Auri's Notes: ANOTHER KakuHidan. xD Sometimes I think I have too much fun writing 'em but… neih, it's all for YOU guys. xD

Njoy. X3

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I think he's afraid to sometimes.

But other times I keep thinking that maybe he just doesn't want to. I dunno, really. But he's never done it and it's really started to… you know… get to me. I mean, yeah, he tells me he loves me, and he holds me and all that shit, but… he's never… you know…

I mean… yeah… we've… "done it"… and it was really good, too… I think we both had fun… he was even on top… so… yeah, I guess we both had a good time there. I've talked to him about it before and he says that he doesn't know, he's just not comfortable with it, but… neih… I dunno, I think he's afraid to.

I don't think he has before.

I have, of course. I mean… I've been around a long, long time… and… yea, I've had my fair share of chicks… but… they were mostly just booty calls. I don't think I ever really loved any of the skanky bitches. I doubt they loved me, too, 'cuz they usually just did what most bitches do- use me. Yeah, he's the first guy, too. And sometimes I think that he'll be the last, 'cuz I finally found someone who won't leave me and won't die right away. I mean… he's looked the same for a long-ass time… and I haven't aged since I was like, what, twenty-one? Twenty-two? I've lost count. Finally, we can't outlive each other and we'll… y'know… be able to be together for a long time.

Sometimes I think we can do it forever. But I know shit happens, so maybe there's the off chance that it won't last. I want it to, though.

I do think I love him this time.

I just wish he would… y'know… kiss me…

'cuz… I've tried before… like… tried to do it through the mask… but it don't work that way. Feels weird as hell, actually. I think he thought it was funny 'cuz he had this really weird-ass look on his face and yeah, I dunno, it was just weird for the both of us, I think.

I still wonder if he's ever kissed ANYBODY before.

I haven't asked him. I'm afraid to. But every time I ask him to kiss me, he… like… gets all defensive… it's weird… I dunno, I'm thinking about trying again. Just to see if he would… maybe this time will be different, I dunno, maybe. I'm hoping it is.

"Hey… Kakuzu…"

He puts a hand into my hair and cranes his neck to look down at me. "What?"

I'm in between his legs. Not in the way you're thinking, ya fuckin' pervert. We're in bed. Not in the way you're thinking, either. I MEAN, he's leaning up against the headboard with his legs propped up and I'm in between 'em with my hands on his thighs. It's my favorite way to sit with him 'cuz his bed is kinda little. It's the only way we can sit and both have enough room and be comfortable with it.

"Neih…" I turn around and put my hands on either side of him and lean in real close. "Look at me, idiot."

"I'm looking at you." He raises an eyebrow. Damn, he's got pretty eyes. I can see his hair through the top part of his mask thing. It's black and stringy and I love it. I know I'm the only one who can touch the shit, too. Just 'cuz he'll punch the lights out of anyone who tries. S'kinda funny, actually.

"Take that off." I kinda try and beg a little bit but I don't wanna demoralize myself or nothing. "Just for a bit."

Both eyebrows raise now. "Take what off?"

He knows damn well that I'm talking about. I've only seen him without his mask once in a while and that's when we "do it". He's pretty fuckin' hot, which amuses me 'cuz he doesn't ever wanna take it off… I think he's afraid to.

"Take off this." I touch the mask as lightly as I can but tug on it lightly, only to see him lean his head away with his eyes all squinty.

"Why?"

"Because," I can practically feel his heartbeat and it feels pretty cool… I can hear his and mine, just off-synch slightly. Kinda like it that way. "I want you to…"

He gives me this really weird look. "Why?"

"I wanna see your face." I try again, tilting my head slightly and giving him my most puppy-ish look. I think Deidara would call the look 'ukeish'.

"Why?"

"Shut up." He's pissing me off already. "Quit asking why… just let me see you for a while, 'kay? Won't be for that damn long, 'kay? I just wanna look at you."

If I tug at the mask again he'll probably smack me so I just keep giving him that look and fidget a little bit. Yeah, I'm pressed right up against his hips and he knows it, too. We both kinda like this position and I don't blame him or myself, I do like the feeling of him right up against me like this. I think he likes it, too.

He looks like he's gonna ask 'why' again but he knows I'd smack him if he did so he just keeps giving me this look. Then he shifts underneath me and he reaches up and pulls off the top part of the mask and I can see his hair.

I touch it lightly and I can feel myself grinning a lot wider than I know I should be. Maybe I was right, maybe we ARE gonna get somewhere tonight.

