Written Rivers

Book 2: A Tie Amongst Rivers

Chapter 7: Compliancy at its Weakest

Rumi was getting annoyed. She had been watching those two stubborn star-crossed lovers long enough. Why wouldn't they just-?! Ugh! She literally had no words for them and was ever so grateful when the great Ryujin came to visit the Bathhouse. Maybe he could help slap some sense into them.

Haku's recovery was apparently longer than average according to Yuuka, and well Haku. His overall time in bed rest was a week, which included the two days that he was unconscious. The rest of the week were firm orders from Yuuka to stay in bed until she was sure the toxins were cleared from his body and he was healing normally again. She also knew that Haku probably hadn't had proper sleep in sometime and thought it appropriate to use the bed rest as a way to catch up on any sleep he had overdue.

News that Haku caught a bad case of food poisoning filtered throughout the Bathhouse rather quickly, rumors and gossip filling the building before anyone could stop it. The chef who prepared the dinner disappeared before he could be questioned. The reason being was that he was found at the bottom of the water on the side of the Bathhouse, his entrails spilled from the act of seppuku. Why he would commit seppuku under the pretense of such an act was beyond everyone that knew what really happened. All they knew is that it made the situation that much more suspicious.

This brought back the topic of the great sea god's arrival. He had heard about the poisoning and came to check on his dear apprentice. After finding that he was fine, he went about his usually pestering of everyone of importance in his mind. Rumi, however, had an idea that would be in the interest of all parties involved. Well… maybe not two of them, but they would thank her eventually.

During the night shift of day… what day was it? Forty? Fifty? She had honestly lost count, but on whatever day it was, Rumi found Makoto to pitch her plan. Maybe he saw what she saw and would play along. Much to her surprise, he complied. Maybe a little too quickly.

"If it gets him off my back, I agree. However, after recent events, he may be more reluctant…"

"I understand that, but the safest place may be by his side."

"You will just have to convince him of that." Makoto replied skeptically.

"When I'm done talking with Ryuijin-San will you try to be there when he talks with Haku?"

Makoto simply nodded and went off to take care of his own duties before he would ultimately make his way up to Haku's room. Rumi bit her lip, praying that the sea god would be on her side and that Haku would be open minded about the whole thing. She was tired of watching them skirt around their feelings. Neither had directly admitted it, but dammit, they loved each other and she was going to get them to talk about it.

Rumi had come to the conclusion that they were never leaving the Spirit World and she was going to make the most of it. So if it meant settling down with a spirit or god then she had no qualms. She was going to make the most of her second chance with life that the gods had given her by keeping her out of that tsunami. As much as it had left her guilt ridden, she had come to the conclusion that if she wasn't meant to die in Tokyo with her family then she was meant for something else there in the Spirit World.

Her first order of business would be to play matchmaker.

She went about the Bathhouse in search of Ryujin. She knew where he was ultimately but she needed time to formulate her speech for the sea god. He always seemed pretty laid back, even though he was one of the oldest and wisest gods in Japan, but she didn't know how he'd feel about playing matchmaker for his apprentice.

She finally wandered into the upper levels of the Bathhouse where all the important guests stayed and took a deep breath when she found his room. When she muster the courage and had her plan of attack down, she knocked on the door. Not long after she knocked, the tall, lean god stood before her in the doorway.

"Ah, Rumi-San." Ryujin greeted her with a smile. "What brings you up here?"

"Um…" Why was she nervous? "I need to talk to you."

Ryujin nodded with a smile and opened the door wider to let her in. He guided them to a table and offered her tea. The room he was staying in was much more exquisite than any of the other rooms in the Bathhouse, even more so than Haku's but Haku had a much more subtle taste.

"So, Rumi-San, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I have a favor to ask you and I don't know if you'll be up for it?"

Ryujin raised a brow. "Color me intrigued. Do tell."

