Team Harmony

LW28: Home

Team 7—plus Haku—had been traveling for well over a day now. During this time, Naruto had been able to ask why he'd been with Zabuza all this time since there was no one around them. Despite Zabuza pulling through in the end, there were still some villagers who disliked the men for trying to kill Tazuna. After the rogue nin had nearly killed Hinata, Naruto could not blame them but he understood how important he was to Haku.

"So that's how he gave you purpose?" Naruto said when they heard the whole story.

Haku hummed. "Yes, that's right. I would have died out on the streets and I was okay with that until Zabuza came along and took me in. He didn't have to do that and I know he kept me around once he discovered my abilities, but he cared about me."

"Your kekkei genkai is pretty impressive," Sasuke said. "You really had me there."

"And you and Hinata-chan's eyes are as well. She was able to see a weakness in my ability and you were able to eventually keep up." Haku glanced at Naruto. "Are we going to talk about Naruto-kun's...?"

"No," Naruto said firmly. "We're not talking about it."

"Not yet," Sasuke clarified. As soon as they got back to the village and gave their report to the Hokage, he was taking that chance to ask. He had overlooked Naruto's stamina and large chakra reserves for years and he and Hinata deserved answers. As they continued walking in an easy silence, Hinata looked off to the side and noticed a herb that she needed in the research for Itachi's illness. She came to a stop and pulled out a scroll.

"Hinata?"

"I just need these herbs," she said, harvesting them.

Haku looked over her shoulder, down at the plant. "Ribwort plantain? Did you get bitten by an insect?"

Hinata sealed the plant in the scroll and put it away. "I just need it for some creams that I'm making."

"I think your team is lucky to have someone as proficient as you." Hinata blushed at Haku's genuine smile and compliment, this not going unnoticed by Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke was suddenly standing between them.

"Come on. Let's keep going. We need to get home," the brooding Uchiha said.

Haku didn't miss the jealousy and grinned to himself. "So, you two are...together?"

Sasuke raised a brow. "Uh, yeah? I'm currently courting her, I suppose."

"At twelve? That's certainly something."

"It is how our clans operate. Our union is going to kickstart wonderful changes to both our clans and the village," Hinata added, eager to get to work on those changes, although she still had her Elders to win over—something she felt she was going to die before accomplishing.

"But do you actually like each other romantically?" Haku questioned. Naruto and Kakashi listened with interest while Sasuke looked nervously at Hinata.

"Sasuke and I have been very good friends since we were five. I think that's the most important thing," she replied.

"That's a very long way of saying that you're not going to answer but the answer is yes." Kakashi chuckled at Haku's bluntness while Sasuke's cheeks went a bit red and Naruto pouted more than he wanted to show.

"Of course I like Sasuke," Hinata said, her head tilted. "I also like Naruto and Kakashi-sensei. I like you as well, Haku-chan." Despite knowing Haku was a boy, she had taken to using -chan. Haku didn't seem to mind and that is all she cared about.

Haku giggled and looped his arm through Hinata's. "I like you, too." Surprisingly, Haku had taken an instant liking to Hinata during her recovery period, something that the others weren't sure was genuine or just out of obligation and something that had bothered both of her teammates. Hinata was happy to talk with him or just sit in silence, so they left it alone and said nothing. They understood she needed more friends than them. It wouldn't be fair to try and monopolize her.