Sorry it’s been so long- I lost the notebook I have my rough draft in, and the labs have been insane this year, but I haven’t given up! We’re a good way through the story, and I’m going to see it through to the end! &assumes cheesy Gai pose&

And thank you, thank you, thank you to all you lovely reviewers! I think a lot of people like the fact that I kept Haku a boy- I like him as a boy, too, though there are plenty of well-written ones where he’s a girl. Like HitokiriOTD’s “Tempered In Water”- that’s an excellently written fic, she writes far better than I ever will &is jealous&, but I still hope you guys enjoy my story. Hers is better written than mine, though, so check it out and enjoy it!

Just like last night, Naruto lay with his back to Haku. Haku stared at the ceiling, then whispered, “Naruto-kun, are you mad at me? Did I do something to displease you?”

Naruto rolled over at the trembling tears in Haku’s voice. Sure enough, droplets shimmered in the moonlight on those long, dark lashes and Haku’s eyes were full of uncertainty and sadness.

“Haku. No, I’m not mad at all.” He took the crippled boy into his arms and Haku broke down, sobbing into his chest.

“I’m sorry, I’ll try harder not to displease you.” Surely, if Haku could do it for Zabuza-sama, he could do it for Naruto, too. All he had to learn was the blonde’s likes and dislikes. His thin shoulders shook. Naruto rubbed his slender back, one hand on Haku’s tangled hair.

‘You didn’t do anything wrong. Haku.” Naruto hugged Haku tightly, crushing the air out of him. Haku squeaked, his sobs cut off. Naruto pulled back; Haku’s eyes were huge and dark in the moonlight, cheeks dewy from tears.

The blonde boy brushed the tears away with his thumbs, blue eyes peering into grey-blue ones. “I’m not mad at you. I want you here with me.”

Haku’s lower lip trembled, stormy eyes bright with hurt. “Then why do you turn away from me at night?”

Naruto faltered, stumbling over himself. “Haku…I…you…” How to say he liked the boy without making Haku uncomfortable? Naruto really sucked at this kind of thing.

Haku latched on to the discomfort on Naruto’s expressive, tanned features. “See! I do make you upset.” Tears threatened to spill again.

Naruto’s heart sped up. He hated seeing Haku cry. “No! Haku! It’s just-just-I want you here. Really. More than you know. I just…I’m worried I’ll make you uncomfortable.”

Haku’s brows furrowed and his stare was skeptical. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”

“I mean it! Believe it!” Naruto grinned, beaming like the sun, and his brightness convinced Haku, who gave in with a small sigh and tucked his head under Naruto’s chin.

From that night on, they slept snuggled together. In some ways, Naruto was glad Haku could not feel below his waist. He was never aware of Naruto’s hard length pressed against him at night, nor in the mornings when they awoke, the lower part of the sheets were wet from Naruto’s intense, vivid dreams of Haku’s soft, fragrant white skin and smoky, dark eyes.

Haku made them breakfast, Naruto helping by getting the things that were out of Haku’s reach, then Haku would help Naruto train. His wheelchair was too cumbersome anywhere except in the paved parts of town, so Naruto carried him on his back. They both looked on it as extra training for Naruto, though the dark haired boy was bigger than him, he also weighed less. In fact, Haku was too light; Naruto was worried about his weight, how fragile he seemed clinging to the young shinobi’s back, and Naruto treated him like a delicate, fragile package that would break if he dropped him.

“Your legs are so long.” Naruto said, making Haku giggle. He wore a yellow yukata with a red sash. Naruto wrapped Haku’s limp, jelly-like legs around his waist, an arm under each bent knee while Haku’s arms entwined around his neck. A basket hung from Haku’s elbow. Haku’s pretty yukata pushed open and rode up past his thighs, exposing his long, shapely legs.

As they walked through the village, boys and men stopped to stare. Kiba cat-called, whistling, and Naruto blushed and sent him a death glare. This made Haku giggle again, drawing even more attention and making Naruto suddenly want to kill Konoha’s male population. Or at least severely dent it.

