Zabuza grunted with exertion as he swung his blade at Kakashi, who grunted back as he dodged. Both shinobi were exhausted, and both were terribly wounded.

Kakashi was wheezing with every move, one hand never leaving his side, desperately trying to keep himself together long enough to outlast his foe. He was fairly certain his lung had been nicked when Zabuza managed to hit him, but the damage was not crippling, not yet. But moving too hard and too fast or even breathing fully could quite possibly make the damage worse, and with that in mind, he played the waiting game carefully, using the least amount of effort possible to keep ahead of Zabuza's blade.

Zabuza was no better. His left arm ached terribly from the strain of wielding his sword alone. His right arm, what was left of it, burned with a deep inner fire that slowly and inexorably sapped his strength with each drop of blood lost. His back was dominated by one giant burn that ran from his charred belt to his neck, and that weeping injury was making every breath a torment. Every time he lifted his sword, his entire back cracked quietly, his charred skin oozing that much more.

Kakashi drew his strength from desperation. Zabuza drew his strength from humiliation.

After the last decoy had detonated and nearly taken Zabuza's arm, Tazuna had fled into his house. Zabuza followed, screaming, howling in fury and pain. In those early moments of the fight, nothing could stop his blade, powered by adrenaline and fury. Each step was accompanied with a wild swing, the heavy blade passing through the front door, the walls, and the tables and chairs of the kitchen in succession. Tazuna ran through the entire house, desperately avoiding each swing with an agility fueled by terror, eventually jumping out of Inari's bedroom window when he became cornered.

He landed, and noting the lack of Kakashi bleeding out in the grass, he turned as Zabuza landed behind him. But he was not afraid. He was grinning, his hand already formed into the seal of the Snake.

Zabuza froze, his eyes bulging in disbelief and pain. "No," he growled, taking a step towards Tazuna. "You're bluffing." Tazuna's eyes darted to his foe's feet, measuring the distance between them, the huge grin still plastered across his face.

Zabuza stared at the man before him, then laughed, a loud howling chuckle that echoed across the waters of the lake. "I'll admit, you ran me ragged. You've likely cost me a literal arm, bridge builder, and it looks like your ninja ally has escaped my wrath as well." He hefted his blade to his shoulder, sweat-covered muscles bulging with the strain, and he nodded. "I'll grant you a quick death for such an incredible fight. But you missed one small detail in your attempt to trick me into sparing your life."

Tazuna froze, eyes wide, a small drop of sweat rolling down his face.

"I can see you're scared that your bluff won't work, something no real ninja would show. You're not Kakashi's clone!"

Zabuza was mid lunge when he heard the sound, a high-pitched chirping noise, and he ducked into a roll, hissing as his own body weight pressed down on his mangled arm. He rose with his back to Tazuna in time to see Kakashi's lightning-shrouded fist hit the ground, blowing a small hole in the dirt.

Then he felt Tazuna land behind him, and heard the dreaded sound of an explosive tag priming.

Now, the usual grace of a ninja battle had devolved into a slugging match. The same cycle, over and over. Zabuza would make an attack, or maybe two, until his one working arm gave out. Kakashi would throw himself away from the attack, his wheezing getting worse. They would then glare impotently at one another, gathering the energy for another round.

Kakashi managed a small chuckle eventually. "We both know this is a stalemate. We're both waiting for our genin to show up and tip the balance. I would offer to give us both a break, but you'd only try to kill me the moment I showed any sort of trust. So we keep this up, over and over, like a pair of morons in a shonen manga. Sounds like a silly way for us to carry on. Want to take a break?"

Zabuza, crouched over his sword and glared up at his opponent, who was on one knee and ready to jump aside in case Zabuza had gathered enough energy to take another swing. Zabuza's ragged breaths turned into a ragged chuckle, and to Kakashi's surprise, he nodded, dropped his sword, and staggered a few feet away. Kakashi moved away slightly as well and slumped gratefully to the dirt. After a few moments of panting, he pulled out a small tin of antibiotic salve and rubbed it into his wound with a hiss. He then closed the tin, then casually tossed it to Zabuza, who flinched slightly and blocked it with his tattered arm, snarling at the sudden pain.