"We all thing that Haku and Chihiro are in denial of their feelings and would love it if you helped us convince them otherwise." She finished with a nervous smile, taking a breath after rushing the words out in a single breath.

The sea god considered her, then nodded. "Done."

Rumi blinked and stopped playing with her teacup. "Excuse me?"

"You wouldn't believe how long I've been trying to get that fool to actually admit that he has sometime of feels for someone. If this will finally set him off and get him to admit it, then by all means, I'm in." He said raising his hands.

"You're…" Rumi started, skeptically. "You're taking this way better than I expected."

He shrugged. "What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart." Ryujin smiled. "And I want what's best for my pupil. He's gone through a lot and if fate is giving him the option of whom he can love then I'm glad it's Chihiro-Chan." He sipped his tea.

"Ryujin-Sama-"

"Please." He put a hand up. "Hold the formalities."

"Ryujin-San… were you there when Haku lost his river?"

Ryujin put his glass down. "Yes, I was."

"Why didn't you help him? When he lost his name?"

"Some roads you're meant to walk alone." He smiled, sadly. "It also allows unexpected things to happen. You can't be bold if you've only had good things happen to you. Especially if you let others do everything for you. Some things you have to let your apprentices learn on their own. It's hard to watch but they usually come out stronger and wiser on the other side."

"Usually?" Rumi asked.

Ryujin smirked. "Yes, but in this case, Haku found a potential mate."

Rumi grinned and laughed, raising her glass. "To matchmaking."

He clinked his glass to hers. "To matchmaking."

Makoto was talking with Haku in his human form about numbers when Ryujin burst ostentatiously into Haku's room. Obviously Rumi had had her talk with him, his eyes a storm of excitement. The look of disgust that was on Haku's face was almost comical as he leaned back into his desk chair. Yuuka still had him under bed rest until further notice, so he was confined to his room to mule over Bathhouse affairs from afar no matter how much he insisted he was fine.

"Oh, my dearest brother, Kohaku!" Ryujin started as he approached the younger dragon. "When I heard you were ill, I rushed to be by your side. However when I found you to be well, I was a little disappointed. However, I do hope you are feeling better now?"

"Never better." Haku side-glanced Makoto. "If only I could convince everyone else of it."

Makoto rolled his eyes and retorted, "it is better to be safe than sorry, Master."

Haku scoffed with a grunt. "Well as you can see, Ryujin, I am fine. You need not waste your precious time on me. I am sure you have much more important things you can be doing."

"What could be more important than the wellbeing of my favorite pupil?" Ryujin replied, aghast.

"A lot of things…" Haku mumbled.

"Well, since I am here, I ought to tell you of the other news I heard during my visit here, that may be of interest to you, Kohaku."

"Do enlighten us, Ryujin." He replied, exasperated.

"Well, some little birdies told me that you are in denial."

From the look on his face, this caught Haku off guard, leaving him slightly confused. Makoto knew very well what this conversation was to be about and it could go two different ways, if he knew his master.

"What are you talking about?" Haku finally said.

"You love Chihiro-San." Ryujin said in a matter-a-fact tone, his eyes dancing with amusement.

If Haku was impartial to this statement, he did not show it. His expression still exasperate, he let out a sigh. "Is this what this is going to be about?" He glanced between the two of them. "You two accusing me of something that is not true?"

"Accusing isn't the word I would have chosen but yes. Essentially that is what we are doing. However, it is not a lie." Ryujin mused. "You do love her."

"Stop." Haku put his hands up. "I will stop this right now."

"Kohaku." Ryujin deadpanned. "You're an open book. I know you. You may not speak with emotions or words, but you definitely speak with your actions. You wouldn't put yourself out so far if you didn't love the girl. This dinner you had with her before you were poisoned, is example one."

"Will you stop it? It was a simple gesture of kindness!" Haku exasperated once again.

"The scene was rather romantic." Makoto noted to Ryujin, who nodded to him in agreement. Haku shot him a look.

