The flashbacks of this story just keep getting fluffier and fluffier. I love it. *heart*
Also, shameless advertising here, but I wrote another one shot called Machine Gun. It's pretty awesome. It's centered around Sasuke (of course) so please feel free to go read and review! :3
In the meantime, enjoy this update!
Promises Not Made are Promises Never Kept
Flashback Eight - Adore
"That was..."
Zabuza was patched up, healed as best as Haku could manage, and was carted off to the makeshift cabin they called home. There were a lot of these forgotten houses in the Land of Water.
"That was..."
Zabuza was put into bed, doctored on some more, and when he had recovered enough to sit up straight Haku fed him a warm soup that he and Sasuke had put together while the older man had slept, feeding him spoonful by spoonful. Sasuke was asleep on the floor, tuckered out.
"That was..."
And they couldn't stop talking about it.
"That was amazing."
Haku smiled as Zabuza spoke, his voice gruff.
"I have been repeating that to myself ever since it happened," Haku replied, continuing to feed Zabuza, seeing as how the man still couldn't lift his arms. "It was incredible. You were right to take him on, Zabuza. He's wonderful."
"That was the Sharingan, Haku," Zabuza stated, not listening. Haku shook his head pleasantly. "That was the Sharingan. His bloodline. Do you realize how much more valuable he just became to us? How much more of an asset?"
Haku was quiet for a moment. Then, putting down the bowl, he sat on the bed next to Zabuza.
"Zabuza, I've been meaning to ask you," he began. "Do you think this life is good for him? Do you think we can teach him all he needs to know about life, about living, about being a ninja? Do you think we can do that for him?"
Zabuza gave him a 'watch-yourself' stare - one that Haku knew all too well.
"What are you getting at, Haku?"
The boy sighed.
"I don't like the fact that we basically forced him to become a fugitive of his own country a year ago," he finally stated, coming out with the one thing that was bothering him this entire time. "I adore the boy, make no mistake. I'm so, so happy we have him. But constantly running and constantly living in fear is not what he needs."
"And being abandoned also isn't what he needs, Haku," Zabuza snapped, disliking the conversation entirely. "I don't regret my decision to bring him along. Despite all the fucking pain he's caused us-"
"You adore him too, don't you Zabuza?"
He huffed.
"Me? Adore? I don't know the meaning of the word, Haku."
The boy's eyes shown knowingly.
"Yes, yes you do. And this is why we need to have this discussion. Zabuza, he needs to go to a real school, with a real sensei and a real team to train with. With that Sharingan he'll know what we're doing before we do, soon enough. We won't be any match, and what good will that do for him?"
Zabuza seethed. He seethed, but he saw the sense in Haku's statement.
"When that time comes, we'll deal with it then," he said dismissively. "Besides, what would you suggest we do? Go back to the Village Hidden in the Mist?"
Haku was firm.
"Yes."
"WHAT?"
Zabuza knocked the empty bowl down to the floor, and Haku managed to catch it before it struck and broken, potentially waking Sasuke.
"Haku, are you insane? They'll kill us!"
"I'll go in and see if we can make some sort of deal," Haku pressed on. "We would be giving them the loyalty of an Uchiha! A Sharingan-user! The Sharingan could have a chance to take root in the Village Hidden in the Mist! Do you realize how valuable that might be to the Mizukage? If he's at all smart-"
"He's not."
"Even so! His advisors will be. THEY will see the sense in it. Zabuza, I'm sure. Maybe not now, maybe not even a YEAR from now, but we can do it. We can give Sasuke a life. The life we took away!" His voice softened. "Please..."
Zabuza gave him an amazingly blank face, the bowl sitting on the table next to him again.
"I don't like this, Haku," he stated. "I don't like this at all."
"I don't either, Zabuza," Haku revealed. "You're selfish, I'm selfish - we're both selfish when it comes to that boy. We want him all to ourselves - I know. I've thought of that too." He smiled. "But he's a boy. And he will grow into a man. Soon we won't be enough for him, and we'll need to prepare ourselves for that. Besides, Zabuza..." his eyes were sad as he gazed at his teacher, his father, his closest companion. "I'm tired of running. I will continue to do it for as long as we need to, but I'm tired of it. I'm sick of it. I want to be able to wake up without worrying about being hunted. And I want the same for Sasuke. I want the same for you."
Zabuza sighed, and jerked his head a little bit. Smiling, Haku leaned forward to touch foreheads with Zabuza for a moment.
"Ah... okay," Zabuza said as Haku pulled back to sit up straight. "We'll see how good he gets and how fast. If he does like you say, I'll consider it. If not..." his eyes hardened. "We'll keep running. Until we die."
Haku nodded. It wasn't the best, but it was definitely better than nothing.
And with Zabuza, that was a start.
"Okay." He stood, straightening his clothing. "If it's okay with you, Zabuza, I wish to be with Sasuke, and let you sleep well tonight."
Again, something that Zabuza didn't particularly enjoy, but again, he saw the sense in it. Recovery could only happen with sleep.
"All right, Haku. Sleep well."
"You as well, Zabuza."
Exiting into the small main room, he walked over to the bed he had made for Sasuke, who was curled up tightly in a little ball. Smiling, he slid into the bed behind the boy and curled up next to him, wrapping his arms around the Uchiha's waist.
The movement awoke Sasuke, and he blearily turned over to face Haku, blinking in sleep.
"Ah... Haku? What is it?"
Haku smiled at him.
"Nothing at all, dearheart." He planted a kiss on Sasuke's forehead. "Please go back to sleep."
Obediently, Sasuke closed his eyes, and Haku brushed some hair from the boy's face as he watched the younger boy's breath lull back into sleep. He kissed the boy on the forehead again, breathing softly-
"I adore you."
End Flashback Eight - Adore
Isn't it cyuuuuuute? *heart*
I really, really adore this fic. It's just so lovely.
Do you think so too? Let me know! I love talking to you lovely reviewers! :3
But again, Machine Gun. It's pretty awesome, and it's not too long. Please go read!
So much love,
DDB
