Perfection is one of the known things in the universe to be impossible, though sometimes Kakuzu wasn't convinced. He had witnessed perfection after just about every mission he had with his newest Akatsuki partner. Every wound healed without leaving a single mark, not even a ghost of a scar ever remained on his pale skin.
Being the dunce he was, Hidan never seemed to acknowledge or appreciate his incredible healing abilities that left him with his flawless body after every mutilation he suffered. Whenever Kakuzu so much as mentioned his abilities, the zealot would just grin and go on about that god of his and how it was His doing.
Of course Kakuzu knew that was all a load of shit. As if a god could make such a cruel world and expect to be worshipped for it. Well, from what he had picked up from Hidan's ramblings, Jashin would be the sort of god to do such a thing.
Ruby and emerald eyes glanced up from the various numbers and symbols scribbled seemingly randomly on his notepad, records of all the bills and income from the last week, and gazed thoughtfully at where his partner was currently sleeping off their latest mission and his ritual.
The stitches that marked his body where Kakuzu had had to re-attach limbs and close up severe wounds were plainly visible on his body where the blankets and his cloak didn't cover, but Kakuzu knew they'd be gone by the end of the week.
Hidan was passed out cold with exhaustion, which was a rare occurrence, so the miser was taking full advantage of the blissful silence to focus on the little accountant book in front of him.
That was one of the other few things that was perfect in the world. Numbers and figures. They were logical and had always made perfect sense to him. All formulas were carefully and precisely calculated, and he found a form of peace in it all that most others didn't understand. It was one of the reasons money meant so much to him. With his frequent violent and angry outbursts, counting and calculating were his stress relievers and helped him calm down in a non-physically violent manner. And of course when he didn't have something to count, he took out his frustrations on whoever was closest to him, which usually ended up being Hidan.
Turning back to his note pad and billing information, Kakuzu went back to work on calculating the past week's expenses and income, keeping careful track of all the numbers in his head and on his note pad. Once he was done, he planned on counting what money was in his safe to make sure everything was accounted for. After all, it was always better to be safe than sorry with something so important.
About two hours passed before the priest began to stir, though Kakuzu didn't even spare him a glance.
"Hey, Kakuzu..?" Hidan asked, sitting up in bed and rubbing the back of his neck.
Sighing and putting down his pen, the miser cast him a look over his shoulder. "What is it?"
"How long was I out?"
"Five or six hours. I wasn't keeping track."
Hidan frowned. "That long, huh? Man, I guess I did get pretty messed up this time."
He didn't sound fussed in the least, and something about that ticked Kakuzu off. His immortality had him so out of place from reality that he had no fear of death. He could never understand the beauty and preciousness of life, because he simply had no regard for it; not for his own or any others'. Since he didn't need to care for his own life and had never been close enough to another to care for their life, he simply didn't care or understand the seriousness of it. Life and death were the same to him in the sense that they practically didn't exist.
"You should be more careful... One of these days you will get yourself killed." Kakuzu told him warningly.
"Lighten up, would you? I'm not dead yet and it's not like I ever will be, seriously. You know, I've heard your death threats enough times already. Jashin-"
Kakuzu cut him off with a growl. "One more word and I'll make sure you regret it.. I'm tired of hearing about your damned religious ramblings..." Again with trying to just pass it all off on acts of god. Kakuzu supposed he found it infuriating because his other pursuits to money were power and immortality, and for Hidan to have perfected what he wanted so badly and have no gratitude for it pissed him off. After all, it was in Kakuzu's personality to be envious and greedy, not that he'd admit it out loud. He didn't believe it was very far fetched to think he was jealous of Hidan's immortality and abilities.
The priest rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in exasperation. "Alright, alright, geez... I get it... You really do need to relax. Go on vacation or something."
The banker snorted. "Vacation? I don't have the time for that... And besides, if Sir Leader found out..."
"Since when are you scared of him, huh? What's the worst he'll do to you? Throw a hissy fit? Go on a temper tantrum?" Hidan asked mockingly.
"Since I found out how powerful he is with his Rinnegan and the fact that he'd cut my salary." Kakuzu replied plainly.
"You and your damned money... You really need some religion in your life, you know that? After all, what use are worldly possessions going to have once you're at your time, huh? They'll be nothing. Faith is all that matters then."
