This story was somewhat inspired by the Castle in the Sky fanfic, "Punctured Yolk." And I haven't seen Castle in the Sky in a while, so I apologize if details aren't accurate to the film. I am aware that there is no loft in Pazu's house for Sheeta to sleep in, but you know what? He built one after the movie. It was heavily implied that he would and I am flabbergasted that you missed that. So deal with it. And I hope you enjoy!

Sunlight peeped in through the windows, fanning across Sheeta's face as she slept. She stirred, shifting in her small bed as her eyes fluttered open. The sound of Pazu's trumpet could be heard faintly above her; he'd undoubtedly gone up onto the roof again to play. Sighing, she sat upright, feeling a twinge of pain with each note that the instrument produced. Recently, she'd had doubts about how Pazu really, truly felt about her. How he felt about her always being there, always with him. She knew what he said, but the thought that when he said one thing, he actually meant another thing entirely had begun to occur to her more and more frequently. She didn't see how he could bear the constant presence of one girl so bravely without a single complaint.

Exhaling dejectedly, she reached a conclusion on the topic. She decided that she must bother him; she simply had to.

She rose from the bed, slipping out of her nightgown and into her favorite blue dress, the very one she'd worn during her incredible adventure with Pazu. She couldn't bring herself to part with it; it had too many memories sewn into its fabric. As she climbed down the ladder to the kitchen, she smiled softly, remembering all the things that had happened when she had worn her dress. Sailing through the skies with Dola and her family, her great ship slashing through the clouds like a sword. Watching the stars with Pazu on its tin roof, warm under a woolen blanket in the cool night air. Outsmarting Muska finally and watching Laputa spark and burst like a firework. Laputa. Home. Sheeta's smile twitched and disappeared. She missed the floating city sometimes. The green grass and the clouds flowing through the air. The whole place had been sort of magical. It was, after all, the home of her ancestors. Maybe she would always have a connection to it. She touched a finger to the blue of her necklace lightly, an idea settling in her mind.

Pazu slung his trumpet over his back again, clambering down the roof to return to Sheeta. He absently wondered what was for breakfast as he scuttled to the door, quickly removing his cap and sifting a careful hand through his hair before he entered. Not that he, well, liked Sheeta like that or anything, but it was always healthy to maintain a well-kept appearance. As he entered, he was greeted by the scent of fresh porridge. "Hi, Sheeta!" he called cheerfully.

Sheeta was silent, her eyes focused on the bowl she was stirring. "Sheeta?" he asked slowly, setting his trumpet on the floor.

"Morning," she mumbled quietly, setting the porridge down and pouring it into two bowls.

"Every…everything alright?" he inquired hesitantly, hoping he wasn't being as overbearing as he felt he was.

"Yes, I was just thinking," she replied just as softly, setting the two bowls onto the table, dipping a spoon into each.

"Oh." Pazu assumed it'd be best not to question further, and the two children ate their breakfast in silence.

Gradually, Sheeta glimpsed up, meeting Pazu's eyes across the table. "Pazu, I want to go back," she said.

"Go back where?" he murmured, his mouth full.

She broke their gaze, glancing at her hands in her lap instead, "I want to go back to Laputa."

Pazu breathed an internal sigh of relief. So that was what this was all about! "Of course, Sheeta. I'll take you whenever you like," he smiled at her brightly.

"N-no, Pazu," she stammered, strained, "I don't…want to come back."

Pazu inhaled sharply, his spoon clattering in his empty bowl. "So-you want us to move the house there?" he spoke slowly, trying to piece things together.

"No," Sheeta breathed, a tear trickling down her cheek, "I want to live there b-by myself. I want you to stay here —I don't want you to come with me."

At the words, Pazu felt his chest tighten, his heart crumbling at the words. "By yourself?" he repeated, "All alone?"

"Yes," she whispered, smudging the tear away with the back of her hand quickly, "I want to."

"B-but, won't you get lonesome?" he questioned desperately, convinced that she couldn't possibly mean what she was implying.

Since speaking, Sheeta had begun to cry quietly, the pendant about her neck's shimmering blue fading steadily. "No, I'll be fine," she choked out, "I'll have the…robots…you know."

Blinking, Pazu glimpsed out the window and then back at Sheeta's downcast expression, unsure of what to really believe. "I can take you then," he said quietly, joylessly. If Sheeta wanted to live away from him, then who was he to keep her from doing as she pleased? After all, she was a princess.

When Sheeta had boarded the remains of their moth fighter, Pazu noticed that she kept as far away from him as possible, even though the lack of space made that a very difficult task. He didn't comment on her behavior, just sorrowfully navigated the craft through the air, the loud whirring of its propeller being the only sound in the orange evening sky. Pazu risked a few glimpses over his shoulder, seeing Sheeta staring steadfastly ahead, the wind ruffling her short brown hair. She looked beautiful, in a tragic sort of way. Not that he liked Sheeta like that or anything; he was just recognizing beauty as he saw it was all.

