Okay here is a re-write for "Putting the Pieces Together." This time from Crysta's POV! Enjoy the rewrite! Happy birthday to The-Music-Loving-Anime-tard. Love you, niichan! Oh and this one has no relation to the other one. What so ever.
Disclaimer! I will never own Naruto. Ever. Sorry.
I tossed my phone on to my bed and the face planted on my pillows. It was another long day out at the range. I was actually being paid by Konoha to shoot guns. I was the tester for the new system I guess. "First ninja to carry guns" is what Tsunade said. Naruto had pouted to me about it. "Ninjas don't carry guns! We fight with honor!" Honestly, if his cousin wasn't my best friend I would punch him in da face! Much to Naruto's joy, the guns were still lagging. This was the fifteenth time this week a shell hit me in the foot. Third time it left a mark.
At this point, my phone decided to ring. "What?! I want to sleep right now!" I yelled when I answered. "You have three days to sleep. You have over time, Crysta. Don't come in tomorrow or Wednesday or Thursday, got it?" Tsunade ordered. "Fine." I said and hung up. Sure enough I slept in until noon the next day. And when I woke up I was bored. I sat down on my couch with a bowl of Ramen and watched Phineas and Ferb. As I watched as Isabella openly attempted to flirt with Phineas. I sighed. "Isabella, we both need boyfriends. Me more that you. You got time." I said. In all honesty, it was sad for a twenty two year old to be living in a two story house alone. "I really need a boyfriend." I said. Then fate fell into place. My phone rang.
"Oh give me a break it's my three days off!" I said when I answered. "Oh, so you're free! Good! I need you. You're still single, right?" My best friend, Rae Uzumaki, said from the other side. "Rae?" I asked. "No, Paris Hilton, who else? Crys, you really need to start checking your caller ID." She said. "I have caller ID?" I said. I heard her hand meet her forehead. "Crysta, let's focus, here. You're still a lonely noob, right?" She asked. "Yes, and so is your cousin. Hinata still hasn't asked him out. And no guy has dared approach me." I said. "I'll work on Naruto later. I need you now captain wise ass!" She said. "Why?" I asked. "Just meet me at the café we hung out at in high school at three!" She said and hung up. I looked at my clock. Two thirty-five. "Ah, Shit!" I said and sprung to my feet. I quickly changed in to some jeans and a tank top before going to meet my red-head best friend at our high school meeting place.
XXXXX
I sat at the counter of the café, sipping on a coffee. Knowing Rae, she would order a crème roll and give me a lecture about health. Knowing me, I'd listen to her and roll my eyes. Soon my red-headed bestie came walking in. There was a guy with her. A guy that wasn't her boyfriend. "Crème roll please." Rae ordered. The guy ordered an herbal tea. "Crysta, you coffee tears at your stomach lining, by the time your thirty, your stomach will tear and the digestive acid in your stomach will kill you." She lectured. I rolled my eyes as predicted. "Yeah, whatever, who's the guy?" I asked, nodding to the guy behind her. "I know that's not Itachi. Rae are you cheating?" I asked. "What?! No! You know me better than that!" She said, punching me in the arm as their orders came. "This is Kakuzu. Kakuzu, this is my best friend, Crysta." She said.
"Hey." He said. Okay, I'll admit he was kinda cute. But I still wasn't sure if Rae was cheating or not. "Hi." I said. "Kakuzu is one of the very, very, very, very, very, very, very…" She continued. "Okay, she gets it." He said. "Very, very lonely guys I work with. I know you being a dare devil and him being some what of a doctor. You know what, I'll let you guys get to know each other! I'll be back in an hour and a half. Bye!" She said, dropping five dollars on the counter to pay for her sweets and left. After she left, we sat there and stared at each other. "So Rae isn't cheating on Itachi? With anyone?" I asked. He shook his head. "No. As far as I can see they're too deep in love to even notice anyone else. Rae only singled out me when she tripped over me when I was down about my ex." He said. I snorted with laughter.
