#*zabuza

“I... can’t get this kid I met out of my head.” Kisame sighed. “It’s not as if a genjutsu user would plant memories of friendship, right?” 

“What are they like?” Haku questioned and beckoned for them to follow him to the kitchen. 

“The memories?” Kisame questioned and followed behind Zabuza. 

“Yes.” 

“Nice? I haven’t remembered much... Like, it’s me but not me. And the kid I met was older than he seems in these memories.” Kisame explained. 

“Konoha and Kiri are at peace, and you would be an idle spy.” Haku stated “But, this sounds different. If they were after a spy you would not know.” The ice user shrugged as he loaded more rice into the cooker. “This sounds like they were bored.” 

“Since when do you know so much about genjutsu?” Zabuza questioned at Kisame’s side. 

“I have a lot of time to think.” Haku responded gently. “And a lot of time to study.” 

Zabuza sighed softly. He knew Haku would rather be fighting at his side, but the time for that was over. Kisame was there and he could finally give Haku the life he deserved. 

“Bored?” Kisame laughed. “Just decided to use my head as a testing ground? Yeah, that makes sense.” So was he remembering just residual? But he would have remembered everything right then if that was the case. Run through things before the genjutsu user. Instead it was random. Sporadic. No, not really random, it was triggered, but he never knew what could do it. 

“They still could have stolen information.” Haku stated and held up a celery stick to him. “Do tell the mizukage that much. Change all the security codes.” 

Kisame took it and idly chomped on it. 

Kisame followed his lead. 

Haku appeared from the kitchen into the hall, wearing a simple green yukata and apron, his hair down. Kisame had forgotten just how long it was. The way it reached down half his back. He wondered vaguely if the ice user would ever cut it. 

“Do you ever think of cutting it?” Kisame asked as he brushed the other’s hair. It was easily half way down his back and even if it was constantly hidden by their cloaks he still made sure it was treated accordingly. It would not due to let the other’s appearance suffer. 

“No.” he responded without hesitation. His dark eyes stared into the mirror before him. He was beautiful. 

“Kisame.” Haku repeated. 

Zabuza placed a hand on his arm, jogging Kisame back to reality. “Are you sure you’re fine?” 

“I was given the all clear.” Kisame responded. “Just... remembered something.” 

“Something important?” 

“Bit general.” Kisame teased his fellow swordsmen but shook his head. “Is it that obvious?” 

“That you’ve been weird since returning from Konoha?” Zabuza responded “The Mizukage told me to ask.” 

“Mei did?” Kisame sighed and nodded, finally taking Zabuza’s hand from his arm. Zabuza was never the best at expressing his feelings but Kisame knew him well enough to know he was worried for him. About him. “I ran into a genjutsu user.” Except that Uchiha had never turned his red eyes on him. And Kisame once realizing the lack of fighting spirit in the other had stopped. “I feel like I’m- forgetting something important.” 

Zabuza frowned minutely. “You should have your head checked out.” 

Kisame sighed and rose Zabuza’s right hand up to his face, staring at the striped gloves they both wore. 

“Vermillion, it suits you.” Kisame grinned as he looked at the ring on the other’s finger. Red as his eyes. 

They had smiled at him, a bit pained, a bit distant, still very much a child. “Says the man married to the Akatsuki.” 

Kisame had only laughed. 

“Maybe.” Kisame breathed. “Feels really important.” He let go of Zabuza’s hand and watched his expression turn more pained. “That face really doesn’t suit you.” 

Zabuza stared at him, brows pressed. “You’re different.” 

Kisame did his best to not laugh, but Zabuza only knew how to make that look because Haku had almost died. “Yeah, maybe. Midlife crisis?” 

“You’re not even thirty.” Zabuza stated. 

Kisame grinned and bent down to rest his lips against Zabuza’s forehead protector. “Ancient for a ninja.” 

“Don’t speak that way.” Zabuza hissed and nearly flinched at his own tone. That mission had messed up his head something awful. But Haku was safe, he was safe, and he was back in Kiri with a new Mizukage and things were improving. But Kisame was still as morbid and jokeful as ever. 

“Sorry.” Kisame was still grinning but it slowly slipped away at his serious Zabuza’s expression was. How did only meeting a genjutsu user mess someone up so much? Or was that simply the power of the Uchiha clan...? “How is Haku?” 

“Home. Want to come over for dinner?” Zabuza offered, Haku would not argue. Haku had settled into a domestic role with ease while Zabuza took up his role as a proper swordsmen of the mist.