Author's Note: With this the last chapter of this fic has arrived. Thank you for reading.

Chapter 20: Once Sealed in Blood

Zetsu opened the leaves of his summon, instantly looking around their destination now that they had arrived. It was a fixed habit, something he always tended to do when using the shifting jutsu: A simple precaution to avoid nasty surprises.

"Whoa, it's bright as fuck up here", Hidan announced, the slight wavering in his voice indicating him commenting on the weather was an attempt to distract that travelling this way still would let him feel claustrophobic.

"It often is up here. When there's still fog in the lower areas", Zetsu said, nodding towards the slope leading down into the valley. The entire lowlands were covered in a low fog, leaving only the top of the mountain unaffected.

Hidan nodded, gaze wandering into the distance. "So nice." His voice had sounded stable, but his hands were still grabbing the fabric of Zetsu's sleeves, holding on tight.

The thing was, for a while Hidan's claustrophobia had almost disappeared completely. But since the day they had caught the Kyubi it had gotten worse again, almost as strong as in the beginning, when Hidan had just gotten out of that wretched hole. But well, sometimes developments didn't go linear. Sometimes you had drawbacks. That didn't mean matters stagnated. It was just that Zetsu was feeling sad about the fact them moving around like this always ended up in Hidan feeling this distressed.

He wanted to say something but then Hidan had already let go of him, turning towards the lake. "Oh, look! The reed is growing stronger now."

Zetsu turned his head, looking towards the lake. It was the truth, the meagre vegetation of this place had slightly grown stronger now that summer was marching on, the bright sunlight shining on the place increasing the impression of forlorn beauty. "The place changed since we were here the last time, yes."

"Do you think this affects the lake as well? Maybe there will be some fish in it anytime soon!" Hidan sounded genuinely enthusiastic about the prospect.

"I don't know. Maybe? I'm not sure though this kind of lake is the kind of place suitable for fish to begin with."

"Ah, man!"

"Why do you want for fish to settle in this strongly anyway? Want to fish and catch some?"

Hidan firmly shook his head. "Nothing the like. Fishing! Lack the patience for that. No, I just find it cute when you look at a pond and you see those fish groups near the shore."

"Those fish groups?" Zetsu was beginning to feel at loss, like he was missing something.

"Yes. Fish groups. Man, I don't know any fish sorts or the like. Just those… small fish that hang around in groups in some lakes. Or rivers." Hidan tilted his head, thinking. "Or in lakes, whatever. Just in any kind of fresh water."

"They do?" The description sounded plausible but Zetsu had to admit that he had never payed any attention if he was seeing some fish in any source of water he was near. The main thing he was interested in those situations was, if he was surrounded by a threat or not. And he didn't care about fishing either, so there never had been a reason to pay attention to any fish that just swam around without being a danger.

A gleam appeared behind Hidan's eyes, a good-natured grin showing up on his face. "Next time I see some I'm going to show them to you." Turning around again he started walking towards the lake. "Maybe some fish are already in here after all?"

"Maybe", Zetsu said, following Hidan down the slope. He doubted fish would get to live near this place any time soon, but there was no reason to fully rule out the possibility of it either. "Can you see any?"

Hidan shook his head, coming to a halt at the shore of the lake, looking at the surface of the water. "No. Only those bugs that walk on the water."

"Oh. Those again."

"Yes and… wait. Are those snails?"

Zetsu looked towards the spot Hidan was pointing at, at the thin water plants growing under the surface. "You're right, yes. Very small ones, but snails none the like."

Hidan let hear a content huff. "That's so cool!" With this he sat down on one of the larger rocks located right next to the lake, an absentminded smile on his face that seemed to carry the echo of his earlier grin.

Zetsu sat down next to him, guessing he should say something but feeling utterly devoid of any words. There was so much he wanted to say to Hidan these days and every time he thought of the words to wrap these feelings in he felt lacking and clumsy and decided to stay silent after all.

It didn't come as a surprise Hidan pulled him into an enthusiastic hug the next moment, but his body went tense immediately anyway. "My grumpy guard dog! Stop pouting already and come here!"

"I told you not to call me that." Zetsu felt his face blush and the next moment his body was leaning into the touch and relaxing on its own accord, as if he hadn't a say in the matter. The thing was, maybe he really had no choice after all. Not anymore. Most likely even never had had one to begin with. The thought felt oddly calming.

"Well, you did. But then your sweet side was telling me the other day that it was alright after all, so what is it now?", Hidan asked, letting his chin rest on Zetsu's shoulder while hugging him from behind. His voice had sounded strangely concerned.

"It's fine as long as no one else is around to hear it."

"Eh, I get that, alright. It's gotten kind of cramped lately, hasn't it?"

"Slightly so."

"Especially since that skinny redhead joined leader and Konan. He's their close friend but they never mentioned him?"

