Kotetsu was bored. He and Izumo were on guard duty at the western gate. The sun had set hours previously and the humid, mid-summer's heat was oppressive.
Kotetsu sat straighter. There was someone coming. As the person approached, Kotetsu saw the huge sword on his back. The gleam of the newcomer's askew headband caught Kotetsu's eye. 'A ninja from the Hidden Mist? What would he be doing in Fire country?'
"Halt! Identify yourself." Kotetsu shouted.
The ninja froze, shifting the child-sized bundle in his arms. He scowled at Kotetsu.
"I am Zabuza Momochi."
"The Demon of the Bloody Mist?" Izumo asked.
"Not anymore. I'm defecting." Momochi said matter-of-factly.
"Why?' Kotetsu asked slowly. In answer, Momochi shifted the bundle once more so that part of a sleeping, doll-like face could be seen. Kotetsu had heard about Momochi's attempted coup d'état, but never had he imagined that the man might have been doing it for his child.
Zabuza glared at the jonin leading a nervous-looking Haku away. He made damn sure the threat was clear: Hurt him and you die. Zabuza was led to the Hokage's office, or so he deduced from the hat on the old man's head.
"Well, Momochi-san, why do you wish to defect to Konoha?" Zabuza was quiet for a moment.
"It's all for him. It's always been."
"Who?" There was a long pause.
"He has a bloodline, you know…" Zabuza said eventually. The hokage blinked in mild surprise.
"Ice Release. That's how I met him. I… I wanted to give him a chance to live."
"Why Konoha?"
"It's the closest." The hokage was taken aback at the surprisingly blunt answer. Then he began to laugh. Zabuza glared half-heartedly at the hokage.
'I cannot allow you the rank of jonin, despite your skill."
"I wouldn't expect to be given that rank anytime soon, if ever." Zabuza muttered the last part.
"You will be given the rank of chunin and placed on probation with one of our elite jonin, Kakashi Hatake."
"The copy ninja‽" Zabuza asked.
"Will that be a problem?" the hokage inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"No." Zabuza ground out.
Haku was then lead back in by the same jonin who had taken him away. Haku crawled into Zabuza's lap, seeking comfort. Zabuza put his arms around his kid, picking little Haku off the ground.
"Yugao-san, take Momochi-san and his companion to their apartment." The hokage said. The jonin led them to the place as quickly as she could and left just as quickly.
Zabuza settled Haku in the only bed in their apartment and intended to sleep on the floor. Haku, however, refused to let go of Zabuza's arm, so the Demon curled up beside his pup to sleep.