Chapter 17: Fire and Ice
…
"Can't sleep?" I asked as I sat beside Naruto on the dock surrounding Tazuna's house.
It was after midnight, and the moonlight danced across the gentle waves. I'd woken with Sasuke's arms wrapped around me. After everything that had happened at the bridge, I probably should've expected as much. I merely hugged him back and stroked his hair while he slept.
At least until I noticed that Naruto's bed was empty.
"Huh, yeah," said Naruto quietly. "I was just thinking…"
"About what?" I prompted when he didn't elaborate.
Naruto frowned at the water.
"Zabuza and Haku," he said. "It's just kinda sad, you know?"
I nodded because it was. Naruto would obviously understand Haku's desire to be loved. Recognition was Naruto's entire reason for wanting to become Hokage. It must have hurt to see his own heart reflected in the face of an enemy.
I tugged on Naruto's sleeve and patted my lap.
"Why don't you lie down?" I suggested.
Naruto gave me a slightly puzzled look before he scooted over and laid his head in my lap. He wasn't wearing his forehead protector, so I ran my fingers through his hair.
"What are you doing?" he asked, stiff and confused.
I paused.
"Oh, um, my Kaa-chan used to do this when I wasn't feeling well," I said, uncertain. Of course. He was a twelve year old boy. They weren't exactly known for being touchy-feely. This was probably just weird. "Do you want me to stop?"
"No!" said Naruto, his voice far too loud as he snatched my hand and returned it to his hair, practically slapping himself in his haste. "It…it feels nice…"
He didn't release my hand until I'd resumed the gentle motion, but soon after, he relaxed. It was a little heartbreaking that he couldn't even recognize physical affection. Then again, I shouldn't be so shocked. He hadn't even known what a hug felt like until a few weeks ago.
"What do you think is going to happen to him?" Naruto asked.
Haku was resting inside along with several injured villagers from the battle at the bridge. He hadn't argued when I'd suggested that he should stay with us until he was fully recovered. I was initially surprised by his willingness, but maybe I should have expected it. After all, Zabuza's final command was for him to live, and I was the only real medic on the island.
"I don't know," I said. Missing ninja lived short, brutal lives. Haku might have escaped death this once, but the odds were that he would eventually meet an untimely end. "The world isn't always kind. Not for him and not for us."
"Is this really all we're meant for?" Naruto asked, sounding lost. "To be used like tools?"
I didn't answer right away. Naruto was destined for a life of hardship and pain, and the sooner he understood that, the better. But it wouldn't be all bad.
"No," I said. "There is still good in this world, and it's worth protecting, not because we're tools, but because we still have something to believe in."
"Hmm, like Ichiraku's ramen?" Naruto asked.
I let out a quiet laugh.
"Like you," I said.
"Me?" Naruto asked, blinking curiously.
"Mmhm," I hummed, looking out over the water. "You're brave and kind and stronger than you know. When you believe in something, you go after it with your whole heart. It's what I love most about you."
When I looked back down, Naruto's face was beet red.
"You…really mean that?" he asked. His eyes were oddly bright in the moonlight, and he couldn't quite meet my gaze.
"Yes," I said. "For as long as I've known you, you've always been a good and brave person. When we were kids, you were hurt while trying to protect me…. I don't want to see you get hurt again so…so I'm going to do my best to protect you. And Nii-chan too."
When I put it like that, it sounded foolish. From this point forward, most of their enemies would be S-rank missing ninja and homicidal maniacs. There wasn't much I could do against any of it. But I could try.
I'd have to try.
"I want to protect you too, Kiyo-chan," said Naruto with earnest innocence, as if I was the one in danger. "And if you protect me and I protect you, then we'll never lose to anyone!"
I should tell him the truth, that sometimes it doesn't matter how hard you try or who stands beside you. There are times when you can put your whole heart and soul into something and still fail. But Naruto's eyes were so bright and hopeful.
"Yeah," I lied. "We won't lose to anyone…"
…
"How are you feeling?" I asked as Haku emerged from the bedroom.
I'd been charged with guarding Tsunami and Inari in their home while Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke guarded Tazuna at the bridge. I'd already discharged the wounded villagers, so I spent my time helping Tsunami around the house. It was, perhaps, too trusting to leave Haku here with me alone. But Haku hadn't tried to kill us even when his life depended on it. Now, with no motive and a weakened body, he was wasn't much of a threat to anyone.
