Author's Note:

Jocasta Silver: This is a response to pinkconchshell's bouquet contest. Hope you enjoy it! And I don't own Spirited Away. This is owned by Miyazaki.

Christmas Gift

She should being paying attention to the teacher. Instead, sixteen year old Chihiro Ogino was gazing out the window at the silvery white flakes of snow that were drifting to the ground outside. The snow gave made her long for the end of school and start of Vacation.

"Chihiro Ogino!" Her teacher's sharp voice brought her back to reality.

"Yes m'am," she spoke, ready to answer whatever question her math teacher had.

"This is the third time you've drifted off," her teacher's voice was no nonsense. "It may be the last day of school before Vacation, but it is still school. And drifting off in the middle of class is unacceptable. Understood?"

"Yes m'am," Chihiro replied.

Chihiro tried to pay attention to the lesson, but the snowy flakes outside were distracting. "When will this class end?" she thought impatiently.

Mercifully, the bell rang fifteen minutes later. Chihiro gathered her math book, pencil case, and assignment book, and headed for her locker. A gathering of girls stood there. Chihiro sighed.

"So Chihiro," the short black haired girl said rudely. "I heard you fell asleep in class today."

"Yeah," the dark brown haired girl added. "She can't be bothered to have her brain focus during her classes."

"If she even has a brain," the tall brown haired girl snidely remarked.

"It doesn't matter what they say," Chihiro thought. She always had a hard time focusing in class. Ever since her experience in the Spirit World, she had grown aloof, and preferred books to people. Most of her classmates accepted that her daydreaming and aloofness were just a part of her personality. But several of the girls thought it was amusing to make fun of her.

"Leave her alone you bitches!" a furious voice interrupted the girls' bullying. "What has she ever done to you?"

"Nothing Caitlin," all three girls spoke in unison.

"She only acts dreamy as if she's in a fairy tale," Riana Tamaki added shrilly.

"At least Chihiro has a good imagination unlike you three idiots," Caitlin countered.

"Come on girls," Riana beckoned to her cronies. "We have better things to do then hang around these day dreamers."

With that, the three girls left.

"Are you ok?" Caitlin asked concerned. Caitlin Ryan was an exchange student from America and Chihiro's one best friend. She seemed to understand Chihiro's shyness and her day dreams.

"I'm fine," replied Chihiro. "Thanks for getting them off my back."

"No problem. Those three barely have any brains between the three of them. All you have to do is question what they're doing and they walk away."

"Are you doing anything for the holidays?" Chihiro inquired, anxious to change the subject.

"I'm going skiing with my host family," Caitlin informed her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing in particular, my parents went down to visit relatives. I didn't want to go, so they took my little brother with them."

"I'm sure Hyota liked that," Caitlin commented sarcastically. Hyota cared deeply about his sister Chihiro and clung to her as though he were drowning. The six year old could be pesky, but Chihiro cared a lot about her brother.

"He had a fit about it. 'Why can't Chi-Chi come?' He was really upset. It's only when I promised him that I would be here when he got back that he calmed down."

"Will you be ok by yourself?" Caitlin looked a little concerned.

"I'll be fine," Chihiro reassured her, using the same words she used when parents asked if she was sure she did not want to go with.

"I hope you have good holidays." Caitlin gave her best friend a hug before walking down the street to the house where her host family lived.

Though she was kind, Chihiro doubted that Caitlin would understand why she had to be alone during the holidays. The holidays were supposed to be a time of happiness, and yet Chihiro felt sadder than ever. Every Christmas since she was ten, she had a wish. And every Christmas she felt disappointment when it did not come true.

Snow swirled around her as she unlocked the door to the house. She stepped into the empty house. After closing the door, Chihiro shook the snow off her winter boots. She walked into the kitchen and made some hot cocoa.

She still could not shake off the sad thoughts as the cocoa warmed up. "Why hasn't he come yet?" she thought. She had waited for Haku. He had promised that he would come looking for her, and he had not.

"Why haven't you come back Haku?" she cried. Hot salty tears poured down her cheeks like twin waterfalls. Chihiro couldn't take it. She felt she would die of loneliness. She sipped down the cocoa trying to calm herself. Eventually, her tears ran out.

