Disclaimer: All characters, except Yuu Hideki, belong to Kishimoto Masahi. Yuu Hideki belongs to me.

I'm currently working on a new version of 'Cloaked' as one of the readers told me they couldn't understand the layout of it so I'll be re-writing it, this time with the cut out scenes put in so, yeah. Please be patient with that new version of 'Cloaked' because I really wanna finish this story first. :)

Enjoy.

*****

Hidan sighed, looking out the window from his seat on the stadium-like seats. He was in the last row, right next to the window. It was Autumn and the leaves were dropping and flying in the beautiful wind that the albino day-dreamed the entire day of being in. He couldn't wait to go outside. He would be running and jumping, trying to catch all the leaves. It was something he did as a little boy, it would be something he did as a teen, no matter how old. Hidan smiled; the next and last three periods were art. Goody.

Hidan loved art, especially since it gave him a chance to express himself freely. His last project had gotten the highest mark in class although the principal hadn't really approved of it("fuck yeah!" in graffiti form.) but as long as Konan-sensei(his art teacher) did, it made Hidan feel like a million dollars. Konan-sensei had even stood up for him when the principal wanted to suspend Hidan. The blue-haired teacher had said that it was freedom of speech and that the rule book stated nothing against the use of vulgarities. Hidan got away from that one scot-free.

To save his favourite teacher from such troubles, Hidan vowed to keep his…eccentricities down a bit. He turned to the blonde he was sitting next to him who was doodling on a piece of paper, tongue hanging out one side. Hidan glanced down at the paper Deidara was drawing on and smirked. A bird, a sparrow to be exact. It wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as what Hidan could manage.

"Here, hand me that," Hidan said, snatching the pencil Deidara had been holding in his hand. Deidara just crossed his arms, placing them on the table as he watched Hidan work his artistic talents. Deidara smiled as Hidan darkened the lines and added in more details. Deidara himself was good at art, but no good in drawing. His talents laid in sculpting. So, Hidan helped him in drawings and Deidara helped Hidan in sculpting. Fair trade. "Ya see, the lines gotta be more bold and even or it'll look kinda strange and loopy, ya feeling me?"

Hidan handed the blonde back his pencil and Deidara looked at the picture before signing his name at the bottom and then passing it over to Hidan. The albino smirked and signed his own name as well, right below Deidara's.

"You know, un, sometimes I think we make a great team," Deidara stated off-handedly, resting his head on the table with a grin. Hidan just shrugged his shoulders, looking out the window again with a small smile. The homework for art was to draw an abstract regarding your feelings. Hidan had to say he did a good job indeed. Another A+ it would be. One more step closer to his goal.

Suddenly, the door opened and in walked two figures. One of them, the students all knew, was Konan-sensei. The other, however…

"Who's that dude?" Hidan whispered over to Deidara who just shrugged. This 'dude' was tall, tanned and had lines over his body. Hidan was too sitting far away to clearly see what they were. His black hair was almost shoulder-length but not quite there yet and he was dressed in a simple black singlet, that stuck to his skin, along with black pants. He was rather muscular, at least more than their regular teacher and he looked very young. Hidan would've guessed maybe twenty or so.

"Class, this is Taki Kakuzu-san. He is here to teach you art for the next month or so, starting from next week," Konan-sensei said with a smile. Konan-sensei was a small, petite woman with blue hair. She placed an origami of a rose in her bun up hair and had a piercing in her chin.

Hidan blanched. No more of Konan-sensei's wonderful teaching for a month? Hidan growled lowly. Great. How good could this Kakuzu be, anyway? Nowhere as good as Konan-sensei, for sure. Konan-sensei then stepped back as Kakuzu stepped forward, hands behind his back. "Just introduce yourself to them, Taki-kun."

Kakuzu nodded, clearing his throat. He had been in front of many people before. Introducing himself wouldn't be a problem. Also, he was only three years older than them, there would be that link. Another thing they had in common with him too, they were students. "I am Taki Kakuzu, I go to Geijutsu College, a college where they specialise in arts. I, myself, am an art major and am here to teach for extra credit. Nice to meet you all."

Konan-sensei walked forward again, clasping her hands together, smile growing wider. "Any questions?"

"How old are you?" one of the students asked and Kakuzu vaguely wondered to himself how old he looked to theclass.

"Twenty in August."

"Do you have a girlfriend?!" another student barked out and the class immediately broke out in teasing noises. Hidan obliged as well. He raised an eyebrow as he could make out Kakuzu's eyes darken for a moment before he looked up gently at the students again, a frown of careful neutrality marring his face.

"No, I don't."

Hidan swore he had never seen a better act of self-control.

*****

From the way his little brother closed the door from coming home, Hideki could tell Hidan was in a frustrated mood. Hidan didn't slam the door but he did use more force than necessary. Hideki got off the couch in the living and made his way into the living where he merely got a glimpse of Hidan making his way up the stairs. The older albino sighed and followed Hidan up and got onto the second floor, just in time to see Hidan close his white door.

Hideki chuckled lightly and knocked on the door before opening it slowly and popping his head in. "Hi-chan?"

Hideki found his brother sprawled out on his bed, facing up with his school bag thrown into his chair resting at his desk. Hideki smirked and walked further into the room. Hidan raised his head and glared at his brother. Hidan rolled his eyes and then sat up, smoothing out his hair. "I thought I told you to not fucking call me that, nii-san."

Hideki shrugged and walked over to Hidan, sitting next to him on the bed. The bigger man wrapped an arm around Hidan, resting his chin on top of Hidan's head, wrapping his other arm around tbe younger albino as well, successfully hugging him close. "So. What's bothering my favourite brother?"

