********* (I Love You) Interlude V: Kissu (Kiss)Follow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: A bit short...but...sweet. Interlude, so Hitomi’s thoughts are in Japanese.

Read and review.

Previous chapters, aki, and Interludes

Part I - Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II - Kodoku (Solitude)

Part III - Reunion (Saikai)

Kasho IV- Suriyoru (Closer)
---
(Aki XXX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=112238583589703268&num=3

(Chapter XXXI)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1122559673284936731

(Interlude IV)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1122641776503699968

(Aki XXXII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1122987452126376636

(Chapter XXXIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1123084567810865644

(Aki XXXIV)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1123248225842026665&num=3

(Chapter XXXV)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1123777014698441119&num=1
---
(Bonus Story)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1123501632889873532&num=3

Dedicated to anyone who wants that first kiss to be unexpected...
***
Interlude V: Kissu (Kiss)
***

I wrapped my arms tightly around Dimitri-chan's waist as the chocobo sped up, leaving the tiny town of Mhuara far behind. Nighttime had broken out over Vana'diel once more, and I was reminded of the chocobo ride that I had taken with Dimitri-chan to Selbina from Jueno only days before.

The chocobo banked away from a cliff edge that would have plunged us straight into the dark ocean below, and instead started to dive in between mountain ranges that were glowing with some strange material in them. As we traveled, I felt the anger that I had accumulated earlier evaporate into the nighttime breeze, and after a time, I spoke up.

"Dimitri-chan?..." I asked timidly.

He pulled back on the reins of the chocobo a tiny bit, slowing the bird down so he could hear me clearly.

"Yes Hitomi?" he said.

"...What’s an avatar?"

With that, Dimitri-chan actually stopped the chocobo and twisted his body around to face me.

"You mean you don't know what an avatar is?" he asked with quite a shocked expression covering his face.

I only shook my head, causing my long black hair to go everywhere beneath my hat.

"Okay...you must really have lived in the middle of nowhere...", Dimitri-chan said, "but the avatars are said to be the ones that protect Vana'diel from harm, although I must say I don't know much about them. That, and I don't know why a ministry in the Federation would be researching them, but its our best hope if we are gonna find the Eruntalon Code. Anyway...there are five of them: Pheonix, Bahaumut, Carbuncle, Fenrir, and Diabolos."

All the sudden, I felt the blood drain out of my face as he said those names.

Those...are avatars? We can’t meet them...they will tell Dimitri-chan the truth...

And when he finds out the truth, I’ll lose him forever...

"Let no go Windurst", I said carefully, trying to enunciate, "let go elsewhere."

Dimitri-chan gave me a blank stare, and then lifted an eyebrow.

"You must be crazy Hitomi...this is our best chance at finding the Eruntalon Code and being able to keep it safe from the beastmen."

My eyes started to tear up, the crystal drops slipping away one by one off of my nose to where they would then fall into the chocobo's saddle. Dimitri-chan wiped my tears away with his thumb, smearing them against my cheeks.

"Don’t cry...your eyes were never meant to harbor tears Hitomi." he said quietly.

"Please Dimitri-chan...no Windurst...” I pleaded once more with him.

He only shook his head, and then turned back around. He picked up the reins and snapped them against the chocobo’s neck, startling it and causing it to start running again.
___

We passed the next hour in silence, until Dimitri-chan finally slowed down and stopped the bird in a mountain valley and then dismounted.

"We will rest here tonight Hitomi," he said simply.

I only nodded and dismounted, then trying the chocobo down to a convenient dead tree that happened to be nearby. As I was doing so, I could see Dimitri clear away debris from the ground, making just enough space for one person to lay down at, and then he sat down, and leaned his back against a rather vertical part of the mountain.

"Go lay down when you are ready Hitomi...we have a long run ahead of us tomorrow, and there is no telling who or what we may encounter."

As I opened my mouth to ask him a question, he then answered it before I could say anything: "And no Hitomi, I am not going to turn away from Windurst, so don’t even bother suggesting it."

He closed his eyes, and then apparently fell asleep instantly.

I sighed audibly and then curled up on my spot on the ground, the realization that tonight would probably be the last time Dimitri-chan would ever talk to me slowly started to play over and over in my mind.

Why Windurst...why avatars...

I knew I could never be with him...

And once more...

I started to cry.

"Here, use my chest for a pillow Hitomi."

Dimitri-chan rang out from the darkness suddenly, freezing up my tears. I sat up and turned around...to see Dimitri-chan with his arms wide open for me. Disbelieving, I crawled my way over to him, and laid my back against his chest, my head almost to his neck.

He felt warm to the touch, even despite the chilly Buburimu night.

Dimitri-chan then wrapped his arms around my body, squeezing me tightly against him.

Then he...

Then he slid his hands down the undersides of my arms, and slowly locked his fingers in between mine.

I could hear his heartbeat, slowly speeding up with every second that passed between us.

"Hitomi?..." he said softly.

I didn't look up at him, but instead stared outwards towards the starlit sky.

"What Dimitri-chan?..." I replied in the same tone of voice.

"I'm sorry about earlier..."

"That okay, I sorry too..."

"Good night Hitomi."

"Night Dimitri-chan..."

I closed my eyes, and started to drift off into an empty dreamworld when Dimitri-chan suddenly nudged my shoulder, pushing away the sleep. I craned my head upwards to look upwards at him, and blinked a couple of times.

"What?..." I said drowsily.

Dimitri-chan only smiled gently, his eyes glistening in the eerie light emitting from the ores that seemed to be everywhere in Buburimu...

He leaned closer into, his breath slipping down my face as time slowed down to a crawl...

And then in what I knew I would re-live every night in my dreams until the day I died...

My prince kissed me.

-fin Interlude V: Kissu (Kiss)

Edited, Fri Aug 12 10:34:56 2005 by Nightsintdreams

awwwww ^^