She was listening to some classical music when the door bell rang. Chihiro sighed and turned off the music. Snow was falling in sheets. "Who would come here in this weather?" she wondered.

Chihiro opened the door, and there he stood. Haku had the same light green hair and gray eyes, but he was taller, more masculine. He looked about eighteen years old.

Chihiro did not know what to say. On one hand, she was happy to see Haku again. On the other hand, he had delayed seeing her for six years. All she was able to get out was "You promised!"

"I know Chihiro," Haku replied, his tone bitter. "But it took two years for Yubaba to release me from my apprenticeship. Then, when I saw how happy you seemed, and I did not want to interfere."

Chihiro wanted to throw her arms around him. But she knew it was not an appropriate response. Instead, she spoke, "Come in. It must be cold out there."

"Won't your parents mind?" Haku inquired.

"They're away visiting relatives."

Haku took her invitation and stepped in. Chihiro closed the door behind him. She led him to the kitchen, and gestured for him to sit. As he sat down, she felt uncertain of what to say.

"How have you been?" Haku asked, breaking the silence.

"Well enough," she replied. "I have a little brother now and a best friend at school." Chihiro wanted to say more, but she could not think of anything else she could say. How did you talk to someone you had seen in six years who had just shown up on your door step?

"This is a very nice house you and your family have." Chihiro could tell that Haku was trying to continue the conversation.

What could she say?

"Tell him how you feel," a voice in her head suggested. "It's obvious he feels the same way."

"I want to tell him but I don't know how," Chihiro thought.

"Just tell him! You're making this harder than it needs to be," the voice sighed in frustration.

"Haku, I..." her voice faltered. How could she tell him about these feelings inside?

"Yes?"

"I care about you and I hope you feel the same way."

Haku responded by circling his arms around her. Chihiro did not feel scared. Instead she felt protected, cherished. All too soon the embrace ended.

"I've always loved you," he spoke with a passion in his voice. His lips met hers. She had never kissed before, but she still felt that this kiss meant something. All too soon, the kiss ended.

Chihiro blushed. "I think we better be careful not to take things too far."

Haku sighed. "I was just getting warmed up." Reluctantly he let her hands go, and contented himself with sitting next to her.

"And how long can I restrain myself?" Chihiro wondered. She decided not to let it worry her for the time being. After all, it was Christmas Eve.

…

Christmas morning gave Chihiro much joy and happiness. The storm of last night had blown over, leaving behind a thick blanket of snow. Best of all, Haku was here to share the holidays with her.

She put in some cheesy Christmas music on the CD player, and began to make sugar cookies for herself and her guest. As she stirred the batter, she felt herself caught in the spirit of the holidays. Chihiro had not felt this way before. She had felt the excitement of presents at a younger age, but this was different.

She felt as if by being with her love, that the holidays became almost magical. Chihiro relaxed while she waited for the cookies to be ready. There was no need to rush. She had all day to spend with Haku.

At last, the cookies were done. As she removed them from the oven, they gave off a sweet aroma. Chihiro tried to use the spatula to remove one the cookies. It flew off of the baking sheet.

Before it could fall to the ground it floated mid-air, and levitated to the cooling rack where it settled. Chihiro turned and saw Haku, his mouth in a wide grin.

"Show off," Chihiro muttered.

Haku chuckled. "When will the cookies be done?"

"They need to cool first," Chihiro informed him before playfully shooing him out of the kitchen.

Later on, they sat at the dining room table, sharing a plate of cookies. Chihiro again felt the presence of magic in the air. She bit into her cookie, tasting the sugary flavor.

"There's something I need to give you," Haku spoke, breaking the silence. He handed her a bright red box with a matching velvet ribbon.

Chihiro carefully undid the ribbon. Then she opened the vermillion colored box. Inside was a bouquet of bright red roses. Chihiro gasped. "They're so beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Thank you!"

She threw her arms around him, and Haku accepted the embrace. For both them, it felt right, as if they had both always felt this way. "And I have," Chihiro thought. "I've loved him ever since I was ten."

"Haku," she murmured. "There's a wish I've had for six years."

Haku was silent for a moment. "Well, I hope it comes true."

"It already has."

Author's Note:

Jocasta: So I went back and corrected some of the spelling mistakes I made. Hopefully, I got all of them. I hope you enjoy this fic. Please read and review.