Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ All-Girl's Sasuke ❯ His Life or Yours ( Chapter 10 )

Info: Thank you, people that commented on the last chapter!! x3; But now I must confess. OKAY! I lied... there are no actual Sasuke AND Naruto scenes... though there ARE Sasuke scenes and Naruto scenes. Yes, Naruto gets to appear without Sasuke! Huzzah, I think? xD Anyways, this chapter gets really, really dark at the end. O.o; I don't know why I did this, and why it's like this, but I guess the way I planned it just seems weird to me or something. Meh. And Haku is more like Haku from the original storyline too, sob story and all. x3 Sasuke gets to be a hero, and Naruto is his own adorable self. So, even if they aren't together here, you should enjoy it. No attacking me, then.

Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto. Myah, I'm sort of glad I don't, too, because I could NEVER create such a cool character like Gaara. xDDD

Chapter 10 - His Life or Yours

-

When the bell rang at noon, Haku left his Writing class to go to the classroom that they were keeping Sasuke in. He went there only partially to see Sasuke; the one Haku was really interested in was Zabuza, who seemed to be the one to watch the boy whenever Iruka or Kakashi wasn't. However, before Haku could get to the door, he was grabbed by the arm and pulled the other way.

"What?" The first thing he saw was pink hair as he turned, realizing it to be Sakura. "Oh, hello."

"Don't 'Oh, hello' me, Haku-kun," she stated, stopping to glare at the boy. "Where are you going? I haven't seen you since this morning! You didn't even tell me where they were keeping Sasuke during Kakashi-sensei's class!! How could you?" A gasp followed. "Are you in cahoots with Ino?!"

Haku smiled nervously. "To be honest... I was just going to go find you so we could see him together," he lied, as she watched him carefully.

"Oh really...?" she asked, though her suspicious stare nary faded. He nodded in assurance. Anything to get off of being viciously attacked by one of Sasuke's fangirls. "....well, okay. Where is he?"

Haku lead Sakura to the seemingly empty room, and when she gave him a wary look, he told her to peek in through the door's small window at the top to make sure.

She did so and beamed, thus proving that Haku was telling the truth. "Yes! And it's dark... ah, I would kill to be with Sasuke in the dark...." Sakura shot a glare at Haku. "Damn you, you get to sleep in the same room...."

Worse than that... "He isn't that special," Haku murmured back, a scene from the night before immediately flashing in front of his eyes, despite the emotionless look he was giving Sakura. ".... even with his shirt off...."

"What?" Sakura was back to trying to get a better look of Sasuke in the dark, only half paying attention to her friend.

"I didn't say anything," he quickly said, knocking on the door.

"Ah! What are you doing?!" she cried, looking around. "Aren't we supposed to go in incognito-style or something?! I thought we weren't allowed!"

"We aren't," Haku replied, opening the door after. "It's just that last time I busted in without warning, Sasuke looked like he was going to have a heart attack."

"Oh... hey, wait!" But Sakura was already pulled into the room by Haku.

Sasuke turned around in his seat at the front of the room, but he didn't get up. "Again?" he asked, almost exasperatedly.

Haku nodded, chancing a glance at Zabuza before saying, "And Sakura-chan is here, too."

"I could see that," he stated. Sakura waved, still enthralled in how the sunlight streaming in through the window lit up half of Sasuke's face. He arched a brow at her silence, and slowly waved back as if she were a small child. "You can't stay here," he said, looking back at Haku. "Iruka said he'd come back by now."

"Oh, right, well..." Haku quickly linked arms with Sakura, aiming to probably have to drag her out of the room. "I-we just wanted to see if you were lonely. And apparently she also wanted to wave moronically at you, so I guess our job is done." He grinned, backing out of the room.

"You don't have to keep checking on me, Haku," Sasuke said, flatly. "I'll see you at the dorm... after school." He added the latter part of the sentence, hoping it would keep Haku from being lured anywhere by Zabuza.

