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first glimpse .

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I still remember the first time I saw Kakuzu's face. His real, true, natural face, without the mask and everything. It was an accident, actually, so I don't even know how he felt about it, but I was surprised, shocked. But it wasn't because he looked funny, it was because he was stark naked, dripping wet and he seemed completely oblivious to both facts, even thought I had just knocked down the bathroom door and everything.

"Ah, shit, Kakuzu!" I remembered barking, immediately turning around so I couldn't see him, though the damage was done. I think he just stood there, holding a fluffy towel as I cursed quietly to myself. "Can't you, like, lock the fuckin' door or something?" How stupid of me, right? Seriously, I was thinking, 'way to go, Hidan, can't you fucking knock?'

"Hidan, I've been in the bathroom the past twenty minutes. It's not my fault if you're incapable of knocking on a door." He murmured behind me, and then sighed. "You can turn around Hidan. I wouldn't have thought my being naked would be that big of a deal, considering the way you parade around with your cloak always half-open." I growled, but turned around anyways, crossing my arms over my stomach. His bottom half was covered in that white towel, and he had another, smaller towel in one hand, messily drying his tangled black hair. And, I might not like it, but I'll be fucking damned if I lied-- he, strangely, was an attractive bastard.

"Shut the hell up, Kakuzu…" I muttered as my lavender gaze slowly moved upwards, visually tracing the stitching over his stomach and chest, realizing for the first time that the threads must run across his entire body. "I wasn't thinking because I need a shower." I'm not even sure if that was the truth…

It's now that I find myself looking at his face. His face, dammit, for the first time ever, I can see the bastard's face. And he doesn't seem to care, either, he's just standing there, slowly drying his hair with that towel. His skin is tan, and I wonder how, because he's always wearing the cloak and the mask, and there's midnight black stitching all across his face, a shade that matches his tresses. And even though I could always see his eyes, the shocking, bright green colour catches me off-guard. Now, I wonder why he hides himself…

"I see. Well, I suppose I should leave, then, so you can shower." He murmured again, slowly lifting another white hand-towel off the counter and knotting it around the lower half of his face. "Enjoy," I heard him as he walked swiftly past me, and my eyes closed. Yeah, enjoy… what kind of stunt was he trying to pull? And why was he so mellow about putting himself on display when I'd been nearly decapitated for even touching his mask before?

I actually stopped to think about this, standing there in the middle of the bathroom, with the door wide open. Seriously, it was confusing the hell out of me. Either he was completely bi-polar or he had something up his sleeve.

… Or it was a fake. An imposter Kakuzu. But… no, it would be really hard to make a copy of him. After four and a half hundred years (compared to my one hundred fifty three) he could pinpoint a ninja by their chakra use even when they were a mile or two away. I'm sure he'd be able to figure out someone was using a henge jutsu on him… plus what would they do with the real Kakuzu? I doubt they could subdue him that easily. He's pretty strong… so… that's out of the question…

But for some stupid-ass reason, it wouldn't get out of my head. Like, maybe I really believed it was a fake, against my better judgment. I sighed and then turned around, heading back to the room we shared. Besides, I needed clothes.

When I reached the door, I was surprised to find it partway open. "Ka…ku…zu…?" I called, before opening the door all the way, to find him sitting at his desk, hunched over paperwork, a small stack of money beside him. One way to truly find out of this was an imposter or if this was the real Kakuzu.

"Hidan? Your shower?" He asked carelessly, more focused on his paperwork. I sighed again, walking forward, closer towards him and his desk.

"I forgot clothes…"

"Ah, well, those are important." At this point, my hand had reached out towards his pile of money, and immediately, his fingers wrapped around my wrist, but he continued writing with his other hand as if nothing happened, his gaze still intent on the papers. "Don't even," came the words I've grown accustomed to hearing after every time I even looked at the bastard's money.

"Fine," I answered with a smirk on my face, sliding my wrist from his grasp, standing back up.

"Just because you saw my face… doesn't mean you can touch my money."

I nodded, though, like 'whatever'. At least I knew he wasn't an imposter now. "Wh'ver, fucknut," I muttered, turning to leave again, though still curious why I got to see his face.

Halfway out the door, and I heard.

"Hidan. Clothes."

Ch… right.

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an: next part's finally out, right? :D
mahaha. i kinda liked this one. it was fun.
not sure what first i'll write next. maybe like
someone dying hahaa. idkk. but yeah, anywho,
typical disclaimer applied & thanks for reading!