A/N: Once again, sorry for the long wait for an update. My computer crashed recently which erased just about everything, including my word processor. So, if future updates have grammatical errors, I am TERRIBLY sorry. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 7: Thoughts
It was difficult getting Haku back to her parents' house, but Chihiro managed. He barely moved an inch on his own for some time, but by the time they got there, Haku walked with the girl's support.
"Thank you, Chihiro..." he whispered shakily as he found a seat on the couch.
She sat down beside him, not looking at him. Her face pointed toward the diningroom, while her hands rested in her lap. After a few minutes, she found the courage to ask a question.
"Haku...what happened?"
She sensed him clam up, but still didn't look. She didn't need to look.
"Please tell me?" she asked, trying to keep herself calm.
"It was nothing, Chihiro." he said equally as calm.
He was lying. Why would he lie to her?
"Fine. Don't tell me. See if I care." she stood up, heading into the kitchen where she plopped down at the table
She burried her face in her hands, hiding from the world. There were times when she felt brave. This was not one of those times. She felt weak and frightened, without any reason. Why did it matter to her that this "Haku" almost passed out? She was just doing him a favor. That was all.
Firm hands grasped her shoulders, pulling her back into the chair. Her hands didn't move from her head.
"Look at me, Chihiro." Haku said softly, "What are you hiding from?"
"You..." she responded with muffled words thanks to her palms
"There is no reason to hide. I didn't mean to frighten you. I felt something wrong...It's over now. No need to worry."
He had felt something wrong...Immediatly, Chihiro wondered if it had something to do with their near kiss. Maybe that was it. Her heart suddenly sank deep down into her stomach.
"Alright, Haku. I believe you." she said sullenly
He took his hands away. Chihiro felt relief as well as disappointment as the strong hands moved from her shoulders. When she finally looked to him. He was heading for the living room. Part of her considered asking where he was headed, but, instead, she bit her lip. Haku turned back to her, distance still in his green eyes.
"I believe I will retire for the evening." he said softly
Chihiro nodded slowly. Haku turned from her, then headed to the stairs. Not long after, Chihiro moved to the living room, turning on the television with the remote as she flopped down on the couch. A few moments of channel surfing led Chihiro to the evening news. The hectic look in the reporter's eyes alerted her. Something bad must have happened though she found herself unable to pay much attention to find out what had happened. Instead, her mind wandered back to the picnic lunch with Haku and their near kiss. Just thinking on it had her heart thumping hard.
She took in a few deep breaths to calm herself, though it was of little use. The pounding continued, sending her blood racing to her head and ears enough to drown out the television. Bits and pieces of the report made it passed the sound of her heart; something about people being rendered unconscious on the streets for unknown reasons and the mention of a flu, perhaps? It didn't matter. All Chihiro could think about was Haku.
Haku.
Haku...
Closing her eyes, she sighed, the name echoing in her mind. It was odd...For a moment, she could have sworn she smelled the sea. No, it wasn't a sea...Something else. A shiver traced her spine as the sensation of rushing liquid, cool yet warmed with the sun. And then the feeling of something in her hand, clutching as though her life depended on it mixed with the feeling of motion, being swept away somewhere safe.
Shaking, Chihiro opened her eyes. That was a vivid dream? Memory? She wasn't sure. Lately, she wasn't sure of many things. Ever since Kohaku appeared in her life...
The front door opened suddenly causing Chihiro to jump. Her eyes quickly darted to her left.
"Aren't you going ot help your mother?" Mrs. Ogina's voice grumbled behind several bags of groceries.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Mom!" Chihiro exclaimed appoligetically as she jumped off the couch to her mother.
He weaved through the crowds, an invisible cloud of nothing. So many souls. So many. Delicious souls. It had been too long since he tasted the spirits within the human flesh. Thankfully, the little foolhardy dragon led him out. Now he was able to feed.
A little girl ran ahead of her mother down the semi crowded street. The mother called for her, trying to catch up to the child who's tiny feet carried her like the wind. Spirit Eater watched hungrily as she headed straight for him.
The girl passed through the cloud of nothing, feeling the bitter coldness of him and the tingle of countless lost souls. Soon after, the girl dropped to the ground like a rock and her mother screamed.
There was no light in her eyes...no sign of anything really. Just a shell. She lived, but nothing lived within her. Not now. Now she was a part of the spirits that made up the Spirit Eater.
A wonderfully pleasant warmth spread through the creature as the soul melded with the rest. The momentary fullness washed through him, surging him on. Of course, that passed leaving only a craving for more.
He would have more.
Tentacles, invisible to the human eye, spread from the center cloud, moving into the crowded streets. They passed through the men, women, and children easily enough. And one by one, they fell to the ground--alive, but lifeless.
Pleased for now, the ball of souls moved on, floating passed the fallen flesh as more came to "rescue" them.
Haku woke up in a sweat. When had he fallen asleep? No matter. His dreams were dark, and he could not tell if they were truth or just dreams.
"Dreams are never just dreams, are they?" he whispered to himself
He'd existed for countless years so he knew that dreams often meant more. If this one...
No, he couldn't think on it. He WOULDN'T think on it. At least not until he knew more. Haku only had a few days left with Chihiro. They needed to be used wisely.
With a deep breath, he settled back on the bed. Sleep was not a requirement for him, so it became more or less a leisurely activity over the years. He enjoyed the chance to rest on such a soft bed. A lonely bed.
His mind drifted to Chihiro. She had grown into a beautiful woman so quickly, but yet hadn't changed from that innocence he saw when she stumbled into the spirit world. The fire was there, too. A smile played on his lips with that thought.
The smile faded when he remembered how close he'd come to kissing her. That was not why he came to see her. The promise he made to her needed fulfillment. THAT was his purpose. Just now, he couldn't ignore the feelings welling inside of him. Feelings that he could not have. Human feelings...for a human girl.
He shook his head. Another thing to put out of mind.
"Just a fleeting infactuation..." he whispered again, reassuring himself while finding some inner peace.
