It's been a long time since I last posted a
story, hey? XD This is the first among a few of the Naruto stories I
have written, but I like this one the most so far. Hidan and Kakuzu are
the two newest characters from a group called 'Akatsuki' aka Dawn or
Red Moon. If you don't read the manga, then I would not read this fic,
as it contains heavy spoilers as to who they are and what they are
like. However, you're missing out ;) Hidan is adorible and Kakuzu is
fun to irritate :P Either way, enjoy this story:D
Opposites
Hidan and Kakuzu were opposites.
There are many theories about how two people fall in love, or fall together with each other. About how two similar types of people are best, and how if they're too similar they'll either mesh together like cookies and cream, or repel each other like high powered magnets. The same went with opposites; you both came together and loved each other for the balance created by your differences, or despised each other and clashed in every possible way.
Hidan and Kakuzu were most definitely the latter.
Hidan was religious and Kakuzu was not. Kakuzu was quiet and Hidan was not. Hidan loved all the foods that Kakuzu didn't. Kakuzu loved money more than life, and Hidan loved life more than money.
Yes, Hidan and Kakuzu were opposites.
It was always this way. Them travelling down a road and the voice of one carrying over the landscape like the breeze. The chatter was always one-sided, because the other didn't talk much, and preferred not to encourage his partner. Today, it was sunny but heading towards overcast, and they were just travelling around in search of those accursed demons. It was only a few months into their partnership, and it was already a doomed disaster.
Sometimes Kakuzu wondered how old his partner really was. He always chatted away like it was the best fun in the world to talk to someone as silent as he. He didn't understand what Hidan liked about him enough to constantly find the need to talk to him ALL the time …
But that was Hidan. Hidan was kind of like that fool Deidara, as a matter of fact, they were VERY much alike, except Hidan was obsessed with religion while Deidara was obsessed with art.
What was it with happy, go-lucky people having some bizarre obsession?
Kakuzu was more like Sasori, when he was alive. Sasori was quiet, had a quiet passion, and rarely spoke. It made him wonder why his Leader had not paired him with Sasori after Orochimaru had left the organisation, and Deidara with Hidan. It would have been a pleasure to work with someone similar to him; someone who wouldn't annoy the crap out of him like Hidan did constantly.
"…And then, I just decided that that was it and POW! Down she went!" Hidan finished his story with a grin to his partner.
Kakuzu had only been paying half of the amount of attention Hidan wanted him to, but for the sake of peace, he nodded and replied with a "hmm…" so maybe his partner would get the hint.
He didn't. He never did.
Hidan grinned at him and looked up at the sky. He noticed the threatening clouds coming and said, "What a way to ruin a day! I hate rain."
"I find the rain soothing," Kakuzu said.
Hidan smirked, "even when you're caught in it?"
Kakuzu glanced over at his partner and then turned back to the road, "sometimes. The rain can be helpful."
Hidan folded his arms behind his head, mindful of his hat. "Whoo! Still, the sun is bright and warm! It is a sign of life and happiness!"
"And sunburn," Kakuzu injected.
Hidan frowned and turned to his masked partner; "Must you be so negative all the time?"
Kakuzu merely grunted and continued walking.
Really, Hidan should be grateful to Kakuzu. After all, he was the money, food, and a roof to sleep under part of the partnership.
He didn't try to think what Hidan was. He didn't want to know.
Sometime later, the two had arrived at their inn for the night. The Akatsuki, while gave out decent wages to its agents, did recommend staying in lower class inns to avoid detection. It also avoided spending unnecessary money on luxuries that were not needed. Most of the members in the Akatsuki agreed to this; all being seasoned ninja, they knew that after a mission, they didn't care where they slept as long as there was a bed and a source of water.
And so it was that Kakuzu and Hidan found themselves at an inn where the room was small, but it had a bathroom and two single beds just as requested. Hidan stretched and placed his triple-bladed scythe against the wall before lying on one of the beds on his back. It felt good to relax.
"Aaah, what a day!" Hidan said, rubbing his stomach, "Kakuzu, lets go and eat somewhere!"
The falls nin in question was sitting on the edge of his bed and rubbing his feet. "You can grab something if you want. I'm not hungry."
