A little moment of happiness in the midst of confusion and sadness. Enjoy!

Haku POV:

At first, it was only a whisper, like a trick of wind that seemed to murmur my name. I picked up the calling, ever so faint, like a residue of grass dew in the afternoon sun. It sounded desperate, but not in the aftermath of regret. Desperate with longing. It was always windy up here in the meadows, so I ignored it, returning my attention to straight ahead, the endless ripples of green, another way to say nowhere.

Then, it became closer, and louder, and more frantic. Haku! Haku! I've always trusted my ears, but like everything about me recently, they must have been deteriorating. A little voice inside my head told me to turn around and check what or who was calling me, but what was there to turn around to? The one thing that mattered most to me had been lost. There was nothing. My future would remain bleak even if I did turn around. I knew I was wallowing in despair, but I restrained myself from self-pity. It was the one thing that dragons absolutely despised. Along with broken promises.

But the calling was not a shadow anymore; it was real, and pierced through the air with familiarity.

"Haku! Please, don't leave me!" It struck a cord, a memory.

Please, don't leave me! I don't want to be alone. A young girl sat crouched in the dark, clutching at the folds of the fabric around a boy's neck.

"Chihiro!" I whispered with realization. I spun around, leaping to my feet in the process.

She was something out of a dream, a dot in the distance, threatened to be overthrown by the grass. Lovely and delicate; a gust of wind might've knocked her off her feet. But she ran swiftly, and as the moments passed, became more substantial, closer and closer. When she was near enough, I rubbed my eyes, and opened them only to see the joy sparkling within her own. I was mystified and bewildered and stood still like a statue. She outstretched her arms in yearning, her voice rang like a bell as she leaped over the stairs, now only a hundred yards away.

"Haku! I understand now! Yubaba told me everything! I know you are getting married, I know what happened." She stumbled ever so slightly but regained her footing and sprinted with youthful energy, incredibly fast, closing the distance between us. I did the only thing I could, which was open my arms, preparing myself for the impact she would make. I would hold her, and never let go. It was an automatic gesture, my mind was too befuddled to think. She…doesn't hate me? Impossible! Then why…?

When we were a mere few inches apart, she stopped running so suddenly, keeping the almost vanished distance between us. Her chocolate eyes gazed deeply into mine, genuine recognition and empathy whirling within their depts. Then she brought her hand back through the air, and slapped me hard across the face.

I was appalled, stunned to the core. I felt like a fool, with my arms in a position for embrace. Quickly snapping my arms to the sides of my torso, I hardly noticed my smarting cheek. The instant she slapped me, I felt oddly whole. The burden of guilt lifted itself from my shoulders.

"That," she eyed me critically, "was for lying to me." And with that said, she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me ardently, myself being totally unprepared. Her forward launching motion sent both of us falling to the grass, and we tumbled over one another around and around down the hill, through the flowers and the grass, sunshine beating down upon us. I wrapped one arm tightly around her waist so she wouldn't get hurt and cast a blocking spell that stopped the rolling. We lay gasping for breath, staring at each other in the grass in a moment of silence. I was searching on her face for signs of hesitation, fear, or wariness. None showed.

The perfect minute of peace was interrupted by crystal clear peals of laughter erupting for Chihiro, ponytail splayed out in the grass, body shaking against the arm I realized I still had wrapped around her. She was laying on top of it so I was unable to extract it from beneath. More laughter filled the air. I was slightly fearful that she might burst from all the mirth.

"Chihiro…what's so funny?"

In between a fit of giggles, she gasped out, "You looked so bewildered. I've never seen that expression on your face before."

I snorted gently. "What do you expect, when one minute you're slapping me and the next your crushing me?"

She stopped laughing for a minute and looked at me with concern before brushing the cheek she had smacked lightly, my otherwise ok skin burning beneath the trail of her fingertips.

"Sorry," Chihiro murmured, "you had an expression of guilt on your face. I figured maybe you wanted some retaliation. Plus," she pulled a sheepish face, "I didn't mean to do it hard."

I gathered her hands in mine, a friendly gesture, nothing more, although my heart was scorching, thumping loudly. "Thank you, then, for reading me so well."

A cheeky grin was what I received. "Anytime."

And the timeless laughter started again, and I gave in, laughing like a young boy again, my chest feeling lighter than it had in years. We rolled onto our backs, tears pouring out of our eyes, and stared into the blue sky, arms pinned beneath each other. She understood. A bird chirped in the distance.

I stopped laughing. It was too cheerful, like the calm before a storm, and I felt the storm brewing in the distance. What could I do now? Put her life at stake to fight the Delta Gods once more? Silent tears of sadness leaked from the corner of my eyes, ones that I didn't fight against, and Chihiro turned on her side to face me, eyes boring at me, questioning. She tenderly brushed the moisture away.

"Why?" I whispered. That one word summed up the forgiveness that I felt I didn't deserve completely.

She pressed a finger to my lips. "Shhh…you silly dragon. Stop worrying." She looked back up into the sky. "It's so unbelievably clear…looks like the sky has never seen a storm."

"It has." I said in a sensible and matter of fact voice, regretting it the moment the words slipped from my mouth. I must sound so lifeless to her.

"Have trust, Haku." She flashed me a brilliant smile that lit up her whole face. I smiled back softly at her, the happiness contagious. Let go of your worries for once. Live for a few moments in the present.

Uncertainly, I slipped my hand into her smaller one, our fingers clasping familiarly, as we lay on our backs watching the clouds pass.

"Chihiro?"

"Mhmm?"

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Haku."

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