Hidden Genes

Summary: There is a type of jutsu only one shinobi could use,the Shodaime became famous for it being impossible for anyone who doesn't have his DNA, and even then it was rare. Sharingan is an Uchiha doujutsu,so no one can have it unless an eye is given, so why does the Kyuubi vessel have both?Why does he move like the Yondaime?

The words had the same effect as a punch in the face, if not better. In a second, Naruto was blinking away all of his more explosive powers, coming to a startling stop mere feet away from the older boy he had been fighting his eyes going wide as he registered his inhabitant's words.

Sasuke was alive?

Not for long, Kit. We need to help him. He's barely breathing and that is only for now. Kurama told his Jinchuuriki, his relief palpable over their bond. Naruto was back. He had reached him. Uchiha are stronger than many give them credit for and are as stubborn as the Uzumaki are. He's been clinging on so far but even he can do it only for so long. We need to help him.

He hadn't even finished speaking yet before the blond took off towards Sasuke, completely disregarding Haku's existence behind him and the fact that he had, just a few seconds ago, been meaning to kill Haku with his bare hands. It didn't really matter now. All that mattered was the fact that Sasuke was alive and he needed Naruto's help to get better. He wasn't dead. He was alive, by some great miracle, and Naruto hadn't lost another close person to him on his birthday. Sasuke was alive.

The Jinchuuriki fell to his knees painfully, ignoring the protests his knee joints gave at the jostle they received, and instead focusing on his friend. He carefully took out each of the needles , using his Sharingan again to make sure that he didn't accidentally nick something on the needle's way out that could put Sasuke in even greater danger than he already was. When the last needle was pulled out of his friend's body, Naruto took it to his wrist and gave a clean, deep cut, watching as his blood immediately oozed out and he brought his bleeding wrist to his friend's mouth, opening it and latching Sasuke's mouth on the wound. Instinctively, Sasuke began sucking.

It was the fastest way of healing a person who was on the verge of death, the Uzumaki Clan's rich blood. It contained immense healing properties that not even the Shodaime Hokage could boast of, since he still needed to use his chakra to preform healings even if he didn't need to use hand seals. The Uzumaki healed on their own. Their chakra was so intimately bonded with every cell of their body, every atom of every cell, that the chakra did things on its own and made their blood so powerful that they healed even if they didn't want to.

Many villages had taken advantage of any Uzumaki they could get their hands on during the wars in the past. The Uzumaki usually were more than happy to share their life-giving blood with complete strangers if it meant saving as many lives as they possibly could. But people often abused them and didn't give them any time to recover from each session, usually ending in the death of the Uzumaki due to immense blood loss. In fact, one third of all Uzumakis to ever live had died because of the greed of other men for their rich and powerful blood. Kurama had warned Naruto to never reveal that his surname Uzumaki was because he was an Uzumaki, but that it was rather just a coincidence. It was for his own safety. Like all his other secrets, Naruto was to inform only those he truly trusted with his origin.

And Naruto trusted Sasuke. Sasuke, who had saved him time and again from whatever tried to take his life. Sasuke, who was his very first friend and the first person who knew of Kurama's presence within the blond and hadn't flinched away or been disgusted with him. Sasuke, who Naruto had a crush on. Naruto wasn't going to let Sasuke die just so he could keep one of his secrets.

Relief flooded Naruto when he saw color slowly returning to Sasuke, his bleeding stopping altogether. His wounds won't heal immediately but he will be in fighting condition in a matter of a couple of days. Crisis averted, Naruto let his friend have a few more sips of his blood before puling his wrist away, watching Kurama heal it within the blink of an eye. Speaking of his fox friend, Naruto felt terrible. He had done something he had promised himself he would never do. He had forced Kurama to give him his power.

'Kurama-'

It's fine, Kit. I understand. You're forgiven. Kurama interrupted, not wanting this conversation to turn into a sappy one when they could still be in danger. After all, Haku wasn't dead yet and could very easily attack them again.

Naruto relaxed slightly upon hearing his partner's words. 'Thanks.' He turned his attention back to Haku's now approaching chakra signature, taking out a kunai so he could defend himself and Sasuke if need be. But the feel of Haku's chakra wasn't aggressive, he could sense that. If anything, the older boy felt ... defeated?

