Edited just a little bit and reuploaded =)

"Chihiro, I'd like to talk to you about something."

Chihiro stared at Haku with curiosity shining in her brown eyes. From his expression and tone, and the fact that he brought her all the way out here and made her climb to the top of this boulder just to not be disturbed told her this was a serious matter.

She looked briefly towards the ocean exhaled deeply but quietly, listening attentively to the crashing waves below. Haku only watched her calmly but with slight desperation, as if silently asking for her consent to continue. She finally lowered herself and sat on the jagged rock surface, and turned her gaze to him. She nodded for him to continue. Haku, standing, then smiled a little and lowered, sitting cross-legged beside her. Chihiro hugged her knees tight to her chest and waited.

"It's more a personal matter, really, that I felt… I needed to address," Haku started, speaking slowly and with shyness he tried so hard to conceal. There was a long pause as Haku carefully organized words the words in his head, while also trying to gather his self-control and keep from trembling all over with nervousness. On the outside, he did appear as calm and collected as he hoped he looked, but in the inside was utter chaos and a variety of mixed emotions tossed in a great big blender. There was a fear that Haku had attempted numerous times to shove out of his mind, but it just kept coming back to nag him, that pessimistic side: What if this completely jeopardizes their friendship? Would Chihiro turn away from him without a single word? Would she reject his feelings? Would she ever even want to see him again after this?

He looked at Chihiro full on, who was still waiting patiently and even beginning to worry with how long he was taking with this. Her innocent, worrisome look as she watched him made him realize that Chihiro was just not that kind of person to react so harshly in response to his feelings he longed to express. And if she was going to turn him own, he knew she would try in every way possible to do it in a kind manner. This was part of many of the reasons he admired and loved her like this so.

With courage restoring, he figured he shouldn't keep her waiting much longer. She spoke before he could:

"Is something wrong?"

He turned to her and smiled, softly. "Not at all. Why I brought you here… what I wanted to say… it's just a little difficult to think of how to say it," He murmured, taking a small rock in front of him and feeling its smooth texture between his thin fingertips. He wanted to be this rock. No rough or sharp edges, just smooth and content, happy to know he at least told her.

"Haku?" He heard her murmur, making him smile wider. He took notice of a small, jagged, rough rock to the side. With these rocks, he decided to set an example for her.

"You see these two rocks I'm holding right now, Chihiro?" He asked, holding each one carefully in his palms.

She nodded, confused by where this was leading. "Yes?"

"And you see this rough rock here? This is what I am feeling at the moment. I'm a mess of emotions, Chihiro, rough and unsure."

"Unsure of what?" She asked, leaning towards him a little.

Haku paused, and then closed his hand over the rougher rock, then turned his gaze back to her. His smile was replaced by a look of a child who couldn't find their toy. "Of how to express my feelings for you," he replied.

She blinked, concern washing over her facial features again. "Feelings?"

He nodded and turned away. "This smooth rock here is what I want to become… content that you at least know… that you at least know…" He trailed off and fended a shy blush creeping up. He looked down so his hair covered her view of his face. "How much I care for you," he concluded in a soft murmur.

Chihiro, on the other hand, was not angry or disappointed in the very slightest. More so, flattered. His affections reached beyond his fondness to her as a friend or a sibling, and he wanted to openly express that. She admired his courage, more than anything.

However, she was unsure now, herself, on what to say next. He hadn't warned her this was coming and she didn't have time to really think on it. She let her legs drop in a cross-legged position like he was in and reached for a smooth rock in front of her, similar to the one he held in his hand.

"I… I care a lot about you, too, Haku," she said softly.

"How do you think… you would identify your care, though, Chihiro?" He asked curiously.

"I really… don't know which way I'd rather have it. I know I love you, Haku, but I don't know what kind," she replied sadly.

He smiled, satisfied with at least that. He reached up a placed a reassuring hand on her back. "Maybe it will become clearer to you as you grow older, ne?"

Chihiro, despite his reassurance, still wallowed in sadness and anger directed at her self for being so distorted with her feelings. "I'm sorry, Haku…" She whispered quietly.

As if sensing how angry she was at her self, Haku smiled and shook his head. "Chihiro, don't beat yourself up. Take your time, it's all right. I'm content enough to call you my best friend for now, if that is where your heart is leaning more towards."

"But…" she mumbled, and trailed off.

