A/N: Hey everybody! So this is my first ever story uploaded ( XD ). I just wanted to say that updates will be every Monday or Tuesday-and if I don't update you have my permission to curse me. For the next few days I'll be uploading other stuff, so enjoy the story and feel free to review.
Within the Bloody Mist Something Still Breathes
One
Momoka stared up, past the Academy's third floor windows, where the thick smoky mist cut off the rest of the building from view. And she knew that beyond the smoldering vapor was a sight her curious eyes had never seen. Before, all she could do was ask herself questions, which couldn't be answered.
Was the sky actually blue? Are there really clouds? Do stars shine so brightly they could light a whole village? And even beyond the sky, what was there? She needed to know but with her small demeanor and fragility she could only manage one way up.
The Academy allowed only students and teachers inside, and her features stuck out like a sore thumb-and she was no master, or at least in amateur, when it came to stealth. So she was stuck with climbing up the old ladder at the back of the building.
It was completely rusted, groaning like an old man in terrible pain whenever touched, nails protruded from rather random places-there was even dried blood from others who had tried to climb.
The journey to the top would not be easy, and most likely cause Momoka a lot of pain, but there's nothing as powerful and driving as a child's curiosity. So she began the climb. Taking her time, trying not to cry out when the nails bit into her skin, ignoring the callouses forming on her palms, and pushing away the exhaustion with motivation. Her own conscious betrayed her, begging her to give up.
'No one so weak and small could do something so difficult'
"Shut Up!" she told it, and continued to ascend. She thought of all the stories she heard from other children.
"The sky is purple with tons of cotton candy clouds and flying chocolate birds!" one of them exclaimed excitedly.
"Your such a sugar addict, the sky is obviously blue," another child scolded, yet how could they know?
Only Shinobi had the opportunity to see worlds outside of Kirigakure; everyone else was stuck in this mist for the rest of their lives. And it was an extreme decision to choose the outside world over the village.
In order to graduate from the Academy the students had to fight to the death and only the survivors-and often there were none-could become true Shinobi. Momoka was not indifferent to her feeble structure. Her chances of seeing the outside world should've been zero-but this curiosity, this awful thirst needing to be quenched, would grant her wish and would also be her downfall.
Her heavily cut hands were bleeding, a stinging sensation jolted through her with each ascend towards the rooftop as the journey become more unbearable. Momoka considered listening to her nagging conscious, until she finally broke through the mist and for the very first time her eyes saw the sky.
It was a vast dark blue seemingly glowing due to millions-and perhaps more-of tiny bright golden dots. And this large white sphere with craters shined just as bright as the stars, bathing the whole rooftop in light.
She did not notice the tears streaming down her cheeks, as her eyes soaked in such beauty. She finished the climb, her sandals touching the concrete floor. As she walked the flat roof surface, her eyes never leaving the sky, she failed to notice the slumbering human figure lying on the ground causing her to trip over the form, falling to the ground and scraping her knees and further damaging her hands.
"The fuck?" a boyish tone yelled, she stared at the boy, much larger than her, though he held enough youthful features to be close to her age.
"I'm sorry, I should've been paying attention," she said. He locked his stare onto her eyes, his gaze unfaltering and devoid of compassion.
"Who the hell are you? How the fuck did you get up here?" He spat with a mean scowl. Momoka frowned; there was no reason to be so rude.
"Why should I answer you? You can't even ask nicely," she sneered and tried copying his scowl, which was not intimidating in the slightest. The boy's dark eyes widened, his lips firmly shut but then shift into a mischievous smile. There was a long silence as the boy assessed her, and Momoka began to regret responding to the boy.
"I used the ladder," she answered finally, yet still ignoring his inquiring of her identity. She showed him her wounded hands, proving the horrific ascend. He took her hands examining them, as his eyes focused on the appendages she took the time to take in his appearance.
