| Glass written: charlotte date: 18 September 2001��������� note: escaflowne belongs to its original owners. dilandau x china (original character). angst / romance. - - - - My nail was sharp as it traced the grains within the intricate lines of the wooden door over and over. The murmurs were so faint, whimpers, that I was surprised I had heard them. That pounding organ in my chest, it was firm in its belief. It would not lie. He was drowning in ripping images that snapped at his face, of whipping tails and shiny teeth. I would have to be scratched as well. Placing my hand on the silver knob, I peered down at my reflection for a brief moment and slipped inside. His mouth was moving effortlessly, his words tumbling and twisting to land against his pillow. My shadow slid up his form as I neared, his unseen protector in the moonlight. My fingers tingled, but I couldn't touch him now. "Please... stop it..." Pale, full, the lips moved in small gasps, little moans erupting from his slim throat. The shadows were ghosts as they stretched once again, leaking across his chest, making the hairs on his arm twitch. "Dilandau..." My voice startled me. I hadn't meant to speak. It was enough to pull him from his visions though. Flutter. With an intake of breath, ruby shone bright in a flash. His eyes were glassy and my reflected face showed my lips parted and frozen. "What do you want?" He asked sharply. There was something so dangerous about that voice. "I think you were having a dream." Eyes narrowed. He turned his head. "So? There's nothing wrong with that." "I felt something pulling me here to be with you," I said. Dilandau brought his head up swiftly, eyes darting across my face. "Go away." Voice so chilling. His shoulders were tight, his silver hair hanging at odd angles. I wished to reach out and sweep away the damp strands. "You won't be able to sleep again," I said as I slowly sat next to him. The mattress gave slightly. It was warm with skin and sweat, and his scent was so strong. "Can't you mind your own business?" He snapped. "You shouldn't know of my dreams." "I didn't want to know," I said softly. "But, you've spoken of them in your sleep." Dilandau stared at me, mouth parted, brows jerking. "I speak in my sleep?" He seemed not to believe his own fright, that it yelled, cursed, cried when he closed his eyes. I had to listen before and I didn't want to anymore. "Yes." I turned to face him. I studied his upper lip, his shoulders, the firm chest; all slick with the faintest traces of perspiration. My thumb moved, slid across his mouth in a short motion, wiping the skin clean. "What--?" He jerked back. "Let me stay with you tonight." "No," Dilandau said. "I prefer to be alone." "Are you afraid of me?" An innocent taunt fell from my tongue. "How dare you imply that I'm weak!" "Don't twist my words," I responded calmly. "My presence doesn't speak of your weakness. But, your fears do." He was going to hit me. I felt his hand tighten on the bed cover. It was going to come crashing up into my cheek, slice my nose until my blood stained the sheets. His fingers swiftly grabbed my face with a rough shake, clenching my cheeks with his nails. He was controlling himself. His mouth opened to speak, then closed. "I don't understand you," he hissed, flinging my face away. I shifted and crawled across the large bed, curling upon the edge of his warm pillow. I watched the muscles on his back pull as he twisted to look back at me for a moment. He was gone, striding across the room to the bathroom. The light flicked on. I watched his shadow move toward the mirror, listened to water run for a moment. I watched him walk back, closer, closer. "My hair is in tangles," he mumbled. "Give me my brush." I reached for the hairbrush that lay on his nightstand. "Let me brush it for you," I said, fingering the soft bristles. He slumped onto the mattress, his body tired of fighting this strange girl. My knees encircled his hips as I settled close. The brush moved through his hair gently, pulling again, again in that hypnotic fashion. Finally his chest began moving evenly, back muscles melting. Dilandau's head titled back with each stroke. That silver cat in him was emerging. "You've not had this done for so long," I murmured, more to myself than him. I pressed against him, soft cotton breasts rising with my chest as I slid my fingers between the moonlit tresses. "Folken used to brush my hair when I was a child," he whispered. The brush was now lying in my lap as we became still. "Why did you hate him?" "Because he loved his brother more than me." Bitter. I could taste his jealously. "Blood runs deep. He and Van should have stayed together. Folken shouldn't have found you. You could be dead." "I know." He turned himself around and stretched out to lie on his side. Those garnet jewels faded. I curled up once