A/n Wow… It's been soooo long! T.T I hate myself, I swear I do! I'm not even gonna pretend that I spent all this time trying to think of how to continue, I just wasn't dedicated enough to my stories and that is no excuse! Please enjoy ;)
Oh yeah! I decided to just keep them 23 years old and not go back to high school. I mean, you know that they end up okay and with each other anyway so what would be the point of going back in time and creating drama? KK onto the story!
You would think the first person Kakuzu would go to save would be Hidan, but Kakuzu was too logical to do that. He knew that if he went to get Hidan he wouldn't let his boyfriend leave his side again, but on the other hand if he saved Sasori first the redhead could go on to break Deidara out of the hypnosis or whatever was going on. So after much internal battling (his heart wanted Hidan immediately, but his mind knew it was wrong), Kakuzu headed toward the kitchen.
When Kakuzu walked in it was hard to miss Sasori. The other man's blood red hair sharply contrasted the white linoleum floor. He was face down, limbs splayed out all around him. Kakuzu thought he looked a bit like he was trying to make snow angels on his stomach, but he knew it was more dire than that. The only physical damage Kakuzu could see was the blood flowing pretty heavily from Sasori's nose but he figured it was just from the impact of the fall.
Kakuzu started towards Sasori when he realized he had no idea HOW to break his friend out of the trance-like state he was in. That was when it hit him, not trance, genjutsu! It seemed almost ridiculous, but Kakuzu remembered clear as day the show he and Hidan had watched, curled up in their basement together. Some reality show about a lady named Kurenai Yuuhi who could bend and control people's minds. She made them see things that weren't there… The boys had laughed through the whole show, but Kakuzu admittedly was amazed by the technique. If he could just use it to convince the bank teller to give him more money…
Kakuzu shook his head and snapped back into reality. Okay, now he had defined the problem… but still had no solution.
"Sasori?" Kakuzu tested, kicking Sasori gently in the ribs. "Uh, hey listen buddy I know you're really busy and all," Kakuzu rolled his eyes and continued. "But I need your help here, pal. You and Hidan and Deidara are under this-"
"Deidara!"
Suddenly Sasori was on his feet, staring into Kakuzu's face. Kakuzu raised his eyebrows, which was considered shocked for him, and remembered Kurenai enigmatically talking about real-life desire overtaking fantasy. Had Sasori's love for Deidara in the real world broken him out of the genjutsu?
"Kakuzu?" Was the next word to pass the slightly dazed redhead's lips. And then, "Feet!" Sasori looked terrified and looked down at his feet with wide eyes that slowly closed into slits as he squinted at his shoes like they were snakes ready to attack.
"Ah, Sasori, I'm not really sure I want to know what happened in your genjutsu, but-" Kakuzu began, looking at Sasori's feet as well.
"Genjutsu? What are you talking about?" Sasori asked, his muddy brown eyes holding their usual intelligence, all traces of confusion gone now.
"It's a long story… but Itachi and Kisame are safe and I need you to go find Deidara for me, alright?" Kakuzu said urgently, taking Sasori by the shoulders and looking him in the eyes. Sasori nodded his head quickly at the sound of Deidara's name.
"Just talk to him, mention your name!" Kakuzu called after the redhead. Sasori lifted a thumbs up to show he heard and Kakuzu sprinted to the library, itching to find Hidan.
"Hidan?" Kakuzu murmured, holding Hidan's limp body in his arms. The Jashinist had been lying on the floor in the middle of the library with his arms flung over his head to protect himself. Kakuzu hugged his boyfriend tight and tried not to imagine Hidan being buried alive. Kakuzu waited a few minutes, tried to take some deep breaths, and cleared his mind. The entire night had been a rush of activity and Kakuzu barely had a moment to register. But now, holding his one true love, unconscious, things started falling into place in Kakuzu's mind.
Danger. Hidan had been, and probably still is, in danger. That was the first thought brought to the surface of Kakuzu's mind. Nothing mattered more than keeping Hidan safe. But groggier thoughts in the back of his mind told him that it was his fault, that Hidan would be better without him. Kakuzu put the thoughts at bay and looked at Hidan's face, which was twisted into a look of pain even though he wasn't being hurt.
"Hidan… Hidan you can wake up now, love." Kakuzu swallowed hard. "It's Kakuzu… please open your eyes."
And then something incredible happened.
… Hidan's eyes didn't open.
Kakuzu felt the air rush out of him and his heart sank to his stomach. "Hidan?" The stitched man tried again, in a soft voice so unlike his own. Hidan's beautiful face didn't even twitch. He was frozen solid in Kakuzu's arms and Kakuzu had to keep reminding himself that Hidan wasn't dead.
