Pairings: Implied KakuHida, Josh/Kazu, others still being considered
Story: Hidan and the gang have grown up, their own kids in high school now. But whats this? Hidan is in jail on a false charge, leaving his young son to be put through the torture of the foster care system. He's been put with an abusive foster father, who only cares about the money he gets for keeping the young boy. But now Kazu is in Akatsuki High, the school his own father went to. And all his father's old friends send their kids to. Things are about to get interesting for young Kazu...
Disclaimer: Fathers (c) Kishimoto
Kids and Extras (c) Me

A/N: Oh mi god, I had this written for like ever and I didn't post it up! I feel like such a bad person... But I'm working on other stories, so you know what! ...Okay, literally, no one but my little buddy hana-chan has told me anything about how this story is going. Please, please, please I need to know if I'm doing well or not! Okies, now go read my buddies!

"Joshy-poo! Oh my God-"

"Jashin…" Josh held back a chuckle when he heard Kazu mutter the name of his deity in response to the girls "God".

"It is so good to see you!" Josh was wrapped up in a hug, thin sun-tanned arms wrapping around his neck and soft, lip-stick tasting lips were pressed to his. Kazu was forced to let go of his arm to step away from the sickly sweet smelling girl, scared and pissed all at once. Kazu didn't like this girl who came between him and Josh.

"Hm, it's good to see you, too, Mina," Josh said with a smile, wrapping his arms around the girl's waist to give her a small peck on the lips. "I was wondering where you had gone off to. Your mom get worried about your ankles again?"

Mina, as Kazu had learned the girl's name was, giggled with such a high pitch Kazu had to hold his head in his hands. Well… that might have been because the only girlish laugh he was used to was Jain's, and she didn't giggle like she was a frog. "You know my mom; she's always worried about my little weak ankles. Oh! You said you wanted to introduce me to someone?" Mina looked around as if trying to find the person her handsome boyfriend wanted her to meet; Kazu just knew she overlooked him.

Josh unwound his arms from Mina's waist, only to turn and hold out his arm for Kazu to once again hook onto, which Kazu happily took advantage of and buried his hooded head in Josh's arm, his hands tight around the appendage.

"Mina, this is San," Josh murmured as he smiled fondly at the other boy, gently tugging him forward to stand beside him. "He's like my shadow, now."

"Shadow's are good," Kazu muttered, glancing between Josh's fond gaze and Mina's… almost… disgusted one. So, she didn't like him. But was it because of his reputation as the weirdo, because he was so close to her boyfriend, or because he was obviously… well, not obviously anything. But she didn't like him. A lot of people didn't like him.

"So, uh… he's like… a puppy?" Mina asked slowly. Alright, so maybe she wasn't like the others. She was trying to see the good side of this; she was trying to make his clinginess out to be something of a good thing, like he was an animal lost who she would help to feel at home and safe. He… well, he didn't like her now.

Josh raised a brow. Alright, so at least Josh realized his girlfriend was a bit strange, but trying. "I guess he's a… well, a puppy-"

"I'm not a puppy. I'm a human being. Don't compare me to a puppy."

Mina looked down at Kazu with distain, only to have Josh bend his elbow and hold onto Kazu's own arm. It was comforting, though it only made Mina glare at him even more, making Kazu begin to shiver. He wanted to punch her, he wanted to tear the look from her face, and he just wanted her to leave.

"Yeah, fine, okay I've met your little friend, Josh, now can we go see the movie?" Mina asked, her eyebrow rose as if the question was rhetorical. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, glancing at Kazu out of the corner of her eye.

Josh turned to Kazu, his eyes worried. "Hey, you okay to head home alone? I know I dragged you here and all, you want me to take you home?" When Kazu shook his head slightly, Josh tilted his head slightly. "You sure? I mean-"

"Josh, I'm fine. Go see the damn movie with your girlfriend," Kazu said with a slight smile, squeezing the taller boys arm lightly. "I need to do some shopping anyways. I'll see you at school."

Josh nodded, though his eyes were still worried. "If you say so…"

"He says so!" Mina said with a giggle. She hooked onto the arm Kazu had just let go of, grinning as Josh lead them into the movie theater they stood outside of. Kazu waved to Josh when he turned around to look back once.

Then… he turned and walked away without looking back, pulling his hood further down as he went. He couldn't stand having to look back, the only time he allowed himself to was when the social worker took him to see his father and he had to walk away. The only good thing that had come of this little visit was that he actually did have to go shopping. He had stolen some money from his foster father's wallet while he lay on the ground, intoxicated like he had been every night lately.

"Fucker…" Kazu muttered as he walked, tucking his hands into his pocket's, letting his fingers run over the smooth cloth of the green bills that lay in his pocket. He couldn't stand his foster father getting drunk whenever he didn't have a job… It was torturous. But he could deal with it. He had to, for his father.

"Hey, lookie! It's the freakazoid Kazu! Oh, and look at that, his big ol' protector is nowhere to be found!" Kazu turned his head to see Hebi, a senior with a white as a snake's shed skin complexion. Kazu had been secretly tortured by the boy and his group since day one, keeping it a secret from Josh and the rest of the group for the sake of his own hide. He had always hoped he wouldn't run into Hebi outside of school… wrong.

"I can't believe the freak would go around without his body guard! Maybe Josh needed a break from fucking your ass!" Too far. They had gone too far. Kazu spun to have his fist connect with Hebi's second, Maru. Maru didn't see it coming, leaving him wide-open for a round-house kick to the stomach, sending him flying. Kazu scowled deeply as he wiped the blood from his fist.

Maru had a bit of a nose-bleed.

"Fucker's crazy!" Jashin, it was Chiaki's cousin Victoria. She always seemed to hang off of Hebi's arm; her green eyes alight at any chance to torment people. Kazu couldn't help but think that Chiaki was must more of Uchiha than she ever would be, or rather, ever wanted to be. Victoria relied on everyone else to do everything for her.

"What the fuck? Do you think I'm going to let you touch Maru like that?" Hebi stepped forward, fisted raised in an attempt to make Kazu back down.

Kazu wasn't that smart or cowardly.

Kazu took a step forward himself, planting his feet as he threw his fist out, letting his one hand be caught. At least until he jabbed forward and nailed Hebi in the solar plexus, letting Hebi fall to the ground as he attempted to get his breath back. Kazu could have laughed, if he didn't laugh at other's suffering.

With their two leaders down for the count, the rest of the group fled. Kazu knelt down next to Hebi, pulling the boy's hair until he looked at his hooded face. Hebi was shaking as he drew in ragged breaths, fear filling his eyes, not knowing what the little Kazu was going to do to him.

"I am not someone you want to mess with. Yes, Josh "protects" me. I can protect myself when he isn't around, though. Remember that next time you want to insult him," Kazu hissed through a clenched jaw, giving one sharp tug on Hebi's hair to be sure he knew that he wasn't fucking with him. And so that Hebi knew he wasn't going to take anymore shit. Kazu was sick and tired of it. "Nod if you get what I'm saying."

A single nod from Hebi.

"Good."

Kazu let go of Hebi's hair, pushing the boy to the ground and standing. He turned and kept walking to his first destination: the super market. He needed to get food for dinner tonight, food for the rest of the week. Maybe with food in his system, his foster father wouldn't beat him as hard. Maybe he wouldn't get as drunk.

Of course, without his knowledge there was a small shadow watching him, watching him win the one fight he had been in, watching him threaten the boys who had attacked him. And recording every minute.