Hi everyone! This is COSMOLOID and I'm here with a new story! my other story is going to be discontinued, and promptly deleted... But I hope this one is much better! :) It's a HakuXZabuza story, just because I love the pairing so much! I use the line breaks mainly to switch POV's, but I'll warn you beforehand if I don't. So no worries! Please enjoy the story~

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THEY ALL BELONG TO MASASHI KISHIMOTO.

"Thank you very much! Please come again!"

The woman called, while waving me off. Finding that I wasn't in the mood to really give her a proper goodbye, I just looked over my shoulder, and gave her a half smile, and walked the normal fifteen blocks to the bus stop. I sat down, albeit reluctantly, on the filthy bench when I arrived at the bus stop. Just thinking about all the germs that are on this very bench… it gives me chills just to think about it.

Oh, I'm sorry. You must not know who I am. My name is Haku. I'm sixteen years old, and I just transferred into Konoha High School. I have long, silky black hair that ends at the small of my back, fair skin, brown eyes, and yes, although I do look like a girl, I assure you, I am most definitely a boy. I have a huge problem with germs, and if I don't get away from the area immediately, I start to clean like there's no tomorrow. At least, I used to. Now, if I am in such a situation, I can patiently wait until I get home. However, once I am inside, all hell breaks loose.

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and I check my watch. It's almost ten-thirty. That means that the nine-o'clock bus is seriously late. Having no ride home, I have no choice but to wait it out. I look over to the small bag that I just left with, and pick it up. Looking inside, I carefully make sure that my "little buddy" is still alive. You see, I really like fish. It's just so interesting that there are so many shapes, sizes and colors of them out there. I was happy that he was still very much alive. It all started when I was little. Back then, I was picked on even more severely because of my feminine looks. I didn't have any friends, so I decided to replace the loneliness I felt with a pet. Immediately after I walked into the pet store, my eyes widened in joy. There were so many animals to choose from! Guinea pigs, snakes, lizards, birds, and even frogs all together and looking their best. However, as fascinating as those animals were, I had no interest in buying one. Tugging on my mother's long coat, we walked to the back of the store. I started to smile widely as I saw a rainbow of fish in beautiful looking tanks. I was practically jumping up and down in excitement telling my mother I wanted a fish. She smiled kindly at me and bought me a beautiful looking calico fantail. It looked short and fat, but that also made it look very pretty, in my eyes. The fish had black, orange, and even a little bit of brown splotched all over it, and the rest of its body was colored in the purest white I had ever seen. Mother told me that fantail fish were very lucky in our family, so that's why she bought me one. When we got back to our home and put the little fish in his new home, that fish and I immediately became the best of friends. It seems that every time I would giggle at it, it would swim around in circles, as if it was happy. I then remembered that it didn't have a name. I was never good with coming up with names anyway. After racking my brains for a couple of hours, I decided that I would name it Ai. It meant love, and once, my mother told me that if I hadn't been a boy, she would have named me Ai instead. So, it was like the little girl that my Mother was never able to have lived on with this little calico. I remember distinctly calling the cute little thing by its new name, and it was doing flips, it was so happy. I giggled at it again and hugged the fishbowl it was in. Smiling to myself as I reminisced, I placed my new friend's small bag into the slightly larger one that came from the pet store. While doing that, I noticed that the bus driver finally decided to get his ass over to the bus stop. I couldn't help but scowl at the man, and he even had the balls to chuckle at me! The nerve of the guy…!

"Sorry, I was late, Miss…" The man apologized, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

It was then I realized that I couldn't see his mouth! He had some sort of mask covering it. Maybe he was in an accident…

"Sorry, but I'm actually a guy…" I said, expecting to see him do a double take. I wasn't expecting the reaction I got, however.

The man's reaction was only a slight widening of his eyes, but that immediately turned into a smile. Well, his eyes crinkled upwards, so I guess it was a smile.

"I see… I'm sorry then, Sir." The man then said. Something about the emphasis he put on the 'sir' really irked me for some reason. Was it just my imagination, or did he really not believe that I was a boy? This guy was quickly getting on my bad side…

Picking up my bags, I got on the bus. I wasn't surprised that I was the only one on. After all, it must be nearing midnight by now! But why… why was this man still driving?

