:: River by Night ::
Tonight is a miracle.
The moon dips her fingers to touch radiant kisses to the crown of his dark head, and no shadow and no spell can hide the light in his eyes, winter's night on a quiet pond, raindrops and clouds over softly weeping leaves.
The coming dawn will make him hers again. Haku, the apprentice, the henchman, Haku the despised, Haku the feared. Pale morning will wash him with its harsh light, painting ice and a killing frost upon his cheeks.
Tonight, however… tonight he is only a nameless someone, because something, something has brought the beautiful light back to his empty eyes, something has breathed tender life back into the porcelain doll.
He watches her.
And He watches him, and ponders.
He ponders this something that tonight has reawakened, as he sees the wild recklessness coursing through the youngling, his kin, weaving its way into the live-wire muscle, liquid quick and breathtakingly primal.
He wonders what could have driven this youngling to test the bonds that have long been ingrown in his flesh. He wonders why the nameless one places a human before his own life. He wonders what has allowed a mere stripling spirit to transcend this world where everything is law and law is everything.
He wonders what could have the power to touch a stolen heart.
And his answer comes, in the form of pale fingers pressed helplessly against glass, curled in a caress about the image of an abundant fall of tawny hair. A wan smile slipping by unseen, feverish forehead resting against cold polished wood; a silent plea.
The river spirit cackles with glee, even as warmth slips into his ancient, shriveled heart, even as the last piece clicks into place in the puzzle that was never a puzzle, more smoothly than the motion of the pale hand falling to one side, the silver flash of a fleeing dragon.
For it is not about a spirit and a human, or even a boy and a girl.
It is love, pure and simple.
:: Fin ::
Pointless and probably overdone plot bunny that refused to leave off humping my brain in the middle of the night. Hmph.