The cross-dressing boy nodded and proceeded to pulling Sakura along. "Bye...!" When the door closed, Sasuke stared heatedly at Zabuza.

"Stop pretending like he doesn't exist," Sasuke stated, his tone different from the stoic one of just a few seconds before, when Haku and Sakura were in the room. "You know as well as I do that he's only coming here to see you."

Zabuza didn't answer and continued sitting quietly in his chair, watching the trees outside.

-

Haku found that particular day to be the hardest day to eat lunch ever. Ino and the rest of the Sasuke groupies had swarmed around his and Sakura's table, asking their never-ending questions of their beloved Uchiha, most of them centering around where the boy was.

"I don't know," he'd answered for the umpteenth time, sounding more than just a little annoyed. "So please leave me alone."

"No way," one girl replied. "You're his roommate! You get to be up to date on everything Sasuke!!"

"Yeah, it's not fair you get to keep him all for yourself, too!" another cried.

Haku twitched, trying to ignore them and just enjoy his orange soda. However, even the fruit-flavored drink wasn't enough to rid his mind of their griping cries. Sakura, on the other hand, was simply much too busy remembering the way Sasuke looked like without the light on to even notice that she and Haku were being half-mobbed by their classmates. She looked more than dazed with the stars in her green eyes.

"I'm not keeping him all to myself..." Haku began, the grip on his soda can strengthening with each moan and groan of the crowd, "... I don't even want him!"

"Humph, really?" Ino folded her arms in obvious disbelief. "Then why were you hugging him this morning, eh?!"

Crush! went the aluminum can, and Swoosh! went Haku out of his seat. He stalked away, tossing the container into a trash bin before leaving the cafeteria, with nothing on his face but a scowl and an intense blush that had suddenly appeared.

He went straight to his locker, intent on getting his things ready for his next class, but his hand stopped right in front of the lock. It hung in the air for a few moments, as Haku pondered his decision. Finally making up his mind, Haku turned and left the locker closed, his next destination being the front of the school.

As he walked past the double doors that were the entrance of St. Ruto's School for Girls, the cross-dresser faintly heard the voice of one of the hallway supervisors yelling for him to stop and turn back around. Haku pretended not to listen, however, and continued making his way off of school grounds.

He walked and walked down the white sidewalk, unsure of where he was going exactly. But anger and embarrassment was what drove him forward, plus a multitude of other emotions that he had been holding inside of him since coming to the school in the first place.

"This is so stupid..." His hand reached up, ripping the navy blue cloth headband from his hair before tossing it behind him. Haku then broke into a run, something just telling him to go wherever he was headed faster. "I... give up...."

Just as his surroundings began to blur into one big mess, the teen stopped in his tracks, only to find where he was to be all too familiar. He only took one step more before realizing that the ground had changed to something else. He didn't have to look down to know that he was standing on sand. It was the same kind used to fill up playgrounds, to cushion children's clumsy falls off of the equipment.

He'd been in this situation before, standing on the sand on the edge of a playground. Maybe not exactly this place, but somewhere almost like it. A gust of wind suddenly touched at him, pulling Haku back to the reality that he wasn't where he was supposed to be. A new fear reached out, one that said he was going to be in trouble for running off. But that was quickly quelled when he realized it wouldn't matter anyway. He had given up on this way, right?

Haku walked up to a swing set, his shoulder accidentally hitting one of the cold metal poles that supported the thing. Ignoring the blunt attack, he sat down in one of the swings with a sigh, gripping the rusted link chains on either side of him. A wave of definite nostalgia swept over him, as the boy stared at his bare legs in front of him. They weren't there before, when he was younger. Back then, he was small enough to look down and see the sand below without having to move his feet. He had to tuck his skirt in at the sides to keep it from blowing up as another gust of wind flew by.

