Zabuza finds Haku in the alleyway when he's 9 years old. Haku is only 8, and he's much more pitiful than anything Zabuza's ever seen. He's a sniffling mess, with matted hair and torn up clothes. His pants and shirt are practically falling off of him.

"Please, take me with you," He begs, dropping to his knees. "My momma and daddy are dead. I don't have anyone. I can work, as long as you give me a place to stay. My name's Haku." Zabuza doesn't know what to think of this kid. He's not used to people who openly show weakness and cry like this, especially to a stranger.

"No. I've got things to do. Go away." He tries to shoo him off, but the little devil has latched onto his leg.

"The people from the city came and killed my parents for treason. I don't have anything left. I promise I'll earn my keep." He sounds so pathetic, so vulnerable.

"Listen, I don't do factory work. My kinda job is harder. So go away, and leave me alone." Zabuza starts to walk off, but the boy just won't let go. Even if he tries shaking his leg, the brat stays.

"I don't care how hard it is! I'll do it!" Haku says hopefully, gazing up at him with pitiful eyes.

"I'm a yakuza member, that means I kill people. I steal things, I raid towns. That ain't the kind of life for a weak thing like you." Zabuza sighs, and leans against the brick wall next the the dumpsters. He's already late getting back home, he's going to get a good beating for that tonight.

"I can get stronger. I'm willing to be your tool, you can use me as long as you let me live." Haku pleads, rubbing his hands together in a sort of prayer.

"It's tough," Zabuza snaps. "You don't need to live like I do. Hell, you're just a kid too."

"Please, mister. I'll do anything." There he goes, with those eyes again. Finally, Zabuza sighs, and takes the small boy's hand.

"Come with me, then. You won't like it, and you're going to be a real pain. If the training doesn't make you want to leave, I don't know what will." The two children walked down the dark alleyway together, hand in hand. Zabuza hoped the boy would chicks out eventually, and just leave.

But, he never did.

Zabuza waited years for Haku to just leave, yet he always stayed. He'd come home with cuts and bruises, or chunks of his hair ripped out. Still, he didn't leave. Zabuza would get angry, and yell at him, but he still didn't leave. He always wondered what made the kid stick around. Over time, his disgust for Haku turned into a certain kind of fondness, although he took great measures to bury those feelings. Feeling like that was wrong, and he expected Haku to get himself killed one day anyway. No use getting hung up over someone like that.

Haku stayed in the cramped little shack with him for years, training his body until he was strong enough to be Zabza's apprentice. He was always excited to learn, even when it was ruthless and would do more harm than good. They spent their days sparring in the depths of the underground society, and getting ready for their next jobs. Eventually, the government made them go to school. Haku didn't mind, but Zabuza found it annoying. Soon enough, the children began teasing Haku for his hair, and feminine qualities. Every time it happened, Zabuza would end up pounding one of them, and getting suspended.

It was always worth it though, to see Haku smile.


When Sasuke looks at Haku, it's like looking into a mirror. A weak little boy, who relies on others for their happiness and wellbeing. It's obvious that this Zabuza is what he relies on. Still, it surprises him when Haku steps forward and leaves Zabuza standing behind him.

"I'll protect you." Sasuke whispers, soft enough so only Naruto can hear. "Don't move, don't even flinch. I'll protect you." He keeps his eyes focused on the small boy standing in front of him, and sees his hands drift towards a pouch hanging from his skirt. It surprises him that Haku is wearing a skirt in the first place, but he ignores it and focuses on the battle ahead of them. Drawing his sword from its sheath, he keeps his dark eyes on Haku, just watching him to see who moves first.

"Uchiha," He purrs, in that soft and airy voice of his. "I don't believe this is a fair fight, do you?" Sasuke only raises an eyebrow at that, and holds his blade up in a defensive stance. He has no idea what Haku could have in that little pouch, but he doesn't exactly want to find out either. When Haku's fingers reemerge, there's a small needle wedged in between each finger. They're extremely tiny and no bigger than an ordinary sewing needle, but he's sure if one of them poked the wrong place, he'd done for.

"Needles?" Sasuke scoffs. "You think you're going to kill me with a little needle?" He would've laughed, or even smiled at the prospect of dying by a tiny needle, if he hadn't been terrified of the man standing behind the petite little Haku. Petite was the only way to describe him. His figure was identical to a girl's, and his long chocolate colored hair cascaded to his waist in an almost perfect fashion. Of course, he was wearing an odd mask that his his face, so his features were still a mystery.