"Same way she met me! I was sleeping in the hall way at lunch and she tripped over me." I giggled. He chuckled. "I see why you're best friends." He said. I smiled. "Yeah. That and I have to watch over her cousin most of the time because she's always off doing work. She hates it, but he's always running off, too." I said. "Why don't they ever take any time off together? I'm sure Pein-sama would let Rae off." He said. "Wait. Now I recognize you! You're from the Akat-mrgh!" He quickly covered my mouth. "Please don't blow my cover. I'd like to stay out of jail. Bail is very expensive." He said. I licked his hand. "Relax, would ya'? I'm not a rat." I said. "You're not?" He asked. "Hell no. If I told on you I'd be throwing my own family in to jail." I said. "Huh?" He asked. "Rae and Her cousin are both orphans. You didn't know that?" I asked. "Those files are for Pein's eyes only." He said. I shrugged. "Well, we're all orphans. Rae could barely afford the apartment she was living in and she refused help from either me or her cousin." I said with a sigh.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing that we are a live-in organization." He said. "Does everyone treat her okay?" I asked, my overly-protective sister mode activating. He chuckled. "The only person we worry about is Hidan. With his loud mouth, he's the only one with enough balls to back talk her. She's scared the shit out of everyone else. Honestly, I think Pein was in his right mind to hire her. I finally got rid of Hidan for a few hours." He laughed. "And where did Hidan go?" I asked. "Tired his luck with Rae. He went out a window." He said. I burst in to laughter. "Yup, that's Rae! Ha!" I laughed. By the end of the blind date, or so figured, Kakuzu and I were sitting next to each other. We were getting along with one another quite well.
Rae chose that moment to decide our hour was up. She walked in and grabbed Kakuzu. "Pein's pissed. He said if I didn't get you back now, he'd use my head as a soccer ball." She laughed. "He has a mission for you, Kakuzu." She said. Kakuzu and I groaned. "So much for tomorrow." He grumbled. "I can probably get some time off on Saturday or when ever you get back." I said. He nodded. "Sounds good. I'll call you." He said. I nodded. He headed for the door. I grabbed my bag and started for the door. Rae grabbed my arm and pulled me close. "Your appointment tomorrow is with me. Meet me at the bar at six, tomorrow afternoon. You're telling me everything." She said. I nodded. "I'll be there." I said and left.
The next day, I walked in and saw Rae sitting in the same place as yesterday. Still alone. I sat down next to my Red-head best friend. He blue eyes lit up when I did. "So? How'd it go? Are things good? Do you like him? Does he like you? Are you getting married?" She asked, grabbing my arm in excitement. I leaned away to avoid being knocked over by her excitement. "It went well. I guess so? Yeah, I like him. I think so. And no." I said. The last one seemed to deflate her. "Then you guys need a second date. As soon as he gets back from bounty hunting." She said. "Now he's a bounty hunter?" I asked. She nodded. "Some times I do it, sometimes he does. Who ever Pein-sama feels like getting out of his hair." She said. I laughed. "When will he be back?" I asked. She shrugged. "Tomorrow morning maybe." She said. I sighed in depression. "No good. I go back to work tomorrow." I said. Rae and I sighed together. We sat in silence for a bit. I wondered if Rae was putting together the pieces of a plan to get us together anyways. Yeah right. As if we could. Apparently, she came up with a dead end date each scenario.
"So. How's my cousin doing?" She asked. "He's as whiny as ever. 'Ninja's don't use guns.' Will he ever get it that it's not my fault about that?" I asked. Rae shrugged. "You know Naruto." She said. "Unfortunately." I said. She laughed and smacked my shoulder. "Tell him I say hi. I'll see you around, Crys. If I don't back soon, I'll be the next person to get a mission." She said. I laughed and stayed there for a bit. Letting my mind drift. Kakuzu was the subject of my thoughts. I though about all of his stitches and how cool he was and how sweet he is. I eventually started wondering about how soft his lips were. I shook my head. Get your head out of the clouds, Crysta, you've got work tomorrow." I murmured to my self and stood up and left for the night.