I feel so foolish dressed like this now... Haku was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone else sit beside him. That was, until that someone else spoke.

"Yo."

Haku quickly looked up in surprise. "Uh...? Hello?" he searched for a greeting to give in reply to this stranger in an orange shirt. Orange? Odd sense of fashion..., Haku noted.

The other boy grinned. "Did I scare you?" Haku looked at him curiously, shaking his head no. There was something familiar about that blonde spiky hair... and more specifically those eyes. Why couldn't he remember where he'd seen them before?

"Have we... met before?" Haku asked, raising his eyebrows. The blond took another look at Haku, then shook his head.

"Nah. I'd've remembered you," he replied, a smirk still on his face. Haku didn't know whether to think that was a compliment, or a tacky pick-up line. "...so, what's a girl like you doing here? That's a St. Ruto's uniform, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah..." Haku said, still trying to place where he'd seen this other male before.

The blond blinked. "Not much for conversation, are you?" he said jokingly. "Are you skipping class? I know that school isn't out yet; I've got a friend who goes there."

"Skipping...?" Haku repeated, quirking a brow. "...sort of, I guess. What about you? It's only noon. I don't think any schools are out yet."

"Hah, well," the blond laughed, shifting in his swing, "I didn't exactly study for this test in Civics, so... you get the idea."

The cross-dressing boy nodded, though he eyed the blond warily. "That doesn't sound like something you should be proud of..."

"Oh, I'm not," he assured, his expression changing swiftly. "I was just in a tight bind, and I guess I had to get away."

Haku looked back down. "Hm. I know what you mean." And then he gasped, eyes widening as he looked back at the boy. Now he remembered! "You... you're...-"

The blond stared back at Haku incredulously. "What...?"

"Oh um..." Haku regained his form quickly, looking for a better way to ask, "D-do you know a kid named Uchiha Sasuke...?"

Naruto nodded, all too enthusiastically. "Yeah! That's the friend I was talking about!! You know him? Wait, what am I saying?! Of course you know him! All the girls know him."

Haku stared blankly at the blue-eyed boy. This was him. The Uzumaki Naruto, the one Sakura hated the most, and the one that Sasuke.....

"You're Uzumaki-san, then, aren't you?" Haku asked, receiving a grin from Naruto.

"Yup, I suppose that's me," he replied. "Why, does Sasuke talk about me?" Then he frowned. "Or do you know Sakura-chan too, and she's the one always talking about me...?"

"Um, yes. I know both of them." Haku still couldn't keep his eyes off of this character. Was this the one Sasuke was supposedly dating? Or being friends-with-benefits with, whatever their relationship was about? How the hell...? What spurred Uchiha into falling love with him? They're so opposite of each other!

The blonde looked at Haku oddly. "Hn? Why do you keep staring at me?" he asked, starting to feel highly scrutinized by this 'school girl.' "... do I look weird or something....?!"

Haku shook his head. "No, no... um... I'm just glad to finally meet you, Uzumaki-kun," he said.

Naruto suddenly felt embarrassed having this girl actually tell him that she was glad to meet him. Glad! That was a change. "Aw, hehe... thanks, I guess? Um, you can call me Naruto, by the way," he offered, pink tinting his face.

"Okay," said Haku. "My name is Yukio Haku."

"That's a nice.... wait WHAT?!" Naruto jumped out of his swing in surprise. "You're Yukio?!?!"

Haku blinked, nonplussed. "Um... I'm guessing that Uchiha-kun told you about me?"

Naruto proceeded to staring Haku up and down.

"What... what are you doing?" he asked Naruto incredulously. Then, swiftly, one of the blonde's hands reached out, lifting up Haku's skirt with such a force that Haku nearly fell out of the swing. The cross-dressing male ended up smacking Naruto five feet away after a very surprised yell.

"Agh, what do you think you're doing?!" Haku cried, watching the immobilized boy with a wary glare. "No wonder Sakura-chan loathes you!"