"Sometimes you don't mention someone just because they are important to you", Zetsu pointed out.

"True again." Hidan went silent, tightening his grip around Zetsu. "I mean, I like everyone being around, so I'm not really complaining or anything. No one turned out to be a roommate from hell. It's just annoying having to be quiet every time we have sex."

"Excuse me?!"

"What? It's the truth. Going to a love hotel would be more convenient."

Zetsu's blush intensified, making it feel as if his face was on fire. "I'm not going to get caught by some ANBU because I went careless and was stupid enough to go to a love hotel."

"I know!" Hidan sounded offended. "I wasn't suggesting anything. I was just saying if -and only if- it was possible it would be more convenient."

"Yes, yes. I get your point." Perfectly so. "You are right with your observation."

"See? Was all I wanted to point out", Hidan said, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on Zetsu's cheek. "No reason for my grumpy guard dog to get so upset."

"Your guard dog is going to lose his patience one of these days." Despite his words Zetsu leaned into the touch, noting with content how Hidan was beginning to ruffle his hand through his hair.

"How does it look like, you losing your patience?" Hidan had tried keeping his tone light, but a curiosity had crept into the edges of his voice.

Suddenly the rock they were sitting on felt were hard and forlorn. Uninviting. "You saw traces of it when I dealt with the pet deer of that Nara person."

"Guess I did." Hidan was still brushing his hand through Zetsu's hair, gently, lightly. "To think the Leaf was stupid enough to get their jinjuriki back into Konoha instead of keeping it better hidden."

"Zetsu shrugged his shoulders. "That's what eventually happens with all of those big nations. They get careless." Arrogant.

Hidan hummed in agreement. For a moment he went silent, staring at the surface of the lake. "Zetsu? So, what would it have looked like when you had been alone with that shadow shithead? I kind of interrupted what you had been doing there." Hidan had, cutting off the head of that Nara person before any more unpleasant surprises could have come from him.

Zetsu straightened his back, looking Hidan into the eyes. "Want to see?"

An uneasy grin appeared on Hidan's face. "What, you want to show me now? I don't know, only if it is not painful?"

So, he had picked up the intention behind Zetsu's words. "No, it's not going to be painful. I'll stop right before it would become so."

Hidan lowered his gaze, a gloomy shadow falling onto his face that seemed atypical to the emotions he let himself display most of the time, an echo of the sombre landscape around them. "Well, if you stop right then, alright, then it's good."

"Shall I go on then?"

Meeting Zetsu's gaze again Hidan only nodded.

"Don't get surprised; maybe that's going to tickle or the like." With this Zetsu slowly raised his hand, activated the shifting jutsu on his arm -and only on his arm- and put his hand into Hidan's chest, right through his ribcage.

Hidan stayed still, realization spreading through his face. Zetsu kept looking for growing fear or repulsion but sensed none. Good.

"My hand is still transparent. It's…" He moved his arm a bit. "My hand is now right over your heart. Can you imagine what would happen if I made my arm solid again right now?"

Hidan let hear a nervous laugh, a lopsided grin appearing on his face. "I can imagine in detail. Do you think that would count as a prayer in our case?"

"I wouldn't like to use it like that."

Hidan took a deep breath, the unease disappearing from his face. The realization in his eyes stayed. "No, maybe better not. You're just holding my heart in your hand right now."

Zetsu held Hidan's gaze. "I do." He wanted to retrieve his hand again but found he couldn't move. Yes, maybe Zetsu never had been given a choice in all of this, but the realization that it might have been the same for Hidan made the circumstances feel brighter again.

Sometimes the thoughts in Zetsu's mind went very bitter and dark and he didn't always like towards what paths his thoughts led him then. No, he hadn't been able to move right now but he hadn't made his arm solid either. Taking a deep breath Zetsu moved his hand, taking it out of Hidan's chest. "And that's how I finish this when I'm at it. Only with, well, you can imagine that usually I take the heart with me or the like."

"Always the heart?" Hidan had sounded disappointed.

"No. More often I rip out part of the lung, or a rib or whatever chunk of flesh I get to grab at that moment."

"Oh! I see!"

"Or I grab nothing at all and just let the arm get solid."

Hidan avoided his gaze, refusing to meet Zetsu's eyes. "My guard dog has teeth."

Hadn't Hidan been aware of that? Surely he must have been. "Otherwise he wouldn't be a guard dog", Zetsu simply added. If Hidan insisted using that ridiculous nickname, then Zetsu might as well go along with it.

"Otherwise he wouldn't be", Hidan agreed, still refusing to meet Zetsu's gaze but pulling him into a hug again. He held him tight, one hand starting to play with his hair again, the other letting its fingernails chip against the silver chain around Zetsu's neck. "You have the softest hair, do you know that?"