"I wouldn't underestimate him, if I were you," A gruff voice warns him, no doubt belonging to that Zabuza guy. "My Haku was a killer before this, he's trained to pick off wimps like you. If you doubt him, you'll die." Sasuke and Naruto both instinctively back up a few steps, earning a rough laugh from Zabuza. "That's right! You two think you can take him on and win, but you're both cowards. Blondie doesn't even have a weapon, does he?" He tries to keep his calm composure, but Sasuke is terrified. If they can't win, they die, it's that simple. He considers mentioning his own past, because Haku isn't the only one who's been tainted by his sins.

"Unlike Zabuza," Haku speaks up, "I actually enjoying playing fair. This is a game isn't it? Drop your sword, and I'll drop my needles. Come at me, and we'll fight fairly. I'll spare your friend if you can beat me." Naruto's azure eyes widen, and he looks up at Sasuke for guidance. The raven only shakes his head, and slowly lets his sword fall into the dirt. When it crashes with a gentle thud, Haku does the same with his pouch and starts to walk towards him.

"Sasuke.. are you sure this is a good idea?" Naruto asks worriedly, tugging on his sleeve.

"Don't worry. I'm not afraid of someone like him, he's nothing," Sasuke hisses softly, balling his fists by his sides. Haku keeps coming closer and closer, and it looks like he has no intention to fight, judging by the way his arms are by his sides and he looks completely relaxed. "Just stay back. I'll make sure he doesn't hit you." He instructs the blonde, while trying to hide the obvious worry in his voice. Finally, Haku and Sasuke are standing face to face. The raven's cold, pitch black eyes glare at the mask, and he hopes it'll gain him a reaction.

Nothing.

"Fighting becomes much more beneficial when you have someone important to protect, doesn't it?" Haku asks, his tone staying prim and flat the entire time. He makes no move to strike Sasuke, and only stands there, watching him carefully like a hunter with its prey.

"What the fuck are you going on about?" Sasuke spats back at him, raising his fists in front of his face to defend himself. The fear in his eyes is so obvious, he only hopes the masked boy can't sense it. Yet, it seems so apparent that he can. As if he knows so much more about the Uchiha than he should. They say that someone's eyes are the windows to the soul, and Sasuke feels like this boy is picking him apart bit by bit. He doesn't like it, to say the least.

"Zabuza is my important person. That boy who's behind you is obviously yours," Haku says matter of factly, continuing to stand idle and delay the inevitable. Sasuke doesn't see the way Naruto looks at him while Haku speaks- with so much love and admiration. He doesn't realize yet that his own feelings are practically the same, and only scoffs in reply. Sure, he wants to protect Naruto. Why? He isn't sure. If figuring things like that out were easy, he would've had a better grip on life long ago. Right now isn't the time to think about things, it's time to act.

"I don't care. Your feelings don't matter to me anyway." And with that, Sasuke lunges at him. Haku easily fends him off, digging his nails into Sasuke's forearm when he tries to strike. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke manages to pry his hand away with relative ease. It's nothing like the movies, both of them move with a rather inexperienced air, yet Haku is noticeably more graceful. His punches aren't jagged and rough like Sasuke's are, and every move he makes is calculated carefully. He knows when to sidestep, and he knows when he can counterattack. Zabuza was right; he's a trained killer.

Zabuza watches with his brows furrowed, and muscular arms crossed against against his chest in boredom. He doesn't seem to be fazed by the two boys. Naruto, however, is a completely different story. If only Sasuke knew how much he was hurting him. He has no idea just how much the blonde is worrying about him at this very moment, just waiting for the worst to happen. Every time Sasuke throws a punch or hikes his leg to kick, he noticeably cringes because he can't do a damn thing to stop him. Neither of the have any idea that deep down Zabuza feels the exact same about his respective partner.

Sasuke swings his leg to trip Haku, but he's met with a swift kick to the cheek instead. The sole of Haku's shoe digs into the soft skin and rattles his jaw hard. In a daze, Sasuke stumbles backwards and clutches his cheek in pain. That kid knew how to fight, he could give him that much.

"I do not wish to fight you, yet here we are." Haku lets out a small "tsk" and strides over to Sasuke to give him another round. "Even if one of us surrendered, it wouldn't do any good. You would still die." He balls up a fist and aims it straight for the Uchiha's face, only to be stopped short by Sasuke's palm, pushing him back. Sasuke smirks; thinking he's got the upper hand, only to get a sharp kick right in the chest. It affectively knocks the breath right out of him and sends him falling right into the dirt, leaving him angry and dazed.

