Author's Note: Stuck on "A Fox and a Shark Walk into a Bar," so I'm working on this instead.

It wasn't until he had to squint to be able to see his apprentice that Zabuza realized what time it was. They had been training since early morning, only taking a short break for lunch, as they usually did every day, but usually Haku's fatigue stopped them long before sunset. Not so, now. The young boy had been perfecting his throwing form for hours, but his focus was, if anything, sharper then it had been when he started.

"Haku."

There was no pause in the quiet thunk of shuriken hitting cedar wood.

"Haku!"

His apprentice faltered, one of his throwing stars flying off into the dark undergrowth as he turned towards his teacher. "Zabuza-san?"

"It is time we returned."

The boy nodded in acquiescence, as he always did to whatever Zabuza suggested, and ran towards the human-like target where his shuriken were embedded. After collecting them and carefully storing them in his side pouch, he started towards the forest where his last was likely buried.

"Haku, forget about it."

"But, Zabuza-san. . ."

"You will never find it in the dark. You can look for your shuriken in the morning."

Slight hesitance. Such an edict went against what Zabuza had taught his young apprentice about the care of weaponry, and Haku took all such lessons to heart. He was hard pressed to go against one, even at his teacher's order.

"Haku, some weapons are more important then others. A shuriken can be wiped free of rust, but if you become ill, you will be of no use to me for days." It was a legitimate concern. They were at the beginnings of winter, and snow already lightly dusted the ground. Both Zabuza and his apprentice were dressed for training, but not for the cold.

At Zabuza's words, Haku smiled, as he always did whenever his value to his teacher was mentioned. It was as common and predictable as the boy's obedience, but Zabuza couldn't help but always smile back. The darkness hid it as effectively as his bandages ever did, which is the only reason he didn't bother to restrain the response. Encouraging sentimentality never ended well. Not when you trying to train a killer of men.

"My apologies, Zabuza-san. I was not thinking."

"Forget about it, Haku."

----

"So what are you getting Haku for his birthday?"

Pausing momentarily in the cleaning of his sword, Zabuza looked blankly at the ANBU captain. "Haku doesn't have a birthday."

"Zabuza, please don't shame your old mentor and act like an idiot. The boy is human, after all, therefore one can surmise he was born. Thus, he has a birthday."

"He's never mentioned anything about his birthday being around this time."

Nami raised one eyebrow. "And why would he? In case you didn't notice, Zabuza-kun, Haku worships the ground you walk on. You never speak of birthdays, so the boy most likely assumes that such a childish thing doesn't matter."

"It doesn't."

The female ANBU smirked. "Tell that to the brownies I gave to Kisame for his thirteenth birthday. How long did they last? An hour?"

"You give him brownies every year."

"And every year I ask you what you want on your birthday and you say that your day of birth is nothing to celebrate. Just because you're morbid doesn't mean you have to pass on your tendencies to your apprentice."

"I have two months before I return to my ANBU duties and Haku must accompany me. If he is to last through the experience, we cannot take time out of his training to satisfy your every whim, Nami."

"Just give him something to commemorate the fact that he survived long enough for you to find him, then. Even you can't find anything wrong with that. The kid probably doesn't remember when his birthday is anyway, though I bet you a week's wages he was born in winter. He seems the type."

Zabuza sighed in irritation. "Fine. Just stop bothering me."

The ANBU captain didn't move.

"Nami, what are you still doing here?"

"What are you getting him?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because you've never given anyone a present in your life. I can't imagine you're very good at it."

"I'll buy him a new set of kunai. Will you please go away now?"

"No good."

Zabuza glared angrily at his sword, since he didn't dare glare at Nami. Good tempered the hira-tsukuri (1) wielder may have been, but her anger often flashed hot and lethal. He breathed in quietly through his nose before responding. "Why not?"

"Haku is going to be seven. You don't give a child throwing knives for his birthday."

"I received arm guards. Kisame was presented with that ungodly heavy blade he carries around. What do you mean, children aren't given weapons? You're the only person I know who doesn't give weapons, Nami."

"He wants a rabbit."

Zabuza. . . blinked. "A what?"

"Haku wants a rabbit. Even you couldn't have helped but notice the way he stares at the snow hares every spare moment he gets."

"That's because he likes to kill them for lunch."

"No, that what's he does to them when he catches you watching because he doesn't want to disappoint you. Haku isn't stupid, Zabuza-kun. He knows you disapprove of anything that isn't capable of killing things in some way or another."

"Haku doesn't have time to take care of a rabbit."

"A rabbit isn't a dog, Zabuza. You feed them and that's it. Let the kid have a childhood. It isn't like he's ever had much of one."

"Haku is a shinobi."

"Haku is a child, and if you are having so much trouble comprehending that, take this as an order from a superior. Get him a rabbit."

"Fine."

"By next week."

"Fine."

"A white one."

Zabuza hissed vehemently through his teeth. "Are you sure you didn't teach Kisame at some point? You're as irritating as he is."

Nami flashed the younger jounin a bright smile, knowing resigned agreement when she heard it. "Haku will love it, Zabuza-kun. Trust me."

----

The small boy stared at the small white rabbit. Through the weave of the basket, the rabbit stared back. Haku glanced inquiringly up at his teacher. "Zabuza-san, why is lunch in a cage?"

Zabuza rolled his eyes. Trust a child as intelligent but, in the end, single-minded as Haku to so quickly translate 'rabbit' into 'food.'

"This isn't lunch, Haku. It's yours."

The boy once again looked the rabbit, confused. "Mine?"

"It's supposed to be kept as a pet."

"So I don't have to eat it?" Haku sounded hopeful. Zabuza mentally scored another one for Nami. His apprentice truly didn't like to eat rabbits. Trust the self-appointed mother of the ANBU corps to notice such a thing.

"No, you don't."

The boy's eyes went wide, and he quickly knelt by the basket. It was with shaking hands that Haku slipped the latch holding the small animal captive. Said small animal quickly jumped out, but Haku was in the way, and the white rabbit subsequently leapt straight into Haku's arms. The creature had evidently been seeking a warm and safe hideaway, and finding both in the grasp of the small boy, the rabbit immediately went to sleep. Haku stared in wonder down at his small charge, before a wide grin, so unlike the quiet smiles that were the child's habit, spread across his face. He hugged the animal close to him.

"Thank you, Zabuza-san. Thank you very, very much."

Score two for Nami. Damn the woman was good.

Zabuza really couldn't have cared less about his apprentice's new pet, but he still felt obliged to ask. "Have you decided on a name, Haku?"

The small boy thought for a moment, before nodding his head in a gesture of firm decision. "Mister Fluffers."

Damn it, not good. How in hell was Haku ever going to be taken seriously as a shinobi when he had an animal with a name like that? Perhaps it would have been wise to follow Kisame's suggestion and give the kid a fishing pole. At least then he would still be killing things.

But looking down at Haku and the joy that showed on the child's face whenever he looked at his newly christened pet, Zabuza couldn't find it within himself to be very regretful.

(1) Hira-tsukuri: A Japanese straight sword