Well, according to Hidan that seemed to be the case indeed. "You keep saying that."

"Because it's true. Simple facts."

"It's just… Well. If you think so."

"Simple facts", Hidan whispered, placing a kiss right into Zetsu's hair. "All fluffy and it smells good."

Zetsu huffed, feeling like he was devoid of words. Hidan could be so sappy. Not that Zetsu felt averse to that, not really. More of the contrary. But… what was he supposed to say to those things?

Kissing Zetsu's forehead Hidan kept playing with the rosary around Zetsu's neck. "Maybe we could use that ripping the heart out thing as a prayer after all?"

"No. I absolutely refuse to." Did Hidan really mean that seriously or… or why was there such a hesitant shadow placed over his voice?

"Yes, alright. Maybe it really wouldn't be appropriate", Hidan said, failing to hide the relief in his voice.

"Even if it's for prayer I'm not going to hurt you", Zetsu said, because some facts needed to be voiced out. They needed to. He knew he could be distant and cold at times, so he needed to clarify after all what his thoughts were about certain matter.

"It's just me making thoughtless dumb suggestion again, just ignore me", Hidan mumbled, voice muffled by how near they were. A soft clinking noise chipped through the air, the closeness of their embrace making the pendants of their rosaries clink together. A soft and silent noise, but one that seemed to be so unexpected in this bleak place.

Maybe Hidan's impressions had been along the same line: "I'm so happy you decided to open your heart for Jashin-sama, you know?"

Zetsu shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to say to this. It just had seemed like the logical decision at some point. First with the tale of Saint Iargeh giving hope that there was a place for anyone straying from the norm. And then, with realizing that the sentiment held in the Saint was simply an echo of what the entire teachings of Jashinism were telling: Being different is no sin. If someone hurts you, hurt them back. Those who mindlessly inflict pain upon others are driven by sin and enduring hurt is no virtue. And because Jashin can't erase the pain in the world, the only thing he can do is to make his believers immune against the consequences of it, carving them into something stronger by using the unavoidable.

It had been so different from everything that had been said to him growing up in Hidden Grass: What makes you different is an inconvenience and you must invest energy to lessen how it affects your surroundings. Carry the burden for others as those above the lower ones have the right to pass along their pain. The reason someone is different is because they did something wrong in their past life and are now carrying the punishment for it. So, don't complain; it's your own fault.

Those had been the echo of the grass, getting repeated from countless sources into his ears like a mindless mantra.

So unlike Jashinism which asked you to focus on the moment with the goal to carve a beautiful future drenched in Jashin's power.

Plus, Zetsu might never have been the religious kind, but sharing the same holidays made some things much easier.

Or something. Strengthening the grip of his arms around Hidan, Zetsu started talking. "There is no good reason to hurt you, so I'm not doing it."

"Special treatment for anyone not being a heathen?"

"Special treatment for you."

Hearing this Hidan went silent. He leaned back, meeting Zetsu's eyes, blush on his cheeks spreading: "I'm sure that could count as heresy in some light."

"Really?" It sounded unlikely but then, Zetsu had yet to get familiar with the entire canon Jashinism held.

Hidan face was effectively red by now. "No! It wouldn't! I was just saying that because!"

"Oh. That's good then."

Hidan let hear a suffering groan. "You don't even ask what I meant with "because", you don't."

Zetsu couldn't stop a content smile spreading through his face. The sort that he knew was more showing teeth than indicating joy. "That's because you make it obvious what it means."

Blinking in disbelieve Hidan now positively looked like he was suffering. "Hubris is a sin."

"Oh?"

"So is vanity."

Zetsu felt his smile widening into a grin. "I'm feeling neither though. I'm just coming to a conclusion about what you think. I never claimed I shared your opinions." Because part of him didn't. Every time Hidan petted his hair and claimed it felt all silky and fluffy the world felt wrong, not the way it was supposed to be, exactly because those moments felt so peaceful. Part of him still was under the panicked impression he had been caught up in some practical joke that had went on for too long. Part of him really held the wish to rip Hidan's heart out of his chest and keep it. On some days it seemed like the only safe way to never lose it.

Hidan frowned, giving him a heavy stare that seemed to see right into the most forlorn corners of Zetsu's mind. "I just told you earlier that I'm not lying. I'm not. So, you're not allowed to doubt it when I think those things about you."

"I'm not?" Zetsu got surprised how sad his voice had sounded. He had assumed he would have been able to hide it, with how much of a shield his teeth baring grin had felt to be.