"It's Kakuzu." Kakuzu repeated in a broken voice, tracing Hidan's mouth with a tan finger. "It's me." Tears began forming in his eyes as he realized that it wasn't working. Hidan was helpless and so was Kakuzu.
"Hidan, I'm not kidding you brat! Wake up!" Kakuzu shouted right in Hidan's face, feeling himself go hysterical. Once again, Hidan didn't move. Kakuzu's tears feel freely down his face as he physically had to restrain himself from throwing Hidan across the room. It was all so frustrating!
Suddenly Kakuzu realized for the first time how Hidan must have felt… all those years ago. When Kakuzu had almost died and there was nothing Hidan could do about it. When the thought came to his mind a crushing weight seemed to fall on his chest and Kakuzu couldn't move or breathe. Hidan had to watch Kakuzu die for him. Hidan had to face the thought of Kakuzu leaving him, and Kakuzu was just going to let himself die! Hidan was the one who had fought the hardest, the one whose resolve was never, NEVER, broken.
Hidan was the strong one, because in this moment Kakuzu felt like he could merely wither away.
"Kakuzu?"
Kakuzu spun around to face Sasori and Deidara, not even trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. What was the point?
"Oh no…" Sasori murmured, pulling Deidara close. The blonde's eyes widened and his mouth started quivering. Tears threatened Deidara as he took in the sight of Kakuzu crying and desperately hanging onto Hidan's broken body.
"Why won't he wake up?" Kakuzu whispered in a hoarse voice. Sasori and Deidara looked at each other sadly and silence met Kakuzu's question. Hearing no answer Kakuzu finally realized how hopeless it all was and buried his face in Hidan's chest, crying all his love for Hidan out.
"Kakuzu, where did you say Itachi and Kisame were?" Sasori tried from the doorway, taking a few steps closer.
"Who cares?" Kakuzu spat, turning and throwing a book a Sasori in one fluid motion. The book hit Sasori square in the chest and the redhead stopped walking.
"We can take him to them, maybe they'll know-"
"Oh please, I know more than them about this!" Kakuzu snorted. "They're just victims here, they played no part in any of this!"
Deidara turned, and walked briskly out of the room. Kakuzu was quiet for a moment as he and Sasori watched him go.
"What the hell…" Kakuzu mumbled, ignoring the blonde and turning his attention back on Hidan. The Jashinist's striking silver hair was flung into his face, his magenta eyes that Kakuzu would kill to see again were veiled, and his perfect pink mouth was twisted into a grimace. His shirt was stained with Kakuzu's tears and his chest barely rose and fell as he breathed.
"Sasori I can't lose him…" Kakuzu whispered. Sasori nodded his head even though Kakuzu wasn't looking at him, but somehow Kakuzu could feel it. It was if they were all connected, the four of them. Brought together by Hidan. Hidan had been Kakuzu's friend first, then Deidara's. Then Sasori, being Deidara's boyfriend, became his friend. And then Kakuzu and Sasori had become best friends.
That was it.
"Deidara!" Kakuzu called desperately, scaring Sasori a bit.
"Kakuzu what are you-?" Sasori began to ask when Deidara, tears streaming down his face and a tissue in his hand appeared.
"What?" He asked almost irritated. He had obviously gone to the bathroom to cry alone, but this was an emergency.
"It's not just me that Hidan needs to hear from, he needs all of us." Kakuzu explained, waving them over frantically. All three boys took a hold of one of Hidan's hands and already Kakuzu could feel life humming just beneath his pale skin.
"It's working." He whispered, hardly able to believe it. "Now we'll all just say his name… and then he should wake up." Kakuzu explained. His friends nodded their heads and Kakuzu counted to three…
"Hidan." They all said quietly. It was like they had planned it that way, the way each of them said Hidan's name in a different way that would remind him who he was. Sasori practically commanded Hidan to wake up, and Deidara had to fight back a smile as he imagined Hidan's face when he woke up to them all holding his hand and staring at him. Kakuzu uttered Hidan's name with so much love, the other two boys looked up at him. But when they were looking at Kakuzu they missed it; the first reopening of Hidan's beautiful purple eyes. But Kakuzu didn't miss it, he didn't miss a second. He was almost glad he got the moment to himself, and the second he saw recognition on Hidan's face, Kakuzu kissed him.
Kakuzu didn't care who had put them through all that torture in that second, all that mattered was the he and Hidan were safe and together and their friends were close by. And that he was kissing Hidan.
A/n I'll have another chapter up soon I promise! I'm on vacation with nothing to do but write all day every day for a WEEK! Also expect updates on my other stories as well if you're reading any ^-^
Review and subscribe lovelies!
