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It was distracting. Not in a way that it could potentially get them both killed in a fight but it was distracting enough that it drove Zabuza up a wall most nights. When it was in a bun and hidden, no big deal. When it was let loose and flowing over his shoulders? All Zabuza wanted to do was run his fingers through it.
Worst part of it all? He was sure Haku knew. The kid was smart. Way too smart. Any time he got caught staring at the long locks, he swore he saw Haku’s lips quirk up. Bastard.
It was always when they had the chance to relax in some inn or rundown building. There was a ritual. It also was depending on where they were of course. The hair was always let down first and top layers of clothing shed before the younger male would grab sleepwear and he would go off to go wash up. If they were at an inn, he would spend a good hour at the baths and would come back in a fluffy robe and smelling far too good with his hair spilling down his back. Then the chaticising “Go bathe, Zabuza. You need it.” Would be said and he would grumble but do get up to go do it anyway.
And why that brat always waited until he was back to start brushing his hair confounded him to no end. He almost snapped at Haku for it once. But that would give away his secret and he couldn’t do that. It might drive the younger away.
He wouldn’t allow that to happen. Haku was his and his alone. If he left, someone else could snatch him up.
The very thought made his skin crawl.
Today was no different to the ritual. And they had found a decent inn to stay at. And if that blasted lady at the front hadn’t said anything about a scented bath being run, Zabuza wouldn’t be in the predicament he was in now.
Haku had nearly dragged him to the baths once their room was secured and their stuff safely hidden. Twice he had to tug his arm out of reach from Haku to avoid tripping over.
And now? Now he was watching Haku slide into the water and give a content sigh as the hot water soothed his skin. Zabuza had yet to step foot into the water, watching Haku’s hair float around him before he quickly looked away when the younger tipped his head back to look for him.
“Aren’t you getting in?” He almost looked a little hopeful as he spoke. Spinning around so he could rest his arms against the edge, resting his chin on his arm and watched the man he called his teacher awkwardly stand by a hot bath. “You-“
“Need one. I know.” Zabuza growled out before he finally slid onto the water. Stretching arms out against the edge, he let his eyes slip shut. His fingers were just a hair's breadth away from Haku’s upper arm.
There was a certain tension in the action and Haku felt it, forcing himself not to lean just slightly into his teacher’s touch. Instead, he spun back around and started running his fingers through his hair slowly.
The sound of water splashing made Zabuza open his eyes back up, glancing over towards Haku. Immediately he snapped his eyes forward to avoid watching the other mess with his hair. That damned hair. It always drew his attention. There was another noise and Zabuza cautiously glanced back over and almost snorted.
Haku had managed to get tangled in his hair and there was now a giant knot. And a pout had formed on the young male’s lips. He fiddled with it for a moment longer letting it drop back into the water. Just as he was about to move further in the water, fingers were running through his hair gently. If it wasn’t for the fact that he knew whose presence it was behind him, he would have attacked. “Zabuza?”
“Shut up, kid.” Was the immediate response he got but the fingers didn’t leave his hair. They paused and suddenly the small amount of pressure that had formed from the knot was gone.
“I’m hardly a kid anymore.”
“And a disobedient one at that.”
“Rude.” Haku muttered, a grin forming. “Thank you.” He turned to face the other but was mildly surprised to find him already gone and moving further into the water. “And you said you didn’t like baths.”
“Never said that.” Zabuza quipped, turning to face his apprentice.
“Not verbally.” Haku pointed out, following him in further. “You always seemed so irritated whenever I got you into one.”
Not the real reason Zabuza rolled his eyes before gently splashing at the other. He grinned before ducking under the water quickly. When he popped back up, he was startled to find Haku heavily pouting at him. “What?”
“You’re mean to me.” Haku huffed, sinking lower into the water until his chin was just below the water.
“Never said I was gonna be nice to ya.” Zabuza pointed out, leaning back against the edge again. His eyes followed Haku’s hair as it floated on the water again. He got caught staring and was given a cocked eyebrow in question. “Yer hair’s long.”
“Do you want me to cut it?” Tilting his head to the side, Haku stared at him.
