I haven't written a PeinKonan in a while so since I'm in the mood to write and since I've got a few more hours to spare, I made this.

This one-shot was inspired by the song 'How Can I Fall' by Breathe and 'I'll be' by Edwin McCain (I'm listening to 'How Can I Fall' right now). I don't know how this story's plot is related to the songs, but whichever way it goes, it wouldn't matter so much. Okay, so I'm on an old-love-songs-on-the-radio mania. I get it. Fine.

But this isn't a song fic. I'm too lazy to copy-paste lyrics, I admit.

Anyway, yeah, enjoy and leave a review when you can.

Note: Possible OOC-ness.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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"I want you to leave the Rain Village. Now."

The words pained Konan somehow. Did she hear right? Has she managed to catch the right words? Strings of discomfort and disappointment tugged at her and she knew that her face, for once, failed to conceal what she felt inside.

Pein was telling her to go.

Those words were shot at her this morning, hours ago, long before sunrise. She woke up not finding Pein on his own bunk. It mildly worried her and she figured he could be on the roof, once again overlooking everything whenever he desired.

She was right, seeing him seated once again on his usual place as he watched the village drown in its misery, in the rain that it was famous for. She stayed under the roof but she watched his eyes fill with worry and regret, somehow. He knew something she didn't, most probably.

"Pein," her words were choked and croaking as if she herself had been crying. She merely wanted to call his attention, to see if he was fine or if something bothered him. Hearing her small voice, Pein twisted his body to see her. His stare remained cold and fierce as he looked at her up and down.

With that, he placed his gaze back at the village view and he did a few hand signs to stop the pouring rain so she could come to him. He didn't shift his seat or even budge to make space for her. Seeing that the raindrops have ceased, Konan proceeded to sit beside him.

She looked at him with anxiety in her features. Even though his face is always straight, she was someone who knew him well enough to discover that he had worries inside his mind. Maybe he was once again thinking of the village's safety or about Akatsuki's coming failures and losses.

Feeling the worry in his soul, she bit her lip and pat his shoulder as she asked, "Pein, is something wrong?" It was all she could ask him. Even if they were as close as it could get, she still limited her words when she was around him.

He heaved a heavy sigh without changing his facial features. Not even a blink came out of him. Anyone could tell that he was worried.

Pein turned to her and kept his gaze low. Konan knew there was something he needed to tell her and she never expected the words to hurt her more than it did to him. "I want you to leave the Rain Village, Konan." He muttered with his gruff voice, "Now."

From what she heard, her eyes suddenly grew and she took her hand back. He looked more serious than ever. Besides, Pein never jokes about anything at all.

What has she done wrong? Why did he want her away? If it was part of a plan, he could've told her. Whatever the reason was, she had the right to know what it was. No matter what, she'd still agree to what he wishes her to do.

She was speechless for so long and all they did was exchange glances. His Rinnegan glittered with what she thought was tears that he expertly stopped from rolling down his face. She, on the other hand, knew that she was even too shocked to even think of crying.

"Wh-What?" The right words didn't come and when she wanted to ask why, she held her tongue. His reply didn't satisfy her.

"You just have to." His answer still rings in her ears. What did he mean when he said she just because she has to? Konan very much knows that there's always a reason, but why did he hesitate in telling her what it was? Would she be angered or saddened if she found out?

She's more distraught now that she doesn't know why he wants her to leave.

Knowing Pein, it would be a grave mistake for anyone to question him, to ask why he wants something done. When he wants something done, he always has a reason. And she wanted to know what that reason was. But she had to give up before she even began.

Now, Konan sits on the floor of her bedroom, leaning her head on her bed's side. She simply stared back at the blank ceiling as she listened to the tapping of the heavy rain on the tin roof.

Her breath seemed so cold against the chilly air. Pein told her that he'd accompany her till the village exit, so she could be safe from there. Why? Didn't he know that without him, she wasn't really safe? She was fragile, brittle… paper…

Still, it got Konan thinking. Didn't she serve him enough? She never refused a demand. She has been supporting him through all these years. What did she do or not do that he suddenly wants her to go?

But she couldn't do anything to change it. It was how she always has been. Pein's orders are like the law to her.

And with that, she heard the door creak open. She didn't bother to shift her gaze there since she knew that it was going to be her partner, Pein. She knew that he had come by to bring her out of the village now.

He still held his stare still and with his straw Akatsuki hat in one of his hands, he waited for Konan to stand up. "You have to go now." He said, holding his hand up to help her up, "I'll walk you all the way out, don't worry."

Why didn't she have to worry? She had everything in this world to worry about. She had him to think of. What would become of him without her? What would she become if she left him?

Obediently, she stands without grabbing his hand to help her up. Going down a level lower, the two Akatsuki members put on their fedoras, nearing the door. Once they were about to come out, he stopped the rain once again for her.

It'd probably be the last time he would.

There, he held her hand through the whole walk across the village. Konan eyed everyone there looking at them as they went past. She hid her face with the hat she wore and with the cloak. She couldn't get a glimpse of Pein's face, trying to check if he was still passive through all this.

But when she saw the village gates a few paces away, Konan bit her lip. She has always been determined to find out the reason why she had to leave him here. She doesn't want to. Leaving him would be the last thing she'd want to do.

Yet, here he was, escorting her out of their home.