They passed Ino and Shikamaru, who lazily twirled a kunai. Shikamaru eyed Haku’s long, shapely, useless legs appreciatively. “Oi, Ino, that girl might be crippled, but she’s prettier than you’ll ever be.”

Ino’s face flushed red in indignation. “Shikamaru! You bastard!” She went off yelling at Shikamaru, who caught Naruto’s eye and smirked.

Haku blushed and buried his face in Naruto’s messy, sunny hair while the blonde snickered. Just as they rounded the corner, Shikamaru yelped loudly in pain, courtesy of Ino pinching him.

Haku frowned at the pained cry. “Ino’s not very nice, is she?”

Naruto hesitated, thinking of all the times Ino tormented him in their Academy days. “No, she’s not. But she’s friends with Sakura-chan and Shikamaru likes her well enough, so she can’t be a total bitch.”

Haku said nothing.

On the outskirts of town, they passed Neji and Tenten, already coming in from training. Lee, after yet another defeat from Neji, was running around Konohoa, enthusiastically doing 300 punishment laps for loosing. Everyone in the village knew Haku’s story, and sympathized with the poor ‘girl’, but she was still new and pretty enough that men still liked to gawk at ‘her’, thinking how lucky Naruto was, and women looked on in a mixture of sympathy and jealousy.

Tenten waved, smiling sympathetically and looking unsure and uncomfortable, like she was unsure how to act around the crippled girl. Haku’s pale cheeks burned and he looked down at Naruto’s hair with too much concentration. He hated when people acted funny around him, like they could not see him, Haku- they just saw the wheelchair, or his crippled legs.

Neji, like always, paid little attention to social necessities and ignored Naruto and his burden. Curiosity, and Tenten’s uncomfortable shifting, caused him to condescend to glance at them. His piercing gaze lingered a moment too long on those white legs as Naruto and the cripple girl passed him.

Tenten noticed just where Neji’s lavender gaze lingered with narrowed eyes. Both Naruto and Haku, out of sight, flinched at the resounding smack that echoed out to them. Naruto felt his cheeks burn in sympathy, remembering all the times Sakura had smacked him- Tenten’s slap had to have hurt!

Once at his training spot, Naruto sat Haku down and warmed up. Haku could not fight him, could not show him any moves, except for hand seals, but his mind and mouth were still just as brilliant as ever. He could not demonstrate, but he could give directions. He had Naruto do the same drills for speed and accuracy that Zabuza-sama had taught him. There were even a few things that were forbidden mixed in, but Haku did not know they were forbidden. He had been raised by a rogue ninja, and the fox boy unwittingly learned from him.

If anyone came upon them, they would just say Haku was watching him train. Technically, it was true. Haku’s blood line limit and his shinobi past were kept secret. It made everything safer and easier, the story they’d concocted easier to swallow.

Countries and ninja villages did not just let their ninja wander off and join other sides, especially ones with a blood trait. Their secrets and techniques were guarded closely. Rogue shinobi were often wanted and hunted down by their home country, so appearing in the official register documents of another village could incite a war.

Now, a simple, orphan and crippled girl, not a ninja and thus no secret arts to guard, moving to the Leaf, possibly for marriage, was not a problem. Immigration was not big in this world- ties of roots, tradition, blood, and family held even simple, normal people to the land. Regular people- workers, merchants, and tradesmen- traveled to find new homes, either to follow a lover or to forget a bloody, painful, or tragic past. Women had been known to marry and move. By marrying a leaf boy, or falling in love with one, this ‘girl’ became a part of Konohoa, knew some secrets- such as its location-, severing ties with a war-torn homeland that could not care less about her. What was the loss of a crippled peasant girl to Wave? Nothing, thus no political mess.

Naruto plopped down, drenched in sweat and flat on his back, limbs splayed, his head in Haku’s lap. Haku wiped sweaty blonde bangs back. “Damn! That was intense! You’re worse than Kakashi-sensei, Haku-chan!”

