A change in: Intensity

Because Zabuza genuinely cared for Haku.

Haku threw the senbon at the blond. Sasuke shoved Naruto back and in turn got hit.

"No matter how many times I warn you, Naruto, you still keep getting in my way…"

Naruto smiled briefly at his teammate before realizing the extent of Sasuke's injuries.

"Now get that lame expression off your stupid face… You screw up"

"Wh- Why…" Naruto stammered. He was trying to cover me…?!

"Why…?" You ask me why?

Blood ran down Sasuke's chin as he said, "I used to hate you, you know.."

"Why… Why did you…?! Why… Me…?" Naruto asked. Sasuke didn't answer.

"You should have just minded your own business!" Naruto shouted.

"...How should I know…? My body just… moved… on its own… fool…!" Sasuke said, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. Sasuke began to fall backwards. Naruto slid forward and caught his teammate.

"I swore I wouldn't die… until I killed him… my older brother… Thought the oath would save me… but… but don't you dare die…" Sasuke stilled.

Haku pushed himself onto a knee as he said, " He struck one blow at me… and without any sign of shirking… sacrificed himself for you! He was a shinobi worthy of the utmost respect… who, in order to protect someone he cared about, threw himself headlong into what he knew full well was a trap. Is this the first time a comrade of yours has died…? Such is a ninja's path." Haku melted back into his mirror.

"Shut up…" Naruto said quietly. Killing intent laced the air, growing stronger by the second.

"I'm never gonna forgive you for this… I'M GONNA KILL YOU!", the blond shouted. Red chakra exploded from the boy, forming a fox head in the sky and utterly destroying the mirrors. Haku barely escaped. Haku's mask was cracked and slipping from his face. Time seemed to slow down as the pieces hit the bridge.

"You?!" Naruto cried, the chakra around him dying out. Haku was lying on the ground, cut and bruised, his long hair a tangled, bloody mess.

"Haku!" Naruto barely registered Zabuza's shout, hardly felt the missing-nin's sword touch his throat; His head was reeling. How could that kind, if feminine, boy I met picking herbs be the enemy that had killed Sasuke?

"Don't touch him!" Zabuza growled, glaring at the bewhiskered blond. Naruto stepped back. Zabuza had created a water clone which was now cradling Haku's head.

"I'm sorry, Zabuza-sama. I could not defeat him for you." Haku said quietly. Kakashi moved to Naruto's side, ready to once again engage the missing-nin.

"Well, would you look at that… It seems that you broke your little tool, Zabuza." The mist parted to reveal Gato and a small army of mercenaries. Zabuza swapped with his water clone and picked Haku up bridal style.

"I was never planning to pay you, you know… I was going to poison you both…" Gato continued.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Zabuza responded by flipping Gato the bird and body flickering away, Haku tucked safely in his arms.

Haku awoke in a forest. He could feel the bandages wrapped around his arm catching on something.

"Careful," Zabuza said," You got hurt pretty bad and I'm not much of a medic. Still…"

Zabuza trailed off.

"Wh..What?" Haku croaked.

"Just… Never do something that… stupid… again, alright? I don't know what I'd do without you, Otouto." Haku smiled in agreement with his precious person.

"Hai, Aniki."