"She's safest by your side." Ryujin added.

"And I also thought the Bathhouse was one of the safest places she could be, but I was sadly mistaken." He retorted. "She was in the Bathhouse and by my side when the possibility of her being poisoned occurred. She is not safe here."

"Is that all you care about?" Ryujin asked. "If her safety is your only concern, then you may as well removed her from existence. Nothing is safe. Human World or Spirit World, nowhere is safe. What's the real reason-"

Haku pounded his fist on the table. "I don't want to risk losing her!" He was starting to break.

Ryujin sighed and looked at Haku empathetically. "Everyday is a risk, Kohaku. But very few of us chose to take that risk into our own hands." He paused. "Sometimes the greatest risks are those we take with our hearts. If you love her then spend every moment with her, watching her, holding her, loving her, instead of worrying over the risks of tomorrow that may or may not come."

"My mind cannot be changed. As soon as the gates open again, she and Rumi-San will return." Haku concurred.

At the mention of either girls leaving, a feeling sunk in Makoto's chest. What was this?

"Do you really want the girls to leave?" Makoto said without thinking.

Haku glanced at him and sighed. "Does it matter?"

"Yes. Because you have a say in that decision!" Ryujin said.

Haku clenched his fists and practically snarled, "you know I cannot."

The sea god raised a brow skeptically at his friend. "Cannot or will not?"

Makoto watched Haku stiffen as the hair on the back of his own neck rose. They could both feel the anger that pulsated off the sea god. Because of his childish personality, it was easy to forget how much older and powerful he was. Ryujin was one of the last gods anyone would want to anger.

"Kohaku." Ryujin said with a stern voice that Makoto had never heard from the sea god before. It even seemed to startle Haku. "We spirits, we gods, don't always get the opportunity to choose who we love. We dragons only get one chance in a lifetime. We mate for life and while it is more convenient to love or mate that that will be able to live alongside us for more than a century, we cannot help who we love. Kohaku, don't screw this up for yourself. An opportunity to love and choose who you love is not a luxury spirits of our status always get. If you love her, grasp it with both hands and fight for it until the bitter end."

Ryujin stood rigid, looking Haku in the eyes. His ice blue eyes were cold yet held a hint of empathetic warmth. Haku looked small and sheepish for the first time Makoto had known him. The tension and warmth of the two dragons' bond was strong and palpable. A bond he would find one day…

"So." Yuuka started as she and Rumi walked through the corridors of the Bathhouse. "How are we gonna do this? Good cop, bad cop duo? Subtle confession? Reverse psychology?"

Rumi raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "We watched way too many crime shows. But no. She's already implied her feelings we just need her to admit to them and act on them. She's not good at holding her strong feelings in for this long. She'll snap eventually with enough prodding."

Yuuka nodded. "So what is the plan then?"

"Ryujin-San and Makoto are with Haku right now so that means that Chihiro isn't occupied with caring for Haku. So-"

"That means we can get her not while her guard is down and get her confession cut and clear!"

Rumi just stared at her. "I don't think that means what you think it means. And even if you did, you didn't say it right."

Yuuka sweat dropped and stuck out her tongue. "Sorry, it's been a while since we did something like this. Reminds me of our days in high school."

She watched Rumi smile with a bit of reminisce. "You're right.. We were always interrogating people for information." She laughed.

"We were rather good too." Yuuka giggled.

Rumi paused. "I want Chihiro to be happy. She deserves that much."

"What about you?" Yuuka stopped in their walk. "Don't you deserve to be happy?"

Rumi stopped but didn't turn around. The sag in her shoulders said it all.

"I know you like him." Yuuka whispered, loud enough to be heard.

The human girl stiffened.

"Look who's in denial now…" Yuuka said.

