Chapter Text
Hidan regained awareness at the bottom of the pit with a mouth full of dirt and the taste of old blood. His body did not answer him when he tried to move, he wondered why he even tried. Damp earth pressed against his cheek and chest, packed hard by time and rain.
Pain registered slowly and then all at once, sharp and grinding in places where his body ended and should have continued. He tried to take a deep breath and managed only a dry rasp that scraped his throat raw. His lungs burned with every breath, shallow and uneven, and his stomach twisted with hunger that had long since gone past sharp and into something dull and constant.
Lord Jashin he prayed in his mind, the only daily ritual that managed to keep him alert. Great and Powerful Lord Jashin. Allow me to slaughter all who reject you. Let me reform my body in your honor, let the world run red in your name-
He could feel his consciousness slipping again. He only got a few moments being conscious every so often. Every day? It was hard to tell when all he could see was darkness. The hunger would make his mind slip, and his regeneration would jolt him back frequently.
Footsteps sounded above, deliberate and unhurried. This was odd, the earth was almost always silent. The shifting of boulders irritated his ribcage- he could feel it somewhere around him.
Dark threads lowered into the pit, sinking into the dirt with precision. They wrapped around his limbs tightly, some in his hair. His flesh started moving and Hidan was unsure if this was what he had been praying for or his end was finally reaching him. Some wires pushed into his skin, painfully, as the sensations of open air startled his nerve endings. His limbs were tugged out of the dirt, the light was painful to Hidan’s eyes. He had to blink hard to understand the tall figure standing over his decapitated head.
“Took your damn time,” Hidan said, forcing the words out past a dry throat. “I was starting to think you had a heart attack and died in some corner”.
Kakuzu did not answer. He anchored his threads back into his body and crouched beside Hidan. His hands moved immediately, brushing dirt away from exposed muscle and bone. He lifted Hidan’s left arm where it lay a short distance away, fingers wrapped around the wrist with careful pressure. The limb was carried back and aligned against the shoulder with a precision that made Hidan grit his teeth.
“You always do this part slow,” Hidan said. “You enjoy it or something.”
Kakuzu ignored him and adjusted the angle of the shoulder joint, rotating it until the bones lined up properly. Threads slid beneath skin and muscle, stitching tendon to tendon with practiced control.
“That hurts, asshole,” Hidan said.
With every limb, Hidan groaned and shouted. By the time Kakuzu reached his leg, Hidan’s voice had grown hoarse. He kept talking anyway, partly out of habit and partly to prove that he was still conscious.
“I hope you killed everyone,” Hidan said. “All those leaf shinobi fucks. If I went through all this for nothing, I am going to be pissed.”
Kakuzu’s eyes flicked up briefly before returning to his work. He reattached the leg with the same care as the others, correcting the angle at the knee before drawing the threads tight. Kakazu wiped his hands on his pants, signaling he was done. Hidan observed his flesh, almost embarrassed to be so naked in the daylight, but so relieved he could feel his muscles and bones moving under his command. He wiggled everything, and rolled to his stomach in uncoordinated movements.
Kakazu mostly stared. “You are a useless partner who was destroyed by a child”.
“Stuff it, Kakazu. You have no idea what I’ve been through” He snapped back. As much as he was thankful to Jashin Kakazu had decided to come pick if out of the hole, he didn’t miss his presence all that much. “I’ll make it up to you. Hey, I’m missing a pinky toe”
He had noticed it as he painfully managed to maneuver his stiff legs under him. He was standing, but shaking like a twig. Caked in dirt as well. Hunger clawed at him again, making him light headed.
Hidan bent forward with his hands on his knees and spat dirt and blood onto the ground. His vision swam, and he waited it out, breathing through clenched teeth. When he straightened, Kakazu was handing him a cloak. A brand new Akatsuki cloak. He snatched it and put it on.
Kakuzu said nothing. He adjusted his own cloak and checked the area around them, scanning the treeline. Through his slow mind Hidan wondered what Kakazu had been doing for such a delayed rescue. He would bet all of his money Kakazu was delaying it to go stash some money somewhere that Hidan couldn’t know of. Kakazu himself looked relatively healthy, with his long brown hair down on his shoulders but a new black mask over his lower face. He had another set of stitches running vertically up his forehead. Possible damage from the fight with the leaf.
“We are leaving before it gets dark,” Kakazu stated.
Hidan sighed deeply. “Whatever you say. Just get me some food. I won’t be any use like this.”
“Can you walk?” Kakazu popped an eyebrow.
“Yeah sure, just gimme-” Hidan took a step then crumbled forward. Kakazu held him by the cloak and righted him.
