Konnichi wa!
Wah! I love this flashback! Hurry! Read it read it read it!
-runs away so she doesn't use up any more time-
READ IT!
Oh!
Please?
Promises Not Made are Promises Never Kept
Flashback Three – Smile
When Sasuke awoke again, it was dark. Shifting slightly, he turned over on his other side and looked out the window. A powerful tremor ran through his frame, and he shuddered, burrowing himself deeper into the blankets.
Ugh – what TIME is it?
By the soft noises coming from the next room, Haku and Zabuza were still asleep. For a while, Sasuke merely looked out the window above the sink, watching the snow gently drift downwards past the glass.
Eventually, the soft breathing of the two in the next room soothed him to sleep again.
It was dark. Horribly, horribly, painfully dark and he hated it.
What on earth is going on?
It was then he heard soft gasping coming from right in front of him, and he took a step forward.
What the…?
As soon as he took that step, the darkness seemed to lift, and he saw a VERY familiar door about twenty feet ahead of him. His eyes widened.
No – it can't be!
He found himself walking towards the door, his footfalls soft against the dark floor. With all his will, he tried to fight against his feet.
No – I don't want to see this!
But his body was out of his control, and his feet carried him until he was within a foot of the door.
No – this already happened! This can't be real!
Slowly, his hand reached up and grabbed the edge of the sliding door, pushing it to the side and revealing the next room. All this time his mind was screaming at his hand to stop.
I DON'T WANT THIS!
Two people were tied together – back to back – in the middle of the floor and bodies limp – as if they were under some sort of spell.
He tried to run – tried to make his body turn and force his legs to carry him away as fast as possible – but his will had no effect on his limbs, and he found himself walking forward.
"No," he heard himself say. "No – what's going on?"
Please God – stop!
A man was standing behind the two – facing him. His face however, was hidden in shadow, and all he could recognize was the steel armor of the Anbu uniform.
"Stop! What're you doing?"
This is a dream – it HAS to be! This already happened, damn it all –
The other didn't answer, lifting up a thin blade and tilting it back – as if he intended to chop off the two people's heads.
His eyes widened.
"No – STOP!"
A cruel, cold voice cut through the air.
"This is all for you."
He leaped forward.
"NO!"
The sword swung down.
"STOP!"
No – not again!
Blood splattered, and the hot copper hit his face as the man slammed a knee into his stomach, making him fall to the floor with a grunt.
As he sat up, he raised his eyes in time to see one of the heads roll to face him, the eyes dull.
His own eyes widened as it felt like his heart had been dropped into his feet and cold water rushed over his entire being.
Oh GOD no…
The head bore Haku's face.
"
With a yell, he fell to the floor with a loud 'thump', the blankets entangling him and making him thrash.
There was suddenly commotion all around him, and he refused to open his eyes, knowing that if he did he would see the white walls in the hospital room and the IV drip in his arm and the doctor there to tell him that they were dead.
No – I can't accept that!
Arms were around him – arms tried to detangle him from the heavy blankets – but he fought against those too refusing to open his eyes – knowing he'd see white.
"Dearheart!" A very familiar voice called to him – as if from far away. "Dearheart, please – wake up! It's okay! Please – wake up! DEARHEART!"
Wait, dearheart? But that was what…
It can't be. I thought he was…
"Dearheart – please! Wake up!" It sounded like the other was crying, and he felt arms try to embrace him again, the smell of crisp, clean rain engulfing him.
Oh my God. There's no way…
"DEARHEART!"
Unable to believe it, his eyes snapped open.
The first thing he saw wasn't white – but deep brown eyes, made crystalline by tears. His head was resting in the other's lap, the other's hands on his face, gently holding his cheeks.
It took two tears to fall onto his face before he realized that the other was okay.
Before anyone could say anything, Sasuke was up and wrapping his arms around the other, burying his head into the other's neck as his shoulders began to shake.
Numbly, Haku returned the embrace, and gave Zabuza a concerned glance as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The assassin shrugged – he was as befuddled as his smaller charge.
It took a moment for Haku to realize Sasuke was murmuring something into his throat. Haku blinked and listened more attentively when the smaller repeated it.
"I don't know what I would do…" he mumbled, tightening his grip around the older boy as if he were the most precious person in the world. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you too."
Understanding passed across Haku's face, and he gave a small smile, wrapping his arms more fully around the younger boy.
"It's okay, dearheat," he murmured into the other's ear. "It's okay – I'm here for you – I'm here. I'm okay."
I'm not going to die on you.
After a few shaky breaths, the trembling in Sasuke's shoulders stilled, and Haku allowed him to stay in the embrace, running his fingers soothingly over the other's tense back.
"Just sleep, my dear," he breathed to the other. "Sleep and be at ease."
I'll be here when you wake up.