again, lying gently on the pillow. The space between us was shrinking. I could feel his breath in little bursts as it hit my cheeks, run over my mouth. I watched him. "Stop looking at me," he murmured with closed eyes. I smiled. "Why do you love your beauty so much?" It was too silent and I was too awake. The moon glow was quiet as it rubbed against his face, purring, patches of flesh lit up and shadowed like a Picasso. "Because people fear beauty. It's untouchable." He was speaking of himself using a metaphor. Maybe he feared his own wrath just as much as I did. My arm appeared across my vision and the fingers curled once, hesitant, one finger pointed out and brushing Dilandau's cheek, tracing the scar that ran up. "Don't do that," he whispered, his voice clipped and hard. I was possessed. I wanted to hurt him, rip apart that pulsing heart and mend it with my own hands. "Stop." He garnet eyes flared as he ground his teeth. His hand flung mine away. "Let me touch you," I said. "I don't want to remember you after this night." But, he would not get away. I lived in this floating claw as well. I wanted to leave, to fly, but they would not let me leap. The scientists had brought me here. I told Van not to worry. This was fate. Horrible fate. They wanted my blood. Something special about me they said. The experiments are vague, blurry things as if from a dream. I have memorized the echo of my own screams. "We're all alone here," I murmured. "We only have each other, Dilandau." His beautiful name, sparkling through my lips, a song lost in the wind. "I've always been alone. It makes no difference to me," he said sullenly. He averted his gaze. My blue eyes were too deep, all knowing. I was playing with his beloved fire as I slid closer to him. I could feel his body heat. He didn't move. My head curved into his neck and my arms wrapped around his back. I detected the faintest scent of soap upon his skin. "Fall asleep," I commanded gently. "I'll be here." "I'm not afraid." "I am." I let my eyelids fall over my gaze. Through the blackness, my other senses were immediately heightened. Ilistened to his breathing above me, calm, shallow. His heartbeat was loud as it continued its incessant roll. His arms spread and gathered me. His nose rummaged against my face, brushing against my own, his mouth searching. I opened my mouth and invited him in, his tongue dancing with mine. He knew I had always wanted. Our lips slid against one another's, biting, kissing, hungry. His legs became entangled with mine, drawing me closer. He was my weakness. "China..." he murmured. "Strong and cold, yet so easily breakable." My own words were placed before me. I had forgotten to breathe and had to pull away. Slender hands played with my hair, lacing the wavy strands of ebony and gold between his fingers. "Let's leave tomorrow." "I can't just disappear," he said. "I have a war to finish." "Van will understand your going." "He'll win," Dilandau argued. "I will not lose to him." "You'll win your freedom. You'll be obliged to no one and answer only to yourself. You can make the rules up as you go along." He was quiet. I nestled my face into his neck, pressing my lips firmly onto his fiery throat. My figure was curled into his snugly; flesh, muscle, bone all blended into a silky cream. With a soft sigh, I allowed myself to fall, to float weightlessly into the abyss of sleep and flickering burning diamonds. * * * His silver hair whipped wildly, flashing with the wind, the air rushing past with violent intent. My eyes were tiny slits, tearing at the corners. The valley below welcomed us. I looked at him again and he stared back. Those wine coloured eyes held no fear now. He had not cried out last night as nothing had tormented him. Nothing ugly and huge had attacked. Dilandau was not scratched once. I smiled at him now. I faced the swirling rivers and endless trees beneath us, lifting my hand. His fingers gripped mine firmly. Flinging his head back, he closed his eyes. Those elusive silver and red beings shot out from between his shoulder blades, feathers dusting the air as they dropped silently. As they touched the cool floor, their liquid form burst apart, glittering sparkles rising from the ground. Time froze. Closing my eyes, I let myself lean forward and gravity took over. My body was nothing as it dropped, a weightless sight for the invisible wind fingers to toy with. My muscles screamed as two snowy wings flung themselves from inside my skin. Dilandau's body was falling next to mine. I watched his red feathers being plucked by the wind's claws, tossed up. The valley was closer, closer. With a tight jerk, we flapped hard and soared upward. I was being swallowed now as I let the orange fireball in the sky envelop me in its grasp, his slender figure sucked into purples and reds and pinks and... we were gone. [end] |