"Come on," Hidan rolled onto his side and propped his head up on one elbow, "We've been walking all day and we haven't eaten much. You can't not be hungry!"
"Everything you get for me is everything I don't like eating." Kakuzu growled out.
Hidan sat up then too and glared, "Well I said we could BOTH go out to eat instead of just me getting food, since I happen to KNOW that about you. Why are you always so mean to me?"
"Why are you so damn annoying?" Kakuzu replied, glaring back.
"I was being NICE to you," Hidan crossed his arms over his bare chest in anger, "since I thought that we could eat dinner together for once by going out, but if you don't want to do that then fine! I'll go on my own!"
And with that, Hidan stood up and grabbed some money from his bag before heading out the door with a slam.
It was always like this. It always had the same result. Kakuzu rubbed his temples. Hidan sometimes acted like someone from a different planet with the way he always wanted to do things together. That formed bonds, and bonds were dangerous for missing nin such as themselves.
Or so Kakuzu thought.
When Hidan got back, he thrust out a paper bag to his partner, which Kakuzu took, before plopping himself back on his bed without a word. The falls nin warily looked in the bag and saw the ramen his partner had gotten him.
The spicy kind, his favourite.
Kakuzu looked up at Hidan, but his partner had clearly already eaten his and was immersed in some religious book or other, not paying attention to his partner in the slightest.
Kakuzu ate, and he came to the realisation as he chewed that silence did not suit Hidan. It was eerie, and somehow made Kakuzu feel like a total ass and not even knowing why.
Why should he feel bad for being his normal self to his partner?
After he finished the ramen, he put the container to the side and glanced at his partner, still reading the book with the look of someone who had memorised every word. The falls nin watched for 30 seconds before he said quietly, "thanks."
"You're welcome, Kakuzu." Hidan replied back, looking at him briefly with golden brown eyes before flicking back to his book.
Kakuzu then realised suddenly that being quiet did not suit Hidan. It did not suit him to be silent and not crapping on about everything in the world and annoying the shit out of him. The falls nin decided then, in the silence that should not be there that although Hidan was a little shit, that he was a total nutcase and religious moron, that he talked more than anyone should, it fit. Watching his partner read his bible for the millionth time that week alone, Kakuzu decided that if he was going to be this man's partner for probably the rest of his life, he may as well come to terms with the annoyance that was a silver haired man lying across the room.
"Hidan," Kakuzu said, watching as the other man turned his way, "Talk to me or I am going to roast your bible to ashes."
He didn't want to note in his mind that he had definitely seen a brief triumphant smirk cross the other man's face as Hidan sat up and started talking about his journey to the ramen stand in the town they stayed at.
It was only after they had been together for a year when Kakuzu saw a totally different side of his partner that inevitably drew them unwillingly closer together. It was a very stormy night when they had ran into one of the inns they had booked earlier. They were both soaked to the bone, and in their room, Kakuzu wasted no time taking their cloaks to hang on the backs of the sofa in the tiny living room. Hidan was shivering rather badly, and had gotten out a shirt from his pack, pulling it over his head and trying to keep warm on one of the beds. Unfortunately, the power had gone out some time ago, and candle light was the only source of heat and light in the room.
Kakuzu had stripped out of his clothes and had put on a spare pair of pants and shirt, but like Hidan, he didn't have a jumper. However, Kakuzu was used to the cold, and wasn't bothered by it as much as his partner seemed to be. The sheets only did so much to keep them warm.
"Jees, why does the lightning country have to be so damn cold in winter!" Hidan snarled out to no one as he glared at the wall to vent.
"Ask your god." Kakuzu offered.
"Fuck you." Hidan growled out, curled up more into his bed and trying his best to stop the warmth leaving his body.
Kakuzu had to smirk slightly at that. He leant back against the bed head and relaxed a bit. It was rare for hunter-nin to come after missing-nin in this weather, even so …
"Ah-choo!"
Hidan's sneeze made him turn his head. The other man was seriously cold, and in a rare act of sympathy, Kakuzu offered his blanket as well.