Kakashi snorted. "If I had anything like that, I'd have left it on the ground while we were rolling around playing Manga Battle. It's an antibiotic, with a mild pain reliever mixed in. It won't get us on our feet, but it'll help a little with the pain, and if you end up winning or this becomes a draw, it might save your arm." He gave a small chuckle and a small shrug, sparing his injured side. "You'll have to find a nice young woman to rub it on your back though."

Zabuza chuckled back at the mental image, and after a moment of thought, he reached out and grabbed the tin from where it had landed. He popped it open with one hand, cracking the tin in half with the effort, and started snarling to himself as he rubbed it into his damaged arm. "You're an odd one, Kakashi-san," he said once he finished, his voice rumbling. "I've never known a ninja to be quite so friendly to a foe who intends to kill them painfully as soon as they can."

Kakashi nodded at that. "That's because I know two things you do not."

That got a snort. "Enlighten me, oh wise one."

Kakashi raised a finger. "One, we're not foes now, even if you don't get that yet. You're not getting paid, ergo, you gain nothing by this fight. Thus, we are not foes."

Zabuza rolled his eyes and waved his good hand for the other shinobi to continue.

Kakashi raised a second finger. "Two, we're waiting for our genin to arrive and finish this fight in our stead. And I know, beyond doubt, that mine will win. At the very least, the two who are with me. The third is busy elsewhere."

Zabuza pointed and laughed at his foe. "My minion has a bloodline limit that is unstoppable. I've never seen him lose to an enemy."

Kakashi gave his own little snort, which devolved into a giggle. "You know all those clones that have been working you over with explosive tags, pretending to be Tazuna, and otherwise messing with you?"

Zabuza nodded, his jaw clenched tight.

"Those weren't my clones…"

Haku landed with a thud against a tree and pushed, lunging back along his previous line of flight with senbon flying out to either side, but the black-haired shinobi he was up against took the poorly-aimed strikes and met him head on, kunai in each hand.

Damn him, Haku thought. He had already tried to recapture his opponent twice in his ice dome. The first time, the shinobi had blown through one of the panes of ice with a well-placed stream of flame, lighting Haku's sleeve on fire in doing so. The second time, Haku had made the panes thicker, but that had proven too slow to be effective, an his foe had simply jumped out before the dome was complete. And as much as it burned him to admit it, without his mirrors, Haku was not fast enough to stop his red-eyed foe.

They met and parted with a clashing of kunai, Haku's speed allowing him to avoid Sasuke's attack, while the sharingan allowed Sasuke to do the same in spite of his slower reaction time. It was a stalemate, and with a final futile toss of senbon, Haku turned and fled as fast as he could for the bridge builder's house, where a second explosion had happened some time ago. His foe shouted in surprise and started to chase, but by then, Haku had enough of a lead to keep ahead of any attack.

After a few moments, Haku landed on a branch some ways away, listening carefully to the sound of his not so distant pursuit, then gasped in shock as the bushes below him parted, revealing his master. He was dragging his blade in the dirt, one arm reduced to a stump. His breath was ragged, his eyes focused only on his feet as he trudged along.

The sound of the genin behind him increased in pace, and Haku knew the boy had seen his master and him. He jumped down and tucked himself under his master's good arm. "We must flee, master. I have you."

The arm tightened around Haku's throat, and a chill went down his spine as his master looked at him and gave him a huge grin, so out of place on such a stern man. "And I have you, Haku," said Uzumaki Naruto.

Kakashi perked up slightly. He could hear the sound of three young people leaping through the trees, and could not imagine any circumstance or combination of allies and enemies that did not indicate he had won. He perked up even more when, from the direction of town, he heard a fourth set of footsteps, slow and almost inaudible.

"I think we're about done here," he said. Zabuza grunted, still leafing through the orange book that Kakashi had tossed him earlier with an outraged expression. He carefully close the book and tossed it back to Kakashi. "I cannot believe nobody ever took up your offer to look inside this book. It was like a window into your mindset, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi resisted the urge to giggle as he rose, if only to spare his side, then, after a moment, he walked over and offered Zabuza a hand. "No hard feelings or anything," he said calmly, looking Zabuza in the eye. Zabuza returned the look for some time, then grunted and took the help up.