Seeing she probably had nothing further to add after a minute, Haku turned his gaze out to the ocean, with his reassuring hand still on her back. Chihiro gathered her own thoughts and emotions during this time.

There was a long, heavy stillness and quiet that fell between them. Haku considered, after a while, heading back to camp. The conversation, the way he saw it, was over. Chihiro was unsure, and he of course respected that. And she had her whole life ahead of her to figure it out if she chose to, they were in no rush whatsoever. And for the life of him, Haku would never rush her feelings. She at least admitted she loved him in some fashion. That was enough.

"Haku, have you ever been kissed?" Both Chihiro's sudden voice and odd question startled him.

He turned to her with his eyebrows raised, taken aback. "Um… no, I haven't," he blinked a couple times, the shy blush from earlier creeping back up. Although it was dark, he could faintly see a small blush forming on her cheeks as well. She looked down and nervously rubbed her ankles.

"Well… I haven't, either. But… there has to be a first time for everything, right?" She glanced up at him shyly.

"Yeah, I… I suppose. Chihiro, are you suggesting that we…?" He paused.

She nodded hesitantly. "I just… want to try it. To see what it feels like, that's all. Don't you?" She tried to look at everything else but him, clearly embarrassed by this rather… forward suggestion.

"Chihiro," he murmured, face softening, and a small smile he couldn't resist spreading across his lips.

Her eyes slowly trailed up his figure and to his face with incredible uneasiness. Was she really even worthy of asking such a question? Was she even worthy of being his first kiss?

She waited for him to respond to this recommendation, but from the look on his face, she already knew the answer. And he didn't need to say anything to further explain his smiling.

The curious children proceeded in making it work. They moved in closer to each other and turned their bodies so their knees were touching. Haku reached into her lap for her hands and held them within his, and brought them up to the sides in midair. Then, like magic in an instant, Haku intertwined their fingers and leaned in. One swift, graceful movement and Chihiro felt numb as his lips touched hers.

That moment, that feeling—was beyond magical, to say the very least. It was hardly intense. Haku expressed such gentleness with the way his lips moved against hers only slightly from time to time. Sweet shyness and child-like innocence had taken the reigns with this kiss. It felt never ending, but when Haku slowly pulled away, it seemed like there hadn't been enough time.

Chihiro breathed a content sigh, briefly looking down with bashfulness and back up to meet his eyes again. She smiled: "Thank you," was all she said as Haku intertwined their fingers tighter and connected their foreheads affectionately, closing their eyes, wanting nothing more from the world than this.

After a while, however, Haku stood first and pulled her up.

"You can start climbing down, I'll follow you in just a second," he told her. She nodded and began walking along the bumpy boulder beneath her feet. She spread her arms out to keep herself in balance. When she reached the climbing point, she looked back at Haku and watched him. His back was turned, but she could see him holding and caressing with his fingers the smooth white rock in his palm. Then she understood: He felt as smooth as that little rock: Calm, gratified, happy. Not a single rough or sharp edge.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The walk back to camp was quiet, but not uncomfortable. No words were spoken between the pair—facial expressions and little kind gestures (holding hands, pats on the shoulder, tiny side-hugs and such) said it all. When the pair arrived back at camp, the fire had died completely. The only remnants of its little existence was the tiny stream of smoke rising to the air. Every friend, every spirit, was right where Haku and Chihiro had left them.

Relieved no one had woken and become suspicious, Haku and Chihiro exchanged a smile and lowered themselves on their separate set of blankets next to each other. Chihiro realized she was still wearing Haku's top – she apologized and took it off, handing it back to him. They wrapped themselves in their blankets and Haku closed his eyes. Chihiro snuggled further into her pillow, but her eyes were wide open as she studied Haku's face, so calm and peaceful. She watched almost longingly.

Figuring she could come up with a good excuse in the morning and it wouldn't be any big deal, she slid her bed set-up across the sand and closed the distance between her blanket and Haku's. He didn't flinch, even as he felt her climb into her blankets again and snuggle against him. Their foreheads, even noses touched, they were that close; and their lips were just centimeters apart. But that tiny gap was never closed. They remained content with just this innocent feel of protection and nearness. Haku didn't seem surprised in the slightest at Chihiro's actions. He didn't even open his eyes as he reached his arms out and wrapped them around the upper part of her back, and bringing her, if possible, closer.

Well, this was meant to be the last chapter. Do you guys think it's good ended here, or should I make one more (Like what happens the next day, etc.)?