"It's not that…" Rumi said. "I do like him but how long will it last…"

"Isn't that the same question we're getting out of Chihiro?" Yuuka asked as she stalked to be in front of Rumi, who averted her eyes. "Do I have to be the one that pulls the teeth around here? Gods, Rumi, I've been in her head, I know when you're in love and I know when you're in denial. You and Chihiro need to get out of your own heads and just go!"

"And my answer is the same as Chihiro's has been." Rumi bit. "We don't know when or if we'll re-"

"Oh, shut up." Yuuka snapped, receiving an astonished look from Rumi, but she hardly cared at this point. "You are such a hypocrite. You hear the exact same thing from Chihiro and refute her but the moment it comes to your own feelings you start ranting off the same excuses. Will you two get a grip? If you love someone, tell them. There's no greater time like the present. Stop living in the what ifs and the whens. If there's one thing I've learned since I started living with Oba-San again is that you have to take things one day at a time and take chances. You two need to just jump and pray that fate will take you where you're meant to be."

Rumi just blinked. "Did I just get told by a twelve year old?"

"I only look it, darling." Yuuka winked. "C'mon, let's go find Chihiro."

"Right." Rumi said. "She's probably in her room."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Yuuka grabbed her hand and started towards the closest elevator.

Since she arrived back at the Bathhouse, even though she was caring for Haku, she felt at peace with being back amongst friends. Issues that they had had were now smoothed over and she was able to have normal conversations. Which also meant girl talk. She didn't get to put her two cents into those conversations when Rumi and Chihiro were in high school and when she did Chihiro never got to hear her input. But now she could voice her opinion loud and clear. Needless to say, she was excited for this conversation.

Just as Rumi had predicted, Chihiro was in her room prepping for her shift for the night. Rin had finally convinced her that Haku was well enough that he didn't need her watching over him and said it was about time that she got back to work to distract her from everything going on. Since Haku awoke three days ago, the last two days Chihiro was back at the bathing floor again, checking in on Haku during breaks and for a couple hours during the day. Her helicoptering wasn't gone but it was definitely dwindling.

Chihiro looked up when they walked into the main living area, knocking being a forgotten habit for the three of them. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" She smiled, finishing off the last twist of her hair tie in her ponytail.

Rumi shrugged. "Oh, we wanted to come hang ou-"

"We came to talk about Haku!" Yuuka blurted out, which she shortly followed with a mental slap to the head. What was going on with her?

Chihiro laughed nervously. "Haku? Why is something wrong?" She glanced warily at Rumi.

Yuuka could feel the dagger like gaze from Rumi before she spoke. "No, nothing is wrong. Yuuka just got a little excited about something she-"

"We." Yuuka interjected, receiving yet another glare and confused stare.

"We," Rumi grit, "wanted to talk to you about."

Chihiro raised a brow. "About Haku?" She said slowly.

Yuuka nodded and opened her mouth to speak but closed it when Rumi shot her a look.

"Yeah, it's about… you and Haku as a potential couple." Rumi insisted. "I know there's still the gates to consider and family at home but you seriously need to consider your own best interests."

"Chihiro, we think it's about time you admit to it." Yuuka said with ernest.

"I know." She said.

"You do?" They said in unison.

Chihiro nodded. "Yeah… I get it now…" She smiled softly. "I'm done running. I've had a lot to think about over the last week and I think it's time I owned up to it." She looked her friends in the eye one at a time, a determined glint in her eyes. "I've fallen for Haku."

Something bubbled up inside Yuuka and she squealed in a way Rumi would have if she were reading or watching some sappy love story that was finally unfolding. She glanced over to Rumi who was just staring in disbelief.

Chihiro laughed. "What is it, friend? Hard to believe?"

"Almost…" Rumi started. "It just seems so… sudden."

The Ogino shrugged. "A lot can happen when you slow your mind down enough to really think about what everyone has been saying all along…" She sighed. "I can't keep living in the 'what ifs.' I need to live in the now and stop trying to fix things that don't need to be fixed or haven't even happened yet. And if that means I never go home… I guess we'll just have to see where fate takes us. I hear it works in funny ways."

