Disclaimer: I don't own shit.

Thanks to everyone who said they'd help fight my writer's block – it worked!

Extra thanks to Kaz for helping with the Spanish :*

Also, April 2nd really is Hidan's birthday, it's information from the Naruto Character Data Book.

--

The exams took place in the last week of March, which left them with one week left before spring break started.

It was on Thursday, the second of April, that Hidan awoke alone in his room.

Tobi was usually the one who woke him up, all up in his face and energetic, which always pissed Hidan off. He was not a morning person, damnit.

He half expected Tobi to jump out from somewhere and kept on checking if he was anywhere in sight even while he changed – and snorted at the realization that he must have looked like a paranoid nutcase.

He couldn't shake off an uneasy feeling when he went to have some breakfast, but nothing happened.

He sat and shook his head, figuring he must have gone insane, and put his tray on an empty table before taking a seat and –

"HIDAN-SAAAAAAAAN!"

his face met his cereal. Nice to meet you. "For fuck's sake, Tobi, get the fuck off me, I'm drowning!"

Tobi blinked, climbing off Hidan's back. "Wow, Hidan-san, you can talk even though your face is in your bowl! …Why is your face in your cereal bowl, Hidan-san? Did you fall asleep? Great thing Tobi is here now!"

Hidan finally freed his face, glaring at Tobi with cereal and milk sticking to his skin. "I am going to fucking kill you!"

"Whaaah!"

--

Because he had to go wash up again, Hidan was late for class, and of course the teacher was pissed and gave him detention.

He guessed that maybe that wasn't too bad for April 2nd. Anything was fine as long as he didn't have to be alone.

Lucky for him, the one who surveyed his detention that afternoon was Madara. Madara would probably let Hidan spend detention in the music room, anyway.

And how right he was.

In the music room, Hidan stopped listening to Madara; he sat down at the piano and started playing.

"You know, Hidan-kun," Madara started, staring at Hidan, "That isn't why I took you here."

Hidan glared over his shoulder. "Then what the fuck is it?"

Madara chuckled, walking towards the window. "Do you remember when you first came here? It was towards the end of July, and you came in here, and your eyes went really big, like you had never seen so many instruments in your life."

"I hadn't," Hidan muttered. "At the orphanage there was a fucking old piano on which I learned to play, I think someone there had a flute…"

Madara smiled, turning around to lean against the closed window. "Back then, you begged me to let you learn every single one of these instruments."

"And you fucking laughed in my face."

Madara smirked. "M-hm. Now you have been here for almost a year… your musical talent has been showing; your vocals improved a lot, and lately, you have shown much passion when playing the piano. Because of that, I have something for you – a birthday present, if you want to call it that."

Hidan blinked, the sour look on his face disappearing. He whirled his head around, staring at Madara. "What?"

Madara chuckled and motioned towards an acoustic guitar leaning against the piano. "It's yours. Happy birthday, Hidan-kun."

--

Kakuzu was just finishing his essay on the Cold War when a bundle of energy burst into his room. "Kakuzu-san, hurry! Hidan-san will be back from detention soon, and everyone needs to be there for the surprise party!"

The older student rolled his eyes, getting up. "Coming, coming."

Tobi blinked. "Kakuzu-san, aren't you taking your gift for Hidan-san? Oh, Tobi gets it! Kakuzu-san wants to give it to Hidan-san in private to reveal his feelings, right?"

Kakuzu glared. "What are you talking about? I don't have a gift for him."

Tobi stared at him in disbelief. "But… Kakuzu-san…"

"Hidan never celebrated his birthday before." Kakuzu pulled the jacket of his school uniform on. "He doesn't expect getting any gifts, so why should I give him one? It'd be a waste of money."

"Because it would make Hidan-san very happy!"

"Look, kid. Hidan doesn't care about gifts."

"That's not true." Tobi frowned. "Hidan-san never celebrated his birthday because he never had a family or friends to celebrate it with. But now Hidan-san has us, and I think if we show him that we like him with that surprise party and gifts, he will be very happy… Hidan-san was happy when Tobi gave him a Christmas gift, and he was also very happy at the New Year's party…"

"Oh for fuck's sake," Kakuzu muttered, "just go ahead, Tobi."

Tobi nodded slightly and went to the door, but before he left, he threw a look at Kakuzu that sent chills down the older student's spine. "I don't think you deserve Hidan-san if you don't even want to make him happy. If you don't plan on saving him, why did you bother to help him up?"

--

"SURPRISE!"

Hidan stared in shock at all the people gathered in the tiny room he shared with Tobi. "Guys?!"