"Thanks, but I don't want us both getting a cold." Hidan's reply was muffled in the thin bedding.
Kakuzu let out a small sigh of defeat. He wasn't going to drag around a sick partner. "Hidan. Come over here."
"Oh god, don't make me move, please Kakuzu …" was the grumbled reply.
"Come over here, or I shall drag you by the strap of your panties."
Hidan shot up, red in the face, "I DON'T WEAR PANTIES!"
"Then you don't wear anything?"
"I wear boxers, thankyou very much." Hidan growled, arms folded over his chest again. Kakuzu had learnt that Hidan did that when he was pissed off.
"Then come over here, please."
Hidan glared again, but stood up with his blanket and stepped over. He started to say something but was more than shocked when the falls nin grabbed the other and pulled him onto his lap.
"Ka-Kakuzu!"
The other man growled and said, "Just go to sleep. Be grateful that I'm saving your sorry pansy ass from a cold."
Hidan would have replied angrily to the jibe, but his partner was too warm. So he did as he was told and went to sleep.
Kakuzu sighed in relief and shifted slightly so he was comfortable. He had never shown outward compassion to anyone in his life very much, but he reasoned with himself that unfortunately he was partnered with a sook, and said sook needed to be completely healthy while travelling or he would be in danger himself.
Still, he wasn't prepared when Hidan curled his arms around his partner's neck in his sleep and murmured, "Kakuzu … you smell nice …"
He was, to this day still trying to convince himself that the heat he felt on his face was from the candle. Yeah, not a blush. No way.
It was a few years later, when Kakuzu had been injured in battle, that they once again found themselves in a bit of trouble. They had stayed in a cave the previous night, since they were too far away from an inn to really complete the mission in time. It was summer, though, so the nights were mostly dry and warm, and fine to sleep out doors as long as you had a good insect repellent, or a good jutsu to seal the entrance to your hideout to keep the pests away.
The falls nin slumped against the cave wall and held his side, the blood still leaking a bit. His shoulder was also injured, although not as bad, thankfully. Hidan was rummaging though his pack and came out with a bundle of bandages and coming back over to his partner.
"Really, Kakuzu, you got yourself in a right state!" Hidan scolded as he pulled off the falls-nin's clothes to tend to his side wound first. He pulled out a bottle of sake and said, "This'll sting, so brace yourself." And he applied it.
Kakuzu's whole body tensed up and he bit his lip and the incredible pain that shot though his system. Applying sake to cuts was one thing; to an open wound it was VERY painful. Hidan quickly wrapped it up in the bandage and then went to tend to the shoulder wound. For this, he had to get Kakuzu to take his face mask off, which he did with some reluctance.
Hidan applied the sake to the shoulder wound, and it didn't hurt nearly as much as the one on his side did. Hidan bandaged that one too, and then leaned back to examine his work.
"Thanks."
Hidan was slightly startled to see his partner's full face. He just realised that even though he had been partnered with Kakuzu for 3 years now, he hadn't seen his mask completely off yet. Even when eating, Kakuzu seemed to have a way not to reveal his face while doing it. And now Kakuzu was looking at him evenly with his odd eyes, a smooth nose and pale skin with fairly normal lips. He was quite handsome though, despite the odd eyes.
"Kakuzu …" Hidan couldn't help but stare, "this is the first time I've seen your face."
"There's a first time for everything." Kakuzu replied simply, and Hidan was startled to hear his voice clearer with out the barricade of fabric. Hidan smiled slowly and asked, "Does this mean you trust me?"
Kakuzu nodded.
The reward he got for this was Hidan pressing a kiss on his cheek, and then going to set up his bed for the night.
Kakuzu had sat in that same spot for a long time, the spot on his cheek tingling for many hours afterwards.
It was a long day about a year later that had Kakuzu and Hidan at another inn in one of the smaller countries on their way to the Lightning country once more. Both of them were tired, grumpy, and hungry. Hidan had gotten them some food and they had eaten it in silence. This never boded well, especially from Hidan. The religious man was angry that they had been in a fight and only came out unharmed because of their high skill and jutsu. But it was mostly because Hidan hand been livid because his bible had gotten toasted in the battle.