“My mask will carry you” he stated sternly. Sure enough, a blue masked figure scooped him up.
“For free?” Hidan chuckled, comfortable in it’s arms.
“I’ll take it out of your paycheck” Kakazu muttered as he turned to the path and walked forward.
“Do not drop me,” Hidan said to the black creature. It didn’t respond.
Hidan and his shadow slowed as they approached a cluster of buildings set back from the road. He was let down gently and felt he could stand and walk, although slowly.
The place looked abandoned at first glance, paint peeling from warped wooden siding, a sign hanging crooked above a gravel lot. The word The Wandering Shinobi was barely legible beneath layers of grime.
Hidan stopped walking.
“No,” he said flatly. “We are not staying there.”
Kakuzu took another step before realizing Hidan was no longer beside him. He turned, eyes flicking from Hidan to the building and back again.
“We are,” Kakuzu said. “The sun is setting”.
“I spend who knows how long in a pit, then I have to immediately stay with you in another pit. You really give me the worst time. I might be better off abandoning the Akatsuki at this rate”
Kakuzu studied him for a moment longer than necessary. Hidan shifted his weight, resisting the urge to fidget under the scrutiny. His chest still felt tight, and his legs trembled if he stood too long without moving.
“If you cooperate,” Kakuzu said, “I will compensate you.”
Hidan blinked. “With what.”
“That depends on how long you stay quiet,” Kakuzu answered.
Hidan narrowed his eyes. “I do not like the sound of that.”
“You like having all your limbs, right?” Kakuzu mumbled, turning to approach the entrance. This guy.
Hidan opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. “Fine,” he said. “But if I get stabbed in my sleep, I am blaming you.”
They paid in cash without conversation. Kakuzu took the key and led them down a narrow exterior corridor to a room at the far end. He unlocked the door and checked inside before stepping aside to let Hidan enter first.
The room was small and dim, furnished with a sagging bed, a narrow table. Kakuzu approached a frame picture on the wall, and tilted it slightly to reveal a hidden compartment behind. He slid out a basket of clothing and supplies.
“What is that?” Hidan’s interest peaked.
“I sometimes forget I have been Akatsuiki a lot longer than you. It’s a supply point for members. We bribe the staff”.
Hidan perked in interest, obviously with his emotions. He watched Kakuzu shuffle through items, before tossing him a box of garments and some shoes. Hidan happily took our some standard pants, wraps and sandals. Kakuzu also seemed content to change his sandals for newer, less destroyed ones.
After dressing, Hidan had to sit down, the light headedness returning. He slumped over his knees.
“Kakuzuuuu, if we don’t get some food in me soon I’ll be in my grave” he whined.
Kakuzu only nodded in agreement. Hidan must really look pitiful if Kakuzu was being easy to whine to. Noticing his own body from the chest down, he could really tell he had lost a lot of muscle mass and body fat. His collarbones stood out, and his arms felt like sticks. He bet his face looked hollow as well, worn from malnourishment.
Kakuzu led them to the dining area of the inn, sitting them down in a far corner. The meal was simple to the point of insult. Plain rice, slightly overcooked, and blocks of tofu that looked more gray than white. Hidan stared at it for a second, then grabbed the bowl and dug in. He ate fast, shoveling food into his mouth with little concern for taste. His stomach clenched painfully at first and then slowly eased as the food settled. He swallowed hard and bowed his head briefly.
“Jashin, thank you for your blessing today. I will slaughter many sacrifices in your name, and all will know your holiness”.
Kakuzu visibly frowned, but slid him a new cup of water. Hidan took it and drank deeply, spilling some down his chin in his haste. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and kept eating until the bowl was empty.
When he finally stopped, he leaned back in the chair and exhaled slowly. Hidan rolled his shoulders carefully. “So,” he said. “How long was I in there for?”.
“You don’t know?”
Hidan frowned. “It's hard to tell being a head in total darkness. I am not joking. How long was I in that pit.”
Kakuzu’s gaze shifted, as if calculating something. “Long enough I was expected to find you decomposed. Imagine my shock.”
“That is not an answer,” Hidan said. “Was it days.”
“Yes.”
“Months?”
“No.”
Hidan studied his face. “You look worse than usual. Older”
Kakuzu’s expression did not change.
“A month.” He did not meet Hidan’s eyes.
“What were you doing,” Hidan continued. “Before you came back for me.”
Kakuzu crossed his arms and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall
“After my defeat by the Jinchūriki,” he said evenly, “my body was taken to a Leaf storage facility for examination. They assumed I was permanently incapacitated.” His mouth curved faintly beneath the mask. “That assumption worked in my favor.”