They grinned at him – five faces – and sang the "happy birthday" song without any embarrassment, as though it was the most natural thing on earth.

Hidan felt his chest go strangely warm when he was suddenly hugged by Deidara and Sasori, who each gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then Kisame gave him a noogie. Hidan was too happy to complain about his messed up hair and grinned at Itachi, who just congratulated him with a small smile and apologized on Kisame's behalf.

He had no time to look for Kakuzu (who was sitting on Hidan's bed) when Tobi bounded up to him. "Here's Tobi's gift, Hidan-san! I knew what Uncle Madara was going to give you, so…"

Hidan blinked and took a clumsily wrapped box from his roommate. Where had he managed to hide it in that small room?

He took a look inside and gasped. Guitar picks, a plain black guitar strap, strings, a tuner and a book titled "Modern Rock for Dummies". "Dude, Tobi… thanks, man!"

In his happiness, Hidan quickly set the box aside and hugged Tobi tightly.

Kakuzu watched the exchange with his usual grumpy expression, though his eyes narrowed into a glare at the display.

Hidan was hugging Tobi.

And Tobi was hugging back.

He got up and pushed through the others to get to Hidan and Tobi, pulling them apart so Hidan was whirled around and pushed into his chest. "The hell, Kakuzu?!"

Kakuzu sent a quick glare at Tobi before grasping Hidan's chin, pulling his mask down and kissing Hidan full on the lips (Deidara squealed, Kisame pretended to gag). "Happy birthday. Come home with me over spring break."

Silence.

"That's so romantic, yeah!"

"Dude, that's unfair, I've known you for three years and you never let me visit you for even a day!"

Tobi smiled to himself, knowing that even though he wouldn't be thanked, he'd done something good.

--

Because it was a Thursday and there was school the following morning, the party didn't go very long. Kisame helped Itachi to his room and promised to keep him some company there, Deidara and Sasori disappeared suspiciously, and Tobi went for a shower.

"So," Kakuzu started, sitting down on Hidan's bed next to him, "you never answered. Are you coming with me?"

Hidan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. There were a lot of questions on his mind; they ranged from "What are your parents like?" to "Can I kiss you in front of them?", but asking any of them would have been simply embarrassing, so he held his tongue and nodded. "Fuck yeah. Can't resist your Mom showing me baby pictures, can I?"

Kakuzu didn't react to the silver-haired boy's teasing at all. Instead, he laid his hand on his shoulder and pushed their mouths together.

They stayed like that for a while, making out, until they completely forgot their surroundings; by the time Kakuzu's hands fumbled around with the button of Hidan's pants, Tobi could have taken two showers, but somehow he still hadn't returned.

"Lay down," Kakuzu instructed, pulling Hidan's pants down. "You better appreciate this, because I hate doing it, but it's your birthday, so…"

--

Tobi frowned in frustration, trying to get past Kisame. "But Kisame-san, I just want to go to my room!"

"Sorry, kid, no can do." Kisame smirked. "You're sleeping in my room tonight, and Kakuzu sleeps in yours."

Tobi sulked. "But why?"

"He's giving Hidan his gift."

Tobi gasped. "So he does have one?! What's his gift for Hidan-san?!"

Kisame snickered. "Something every guy wants for his 17th birthday, and you don't have it."

Tobi blinked. "…A Nintendo Wii?"

Kisame rolled his eyes. "No, dumbass, I'm talking about a blowjob."

The Uchiha nearly fainted.

--

"You suck at giving blow jobs."

Hidan glared at Kakuzu, and sipped on his waterbottle before kicking him in the shin. "Well fucking excuse me for that being the first time I ever gave one! And you came, so that's all that fucking counts!"

Kakuzu smirked. "We're going to work on it."

Hidan snorted. "Hentai." He grabbed a clean pair of boxers from his closet and pulled them on quickly. "I should have left you hard and desperate after you sucked me off, seriously. You're being a total fuckhead."

"Just get over yourself and come here so we can sleep."

Getting in bed together was awkward; even though they had been together since the new year started, they hadn't shared a bed yet. In fact, Hidan had never really shared a bed with anyone like this.

What was he supposed to do? Did he have to cuddle with him, or could they sleep on different sides of the bed?

Silly thought, he quickly realized. The bed was designed for only one person; there was no room to be picky.

So I'll hold him, Hidan thought, and lifted his arm to throw it over Kakuzu.

To his surprise though, Kakuzu had just come to the same conclusion, and thus, hands met faces that they didn't belong to with a loud noise.

