back door of the Chapel burst open and she saw more than felt her hand gripped tighter by Van's.

She exhaled in sudden relief as Folken appeared, looking winded, and rather angry? She turned in sync with her husband towards her now brother-in-law, curious to his dishevelled appearance and the fury on his face as he boomed, making Hitomi wince,

"What the hell did you think you were doing Van? Are you completely retarded? Do you know how shit scared I've been? We went to the registry office, only to find you not there and no mention of a booking by you."

Hitomi watched in mute confusion as Van pulled an arm round her, as if she was the target of Folken's anger. Looking up at him she saw concern and defiance mixed on his face as he replied tonelessly,

"I wanted it to be private."

"Private? Are you off your head? Are you aware that Father's going to skin you alive?"

She felt her husband tense at the comment and worry pounded in her skull as she breathed,

"I'm sorry Van. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gotten you into this mess, it's all my fault."

Expecting pity or worse, sympathy Hitomi was shocked at the remorseful expression on her husband's face. The sad smile only staggered her further as he spoke quietly,

"No. I'm sorry. You've got nothing to apologize for. I haven't told you everything, everything you should have known before we got married. I—"

Once again Folken prevented his brother from revealing the _truth_ with an uproarious laugh that crashed against the pillars of the main aisle, sending cool and calm Merle darting into a pew and under it. Was this a bad omen?

"Oh God, you haven't told her have you?" Bursting into further laughter, Folken gasped in between them, "You are an idiot Van. You know that?"

The arm wrapped round her bare shoulders tightened and she wondered whether it was rude of her to feel attracted to him by the sudden growl vibrating in his chest as he pulled her closer and whispered,

"Hitomi please don't be mad. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to scare you. It really doesn't matter that much. It's nothing really—"

"—Stop babbling moron and tell the poor girl." Folken snorted, turning away from them as if to give them privacy.

"Van," Hitomi managed to find her nerve and her voice as she whispered back, moving away slightly so she could look at him, look not stare, "Whatever it is I don't mind. As long as it doesn't involve my parents or their circle of friends." His boyish and very alluring smile reassured her slightly, not that it eased the curiosity gnawing at her. He breathed in almost dramatically as he opened his mouth to speak.

Perpetuating the cliché once more the Chapel doors flung open and a very elegant looking woman stood in the centre before striding up the aisle purposefully. Hitomi felt ever a damsel in distress and gripped the shirt pocket of her husband in panic who seemed incapable of performing any responding role.

The woman stopped before them and burst into tears joyously.

"You're married! Look at you! My son, married!" Hitomi was pulled from his grip and into the woman's excited arms, "I have a daughter-in-law! Welcome to the family Hitomi. We shall have a lot to talk about I know!"

Managing to smile unsurely, she turned to Van for any confirmation of the woman's words but saw his gaze had landed on someone else, apparently someone he had not expected by the shock on his face.

"Father?" came from his lips and Hitomi attempted to look past her emotional and apparently overjoyed mother-in-law to her foreboding father-in-law.

"So you pulled a fast one on us Van. I'm disappointed in you. Are you that ashamed?" her stomach tightened uncomfortably. She was getting Van into all this trouble.

As her mother-in-law moved from her to embrace her son, Hitomi saw the face of her father-in-law and stilled in shock. She wasn't even capable of turning back to Van to ask him, only barely murmuring,

"Your father's the Fanelian King?" In her heightened state of astonishment, she wasn't entirely sure if she was going to faint.

* * *

Theme 10: Secret

Words: 4,402

* * *

Hitomi straightened as her ears caught his snort.

"Come on. You're just as enchanted as she is." He gestured towards the Royal couple dancing with one another in the empty ballroom, truly epitomizing a fairytale ending.

She rolled her eyes and turned to him, glaring as she adjusted her maid's apron,

"Rubbish. It's an arranged marriage. They'll grow to hate one another." She avoided the smile in his eyes or the smirk on his face, surprised when he stepped in front of her,

"Will you dance with me," his coal black bangs brushing her forehead as he whispered, "_Your Highness?_"

She blanched in shock then blushed at his proximity but accepted his hand as he twirled her gently on the step he was supposed to be sweeping as a lowly stable groom, "Of course, _Your Majesty._" His smile reached his mouth this time as their shared secrets were momentarily forgotten.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I always love to hear comments. Calls for continuations do not go unheard. My beta would do unspeakable things to Van if I didn't. :(

**Thanks go to**:

Lil' Dinky – Happy I made you laugh and glad you enjoyed Merle's mini-fic.

thepinkmartini – Dark confession booth huh? :D *evil grin* Thanks! More A/U to come.

Tanwen Whitefire – Thanks! And Van and Hitomi were 'ghosts' for Merle's wedding ^^

jossi-31 – Cheers!

Kaitou-Shadow

settingsunrisingmoon – Cheers! *blushes*

lesamoureux – Thank you! Still V/H even in death!

False-Image – Lol yes. And the bits at the end are separate from the main fic. ^^

Niello – Aww a poll! *blushes* I feel loved!

Doctor Kiba – *giggles* Well done! And glad you enjoyed!

chibimimi – Thanks and glad you liked it!

ranmyaku-neko – Thanks! And yeah V/H all the way! ^^

Jav-chan­ – Noted! And yes they are cute aren't they?

Cloudancer – Thank you very much! And glad you liked!


	10. Bites in the Library

A/N: WOW! 1 third of the way through. *sighs* I don't know whether to be relieved or annoyed. :P Worlds is also coming! Promise! Calls for continuations are being (slowly) answered ^^. Thanks to all readers, reviewers, faves, alerts, betas. And Happy Anniversary to InLuvWidVan! 1 year YOSH! :P

Enjoy! ALSO: the snippet at the end of each one shot is COMPLETELY SEPARATE from the main theme, ok? ^^

* * *

Bites in the Library

The music blasted into her disinterested ear drums, though her mouth moved in time with the words, her main focus the textbook she was taking notes from. Made even harder especially with the air conditioning failing spectacularly as it was.

Not that she wanted or _needed a hero_.

Allen Schezar definitely fitted the knight on a fiery steed criteria, as was he extremely good looking and a perfect gentleman, aside from his incapacity for monogamy. But he bored her to tears. On a purely aesthetic basis she could appreciate him, but that was it. Hang a portrait painting of him in front of her and she would admire the lighting and his fine cheek bones. But if you put her in a locked room with him, Hitomi would find herself lusting for a good mystery novel rather than a sweaty encounter with him.

Anyway Allen could never hold a candle to –

No, she wasn't going to think of the arrogant prick who had tossed her aside exactly 42 days ago. Not that Hitomi was counting. Nor was she implying that there had been anything more than a platonic bond between her and the scaly bastard who had told her to go home and play with her fellow humans. Granted she had almost, almost been killed by the attack in the library that had caused a campus wide investigation. But he had saved her, so she didn't understand why he had been so indignant and so, so inhuman.

He wasn't human though. Therein lay Hitomi's problem.

Her world had suddenly sped up when she had caught a vampire taking bites out of a librarian's neck after she had woken up at 11 pm in the university library and tried to sneak out of the closed building. Grateful for her grandmother's overactive imagination, she threw the most powerful ofudas she had in her backpack and purified a bottle of water, tossing that into his eyes. The crimson eyed bastard escaped and Hitomi had spent two weeks staying at the library late 'for a project', as she told her grandmother.

She waited for the vampire's return.

It took three infusions of venom to turn a victim into a fellow vampire, and Hitomi didn't want a seemingly innocent librarian sneaking up on napping students and destroying their lives. She told herself she was fulfilling her duty as a miko in training to protect the innocent around her. A more cynical part of her retorted that she was bored by Allen's ever increasingly medieval attempts to _woo_ her, and Yukari's passion at getting completely trashed every Friday night and having to be escorted back to the shrine and watched over as she slept. Her quest to find and destroy the vampire gave her a change of pace.

* * *

It had been on the night before reading week that she met him. Hitomi found her iPod blaring at full blast helped her stay awake, as well as the songs that she had borrowed from Merle, which apparently was music but sounded more like manic screaming to her. At the enraged cry of what sounded like the lead singer of the Abaharaki, Hitomi shot up from her textbook pillow. Grateful the book was relatively new, she wiped the drool off the page and turned the volume down as her heart started to race.

After having researched Vampires more thoroughly than Bella Swan ever bothered to, Hitomi knew about the call they used. Grabbing the bottle of water by her side, her hand warmed briefly as the water instantly became free of any pollution. She stood up slowly, trying her best to walk lethargically in the direction of the melodic but oddly depressing call. She listened out for any other feet moving, if the librarian was around, she would sprint inhumanly fast towards it, incapable of moving away after being bitten once.

Hitomi stopped suddenly as the noise ceased. Her hand tightened around the bottle, loosening the cap, trying to remember the direction and how loud the call had been. She would have to act fast if the librarian had already got entangled with the vampire again. Twice bitten and the woman would be catatonic if the rite was completed.

She inhaled as deeply and as quietly as she could before walking towards the stairs and turning left towards the reading rooms. Her feet stopped before the rest of her as she heard a choking noise to her right, against the far wall and she started towards the source as fast as possible.

The cap fell to the ground and the water hit its mark as the hiss of the vampire skin rang out, burned from the purified water. But what surprised her was the tall dark haired man who stared at her unblinkingly with drenched black hair and t shirt. Hitomi was at a loss from the situation but the man turned back to the vampire, increasing his grip around the vampire's neck.

Any hold on the situation fell away as Hitomi listened to the dark haired man growl,

"I've told you before Dilandau. Stay away from universities. Keep to the sick and the depraved idiots that want to become your kind." Her mouth dropped as the man let go of the silver haired teenager who glared at his captor, the ethereal skin of his face inflaming from her action, and his pointed teeth bared,

"Save the lecture Van­-_sama_. I'll keep out of your way as long as you keep the miko out of mine."

Hitomi blinked in shock at the vampire's words. How the hell had he known she was a miko? Granted, she had thrown ofudas at him, but plenty of superstitious people asked for them from her grandmother. Even Yukari had one on the back of her mirror. And he couldn't know she had purified the water herself, holy water was freely available at the University chapel. But before anything could be said, done or explained to the baffled miko, the vampire sped past her and jumped out an open window. Leaving her behind with the mysterious man.

It still stung to remember their conversation. Not that he had ever gotten any friendlier towards her, but Van had ordered her to get her things and leave. She hadn't argued once as he had escorted her out of the building and to her home. After the events of the past few weeks, Hitomi felt she had kept a relatively calm head. But as her grandmother had invited the stranger in and thanked him for saving _her_ life, she had been miffed. When her grandmother then asked politely why her granddaughter was walked home by a draconian, Hitomi lost all grip on reality.

* * *

It had been a week later when Hitomi had found the librarian slumped against a photocopier covered in blood that the stranger turned up again. She had turned as the door closed shut and found her gaze locking with garnet eyes that critically gazed back at her, her fingers pressed against the neck of the librarian, just above the glistening puncture wounds. She had asked, distressed.

"Why hasn't she…why isn't she—"

"—A vampire?" he had replied instantly, sloping over without any air of worry, as he bent down beside her and sniffed the air, "Because whoever did this has no control over their bloodlust. They drained her of all her blood. It wasn't Dilandau, he's never this messy."

His words struck her like an electric shock and Hitomi stared at him, demanding.

"Messy? How the hell can you be so calm when an innocent woman has been killed so brutally?!"

She could still recall the twisted smirk on his face,

"Innocent? She heard the call and knew what was coming. She could have fought it off or taken herself out of the city. But she wanted it. Doesn't sound innocent to me." She found herself completely out of her depth from the first vampire attack to the casual conversation in front of a dead body. It seemed the man next to her was far more impassive as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the woman lifelessly slumped in a halo of her own vitreous fluid.

She allowed herself to be pulled out of the room, but he still kept a grip on her wrist.

"Did you touch anything else?" He demanded. "Any other part of her? Anything else in the room?" Hitomi was in too much shock to reply caustically and could only ramble.

"I felt for a pulse, I didn't know what to do. Should we call an ambulance? Is the vampire going to—"

"—You think too much. And shouldn't you be more worried about yourself? When they find the body, if your fingerprints are in the room, do you think the police will see you as innocent?"

Startled by the brutality of his words she felt numb as she thought back and said the door had been opened and she had only reached for a pulse. She watched him nod and once again escort her back to her table and then out of the library, away from the cameras and to the shrine. Yet again, Hitomi's grandmother had invited the mythical being into their house for tea and _seafood._

They _never_ ate seafood, except for takeout. Hitomi had claimed nausea and gone to bed, her thoughts revolving round the dead woman in the library and the man downstairs.

Or rather the half man, half dragon. Words from Dryden's mythology textbook danced a conga line in her memory as she recalled the legendary race of creatures that resulted from dragons taking human form. They could manipulate the elements, were stronger and faster than humans, had better senses, and like their reptilian counterparts were extremely virile. Hitomi threw a pillow at her door for thinking such idiocy and was grateful that she not only escaped any suspicion when the campus janitor discovered the Librarian's body the next day but didn't see _him_ either.

She wasn't so sure on how to feel at the lack of Van sightings. She had realised the startling truth to the danger of fighting vampires and other creatures. She wasn't Buffy by any means. And the bruises on her wrist had lasted for weeks, good thing it had been an unusually cold January.

* * *

Two months had passed Van free and Hitomi felt a new zest for life. She went to nightclubs with Yukari and got drunk enough to feel relaxed and laugh when Yukari fell off a barstool. She attended protests with Merle and felt that animal cruelty _did_ need to be stopped. She even allowed Allen to take her out for tea – only as friends – but she was acting normal. The idea of monsters in the dark and creatures in the shadows were simply stories.

But in her normality, she had noticed a change in herself, and she wasn't sure whether it was good, bad or unhealthy to relate it to _him_. She had reached the point where watching Yukari exchange saliva with Amano-sempai stopped irritating her and made her want someone. She had even thought of accepting Allen's invitation for dinner.

Eventually she came to the moderately satisfying conclusion that Van wasn't a student at Pallas U after checking the directory more than once, but had merely followed the first vampire and waited for the conclusion then left. She had never seen anyone with messy black hair and eyes that were strangely serpent like in an oddly alluring way on campus.

But it seemed the Gods really were against her. Coming out of the main building, she had inhaled in relief at the breeze on the irritatingly hot March afternoon and tugged her hoodie off, deciding to set off for an ice cream when she stopped. The quad grass was covered with lazing students sprawled over the main square. Yet in the shadiest part of the quadrangle, only a few students hovered on the edges.

Baffled, Hitomi squinted and felt her stomach flip as she noticed a man with messy black hair resting against a tree, the immediate space around him devoid of anyone else. She had no idea what possessed her to do it, but she stepped onto the grass and strode towards him. She stumbled as she reached the shade and realized why he was the only one occupying the deliciously cool area.

The ki pulsing from him was positively lethal, no wonder people were staying away from him, though some stared, irritated as if sensing it, others giggling at the hot guy with no shirt dozing under a tree.

Hitomi didn't know whether it was the textbooks she had read on his kind or just her imagination but she watched as he breathed in and how it seemed just like a serpent flicking it's tongue in the air, tasting for danger. His eyes opened from his apparently false slumber and she stopped, staring as his lazy gaze surveyed her. It didn't make her turn and run, she forced herself to ignore the colossal force he emanated and the whispers from people watching. Her heart rate sped as she sat next to him and pulled out a water bottle, sipping slowly then pulling a face at its temperature.

A hand curled round the bottle, fingers a hair's breadth away from hers as the water chilled to a perfect degree. Hitomi blinked at the water then at the garnet gaze that seemed to watch her as if she were a mildly interesting docudrama. She muttered her thanks distortedly and gulped down the refreshingly cold water, sighing happily.

The other students seemed to lose interest as they hadn't started fighting or groping and she found her voice.

"Why are you here?"

"Worried?" he murmured, seemingly affected by the heat and only capable of one word answers.

"No. Curious. You're not a student here."

"No thank you for giving you cold water? I guess it's true that your generation really are rude and ungrateful."

He had watched her face, a small smirk lingering in his gaze as she gasped, then spluttered.

"What?! How old are—? I mean thank you."

"No problem." He responded devoid of sentiment and Hitomi itched to ask him why he was back. Drinking her water, she thought slowly on how best to engage the draconian in conversation. Their genetic ancestors were notoriously mysterious and _slippery_ in many ways. If the man didn't want to talk how could she get him to?

"You're hot." He had muttered after a stomach-gnawingly long silence and she had flushed appropriately, aware of his real meaning and feeling her insides twist at the other connotation. Before she could reply and try to instigate conversation, the leaves above her fluttered gently and Hitomi felt cool air brush past her. Despite everything she had read, from the most mundane tales to the outright alarming she was still completely taken aback.

"Did you just create a breeze?" her brain felt like melting as he shrugged coolly,

"It's not that hard."

"But you're…you're…"

"A draconian, Kanzaki-san? Yes, I believe your grandmother disclosed that revelation the second she laid sight of me. But she is a powerful miko. Is she training you?"

Her brain did melt, in sheer anger at how the insufferable bastard had let her stew in discomfort before starting a conversation all on his own.

Hitomi had missed her afternoon lecture, staying under the tree sharing snippets of conversation with the mythical being beside her. It had taken her three refills to realise she had drank three times the capacity of her bottle before turning to gape at him. Questions about him were ignored, questions about her were answered quickly and with no detail. He had said briefly as the sun started to sink that he sensed a dangerous presence on campus before getting up and strolling off, raising a hand in departure to her.

Their unlikely partnership formed after another late night in the library which Hitomi had purposely done to finish an essay without distraction. She had spotted him around the campus from time to time, strolling along and had found herself incapable of doing anything. But just as the essay was finished, Hitomi froze in shock. A melodic sound rang out amongst the shelves and her shoulders tightened in worry. She had no water bottle this time but prayed the ofudas would be enough.

As she got up from her chair and turned, she had to hold in a shriek as Van stood inches away from her, a finger on his lips. Jerking his head in the direction the sound came from, Hitomi nodded and smiled as he passed her a bottle of water, his fingers brushing over hers as she took it. The noise grew louder and sharper as they ascended the stairs, then nothing. The silence resonated uncomfortably for her as they searched the floor and found no trace of blood or owners.

Once more Van took her back to her desk and then escorted her home. He still remained stoic, but Hitomi managed to keep a conversation going with his one word replies. He accepted tea, and this time she stayed with her grandmother and fabled guest. Not that Van spoke any more with her grandmother's presence.

* * *

Over the next months Hitomi found herself growing comfortable in his presence, preparing ofudas and various herbs that were agonizing to succubi, sprites and vampires. It was still hard to adapt to his sudden appearance at her side in the library or walking around campus late at night when they both sensed something afoul. She realized one day with irony that decanting necromancers of their evil had become second nature.

Even when Van mentioned that he had sensed a siren on campus Hitomi had joked she had a friend who fit the description as men seemed to fall at her feet. He had laughed for the first time she noted and she felt that maybe they were progressing. Into what she didn't particularly examine, but she felt thankful for meeting him. Not that she was desperate for putting herself into danger, but the idea of keeping the students safe from evils other than drugs and alcohol made her pray in gratitude to whichever god had aligned their paths.

He had startled her a few times, appearing in daylight and walking over to her. He definitely was more striking in daylight she thought as both Yukari and Merle had stared captivated at him whilst he enquired after her grandmother. She bit back a smile recalling when he had tapped her shoulder in a queue for a barbeque. Allen had been heatedly debating with her over the upcoming elections and she had turned, surprised and happy to see him. Van had exchanged pleasantries and said he would see her in the library later that week.

But it was the outright glare on Allen's face that made her grin broadly, encouraged by the devious smirk on the draconian's face.

And it had all come crumbling down.

They had met in the library, the Friday after his bumping into her and Allen. He had worn a smirk on his face and asked tauntingly who Allen was. Hitomi had mock punched his arm, aware it wouldn't hurt him in the slightest. They had seemed relaxed, she making notes for an upcoming lecture and he reading an ancient text on tides which he scoffed at on occasion. The conversation rose and fell, but she felt that there was an undercurrent she wasn't entirely sure of. Looking up, she found him staring at her unabashedly.

Her gaze shot back to her notes and blushed as he exhaled loudly. His gaze seemed reminiscent of one Amano wore when Yukari wore her leather knee high boots. Though it seemed far deeper, _inhuman_. Before she could feel any more nervous or uncomfortable, a song echoed the corridors of the empty library. Both jumping to their feet, they raced towards the vampiric call they both chillingly remembered from months previous.

Despite their many successes together, there had been a spate of disappearances on campus. The four victims were of both genders—3 women and 1 man, the time between them insignificant. And yet every time Hitomi and Van heard the disturbing call it would stop before they reached the source. And every time they scoured the floor they would find no hint of anyone being bitten, taken, fought with or kidnapped. Van never smelt any blood, nor noticing the presence of the victim as he would just sense they were the only two in the library.

So the force they ran with weighed heavily on both as Van grabbed her hand and pulled her with him, his speed becoming faster than anything she had ever accomplished on her High School track team.

* * *

Hitomi groaned in recollection of what had followed, angry at her iPod's psychic Shuffle ability.

Van had wrapped his arms round her waist and jumped off one balcony down to the floor below. Giving her no time to adjust he had pulled her in the direction of the noise. Coming to a rapid halt Hitomi peered round Van at the blonde female teenager who leered hungrily at both of them. Spots of blood decorated her white t shirt and Hitomi shuddered at the way the vampire stared at her. Van took only a second before racing towards the girl who stepped out of the way and sent a kick to his side, knocking him off balance.

Hitomi watched in confusion as the impossibly strong being was thrown aside by a measly vampire. Nausea rose up in her throat as the girl stalked towards her and Hitomi panicked in that split second, realizing she had no water and no ofudas. The girl's voice grated on Hitomi, her skin prickling as the girl spoke quietly and mockingly.

"Not up to your usual standard Dragon? I wonder why? Does the girl know?" Hitomi gasped at the jarring noise of the vampire's laugh unable to move as she stalked towards her.

"Can you really protect her? Does she know what the biggest threat to her is? Or are you really that stupid?"

She knew it wasn't her vision blurring as she stood rooted to the spot, only to feel a pair of slender arms coil round her and squeeze painfully, the shock of blonde hair in her face taunting,

"This is for Dilandau." The pressure in her lungs made her knees shake and Hitomi felt something rise in her. Something she was entirely unsure of and incapable of controlling. A scream echoed, Hitomi left unsure of whom it had come from as she looked up from her knees, the white spots behind her eyes blurring then fading.

Even now, Hitomi couldn't bear to think of what she had witnessed.

The vampire's skin had burnt, hissing as if she had thrown acid on her. Her jaw muscles were stripped bare and bleeding, the girl torn between pain and the taste of her own blood. That wasn't keeping Hitomi awake at night though. The sight of Van pulling out her scarred, grey heart and the girl crumbling to ash brought _it_ to her mind. It was the gaze he gave her when he turned to her.

She still shivered, feeling sick remembering how she had knelt, staring at him and the inhuman lust on his face. It terrified her but some part of her wanted to go to him, an incomprehensible urge to move towards him. He had seen it, his expression growing heated and then turning to a stone mask as he told her to leave. Hitomi had struggled to her feet gingerly, gripping a table for support, trying to gather courage to speak amidst the pain of her chest.

Everything ended as he told her to leave. To go back to her human friends and stop playing with things she couldn't control.

* * *

She was truly disgusted with herself.

She had counted the days she had gone without seeing him. As if she had been a junkie to him. But it wasn't like that. He may have been better looking than any Freid popstar but theirs was a meeting of minds. Her head smacked against the textbook on Asturian ecosystems and she put her pen down, wiping her sweaty palms on her loose peasant dress.

Hitomi had not acted in anyway like a fangirl or jilted girlfriend. He had told her to run off, so she had. In some respects anyway. She had changed floors to study on, left the library in time for the 6 pm news, and focused on real life. She hadn't gotten trashed with Yukari, thinking it would mess up her karma and she had _no_ sorrows to drink away. She had even gone out on two dates with Allen, against her better judgement as he was now incorrigibly smug.

But when she had heard rumours of singing in the library, she had decided to investigate. It went round campus that late at night a voice could be heard singing in the library, a haunting melody. Hauntingly beautiful. But no one had found the cause of it. Dryden, the mythology major had scoffed and put it down to a late April Fool's. Hitomi knew better.

She hadn't thrown her _entire _life away to find out what it was. But she had spent six nights late at the library, telling herself she needed the notes for lectures and revision. If anything she was proud of herself for not setting up camp in the library. After all, the vampires had been dealt with. So in all likelihood, _he_ would be long gone. She hadn't wondered if she would bump into him, the possibility was minute if he didn't want to see her.

Despite all this pride, Hitomi was keenly aware that each night she had been in the library she hadn't heard a thing. And it bothered her.

Was the creature aware of her? Worried? Hiding from her? Hitomi rubbed her eyes on this, the seventh night she was in the library, still in curfew as it stayed open until 2 am coming up to exams. Not that anyone else was this desperate to revise one month before exams.

Yawning, she stirred at an irritating crackling sound and realized that maybe she wasn't the only geek in the Library. But something felt off in the air. Ever since she had purified a vampire, something her grandmother had not stopped mentioning in pride, her senses felt keener. And the sensation she was getting wasn't from the broken air conditioning. Her ever trusty bottle of water and ofuda/bottle wrapper stayed in reach as she closed her eyes and tried to feel her way round the library.

Her eyes snapped open as the crackling sound grew louder. It definitely wasn't a mobile phone. Nor was it a vampire's call. So what was it? A necromancer's staff? Sprites? Not that she felt capable of stuffing them in a jar again without help. Two different sets of ki felt their way towards her and Hitomi turned sharply as the nearest, more familiar one gripped her arm and spun her round.

She fell dumb in shock at him. Van stood directly in front of her, the moon behind him—as if on purpose—only augmenting the difference between him and human males. And he was staring at her like a starving dragon.

"Van."

"Hey." He murmured, sending a shiver down her back and Hitomi felt completely out of control and unsure of herself. The sleepy part of her mind told her to go with the flow and the idea didn't seem all that daunting as he stepped towards her stopping only inches from her.

She looked up into his eyes and felt more than any other occasion overwhelmed by his gaze. He was impossible to read, but the itch of her bare thighs pressed together let her know how she was reacting to him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Protecting you." Any haze of attraction dribbled away as she glared at him.

"What the hell do you mean?" only to stiffen in shock as his arms wrapped round her torso, pulling her flush against his chest. The crushed feeling of her breasts heightened whatever she sensed, overcoming the sting of discomfort.

His mouth descended, blowing delectably cool air against her neck and ear as he whispered, "You have no idea..." Hitomi lost her ability to speak at the extremely strange way he was behaving, flinching in surprise and slight arousal as she murmured, her own voice quietening,

"Did you just lick my neck?"

If she was attempting to sound irate, it came out all wrong as he only replied with an, "Mmm," dropping open mouthed kisses from the tip of her ear down to the base of her neck.

"Van," she gasped as his hands slid from her back, round her waist to pull her hips flush against his, then walking her backwards so her thighs pressed against an empty table, his mouth marking her collarbone.

"Why?" she managed to articulate, mingling with a moan, arching against him as his denim clad knee slid between her bare thighs, her dress hitching up to an inappropriate height.

Her hemline lost her attention as her over-stimulated nerves felt the brush of his fingers along the inside of her thigh. Somewhere between her sudden lustful haze and the sheer confusion of Van's turbulent change in personality, a reflex sprung to action. Her thighs clamped together as best they could with his knee between them and his hand sliding over her thigh, moving towards the top hem of her panties.

"Van." She growled in fuming shock at his actions, unable to control her body's response to him as her hips rose towards him, shuddering as he bit the underside of her neck. He pulled back and she could only stare at the dazzling man in front of her, her body suddenly aching for his touch.

Confusion only grew as he smiled regretfully at her, his voice no longer silky and seductive but unsure and lost, embarrassingly causing the ache to flare more so in her. "I can't help myself. I told myself I would stay away from you but I couldn't. Especially not now, not tonight."

Hitomi found the courage and adrenaline to stare at him, no doubt heatedly but her bewilderment was apparent as he bent down again to nuzzle the other side of her neglected neck, murmuring between kisses, "Heightened senses…not always a blessing…I can smell blood…_yours_."

She blushed furiously and muttered mortified,

"My peri… that was three weeks ago," unconsciously turning away from him, giving him better access to her skin. Her hands gripped his shoulders, a cry tore from her throat as he sucked on her pulse, nipping achingly up to her ear and then across the exposed collarbone from her dress.

"Exactly." He breathed, giving her goosebumps shivers, "You're in the middle of your cycle. At your peak. Your most fertile state. Newly reached." A jolt ran from her neck down her spine as Van ground his hips against hers, his face inches away from her, "Your scent is nothing I've experienced before. Add to the fact you're untouched…"

His words brought Hitomi back to the situation as he groaned from her nails digging into his arms, his eyes devouring the bare skin that the fallen straps of her dress had exposed. She was practically engaging in foreplay with a Draconian who admitted to being aroused at her fertility and her virginity. There was no way she was going to let Van screw her into a table because he was in heat. Or rather he was affected by her being in heat.

Her mouth opened to berate him and tell him to fuck off but the words passed to his mouth as he kissed her. The sensations overloaded on her as his mouth, fingers, thighs, and hips combined to enthral her. Not that Hitomi had any problems reciprocating as her fingers slid into his mess of hair, pressing her body into his as he leaned against her, making every inch of skin count.

In the distance she heard a clock strike but she wasn't Cinderella and the man ravishing her wasn't Prince Charming. She had moved onto the desk, allowing his legs between hers, locking her ankles around his back as they moved against each other, gasping and moaning as hands touched and teased. Her hand slid under his shirt, revering his well defined muscles she had been itching to reach along his back, rippling against her touch.

Hitomi no longer cared if she did lose her virginity jacked up on hormones to Van, who wasn't completely human. Part of her revelled at the possibility of _inhuman _stamina but something shattered her desiring haze.

Pulling her mouth from being plundered by his, Hitomi whipped round, sheeted in sweat, gasping for breath and feeling nervous. Not only by the fact they were now horizontal. That sound again came crashing down on her ears and she winced. Her fingers were laced with his and forced above her head, as he bent down to kiss her again, muttering.

"Ignore it. Think of me. _Only_ of me."

His eyes were the key. If she wanted to remember that Van definitely wasn't human, then she knew to look in his eyes. As she was at that very moment his gaze told her everything she needed to know, him looking down at her as his hands gripped her thighs. Momentarily though, her back suddenly arching into the desk underneath her as his fingers slid over her dress and then beneath it, kisses planted on the underside of her knee.

Hitomi had a feeling this was a bad idea.

"If you're embarrassed…" Hell yes she was embarrassed. By the gods he shouldn't have been anywhere near her or she near him but how could she stop him? Did she want to? "…close your eyes."

Ornate text sprung to the hazed forefront of her mind, "_In the act of mating or claiming a mate, Draconians mark their claim on an intimate part of their intended."_ She had no time to ask herself whether it was perverse to be turned on by such a thing as his teeth nipped further up the inside of her thigh, increasing in force.

She had no clue how she managed it, but Hitomi shifted her weight, forcing him upright as she sat up, placing a hand over his mouth. Dazed by him and confused, she murmured, "What is that?"

"Don't listen to it. Damn siren." She met his gaze, still breathing heavily and asked,

"That? That awful sound is a siren? It sounds horrific." Van gave her no time to react as he slammed his lips over hers, kissing her with a force that definitely felt unearthly.

Once again Hitomi felt entirely out of her depth as he pulled back, smiling so fondly at her adding to her overwhelmed daze. There was no awareness to be embarrassed at her blush, her entire focus on Van.

"You don't want to go to him?"

"Him?" her reverie wavering at the revelation she turned to the source of the noise. Siren or not, it unnerved her and yet she sensed something to the sound. It was some form of call, and it was targeting someone. Targeting her.

Her hands shot out and held Van's shoulders away from her. "We need to find the siren."