Cue homicidal rage.
Homicidal rage plus religious maniac did not go well with enemy ninja.
And so, Hidan lay sulking on the bed, and Kakuzu glared at him, before saying, "It's only a book. You can get a new one."
Hidan snarled and glared at his partner, "That one was special! I got it when I first became a preacher of my faith, and it had sentimental value! It's not something you can just replace!"
"Money can replace things, Hidan," Kakuzu said dismissively. "Books are easy to replace."
Hidan jumped out of his bed, on his feet and livid once more, "You don't understand at all! There are things money can't buy, Kakuzu, and sentimental value is one of them!"
"Bullshit," Kakuzu sat up and glared back, "Name something money can't buy."
Hidan had a glaring match for five seconds before stalking over to his partner and slapping him across the face. Then, Hidan grabbed the ear now presented to him and whispered in a deadly hiss,
"It can't buy life. It can't buy memories. It can't buy wisdom. And it can't buy love."
And Hidan then walked out to cool off outside for a while.
Kakuzu sat on his bed for a long time. His cheek still hurt a little from where Hidan had slapped him, but his mind was racing.
The Falls nin had known from a young age what money was, how to get it, and how to get a lot of it. Growing up in a family that was wreaked with financial problems, Kakuzu had learned to appreciate what money could do. He learned to save his pennies and was proud when he rewarded himself for his hard work with a small treat. He had left his village when he realised how corrupt it was, and had decided to make himself rich, and get as much money as possible in all of the five major countries of the world.
He had been so busy doing this that by the time the Akatsuki caught up with him, he was already rich enough to buy himself a house, and more. He joined so he could search for even more ways to find money.
He hadn't ever expected there to be things that his treasured money could not buy.
"It can't buy life."
Only people can give that.
"It can't buy memories."
They are something that you have to make yourself.
"It can't buy wisdom."
That is something that comes to you with age.
"And it can't buy love."
No, it can't.
The four things that he could never buy were the four things he had never had a chance at figuring out.
He was brought into the world by a person, not by money.
He made memories with people, places, and events that he could never sell for more money, since memories are not a substance.
He could only form wisdom by simply living and learning.
And … he didn't know what it was like to love.
Suddenly, he realised that money could indeed not buy everything. It got you places so you could gain memories and wisdom, but money could not give him love, and it could not create life.
What hit him most was that Hidan was actually right about something.
When Hidan came back though the door, the first thing Kakuzu did was take off his mask and throw it aside. Hidan's angry frown disappeared and turned into one of surprise, but even more so when the falls ninja took his hand and pulled him against his chest, kissing his partner with more intensity than they had ever done before.
After they pulled away, Hidan panted and said, "K-Kakuzu, what are … you doing?"
Kakuzu touched his partner's cheek, uncertain how to be gentle, and said, "learning?"
And Hidan smiled.
The morning had risen bright and warm, and the sunlight highlighted Hidan's silver hair, something that Kakuzu was quick to appreciate. The religious ninja was still curled up on his chest and sleeping, both of them naked. Kakuzu enjoyed the silence while it lasted, since this was the kind that he enjoyed.
When the other man woke up, he sleepily blinked at his partner and smiled. Kakuzu smirked back and said, "I hate you, you know."
If Hidan was any other man, he would have taken great offence to that. But by now, he understood. So he simply smiled wider and said, "I hate you too, Kakky …"
"Don't call me that."
Hidan and Kakuzu were opposites.
There are many theories about how two people fall in love, or fall together with each other. About how two similar types of people are best, and how if they're too similar they'll either mesh together like cookies and cream, or repel each other like high powered magnets. The same went with opposites; you both came together and loved each other for the balance created by your differences, or despised each other and clashed in every possible way.
Hidan and Kakuzu were both.
Hidan was religious and Kakuzu was not. Kakuzu was quiet and Hidan was not. Hidan loved all the foods that Kakuzu didn't. Kakuzu loved money more than life, and Hidan loved life more than money.
Yes, Hidan and Kakuzu were opposites. But they were learning, and although on the surface they still bickered, the other side of their relationship was one of understanding.
That's because opposites attract, after all.
End.