"I have regained full use of my arm," said Haku, his voice still somewhat rough.
"I'm glad," I said. "Please sit, and I'll make you lunch. Would you like some tea?"
"Thank you," said Haku, polite but listless, like he was just going through the motions of human interaction.
He sat in silence while I brewed the tea and cooked the rice. It was a little early for lunch, but by starting now, I could save Tsunami the effort. She was working so hard to keep the house running with all the extra guests.
"Thank you for the food," said Haku when I set lunch on the table. It was just simple onigiri, but it was the best I could do with limited ingredients.
He ate mechanically, not looking up or speaking.
I bit my lip.
"You'll be fully healed in a few days," I said, carefully broaching the subject I'd been thinking about since my conversation with Naruto. "Have you thought about where you'll go?"
Haku nodded but did not speak.
"…Do you have anywhere to go?" I asked.
Haku hesitated and then shook his head.
"There is no place in this world for someone like me, and without Zabuza-san…" he trailed off.
"Is there anywhere that will protect you from the hunter-nins?" I asked. There had to be somewhere. Missing ninja weren't exactly rare. Of course, people who employed and protected missing ninja weren't usually trustworthy. Gatou was a perfect example of that.
"I will not be pursued by hunter-nins," said Haku. "They only target missing ninja."
I perked up at that.
"You're not a missing ninja?" I asked.
"I am not a ninja," he clarified. "I was very young when we left Hidden Mist. I never joined their ranks or learned their secrets. Zabuza-san taught me everything I know."
Well, that would explain why he wasn't in the bingo book. It also meant that the village wouldn't care to hunt him down, but that didn't guarantee a peaceful life. He'd spent years as a criminal and had probably gained many enemies. Not only that, he might be hunted and killed for his bloodline alone.
"Why don't you come with us back to Konoha?" I asked before I could think better of it.
Haku looked up for the first time.
"I…do not think I would be welcome there," he said tactfully.
Well, yes and no.
Hidden villages were always looking for new, valuable recruits to bolster their ranks, and with a Blood Limit, Haku was a prime candidate. Or he would be if it weren't for his history with Zabuza. He had the potential to cause political complications even if he was too young to have taken part in the assassination attempt of the Mizukage. The Hokage probably wouldn't want to risk it.
But…
"You would be if you became a vassal of the Uchiha clan," I said.
Clan vassalage was a fairly archaic institution that had waned after the creation of the hidden villages, though it did still exist. Vassals swore allegiance to a clan, and they gained rights and protections from that clan. In Konoha, founding clans like the Uchiha had certain perks like the ability to bring vassals into the village with the approval of the Hokage. It was a boon to the village back when they were trying to recruit as many people as possible. The vetting was left up to the clans, and Hashirama was more than willing to rubber-stamp anyone the clan heads deemed trustworthy.
Of course, the Uchiha clan was little more than a name now. Our vetting didn't amount to much, and none of it would matter if the Hokage told us 'no'. That was the uncomfortable reality of living in a military dictatorship. Denying our request would be a mark of distrust and an insult to our clan, but without numbers or muscle on our side, the Hokage would face little consequence for the slight. Our only hope was that despite everything, the Uchiha name should still be worth something.
Maybe.
It was worth a shot, at least. In the worst-case scenario, the Hokage might deny him entrance into the village, but I should still be able to find him a home elsewhere in the Land of Fire.
"A vassal?" Haku asked, confused. "But what use would I be to the Uchiha clan? I am weak, I am unwanted by anyone, and I have no reason to exist. If I had died on the bridge, no one would mourn my passing."
"That's not true!" I shouted. "I would be sad if you died."
"Why?" Haku asked. "I tried to kill your brother and your friend. I thought you wanted to protect them."
Oh, so he'd overheard that conversation. He really was a ninja in everything but name.
"Did you?" I countered. "Because Naruto met you in the forest, and you didn't hurt him. And on the bridge…well, I healed Nii-chan's injuries. I don't think you were trying to kill him at all."
Haku looked away.
"And that is why I would be useless to your clan," he said. "What use is a tool that cannot kill?"