"No," came the forced, almost desperate response as Hitomi managed to get out of his grip and walk a few shaky steps. Not that her speed was enough as his arms bolted round her, her uncomfortably warm back pulled firmly against his chest.

"Van!" she hissed in anger then surprise as he distracted her with his mouth on her neck. She flinched at the sudden sensation of his teeth teasingly scraping her neck, inhuman teeth.

Hitomi managed to turn round and watched, stunned as his canines had somehow elongated. Something rippled between her thighs and she wondered if she could be called a sadist by feeling drawn to his inhuman features. She leaned into him, enchanted, up to his lips as he pulled her off the ground, groaning at the friction between them. Mindless bliss was snatched again as the awful noise grew louder, deafening her.

Pulling away from Van, she managed to turn and gasped in shock.

"Allen?"

* * *

Theme 22: Blood

Words: 6,085

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Cleaning blood that dripped down his arm, Hitomi sighed as any thought of being alone in the King's bedroom failed to emerge, her entire focus on the gash he had sustained.

"You fought with Allen again didn't you?"

"Sparred." He muttered back, looking out his window, attempting to be nonchalant. Hitomi knew exactly why they had sparred and wasn't happy.

"I pity Allen." She watched his posture tense, conscious of his ignorance to her feelings. She smiled mischievously as she continued, "You let him do this. Gods know how badly injured he is."

Apparently her meaning was still lost on him. Gathering her courage she finished tying the bandage, watching with narrowed eyes as the centre of it blossomed red only a second later. She was glad he was looking out the window still as she bent down and pressed her lips to the bare skin above it, now free from spatter, holding her nerve as she let them linger on the skin, exhaling slowly as she moved away to look him in the eye.

"A Mystic Moon custom. It should make the injury better."

**

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**

Thanks go to:

Doctor Kiba – Yep Allen can't touch this! And thanks!

Laka

Sora Sings – Yes definitely! Van/Hitomi FTW! (that's the only txt spk I actually like ^^)

Tanwen Whitefire – Thanks! Glad you liked both.

KyriaHitomi – It was, wasn't it? *giggles* But a good April Fool nonetheless.

thepinkmartini – Wasn't Merle great as a cat? And once again Love for Varie. We should start a club!

Lil' Dinky - *huggles for the long review* And I like your idea about Van. Who knows what will happen.

Chibimimi - :D Thank you! And yes there will be one ;)

Jav-chan – Demands. Demands. Don't I answer them? Kidnap sequel huh? We shall see. Here's part one anyway of Bites ;)

lesamoureux – Apologies if I scarred you into thinking it was Allen *shudders.* And apologies to your boyfriend. Remember, Van's only imaginary *cries and swallows bottle of tranquilizers*

emmarick – Thank you! Yeah I would like full-length for some, but I'm either too lazy or don't have enough ideas

omgshoes – Cheers! There is a possibility of a follow up of B&B. And yes LOVE for Pushing Daisies! Another shot will be based on another episode ^^

effervesence – Thank you! And some will have continuations. Promise! :D

jen313j

ChiKa YuMe


	11. Tacit Violence

A/N: WARNING: references to drug use. Nothing terrible though, just a reference. And if you're offended by the suggestion of darker, more corrupt things in life, then don't read.

Apologies in advance to Allen, Marlene and Chid fans. And for the delay. *dogeza* Title comes from C-Pop song by Jolin Tsai. Check it out! XD

Oh and Happy St. George's Day, useless as it is :P

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Tacit Violence

Van sighed as he sat on the stone bench. It felt strange to wear normal clothes again. It baffled him also, that slight feeling of nervousness. He had been away from the outside world for six months now and he had got used to the routine set here.

He knew that if Dilandau found this out he'd choke on whatever hydrogenated pork product in his mouth and hopefully die from it whilst laughing. He wondered how Hitomi was.

Shaking his head and finding himself suddenly annoyed by the longer bangs that now hid his face he stood up, pulling the bag onto his shoulder and nodding to one of the older monks. The abnormal part of him felt almost sad at having to leave the temple. Granted it hadn't been a holiday by any means, he found comfort in the silence and prayers of this sanctuary. But the majority of him couldn't wait to see his _family_.

Walking out of the heavily decorated doors, one of the few parts of the temple that was adorned, he inhaled the city smog as he walked down the long set of cliché slate steps towards his temporary freedom. Halfway down was Mahad-sama sitting peacefully, watching the orange glow on the horizon with a knowing smile on his face. Van stopped and sat down beside him, feeling unable to walk right past him so disrespectfully.

"So you are leaving?"

"For a day." Van explained, feeling guilty at his deception in front of this holy man.

"Ah yes, from sunset to sunset we let you have a day to return to _normal _life. To see if this path is what you truly want."

"You disagree with this design Mahad-sama?" he enquired, curious to the thoughts of the elder monk. He watched carefully as the older man smiled slowly, wistfully as he replied.

"I feel that once a man has made the commitment to our way of life he should not be questioned. If he feels he does not wish for the material comforts of the consumerist world he should not be forced to return to it. Even for a day." Van nodded, understanding the man's words, feeling a pang of guilt as he had too been enamoured with his material and occasionally carnal comforts.

It took him aback when Mahad slapped him on the back jovially and grinned.

"You misunderstand me boy. When I say the consumerist world, I do not condemn every other person outside of our doors as lawless, godless people. There are many devout people who do not take up vows. I mean the people who lose themselves to money and other vices that destroy them. Even though some are happily embedded with vices, I know that their existences are not completely happy."

In awe of the monk he nodded, trying not to offend him and prayed to Buddha with all his soul that it wouldn't be Dilandau that would pick him up.

"Van, enjoy your hours away but return to us with a full, settled heart. These vices, they may seem good for you, better than gods. It all depends on your viewpoint. Personally I prefer inner peace to pounding music and a line of cocaine." Van could only stare at the monk smiling at him slowly.

"It seems you have someone to meet you." Mahad supplied, changing the topic and shocking Van back to reality.

He nodded and thanked the monk for his words, standing up and pulling his bag back on his shoulder starting once again down the steps crisscrossed with shadows. Squinting, Van once again prayed it wasn't Dilandau at the gates with a flashy car and a harem of scantily clad women. Better yet no Dilandau at all. As he stepped further down and reached the shade, he grimaced at the silver haired man wearing—most likely—designer sunglasses.

He sighed in relief at the sensible car he had brought. The last thing he wanted was to be driven away in an obviously stolen and overly ostentatious car. On second thought he wondered if it would help them, but decided it was best there was no scene from a hip hop video outside the gates, only Dilandau. He ignored the disappointment that Hitomi wasn't with him.

As his feet touched the city street level, he inhaled and screwed up his face at the sizeable increase in pollution. Was the air 500 metres above the city all that cleaner? Once again Van inwardly paused at the metaphysical change from the Temple to the city. He nodded and smiled briefly at the monk at the gate who nodded back and watched as he pushed the gate and stepped into the city.

He had no time whatsoever to say anything as Dilandau threw his arms around him, rugby tackling him then letting go as if there had been no physical contact whatsoever. Nor was he given the opportunity to ask what had happened to Dilandau to make the man touch him in a way that wasn't initiating a fight.

"Good to see you man." Came the gravelly voice of the smirking man as he clapped him on the shoulder. Van smiled back. "Let's start the orgy shall we?"

The smile left his face, shifting into a weary look as a groan escaped him.

Sighing at the evil grin on his friend's face he walked round the car, opening the trunk and throwing his bag inside. Slamming the roof down, he sighed again and addressed Dilandau for the first time.

"Where are we going?"

"Where do you want to go cousin? After all, this is your last night of freedom…" Van walked round to the passenger door, opened it and slid into his seat, focusing on the missing musketeer, but not too much he reminded himself.

Tuning back into Dilandau's ramblings he heard him end the sentence as he turned the key in the ignition.

"Seeing as you'll never get married I guess this should be a Stag night of sorts. So how does a lap-dancing club sound? Maybe a couple of hookers. I know some good ones."

"I bet you do." He mumbled, sliding down the seat as the silver haired devil prattled on.

xxx

Dilandau was surprised by how unenthusiastic his _cousin_ had been upon leaving the Monastery. If it had been him, then he knew he would have raced down those steps and into the first willing pair of legs he could find. But Van wasn't like that. And that was why _he_ had gone into the Monastery.

They had argued for a good half hour, driving into the city centre as neon signs blazed, dotted from one building to the next. He had been gracious enough to take his newly released _relative_ to a McDonalds. Van had always had simple tastes.

The same thought reoccurred to him as they parked in the dimly lit cavernous car park. Checking his watch for the fifth time since he had met Van at the Monastery gates, he calculated his _cousin_ had been free for two hours. Giving them twenty-two to spare. All that was left was to pick up Hitomi. He realized he had immersed himself in his role a little too much as he felt a buzz of adrenalin kick in, wondering what their reaction to one another would be.

He noticed how wary Van looked as they walked over to the black door with a universally understood velvet rope and a hustled long queue that went out into the street of barely clothes people looking for a good time. Watching Van look at the crowd and then down at his black t-shirt, jeans and trainers, he clapped him on the shoulder and grinned malevolently.

"Don't worry cuz, you're with me. Everyone lets _me_ in. Even if I brought the Mayor they'd let me in."

Dilandau smiled inwardly as his dark haired compatriot relaxed and rolled his eyes.

"So I'm equal to the Mayor on an embarrassment scale?" he laughed in response and strutted up to the two beefy men with thick necks and earpieces that seemed ingrown. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he revelled at the people standing at the front of the queue and how pissed off they looked.

There were definite perks to his current occupation.

As big and burly number one sized him up, Dilandau lifted his blood red sunglasses so they sat atop his hair like a crown and raised an arrogant eyebrow to him. The other, obviously more intelligent bouncer gasped and stumbled over his words in recognition.

"Al-Alba-Albatou-sama. Please come this way."

A pleasurable jolt swam to his gut as the velvet rope unhooked with a clang and the two sides of beef stood to either side. Turning back, he jerked his head towards the door as Van sighed and started to follow.

Once again from the corner of his eye he could see the more stupid of the two idiots starting to step across the threshold, barring Van's way. Dilandau sighed and hooked his foot round the idiot's ankle, sending him crashing to the tarmac, looking down his nose at the ignoramus. "He's with me. I'll let you off for this one. Remember my mercy. It rarely happens." Van once again rolled his eyes. Was this the only social gesture he could remember?

Dilandau turned back to the entrance and was stopped by a female. Not bad looking either, with half her goods on show, not that he was ever that picky. But his infamous reputation had to be upheld so he threw her hand off his arm forcefully, enough to rebound her hand smack into the girl behind her. If his cronies had been with him, he would have feigned interest in the start of the catfight, but this was different.

Van stepped over the dazed bouncer and walked into the even dimmer lit nightclub. It amused him to see Van wince at the sheer volume. Maybe silence and inner peace wasn't so great after all?

xxx

Hitomi was not happy at being banned from going to pick Van up. They had agreed primarily they would both go, giving them an entire day to all catch up. But things had changed. Dilandau had put his _foot down_, said it was dangerous and a whole lot of other crap. And he had reminded her she still had to go to work, even for a half shift.

Unwilling she had stood behind the decks, switching on the lasers and changing their patterns accordingly. She had checked her watch, having googled when sunset would be that day. In a daze, both worried and excited, she had felt slightly apart from herself as she had set up and started DJing to the opening doors. It had been over two hours since Van would have been collected she calculated.

But that didn't mean she was an impatient woman, not by any means. She had spent a lot of time waiting for people and places enough to stop herself from getting agitated. But it had been six months since she had seen him smile, last growled at him smirking and for stealing her ramen. She missed him.

Marlene was aware of her intention of leaving early, and had decided to give Chid the chance to try his hand at the decks for a few hours. She had made a sanctimonious speech about the importance of family in between yelling at her son over the phone for bunking school again. It had taken every ounce of self control not to laugh or walk away before her boss started asking about her delightful silver-haired _cousin._

It had always been a calculated risk working for Marlene Aston, made even worse by her teenage son coming onto her at every skin crawling moment. But Hitomi felt that if the others were contributing, she should too. And there were time when she got more than enough for the cause. She had found and secretly freed two kidnap victims in the club offices. Not to mention their biggest lead yet was down to her sneaking into offices and photocopying files.

Despite her happiness at being able to _hopefully_ see Van again, she knew it was also weighing against her. For whatever short time they would all spend together, she would now have to fight two overbearing men to do what she wanted. After all, it wasn't as if they could be selective.

Her eyes scanned the crowd undulating to the song of her choice but there were no silver haired men. It would be the only way to find him she knew, and even with her ease at scouring a dark room, there were many dark haired men; even a few of Dilandau's cronies had similar hairstyles to him. They could also turn into spectacular arseholes, but unlike with Van, she felt a swift kick to the crotch was the only remedy.

The song switched to a heavier bass and the dancers switched accordingly. Unlike most nights, she found herself incapable of losing herself with the crowd to the music, the music she chose, songs she wanted to hear. Her nerves were winding tighter and tighter as time passed, its value never greater to her. There was a time and place for messing around and Van only had a day free, so where the hell were they?

Lost completely in her thoughts and terrifying scenarios involving Van and Dilandau being discovered for who they really were, she bit her tongue to stop the scream as a hand curled round her bare shoulder. The palm slick with sweat slid off down her arm and brushed the curve of her breast. As she turned to face her would be assailant she knew the move was deliberate, meeting the sparkling blue gaze of her boss' teenage son.

She suddenly regretted the red halter-neck top, recalling the teen's perverted words months before and at his current leer that definitely wasn't at her face. It only added to her nauseous feeling when his voice squeaked before dropping to a baritone.

"Hitomi-chan! Mother wants you in the V.I.P. lounge. Your shift's almost over, I'm in charge now."

Having to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the very stupid and disastrous attempt at innuendo, she managed to plaster a smile on her face at the teen still ogling her despite her top being far more modest than that of his mother's. Gritting her teeth, she put on her best smile before replying.

"Of course Chid-chan. Look after the decks carefully for me. And stick to the playlist, ok?"

Slinking away with an extra evil swing to her hips in time with the beat, she gladly let herself smirk, knowing her patronising tone would keep the horny bugger at bay for at least a good few weeks. Hitomi decided to take the back staircase up to the V.I.P. lounge, curious as to why her boss suddenly wanted to talk to her. Usually Marlene only approached her in a false motherly way when she wanted something or to show her off to other seedy club owners. None of which she was in the mood for.

Reaching the top step, she unhooked the tacky velvet rope and turned towards the jarringly fake raucous laughter. Her boss lounged on a plush couch and was leaning against a distinctly uncomfortable man. One with glaringly silver hair. Her smirk grew as she watched her _cousin_ squirm only for her jaw to drop in shock at who sat across from the pair.

It was merely the fact she hadn't seen him in just over half a year that made her heart race. Nothing more, just maybe a slice of embarrassment at the way she was dressed, that caused her to blush so vividly. She inwardly cringed at what his reaction would be to her wearing something slightly less indecent than hotpants, but not covering much more skin.

A wolf whistle echoed and she turned with a vicious glare, rolling her eyes as one of Dilandau's potential cronies recoiled at the ferocity in her gaze. The hatred disappeared in the blink of an eye as she focused her gaze on the silver haired man trying to escape the mauling her boss was attempting. She strode forward, with all the confidence she had managed to gain since her change of lifestyle and coughed quietly when she reached her boss' side.

The sheer gaze of her boss told her how inopportune Marlene felt her arrival was. Over her boss' shoulder she could see Dilandau felt the polar opposite, trying to slide away. The blonde woman swiftly switched back to her bubbly persona and took Hitomi's hand in an almost sisterly way, her forceful grip however betrayed her anger at the interruption.

"Hitomi-chan! Am I so glad I hired you! How else would I have met this wonderful, charming man you call your cousin!"

Hitomi found herself biting her cheek this time to avoid laughing or even smirking as Marlene let go of her own hand to stroke Dilandau's designer trouser clad thigh. She had no time to even turn her gaze to the real reason she had come up to the exclusive lounge as her boss spoke again in the same honeyed, immature tones.

"And your god-like cousin brings along another apparition. One apparently that _is_ saint-like. In both words _and _deeds."

It was most definitely a strange moment meeting Van's eyes. Smiling honestly and surprised at his change of hairstyle, she found herself also wondering whether the incapacity for innuendo was genetic or nurtured in the Aston family. But the odd thought left her when he stood up, by far the most casually dressed in the club, yet still retaining a powerful bearing and moved to embrace her.

Her arms tightened round his neck instinctively and she only smelled his neck by accident, enjoying the feeling of his desperately needed hug. But her overflowing happiness at their reunion faded to irritation when he muttered against her ear as he pulled away.

"Is the visibility of your panty-line intentional?"

Anger shot through her veins at his sudden transformation into every other pig and pervert that passed through _Godashim_'s doors. Hitomi had no idea what possessed her but she gripped his arm, stopping him for a second as she replied swiftly, a red mist in her gaze.

"It's either that or not wear any."

Nevertheless his reaction knocked her even further off balance. She had been tightly wound, waiting for the all-important reunion that was desperately needed between them all. She hadn't expected him to treat her differently, but his gaze seemed distinctly unfamiliar to her, something in his eyes that she had never seen before. Hitomi's already churning stomach decided to put it down to shock at meeting her wearing clothes she would never have touched six months ago.

It was an effort then to put on a _real_ smile on her face and sit down next to him, with Dilandau and Marlene opposite. They needed to get out of the sordid club and get talking. But the look on Marlene's face told her there was no way she would let the two men leave without a fight. Chid's tendency for acting like a pervert towards her seemed well-learnt from his mother as the blonde woman leaned across the table for a glass well within her reach and flashed an indecent amount of cleavage.

"Ne, Hitomi-chan! Your family seems to be blessed with such good genes!" As a recipient of the remark, she found herself unable to answer at such an absurd comment.

Luckily Dilandau kept his cool persona and murmured, "You should meet our parents."

Any lingering discomfort or resentment at anyone at the table evaporated at her _cousin's_ wonderfully barbed comment. Whether it was intentional or not, her gaze met Van's and the amusement only spread between them as she saw his dismal attempt to hide a smirk. Dilandau's expression remained aloof and unchanged, his eyes roving the V.I.P. lounge as if he was looking for someone and therefore silently dismissing Marlene and her horrendous attempt at getting into _his_ pants.

She kept herself from looking at her boss, offering a small sentiment of female solidarity, giving the older woman a chance to recompose herself and pretend the remark hadn't happened. Turning her head back from pretending to observe the crowd, she saw her boss turn her back and look at the bar, before turning back round to face Dilandau and smiled, though with less effort this time. Hitomi crossed her fingers that Marlene wouldn't throw a hissy fit and prayed the silver haired idiot hadn't supplied her with anything.

"If you'll forgive me, I have an associate I need to speak with. It was good to see you Dilandau, take care of my best DJ." There was a collective sigh of relief from her and the _monk_ as Marlene slid off the sofa, ignoring her, Van and now Dilandau as she strode to the bar and pounced on her next victim.

The silver haired man opposite them seemed content to remain lounging on the expensive leather seats, yawning as he spoke, "Well that was interesting."

"You're an idiot." Van replied and she couldn't stop the smile that slid across her face. It didn't go unnoticed as Dilandau smirked and replaced the sunglasses in front of his eyes obnoxiously before commenting.

"It seems Hito-chan is glad the old crowd is back together." The snort coming from the dark haired man only widened her smile at their age-old antics. But the glint of Dilandau's garishly expensive watch stopped her content feeling, along with the unspoken name.

"Glad as I am, we have how long left?" her voice split the wavering smirk on Dilandau's face and she could see from the corner of her eyes and the sweeping lasers that Van was surprised by her sudden change in attitude. It was something he would have to get used to.

"Twenty-one hours." Dilandau curtly replied and stood up in sync with her as their sense of urgency kicked in.

Hitomi felt the difference of six months as she stared down at the dark haired man and gently tapped his shin with the tip of her high heel and muttered. "Come on. We've got work to do. Or do you want to just sit here and get hammered?"

"I already suggested it, the workaholic already said no." Her haughty expression fell apart at Dilandau's reply, followed by Van's reaction to stand up.

She turned with as much grace as her heels allowed her before walking towards the stairs to the exit. It seemed Dilandau was just as eager to leave as his pace quickly surpassed hers, walking in front and ignoring a woman in a silver dress with an awful cleavage. She in turn ignored the odd catcall from drunken men. Only when she looked over her shoulder did she see the anger in her old friend's eyes.

It hit her properly at that point just how far the three of them had moved apart in just six measly months. Van seemed shocked by her clothes and felt even more overprotective when men verbally appreciated the lack of it. Both concepts were probably inconceivable to the _monk_ as Hitomi had previously shied away from skirts that had hems above the knee. Not to mention the lack of male attention she received.

Van's sudden brotherly protective gesture made her smile and she reached out for his arm, pulling him in the right direction, muttering as she kept a firm grip on his bare forearm.

"Ignore it. They're worthless." She had to fight her jaw from grinning or moving closer to him when he spoke through gritted teeth.

"You don't deserve such disgusting comments. They need—"

Hitomi really wasn't appreciative of his inclination towards violence, it merely amused her how quickly he was riled.

"—They're smacked off their faces on whatever they can throw down their throats Van. They probably see swirly lights and drag queens. Not me ok?" The look he gave her reminded her of the misgivings she was already having about their upcoming conversations. She had always taken a silent role before, doing paperwork and cerebral tasks; it would be hard to give Van time to adjust to the change.

xxx

Dilandau could see the astonishment on his _cousin's_ face as they slid into the car. It was also intriguing to note that Van wasn't just staring at Hitomi's face through the rear view mirror. His smirk remained as subtle as possible as they set out of the car park and towards the desired destination. Maybe the _holy man_ would pay more attention to their female relative's _words_ when she had a pair of jeans covering her legs.

He wasn't all that surprised by Van's reaction to Hitomi. After all, the girl had rarely worn anything other than jeans before she had started working in Marlene's club. But the silver haired man would never tell the man sitting next to him that _he_ had gone on the shopping trip with Hitomi to buy clothes her boss had demanded that were more _appropriate_ for working in a nightclub.

He knew not to mention the tiny black dress that had been bought on the infamous shopping trip, it would probably cause Van's head to explode. And most definitely not because of the Monastery's celibacy rule. That would only be the icing on the proverbial cake.

When he had first seen Hitomi wearing tight leather trousers and a camisole top behind the DJ decks, he had felt shock at her actually wearing such risqué and revealing clothes, before the brotherly protective instinct to break any man's jaw that disrespected her. He had almost expected the auburn haired woman to respond with violence. But she had kept her determination to the cause and let all the sick comments roll off her like polluted water. After six months he was used to her change of style and had to admit that maybe the change was somewhat beneficial for the female.

No doubt Van would feel different. And it wouldn't be out of _brotherly_ affection.

However it made him curious as to how Van would react if he saw her fake tattoo. Maybe he wouldn't tell him it was fake and see how far Van would go. The poor man had been in a cell for six months kneeling and praying with no women or alcohol, he needed some amusement. Though he doubted either Hitomi or Van would appreciate the suggestion of a lap-dance.

Dilandau clenched his jaw to stop a yawn, remembering the numerous lectures from Van about driving when tired. Never mind with a car full of stoners. But it was probable the dark haired man wouldn't notice as his gaze had been fixed on the rear view mirror ever since they had got in the car. It had turned unwavering when Hitomi had slung her bare legs over the middle seat and crossed her ankles.

His smirk spread across his face and he made no attempt to hide it this time as Van was probably enjoying what would seem like porn to the _monk_. But the dark haired man surprised him again as he muttered quietly.

"We're being followed. Silver Toyota, can't see the registration plate, but they're definitely following us and making no attempt to hide it." Dilandau hid his surprise as best he could, and glanced at the car exceedingly visible to him in the rear view mirror. Narrowing his eyes, he could sense it wasn't anyone he knew.

"Is it one of yours?" Van asked, his voice taking on an edge that he hadn't heard in just over seven months and the memories that came with it shook his collected exterior. Even Hitomi took her legs off the back seat to look out the window at the wing mirror, turning back to her old self.

"Can't say I recognise the vehicle." She murmured keeping her gaze firmly on the wing mirror.

"It's unlikely. I don't recognise the car and the Dragon Slayers are taught how to follow someone. Almost like—"

"—Like what?" Dilandau gripped the wheel tighter as Van's tone of voice changed, not to panic but he seemed far more alert than he had been when checking out his subordinate's figure.

"Like our training. They know how to be inconspicuous."

"What about if they want someone to know they're being followed?" Hitomi asked, her voice muted, again reminding Dilandau of the awful night that had led to their current situation. He hated the silence that followed, both his cohorts expectant of an answer.

"Then we'd have been rammed off the road or shot by now. We've driving through areas where Uniform officers aren't bothered to patrol. They'd have free reign here. And trust me it's not the Dragon Slayers."

Once again it was Hitomi who asked the awful question.

"What if we've been exposed?" It wasn't silence that followed the question this time, but dread. Van at least might suffer, but if he and Hitomi had been caught, the torture they would have to face would be merciless. Especially if _his_ underlings were the ones after them.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine today? First time we've been together in months and you start to panic we've been caught."

"We have." Came the stomach wrenching words from his past superior's mouth. At that moment Dilandau felt something flash through his mind. Shockingly it wasn't his mother or the memorable moments of his life, it was Merle. The mouthy records clerk he loved to antagonize and watch her fits of anger. And that frightened him beyond belief.

"I recognise that car. It's Allen's." The image of Merle's fury faded with the mingled confusion into relief. The car was Allen Schezar's. Only then did worry slide back into his conscious as Hitomi sat up sharply, her feet slamming against the floor of the backseat, panic rising in her voice, "What? How the hell…"

He understood her fear perfectly, knowing just how frightening the Captain could be. Even Van with his preceding superiority couldn't save them from Schezar's legendary wrath. Especially with Hitomi currently working for a woman well known for illegal dealings, and then him, _him_ as the chief of the Dragon Slayers in the main district of the city. They were well and truly screwed.

The silver haired man had had many pin-prick moments of speculation over what could possibly go wrong with their plan. But never had it occurred to him a previous superior would be involved. Most of them involved being discovered and tortured by his fellow Dragon Slayers, others involved him watching or being forced to kill his two colleagues. It was strange to think their pretence of familial bonds actually felt truthful. Especially at a time like this where the Head Honcho of the district could find them and string them all up for multiple offences.

It was most definitely a rare moment when Dilandau felt a sliver of resentment to the man that recruited him into the Police Force. But he knew if he hadn't met Balgus there was no doubt he would have ended up as warped and perverse as the men he called his _cronies_ under his current cover. Looking to Van, he noticed that his eyes hadn't left the rear view mirror, but he seemed oddly calm.

xxx

"Where are we going exactly?" He asked, a flicker of curiosity seeping past his whirring thoughts over their current occupations.

Dilandau looked at him for a second before turning his gaze back onto the deserted street and replying quietly, "A flat Hitomi's been using. It's only a few streets away. Why? Do you want me to lose him?"

It felt strange to be back in a situation that seemed so familiar to him, aside from the gaping hole between the three of them, after the six months where Dilandau and Hitomi seemed to have changed significantly. He would have to talk to the silver haired demon separately when he could ask why the hell Hitomi had chosen to dress in such a provocative manner. Asking _her_ the question would no doubt result in a slap, and he didn't want her to give him silent treatment for the sole day he was able to see her.

Focusing on the task at hand he kept his gaze on the car behind him, barely making out the man driving at the wheel, but the number-plate he knew was definitely Allen's. He had seen it enough times when the arse had stolen _his_ parking space, not that such a trivial issue mattered anymore. Weighing his options he answered Dilandau's question slowly, curious as to what Schezar's presence meant.

"No, go to the flat. Park outside and stop. I want to see what Allen does—"

"—Force his hand first?" Hitomi questioned, making Dilandau snort at her ability to keep up with his thought pattern. Van had to focus on the car he could see in the mirror to stop himself whacking their snarky driver upside the head. His once quiet and thoughtful subordinate and friend had changed spectacularly in the half a year they had been separated.

He prayed she hadn't completely gone off the rails to match her stealthy activities and change of lifestyle. It was a horrible question to ask but Van felt it was never more appropriate seeing both of them after six months. Had Balgus' death really changed them all so acutely? He had had long enough to question himself over the matter, but it took on a different angle when he had met the other two survivors of that night.

"Yeah. He's not signalling for us to pull over and he's made it blatantly obvious he's following us. So it definitely means something." His logic didn't sound all that solid to own ears but when his eyes met the emerald ones of the woman he had thought of for most of his seclusion, the hesitant smile she gave him just about saved his flailing confidence.

"Ok boss."

The words definitely sounded strange to his ears after everything, but Van paid attention to Dilandau's words, preparing himself for whatever confrontation they were about to have. "There's a stretch of road free up ahead. I'll slow down, park and then wait." The silver haired man turned his head for a second to watch him nod in confirmation before he tightened his already white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel and pressed down on the brake.

Van kept a steady eye as their pursuer slowed down expertly only a second after Dilandau had and followed them at a steady pace towards the free parking spaces. Only when the engine stopped and the car fell silent did he wonder whether he should have let Dilandau try to shake off the Captain of the Caeli Knights. Allen was an excellent officer, but Van knew Dilandau had astounding driving skills that often veered away from adhering to traffic laws.

Still he didn't want a reason to aggravate Schezar and if the idiot really attempted to stop or even arrest the three of them, Van had no doubt the they would pull off an evasion manoeuvre their old mentor would be twistedly proud of. He could remember many an occasion where Balgus had declared Schezar needed a good old-fashioned beating.

Stirrings of a feeling he hadn't properly dealt with seven months before rose again as Hitomi muttered quietly.

"How likely is it that he's here to arrest us?"

The rising protective reflex fell apart as Dilandau turned to the back seat and grinned widely, as they all heard the sound of a car door slamming shut.

"No worries 'tomi-chan! If Allen has the stupidity to arrest us we'll give him the smack-down. And haven't you dreamed of such an opportunity for years? It'd be a shame to let it go to waste."

The glaringly false innocent grin on Dilandau's face sent all three into fits of laughter, inconsiderate of the approaching footsteps. Van barely caught Hitomi's words between giggles about 'Goldilocks…three bears…' but Dilandau started slamming his fist on the dashboard to show his amusement. It was an odd stray thought but amusing nonetheless as Van wondered whether Allen would try and arrest them for _appearing_ to be under the influence of a narcotic.

But his bizarre musings along with the car-full of laughter stopped as a tall man with long blonde hair rapped his knuckles on Dilandau's window and gestured for him to open the door. The dark haired man had to bite his tongue as his companion decided to play the obnoxious card and instead deliberately locked the doors. Only then did he wind down his window, looking out at the looming figure with a reckless expression.

"How can we be of help Officer?" Van bit his tongue to stop any laugh or amused expression escape him at Dilandau's overly innocent and almost femininely toned remark. As he turned in his seat to look out at Allen he could see Hitomi place a hand over her mouth before a forced coughing fit occurred. It was a genuine smile that passed across his face at the warm recollection of her inability to smother laughter or amusement.

Not that it would help them if Allen felt like being petulant towards them.

"I'm not here to play games Albatou—"

"—Really? Not even a game of Scrabble? Twister?" Once again Dilandau put on an overly feminine voice and Van felt the kick he delivered to his shin was deserved as the silver haired man turned swiftly to glare at him before turning back to Allen and deliver a blisteringly sickening smile.

He was taken by complete shock when Allen lowered his tone and muttered.

"I'm here to help idiots. Get out of the car so we're not seen." It was a minute gesture that he made, but it was good to know Dilandau and Hitomi could still read Van's actions as they all got out of the car quietly. Dilandau and Hitomi walked in their intended direction, and he hung back opening the trunk and taking his bag out, waiting for Allen to speak to him.

Van found it strange as a violent undercurrent slithered through his synapses as he watched Allen's gaze slide down the length of Hitomi's figure and focus on the back of her creamy thighs, emphasized by the dodgy streetlamp. He didn't intend for his tone to be so aggressive, but the surprise of the blonde man's appearance had only set him further on edge.

