Disclaimer: I do not own the series Naruto Shippuden, nor the characters. I simply love to write about them. Enjoy! (Rating: K)
Chapter One: Interesting Pair
The sun had already begun to drop below the horizon, coaxing all dinural creatures into a restless slumber that would lead into another tedious day that held empty promises. The colors folding in upon themselves caused the release in a creature's mind: sleep. The day was finally over and you could lay down and rest now. Weary thoughts could cease, leading into peaceful dreams of a worry-free life.
Thus was not the case for Hidan. He was leaned forward at the circular table staggered in the kitchen of the Akatsuki hideout. His long, pale fingers were steepled together before his face, his smooth, unblemished forehead pressed against his thumbs. A small, black coffee cup sat at the edge of the table, just below his taunt position, warming his face with the steam that furled and unfurled as it rose into the chilling evening air.
Tentatively, the young male raised his hairline away from his thin fingers, tips no longer touching. A soft sigh escaped his lightly-colored lips, the carbon dioxide being dispelled from his lungs plunging into the warm steam from the albino's bitter drink. Peculiar eyes watched the air as the steam somersaulted around and around in the air; his dark pupils were pinpoints compared the the purple irises encircling them. Despite the air cooling around him, he paid no obvious attention to it. The only indication to the chill in the air affecting him was the slow movement of his right hand, curling around the base of the coffee cup. His fingertips touched each other, overlapping at his fingernails After a moment of absorbing the warmth into his chilled body, he raised the lip of the cup to his own thin lips, sipping quietly at his scalding drink.
Hidan had closed his eyes and was breathing in the warm steam from his coffee when the feeling of a finger running along his notched ear startled him from his mindless thinking. He pursed his lips realizing that he had reached up with his left hand and began playing with the shell of his ear. His face darkened as he let his hand drop into his lap, also releasing his coffee into his lap, also releasing his coffee cup to grip the edge of the wooden table. His eyes had closed again as he thought about the day that had just passed him.
Hidan and Kakuzu had just finished a mission assigned to them a few days ago. When they had returned to the hideout, Kisame and Itachi were on their way out. The taller of the two had explained — while Itachi stared off into the darkness — that the others had left on their missions earlier that morning. Hidan and Kakuzu would be alone, stuck with each others' presence, as much as they disliked it. Hidan didn't mind Kakuzu as much as he minded Hidan.
Hidan had remembered groaning and being pierced by Kakuzu's angry glare as the tall, tanned man stepped around his younger partner. Amusement had crossed Kisame's light blue face as he watched the scene before him and his own dark-haired partner. The trio said their goodbyes, Hidan wishing them a successful trip with Jashin watching over them. With their salutations uttered, Hidan shifted and wandered into the dark hideout, his eyes rapidly trying to adjust to the change in the light. Kakuzu was in the kitchen, making himself a pot of black coffee that the man could probably easily drink all by himself. Even so, Hidan settled in the main room, plopping down on the couch, waiting for Kakuzu to finish brewing the pot of coffee.
Within 10 minutes, the coffee had finished brewing — Hidan knew because of the beeper that went off — and Kakuzu was stealthily climbing out of the kitchen, carrying how dark green coffee cup against his mid-stomach, possibly cradling the warmth to his scar, soothing aches and pain. Hidan raised an eyebrow at his partner, a taunting question lingering on the tip of his profane tongue. His eyes gleamed, whilst Kakuzu ignored his hyper-active counterpart. His gaze fell upon the stairs that lead to everyone's bedrooms, pointedly glaring only at his destination. A soft grin played upon the albino's lips as his purple eyes followed the dark form lumbering stiffly up the stairs. Once Kakuzu had disappeared around the corner, Hidan bounded up to get his own serving of the coffee.