Haku x Reader

Chapter 2

As the day dragged on as Lin and I cleaned bath after bath so they'd be clean for tonight. However instead of being completely focused on my work my mind refused to let me forget about the Haku conversation earlier this morning.

What if he hasn't come back yet?! Is he alright? Where is he now? Does Yubaba know?!

"Rin."

I jumped up in shocked and turned to Lin, who had called my name.

"Yes?" I asked, trying to act normal.

"I'm going to get us some food, you finish up here." She said with what seemed to be almost caution in her voice.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks." I responded with a quick nod.

I tuned back to the tub I was scrubbing and noticed how my hands had started to callus from the constant exposure to soap and rough materials. Sighing I stood up and brushed a strand of hair from my face before leaning over again and scrubbing the rim of the tub.

"Rin."

Rolling my eyes I kept scrubbing.

"Lin I thought you went to get us food." I said with a small laugh.

"Lin?"

I froze, I knew that voice, and it didn't belong to Lin. I had to take a minute to prepare for the verbal battle ahead.

"Well, if it isn't dragon boy!" I snorted, turning to face none other than Haku. But in my head I was thanking every deity out there that he was back at the bathhouse and safe.

"Hmpf! And I see you're still cleaning dirty baths." He retorts snidely, crossing his arms and leaning against the opening of the partition.

I was about it open my mouth to respond but Lin walked into our bath section.

"Ugh, Haku why are you here?" Lin asked in exhaustion.

"Just stopping by to see if you two were still working on bath duty. Yubaba has asked me to keep an eye on Rin however, just to make sure she is still working hard. If you remember she is still just a human after all." Haku's face went back to his normal cold glare.

"Why would Yubaba sick you on me now? I've been busting my ass over here for two years." I argued.

"Maybe she knows humans burn out easily, I'm even surprised you've managed to stay as long as you have." Haku remarked spitefully.

I wanted so badly to slap his perfect handsome face, but all I did was swipe a bowl of rice from Lin's hand and shovel in one big bite in after another.

Haku gave me a disgusted look and I felt a piece of my heart break.

The more I make him hate me, the easier it'll be to get over him.

"I'm going to get a bath token so the bath can soak off the grime." I said through my food.

Slamming my bowl down on the ground I finished chewing and swallowed as I left the bath section. I have no idea why, but I was holding back tears. Haku may have been cold and sarcastic to me the first night we met, but he said I was his friend, that I could trust him. Biggest lie of the century. Those kind words he said occasionally began to disappear and our conversations were now only venom ridden.

About to break into tears I stopped at the foreman's desk and asked for a token. Although when I first came here he gave me a hard time we've grown a nice work relationship.

"I need a soap token for one of the smaller baths, a group of mud spirits did a number on it yesterday." I informed him. Smiling and nodding he handed me a token. "Thanks." I received a soap token and went back to the bath.

On my way back I saw Haku leave the station Lin and I were working on. He gave me a stink eye as we passed and purposefully rammed his shoulder into mine as he walked by.

Once I got back to Lin we filled the bath and let it soak. Letting out a stressed filled sigh out I leaned against the bath and slid down to the floor.

"What was that? Gosh you guys really are at each others throats." Lin expressed as she sat down next to me.

I sighed once more and brought my knees to my chest, resting my head on my knees.

"I wish I could just run away." I whispered quietly.

"You and me both, Rin." Lin agreed, taking a bite of her food. "Haku is nothing but trouble, just ignore him." Lin told me.

I just nodded, to show her I was listening. She tells me this every time I get into a spat with Haku, but my brain refuses to listen, I can't seem to get Haku out of my mind. His broad shoulders, his silky black hair, his gorgeous eyes. All I could do is want to be enough for him, to be in his arms. But I dug myself a grave too deep for that to ever be an opportunity the I met him and put up my wall.

"I'm going to the boiler room, we're done here today, right?"I asked in defeat.

Lin nodded, chewing on her rice. Smiling weakly at her I brushed off my uniform and walked to the boiler room.

OOO! Look at me with those speedy updates! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! I'm definitely going to update more tonight, so be ready!! Toodles!