He had squeezed his eyes shut during the impact, and when he hesitantly opens them, he's greeted with the sight of Haku staring down at him. He tries to move one of his hands to pick himself up, but Haku is quick to slam his foot right down on Sasuke's wandering hand. The sensation feels like a thousand hot needles stabbing into his fingers, and he has to bite his lip to keep from letting out a scream when he hears the disgusting crack of his hand being pinned down again. Naruto tries to run to him, only to be stopped short by Zabuza waving his sword in front of his face as a warning.

"Don't interfere," Sasuke hisses, when his pain finally starts to subdue. "He'll.. kill you." Before he has time to even think about why the pressure on him has suddenly disappeared, his eyes are slammed shut by a foot smashing into his face. It stops, then comes down again. And again. And again. God, how it hurts. Something slick and wet starts to ooze from his mouth, or what he thinks is his mouth. More pain comes, and he just wishes it would stop. He doesn't know what hurts more; the actual sharp pain that's crushing his face, or the sick noises Naruto is making from afar. It suddenly hits him that his best friend is throwing up.

Finally, the kicking stops.

"You look terrible," Haku muses, staring down at the bloody mess that is Sasuke. "I'm sorry you had to end up like this."

"Like hell you are!" Naruto yells, his voice beginning to crack. He's quickly silenced by a soft swishing noise, what Sasuke assumes to be Zabuza swinging his sword around.

"You're blind, boy. If you think that I enjoy doing this, you're mistaken." Haku says bitterly, bending down to Sasuke's level. Sasuke feels blood start to pool in his mouth, and waits till Haku leans in to finish the job to spit the crimson liquid right in his face. That gives him a chance to escape, and Sasuke tries his hardest to get away, even though he can only dig his nails into the mud and try to crawl for now. Haku pauses for a moment due to shock, before wiping the blood off his mask and pulling Sasuke back down by his mop of spiky hair. He struggles, but it's no use.

Is this it? Is he really going to let himself get beat by someone so pathetic? Sasuke imagined his death to be much more exciting, much more meaningful. Instead, he's going to get his head bashed in by someone who craves situations like these. A true killer.

"Sasuke, don't give up! Please, get up!" After awhile, he tries to tune Naruto out. His ramblings are only making this so much harder than it has to be.

"I do pity you. You two must've been close, much like Zabuza and I. We're different though, I'm merely a tool. Perhaps you had something more, I'll never know." The masked boy leans in and whispers all this in Sasuke's ear. Sasuke's dark eyes are wide with fear, and he's certain his murderer can tell how nervous he is, how his heart is hammering rapidly. Like always, he tries to conceal these emotions due to pride, yet they still manage to leak out. He squeezes his eyes shirk and silently conjures up an apology for Naruto. In the end, he was too weak, killed after a mere beating.

He waits for it all to end, for him to see the smiling faces of his parents and Itachi. It never comes. Instead, he's met with the slamming of a door and the ringing of gunshots. He falls back to the ground in a pathetic heap, free of his captor. A gentle thud beside him indicates Haku was the one who went down. Haku's vice grip on his hair is gone, causing Sasuke to instinctively cover his face with his hands and stay motionless on the ground. He slowly lets his fingers part long enough for him to see, and a part of him wishes he hadn't. Haku looks so still and broken with a bullet pierced through his chest. It's obvious he won't last more than a few minutes. He tries to move, but his legs are immobile and his hands are shaking too violently. He accepts defeat.

In an instant, Zabuza rushes towards him, forgetting all about Naruto (who takes this opportunity to run to Sasuke's side) His face is twisted into an expression of utmost agony, an odd contrast to his earlier tough guy act.

"Goddamnit!" He yells, beating his huge fist against the ground. He sinks to the ground beside the dying Haku, not seeming to care that his hands and clothes are staining with blood. Letting his sword clatter the ground, he scoops up the lifeless body in his arms, removes the mask, and cradles him to his chest. Sasuke almost gasps at what he sees. Haku's face is so much more beautiful than he imagined.

"I'm..sorry.." Haku sputters, drops of blood gathering at the corner of his pale lips. His skin is a ghastly shade of white, and his eyes are downcast with excruciating pain. Despite this, there's a weak smile on his face as he looks up at Zabuza. "I wasn't..useful.. after all." His words are beginning to slur, a clear sign thats he's fading fast.

"Don't you say that." Zabuza protests, sweeping the boy's bangs from his eyes. "Don't you dare say that!" Even with his tone of voice, Haku doesn't flinch, and his smile only widens.

"Zabuza... You have to keep going. You.. have... to. You're.. strong." One of his trembling hands caresses Zabuza's rough cheek.

"No. You're not gonna die, you hear me?" No matter how hard he tries to hide it, his voice shakes.