Kakuzu scowled at Hidan for preaching again. He had no want or need for religion. It wasn't important at all to life and was simply a waste of precious time. "That's why I'm pursuing immortality. None of that will be my concern if I can't die."
Hidan sighed and shrugged. "Fine... Just don't say I didn't try to save you when you find yourself facing God."
"I'll keep that in mind..." Kakuzu muttered sarcastically, standing from his work desk and heading to his safe, working on undoing the complicated lock he had placed on it.
"Now what are you doing?" The zealot asked curiously, as if this wasn't such a routine for him to have memorized by now.
"I'm going to count how much there is in the safe." Kakuzu told him.
Hidan made a face. "Again? Didn't you do that, like, a few days ago?"
"Yes, but I need to make sure everything is still there."
"Do you seriously think anyone broke into that complicated-as-all-hell lock of yours? Besides, you know everyone's too scared to steal from you. You're just being paranoid as usual."
"I'd still rather check."
Hidan sighed and looked up at him. "Can't it wait 'til tomorrow?"
"You never put off your rituals for me, so I'm not putting this off for you." Kakuzu replied bluntly, opening the safe's door and taking out it's contents.
Pouting, the silver haired man huffed. "Fine. But can you at least count it in bed? I'm not tired since I just woke up and I know you get all pissy if I try to talk to you while you're counting..."
Deciding Hidan would probably annoy him until he got his way, the miser gave a small nod. "Fine.. But if you try to mess me up or take anything..." He trailed off and left the threat go unfinished, knowing Hidan would just disregard it anyways.
Kakuzu carried the brief cases over to his bed and settled comfortably, resisting the urge to roll his eyes when Hidan abandoned his own bed to curl up next to the miser. He turned his attention away from the priest and started his own sort of ritual, counting the bills from highest values to lowest values in groups of 10. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his partner's eyes following his movements, seeming to be trying to figure out the pattern behind his counting and why it was so entertaining.
As time passed and he became more involved, Kakuzu zoned out and became unaware of Hidan's actions beside him, the numbers inside his head the only thing that held any importance. For that brief time he was counting, those numbers were his entire universe.
He finished much quicker than he expected and was satisfied to find he had just as much as he should have. He was about to get up to place the brief cases back into the safe, though realized Hidan had fallen asleep against him at some point, despite his claims of not being tired. He couldn't help but wonder if the religious prayers and rituals Hidan performed gave him the same euphoric feeling his counting provided him. He figured it was likely, considering how addicted he was to his rituals and how obsessed he himself was with his counting.
Knowing his partner was a deep sleeper, he got up and made sure his safe was locked securely before returning to the bed.
Apparently his moving had woken up Hidan anyways, for he found the priest's eyes had opened halfway with a sleepy look to them and he smiled faintly, wrapping his arms around the Falls nin. "'Bout time you finished..."
"What's it matter to you?"
"I dunno... You work too much..." Hidan mumbled, snuggling closer to him and burying his face against Kakuzu's chest.
He didn't bother replying to him, able to tell he was already half asleep again and wouldn't hear anyways.
The miser took the time to examine the stitches on Hidan's arm for a moment, sighing when he saw the wound itself was already mostly healed and there was only some scar tissue left. Other than that, which would fade very quickly, the only sign he'd been injured were the stitches themselves, which would also be able to be removed shortly, leaving him perfect and whole again.
Kakuzu secretly wished his own skin would heal like that, though he knew it never would, mostly due to the threads that were in his body from his forbidden jutsu.
It was simply odd for him to think that even if he never received another injury his entire life, he would still have all the stitches holding him together and he would never truly heal, while Hidan could suffer the most fatal and devastating wounds there was and be perfectly fine only days later.
He wondered if perhaps Hidan did think more of his immortality than he let on, or if he had any similar thoughts about Kakuzu's abilities. A part of him doubted it, but another part of him knew he gave the priest less credit than he deserved most of the time.
Kakuzu gently ran his hand over the patched-up flesh of Hidan's shoulder and upper arm, simply amazed that something that so resembled his own damaged and disfigured body would soon be perfect and flawless again, while he never would be.
He honestly had no idea what the zealot saw in him when he could clearly do better, but he decided to simply be grateful Hidan had chosen him of all people, and pulled the silver haired man closer, finally closing his eyes, only to open them the next morning and find his partner was seamless once more.