It's been a full decade since Kisame and I had become partners. Except we were only "partners" for a year. Normal partners for about a season but not long after that. For a month we were getting to a rough spot but we patched it up and resumed our normal lives. In the week we were partners that worked well together, understood each other. In that first day is when my life took a turn for the best.

It was funny, how you could have a run through of your life when you're as nostalgic as me. Bits and pieces of conversations and my life started to dance beneath my closed eyelids.

-(Flashback!)-

'He pulled the covers back over me and then for the rest of the time, he stroked my hair. I didn't get it, until I woke up from sleep.'

That was actually the most peaceful sleep I had gotten in a year. My dreams were plagued with nightmares before Kisame arrived. Now I only have peaceful night's sleeps.

'Accidentally though, I more like tackled him and we both fell over, laughing so hard anyone could have thought we've been lifelong friends. As soon as we stopped rolling on the floor dieing of laughter, we both got up, suppressing even more laughter, leaves strewn in our hair and headed back to base.'

Life long friends, I mused, well that was something we are now. We're friends, we're lovers, we're allies, we're in love. That's how it always will be from then to now on. Well, not in that order.

'Bursting through the door of an unused and run down cabin we quickly found on our maps that the towns were too far for a day's journey…There was also an old, sturdy bed, a worn couch, and a rickety front door. That was all I really wanted that night.'

Little did I know what a rift that would create between us. And little did I know how easy to sow it was. I sighed, that's love for you.

'I was still on the floor, still hurting, still wishing Kisame would wake up. He didn't, and I recognized that fairy tale endings only happen to good people. I hate the rain. I hate this cabin. I hate fairy tales. And I hate love.'

But then again, I'm in love with that very same man. I love the rain, it can make Kisame and I so at peace. That cabin was…horrible. Now I was in my own fairy tale with the prince of my dreams. And love is beautiful, I barely remember why I hated it.

'"Almost all of it." Pein snorted, "I couldn't help but wake you; you looked silly just rolling around. What were you doing in your dream?"'

Surprisingly I was not doing what you think. I was just embarrassed at the fact that I was clinging to PEIN while saying I LOVE YOU to KISAME. Ah, but Pein was a normally quiet guy he didn't care. I smiled at that, he and Konan would have had great children if they wanted to. Before Pein died I do remember Konan wanting to get pregnant and the sad news is I think she achieved it and he passed. Then Madara didn't notice or care about the fact she was pregnant and killed her. She would have made a great mom…to me she would have anyway.

'"Don't you EVER hurt Zetsu like that ever, EVER again! Hear me Hoshigaki? Never again!" she shrieked at him, he nodded, dizzy, "If you do so help you god…I will GET YOU."'

Ah, again, Konan would beat up whoever hurts her children. That's why she'd make a good mother. And she was sweet, kind, and supportive. I wouldn't know if she was loving or not. I think so though. I miss her to this day.

'Once I got back to base I ran into the kitchen. Kisame distracted me and I tripped, the present spilling out of the box. I gasped when he saw it. He only looked confused as he helped me up. It was then I realized he had absolutely no idea who the present was for!'

That was hilarious, it really was. He complained over and over again about wanting the sequel and we've been good friends. The poor man's never gotten a present from a friend before just because. Or a present for his birthday. He clearly didn't expect it.

'"Hey -hic- Zetsu, I'm bi-sexual." Kisame winked at me'

At that time I had a when did that happen moment. My world turned sideways. I was just dumbfounded. Since when was Kisame bi-sexual? Of course through trace memories it was obvious. I was just missing the hints that he gave me. Ah…we both suck at this…

'But even if Kisame was still drunk, and he was straight as a pin tomorrow, I would always remember that for just one night I lived out my dream. That was enough for me, that even for just one day, for just one moment, that I got just one kiss, from my one true love. One turned to two, then three, then four, then five.'

I smiled at that. He kissed me. That really all I can say to that. I love him.

'I was tucked under Kisame's arm absorbing his warmth, Kisame didn't seem to mind that it was freezing out here. The man sat there like a statue, leaning over once in awhile to kiss my temple. The rain abruptly turned to drizzle and Kisame, to my shock, picked me up bridal style and started to walk back to the base.'