"Let's meet again.. someday. Okay?" Haku gives him one last genuine smile, before his dark eyes shut one last time, and his body goes limp. He's gone. No one knows what to say, or do, and even Zabuza is still and motionless. For an enemy, the two weren't so bad. Sasuke almost feels... remorse. He doesn't even know who fired the gunshot and killed Haku in the first place. An arm wraps around his shoulder to help pull him up, but Sasuke ignores it and watches Zabuza instead. Nothing moves, and no one speaks. The world is completely silent for a good five minutes. All of the birds have stopped singing, the wind has stopped blowing, even the gentle flow of the stream seems to have stopped entirely.

Finally, Zabuza gently lies the body down. He brushes the stray hair out of Haku's face, and gently wipes the blood from the corners of his lips. With a shuddering breath, he stands up and retrieves his sword. The glare he gives Sasuke and Naruto is murderous, but there's someone else he has his eye on as well. Someone who had been lurking in the shadows, and just happened to show up at the right time with a gun.

"You." He points a finger in the person's direction. "Pink haired bitch. I'll slit your throat." The words come out like venom, and he looks dead serious when it comes to his homicidal intent. Sasuke lets his eyes drift towards the trees, which widen considerably when he notices the intruder. It's Sakura, standing there with her legs shaking and her fingers clasped around the gun so tightly that her knuckles are turning white. Zabuza slings his massive sword over his shoulder again and starts to walk towards her, only to turn around to face Naruto and Sasuke. "You're first," He growls, all traces of human emotion gone from his eyes by now. "Naruto, was it? I'll see you in hell."

"What are you doing?!" Naruto shrieks in panic, hurriedly yanking Sasuke off the ground and helping him stand. "You didn't love that guy in the first place, you're nothing but a murderer!" Zabuza's face twists in pain, and it's apparent he's trying his hardest not to show just how much those words hurt him.

"You think I don't know that? Haku was a pure soul. He was too good for this world, or people like you. I won't be going where he's going, but I know for certain I'll drag you all to hell with me, if it's the last thing I do!" He grasps the hilt of his sword and charges, earning a scream from Sakura. In a panic, she shoots at Zabuza, but he fumbles around successfully and jumps around wildly every time she aims at him. It buys some time, so Sasuke manages to stand up straight again and pushes Naruto back behind him. He opens his mouth to argue, but Sakura has already wasted an entire clip in the span of a minute. She fumbles around with her backpack and pulls out a kunai, tossing it towards Naruto and Sasuke's direction.

"You think that thing's going to help?" Zabuza snorts, coming at them much faster than any of them expected. Sasuke has to think, and fast.

"My sword," He whispers to Naruto. "It's over there by the river, get it when you have the chance."

"We don't have time!" He hisses, reaching down to pick up the kunai where it's clattered near his feet. It won't do any good, and Sasuke knows it. Zabuza's only feet away, and they have no options when it comes to defense. He lets out a sigh, and then decides what he needs to do. He makes sure Naruto is safely behind him, and spreads his legs wide enough that Zabuza has no chance of getting to him. He knows what will happen when Zabuza charges, but he's going to make sure Naruto lives. He has to.

In a swift motion, Zabuza swings his beast of a sword, and time seems to stop. The tip of the blade slices right through Sasuke's stomach, and the sword goes right through him. It makes a disgusting noise, but it's nothing compared to his two friend's screams. When the sword has pierced through him, Zabuza chuckles and yanks it out. Sasuke's vision is blurred and hazy, but when he looks down, he guesses the cut is probably about 3 or 4 inches wide. He's going to die. As expected, his limbs go numb and he falls right to the ground. The pain is worse than anything he's ever imagined. If he'd been hit by a truck repeatedly, this would be the equivalent. He wants to scream, because the pain is searing through his entire body at a rapid rate.

Everything is a blur, but the last thing he sees is Naruto rapidly stabbing a kunai through Zabuza's throat when he isn't looking, and immediately dropping down to wrap his arms around Sasuke's frail body.

"Oh god, Sasuke.." He's crying, and it's the worst sound in the entire world. Sasuke wants to say something, and tell him he'll be alright, but he can't speak, and he's falling right into unconsciousness. "Why'd you do this?!"

His body just moved on its own, he supposes.

For a split second, the pain disappears. Everything is warm, and nothing hurts anymore. Naruto's pained face is gone, replaced with the smiling faces of his parents. They no longer look terrified or scared either. Itachi is standing beside him, and he holds out his hand. He's no longer sick, or fragile. They're all happy. For the first time in forever, he smiles. It's like a dream come true, to see them all again.

"Come now, Sasuke. Won't you rest awhile?"


31 students remaining


Author's Note: I'm evil, I know. Cliffhangers are evil.