Chapter 4: More alike.

Normal POV

Naru bit her lip as she sat on her bed brushing her hair slowly before trying it into her braid and sighed, she smiled and pulled her jacket on but left it open, she slid her socks on and stood up. She walked out of the room since it was already 10:30, she found the team talking about the watch for Tazuna who was heading back to the bridge today. "Naru, good." Kakashi said, she paused. "I want you and Sakura to go with Tazuna today and watch him."

"Can't Sasuke go?" She asked.

"Why?" Kakashi asked giving her that sensei look, she sighed.

"I want to keep practicing."

"You've reached the top, why more?" Sasuke asked with a slight sneer.

"I want to get faster." She shrugged. "I'm going to go run and train." She said and walked out.

"Naru!" Kakashi barked and sighed rubbing his head.

"She's being very weird now." Sakura said.

"Alright Sakura, you go with Tazuna today." Kakashi said, she nodded.

"Alright then let's head out." Tazuna said standing up and gathered his supplies and they headed out.

Naru walked around the forest just in case the team or more importantly Kakashi was tailing her.

'Will he show up? Or was he ... no I don't believe Haku is like that.' Naru thought shaking her head and sighed. She walked to the dock and sat at the end with her feet hanging off the edge above the water, she looked out and sighed quietly. The minutes rolled by until it was noon, Naru bit her lip trying to ignore the evil voices in her head that Haku lied, she pulled her knee up and set her chin on her knee and looked at the water and mist rolling around.

After 15 minutes Naru felt her heart shatter, she stood up slowly and sighed slumping. 'I should of figured. No one wants a monster.' She thought and stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked down the dock heading to the forest.

"Naru!" She blinked and turned to see Haku running up with a basket. "I'm sorry!" He said stopping and panting harshly. "I'm sorry I'm late." He said, she blinked. "There was an incident with my friend. I'm sorry." He said. "Were you leaving?" He asked, she blinked and shifted, he sighed with a slight smile. "Naru, I meant what I said." He said, she blinked. "I wont leave you." He said, she smiled with a blush and nodded quickly. "Good! Now I want to take you to this special place okay?" He asked, she nodded and turned with him and walked, he grabbed her hand, she blushed looking at him, he smiled at her, she smiled a little and closed her hand on his. Haku led her through the woods behind the town. The trail started to tilt up, they climbed it and broke through the treeline, a hill was in front of them. "Look." He said and walked up to the top, Naru followed.

"Wow." She said, they looked at the view which was the whole town and Tazuna's bridge that was being built. "It's beautiful." She said, Haku nodded.

"I figured you'd like it." He said and sat down, Naru followed. "Did you have problems sneaking out?"

"No, they were trying to question me but." She shrugged.

"Well I do apologize for being so late. Like I said we had a visitor at our house and I couldn't leave my friend with him." Haku said looking down, Naru nodded her head.

"It's okay, at first I kinda thought. ... well ... anyways." She said. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah." He said. "Well sorta, thins are just getting complicated." He said, Naru smiled gently. "Here you go." He said. "I made different types of food." He said. "I also brought some amazing tea that I found at this port a while back and bought a bunch." He said and chuckled pulling out a big bottle and two cups, Naru chuckled. He poured her tea which was a light tan color, he picked his cup up and gestured, Naru followed and they took a drink, Naru moaned.

"This is amazing!" Naru said.

"Right!" Haku smiled. "It took one sip and I was hooked!" He said and chuckled. "It's Gyokuro." He said.

"It's amazing!" She said and took another drink, he chuckled and nodded.

"Okay let's see I made Fruits Sando, Katsu Sando, Taiyaki, and Dango." He said.

"It sounds great! I've never had fruits sando." She said, he handed her a half of one, she took and bite and moaned. "This is amazing." She said, he nodded his head eating the other half. "Did you make these?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "I learned to cook at a young age." He said, she nodded and took a drink. "So what do you like to do?" He asked.

"Well ... I like reading and learning new things like jutsu's and stuff." She said. "I also like to watch the stars at night." She said, he nodded. "You?"

"Hm, I like taking care of animals, going for walks and practicing." He said.

"Are you a ninja?" She asked.

"I've had the training." He shrugged. "But like I said, I'm not a huge fan of that." He said, she nodded. "Would you mind me asking ... how did you become a jinchuuriki?" He asked, Naru sighed.

"Well, from what I was told, the night I was born Kyuubi no Kitsune appeared and began to attack and the Yondaime Hokage sacrificed his life and sealed Kyuubi in me." She said. "That's what everyone is told, I feel like there is more to it, but I've let it go." She said.

"Really? You just let it go? I couldn't do that." He said.

"I think because of how I've been treated I'm kind of afraid to find out." She said. "So I remain ignorant about the whole thing." She said waving her hand, he nodded his head and sighed quietly, he looked at the town and saw some people being chased by some men.

"Gato." He sneered. "He's such a pain."

