My first Escaflowne fic. I hope it's good. It's mainly HxV because that's how it should be. Also there will be Eries x OC because I like her and she's single so I can make an OC for her and I enjoy making OCs. I hope you like!!

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CHAPTER 1

Hitomi awoke quite suddenly, to the sound of something crashing against the floor. She sat up so brusquely the bones in her spine cracked. Throwing the covers and shetts aside carelessly, she darted out of bed and to the closet where she kept the aluminium baseball bat a friend had gotten her when she mad moved to this apartment. It had been a funny joke then, but Hitomi was ridiculously happy of having it now.

The question of what exactly she would do with the thing was another worry. She was particularly thin and athletic and stronger than the average woman due to her going to the gym and running every day, but she still couldn't match up to a full grown man.

She wondered about Toshiko's sense of practicity; why not a bow and an arrow or a gun? No, wait, Hitomi hated guns. Actually, Toshikos' gift probably adequated more to Hitomi's likes and inclinations rather than actual protection; an instrument esentially innocent that could be used to defend, but was not initially intended to be used in such way.

Hitomi despised violence. It was the only thing she actually, really felt true hostility towards. Kind of like the really brave feared only fear itself; she hated hate istelf.

But, this wasn't the moment to stop and analyze her inner thoughts and conclusions. Through it all, Hitomi was really essentally a realistic girl; and however the much she hated violence, if it came down to saving her life, she would swing that bat at the bastard's head. So watch out; here comes the home run.

She raised the bat over her right shoulder and stomped into the hallway. There was a soft shufling noise in the living room down the corridor. Hitomi shuddered, felt cold sweat down her back, and gropped the bat more tightly. She frowned determined and took a deep breath. Quiet as a mouse, she slowly inched her way closer to the living room.

Something else was knocked in the living room, she heard a low voiced curse and a couple of soft steps. A rush of quicksilver ran through her veins when she realized the bastard was heading to the hallway. Hitomi was already in the doorway and the bat was as tight as she could grip it in her hand.

A tall man turned around the wall into the hallway. Hitomi grit her teeth and swung with all her force. There was a startled cry, and the bat hit home. Hitomi tried to swing again but she couldn't snatch it back. She opened her eyes horrified to realize he had caught it!

"I'm curious as to what you would have done after you hit me with it." He said, snatching the bat from her hand and examining it curiously before glancing back at her.

Hitomi was paralyzed.

"V-Van?" she stammered. He smiled slightly, a smile that tugged at the corner of his long mouth, seductive and languid at once. His eyes were deep auburn and burning.

His wings had a nearly opalescent glow to them, reflecting the moonlight. They moved softly to fold quietly at his back, out of the way. Hitomi reckoned he had hit something with them; that had probably been what had awakened her. He wasn't wearing a shirt and his chest was bare; the pendant glowed pink in the hollow between his collarbones.

His black unruly hair fell over his deep red eye, as wild as ever. He blinked when a bang caught in his eyelash and shook his head slightly to get it off.

Hitomi instinctevely reached forwrad and up to his face and moved the bang saway from his eyes, to the side. Her fingertips lingered in his skin, a tingle spreading through her hand, and she carressed his cheek gently. Just as instinctevely, he turned to nudge her hand and pressed it against his cheek with his, cupping it gently.

Hitomi smiled, but her eyes were overrun with tears. She lowered her face to try and hide them from him, but there was very little Hitomi could hide from Van. He stepped closer to her and embraced her, her forehead against his collarbone. His hands rubbed her back soothingly and he muttered hushed words. She sobbed against his bare chest.

"Shh, don't cry." He said, almost pleadingly. "Hitomi… look at me."

Hitomi raised her head and stared at him with eyes full of tears and wet cheeks. Van swallowed and dried them off with his fingers as gently as he could with his calloused fingertips, more used to the touch of the hilt of a sword than that of a soft femenine cheek.

"I look at you." She choked. "And I can't believe you're here. Van… I didn't want to call you, but—"

"Shh, I know." Van kissed her forehead sweetly. "I came to get you. I won't let you stay here alone anymore. You're coming with me. Everyone back home is waiting for you." He turned her in his arms and gently lead her down the hallway. "Is that your bedroom door? Tell me what to pack."

Hitomi was stunned, overwhelmed. She nodded numbly at his questions and let him sit her in the bed, then watch him survey the room critcally.