"Why are you here Schezar?" The look he got in return from the only slightly taller man added to the sudden burst of anger, and he fought to keep himself from punching Allen as the two ahead of him stepped into a doorway of an old building.

It was only to protect Hitomi's modesty that he moved between her and Allen as they walked up three flights of stairs. Her shorts, if that's what they could be called were extremely immodest and he wasn't thinking of it from a _monk's_ point of view. She had never worn clothes such as this ever before. And Allen had no right to ogle her. Neither did he for that matter, but his gaze was most definitely on the steps in front of him and nothing else.

Luckily the stairs were quickly dealt with and Dilandau had already opened a non-descript door, Hitomi striding past him and wandering into a room off the main pitch-black hallway. Following her and paying no attention whatsoever to her barely clothed legs, he walked into the closest room and dropped his bag by an armchair and sat down. Allen's sudden arrival and his ambiguous words only served to aggravate him further. The little time the three had together now seemed futile with the serving Policeman's arrival.

Allen sat across from him in a chair opposite, fixing him with his best interrogative glare. Dilandau could see the tension in him as he kicked the bag by his side in warning before sitting on a lumpy sofa between the two men. He sighed as Dilandau shook his head, pretending to crack his neck but he knew the silver haired gang leader was equally wary of the blonde's appearance. Staring at the only person currently working in law-enforcement, Van wondered just what exactly Allen had come for.

But any chance to interrogate him fell flat as Hitomi leaned in the door frame, _still_ wearing the microscopic piece of cloth deemed shorts, though they seemed closer to hotpants. All attention swayed to her and he could see the smirk on Dilandau's face as Allen swivelled completely in his chair to focus his attention on her.

The anger creeping up on him pierced his mind further when the only female in the flat spoke with in honeyed tones and seemed to flirt—_flirt—_with their unwanted guest.

"Captain Schezar, would you like something to drink? A cup of tea?"

He was sure that one of his closest friends and best officers had been replaced with a mythical doppelganger who seemed to be leaning from the doorframe, giving the blonde man a wonderful glimpse of her cleavage. Surely she hadn't taken her role all that seriously that she was taking drugs? A tinge, and only that, of reassurance slid into his lungs as Allen nodded, slack-jawed, but Hitomi smiled at him before turning and a calculating smirk slid across her face as she left the room.

"So what are you after Schezar? Try and arrest me. Go on. I dare you."

Once again Van found himself floundering with the nouveau personalities of his friends and previous colleagues. Was Balgus' death such a cataclysmic event that the facades Hitomi and Dilandau had put up were warping them into shadows of themselves? Hitomi was dressing like women Gaddes arrested on a daily basis and Dilandau had turned into a smart mouthed dealer punk that refused to co-operate over anything.

It was a raw question to ask if he had drawn the long or short straw going to a Monastery. He had spent six months _praying_ and had enough time to replay the awful night non-stop repeat. Maybe it showed strength of character that he hadn't flipped and requested a padded cell.

His thoughts were halted as Allen cleared his throat in his highly annoying attention commanding way, making him wish he had dented the moron's car when he had been given the chance. Aggravated at their trespasser he looked at the man with such an idiotic hairstyle and waited for the Caeli Knight Commander to talk. Unfortunately he didn't wait long.

"Gentlemen, I come to you to offer my assistance—"

"—What do you mean _your assistance?_" Dilandau butted in almost angrily, his gaze hardening on the obviously shocked blonde who recoiled in shock before recovering.

"I may be able to help you with your enquiries. I know that none of you accepted the proffered grief counselling when your superior officer died."

"Van died?" his silver haired companion was clearly displaying his annoyance at the lack of false humour in his voice as he then turned to Van and muttered, "Well if Van's dead who are you?"

Any attempt to defuse the situation exploded when a _female_ voice joined the conversation, displaying the same angry tone Dilandau willingly demonstrated.

"How do you know we refused the counselling, Captain? I thought that information was completely confidential." All gazes swivelled to Hitomi who, he noticed involuntarily, had switched clothing into what looked like pyjamas. Ignoring a slight swell of pride at the recognition of his t-shirt on her failed as her words sent red lights flashing in his mind as Allen blatantly tried to back pedal.

"Kanzaki-san, I merely guessed—" he failed to continue as she strode into the room and leant on the edge of _his_ chair, cutting across him along with a dismissive gesture.

"Bullshit. There's no guess about it. You never make accusations you can't back up. Which means someone told you we refused it or you looked in our files. Whichever it is doesn't matter, but such a private issue is none of your business. And I think _my_ accusation is well grounded, because none of us have mentioned such a thing and yet accepted your statement, proving you correct."

Van could see that Dilandau shared his pride in their pretend _cousin_ as she glared at the blonde man sitting across from them. He held down the smirk as a clicking sound broke their silence and Hitomi jumped up off the arm of his chair and murmured quietly as she walked to the door.

"Tea you two?" waiting for the appropriate nods she continued, pointing to each, "Milk, no sugar and no milk and two sugars. Captain what would you like?"

After spending six months with men striving to commune with God and become as virtuous as they could, it felt reassuring to experience a conversation filled with malice, anger, and undertones of threats. Allen didn't appear to feel the same as he murmured deflatedly, "Just one sugar please." It was clear the Captain was reigning in his anal tendencies that no doubt extended to tea drinking, not asking whether the milk was organic and the sugar was low calorie or fair trade.

Hitomi left the room in silence once more, but with far more appropriate clothing he believed, only for Allen to struggle to regain a grip on any conversation taking place.

"I'm not here to _arrest_ any of you despite whatever activities you may be involved in."

"So you're here to offer grief counselling? How thoughtful Captain." Dilandau pierced his momentum again with barely concealed disrespect, not bothering to hide his contempt. At that point Van tiredly decided to offer a minuscule olive branch to the Caeli Knight, but it still had a mousetrap well hidden.

"Allen, if you're here to help then tell us what you're here for. It's been a long day for all of us. So I think we'd all appreciate it if you get on with it." The devious smile on Dilandau's face brought one to his own as he grasped the sense of authority once more after fleeing from it seven months ago.

"Very well. I know you are trying to continue the investigation that ended in the unfortunate death of your superior officer."

"He had a name." Hitomi reappeared with a tray of four mugs and placed one before each man, then taking her own red one and sitting on the sofa next to Dilandau, closer to him than Allen. "And why are you here?" The sudden loss of any respect for the blonde man seemed to take Allen aback who narrowly avoided choking on his tea before managing to speak.

"Thank you for the tea Kanzaki-san."

"Not too sweet I hope." She murmured, sipping her own steaming beverage as Allen shook his head and tried again to take control of the conversation.

"I have information on the murder of your superior Balgus-san and the investigation Balgus-san was tragically killed in."

Van felt taken aback as Allen started mentioning names, dates and places; indulging in his well-known encyclopaedic complex as he explained the pieces of information he had discovered after Balgus had died. Van sat silently. Remembering to actually drink his tea every so often—Hitomi could read minds when it came to tea seasoning—he pondered the data Allen had taken care to find and bring to them. His companions too remained wordless, letting the Captain reel off his information, revealing no reaction whatsoever.

It seemed that Allen wasn't too pleased at their lack of a response and was shocked when he finished a half hour later and Dilandau's sole response was monotone.

"Thanks Schezar. We'll take it into account. Balgus-sensei's killers are no doubt complex. But I think it's time for bed, ne? I'm beat."

Almost as if in sync, Hitomi yawned and stretched, showing a sliver of skin above her hips as _his_ t-shirt lifted with her arms, as she continued, sounding exhausted.

"That is a wonderful idea D. Thank you Captain for the information concerning the leads on Balgus-taichou's death. No doubt it will be very useful. And we're grateful you've come to us despite having to break various rules of protocol, statutes of confidentiality and the fact none of us work for the Police force any longer."

Watching his two friends/relatives he could see they seemed completely unaffected by Allen's appearance and his information, some of which did actually seem useful to him. He wondered if Allen would leave at the clear signals given by Dilandau and Hitomi but his stomach twisted painfully when the blonde nodded and murmured,

"I'm glad to be of help. Would it be acceptable to you if I stayed the night? I must say I feel quite tired myself and don't think I'd be able to drive for an hour home."

Again the pair sitting on the sofa showed no outward alarm at Allen's obvious attempt to keep a further eye on them, despite his affectation of trying to help them. It was clear just how good a teacher and commanding officer Balgus-sensei was that all three took everything that Allen had done and said in their stride. Dilandau calmly stood and gestured.

"The bathroom's that way and I can lend you a pair of pyjama bottoms. You can sleep in the spare room and I'll take the couch."

Van tried his best to hide any confusion at Dilandau's words, when Allen asked the question he also wanted answered.

"So where will Fanel sleep?" He found himself grateful for the meditation techniques he had learnt at the monastery, stopping him from matching the colour of Hitomi's stolen sleeping t-shirt, as Dilandau replied calmly.

"With Hitomi."

Luckily, or not, Hitomi saw the emotions race through Allen's face and his own as she added.

"I have two beds in my room. There was a great sale in the bed store. And Dilandau always sleeps in another room, he snores like a pregnant Dragon." The tension defused quickly as Allen smirked, bemused at her words and then Dilandau's indignant reply, arguing with her as they took the empty tea mugs into the kitchen.

xxx

There were benefits and drawbacks to living in a monastery for six months. His bladder control was excellent, he could kneel for more than three hours in one spot without moving and not fall asleep, and the blistering cold no longer bothered him after sleeping in a room made of stone without any form of gas or electrical heat. However he woke at the exact moment for early morning prayer that his body had attuned to for six months. And on the only day it was unnecessary to.

After a glass of milk he had gone to the bathroom and washed his face with a warm flannel trying to recollect any lingering frames of tiredness at 3 am. Even as the door to the bathroom opened, he kept his gaze on the slightly cracked bathroom mirror, glancing at the figure entering the room. He raised an eyebrow as Hitomi slid the door closed behind him and pressed a finger to her lips. Nodding he turned his gaze back down to the taps at the sink and tried his best not to think.

He had spent three years working with Hitomi and on many surveillance operations they had shared a room, twice a closet and he had been moderately comfortable with the situation—with the bedroom that was, the closet less so. She was his colleague and his oldest friend from the training academy. So why was it he couldn't look at her properly any more? Even when they had all gone to bed, Hitomi wearing modest pyjama pants, she had pulled off the red t-shirt he had once owned and wore only a sports bra. She had paid no attention to him or his jaw as she slid into bed and murmured a swift good night.

But that wasn't the main issue. Allen was apparently trying to stick to them like a cheap tacky magnet, which would give them no time to discuss their _real_ investigation. Any concern that the Captain knew the truth of their real reason for leaving the Police force evaporated as Allen discussed possible leads and motives behind the death of their mentor. Balgus had died in the line of duty and all three ex-officers knew who his killer was. They merely had no proof, motive or evidence for any conviction.

And even though Allen didn't know the truth behind their ongoing enquiry and their different career paths, with him around they would have no chance to discuss the information they had all found and _pursue_ a good investigation that Balgus had unreasonably died for. Their extreme measures were no doubt triggered by Balgus's death and the horror they had all witnessed seven months ago. Looking across the darkened room, Van could see a scar across Hitomi's shoulder from the light pollution outside.

"Hey." Her voice broke him from dark recollections, but he couldn't help himself from reaching out to her and tracing the indented scar, paler than her usual skin tone, where a bullet had ripped through and could have killed her if she hadn't ducked and pulled _him_ with her. "What is it with men and scars?" her cheeky comment reversing the well known adage_ chicks dig scars_ made him smile briefly as his fingers rested on her warm skin, furrowed by the set of stitches she had desperately needed seven months ago.

It was an involuntary action that he shook his head without any proper question from her. Even now he could see her cotton blouse bloom red around her shoulder. Dilandau had jumped out of a window in the building and had probably ran for help and his own life. Balgus had already been dead by that point, but the shock and horror at his mentor's death had evaporated as Hitomi had slumped against him, hissing instead of inhaling properly as blood seemed to gush out of her shoulder.

"Reminiscing?" The voice of their third compatriot broke his macabre stupor and the slide of his fingers against the strap of her bra as Dilandau appeared and shut the door behind him before sliding down and sitting against it.

He barely had time to register Hitomi brushing against him as she leaned round his bare chest and slowly pulled a screw out of the mirror now behind him. Moving out of the way he watched as she slid a coffee coloured file out from behind the mirror and placed the loose screw on the sink before turning and handing it to him.

"This is everything we have that you need to know and memorize. What have you got for us?" Hitomi cut to the quick as she let him take the thick file before moving over to the toilet and sitting on the closed lid cross-legged, waiting. It was ironic how he had waited six months to talk to them after everything and he stood there silent, no longer sure of himself.

Once more Dilandau broke across his tormenting thoughts with a cheeky jibe, "That include your new wardrobe Tomi-chan?"

A smile broke across Van's face as she responded with a toilet roll flung at Dilandau. The cheerful expression shattered into horror as the silver haired man ducked and the object hit the door forcefully, the wood rattling loudly. As his hand gripped the thick file of papers, groaning inwardly at the expectation Allen would fly into the room and make them lose even more time. Maybe even arrest them.

But he found that the pair sitting opposite him, one on the closed toilet lid and the other lounging against the bathroom door, devoid of any worry or fear. They didn't seem to care as Dilandau stuck his tongue out childishly and Hitomi grabbed another toilet roll, gesturing to throw again. It seemed just like old times with the pair acting like overgrown children, except their boss was no longer alive to play disciplining parent and they had all left the Police force in an angry haze.

Not to mention the Captain of the Caeli Knights was probably no longer asleep.

"Will you two keep it down!" He hissed, six months worth of agitation locked inside him started to crack, the calm collected mindset crumbling at the bright grins the childish idiots gave him. Hitomi raised her hands in a pacifying gesture and it showed how tense he was he paid no attention to just how clearly he could see her sports bra amongst other things as she sat in the direct light of a street lamp opposite the flats.

"Schezar won't be leaving the land of kissing Frogs and dancing with Prince Charming till morning. Trust us Van." It seemed his flare of anger had sobered the pair as Hitomi's expression was no longer amused.

Dilandau on the other hand seemed even more delighted as he grinned and explained,

"Never trust a pretty face. Or a pretty—"

"Albatou!" the toilet roll held aloft in the woman's hand again, Dilandau smirked before continuing.

"We drugged his tea. Chloral hydrate, and the best part is it won't show up in blood work or urine samples. He won't have a clue—"

"Unless he gets a hair sample tested." Hitomi murmured quietly, rolling her eyes at the shocked expression on his face, the pair really had changed.

"Please, he'd never have his hair tested. One it's far too precious a commodity for him to lose. And second, all his coke snorting would show up." Involuntarily Van could easily bring to mind many an occasion when the undercover operative would throw a casual remark into a conversation that would usually be a jaw dropping revelation. Both he and Hitomi turned to face the lounging _current_ gangster as he smirked under the undivided attention from the pair.

Shrugging he continued without prompt from either person, "It's true. One of his girlfriends came to one of my morons for a couple of grams. Usually the idiot takes the money and hands over whatever…"

The sudden pause brought it home to all three of them.

Each of them had performed a complete transformation to their personalities, if not more. As Dilandau bowed his head, his messy bangs covering his eyes, Van could tell he wasn't the only one having trouble with putting up facades. Even though the silver haired man had worked undercover on multiple operations for Balgus-sensei, it seemed death and time were taking their toll on him. No longer was he simply undercover, he was as close to the heart of their operation as any of them were.

Dilandau Albatou had a Police Badge, gun and certificate from graduation of the Academy, but Van saw how easily his latest _assignment_ had tormented him. From the corner of his eye he saw Hitomi make a move to reach over to the one slumped against the door, but Dilandau threw up his shield again and continued, raking a hand through messed up hair.

"The idiot actually talked to the woman who let slip it was for her and _her boyfriend_ to share. Easy to check out, the girl was Schezar's squeeze of the week. One can only assume…"

This time his pause wasn't from moral crisis but contemplation. Van took a few seconds to flick through various papers; typed, photocopied, handwritten amassing the information Hitomi and Dilandau thought was crucial. Taking a deep breath he wandered over to the bath and sat on the corner where it met the wall, leaning back slightly against the tile, before murmuring thoughtfully.

"So Schezar's out for the count? And we have reason to believe he's taken drugs, it's not uncommon for members of the force to indulge. We all have ways of coping."

A snort from Hitomi made him look up at her, questioningly, in return she blinked sharply before muttering, "Schezar's the biggest anti-drugs spokesman out there. Caeli Knights have regular tests for all kinds of substances, mostly steroids and performance enhancing drugs. But surely if he took anything illegal or otherwise it would show up."

"He leads the damn company, he probably knows when the tests are performed and keeps clean specifically." Dilandau replied, only for Hitomi to fire back quickly.

"There are tests that can tell if you've taken something over a month ago. And if he were a user of any kind, surely there would be signs?"

"Not necessarily," Van cut across, "We have potential support he's taken drugs once. But how do we know for sure? On the other hand if he is a user, he has to be damn well careful to keep it hidden from everyone." A surge of pride overcame the melancholy and gaping hole that seemed to occupy the room as Hitomi and Dilandau both looked deep in thought on the issue.

Flicking through the sheaf of papers he murmured far more gravely.

"Schezar's the least of our concerns, we're after the Abaharaki. So what do we have and how does it all fit together?" his question hung heavily between the three before a barrage of conversation flowed from both Hitomi and Dilandau. Rolling his eyes he waited for one of them to give up and let the other speak. It was definitely going to be a long night.

xxx

Dilandau rubbed his eyes and rolled his shoulders, stopping so his head didn't crack against the door, listening to the other two occupants of the bathroom whisper heatedly over their discovery.

"It makes sense. It fits with everything else we've found. Why the hell didn't we realize this earlier?" Hitomi gestured, still unconsciously holding a toilet roll in her hand, focused on their task and seemingly awake enough to function properly. He on the other hand needed a coffee, and they had only been talking for an hour.

Van seemed equally awake as he sighed and tilted his neck one way and then the other, rubbing the back of it before replying to her remark.

"Because you had no idea who was behind the smuggling across national borders. At first I thought Father Freid was doing it for profit, but now it's clear the others are forcing him into it—"

"—Using Chid as bait. He joined the monastery, leaving his parish in the belief he got Marlene pregnant and sees Chid as his child."

"Surely he could tell she was lying!" Dilandau replied, trying his best not to fall asleep, "The kid looks nothing like him. If anything he's the image of—"

"—His real father? Yeah. It's frightening how we've been looking in all these places and we find the answer—" Hitomi's voice dropped into silence as a cough was heard and then the sound of creaking bedsprings. Panic spread across all three faces as the noise of the creak bed told all three people in the room that the occupant of the spare room had woken up and was getting out of bed.

Pushing strands of silver hair away from his blurry eyes, he stood up swiftly and gently turned the door handle before looking back to the frozen pair still sitting down.

"I can get back to the sofa. But you two would have to get past him. Hide the file and distract him. Night."

Slinking out of the room and leaving the door slightly ajar, he couldn't help but smirk as he moved rapidly towards his makeshift bed and slid under the duvet, trying his best to keep still and fake the odd snore. He wondered just how much acting would be needed on Van and Hitomi's equal parts.

xxx

Van watched as Dilandau left the room silently, with the feline refinement of a man that was accustomed to sneaking in and out of places undetected. As much as it seemed like any other routine operation where he and Hitomi had had to blend in and not be caught, he felt there was definitely something different as Hitomi took the file from his hands and slid it behind the toilet cistern. Reaching out for her, she let him pull her upright and guide her to the bathroom sink.

As she pushed herself up onto the edge of the enamel basin, he knew this was most definitely different to any other time they had had to pretend to be intimate in some way. There was no cameras watching them, or earpieces where they could hear Gaddes, Dilandau or Kio make perverse comments, nor had Hitomi been wearing so little clothing before. Not that he was much better with only a pair of track pants that rested on his hips, and were just a pinch away from sliding into indecency.

Watching her lean against the bathroom mirror, then mess up her hair before sliding her arms around his neck, Van could feel the difference as she leaned into him. And it certainly wasn't just from six months separation, or the hotpants she had worn the evening before.

"You ok?" it was the movement of her lips that caught his attention more than her words, her breathing shallow, as he nodded a fraction, staring at her slightly glazed expression.

Any chance of a conversation to prepare themselves beforehand or decide on boundaries or anything else fell to the wayside as the sound of footsteps crept into their hearing. It didn't matter that they had a good thirty seconds before Allen would appear if he chose to walk into the bathroom, they leaned into each other and any attempt at a pretence disappeared.

Despite the fact they had only kissed a few times, and every time had been because of work, it was definitely more than an act as his lips slid over hers, his hands caressing bare skin, making her nip at his lips, running her fingers through his hair. Her legs locked round his hips and pulled him against her, the naked skin between them serving to increase whatever tension that had suddenly appeared. Whatever thought it was, Van knew the second he trailed his lips away from her mouth and down her bare neck that he had made a bad decision.

The moan that Hitomi let escape from her lips, a breathy version of his name, made him nip at the sensitive skin, his teeth and tongue assaulting a spot she seemed to enjoy quite thoroughly as her fingers slid down his back, round his hips and pulled him even closer to her. He could only then gasp as her hands slid up his bare chest and she pressed open mouthed kisses just behind his ear.

In complete sync they looked at one another before their mouths, teeth and tongues crashed together, letting open whatever they had kept separate from everything that had happened seven months previous. Whatever vows he had falsely taken in the monastery, Van never thought it would be the vow of chastity he would break. But it was most certainly not remorse he felt at the flitting thought. If anything he wanted to shatter it, mindlessly so.

His hands were sliding up her ribs, calloused fingers making her writhe against him as she explored his mouth so desperately. His fingers met fabric and he could feel her tense for a second before pressing herself straight into his palms, panting for breath, unable to articulate herself clearly. A sense of achievement washed over him as he smiled against her ministrations.

Only then did the door creak open fully and the reality of their situation came flooding back to them. Pulling back from him, he saw Hitomi lean back a fraction staring at him with an almost panicked expression. It was worse than guilt that thumped against the floor of his stomach as her gaze slid across his face. But the shock and worry fell apart as she leaned back into his embrace, fingers sliding down the back of his neck as she kissed him again.

She was gentler this time and he could only grip her hips, waiting for Allen to do something, perversely praying that he would so he could let go of her and try not to beat himself up for taking advantage. Oddly describing it as luck he pulled away from her, flinching as he turned round to see the shock on the blonde man's face as he gasped.

However any relief disappeared as the unwanted guest smirked at the pair.

It was instinct that his fingers dug into the skin pulled across her hipbones at the somewhat disturbing expression on the Caeli Knight's face.

"I never thought you'd grow the balls to step up and screw her Fanel. But I suppose six months away from any woman would do that." Seemingly Hitomi felt the tension in the room grow as her nails stung against his shoulders, staring over his profile at the dramatic blonde.

"Well now you've seen it you can bugger off Schezar. Or are you that sick you want to watch?" the words coming from her mouth shocked him in their anger and malice, but Allen seemed completely unaffected.

"Watch you make fools out of yourselves? No I've seen enough."

"So have I." Van moved round so his hipbone supported the weight Hitomi had pressed against him, looking at Dilandau and the gun he had pointed at Allen's head. The shock on the blonde's face brought no smile to him or any other occupant of the flat as he struggled to speak.

"But you're…I've seen…Dragon Slayer…you're supposed…"

"Come on Schezar. Why else do you think I hang out with two ex-cops?" The silver haired man muttered in a faux bored tone, his gun steady and pointing directly at Allen's forehead.

He felt Hitomi's hand grip his shoulder tightly as Allen gasped before exclaiming, "You're a Dragon Slayer! You're related to these two. That's why! And they're…"

"We're not related idiot. And I'm not a Dragon Slayer."

"Nor are we stupid enough to believe the crap you fed us earlier about Balgus' death. We know you're part of the Abaharaki and ordered Taichou's death." Hitomi cut in, leaning round him, a hand on his bare chest as she kept her balance.

Even though one of the men responsible for his mentor and superior's death was standing before him and practically defenceless, Van couldn't help but pay attention to just how close Hitomi was. He wondered if she could feel his pulse accelerate under her clammy palm. The blonde haired idiot was still in shock and speechless, so he risked turning his gaze minutely towards the woman propped against him. And judging by her expression, she wasn't all that interested in hear Allen speak either.

xxx

Dilandau yawned as he bid the other two goodnight in the bathroom. He had left once Allen had been dealt with and the majority of the main points they all found had been discussed. Even though there still were a few loose issues to mull over, he knew when he wasn't wanted. He had seen the look on his ex-superior's face when Hitomi had slid into the seat next to him at the club. Amidst the shock and confusion was an emotion he had long suspected.

Van and Hitomi had been rivals at the Academy from day one, trying to beat each other. All of sudden they had become allies, if not friends for no apparent reason. Their friendship had only solidified when they both joined the same precinct and were soon put under Balgus' wing. Even though Dilandau communicated with them as liaison in various undercover operations, he could tell there was a bond between the two that others couldn't fit into.

Lying back on his makeshift bed on the lumpy sofa, he smirked at the memory of just how protective the dark haired man could be towards the lone female in their department. Not that the others were in any way offensive to Hitomi, it was a contented group, but Van seemed to always have an eye on the honey haired woman. And it seemed even after six months of separation and a pair of tiny shorts that their connection was no weaker because of it.

Rolling over and clutching his pillow closer to him, Dilandau wondered if six months apart, and segregation from the general population for Van would finally push the two in the direction they desperately needed. Even after Hitomi had been shot the night Balgus died, the pair hadn't done anything recklessly because of shock, pain or fear. He stifled a loud yawn and wriggled his back as far back against the sofa as he could; praying he would fall asleep before the pair would start making noises, if they even managed to get past whatever awkwardness there stupidly was between them.

It was only as his mind gently slowed down to the point of sleepiness and the wonderful endorphins started to kick in, lulling him happily to drowse that he heard a squeaking of bedsprings. Continuous and punctured by other non-synthetic sounds. Voices, repeating names over and over in low tones but the volume seemed to fluctuate tediously.

He growled at the realization _he_ had left condoms in the bathroom cupboard.

* * *

Theme 9: Clean

Words: 12,240

* * *

He knew it was wrong. Deep down, but the voice of his conscience, irritatingly sounding like Folken told him he was a terrible terrible person.

His wife was sulking. And as it was now known almost throughout the kingdom of Fanelia, when Queen Hitomi was angry with her husband, she did laundry. The maids had taken a while to adjust to her presence after trying and failing to stop her from helping them. But as she sat on an aged wooden stool and scrubbed a small white tablecloth with a furious energy, he couldn't help but smile at her.

Even as he sat before her, covered in soapy water and clutching a bouquet of damp roses he smiled at the realization.

"You keep me sane, do you know that?" It seemed her anger was wavering as she muttered amused,

"I keep you clean as well, _Your Majesty,"_ then reaching behind his ear as she whispered, "Time for your monthly bath I think."

As he carried her, struggling and yelling at him to let her go, he smiled at how she fussed over water and never blood.

* * *

Beta-sempai's comment for the main fic: "Commander, I believe you will find the target on the continent of Africa. He just crossed over The Nile."

**Thanks go to:**

Jav-chan - *cowers* Continuations, Worlds, Angel, everything is coming. Get well soon!

effervescence - *bows* Thank you. Yes there will be a continuation to the last theme. ^^

Lil' Dinky – Part ONE of two! :P 2nd part being written now! Put down your spork lady!

KyriaHitomi – Glad you liked Van's _inhuman_ side! And Allen will gets just desserts. Promise.

Niello – Gracias amiga! Le agradezco mucho sus complidos. How's that?

ChiKa YuMe – Your review was absolutely hysterical! There will be part 2 so I expect an equally hysterical review for then ;)

Tanwen Whitefire – Hope your confusion was sorted. And continuation is being written ^^

thepinkmartini – Thank you very much *bows.* Glad you enjoy the surprise.

talkstoangels77 – Continuation soon! :P

chibimimi – Silly Mimi! Continuation on its way!

False-Image – Cheers! And I would love to put up full length fics for all. But sadly…

Sora Sings – Thanks! And *huggles* back! I'm happy you like them so much!

Epiphanystars

Sakura Crystals – Thanks and there will be equally long, if not longer chapters – like this ^^

Rockin Sockin Robot – Thanks and good luck with exams!


	12. Man of Honour

A/N: It's my Birthday today - 14th May. I'm 20 years old. *runs away screaming* So please be nice.

Inspired by Rounding the Mark – Andrea Camilleri. Kudos to Andrea Camilleri for excellent books. Read them! And to my wonderful sempai for telling me the truth ;) Also Wikipedia did a wonderful job for me on this.

Also – there is an _attempt_ at a lime/lemon, so don't read if you don't want to be covered in smut :// It does wander into M territory

* * *

NB: Guardia di Finanza – Italian Army corps that deal with financial, judiciary and public safety, including illegal immigration.

Capofamiglia – boss of a mafia clan.

Pizzu – protection money (Sicilian dialect).

Carabinieri – Italian Military Police.

Translations of foreign words/phrases at bottom.

* * *

Man of Honour

_It stung when she noticed that the first thing the wretched people would have seen had they survived was an overly-lit sign in English of all languages declaring boldly: "__Sicily_ is _Italy's_ (and Europe's) most historically cosmopolitan region!" The irony of the sign was not lost on her. All ten dead bodies were illegal immigrants.

And the harbour that she loved so dearly was marred by the wreckage of two rickety old boats. Her eyes felt better looking at the wooden debris floating in the surf rather than the blood spattered rocks and the medical examiner zipping up body bags that were far too small for her liking. Her boss looked equally disheartened.

Usually the job of customs and excise, they too had been brought along to watch a scene reminiscent of Dante's Inferno as the remaining few survivors huddled together under police guard. Underfed, filthy and exhausted, the shivering ones under blankets didn't even look like people. Even Dilandau wasn't his usual cocky self, his eyes glued to the emaciated blood drenched child who had had to be carried off the rocks, screaming for his now dead mother.

"Welcome to Italy. Land of the free, the easy and the Mafia." No one laughed at the statement; it wasn't a laughing matter. Especially with the smell of desperation in the air around them. If anything Hitomi felt as if she was witnessing something from a horror novel. And her boss' statement was the tagline.

Heartbreaking to watch, the young detective felt even more distressed at the fact that the people so desperate to enter the country illegally _must_ have had a god awful reason to suffer such destitution. Even the ones who were successfully brought in past the Coast Guard were never truly free. Most likely the Mafia would find uses for the people they had smuggled into the country. Working in sweatshops and Sicilian lemon farms seemed a shining light in comparison to other _professions_ they could be forced into.

It didn't seem as if there was any control with the screaming and wailing of diverse foreign tongues from such a small crowd of people. Of course the situation seemed even more extreme with all the Carabinieri there too, standing guard over the tiny group of surviving immigrants. And if the military police were involved, it made sense the Comissario would appear too.

The looming figure of Dornkirk gave the cold proceedings a cruel finality as Hitomi found herself watching the smallest of the bodybags carried off the rocks and pulled up into redundant ambulances.

"This is the fourth shipment this week we've intercepted. Not to mention two smaller boats that disappeared under radar and one that crashed against the rocks at Montelusa. We're understaffed and overloaded. And of course the goddamned Mafia are sitting back and laughing at us as we can't pin anything on them."

Dilandau rolled his eyes as the Customs and Excise boss Adelphos appeared before them, looking overly harassed and wrangling his hands desperately before continuing his tirade, directing it at her boss.

"Inspector, we need something, anything on the Mafia clans. That's why I called you here tonight. I appreciate your awkward position—"

"—I've worked for the Vigatà Polizia di Stato for fifteen years. There is no awkward position." Her boss spoke with a tone that even Hitomi knew not to cross and over the two mens' shoulders she saw Dilandau scoff at the draining of colour on the Guardia di Finanza Inspector's face at the rebuke.

"Forgive me Inspector Fanel. What I meant to say is that I would be grateful if you could look into the local Mafia Clans and see—"

"—Who's involved in human trafficking? I'm sure we can do that. If that is all Adelphos?"