"It's messed up, I found out what he did, it's insane." She said.

"What?" Haku asked.

"Well, me and my team are guarding Tazuna while he works on the bridge." She said nodding her head in the direction. "Tazuna has a grandson who is very mean, hateful and bratty, but I found out why, his father was publicly executed in front of him." Naru said, Haku looked at her shocked. "He went against Gato, so he beat him until he couldn't fight then hung him in the town and killed him to crush their fighting spirit." Naru said. "I swear if I get my hands on that bastard I'll give him what for!" She said, Haku chuckled.

"He's a very sick, twisted man." Haku said shaking his head. "All he cares for his money and he doesn't care who he hurts to do so." Haku sighed.

"Okay, can I ask you something now?" Naru asked with a small smile, Haku blinked and nodded his head, she looked at the sky and sighed. "How is Zabuza feeling?" She asked, Haku looked at her shocked, she looked at him with a smile.

Haku POV

My heart skipped a beat as Naru asked me that. She knew? How long had she known?

"Wh...I..." I stuttered, she grinned at me. "How?" I managed.

"Yesterday, I have a highly sensitive nose and our hug, I smelled Zabuza on you." She said, I blinked. "So?" She asked.

"Are you mad?" I asked.

"No." She shook her head. "I understand, you're his guardian, but ... did you really mean what you said? Or were you just working me?" She asked, I blinked a few times.

"Naru, I meant what I said. I will admit when we first met I wasn't being real, but then I kept watching you and I realized how much we're alike and I couldn't fake it. I really like you Naru." I said, she blushed making me smile. She got flustered easily, she looked down and bit her lip.

"Well I ... I ... I like you..." She said quietly, I smiled at her and took her hand. "I'm actually glad we met." She said, I nodded my head.

"Me too." I said. "And you know I wont ... I mean... honestly we're planning to ..." I stopped and gestured.

"That makes me feel better, can I ask why not though?" She asked.

"Well with Zabuza-sama out of commission at the moment we can't, before Gato didn't trust us enough to let us close." I shrugged.

"What will you after I mean?" She asked.

"Zabuza said he wanted to go back to Kirigakure, but I'm not sure anymore. I would hope he would just let it go."

"Why stay? I mean if you don't want to be a ninja or..." She asked, I sighed.

"He saved my life, I know where you're coming from with being shunned, I'm from the Yuki clan." I said. "In my town we were feared, my mother was from the clan, she married a simple farmer and had me, but one day I discovered what I could do and before she could stop it my father saw it and turned us in." I said, she looked at me shocked. "He killed my mother and went to kill me, in fear my powers activated and I kill him and the others." I said looking at my hand. "I became a homeless orphan and was starving, on deaths doorstep." I said. "Zabuza found me and asked if I would come with him and serve him, he saved me." I said and sighed. "He said he wouldn't give me affection but he did. He's caring but he has a goal in mind and I swore to see it through." I said, Naru looked down. "I'm sorry Naru. But ... I don't think we can continue this." I said, she blinked. "We're enemies." I said. "I don't want you hurt or in trouble. I couldn't live with myself if I had to kill you." I said, she leaned in and kissed my cheek, I blushed.

"I don't care if I get in trouble, you said you meant what you said and so do I. And who knows maybe we can figure something out so we wont have to fight." She said, I blinked.

"You'd go that far?"

"Yes." She said, I smiled gently and nodded.

"Okay." I said, she smiled at me and looked out, I sighed quietly. I knew deep down it wasn't going to be that easy, Zabuza wasn't the kind to listen...

We sat on that hill for an hour longer before we went out separate ways, I headed back to our place that was hidden deep in the woods. I walked up the steps and walked into the house pulling my sandals off my feet and walking in, my snow rabbit began to squeak in his cage, I chuckled and pulled out a carrot and gave it to him and smiled as he happily munched the treat.

"Haku?" Zabuza's voice sounded I walked in and saw him sitting up in bed. "Where have you been?" He asked squinting, I sighed.

"Just out Zabuza." I said. "I have lunch are you hungry?" I asked walking up to him and producing the left over food from the picnic and setting it in his hand.

"You've been weird for a while Haku. What's going on?" He asked, I blinked.

"Nothing Zabuza, absolutely nothing." I said. "Eat, you need the nourishment." I said walking away from him, he hummed and began to eat. I walked out and breathed a sigh of relief before I smiled gently thinking about Naru. She was really sweet and it had been a long time since I had connected with someone like this. It was nice, but at the same time I'm worried if Zabuza finds out or gets better we'll have to fight and I'll have to help Zabuza it's my sworn duty to him. I sighed rubbing my head then my eyes, I wondered how Naru was doing with her team now.

Naru POV

I sighed in annoyance as I sat at the table in Tazuna's house later. "Where did you go?" Kakashi asked putting his hands on his hips giving me that 'sensei' stare.

"Out." I said.

"Not good enough." He said. "Now tell me where you were." He said, I sighed rolling my eyes.