That reminded me of the birds. Not that bridal style thing so much but as the tucked under his arm thing. I still have that drawing and many more now. Of nature or Kisame, it varies.

'We ended up making love to the moonlight who's soft beams caressed our bodies, uncaring as to who we were and what we were.'

One of the more delicate memories. I found out on that night how much I could love a man. As much as I do now.

'A concussion. For my own freedom from a decades worth of time in the Akatsuki, escaping death, staying with my wonderful soul mate forever and ever. One concussion.'

It's true, I expected a whole lot worse. If I lost a limb then it would seem fair. But I'm okay now, I forget things occasionally and I stumble a bit more often than normal but I'm genuinely okay.

'It was very relieving to find some of my plants made it to the kitchen and outside in the small but friendly garden.'

Plants were a big part of my life. The good and bad parts. I naturally want to keep them. The smallest things could make me happy.

'"I love you." I said quietly to my ever sleeping lover who just fidgeted and went still, "And I always will…forever."'

I still do to this day.

-(Back to now)-

In other news Madara never got caught, his whereabouts a mystery. We were allowed to stay because we weren't harming anybody or doing any questionable things. Well, not questionable in a bad way. I mean we ARE still gay. And we were looking to adopt an orphan…In fact…

-(Flashback to a month ago)-

"This is our little 9 year old room" the guy stayed at the door as Kisame and I walked in to find multiple children playing. There was one that caught my eye. She looked a bit like Konan. The little girl was so cute though I couldn't help but go say hi. Yes, don't worry, I had my plant retracted so the kids wouldn't be too scared of me.

"Hi what's your name?" I asked the little girl who stopped her game and smiled at me.

"My name's Aki." she beamed, I offered her a hug and she snuggled into my arms.

"Oh? Like 'Autumn'?" I asked her again and I picked her up she nodded and giggled as I tried to step over the orphanage's abundance of toys.

"Hmm?" the guy at the door looked up, "Need a history?"

"I would love one." I smiled and then my expression went blank as I read that this baby was born to a blue haired yellow eyed female that died on a battlefield with paper scattered over it. I motioned Kisame over.

"D-do you think…" Kisame trailed, my eyes a bit teary I nodded.

"We just found Konan's child." I whispered then smiled at the little girl and we both hugged her.

"Does this mean I'm finally getting a home?" she asked.

"Yes." I hugged her tighter as Kisame filled out the paperwork, "You're coming home with us"

-(Back to future)-

"Zetsu?" Aki walked up to me with my first drawing notebook in hand, "What's in this?"

"Hmm?" I looked up from my tea, "Oh, I drew in that for the first time, I have more if you want to see."

I got out the other eight drawing notebooks showing her the best of my pictures. I stopped at the one in the exact back of the ninth notebook. Kisame had been sleeping and I drew the whole room with the moonlight highlighting certain features of his. He looked so innocent it could have been a crime. Kisame walked over at that moment as Aki ran to get something.

Age had not done a single one of his features wrong. His hair got longer, still in its fin shape with a new curl at the end of it, and I trim it a bit occasionally. He got even more lean and muscled with time as well. He was still the same Kisame. Just a 45 year old version of him.

"Oi, Zetsu…" Kisame kneeled down to look at the picture, "When did you draw that?"

Did I mention that his voice got deeper? It went from sarcastic to romantic too. Relaxation had a very positive affect on him.

"About four months ago." I blushed and smiled, "You just looked so cute…"

"Kisame I got the present-! Whoa!" Aki was running and then she tripped, the present spilling out of the box. Kisame caught her and they both smiled at me. The present was a box of colored pencils. What I haven't had for the past decade.

"Aw…you two are too good to me." I let Kisame kiss me and I kissed Aki's forehead

Yes, in order to remember some of my past I got my bones examined and it turns out my bones look around 35 to 40 years old. So today, I apparently turned 38. I joined the Akatsuki at a supposed 18. When my village could kick me out probably. When I was old enough. I partnered with Kisame ten years later. It was a good guess. I mean I looked around 28 then. Now I'm approaching my 40's. With a 9 year old kid and a 45 year old lover by my side.

