"Haku."

"Zabuza-san." I replied, looking to my bandaged faced companion as he watched the missing-nins disappear into the forest around us. I would do anything he asked of me.

He looked down at me as we stood side by side, "We move in an hour."

I nodded, "Yes, Zabuza-san."

I could see the fierce grin through the bandages covering his mouth, the slight twitch of the fabric. I had learned so well to read his many expressions, though I was the only one who could see the differences in him. That was my job; I had to know everything about Zabuza-san in order to help him reach his dreams.

"We will travel together, but separate when the hunter-nins get near us. It would best suit our advantage to let them to believe you are attacking me as one of them initially, wouldn't it?" Zabuza-san said to me.

He did not truly want my input, he had already made up his mind, but that was fine with me because all I needed was to protect him. Zabuza-san could make the decisions and I would follow him wherever he led me. I was his loyal weapon.

"It sounds like a plan Zabuza-san." I said, happy that we would once again be on the move together, fighting together, accomplishing his dream together. I would one day destroy the hidden mist village for Zabuza-san and he would have his revenge.

We left our post in the forest where we had met the missing-nins that were employing us to take out the hunter-nins that were after them. The hunter-nins would catch up to us at the pace we were setting, which was what Zabuza-san wanted. His plan would unfold as soon as they got close enough.

A small part of me worried, if we killed hunter-nins they would come after us also. I knew though, that while we were not wanted criminals yet, any ninja from the villages that happened upon the two of us and recognized Zabuza-san would attack. Then I would kill them to protect him. The hunter-nins would be sent after us if we attacked other hunter-nin. We would just forge a life of killing ANBU forces after this job.

"Zabuza-san." I spoke very quietly, carefully, knowing I was treading into dangerous territory. I only wanted to protect Zabuza-san.

"Yes, Haku?"

I cleared my throat, unsure if my decision to venture this way was wise, but I couldn't not say something, "Zabuza-san," I paused, knowing that I had to word it very carefully, "The hunter-nins may come after us if we kill them." No disagreement, just stating fact, a fact he must already know, but I had to make him really see it. Although I knew that Zabuza-san would make the right decision. He always made the right decisions.

A small chuckle escaped from Zabuza-san's mouth, and his dark eyes met mine as we moved, "Haku, you are my weapon. You will be my tool, will you not?"

My eyes widened behind my mask, does Zabuza-san doubt me? "Yes Zabuza-san! I am yours to use."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and nodded, "Good. As long as I have you by my side, I will never worry about hunter-nins pursuing us. I know you can handle them."

I nodded with him. I could kill anyone who wanted to harm Zabuza-san. He needed to live to fulfill his dream, and I would live to be right beside him to help him fulfill it. We only needed to bide our time, and one day Zabuza-san would have his revenge. Then he could be truly happy.

After a few moments of traveling in silence, he spoke to me again, "Haku, they will be in range within the next hour. Be ready."

"Yes, Zabuza-san." I looked forward to being able to battle at Zabuza-san's side again. Our lull had been too long this time, this job would be refreshing.