Black short hair that probably never experienced a brush or comb, dull brown eyes that have seen horrendous things Momoka could not even imagine, pale skin, and a round face, wrinkle and blemish free proving his youth. She guessed the boy was maybe a few years older than her, perhaps eight, yet he emitted a mature aura. Perhaps he had seen all of life's agony in only eight years of living. His rough hands were bigger than Momoka's and they were engraved with old and fresh scars-as well as his arms and probably the rest of his body were it visible.
"How old are you?" he asked, his eyes still cast down on her hands.
"Six,"
"You know, you could be killed for breaking curfew," everyone in Kirigakure had to be indoors by a certain time due to the war going on.
"So could you," he grinned.
"They leave me be,"
"Why?"
"They know what I'm capable of,"
"And what are you capable of?"
"Things that would give you nightmares for eternity," he said sharply, his eyes snapping back to Momoka's.
"What kind of nightmares?"
"You ask a lot of questions,"
"When will you answer them?" she wouldn't give up that easily, and he knew it, he could see it in her eyes.
"I've killed, maybe thirty of them, I don't keep count. Her brows instantly rose in astonishment. How could he possibly take down thirty Shinobi? He was only a child.
"What's your name," he stated while taking off his shirt and proceeding to rip long strands of fabric from it.
"Uh, M-Momoka Himura," she responded wondering why he was ruining his clothes.
"Hm? Momosa?"
"No. Mo-mo-ka"
"Momosa is better" and he chuckled.
"Well what's your name!" she said forcefully, needing to mock him as well. And he completely ignored her.
"So, Momosa, what gave you the idea to come way up here?" her mouth was agape, he seriously ignored her.
"Answer me first-" his piercing cold glare was enough to freeze her words and paralyze her where she was. She didn't even know it was possible to lose all bodily movement just from the look in someone's eyes. It took her a moment to recollect her thoughts-them having been jumbled.
"I wanted to see what the sky looked like-" she began, staring up once again and wanting to lose herself in the wonder.
"-They're so magical, unreal. One day, I'll leave this place, and go to the tallest mountain and steal one right from the sky!" the boy's brows lifted in question,
"And why would you do that?"
"They'd sell for a high price, wouldn't they?" he let out a full laugh, and her cheeks burned in embarrassment. He stared up at the sky, the color in his eyes slightly hazing-perhaps getting lost in the phenomenal wonder just as Momoka had.
"My name is…Zabuza Momochi."
Anyone that wears sunglasses, whether indoors or at night, is definitely hiding something. And usually men smaller than five foot five, that happen to be disgustingly wealthy, are bound to be up to no good on a daily basis. So forgive me if I can't hold my tongue and have to point out, much to my partner's dismay, Mr. Gato is NOT someone to be trifled with. Thus I am forced to sit on the outside of his meeting with the troll, casually picking at my nails. The door to the room opens, Haku, my lovely lovely Haku, steps out.
"We are taking the deal," he says softly. I sigh,
"This is the wrong move, Haku, you know it too." His assuring smile worries me.
"This is what Zabuza-sama wants, I'm sure it will work out in the end," Haku is such an optimist, makes me sick sometimes. Haku steps aside as Zabuza steps out of the room as well, instantly locking on to my gaze.
"What?" I say cautiously, as he approaches me, instinctively I step back as he comes closer. And when he's only mere inches from me, a large hand hastily grasps my neck, his fingers threatening to tighten if I dared to move.
"What have I told you about spouting unnecessarily," he growls, his eyes growing dimmer as his anger rises. As much as I want to protest I know it's futile. I remain silent, awaiting him to release his hold. He glares at me for a few minutes, attempting to see me cave in fear; I've been immune to his dark ways and stopped fearing him years ago. He lets me go, his eyes remaining on mine,
"I don't doubt you Momochi, I just think getting into business with this guy is a really bad move. You know what he does to people; you know what he can do. He doesn't care about anything but money." I explain uselessly. I already knew once Zabuza had his mindset there is no turning back, but that never stopped me from speaking my mind.