At that moment Hitomi Kanzaki had never been more grateful for having Folken Fanel as her boss.

It felt sickening to wonder whether it was bad of her to want to get as far away from the scene as possible. But any love she had of the sea and the small harbour at Vigatà was washed away by the horror she had just witnessed only miles away at Ragusa. Guilt weighed heavily as she slowly turned back towards the town, stingingly aware that she was able to leave the scene behind her, but the few survivors would not.

"When will they be deported?" Came the unusually disheartened voice from Dilandau who had the unnerving habit of generally being able to keep himself separate from crime scenes. Despite the unlawful nature of her thoughts, the female detective hoped that the survivors of such a horrific crash would find some luck and be able to stay. But it was highly unlikely.

"Day after tomorrow probably. Bossi-Fini law actually working for once. After all if we find the bastards that brought them here, they can be called on as witnesses." Hitomi blinked in shock at the revelation and whipped round to her superior and asked, squinting to see his face in the little light given by the sparse streetlamps.

"So the one steering the boat wasn't found?"

The sigh in response and slew of unspoken words angered her further as every boat coming in had a native guiding the illegal immigrants into a safe and most often natural harbour so the trafficking could continue within national borders and without the Guardia di Finanza finding out. So the bastard that had brought them here and left them to die had scarpered without a second thought. It had been a very long day as Hitomi felt the urge to find something breakable and shoot at it to release the tension.

"Come on. I parked just off the Croce di Malta Hotel. I'll drop you two home and give you both the morning off tomorrow. Or rather today. My orders." Sharing a look with her colleague, she knew that her boss wasn't giving them time off because of the late hour. There had been many late nights with the Vigatà Police Department. No, he had seen the horror on both their faces and wanted to give them time to think it through.

"You heard me Albatou." Folken spoke reprimandingly as the silver haired man shrugged, "If I see either of you in the office before noon I'll have you on the switchboard all afternoon and the day after tomorrow." The sea air had failed to calm her and Hitomi appreciated the true heaviness of the 2 AM callout as neither she nor Dilandau made any comment or joke at their hard-ass boss giving them any time off.

Walking up a small alleyway that was typically Sicilian, winding and weaving, it was easy for them to hear the sound of heavy footfalls. It showed how drained the three of them were, in a dark alley as two or more people approached, within Mafia territory, and none of them bothered to reach for a weapon. Luckily it was only Gaddes and Chid who came running up to them.

Tired and out of breath, both officers gestured manically in an attempt to express what they needed to say. Folken calmly waited until Chid drew a sharp breath and murmured, "Sir, Don Vizzini has been found in an abandoned Church just outside Trapani. The place was set on fire, we barely managed to identify him."

The grave look on their boss' face only added to her frustration. There was never any time off. Without a word, Folken started walking again and Gaddes and Chid fell in step with them silently as they walked back through the town to where they were parked.

It was well known that Folken Fanel was a slave-driver and often mocked for it across the districts of the island. But their office knew the only reason other Inspectors mocked him for it was because of their high success rate. Not that they caught all the criminals in the Agrigento region.

As the Comissario had said one day, "The Mafia are part of Sicily. We wouldn't be Sicily if we didn't have the Mafia."

Lost in thought Hitomi didn't hear the purr of a smooth engine as a car turned a silent corner and raced towards her. It was the force of Folken grabbing her arm and Dilandau her waist that brought her back to earth and rather forcefully too, throwing her to one side and knocking her to the ground with their combined strength. The air was catapulted out of her lungs, so she sat up gasping, a hand at her throat wheezing for breath.

Her boss and co-workers however were focusing on the bright red Maserati that had eased to a stop only yards away.

Her capacity to breathe halted again as the driver's door opened and out stepped her worst nightmare. The smirk on his face only made her head pound with anger, and added pressure on her already tautly pulled lungs. Looking to her left she saw she wasn't the only one trying not to react to the presence of the Capofamiglia of the Southern coast.

The boss of the largest Mafia clan on the island closed the car before leaning against it and hollering down the deserted street, "Everything alright down there?"

Hitomi found herself incapable of speaking and it appeared Folken didn't want to say anything either. Not that it bothered the young Capo as Dilandau hollered back furiously. "No you stupid bastard! You almost killed a Police Officer from reckless driving!"

Her skin crawled as she saw his gaze shift from Dilandau to her lower height on the pavement. But he had no chance to say anything as the passenger door opened and a shadowy figure loomed before stepping under a streetlamp, illuminating her glistening cascade of silvery hair and her overly swaying hips, moving obnoxiously till she reached the trunk of the car and slid up on it.

"What's going on?"

It surprised her that Chid spoke with a steady voice.

"Your friend nearly ran over an Officer of the Law. May I see your driving licence Sir?" She gawped at the gall at the newest recruit of the Vigatà Police Department, fresh out of the Academy. But she soon realized that the other men were gawping for a different reason. The woman who had decided to sprawl herself across the back of the car appeared to be wearing very tight, very shiny black leather trousers. With a lace up crotch.

Her attention moved away from the pornographic scene, reverting back to the courageous Chid as he calmly walked over to the car's owner and held out a hand for a licence. Despite the lack of streetlamps, the only one working apparently focused itself on solely illuminating the woman lounging on the car, she could still see the sheer amusement and probably sadistic glee as the young Mafia Don pulled out a laminated card and handed it over. He then ran a hand through his unmanageable hair and she wished desperately that someone would run over _him_.

"If that's acceptable I believe my companion and I can leave?" His Italian had no flaw unlike other Mafia Princes she had encountered. But he had probably had the richest education, the richest anything if she remembered correctly.

It seemed that any Saints watching were unhappy with her suffering already as the woman clawingly spoke a strangled mix of dialect and Italian as she muttered indifferently. "She's not dead is she? No problem then." And to emphasize her point the tall, blonde, leggy woman strategically slid off the car.

Making no sound whatsoever as the leather ran over the lacquered metal, it seemed like an overacted porn film as the woman leaned forward and her low cut top emphasized her generous chest. Hitomi felt like taking a loose cobble and throwing it at her, but she knew that would give him ammunition. Not that he didn't have enough already.

She was loath to give the Mafia boss any credit but she thanked the Blessed Virgin as he called out, "Naria let's go."

The peep show swiftly ended, with no comment from the man who had escorted her. Sliding back into the car, he sped off only a second after his companion closed her door, apparently ignoring Chid, uncaring if there was anything else the police officer demanded.

Once again it was Chid who came to her rescue and helped her up as the other idiots around her stood watching the space the overly expensive car had occupied. Her irritation leapt over the sadness as Gaddes spoke up. "No wonder he was speeding!"

Dilandau gladly laughed and she saw Folken, of all people, crack a smile.

* * *

She had been in the shower for twenty minutes and no doubt would have to endure a cold one before work in the afternoon with the tank's malfunctions. But it all paled at the travesty she had witnessed at the makeshift harbour. Hitomi wondered if Adelphos found it easy to sleep witnessing such events night after night. Looking at the clock in her kitchen she sighed at the time. 4:45 blinked back at her uncaring of how tired she was, and yet sad and also angry at the night's events.

Yawning as she continued to rub the towel against her dripping shoulder length hair, she shivered as a breeze wound round her. Maybe a jog along the beach would help ease her to sleep. It wouldn't be too cold in her pyjamas. Her house backed out onto the seafront at Marinella. One of the best views in all of Sicily.

The towel fell to the floor as she turned round and felt her heart stop. Sitting on her veranda was Van Fanel, smartly dressed and lounging with the beach behind him. The door out to it was slightly ajar and she briefly wondered whether she had left her gun in the kitchen drawer. The thought reinforced itself heavily when the man lounging on one of her chairs waved genially and beckoned her forth.

He had beckoned _her_. It was her property and yet like always the Capofamiglia of the de Fanel clan acted as if he owned the place. Well this was one dwelling she had made overly sure that he nor his family had a grubby claim to. Her anger shot through her mind as she watched his cinnamon gaze lazily rake over her form before smiling at her, as if _this_ was a regular occurrence.

Hitomi had half a mind to run into her room and find her gun but was cut off by him calling out.

"I won't bite Hitomi. Unless you want me to." The smirk on his face amplified her wish to pump lead into him. But she decided he would be less dangerous when appeased so she walked over to the door and slid it open fully, keeping her gaze on him—away from his eyes but on him—as she stepped onto the tiled floor.

Sitting across from him with the green cast aluminium table between them eased her nerves but it didn't help one bit that she had left her bra on the bathroom floor. And there was a sharp breeze coming off the shore. Hitomi prayed he wouldn't notice as she turned her back to the sea, before finally looking him in the eye.

"Why are you here?"

"Can't I come and visit an old friend?" the teasing hint in his voice only served to push her anger further over the edge. It really was a pity she hadn't put her gun in the kitchen drawer. As a police officer she knew he was definitely on the wrong side of the law – but that described Van Fanel perfectly. Probably good enough for a dictionary definition. But aggravating him wouldn't get him to leave any faster.

"An old friend? That's not what you called me the last time we spoke." Hitomi felt like slumping against the table at the genuine smile that spread across his face. She had replied to him, given him an opening for conversation. If it was hell trying to get Gaddes to stop talking about his family legacy of fishing boats, then she knew by the look on the Mafia Boss' face he wasn't going to shift an inch.

"I genuinely didn't see you Hitomi and I would never intentionally run you over." She _genuinely_ wished she could produce her gun out of thin air at his falsely hurt tone. Rolling her eyes she yawned before replying, knowing he wasn't going to walk away without saying his piece.

"I wasn't talking about tonight. But even if you did run me over, I doubt you'd actually know. You've always been more of a hit and run person."

"Black mark on my soul, personification of evil incarnate? I'd forgotten how high minded you could be. I didn't come for an argument you know."

She gritted her teeth at just how comfortable he seemed, lounging in her chair at _her_ home. There he was sitting directly opposite from her without any trace of unease and yet she felt like vomiting or screaming or shooting him. She wasn't sure which would get rid of her anger quicker.

"Well what did you come here for? Unlawfully as well, though I doubt that bothers you." Hitomi sighed as his gaze remained unflinchingly on her and desperately wished she had taken up Dilandau's offer to sleep on his sofa.

"It's hardly breaking and entering Principessa. I just walked round the side of the house and came round here. I would have knocked, only you were in the shower…" She knew perfectly well why he trailed off as her hands shot out and gripped the table in shock. But she knew him _too_ well to yell at him or call him a pervert. He wasn't the best Capo of the de Fanel clan since Mussolini's downfall without reason.

She could still remember the last time someone had snitched on his Clan. The idiot had run out on Witness protection from the bloody Carabinieri and been beaten to the verge of death. Unlike the Navarra or the Bonanno clan, the Fanels had let their victim live. A chill had run down Hitomi's spine when they had found the idiot, beaten with _various implements of differing sharpness and some already caked in blood._ The report had only added to the horror of it.

But the worst part was the cunning behind it. Any other Clan snitch would have been killed without question. Allowing the man to live was not merciful in the least, but a warning to everyone else. She could still remember the look she had shared with Folken, fully aware of who had come up with such an original idea. It had been the true turning point in her impression of him.

"So why are you here? Surely it goes against one of your _Commandments_. 'Never be seen with cops.'?" Hitomi knew she was clutching at straws, trying to get him away. And he had been out there whilst she had been showering. It didn't bear thinking about. Even his smile changed, turning edgier and less eased as he replied.

"Those were Lo Piccolo's. Not mine. After all, my brother's a cop. And besides what's wrong with breaking Commandments for friends?"

"How about 'Thou shalt not kill?'" She shot back unthinkingly.

For one second she felt the breeze turn ice cold on her, making her turn her head towards the storm clouds building over the horizon. Any pleasure at the view of a purple sunrise was lost as she felt fear for the first time sat across from him. Their old connection would not be enough to save her if she pushed him too far. She was no longer _innocent_ enough to be protected from his temper. Her wrist still creaked with the memory.

"_Something wrong Principessa? You seem edgy today. What have I done?" The playful smirk on his face no longer set a pulse racing between her legs. Her stomach instead twisted grotesquely and she hissed in exhalation, trying to gather the courage to tell him. "You haven't done anything."_

_Apparently her acting skills hadn't improved whatsoever as the smile slid off his face and concern shadowed his eyes. Concern she no longer wanted. All she wanted was to tell him and then leave. But how could she?_

"_Doesn't sound like it." He murmured, moving to lean against the table, his legs stretched out alongside hers. He was no longer playful, the serious expression adding to the bile churning its way up her throat._

"_Did someone say something to you? Because you don't—" The knife-sharp change from worry to anger had never been clearer to her and Hitomi could only pray the Saints would have mercy on her soul. "—No one's said anything to me. I have something to tell you. And I need you to listen and wait until I've finished."_

"_Wow, three months at university and you're already bossing me around. Are you forgetting who I am amore?" _

_His teasing words sent sweat sliding down her back, her t-shirt clinging far too uncomfortably and the air-con seemed to have no effect, nor the breeze running through the shady kitchen. She knew _exactly_ who he was. She knew what he'd done. What he'd told others to do. _

"_No. I know who you are. That's why I need to speak to you." She flinched as he knelt down in front of her, his hand sliding across her cheek, "Hitomi whatever it is you can tell me. If people have told you things about me then I want to know."_

"_Are they true?"_

_Van Fanel had always had a temper. She had seen his bursts of anger before. But the look that clouded his gaze frightened her more than anything before. It made her agitated stomach worse when she realized she would no doubt be the cause of it when she finished. Watching him run a hand through his unruly hair she could tell he was troubled by her pointed question, his eyes turning away from hers as he gripped her hand tightly in the palm of his._

"_Trust me, whatever has been said about me is a lie. I promise you. I know I've kept secrets from you, but I will tell you when you're ready to know."_

"_I'm not a child Van." His words sparked an irritated flame within her and the abrupt transformation of his gaze once again had her wishing she could tell him quickly and leave. The love in his eyes brought tears to her own and Hitomi unconsciously gripped his hand tighter to stop herself from crying._

"_I know you're not a child. Believe me I know. And how could I be angry with what you're going to tell me?" The brightest smile she had ever seen on his face did nothing to stop her heart thrashing painfully against her ribs. She could only wish for a swift ending to it._

"_Because I've been lying to you." She managed to look at him and continue, trying her best not to vomit on the floor in front of him at his encouraging smile. She prayed to the Blessed Virgin he wouldn't kill her, "I haven't been to university since September. I've…I've been in Palermo. At the Police Academy." _

_His eyes stayed locked on hers, his grip on her hand neither losing or gaining pressure as he stared at her wordlessly. Hitomi didn't move or breathe as he kept his gaze level with hers. She watched him breathe in deeply, closing his eyes before opening them. It took her best effort not to flinch as he whispered. "What did you just say?"_

"_I joined the Police Academy in Palermo. To become a Police Officer."_

_She watched as Van bent his head and brushed his lips ever so gently against her hands clasped round his, and she felt nothing. His action, she knew was not for comfort but in alarm before staring at her tentatively and unsure._

"_Tell me you're joking." His voice faded into silence, and it had never sounded sharper to her ears. It was only then his grip tightened around her hand making her blink at the pain shooting up her arm, "Tell me this is a stupid joke. Please Hitomi, tell me this is a very, very ill-thought, stupid joke of yours. Or did someone put you up to it?"_

_Opening her mouth to speak she found she couldn't from the sudden vice-grip he had on her wrist. He stared at her, matching her eyelevel as he knelt before her, his arms brushing her jeans. "Did my sick, twisted, arsehole of a brother put you up to this? Tell me he did. Hitomi tell me…" She remembered why she loved him, despite all the things she had found out about him, the pleading in his voice, the desperation tearing at her heart._

_Tears fell before she could realize and as he watched her cry he stood up and shouted furiously. "TELL ME YOU'RE LYING!" _

_Shaking her head, she defiantly lifted her head and spoke quietly and as calmly as she could with her blurry eyesight. "I'm not. I joined the Police Academy." Hitomi waited for the slap as his hand flew through the air but watching through blurred tears she barely saw the Vase fly through the air and crash against a wall. The flowers slid to the floor among the pieces of glass._

"_You bitch." It was the words she associated with pain, not the sound of her wrist as he pulled her up to face him, his fury ablaze in his eyes, darker than she had ever seen them. "Get out of my house." He still didn't let go. His fingers curled round the back of her wrist and wrenched her arm to follow him as he walked the length of the house in silence, ignoring his mother's worried enquiry and his father's baffled shout._

_Hitomi found herself stumbling after him to match his pace, her entire arm prickling with __jolts__ of pain. Hissing through her tears, she struggled to get away from him, her terror fading to shock as they left the hallway and stepped into the unrelenting heat. She didn't want to look at his face, wary of what she would see. Yet some part of her felt almost unruffled at the possibility of him producing a gun._

_She had been told that he let others do his bidding. But in this case she wondered whether he would allow anyone else to. It barely registered that they had reached the gate to the property, the pain sharper than anything else as he let go of her, throwing her out of the gates. Collapsing to the ground as the iron wrought gates shut in front of her, a trickle of relief spilled along with her tears. _

_It took her far longer than usual, dizzy and nauseous, but when she finally reached her house, she looked across the street and decided. Knocking on their friendly neighbour Signore Pasquano's door she ignored his shock and asked so very quietly, incapable of speaking any louder. "Signore, could you please take me to the hospital? I think I've broken my arm."_

* * *

"Are you never off-duty?" He asked.

Taken aback by his cutting question, she shrugged and wished she had the strength to go to her room, pick up her gun and tell him to leave. Not that a gun would make him listen to her anymore than he would without. Sensing the change in their conversation she took her time to respond carefully.

"I wasn't at 2 this morning." Her anger won out and Hitomi felt like smashing something over his arrogant head for the vapid confusion that appeared on his face. She scoffed loudly and continued, wishing she could feel uncaring of how dangerous he was. "I had to watch 6 small children be put into body bags, half their bodily fluids strewn across the rocks."

"I told you it would be a hard job." Van's reply seeped through her conscious at a torrid pace and the recollection that sped alongside gripped her heart awfully. There was no emotion clearly on his face and for the first time since they had parted ways she sighed and replied.

"I could scream at you until I'm blue in the face. And even if I accuse you of Human Trafficking and the resulting negligent deaths of illegal immigrants, it's more likely I'll get hauled over the coals for it than you'd have to come to the Police Station."

The female detective kept her gaze on the preliminary glow of the horizon, trying her best not to cry. The wailing cry of the orphaned child rang over in her ears and it took her a long time to register that he had pulled his chair round the circular table to sit next to her, his hand covering hers. She was too tired for this.

Rising slowly, she pulled her hand out from under his warm palm and gestured towards the beach,

"I can't deal with this right now. Go play your mind games with your girlfriend. I'm sure out of the two of us, she'll be far more willing to pretend to like you." Hitomi had reached the door to the kitchen and had the words of a thanksgiving prayer on her lips when he startled her. A warm laugh recoiled off the wall and into her ears as she watched him smile in the glass' reflection.

"She's not my girlfriend. Even if she was, Naria could never compare—" Turning in shock and anger she gasped. "Don't you dare finish—!"

Looking at him properly, with the new light from the slivers of purple lines on the horizon she could see just how little he had changed. He didn't look 27. But then she didn't look 25 and was often told so. But his face seemed to have frozen with time. The same eyes and smile she had succumbed to, was it really ten years ago? She watched him carefully as he reached under the table and placed on it a bottle of amber liquid.

"I brought you my finest Marsala. It's been in the family cellar since Mussolini was born." If there was one thing she could thank him for, it was her good taste in wine. Though it had its downsides at overpriced restaurants. Curious, she replied with the question he now wanted her to ask. "Why did you come here?"

The expression on his face flipped her stomach, in exactly the same way it had ten years ago. A blush spread across her cheeks at the realization, but luckily she let him answer before making a fool of herself. "Can't I spend my birthday with an old friend?" Her blush unfolded across her unusually fair skin, so she turned and darted into the kitchen, reaching for glasses before she realized what she was doing.

It was ten years to the day. His seventeenth birthday seemed so decadent by comparison ten years ago. She had still been naïve, unsure of why Van no longer spoke to his brother. Oblivious to why there had been so many old and tattooed men wishing him well. And they weren't family he told her with a sly smile. It had been his birthday and yet it represented a milestone for her too.

Hitomi picked up the towel still lying on the floor with two glasses and a corkscrew in her other hand. The towel she draped across a chair and halfway to the door she realized she hadn't checked her kitchen drawer. Her attachment to her gun faded, as it would always be redundant against Van Fanel.

Stepping out onto the tiles, she placed the two glasses and metal corkscrew with a small clang on the table and walked past him to sit down from the other side of her chair. His wry smile served to agitate her further as he watched her in silence. She tried to steel herself, praying he would speak soon before she punched him. Or kiss him. No, definitely punch him.

"Beautiful view." He murmured quietly and Hitomi gripped the edge of her chair furthest from him so he wouldn't see. She ignored the insinuation and decided to play ignorant.

"It's why I kept the house after Ma died." Hearing his sigh she unfurled her fingers from painfully gripping the underside of the chair and asked quietly, "Out of all the people on this island, why did you pick me to spend your birthday with?"

Meeting his stare she saw his answer clearly in his cinnamon gaze, replying silently. Cursing her father's genes for pale skin she gritted her teeth and reached for the bottle of wine, uncaring she had forfeited the stalemate between them. Conscious of his victory, he reached out a gloriously tanned arm and carefully slid his fingers over hers. The expression changed to a reprimanding one as he guided her hand back to her lap, his fingers ghosting over the back of her hand before taking the bottle with his other.

"Have you forgotten your manners Principessa? It's the man's task to open the bottle, especially if he brought it with him." Finding herself extremely uncomfortable sitting so close to him, she asked him yet another question. "Won't your clan be angry with you for spending time with a Cop?"

"You're off duty aren't you?" He argued back and she rolled her eyes, turning her gaze back to the increasingly deeper shades of purple in the towering clouds, converging over the horizon.

There were disadvantages to living by the beach. And spring storms were a major part of the list. However if the storm moved east then she could sit on the sand and enjoy the spectacle of it breaking over Porto Empedocle. If she had gotten rid of the enemy before then. Startled back into the situation she found her hand pulled towards the table where a glass of sparkling wine sat before her. Any witty comments about poison evaporated as she took a slow sip.

"Happy birthday," she managed to murmur, trying her best not to savour the delicious taste of the vintage wine in her glass. Off duty or not, she was still a police officer, and he…he was a _man of honour_. Hitomi had always found that title the most amusing, considering the affairs they were involved in. But still, it was oddly jarring to be sat on her veranda sipping vintage Marsala with the Capofamiglia of the de Fanel Mafia clan.

Their history together was a mere footnote. Nothing more.

"Happy anniversary." He whispered, his mouth almost but just not quite caressing her ear, and she knew if she had drained the glass entirely she would have moaned in objection to his teasing. Instead she braced herself for his unwanted_—they were unwanted—_actions and replied calmly. "Ten years since you were seventeen? I haven't heard of that before."

His fingers slowly trailed up her bare arm to the strap of her vest and she fought not to move, gripping her glass agonizingly as he murmured in a honeyed tone. "It must be only a few hundred yards up the beach where we..."

"I try not to remember."

Hitomi felt the derisive snort more than she heard it, his breath curling along her neck as she stubbornly kept her gaze on the budding sunrise. Why hadn't she accepted that transfer? Her mind felt vacant of coherent thought, only aware of just how close he was. And it just wasn't fair how comfortable he was in _her_ home, pressing right up against her. "Really? So why were you blushing earlier? After all it's not every girl that—"

"—Is stupid enough to fall for a Mafia boss' son and not realize he's the heir to the throne. Don't worry, I beat myself up everyday about it. No need for you to come round and twist the knife further."

She could feel the change in his voice as he pulled away from her, murmuring quietly, seriously, "Just because I'm full of vice and sin doesn't make you so terrible by association. It never bothered you back then."

"I was fifteen," she shot back, "Sure, people spoke of your family and paying protection, but I had no idea of the truth. If I had—"

"—is that why you joined the Police? For penance?" The incredulity in his voice brought back her anger and she turned to face him, her legs even swinging round towards him as she replied angrily.

"NO! I joined the goddamned Police so I could do something. I can still remember the blood pouring out of Amano's forehead," she finished with a whisper, shaking her head as her anger moved to another, deeper emotion. Her voice shook as she continued, "I remember Amano standing against his Vespa laughing one second and then falling to the ground covered in blood."

Seeing the confusion on his face she rolled her eyes infuriated, "Amano Falcone. His father missed one pizzu payment to your family. So instead of breaking an arm or a leg they shot his only son. His father didn't have the money as he'd spent it paying Amano's tuition fees for Palermo. Not that your lot would care."

Her tsunami of emotions that were delicately labelled Van Fanel weren't eased in the slightest as she drained the glass of wine. And his severe proximity only helped to refresh her memory. But as his hand brushed her bare shoulder and reached out for the wine bottle Hitomi realized she had to do something. Unfortunately her mouth opened before her synapses fired properly. "You thought I was pregnant didn't you?"

His gaze reminded her of that awful day; the intensity of it however affected her in a completely different way. The fear she had felt that day reappeared but it was muted and mixed precariously with an ache she hadn't felt in years. One he had been so skilled at setting ablaze. The alcohol was definitely talking if she actually thought she missed it. Missed him.

"You broke my heart that day."

"You broke my wrist, makes us even." Hitomi sighed at his words, not in a tragic heroine capacity, but a pained capacity, something she had never wanted to acknowledge. And she knew there were lines not to cross. _I didn't know you had a heart_ would definitely defile such a barrier between them.

"Did I mean that little to you?" A smile crept on his face at her reaction to his words, the shock she felt clearly displayed at his almost mournful tone. "I was expecting you to tell me something wonderful and instead…instead you betrayed me." She had to fight to stop her eyes rolling reflexively.

"Betrayed you? I can't recall a single conversation where you told me that if I joined the Police I would be betraying you." She watched as his gaze changed, it was expected she told herself, but the flicker of what looked like longing on his face came unanticipated. "You're forgetting what Folken did. He left our family. He betrayed us. You knew perfectly well how I felt about that. And you decided to follow him like a lovesick puppy. As if he was the _better_ brother."

Sipping the remainder of her second glass of wine she couldn't help the first smirk on her face that night.

"Is that it? Sibling rivalry? Was what I told you interpreted as 'I slept with your brother'? Really Van, I thought you knew me better. And that you had more self-esteem. After all you swagger round this island as if you own it. That can't be pretence, can it?"

It was most definitely the alcohol she decided when she didn't flinch as his hand reached out ever so slowly, cautiously to slide his fingers along the curve of her jaw, his thumb scarcely grazing the curve of her bottom lip. Instead Hitomi met his gaze and felt no embarrassment when blood rushed to her cheeks. But she matched his cinnamon gaze, waiting for him.

"I could picture him you know. Our child." Her breath hitched in astonishment as he looked at her with such a heavy gaze, "In those seconds I could see him so clearly. Running in the garden, trying to kick a football. Your eyes, my messy hair. He was perfect."

Watching the unguarded expression on his face, Hitomi felt dazed by the abrupt pang of guilt at his words. "I think you should go," trembled past her lips, the turbulent emotions knocking her off balance, not to mention the alcohol.

Standing up too quickly, she leaned forward and gripped the back of his chair painfully as a jolt ran up the bone in her forearm. Focused on the light-headed feeling and then the sharp pain as she gasped for breath, she didn't notice just how close he suddenly was. His gaze, lingering on her.

She had no opportunity to move away from his hypnotic eyes as his gaze travelled the length of her probably translucent vest, only to be surprised when his eyes overlooked her chest and focused on her stomach. A hand hesitantly reached out and brushed the faded cotton just above her navel, sending nerve endings to overload, halting her breathing. It was strange how she felt no annoyance as the feminine flutterings surged as the pad of his thumb stretched the fabric, only pushing her closer to a moan.

"You always said you'd get a tattoo." She blinked in shock at his words, having had no clue why he had touched her in the first place. Words seemed impossible as he muttered quietly, looking up at her with such a reverent gaze. "May I…"

Hitomi was unsure why she nodded; moving her hand to lift the hem of her vest, only to gasp as he slid his hand under her top and making her skin itch at his warm, exploring touch. The additional warmth of the breeze did nothing for her attention as she continued to stare at the top of his head. One of his hands then curled round her bare waist, pushing her vest up and the other slowly and almost cautiously traced the hiragana as if he feared hurting her.

"What does it mean?" he whispered against her skin and she found herself closing her eyes and biting her lip to stifle any wanting sound, barely keeping her voice steady as she murmured.

"Virtue is only true nobility." The chuckle against her skin stopped her breathing as he turned his gaze up to look at her. It was so, so wrong that she wanted to lean down, just to be closer to him. She needed to remember _who_ he was, what he had done.

"Yaki bou kui ni hi gatsuki yasui." Startled by his sudden switch of tongue, Hitomi stared down at his smouldering gaze, his nose a lungful away from her stomach. It took her a few seconds to understand what he had said.

Van Fanel had told her…effectively said…spoken in her father's tongue…

The way the whorls of his fingertips seemed to bore into her skin made the decision for her. Her hand pushed off from the back of the aluminium chair, her wrist ached again at the force she used, before turning and walking towards the door into the kitchen and mumbled over her shoulder, "Just go." She no longer cared to find out what he wanted.

_Old love does not rust. _How on earth had he found out that Japanese proverb? And why did he say it? In the name of the Mafia why was she asking such questions? She should have gone to her room in the first place, found her gun and shot at him when she had the chance.

The glasses outside could be retrieved in the morning. Hitomi felt all she could do was pray that he would finally get the message and leave.

His words were merely a sick, twisted extension of the game he had suddenly decided to play. If she remembered rightly, the last conversation they had properly had involved a drunk making a comment about her _sexy shoes_, Van had appeared and scared him off, then turning to her and making a disgusting comment alluding to a certain profession. One no doubt he invested in as the most powerful Capofamiglia in Sicily.

Reaching for the fridge and the bottle of Grappa an old lady had given her for stopping a rave in the apartment below her, her hand shook as it brushed the handle of the door. As the door to the veranda shut behind her, she flinched, knowing it was nothing to do with the wind. The bastard had not only trespassed on her property, he was now entering her home without her permission or approval. A desire for a weapon had never been so strong.

Only later would she see where she had gone wrong. Turning round with her back leaning against the fridge door, she watched him approach her. Thankfully he kept his distance, staring at her and tilting his head in such an aggravatingly coy gesture, completely contrary to who he really was.

"Is this a new habit of yours? Running away from situations you don't like? Or was _that_ why you joined the Police? To get away from me?" Hitomi felt thunderstruck by his words, only seconds after his previous statement in her father's native tongue. She hated how she was, standing before him, under his scalding gaze, feeling like the same nervous teenager who had lay underneath him on sun-warmed sand and told him to unbutton her dress if he wanted his birthday present.

The same pulsing anxiety and something else she desperately didn't want to feel.

Words seemed impossible as he stepped closer, her mind uselessly wished it was all a Grappa induced hallucination. But it certainly didn't feel that way when his thumb magnetically pressed against the hiragana inked on her milky skin. Nor the tangy scent of salt water she knew instinctively she would smell if she pressed her face into the curve of his bronzed neck.

An unwelcome shudder passed through her as his hateful proximity only increased her brain failure. "Why did you say it?" Came out in a hoarse whisper, her voice clearly displaying her disbelief. There was no warning from him, no smile, no facial expression whatsoever to give her a chance to escape. Not that she noticed when his wine-sweetened breath was close enough to slide into her own lungs.

His lips gently slid beneath her ear and teeth nibbled down along her jaw. Van had not lost any skill in getting what he wanted. The slow, languorous pace added to her nerves short-circuiting and comprehensive thought wasn't available to her as his lips brushed against her jawline, kiss after kiss reminding her. As she felt his breath tingle against her neck she shuddered as he lowered his mouth to a spot he apparently remembered.

