Konoha fox

Chapter 14

Haku abruptly sat up, his hand searching for one of his needles. His heart was beating fast, the thrill of battle cursing through his body, screaming at him to aim, throw, dodge, jump... Except that he wasn't in a fight.

Trying to slow down his breathing he looked around. The room he was in had white walls and scarce furniture, only an cupboard and a chest of drawers. He had been resting in a futon at the side of which, on the wooden floor, was a basin with water and a sponge. Looking down he saw a white cloth in his lap that probably fell from his forehead when he sat up.

Haku didn't recognize the place, even if he somehow could tell that this wasn't one of Gato's hideout. The dark haired nin closed his eyes and rested his head on his knees, trying to search through his memories for what had happened.

He remembered he was fighting the two Konoha genins at the bridge, when the orange clad boy he had met in the forest showed up.

Then... nothing. He must have been knocked out. But what happened after that? Was he captured? Then why weren't there any guards? Where was Zabuza? What...?

Haku took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Panicking wouldn't have accomplished anything.

He concentrated his senses to feel other chakra signatures nearby.

There were about ten, no nine, nine signatures that could easily match those of genins or weak chuunin.

And four others that definitely belonged to jonins.

The numbers almost matched the Konoha nins, but there was one more jonin than expected. The ice user focused on those four signatures, when his heart skipped a bit. He knew one of them, it was Zabuza-sama, there was no mistaking it. And he was fine too! But why were they together with the Leaf shinobi?

Haku tried once again to search through his memories, but as soon as the boy he met in the forest joined the fight his memories ended abruptly. Was he defeated by the combined efforts of the three genin?

"Iceboy! You're awake!"

Haku was startled by the yell coming from the doorstep, and turning he saw Naruto looking at him smiling happily. At least he thought he was looking at him, he couldn't really tell with those dark goggles... And what made him think that calling him 'iceboy' was funny?

"Er... Naruto-kun, I'd prefer you not calling me that."

The adopted Senju tilted his head before releasing a sigh and sitting down in front of the other boy.

He smiled at him while taking a glass and two bottles out of... Haku had no idea, but one bottle was filled with water, while the other one had what looked like some kind of syrup.

"Haku, you need to face reality. I know it may be hard, and that you don't want to hear this, but you are a boy.

I can't in good conscience call you icegirl. Besides I need to be honest and find a boy who'll accept you for you."

Zabuza's subordinate gaped at him a couple of times, his face becoming redder and redder with anger.

Although Naruto would later tell it was in embarrassment.

Haku closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Naruto-san" he said, opting to be more formal "I'm very aware that I'm a boy, and I'm happy with that. I really have no desire to be a girl, and as for my sexuality I can assure you that I don't pursuit other boys."

"Sure. Then why are you in the girls room?"

A dark eyebrow twitched. "Since I was unconscious when I was brought here, someone else must have arranged for me to be in this room."