Disclaimer: I will never own Pretear, which is so rightfully and beautifully created by Kaori Naruse and Junichi Satou.

KeyQuis: Slightly different from my other HxH one shots, but just as good. Sigh, so sadly sweet, but knowing me, I always give happy endings for those dearest to me. I've tried to make it as NON-tear-inducing I possibly could without losing quality. Enjoy. Forewarning: Some parts may be confusing.

Even amongst all of my tears, I can still smile...

Kissed By The Wind

Summary: Hayate brings Himeno back to life with a kiss that gives all of his leafe to her. Hayate manages to keep his promise, but is unable to keep his body afterwards. The loss of her precious knight makes Himeno realize her heart's desires and all she longs for is the touch to last forever, the short and sweet kiss from the wind. Is there a way for Himeno to feel Hayate's lips brush against hers once again? Love spans beyond time and space. It has no boundaries and is beyond human understanding.

I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!

Snow Leafe continued to fall down and replenish the land with warmth and life. It glistened and glowed brightly in the skies, radiating a feeling of comfort and hope in everyone's heart. The young girl, who became the White Pretear spoken of in a lost legend, sacrificed herself to save the world. Her heart was the only one without a beat in that moment in time. Himeno had given every leafe in her mind, heart and soul to protect everything and everyone. The last thing on her mind before she fell into an eternal slumber was the knight she had come to love. For once, she was the protector.

Hayate looked at her peaceful slumbering face and he started to cry. He wanted her eyes to open and her mouth to smile, at him again. Grief and a pain beyond a broken heart filled his entity. The one he loved was gone and he failed to keep his promise. He lost his chance to tell her every feeling kept secretly inside his heart. He never told the tulip-head that he loved her while she was still with life and he hated the regret to no end. He apologized to her and let his suffering show. The tears he never knew he had ran down his cheek and fell onto hers. The soft splatter of sadness did not wake up his princess. He searched his mind for a way to restore her lifeless body and all that came up was another legend, a simple myth that was only believed to be found in fairy tales--a kiss from her Prince Charming.

Hayate was not a prince, he was a knight whose princess lay before him, her body void of warmth and life. I will give you my life. If you won't live, neither shall I. Without love, everything means nothing.

"Himeno, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I wasn't strong enough," Hayate confessed, fully knowing Himeno wouldn't hear his words. "The promise...my promise..." Hayate lowered his head over hers, his mouth hovering over hers. "This is my promise I couldn't keep." Before kissing her, Hayate said the words hidden in his silent heart. I love you, Himeno.

Hayate let his lips linger on hers and deepened the pressure, forcing his leafe to go to her. Every part of his body was focused on giving her his leafe. If it failed, the Wind Knight would pick death on his part.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Himeno woke up in an unfamiliar land. It was an endless white. She could only guess what happened.

I guess I-- Himeno didn't want to finish the last word. Everyone...I wanted to laugh and cry with everyone again...I don't want this. Tears spilled and fell into the endless white. She buried her face in her hands. Hayate...where are you?

"Himeno..." a voice spoke out.

Himeno couldn't hear the soft whisper of her name from someone long ago. The figure approached the lost soul with a broken heart.

"Himeno..." She removed Himeno's shielding hands. "Everything will be fine. Mom's here." She hugged her daughter with arms of comfort. "Mom's here."

Himeno let her sadness reign. Crying was suppose to make all the hurt inside less painful. Crying was suppose to let all the pain out. Crying didn't help Himeno at all.

Himeno should have felt relieved at her reunion with her mother, but her departure from everyone else kept the aching sorrow growing. She left something precious back on earth and she wanted it more than anything she had ever wanted in her entire life. She wanted him. She wanted to go back to him.

Her angelic mother had watched the whole ordeal from above. Her daughter's brave deed kept the world alive a little bit longer and the earth continued spinning, in spite of another lost life. "Everything will be fine." She watched him exchange his life for Himeno. She wanted to hold onto her daughter before she went back.

"I want to go back, mom." Himeno sniffled loudly. "I love him, mom." She buried her head in the embrace and said loudly. "I haven't told him yet! I have to go back!"

Himeno's tears came out in a new patch of pain. It was torture and punishment exceeding human limits--regret.

