In which decisions are made.
They took Haku the very next day.
It wasn't like they could have stopped him anyway. Sasuke looked on and shuffled awkwardly and decided he would stay with Tazuna that day, Sakura was still slightly injured, so she stayed with Tsunami. So she, Naruto, and Kakashi went with him.
Haku didn't talk much, and Kakashi pulled Naruto's ear when he tried to open his mouth. He also pulled his ear when he tried to carry Haruhi instead of him. Gravel crunched under foot and crisp sea air filled her lungs. She took one deep breath, then another. They trekked up the hill, the harbor and the nearly completed bridge coming into view.
Haku was sweating but completely determined to reach Zabuza's grave. He wiped perspiration from his brow and his hand froze over his face when he caught sight of the hilt of the giant sword.
He continued wiping his brow, hand falling to his side.
They stood back as Haku walked forward. He knelt there for some time, for hours probably. Naruto trained a little ways off, while Haruhi laid in a half awake state in Kakashi's pocket, humming a tune. Kakashi was reading his book, of course. And maybe listening just a bit. She was humming the second verse of her song, when she felt something rest on her head.
Grabbing up her hand wrapped around it and brought a blue buttercup into view.
She looked up at Kakashi, but his eye was studiously on his book, blue buttercup patch to his left. She took the flower and played with the petals as she continued humming.
Haku's head remained bowed for the longest time.
He looked to be deep in prayer and thought. His hands were folded on his lap. His choppy hair swayed in the breeze. Haku was thinking deeply and Haruhi could guess what about.
Naruto came back panting heavily and he plopped down next to Kakashi, ruffling the pages of the book.
He was just in time to witness Haku grab Zabuza's sword, pulling himself up.
And pulling the sword out.
They watched wide-eyed as the heavily injured boy hoisted the giant sword over his good shoulder. He stood and turned towards them, determination in every corner of his face.
"I will come back to Konoha with you, and offer my services and Zabuza's sword as a peace offering. I know the locations of Gato's empire, and can reveal these locations to Konoha for sanctuary and a chance to be a Konoha shinobi."
"..." o.0
"ALL RIGHT!" Naruto screamed.
They headed back as it was well past lunch time. At first Kakashi offered to carry the sword after Haruhi made it clear she didn't mind a lift by Naruto but Haku insisted, and she could see a glimmer of respect in Kakashi's eye.
When they finally got back, he was sweating heavily and trembling, but walked with dignity. He dropped the sword on the porch and collapsed halfway to his bed. Naruto carried him the rest of the way. At dinner, Tazuna reported the bridge would be complete in a couple days.
A couple days that passed quickly.
The had packed up their things and Kakashi had reluctantly handed her off to Sakura. Haku was still sore so Kakashi was carrying the blade this time, Haruhi had wolf whistled and Kakashi blushed.
A group of villagers had come to see them off.
"I can't tell you how much were going to miss you." Tazuna said.
"Do be careful." Tsunami smiled, gratitude in her eyes.
"Thank you, for everything." Kakashi said.
"Now now, don't get all choked up." Naruto said in a suspiciously tight voice."We'll come back and visit real soon."
This led to Inari becoming choked up then both of them turning away trying to conceal the rivers streaming down their cheeks. She and Sakura exchanged exasperated glances. Boys. But then again, these people didn't know about the ninetails and Naruto probably wasn't used to this fair treatment.
"What are you going to name it?" Haruhi asked.
"Hmm...How about Team Seven Bridge."
"I like that." She and Kakashi said at the same time. They smiled at each other before looking back. Everyone waved farewell and they left for Konoha.
"Hey Haruhi sensei, it'll be great to be back home, won't it!"
"Yeah...Home." She mumbled, plastering on a smile. She felt eyes on her.
It would be a two day trip back to Konoha at ninja speed, so when they set up shop for the night Kakashi had first watch. The kids all went to sleep. It had been a very eventful day, as Haku had many questions, and Sakura and Naruto had some for him too. She had a feeling Kakashi wanted to talk, so she wrestled herself out of Sakura's grip and sat next to him.
"You know, Haruhi, I don't mind you in my house."
At her confused expression he clarified.