''Why didn't you kill me?'' And wasn't Naruto just floored by this question when Haku stopped in front of him. Naruto gawked at the beat up boy, sparing himself a moment to wonder had he really done that before shrugging it off and studying Haku's eyes. They were ... lifeless. As though Naruto had already delivered the finishing blow and Haku's body was now moving on its own, the soul and life that had been in it long gone. The thought chilled Naruto to the bone.

''Are you demented or something?'' Naruto couldn't help but crudely ask. ''Someone leaves you in life and you're asking why they didn't kill you? What is wrong with you?''

''I am defeated, meaning I am no longer a good tool for Zabuza-san.'' Haku replied, his voice void of any emotion. ''When I was little, my mother was killed in front of my eyes, my father having reported her to the ninja of Kirigakure. I was born during the purging of the Kekkei Genkain in the Bloody Mist, so my mother's and my own abilities were sentencing us to death. My father didn't know until he saw me when I discovered my abilities. A couple of days later, ninja came and killed her and they would have killed me, too, had my instincts not screamed at me to kill them first. Zabuza-san found me a few weeks later, on the verge of death from the cold and starvation. I interested him and he wanted a tool, a weapon. I was so happy.''

''Happy?'' The perplexed blond questioned, turning to fully face Haku after he saw that his friend would be fine and keeping his acute senses specifically focused on Sasuke should the Uchiha suddenly take a nosedive towards the worst.

''I finally had a purpose again.'' The long haired teen explained with a sad little smile that somehow didn't belong on a face as kind as his. ''While I was on those streets with, no one so much as looking at me, I realized the most painful thing… That in this world… my existence was not needed.'' Something in Naruto twisted painfully at those words, realizing he and Haku were not so different. He, too, wasn't needed. Never had been. He was not wanted. ''So when Zabuza-san needed me, I accepted it. He is kind to me, even though I am just a tool. I had no dream of my own. Can you understand? Not having a dream… not being needed by anyone… The pain of merely being alive.''

'I can ... I do.'

''So I want to protect the person important to me… I want to work for that person. I want to fight for that person. I want to make that person's dream come true… That is my dream.'' Haku revealed, avoiding looking Naruto in the eye, not sure what he would see in his fellow ninja. He knew he was a disgrace to all ninja. Ninja were tools, weapons, only meant to be used while they still had a use and then they are to be discarded. A useless weapon was not needed by anyone. He had failed Zabuza-san, so he can't come before him like this. His option of choice? Asking a Konoha genin to kill him. How shameful. It is better if Zabuza-san were to never see him like this. He, who Zabuza-san had spent his precious time training, was such a failure. ''My dream has ended here. This bridge is where our dreams are tied together. The place where we fight. Me, for my dreams. You, for your dreams. Please don't resent me. I have failed and am now expecting of you to kill me like the coward that I am. I am sorry my blood will sully your hands.''

''The hell it will!'' The blond finally spoke up, voice choked with his unshed tears and the painful emotions torturing his heart. ''You honestly expect me to kill you in cold blood? You must be insane.''

''It is a ninjas duty-''

''A ninja's duty is to protect his village, the villagers in it, his comrades and to complete the mission.'' The orange clad boy countered, cutting Haku off. ''A ninja is he who endures. Not necessarily a killer. You don't need to be a killer to be a ninja.''

''I am a threat to your teammate. I nearly killed him.''

''Yet you didn't.'' Naruto countered, glaring at Haku for bringing it up again. Haku's actions will leave more than the flesh scars on Sasuke's body. The mental scars it will leave on Naruto because of his own loss of control will never heal. ''I saw where you aimed. If you wanted, you could have killed him. Yet you didn't.''

''So my aim was a few inches off.'' Haku said, obviously trying to provoke Naruto. Well, tough luck. Naruto was used to receiving less than flattering comments for his entire life. Whatever anyone threw at him will now slide off him like water off of a duck's back.

''You didn't want to kill him so you didn't. You can't fool me.'' Naruto hesitated for a second before taking the risk and allowing his eyes to bleed red with the Sharingan, confirming what Haku had seen during their battle and startling the older boy again. ''You can't fool these eyes of mine.''

''H-how?'' It was a perfectly well known fact that only the Uchiha possess the infamous and dangerous Sharingan, eyes as red as blood and far more terrifying. And it was just as well a known fact that there were no blond Uchiha. Uchiha were either raven haired or brunets. Their eyes were also always near black. Naruto was not an Uchiha. Haku could sense that their chakras didn't resemble each other at all. Yet Naruto had the Sharingan. It was different, of course. The slit pupil in the middle of his iris was clearly seen if you were to stand still and look into his eyes.

