Thanks for all the reviews!
LM Queen: you said the name "Ryu" reminded you of someting you watch. I got the name from the anime Akira, same as I got the name Kei from it. Ryu and Kei were partners in that movie...
Also, in case anyone else asks: RE and CSI: RE Resident Evil, Video game/movie series, and CSI Crime Scene Investigation. Perhaps the greatest show on TV!

And just because I know it would make him feel good that people get to see this: The character Ryu is based off of a character from my RolePlay game, Ichro. Though Ichro is by no means anti-social. (but he does try to charm the ladies.) Unless it comes to Lin (who is always playing water pranks on him)

Now, this chapter is mainly pure fluffy goodness, in honor of the pure fluffy goodness going on in the game. (Haku and Chihiro being reunited, and sparks flying between Ichro, and another human girl, Sakura,)

So, please read, reveiw and enjoy!

Chapter Five: FireFlies

Chihiro, unable to sleep, left the boiler room, around midnight, careful not to wake Haku, or Kamaji. She went up the long flight of stairs, to the small garden. She sat amongst several plants, listening to crickets chirp, and watching a swarm of fireflies. She closed her eyes, enjoying the cool night breeze, as opposed to the heat of the boiler room. She was remembering the conversation between herself and Haku, shortly before they had gone to sleep.

"Hey, Haku, I saw the way you were looking at Ryu... You don't have to be jealous you know."

"I wasn't..."

"Liar. I know a jealous look when I see one, and you had it written all over your face in neon signs..."

"Okay... so maybe I was... A little."

Chihiro laughed, "Whatever you say... But either way, there's no reason to be..."

"Why is that?"

Chihiro gave her reply so softly, she wondered if he would even be able to hear her, "Because, I only have eyes for you..."

He heard her alright, and they spent the next few moments in an uncomfortable silence, neither knowing what to say to the other. Haku was the last to speak, before sleep, "The same to you..."

She hadn't been able to sleep after that, and now, she was here, in the garden. The smell of the various plants, and flowers around her were soothing.

"I thought you might be here," said a voice from behind her. She already knew who it was.

"I thought I was quiet enough not to wake you..."

"You would have been, if I was asleep," said Haku, sitting next to her.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" The boy shook his head.

As seemed to be a pattern for them, they sat in silence. Maybe it was because no words were really needed between them. Maybe it was because they were simply content to be near one-another after so long apart. The fireflies danced around their heads, landing on them now and then. Chihiro caught one, and held it in her palm for a moment before letting it go again. She loved fireflies, and the way they were able to light up the night.

"Not a day has gone by," said Haku, in a hoarse whisper, "that I haven't thought of you, Chihiro..." Chihiro wasn't quite sure what to say, so she waited for him to say something else... "When I told you not to look back, it was for two reasons... One, because it may have kept you from going home, and two, because I didn't want you to see that I was trying to keep from showing how much I wanted you too stay..."

"Haku, I-"

"Just listen for a moment, I need to say this... I love you, Chihiro. I really do..."

"But?" she said, somewhat taken-aback, but she wanted to know what the unspoken "but" in that was...

"But you're human... and so young... "

"From what I understand, your age doesn't add up to more than mine, speaking in equivilants... And what difference does it make that I'm human?" Chihiro sighed, "I love you, Haku. And age, or race, isn't going to change that. Why do you think I came back, and why I wasn't happy at home?" She turned to face him, and found that he had the same idea. There was less than an inch between them. Again, Chihiro felt shivers running through her body. She acted on impulse, and closed the distance between them, bringing her lips to his, in a kiss that was long over-due. She could almost feel Haku's surprise, but she could also sense that he was more than just pleased with such contact. Chihiro herself felt any and all thoughts leave her mind, save for one: how truly happy she was that she was there.

When she pulled away, Haku met her eyes, and held her gaze for a moment, then twined his fingers in her hair, and pulled her towards him again, easing his mouth over her's, making her breath catch in her chest. The kiss deepened until Chihiro thought she might tip over from giddyness, and Haku himself was light-headed.
Once they were fully separated, they once again settled into silence, but this time it was a contented silence.

"I hope I've rid your mind of the notions that you can convince me not to love you," Chihiro said finally.

"That was never my intention, silly child," said Haku, "I was simply making a point, but yes, you have. "

"Good."

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A ways away from the pair, in the plants, and dark shaped moved, as silently as the shadows it hid in. spying is such fun... The figure thought, I wonder if I should share this information, or not? It is a juicy little tidbit, but I don't think it's crucial... I think I'll keep it to myself for now. If a time comes when it's needed, I'll tell.

As quietly as it had come, the shape slipped into the bathhouse, leaving Haku and Chihiro none the wiser.

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Lin was the one who got the job of finding the girl, and the dragon the next morning. Kamaji had forced her too. It's not as if they're in any danger... They probably just got up early and went to spend some time alone or whatever. Lin grumbled mentally.
When she passed the garden however, she wondered why anyone had needed to find the two at all. It was kind of hard to miss a large white dragon sleeping in the garden, coiled up like a snake, with a human girl nestled in his center. It was so cute that Lin almost considered not bothering them, but then she remembered, she had been dragged out of bed early to find them, they were at least going wake up for it. She went, and nudged Haku with a foot, earning herself a look of deepest loathing, when he opened one eye to look at her.

"Get up, Scaly, it's after dawn."

