I love Haku. He is my third favorite character. This takes place before the met Naruto. Maybe a year before...?

Japanese guide:

-san: An informal but respectful horrific. Sometimes translated to Mr. or Ms.

-sama: a level above '-san'. It is uber respectful. It means that the speaker is less important than the spoken to.

Hai: Yes!

Mizukage: Like Hokage, but for Hiding-in-mist

...Okay... yeah, we're good!

"Z-Zabuza, sir!" Haku, Third book, Viz translation. (That might not be accurate, I'm to lazy to check right now.)

Haku walked through a, no, the forest clearing. The clearing, or as Zabuza liked to call it, 'Haku's Official Training Grounds', was covered in mist. Haku continued to walk. To the left, under a large willow, panting, was Momochi Zabuza.

"Momochi-san, let me dress your wounds." Haku bent down, bandages in hand.

"After training." said Zabuza, "And don't call me Momochi any more. The Mizukage used to call me that."

"Sorry, Zabuza-san."

Zabuza lifted a non-existent eyebrow, "Call me Zabuza-sama."

"Hai, Zabuza-sama" Haku nodded quickly.

"I was kidding! Geez!" Zabuza picked up his headband, which had fallen off during training, "Have a sense of humor, will you?"

Haku though of saying how Zabuza had said it very seriously, and it wasn't funny anyway. He decided against that line of action, "Sorry, Zabuza-san"

Zabuza had another idea, "You're annoying."

"So they tell me, Zabuza-san" Haku pulled off his mask. It was becoming hard to talk with it on. He thought about getting a new one. Or fixing the straps. Or something.

Zabuza starred pointedly at Haku.

Haku was confused. More to the point, he looked it.

"You where suppose to say something snotty to that, it was an insult, you know." Zabuza said.

"Um..." Haku racked his brain. What had he seen spoiled kids do? "Uh, Am not!" Haku paused, "You bastard!" He added for quick emphasis.

"We need to buy you a personality." Zabuza rolled his eyes.

Haku looked worried. And confused. Again.

"…?"

Haku continued to stare.

"...But that was a good try?" Zabuza looked bewildered.

Haku beamed, almost childishly.

"...Okay..." Zabuza nodded, "I'm gonna go train now." He jumped into a tree in a very ninja-like way.

Haku watched with admiration uncharacteristic to most assassins.

"...It takes," Zabuza pretended to count, "Two people to spar, Haku."

Haku noticed the lack of a horrific at the end of his name. He noticed, but did not care. He was overjoyed by the invitation.

Zabuza sighed. It was so easy to make this kid happy. The odd thing was, though, that Zabuza didn't feel like he was manipulating him any more.

Both of them started to spar with each other in the clearing, covered in mist.

I hope you like it. heh...written durring a thunder storm, just so you know. A thunder storm at 10:05 in the morning. Weird, huh?

Review or Haku will preform the Ninja-Shiatsu-Dance-Of-DEATH!