Short little one-shot about two favorites of mine
I obviously don't own any of these characters
The day dragged on as usual; slow, dreary, boring. The teacher at the front of the room droned on about parabolas and how to find their value, but my attention was directed down at the journal open on my desk. There were some scribbled notes along the first few lines, but after that the page was filled with the spiraling lines of a dragon.
Two elegant horns protruded from the back of it's fox-like head. A short mane ran the length of it's winding body, from the back of its head to nearly the end of its tail where it had a feathery plume. It had four scaled legs and feet tucked back against its flying form.
It had been four years since I'd visited the Bath House, but I still clung to my memories of it. The hairband Zeniba gave me was ever-present on my wrist, even after these four years its glimmering purple strings hadn't faded at all. I still remembered Yubaba's child who had turned into a mouse and followed me to Zeniba's house at the end of the tracks. I remembered the boiler man Kamagi, and Lin, and No-Face. I remembered the frog Foreman, and the ancient river spirit who paid a visit. However, all of these people, even the ones who became dear friends, had begun fray around the edges after four years. It saddened me to realize that one day only the smallest glimpses of those people would remain clear amongst the growing collection of memories I'd made since then.
I sighed, looking back to the name I'd just written. There was one person who would never fade or be forgotten.
Haku
The apprentice, the dragon, the river, the boy I met on the bridge, the boy who promised we'd meet again, the boy who told me not to look back.
I remember ten year old Sen sitting on the back of a white dragon when suddenly she realized where she knew him from. I remember his white scales falling away like so many butterflies, there was a moment of free-fall but then we were hand-in-hand, and his face lit up as he remembered. The change was stunning(?), the last bits of the old him crumbled away. He was laughing, and me? I was crying.
I was crying and we were flying. Me and this crazy boy who'd brought me to tears.
I sighed, looking away from memories and instead directing my gaze to the old clock slowly ticking away the time till our release.
For the last bit of class I actually tried to pay attention, but who would ever choose reality over the unlimited fantasies in one's head. So numbers and figures turned into spirits and monsters.
After an infinity contained in 15 minutes, the bell rang. Everyone rushed to gather their things and get out the door as fast as they could. Instead of face the mob I just sat for a moment more.
When, eventually, the crowd cleared I sighed sighing seemed to have become a habit of mine and moved to close the journal which still lay open on my desk.
"Wait"
I stopped, letting the journal fall open again. Then, with a shaking breath, I turned around.
His long, black hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. He wore the same white and blue robe as that first day.
"Chihi-", before he had even finished saying my name I wrapping my arms around him.
"Haku" I whispered, as if too loud a noise would shatter the moment. I looked up at him "how…?"
He smiled, a real smile like the one when he'd remembered his name. Only the second one i'd ever seen on his face.
"Once you meet someone, you never really forget them… I told you we'd meet again."