"If you want to say in Konoha, you could stay with me." Did Kakashi...look hopeful?
She blinked in surprise, blushing slightly. She remembered when they first met, and how he had outright refused, to her and the Hokage's face. This was definitely was a change compared to how it once was.
"Thank you Kakashi." She took a deep, shaky breath. "I've made my decision."
Kakashi looked up, and there was a strange glint in his eyes.
"I've imposed on you long enough. Thank you, for everything."
The glint died out, like a matchstick being dropped on concrete and grounded to ashes underfoot. He said nothing, only nodding before looking away.
While Haku wasn't an expert sensor, she was better than most.
So when she sensed another presence in the treetops while Zabuza was fighting Kakashi and the genin guarded the target, she had to investigate. Any target she didn't explicitly know as an ally was an enemy. She would find them and dispatch them quickly.
As much as Haku didn't want to, she had to leave Zabuza by himself for a bit. Haku jumped gracefully from her position, being careful not to alert the genin or the two fighting. She scanned the treetops through her mask, eyes narrowed.
The signature was unusual, different than anything she had felt before. She heard quickened breaths and a rustling of paper. Haku flicked her senbon from her sleeves and readied herself.
But before she could do anything, there was a faint pop, and a small cloud of smoke drifted through the thick foliage. Stretching out her senses, she was greeted with a now empty forest.
Who could it have been?
Very few people were skilled enough to disappear like that.
Shaking her head she rushed back to Zabuza, just in time to see the Copy nin about to land a fatal blow.
"STOP!"
The battle was the closest she had ever come to losing Zabuza. Her hands shook trying to clean his burns and heal his shoulder.
Her burnt hand stung, days after the battle
She would need to collect herbs.
Leaving Zabuza at their hideout, she picked up her wooden basket and headed to the heavily forested areas of the island. She had spotted herbs there before.
There was a boy there, sleeping in the grass.
Haku immediately recognized him as one of the genin from the battle that injured Zabuza. Her hand twitched as it neared his face, stopping to rest on his shoulder. She shook him awake.
"Huh, Wha-?"
The boy was cute, if not bit dumb. A bit like some of her rabbit summons.
She told him her name.
He prattled on blushing and stuttering, shooting glances at her face. He probably thought she was a girl.
The thought caused a pain in her chest before she beat it down, along with the urge to tell him she was actually a boy too.
She was with Zabuza now, he didn't care she was a girl and not a boy, and he didn't care she was a Yuki.
So she didn't correct him.
She felt a presence hidden in the bushes, the Uchiha boy and a smaller signature. She waited a bit before calling out to them.
"You can come out now."
When the other boy approached, Haku had to fight to keep her composure. He was very handsome. He was leveling her with an intense gaze, and Haku fought to keep down her blush. She knew he thought of her as a boy, and only platonically.
She continued to talk about her precious people, carefully watching their reactions, and being careful not to keep her eyes on the small figure hidden in the Uchiha's collar.
She leaves quickly, burnt hand in basket.
She was brave.
The pink haired Konoha nin was obviously out of practice, if her incorrect grip on her kunai was anything to go buy. Her thin legs shook with exertion, but the determination and will in her eyes was like fire.
She stood in front of the Bridge builder, pumping chakra to her feet in a way that allowed her to glide over the ice and not slip. Haku was impressed. As she glided to block more senbon Haku watched her feminine movements and had to beat back a wave of jealousy, watching her pretty red dress trail behind her along with her long pink hair.
This kunoichi had gone toe-to-toe with Zabuza in order to buy her teacher time, and had been awarded with deep cuts from his sword. Her movements were tense and painful.
Haku's eyes flickered from her to the Uchiha boy, Sasuke, who was finishing off the last of the water clones.
She needed to get her out of the way.
She flicked senbon into her soft chest, right above her heart.
The boys scream of rage cut Haku to her core. It sounded like her mothers-
She shook her head.
She needed to stay focused.
They fought ferociously, but Haku was already tired from the kunoichi's trick with the construction equipment-she had taken a bulldozer and destroyed most of her ice mirrors. Haku had to use most of her Chakra to save herself.
When the boy, aflame with rage over the loss of one of his precious people spit a fireball the size of a house at her, she was unable to dodge.