She could only lean back against the fridge, tilting her head for him to do what he did so well, gripping his forearm through the thin shirt, telling him in her own way not to stop, inhaling shallowly as he swallowed the distance between them with one step. His designer trousers rubbing against her bare legs, giving her unwanted ideas.

And any thoughts of women with leather trousers and lace up crotches disappeared from her mind as one hand curled round the back of her damp neck pulling her mouth to his, the other swirling instinctively against her tattoo.

It was gentle, but she could feel the assurance coming from him, one she had eagerly relented to night after night, it somehow didn't seem wrong to indulge once more. Despite knowing it was wrong, Hitomi deep down admitted she missed him, missed lying against him, writhing underneath him, faking surprise when he decided to join her in the bathroom. Even though such admissions were wrong, it hurt to see him after such a long time and notice just how unchanged he appeared. _Mother of God_ it was unfair!

His fingers itching along her skin under her vest rendered any anger or indignation useless as he artfully triggered a moan, and with it his tongue slid into her mouth and reminded her just how much she had been cared for all those years ago. Hitomi remembered just how _persuasive_ he was, as a series of gasps left her, all the while her tongue seeking out his, as if trying to make up for lost time.

She wondered momentarily when it would come crashing down on her. Sandwiched between a cool fridge door and a deliciously warm, toned male, her soul would gain black marks surely. Exchanging kisses with the boss of the most powerful Mafia clan on the island so genially as if there had never been a gun pointed at each other. His mouth caressed hers so easily, as if there hadn't been six years of enforced physical separation.

But his kiss deepened, roughened and she could only moan and grip his shoulders tighter, before regaining enough balance to start roaming her hands down the front of his shirt and trying to tear the buttons off to get to his honey toned skin. He in turn caressed the bare skin of her back, fingers dancing up her spine, knowingly making her pant for breath.

Was she really about to let him take her against her own fridge? Fleeting as the thought was, any other sound — of waves, seagulls, distant cars roaring to life — failed to register in comparison to the groan echoing from his mouth against hers as her nails scoured his abdominal muscles, seeking out new scars and old ones she still remembered. She smiled against his lips and did her best to remove his shirt with one hand as the other tugged against his messy hair.

His mouth left hers and her nails dug into his skin in reprimand only to gasp and wrap a mostly bare leg around his waist as his mouth followed the strap of her vest downwards. She had to refocus as his teeth teasingly nipped down her skin, struggling with his shirt as his hand gently slid down over her shoulder and pushed the strap resting on it downwards. The revealed skin was lavished with his attention and this time Hitomi found herself supported by his arm as she almost slumped forward in shock.

It was entirely involuntary the way she moaned his name, her teeth dragging along his collarbone as he pressed even more firmly against her, his kiss urgent and almost painful as she tried to pull him further against her. Seeming as if she was in a trance how she desperately tried to get his wretched belt off and then his awful, impeding trousers. She needed him…needed this. Hitomi tried her best to pull him as firmly against her as she could, desperate for a conclusion he was so cunning at achieving. Career or not, she wanted Van.

His fingers sent nerves pulsing with something better than adrenalin and she wanted him, _Blessed Mother_ she wanted him. Using her arms as leverage she mindlessly lifted her other leg off the ground and wrapped them round his hips, locking behind his back, aligning them perfectly. The sheer heat in his gaze as he pulled back brought her hazily round to the reality of the situation.

Apparently he didn't care as he ground his hips against her, lavishing kisses on her neck and cleavage.

His name was repeated prayer like on her lips, along with his hands caressing her bare thighs up to the hem of the boxers she cringingly realized once belonged to him. Hitomi knew it was wrong but was mindless in her pursuit of something she definitely didn't want to name. Not that it helped when he suddenly dropped to his knees and a hand slid under her backside to keep her upright.

Dazed and uncaring, she could only look down as his other hand pushed up her vest and started laying open mouthed kisses haphazardly down her stomach. His attention seemed drawn undivided by the contrasting black ink against her pale skin, and it felt overly sensitive as his tongue traced the curve of the characters. She slid her fingers into his thick, messy hair, the only thing she could grip onto as his lips lavished the highly sensitive skin of her stomach.

As his tongue slid into and swirled round her navel, the echoing memory of her first time—ten years ago tonight exactly—brought her back to the truth of the situation. It was an enormous effort to take one leg off his shoulder and place it shakily on the floor. However Van hadn't noticed her abrupt change of mood, standing up and pressing her once more against the fridge, his hands and mouth ever more eager.

"Van." Apparently just his name held no power as the arrogant git probably assumed she was enjoying his ministrations. Whilst it was true on a physical level and unwelcome comparisons sprawled across her mind, she no longer wanted this. "Van stop." Again he seemed to pay no mind.

It was only when his mouth moved up to her own, she turned her head away and muttered defeatedly, "I can't..." Whatever she was expecting, she found herself surprised when he didn't try and push her, nevertheless still pressing himself against her and moulding her curves to his firm body.

Hitomi didn't want to look at him, she didn't want to see the look in his eyes she still _unwelcomingly_ dreamt of. Her racing hormones urged her to wrap her thighs round his hips again, just _for old times' sake_ but she couldn't. Not when she knew categorically he was responsible for well over half of the crime and subsequent misery on the island.

She had made a decision and needed to stick to it, no matter just how much she wanted to wrap her legs around her waist and feel him press against her wantonly.

"Can't you?" he whispered, his bangs itching her forehead and _that_ look in his eyes, telling her he would not leave without a fight. Instead Hitomi dodged the question and then her gaze to the rising swell of the sea outside. She stayed silent, hoping he would leave, would give up. Perfectly aware that it was the complete opposite of his nature.

So she waited, knowing that if she spoke she'd only be setting herself up for more torment. Ready to give up and bodily push him away—she would never admit feeling _comfortable_ of all things, with him pressed against her—Hitomi found herself riddled with surprise as he rested his forehead on her slick shoulder. His face turned towards her and his breath curling against her pulse as he murmured, "Does your job rule your life that much? Do I have no place? Am I just a relic of your past?"

"Why did you come here?"

It was hopeless and she knew it as he moved his face only inches away from hers. Van's eyes was one aspect she had never forgotten, still waking in a unfulfilled ache in the pitch black, remembering just what his gaze could do. His nose brushed hers affectionately as he whispered, "You know why Principessa."

"No I don't." She murmured stubbornly at his use of such a stupid nickname, desperate for him to take a step back and admit defeat for once in his bloody life. It was well known how stubborn the Mafia boss was across the whole island and probably abroad where he had his connections and offshore accounts. He was embroiled in unlawful transgressions and yet he was willingly coaxing a police officer into sleeping with him.

Nothing made sense, not anymore, even with the daze-worthy alcohol in her stomach. Feeling his eyes on her, Hitomi opened her mouth to speak but found him cockily cutting her off with a devastating effect. "Haven't you missed me Hime?"

The sudden switch of tongue stunned her, his use of her father's maternal language once again keeping her silent in shock, incapable of nothing more than staring at him and breathing in his sea air scent. She wasn't given long to appreciate his broadening of culture as he smiled, leaning in awfully slowly before he slanted his mouth against hers.

It hurt how easily he could dismiss everything, but his hands trailing under her vest proved a praiseworthy distraction. He could stoke a mindless haze within her that apparently hadn't lost its saturating appeal, not to mention aiding her aim of removing his shirt. Once again Van proved his importance as his shirt fell to the ground only seconds before his deliciously calloused palms swept up under her vest and tugged the wretched garment over her head, throwing it to the floor.

The feel of her bare skin against his served perfectly against her conscience. Thoughts of morality flew out of her head as his mouth moved lower again, his teeth nipping down her line of cleavage, marking her sensitive peaks. His hands followed suit with her remaining articles of clothing. Hitomi knew the pain of hindsight all too well, but pleasure had been long absent, so why should she deny him?

Sex was most definitely better when he knew just how to tease her. Foreplay was all well and good, but no one had matched in six years. Devastating as that was to find out, Hitomi wanted him naked and preferably tearing ecstastic noises out of her. It was probably the only aspect where he truly was attentive.

It didn't even matter that they were getting undressed in her kitchen and up against an ancient fridge. Nor the fact they were in full view of anyone who might happen to walk along the beach and past her house. She let him take what he had come for, not that Van would ever let her be free, and that knowledge didn't even frighten her as she could only gasp and moan as his hands slid over her bare skin, sliding between her thighs to coax her round to his way of thinking. She needed no extra encouragement, using her teeth and tongue against his neck to show just how much she approved.

The smirk on his face no longer aggravated her, only serving to encourage her to wrap her arms around him and press the length of her bare, tingling skin against his own, before latching onto his neck with her mouth, then along his collarbone, before finally, teasingly, chastely kissing his lips. His hips rocked against her and she gripped his arms as they moved in sync, to lift her up off the floor once again, free of any cloth barriers between them.

Their mutual haze would probably be beneficial later, at least her stirrings of guilt wouldn't have too much clarity to overanalyze. Hitomi could only latch onto the physical sensations as he moved against her, within her, she just about did her best to ignore the memories that crept up on her. Taking shape steadily, she channelled her anger to good use as she pushed herself more firmly against him, her nails scratching his back out of instinct to push him further.

Her actions were barely conscious as she urged him on, biting and scratching almost angrily at him for what he was doing and what he _hadn't _done for the past six years. It felt better than affection as a motive behind her actions. In return he acted forcefully, kissing and groping as if she didn't want him.

But she did, and they both knew she did. Any matter of secrecy, pain, misery fell to the wayside as the anger built up between them served as the perfect basis for their attention to one another, knowing just what they both wanted and how to reach it.

The rising heat pooling in her stomach spiked when his hips shifted marvellously and his mouth covered her own with a breathtakingly tender pressure. It ended abruptly for her, a cry torn from her lungs as he pulled back and she felt the ripples of her orgasm prolong themselves just at the sheer heated longing of his gaze. Only then did he brace himself against her, his mouth moving to crush hers, only giving her half of his sentence, "—you. Hitomi." His groan helped to enhance the aftershocks.

Time passed unmarked in her haze as they slid still joined to the floor, and resting against one another. Good and evil. Police and criminal. Cops and robbers. None of it applied as he cradled her shaky body to his, giving her already reawakened stirrings of arousal once more. It was another thing she definitely missed about him.

The adrenalin and want running through her veins diminished but the feeling of his skin warming her own kept her from any real thought or moral conclusion. Van seemed undeterred, laying kisses along her collarbone, keeping her from pushing him away, his fingers counting the vertebra of her back. She didn't want to think about it. _Would she even attempt to push him away?_

* * *

He watched as the Capofamiglia of his clan calmly strolled along the empty road towards him. He made no comment as he slid into the expensive but not overly flashy BMW with his hair even more messy than usual and his shirt unevenly buttoned. He probably hadn't noticed his belt was undone. Nor did he mention the length of time he had waited. But the authentic smile on the dark haired man's face told him more than he wanted to know.

With an antagonized groan he asked, "Tell me you didn't…?"

It was clear something had happened as the Mafia Don didn't reply with his usual promptness to his heavily open ended question. After a few seconds Van sighed and replied. "That's none of your business. Get going, I'm supposed to be up for breakfast at 7.30."

The other man looked at his appearance and sighed at the wistful expression on his superior's face. "Van, did you find out what you were supposed to?" It seemed being disrespectful got the man's attention as Van stared at him, with a hint of irritation.

"Yes I did Folken. And you have nothing to worry about, she has no idea you're a traitor to her and the government she stupidly works for." He was surprised when the head of his family sighed as if in self-annoyance before continuing, "Nor does she have any idea that it's only because of me she's remained unharmed and her house still hasn't been burgled."

Nodding, Folken started the car, satisfied with his answer as his younger brother leant back in the comfortable passenger seat and closed his eyes. The older man wondered just how tired his brother was or relaxed after encountering his long time love to fall asleep in a car, when Van opened a cinnamon shaded eye and murmured, "You may be my brother but I pull rank, not you. Understood?"

"Completely Don Fanel." And his words were spoken with completely genuine deference. Age didn't matter, status did, so the older brother kept silent.

He had no desire to crack a stupid joke as to whether the pretty police officer counted under their clan's law of silence. It seemed obvious tonight's actions would not be mentioned according to the Omertà now between his brother and his junior officer.

* * *

It was a long month for the detective afterwards, the repercussions slowly twining round her and restricting her breathing space both at work and at home.

That one night never lost any clarity whatsoever as it replayed in her mind at a hammeringly painful pace. She hadn't even showered again that night once he had left for some strange reason. It was yet another thing she didn't want to think about. Hitomi had barely managed to pull on her clothes once he had disappeared and slumped against the cool fridge.

The idea of drinking Grappa to wash away everything seemed useless now.

Instead she had reached for the phone and sat against the fridge, just as she had done almost one month beforehand.

That night she had sat, motionless and thoughtless, ignoring the scent of him, of what they had done. Twice. Any air freshener had done nothing for the memory he had now burned into her skin. Along with the trail of marks along her neck and beneath her vest, some of which—the most vicious—were still there, fighting every attempt of her skin to fade.

She scarcely managed to speak when she heard the male voice echo in her now silent kitchen through the phone.

« Allo? Allo, qu'est-ce que vous voulez? » The annoyance in his tone brought her to the realization of the actual time. The green blinking numbers of the digital clock however no longer inspired panic as the male voice sounded even more irritated, « Qui y est? C'est pas drôle à cet heure abominable! »

Hitomi inhaled sharply before speaking in a terribly quiet voice as if her volume would cause her further trauma. "Itoko-kun?"

"Hitomi?" The sudden sharpness of Allen's voice as he switched to their second tongue brought tears to her eyes for the first time since she had arrived at the dock at midnight one month before. It seemed only hours ago.

"Hitomi are you ok?" The switch from French to Japanese in her cousin's voice added sobbing noises to her tears as she struggled to speak, "Itoko-kun I…I…need to…"

"What do you need Hitomi-chan?" A minute smile stretched her tensed muscles as her only cousin showed genuine worry, the use of their shared language calming her slightly.

"Allen, oh God. I need to see you. I have to…I have to get away. Can I—?"

"—Get on the first flight out of Palermo airport ok? I'll call your boss—"

"Don't!" she cried, shaking as the door rattled with the force of her voice, "I'll call him when I get to Paris."

"Hitomi what's happened? Are you alright? Do you want me to come to Sicily?" A shuddered breath escaped her at the switch in her last remaining relative's voice. "No!" She replied, her discomfort coiling tighter in her belly as she spoke between clenched teeth, "I can't tell anyone I'm leaving. I just have to get out of here. I…I found…I'm…"

"Calm down ne? Get packing and to Palermo when the airport opens. There should be a flight at 6 or 7 am."

"I've already packed," she murmured quietly, her voice shaking as she stared at her travelling bag. It was glaringly obvious how worried she was when her cousin's sleepy tone sharpened. "Do you want me to stay on the line juushi-chan?" His use of her _honorific_ almost started another fit of crying but she managed to inhale deeply and reply shakily, "Yes please."

For the three hours she spent talking to her cousin, who tried to desperately calm her down through bursts of tears, she couldn't keep her eyes off the pregnancy test sitting on top of her travelling bag.

* * *

Theme 18: Beach

Words: 11,310

* * *

As much as he loved his wife, there were times when Van wished she hadn't come from another planet. Staring at the unnaturally vast landscape before him, he found no enthusiasm come to him. Even though Hitomi was wearing Mystic Moon clothes, and not even a pair of _jeans,_ that at least which his council had deemed decent.

No the skirt, if it could be called a skirt, fluttered with the breeze, but it wasn't the ruffled hem that caught his attention. It was the expanse of creamy thigh and calf that had him staring. Why couldn't they have gone to the forest? Or the mountains? She could have equally worn the skirt then. It annoyed him how she found it so amusing, her legs momentarily distracting him as she sauntered towards him over the godforsaken sand.

"Van, really. It's nothing to be afraid of—"

"I'm not afraid." He muttered, annoyed that she wouldn't let it go. Even her smile wasn't helping him to relax. Why on their one year wedding anniversary did she have to pick a beach?

"Yes you are. The wide open space and ever-stretching horizon alarms you. It's perfectly acceptable. After all you're completely comfortable in the tiny space of a guymelef, therefore it makes sense you're afraid of wide, open spaces."

Gritting his teeth he reached out and pulled his scantily clad wife into his arms and murmured against her wonderfully scented neck,

"I live in a Palace love. I'm not afraid of wide, open spaces."

"Van, I lived by the sea for 19 years and it did me no harm."

There really were days when he wished his wife could be a little more relenting and less devious as a very enjoyable kiss turned into her tugging him across the dreadful sand and into the water.

Half an hour later, with the sound of the waves, lying on the wet sand with his beloved if not sometimes tiresome wife curled beneath him, Van had to admit maybe the beach wasn't so bad.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed amidst the confusion of cultures and languages

ALSO IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW! ^^ 20 *cries* Comments are always worshipped. Challenges are also very welcome.

Translation time

« Allo? Allo, qu'est-ce que vous voulez? » – Hello ? Hello, what do you want?

« Qui y est? C'est pas drôle à cet heure abominable! » - Who is this? This isn't funny at this terrible hour !

Itoko-kun = cousin (masculine)

Juushi-chan = cousin (feminine)

みめより心 - Virtue is the only true nobility (Hitomi's Tattoo ^^)

焼棒杭に火がつき易い yaki bou kui ni hi gatsuki yasui = Old love does not rust

* * *

**Thanks go to:**

Jav-chan – Wish what happened to Allen? :P And yeah Van does well in the Nile *winks*

BlackMagicWhiteMagic – Thank you and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

thepinkmartini – Yeah Marlene and Chid were awesome ne? And here's more bunny sex

Tanwen Whitefire – Thank you and I'm very glad everything slotted in well for you.

ChiKa YuMe – Yeah Allen's a right old pest isn't he? Part 2 of Bites is cooooooming! Toaster?

effervesence – Glad you liked and I will have a small snippet of the aftermath, how's that?

Lil' Dinky – Yeah :P Once again Hitomi in her PJs ^^ Nyah Nyah.

Sakura Crystals – They are long and this might be one of, if not the longest. ^^

chibimimi – Sequel for the last one, maybe a snippet but nothing too big sorry.

Rockin Sockin Robot – Aww yep, updates are varied. And hope you liked this snippet too!

Cloudancer

False-Image – Lol aww, hope you're free to read now! And H/V/D will be in another shot soon!

les amoureux – Thank you and here's another Police story ish. Glad you liked the characters ^^


	13. Face of the Heavens Mặt Trời

A/N: Thanks to my beta and sempai Jav-chan for her help and inspiration ;) ^^ The title is translated from the Vietnamese literal meaning, but the words Mặt Trời actually mean something else ;)

Also Dilandau is quite OOC in this. So you've been forewarned ;)

* * *

PIMPING TIME: Yes dear readers, I have found someone to peddle, or their fics rather ^^

**JAV-CHAN – PWP. Does what it says on the tin! Porn Without Plot** – though the slivers of plot are good as well! And a B&G scene in there too ;)

ALSO - - - - - Hitomi's dress – goodorient (dot) com/Elegant_Lilac_Peony_Cheongsam_P22167 # Detailed

* * *

Face of the Heavens (Mặt Trời)

"He doesn't look very promising."

Dilandau twitches, as he could swear he can hear a male voice just a short distance away. But it seems highly unlikely. After all he's leaning against the door to the roof access, so how would anyone else get up here without waking him? There hadn't been anyone up here before him either.

"Oh shush. You're just annoyed that I'm right for once." This time it's a female voice in response, sounding a great deal less mature than the male voice and more like a teenager his own age.

So she can't be a teacher. If she was, Dilandau knows he would have been woken up roughly by now as most of the female teachers hate him and would gladly commit bodily harm if they found him asleep in a secluded place. Without any sexual undertones whatsoever.

"Doesn't look like it to me." The male speaks again, clearly apathetic. Maybe the girl has dragged him up here for a secret rendezvous or something, he wonders not paying too much attention to their conversation. Biting back a smile, Dilandau keeps his posture relaxed, slumping against the door to the roof and opening his mouth slightly wider to emphasize the pretence he's asleep.

If the girl's hot maybe he can take a few pictures on his phone, for private viewing of course. 17 and still a virgin, he muses. Not that Allen's the best benchmark to use for comparison as even he'll admit the blonde teen has an unnatural gift towards women. Also the silver haired boy isn't viewed in the best light by the girl he lo—longs for. Celena Schezar has put him depressingly in the friend category and it seems sickeningly likely that's all he'll ever be to her.

"Should we wake him up?" the girl asks and Dilandau finally pays full attention to the others on the roof of Kitakura High School.

Why would she want to wake him? To get off the roof? Well, how did she get there in the first place he wonders. The obnoxious side of him feels like faking a snore just to annoy these people, whoever's decided to invade his territory. No one else comes up to the roof. Not that many people know how to get up to it anyway. And not forgetting he's stolen the only key to the door.

He can't stop from flinching in shock when the man replies, again dripping with sarcasm, "He's already awake Hitomi," followed by a heavy sigh and Dilandau would bet his weekend wages that the man runs a hand through his hair. Only then does he realize he's been caught. He opens his eyes seconds after the man continues, "Maybe if I tip the bottle of orange juice over him he'll be more responsive."

Blinking to adjust to the sunlight that's now shining painfully into his eyes, almost as if it's concentrated to burn his corneas, Dilandau sits up warily and tries to focus on the two hazy figures he can just barely make out. His eyes attempt to adjust to the sunlight, though it feels more like the blinding light has receded and when he looks up the sun's hidden by clouds.

Eyes suddenly stinging, he reaches a hand up to rub against his closed eyelids and hears the girl speak to him, "You shouldn't do that. It'll just make it worse. Let your eyes adjust."

Something feels off as the female's voice has changed. She sounded like a teenager only a minute ago and now sounds older, like a woman in her thirties with kids. The gentle, knowing tone encourages him, so he opens his eyes and squints as once again the sun shines straight at him, making him hiss in discomfort.

But when he looks up again, the sun's still covered by a massive cloudbank. Is one of the idiots leaning against the railing shining a light in his eye? Bastards.

"Didn't you hear the woman? Let your eyes adjust. The pain goes away quickly enough." Dilandau's fists clench automatically at the patronising tone of the man, he must be shining a light in his eye. But his theory is shaken by the baffling comment from the girl/woman who remarks amusedly, "You could tone it down you know Van."

The response only unsettles him further as _Van_ utters condescendingly, "If this one's all that, he should be able to deal with it." A dismissive noise and then he continues, unaware Dilandau's slowly opening his eyes and blinking past the pain and eyes blurring with stinging tears, "Are you sure you haven't made a mistake? After all—"

He has to squint again and keeps his eyes open, gritting his teeth past the painful rays of light that definitely aren't coming from the Sun, trying to see the two people. But he blinks as the girl replies, her voice sounding younger again, but this time ringing with anger, "—Are you accusing me of making a mistake because of my _condition?_ Oh how delightful. I can't believe—"

"I didn't mean it. You know I didn't. It's just…"

Dilandau bites back a smirk as he listens to the man's awful attempt at grovelling, only for his teeth to sink further into his lower lip in shock and make him gasp in pain as the girl replies dismissively, no longer sounding angry, "I know. You hate coming down to Gaea. Especially with me in the current state I am. You're just trying to look after me. I _know_. So turn off the glower will you? That way we can go back home sooner."

_Come down to Gaea?_ He wonders what the hell these two are smoking. Despite many rumours, _he_ is not a crackhead, nor has he ever tried drugs. Dilandau knows there are lines to cross and he's not stupid enough to play with that one. Any confusion trebles when his blurry visions recedes as the painful light disappears instantly. But whipping his head upwards again he notes that the Sun is _still_ hidden behind a huge cumulonimbus cloud formation. Once again, he may appear ignorant, but his GPA is actually higher than Dryden's.

His eyes blink rapidly as the loss of the blazing light and the resulting white dots to his vision slowly fade, then the two figures against the railing opposite him come into focus. He sniffs and smells no stench of weed, or sees any tendrils of smoke. Squinting as his sight still tries to focus and re-adjust, he can see the _boy_ and girl are wearing his school uniform.

Smartly dressed both of them, with all articles of clothing present and tastefully buttoned, Dilandau doesn't recognise them and yet has the feeling he would have noticed them before; together they seem to make a striking pair.

The boy leaning against the wall has black messy hair, and it doesn't look professionally done or with gel holding it in place—though it still would attract female attention—hangs over his tanned face and strangely coloured eyes. Dilandau may have an eerie shade of brown eyes himself, but he could swear this guy's got red eyes. And he's sure he isn't suffering from inhaling any toxic fumes from Merle's chemistry _experiment_ before lunch, he sat by the window just in case.

Sitting up on the wall and leaning back against the railing, he surveys the scene as a good protagonist should. The girl is pretty, but not so much Allen would have noticed—the blonde prefers visible underwear, so it's possible neither boy's ever seen her. But her facial expression seems strange. One second she looks like an innocent small child. The next moment she has a maternal, mature smile dazzling across her face. Not to mention her green eyes seem to glow ethereally.

The boy stares at him, the girl smiles at him and Dilandau has the distinct impression that they aren't normal, in any sense of the word. His mouth then hangs open as the girl slowly shuffles forward to the edge of the wall from leaning back against it, and it isn't her long, toned legs he notices. Her shirt is pulled very tightly against her heavily swollen stomach. Looking back up to her face, he can see her eyes are literally glittering with glee, no doubt at his shock.

He decides right there and then that whoever these two are, they most definitely don't go to his school. He's now sure he's never seen them before, and he's positive he would have at least noticed _her_, but there haven't been any rumours or sightings of a heavily pregnant girl roaming around school. And with Millerna hanging off Allen and Dryden in equal measure, Dilandau is sure he would have heard something by now about a pregnant girl called Hitomi. Even their names ring no proverbial bells.

"Told you." The girl murmurs playfully to her companion, now grinning and Dilandau isn't so sure that it's his eyes playing tricks on him as her strangely pale skin starts to glow. The boy looks at her and rolls his eyes. Watching them, the silver haired teen can tell that there's definitely something unusual about the pair before him, especially at the look they share that he's never seen between any couple, old or young. If they even are a couple.

"You are Dilandau Albatou?" The boy asks and Dilandau jerks upright at the change in the _man's_ voice, he sounds older, but it's his tone that makes him nod in response. Imperiousness is a quality he's never liked and he's told Allen countless times where to stick it, but the dark haired man—definitely not a boy—becomes his sudden authority. Any witty comeback withers at the back of his now scratchy throat.

He doesn't even feel a rush of anger as the man snorts, smirking slightly as he mutters mockingly, "Don't worry. If we were going to kill you, you'd never have woken up." Fear however creeps up his legs and roots him to the floor, only fading slightly when the girl swivels to her companion and smacks his arm, angrily demanding, "Will you behave? I don't need any more stress than I already have, caused by you and _you_ alone."

The look she gives him no longer seems amusing to the silver haired observer as he can feel something's definitely wrong with the situation. Even though the man has said they're not going to kill him, Dilandau still feels a spike of dread as to who these mysterious people are and why the hell they're looking for him. If the female's easy going smile had previously reassured him, the vicious glare she gives her dark haired companion reduces his flicker of hope to shreds.

The couple seems occupied with their glaring contest, so why isn't he using the opportunity to move? As he inhales to speak he wonders why the hell he's about to open his mouth rather than ripping the door open and bolting down the stairs to the cafeteria. "Excuse me, but why are you looking for me? I don't think we've met before."

If anyone else could hear him speak, they'd probably ask him what caused the sudden personality change. Dilandau Albatou is not known for politeness. People expect sarcastic comments from him, teachers preferring not to pick on him for answers in case they get torn to shreds in front of a class of thirty. But these people, dressed in his school uniform yet seeming distinctly older than 14 – 18 have a presence that in his eyes deserves nothing less than respect. Unless anyone is in want of a death wish by the look on the man—Van's, face.

Trying his best not to seem rude as he stares at the couple, he blinks in surprise as the girl starts to glow, he's sure of it, clapping her hands and beaming as she speaks excitedly to her companion, "See! See! I told you! He sounded respectful! Shows promise right there I tell you!" The male nods, almost tiredly as if disagreeing will not do him any favours, replying, "I believe you Hitomi. Now let's get this over with. I don't want you getting cold."

"I'm not incapable thank you very much." Dilandau can't hide the smirk at the two people—who definitely seem like a couple to him—quarrel so easily as if he's not there. As well as the roll of the man's eyes at his female companion's indignation and instinctive reaching for her hand, followed by the mellowing smile of the pregnant girl who seems to be unaware of her very rapid mood swings. Her partner seems to be suffering the opposite.

"Are you glowing?" The teenage boy on average has a fair few foot-in-mouth moments, mostly around attractive members of the opposite gender. Dilandau has experienced his fair share around Celena and embarrassingly Eries-sensei, but this exclamation has nothing to do with hormones and everything to do with astonishment. Sheer confusion adds to the mix as he looks up again and discerns once more that the sun is _still_ hidden by clouds, giving his predicament no logical explanation whatsoever.

In the seconds between his confusion and horror at saying something completely deranged, he notices that the woman's skin _is_ glowing with some sort of luminescence, but the _man_ has a blaze of light around him. Dilandau feels his stomach turn which quickly numbs in the wake of fear that washes over him as the pair say nothing. The woman isn't smiling, nor is the man showing any positive emotion.

They seem to be evaluating him with far greater ease than he feels even looking at something that seems impossible. Maybe she's wearing body paint, and he's got a terribly powerful flashlight behind his back, but it doesn't answer any other question sluggishly travelling through his mind, lost in slow-moving shock. The teen doesn't know whether to feel grateful or not as the man finally speaks after a stomach-gnawingly extensive period of time, making Dilandau wonder whether he's missed the bell for the end of lunch.

"Do not be afraid—" the tension slowly grinds to a halt, his pulse lowering as the pregnant girl bursts into peals of laughter, banging her hand joined with her companion's against the wall, wiping tears with her other hand as she gasps between giggles.

"_Do not be afraid?_ Good heavens Van, what is this? A remake of an alien invasion film? Oh Holy Spheres! That was…that was…"

In complete confusion at Van's words and Hitomi's reaction, Dilandau can only watch the couple's interaction as the blaze of light flares sharply and the dark haired man growls, irritated, "Well why don't you explain it then? Obviously I'm not doing a good job." In return the glowing woman smiles gently, and reaches out for her companion, brushing her contrastingly pale fingers down his bronzed cheek and replies apologetically, "Forgive me love. Carry on. I'll keep as silent as an owl."

The man rolls his eyes, not appearing to acknowledge the comment as he continues, "Albatou-san, you have nothing to be afraid of from us. We come here to bring you good news." He tenses at the muffled giggle from the pregnant girl, giving Dilandau time to interrupt warily to ask, "I mean no disrespect, but who are you?"

Whatever the teen expects, not that there is a logical explanation he can find easily, he is surprised when the girl bursts into peals of laughter again. This time however the sound is unquestionably different to the silver haired boy's ears. It doesn't sound _human_ in the slightest, and he is sure of using that word, the sound close to a bell without the metallic sound, and it raises the hair on the back of his neck. The dark haired man shakes his head, probably exasperated with the fact he hasn't been recognised.

Dilandau suddenly feels his sushi, apple and chocolate cake lunch re-emerge from his intestine and back up his stomach in fear. Weren't the ancient Gods easily angered and quick to wrathful actions in punishing insolent mortals? And from where he's sitting, he could easily be viewed that way for not knowing who the people before him are.

It's surprising how quickly he gets lost in pondering the pain of a lightening bolt from a God and whether death would be quick or slow and painful. The dark haired guy looks like a sadistic one, but maybe his female partner will be merciful. Her possible amusement could work in his favour and aren't pregnant women supposed to be overflowing with kindness? Watching the man shake his head, Dilandau forces himself to squint as best he can inconspicuously.

Taking a few seconds to adjust his sight past the burning light surrounding the man, he's sure there is a symbol of some sort on the man's forehead, even darker than his coal black bangs, etched against his bronze skin. It seems almost reflexive when he looks across to the girl, examining her forehead for a mark. But his eyes continue to roam her face on impulse, and then down her neck before he unwitting notices a dark mark under her blouse, before looking away in embarrassment.