Naruto stood, the red mark on his face pretty much ignored on his part. "He's right...! You do look like a girl! And here I was expecting something much less," he said, apparently too amazed to even register the fact he'd just been attacked. "Sheesh... you're even cuter than most girls...."

Haku looked annoyed, partially because he was being complimented by someone who just tried to flip his skirt, and also because the one complimenting him knew he was actually a boy.

"Sasuke told you?" he asked Naruto. The blonde dumbly nodded, walking around Haku now as if he were an exhibit on display, his blue eyes glancing up and down the cross-dressing male's figure. "When did he tell you?!"

How long had Sasuke known about the truth, really? Had he just figured it out? Or had he known since the day he took Haku to the school from the bus stop?

Naruto looked up at Haku, seemingly satisfied with his inspection. "On Monday. Seemed sort of angry too, if you ask me." He narrowed his cerulean eyes. "Did you try to seduce him?"

"No!" Haku cried. "And on Monday?" He paused, thinking. How had Sasuke figured it out? Haku had to know. "Um... do you have the time?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." Naruto pulled up one of his orange sleeves, revealing a watch. He took one look at it, then showed it to Haku without saying anything, too lazy to try and decipher the exact time. "Here."

Haku blinked. Almost one thirty... I should get back at about two if I run again. He thanked Naruto, then waved before running off.

"What?! Hey, wait!" Naruto called after him, before deciding it a lost cause as Haku disappeared around a corner. "Hn... he's not so bad after all," the blonde decided, shrugging, as he put his hands behind his head casually. "Don't know why Sasuke hates him so much, though..."

-

About an hour had passed since Iruka had come back to watch over Sasuke. He was grading papers over at the table, Zabuza now gone from the room to do other things. Sasuke had suddenly felt extremely nervous when Zabuza had walked by his desk as he left the room, whispering, "I'll know," and he seemed to still be suffering from the effects.

Sasuke was in full-blown brooding mode, glancing up at Iruka at the table once or twice every few minutes. He wanted to say something. There was no way Zabuza would know... could he have rigged up a microphone? Then Sasuke could write it. Iruka would believe him... maybe. No, most likely. He still had to stay somewhat positive, despite that being quite out of his nature.

The entire time, Sasuke had this deep urge to just jump up, point to the door, and yell, "He's with Gaara!" It would've been better than just sitting there, the opportunity taunting him before his eyes. By staying silent, he was assuring that Haku would probably live one more day. But then he was also sealing his own fate; Zabuza would probably be the one to kill Uchiha Sasuke more than anything. During the night, when he was most vulnerable.

But if he spoke... he'd lessen his death chances considerably, right? Haku would be the one to pay, though. Sasuke lowered his gaze back down from Iruka's form in the corner. And he didn't want to see death anymore than he wanted to feel it. And Sasuke knew they would make his see it. Haku's body would probably be strewn across his bed when he woke up, bloody and matted.

A nightmare? He could only wish for it to be so. But maybe... if they got rid of Zabuza fast enough... he couldn't do anything to Haku.

"Iruka-sensei."

The man looked up from his work, a puzzled expression on his face. "Hm, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke didn't return the eye contact. He merely stayed as he was, as if he wasn't speaking at all. "Mochi-sensei... Zabuza... he isn't a real-"

The door at the back of the class flew open, cutting him off. Sasuke turned, expecting Haku to be on the other side. Or, more hoping than expecting due to the fear that it would be the one person that would prove this situation was worse than he'd originally thought.

"Mochi-san?" Iruka questioned, Zabuza standing on the other side. He looked about as indifferent as ever, though Sasuke could see a hidden intent behind that facade.

So he could hear....

"One of the students has run off," he stated, simply, a look shot over at Sasuke as he spoke, "and has not yet returned. I've been told to go find her. I may be gone awhile, so you know not to ask me to watch Uchiha when you leave."