"You're not just a tool," I said. "Even Zabuza-san said so. He wanted you to live and to find your own dream. And I want to help you. If you become a vassal, I should be able to bring you into the Land of Fire. From there, you'll be under the protection of Konoha, and you'll be free to pursue your dream, whatever that might be. My clan has vassal farmers if you want to leave the ninja world behind. I can teach you medical ninjutsu if you want to save lives rather than take them. If you want to own a shop or learn a trade or…or anything, I'm sure we can find a way to make it work! I just want you to know that whatever you decide, I'll support you 100%."
"Why would do this for me?" Haku asked, staring at me as if he couldn't quite believe what I was saying. "I was your enemy."
"Because your kindness spared two people who are very important to me," I said. "Even though you fought my team, I don't believe that you were ever truly our enemy. Not you and not Zabuza-san either. He could have killed us easily after catching Kakashi-sensei in the water prison, but he didn't. He wasn't actually a heartless person, was he?"
It was only after Kakashi had defeated him that Zabuza became serious at the bridge. Only when he knew for certain that he could not spare us had he chosen to fight to the death. He could never be called kind, but he wasn't the soulless demon he portrayed either.
"No, he wasn't," Haku agreed. "Is that why you tried to heal him?"
"Yes," I said. "I'm sorry that I couldn't save him."
"It wasn't your fault," said Haku. "It was Gatou's. You saved my life, and you did everything you could to save someone precious to me. You don't owe me anything."
Maybe not, but…
"It's not just that," I said. "I think you're a really cool person."
"A really cool person?" Haku asked with a bemused smile, and I flushed pink at the accidental pun.
"I mean, I…I want to be your friend," I said. "You have a good heart. That's why I want you to come home with us, and that's why I want you to find your dream."
Haku looked away again, his long hair obscuring his face.
"I'm not sure," he said.
Well, it wasn't really fair of me to spring this on him so suddenly.
"You don't have to decide right away," I said gently. "The bridge won't be finished for another few weeks, and we've been assigned to protect Tazuna-san until it's done. Take whatever time you need to think about it."
Haku nodded, standing.
"Thank you," he said. "There's something I need to do. I will return tonight."
I let him go, and I privately hoped that I hadn't promised the impossible. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I'd have to ask Kakashi what he thought about it when he returned tonight.
I was just clearing away the dishes when I felt a strange chakra signature approach the house. It was only civilian level, so it probably wasn't dangerous. I hung back, kunai ready, as Inari answered the door.
"Excuse me, is this where I can find the healer?" came a reedy voice.
"Yeah, she's a medic-nin or something," said Inari. "Why?"
He sounded vaguely suspicious, and after recent events, I couldn't blame him. But the old man didn't resonate with any Killing Intent.
"I wanted to ask if she could take a look at my knee," said the man. "I hurt it a few weeks ago, and it hasn't been right since."
"How do I know you're not a spy?" Inari asked, but I peeked around the door and put my hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright, Inari," I said, tucking my kunai back into my weapon's pouch. "Yes, I am a certified Konoha field medic. I can take a look at your knee."
The man seemed briefly surprised by my appearance. And yeah, I was wearing a frilly pink apron and the blue ribbon Itachi had given me all those years ago. I didn't look much older than Inari. I wasn't exactly what people pictured when they thought of a trained medical ninja. But the man took it in stride anyway.
"Thank you, I don't have much money, but I can work off whatever I owe you," he said, sounding nervous. His clothes were worn and patched, and he had the hungry look of a man that hadn't eaten well for a long time.
I smiled.
"Don't worry about payment," I said, stepping back. "Come inside, and let me take a look."
It only took a moment to diagnose. The problem was a simple torn ligament, and I was able to mend it easily. It would have been fine on its own in a couple of weeks, but it cost me very little chakra to stimulate the healing now. The man asked if I was sure about payment, and I said that it was fine. It wasn't like I needed the money, and Konoha only required collecting payment if the medic was actually on a medical mission.
I handed the man a few of my extra ration bars and told him to take it easy for a few days. He thanked me profusely and left. About an hour later there was another knock on the door, this time two men: one with a red-stained bandage wrapped around his forehead and another on crutches.
"Excuse me, Miss, are you the medic?"
…
"What are all you people doing in my house?" Tazuna asked when he opened the door.
"Busy day?" Kakashi asked, eyeing the four men and three women sitting in the entrance room.
"Oh!...Um…None of them are ninja," I said, feeling called-out because, yes, I'd been told to guard Tsunami and this might be construed as shirking my duty. "And no one dangerous has come near the house."
