A/N: Hey readers! No individual comments but you know I love all of you! It's actually the REUNION! lol Some cute fluff in this one and humor.
In terms of the bird. I'm fascinated by the various stages of understanding about it. Hehe. Well it will be revealed eventually, so hang in there for those who haven't quite gotten it. I'm sorry if you're frustrated but I have dropped a couple hints. Maybe if your really bored and annoyed you can look back a couple chapters…
Special thanks: to my anonymous beta(?)/friend. lol This wouldn't have gotten finished if it weren't for your pestering.
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue!
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Happy reunion
Rin tapped her foot impatiently on the floor of the lift. How many times have I done this tonight? Ten? Fifteen? She sighed. She was still a little worried about Chihiro. Admittedly though the last time she checked, most of the color had returned to her cheeks, her pulse was much stronger, and Kamaji had been assured enough of her health that he managed to fall into an exhausted sleep. So stop worrying Rin…The elevator door opened and she jogged to the door and threw it open.
All members of the boiler room were still snoring. "For god sakes it already noon! Everyone wake up!" she yelled as she looked around. Not a stir. She sighed. There was Mayu, Kamaji, Haku, Chihiro in Haku's arms. She froze. What?
She rubbed her eyes and stared. Chihiro in Haku's…She burst out laughing. Last time she had come down, she had separated the two cuddlers because she needed to pour liquid down Chihiro's throat and that required lying on her back. They had been a good meter apart. Now a rosy cheeked Chihiro lay with her back plastered to the warm curve of Haku's body. Protective, muscular arms were wrapped around her waist in an easy manner. His plump lips were inches from his treasure's nape.
Rin continued snorting loudly. Her loud bursts woke Mayu who groggily blinked her eyes open and sat up yawning.
Rin noticed this. "Morning human gi…er Mayu."
"Morning." Mayu said yawning.
"You ok?"
Mayu shrugged. "Tired but fine."
Rin nodded then grinned. "Look at that!" she said pointing to the snuggled up pair. Mayu snickered.
"What shall we do? Cold water? No too cruel. Screaming? No I already did that. They're too drugged to wake up…." Rin counted each off on her nimble fingers.
"I know a way to wake Chihiro." Mayu volunteered.
"And I got one way that never fails for Haku." Kamaji grumbled. The two jumped and turned around. Kamaji had been woken up by their voices somewhere in the conversation.
Rin chuckled. "Then let the show begin!"
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Chihiro felt warm, firm planes pressing against the entire back side of her body. A heater seemed to be radiating sweet rays onto her. Feels so good…she thought dreamily, eyes half closed and snuggled closer to the warmth. Then she thought she heard a groan tickle the back of her neck.
Shivering a bit, she opened her eyes. She saw a wooden wall and frowned. This isn't the dorm. Where am I? Her whole back was still kissed in a blissful warmth. She felt a weight on her waist and looked down. Saw hands.Felt the hot breath on her neck, heard soft snores.Her mind finally processed all the information. What! Her heart raced, head reeled in confusion. Slowly, she started to crane her neck backwards. Half in fear, half in an unreasonable hope. She saw glittering greenish black chin length hair. Her stomach clenched painfully. A white sleeve. Her heart jumped. And then…
"CHIHIRO…oh, she's awake!" The unmistakable sound of Mayu's "wake up call voice" rained down on her from above. Chihiro snapped her eyes up to see her friend's grinning face. Mayu laughed at her utterly shocked expression and knelt down on the edge of the futon on the opposite side of her "heater"
Chihiro was shocked even more to see some tears suddenly moisten her friend's eyes. "I'm so happy your ok!" Mayu blurted out as she grabbed her friend into a tight hug. Chihiro blinked in confusion. What the? Mayu released her with a contented sigh.
"What hap- Why did you- Where are we?" she finally got out. Mayu gave her a strange look.
"You don't remember? Well, look around."
She did. A whole wall full of drawers towered before her. There was only one place she had ever seen anything like this. No! It can't be…Chihiro gasped and whirled around.
"Finally! Geez!" Chihiro saw a bright pink bath outfit, beautiful, strong face, brown hair in a messy bun. A slightly uncharacteristic smile lighting up the familiar woman's face.
"RIN!" A smile outshining the spirit woman's lit Chihiro's face as she ran over to Rin with an excited yell. She gave Rin a big hug. Rin returned the favor.
"Is this real?" Chihiro said, dazed.
"Yes stupid!" she bopped the human on the head. "See?"
"Ow! Yes!" Chihiro said in the same breath. She looked up to see Kamaji observing her with what would have been a bright smile buried under his bushy mustache.
"Kamaji!" Chihiro grabbed one of his six arms and gave it a hug and a kiss. One of the others gave her a pat on the back.
"Welcome back, Sen."
Chihiro made a face. "No, call me Chihiro. It's my real name. Ok?" she looked at Rin as well. They nodded soberly.
