(no subject)

[precioustool]

Who: Haku (precioustool ) & Naruto (believeit )
What: Cheering Haku up and hanging out
Where: Anywhere in Luceti really
Summary: Naruto decided what Haku needed in order to cheer up was to hang out  and have some fun.
Rating: G?

Haku had been here for a month or so now and even that long wasn't enough to really cheer Haku up about his failure. As far as he knew, he was still a failure when it came to being a useful tool for Zabuza. What could he do now that he was here and all alone. Was he really alone though? There were so many people that came from the same place he did. Even if some people was from what it seemed to be different worlds, they were here too.

Haku couldn't say he was somebody who would needlessly commit suicide, but what purpose did he have for being here? Why was he alive when he should be dead? The dead should stay dead. He needed to figure out what reason he -- and everyone else -- was brought here. More than that, he needed a reason to live.

When Naruto invited the boy to go "hang out" with him, he wasn't sure what that meant. He'd never really been asked to hang out before. Nagato -- a shame he was gone now -- had raised a wonderful question about himself. What were his hobbies besides protecting the people he cares for? He really didn't have any. He's never really had any friends, now that he thought of it.

 

After everything he'd done to Naruto and his friend Sasuke.... Did he really deserve to be Naruto's friend? If only we had met under different circumstances. That like stuck to him in a moment like this. Indeed. If they had met under much more friendly circumstances, things would have been better. He never regretted doing what he did for Zabuza, though. He did what he could to protect the most important person to him in his life. He just wanted to see Zabuza's goals come true. He wanted to make Zabuza proud.

He finally found himself by a water fountain that Naruto told him to meet at. What exactly did you do when you "hang out" with someone? He had no idea, but he hoped that Naruto would lead the boy in today's activities.

Comments

[believeit]

It isn't much of a wait before a distinctive "Haku~!" can be heard echoing around the area. Naruto, dressed in his usual attire aside from the addition of a pair of thick winter boots (a gift from Shikamaru), lightly jogs towards his friend, arm waving frantically through the air in greeting.

He stops barely a foot in front of the other boy, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Hey! You made it!"

[precioustool]

Unlike Naruto, Haku really hasn't gotten anything for winter. This was normal weather for him back home, after all. You know, before he traveled with Zabuza. He smiled lightly to the boy.

Nodding to that, "Yeah. So what are we going to do."

[believeit]

"I dunno, we can go visit somewhere in the village? Like this restaurant I wanna go to! Or go into the forest?"

He will be content doing just about anything. Since it hasn't been decided yet, he takes a seat on a nearby bench until they figure something out.

[precioustool]

Haku took a seat too, thinking a little to himself.

"Well, anything would be fine for me. I guess I just don't know what it means to really 'hang out' with someone. To be honest, I've never been able to do that before," he said.

[believeit]

At that, Naruto suddenly stood up once more, an expression on his face that could be mistaken for annoyance. It reminded him of a time he went to visit Sasuke a short time ago. 'I don't just hang out' or whatever it was he had said.

Well, good thing Naruto was here to fix it.

"Yosh! C'mon, I know exactly where we're going." To that food place RIn said he worked at. They can get some food and sit in the warmth and talk.

[precioustool]

Haku looked at him as he stood up abruptly.

"Oh, okay," was all the boy said as he stood up and followed Naruto.

The life of a tool really limited what he knows. In fact.... He really hasn't had a chance to really be an actual kid all these years. He's always been okay with that as long as he was useful for someone.

[believeit]

Walking in step beside him, Naruto leads them towards the food place he was thinking of.

"What've you been doing here? I bet it's really weird, right? Being here after. Y'know." Dying. He doesn't really know how to approach it. Haku had made a big impact on his life, one of the first real battles he had been in and all the things that happened back then, but they didn't really know each other in any sort of way.

There is a chance now, though.

[precioustool]

Walking along side of Naruto, "Well... Nothing really. I've just been getting used to this place and.... thinking a lot."

Naruto didn't need to actually say it. He knew what he was trying to say.

"To be honest, I'm still.... a little lost here...," he said, not talking about location as much as he was about how to live his life here.

[believeit]

"Yeah." It was hard for him, coming here from the middle of a war, but coming here from death has got to be entirely different. There are no important tasks you need to return to, you are simply... here.

For however long this place allows you to be.

"Well I told you where I live, yeah? You can always come see me whenever you want!" It's a start, right?

[precioustool]

War was never easy to be pulled away from, knowing that you have something urgent to get back to as soon as possible. Dying and not knowing how to go on once you're given a second chance, it's hard.

"I don't think you have, but I'd like that," he said with a small smile.

