Naruto: The Prince of Lust

Crouching beside the huffing Tenten, Haku asks, "do you understand now?"

"…No," Tenten growls. "Why are you so good? Why is Naruto? And Neji-kun, Lee, and Guy-sensei? And everybody, but me!"

"I can't speak for your teammates or 'everybody,'" Haku calmly voices. "However, I can tell you why Naruto-sama is strong."

Sitting up, Tenten demands, "tell me. How did he beat Zabuza?"

Taking this conversation indoors, Haku and Tenten settle around the dining table before they speak. Tenten has a bag of ice against her bruised cheek as Haku articulates, "it's not about the strategy Naruto-sama used to beat Zabuza-sama. It's about his mental fortitude." At Tenten's drawn in eyebrows, Haku answers, "Naruto-sama has an innate understanding of who he is and isn't afraid of his capabilities."

She sarcastically asks, "why would he be? Why would anyone be scared of being that strong?"

"Our deepest fears are not rooted in our inadequacy," Haku wise counsels, "humankind's deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. Most people you come across in life are content to simply have a place in society. They are content to conform and with good reason. To do so is much easier to live with; it's accepting, sociable, and comfortable-"

A tired and hurt Tenten accidentally let slip from her lips, "sheep," surprising and scaring her at the same time.

Haku has the decency to let it slide as he continues explaining from across the table. "But playing small doesn't serve the world. It serves the interests of others at the expense of your self and your dreams. Zabuza-sama and Naruto-sama may be polar opposites, but neither men have such fears. They don't accept conformity. They are daring, and without hesitation, would fight death itself for what matters to them. That is the key to their strength."

Tenten takes a minute to consider Haku's words before asking, "and you can make me that strong?"

"I can only show you the way," the boy responds. "You must be the one to walk it, and crucially, without fear."

Tenten sags her shoulders and with deep resignation, answers, "…well, it's not as if I have a choice."

"Good," Haku voices before declaring, "your first task is to kill a homeless-"

"I'm not killing a homeless person," Tenten calls out. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Tenten-chan," Haku patiently starts. "The largest area of improvement isn't your body, but your mind. You have too much fear, and if you're going to be a weapon worthy of the strongest opponents, you need to change your mindset."

"To that of a killer like Zabuza?"

"Not necessarily," Haku returns truthfully. "I myself do not engage in killing."

"See," Tenten huffs.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"After I killed my father who had killed my mother before trying to kill me, I didn't adhere to it as readily as others might have." Tenten looks at Haku's serene face, and couldn't believe such a calm and beautiful face would say something so horrible. Her own father may value money over many things but even he would attempt to kill his own daughter.

"Still," Haku continues. "That event did brake me enough for Zabuza-sama to mold me into his weapon. Both Naruto-sama and Zabuza-sama have gone through mental barriers I doubt you've ever neared, hence why I suggest murder. No one will miss a homeless person-"

"I'm not killing anyone," Tenten calls, already feeling sick to her stomach at the way Haku wants to train her. Tenten then asks, "is there another barrier that doesn't involve murder?"

Tenten can't help but be jealous of the beautiful boy as he quirks his neat brow in thought. She couldn't believe how unfair his beauty is as the boy mutters to himself, "you're so innocent, there should be something… oh!" Haku then happily asks, "have you had- wait, do you have a boyfriend?"

Startled, Tenten's voice stutters when she asks, "what? Why?"

"Do you," Haku maintains.

"N-no," she hesitates to respond.

Continuing to his invasive questioning, he asks, "do you have someone you love?"

"I… I don't have to tell you that," she defends.

"Then this conversation is over-"

"Wait, wait," she calls before he even gets up. Nervously, she blushes to admit, "I… sort of like someone… but… he doesn't feel the same."

"I see," Haku mumbles. After a moment of deep thought, Haku nods and merrily tells Tenten, "well, if you're opposed to murder, then having sex with Naruto-sama is your only other option."

Dropping the bag of ice, Tenten slams her palms on the dining table, shaking the wood, as she sits up, the movement of which knocks the chair back, and yells, "WHAT! HOW DO YOU- …WHY WOULD YOU- WHAT!"

Standing himself, Haku raises an easing palm to settle the pretty girl's shocked countenance as he explains, "I am not holding your hand through this, Tenten-chan, nor will I explain this multiple times. I'll say this once and give you the week to think it over." He waits several moments for her to object, but the only sound from her is heavy breathing.

"Sex is something intimate," Haku starts. "It's a social bond you share with a significant person you relate well with. In some respects, it's the very vulnerable heart of you as an individual… that level of sensitivity will kill you in battle. As you are, you are all about your feelings; your fears, your insecurities. All of that needs to be dialed back a substantial amount so you can stop thinking about how you feel and instead concentrate on the outcome that must happen. The burden of murder would be a good dampener, but loveless sex works well enough."

Haughty and blushing, Tenten tries to argue, "first, I don't agree-"

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"Says the sheep who lost," Haku interjects.

Visibly upset, Tenten struggles to swallow her pride to utter, "…Even if you believe that's what I need, why Naruto-kun? W-why n-not… y-y-you?"

Shrugging the little her question actually matters, Haku answers the wildly blushing girl, "you're not my preference. Also, Naruto's the only person I know in Konoha, we live together, and as his tool, I obviously serve him in any way I can."

With tight animated fists, Tenten cries out, "but SEX!"

With gravitas that cut through her reservations, Haku palpably vocalizes, "you want to change but you don't want to sacrifice. Zabuza-sama, Naruto-sama, myself, and many other strong warriors had to sacrifice who they were to become who they are. I guarantee you no legend you met was born that way. They were made into being; forged into being. I can understand your hesitance to murder someone, but if you're unwilling to sacrifice even this in order to cross beyond your comfortable boundaries, then I don't know how to train you. You have a week, then I will expect an answer."

Though Tenten expected Haku to leave after clearly explaining his position, the confusing boy sits back down. Confused, Tenten looks at the boy with a curiosity that clearly says, 'what more is there to discuss?' Answering as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, Haku asks, "how do you expect to run your shop, alone, while simultaneously continuing your career as a kunoichi without assistance?"

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