He emitted a sound somewhere between a sigh, and a growl, and woke Chihiro. The girl was somewhat harder to get up than Haku was. Finally, Haku released a rumbling sigh, and returned to human for, ridding Chihiro of the body that was between her and the ground. She woke up rather quickly after that, and gave Lin the same look Haku had.

"Don't look at me like that!" Lin said, in a mock-offended tone, "He dropped you."

"Yeah," said Chihiro sleepily, "Bu' you're th' one who got 'im up..." Appearently the girl didn't speak properly when first woken up.

They argued for a few moments about whose fault Chihiro's now bruised rear was, until it eventually turned into simply joking, and making playful jabs at one another.

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The rest of the day that Chihiro had free was spent with Haku. Just simple things really. A walk through the entire bathhouse, a trip to the stone stair case, to look at the island, across the water, enjoying lunch on the bridge, watching the train go by. All ordinary things. It was the looks they traded, and the breif touches that made it an out of the ordinary day for Chihiro and Haku.

As the sun set, and Haku brought his lips to hers, telling her he would see her after her tasks were done, Chihiro forgot for a moment about the fact that there was something about to happen. For a moment, everything was perfect.

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The same dark figure watched, from the shadow of the bridge. It waited a moment, then slunk away, knowing it wouldn't be seen or heard.

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Ryu had agreed to take a job at the bathhouse, at Zeniba's insistance, and found himself working with Chihiro, of all people. Tonight, they were working on the dining room floor, before dinner time. They had to work fast. Lin, the rather rude woman who had flicked water at Kei was there as well, complaining.

"Chihiro... I think Zeniba gives us the hard ones on purpose... This room is huge..."

"Shut up and keep working, Lin," Chihiro answered, "Faster we get this done the faster-"

"You can go back to Haku?" Lin interupted cheerfully, enjoying Chihiro's blush.

Ryu enjoyed Listening to their banter, it was funny to listen too. It was obvious that the women were friends, but they argued almost constantly. Normally, it was Lin that started it, but every now and then, Chihiro got first swing. Having something to entertain him made work go alot faster for Ryu.
He didn't say much, to the women, though. Even though he may not have been as hostile as some of his brethren, he still wasn't the most comfortable around other people, nor did he have any desire to be. Unless, he thought with a mischevious grin, Unless I can make that drgon jealous... That is always fun.
He had rather enjoyed last nights breif uncomfortable moment, when he had been flirting with Chihiro. He knew dragons hated a rival, when it came to a mate, though he would have thought that Haku, still being a fairly young one wouldn't be quite so edgy... He'd been wrong.

However, tonight was not a night to be trying to make rivals out of a dragon. Tonight he had something to do. As soon as the floor was polished, he excused him self and went out to the garden, looking for something... or someone.

"Okay," he hissed to the darkness, "I'm here... Who are you, and why did you want me here?"

"Because," said a calm, smooth female voice that he thought he recognized, "I think we're here for the same reason... And I think that I can be of some use to you."

A shadow moved, and Ryu looked around, hoping to glimpse the speaker. He did. She was sitting in plain sight. However, her identity shocked him. "You!"

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"Shoo, cat!" said Lin, to Kei, as the cat entered the bathhouse, "We know you're not coming to bother us about a bath..." she grinned devilishly, "Or are you... I could get a nice big bath ready for you...A creature of your noble bulk nee-"

Chihiro clapped a hand over Lin's mouth, to stop her from continueing. "Hello Kei," she said, with a nod at the cat.

"Hello to you, as well, Chihiro, and Lin," there was a hint of malice in her voice, as she said Lin's name. Chihiro wondered if Lin didn't get on the nerves of everyone there. "I have a message from Haku, Chihiro. He says to meet him at the bridge when all your work is done..." The cat hopped nimbly up on the table at which Lin and Chihiro were sitting, for their break. She narrowed her gold-amber eyes for a second and then added, "I think you're in for a romantic night."

"Is that a vision or was it so obvious that you didn't need one?" Lin asked dryly.

"Both," the cat replied haughtily, and stalked off, tail twitching in an annoyed way.

"I'm going to drop her in the water below the bridge one day..." Lin grumbled, and Chihiro laughed, "Well I am...Haven't liked her since she showed up. She kinda appeared, in the same way Ryu did. Just out of nowhere. Kinda strange, really."

"I'm going to laugh when Kei is the one to put YOU under the bridge," said Chihiro, "and I thought strange was normal around here."

"Good point," said Lin, choosing to ignore the first part. She raised her voice a bit for the next part, "Hey, Ryu! come over here!"

Ryu, whom had been talking to one of the toads, looked in Lin's direction, and came to join the women at the table. "Yes Lin?"

"Just wanted to know how you got here, is all," Lin replied sweetly.

"Ah," said Ryu, "Well, I would happily tell you lovely ladies, but one such as myself needs to keep an air of mystery about himself, does he not?"

Both women laughed, and nodded.

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Zeniba sighed, wondering what to do next... She knew something was wrong, that something wasn't right, but she couldn't place where the feeling was coming from. The logical explanation was Ryu... But the feeling had been there before Ryu had shown up, and that bothered her.

"Uh... uh..." said No-Face, clearly wanting to know what was wrong.

"I just can't figure out who is causing the unease, No-Face. "

"Uh..." said the soul, trying to comfort her.

Zeniba had the nagging feeling that no amount of comfort would help, soon.

She just hoped that things weren't as bad as they seemed.

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