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What's Right
Haku had watched his master all day. The boy had walked as if in a dream behind Zabuza, studying the slightest movements of the older ninja. He didn't know why, but he could simply watch Zabuza sit and think for hours and it wasn't boring—it was fascinating. He loved to see the expressions change on Zabuza's face and to feel the twinge it made in his heart.
Watching Zabuza as he walked was just the same. Haku followed a couple steps behind, eyes trained on the back of his master's head, with an almost adoring look in his eyes.
Evening was descending as they trudged on the dirt of the road. Fireflies had begun to appear between the reeds on the roadside, shining with a subdued golden light. Haku saw Zabuza pause to look down the path ahead and then turn around to face him.
"This is it," he said simply. Haku nodded and followed him off the dusty road into the shelter of the trees. They would camp under the pines tonight and wait till tomorrow to travel closer to the next town.
Haku busied himself lighting a fire and unpacking some provisions. He noticed that Zabuza had disappeared into the woods. Night mist was gathering between the tall trunks—Zabuza's form was swallowed in the fog's mouth in an instant.
Haku turned back to the fire's warmth at his fingertips. For a moment he stared into the embers, just thinking. And remembering. He remembered Zabuza's face when he laughed, and the soft expression he would give Haku on those days when neither of them spoke a word, since none was needed. Most of all, he remembered Zabuza's steady hand holding his own in the days when he couldn't throw a kunai straight and the older ninja had to help him.
Haku smiled slightly to himself and looked up from the fire, realizing that it had grown much darker since Zabuza had left. He was about to stand when he heard a slight crackle of dry brush behind him and felt hands on his shoulders. They were gone in an instant as Zabuza continued to walk by, but the warmth lingered on Haku's skin.
Zabuza set the water he had brought from nearby down by the fire. The two of them made their dinner in silence as the sky darkened and the fireflies wandered out of the low stream beds.
They ate in silence too, the shadows darting between them, chased by the dancing fire. Haku set his bowl and chop-sticks down and bit his lip hesitantly, wondering whether or not to—
No, he decided it didn't matter. It was—
Yes, it was fine.
The boy stood up and took a step nearer to Zabuza.
"Hn?" The dark-haired ninja looked up at Haku with mild surprise, raising one brow ever so slightly.
"Zabuza-san . . ." Haku whispered, kneeling down in front of his master. The sentence hung in the air, waiting to be completed. Haku paused again before reaching to rest his hands on either side of Zabuza's face.
Zabuza looked at Haku almost calculatingly as they sat gazing into each other's eyes. Slowly Haku began to peel away the other ninja's mask. Zabuza's eyes darted across Haku's face. The boy's lids flickered shut and as slowly moved forward.
He brushed his lips over Zabuza's, so softly that the kiss could've been mistaken for the gentlest breath of wind. But the older ninja tensed immediately and grabbed Haku's shoulders in a vice-like grip.
"Stop," he growled, "just stop." Haku winced at the harsh tone and backed away. Zabuza let him go and stared into the fire, his chest still rising and falling. After a while the older ninja picked himself up and walked one more out into the mist.
Haku stared numbly into the fire, not able to process what had happened. He only knew one thing, and that was that it was his fault.
He didn't know how long he sat there, but eventually he felt his eyes grow heavy. He lay back on the dry floor of the clearing and closed his lids. The fire had burned down to a few embers—even the fireflies were brighter. He felt as if he was slowly falling, falling, falling into an endless ocean. His senses were becoming dimmer and dimmer.
But before he fell asleep, he felt strong arms wrap around him and soft lips kiss his forehead. Zabuza's whisper only barely reached his ears. "Sleep, loved one. We'll wait. It's the right way." And then he slept with knitted brows, his face buried in Zabuza's shoulder.
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EDIT: this now has a sequel, which is also a one-shot. You'll find it if you go to my profile. It's titled "Precious Person."
Special thanks to all reviewers! :3