To Ten Million Fireflies

[Momo]

She blushed at the soft kiss that he placed on her cheek, smiling a little. "G-goodnight." She stuttered as she made her escape out of the room.

[Fox]

Alone, his sad colored eyes darted through the room, and then through darkness as he switched the light off. He took a deep breath, breathing in the stale air of the room. He made his way to the window, opening it, liking the feel of the night breeze on his face.He soft sigh escaped his lips as he thought about Maria. Her soft, pure skin; her entrancing eyes; her silky black hair... He shook his head, feeling his cheeks light on fire. He sighed again and rubbed at his forehead, not likeing the dizzy after-effect of day-dreaming. He shifted, moving to lay in the bed.

[Momo]

Maria sighed as she moved away from the bedroom door and headed back for the living room. She picked up the unfinished class of water, finishing it herself before putting it in the kitchen. She headed off to her room, calling butterfly, as she went. After shooing the cat into the room she shut the door and yawned lightly. She was tired now, after the long day of the festival...and then finding this strange man who reminded her so much of her dead friend emily...she was just so tired. She flopped down on to the bed with out bothering to change out of the cloths she'd worn to the festival, closing her eyes and listening to the soft purrs of her cat who was just now curling up on the pillow beside her head.

[Fox]

((SKIP!))

Hotaru woke up in the morning, sunlight streaming through the still open window. A tiny firefly was crawling on his face. He sat up shooing the fly creature away and out the window. He stood and moved to close the window, looking behind him at the open door to his room.

[Momo]

Soft voices dirfted though the open door and the smell of cooking. It was two female voices, no male voice present. One voice was maria's, talking quielty to whoever the other female was.

[Fox]

He carefully drifted over to te door and poked his head out, looking up and then down the hall. He carefully steped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Lead by the smell of food, he found his way to the kitchen where he stood in the door way.

[Momo]

An older woman sat at the table as Maria went about doing things. The lady looked alot like maria, though she didn't wear classes and her hair was a golden wheat color and not a brown like Maria's. both set of eyes came up and smiles. "Oh...Is this the friend you were telling me about Maria?" The lady said. "Yeah...Mom...This is Hotaru." She said, smiling.

[Fox]

Hotaru smiled when he was introduced. "Hello." He spoke, his sad colored eyes watching Maria's mother for any gesture, or facial expression.

[Momo]

Her mother smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you Hotaru. You can call me Sandra." She said. Maria had gone back to working on the food. "It was a suprise when Maria told us you were staying here, but you seem like a nice boy." She said.

[Fox]

He nodded at her comment. "Thank you, Sandta." H spoke, being polite. His gaze shifted though, distracted by Maria.

[Momo]

Maria didn't look up, humming quietly as she worked. She looked around though when she noticed that it had become quiet. She smiled at Hotaru and then looked to her mom. "Breakfasts almost ready." She said.

[Fox]

Hotaru smiled back at Maria. He shifted, moving to the table to sit after Maria's statement.

[Momo]

Her mother leaned back in her seat and turned her eyes to Hotaru, tilting her head. "You know...I havn't seen her smile like that in a long time." She said, quietly so only Hotaru could hear.

[Fox]

He looked at Sandra when she spoke. He bit his lip trying to think of what to say. "Well... It's good to see her smile, right?" He whispered his reply after a while.

[Momo]

She nodded with wide eyes. "Yes...very good. She's been so depressed and lonely since Emily...well since Emily passed on." She mumbled, shaking her head.