Rumi raised a brow at this, which Yuuka didn't completely understand but gave Rumi the best "I told you so" look she could muster. Rumi glanced and rolled her eyes in her "shut up" manner.

"Well then…" Rumi sighed. "What now?"

"We wait." Chihiro said. "If he returns his feelings, as everyone seems to be claiming, he will tell me… I don't know how… but he will in his own way." She smiled and tied back the white ribbon the held her pink sleeves back for work. "Until then, I have work to do." She rose and went to finish whatever she needed to do for work.

Rumi watched her go then looked at Yuuka incredulously.

"What the hell?" She mouthed.

Yuuka shrugged and continued to do her little mental victory dance.

"Kohaku." Ryujin continued, his eyes holding Haku's. "I say all this as your friend and as a god who has lived far longer than you. Things change quickly in this world, cultures rise and fall, opportunities come and go, lives live and die. Not even us gods last forever. If fate or the gods offer you something good before the storm, take it. Take it and hold onto it. Protect it with all you have through that storm. No matter the risks."

A bead of sweat formed on Haku's brow. He never knew Ryujin to get so serious in all the time he had known him. He had even been through war time with him and Ryujin had kept a smile through the whole thing to keep his troops motivated. But Haku also knew his dark past. He had had his own mate in the past and lost her. He always portrayed himself as some "player" and eccentric fellow but he never went through with anything, he always loved his mate and never gave his heart to another. Ryujin was one of the strongest gods Haku knew, and it was not because of his physical strength alone.

"Ryujin…" Haku looked away, hands clenched. "How do you do it? How do you keep up this facade?"

Ryujin's eyes flickered with humor. "Who said it was a facade?" He closed his eyes and stepped back to lean against the wall, crossing his arms.

"What?" Haku eyes flickered back to the sea god.

"Ryujin let out a wistful sigh and opened his eyes to look in the distance. "I made a promise to keep living, Kohaku. No matter what I'd keep living with a smile on my face and watch the world grow and change. It wasn't always easy." His eyes closed again and a smile played at his lips. "But that promise has led me to where I am." He looked Haku in the eye. "What will you do Kohaku?"

Haku cast his eyes down then fixed his sight on a book on a shelf. Chihiro's book. Chihiro was always trying to better the world, even if it was a little, she was trying to leave a piece of herself in the world. It was a completely human trait. Humans barely lived a century yet did everything in their power to leave something behind. Chihiro knew it would not last forever, her life, her love, but she was willing to embrace it. And what was he doing? Why was he acting so afraid?

The image of a woman with black hair flashed in his mind. What if… no that could not happen again. That was a time when he was young and reckless, it would never happen again. Chihiro's face came to his mind again and his body untended. He let out a breath. Just the thought of her could calm his nerves.

"I am going to chose to love her…"

A/N:

… i'm sorry … T-T

Everyone. Give a hand to the great Ryujin. Who knows how to speak sense into his little brother and apprentice. *claps ecstatically*

I am constantly going through the struggle of remembering who calls Haku "Kohaku", "Haku-San", "Kohaku-Sama"... etc. it's rather vexing.

I like to think Makoto has a hidden sense of dark humor. It's subtle but present in the most unexpected times. Lol

Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! And for those that do review, I thank you a bunches!

Thank you for the reviews from: picklesisadeadcat, RSBCS, Rosettaxfantasy, Kra, Turniptree, Sypherpol, chimera-writes, lackadaises, coolchick87, and Ai Star.

God bless and Happy New Year! KawaChou

PS.

I found this quote and I hope I emulated this well in the first book. I didn't want the main focus of book one to be romance and I'm hoping that shows. I wanted more of a reflection of the movie. Romance is overrated anyway. Lol XD

"I've become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and [a] girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live - if I'm able to, then perhaps I'll be closer to portraying a true expression of love." -Hayao Miyazaki