If he's already offended them by not knowing who they are, what will they do to him if they think he's checking out a pregnant woman? Why in the name of Gaea did he decide to have lunch and a nap up on the roof today? Why couldn't he have gone to the cafeteria and tried to flirt with Celena? Or regale Allen's hangers on with the saga of Merle's chemistry experiment? The pink haired girl's wrath seems the far more preferable option to this eccentricity.

He wonders when his body will be discovered. But his focus readjusts when the man staring at him without any obvious lethal intent, brushes some of the bangs across his forehead and Dilandau stares directly at the jet black design on his skin. It stands out in a strange contrast with his already suntanned skin and yet it doesn't seem at all out of place. A spiral circling out tightly and surrounded by wavy lines that never touches the sphere, the design feels ancient to the high school student and painfully familiar.

Dilandau has the terrifyingly gnawing sensation he should recognise it instantly.

Then as if by instinct his gaze switches back to the pregnant girl and his jaw drops as a teenage boy's would—well probably not Allen's—as she nimbly undoes the top three buttons of her neatly done up blouse. He prays the dark haired man doesn't notice his innately teenage male reaction, but shifts his legs as best to conceal it. But he still looks at the skin she's uncovered, why else has she, he single-mindedly asks himself. His thoughts aren't all too perverted as her exposed cleavage is ignored in favour of the dark outline on her skin.

It rests just above the top of her breast and Dilandau has the intrinsic feeling that the design is curving round the skin her heart rests under. The black ink is even starker against her pallor. So it is very easy for his eyes seem to note the design of the crescent design with various shadings in the midst of her pale skin. Realizing how long he has been staring for, and it has been longer than he thinks is appropriate, he attempts to involuntarily swallow his tongue and starts a bout of coughing.

Dilandau prays this isn't caused by either of the pair who he's now sure give off a distinct impression that they're somewhat higher than mortal beings. Luckily the coughing and tongue swallowing recede and he manages to breathe somewhat normally despite his slight panic. Looking at the girl, he can see a bright and strangely hopeful smile on her face, oddly it reduces his heartbeat.

"You don't recognise us do you Dilandau?" His skin prickles as the girl leans further forward, despite the extra weight she's carrying, but her casual use of his first name sends a jolt up his spine and warmth across his chest. He knows that if the man were to speak these words, he'd probably shit himself but the girl seems somewhat understanding, unruffled by his ignorance.

"It is of no matter. It would be highly unusual if you did identify us. In fact we would most probably be suspicious if you were. But we are of little consequence. You are the reason we are here, and far more important than us at the moment." Even though the woman's dodged his question and in rather an alarming slash flattering manner, he finds himself taken by her strange words, feeling lulled into a sense of security.

"And you said I was hopeless. You just dismissed his question entirely Hitomi. Perhaps you should answer it." The man responds with an ironic smile, broadening when her gaze turns to him and glares proficiently, her fingers tightening round his in annoyance, "Well excuse me for having an excess of hormones in my blood that makes me just a little scatty. You talk away _expert_, and I'll stay the meek and mild one."

Once again there is definite amusement as her companion replies again, almost cheekily, "As you wish my Queen, you shall exceed all expectations for such a role." The backhanded smack to his temple doesn't faze Van's smile.

Dilandau is most certainly baffled by the scene before him as the apparent couple stare at each other, her in somewhat anger and desperation, him in merriment and affection that is quickly enhanced by the rapid increase in the sheer radiance of the light that blazes around him. Wishing for sunglasses, he is forced to close his eyes again and even behind his eyelids he can feel the burning illumination coming from the man. Squinting as her reopens his eyes, he catches the two shifting back as if they had moved closer together despite their already adjacent position to one another.

"Albatou, you have seen our symbols, have you no clue as to who we truly are?" the man asks as if reading from a script or prompt, without any malicious or angry tone. Shaking his head, he clenches his fist just in case either of their tempers flare and he is struck by a lightening bolt or something equally as frightening.

Instead the dark haired man nods in response and before he can think, his own mouth opens again and he murmurs, "You certainly don't go to my school."

Wincing at his increasing foolhardiness, he decides to focus on whether someone slipped him stupid pills rather than gauge the reaction of the couple. He tries to examine the sky for the elusive Sun and finds it is still hidden behind a domineering cloudbank and as he tilts his head he hears the man reply with some mirth, "This is true. I'm surprised you found us out so quickly." The honey haired woman then adds, "Thank the Orbs! Can we change now? This shirt is far too tight and by the Spirits the texture is so rough I think I'll have a rash for days."

He feels it is definitely a good thing he is both sitting on the floor and leaning against a hard surface as his shock intensity flies up past the outer atmosphere of the planet he resides on. Before his very eyes the pair glimmer but without the intensity they have before, instead their forms blur and change. He can't help his blinking reflex, but when his eyes open a fraction of a second later he is stunned by the swift change of clothes.

No longer wearing the school uniform of Kitakura High School, the pair are dressed far more elegantly than before and whatever austere bearing they had before, they now look the epitome of a regal couple. Still they aren't wearing clothing from centuries past, nor does either have anything crowning their heads. Dressed in a distinctly modern fashion, there is something about their choice of clothes that seems to give off a bearing of ultimate divine authority. They could probably also pass for going to a party, at least if she weren't so heavily pregnant.

The dark haired man has a tailored suit with black trousers and fitted jacket the same shade as his hair, the open collared white shirt underneath contrasts sharply against his bronzed skin. He could almost pass for a Godashim actor on the front cover of one of the dreadful magazines Celena reads. But his presence is far more commanding than that, his clothes do not seem casual even without a tie, and he somehow looks just like Royalty.

It is simultaneous but strangely separate that Dilandau watches the female and notices her smile as if she is encouraging him to look at them as if it will somehow clue him in. This time as he looks at her form, he definitely pays attention to her shapely and strangely pale legs. Her honey hair curls against her shoulders, brushing against the collar of an elegant dress that looks oriental in design. The colour seems to alter from silver to pale lilac as she shifts against the fence, sighing in what is probably comfort.

Her hand rests against her swollen stomach and the tight dress adorned with small pink and lilac flowers is oddly appropriate for a woman so heavily pregnant. Even the slits up both sides of her dress suit her and accentuate the pale skin of her toned legs that are now crossed, a hint of thigh appearing to him. "It's called a cheongsam."

If Dilandau was previously unsure, he is now completely certain that the girl—no definitely a woman—is glowing, accentuated by the pale shade of her silken gown. And the neck has a petal like design, offering him innocent glimpses of her skin, in one clear space the design on her skin seems to curl around the sweeping curve of the collar. Then it clicks.

Without any real thought it comes to him in a flash. Her design above her breast and his on his forehead match one another, compliment and connect with each other. He has the sun and she the moon. The illumination from the pair starts to astonishingly make warped sense. Unwittingly meeting the man's gaze he can feel he has made a correct deduction.

This time he feels no need to gather courage nor is he startled by his own straightforward manner, "Are you the Sun and Moon?" Even though to his own ears the question sounds stupid, there is an underlying snap in his mind that tells him he's made sense of it somehow. When the man actually smiles at him for the first time, or attempts to, Dilandau has a feeling of accomplishment.

"Told you he was clever, didn't I?" The woman again turns to her well-dressed companion, conversing with him as if the teen on the roof with them isn't there. But their oddly detached way of conversing no longer irritates him. The couple seem used to this manner and he'd never admit it, but he feels slightly in awe of just how easily they seem to forget about anyone else around them. Something he feels he'd like to have with Celena, not that he'd ever say that to anyone mortal.

"Yes love," the man sighs with a resigned amusement, "You've said many a time and you always end up right."

Dilandau finds their playful arguing amusing again, the burst of fear receding as the woman flicks the side of her companion's head and growls, "Are you being sarcastic? Are you forgetting whose child I'm carrying and have been for—"

"—I consider it each and every second of my existence, and could not possibly imagine a reality where it would not be a definite fixed event."

As the dark haired man seems to join her in forgetting about their audience, Dilandau finds himself in awe of just how tenderly Van puts his hand over her extended stomach and smiles at her with such joy in his gaze. It then confuses him when Hitomi reacts in an almost pitying way, patting his hand and returning his smile almost forlornly, as if this is a rare event for them.

For once his smart mouthed jerk-reaction at such a tender moment shudders to a halt. Not just because these people can glow so who the hell knows what else they're capable of, but for once seeing a moment not out of place in a horrifying chick-flick, it actually strikes a chord in the emotionally inaccessible teenage boy. His confusion and somewhat baffled wonder are swiftly shuttered closed as the couple seem to remember their surroundings and turn back to him.

"How could you tell we aren't students here?" the man asks curiously.

Dilandau finds himself groping for an answer that isn't offensive as he stumbles to reply, "Because you're pregnant."

The laugh from the man seems almost cold and alarm bells start to ring in his mind. Cringing he closes his eyes and opens them to see the woman smiling ironically as she mutters with a sardonic tone, "Really? I thought someone stuffed a pumpkin under my dress without me knowing."

The pair laugh and he encounters a strange feeling for the first time in his life. He is caught between relapsing into a desperately fearful little boy and taking hold of his maturity to engage with these ostensibly otherworldly beings. He hasn't been killed by them yet, despite a fair few execution worthy moments, especially the last comment only seconds ago along with the woman's slightly edgy response.

But even though the man seems ill at ease at being _on Gaea_ he hasn't turned and snapped any mortal necks that might be leaning against the roof access door, not yet anyway. Not forgetting the woman—most definitely a woman now in a gown far more elegant and fitting than his ugly school uniform—seems eager to converse with him despite his overly-stupid last answer. Almost as if she holds him in some sort of esteem.

Must be mistaken then.

"Forgive my other half Albatou-san, she has a tendency for the dramatic ever since she's gotten pregnant." As the recipient of the comment Dilandau nods a fraction, not wanting to ignore the dark haired man's remark or aggravate his female companion by agreeing too readily.

Once again any semblance of sanity flies away at a tremendous speed when the woman whacks her companion, this time upside the head before replying angrily. "Do you mean to say I've been acting like a drama Queen for over six years? How charming!"

The sharp increase in the woman's glow, which is no longer calming but superficially volatile in transparency seeps past Dilandau's perception, seemingly already used to such an abnormal thing as her _words_ have a far greater impact. They play over and over in his mind and he mumbles so confusedly, his words seem incoherent even to him, "Pregnant? For six years? Impossible! How can…pregnant? Six? Pregnant?"

The sheer bewilderment seems to provide great amusement for the heavily expectant woman. The man seems to lean closer to her and places a hand over her swollen stomach, settling the glow around her as she claps her hands and laughs like the ringing of a bell, a beam across her face. Her gaze meets his and Dilandau can already gauge he won't be killed by the volatile pregnant woman, judging by her benign, maternal smile. Patting the hand on her stomach, she then ruffles her companion's hair, ignoring the mock glare the dark haired man sends her.

"You are correct Dilandau-san. I have been with child for just over six years. So yes we definitely aren't from your school." Her cheeky grin floors him as her facial expression seems to revert to that of a child playing a delightful prank, but it was only seconds earlier she was beaming at him almost maternally. "As for the reason why I'm still pregnant five years and three months longer than any woman should be, well perhaps my _beloved_ should explain that to you." Again her attitude flickers swifter than a flame in a gale as she turns to stare at the dark haired man with his hand still over her protruding stomach.

"Repeating what my wonderful Queen has already said. She has been carrying my child for just six revolutions of this planet around the sun—"

The dark haired man stops, almost pre-empting the pregnant woman's comment cutting across his own, "—Make it _all_ about yourself why don't you?"

Dilandau somehow gathers the courage to reflexively smile at her teasing comment as she laces her fingers through his over her stomach. A small part of him wonders why the somewhat inhuman couple have appeared before him, he's never been all that religious. But the majority of his thoughts are itchingly curious about why the woman is apparently _six years_ pregnant, he doesn't wait long for an answer.

"I suppose it is partially my fault after all. Our delightful child was consummated over six years ago during the last full Solar Eclipse. The only possible instance it could have occurred when the Sun, Moon, Gaea and the Mystic Moon were all in perfect alignment." The explanation sounds nothing like a lesson in seduction and more like an astronomy boring-to-the-point-of-tears lecture, but Dilandau goes with it.

"Not to mention the fifteen hours leading up to the _full_ solar eclipse." The woman cuts in again and Dilandau retracts his previous statement by the reminiscent smile on the woman's face as well as the increasing enhancement of the creamy luminescence surrounding her body. It becomes obvious what her real meaning is when the dark haired man reaches up to her forehead and brushes his thumb against her hairline. No longer surprised by the couple's extraordinary actions, he takes it in his stride when a circlet of peonies crown the woman's honey coloured hair, matching the tiny flowers stitched onto her dress.

As a teenage boy he's fully aware of how babies are made, and Allen acts like a walking talking sex manual, much to Celena's mortification. But the blatant display of something other than lust by the couple makes him blush for more than just embarrassment. It strikes him as they stare at each other, again disregarding him inadvertently, that he's actually never seen anything like this, and he wonders if he ever will again. He quickly suppresses the _girly_ idea to bring Celena up here to see this and tell her that's what he wants. With her.

A houseful of questions appear on the tip of his tongue but the man turns back to him and resumes the one-sided conversation.

"As the conception occurred at a full solar eclipse, our child has decided to follow the orbital path of the spheres that connected myself and Hitomi. It also means that she physically cannot give birth until the next full eclipse that encompasses all these heavenly bodies." Once again Dilandau is struck by a weary expression on the man's face, but any time to analyse it is taken from him as the woman speaks with an oddly, almost forced cheerful tone, "It's not just because of the solar eclipse and varying orbits of the planets we influence. Our child will be born on the Winter solstice, three years from now."

Dilandau runs a hand through his sleep mussed hair, uncaring at its now matted texture, his mind seems to focus on the woman's words. There's something about them he recognises and he strains to recall what it is. Biting his lip, he hisses as he draws a sliver of blood before it comes to him, "The winter solstice? Isn't that what Mystics call the _rebirth of the Sun?_"

Again he hisses, but not because of the blood or his now torn lip. This time the sharp light comes from above him, instead of in front of him. He has to raise a hand to shield his eyes as a pinhole gap in the cloudy haze appears and a shaft of brilliant, blinding sunlight soars straight into his retina.

It's embarrassing to shriek like a girl in front of anyone, but with the burgeoning respect he seems to believe he should have, he feels rather mortified. The second the piercing ray disappears, Dilandau forces himself to blink away the green and red dots hazing over his vision, giving him time to notice the wry smile on the man's face as he mutters apologetically, "Forgive me Albatou-san, my control slipped for just a second."

Even with every word the pair has already spoken to him, every gesture that was not worldly or seemingly possible his jaw still drops at what the dark haired man has apparently admitted to. The words tumble from his lips without thought, "So you are the Sun and Moon?"

If anyone else were to hear his words, they'd question the date he was foolishly released from the Psychiatric Ward. But his words seem heavily appropriate and the smile that shockingly appears on the otherwise stoic man gives him comfort somehow. No longer surprised by their actions or his own question to them, he finds himself feeling somewhat smug as the_ man_ mutters, "Yes dear, he _is_ clever. Let's just hope he's up to it."

The words which would probably seem ordinary, tranquil even if the woman spoke them sound far more ominous coming from her male companion. But the woman smiles in a peaceful way and changes the subject completely, remarking, "You are far more accepting than most, Dilandau-san. Others would no doubt question their sanity or their choice of narcotic. However we are not _exactly_ the Sun and Moon."

Her omniscience creeps up on him as she pauses, giving him time to correct himself, "I didn't mean that you were the exact spheres, but that you were representations of them. God and Goddess over them?" Dilandau prays his attempt to clear up his words will not anger either of them, only to flinch in panic at the sudden extremely girlish squeal that comes from the woman. He stares at her in unrestrained shock as she gestures to him, then tugs on her companion's jacket sleeve almost childishly.

"Did you hear that Van?! God and _Goddess!_ How sweet! He is most definitely the one we are looking for! How complimentary of him." Her attention turns to him and the teen thinks he will never be more bewildered by a female's attention as she grins at him, addressing him excitedly, "Thank you Dilandau-san! That is the highest compliment you could bestow."

"However it is inaccurate." The man cuts across the woman's hearteningly cheerful words, with a startling sobriety as he shakes his head, "We are not Gods by any means. Omnipotence is not something that is ascribed to us, yet we are not mortal. We are something closer to _representations_ of the Sun and Moon. But we are not bound by the constraints of time."

"It's still a fairly accurate guess Van. Don't be so hard on the boy!"

A tendril of fear creeps into Dilandau's lungs as he notices the dark haired man's brow furrows in what clearly appears to be anger directed towards him. The same crease that Dryden gets when Millerna offers her bento to Allen, and it makes sense that this otherworldly being would be possessive of his breathtakingly striking spouse. A tiny part of him suggests he grovels before the man, but the majority of his inner intuition tells him it would probably incite the divine being further and keeping silent is probably his best option.

Yet again the teen marvels at the couple who act distinctly unlike Allen, Millerna and Dryden. Though his friends are most definitely not a couple, or even a threesome. In fact Dilandau realizes he doesn't ever want to use such a loaded word—_threesome_—ever again concerning anyone he's been to pre-school with.

The woman seems perfectly aware of her companion's reason for his irritated outburst and slides her fingers under his bangs to trace the spiral design on his forehead as she murmurs lovingly, "Must you be so covetous of me? I have no desire to look at another creature when you stand before me. And you seem to be forgetting the child before us is exactly that, a _child_. Seriously Van…"

Her voice trails away and her companion seems unwilling to reply, his vermillion gaze fixed on her face as she stares at him almost heartbroken. Dilandau feels a sudden urge to turn away or open the door and stand in the stairwell to give the couple _a moment_ as her fingers trail down the side of his face, past his ear and along his neck until she reaches something. Trying his best not to be a voyeur he doesn't squint at her action, only guessing that it is a chain around his neck she seems to tug on gently.

Dilandau watches the man sigh as if in pain under her scrutinizing gaze, his hand reaching for hers against his neck and gripping it tightly as he murmurs, "I know. You know I know. But how can I…?" It seems infectious as the man fails to end his sentence, but his voice seems thick with an emotion that in the silver haired teen's mind would send any and every woman running into his arms. An ironic voice tells him it's probably a good thing Celena isn't sitting up here with him as she'd probably fall in love with the dark haired otherworldly being.

In any other situation, surrounded by his peers or even strangers—that aren't seemingly omnipotent—he would gag loudly and probably throw some type of glutinous food at the romance epic scene occurring. Yet it isn't just fear or awe that stops him from making any rude comments. There is an emotion thickening around the pair and for the usually cynical teenager, Dilandau feels an odd stab of commiseration for the couple who seem somehow agonized.

For some unknown reason, he wishes he could give them a minute alone for whatever they seem to desperately keep themselves from saying. However any chance to do so is scuppered as the man pulls himself from whatever trance he and his other half are under to remark in a deadened tone, "My wife and I are not Gods. However we are beings that rule over the Sun and Moon. Time is not something we are constrained by."

Running a hand through his silver hair, Dilandau starts to wish he had paid slightly more attention in Philosophy class to understand the understated manner of speech the pair before him use. But it's not completely his fault he decides as Celena sits beside him in Philosophy and he can't help but stare at her when she rests her chin on her hands and pretends to stare at the teacher. Her skin seems to glow as if she is immortal herself. He usually wishes desperately that she daydreams of him. Still his inattention doesn't hold him back from thinking.

Opening his eyes he needs no time to adjust to the powerful blaze that surrounds the pair watching him curiously.

Whatever Dilandau expects at this sudden and rather astonishing revelation, he receives nothing. The pair before him doesn't react in the slightest as he struggles to grasp the idea he's stumbled across. Yet another chance appears where his mouth opens before his brain can reboot itself. "Don't tell me that's me!" A look of horror slides across his face as he throws his arm out recklessly, pointing at the woman's distended stomach.

There is no space whatsoever in his mind for any wisecracks about sci-fi TV shows or freaks of nature as he can only stare at the stretched silvery, lilac fabric adorned with minute peony flowers shielding the woman's pregnancy. It worries Dilandau as he suddenly can't keep his eyes off the _baby bump_ and a sickening feeling develops as he stupidly repulses himself with the thought that he has been checking out his apparent _mother_. And then his brain joins the equation.

"Have you finished sickening yourself Dilandau-san?" The woman stares at him with a gaze that seems to blend amusement and irritation, neither of which Dilandau is entirely sure of. "I'm not your mother Dilandau-san. Nor is Van your father." Her tone this time is far more entertained by the spreading blush across his cursed pale face and he only manages to breathe an apology in the lowest volume known to humankind. But the pair obviously hear him from the snort the man produces, rolling his eyes.

It doesn't strike the silver haired boy as odd that he can see such a gesture despite his lowered face, having to look through his bangs and ignore the blaze of light surrounding the man and the somewhat haze that occurs around his eyes. He's more focused on why the two of them have appeared before him, if indeed they have and are waiting for him to come to a conclusion that seems so damn important. He almost wishes he had gone to the cafeteria, or climbed a tree in the courtyard and taken a nap on a low hanging branch.

The idea retracts itself at the recollection of waking with a fractured collarbone after falling 9 feet from that stupid tree. As well as it being suddenly overshadowed by the strange perception that this is somehow a momentous event occurring, and not just his ego stroking itself. Breathing deeply he tries to refocus on the situation, moving past the growing pile of stupid comments he seems to be making in these seemingly omnipotent beings' presence.

"So why have you appeared before me?" Dilandau cringes inwardly at the use of flowery language he normally wouldn't touch; it firmly belongs to Allen and his ridiculous seduction _sessions_ that even the silver haired teen is astounded by. A second later he winces at the bluntness he's used. But after a few deep breaths and sneaking a look at the placid pair, neither seem affected by it.

Instead the dark haired man shakes his head agitatedly, sighing before he looks directly at him. The piercing red stare definitely knocks his curiosity off balance, but Dilandau just about manages to hear the man's words, "We may seem omnipotent, but we most definitely aren't even though the power of Time is easily twisted by us. This is why we have come to you Dilandau-san."

"We ask for your help Dilandau-san." The woman's voice is nothing like her spouse's. Her tone wavers, her volume quiet as if she is unsure of what she is saying. The powerful female creature before him sounds almost nervous. "You are correct that we represent the Sun and Moon, but we are also the opposite of each other. Which is why my pregnancy never should have happened."

Once again Dilandau finds himself putting teeth marks along his knee as his foot descends into his mouth, "Forgive me Hitomi-sama. But how am I supposed to help you?"

Her responding smile feels engaging but the look on her spouse's face isn't as hospitable as he rolls his eyes and remarks cuttingly, "Would you let us finish perhaps?"

The silver haired teen nods, fear sliding up his spine as the powerful male being stares at him menacingly, though the effect is weakened when the luminous woman smacks the dark haired man upside the head and growls. "I'm the pregnant one in case you hadn't noticed. You have no need or right to be moody!" Her irritation is evident by the white knuckled grip she has around her tanned spouse's hand. In turn Van's pain is clear by his gritted teeth. Or maybe he's still pissed at the silver haired teen.

Dilandau keeps silent though. It's a loose thought that strays into his mind but he wonders how long until the lunch bell. Would it be rude to leave this supernatural couple just for a stupid Physics lesson? Professor Dornkirk is such a bore, he'd only end up asleep and with a detention. So why bother?

The silence that descends on the roof isn't comfortable, but Dilandau doesn't feel the sudden urge to jump up and run away. The couple before him seems content to merely watch him, as if they are waiting for him to turn into a cloud of smoke and reappear as a white rabbit. He really has to stop thinking up such absurd things, especially when they feel worryingly possible.

"Dilandau-san. We have an important reason for coming here. There is something you need to know." The white rabbit idea no longer sounds as scary as the woman's grave tone sends the hairs on the back of his neck rigid in fear. His palms feel overly sweaty, even worse than when he had given Celena a piggyback home after she had twisted her ankle. He still doesn't know whether to praise or curse the heavens for making her wear a thin, lacy bra that day.

Nodding wordlessly the teen comes back out of his fantasies and looks at the couple who are still watching him intently. His worry only triples when the dark haired man runs a hand through his already unruly hair and sighs, "Neither of us wish to be the bearer of frightening news. But you must be aware of it so you can prepare." Turning to his spouse, Van seems to study his wife's gaze for a few seconds, as if to gather strength before continuing, "Dilandau-san, we need your help. Because we are incapable of doing anything, or we will be."

Leaning against the door to the roof access, the teen can only sit and try not to say something stupid again. It's a strange comparison but Fanelian class definitely seems easier than the mystical, strange words the couple before him use, as if they expect him to figure out what they're trying to say. He isn't a mind reader. If he was, then no doubt he'd be dating Celena, or put whoever she _does_ fancy into a coma.

The breeze that floats past him does nothing to ease his discomfort at the heavy expectance in the air. And the roof feels a whole lot warmer than it did when he first sat down, even though the actual sun is behind a huge, angry bank of cumulonimbus that seem desperate to let rip down on him. Dilandau breathes in, deciding to actually think before he attempts to reply.

When he eventually speaks, it is because he has absolutely no idea what else to say and a touch of sarcasm because honestly, they've given him no clue as to why they're really here. "Am I going to save the world?" The caustic laugh gets stuck in his throat as they fail to laugh or respond sarcastically. He knows it isn't because his supposed _joke_ isn't funny.

The world goes black for an instant, and he then realizes—stupidly—that he forgot to open his eyes after blinking. But that is nothing. The immortal man and woman opposite him stare at him, the female's expression something akin to fragile hope. And Dilandau decides that Fanelian class definitely feels easier than the expectant look on the man who represents the Sun.

Yeah, the silver haired teen has never wished more to be in the cramped, malodorous, ear-ringing cafeteria. Even if he has to watch Allen re-enact the love scenes of the Titanic, it seems less worrisome than the atmosphere surrounding him. He couldn't blink properly and now he chokes on air breathing in as he attempts to speak, "You're kidding right?"

His parents can be terrifying when silent. Usually when he has to explain a detention or phone call from school—occasionally he gets bored with Bunsen burners and decides to explore their usage—giving him no inkling to their reaction or degree of anger. But the silence on the roof has never been so suffocating to him. He wonders if telling Allen he'd like to sleep with his adopted sister would feel less worrying.

Dilandau snorts disparagingly because obviously the heavenly pair have decided to come to Gaea to have a joke at a mortal's expense. His aunt had a twisted sense of humour when she was pregnant. Come to think of it, she still does.

"Tell me you're kidding." Even with all his pride and somewhat confidence towards his martial arts prowess, he has never pleaded with anyone since he was six. And his mother relented and got him the Bruce Lee action figure. Surely the couple before him will see just how unfunny their joke is and tell him that's all it is. A joke. Sickening, but a joke the same.

"Forgive us Dilandau-san. But it isn't something we would joke about. We wouldn't frivolously come to Gaea just to mock you. You are far too significant for that." The female's voice tries to be comforting, but whatever power she may have over others, Dilandau cannot feel his heart beat recede or the sweat on his back stop from trickling down and making his shirt stick to his clammy back.

"You are the only one who can do it." The man speaks, and if he was in the right frame of mind, the teen would guess that the immortal is trying to sound encouraging.

"Do what?" he asks again without thinking. Shocked and slightly terrified he may be, but the curiosity gnaws at him awfully. Why _would_ a pair of immortal spirits – ones who keep the balance of everything in harmony on Gaea and in the universe – come to him otherwise? Despite the somewhat sobering thought, he still waits for an answer, wondering what it possibly is that he could do. To save the world?

Maybe stopping Allen from singing in public? He never thought his friend's voice was all that damaging or capable of bringing about the apocalypse.

"We are not entirely sure ourselves Dilandau-san. But we are sure that you are capable. And you have time to prepare—"

"—How long?" He doesn't care that he sounds like a frightened little boy, his own voice shaking with a tumult of emotions that he's not too sure of. He doesn't even worry that he's interrupted the volatile woman. "A year at the least, three at the most."

Even as the man replies, running a hand through his hair again—a clear sigh of agitation or discomfort—the silver haired teen merely nods in response, even though he has no clue what he's supposed to do. Dress up in a red padded suit and give out presents to all the good kids? But Santa isn't real, or is he?

Shaking his head from the overly ludicrous thoughts, he remembers the breathing techniques his mother used when he made a smart-mouthed and often accurate comment. He can understand perfectly why she took anti-depressants too as it's not doing a single thing to help him. But he keeps his minute grip on his sanity and asks calmly, "So how am I supposed to prepare for _saving the world_?"

He knows it sounds disgustingly ludicrous but he says the overly stupid words just to keep the conversation going. The rest blurs in his mind with his racing pulse and dull headache.

* * *

"Dilandau wake up!"

"OI! Assbag get up!"

"_Dilandau?"_ Please, please let him be curled round Celena he desperately wishes.

The silver haired teen jolts upright and finds a worksheet sticking to his cheek added by the adhesive of his drool. So when he turns despite the A4 piece of paper sticking to his face, he finds himself broiled in mortification soup with a garnish of parsley as Celena stares at him with mirth filled aquamarine eyes. There really are no words when he wakes up to the girl he loves, her looking like a goddess and he, looking like a complete and utter moron.

Gaddes however finds it inordinately funny and sniggers happily by the door. Dilandau isn't as amused especially when his brain reconnects to his synapses and confusion reigns. "Where am I?" Celena joins in the laughter this time. But it isn't embarrassment he feels at her laughter, or the fact the worksheet is _still stuck_ to his face.

No, he honestly believed…

But maybe…

"Hey was I late for class?" Dilandau doesn't know whether to sound hopeful that what he believes was real, actually was real or to feel utterly depressed that his imagination went on overload because of the fumes from Merle's chemistry _experiment._ Really now, he can't have imagined _all_ of that could he?

"Late for class?" Gaddes scoffs, only for Celena to cut in and stab him through the brain as she takes over, "You were here before us. Already lying on your desk. I didn't realize you were asleep until Professor Dornkirk put the video on and you didn't move."

It's inordinately clear to him that Celena looks worried. If he were feeling sane he would panic over whether she believes the rumours about him taking drugs, which are completely untrue. But for some reason, Dilandau has a feeling of being punched in the stomach and lacking air. He had been up on the roof. He had fallen asleep and woken up to two immortal beings…who had…told him…

He'd been dreaming hadn't he?

Well a big fuck you to his imagination for giving him the sensation, however brief of being something other than ordinary. His brain is most definitely in league with his sadistic mother, making him think he _wa_s destined for something like…like…_Harry Potter_ sounds way too gay and _Buffy's_ female. He just had that moment where he felt important.

Sighing he reaches and pulls the worksheet off his face. And even when Celena licks her finger—worthy of many a fantasy—he doesn't blink, or when she wipes her wet finger across his cheek to get rid of the ink, Dilandau feels nothing. No increase in pulse, no rapid rush of blood to his trousers. Life, truly and plainly sucks. He watches blandly as Celena tells him to get up and get moving or Allen will complain all the way home.

At any other time he'd wonder how the hell Celena copes with being Allen's adopted sister. He's such an ass.

But in his melancholy the silver haired teen doesn't particularly care. He doesn't feel much apart from a sinking into numbness that his imagination could be so damn cold to him. But his reflexes kick in and he pulls his bag on one shoulder and gets out of the hell he suffers five times a week. He'll never be able to sit up on the roof or take a nap up there ever again. Might as well hand back the key he's stolen.

Even though he knows at any other time he would be fighting the urge to reach out for Celena's hand or push a lock of her silvery blonde hair behind her ear and trace the curve with his pinky, he can't find any will to do anything but mope. When he gets home he decides, he will find his mother's stockpile of ice-cream for her monthly _episodes_ and steal a pint or two. Stepping out into the sun, Dilandau doesn't bother to shield his eyes, he has issues with the burning gaseous ball and won't give it the satisfaction of hiding.

Allen prattles away at him for being late but he honestly doesn't give a shit and is two seconds away from telling him this when his jaw drops.