Naruto and Sasuke landed on the ground at the edge of the forest moments later, Haku between them. They began to walk forward, even as Haku started to run, hand dipping into pockets. Kakashi noted his student's lack of concern and decided simply moving away slightly would suffice, just in case. He was proven right a moment later, when Haku's hands came out bearing bandages, pastes, and herbs.

"Haku," snarled Zabuza, freezing the young man in his tracks, "you lost?" Haku fidgeted slightly, looking down at his feet, looking for words to say. His eyes widened when he heard Naruto start stomping forward.

"He surrendered, you idiot, on condition of being able to minister your injuries." Naruto was fuming, his face red, his eyes wild. "He was so worried about your life and saving your arm that he stopped fighting."

"After he woke up from the headlock," mumbled Sasuke quietly to Kakashi, who shushed him.

Zabuza looked fit to start attacking anew when Haku stepped up and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Zabuza-san, you risk losing your arm, and you've already lost the pay from this mission. They told me when I surrendered. Gato is probably already dead."

Zabuza opened his mouth to argue… then shut his mouth and looked at Kakashi, who nodded and pointed in the direction of the slowly approaching footsteps. "I… still do not approve of your surrender." He loaded his voice with menace and fury.

"You should," snarled Naruto, stepping up to glare at Zabuza. "Do you know what got him? Not my clone and a tag. Not Sasuke's ice breaking attack. The thing that got him was a simple Henge of you, crippled and unable to flee. He literally put my arm around his shoulders, without even thinking of the possibility of it being a trick. He fell for the stupidest trick ever, out of worry for you."

Zabuza looked down at his minion, who nervously nodded in agreement to the story. "You're an idiot, Haku, and far too soft." Haku nodded quietly.

"Apologize," Naruto hissed.

Zabuza snarled and stepped forward, good arm raised, even against the pressure of Haku holding him back. Naruto snarled and stepped forward as well… his hands formed in the Snake seal. Every person in the clearing froze, nobody faster than Zabuza. "You must be blu…" Zabuza stopped speaking, literally swallowing his words, and looked around.

Everyone looked terrified. Haku was standing, arms out, trying to shield Zabuza with his small, thin body. The little black-haired genin looked concerned, and was staring at the blond with his eyes glowing red, gaze moving as he tried to find a way to stop his teammate. And Kakashi…

Kakashi looked worried, deeply worried. He caught Zabuza's eye and shook his head.

Zabuza lowered his arm. "I. Am. Sorry." Each word was a growl, dragged out from the depths of his soul, a chain lined with glass shards and fish hooks ripped out of his lungs and mouth. "You are soft, Haku. But not an idiot."

Naruto nodded and stepped away, arms dropping, his face going from scowl to smile in moments. He walked away, waving to his sensei, who swiftly cuffed him and lectured him on suicide bombs and why not to use them. Sasuke rolled his eyes and started looking in the direction of the little pink girl who was was approaching, a bag over her shoulder and a tired, grim look in her eye. And Zabuza watched as Haku dressed his wounds, the boy's face slightly pink and a smile fixed on his face, not the slight thing he wore like a piece of clothing, but a genuine smile.

Zabuza sat in the dirt, letting Haku reach his broad shoulders, and thought.

The small camp in the wreckage of the bridge builder's home was a fairly cheerful one the next morning.

Early on, it had been tense, as Sakura explained her mission and delivered to Zabuza proof that he would not be getting paid by Gato, ever. Zabuza had been furious, but had calmed himself slightly when Sakura had also pointed out that Gato had a large safe in his office… and then pulled out the man's keyring. Haku had looked at Zabuza, then Kakashi, then excused himself to "look for herbs" with Sakura. Nobody was fooled, and nobody objected.

Hours later, they had returned, Inari and Tsunami with them and a veritable pharmacy in hand. They had paid a quick visit to Gato's office, passing easily through what few guards remained. Once his death was known, Gato's men had fallen into fighting and looting. Most of the town had been spared, as most of the wealth of the land had been kept away from the townsfolk. The safe had been filled with money, and more than money, far more. Bearer bonds, property deeds, account information, and an impressive collection of blackmail material had been within. They had looted it all, then dropped by a doctor's office to throw money at him and take his entire stock. They picked up Inari and Tsunami on the way out, and aside from one short and simple fight with a pair of would-be thugs, they had returned unmolested.