"Why does it matter?" I asked him.

"Because I'm responsible for your safety. This mission is dangerous they know Konoha ninja's are guarding Tazuna, if you're going off all the time you could be wounded." He said. "Now where have you been?"

"Training!" I snapped.

"I've searched the woods and you've passed the tree climbing."

"Who said I was tree climbing!?" I said. "I know I've passed, geez! So what I wanted refine and better my skills!" I said standing. "I work alone because I'm use to it! You expect me to work with you guys perfectly well I'm not going to! I don't care who you are!" I yelled. "Just let it go! I come back everyday so what does it matter!?" I yelled and stormed past him and the shocked Tazuna, Sasuke and Sakura and slammed the bathroom door shut. I slid down the door and gripped my head.

"Just great Naru, now look what you've done." I muttered and sighed rubbing my head knowing meeting Haku was going to be that much more difficult.

Normal POV

The next day Naru was assigned alone to guard Tazuna for the day, she yawned as she walked with Tazuna to the bridge, she heard some rustling and looked around, she saw Haku who shrugged, she shook her head no, he nodded and disappeared, she sighed.

"So tell me, what's wrong with you?" Tazuna asked.

"What do you mean?" Naru asked.

"Well you seem to really hate the team." He said, she shrugged.

"They hate me, am I suppose to care for them?" She asked, he shrugged and nodded at the logic.

They arrived at the bridge and Naru sat to the side while Tazuna and his workers continued on the bridge. Naru looked around with a frown at the small amount of people there, Tazuna sighed wiping his head, she stood up catching his attention, she focused. "Tagu kage bunshin no jutsu!" She said, 50 clones stood there. "We're not professional builders but we can help." Naru said, Tazuna smiled and nodded and began to instruct her on what to do.

-o0o-

Haku POV

I walked back to the house after getting a 'no' from Naru, I put the food away and walked back into Zabuza's room, he looked at me.

"You're not disappearing for the day?" He asked.

"I don't disappear all day." I said, he snorted.

"It's either a girl or a boy, which?" He said, I blushed slightly. "Well it's someone." He said.

"It doesn't matter, it's not going to go far." I said sadly.

"Really?" He asked, I sighed and looked around.

"How are your wounds?" I asked changing the subject, he scoffed.

"They're infected, It's taking me longer to heal." He said.

"Perhaps we've pulled that move one too many times." I said, he huffed and laid down with a sigh. "I'll make you lunch." I said and walked out. Maybe I'd sneak out later to see Naru.

-o-o-

Naru POV

Tazuna and I headed back home earlier than normal since my clones sped up the building process. It saddened me to think we'd be going home soon, that would cut Haku and I's ... relationship? Thing ... whatever to nothing. It wasn't like I could travel to Waves everyday and back to Konoha, I'd really be pushing it then.

"You're home early." Tsunami said in shock the team looked at us.

"Yeah! Naru created clones and they sped up the process! We got done faster than normal!" Tazuna said happily, I smirked and sighed. It sounded easy but I was tired, I walked back to the bathroom and washed my face, I heard a clink on the window, I opened it and grunted as a senbon came flying in, it stuck in the wall with a paper, I grabbed it and opened it quickly.

Meet me at the hill? Watch the sunset? -Haku.

I smiled with a blush and looked out the window, I couldn't see him, I gave a thumbs up hoping he could see it, I pocketed the senbon and note and walked into the bedroom and pulled my sweat drenched shirt. "Naru." I yelped turning and saw Kakashi there, I covered myself and glared.

"Knock!?" I snipped, he sighed and covered his eye, I yanked my dirty shirt back on and sighed, he looked, I sighed. "What?" I asked.

"I wanna thank you for helping Tazuna, using your clones and such." He said, I blinked. "It was a brilliant idea." He said, I nodded.

"Okay." I said, he nodded and walked out, I sighed and quickly changed before I made a clone take my place while I slipped out the window and took off into the woods.

"Haku?" I called quietly, he jumped down and smiled, I grinned back and we snuck off to the hill.

"So I came up with a name for this place, kind of a code." Haku said, I looked at him taking a drink.

"Raifubyū." He said, I smiled and nodded.

"I like it!" I smiled, he chuckled and held out some food, I smiled and took a bite. "So how is Zabuza doing?"

"Being nosy, and wont listen to me. His wounds are infected." He sighed. "I have to figure out some herbs that can -"

"Well..." I interrupted, he blinked. "I could take a look at him."

"Hm?"

"I've been gifted at healing, fast healing myself and a gift at healing others." I shrugged. "I could look at his wounds ... just so long as I'd be promised that he wont kill me right after." I chuckled, Haku sighed with a cringe.

"I'm not sure." He chuckled, I giggled.

"Well, talk to him and if he will ... I will be willing to check him out." I smiled.

"Thanks Naru." He said, I smiled at him and nodded.

"Thank you." I smiled.