Heheh I got another chapter up! YESH CHIHIRO/HAKU 4 EVA! MWHAHAHA!
Disclaimer: I don' own Spirited away *sobs* The wonderful Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki, and Disney do. *bows* And the song 'Gatta get thru this' is by Daniel Beddingfield. Enjoy!
"Sen! Holy crap Sen is that you!?" A tall slender woman with tan skin screamed in elation and shock. Her hands trembled and she dropped the rice dinner in her hands. It clattered to the ground.
Chihiro looked down and let out a small squeal of joy as she forgot all threatening obstacles. Her legs carried her across the bridge without hesitation, mind reeling with happiness and questions.
Forgotten dinner lying on the ground, Chihiro's almost adoptive older sister Rin wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and laughed. They pulled apart and she saw the tears glaze over her small 'sister's' beautiful, almost ebony eyes as she felt her head spin. "Sen-chan you're back! How are you? Why are you ba--" The hyper girl was stopped abruptly by a finger.
Chihiro lowered her saddened face and whispered, "I thought this was all a dream. I thought...Haku was a dream 'cause he never came to me." She gradually looked up again, somber face on the verge of tears. "What happened to him Rin?" She removed her finger and used it to wipe away a threatening crystalline droplet.
Rin felt a twinge of pain pinch her soul. But then she thought, 'Oh, tell her...it's not that bad...' "Yubaba's making him work off his contract. He still comes here every night at the bridge though..."
Chihiro finally broke down and cried silently, shoulders shaking. Slowly, she lowered her self on the ground and doubled over, hair splayed out over her shoulders. Were they tears of happiness that he's ok and still here or of sadness...'cause who knows how long he has to work. 'Haku...young spirit. My young spirit. I'll wait! It's ok; I don't wanna push you. I can't believe you'd do it for a klutz like me...you're one of my best friends...'
Rin shook her head in sympathy for her sister. She bent down and put an hand on her shoulder, "Sen...Sen look at me."
Chihiro's head shot up at the eerie coolness and harshness of her older sister's voice.
"I'll go get him. Go back to the end of the bridge and down into the middle of the flowers near the pigpens. He'll be there." Her gaze softened and she cracked a smile.
Chihiro bowed and thanked her profusely and hugged her. Turning around, she ran off toward the place where her parents had been on her adventure. The place where Haku had first reminded her of her real name. Her breath was slightly labored at the harsh cold. Her lips became a slight tinge of purple as she finally stopped at the maze of flowers.
In the back of her mind she saw her younger self crying uncontrollably as the calm boy rubbed her back and told her to eat.
"Thank you...Haku."
"I'm sorry..."
Chihiro jumped out of her skin, hands raised in the air. She twitched and turned around, lowering her hands, one to her heart. Her throat swelled and her stomach did flip-flops and summersaults that would make a famous gymnastic jealous.
He stood in front of her, looking slightly matured. His hair was still the same length, slightly taller and to her handsome as ever.
She shook her messy mane, trying to not think that. 'He's your friend...' Those cursing tears came again at full force. She sobbed again, clenching her fists at her side to control herself.
Just then two strong hands clasped her wrists and laid their forehead against hers. "I'm so sorry...I'm a water spirit, I should've kept my promise. But to me nothing comes easily anymore."
Chihiro gazed into his somber face, etched with sorrow and hate for himself. She cupped his supple cheek and said, "It's not your fault. I still remembered...but I almost thought it was a dream. I almost forgot. Then I never would've come here. I missed you..."
He shyly thumbed a tear off her face and sighed.
The wind rustled the flowers that were now brilliant bushels of ice and snow. Haku suddenly stepped away from her, hands still on her wrists. Then her started to twirl both of them around, the snowflakes swirling around them like a whirlwind.
Chihiro giggled and grabbed his hands for more support. After awhile they became dizzy and she fell backwards that led to a chain reaction of him toppling onto her. Each heartbeat of both hearts matched for a fleeting moment as he rested his head on the side of her neck. She felt bubbly glee well up inside her. Sitting up, she pushed him up and hung her arms around his neck.
I gotta get thru this
I gotta get thru this
I gotta make, gotta make it, gotta make it thru
Said I'm gonna get thru this
I'm gonna get thru this
I gotta take, gotta take my mind offa you.
Give me just a second and I'll be all right
Surely one more moment couldn't break my heart
Give me till tomorrow and I'll be okay
Just another day and then I'll hold you tight
When your love is pouring like the rain
I close my eyes and it's gone again
When will I get a chance to say I love you?
I pretend that you're already mine
Now my heart ain't breaking every time
I look into your eyes.
He laid a hand on the small of her back and nuzzled into her hair. They sat like that, enveloping the love and tranquility they shared. It was something that both had wanted for so long. His grip around her tightened protectively, fearing this was a dream like she said and she would disappear like she almost did those 5 years ago.
"I love you..." she murmured out of thin air and slump over his shoulder.
His bottle green eyes widened a little. What'd she say? He rubbed her back lightly but she only whined. After that, the slight noise of her even breathing. He subdued a chuckle. She had fallen asleep. 'Poor Chihiro...'
He hoisted her up and cradled her in his arms as he walked through the flowers toward the bathhouse. He smiled the first time in 5 years. She had come for him. Now that was a slight twist in their promise. But he didn't care. They were together. What baffled him though was that she had come all that way for him. He shifted her closer and went down the steps to the boiler room. For now she'd stay with Yamaji. He'd be thrilled to see her. And his little soot balls.
He wrapped his left arms around her securely as he pushed the door open, then put it back to support legs. The heat rushed up his back and he came into the boiler room. The small black spheres stopped and looked up. They chirped and squeaked at the sight in his arms. Their little sticklike legs carried them across the room and the jumped elatedly to him.
"Ah, Haku! What's th--" The old man stopped and his mouth went agape. Crawling down from his perch, arms moving him across the room he turned the girl's face toward him his, glasses shining in the furnace heat. "Is that Chihiro? What happened?!"
"She came back...for me and she was so tired that she fell asleep..." He replied tiredly. Then he felt uneasy at the bruises that lined her arms. He never noticed them before. With a nudge he handed her off to the boiler man and said sternly "Take care of her. I'm getting food."
He nodded and placed her on the floor at the base of his perch/bed. One arm stretched out and grabbed a pillow from his bed and placed it under her head. Then another went up into his storage bins and got out a puke-green bundle of straw. He took it and smashed so it was a powder. Then he got a cup of water and sprinkled in into hit. Tilting her chin up, he coxed her mouth slightly open and it dribbled down her mouth. "Ah, that will fix up those bruises." He said proudly and went back to his tending.
The soot creatures continued marching with the lumps of coal on their back. One stopped and his little hands tugged at her shoelaces. They finally gave way and two other came and slipped it off with him. Three more joined and did the same to her other. Soon her shoes and socks were off and they carried them away into their small holes.
Yamaji grinned toothily and rubbed off is spectacles. 'Like old times...'
(Mwheheh! R&R please! Probably a lot of mess-ups in this chapter. Oh well, I wanted it up! Ja minn-san! And remember 'Friends don't let friends do drugs...alone o_0')