"Thank you for the ride… I really appreciate it…" I say, looking down. I feel my cheeks grow warm. I can't help it! I just suddenly lost my nerve to talk with confidence.

"No problem. I was actually just going to bring this back to the parking lot where all the other buses are." He stated calmly, his eyes seeming to bore through my soul.

"Oh! I'm sorry… I must be making you work overtime… I can just walk; I must be a huge bother…" I say, my face getting even hotter. God, why can't I just disappear right now? How is it that this dark-haired man can make me so mad one minute, and them make me want to cry in embarrassment the next, and not even bat an eye? What kind of spell is he casting on me?

"No, it's not a big deal… besides, I can't just let a pretty girl like yourself walk around in the dark; you might just get snatched up by a pervert." He stated, winking at me. With a newly formed scowl, and a huge blush on my cheeks, I glare at him as menacingly as I can. Did he really just call me a girl… again?! What is with this guy?! Maybe I should just cut my hair…

"Hey, no need to give me that look! I'm just trying to be a gentleman…" He said, amusement clearly in his voice.

Sighing in annoyance, I flip my hair, a habit have when I get pissed. "Whatever…" I say, and sit in the front. I may be mad at him, but I can't help but at least give the guy some company, no matter how bad I want to smash my foot in his handsome face. Wait… what was that last part?! I did not just think he was handsome… did I? No, I don't think so.

"…And we're off!" He said, closing the doors, and stepping on the gas. Closing my eyes, I quickly feel drowsy. Before I know it, I'm out like a light.

Zabuza

That kid is awfully quiet back there… I wonder if he's alright. Looking back when I stop at a red light, I see the cutest sight I've ever seen. The kid had fallen asleep! His head had lolled to the side, forehead resting against the window. His lips were slightly parted, making him look even more kissable. He does look at peace, and for some reason, I wanted to see more of it. What is this strange feeling in my chest? It doesn't hurt, but it feels…strange.

The light turns green, and I ease onto the gas. I didn't want to wake the poor kid up, as strange as that sounds for a bus driver to say. I mean, sure, I've seen some people fall asleep on the bus, but normally, I didn't care one way or another if I woke them up with the bus's sudden stopping and starting. But with this kid, it just felt wrong.

We finally reach the next bus stop, and I knew what that meant. I had to wake the poor lad up. I really didn't want to, either.

"Hey, kid… Uh, we're at your stop. So… I guess it's time to wake up." I say, half hoping he didn't hear me.

…But it was not to be.

The kid moaned a little, and his beautiful brown eyes slowly opened. He lifted his head, and looked around.

Cute. I couldn't help but think, and I slowly opened the doors to the bus.

"Thank you…" he said, voice still laced with sleep. This kid was really making it hard not to get up and hug him tight to my chest. Seriously, what is with this weird feeling I have when I'm around him?

"No problem," I say, smiling as he got off with his little bag. "And by the way, I know you're a guy." I laugh somewhat darkly at this, and watch as his mouth flops open and closed, just like a fish. He tried to glare at me, but it looked more like a pout, mainly because his bottom lip poked out, and his cheeks puffed out a little.

Cute. I think again, and chuckle. "I'll see you again, I presume? Be careful getting home, kid." I say, and give him a smile. Not that he could see it, anyway.

"Haku," he says softly, almost a whisper. "My name is Haku…"

"Nice name kid. I'll try and remember that, Haku." I say, intentionally putting emphasis on his name, and watching his face light up like a Christmas tree. Without waiting for a reply, because I was afraid that I would do something I would regret to him, I closed the bus doors and drove off.

Haku.

Haku.

Haku.

His name is Haku.

…Looks like I'm not going to get much sleep tonight.

A/N: And that's the end! So please review, and let me know what you think! Should I continue with the story? Did I make any major mistakes? Come on~ you can tell me!

...Well that's all for now, guys. Bye!

~COSMOLOID