Hidan’s attention sharpened immediately.
“When I regained consciousness,” Kakuzu continued, “I removed the heart of the first guard who entered the room. I left shortly after. I also ensured I did not leave empty-handed. I had enough funds to return to the Akatsuki and receive permission to seek out your body.”
Hidan’s face split into a wide grin. “You played dead and robbed them,” he said, laughing as he threw his head back. “That is incredible. Kakuzu you’re a riot- Wait.”
His laughter cut off abruptly, expression tightening. “Did you at least kill the ponytail brat. Or that copy ninja.”
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. “No.”
Hidan leaned forward. “The Jinchūriki, then. Anyone at all.”
“No.”
Hidan clicked his tongue and leaned back, annoyance giving way to something closer to genuine disappointment. “That is a waste,” he muttered. “Jashin will not be pleased. So many missed offerings.” The regret on his face was uncharacteristically sincere.
Kakuzu lowered his mask and took a measured sip of his drink. “Your god can wait. We need to return to our assignment and receive updated orders. Pain will not tolerate further delays.” He paused, eyes flicking briefly toward Hidan. “For that, I require a partner.”
Hidan’s grin returned, slower and sharper. “So you came back because you need me,” he said. “That is touching. Were you lonely out there without me.”
“I require a partner to satisfy Pain,” Kakuzu replied, tone unchanged.
“Of course you do,” Hidan said, puffing his chest out slightly. “We will continue my mission together and slaughter everyone in our path.”
“While securing funds for the Akatsuki,” Kakuzu added.
“Yeah, yeah,” Hidan said dismissively.
They returned to the room after adding the meal to the tab. Kakuzu shut the door behind them and turned away, reaching into the pockets of his cloak. He searched briefly, then tossed something across the room without warning.
Hidan caught it on instinct. The weight registered first, cool and solid in his palm. He looked down, breath catching.
A metal Jashin symbol rested against his skin, attached to a familiar cord.
He stared at it, then snapped his gaze up. “Where did you get this,” he demanded. “My medallion. I thought it was gone.”
“It was near the pit,” Kakuzu said. “I know you are attached to it.”
Hidan’s expression changed instantly, the sharp edges softening into something almost boyish. He grinned wide, clutching the necklace to his chest. “Thanks, Kakuzu!”
He moved around the room with renewed energy, dragging the bed aside to clear space on the floor. Kakuzu ignored him and took a seat near the wall, already occupied with checking supplies and counting what remained of their funds.
Hidan knelt, cupping the medallion carefully in both hands. He pressed it first to his lips, then to his forehead, before lowering his head and closing his eyes. His breathing slowed as he began to pray, the words silent but intent.
He began the prayer in his mind, repeating the familiar words with the confidence of long habit. Oh Great Lord Jashin, forgive me for my sins, for I am your eternal servant-
He adjusted. You have always answered me before. In that pit, everyday I prayed. Even though I did not spill blood for you in a month, I pray I did not displease you. I could not move. I could not see.
Suffering is good. I know. Every day I waited. I prayed. I promised more sacrifices.You made me that way, so I can endure. You do not abandon what belongs to you. Jashin- but never again. It was so dark. So crushing.
Endless darkness. Hunger gnawing until it drowned out thought. He was rotting. The darkness was eternal. He gulped it down, sweating.
I am not back there, he told himself. I am out. I am fine.
His breathing sped up anyway. His stomach twisted hard, the darkness was inside him. There was nowhere he could go- he could not move-
“Hidan.”
The voice cut through the spiral. A firm grip clamped down on his shoulder, fingers digging in hard enough to ground him. He snapped him back into the room.
Hidan gasped and pitched forward, nausea surging violently. He gagged and caught himself on one hand, the medallion slipping from his grasp and clinking softly against the floor. His head swam, he had been hyperventilating.
Get it together, he told himself harshly. Do not do this in front of him.
Kakuzu stood beside him, hand still on his shoulder. He did not say anything, but he had not moved away either.
“I am fine,” Hidan said quickly, yanking his shoulder free. The words came out rough and uneven. He wiped at his mouth and swallowed hard. “Just ate too fast.”
Kakuzu’s eyes lingered on him. He said nothing.
Hidan scowled and grabbed the medallion, curling his fingers around it protectively. His face felt hot. “I’m going to bed.” He quickly chucked his robe and curled into the far corner of the bed.
He could feel Kakuzu’s eyes on his bare back. Hidan still burned with embarrassment, he had tried to not disturb the older partner. His lungs still burned from his disordered breathing, darkness in the back of his mind. He looked at the medallion clutched in his hand.
