Days Go By
.::a fic for everyone who adores the Akatsuki::.

Part One
.::PeinxKonan::.

They were all pretty sure it began with Pein and Konan. Scratch that-they all knew it began with the orange-haired male and the blue-haired female.

Ask anyone (okay, maybe not everyone...definately don't ask Zetsu or Itachi. Or Hidan. Or Kakuzu. Or...You know what, just stick to asking Deidara or Tobi, okay?). The chemistry was there. It had been there for a while. It probably would still be there in twenty years.

They started it. They started the family (later Hidan would snigger that the two were "Mommy and Daddy", and that Konan wasn't "mommy". He got whacked for his efforts) that was to grow to become the ten of them. The Akatsuki.

--PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan--

The story went that the two met in the tiny coffee shop that Konan worked in, back when they were college freshmen. It continued that Pein spilled hot, boiling coffee all over her white uniform, just to get her number.

But who believed rumors, anyways?

--PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan--

It was a sweltering, hot afternoon during Konan's first year at Konoha State University, and she had just finished working, and had just arrived at her dorm, only to find Pein streched out on her full-sized bed.

"What're you doing here?" She asked, blinking in surprise.

"Waiting for you," He said in a tone that implied it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She blinked at him. "Why didn't you hang out with your other friends? Zabuza and...uh..." She could only remember Zabuza at the moment.

He waved it away. "Didnt feel like it. Wanted to be with you."

Deep down, she was touched.

--PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan--

It was maybe mid-March, and the two were outside the University, laying down on a patch of grass in the campus.

Konan sat up suddenly, reaching out towards her pierced friend's soft orange hair, and weaving her fingers in the locks of unburning fire.

"Konan?" He asked when she didn't respond.

"Its too quiet," She said after a pause. "We're silent."

She didn't have to say anything else. He knew what she meant.

He sat up, scooted closer to her, and placed his arm around her shoulders.

The two watched the sunset in complete and utter silence.

--PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan--

The next day, she came home to her dorm to find an orange-ish white origami rose on her desk, along with a note proclaiming "I'll swing by later."

She smiled slightly and placed the rose in her hair, fingers hesitating over it slightly before going to find her textbooks so she could study.

--PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan-PeinxKonan--

.::Zetsu::.
Everyone agreed that it was Zetsu that came next.

It was Zetsu, with his green hair, albino skin, and his oddity to dress in half-black-and-half-white clothes, who started to break the silence.

Zetsu-Zetsu-Zetsu--Zetsu-Zetsu-Zetsu

Konan met Zetsu in her chemistry class.

Of course, she'd always known he was there, but she didn't even really think about him until the urge to adopt some one else (it had been her adopting Pein, instead of the other way around) became overwhelming.

She approached him about a week after the day in the campus grass.

She stuck out her hand, looked him straight in the eye, and said, "Konan."

He eyed her, and then slipped his hand into hers, saying, "Zetsu."

She then gripped his hand tightly and, it being lunch, dragged him outside to the place where she and Pein ate lunch.

Pein took it rather well, bless him.

Zetsu-Zetsu-Zetsu--Zetsu-Zetsu-Zetsu

It was quiet, still. It was maybe the seventeenth day after that first "eat-lunch-with-us" meeting, and nothing had really changed except Zetsu hanging out with Pein on the days Konan had to work late.

That is, until the eighteenth day, when Konan came back from her shift to find both Pein AND Zetsu on her bed.

"..." She stared at them. "Something I can do for you?"

"We missed you," Zetsu said in his creepier voice, and happiness filled Konan's chest.

"Oh," She said. "Well, I, in think I have origami paper around here somewhere..."

(No matter what Konan or Pein or a mysterious paper crane collection says, Zetsu would like to firmly point out that he doesn't do origami. Period.)

That was the day Zetsu began to break Konan and Pein's silence.

Zetsu-Zetsu-Zetsu--Zetsu-Zetsu-Zetsu

.::Kakuzu::.
After that day, the three began to hang out more and more. Zetsu proved to be a great friend, giving help with homework to both, origami roses (that he insists he DID. NOT. MAKE) to Konan, and piercing ornaments to Pein.

However, the three agreed that it was still too quiet.

This, everyone knew, is where Kakuzu came in.

--Kakuzu-Kuzu-Kakuzu-Kuzu-Kakuzu--

Konan met Kakuzu while working at her job...arguing over the price of coffee.

"This is ridiculously overpriced," He said, glaring at her. "I am NOT paying seven bucks for a small coffee."

She sighed. "Then go make your own coffee. Do you do this to everyone?"

Grudgingly he handed over the money, and she nearly thrust the cup into his hands. "I never wanna see you again."

"Good. Cause you won't."

Looking down at the cash register, she realized she had overpriced his coffee.

Irony.

--Kakuzu-Kuzu-Kakuzu-Kuzu-Kakuzu--

By some odd twist of fate, Zetsu and Kakuzy became friendly aquantices.

Needless to say, Konan was not happy.

"Whats he doing here?" She spat at Zetsu.

"I invited him," the albino said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Coffee girl," Kakuzu said, unfazed. "Did you know your shop is the most expensive in the area?"

Konan was glad Pein wasn't there at the moment, leaving her free to kick Kakuzu's money-loving ass.

"I will never purposely upset you," Zetsu said calmly as Kakuzu groaned in pain on the grass.

"Good," Konan smiled. "Oh look, here comes Pein."

--Kakuzu-Kuzu-Kakuzu-Kuzu-Kakuzu--

And so the four's freshmen year at KSU ended, with finally a little noise in Pein and Konan's lives.

---Pein---Konan----Zetsu---Kakuzu---

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Naruto related.

It's been a while since I've posted anything Akatsuki related...and I still have no idea why I did. -sweatdrop- I just felt like it. So i did.

I love this one, especially my "adopting" Konan. Yayz~.

Problem: I'm going to make either Deidara or Itachi female, just cause I don't want Konan to be the only girl and I'm not adding in another character unless it is nessecary. So, that poses this question:

Who would you rather have be female?

Deidara

OR

Itachi?

Now, if you would please leave a lovely review on your way out, it would be much appreciated!

(No flames please)

Pein-Konan-and-Bears-Oh-My,

An Order Of RAWR