X~ One week later. ~X
I put all of my items in my work locker and headed home. Kakuzu and I hadn't seen each other for an entire week and Rae must have gotten in trouble, considering I hadn't heard from her either. I sighed as I left the building and began to walk home. I listened to Celtic Thunder as I walked home. Celtic Thunder was an Irish band that Rae deeply enjoyed. I really missed Rae and Kakuzu. And honestly, I was starting to hate my job. Naruto didn't come in to annoy me any more, I never got a new gun to shoot, and I never got a morning target. And I'd have to agree with Naruto's complaints. Ninja's don't use guns. I was even considering quitting to become an actual ninja instead of a gun tester. A sigh passed my lips.
"Crysta?" I heard a voice call over Celtic Thunder. I turned and grinned when I saw who it was calling me. "Kakuzu." I said. Pulling the music from my ears and setting my iPod on pause. "I missed you." I said. "I missed you, too. How have you been?" he asked. "Board." I grinned. "Work's getting boring and I'm about to fall asleep behind a gun. It's so boring I might go crazy." I said. "Then why not join the Akatsuki?" He asked. I sighed. "Because I promised Rae I would take care of her cousin." I said. "Does he really need you to do that anymore?" He asked. I shrugged. "I don't know." I said. "Then join. I'm sure Rae wouldn't mind having a partner. And I know I wouldn't mind you being there." He said. I sighed and stared down at our shoes.
"Kakuzu, why are you here?" I asked. "I was missing you so I snuck out to find you. I'm glad I did." He said. "I'll have to think about it, okay? I just don't know if I'm ready to leave behind everything I know." I said. He grabbed my hand. "Then I'll wait for you." He said. My heartbeat sped up and I felt a blush spread across my cheeks. "I've never felt this way for anyone. Not even my ex. It took me three years to get over her. I don't want to imagine how long it would take to get over you." He said. "This after one date?" I asked. He nodded. "I've never been one to rush in to things. But, I'm sure about this. About you." He said. We stood there, staring in to each other's eyes. I felt my cheeks heat up as my blush turned deep red. He leaned closer to me and pulled down his mask. My breath caught in my throat and my heart beat sped up. I was sure he could hear my heart beat.
He pressed his lips against mine and wrapped his arms around my waist, dragging my body against his. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled myself on to my toes to kiss him. His lips were so soft and warm. I never wanted to leave his arms. We eventually had to break away for air. I opened my eyes and stared up at him. We stared at each other for a moment. I quickly pulled away from him. I turned away and rubbed my cheeks to have the blood rush away from them. "I'll think about it. Bye." I said and dashed down the street to my home. I ran strait up to my room and closed the door. I sat down on my bed and rubbed my cheeks again. My heart was still racing. I stared at all of the things around me. Would I be able to walk away from it all? This was a big house. And It was only me here. And it was actually kinda hollow for some one to live here. It was pretty lonely here, and let's face it. My only friends were Naruto and Rae. I could use a boyfriend. And Kakuzu seemed like he really loved me. And, well, I have to admit. I think I might be in love with him.
I called in to work the next morning. I quit. I emptied my locker and packed my bags. I picked up my phone and called Rae. She and Kakuzu came and picked me up and I sat in Pein's office for a job interview. He was discussing it in another room with his girlfriend and co-leader, Konan. I sat in there with Rae. She grabbed my arm and grinned. "It went well, believe it." She said. I smiled. I hadn't heard that catchphrase for two and a half years. Pein and Konan came back and I felt myself tense up. Konan sent me a reassuring smile. "Crysta, welcome to the Akatsuki." Pein said. "Yeah!" Rae and I said and gave each other high-fives.
We exited the office where Itachi and Kakuzu waited for us. "Well? How'd it go?" Kakuzu asked. "I'm in!" I said. He smiled and pulled me in to a hug and kissed me. "Looks like we have a little team now." Itachi said, wrapping an arm around Rae's waist. I smiled. Yeah, we were a team. A team of lovers. I think that we will be all happy here. I was assigned as Rae's partner and we made a great team. We got every mission completed. Kakuzu and I went on dates twice a week together. Itachi finally married Rae my first year in the Akatsuki.
I've been here for four years now. I am now age twenty two.