How could he?

"P-Pein, why?" Like this morning, her voice was held back, as if she had hesitated in speaking. Her words caught Pein, making him stop in his tracks but his grip on her hand never loosened. He didn't turn to look at her, but she felt a sigh run through him. Soon, he went back to walking towards the gates.

Konan knew he wouldn't listen to her and to what she had to say no matter what it took. So, as she followed him with her hand still in his, she kept talking in her small voice…

"Why do I have to leave? Wasn't I a good partner, Pein? If you want me to leave despite the fact that I don't want to, it'll be fine." She lied. Even if she wanted to leave Pein, she wouldn't. It was such a heartless thing to do, "I just want to know why… I want to know the reason."

By the time their paces have stopped, they were already before the gates. It was the venue where they'd have to part. Once she has gone over that limit, Pein would let the rain fall again. He told her so.

When his hold on her slender hand finally loosened, she drew her hand away and gripped his shoulder firmly. "Pein, listen to me." For once, she decided to speak up, "Just tell me. Talk to me, please?"

But he swat her hand away as he kept his gaze away from her. She rubbed her hand since he had managed to hurt her a little with his hit. Finally, he replied with his face still looking away from her, "Konan, you're the reason."

Hearing this, Konan opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She felt that she had to listen to him first.

"Konoha sent a few ANBU and shinobi to get us." Pein told her, surprising her a little, "If they ever come here, they'd eliminate us. We have a heavy price on our heads, like how you know." Konan swore she heard a sniff as he spoke.

"Anyway," Pein went on with his face still away from her and most of him hid under the hat he wore, "I just want you to be safe. If Konoha ever does arrive to get rid of any Akatsuki member here, I want to be the only one they'll ever find, if ever they are lucky."

Konan nodded even if Pein didn't see. She still held her hand against her chest as Pein kept talking, "Take the identity of someone else and go. Flee from this place. Be safe and once Konoha has halted the hunt, do me a favor and revive Akatsuki for m—."

"No!" she snapped at him, almost shouting, "That's not easy as it sounds!"

"Well, what other choice do you have?" he yelled back at her as he turned around. His light hat fell off, showing Konan his tear-streaked face and his somewhat angered features. She now stood face-to-face with him, a look she rarely saw. Tears never rolled down his cheeks, in fact, till now.

He pointed out at the road that led out of the village, telling her with clenched teeth, "I want you to go. I want you to be safe, away from this war we're facing. If anything happens to you here, I'll never, ever forgive myself, Konan." He emphasized the words with much force as he tried not to hiccup.

Seeing him like this, Konan had no words to say. She stood before him plainly as he breathed heavily in fury. He said a few last words…

"Konan, go. Please."

But Konan had snapped again, "And I won't forgive myself if anything happened to you!"

"Konan, this is an argument you can't win. Even if you've already gotten your way in the past, you can't now. Go!"

"I said I'm staying. As long as you are, I am, too."

"Konan, how many times do I have to tell y—?"

"We're partners!" she interrupted him, near to grabbing his collar to convince him with brutality, "Partners are supposed to stick with each other. We're supposed to be looking out for each other!"

"And by sending you off," Pein opposed, shoving her a little, "I'm looking out for you!"

She now could tell that he did not tell her the reason immediately so she could only worry about hersel instead of worrying about him. He wants her to forget about him for now. In fact, she thinks he did not even want to tell her at all.

The two glared at each other and Konan found cold tears ruining her cheeks as they soaked her delicate paper face. Pein closed his eyes to relax a little before he concluded, "Konan, please. You mean so much to me and I don't want to lose you."

These words struck her harder more than his demand for her departure did. But it didn't strike her like a blow. It struck her like a comforting pain that she never knew. He looked back at her with a compassionate face before whispering, "Now that you know the real reason, please go."

And there, Konan nodded as she took another look at the road she'd have to take. It was a long one and in between, she wouldn't find a Nagato or a Yahiko to accompany her… not again…

Completely hesitant, Konan took a step out of the village territory before she started to briskly walking down the dusty lane. And Pein was there under the village entrance to watch her walk away. Soon, he carved another emotionless stare to cover his sudden burst of emotions.

And when she was already near the road bend, Pein had summoned the rain again, to let life go by normally for the village once again. When the drops suddenly came down, Konan couldn't help but watch the drops hit the ground. Even if she had her wide panama, a few drops seeped and prevailed in touching her skin.

She thought she'd melt away, but she knew she was just thinking too much.

Pein's comforting and protecting touch was gone. She was alone, sent away for the sake of love.

And there, he watched her disappear into the downpour before he could even whisper a silent 'I love you'.

With that, he turned around and began to walk towards his headquarters once again. This time, he knew there'd be no blue-locked angel to hold him and tell him of happy memories and such. He'd be waking up in the morning alone from now on. And he'd have no more reason to stop the rain ever again.

How can Pein ever know and fall in love when he has no reason to?

His only reason to ever do so was gone.

Still, the rain couldn't hide Konan or Pein's tears.

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I remember why I don't make PeinKonan fics anymore! It's coz they always end up: choppy, cheesy, mushy, dramatic, dull and somewhat sickeningly fluffy and unfluffy at the same time. Gawd, like this one.

Reviews and constructive criticisms are welcome. Save the flames for someone you hate.