It was an intense pain, unlike anything she had felt before. She screamed in agony as it hit her side, skin popping and hair fraying and shriveling like hay over a fire. Her mask cracked under the intense heat of the flames.
The shock and betrayal on his face only made her hurt more. She wanted to apologize, but she never could say sorry, because it was for Zabuza. All for him. The man who accepted her as she was, who said she was good enough just the way she was. Who never tried to change her to fit his ideals of the perfect person, only training her and teaching her. Feeding her and buying her dresses when she had worked up the courage to ask him.
But this boy, and the look of pain on his face, a look so familiar because she had seen it on herself, made her want to.
The rest of the battle passed in a blur, ending with a sickening crack that rattled her from the back of her skull to the ends of her toes.
When she woke up to see the tiny woman and the Kunoichi her stomach sank. Was she a prisoner now?
Everything was so murky and her head was throbbing. Thinking felt like trying to swim with heavy clothes on.
The tiny woman was calling up to her and Haku paused, trying to get her wandering eyes to focus on something.
The tiny woman was very beautiful, her skin a shade of brown she had only ever seen once from a missing nin from Kumo. Her black hair was thick and curly, falling a bit beyond her shoulders. Her body was pear shaped and on the heavier side, but it suited her somehow. She had a pair of blue wired glasses, which helped small almond shaped brown eyes to see. Her nose was cute and pert, and her mouth had full pinkish-brown lips.
She was a real woman. The eloquence she spoke with, and the air surrounding her assured that. Haku again swallowed back her envy and pain.
Zabuza was dead.
The only person who had ever accepted her, who knew the full truth about her and still cared, was dead.
She laughed bitterly, and complemented the woman-Haruhi.
The next day, they took her to see Zabuza's grave. The walk was hard, her burns and head throbbing and stinging as she walked. She refused help. This was something she needed to do alone.
So here she sat.
Naruto trained in a clearing not far away from them, and Haruhi and the copy-nin sat together. She watched as he flirted with her, plucking a buttercup and placing it on her head.
She saw her reflection in Zabuza's sword. Once beautiful skin, skin she had nourished with handmade lotions made from herbs she had picked, was marred. Burns twisted her face to a point where she looked like an oni, and her hair, her long beautiful, feminine hair, looked like hay. It was choppy and patchy where hunks had been burned or cut off. Split ends and singed hairs were left over if they hadn't been removed. A burn below her left ear assured her that spot would be barren for the rest of her life-however long that may be.
She was hideous.
Not beautiful like Haruhi, or Sakura. Not a woman like Tsunami, or the woman who was helping Tazuna build the bridge. She would never be a woman now.
Her fists dug into her thighs.
What would happen to her now?
She was a missing nin, wanted due to her bloodline. She was strong-but not as strong as Zabuza. And certainly in no state to protect herself now. It was only a matter of time before nin came to collect her bounty, and before word got off the island that she was all alone now. The bridge was almost completed, word would reach the outside world soon.
And the Konoha nin, there was very little chance they wouldn't tell their Kage.
Going with the Konoha nin back to Konoha would be...awkward, to say the least. Ninja were a paranoid bunch, and the circumstances surrounding her would guarantee distrust. And Haku wasn't a fool, she knew Konoha was a ninja village like any other. She heard from Zabuza how the Uchiha were treated. If she went, she'd be forced to serve a village that didn't care for her like Zabuza did.
But on the other hand…
She needed help. These burns wouldn't completely heal without out a skilled medic, and Konoha had the best ninja hospital in the world. Being in Konoha would offer her protection, and a chance-
She swallowed.
A chance to start over. She could finally be herself. It would be hard, but not impossible.
She glanced at Haruhi, who was twirling a lock of her hair in between her fingers.
"Zabuza cared for you, and would want you to be happy. Please, come with us."
Haku's eyes focused, and she stood.
She had made her decision.
Hey guys! Schools going to start soon and i'm only halfway through my summer work. I'm tempted to just end this with her going home. Tell me what you think of Haruhi's relationships and what you thought was neat. And Yes, Haku considers herself a girl.
Be warned, the updates will start getting sparser soon.