Kakashi ruffled my hair.
"Just don't get too involved with your patients," he said. His tone was light, but the implied warning was not. I was still on the job, and I needed to remember that.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei," I said, returning to the couple who were waiting nervously.
"I've been sick for about three days, but the bleeding only started yesterday," said the pregnant woman. She was young, maybe 19 or 20, and she'd brought along her equally young husband. "I thought it was just a cold."
"We tried everything to break the fever," the man added. "Granny's mushroom soup seemed to help, but then the bleeding started."
I placed my hands over the woman's belly, sinking my chakra into her womb and furrowing my brow. The blood was from the placenta which was detaching from the uterine wall, but the woman was only about eight months pregnant and hadn't gone into labor. So why was it happening, and what should I do? I wasn't exactly familiar with pregnancy-related issues. My initial reason for learning medical ninjutsu had been personal interest. This was something a midwife would know, and I was just a field medic.
"Let me consult with my texts," I said doubtfully. I removed my hands from her stomach and pulled out a bottle of pills from my bag. "In the meantime, here is a blood-replenishing pill to replace what you've lost. I'll be back soon."
What was I going to do?
"Are you going to eat dinner or not?" Sasuke asked as I passed him on the way to our room. He and the others were all gathered around the kitchen table for dinner.
"I-In a minute, Nii-chan," I said smiling to hide my nerves. "I just need to finish up with my last patient. Save some for me, will you?"
He squinted at me and glanced back at the couple.
"…Sure," he said. "Do you need anything?"
A fully certified Konoha midwife would be nice.
I just shook my head and retreated to our room where I could begin unsealing the various medical texts I'd brought along. I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I'd already memorized all of them with my Sharingan years ago. But although I had a small library's worth of medical texts, none of them included information on pregnancy or placentas. I looked through them anyway.
There had to be something here I could use.
Anything.
If I couldn't find something, then she would…
Please save him!
I squeezed my eyes closed as Haku's anguished words echoed in my head. My hands felt hot, just as they were that day when I poured chakra into the empty body beneath my palms. I'd tried to save him. I'd tried so hard. And he'd still…
"Kiyo, you need to come downstairs," said Kakashi, who had appeared in the doorway. "The woman's condition has worsened."
There was a sudden scream from downstairs to punctuate his comment.
"Well, I…" I said, looking around frantically, wondering if there was some forgotten scroll I might have missed, but there was nothing. I snatched up a scroll on mending lacerations as if that might help.
I'd tried.
And I'd tried.
And I hadn't been enough.
"Kiyo," said Kakashi, suddenly crouching in front of me. I dropped the scroll. Kakashi caught it easily and glanced at the title. "Do you have any scrolls related to her illness?"
I scanned the room, now littered with every single medical text I'd brought with me, and I shook my head.
"No…I don't know what to do," I said, looking at him plaintively. I hadn't studied this. I didn't know anything. I couldn't do anything.
I couldn't…
Please save him!
"Kiyo, you won't always have the answers laid out in front of you," said Kakashi. "You can't stay up here searching for answers you don't have. That woman is dying, and she needs a medic. Even if you don't know what to do, do whatever you can. Then, even if the worst happens, you will know that you did everything you could."
He was right.
It was a fact of life that not every patient could be saved. Not every injury could be healed, and not every disease could be cured. But it was my responsibility as a medic to help whomever I could with whatever I had. There was no room for doubt or hesitation when someone was dying.
I took a deep, steadying breath and nodded. Kakashi helped me to my feet, but when we returned downstairs, it was to find that someone was already seeing to the woman.
"The pain will be brief," said Haku, rubbing a kunai with alcohol to sterilize it. "Please try not to move."
"Haku," I said. "Allow me. I can create a chakra scalpel and numb the pain. But I'm not sure…"
I trailed off, keenly aware that no one wanted to find out that their medic had no idea what she was doing.
"I will guide you," said Haku, leaning back as I knelt beside the woman. "She most likely ingested Greenshekel, a type of local mushroom commonly used to cure colds. It should not be consumed by pregnant women because it can cause a detached placenta. Our only course of action is an emergency C-section. Make an incision from here to here…"
Haku spoke with calm authority, as if he'd done this a hundred times before. I took comfort from his presence and worked with a steady hand to perform the operation under his guidance. Soon the woman was holding a tiny, tiny baby boy in her arms.