Tsunami had been crushed to see the ruins of her house… until Sakura had handed her a small bag and whispered something to her. She opened the bag, her face quizzical, then she quickly and nonchalantly stashed the bag on her person. Inari, for his part, had been quite frightened of Zabuza until the big man had growled theatrically at the little boy only to be silenced brutally by a swat on the back from Haku.

Haku, with some basic medical training, had managed to fix up Zabuza's hand well enough that he could expect at least a partial recovery. Kakashi's side had been worse, but without any major internal injuries, it too was on the mend. He would not heal well in the field, but he was mobile, which was all he needed.

But the greatest surprise for Zabuza was when Naruto had taken the entire haul from Gato's office and dropped it in front of him. Zabuza looked at the pile, then up at the other shinobi around him.

"Sakura already got her pay for Gato," said Kakashi casually, face buried in his book. "None of us were hired to do anything about the situation here, just defend the bridge builder, so we have no claim on it. But those nefarious nuke-nin, they have all sorts of sticky fingers, so who knows what they made off with in the chaos."

Zabuza raised his hand, ready to push the pile away, but Haku's hand closed over his. "We'll do anything to reach our goals. Slay anyone. Do unspeakable things. Accept lucky happenstance disguising well-intentioned charity, even." He turned to the other shinobi and bowed. "Thank you."

Zabuza nodded to his minion, then to the others. "Thank. You." The glass was a little less sharp this time, the fish hooks fewer. He even felt, for just a moment, a little warmth inside, which he assumed was heartburn until much further in the future.

That night, Kakashi had quietly talked with Zabuza, away from camp. They spoke on several subjects. On how Gato was a fool for his heavy-handed policies. On how, with all of his men running amok, someone offering protection could make a mint, especially if they accepted future payment, with the sudden economic upswing the town should have soon. On how certain people needed experience being a good leader before they took over entire nations if they wanted to avoid the same mistakes that drove them to choose that mission. On how some further opportunities might crop up in the future in another land that famously valued kekkei genkai and other unusual powers, and could always use an experienced shinobi.

Zabuza was up all night, deep in thought.

"One thing I must ask, Kakashi."

They all stood on the path leading out of town, days later. Kakashi's side had mended enough to travel, and Zabuza had been good to go for a while, but remained on the insistence of Haku. Kakashi turned to look at the two former foes, his single eyebrow raising.

"I've yet to see the real Tazuna. I must know. Where did you hide him?"

Kakashi grinned.

Tazuna sighed and poked at his food. He was quite tired of ramen, but he was also poor, and Naruto had convinced the shopkeeper to cut him a deal when his clone had escorted him back to the village after the two shinobi in the puddle had attacked.

"Another bowl?" asked Teuchi from behind the counter, grinning.

Tazuna sighed again. He'd even run out of sake.

EDIT: Thanks to Pom Rania, who has now gone over this chapter in an effort to finally stamp out the early installment weirdness *GLUG*

Author's Notes: Originally, I intended for Haku to save Zabuza from an explosive tag at the cost of his life… but I felt that I was stretching hard to kill Haku because everyone saves Haku. I found it was hard to force the issue in a way that was not silly, so I shrugged and decided to accept that this is one result that would end up matching a lot of other fics. They'll be back, just don't expect them to be the fluffy love bugs you're used to seeing in fanfiction. People change, but perhaps, not that much.

euroteres: Well, the results of the experiment are inconclusive. My initial chapter numbers were within my normal projections. I did notice a lot of long-term gains, but that may have been a result of the time between updates. Myth plausible, as it were.

fluffpenguin: I am aware of the traditional glass-filled eggshells, and it was a direct inspiration for that particular tool. Sakura did not grab the money because, frankly, she just killed and mutilated someone for the first time. Under the circumstance, logic takes second place to emotion. Trust me, we'll get to her mindset soon, possibly next chapter.