After a long day of work, Haku and Chihiro were about to fall asleep on their feet. Haku led Chihiro back to his room and told her of his idea that she should stay with him, where he could protect her. At first Chihiro was apprehensive about spending the night in Haku's room. She knew that she felt strongly about Haku, even if she refused to admit it to herself. She also knew that she wasn't a child anymore. The human and the spirit blushed when they found themselves in the situation, Haku was wearing only pants, and Chihiro had on a blue backless undershirt and pants. Chihiro bit her lip and her color deepened when she payed attention to Haku's defined abs. He chuckled when he realized the source of her discomfort.

"Would it help if I put on a shirt?" he had asked.

"No!" Chihiro said too quickly, "I mean, whatever makes you comfortable, besides, this is just so Soren can't attack me in my sleep right?"

"Er...right." he answered.

In reality Haku forgot all about Soren being able to attack Chihiro in her sleep. He was just thinking of holding her in his arms for the night. Wait, where is this coming from? He thought to himself. He didn't feel that way about her. But I do...I really do care about her. A lot. Maybe more than I suspected. The thought made him feel warm. The last time he had a feeling like that, Chihiro had just broken a spell on him. Love broke that spell. He mentally shook himself, Chihiro was waiting to see what to do.

"Would it help if I was a dragon?"

"Maybe." Chihiro told him, Less temptation that way.

Haku nodded and turned into a dragon. Chihiro frowned and shook her head.

"Just change back Haku, it doesn't bother me." she decided.

Haku changed back and went to lie down. Chihiro followed him and curled up on the other pallet that was brought into his room, which was right next to his. She had actually fallen to sleep. About an hour into her slumber she was dreaming again, the dream started as before, but right when the fake Haku appeared, she felt pressure across her body and was jolted awake. Haku was awake and looking around on alert. He had his arm around her and was unconsciously pulling her closer to him. It felt nice and Chihiro automatically moved closer to him. She noticed his tense body and face and reached up to stroke his cheek.

"It's alright, I'm fine, she can't hurt me when I'm with you." she assured him.

Haku looked down at her and relaxed when he looked at her. She's so beautiful. Maybe she won't mind if I...He leaned down slowly as if to kiss her. Chihiro's eyes widened and her heart sped up. She had dreamed of this moment for years, was it actually going to happen? Haku suddenly moved away from her as if he was electrocuted.

Chihiro felt pain in her chest. Rejection set in and she winced, she turned to hide the tears in her eyes. It was silly. Haku was her friend, her best friend. Yes she cared about him, but he was her friend right? Then why am I crying? Why did I care if he didn't want me here? She felt Haku move closer to her.

"Chihiro I'm sorry." he whispered.

Chihiro just shook her head, "It's silly. I thought you were going to kiss me and I..." she bit her lip, "It's silly."

"You're feelings are hurt." he told her, hating himself for causing the tears in her eyes.

She shook her head and tried to smile. He whipped away her tears and sighed.

"I've never been in this position. I don't know what to do. All I know is that, when I do kiss...someone, I want it to be special. Not just in my room at the bathhouse." he told her.

"You've never been kissed." she let the reality of it sink in, "What have you been waiting for?" the question popped out of her mouth before she could control it.

Haku had never thought of that before. Many girls wanted him. He courted a few, but he never seemed to connect with any of them. Not like he connected with...

"I guess I've been waiting for someone who would care for me throughout anything, even time and distance."

Chihiro nodded, "That makes sense" she said in a sleepy voice. It was obvious that she didn't hear the last part what he said.

She yawned and curled up into Haku's chest.

"You're warm" she told him, and drifted off to sleep.

Haku was taken by surprise at her words and actions. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. I love you. The words formed in his head, his lips wanted to speak them, but he held himself back. She was a human and she probably didn't feel that strongly about him, besides she was asleep.

The next morning, Chihiro woke up to find herself still in Haku's arms. She didn't know what woke her so suddenly, until she paid attention to the rhythm of his chest.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked him.