It seemed like moments before Laputa was in sight, Pazu's hands clenching tighter around the steering wheel as it drew near. Silently, Pazu landed the moth fighter in the glade he and Sheeta had tumbled onto not so long before. But this time, there was no laughter at their discovery. Sheeta stepped onto the grass daintily, her necklace paler than an icicle. "Thank you, Pazu," she said, her head high, her voice low.

"It's —no trouble," Pazu managed weakly.

Neither knew what to do next. This was something new to both of them, a game improvised and unrehearsed. "Will I ever see you again?" Pazu asked quietly, watching the way the blades of grass beneath his shoes swayed in the wind.

"Perhaps" was the best response Sheeta could offer.

A succession of steady thuds shook the ground, and both children lifted their heads to see their old friend, one of the ancient robots, approaching them, waiting at a distance for their next move. Sheeta half-smiled up at it as it halted before them. She turned to Pazu, who watched her with an unreadable expression. If she had been commanded to meet his eyes by Muska himself, she still wouldn't have been able to do it. "Goodbye then," her voice was resigned.

"Goodbye."

But Pazu wanted more. More than a mere exchange of farewells. A handshake would have been to awkward, and a hug might repulse her further, but Pazu wanted to touch her one more time before she was gone from him forever. Initiative flickering across his eyes, he reached out, toying with the stone on Sheeta's necklace fondly, his fingertips glowing blue. "Remember me?" he posed, slipping his own aetherium crystal out of his pocket, pressing it into her hand.

"No, Pazu," Sheeta reprimanded half-heartedly, shoving the crystal back, "Don't give me your stone. I know how much it means to you."

"But you mean a lot to me too," Pazu grinned sheepishly, pushing the object back again, "Please, take it."

Sheeta felt tears of frustration and a thousand other emotions welling in her eyes. Pazu was foiling her plans on purpose and it wasn't fair! "I don't want it!" she sobbed, the firm emotional barrier she'd toiled at creating finally collapsing, "I want you to be happy with what makes you happy and to leave me alone!"

Pazu grew both troubled and perplexed as Sheeta fell to her knees, clapping her hands over her eyes as she cried. Pazu knelt down as well, still unsure if he could touch her or not. A hand came to rest on her shoulder, "But you make me happy."

Sheeta shook her head violently, "Stop it! Just go! I want you to be happy! I'm trying to help you!"

Pazu's brow furrowed, "But I can't be happy without you with me, Sheeta."

"No," Sheeta protested, voice feeble, eyes fragile as they peeped up at him, "You say that, but I bother you."

"What made you think that?" Pazu forced a smile, "You help me with the chores and keep me company and—"

Pazu blushed, leaving his sentence unfinished. Telling Sheeta that he could possibly like her more than as a best friend might scare her away again. Not that he did like her like that or anything, just hypothetically speaking. Fortunately, Pazu didn't have to say anything.

"You aren't just saying that though?" Sheeta questioned, "Because I want you to be honest."

"I am being honest," Pazu assured her.

Sheeta studied Pazu, searching his face for any signs of deceit or trickery. A smile wavered on her lips, Pazu's words processing in her mind. As his words replayed in her mind, she felt her heart quickening as one thought kept occurring to her. This was his chance to get rid of her, so why would he want her to come back unless he truly was being honest?

Sheeta lunged forward so suddenly that she knocked Pazu back into the grass, flinging her arms around him in a sunny embrace. The blue light glimmering from her necklace was nearly blinding. "Don't let me stay then, Pazu! Please don't make me stay!" she pleaded, her nose nuzzling his shoulder.

"O-of course," Pazu stuttered, taken aback by the situation and hesitantly wrapping his arms around her, "I want you to come back with me."

"I want to go back with you," Sheeta stated, "I…I only wanted to come here so you could be happy. I don't actually want to live here by myself."

Pazu smiled with delight and relief, relaxing a bit, "I'm glad."

The two walked back to the moth fighter, hand in hand. "I did miss it here," Sheeta commented, watching the sun dip shyly beneath the clouds.

"We'll have to visit more often," Pazu squeezed her hand reassuringly, using his free one to wave farewell to the robot.

Pazu could feel his cheeks grow warm as Sheeta wrapped her arms around his waist, while he settled into the moth fighter. "Pazu," she whispered into his ear as he took off, the flying castle slinking into a smaller and smaller cloud behind him.

"Yeah?"

"You know what you said earlier? About me making you happy?" Sheeta propped her head on his shoulder.

Pazu's blush worsened, "Yeah?"

"You make me happy too," she smiled meekly, pressing her lips to his cheek.