"Fuck!" Hidan held his nose, which Kakuzu had accidentally hit, and glared. "What the shit was that about?"

Kakuzu covered his aching eye with a hand. "I should be asking you that. We need to find an arrangement for this."

After a few more clumsy attempts at finding a good position for them to sleep in, they ended with Hidan spread half on top of Kakuzu, the top of his head tucked safely under the older student's chin. It was only after Hidan had fallen asleep that Kakuzu dared to actually put an arm around the younger one, watching him smile in his sleep.

--

They took the train to Taki, the town Kakuzu came from, on Sunday; luckily, it wasn't very crowded.

Hidan was excited, staring out of the window and taking in everything he hadn't seen before. "It's been so fucking long since I traveled."

Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. "It surprises me you have traveled at all."

Hidan glanced at him, hand still on the window. "Once or twice, the orphanage I grew up in took the choir to churches to sing."

"Right."

"Hey, jackass?"

"…"

"Why'd you ask me to come with you?"

Kakuzu closed his eyes for a moment. He'd been prepared for that question and was mildly surprised that Hidan asked now; he'd expected him to demand an explanation earlier. "We don't really talk."

Hidan blinked, confused. "Eh?"

"When you're bothered by something, you talk to Tobi or Deidara. Me, I talk to Kisame or Sasori. I think considering our… 'condition' with each other, we should be able to talk and open up to each other more. That's why I want you to come home with me; maybe we can understand each other better, then."

Hidan stared at him for a moment; he really hadn't considered that Kakuzu had put so much thought into it. "Heh… Not like I can take you to my home, though. Don't fucking have one."

"I know. For me, it's enough if you talk to me next time instead of to Tobi."

Hidan raised an eyebrow. "Why the hell would I talk to fucking Tobi?"

Kakuzu paused. "You… you didn't tell him about not liking your birthday?"

Hidan blanched. "Fuck no! Why the hell would I talk to him of all people? He's an idiot!"

Kakuzu turned his head to glare at the seat before him. So Tobi seemed to understand Hidan without Hidan even telling him what he felt? "Apparently, he really isn't…"

--

"Mi corazón!"

Kakuzu smiled and kneeled down in front of his mother, taking her hand and kissing it. "Hola, mamá."

Hidan stared in shock at mother and son, who were greeting each other affectionately, and the whole time that he looked at Kakuzu's mother, Christmas ran through his head; it seemed forever ago that he had heard Kakuzu's outburst back then, but he could remember his words clearly.

"Seeing your mother in a wheelchair because you asked her to drive faster, that's painful."

"And that must be the friend you brought along!"

Hidan was ripped from his thoughts and nervously smiled at Kakuzu's mother; what was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? He had never learned etiquette; what if he said something that completely offended her?

…since when did he care that he offended someone?

Damn it. Damn-fucking-it.

"Ah, err, hola…" Hidan cleared his throat, stuttering nervously. "Me llamo Hidan…"

Her eyes lit up, obviously pleased that Hidan spoke a little Spanish. "Bienvenido, Hidan. Puedes llamarme Maria."

Kakuzu couldn't help smirking when he saw how nervous Hidan looked. "E-eh… gracias… Maria-san."

Kakuzu's mother laughed happily. "Es lindo, Kakuzu. Tienes buen gusto."

Kakuzu snorted, still smirking. "Solamente espera, no lo encontrarás lindo por mucho tiempo."

Hidan shot Kakuzu a helpless look that clearly stated "I didn't understand a thing".

"Bien." Maria smiled at the boys. "It'll probably be easier for you if we don't speak Spanish, Hidan. But I find it endearing that you tried."

"Kakuzu."

Kakuzu looked up and the previously relaxed expression on his face immediately turned strict when he saw his father walking towards him. "Father."

Kakuzu's father studied his son for a moment before taking a look at Hidan. "And you are…?"

Hidan narrowed his eyes slightly; while Kakuzu's mother gave off a friendly, gentle vibe, his father seemed to have a stick up his ass, and Hidan was not someone who liked people like that. "Hidan San, pleased to meetcha."

"How droll," Maria smiled, "So do some people actually call you San-san?"

Before Hidan had a chance to reply, Kakuzu's father interfered. "You two must be tired from the trip, you should rest until dinner. Hidan-kun, a maid will prepare a guest room for you."

"That won't be necessary," Kakuzu interjected, glaring at his father. "He's sleeping in my room."

The foyer was suddenly filled with an awkward silence; Hidan stared at Kakuzu in shock, Maria smiled nervously, and Kakuzu and his father glared at each other.