Haku giggled. He loved how carefree Naruto was. It was easy to smile around him. Zabuza-sama had been strict and disciplined; he had only tolerated complete, utter obedience. But with Naruto, Haku could be…well, whatever he wanted…he could giggle, he could cry…that openness scared and thrilled him. It made him be himself and he did not know quite who that was yet.

He had loved his Zabuza-sama, had known his place and what was expected of him. He loved Naruto, too, but this love was new and precious, with no clear boundaries. Both were too new at this, too unsure of themselves and still finding their places in each others’ lives and hearts. Haku chewed his lip, feeling disloyal.

“Haku-chan?” Naruto’s voice sounded worried.

“Yes, Naruto-kun?”

Naruto frowned. “Naruto. Just Naruto.”

Haku pouted back. “But you called me Haku-chan.”

“Because it’s cute.”

“Naruto-kun!” Haku cried, blushing and tapped Naruto on the nose. Naruto smiled and laughed, glad he had drawn Haku away from whatever sad thoughts floated about in his head.

They stayed like that in silence, staring up at the leaves in dappled sunlight. Naruto’s head in his lap and Haku’s hands through his damp hair brought them both contentment and peace. Once Naruto had time to catch his breath, he sat up and kissed Haku’s cheek. ‘I’m gonna go train some more.”

Haku nodded. “I’m going to pick some herbs- you don’t have many medicines or ointments at home, and the ones you do have aren’t very good. I can make you better ones. Maybe I’ll pick some berries and make some jam.” He smiled as Naruto’s eyes lit up and he licked his lips in delight.

Naruto took off, and each one went to their task. Because Haku could not move his legs, he moved by dragging his body with his arms. He moved only a little at a time, gradually scooting across the small, tree-shaded glade. His basket was half full, a mix of medicinal plants and berries. He would sort everything out later. Maybe he could even make some berry-flavored medicine.

Had he use of his legs, Haku could have moved faster and been done quicker. Already, he was tired and his arms ached. He was not as healed as he thought or pretended. He sat the basket down by the berry bush, and, yawning, laid out in the cool, shaded grass and fell asleep.

Near lunchtime, Naruto found Haku asleep. Haku had pulled his hair up into a neat bun. Sunlight filtered through green leaves overhead and dappled his body, making his pale yellow yukata seem to glow. His feet were bare and his hem had ridden up. Naruto admired the long legs everyone had that morning. He reached out and stroked the smooth length of one. Haku did not stir, did not feel it. Naruto frowned; he could take a kunai and ram it into that soft flesh, tearing muscles, chipping bone and gushing blood and Haku would feel none of it. He would sleep right through it.

Naruto bit his lip, swallowing his sudden sadness, and briefly touched Haku’s cheek, his battle-calloused hand gentle as a butterfly’s wing. Haku’s lashes fluttered open. “Naruto-kun, is it time for lunch already?” He looked into his partially filled basket and frowned. “I’m sorry, I wanted to fill this up.” He yawned again, still looking tired and sleepy.

Naruto’s frown returned. Haku looked thin and exhausted. This morning had really worn him out. “Let’s go home.” Haku nodded, taking up his basket.

Naruto carried Haku bridal style, though it was harder that way. One arm supported his back and the other held his knees. This kept Haku’s yukata closed and legs demurely covered. Haku’s head lay on Naruto’s shoulder, warm breath tickling his neck.

Naruto wanted to train with Haku, but because the outing tired the boy so and Haku could not fully train with him, just guide him, Naruto would only take him out in the mornings for a few hours then brought him back home. The extra trip and trouble were well worth it; Haku’s tips were invaluable. Zabuza certainly trained the crippled boy well.

At home, Haku cleaned, prepared meals, did laundry, and made medicines. They fell quite easily into this routine, twining their lives together, at least for the moment. Sometimes, when Haku needed a plant or herb, he packed them lunch. Gradually, they stayed together longer and longer as Haku’s strength built up. Haku’s afternoon naps became less and less, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms at night. Naruto became comfortable with this, but still took plenty of cold showers in the morning.

Tbc…

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Reviews are always appreciated!