Summary:A stream of time pulls her forward, but standing on the bridge, love catches only a fleeting glimpse.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
The night was warm and breezy, and Chihiro rested her cheek against the back of the porch swing, her eyes half-closed as she stared out over the fireflies buzzing lazily over the yard and the wavering reflection of the moon in the stream. Her brown hair was pulled back loosely away from her face, her legs curled under her. A too-big long-sleeved T-shirt came down to her thighs and almost covered her shorts, providing enough comfort in the cool breeze that floated down from the stream.
The moon was large and full, and the sound of the party music inside made Chihiro smile. No one would come looking for her now, thankfully. This night was too good to waste in there, among people who would never understand the value of nights like these.
Slowly she moved her head so she was staring full out at the yard, and with a sleepy smile stood up and stretched. The moon lit the yard as bright as the sun around her, and as her bare feet trod the well-worn path down to the stream. The water ran cool and comforting under her feet. It was at this part of the bridge that Chihiro had always felt the air was mystical, that odd things could happen, where the land, water, and sky seemed to meet.
The rock underneath her feet had been worn smooth, and now water flowed around it as it provided a natural stepping-stone where Chihiro sat, dangling her feet over into the little waterfall below. A streak caught her attention in the sky, and she glanced up in time to see a shooting star trail across the sky, leaving a silver imprint on the blue-black darkness. Without knowing why, Chihiro prayed for friends lost.
The quiet of the stream soothed her, its water smooth and melodious as it trickled past the rock and down on downstream, rushing away towards the lake where the wavering moon graced its surface before the water grew still. She leaned back a little bit on her elbows, watching the still quiet of the trees around her. Slowly she leaned her head back, smiling as she drank in the moonlight, her eyes closed.
She stayed that way for several minutes, and she could feel time slipping by in the water around her. With a soft touch, she felt fur brush her face and scales her legs, cool and smooth against her bare skin. Then there was a moment of silence, of stillness, and Chihiro kept her eyes closed, wishing for the dream never to end. There, unexpectedly, she felt someone brush her lips. She opened her brown eyes wide and saw before her another pair of eyes, a green so dark they were almost black, reflecting hers.
Trembling, she reached up and touched the face lightly, the pale skin, the delicate features. His hand came up to meet hers, palms resting against each other, fingertips lightly touching in the softess caress. She closed her eyes for one long moment, savoring the feel of his smooth cool skin.
When she opened them, there was no one there. The moon shone brightly overhead and Chihiro smiled softly, then sighed with contentment. Slowly, she stood up and walked across the stream, her feet making small ripples in the pond, until she had crossed the stream. With only one look back, she walked back to the house, still smiling.