Iruka nodded, now standing. "Which student is it, by the by?"

"Yukio Haku." At these words, Sasuke winced, before nearly stumbling as he got out of his chair.

"I'll look for her," Sasuke quickly said, closing the distance between him and Zabuza. "You probably have a class to teach next period."

Zabuza eyed Sasuke. "It's too dangerous for you to go anywhere but your dorm, boy," he replied.

"Sasuke, just sit back down and let a teacher handle this," Iruka stated from far behind. When Sasuke looked back, he saw that the man had already sat back down.

"But, I'm not doing anything. And I bet I know where Haku would be," Sasuke argued.

"Hn." Sasuke turned back to face Zabuza, the taller man staring down at him with daggers. "You are such a romantic, aren't you?" he asked, patting Sasuke's head as if he were a child. "Run back to your desk now, and be good," Zabuza hissed out the last word, before pushing Sasuke back and shutting the door after himself.

Sasuke stared at the door, then back at Iruka. "..... Iruka-sensei...."

"I won't hear of it, Sasuke," the teacher said, loudly, brushing away any other argument Sasuke may have attempted to make. Sasuke sulked back to his desk, trying to brush off the macabre thoughts that threatened his mind. He couldn't even attempt to glare at Iruka.

A few minutes passed, then Iruka stood, taking one of his papers with him off his desk. "Now don't leave the room, I have to bring this to the office," he ordered, before leaving Sasuke alone.

Sasuke barely thought twice. He quickly looked back at the door as it was pulled shut, before rushing to the wide window at the side of the room. He flicked open the lock on the window, before pulling the thing up. He figured that leaving out the front door would be too obvious, so the window was the next best thing. Besides, the door's way of exit would probably have him bump into Iruka or Kakashi.

Sasuke crawled out of the window as fast as he could, while trying not to fall on either side of the border. As soon as his feet touched the ground, and his head was not in the way, Sasuke pulled the window shut and ran off, taking the long way around the school so as to ensure no one could see him out of any other windows.

As soon as he was home free and out of school bounds, he began sprinting down the whitewashed sidewalk. The faster he got to wherever Zabuza and Haku were, the less likely he was to be too late.

The sun was bright compared to the dark room he'd been in most of the day. Why they hadn't just turned on the lights was a mystery to Sasuke. He turned around a corner, nearly falling over in the process. Why had Haku ran away, anyhow? He had been perfectly fine when he saw the cross-dresser before lunch.

Maybe Zabuza had known he would say something to Iruka and told Haku to create a diversion? But, then that would mean that Haku was in on it, right? Not in all the possible situations.... What if Haku left by his own will?

What would make him want to leave? Sasuke then wondered, his pace only slowing by a fraction. His legs had begun to burn, and now he had the distinct feeling he was going the wrong way. The Uchiha looked around, recognizing this place as one way to get to Naruto's house. It was the longest way, of course, which was why he only used it when he was walking with Naruto back to the dorm. He then began slowing further and further down until he was practically dragging his feet across the cement. Maybe Haku went the other way...

Then something caught his eye in the distance, across the street. It had looked like a weird, small animal at first, maybe a squirrel, but then Sasuke had realized it was blue. He looked both ways for any passing cars before crossing over to the other side. That was when he truly recognized the object. He picked it up, the dark blue fabric soft against his fingers.

Haku's headband. He roughly tied it onto his wrist, his feet once more moving at a slow walking pace, and once the cloth was secure Sasuke began running again. Haku had been here. He actually stood a chance of finding the other boy.

-

Haku suddenly didn't feel the need to get back before school let out. Maybe it would be better if he just pretended nothing happened on Monday?

Oh, that's right, he realized, his expression brightening extensively. Today's Friday. Yay. He mentally celebrated this notion, before realizing he had to deal with Sasuke for the next two days. Darn, I forgot that part.

