Blood is Thicker Than Mist

Chapter 11

Zabuza had said that the stray boy would have to walk and that he wouldn't carry him. He had enough on his mind– returning home without any ambushes this time, Kisame's warning, Mei's concerns of traitors in their ranks, of keeping Shizu out of the clutches of Konoha and the Mizukage– that he had no desire to take on the stray boy. He supposed that he could have knocked Shizu out and simply walked away from the pathetic starved child, not needing to entertain Shizu's game of 'I'll stay here' at all. But, then he remembered that he would inevitably have to explain to Mei why he knocked Shizu out in the first place. More importantly, Zabuza thought, there was no guarantee that the demon fox wouldn't try to take over the boy's body while he was unconscious. Allowing the stray child to follow them was the more logical, safer option, but he was quickly becoming annoyed as they walked.

The starved boy walked slowly. Far too slowly. Without shoes, proper clothing, or any strength to him, he could hardly shuffle along. Shizu matched his speed, to Zabuza's annoyance, and was irritatingly upbeat as he encouraged the boy and talked to him. Not that they were really having a conversation at all, as Shizu was doing all of the talking while the boy could only muster nods, grunts, or shakes of his head. When Shizu wasn't talking the new boy's ear off, he was complaining loudly to Zabuza that it wasn't fair for them to walk in the snow and how hungry he was already. Finally, Zabuza could stand it no more and he hoisted both boys under his arms and traveled as quickly as he could. As long as he was doing just that, Shizu was quiet and Zabuza was grateful.

The quiet couldn't last forever and Zabuza eventually had to stop. It was a bother, but Shizu was still a child and required frequent opportunities to relieve himself. He supposed that making occasional stops was preferable to how the boy had soiled himself as an infant, but it was still an annoyance nevertheless that the boy couldn't keep up yet on his own.

In addition to this, Zabuza had noticed the stray boy nearly lost consciousness more then– from hunger or shock from traveling so quickly, he couldn't tell– and he would have gotten an earful from Shizu if anything happened to the boy. So, as much as he could care less about a stray child, he reminded himself that it was for Shizu, ultimately.

He tasked Shizu with guarding the older boy in his absence. Shizu's eyes widened and he complained at the idea of being left alone again, but Zabuza ordered him to remain in place and wait. He wouldn't be gone long. Shizu puffed his cheeks, complained a bit more, but nodded obediently. After Zabuza left, he sat as close as he could to Haku to share his warmth and use his body as much as he could as a shield from the wind.

Despite how much Shizu tried to be calm and maintain diligence as he looked and listened for any trouble, Haku– only half-aware from hunger and exhaustion– could tell that the younger boy was actually afraid. More afraid than Haku could understand him to be. He almost spoke up to try to calm the boy but couldn't muster the strength to speak. Shizu, in turn, said nothing as well. He wanted to ask Haku so many things– such as why he didn't have parents or a home anymore– but he was focused on suppressing how he trembled and trying his best to not flinch at any of the forest's sounds. By the time Zabuza came back, both boys were quiet and blue-lipped from the cold. To his surprise, Shizu wasn't talking.

Zabuza tapped Shizu's leg with his foot and the boy's eyes widened.

"Dad! You're back."

"I said I wouldn't be long."

Shizu looked between Zabuza and Haku. "It's really cold, 'ttebayo..."

Zabuza only grunted and motioned for the boys to follow him with his head. When Haku was unable to stand– Zabuza was surprised that the half-dead boy had been able to hold on for as long as he had– he grunted again and scooped the boys up in his arms. Shizu immediately cuddled in close to try to warm up while Haku, Zabuza noted, was properly cautious and suspicious of being held by the strange man. It was this caution that had led him to survive so long on his own, he knew, though a child's will could only go so far.