"I gave him leafe so I could see him again. So I could tell him when it ended, but it ended too soon!" Bitterness and confusion entered her state of mind. "Why!? Why did it have to end like this!?"

She patted her child on the head. "It hasn't ended, Himeno." She felt her daughter's soul return to its body. Himeno began to fade back to life.

"I don't understand." Himeno whispered in reply.

"You don't have to. Love always finds a way."

As if knowing what was happening to her, Himeno let herself fall back down to earth.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Hayate kept on feeding her leafe. Her body slowly warmed up to his touch. He felt his body cling onto the edge of vanishing when she opened her eyes. Finally, you came back.

Himeno caught Hayate's falling body. "Hayate?" Her eyes filled with joy at the sight of his face.

"I love you, Himeno," Hayate let out in one quiet breath. He strained to keep his eyes opened a little longer. He wanted to touch her face and wipe his tears off her face. His body would no longer respond.

"Hayate?!" Himeno grew alarmed at her beloved's weak state of being.

"I love you." Hayate couldn't lift his head up and kiss her again. He blew her a kiss instead. His mouth formed the gentle wind and he caressed her with it. He put all of his love and care into that one final touch. That was the last of his leafe.

Himeno tried to return the kiss as fast as she could, but he vanished. His leafe dispersed and he was no longer in her arms. Her mouth almost reached his. A tear had fallen onto his lips instead of her lips. The words from her heart hadn't come out. Her hands found his hairpiece and she clutched it tightly against her heart. He's gone...Hayate...Ha...ya...te.

"I love you too, Hayate," she said to the Wind Knight's hairpiece. "I love you too, Hayate," she said a little bit louder. Her body shivered in heartache.

"I love you too, Hayate!" Her words found a way into his heart

"Thank you, tulip-head," a faint voice in the wind spoke out. "I'll always be with you...let me stay in your heart."

Himeno knew the message was for her alone. Always, only, ever you, Hayate. Promise.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

She spent a whole week in her room by herself to rid the sorrow. She was cheerful, but not as cheerful as the time before the day of destiny came. Her smile was wide, but not bright. Nothing was the same. The other knights knew that she was concealing the pain. Sasame couldn't face her without feeling immense guilt. In respect and gratitude, he played her favourite song to end his radio show. Her parents could find no way of comforting her; they gave her time and space. Mawata and Mayune would stay quietly by her side, giving her company if she wanted any. Go lifted her spirits up with many custom-made sweet desserts. Kei gave her digitally created photos of Hayate in hopes of granting her wish to see him again. The kids kept sending her flowers with little 'cheer up' messages.

"It's okay. I'll be fine. Hayate will always be where he wants to be. In here. You guys don't have to worry about me so much. I'm living for the two of us."

That was all she said at a requested gathering. She wanted to tell them indirectly to stop forcing themselves to make things better for her.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Himeno turned on the shower and let the warm-hot water glide down her body. Steam soon filled the room and Himeno's breathing grew rapid. She started crying and let her tears blend in with the water.

Why can't I stop the pain? Why am I crying again? Didn't I promise Hayate I would stop crying for him? I can't. I can't forget your wind touch. Damn it.

Himeno stayed in the shower until her eyes emptied out the sorrow.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Himeno ate a small breakfast consisting of one slice of toast and a glass of milk. She walked to school, refusing a ride with her sisters and Tanaka. She forced herself to smile and ignore all the happy couples around her. The streets and buildings were all repaired. The city itself was renewed and life was booming as usual. It was a peaceful, daily sight. A sight that Himeno fought to keep and protect, but after saving the world all she couldn't find the peace for herself. Hayate wasn't by her side anymore and bearing the daily pain tore her life apart bit by bit. She pretended to be strong in front of everyone for their sakes. A girl can't be strong all the time, especially a girl who lost a loved one. Himeno mindlessly passed another school day.

Hayate...I can't hear your voice. I can't feel your presence anywhere except in here. Are you ever going to come back to me?

Himeno felt a breeze follow her all the way home.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Hayate watched his beloved tears flow in his wind. His words couldn't reach her heart. Countless times he had called out her name, but she couldn't hear. She couldn't hear because of the pain in her heart. He was there, but she couldn't see it, couldn't feel it. She needed him to physically be there. The wind was no enough.