Hidan huffed. "I know. I just keep convincing you. Then you'll see one day for yourself." With this he leaned forward, placing a kiss right on Zetsu's lips that felt stormy and clumsy. Glad that he was freed from the burden of searching for the right words for a moment, Zetsu returned the kiss, the urgency he was doing this with a denial this wasn't more than a convenient excuse to stop talking. Throwing his arms around Hidan's neck he pulled him in closer, the conviction in him growing that he wouldn't let go of him as long as they were up here on the mountain. It was the truth, their base could end up feeling a bit cramped these days, and though Zetsu didn't mind the company of their comrades, he had to agree that it could get in the way of the most innocent things.

Letting his lips linger on Zetsu's Hidan gradually ended their kiss, taking heavy breaths. "Is your arm feeling better again then?", he finally asked, letting his fingers trace the wrist of Zetsu's right hand.

Don't tell him he was still worrying about that. It had been so many weeks. "It's all well again, I keep telling you."

"Numbness all gone?"

"Numbness all gone. In my entire arm." Slightly leaning forward Zetsu gave Hidan a short but firm kiss. "I'd be the first to complain otherwise. Not being able to feel you would be inconvenient", he said, emphasizing his point by ruffling his right hand through Hidan's hair. It had all grown longer now, the short spots almost no longer visible. Hidan never voiced it out but it was apparent he felt glad he could wear his hair the way he preferred it again.

Hidan made an agreeing noise, holding still to let his hair get petted. All was beginning to feel woozy and timeless until a sudden noise reached their ears. The noise of a frog.

Hidan froze, turning his head against the lake. "That rascal is peeking, I'm telling you."

Hearing this Zetsu had to smile. "The frog is just marking his territory. Or whatever frogs do when making noise."

"It sees us as concurrence then."

"Maybe. Or there are some rival frogs around who try invading its lake and it making noise has nothing to do with us at all."

"Must be it", Hidan decided, leaning against Zetsu's side while looking at the lake. "Maybe we see it today?"

"Maybe", Zetsu said, laying his arm around Hidan's waist, holding him close.

"Must be a small frog though, I guess. With the lake being this sparse."

"Possible. There are those water bugs around though."

"And snails." Hidan paused, leaning his head against Zetsu's shoulder. He'd do that whenever the plant summon was retreated enough to do so, as if he was afraid that thing would eventually hide Zetsu away from him. Or at least, that's what it felt like.

Next to him Hidan hesitated. "Do frogs eat snails though?", he finally asked.

"I wouldn't know."

"We should research that point."

"We should", Zetsu agreed. Now Hidan had raised the question he had started feeling curious himself. Now that he thought about it, he barely knew anything about frogs.

Hidan took a deep sigh, leaning further against Zetsu. "The sun is still out. And that though it's gotten so late already."

"Well, that's summer for you. It will stay bright outside for a while still", Zetsu said, turning his head and placing a kiss on the top of Hidan's head. Suddenly he felt so glad it finally had grown back to the length it had used to be. Not because of any way he'd prefer it; as far as he was concerned Hidan could wear his hair however and would look good with it. But he felt glad because having shorter hair had been such a source of distress for Hidan. The thought formed in Zetsu's mind that he would make it his aim to keep further distress away from Hidan, at least he would try.

They had both all forgotten about the frog when they saw it. It hopped on the shore of the lake, right near to the rock they were sitting on. For a moment it kept sitting still, as if it was checking its surrounding. It was small and coloured in a dark shade of brown, its colour resonating so oddly well with the sombre gloom so deeply woven into the smallest angle of this place.

Maybe the frog was looking for food. Maybe it was looking for the frog rivals that might or might not have been threatening it. Maybe it was on alert because it had sensed their presence. But from one moment to another it broke through its calm stupor, quickly hopping into the thin reed growing right further down the shore, hiding out of sight.

The next moment Hidan slouched further down, now leaning fully against Zetsu. "I think that's the frog we always use to hear."

"Most likely", Zetsu agreed, wrapping his other arm around Hidan's shoulder, deciding holding him with both arms would feel more comfortable. And they would be closer like that. Lately it felt like he couldn't be close enough to Hidan, as if there was a looming danger some hidden power might try to separate them once again. Zetsu's right arm was no longer feeling numb and the wound on it had healed but some critical part in his mind refused to take this for granted.

Hidan leaned into their embrace, almost compliantly letting himself get held. When he started speaking his voice sounded certain and bright, as if a lingering doubt had been chipped away from his mind. "I think the frog wanted to say hello. Bet it got curious who keeps disturbing his radio sessions."

Something about the sentiment seemed oddly plausible. "I think you may be right with this", Zetsu agreed, emphasizing his point by placing a lingering kiss on Hidan's cheek, right at the corner of his mouth. It had been as good an excuse to kiss him as any.

Ending the silence around them, the frog started making noise again, hidden somewhere between the reed. They kept listening, staying until the sun started setting, intending to stay until its last ray had disappeared. The sun would rise again tomorrow, obviously, but by then they would be back down in town again, where the clouds that had arrived to stay for this week would hide it away from sight.

The End