"If that is how you put it, then Gato and I are quite similar," he says and steps past me walking down the long corridor that would lead outside of this building. I stay in place, wondering why I still follow that guy around.
'You care about him,' my conscious says, causing me to roll my eyes. He obviously doesn't give two shits about me,
'Now you know that's not true, you shouldn't take what he says seriously,' but how could I not. Zabuza is practically the god of serious. Ever since we were children there were very rare moments when he would joke around.
"Momoka-san" Haku calls out,
"We should go,"
xxxx
We stay at a hot springs hotel not too far from Gato's headquarters. We would've ended up somewhere much worse and low key, but I insisted-a.k.a nagged Zabuza to death-that we stay somewhere nicer. The hotel is obscured from view by tall thick and leafy trees, so unless you went looking for it, this place would not be easy to spot. So I allow myself to relax, letting my guard slip fifty percent, as I soak in steaming hot water. I hadn't been to these kinds of places in years.
"Momoka-san," I look to Haku who has on a cute dark rose kimono that really brought out his porcelain skin. I wonder, every now and then, if I poked him hard enough-cause I love to poke Haku-would he break? The boy looks like he could crumble any moment, but I knew this whole dollish appearance was a ruse. When he put his battle mask on, he nearly becomes a whole other person.
"What's up Sweetie pea," I say and smirk as his cheeks turn a fading pink from being called his nickname.
"I'm going to bed now,"
"Good night then," he nods and leaves me to myself. I lye against the side of the wide pool, closing my eyes to doze off; I was almost asleep, until the ripples in the water lapping against my skin suggest that another has joined me.
I peek through my eyelids and watch Zabuza recline into the hot water. I take the moment to look over his exterior. His hair is still short, and less messy than a few decades ago. His facial structure had gone from a babyish round to masculine sculpted. Throughout the years his skin has grown darker, though he's still lighter than me. His body is quite huge, and he spends a bunch of time each day simply toning and maintaining his muscles. Every day he is in zenith shape, and he has to be; any moment someone could try to take his life-due to him being a missing nin and all. His eyes catch my form, though a majority of it is hidden by water.
"Like what you see?" I convey completely opening my eyes. He smirks, showing a glimpse of his shark like teeth-which he usually hides by wearing a tourniquet over his mouth and nose.
"You've forgiven me already, Himura? No pouting or whining or ignoring me for days," he says mockingly, knowing full damn well I stopped that bullshit years ago. As a teenager I was very sensitive and emotional-it still surprises me that he hadn't killed me back then cause I was incredibly, cringingly, annoying. Now it doesn't matter how much of a douche he's being, I've already given him too much of me and I am fully prepared to follow him to hell-if it comes to that.
"It doesn't matter what you do, Momochi…I'll always forgive you," I say tenderly.
"Why?" he questions. I smile and close my eyes,
"I'll tell you in another life," because this life is too atrocious for such feelings to exist.
xxxx
"Wait, so, Haku gets his own room and we have to share? Why can't guys be in one room and I get to be all by myself? What makes you think I want to share with you?" I complain, adding to his agitation.
"Shut up woman and get in the room," Zabuza retorts pushing me into the room we're meant to be in…alone…a man and a woman…I see a rather large pallet on the wooden floor and search the room for another, and adding to my horror there truly is only one. Even though I've forgiven him man handling me earlier I still didn't want to be in the same vicinity as him-much less share a bed with him right now.
"You'd better not try anything or I'll stab you," I declare clearly. He chuckles, in that deep tone I absolutely love, and comes closer to me staring down at me like I'm some kind of small animal. A thumb strokes my cheek gently, as his eyes increasingly haze.
"I'm not joking," I say, becoming a bit breathless as his thumb traces my lips.
"Of course your not, Momosa," just hearing that nickname, a title I hadn't heard for so long, made me lose my wits. And as his lips clasp onto mine I could only give in to him entirely.