"Well then," Kakuzu's father said eventually, "I have work to do. Don't cause any trouble."

--

"Holy fucking shit!"

Hidan dropped his backpack (the only luggage he had with him, in contrary to the fully packed Kakuzu) on the floor, staring at Kakuzu's room.

Not only was it huge, it was also freakishly clean; it didn't look one bit like the room of a teenager. The walls were plain white, no posters or similar things on them, and the only visible form of entertainment was a shelf with books, a CD player and some CDs neatly sorted in a box underneath.

"This place is fucking huge!"

"I guess." Kakuzu left his suitcase in front of his wardrobe, deciding to unpack after dinner.

"Rich bastard," Hidan mumbled and sat down on Kakuzu's bed, bouncing on it to test it out. "This bed is fucking awesome. Way better than my tiny bed at school."

Kakuzu remained silent.

"So!" Hidan crossed his arms behind his head. "I guess your parents know you're gay, then?"

"I'm not gay, I'm bi."

"What-fucking-ever. They know, right?"

"Yes."

"Your Dad doesn't seem very cool with it."

Kakuzu sat down next to Hidan, who was by then laying on his back. "He doesn't mind my sexual orientation. He just wants the crème de la crème for me."

"So basically, he's just not cool with me."

"Pretty much."

"Oh well. At least your Mom seems cool. She's fucking hot, too."

Kakuzu turned his head to glare at the silver-haired one. "Don't you dare to say another word."

Hidan grinned innocently. "What? Maybe I should ditch you for her!"

The resulting quarrel quickly turned from kicking, laughing and struggling into a make out session; Kakuzu was on top of the other, pinning the silver-haired one's wrists to the pillow. Hidan occasionally tried to free his wrists, but the rest of his body defeated the purpose of not wanting to be submissive by hooking his legs around Kakuzu's thighs, bringing the older boy closer.

When the maid walked in to announce dinner, she nearly got a nosebleed.

--

Dinner was awkward; it was pretty obvious what the boys had been up to by Hidan's messed up hair, their swollen lips and flushed faces.

"So, Hidan-kun." Kakuzu's father regarded him coolly. "Since it seems that you and my son are dating –"

Hidan was about to protest, but Kakuzu pinched his thigh. Hard.

"- why don't you tell us something about yourself?"

Hidan looked down at his plate, clearly embarrassed. "There's really not much to tell… I'm in my first year at the academy, 17 years old…"

"What do your parents do?"

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, glaring at his father. "That's enough."

He ignored his son and only raised an eyebrow. "What are your objectives? What university do you plan to go to?"

"Cariño, that's enough."

He huffed quietly. "If he's not embarrassed, he's going to answer. Won't you, Hidan-kun?"

Hidan's fist clenched; he wanted to cuss that asshole out so bad and it took all his strength not to bitch at him right then and there; they'd probably throw him out and never let him see Kakuzu again, if he did that.

"Thought so. My son's too good for you, Hidan-kun. It's nothing personal against you, but my son deserves more than some gutless kid who can't even speak up. You know nothing about him."

"Shut the fuck up!"

Kakuzu's parents stared at Hidan in shock; he had stood up, knocking his chair over.

The silver-haired boy glared viciously at Kakuzu's father. "You want me to speak up? Alright, here it fucking goes! I can't tell you what my parents fucking do because I never fucking met them, but apparently they're shitty people because they left me at a fucking orphanage before I was even a month old! I got into Akatsuki Academy on a scholarship for music, I don't know what university to go to yet but I probably won't be able to fucking afford it anyway, and I have no idea what I want to fucking do professionally!"

Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

Hidan's glare darkened, but his voice got lower. "I don't know Kakuzu's blood type, his birthday or where he went to school before Akatsuki. Maybe I really don't know that fucking much about him – but I know that even though he doesn't show it, it makes him excited when someone talks to him in Spanish, his favorite song is Beethoven's moonlight sonata, he's a bitch in the morning, but if you whisper to him when he wakes up, he's in a better mood. So what if I don't know many facts about him? I know how to fucking deal with him."

Kakuzu was shocked to silence, and his father smirked, though it didn't look confident anymore. "You're one gutsy guy. I like that."

"You're… not kicking me out?"

At that, Kakuzu's father stood up, actually smiling, and how creepy was that? "You're blunt and you don't care what people think… kind of refreshing for someone who is surrounded by hypocrites and suck-ups every day. I think these two weeks are going to be fun."

Kakuzu stared after his father in disbelief before turning to give Hidan an equally surprised look. "I… think my father just approved of you…"