She knew what he was thinking. It was too small, too dark, the walls were dirty with humidity and her belongings – few as they were – were a mess. She knew he was thinking that not only because his eyes said it, but alos because that what she thought.

"What do you think you'll want to take home?" he asked after a moment. His first study of the room concluded it to be disagreeable to someone like Hitomi. She deserved more. No matter; she would have it in Fanelia. He turned around, folding his wings frther closer to his back to be sure not to knock anything else. "I can tell you what I think you'll need, but it's alright if you want to take anything else… Hitomi?"

She swallowed, staring at him. More tears were rolling down her cheeks. Van kneeled quietly in front of her, his hands going to rest on top of her knees, and smiled reassuringly.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

Hitomi leaned forward to rest her forehead in his. She closed her eyes, then slowl opened them again to stare into his.

"You're the only one I trust, Van."

He smiled sadly. He lifted his arms and put them around her form, then shifted to sit in the ebd next to her and rest her temple in his shoulder. "I should have come for you years ago. I have no excuse. I'll make it right, Hitomi." He kissed the top of her head. "I'll make it right for you. You'll be safe with me in Fanelia; I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Hitomi sobbed a couple of times more, then recomposed herself.

Enough self-pity, Hitomi.

"Okay." She said, straightening out of his embrace and wiping her cheeks with her hands, breathing in deelpy. "Okay. Let's move. I want… no clothes, they won't fit in Gaea." She got up and ran a hand through her hair, looking around quickly. Van stood too, doing the same.

"Where's your old bag? Or do you have another one?"

Hitomi laughed for the first time since she ahd seen him. He smiled at the tinkering sound. "I'd take it for sentimental value, more than anything else; I doubt I'll get to fill it. There's not much I want to take back."

But she did fill the bag; because every now and then Van would point out for something he thought she shouldn't left behind, even thought at the moment she felt like doing so, and trusting his judgement more than her own, she followed his advice.

"All set." She said, placing the strap of her bag across her shoulder and looking around.

She wouldn't miss this place. She wouldn't miss the loneliness is conveyed.

Van embraced her from behind, her back agsints his chest. His wings unfurled and stretched forwards to form a cocoon around them. Van kissed her temple sweetly, and she felt the warmness emanating from the pendant that hung against the back of her neck.

The blue light enveloped them just like his feathers did. He flapped them once, tightening his arm around her waist, and Hitomi felt her feet leave the ground. She closed her esya dn rested her neck against his shoulder.

She felt the vibration in his chest when he chuckled, before the deep, resonating rich sound reached and fell from his lips.

He surrounded her in so many ways, he was all around her, the air she breathed, the light she senses shining through her closed eyelids, the form wall at her back and the strong bands around her waist. There was no hesitation in him, no doubts, no questions.

Her feet touched the ground again. She opened her eyes. She was in a large room with stone walls and high wooden ceiling that pointed upwards. In front of her there was a huge four posted bed with blue covers and more pillows she could count in such a limited amount of time.

She knew it was his bedrooms simply because it smeleld like him; rain, lush grass, the wind in the forests, and freshly chopped wood. Van slipped his fingers under the strap in her shoulder and took the bag from her placing it in the floor by their feet. He leant down for that, and his lips brushed her shoulder. Hitomi became suddenly aware of how little her sleeping shirt and pants actually covered her.

Van turned leant down further and scooped her in his arms Hitomi yelped, blushed madly and glared at him, but Van smiled and then chuckled. He took her to his bed and laid her down on top of the covers as gently as if she were about to break.

And maybe she was. Because she started crying again.

Van wiped them away again and settled lying flush on her side. "You're exhausted." He murmured against her temple. "You'll be safe here, Hitomi. I'll be here when you wake up. I can tell you right now I sense the guards and advisors at the other side of my door." He grinned wickedly. "I could go greet them, but chance is they'll be there in the morning, so I'll do it then."

"You're terrible." She whispered, already half asleep, but smiling at his smugness.

"My point was, if there's anywhere safe in Gaea, it's my bedroom, right now." He chuckled. "So feel lucky, lady."

He slipped an arm around her waist and brought her closer, his forehead against her temple, and closed his eyes.

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That was chapter 1. I'll clarify what exactly happened to Hitomi next chapter, but mostly this story will be about them, now, and not dwelling in the past. I like them together; that's how they should be.

So, if you like, leave a review I know it's short, but I hope it was enjoyable.

Not beated. I hopw it's not too evident. cringes

Namariel, out!