Himeno...why can't you let my wind embrace you? Just let it brush up against you. I'm here, not just in your heart.

Hayate gazed down from the Leafeania's light. He had been there from that day, watching her and letting his soul call for leafe. Day by day, he longed to be with his only princess. Heaven was too far up for him to go to, and earth was just on the other side. It was so simple and complex at the same time, the existence of love. Hayate continued to watch her.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

A month had passed, maybe more. Himeno stopped paying attention to time since that day. She lay quietly in her bed, with her hands dearly clutching onto his hairpiece. Her balcony window was left open for the wind to enter. As long as there was wind, there was Hayate she had convinced herself. The wind was cold though and Himeno remembered Hayate being warm before he left her. Himeno watched the long curtains drift and the night grow darker in her room. She recalled the day when Hayate was in her room, floating by the window, looking down at her. He protected her without her even knowing and she beat the life out of him for being in her room. Himeno let out a small laugh. She began to replay the very first day of their destined meeting in her mind.

Hayate. I haven't forgotten a single thing.

The room was chillingly cold, but Himeno's body kept growing warmer. Her heart was healing.

Remember the time when you were training me. That stupid kendama drove me crazy, but I still got it in the end. You were always watching me without me knowing, weren't you?

Himeno snuggled herself a bit more tightly, wrapping her blanket tightly around herself.

Hayate. You were there when I needed you most. You came to look for me. I wanted to leave everything behind. I wanted to give up on everything and myself.

Himeno thought back to the night at the church.

"Do you regret it? Do you regret making me a Pretear? Meeting me? I don't any of it. I'm glad I became a Pretear, because we were able to meet."

"In this vast world, we were looking for a Pretear and we found you...I found you."

Himeno pressed herself against her bed, trying to bury herself in that sweet memory.

"Looks like a wind's blowing..."

Himeno smiled underneath the covers.

"When this battle's over, there's something I want to tell you. That's why I'll definitely come back."

"I understand."

Himeno felt a fresh batch of tears coming up.

Hayate came back. He did everything to keep me alive. With Sasame, Saihi and the Great Tree of Fenril. Hayate's always been there with me. He came back and kept his promise. He told me his feelings for me. He showed me love. In the end, it was Hayate who was by my side. And I know he's here with me now. It's not just the wind. Hayate lives on in my heart, my mind and my soul, through my memories and my love.

She fell asleep peacefully that night.

IIIIIIIIIIIII

Hayate smiled. He never felt so full of life as he did now. He didn't know how long it had been since that day and that night. Time didn't matter, neither did distance. Hayate fell from Leafeania's Light and landed where he wanted to be, where he needed to be. He smiled as he stayed by the balcony window, casting a night shadow into her room. He commanded the wind to stop blowing into her room. He finally came back.

Himeno felt the sudden stop of wind into her room and instantly jolted up in her bed. Her eyes widened when she saw Hayate smiling at her. The moment froze time and Himeno remained locked in her state.

"Hayate?"

The footsteps towards her bed seemed to echo throughout her bedroom. The wind was picking itself up again. Himeno felt a light breeze brush her face.

"Am I dreaming?" Himeno asked in a tiny breathless voice.

"If it is, do you want to wake up?" Hayate sat down next to her and placed a warm hand on her cheek.

"Never." Himeno impulsively threw her arms around Hayate. "I never want to wake up from a dream like this." She hands grasped the fabric tighter. A million questions wanted answers and Himeno chose neither. She only wanted Hayate.

Hayate felt his heart ease up. He would not let another moment pass him them by. Time had been lost, but the present was still here and the future was yet to come. There was still time left to live.

"Let me stay here."

"Forever, Hayate."

Hayate silenced his breeze and kissed Himeno with his own lips.

I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I!I

Author's Notes: And that's the end of that. Heck, I think I just scattered my mind writing that. I didn't even know what I was writing at some parts. Words just came together and voila, there's a story. Sequel? Nah, it's fine the way it is. Hayate does stay with Himeno. You could say he comes back to life, but how? Does the answer really matter? He just did and that was enough for Himeno. I also found this fanfic to be confusing. It was so much harder to write than my other HxH stories, so much harder because I couldn't use humor. Ah well, it's complete and one more story to add under my list of 'accomplishments' (LOL).