"How did I get here?" Suddenly her arm gave a painful throb and knees felt weak. Chihiro wobbled on her feet, the floor tilting, in slow circles around her. "Whoa….!"
Kamaji shook his head as he steadied her. "Shouldn't have gotten you so excited. You're far from fully recovered..."
"From what?" Chihiro butted in.
"This." Rin gently turned her arm and pointed just above her elbow. A fresh pink, jagged scar ran horizontally across.
Chihiro gasped and stared wide eyed. "Where did that come from?"
Mayu suddenly spoke "You slipped on a bottle. We were on a field trip, remember?" Everyone jumped as her presence had faded into the background.
Chihiro stared at her. And then it all came back. The bus, the weird kids, the littered trail, and…"I slipped on the damn bottle! That did this to me?" She asked dubiously, pointing to the long scar.
Rin nodded "Yeah. Zeniba helped heal it quicker."
"It was bleeding like crazy." Mayu added.
Something felt out of place. Chihiro kept staring quizzically at Mayu for a second before gasping. "Wait you're HERE? In spirit world?"
"Yes." Kamaji rubbed his bald head. "I'm sure Yubaba's fully aware of it by now too. Am I right?" he asked Rin.
Rin made a face. "Well all the workers are buzzing that a human has crossed the bridge."
"Yes, then she would definitely know about it." Kamaji muttered. "Why isn't she doing something?"
Rin shrugged. She saw Chihiro's worried expression and suddenly grinned. She turned to Kamaji and whispered rather loudly. "Wake him up now!" Kamaji chuckled and took a huge breath.
"HAKU! YOUR HAIR'S ON FIRE!" he roared.
"Kamaji." a grumpy voice murmured into the covers. "I'll get you for this…what time is it?" Sheets rustled as they were thrown off and Haku sat up with a yawn.
Chihiro couldn't move. Her feet were nailed to the floor, her face frozen in an expression of absolute horror, disbelief and joy all in one priceless look. Delicate fingers curled into tight fists. Rin and Kamaji didn't bother to hide their smirks.
Haku rolled his head and tried to shake out the kinks in his arms. He was apparently still not aware of his surroundings. "Kamaji! Did you hear me?"
Kamaji bit his lip and tried to speak in a normal voice. "Haku, turn around."
Haku rubbed cloudy emerald eyes as still massaged his shoulders. "Don't order me around!" he said in an jokingly haughty tone. He stood up with a small jump and started to turn around. "You know my puny brain is capable of performing simple actions-" his mouth froze mid sentence.
A slim figure stood frozen before her. Slightly messy brown hair was tied in a high ponytail, showing the back of a delicate neck. Haku traced the curve of her hips down to the beautiful tan and toned legs. It was bliss just to see her standing on her own feet, not in a mass of white skin on the ground. He heard slow labored breaths that he unconsciously matched himself.
Rin stared impatiently at the two sticks of wood and decided a catalyst was needed. "Now Haku, what were you saying about being about to perform simple action on your own?" she asked sweetly.
Haku snapped out of his daze and glared. "Rin…" he growled. Rin simply raised an eyebrow and swung her head pointedly at Chihiro.
Haku took a deep breath. "Chihiro?" he managed to rasp.
The sound of Rin's voice was like a fire to her frozen limbs. Thanks Rin…She heard him call her name and savored the sound of the voice she had prayed to hear just one more time for so many years. Although it was deeper now, it was still recognizable. Gathering up courage, she spun around in one quick motion.
Glowing emerald eyes pierced her brown ones and locked. She saw a young man. A young gorgeous man who she had fallen in love with as a boy years ago. Greenish black hair and of course the heavenly green vaguely reptilian eyes. But now, there was also his body. Chihiro's stomach refused to stop flipping as she tried to non-decrepitly drink in the way his chest pressed into his white tunic and broader shoulders filled out the fabric much better than the gangly form of an eleven year old. As he watched Chihiro stare at him, a heavenly slowly smile lit up Haku's face. Warm aqua mixed with green and sparkled in his eyes. Chihiro's hands clutched nervously behind her back as she tried to get her mouth to say something. Anything…
Haku meanwhile, try as he might, could not keep the idiotic smile off his face. The two were hypnotized by each other. Both tried to believe that this was real, but feared it was some cruel dream that would all come shattering down…
"SEN!" A yell cut into their thoughts. Haku and Chihiro felt an earthquake shake the floor with tremendous thumps and snapped out of their loving eye lock. Both looked up with huge startled eyes as Bo's layers of baby fat blurred menacingly across the room towards Chihiro. Just when Chihiro thought she was doomed to be a Bo-style pancake, Kamaji's handy arms came to the rescue.
Chihiro yelped as she was swung though the air and out of harms way. The toddler looked confused the object of his running hug disappeared. He swung his head this way and that. "SEN? SEN?"