He was so happy Kakuzu was here. It was almost like Kakuzu was worried about him. His hand on his shoulder was gentle. And he had searched and returned his Jashin medallion to him. Hidan knew it was temporary peace, but he felt spoiled to finally be with another person. He wasn’t alone.
Before drifting to sleep, Hidan felt his lungs restrict, and a strong itch in his throat.
In the morning, they left the inn behind. Kakuzu set a steady pace along the road. Hidan followed a step behind, shoes dragging more than he wanted to admit. His body still felt wrong. Weak and anemic. Sleep had never really came to him, his dreams filled with the feeling of being crushed.
“This is bullshit,” Hidan said after a while, breaking the silence. “I don’t even have my scythe.”
Kakuzu did not slow, but his head tilted slightly in acknowledgment.
“I feel naked,” Hidan continued, scowling down at his empty hands. “How am I supposed to kill properly without it?”
Kakuzu adjusted his pace without comment when Hidan lagged, shortening his stride just enough to keep them together. In truth, Kakuzu was really grateful Hidan could speak and act normally. Since he had pulled his body parts from the pit, he really doubted Hidan’s immortality- for the first time in a while. He had sewn back the limbs with more muscle memory than any real hope he could heal Hidan. However, the young man seemed healthy enough, despite the long stitches that lined major joints. Hidan almost looked like he was matching Kakuzu in appearance. The odd feeling warmed his chest with… weird pride and attachment. He really was his partner.
Kakuzu supposed the month of no other human interaction had stretched him closer to insanity. Feeling companionship to Hidan of all people was absurd.
Kakuzu found himself walking too far in front of Hidan, forgetting the weak body the man was struggling with. Even the deep bags under his eyes unnerved him a bit, used to seeing Hidan with perfect energy and life. He slowed again to walk shoulder to shoulder with him.
“There is nothing I can do about that.” he grumbled. Hidan opened his mouth to reply, but stopped dead in the path when he noticed something.
A group of shinobi moved through the forest ahead, their chakra signatures sharp and familiar. Hidden Rock headbands caught the light as they spoke among themselves, unaware of the pair.
Hidan’s lips curled into a grin. “Finally.”
Kakuzu leaned in just enough to speak quietly. “Standard approach.”
“Don’t even ask!” Hidan cackled.
They moved into position without further discussion. Kakuzu vanished upward into the trees, his threads anchoring silently as he took to the branches. Hidan stepped out into the open path, shoulders back, expression cocky despite the weakness humming through his limbs.
“Hey,” Hidan called out, voice loud and sharp. “You idiots lost.”
The shinobi froze, hands moving toward weapons as they turned to face him. One of them scoffed. “Who are you supposed to be?”
Hidan spread his arms wide. “A messenger of Jashin! A prophet, you could say! Fellas, it’s your lucky day. I invite you to join the way of the Jashinists!”
The shinbi looked at each other, confused. The leader spoke up “Jashin? Who?”
“Whaat? You haven’t heard of him? It’s a great religion! You can kill and murder as much as you want!” The group in front of Hidan started to look disgusted.
A smaller shinobi, maybe the trainee, spoke up. “Uh, can you leave? We’re on official business”. He gestured to wave him off. “And no, we’re not joining your weird religion.”
But Hidan’s smirk only grew, into a cruel arc that reached his eyes. “Aweh, well that’s too bad. I’ll have to sacrifice you instead. Such a shame, but you won’t go to waste.”
That was the cue. Threads dropped from above, wrapping around throats and limbs with brutal precision. One shinobi was yanked upward, strangled before he could scream. Another collapsed as threads crushed his chest from behind.
One of the rock shinobi lunged at Hidan, blade flashing as it cut across Hidan’s neck. Blood spilled immediately, dark against his clothes. The shinobi recoiled in shock as Hidan laughed.
“You’ll have to press a little harder next time!”. The screams were music as the threads also took the attacker into the treeline.
Hidan felt a little uncomfortable without a weapon of his own, but he knew his role in the moment. The idiots could stab and kick him as much as they wanted, but Kakuzu would get them before long. Three lifeless bodies hit the forest floor, windpipes crushed. Hidan loved the spectacle. Damn, Kakuzu was cool when he tried. The slaughter was magnificent!
A pain rushed up his leg as a shuriken lodged itself into his knee. “Ow!” he stated, bored.
Then everything went wrong. A sudden jutsu blast tore through the space in front of his nose, erupting in heat and force. Hidan was thrown violently backward, his body slamming into a tree trunk hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. Pain exploded through his spine as he hit the ground, vision blurring as he tried to push himself up.