I haven't changed very much. My hair's grown to chin length since I last cut it. I can't bear to have my hair short again, there are just too many bad memories associated with short hair now. My plant due to not being used has now just become part of my inner structure. Well…only being used when Aki wants to see me use May-Fly. I feel like jelly when I don't have the plant inside me now…As for my body…well I haven't really changed much, I haven't been moving much at all. I take occasional walks and trips to the town but otherwise I'm home.

"I love you Zetsu." Kisame kissed me again, I kissed him back.

"And I love you Kisame." I smiled and he kissed me again.

Aki spent the rest of the night trying to draw her stuffed bunny. I found this out when I peeked in her room at ten o'clock. She went in her room at six. The girl clearly wants to be as good as I am. Her bedtime was at eight. So after she fell asleep I crept over to her drawing to find the head of the bunny detailed and everything; the bunny had no body as of yet. I tucked the drawing back where it was found and headed back to my room.

The giant white window revealed my moonlit garden and a little sliver of the waning moon. Tomorrow would be the new moon again and since I've forgotten to look at the calendar for the past few years, I've counted the days by the moon's shape. This would be a gentle, breezeless Thursday.

I was amused at the scraps of white torn fabric on the floor. Based on the size on the tag it was Kisame's and it looked like he couldn't get today's shirt off fast enough. Today's pants made it though so I threw them in the hamper. I usually took them down to the river so I could hand wash them. The river near our house was very clean and Kisame took swims while I did the wash. Kisame would do it if I got sick and I'm teaching Aki how to wash the clothes, make dinner, and all the basic household stuff too.

I quietly tucked myself into bed and was about to fall asleep when a figure etched in silver moonlight leaned into my window and whispered my name. I looked up after a few seconds and Kisame was standing in the room tucking away today's pay into the safe we had. Kisame went on quick missions that took normally a day for most but a few hours for him to get a way to pay the bills and get food and other needs for our family. They paid him extra for the quick service.

"Kisame?" I called to him quietly.

"Yes my love?" he replied as he took off his work clothes and put them in the hamper.

"Do you still think of Madara?" I asked and squeezed my eyes closed as I heard a quiet gasp and then a growl from my lover.

"I hope you don't think of that son of a bitch." Kisame huffed and tucked himself in right next to me.

"I know how you feel but…I don't know…I'm wondering what he's doing and where he is…" I said slowly, Kisame didn't growl, he was sharing that thought.

"Well…I don't care right now. I'm just glad that after they called the search off he didn't make a reappearance…" Kisame shuddered, "The man was evil. I mean we were too, but not to THAT degree…"

"Mmm…I agree…though you weren't that bad. You killed and stole. I was a cannibal who killed and later stole the meat off their bodies." I said was, I stopped eating humans right around the time I moved in here.

"How did you do it Zetsu?" Kisame asked, "What drew you to cannibalism?"

"Madara said I was a cannibal before. So I ate a human, liked it, and did it over and over" I blinked a bit spastically realizing the actuality of the situation, "All those people…I probably wasn't even a cannibal before…I don't know…"

"Let's just go to bed love…" Kisame trailed as he fell asleep

A light snore followed Kisame's eyelids closing and I was about to join him. I laid back down and stared at the ceiling hoping for my world to go to blackness. It almost did. Another figure was standing at the window with curious Sharingans focused on my face and now floor length spiky black hair. I froze and couldn't bring myself to wake Kisame. The figure hopped in the window while I was too in shock to scream and laid a thick folder stuffed with papers on my nightstand. The figure then went back out the window and turned back to me. I felt my muscles unlock, it must be a dream then…A cool breeze hit my face and I didn't wake. The figure nodded once and disappeared into the night with one message for me.

"Sorry I didn't show this to you before. It's the files I was given by your village when I recruited you for the Akatsuki. Farewell Zetsu…" Madara's voice began to fade away with the wind before a last broken sentence was uttered, "And…happy birthday…my dear."

-The End-