The luscious green across from their school is often packed full of people on sunny days and today is no different. There are plenty of scantily clad women for Allen to eye up happily but Dilandau's eyes shoot to a couple strolling along the path that leads towards the school gates. His jaw drops but he has no need to worry as it seems his attention isn't the only one drawn to the couple.

"Woah."

"That's what I'm talking about."

"Shut up you two! Can't you see she's pregnant?" Allen and Gaddes' comments float over him, but Celena's angry tone surprises him. For some reason Dilandau has the strangest feeling that he should realize something, he should connect two pieces of information and have an epiphany. But his brain is far too overloaded with sensations, the main one being…_if this is real and not another dream…I'm going to save the World!_

The childish glee that spreads through him is impossible to hide and it is quickly noticed by Celena who prickly remarks, "Don't tell me you're drooling over a _pregnant_ woman too?" He turns his gaze, shocked, to the girl he pines for and shakes his head as vigorously as he can without causing trauma. Somewhat pacified Celena nods, a slow smile spreading on her face and Dilandau feels as if he truly could do anything.

"Pregnant or not I would!" Allen mutters stupidly. "Dude they're walking this way!" Gaddes hisses and the silver haired teen whips his neck back round to the direction of the green and sees the pale skinned, ethereal woman waving genially at him. He can't help but smile back and wave energetically. Celena whispers speedily, asking who the couple are, Allen querying if she'll be single after the baby's born. But Dilandau has the oddest feeling there's something he should grasp at this very moment.

No longer moping over the loss of his _dream_, he watches the couple slowly make their way across the road towards him. He doesn't bother to conceal the grin on his face as neither look to check for traffic, walking at a slow, sedate pace across the tarmac. The silver haired teen feels the hairs on his arms rise as he comes to the conclusion that the couple before him are real, so their words were real and their … so he's going to save the world? Cool.

Again he can't help but notice their change of clothes. Still looking like a movie-star, Van has merely dispensed with his jacket and undone a few buttons on his shirt. Hitomi however, looks different. And yet still retains a somewhat regal bearing. Black fitted pants that rustle as she walks curve round her stomach and an aquamarine blouse that glimmers in the sunlight with black butterflies dotted over it.

"Dilandau-kun!" He has no time to prepare or adjust as the small immortal woman bustles against him and wraps her pale arms around him as best she can with her distended stomach between them. Too startled to respond he can only stare in shock. He then gasps as he feels something move against him before Hitomi moves away.

The grin on her face serves to knock him further away from his now minimal grip on sanity as she takes his hand and presses it to her stomach, "Did you feel that Dilandau-kun? The baby kicked! She likes you!"

"She?" Is all he finds himself capable of replying as the unearthly woman beams at him, even making Allen gasp at the femininity she radiates.

"Dilandau-san." The teen finds himself jumping away in slight panic as Van steps onto the pavement and stares at him harshly for a second before looking to his animated wife and sighing, "We would be honoured if you would be godfather to our future child." His jaw unhinges, only to spring back in further shock when Hitomi grips his hand again and squeezes it, with inhuman strength as she murmurs, "We think you'll be the perfect person to watch over our child."

Silence rattles his ear drums as he realizes, frightened that the immortal couple before him want an answer. Opening his mouth to speak he finds himself elbowed in the ribs by a silvery blonde girl with stunning aquamarine eyes, hissing, "Say yes idiot." Her expression shakes him but he manages to nod and mumble as humbly as he can, "I would be honoured," before bowing slightly.

It seems clear that even Allen and Gaddes can tell the couple before them deserve respect as neither of them laugh as he bows.

"_We_ are honoured." Hitomi speaks, beaming at him and Dilandau notices the sudden flicker of her gaze onto the person next to him. "Yes, we are honoured that you will look after our daughter." Van echoes and the pair take each other's hand instinctively and turn round and stroll back towards the green as if there hasn't been some sort of monumental occasion occurring between them.

Still in silence, it is ironically _Celena_ who breaks the silence, muttering quietly, "They seemed nice." Dilandau finds it the easiest thing in the world as he slides a comforting arm round her shoulders and replies gently, "Yeah, the most loving parents in the universe." The awed quiet evaporated, Allen murmurs something about going for pizza, no longer making lewd comments, for which Dilandau is grateful for.

As the group of teens walk away, Dilandau turns slightly to see the couple who had approached him fade into a beam of sunlight, their lips touching and their arms around one another. A smile flickers across his face, but he turns back and keeps his arm round _his_ beloved's shoulders. It's strange but after all the revelations of the day, he finds himself at peace as he asks the girl now leaning against him as they walk, "When's your birthday again?"

It shows true strength he feels as he remains calm and unruffled at her slightly baffled response, "December 22nd. Winter solstice. And I was born on a Solar Eclipse. Why?"

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Theme 12: Fantasy

Words: 10,973

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For sempai and all the crap she puts up with from me ^^ And InLuvWidVan, one year! Shukriya!

Javeska sat on a broad step of the famous bridge. Her head was killing her. As happy as she was that her birthday surprise was a trip to Italy, she was starting to regret the tour group her family had signed her up with. Most of the idiots paid no attention to the culture or history, instead being awfully rude to locals and tour guides.

Her only solace were the two girls she had shared a room with for the past eight days. It had seemed a stroke of fate when the British girl's phone had rang to the tune of Maaya Sakamoto. The Indian girl had stared in surprise before releasing a torrent of questions as to where the British girl had found it. Their sudden discovery and shared love of the Escaflowne anime had built an amusing companionship between them.

She had however decided to sit on the Bridge and wait for the rest of the group to reappear as the British girl had wanted to go back and try and chat up an Italian waiter, the Indian girl deciding to go along for moral support and no doubt observe hilarity. Javeska knew there would be an amusing story when the two returned but she wanted to sit and sift through her thoughts.

Having made no mention of it to her two roommates, she was still trying to decide whether it was her over-stimulated imagination that had made her believe their native tour guide was none other than Dilandau from the anime Escaflowne itself. It was the only point the three women differed on, she professed that Dilandau was her favourite character, and the other two argued in favour of Van.

Still, it made her wonder how and why Dilandau Albatou would be living in Italy and serving as a tour guide to obnoxious tourists.

Sighing she failed to notice the small child who had decided to sit beside her. It was only when a woman's voice rang out that she turned to see the little girl smiling up at her before turning to her mother calling out, "Maaya! Maaya-chan!" Javeska had to blink at the strangely coloured eyes of the little girl, they were…well they weren't brown…_Van's eyes_ rang in her mind and she sighed, knowing it was probably tiredness from visiting three cities in ten days that was making her connect everything to an anime series.

The little girl stood up and turned towards her mother, who strode over with a relieved smile, murmuring away in a language that definitely wasn't Italian. Her British friend could speak it passably, and having spent eight days in the country, she could tell the difference between Italian and Japanese. From her partial knowledge of the oriental tongue she could hear the child's mother asking her to look for her father.

Lifting her sunglasses to avoid the dazzle of the setting sun over Venice, she watched the child climb into her mother's arms. A lean woman, with blonde hair and green eyes. _Hitomi_, she laughed to herself inwardly, _so where's Van and the rest?_

Javeska watched the pair chatter away in Japanese before the little girl cried out in what seemed to be Italian, "Babbo! Babbo!" The woman smiled and carried her child down the few remaining steps, straining for what was probably her father. Out of boredom, she watched the pair move through the crowds until they reached…

_No way!_

Javeska felt herself start to hyperventilate as a man reached for the little girl. A man with messy black hair and garnet, yes definitely garnet eyes. It seemed the tourists around her quietened as the couple held the child between them, exchanging a kiss before a second man appeared. One with hair that was far too light to be called blonde, _blue_ seemed more appropriate who reached for the child in between the frighteningly striking couple.

She felt herself grip the step she sat on as the woman spoke, "Ciao Folken. Come va?" Maybe she had misheard, she told herself, she had finished her water bottle hours ago and lunch had only been a panini, she was hallucinating. Definitely. "Bene, Hitomi. Tuo marito era un stronso senza tu e questa principessina."

_Ok, ok_ so the blonde man was called Folken, the woman Hitomi, and the child had been referred to as a Princess. Javeska felt the need for a paper bag as the black haired man smirked, _My god those two would die if they saw this_, and replied in a deliciously deep voice, accentuated by the romance language, "Il cretino sta arrivando per cena sta sera o no?"

The group slowly moved away, leaving the anime fan in utter shock. She was completely unaware of the time passed when her two friends reappeared, the British girl bright red, looking worse than a traffic light with her Celtic genes and the Indian girl trying to smother her giggles and failing terribly.

"Jav-chan, you ok?" The dark haired girl asked, noticing her dazed look.

She could barely nod, knowing her companions would not believe her if she told them what she saw. In a sudden panic she gripped the British girl's arm and demanded, "What does '_Il cretino sta arrivando per cena sta sera?' _mean?" The surprise on her face only made Javeska agonizingly wait longer for a response as the Brit responded slowly and confused, "'Is the idiot/cretin coming to dinner tonight?'"

Sharing a look with her other companion she asked curiously, "How did you pick that up? Your accent was perfect. I thought you couldn't speak Italian." The dark haired girl again defused the tension and puzzlement by cracking, "Why Suils? You annoyed we've been using you as interpreter for the past week?"

Javeska laughed at the cocky tone and the fake indignation of the still blushing girl, feeling slightly better. Looking at her watch she stood slowly, and murmured, "We should get to the pontoon for the vaporetto. We're supposed to be meeting in five minutes."

"Want to try and chat up Andrea again?" The Indian girl asked cheekily, sending them all into a hormone fuelled fit of giggles at their mutual attraction to the _unusually pale with white blonde hair_ Italian tour guide.

The words of her companions over the _hilarious_ episode between the British girl and the Italian waiter went in one ear and out another as her mind whizzed. _Andrea, _And_rea, Dil_and_au. No, I must have been seeing things. _

"And I swear he listened to her inane ramblings without any reaction before telling her the bathroom had a sturdy lock and winked at her!" She smiled at the embarrassment radiating from the still blushing girl and the enjoyment the other girl seemed to have got out of it.

They were the first to arrive at the pre-arranged spot for their tour group and Javeska knew her heart almost failed when Andrea, their male tour guide spoke in gorgeously accented English and gestured to another man, murmuring, "Sorry ladies, I already have a dinner appointment with friends. It's not often we're in the same place. Not to mention risking my goddaughter's wrath."

Javeska's jaw dropped as she watched him smile heart-breakingly and slowly walked away. Could she afford to jump on him here in public? Or pinch his ass without him reacting? Well she wouldn't mind if he responded favourably.

She had only just started to lose herself in a daydream revolving around leather trousers, whipped cream and handcuffs. Only then did a far more disturbing thought appear in mind.

Maybe she shouldn't watch Vampire Knight anymore.

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A/N: I love making up ideas where a character lives a normal life and then gets plunged into a supernatural world. But I wanted to do it in a mundane sort of way. So this is what occurred. Points go to anyone who figures out what I was hinting at the end Apologies if it was a bit WTF, if so feel free to ask questions ;) And perhaps a request to the first person to figures out the ending? ^^

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Thanks go to:

Jossi-31 – I'm sorry I made you cry But she'll get her own back :P

Niello – Gracias de Nuevo. Yeah I have love for latin men too ;) And there will be another chapter!

ranmyaku-neko – Yup epilogue coming. And trust me Van will find out, how could he not :P

thepinkmartini – Thank you and I'm glad it was appreciated. I love the nicknames too ^^

Doctor Kiba – Yep, definitely. And Folken will be in hot water next time! *blushes*

les amoureux – Thank you! Glad I caught your attention ;) Yeah Folken's going to have lots of trouble next chapter and there's your answer. Part 2 coming up :D

thepinkmartini – Thanks for the extra questions! Hope my answers made sense!

KyriaHitomi­ – Cheers! And yeah I think it fitted in well :P

Cloudancer – Thank you very much! And love the language! ;)

talkstoangels – Yep next part will be up soon.

hanako – Cheers! Thank you very much! And Van will find out :S

BlackMagicWhiteMagic – Thanks! And I wish they were all novel length too ^^

ChiKa YuMe – Thank you and yes continuation on it's way. And yeah protection wasn't really their main concern at the time Not that I promote such silliness :P

Rockin Sockin Robot – Glad you liked the culture bits. I love Italy and the language. Did he plan it? …

Jav-chan – You and your angst? :P And we shall see ;)

Lil' Dinky – Sadly Van is a bad guy. But I think he has one good spot for his family and Hitomi and…

chibimimi – Yeah Hitomi's not passive by any means, nor will she be when she sees Van again ^^

Tanwen Whitefire – Thank you. And the government's not really that big a part I think.

Sakura Crystals – Thank you and yup continuation coming. ^^

effervesence – Cheers for the link and glad you liked the trio of traitors ^^

InLuvWidVan - *blinks* You came back! *Glomps* Thank you and glad you liked! :P


	14. Footprints in The Snow

A/N: Apologies for the super long delay. And more to come as Uni starts up again. *flails* But still — Oooh! A Continuation! :O I hope you like and comment ^^. There will probably be others, who knows? *coughs*

IMPORTANT – I use the Chinese spelling 'qi' instead of 'ki' just out of choice. Also Van's quote (*) is from Doctor Who, it fitted perfectly and made me cry the first time I ever heard it. Enjoy!

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Footprints in the Snow

Despite her supernatural capabilities and a greater sense of conscious than most people, Hitomi still found herself incapable of fully sleeping properly unless she was in a bed she considered to be her own. It also jarred on her that this bed didn't face north, as _her_ bed did. Silly as it was but she liked her furniture to allow qi to flow properly. Not that her qi was serene enough to even flow in any direction.

She was still grateful for Yukari and Amano putting her up on their extremely comfortable sofa bed, but sleep had been long in coming for her. But it wasn't just her disorientation that had kept her awake. The date didn't help very much either. She had last seen Van seventeen days ago, giving him thirteen left to find and seek his revenge before she let the Abaharaki loose on both of the Fanel brothers.

Turning onto her side she looked out the window and sighed at the swirling snow. It had started yesterday afternoon in brief flurries, baffling the weather forecasters and bemusing her. After all Merle had only started to learn control of weather patterns and templates, so it seemed most likely in her excitement she had created a small snowstorm. The intensity of it had surprised her, but she hadn't sensed anything too untoward approaching that would give her cause for concern.

So she had let the snow flurries gather and settle on the ground. It was only as she left the Abaharaki that she was approached by Yukari and told specifically the elder sorcerers wanted her to stay with her and Amano. She had hidden her surprise as the snow had piled up by a foot at least, and already people around her looked panicked at the sudden change in weather.

But such meteorological concerns held no sway with her. Hitomi felt far more irritated that the elder council of Sorcerers were worried about her safety concerning Van. It seemed they believed—w_rongly—_ that she wasn't powerful enough to take care of herself around him. Though, in reflection it wasn't entirely their fault for believing such nonsense.

Whatever annoyance she had over this apparent belief that she needed watching in case Van came back for her was completely surpassed by the gnawing pain she had, growing heavier with each day as his deadline moved closer. Not to mention how excruciatingly aware she was at the sheer improbability of him actually turning up anywhere around her. Their last meeting had been clear, a simple goodbye.

Having known him spiritually for centuries and on another plane of existence, Hitomi was fully aware that Van was not someone to be distracted by anything other than his all-consuming goal to avenge his family. Instead of overanalyzing how inept he had been at even consoling her to the probability of his impending death, she slid her thoughts towards the irony of his purpose. Van was after all searching for his older brother to kill him and thus avenge the family Folken had killed. Therefore, she could claim to hunt _him_ down for turning her home into a mammoth funeral pyre for his family and mindlessly destroying the city of Atlantis along with its people.

Pulling the synthetic duvet over her as watching the falling snow didn't seem to make her sleepy, she pushed her back firmly against the oddly comfortable ridge of the sofa cushions. Yawning, she waited for a clock to chime. Not that she needed a clock, her mind was perfectly aware of the time, a skill that had been effortlessly taught to her by her mother. It was the reason why she never acknowledged any comment—good or bad—on her excellent time keeping skills.

The clock chimed four times, triggering a tired growl from the back of her throat. Hitomi only threw off the covers as the dining room clock started to majestically chime again. Bolting upright on the sofa and having to hold onto an arm to stop herself from falling off, she felt a jolt shoot up her spine tremulously as the Grandfather clock in the next room chimed for each of the four hours passed, for a _third_ time.

It was her mother's voice that rang in the silence of her shocked mind, amplified further by the soundless room. "_A peculiar noise heard three times in succession at night, means someone will die."_

As a child Hitomi had scoffed at her mother's peculiar actions. Always throwing salt over her shoulder when some was spilt. Greeting every magpie she met for fear of angering the departed spirit inside. Covering her and her daughter's eyes when passing graveyards so that spirits would not steal their souls. Never allowing any shoes on a table – as it too foreboded death.

It stung that despite all that time since _Atlantis_'s obliteration, she could clearly remember her mother's gentle voice. Despite being aware that Hitomi didn't believe in her traditions, her mother had informed her thoroughly of her beliefs. It also annoyed her that most of the superstitions she had remembered after all this time revolved around death. Once more she recalled her mother whispering to her, "_If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family."_

The covers fell to the carpeted floor, which were surpassed by the Atlantean woman's panic as Hitomi remembered when her mother had muttered such fateful words such a long time ago. The clock in their centre of town had been broken for years, reaching past even her _own_ memory and it had suddenly started working. Chiming to life as if it had always done so. The day before Atlantis descended into the fires of torment and anguish unleashed by Van.

She had never thought of herself as superstitious before. Not walking under ladders was merely common sense. Yet the revelation of her former life echoed as she remembered Amano complaining the day before that the family heirloom had been broken and was too expensive to even attempt to fix. Having faced many dangerous creatures, crazed magicians and a hungover Dilandau, it worried her that going to investigate a newly working Grandfather clock scared her more than anything before.

Swinging her feet off the sofa and onto the floor, she sat hunched on the edge of the furniture in contemplation. It took a few attempts before her hand reached out and grasped the fallen duvet. Slowly picking the soft, now cold duvet up and placing it on the sofa, Hitomi found herself thinking of implausible ideas and solutions, none of which were appeased by the uncomfortable darkness.

Not only was the room pitch black, but the expansive tall windows seemed to shed no light as the snow kept on falling heavily, the ledge having its own mountain of snow resting against the window.

She steeled herself for just a stupid clock that had probably been invaded by a sprite or pixie, one which would feel the full extent of her sleep deprived wrath. Maybe she could put it in a jar and then leave it outside on the balcony. Hitomi found herself unsurprised by her sudden callousness and expectant amusement at the possibility of watching an imp or such clamour in trying to escape from being confined within a jar in the biting cold outside.

Becoming aware of how silly she was being over a simple clock, she stood up and strode across the room, trying not to focus on her failure to see in the dark, and congratulated herself when she reached the door without falling or tripping. It was a different sort of congratulations she gave herself when she eventually opened the door and scanned the hallway for anything malevolent. She had to roll her eyes at her sudden bout of nerves over a coincidental superstition, still waiting for her courage to join her. Her hand pulled itself away from the door handle and Hitomi slowly crossed the wooden hall floor, shuddering at the change in temperature.

She realized she was being over cautious when she momentarily wondered what she could use as a weapon. Technically, she had promised Izaac-sama not to use any power above an Elemental Sorcerer's rank whilst Van and Folken were still creating havoc on Gaea. But if there was something truly dangerous in her friends' dining room, then any vow would go out the metaphorical window. Whatever was playing a screeching attempt at a symphony with her taut nerves would find themselves wanting death compared to her volatile wrath.

Hitomi opened the door and stuck her head round the small gap she had created, scanning the room for anything disturbing the ether. Fortunately—or was it unfortunately—she couldn't sense anything. And the only beings that could hide themselves from her were too busy trying to kill one another, making it highly improbable that either Van or Folken had decided to hide themselves under the dining table.

Still her hypersensitive imagination told her to check—just in case, whilst her mind chided her for being overly hopeful. Skipping over the fanciful reasons as to why Van would sneak into Amano and Yukari's apartment only to hide under their dining table, she focused her gaze on the imposing Grandfather clock. Slipping into the room, and closing the door behind her, Hitomi held out her hands, her palms facing the ceiling. Raising her ring fingers first, she then bent her index fingers as if manipulating invisible strings, checking for any disorder to the defensive wards around the house. Especially the ones she had secretly added.

As nothing appeared before her she sighed and walked over to the Grandfather Clock, placing a hand on the glass panel covering the now immobile pendulum. Removing her hand slowly in confusion, she watched the condensation slowly disappear from the handprint on the glass. Hitomi squinted at the clock, looking for any aura or ethereal radiation that would give her a more satisfactory answer than the clock had simply started working to warn her of a death.

Superstitions never sat well with her because of her mother, and at this very moment they were doing nothing for her equilibrium. Who knew what havoc being off balance would cause the spiritual homeostatis, the balance between good and evil on Gaea that she tried her best to keep in stability. But the now stationary clock seemed to taunt her at the warning she had perceived. It probably was just sleep deprivation after all.

Yawning, Hitomi sighed and tugged on her now dilapidated pigtails, half her bangs sliding across her face. It was only as she turned to leave the overly cluttered room that she saw it.

It stood by the door on a sewing box or very small table. The only object on the table, she felt something grip her heart and pull sickening as she remembered the first time she had seen one. The music box that was most likely Yukari's addition to the junk/antiques in the rarely used dining room enraptured the almost omniscient seeress' attention.

Walking over to the white enamel box, Hitomi felt almost dazed as she reached out and delicately lifted the lid. Any awareness of noise or waking the other occupants of the flat evaporated as Hitomi stood listening to the dainty tune coming from the box with a mirror on the underside of the lid. Even with its pretty lid and decorated frame, the song transported the woman feeling far older than her years back to another city. Another world.

"_Dance with me." _

"_I don't know how."_

"_There is no _how. _J__ust move with me."_

They had spun round in slow gentle circles, uncaring of anyone watching, from the smallest child to the most revered elder. The languorous tune pierced her heart, as it slowly ground to a halt, just like the night it had all ended. The infamous White Tower of Atlantis disappeared from sight under the smoke and flames as the city devoured itself.

Only as the tears slid down her face did Hitomi kneel in the silence, examining the delicately carved figures that had twirled in the centre of the box and were still rotating noiselessly. They had been oblivious of everyone around them, the seeress choked back a sob as she recognised the boy in tan trousers and a red shirt gently guiding the girl in the green dress in a slow circle.

"_The Gods created this moment for us."_

"_Why? Are we so special?" _

"No. W_e were meant to be."_

Clenching her fists, she took her fixed gaze from the ever rotating couple and searched for a button or handle to twist so she could listen to the achingly familiar tune again. The echo of their last happy moment together. Before he had torn his soul apart, broken her heart and destroyed their home.

Hitomi had moments where she pondered why she had given him another chance to find his brother. Using up every ounce of energy she had invoked an ancient magic, a pillar of light that brought them to another world. Not that Van had shown any gratitude or remorse, only taking seconds to inhale before chasing after his brother once more. And here she was mourning him, the man she once loved. Using past tense already.

Well aware it would do her no good to reminisce on sharp memories that punctured any feeling she had regained, she sighed and grabbed the table to stand up. She sank back to her knees instantly when the turning couple jolted to a stop and she heard a voice.

_His voice. Whispering away to her brokenly,_ _"…and if you…want to remember me…then do one thing…one thing…that's all."_ _*_

Her chest only tightened further when the volume changed and his voice sounded clearer, "Have a good life."*

Gaping in shock, Hitomi turned round in utter disbelief as a ghostly projection of Van Fanel stood before her, looking straight at her as if he was truly in the room with her.

"Do that for me Hitomi. Have a _fantastic_ life."* The translucent image smiled at her, reminding the woman wise beyond her years of just how much she loved him and how well, oh how well, he knew her. Her tears ceased as the manifestation slowly faded to nothing, the heart stopping smile triggering a bitter one of her own.

Her shock led her to rest her forehead against the ridge of the small table as she closed the music box gently. As the lid quietly clicked shut, Hitomi blinked away the remaining tears and inhaled deeply, attempting to centre her qi. _Tortoise, Dragon, Phoenix, Tiger._ Calling all four corners she gently pushed herself off the floor and turned back towards the Grandfather Clock.

Instead of reaching for the death omened object this time, she placed a hand on the window handle and inhaled as she slowly opened it, letting the cold air curl into her lungs along with a few stray snowflakes onto the window ledge. This time she was less staggered when the third warning appeared in the shape of a sparrow. The small bird effortlessly glided along the crescents of air and into the room, settling on her outstretched arm and staring up at her demandingly.

Nodding to the bird Hitomi whispered quietly, "Thank you. You may go." In turn the bird spread its wings to full capacity, attempting to shake off any clinging snowflakes then hopped off her arm and flew back out into the cold, circling for shelter. It was with a tired sigh that Hitomi remembered another of her mother's superstitions – but it was one widely believed throughout Atlantis. _If a sparrow flies into your house a death will occur._ Her mouth twitched as she recalled one man's reaction to a similar occurrence.

The decision apparently already made for her Hitomi closed the window gently and returned to the living room and her set up bed. She sat cautiously on the sofa, now _not_ wanting to make any noise as she slowly pulled off the borrowed pyjama bottoms and replacing them with her jeans, top and jumper.

Watching the snow that seemed to be the only source of light, as no streetlights seemed to be working, she once again searched for her centre, building up her qi as best as possible without waking up Yukari or Amano. Sneaking out to the main entrance of the flat, Hitomi recalled how loud the front door was.

She carefully reached for her heavy coat, praying it wouldn't rustle or make any noise as she pulled it from the explosion of coats in the hall closet. Picking up her boots, she crept towards the back door of the flat and, with a greater patience than she expected herself to have, Hitomi held her breath as she opened the fire escape door and slipped out onto the exposed stairwell. Her boots were swiftly stepped into, followed by her encompassing coat that felt at least a size too big.

The air chilled her, little to do with the temperature but the palpable emotion tingling in the air that made her grab the stair rail, only noticing it as she stepped out from the shelter of the flat doorway. Once again her twisted mind recalled her mother's favourite superstition, _one should never leave a dwelling by a different exit._

Gritting her teeth at the bad luck she seemed to be piling up and she now had definite suspicions, Hitomi raced down the slightly rickety, creaking metal staircase silently, avoiding the piled up snow on the exposed terraces. Reaching the ground she decided her best chance would be to start walking towards the city centre. After all that was where Atlantis's demise had started. Any anger at the reflective similarity dimmed with the growing irritation that not just one but apparently now _two_ idiots were prepared to destroy yet another population.

She was not going to let that happen.

* * *

Her mind had attempted to distract itself as she trekked through the deep snow, pondering which brother had created the snowstorm.

The snow was still falling, causing Hitomi to pull up her hood and a scarf she had borrowed from Yukari covered her mouth and nose. Her hands were bare, not that she felt the cold. Her sensory receptors were reaching out for auras and energy signatures that she would painfully recognize.

It was now glaringly obvious that Merle had nowhere near the amount of sheer energy needed to produce and fuel a snowstorm that seemed to have shut down the entire city. If Merle really had let loose a snowstorm of such magnitude, she would have collapsed soon after. But the storm wasn't waning in ferocity, giving her two very unwanted choices for creator.

Unforewarned, there was no salt or grit on the roads or pavements. So the streets were silent, empty. She had passed two buses parked side by side that had obviously been caught in the storm and had been abandoned.

Perhaps the storm was Van's doing, out of the two brothers, he seemed to most likely to think of preserving innocent life. Hitomi found such a thought ironic after his complete destruction of her last home without a single thought to anyone but his parents and sister. But maybe he had changed, had grown remorseful and wanted to compensate. Nonetheless, the Atlantean survivor still felt angry that the battle between Folken and Van Fanel would be in the centre of a city.

Did mindless destruction come that naturally to them? Suddenly the weight of not having slept properly for over two weeks smashed against her mind, and her legs shook as she lifted her foot out of the ankle deep snow. It had buried the pavements and roads turning speed bumps into banks of snow, adding further grievances on her list against the Fanel brothers.

Another question added to her list as she pondered who had set about warning her. It seemed unlikely either of the brothers would. Van for obvious, petulant, self-preserving reasons. Folken however wasn't aware of her sudden qi development, so he had few reasons to want to warn her. Unless killing his family and invoking the sacred pillar of light had twisted him far enough to want to have her witness his brother's death. Or try and distract Van.

Hitomi wasn't unfit by any means, but with little sleep and the set of death omens delivered to her, her temper was shortening magnificently. Why hadn't Dragons appeared in the evolutionary chain on Gaea? One would be very useful right now to get rid of the damn snow. And the idiots she was going to have to deal with.

Her set of promises to Dornkirk about using power and keeping the homeostasis balanced fell into subconscious limbo. After all, if she let Folken and Van use the same power that had turned Atlantis from a diamond to carbon and ash, there would be no homeostasis to worry about. No city to think about.

She was glad at a time like this for hiding her accumulated qi from the Abaharaki. They coped perfectly with her as just a seeress; Dilandau, Chid, and Gaddes were perfectly competent Elemental Sorcerers who fitted the hero mould. Well maybe _flawed _hero fitted Dilandau better, but _he_ at least had a conscience. Hitomi however, had other concerns, she needed her bubbling reserve of aura and qi if the remaining Fanel family members decided to move from fratricide to genocide.

Despite her small admiration for the snow storm keeping people out of the way (or it would, at least for a short while with the howling winds and unrelenting snow continuing to pile up as she walked) she desperately wished for a small patisserie or bakery to be open. Coffee seemed like the perfect poison before having to deal with the planet's most dysfunctional family.

Hitomi had never asked why Folken had killed his parents and sister. It didn't seem appropriate to remind Van of the tragedy. Not that it was ever far from his mind, no doubt. But it stirred her curiosity. If there was no reason why he had unleashed his power on his family and half the city, triggering his brother to set the other half of Atlantis alight, then she would let Van kill him.

It saddened her how quickly she had lost any reaction towards extreme anger or pain. There were still times when she watched Yukari recoil at something horrific and she would have to stop herself from sighing heedlessly at her pain. Watching the decimation of an entire civilization most probably did that. But there were still gut-wrenching moments where Hitomi wondered if she had properly adjusted to the catastrophe she had witnessed.

If one could do such a thing.

A simple sneeze and nothing more stopped her in her tracks. Rubbing at her covered nose, Hitomi pulled the scarf down to inhale bitterly cold air, before pulling it back up. Then a snowflake covered her eyelashes and she knew. It had blown towards her, when the worst of the snow was now hitting her back. Lifting her head, she saw there was a small open square two streets away.

Her fleeting wish for coffee or a hot bun fell flat as she turned yet another infernal corner and was hit by the wind. This time it scorched her and sent a reflex to tug her scarf down and gasp for breath from the searing, overheated air. Managing to muffle her coughs, Hitomi didn't have to try and reach out for aura. The shimmering air crackled before her, signalling Van's aura, so rare in its lack of colour. Even harder to see with the faint light was a fluctuating silvery globe surrounding Van's brother.

But that didn't surprise her. What did was the man in the black and red hoodie sitting on the top of a picnic bench. Apparently watching the hazy fight, the two brothers surrounded by a miasma of energy which obscured his vision, Dilandau sat calmly, his vermillion aura placid as a koi pond. Confusion seeped into her anger, but not fully distracting her as Hitomi walked over to the silver-haired man lounging on the table top of the bench, attempting to sloppily pull out a packet of cigarettes and failing.

Spears of lightening thrown between the brothers almost lethargically set her teeth on edge as the sheer electrical charges hissed and fizzled to nothing in the snow before each man's feet. The seeress felt a sudden urge to throw her aura at both of them for making her come out in this snowstorm to stop them from raising an apocalypse, only to find them throwing sparks at one another. She felt an urge to do something that would rattle the teeth in their heads for the sheer childishness of their gestures.

Gingerly sitting beside the unusually docile sorcerer, Hitomi turned to stare at the man next to her before gasping. "Dilandau," she hissed at his vacant expression, before growing agitated and pressing her hand against his forehead, pushing her aura against his before he jolted backwards, just managing to stay upright.