In a few minutes, Sasuke's breathing had slowed, and Haku shifted him slightly to see the other's young face creaseless.
Zabuza shook his head distastefully.
"So that's all it was, then?" He asked, careful not to wake his smallest charge. "Just a bad dream?"
Haku looked down at Sasuke's face and a small smile appeared on his lips. He let his head fall and nuzzled the Uchiha's black hair affectionately.
"He's just a child, Zabuza," he reminded the assassin after a moment. "Bad dreams happen."
"It wasn't a dream – it was more like a nightmare," Zabuza commented, correcting himself. "I've never seen a child thrash like that before – he was in complete panic."
Haku nodded, fighting the pleased smile that wanted to shape his lips.
"Yes – he was."
Zabuza raised an eyebrow at him – he knew Haku knew something that he wasn't telling his older companion.
"Any ideas why?"
This time, Haku couldn't stop the pleased, embarrassed smile that controlled his face, and it felt like a sun had burst in his stomach as he repeated Sasuke's words in his mind.
"Because. He was worried about me."
Zabuza's eyes widened.
"You mean…?"
Haku nodded.
"Yes," he confirmed softly, running soothing fingers through Sasuke's hair. "He had a dream that I had died."
"And it affected him that much?" Zabuza asked. "After only four weeks? There's no way!"
Haku gave a soft, commenting 'hmmm…' at Zabuza's words, but said nothing more, gazing lovingly down at the boy in his arms, eyes shining.
"Come, Zabuza-san," he lifted his eyes to look at the other. "Let's put him to bed."
After a moment of merely surveying the two on the floor – as if wondering what on earth he was going to do with the pair – Zabuza shifted and kneeled down in front of Haku, sliding his arms beneath the smallest of the three and attempting to lift him up.
His attempt was thwarted, however, when Sasuke unconsciously tightened his grip around Haku's chest, refusing to let the older boy go.
Zabuza glared at him – annoyed – as Haku fought from giggling.
"Damn stubborn kid!" He hissed, attempting to lift him up again only to have Sasuke's hold on Haku tighten once more.
Fighting against laughter, Haku ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair.
"Come now, little one," he breathed to the other. "We're putting you to bed – don't worry – I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right by your side – I promise."
He kissed the other's forehead – right on his left temple.
I'm not going to leave you.
After a moment, Sasuke's hold loosened, and the sleeping boy allowed himself to be lifted up, cradled protectively in Zabuza's powerful arms.
"C'mon," he told Haku. "Put him in the bed with you. I'll take the couch. I don't think even a sleeping boy will let you out of his sight."
Haku gave Zabuza a small smile and nodded.
Silently, the two went into the other room, and Zabuza set the child gently on the bed after Haku had pulled back the covers, unconsciously brushing a few stray hairs out of the boy's sleeping face – a motion that Haku didn't miss.
"Don't have any more bad dreams, brat," Zabuza told the sleeping boy before he left the bedside. "I don't wanna wake up in the middle of the night for you again!"
I don't wanna wake up in the middle of the night worried because something might have happened to you!
Haku caught the hidden message not even Zabuza was aware of and smiled.
"Good night, Zabuza-san," he breathed softly. The assassin nodded to him.
"See you in the morning, Haku." With that, the door clicked shut.
Still smiling, Haku quietly pulled up a chair right next to Sasuke, and absentmindedly trailed his fingers down the other's pale arm as he thought.
Dear one, you were really worried about me?
Even then it was hard to believe. The sun rose in Haku's stomach again, letting his smile widen.
Haku's fingers reached the back of the boy's hand and down his fingers, and the hand waited until he was just about to pull away completely before reaching out and gripping the hand, pressing the fingers together.
Blinking, Haku watched as the hand pulled his own back down, and his eyes widened in understanding. Then they narrowed as warmth filled them.
Softly, he shifted his hand until his fingers were laced – comforting and warm – in Sasuke's own.
Glancing up at Sasuke's face, Haku was just in time to catch the soft, relieved smile.
That expression only made Haku smile too, feeling as if he was about to burst from pride and happiness.
He's finally learning to accept us – accept ME.
His fingers tightened around Sasuke's own.
Dearheart, I was worried about you too.
The smile never left Sasuke's face.
Flashback Three – Smile
YAY! YOU READ IT! –cheers-
I love this flashback! I think this is like – my favorite one to date! Even though there are only two others besides this…
OH WELL!
I hope you guys liked it!
And only four more reviews on Treacherous Heart and we get 500! (as of right now, on July 19, 2007 at 5:00 p.m.!) KYAH! I'M SO EXCITED! ONLY 500 MORE TO GO! 1,000, HERE I COME!
Teehee – what can I say? I've got high hopes… :D
Review?
Ja ne!
DDB
