Angel: Halo hello!!! I am back, my babies! I'm sorry for tye delay. I got a little stuck somewhere in life.
Here's the story.
Enjoy~
Atsuko's PoV
We have been training for six days and I could already see the improvements on the chakra of each member of the team. My accuracy already improved so much that I could hit Sasuke more compared to the first time that we trained.
I laid on my back and took a deep breath, basking on the sunlight around me. I can sense the natural chakra in the air. I can hear the leaves swaying in the wind and how the grass felt so soft on my back. I closed my eyes and felt all my muscles relax.
I don't know how long I was laying down, it could be hours or minutes, but the peacefulness around me makes me want to stay here more. Suddenly, I felt another presence in the area. My eyes remained closed but my body is ready and alert in case that the person is a threat.
'Trained chakra pools... maybe not a civilian... a threat?' I thought as I could feel the presence slowly goes near my location. I waited for the person to maybe move away but I had to force myself relax as the person went next to where I am. My heart is beating very hard, feeling nervous as I felt a hand hover on my neck. The hand suddenly changed its course, and when it touched my shoulders, my hand shot out and grabbed the person's wrist. I gripped it tightly as I opened my eyes to curiously stare at the person with a hint of hostility.
"Who are you?" I asked.
Meanwhile (3rd PoV)
Everyone is gathered up on the table, sans Arsuko, to have breakfast. Shikamaru is still yawning, showing just how tired he was after all the training the other day.
"Where's the other brat?" Tazuna grumply asked when he noticed that one of the ninjas is missing at the table.
"Ah. I saw him wake up very early to go out into the woods." Sasuke said as he began to eat the food he was served by the mother.
"I hope he is alright. Its dangerous for a child to be alone in the woods." Tsunami with a worried face, looked at the only jonin on the room.
"Maa maa. He may be a kid, but he is still a ninja." Kakashi assured the worried lady with a smile.
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor was heard when Sasuke stood up. "I'll go and look for him." And with that, he left the house. The remaining occupants just noticed at the clean plate on the table.
"The two of them seems really close huh?" Tazuna commented remembering the interactions between Atsuko and Sasuke.
"They really are. Maybe because of their experience..." Kakashi looked at the door that Sasuke went through knowing exactly why they were close.
"Such a drag... I'm going out..." Shikamaru said before following after Sasuke out of the house.
.
.
"Who are you?" Atsuko asked the person. His eyes scanned the figure he was holding on to.
'Civilian clothes and pale face, definitely looks like a civilian but...' Astuko can't help but notice the tense muscles that the intruder have. The person looks ready to attack if necessary.
'Somebody must have atleast trained him and his chakra... it feels familiar.'
"Haku. My name is Haku." The person, now named Haku, answered. "..can you let go of my wrist? It kind of hurts." Haku requested with a hesitant smile.
"O-oh! I apologize for that. My name is Atsuko." He lets go of the wrist he was gripping and winced when he saw a mark left around the wrist.
Haku moved back when Atsuko moved to sit up. They both stared at each other in silence for a few moment, both having no idea what to think of the other.
"So what are you doing here, Haku-san?" Atsuko asked, breaking the silence, as he noticed the basket next to Haku.
"I'm gathering some plants for medicine." Haku replied as he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, smiling at Atsuko's direction.
"Medicine? What is the medicine for if you don't mind me asking, Haku-san." The red-head asked as he peered at the basket curiously.
"Its for my... father. He is very sick, you see. And I'm the only one taking care of him." Haku sadly smiled as he looked at the silent boy in front of him.
"Then let me help you gather them, Haku-san. A delicate flower like you shouldn't work hard alone." Atsuko softly smiled at the other.
'Haku... is lying. This plants aren't for someone who is sick... these plants are good for blood circulation. Maybe paralyzed...?' Atsuko thoroughly looked at the herbs that Haku gathered, recognizing them.
'Why would he lie..? Unless...' Atsuko concentrated on the other's chakra while gathering some herbs for Haku.
"You have a headband protector. Are you a ninja, Atsuko?" Haku asked not noticing that the male is observing him. Atsuko is snapped out of his concentration as Haku asked this.
"Yes, I am." Atsuko confirmed, looking back at Haku and saw a thoughtful look aimed at him.