"Fuck!" Turning to his apparent _assailant_, she watched with a smidgen of amusement as his eyes widened in shock before murmuring warily, "Kanzaki-dono?"

"Yo." She muttered, turning her gaze back to the fight which had progressed to lightening combined with spheres of fire. She showed no outward panic or worry, watching the battle before her as if it were a mildly amusing children's drama.

"Fuck." He repeated, visibly trying to gain a semblance of control as he reached for a packet of cigarettes in a pocket again, muttering, "Holy Atlantis what next?!"

Hitomi kept her focus on the fight, preparing to step in if the brothers lost control, or Folken gave her any reason to kill him and leave Van alive. Not that the stubborn bastard would appreciate it if she saved his life. Especially if _she_ took away _his _fate. Her irritation eased only just at the shock pulsing from the cocky sorcerer sat next to her, in complete confusion by her appearance and the power of her aura she now allowed him to feel. The two brothers hadn't noticed her arrival nor the emergence of her steadily building qi.

"How…?"

"Are you warm enough Dilandau?" She muttered, concerned but trying to keep the amusement out of her voice, watching him shiver, "You're only wearing a hoodie. Would you like my jacket?"

The _seeress_ knew she was suffering delayed shock as the air shook with the power from the two brothers throwing elemental spells and orbs at one another futilely. Instead of trying to figure out how to stop the fight and immobilize the idiots, she was making fun of a dazed sorcerer sitting next to her. Most definitely delayed as she tried not to giggle at the confused, affronted expression on Dilandau's face as _she,_ a woman, offered _him her _coat. But she did feel slight concern as the already pale sorcerer licked his blue lips and with shaking fingers gripped a cigarette.

It wasn't a gut instinct or an underlying feeling, but suspicion that kept her focus on the shivering sorcerer as he tried to light the cigarette with a match. Hitomi no longer felt fear or anger at the sign, deciding to merely sit back and watch as Dilandau threw the apparently inflammable cigarette to the snow beneath him. A second cigarette was also impervious to the match and was tossed away angrily. She felt like rolling her eyes as it too fell to the ground before a _third_ cigarette was finally lit successfully with the one match.

She had half a mind to ask how he had managed to create all the instances, warnings perhaps and whether it was Folken who had invaded his strings of fate and pulled them for his own gain. After all, the elder Fanel brother had already committed unspeakable acts, it wouldn't be a stretch to damage someone's destiny for another's own ego. Hitomi could still remember meeting the elder Fanel brother so many years ago on another world.

If she had known was a pain in the ass he was going to be, she would have not bothered to be so polite. And the wreck he had turned Van into…well it just didn't bear thinking about. Considering all the signs Dilandau had sent to her in warning, Hitomi could hear the seagulls before she saw them. It was only as they flew over a building and came into her line of vision that she decided she had had enough.

The three birds were flying directly towards her, another omen of death. And with her growing irritation at the somewhat childish fight before her, the seeress allowed herself a bored yawn before focusing her qi and gesturing as softly as she could towards the three shrieking seagulls. It appeared they were terrified of the power radiating from all the occupants of the square as they were pulled towards them, but Hitomi was careful to provide them with a rising current of air.

A wry smile slid across her face as the birds changed direction, moving away from her. Instead they flew overhead the elder Fanel brother, breaking his concentration. Her emerald eyes didn't widen as a stream of fire caught the blue haired man's sleeve. But the flames concerned Folken Fanel less than the shocked expression as he turned to his audience. Hitomi couldn't stop herself from grinning cheekily and waving to the startled Atlantean.

"Hitomi?"

It felt empowering to hear the uncertainty in Van Fanel's voice. If she tried to properly think back, she was sure she wouldn't find any occasion when he hadn't sounded sure of himself. Even when he had told her he loved her for the first time. But back then she had found his confidence appealing, it made her feel stronger in herself as an aspiring seeress. So she was incapable of stopping herself from rolling her eyes.

It was even harder to stop from speaking, "Hello sweetheart. How have you been? I didn't receive a postcard this month so I started to worry. Thank the gods you're alright!" As a female she had no interest in Folken's amused smirk that would send most women into ecstasy. She was far more interested in the dark haired man's expression. And sadly she could see just how bad her taste in men was as Van showed no guilt, or anything apologetic. Nor did he seem worried about her safety.

But then he hadn't been too worried when he had thrown her through three concrete walls for sounding aloof.

No, he looked downright pissed. So Hitomi, freezing cold and equally annoyed continued before he had a chance to insult her or knock her out, "I'm glad you're worried sweet pea. But _I'm_ perfectly fine here. Just make sure you clean up after you destroy _yet_ _another_ city, ok? I'd hate to see the cleaning bills you'd get from the city council."

From the corner of her eye she could see Dilandau gawping at her sheer audacity, or maybe it was her heinous pet names. Not that she cared as she continued in a dangerously sweet tone, "That reminds me gentlemen. Neither of you have registered your entry to the city. Nor do you have permits to use your qi. _And_ this is a residential area. So why don't you boys pop down to the office and register first. Then I'm sure we won't mind you committing mindless genocide."

Hitomi didn't care that her voice had shook with anger, changing from apparent gentle teasing to gritting her teeth with sarcasm as she finished.

"Well Van-chan, I thought you picked a mouse, hasn't she changed?" It was childish but Hitomi didn't care as she replied to Folken's remark with a hand gesture which only spurred the blue haired man on, "Not much in the way of manners though."

"Well I wouldn't destroy a city before asking the citizens for their permission." She shot back, her eyes narrowing as she felt the elder Fanel brother build his qi.

It was split-second but Hitomi managed to increase the density of the air around her, thickening it further around Dilandau as Folken threw the weight of his entire life force at her. She was far too tired to appreciate the shock on the bastard's face, or the fact she had made Van's jaw drop without saying a word. "How are you still…?"

"Alive?" Hitomi sniffed, putting on her best arrogant façade before the man who had set in place the destruction of her home. "Well Folken-san, I thought it would be fun to watch you fall on your ass."

The confusion on the male faces around her aggravated her so she let go of the qi Folken had thrown at her. With a quiet appreciation of her honed talents she watched as the man's life force rebounded on himself with far too much potency for him to handle. Watching him fly through the air and land in the middle of the square, cushioned by the snow alleviated some of her pent-up anger. But that was only the elder Fanel brother.

"You shouldn't be here." Whatever relief she had felt at giving the equivalent of a backhander to Folken Fanel crashed and burned as she met Van Fanel's furious expression.

"So where should I be dearest? Waiting at home for you with a hot cup of cocoa and wearing a see through nightgown? You always said I looked good in green."

"This is not the time Hitomi."

Heartbreaking as it was, the echoes of her visions—misty, shrouded ideas she couldn't quite understand—flooded her conscious and she finally understood. Everything. And it hurt. It hurt so much more than when she had watched Van destroy Atlantis in his grief. Worse than trying to keep the spiritual and moral equilibrium in balance, steadying the city's qi, all by herself. Nor could she forget having to conceal her capabilities for so long.

Waiting for this moment.

"Leave." _Please._ The second word went unspoken but Hitomi could hear it in his voice, see it in his imploring gaze. He didn't want her to see him…at his worst…at the moment of his death.

But there were more important things to do. Dilandau wouldn't be able to help until it would be too late, so she pressed her bare palms together, reaching for the four corners of her qi. Looking up she saw she hadn't enough time. "VAN! Run!"

She thanked the Gods that her beloved wasn't stupid enough to turn and look at her, instead moving away from where he stood as tongues of blue flame sprouted at his footprints in the snow. Folken had lost any interest in teasing either of them and had returned to finish off his family. It was horrifying to think why he had started in the first place.

* * *

"_Hitomi! Hitomi!" _

_She turned to see her mother running towards her, ash staining her usually white blonde hair. "What's wrong Ma?"_

"_Run, sweetheart! Run!" In the second Hitomi heard her mother cry out she looked towards the centre of Atlantis and felt bile surge up her throat. _

_The glistening white spires of her beloved home were on fire. But the flames weren't the natural blue used by sorcerers or ones for conjuring spirits. The fire was a belligerent orange, mixed with furious red and surrounded by thick black smoke, rising into the sky and fluttering in its victory. _

_Even as her mother gripped her wrist to pull her along with the crowd running from the fire, Hitomi could only think of one person. Shaking her mother's fingers off her arm she ran against the crowd, weaving in between the swarming packs of people running away from the main citadel. Turning into a deserted side street she came to a halt, shocked at having found the object of her search so quickly._

_She fell to her knees, cupping his slumped head in her hands and looking for any sign of life. Whispering his name desolately, looking at his charred clothes, his face smudged with soot. The acrid smell of the unnatural smoke made her gag. "Van, please wake up. Please look at me. Gods help him."_

_Tracing his jaw she pressed two fingers lightly against his neck, hoping desperately to find a pulse. It was with huge relief that she felt his sweaty palm grip her wrist in the same shocking manner as her mother. But his expression was far from gentle. His eyes seemed unfocused for a second, then resting on her pendant—the one he had given her. "Hitomi?" She threw herself against him as he croaked, uncaring that he didn't return her embrace._

"_Van, we have to leave. Where are your parents?" _

_As the words left her mouth she could tell the answer. But her conscience dissolved as he muttered in a tone she had luckily never heard before. "He killed them. Folken murdered our parents. He set fire to our house. I…"_

"_Come on we have to leave, the council palace…" _

"_They're dead." Was muttered tonelessly, uncaring before his expression changed, "Not that it matters. Useless bastards." He spoke bitterly, jumping to his feet and staring fixedly at the burning towers, no longer glistening white in the sun, blocked by the rising smoke. _

"_Van we have to leave, the smoke is dangerous. You can't…"_

_Her words were trapped as he kissed her with a force she had never experienced, but it wasn't passion, __it was a force that terrified her__.__ S__omething that made her grip his tunic with desperation, praying he wouldn't move away, he wouldn't leave her. But her cursed gift chimed smugly as he pulled back and ran towards the centre of the city, searching for his murderous brother. _

* * *

She could still remember being rooted to the spot in the deserted alley, staring at the pinpoint Van had become before he too was lost by the smoke. Hitomi had only started to run in fear when the flames changed. The oranges, reds flickered and faded before being consumed by a blazing white inferno. The fire was spreading so much faster, cruelly attacking the innocent people who just couldn't run fast enough.

Even as the city fell to the ground, she had been in too much shock to notice that no one else had escaped. She had climbed vines and leapt over a city wall. It was too late when she discovered that the people running to the gates had been led into a cruel trap by the elder Fanel brother. The sick, twisted bastard had locked all four gates of the city. The younger brother had turned the fire into a monstrous fiend. Atlantis had no hope.

The brothers once again before her throwing every element they could control at one another. Hitomi could still sickeningly recall the moment Van had appeared on the hill close to her overlooking what they had once called home. But he hadn't seen her, he could only see his brother, screaming after him, demanding to know why he had killed their parents. She still woke up in a nauseous sweat recalling Folken's cold, uncaring response.

"_Because they betrayed me. They believed I was dangerous, that I was a threat to Atlantis and its _perfection_. They agreed to have me locked away. I couldn't let them win."_

Her reverie of the past shattered as the futile sorcerer next to her sneezed and shivered. His wide eyed gaze was on the almighty clash before them. "Dilandau. Dilandau!" The silver haired man shivered as he turned to her, trying surreptitiously to keep an eye on what probably seemed like a cock-fight to him.

"Yes Hitomi-sama?"

"Go to Dornkirk and raise the alarm for the city. Every sorcerer available is needed to create a shield covering this entire square and strong enough to withhold whatever vile concoctions the two of them decide to throw at one another."

Still dazed the red eyed sorcerer looked at her with apprehension, no longer sure of how powerful she was, after her demonstration against Folken's power and throwing it back at him so effortlessly. After a second or two he bowed and jumped off the park bench, running out of the square at a speed that would no doubt drain him quickly. But Hitomi's concern lay with the city. The idiots before her couldn't be left alone. They needed to be stopped before this city became another Atlantis.

It was most definitely the cold she felt, smiling as she watched Van disappear into smoke, the square suddenly rolling with mist once more. His favourite trick he had used to surprise her before their world had crumbled to dust. Clearly he no longer used it to tease someone but to keep himself alive. All she could do was watch and pray.

Keeping her thoughts of Dilandau in the back of her mind, she hoped she could stave the brothers off until more of the Abaharaki arrived. Hitomi completely passed over the nagging fear that the Elemental Sorcerers wouldn't be enough. They had to be. But they wouldn't be alone. She had enough qi in reserve, qi she had slowly built up over the years, honing her control wretchedly for a moment like this.

She had had such plans. For her and Van. But staring at the apocalyptic scene before her, the idea of settling down and having an ordinary life together chimed ironically as Van vanished into smoke. It almost seemed stupid that she had let herself think of a potential future. Children, growing old. Clearly it wasn't a wish shared by anyone else as she saw a hand appear out of thin air and smash against the back of Folken's neck.

Tears of frustration sprang as she remembered a technique Balgus-sama had taught her so very long ago. Before she had felt her soul blacken, before everything had turned to grey. Hitomi could feel the insomnia creep up on her, feeling as if she was nothing more than a glorified babysitter. But maybe this was all destined. How sickening.

There was no longer any fear shooting down her spine, or even sympathy as she saw Folken pull his younger brother out of the ether by the wrist and kick him mercilessly twice before letting go and propelling him towards a lamppost. A dull thud rang through the otherwise silent square and Hitomi didn't even feel worried enough to flinch. She loved Van with all of her being, but he was being reckless. Even she could agree with the elder Fanel's remonstrance.

Maybe the kicking had done Van some good, she distantly thought, trying her best to pull her qi quickly and quietly towards her. A smile slid across her face for a second as she saw him stand up from the snow bank he had fallen into. Memories of snowfights and stolen kisses in Atlantis strengthened her resolved as she waited.

With interest akin to a badly acted film, Hitomi let her gaze flick from one sibling back to the other as spears of shining metal glinted despite the lack of sunlight, whizzing through the air; daggers of crackling lightening shot round all sides of the square. Neither brother seemed to throw all their qi behind one element or one stroke. But she was more focused on amassing her own qi, trying to ignore the developing headache and fighting off the light headed feeling. She couldn't be distracted.

It was a miracle the snow had remained so unsullied, no dent of a footprint or smattering of blood on it. The white frozen rain seemed to glimmer despite the thick dark clouds and still falling snow.

She jumped off the bench and ran towards Folken, barely missing a whip of thorned branches as she pulled her fist back and sent the blue haired lunatic careering to the ground at her feet. The roar of anger and shock from Van passed over her as she watched the snow absorb the elder Fanel's fall. Her eyes narrowed, her intake of breath hissing with shock as she saw the blood from Folken's nose drip onto the snow and disappear with a glimmer.

"VAN! Get off the snow! NOW!"

She could hear the mocking laugh come from the man still lying on the ground as she screamed. Darting away to the corner of the usually grassy square she saw Van stare at her with open confusion before he turned back to watch his brother, slowly rising up off the snow which sickeningly glistened at his feet as if the sun shone directly on him. But the sun hadn't risen and it would be covered by cloud when it did.

"Your little girlfriend's cleverer than you give her credit for Van-chan." Hitomi felt herself wishing for a bench or anything she could step onto as she watched the top layer of snow in front of her ripple by a non-existent breeze. She groaned as she felt it, gritting her teeth as the deranged man laughed at her.

"Really, she spotted it before you. Though she still tried to stop me. So maybe some of your stupidity rubbed off."

"What are you talking about?" Van growled.

She hated seeing him like this. Lost in his self-appointed task of punishing his brother, vindicating all who he had killed, not bothering to even examine the situation before him.

"The snow, _Van_-_chan_. Look at the snow." Folken's mocking tone only made her concentrate harder on her qi, worryingly feeling it start to slip away.

"You bastard." Hitomi saw the pain on his face, staring at his elder brother no longer with hate but anguish. "How could…"

"Easy." Folken spat angrily, turning his back on the reminder of his fate in Atlantis. "You created the snowstorm wanting to stave off any more blood sticking to your already filthy palms. Maybe for your seeress. But you never thought I would turn it against you. Infuse the snow with my power to exhaust your own."

She was trying her best not to panic, to keep herself from instinctively falling back on qi to protect her as it would only be stolen from her by the qi permeated snow. Just like a bog or quagmire, the technique had been used so many times in Atlantis to reprimand _wrongdoers_ in Atlantis, rendering the person useless by stealing their qi from them. Folken had done it to perfection, forcing his brother to fight him and tire himself out even faster than just having his qi drained from him slowly.

Van wasn't her only concern though. With her qi also waning, it meant the barrier she had tried to resurrect around them wouldn't protect a pigeon from whatever the Fanel siblings unleashed.

_Pigeon…_ her thoughts froze for a second before racing in sync with her heart at a distant memory that no longer seemed pointless. If she was going to stop Van from dying in any way then she needed to distract his assailant. And now she had a way.

Qi wasn't even necessary as she caught the gaze of the pigeon before it flew off into the snowstorm. Turning her attention back to the bitter exchange between the brothers, she found herself wishing Folken had been captured. Or that she had stopped Van from destroying the city, chasing after his brother. But none of it counted any more.

"Father preferred you. He knew I wasn't _perfect_ by Atlantean standards. You followed every command, learnt every lesson with sickening esteem for the old idiots."

"They weren't idiots Folken. You were trying to defy the gods by creating incantations that were warped."

"Like necromancy?" Folken smirked arrogantly before turning his gaze to the sole female in the vicinity, grinning as he looked back at his brother, "Your woman's not perfect either. She used gifts she was told were unnatural, evil even. Because of that you stand here today. Will you kill her after you've killed me?"

Hitomi stared back at the worried garnet gaze flickering in her direction. Folken was trying to knock off balance and it would render her plans useless. Van had to stay focused, ignoring his brother's taunts. Whether they were based in fact or not.

Looking up as best she could with the awful visibility, her heart leapt at the sight of a small swarm of birds flying in their direction. If Folken was about to attempt any form of necromancy then she needed every distraction to prevent him. Even Van stood still, clearly trying to think of a way to overpower his brother without losing anymore qi than Folken had already stolen from him through the snow at his feet.

It was an awfully strange sight. Folken Fanel stood calmly, hands in coat pockets as if he hadn't been trying to kill his brother seconds beforehand. Only then to let out an almighty screech as a small, harmless sparrow swooped down to the snow and settled inches before his boots. Hitomi bit back a smile as the elder brother threw a sphere of electric blue flame, intent on destroying the innocent bird.

The bird chirruped and hopped away calmly as if being attacked by a human flamethrower was an everyday occasion. Folken could only stare slackjawed as an entire host of sparrows glided towards him, settling around him as if he had thrown birdseed in a circle surrounding him. Hitomi inhaled, hoping Van would see what she had done and act on it. Her vision started to blur, trying to stare at both brothers when the younger jerked his chin a fraction towards her.

It was all the incentive she needed.

Building her qi once more, no longer bothered to conceal it, she could feel the air ripple around her as she summoned every bird in the city, waking many out of hibernation. The already dark square fell into deeper shadow as flocks of birds swarmed to the tops of surrounding buildings and touched the ground in a circle around Folken. "Bitch." His word did nothing, her energy completely focused on drawing as many birds in the city to the malevolent sorcerer.

Van's qi spiked dramatically and Hitomi inhaled sharply in the realization of what both brothers were planning. A fraction of a second blinked away and she couldn't see either member of the remaining Fanel family. Her spine jolted as the birds flew away en masse, blocking out any fragment of light that escaped the snow filled cloudbanks.

She exhaled, watching her breath condense before her. It was futile, but she wished she had paid more attention to Chid and Gaddes working through their qi exercises. She had built up a teeth-rattling amount of qi just for this moment, but she had no idea how to control it. Accusing Van and Folken of attempting to destroy the city was no longer her main concern if she was just as big a danger.

A second later the snow stopped falling and the qi laced in the ground evaporated. Hitomi tensed, silent and waiting. It came mid heartbeat.

She stared as a column of what appeared to be lightening blinked into furious existence, racing headlong towards another tornado like column but they weren't made of air. One was a column of lightening, impossible though it seemed. Bolts of lightening struck the ground simultaneously, scorching the grass and snow, almost blinding her. The charged electrical spears seemed to spin round the man controlling them.

But it was the other tornado-like column that terrified her. A towering spiral of twisting white fire, triggering bile to rise in the seeress' throat as she recalled the destruction of another city by white flames. Folken may have set up Atlantis' downfall, but it had been Van who had been his puppet, the younger brother's rage losing all control of his qi and destroying an entire civilization.

She barely realized she had removed her coat from the heat, discarding it over her shoulder into the snow as she raced towards the two brothers, one cloaked by fire, the other lightening. Her vision only seconds before invoked no panic, merely instruction as she focused on the mid point between the trajectory of the two tornadoes.

Her teeth chattered, but not because of the cold. The air was no longer icy but she pulled her scarf over her mouth from the sudden heat searing the air, the unnatural fire fuelled by rage and cold precise lightening only pulled the atmosphere taut around them, thick with aura. Her last conscious thought was the hope that Dilandau had gotten help. She would not let another city burn, even if it was her own fault for lack of control.

Outstretching her hands to the left and right she kept her eyes open as her skin prickled with the feel of electricity and fire. For an instant she looked to her right, watching the shock on Folken Fanel's face as her arm passed through his protective encasing of lightening bolts, her palm lying flat over his heart. Her other hand came into contact with bare skin.

She turned instantly to see the recognition on Van's face, his bare hand pulling hers to cover his heart, then lacing his fingers over hers. There was no time to breathe or think, only to harvest the qi from both men. The scream that left her throat shattered windows and sent the remaining birds away as the two soaring columns of unnatural elements evaporated, leaving three people standing in a patch of wet grass, encircled by snow and smoke filled air.

Hitomi knew she wasn't breathing, she could barely feel the manufactured warmth of Van's hand over hers. Nor could she feel either man's heartbeat, or her outstretched limbs. Her body churned with the vast energies she had pulled from both men, their powers ripped from them. And yet they were still standing, still breathing. She was overloaded by the qi she had consumed.

Her eyes shut tight, she couldn't open her eyes lest she be blinded by the sensory burden caused by stealing the qi from both brothers. Her knees gave out a second later, but she kept her eyes tight and her palm firmly over Folken's heart bringing him to the grass with her. His hand had curled round her wrist, futilely trying to remove it. Not that he would regain anything. She had taken every part of his qi, leaving him as human as the newspaper vendor.

She had killed him, she had killed them both.

Even with her eyes closed she could sense Folken had fallen to the grass, writhing in desperation to remove her hand from his heart and restore his qi. It wouldn't work, but she would not let him go. Her breathing was shallow and she knew she was losing time, but she no longer cared. After wondering for so long why she had been kept alive, she had realized with cold efficiency that after allowing the Fanel brothers to live, she would have to be their executioner.

The hand of fate was cruel.

"Hitomi." The voice was probably a whisper, but to Hitomi's burning senses, it seemed like he had screamed in her ear. The sound of Van's knees hitting the grass made her wince, but she kept her grip over his heart, maintaining equal pressure over her brother. Folken was still trying to get away but she wouldn't let him. He had to be punished. They all did. She didn't care about the fire in her veins, the sharpness of every sound around her.

She could feel it coming. After all the omens of death, she could feel the spectre's icy breath over her. Strangely it was accompanied by achingly warm fingers tugging down her scarf and ghosting over her now bare jaw. It was instinctive that she opened her eyes to welcome death, not wanting to be lost in the afterlife. But she was sure death didn't look like the man she loved.

Her eyes stayed open as his swollen lips brushed over hers, sending warm breath hissing into her lungs, his cinnamon eyes glowing. She never imagined her last kiss would be so painful. The feel of the blood pulsing beneath his lips over hers, every dip and curve of his skin burnt against her own.

It was ironic that with two overpowering life forces inside her body and fighting her own, she couldn't bring herself to moan or use her voice at all; it would only make the tumult of sensation worse. The power within her turned outward setting her body aglow so bright it would sear her eyes, but her eyes stayed open, not even aware of the Atlantean light. She didn't feel the force of his body as it tumbled against her, sending them both to the cold, sodden grass. Three heartbeats winked out in the same instant.

The fall of Atlantis was complete.

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Theme 11 – Superstition

Words: 9,507

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"It's just a superstition."

"Van, of all people I thought you wouldn't allow yourself to let me wear a white wedding gown all the while…"

"Having lain beneath me nights before? Woken up curled up next to me only days previous? I suppose not."

It was easy to hide his smirk, but keeping his gaze off her creamy thighs, so _indecently_ exposed by what she called a nightgown wasn't. Even worse was the slight yawn and tired moan she let escape, rolling her head back and exposing her delicate neck to him. "I thought _you_ were the one staunchly insistent on keeping my virtue intact?" He barely found himself capable of forming a response.

Minutes later as she pulled off his tunic, shuffling backwards on her bed and pulling him with her wearing not much apart from a broad smile on her face, he wondered—all the while laying kisses down her collarbone, feeling her fingers explore his tensed stomach muscles—if he had been tricked.

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A/N: Thanks for reading. Comments are always welcome, with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

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Thanks go to:

InLuvWidVan – Surely it's fair Van gets to scare Dilandau? :P And yes poor old Hitomi.

Doctor Kiba – Thank you and yes Celena was V/H's child. ^^

thepinkmartini – Glad you liked. Happy I got the characterization right. And I drooled too ^^

Tanwen Whitefire – Yeah I got a bit lost. Basically when Hitomi gives birth, she and Van will be powerless, leaving them vulnerable to …. Dilandau they believe will save the day.

effervesence – Thank you *blushes* And yep Celena was their child.

The Moonspinner – Cheers! LLL.

Jav-chan – Yes you are :P And sexy Van always!

Rockin Sockin Robot – Celena was their daughter, so yeah twists all round.

ChiKa YuMe – Thank yoous. Allen isn't bashed in this one. :O

Lil' Dinky – I wanted a different side of Dilandau, and had this in mind for ages.

chibimimi – Yes, Dilly will save the world. I personally liked his character in the series, not as much as Van the hottie. ^^

les amoureux – Dilandau is quite a useful character I've found lately ;)

Cloudancer – No worries. I am glad though that you understood my sense of humour.

fireangel621 - *dogeza* I apologize. I would love to write them all novel length too. *sighs*

Storms-winter – Bites sequel coming. Take this as a foreword ^^

Buffythecharm – These are one-shots. Each chapter is a separate story in a _separate_ universe.


	15. The Worst Hangover Ever

A/N: Right…

This comes from a reviewer who wanted more. And I had thought of this a while ago, before the real ending of Footprints came about. So if you wanted to read what happened past Hitomi/Van/Folken's deaths, then go ahead. Also to my beta - here...drabble...done. :P

If you're sick of my overuse of reincarnation…then wait for the next chapter! Enjoy!

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The Worst Hangover Ever

_"DAD!"_ He groaned at the shrill volume of his fifteen year old daughter from across the house and rolled over, pulling the covers over him. The decision was reversed a second later as he heard something made of glass smash. Celena was going to kill him. Though it was her fault for leaving such fragile objects in the range of their volatile offspring who could destroy objects with her mind.

Taking slow, careful steps out of the bedroom, he managed to walk through the corridors of his home to push the door to the lounge open and groan. "Hitomi, Daddy's a little hungover right now. Could you keep it down?" Dilandau ignored the snort coming from his irritating protégé to stare at his daughter who looked murderous.

He watched warily, head thumping as his daughter pushed tawny bangs from her face, her emerald eyes narrowed at the teenager lounging against the window before turning to him and demanding angrily. "Dad, why?"

"Well Uncle Chid decided to celebrate Auntie Merle's pregnancy and we drank too much—"

"Not that dad." His daughter cut him off, desperately annoyed and gestured emphatically to the raven haired teen standing across from her, "Why is _he_ here?"

With a hefty sigh at his daughter's inability to understand his rolling stomach and pounding headache, he gestured wordlessly as his cocky student spoke up.

"Aww, come on Hitomi-chan. I'm not going to teach you anything too hard."

Dilandau groaned as yet another piece of glass his wife had spent too much on shattered. He was sure the two reincarnated spirits wouldn't kill each other this time. Hopefully.

Sparing one last glance at his furious daughter, gripping the back of the sofa and his teenage student running a hand through his already untidy black hair, smirking at the situation, Dilandau sighed and spoke to his protégé carefully and as quietly as he could without hurting himself. "Don't break anything, don't eat anything, and don't piss off my daughter, Van. She could do irreversible damage."

It took a great deal of effort for him to turn around and leave the room, even as his oversensitive hearing caught the young man's words, "Oh _I bet she can._"

Dilandau groaned as he slowly walked back to the master bedroom, clenching his fists as he remembered Isaac's orders. It certainly didn't help that Celena thought it was _romantic_. Or that she liked to invite Van to every possible family occasion. He could only take comfort that his daughter seemed to outwardly loathe the teen two years older than her. He just prayed she wouldn't fall for the cocky git before she turned 18.

Then he wouldn't have to do anything.

Yes, that seemed best.

xoxox

The second time Dilandau Albatou, Elemental Sorcerer and scapegoat hero for the _Atlantis fiasco, _father to the reincarnation of the Emerald Seeress woke up, it was languorously wonderful and there was a blissful silence around him. Sitting up, he yawned, stretched and put two fingers to his temples to erase the end of his hangover.

Hopefully the silence meant his somewhat evil protégé had left the house without destroying it. Maybe his daughter was sulking but he appreciated the silence nonetheless. And Celena was yet to return or else he would have woken to an earful about the destroyed glass statuettes.

Slowly he slid off the bed and decided to go to the kitchen and find something to eat. Maybe he could call Chid and give him an excuse to escape his pregnant wife's wrath. It would prevent him from being yelled at by his wife or glared at by his daughter.

It had been strange when Celena had given birth and they had found their daughter mirroring a woman he had last seen over six years previous, her dead body entwined with another in the snow. The emerald eyes that met his as he cradled his newborn child had struck him. As Hitomi had grown up he had paid little attention to it, but as she had entered her teens, Dilandau had been struck by just how wondrous reincarnation was.

It was only made even starker by contrast when his six year old daughter had met a nine year old boy, adopted by Amano and his wife. The jet black hair and unusual garnet eyes had bounded towards Hitomi only to be buffeted by a sudden gust of wind. All eyes had fallen on him but he had stared at his wide-eyed, shaking daughter who had ran behind his legs, gripping his trousers with an interminably strong force.

Sighing at the recollection he pushed the door to the lounge open, intending to stride across the room to get to the kitchen. Instead his hand gripped the metal doorknob, unaware of it melting in his palm as he stared.

Lying on his sofa was his protégé, arms wrapped round…round _his_ daughter. His qi flared and he took a menacing step forward, unable to stop looking at the two teenagers heatedly making out on his sofa. _His _sofa. _His_ daughter.

"Isn't it sweet?"

The red haze of anger and smell of electrical discharge disappeared with a light breeze as he turned to see his wife, smiling dazedly at him. Her hand shot out a second later and pulled him back to the doorway. He turned back a second later and saw that the two had switched positions, a moan coming from—dear god he hoped it wasn't _his_ daughter.

Once more Celena used her immeasurable strength to pull him out of the room and shut the door behind him with a graceful movement. Too shocked to say anything he could only point at the smile on her face and shake his head. His wife responded with a smack to his head and whispered in a delighted tone, "It's about time those two stopped butting heads and got together."

She dragged him in the direction of their room, muttering as she went, "Don't glare at me like that Dilly. We knew those two would fall for each other…"

"Why now?" He hissed, unable to comprehend why his wife was happy about their daughter being molested by a cocky prat and that Hitomi herself had gone from exploding things to…to…that.

"You knew it would happen Dilly. They deserve some happiness don't they?"

"Happiness yes. Teenage pregnancy, _no."_ His wife snorted and pulled him closer to wrap her arms around him, mindful of her strength. "We'll give them a half hour, then lay down some ground rules."

The silver haired sorcerer had never imagined silence being so painful.

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**Thanks for reading! Comments are worshipped, specially as I start University today.**

**Suils **


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