"There." He shrugs and tosses the mask on the floor beside him. "Off."

"Jackass," I can't help insulting him but I know he doesn't give a shit, so I can keep doing it if I really want to. "I want it all the way off."

"Why?"

"Don't start that shit again," I sigh, and I touch the part of his mask that covers his mouth real quick and then pull my hand away. He gives me that look again and I can tell he's getting pissed off. "Just please take it off for a while? I'm not askin' all THAT fucking much, am I, 'Kuzu?"

He hates it when I call him that. I'm surprised I didn't get a smack in the face or nothin'… on the contrary, the bastard actually gives this really long sigh and starts to pull the mask off.

Haha. Victory to me!

"Happy?" He throws the other part of the mask by where the first part is and he glares at me, hair all in his face. Jashin, I love his face. His mouth is so interesting… the stitches are so delicate and rough… I wanna feel them but I know I can't, not unless I wanna have him sew my head back on later after he punches it off my neck.

"Yes." I gotta tell him the truth. "Very much so, asshole. C'mon, is it really that hard for you to do?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because." He fidgets, and I fidget right back and try to keep that uke look on my face. "I don't like the way I look. I'd rather not have the mask off. Enough said."

"But I like the way you look," I wanna touch his hair. I really want to but I know I can't yet. "I think you're… I… what's the word?" I don't wanna say 'sexy', and I don't wanna say 'handsome' 'cuz that'll just sound weird and cliché… 'beautiful' is just out of the question. "Striking," I settle on, "In a good way though. I love the way you are and I wouldn't have you any other fucking way."

He gives me a look again but this one isn't pissy. This one's new, like… I haven't seen this one before. He looks kinda surprised, actually.

"You know," He's looking at me… not in my eyes, but just at me in general. "I can't lift a finger compared to you."

I don't get it. "What?"

"You say I'm striking… I don't think… I dunno, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm… not as good-looking as you," He isn't looking at me anymore, now he's looking to his left and at the ground. "I feel weird taking my mask off with you because I'm… freaky."

"Freaky." I repeat the word. "Freaky? 'Kuzu, are you freaking insane? You're not freaky at all… 'Kuzu… look at me, bastard," He looks at me now and he looks kind of ashamed.

"Hm?"

"Look… I don't care what you think about yourself… and you shouldn't either… I dunno where you get the grounds to say that you think you're a freak… but… Kakuzu… you're beautiful to me." I know I'm gonna get smacked for this one so I brace myself and turn my head away, closing my eyes so they don't smack outta my head.

But nothing comes this time. After a couple seconds I open my eyes and he's got another weird look on his face. Looking at me like I'm some sorta weirdo.

"Hidan."

"Don't hit me." I can only try to ask, turning my head away again, 'cuz I know one's coming sooner or later. "Not that hard this time."

"Look at me, idiot."

Okay. Maybe he WON'T hit me. I gotta open my eyes again and look at him again and this time the look changed, now he looks like he either wants to laugh or smack me and I'm really hoping it's the first one.

Actually though he don't do either of 'em. He like… puts his hand on the side of my face and sorta brings me towards him and then he kisses me. On the lips and everything.

It feels really good, too.

So we just kind of stay like that for a couple seconds and I think we're both really enjoying it. I know for sure that I am. I kinda push against him a little bit and close my eyes for like the fifth time, 'cept this time it's not in fear.

After a couple minutes we pull away and just look at each other.

I dunno what to say except, "Thanks."

He just kinda gives me this weird half-smile and nods. "You're welcome… incubus bastard."

I kiss him this time, real quick and real light. And I grin at him and make sure I have a lot of teeth showing. "I love you, 'Kuzu."

"Don't call me that."

"Gomen."

"I love you too, though."

I put my head on his chest. His cloak is sorta half-open like I wear mine. (it's really hot out right now, so everyone's wearing their cloak sorta half-assed or not at all and Kakuzu's gone with the 'half-assed' variation while I've wanted to run around naked for like a month.) I put my head on a fold of the cloak so I don't poke myself with a stitch and I reach to one of his hands and he finds it first and we just lay there like that, holding hands and being really quiet and shit. It's nice.

"You need to practice kissing, by the way."

He cuffs me on the head with the back of his hand but there's no pain with this one, it's sorta like he doesn't really want to do it but he feels obligated or something. I have to smile at him now to let him know I don't mean it.

"You're an ass." He says, giving me another look and smirking.

"I know. Kiss me."

"Fuck off."

"Only if you kiss me first."