Oh boy, it's another update. Everybody CHEER! Yippy. Ok enough pep… I don't like pep… especially in the morning and I don't like at night either. In fact I don't like it most of the day… sorry, I'm ranting. I just stop and get on with the shout outs. One for fennecefox03 and one for Hiei's-Dark-Little-Phoenix. Your review reminds me a lot of my characters… I always like to write about annoying things that happen to them and then their eyes twitch… good times, good times. While I think of evil things to do to Zi, you guys enjoy the next chapter of Love Hate Relationship.


Chapter Eight

You didn't kill me that day… and I didn't wipe the forest floor with your ass… but I did make you breathe a little bit harder. I did notice after that day that you did over your shoulder a little bit more often and you did treat me more like I was part of your team. You actually started to listen to what I had to say and even took my advice on the occasion… it was really weird. Although you didn't take my advice on that one job; I don't think anything could have changed your mind, not even if you knew this was your fate, I looked down at the two graves. Nothing, not even your own common sense could have changed your mind about the biggest pay day of your life… how could I expect my little whimpers to do anything…

The air was cool and crisp, the sun had just risen; perfect traveling weather in Haku's opinion. He could wait to meet up with Zabuza and Zi, the anticipation was making move a little faster than normal.

"What's the hurry Lord Haku," Goza asked.

"No particular reason," Haku shyly smiled.

The truth was that he had a reason to hurry along. Not only did he want to see Zabuza and Zi, he wanted to make sure that Zabuza hadn't killed her. He trusted in Zabuza's decisions, but he didn't want Zi to die, even if she was a danger to their operation. Zi was like a sister to him and he didn't want to lose her.

Looking ahead, Haku saw the clearing that Zabuza had designated as the meeting point. He stopped a few trees away from the forest line to make sure that there was nobody following them and also make sure no one, except Zabuza and Zi were waiting for them. There was not a living soul that could be seen or heard, even the birds were singing.

Something not right, Haku thought to himself.

"Were is Lord Zabuza and that bitch of kunoichi," Meizu started to looked around as he landed on a tree branch next to Haku.

"He most likely killed her," Goza snickered as he landed next to Meizu.

"You're probably right brother. He's probably wiping off…"

"Get Out the Way If You Want to Live," Zi jumped in between the two ninjas.

"Huh!?" both of them looked to see where she was going then quickly jumped out of the way to avoid Zabuza.

"Zabuza can't possibly be having that many problems killing one little bitch," Meizu asked in disbelief.

"Looks like he is," Goza answered in the same tone.

Oh Lord Zabuza, can't you please spare her, Haku wished.

He doesn't give up, I thought as I landed on a tree trunk.

Zabuza landed opposite of me and was giving me the most terrible stare.

"Well Haku and the Demon Brothers are back," I said in between my breaths.

"Yup...," he answered nonchalantly.

"So you going to keep your promise," I asked as I got into a more comfortable position.

"Depends on how you finish this fight," he put up his zanbato.

I shook my head, "I should have known that."

He wanted our three day fight to end and see if I was worthy of keeping around. Though I didn't want to work for him, but I also didn't want to die. Plus, working for someone like him will keep a portion of the Nin-Hunters away, I sighed to myself.

"I wonder what promise Master Zabuza made to her," Haku wondered out loud.

They stared at one another for the longest time, not moving an inch, barely breathing. Zi all of a sudden made a leap towards Zabuza. He only snorted as he brought his zanbato around. With one clean cut, Zi's body was cut in two.

Zi… Haku stared on in horror.

Zabuza huffed, "too bad Zi, I guess you didn't make it."

"Oh please," Zi's voice came the tree canopy, "I've survive the past three days. Did you really think that I was going down with a frontal charge? Silly Zabuza."

Looking up, he knew it was too late to avoid her attack. Her body crashed into his and they tumbled to the ground with a hard thud. Zi pushed herself off of him right before he hit the ground and pulled out her gensens for a finally attack.

"Nice try little girl," Zabuza laughed as he jumped to his feet.

"If that didn't knock you down, this will," Zi snickered. She formed her hands into and fists, "Earth Style: Phantom Fissure!"

She brought her fists down on the ground. The earth started to ripple and quake, even the trees were shaking intensely. The area in front of Zabuza started to open and jagged rocks began to shoot out from the forming fissure. He tried to avoid the many projecting rocks, but more and more started to emerge.

"Oh no," he yelled out as he misstep and a protruding rock pined him to a tree.

Zi casually walked up to the struggling Zabuza and leaned against his chest. He stared down at her with a hateful stare, but she was smiling.

"So… you going to keep your promise," she asked smugly.

Zabuza looked to the ground for a moment, "… you get to live… for now."

His muscles started to flex and the rock holding him began to crack and crumble. With one good push, he was free from the rocky prison. Zi just shrugged her shoulders as she put her gensens away.

"Hey Haku," she called up to him, "how are you?"

Haku smiled, "I'm fine…"

"Looks like you could use some sun," she giggled, "you're looking a little pale."

Later that night…

The Demon Brothers were intensely staring at me as I finish up my noodles. They weren't to happy with the fact that Zabuza announced that they weren't allowed to bother me anymore and if they did, I had permission to do whatever I thought was appropriate.

"These are delicious Zi," Haku commented, "You have to teach me how to make these."

"Sure," I slurped up the last of my dinner, "it's all in the fresh ingredients and making sure that you don't over cook the noodles and vegetables."

The two brothers started to grumble about something or another, but I didn't pay any mind. Zabuza gave them a stern look and they quieted down immediately.

"Stop your grumblings you two," he stood up, "we have more important things to discuss. After looking over our current finances, I have determined that one more big job will give us the sufficient funds to rebuilt and finally take over the Village Hidden in the Mist. I've looked over all the jobs that are out there and there's only one that will give us more then enough…," he paused.

"It's that Gato character isn't it," I asked in a flat tone.

"What, can you read minds now," Meizu sneered at me.

"No… by my intuition tells me when someone is about to make really bad choice," I looked to Zabuza, "I should shut up now, shouldn't I?"

"Why is taking the job from Gato a bad idea," he asked.

"Huh?" Meizu, Goza and I all asked at the same time.

Deciding not to lose the opportunity to express my opinion, I spoke up, "well… a guy like Gato… a business man, doesn't make money by paying his hired assassins… just the bodyguards and enforcers… people who like a meal tickets and are easily controlled." I looked up into the sky, "people like you and Haku are merely tools that are easily thrown away and in your case killed."

"Ha, ha, ha," Zabuza, Meizu and Goza started to roar with laughter.

I shook my head, "to cocky."

The three ninjas continued to laugh. It was annoying, but I had said my peace and that's all I could ever hope for. So I didn't really care if he was laughing at my suggestion.

"I've already taken into consideration the fact that Gato will most likely try to kill me after his job is over," Zabuza got serious, "but I'm not going to give him the chance."

"In other words, you're going to kill him first, then take everything you can get," I finished for him.

"You're catching on," he walked up to me and patted me roughly on the head.

I pulled from under his heavy hand and put my hair back in order. He just laughed as he continued past me.

"Where you're going," I asked somewhat annoyed.

"To go secure the job," Zabuza laughed evilly.

You're going to regret it, I sighed to myself.