Hell no
But instead of saying it, Zabuza merely shrugged. “Just seems a lot of work.”
It’s pretty don’t cut it
Humming, Haku lifted his hand out of the water with some of his hair in his hand. “It is.”
I like your hair.
Zabuza would never say any of this out loud. It would make him look vulnerable. That wasn’t allowed to happen.
They stayed in the bath for a little while longer before calling it a night. I.e- Haku started stifling too many yawns and Zabuza forced him out before he fell asleep. The tables were turned as now he was the one dragging Haku to their room as the other tried his hardest not to stumble behind him. He was tired and Zabuza could see it.
As soon as they were locked back up in their room, Haku went for his comb but yawned so hard his jaw cracked and he dropped the comb back down.
“Dammit,” Haku mumbled, reaching for the comb again but wasn’t fast enough. “Wh-“
“Shut up and sit down.” Zabuza muttered, holding onto the comb firmly as he shifted to sit behind Haku on the bed. When the other stared at him, he rolled his eyes and dragged the other down, making him face away from him. As soon as he got Haku situated, he started to carefully comb through the long hair. He had watched the boy do this countless times, he could do it for him just this once.
“You,” Haku stumbled over his sentence as another yawn broke free. “You don’t have to do this.”
Zabuza grunted as he pushed some hair over Haku’s shoulder. “You always do this after you wash and yer too tired to hold on to the comb so shut up and sit still.”
Biting back a smile, Haku finally did as he was told and sat as still as he could. But damn was it hard to not fall asleep. Zabuza was correct, he was exhausted from their traveling and being cared for was making him relax quite a bit. More than once did he feel Zabuza push him upright, apologizing both times quietly at the interference he cause.
But he could only fight off the drowsiness for so long and why was it taking so long to finish combing?
Opening his eyes (when did those shut?), Haku hid his yawn behind his hand and went to straighten up but was stopped when his hair got tugged at the motion. “What are you doing?” The pressure didn’t let up and suddenly there were fingers at the nape of his neck, sliding through his hair gently. The motion was so soothing, Haku nearly fell asleep but was only shaken out of it when he realized Zabuza had been doing this for a while. “Mas-“
“Kid, shut the hell up.”
The tone used startled Haku and he went still again. Zabuza was being oddly gentle with everything tonight. Normally he would never go with him to the baths. Rarely let him hold his hand like he had. This was the first time he’d ever touched his hair like this. Haku was stunned and went even stiller when those fingers moved back up to his scalp.
“Soft too,” Zabuza muttered before sighing and quietly adding “Suits you.”
Then those fingers were gone and so was the warmth behind his back. Haku quickly turned around and found that the older male had gotten up and was moving to his own bed. “Um,” He stopped as soon as Zabuza looked at him. “Thank you. For combing it.” He reached up and tucked some of it behind his ear as he smiled up at his teacher.
“Go to sleep.” Zabuza said as he turned back around to climb into his bed.
Happy, Haku hummed and climbed fully onto his own bed and under the blankets. “Goodnight.” He didn’t hear a response, he was out the moment his eyes shut.
Knowing when the other had fallen asleep, Zabuza sighed and looked down at his hand. He could still feel Haku’s hair on his fingers and he clenched his fist tightly before glancing over at the other. “Night, kid.”
The ritual changed after that night. Only a bit though. Zabuza still refused to go to the baths if he could avoid it. But he looked forward to Haku coming back from them. Haku never raised the comb to his own hair anymore, he handed it to Zabuza as he sat in front of him wherever they were.
Zabuza stopped pushing at him when he fell asleep. And never did he admit that he slept better when Haku was nestled against his chest on those nights
And Haku never admitted that he felt safest when he woke up on Zabuza’s chest, his hair acting as a curtain around the older male as he slowly sat up to gaze down at him. Nor did he ever tell Zabuza how the other would try to bring him back down in his sleep, even if he always managed to tug on his hair to get him to do it.
Haku also never told Zabuza why he kept his hair long. Or that he had caught the other staring at him all the time.
It made him happy.