*Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters do NOT belong to me.

Chapter 1: Trauma

(Posted 2014-07-21, Updated 2014-08-19)

"Zabuza-san..."

My hero, my precious person is gazing down at me.

"Great job, Haku..."

I hear his voice from behind me.

I am glad. I was not too late.

My eyes start fading, but I try to keep listening for his voice. Did I correctly hear that hint of regret? Sadness? Pain? Grief? Perhaps I misheard.

But... I am still honored. He had chosen me out of many.

Forgive me Zabuza-san... I wasn't a good enough weapon...

Forgive me for not being good enough to stay with you and keep away the grief you hold in your heart.

My eyes dim. I can see only see the Copy-nin Kakashi's bright hair.

I faintly hear Naruto in the background.

Naruto... He will become strong.

...Will he see through Zabuza-san's mask of indifference and cruelty?

I hope... that he would. I hope he would remember that Zabuza-san is my precious person.

We would have been great friends if we had known each other before...

Perhaps it is fate that all people who one comes to respect are found on the opposing side.

Fate, why must it be so?

May the fates be kinder to Zabuza-san, unlike how it has been for me.


I was watching the snow fall from the sky from the window. I had been playing outside with my friends in the snow. It was cold, but I was feeling warm inside.

Happy life.

Kaa-san is the kindest, nicest mother in the world.
Tou-san is gentle and kind to everyone as well.

I want to be as nice as my parents! I greet everyone with a bright smile.

Today I sat, watching the snowflakes land on the windows, snow piling up outside.
There is a strange tingling from my stomach, like butterflies. Like snow flur-ry-ing from the sky, only inside my stomach.

Is this... something called a sto-mak-ake that my friends from down the street always has?

Maybe a sto-mak-ake starts by feeling very nice?
Kaa-san will know the answer!

Kaa-san had looked slightly strange when I told her that watching the snow makes gentle snow storms in my stomach.

"Kaa-san, what's wrong? You are making me make a hachi on my forehead!(1)"

I don't know what that means, but she always says that when I worry, I make a hachi on my forehead. I have to be careful, or it will stay on per-ma-nent-ly. Then people will call me hachi-boy instead of Haku!

At that she smiled at me and said she was fine. But she still had a strange look in her eyes. I still worried and gave Kaa-san a hug, because hugs makes all things better, right?

Tou-san says that I am a big boy, and big boys protect their mothers, not worry them.

When I said that, she laughed at me, calling me her little worrier Haku. She then started to tickle me!

...I love my Kaa-san very, very much.

{(H)}

I was playing with the water from the pump outside, when the tingly feeling came again in my stomach, making me giggle.

I splash the water around with my hands, creating a whirlpool.

Hmm?

Was the water this cold before..?

The pail has become slightly colder than before.

Oh!

Wow.

The water is moving the way I want it to!

So why did it become cold?

Maybe I can make ice? Ice is cold water...oh!

... Can I make a snowflake?

Snowflakes always melt before I can see what they look like for sure...

Oh!

I have to show this to Kaa-san!

(H)

Kaa-san was angry.

She hit me.

...Am I not supposed to play with ice?

Does Kaa-san hate me now?

Kaa-san is apologizing for hitting me.

She told me never show it to other people.

It is supposed to be a secret.

She is crying.

She has never hit me before.

Maybe it was a mistake...?

I should go ask Tou-san...

{(H)}

I can't find Tou-san.

He should be inside the house...

Tou-san?

He is with other people at the gate.

Who are they?

They didn't see me hiding in the bushes. For some reason, I don't think I should run to Tou-san like I usually do...

I followed them inside.

Tou-san was in front of Kaa-san, holding a knife.

Tou-san is crying.

Tou-san never cries.

Kaa-san looks frightened.

Tou...san? Wh-! Kaa-san!

Kaa...san?

We are playing pretend, right...?

Tou-san, you only pretended to put the knife in Kaa-san... right?

...Right...?

...What?

Why are you saying sorry to me?

Kaa-san, stop pretending and wake up. Stop Tou-san and his mean joke...

Kaa-san...? Tou-san...?

No.

Don't come closer.

No.

NO.

NO!

STOP IT! GET AWAY FROM ME!

...

...Tou...san?

What...?

I didn't do this... did I?

The snow and ice is my friend... they wouldn't do this... right?

Right...?

There was someone screaming nearby.

Our farm is the farthest away from the village. Who is it?

Oh.

It was my voice.


Footnotes

(1) Hachi on the forehead - Hachi means "eight". So, Haku is saying that the mother is making him frown, using the wrinkling of the eyebrows and forehead to make the character "eight".


*2014-08-19 Edit: Merged the two chapters, Chapter 1: Prologue and Chapter 2: Trauma together.

*2014-08-29 Edit: Made a footnote.


A/N - I've always thought Haku's story was tragic... writing this part even more so, because he's just a child. This is a challenge to myself to see if I can write sad stuff.

Please Read 'n Review.

(Reviews motivate me to write more quickly~)