Before he could move, a shinobi was on him. Steel flashed as knives tore into him again and again, precise and vicious. They ripped through muscle and skin, opening his torso and arms with brutal efficiency. It was disgusting, his chest cavity and lower guts poured blood into the grass.
Hidan gasped, pain roaring. “Fucker! That hurts so much!” he snarled, grabbing at the shinobi’s wrist.
Hidan twisted hard and slammed his elbow into the shinobi’s arm, forcing the grip to loosen enough for him to move. He snarled and surged upward with what strength he could gather, hooking his forearm under the attacker’s chin. The shinobi struggled, knives scraping uselessly against Hidan’s ribs, but Hidan planted his feet and wrenched sideways with a sharp, brutal motion. Bone cracked beneath his grip. The body went limp immediately and collapsed against him.
Hidan shoved it away with a scowl. “Uhg, I hate bloodless kills” he muttered. “Not very satisfying”.
Tired, he walked away to lean heavily against a large tree trunk before his attention snapped downward. His hands came up to his torso on instinct, fingers slick and shaking as he pressed them against torn flesh. Blood poured freely between his palms, warm and relentless. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to look.
His chest was open far wider than it should have been. His lungs heaved visibly with each breath, wet and strained. Something dark caught his eye, protruding from between torn tissue. Hidan stared for a second, disbelief cutting through the pain.
Black plant roots threaded through his lung.
Thick and twisted, pushing outward through damaged flesh.
“What the hell is that,” he breathed, horror creeping into his voice despite himself.
Disgust flared hot and sharp. He hooked his fingers around the growth without thinking and yanked. Pain tore through him violently as the roots resisted, anchored deep inside his body. He snarled and pulled harder, teeth bared, ripping them free in jerking motions. More came with them, slick with blood, tearing loose from within his chest.
“How the fuck-” he hissed, voice breaking as his hands shook. The weirdest part is as he pulled he started to feel things. Emotions. He yearned, he needed someone. God, he was so alone-
The last of the roots came free with a wet sound, and Hidan dropped them to the grass.His vision swam, black spots crowding the edges as his body trembled uncontrollably. He pressed one forearm into the ground to keep from falling completely, the other still clamped over his chest.
He stayed there longer than he liked, shaking and gasping until the dizziness eased enough for him to move. With a low growl, he forced himself upright inch by inch. Blood continued to spill freely, soaking his clothes and dripping down his legs. He clutched his torso together with both hands and staggered toward the clearing where the fight had started.
“Kakuzu,” he called out, voice rough and strained. “I need you.”
The trees ahead rustled sharply. Kakuzu dropped from the branches without hesitation, landing hard a few paces away. His eyes went wide the moment he took in Hidan’s condition, the damage obvious and severe. He crossed the distance quickly, hands already moving as threads burst free.
“What did you do,” Kakuzu demanded, voice tight as he grabbed Hidan’s arm to steady him.
Hidan laughed weakly. “Got blown up. Then I got stabbed a lot.”
Kakuzu swore under his breath and forced Hidan to sit. He pried Hidan’s hands away from his chest despite resistance, assessing the injury with sharp focus. His threads moved fast, stitching muscle and tissue.
“You are weaker than you think,” Kakuzu said sharply. “You cannot afford mistakes like that. In your untrained body, enemies will overpower you easier.”
Hidan leaned back against the tree trunk and drew in a shaky breath. “I know, Kakuzu. It’s not my fault I was rotting for a whole month,” he said, forcing a scoff. “I’m healing now, so get off my back.” He tilted his head to look at him properly. “Still… thanks. It’s good having you around, just in case.”
Kakuzu did not look away. He stepped closer instead, invading Hidan’s space, and lifted a hand to press his fingers against Hidan’s forehead. The touch was careful and uncharacteristically gentle. Hidan sucked in a breath before he could stop himself. The closeness caught him off guard.
“Uh… what are you doing,” he asked.
“You are acting oddly,” Kakuzu said. “You hate me.”
“Shut up,” Hidan snapped, heat creeping into his voice. “I can be nice.”
“You murder people for amusement.”
“That makes me nice!,” Hidan shot back. “I’m making offerings.”
Kakuzu huffed quietly and straightened, stepping out of Hidan’s space. The absence of his hand made Hidan uncomfortably aware of how warm his neck felt.
“Take whatever is useful from the bodies,” Kakuzu said, already turning away. “We are leaving.”
Hidan pushed himself upright with a grunt and followed after him. Kakuzu still irritated him on every level, but the distance between them felt wrong. He lingered a step behind, reluctant to let that gap grow any wider.