''I don't know.'' Naruto replied. ''I jut one day could use it. No one really knows about it.''

''They won't hear from me about it.''

''But not because you'll be dead or something stupid like that.'' Naruto said with a snort and was relieved to see Haku smile lightly, despite how serious the situation was. Here they were, two ninja who had tried to kill each other just a handful of minutes previous and yet now they were talking like old friends, revealing secrets and sharing life stories. ''Haku, you're not just a tool.''

''To Zabuza, I am.'' Naruto noted that there was a lack of a honorific at the end of the man's name but didn't say anything about it.

''No, you're not. Bonds aren't one sided.'' The brunet looked up to him curiously and Naruto nodded his head. ''What you share with Zabuza isn't just some working partnership or whatever. You guys may not be the ideal definition of friends and maybe you're not, but I think you two are more like family. He's your big brother or something like that. And the bond brothers share, even adopted brothers, can't be matched by any other bond.'' Naruto recited words he had heard once upon a time from a young ANBU guard. He had still been a toddler back then and the ANBU had been a kid himself, yet he had possessed a wisdom the likes of which neither he nor Kurama had encountered before, especially not in someone so young. One of the reasons Naruto found it hard that Itachi would suddenly go off the rail and kill his family in cold blood and torture the little brother he treasured so much.

''Zabuza-san doesn't look at me in such a light.'' Haku said bitterly and the blond scuffed.

''Right, and my Mokuton is made of steel.'' As soon as the words were tumbling off of his lips, Naruto's hands shot up and slapped over his mouth, red eyes widening in horror as he realized what he had just said. Shit.

Way to go, Naruto. Real smooth. Kurama said with an exasperated air around him. At this rate, the whole of the Five Nations will know about your abilities by the end of the month.

Naruto couldn't find it in himself to say anything since he knew his inhabitant was right. First Sasuke, then Inari and now Haku. If this were to continue at this rate, he will be even more hunted than he already is and Sasuke might just stop considering him a friend.

Haku smiled at the panic he could so clearly read on the blond's face and made a reassuring hand wave with a delicate, slim, petite hand with long fingers and painted fingernails. ''I promise not to tell anyone about that little secret, either.''

''Thanks.'' There was a painfully thick and awkward silence to follow and neither boy was sure how to fill it up. Really, this was only the second time they had talked face to face and they already knew more about each other than even their teammates did. Naruto was pretty sure Zabuza didn't know that Haku was desperate to stay by his side and even Sasuke didn't know about Naruto's Sharingan.

''Why did you not kill me?'' Well, the awkwardness just reached a whole new level when Haku repeated his earlier statement, although it was now more curious and not so empty and devoid of emotion as it had been. Naruto thought back to the blood lust that had been coursing through his veins, the wish to spill blood the likes of which he had only ever felt coming off of Kurama before when he thought about the two men who had dared control him and his two previous Jinchuuriki. He recognized the desire to inflict pain and suffering as revenge and Naruto knew that revenge only bread more vengeance. It would be a never ending cycle of hate and pain and Naruto didn't want to become a part of that. There was already too much of it in the world.

''When we first talked, you told me something I still hold close to my heart. When a person has something important they want to protect… that's when they can become truly strong. I believe in that as much as you do.'' The younger looked at the Mist ninja, his eyes serious and turning back to their normal blue. ''You have someone important who you want to protect. You're strong Haku. The world needs more people like you.''

The feminine looking male considered the Jinchuuriki for a long while before a true smile spread across his lips, lighting up his face and Naruto was reminded of their first meeting, of how relaxed they both had been despite being in the presence of what was supposed to be their enemy. The blond returned the smile with a grin of his own and they might have laughed had the air at the bridge not changed so suddenly. Electricity and ozone filled the atmosphere and the sudden use of large quantities of chakra knocked the breath out of both young ninjas' lungs. They both instantly knew what was going on and before Naruto could react, Haku whispered a quiet ''Forgive me,'' before vanishing from right in front of Naruto's eyes.

But Naruto didn't need his eyes - not really - to see Haku transporting to where Kakashi was running at a captured Zabuza with a Chidori ready to strike the taller ninja in the heart, his ice mirrors not fast enough in forming.

Naruto leaped forward.

Kakashi's eyes widened.

The chirping of a thousand dying birds that was the Chidori's sound echoed in the mist.

Haku remained as cool and unmoving as his ice.

With a sick sound of ripping flesh and a bright flash, blood was spilled.