He began staring at the tall, wooden fence as he walked. It must've been new, it had that new wood color to it and it wasn't graying like the school's fence. As he turned another corner, still admiring the fence, Haku nearly collided with someone but managed to catch himself before doing so.

"Ah, sorry, si-" He cut off, finding himself staring up at Zabuza. "Zabuza-san..."

"Haku," the man replied, arching an unseen brow at the boy. "I've come to find you. You ran away, which can't mean anything good." His words masked the malicious energy around him.

"I'm sorry, Zabuza-san," Haku said, looking off to the side. "I was just... angry at something. And I wanted to give up."

"Give up on what, Haku?" Zabuza questioned, a mocking calm in his voice.

The teen hesitated before answering. "On you." He was suddenly pushed against the fence he had been looking at moment before, one of Zabuza's arms above his head, the other at his shoulder. "Zabuza-san...?!"

"Don't be afraid," the man murmured, his voice low as he whispered into Haku's ear. Haku could feel a familiar heat spread to his face, and hoped Zabuza wouldn't notice.

"I'm... not," he replied, though he felt himself suppressing a shudder from the inside out.

"Good."

-

Sasuke pressed onward, though he thought the heat was going to eventually get to him. "Haku...," he breathed, stopping only once to lean against a fence beside him. "Damn you," he cursed the boy for making him have to run and look for him.

-

"Close your eyes," Zabuza stated, Haku not even thinking twice as he obeyed. "This might hurt," he then added, Haku barely flinching at his words. Pulling a long knife from under his shirt, the thing having been tucked into his belt, he slid it gently against Haku's neck.

The boy tried not to open his eyes, half out of fear for what he thought it was, and half because he didn't want to show he was afraid, as the cold metal touched his skin.

"One... two..." Zabuza slowly counted, pulling knife up. "Three."

Haku's eyes shot open, a searing pain flashing across his chest. He stumbled sideways, his hands immediately grabbing at the spot. Looking down, his once white shirt was slowly turning red, his hands stained in the same color. A huge gash had been made across his chest, starting below the collarbone, trailing off in one deep line until it met its end directly diagonally of its start. He looked up at Zabuza in fear.

"Za... Zabuza-san....?" he asked, looking for the fence behind him as support, feeling lightheaded. His hands left bloody imprints upon the new wood. Zabuza grabbed him roughly by the wrist, yanking him back to him.

"You said you were mine to kill freely," he stated, tonelessly. "Don't worry, your time isn't here yet," Zabuza added, as Haku stared up at him with pleading eyes. "I just have to show that Uchiha boy that I mean what I say. Then you'll be free to frolic in your skirts and bows until he finally breaks," he spat.

Haku didn't speak again, though he didn't try to fight the next slash either. This time, it crossed with the previous attack, creating an X across his chest. His shirt was almost completely red then, and Haku could feel himself weaving in and out of conscious with pain and blood loss. He felt it hard to breathe, maybe because his body didn't want to, and struggled with every intake of air.

Zabuza tilted his head, as if admiring his 'work.' "Hm... maybe I should just kill you off here, right now," he mused aloud. "It would certainly prove a point to the Uchiha... he wouldn't think I was merely toying about. Heh, though I am." Zabuza stood back, releasing the cross-dressing boy. "You look ready to die, anyhow. Maybe twice was too much? Oh well." He watched Haku waver forward and backwards, looking ready to fall. Smirking, he pushed the boy back, Haku nary having a chance to keep himself from hitting the ground.

He fell back, hitting the concrete harshly, though not feeling the pain that should've accompanied such a dizzying fall. "Za.... bu.... za.... san....." he managed to say, finding that the man had been replaced by the blue sky above. Where had Zabuza-san gone? Why was he looking at the sky now?

"Poor fool," Zabuza sighed, kneeling beside the boy's body. "Such a hopeless romantic, like the Uchiha boy. Too bad I can't have him join you like this," he stated, coolly. "His brother still wants to see him... then you can be with him." He made a move to thrust the knife into Haku's chest when someone yelled.