[believeit]

"Oh! Well here!" He pulls out his journal- there was a basic map located on it somewhere, which he pulls up. "This one's my house! I live there with my Mom and Dad!"

Once he's certain Haku has memorized it he puts the book away once more, just in time for the restaurant to come into view. Naruto stays silent until they reach it, feeling that it may be best to wait until they are inside and settled before they talk about more important things.

[precioustool]

Haku studied the map and where he pointed out where he lived out closely. It's a good thing that Haku doesn't know that his mom and dad were dead at the time of their fight because he'd feel bad.

"Your parents are here? That's nice," he said.

The idea of having family around was nice... He couldn't say the same about his own family; considering he lost his mother and accidentally killed his father.

Once they arrived, he walked in with Naruto where they were both seated at a table.

[believeit]

Going through the motions of seating and ordering drinks and such, it isn't until the waiter has left and they are left alone again that Naruto speaks up.

"A lotta things happened after that time in Wave Country. You missed a lot."

[precioustool]

"I had a feeling I have... You've grown up so much since last time we met," he said.

There was no doubt a lot of things would have happened during his absence. He would love to say nothing bad would happen, but let's face it. Their world was far from peaceful. He sighed for a moment.

"What happened?" he asked finally with a serious face.

[believeit]

It takes him a moment to think back on events and form an answer. Not only because some of the details are a little rusty now, but he wants to find the right words.

Better start from the beginning though, right?

"That guy Zabuza.. he helped us in the end. He really cared about you y'know?"

[precioustool]

At the mention, Haku's eyes widened a little. For various reasons really... The way he said "in the end" made it clear that Zabuza had been killed too. Did he really help out Zabuza when he took the blow for him? The idea that he threw himself in front of a killing blow only to find out that Zabuza had died anyways made him sick to his stomach. He'd not once really cared about what happened to himself, but he felt his death was kind of pointless if Zabuza didn't go on to live and achieve his goals.

But... hearing that he'd helped them out in the end did make things a little better. Zabuza may have died, but he died helping them out. So his death wasn't totally in vain... Zabuza's.... Haku could care less about his own because that's how he was. Knowing that brought a small, sad smile to his face as he lowered his head.

Bangs falling in front, "I'm glad that Zabuza-san was able to help you."

That last thing was what really got to Haku. In fact, it was enough to make him instantly look up and gaze to Naruto speechless. He was searching for some sort of sign that said that Naruto was messing with him, but he found nothing of the sort.

He.... cared?

It's not that Haku didn't think that Zabuza didn't care... It was more like... he just assumed that all he was to Zabuza was a tool. That was okay with Haku. As long as he could be useful for Zabuza, that's all that mattered to him. Hearing that Zabuza had actually cared for the boy past the whole perfect tool thing was enough to make him choke.

Covering his mouth with his hand without thinking, he caught himself shedding a tear. The thought that Zabuza had died even after Haku had threw his life for him saddened him. This just made him break down a little more on the inside know he cared. It made him feel.... relieved; but mostly happy.

[believeit]

"He did."

There's silence, but he expected it. He din't know Haku that well but knew how important Zabuza was to him. After everything he did for the guy...

Naruto studies the younger boy, content with not speaking again until he is ready. He is sure his words have already put a lot on Haku's mind.

Sorry brain isnt cooperating with me tonight.

[precioustool]

Haku was silent for a while. Realizing he had shed a tear, he quickly rubbed his eyes. He let out a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry, but I'm glad that we could at least be friends," he said softly.

[believeit]

At that, Naruto smiles again.

"Me too! I really liked you guys y'know? Even if we were meant to be enemies."

[precioustool]

Finally smiling slightly, he nodded to that.

"I guess I can't blame you guys, either. You were only protecting someone precious to you, just as I was. But here we don't need to worry about that," he said.

[believeit]

"Yeah."

Since Haku had asked about Sasuke before, Naruto nudges the other ninja's arm, that smile still on his face.

"Hey, Sasuke's here too y'know? And Sakura-chan, and Kakashi-sensei! I bet they'd like to say hi to you too."

[precioustool]

"He is? I've spoken to Sakura-san a little bit," Haku said with a smile.

He's not sure about that, but he'll justhope that he's right about that. Sakura didn't seem to mind that he was back, but he's not totally sold on Sasuke or Kakashi.

[believeit]

Sure, Sasuke may be less enthusiastic about it than the others, but that's just Sasuke being Sasuke, he figures.

"Yeah. There's a bunch of other ninja here too, all of them are my friends. Did you talk to any of them?"

[precioustool]

"How many other ninjas are here?" he asked curiously. "I think I spoke to a Nagato and a Rock Lee?" he said, trying to think if he'd spoken to anyone else.