"Why are you a ninja, Atsuko-san?"
'Why am I a ninja? An ideal answer for a ninja of Konoha would be to protect the village or to be of service of the Hokage but...' Atsuko looked back at his memories and experience in the village.
"I want to be able to protect those who I care I about." Atsuko gazed up at the trees with a wistful smile.
'It might be a little selfish but what has the village done for me?'
"So you also do this for someone important to you..." Haku muttered under his breath, unaware that his companion heard him.
'Also..?' Atsuko's eyes widen as he pieced it together. He cautiously looked at Haku as he he stood up. Atsuko faked a smile as they stood in front of each other, Haku a little taller than him.
"Let's meet again somewhere. Goodbye, Atsuko." They both bowed to each other to say goodbye. Before turning away from Atsuko, Haku smiled and said, "...by the way, I am a boy."
Atsuko merely smirked and replied, "I knew from the very beginning, Haku-san. You don't need to clarify it for me."
Haku was shocked for a moment before bending down to Atsuko's height and whispered to him, "Then you should know that a lady should never be alone with a man." He tucked a flower on Atsuko's ear silently chuckling as he walking away. Atsuko stood there for a moment processing what happened.
'A lady..? Is he talking about me..?' Red began creeping up to his face, he doesn't know if its from embarrassment or anger for being mistaken as a girl.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke, with Shikamaru following behind him, asked when he arrived at Atsuko muttering with his face red.
"Sasuke-kun! Shikamaru-kun! Do I really look like a girl? I'm manly right?" Atsuko asked when he faced Sasuke and Shikamaru. They both looked at Atsuko and blushed. Atsuko was staring up at them (since they both are taller that Atsuko) with his hair framing his pale face and the flower on his ear only made him look soft.
Shikamaru pats Sasuke on the shoulder before going past him. Laying down on the place where Atsuko was resting earlier. While Sasuke simply looked away from the male looking up at him. Seeing Sasuke turn away, he concluded that he really looked like a girl to others.
"Its the hair isn't it... Maybe I should cut it short more." He mused as he played with his shoulder length hair. Atsuko has been growing out his hair wanting to remind himself of Itachi.
Hearing this, Sasuke grabbed Atsuko's hand. "No. Don't cut it. I like your hair." Sasuke dragged Atsuko towards where Shikamaru was so the red-haired male was unable to see Sasuke's blushing face.
When they reached Shikamaru, Sasuke lets go of Atsuko's hand and went towards one of the trees, avoiding eye-contact with any of them. Atsuko shrugged and dismissed what happened,
'Then again, Sasuke is always a little bit weird.'
"Having fun there, Shikamaru-kun?" Atsuko gazed down at the laying form of his other friend.
"Why haven't you told me this place yet? I could have went here for the past few days." Shikamaru complained at Atsuko.
"I think you know why I didn't tell you." The red head looked at the Nara, who was practically melding himself on the soft grass, with amusement. Atsuko laid back down on the grass next to Shikamaru and relaxed.
'Yes. They are one of my precious people.' Atsuko thought with a smile.
.
.
Kakashi began to look for his genins when they didn't return to the house. He is not that worried because he knew what they are capable of. But he can't help but wonder where they were.
When he reached an open area on the forest, he saw all his students. What he saw made him smile, they were sleeping on the grass. Atsuko's vibrant red hair clashed on the green grass and the other boys' black hair. It was one of the time where he saw Sasuke looked so calm, Shikamaru so relaxed, and Atsuko so peaceful.
Kakashi leaned back on one of the trees and closed his eyes, but still alert of his surroundings, ready to protect his students.
Extra
"You were out longer that before." A gruff voice echoed around the cabin when Haku returned.
Zabuza, who is resting on a chair, saw a soft smile adorning Haku's face when he arrived at his room with a basket full of herbs.
"What's with that soft smile, boy?" Zabuza asked. It was the first time that a smile like that wasn't directed towards him. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing. I just saw a beautiful but dangerous flower in the forest." Haku said as he fiddled with out of the flowers that found themselves in the basket.
Angel: Thank you for reading! I know its a bit short and a little sh*tty but I would do my best for the upcoming chapter.
Also, would both Zabuza and Haku live, only one of them or they both die?
I love all of you!
Bye-bii!!!