The Red String of Fate

Their First Time

Spring 835, Underground City

Anya looked in the mirror above the bathroom sink and took in a deep breath. She studied her reflection with a deep intensity. For the first time in her 15 years of life she was questioning how she looked, and she let her usual ponytail flow down past her shoulders. She turned to the side, and examined her breasts – were they too big? Too small? Perky enough? Her eyes wandered down to her stomach as she raised her shirt – Is that fat? She poked the small bit of fat under her ribs. Anya let her mind wander and started feeling her heart pound in her chest even harder than it usually did when she was anxious. "Oh my god I don't think I can do this" she spoke out loud into the mirror, splashing water on her face.

Unbeknownst to her, Furlan was on the other side of the door. "Do what?" he inquired. Anya quickly put down her shirt and opened the bathroom door. "Don't you know when to give a woman a little privacy?" She questioned him with a sour frown crossing her pink lips. "Ok, sure, fine – but do what exactly?" Furlan looked her up and down, realizing she was blushing – something Anya rarely did unless she was being provoked by Levi.

"Leave her alone, She might bite" Levi piped up from the next room, where he was preparing tea. "You'd know" Furlan laughed at his own response as her poked a particularly dark bruise on Levi's neck, to which Levi flinched. "You're right, I would. So I know you should let her be." Levi glanced coldly at his best friend, before feeling Anya graze his arm softly. She was smiling in an awkward way Levi had never seen before and looking down. Anya tilted her head up to his ear, and let her lips flutter along his earlobe "I.. I think I'm ready...". Her hand found his, and he brought it up for a kiss.

"Huh?" Furlan watched as the two of them stared lovingly into each other's eyes and acted like he didn't exist. Furlan looked down to find the deck of cards that became part of their weekend ritual. "Ready for what? We don't have a job tonight. It's game night!" Before Furlan could even reach the cards on the table, he realized that Levi had picked up Anya into his arms, carrying her bridal style towards his and Furlan's shared bedroom.

"Don't wait up" Anya smirked, making eye contact with Furlan before winking. "Oh. Ready for... that." Furlan spoke to himself, wondering how he was the oldest of the three but also somehow the most Naïve and unexperienced. He sighed, grabbed his jacket, and decided to go for a walk, "Fine, I'll give you some privacy" he shouted as he closed the door behind him.

Anya giggled, hiding her face in Levi's chest. "Do you think we pissed him off?" She asked with a grin. "No, I think he's just too dense for his own good sometimes." Levi responded with a smile, and kissed Anya's forehead softly. "We really need to find him a girl" Anya looked up at Levi, laughing at her own suggestion "or a boy" Levi responded before looking down to her lips, pressing them firmly against his own, and parting them with his tongue. He pulled Anya in close, her body pressed up against his, their tongues danced while their hands wandered across each other's backs and heads. Just as soon as the moment had started, it seemed to be over, and Levi frowned.

Anya stumbled backwards, Levi catching her with one arm. Anya was illuminated by the moonlight and streetlights peeking in through the small window, the light spring snow that powdered the streets reflecting the light. She looked down shyly, and her eyes darted to one of the two beds in the room – the one she knew to be Levi's. The one she'd sneak out to sleep in almost nightly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Levi moved towards her carefully, worry being clear in his voice "We can wait. I'd wait forever for you. If you want to wait, we can. We can wait until we're married. We can wait until after that." He reassured her calmly but couldn't hide the hint of disappointment in his voice.

"I'm sure. I'm more than sure." Anya looked up into his grey eyes with a hint of blue in them that she admired, always so calm and serene. His eyes reminded her of the stars they could see peeking out through the sewer grates and above the hole. "just... tun around while I get in bed okay?" she asked with a shyness in her voice Levi rarely heard before, the touch of insecurity that he found to be so endearing, and as he turned around to meet her request he wondered how could someone so beautiful still have even an ounce of insecurity.