"Crysta, can you believe it's been four years today since you've joined the Akatsuki?" Rae asked, holding her first born son, Ren, of her lap. It took her thirty six hours to give birth. He was one in a month. "It's hard to believe. But you know that also means that Kakuzu and I have been dating for four years and a week." I said as Ren sent me his little smile that told me he was up to something. I smirked at him. "I wonder when he's gonna propose to you." Rae said and Ren let out a grunt and the air was filled with the sent of shit. I wrinkled my nose and Ren burst in to laughter at my face. "Ewwwww, dat's gwoss." I said to him in my baby voice. Rae laughed at me with Ren as she handed him to me and reached for the diaper bag.
"Have you even thought about getting married?' Rae asked me. "And end up like you? Retired? Never. Fighting with Hidan is my life." I said. Rae laughed as she took her son from me. He sent me one of his sneaky smiles at me again, turning his bright blue eyes on me. Rae removed his diaper and he peed on her chest. "Yup, I knew you'd do that." She said, tickling her baby. I couldn't help but giggle along with his laugh. "I don't know Crys. Ever since Itachi and I had Ren, we've really had more time together. And retirement isn't that bad. Hidan and I still get in fights when I don't have a child in my arms." She said. I rolled my eyes as she folded up the loaded diaper. When Ren was fully dressed again, Rae seemed to get an idea. "Hidan still sleeping off a hang over?" She asked. I nodded. She put Ren in my arms again and she turned in her seat and chucked the diaper through Hidan's open window. "Aw! Shit in the mouth! Shit in the mouth!" Hidan yelled and Rae laughed. I smiled at the little baby chewing on his foot in my arms. "Dat's gwoss, too." I cooed at him, tickling his belly. He spat out his toes and laughed like crazy. I giggled with him. "Maaam!" He laughed as if calling to his mother to get his aunt off of him. Rae laughed.
"You should think about it, Crysta. You and Ren get along so well, you're a great baby sitter and you'd make a wonderful mother." She said. I shook my head. "And Ren and your baby would be best friends, like us." She said. I shook my head again. "Rae, if Kakuzu gets me pregnant he'll lose something rather important." I said. She giggled. "Crys, when ever I put my baby in your arms you turn in to a pile of mush. Admit it, you want one." She said. I laughed and shook my head. "Can't raise one if you are one." I said. She smirked at me. "You'll want one once you get married." She said. "If he ever proposes." I said. "Ah-ha!" Rae said. I stared at her. "So you do want to get married." She said. I smiled and let Ren chew on my fingers. "Yeah, I guess it would be nice." I said. "Yea yea!" Ren giggled. I smiled at him. Itachi came out to get Rae and Ren so Ren could go down for his nap and they could go for their date night. I continued to stare at the orange-ish, sun setting sky.
Kakuzu emerged from the base and sat down by me. "Good evening, love." He said and kissed my cheek. "Hey, sexy." I said as he wrapped an arm around me and I leaned against him. "Beautiful sunset." I said. "Indeed." He agreed. We sighed contently in unison. He held my hand and we watched in silence as the sun set. I stood after an hour. "It's getting dark, we should head in." I said. He grabbed my hand and made me sit next to him. "There's something I wanna do first." He said. I stared at him. "Crysta, there's something I want to ask you that I've wanted to for a long time now." He said. "What is it?" I asked. He reached in to his pocket and grabbed my hand. I felt my heart beat pick up. Oh, my Jashin. I knew what he was doing. Rae talking about it. She knew. Could this actually be happening?
"Crysta, will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?" He asked, holding out a ring with an emerald stone surrounded by tiny amethysts. I gasped and leapt on him. "Yes!" I cried. He kissed me gently and slipped the ring on to my finger. I couldn't wait for Rae to get home so I could tell her and then kick her for the hints. I was happy, no, I was elated. I was over the moon. This was the best day of my life. That night as I was cuddled up to Kakuzu in bed, I realized what had happened. From our first blind date together up to today. Rae had planned every thing. She had been doing more than putting two lonely people together. She had been putting the pieces of a scattered puzzle together. She brought me to the missing piece of the puzzle of my life. This entire time. Rae Uchiha had been putting the pieces together. In a moment, all would be tied together forever.
"I do."
The End
Once again, happy birthday to The-Music-Loving-Anime-tard. I love you little sister! It took me all day to write, but it is well worth it! Have a great night! Review if you got 'em!