This story came to me today because I was watching Prétear AMVs on YouTube especially ones with Nickelback songs and the Prétear season finale over and over again. *sigh* Hayate and Himeno are so cute together. And so, because I love them both and I couldn't resist dedicating this to them, I wrote another of my favorite one-shot fanfictions. Please enjoy, everybody.
I do not own Prétear or its characters. All copyrights go to Junichi Sato and Kaori Naruse. ©
The Flutter of Wings
Snow falls.
"She became the legendary White Prétear by herself?"
The phrase echoed through everyone's minds, all incredulous with amazement and immobile feeling astounded at losing a dear one. Hayate kneeled over her, numb with shock. He couldn't think, he couldn't seem to act properly. His hand nimbly reached towards her, his arm frozen in mid-air, as if it knew it was too late to save her. Her content smile plain and visible on that ivory face seemed to rival the anguish in the atmosphere.
No! Why? She had become so precious to him, one of the only few who truly had a special place in his heart. Why, when Hayate was finally willing to accept that, that she had to leave him like this? It wasn't supposed to end like this. Everyone was supposed to end up happy and laughing together.
The snow of miracles falls all over those with a weak heart.
Did it truly matter anymore? Did anything matter anymore? For Himeno it probably did. She finally saved life's existence with the very strength and power she had. But what good would it do, if life never had Himeno in it? Hayate ignored Sasame's statements and Takako's sobs. He disregarded Go and Kei's compliments. He dismissed the boys' wails and the Awayuki family's grief. Hayate hardly paid attention to anything around him. He was too consumed with pain to do much more.
Those who have committed sins, the white Leafe will heal them all.
Hayate's outstretched hand slowly moved forward, tenderly cupping one side of Himeno's face. The darkness of his form was a huge contrast compared to all the pale colors surrounding him. Mayune sank to the ground, ferociously shaking Himeno's shoulders, shrieking commands and begging her to wake up. The sight of Himeno being unresponsive to human touch only deepened the pain. Natsue grabbed hold of her daughter, restraining as she tried to shake her stepsister 'awake'.
The snow falls.
As the Knights slowly started to say their final words to her, praying thanks, Hayate interrupted the rubble of speech. "Sorry! Himeno, I'm a failure as a Knight. I knew in my heart, I couldn't be honest." He bent closer over the pale pink figure in the debris of flowers; his dark cerulean eyes welling up and clear teardrops cascading onto her beautiful visage. "I'll keep the promise I couldn't now," he murmured, leaning downward.
The snow of miracles falls over, but there is one heart that has not been saved.
Applying his warm lips gently to her soft ones, the wind hastened its pace; sending flowers petals and multi-colored snow swirling everywhere and any remaining thing with color twirling all over the place. Takako, the Leafe Knights and the Awayuki family watched the intimate gestured with barely a shred of hope. As Hayate slowly raised his head; the ticklish strands of his somber cobalt hair lifting off her skin, the small kind smile on Himeno's lips disappeared.
Leafe. . . . Please, just once more. Hayate thought desperately, teardrops threatening to fall again. Bring that smile back once more. Those fair eyelids fluttered lightly, revealing enlightened magenta irises filled with surprise, satisfaction and love. Hayate gasped.
If there is a miracle called love. . . .
Himeno slowly turned her head, a wide smile returning to her face as she regarded Hayate fully in the eye. Cries of delight filled the air and the warm wind quickened it speed. As Hayate sat back with happiness and joy, Himeno who still hadn't uttered a word sat up, staring wonderingly and knowingly at her rainbow faery wings.
As the boys rushed up to her, trying to glomp Himeno in the tightest hug of their lives, she fluttered her fey-like wings and batted them more than twice before gracefully soaring up the air much to the astonishment of everyone. She stared up at the sky, her rose hair slowly being ruffled by the breeze and smiled even wider, the gray clouds overhead dispersing into large cumulus clouds. With snow still falling, the sunlight that shone everywhere was bright and pure Himeno couldn't have felt any better. Only the fluttering of her faery wings brought her back to reality.
She looked down, seeing the grins on everyone's lips and their beaming faces. Hayate's cerulean eyes gazed at her tenderly and Himeno returned it, with a loving gaze of her own. "I love you," she mouthed, much to his surprise.
A light flush tainted his cheeks making her giggle. It was true. Love does make your heart fly, Himeno pondered as she soared downward to be embraced and held warmly into Hayate's arms.
"So do I," he murmured. "So do I."