Hurting
By: Kiara Adachi
Chapter 3: Promise
A/N: OK, now you've seen nothing but depression in this story, but now I think Its time to bring in some light. So here you go!
Four days later...
It was about midday now, but no sun shone through the window. Clouds blanketed the sky, signaling that it was going to rain again soon. Kiara still hadn't woken up, but was now restless in her sleep, signaling that she would awaken soon. Haku though, had stayed up as long as he could, but had been forced asleep earlier that day, on the chair where he had been almost constantly sitting. But he yawned and tried to roll over, and ended up falling off the chair.
He shot up on the floor, startled, but then calmed down. Rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes, he walked over to the cabnet and pulled out a bag of chips and began to eat them, returning to his chair. He heard a noise from the direction Kiara was, and whipped around. She was turned away from him, and he heard the noise again. It sounded like Kiara... was crying..
"Kiara?" he whispered, but she didn't answer. But once again, he heard her sob. He approched her on the couch, and looked at her face. Tears were indeed running down her cheeks... and she was sobbing, but.. she was still asleep. He put his hand on her shoulder, and shook her lightly.
"Kiara.." he whispered again. "Kiara... wake up..."
She sniffed and her eyes slowly opened. She sniffed and looked up at him, tears still running down her cheeks. She said nothing, and turned her head back, staring at the back of the couch. She didn't know why, but she couldn't look at Haku, she felt asshamed, embarrased, that she had become so desprite. She was back to thinking strait, unlike before.
Haku frowned slightly, looking down at her.
"Kiara, talk to me..." he said.
She hesitated a moment, and then looked back up at him. There was so much worry shown upon his kind face, it made her feel sick to her stomach. Another set of tears fell down her cheeks, and she began to cry again, harder than before, with load sobs.
"Kiara... please stop.." Haku told her.
"Ha-haku, it hu-rts so much." she said, between sobs. "I wa-want it to stop!"
Haku sighed, and carefully sat on the edge of the couch. He took his hand, and brushed her hair out of her face, and wiped the tears that were falling.
"Kiara, your the only one that can stop it.." he said.
"Help me!"
"I can't..."
"Why not?"
"I... I just..--" he stopped, and watched as Kiara shakily sat up on the couch.
"Why
Haku?"
"I.. don't know.."
"I can't do it alone Haku... I need someone to help me, I need saved!"
"From what Kiara?"
"Myself!" she said, sobbing again.
Haku bit his lip. It pained him so much to see her like this. Her tears were dripping down her cheeks, and landing on the blanket that was covering her lower body.
"I n-need you to be there f-for me Haku! You were there for me b-before, don't leave me now!" She stopped and sobbed a few times, sniffing. She looked at Haku, and then let out a tormented cry, latching on to him tightly.
"Please Haku. Please be there for me... your all I've got..." she said.
Haku stiffened in shock when she hugged him, but then smiled sadly, but happily at the same time. She brushed her cheek lightly with his finger, and then hugged her back.
"Kiara. I'll do what I have too, I promise." he said. "I wont leave you... don't worry."
For a short second Kiara's sobbing ceased, and she lifted her head up, as her gaze met his. And she could see that he ment what he said. Some of the sadness left her heart, mind and soul, and she felt happiness replace it. It was only a little, but still.
A small smile crossed her lips, and more tears came to her eyes. She burried her face in his chest, and cried more. But the tears of sadness were also accompanied with tears on joy. A few long moments passed.
"Kiara..." Haku whispered, breaking the silence. She lifted her head up a little.
"What?"
"I'm always going to be here for you, but I want you to promise me something."
"What is it?"
"Try and be here for me too... " he looked at her, and continued. "Because you Kiara, are all I've got, in this whole world. And without you, I wouldn't have anything to live for.."
Kiara smiled, no longer crying. While she had long since noticed that he was all that she had, she had never really considered that it was the same way to him. But now she realized it; Haku needed her, as much as she needed him. And as long as this fact remained, they would have to be there for each other. And eventually they would free her, but it wouldn't be the easy way out, like she had tried before.
"Yes." she said. "I promise Haku... always.." With that she leaned against his chest again.
Haku smiled gently, her cautiously put his arms all the way around her, bringing her closer to him. Kiara let out a content sigh, as she shifted into a comfortable postion in his arms.
"Kiara..." he whispered.
"Mmmm Hmmmm."
"I love you.." He whispered, kissing her softly on her forehead. Kiara smiled, and cuddled closer to him. There was a short silence, and then it was broken.
"I love you too Haku." she said. "And... I'm sorry.."
There was no more words spoken, and within minutes, Kiara had fallen asleep again. Haku, exhausted from the past few days. He leaned back, against the arm of the couch, carefully bringing Kiara down with him. He brought the blanket that Kiara had been using, and brought it over both of them.
And they slept the afternoon away...