Chihiro laughed and smiled at Kamaji. "I don't know what we would do with out your arms!" The spider spirit chuckled.
She called down to Bo. "Hey! I'm up here Bo!" Bo looked up and gave her a delighted smile
"SEN!" Kamaji lowered her to the ground. Chihiro bounded up to Bo and attempted a hug, but it was mainly Bo picking her up and burying her between mounds of squishy fat while twirling her around and giggling. Finally he put her down.
"Sen you had a booboo and Bo got so scared!" he whimpered.
"I'm fine now!" she said, patting the huge toddler on the arm. "And Bo, I want you to call me Chihiro from now on, ok? It my real name." Bo looked confused.
"Chi- ri- ho?"
"No. Chi- hi- ro." she said clearly.
" He-ro!" Chihiro sighed.
:"Chi- HI- ro. Now you try."
"Chi-chi?" The room exploded with previously restrained laughter.
"Alright." Chihiro said, making a face. "How bout Chi-chan?"
Bo giggled. "Chi-chan! Chi-chan!" he bubbled. Chihiro couldn't help but laugh.
"Chi-chan, dear? My, my!" A warm cackling voice floated across the room. Chihiro saw Zeniba's solid figure in appear next to her and squealed with joy.
"Granny!" She threw herself into Zeniba's crushing hug.
"Oh darling! I'm so happy you're all right!" She gave a her a loud kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you Granny! Rin told me you healed my arm!"
Zeniba nodded. "Dear, it was my pleasure." her eyes flickered over Chihiro's shoulder momentarily and Zeniba smiled wide. "I think you're not giving your main rescuer the thanks he deserves!"
"He?" Chihiro blinked. He? Rescuer?
"Yeah Se- I mean Chihiro! Haku saved you by running across the portal and getting you here before you bled to death!"
Haku saved me? Chihiro steeled herself trying to remain calm. It didn't work. What am I suppose to say? She shook her head slightly. Ok, just face him. Her feet turned her around in robotic movements. Staring at her feet, she stuttered forward. Right foot, left foot, right, left… It was all she could do. Haku stood smoothing his hair and trying to look nonchalant. When she was an arms length away, she stopped.
"Haku." Chihiro said quietly still looking down.
"Yes?" Haku said nervously.
"Thank you." Chihiro muttered. She kept looked down of her feet and fidgeting. She could see Haku's socked feet barely a foot away. Ahhhhh!
Suddenly, something melted in Haku's heart. Looking at the terrified Chihiro, his own tenseness seemed to flow away and a flicker of confidence returned.
"Chihiro, look at me." He said soothingly.
"No."
"Chihiro, look at me!" he said, putting more warmth and command into his voice.
"…" Chihiro mutedly looked up and saw the blissful smile on Haku's face. It was contagious. Chihiro felt the corners of her tight lips relax and widen, felt something in her snap and melt. As a feeling of safety and happiness flooded her heart, tears started flooding her eyes. Chihiro gasped horrified. No! I won't cry…She looked down again to try to hide the wetness with thick lashes.
Crying. She was crying. Before he knew it, Haku was reaching out his arms in a blur of motion. He crushed Chihiro's frail body into his arms.
"Haku…!" came a muffled cry.
"Shhh…" He whispered in her ear. He rubbed her back and Chihiro relaxed into his body. "Please," he rasped heatedly a begging tone entering his voice, "please don't scare me like that again."
Chihiro nodded into his racing heart. She felt like all her troubles and pains were soaked through his warm arms and out of her tired mind. She reached her arms around his neck and unthinkingly sifted thin fingers through silky hair. But suddenly Haku broke away with a ragged gasp. Chihiro looked up surprised as he gently shoved her away.
A blush crept up Haku's cheeks and he cursed it many elaborate ways in his mind.There was only one thing that came into his mind at the moment. "Well I better see how much Yubaba knows about you two. I'll be back. Get some rest." He tried to say coolly. It came out in a jumbled nervous heap. Forcing the muscles of his legs not to run at break-neck speed, he managed to maintain a fast paced walk until a few feet to the door which he, giving into his legs, sprinted.
Chihiro felt the warmth still tingling around her, and a wonderful subtle smell of him which she couldn't quite place. She watched him run away like she had grown five heads. Turning to her observers, she asked haltingly. "Uh…What was that?"
The room laughed as Chihiro and Bo looked on still very confused.
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A/N: lol. See? Humor. And cute fluff. The CxH relationship won't stay this kiddie cute, don't worry. Anyways, I really need to jump start the plot so the next chapter will be a busy one. Have to set up Yubaba's plotting and the "bad guys" ect...
Also, forgive me but updates will be slow for May and the beginning of June. What with Latin AP, loads of piano and violin competition/auditions and finals, life is going to take a lot of time away from me. Please forgive! I'll try to write as much as I can. Till next time