Naruto and Sasuke had long since vanished, but Kakashi remained lurking in an unobtrusive corner while reading his book. Haku took over giving the woman instructions on how to care for a premature infant, and I listened dutifully, committing the instructions to memory on the off-chance that something like this might happen again. Then we helped the couple and their newborn get settled into a spare room to rest.
"Thank you, Haku," I said once everyone was tucked away. "You didn't mention that you were a medic."
"I was never formally trained," he said. "But I have learned a few things during my travels with Zabuza-san."
"Lucky for me, and lucky for them too," I said. "It looks like there are at least three more people who are glad that you did not die on that bridge."
Haku blinked and looked away.
"I've thought about your offer," he said, his shoulders squared. He knelt before me with his head bowed. "If you will have me, I would be honored to become a vassal of the Uchiha clan."
From his corner, Kakashi's chakra sharpened in surprise.
"I'm glad," I said. "Nii-chan is the clan head, so you'll have to exchange sake with him. Then we'll send a message to Hokage-sama and receive instructions on how to proceed."
Haku nodded, bowing his head even further.
"Thank you, Kiyo-sama," he said.
Wow, that title sounded so weird.
"You don't have to be so formal," I said. "It's just Kiyo."
"If I am to be accepted as your vassal, I must show proper respect," he replied.
Yeah, that was probably true. If it became obvious that Haku was a vassal in name only for the explicit purpose of gaining him entry into the Land of Fire, that wouldn't end well for either of us. It was best not to risk it.
I nodded, and Haku stood.
"I will return shortly," he said. "I must acquire the sake to exchange with Sasuke-sama."
He vanished into the night.
Right, and I should probably take a moment to explain the situation to Sasuke too.
"So, a new vassal, huh?" Kakashi asked lightly, turning the page in his book as though he didn't have a care in the world.
"Haku is a kind person," I said. "It wouldn't be right to leave him here all alone."
"You're sure about that, are you?" he asked, his mild tone doing little to disguise the gravity of his question.
I wanted to agree right away, but instead I took a moment to consider my response.
Was I sure? What did I know about Haku, really? Not much. We'd only met a few days ago. Accepting him as a vassal was certainly a risk. If he turned against Konoha or its allies, Sasuke and I would also face consequences.
Did I really have that much faith in his heart?
"I will accept full responsibility," I said. "But, um, I'd be grateful if you could help me write the letter to Hokage-sama to, um, explain the situation."
At this point, I'd take whatever help I could get, and Kakashi certainly had more sway with the Hokage than I ever would.
Kakashi gave me an eye-smile.
"Why don't you leave that to me?" he asked, and I suddenly felt as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," I said, truly relieved as I finally slipped away and returned to the upstairs room. Sasuke and Naruto were already asleep. Someone had thoughtfully stacked my scrolls in a neat pile and left a plate of food at my bedside.
I shook Sasuke awake.
"Y'done?" Sasuke mumbled, blinking at me blearily.
"Yes, sorry for waking you," I said. "Do you have any clean clothes? There's something we need to do…"
As expected, Sasuke took little convincing. He was obviously aware of how much he owed to Haku's mercy, though he would never admit to it out loud. Naruto, who woke halfway through the conversation, was thrilled about the whole idea and wasted no time in swearing to share the joy of Ichiraku ramen with Haku as soon as we returned to the village.
So, twenty minutes later we were all gathered in the candle-lit kitchen. Each clan had their own version of the sake exchange, but thankfully the Uchiha opted to skip the more elaborate parts, instead keeping it to the basics. Haku ran the blade of a kunai lightly over his palm, just enough to draw a thin line of blood.
"I, Haku, descendant of the Yuki clan, do hereby swear on blood and blade to uphold the will of the Uchiha clan, to offer my power and my life in service of this oath," he said.
I'd walked him through the vow, but it was still a little morbid to hear those words spoken with such conviction by a teenager.
Sasuke seemed unbothered.
"I, Uchiha Sasuke, head of the Uchiha clan, hear your words and accept your oath," he said. "From this day forward, until you are released from my service, you are one with the Uchiha clan."
They exchanged sake cups, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Welcome to our family, Haku," I said.
…
AN: Just as a heads up, I'll be doing a bit of travelling for the next few months which will leave me with little time for writing. The next chapter will be delayed until things calm down a bit.