He quickly stood, but it was too late because as he turned to see who it was, Zabuza was knocked over by a blur. It wasn't until the two landed that the man was able to see what attacked him.

A very angry Uchiha Sasuke.

"What did you do to him?!" the flustered teen yelled, before being answered with something very sharp in his side. He fell over to the side, Zabuza getting up slowly as if nothing had happened.

"I'm keeping my half of the bargain," he replied, a smirk soon appearing on his face, as Sasuke sat up. "Maybe next time you won't be so keen to speak about hidden ordeals."

"You'll be caught," Sasuke hissed, ripping the knife out of his side. The blood gushed out, but he attempted to ignore it. Attempted, being the key word. He tossed the thing as far as he could, away from Zabuza, as he tried to stand.

"You'll both die before you could tell which way I went," Zabuza chuckled, folding his arms. He looked back at where Haku was supposed to be lying down, but found the boy gone. "Eh...?"

"Here," came Haku's voice, from the other side. Before Zabuza could know what hit him, he was kicked towards the fence on behalf of Haku. His head hitting the wood, Zabuza fell down cold. Haku looked back at Sasuke, the other boy reluctant to stand.

"Come on, he'll come to quickly," Haku ushered Sasuke up, his own wounds still inhibiting too much movement as the two rushed as quickly as they could away.

They turned over as many corners as they could, being sure not to be going around in a circle, before finding a large building with hulking bushes and plants. Haku pulled Sasuke into the foliage with him, the Uchiha breathing even harsher than he.

"Sasuke... are you alright?" Haku asked, in the shadowed confines of the leafy branches and twigs. Sasuke merely nodded, not being up for words until he got more of his breath back. Looking down, Haku saw the navy blue fabric around Sasuke's wrist. "That's... mine," he pointed out, looking up in surprise.

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, managing a smirk. He felt like dying right there. He probably would, too, he thought darkly. "I found it on the sidewalk trying to find you..." he said, taking his hand off of his gash to untie it and handed it to Haku. "Here."

Haku took it, tying it back into his hair to show his thanks. It all felt weak and helpless... this whole aura that was surrounding them both. Every movement was either numb or ached. He didn't want to die like this.

"Sasuke... I'm sorry I bothered you," Haku apologized, finding tears in his eyes for probably the third time that day. "You probably hate me and now you're.... we're about to..."

"Yeah, I know," Sasuke cut him off, curtly. He sighed, his energy all but disappearing as he found himself leaning on Haku's shoulder for support. "But I don't... hate you. And I had to look for you. If I didn't, you and I wouldn't be here."

"Which is worse than what could've happened," Haku replied, darkly. His shirt was nearly dried stuck to him with blood, and when Sasuke leaned on him, he felt the fabric pull on his skin lightly. "You're... reckless..."

"Oh well." Sasuke felt his breathing match that of Haku's. "Just don't die...," he said quietly, his voice carried on what little air he could find in his body.

"That's what I should be saying to you," Haku said, his voice tightening with emotion. "You... hopeless romantic... you."

"Heh, thanks."

-

After notes: Myah, I know. I'm bad to leave you hanging there... -sigh- And Sasuke is so terrible in this chapter. Grrrr, I hate my rendition of him. -stab- Just so you know, it took me FOREVER to write this chapter. Nearly five days... what's my problem?! -lament- Don't attack me for making Zabuza do those things. Don't worry... this isn't the last chapter either. -.-0 Though this story should end before the 20th chapter (maybe even before the 15th if I'm that good).... So yes. Make all the assumptions you want. Just be sure to remember who the main character is, and what the title is. -hint hint- I won't answer reviews today because I'm a lazy bum. n.n;;;

So... well, review or else you won't get to see what happens next. Mwarharhar.