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-A Mother's Love- Zabuza oneshot
FYI: this takes place with a younger Haku

Kiki walked through the forest trying to find the noise that she heard earlier. She kept following it and coming closer to the source, realized it was crying/sniffling. She finally came through the foliage to see a child. It had feminine features, but she instinctively knew it was a boy. Kiki walked up to him and kneeled in front of him.

“What's the matter, cutie?” she asked softly. He looked up with tears shown in his eyes which were puffy and red.

“I'm lost,” he whimpered.

“Come here,” she whispered opening her arms. He entered the embrace. “I'll help you. Who'd you lose?”

“Zabuza-san,” he said shivering. She took her coat off and put it around his shoulders, covering him. He looked up wide-eyed. “But you will get a cold too…”

“I'm always out in the rain; I'm practically immune to illnesses it causes by now,” she interrupted. “And my names Kiki. What's yours?”

“Ha-ku!” he said sneezing when he said ku.

“Well, Haku, I will help you find Zabuza-san!” she said cheerily as she picked him up and started heading through the forest.

“Thank you,” he mumbled putting his head on her shoulder and promptly falling asleep. She walked for about 15 minutes holding Haku before she felt a strong presence coming and jumped back when a sword came down towards her head.

“You hurt me and you hurt him,” she growled out at the new figure. She saw that he was angry and worried about the boy lying on her shoulder. Kiki heard Haku whimper and she pet his head soothingly making calming noises. He settled down and she looked up to see the guy twitching to move. “I'm guessing you are Zabuza?” she asked mildly. He nodded confused. “Come on. I'll lead you to my house. He's getting a fever and he needs to be treated properly.” He nodded wearily. He started following her out of the forest, not letting his guard down.

Zabuza looked down at the small yet determined woman in front of him. He knew Haku was heavy though he looked thin and here this woman was carrying him around like a bag of feathers. She was walking swiftly yet quietly through the forest as though she had memorized it by heart. He couldn't even hear her footsteps. She talked in a guarded voice but there was a slight detection of a motherly tone. His eyes wandered a little further than they should have. Nice ass too. Wonder what her skin's like. He shook his head to get rid of his hentai thoughts. Unfortunately [for him], she saw it.

“You okay?” she asked suspiciously seeing him shake. He nodded his head. “We're there,” she said finally stepping out of the forest and towards a small, cozy house.

She went to the guest room and laid Haku down before racing to the bathroom and getting a dry and warm, wet towel. “Get a glass of water for when he wakes up,” she ordered Zabuza. He was too worked up over Haku being sick to even snap back at her bossing him around. Haku was covered with extra blankets Kiki had found in the closet and placed the wet towel folded neatly onto his forehead. Zabuza walked backed into the room and sat in a chair watching her attend to Haku.

“You're like a mother hen,” he muttered.

“Huh?” she asked startled looking up to see his eyes closed and head back against the wall.

“A hen, one that worries like crazy about her chicks,” he mumbled now slightly sleepily.

“You're tired. Go to my room; you can crash on my bed.”

“Not until Haku's better,” he reminded her. She grabbed his elbow and started guiding him towards the door.

“His fever's down and his breathing is even. The only thing to worry about is how much food that kid'll guzzle down when he wakes up,” she tried joking. It got the desired affect; he chuckled and allowed her to guide him towards her room.

“Where are you going to sleep?” he asked only sitting down and setting his sword against the wall. She shrugged.

“The couch probably,” she added at his look, “I don't mind. I've slept just about anywhere: the couch, floor, bed, and chair. Even the tub,” she joked. He didn't look convinced, but Kiki wasn't going to let him argue. “I'm going to go get you something to eat. Anything you'd prefer?”

“Onigiri's fine,” he said shrugging.

“I'll be right back,” she disappeared before the blink of an eye. It took her only a couple minutes to cook it and came back up to see Haku asleep still and then Zabuza without his shirt or face coverings. She scooted a chair close to the bed and stole an onigiri before letting him have the rest. He popped them into his mouth one after another. She leaned forward and wiped a bit of rice that was on his face. He looked startled and turned pink, but it went away and he chugged his tea down. She took the tray down and decided to wash them tomorrow. Heading towards the living room, she realized she still had to change. She went back to her room, grabbed clothes, and changed in the bathroom.

She came out and glanced at Zabuza. He looked much more peaceful and happy when he was asleep. She pulled the blanket up and over him so he wouldn't get cold. She had just turned away but was yanked back onto the bed into a hard chest.

“Wha-”

“You're not going to sleep on the floor or couch,” he muttered sleepily. Kiki struggled in getting up but his grip was too tight. She sighed knowing it was useless and settled down for the night.

When Zabuza woke up, he realized Kiki was gone. He left the room quickly, searching for her location. He peeked in Haku's door when he heard his laughter. He saw him sitting on the bed with Kiki on the floor before him. Haku had one hand on the back of your head holding your hair to it and two senbon needles. He put them in on either side. Zabuza realized he had styled her hair kind of like his, in a whole bun though.

“Thanks Haku-kun,” she said rubbing the top of his head. “Come on, come help me make breakfast for Zabu-san.”

“You should have the person being fed there too,” he said when you guys reached the doorway. Both Kiki and Haku jumped hearing Zabuza. He grinned and she playfully smacked his arm.

“Don't do that.” Haku frowned.

“Yeah, don't give okaa-san a heart attack,” he joked. They both looked at him before 'okaa-san' giggled nervously.

“About breakfast?” she reminded them, as well as distracting them. Haku cheered and dragged her downstairs before stopping sheepishly and looking at her causing her to laugh. She picked him up and tossed him onto her back. He wrapped his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck before looking over her shoulder to watch where she was going to remember where the kitchen was. Zabuza just trailed along.

Kiki started pulling pans out and let Haku help her cook. She had to keep a blush down feeling Zabuza's eyes on her the whole entire time. When everyone had finished eating, Haku helped Kiki clear the table and wash the dishes. Zabuza went outside practicing. When he came in, it was dinner time.

“Can we stay here please, Zabu-san?” Haku asked eyes wide.

“I don't think so. It's Kiki's house and we're only temporary guests.”

“It's okay, I don't mind. Stay as long as you want,” she said taking Haku's side.

“Please I want to stay with okaa-san,” he begged.

“Fine,” Zabuza sighed. Kiki and Haku both tackled him in a hug. She put Haku to sleep and went to her room to see Zabuza reclining against the headboard.

“I told you so. You're like a mother hen.” She grinned, but rolled her eyes at his know-it-all tone. “He needs a mother's love,” he mumbled.

“Then, what does that make you?” she asked raising an eyebrow and walking over to the bed.

“Tou-san,” he replied pulling her down on top of him. She blushed lightly as he kissed her. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him before he pulled the blanket over the two of them. The next day, she was able to officially adopt Haku with Zabuza's name as the boy's father.

A/N: I look back on this and cringe. Who cringed as well?