"Not long, I didn't want to disturb you." He opened his eyes and smiled down at her. "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded then a memory entered her mind, "What did Yubaba mean by 'find a way to fix her so this doesn't keep happening' how can you fix me?"

Haku sighed and hesitated, "Yubaba is talking about doing something very difficult. Turning you into a spirit. There are only three beings that can do it, but no human has done it before."

"Who are the three beings?" Chihiro asked, suddenly alert.

"What? You mean you're considering it?" he asked surprised.

"Yah, I mean, if there is a way for me to stay here with you, Lin, and the rest without dying before you guys I'll take it!"

Haku suddenly stiffened up, "It's dangerous. Not only do we have to find these beings, we also have to convince them to do turn you into a spirit. Then you have to face a test, or a decision depending on who we talk to."

"Then lets go, now" she said.

Chihiro got up and ran out of the room tugging her shirt on. She ran smack into Lin.

"Hey, about time you emerge from here. I thought I was going to have to dump a bucket of water on you two." Lin teased.

Chihiro blushed, "Lin! Haku doesn't feel that way about me."

"Do you feel that way about him?" Lin asked suddenly concerned.

"Well, maybe...I don't know. It's so confusing. Let's talk about it later."

Lin nodded and dropped the subject "So where are you going in such a hurry?" she asked.

Chihiro looked confused, still trying to figure out how she felt about Haku. "Huh? Oh I need to talk to Zeniba." she told her friend.

Haku, who was listening at the door and heard Chihiro admit that she might feel a certain way about him suddenly emerged, he acted as if he heard nothing except the last bit.

"I'll take you to Zeniba's"

"First we need to talk buster." Lin said and pushed him back into his room.

Chihiro laughed a bit at the scared look on Haku's face and ran off to get breakfast and go play with Boh for a bit.

"What are you thinking Haku?" Lin asked as soon as she sensed that Chihiro was gone, "Don't you know what will happen if you and Chihiro...er...do it? She'll never be able to go home, and she'll..."

"She'll never be able to pass Shinigami or the Twin's tests, I know! But she doesn't feel the same way I feel about her." he told Lin.

"And how do you feel about her?" Lin asked him.

"I love her." Haku confessed, shocked at how easy it was to admit it.

Lin sighed and shook her head, "That might come in handy, but still...don't act on it." she warned.

"How did you become an expert in this?" he asked the young woman.

"I am older than you. I've seen what happens when a human and a Spirit consummate their love before the human can be granted eternal life." her eyes suddenly turned sad, "He dies and she spends her life working at a bathhouse."

"Lin, did that happen to you?" Haku asked.

"No you dolt! I'm not stupid enough to fall in love with a human." The smile on her face took the sting away from the insult.

Haku just shook his head as Lin walked out of her room. Now she was on a mission to see how Chihiro felt about Haku.

Lin found Chihiro sitting on the balcony of their old room. She sat down next to her and looked at her friend.

"I snagged you a dumpling."

"Just like you did the last time I was here." Chihiro smiled.

"So it's time we talk. How do you feel about Haku?" she asked Chihiro bluntly, expecting the human to put up a struggle.

"I love him" Chihiro said simply, "I didn't admit it to myself because I was afraid of getting hurt, but I've loved him, in different ways, since he saved me as a toddler." Chihiro looked out at the horizon, "I've never been kissed" she admitted.

"What? But you have a fiance!" Lin's eyes got huge.

"I lied about that. I don't know why, but I never let Nagiori kiss me. I never let anyone kiss me. Even though we were dating, I told him I wanted to wait until our wedding day. In reality I just hoped that one day Haku would come back for me."

Chihiro had a far away look in her eye, "I would dream about returning here, and seeing him again. In my dream I always ran from the gate right to his arms and we shared a kiss. I never imagined that he would pull me here during a storm and he would have a crazy girl wanting him. I have to turn into a spirit Lin." she said suddenly, "I'm not letting her have him."

Lin sighed, "It'll be dangerous, but here's what you have to do."

(So I lied about the background info. I figured out a way to incorporate it haha, honestly this was my favorite chapter so far)