"I'm your only fucking brother, seriously."

"Don't avoid the subject, Hidan. What's up?"

"Assholes stole my gym shoes and gym shorts and I had to sit out gym today. It's fucking basketball today, too... English teacher claimed I didn't hand in my fucking essay when I fucking did so I'll have to redo it... Surprise history pop quiz and some idiot called Taki Kakuzu with fucking pathetic tattoos of stitches will be taking over art classes for the next month," Hidan mumbled, leaning into his brother's hug, crossing his arms childishly. "I doubt he's better than Konan-sensei."

Hideki chuckled, chest vibrating lightly. He hugged Hidan tighter. "It's high school, Hidan. Things like these do happen."

"Yeah, yeah..." Hidan sneered. The two albinos sat there in each other's presence for a moment before the older one stood up, putting both hands on his hips.

"I'm making dinner, what do you want?"

Hidan shrugged, crossing legs as well. He hadn't realised that he had been so hungry until his ass of a brother mentioned dinner. "Anything, as long as it's edible."

"Meatloaf, it is. Fantastic choice, sir."

The only reply Hideki got was Hidan's pillow being thrown into his face, a evil chuckle, followed by, "make it snappy. I'm hungry."

*****

It was a week after Kakuzu's arrival and it was time for his first lesson. Konan-sensei would be over-looking it, just to make sure Kakuzu could handle these students. Kakuzu walked into the room with his art bag. He put it on the desk and then turned to the class. Konan-sensei smiled, patted him on the shoulder, wished him good luck and then moved to the back of the class, sitting next to Deidara and Hidan. Kakuzu looked at the class of thirty before sighing.

Kakuzu greeted the class, the class greeted him(Hidan didn't) and they started off lesson.

"First of all, who is the best art student here?" Kakuzu asked, his hands playing with a piece of chalk. He looked around and soon, all eyes, including Konan-sensei's, were directed into the upper right corner of the classroom where Kakuzu found an albino sitting there, looking out the window. There was silence for a moment until Deidara hit Hidan in the shoulder, stumbling the boy out of his stupor with yelp.

"What?" Hidan asked Deidara harshly. The blonde just tilted his head in the direction of the front of the classroom and Hidan followed the direction, finding Kakuzu staring at him intently with those emerald eyes of his. Hidan gulped under the gaze. "Ah...yes?"

"...you're the best art student here?" Kakuzu asked. This...day-dreamer could actually be serious about work? Kakuzu wasn't a very judgemental person but at first glance, Kakuzu could tell he really wasn't going to like this character. Everything about him was irritating. The bored look on his face as he looked out the window, the way he spoke to the blonde next to him and even the way he stared back at him with those stupid pinks eyes. What type of men had pink eyes, anyway?

Hidan raised an eyebrow before resting his cheek on a fist, looking out the window again and at the wind. "What's it to you?"

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed further and then shrugged. Five minutes into the class and Kakuzu could already pick out Hidan's personality and knew what would piss him off, something Kakuzu would enjoy a lot. "You'll be my art rep. Thanks for volunteering."

Konan-sensei stifled a laugh, Deidara didn't and the rest of the class burst out into low 'ooh's. Everyone in school, teachers and students alike, knew not to mess with Yuu Hidan. Hidan glared, baring his teeth. He really wasn't going to like this class. Not at all. Not for the next month at least. Seriously.

*****

Kakuzu's first lesson had gone fairly well. He just talked about shading, colouring and then gave them an assignment to take home. He'd only get it back the next lesson, next week.

Kakuzu sighed, flipping through previous art works. He figured since he had this job for the next month, he would see what the students were capable of. Most of what he flipped through was rather ridiculous and pathetic, but he thought that would be of course as the class he was teaching was the worst class on the block. All the teachers spoke things of class 3 – 6. Bad things. But most particularly, they spoke of Hidan. Rude, boar, wild, smug, evil even. Okay, so maybe Kakuzu's real intention was to find an artwork by the albino, but like hell would he ever admit it.

He didn't care about Hidan, of course not. That was preposterous. So who cared if maybe his art was good? It still didn't change the fact that the kid was an asshole. Besides, how good could Hidan be? In the worst class, all the teachers, well maybe except Konan-sensei, hated him and he didn't seem to have many friends except for that blonde kid he sat next to in class. How could someone whose art was that good be hated by so many?

Kakuzu's breath got caught in his throat as he flipped one art work forward, revealing another. He could only see the top, the other art works covering the bottom, but it was already beautiful. Kakuzu pulled the entire thing out and scrutinised the art work. It was sort of like in a different realm. The background had clocks, birds and furniture floating around in the purple-pink background. But what was supposed to stand out the most, stood out the most. White steps floating in the air and from the viewer's point, they'd be at the foot of the stairs. Continuing up and there'd be a white opening and standing in front of it was a man with silver hair, back facing them. Kakuzu flipped it over and his eyes widened even more.

Yuu Hidan, bitches. D

That irritating albino, and apparently his new art rep, did this? Kakuzu flipped the art piece over again and took in the entire picture as questions ran through his mind. What was the assignment? Did Hidan really do this? Was Hidan that man standing at the top of the stairs? What did this art piece say and why?

"Oh, that."

Kakuzu looked over his shoulder and found Konan-sensei smiling down serenely at the art piece. Konan-sensei's eyes were half-lidded and some tendrils of her blue hair escaped her bun and fell into her face. "One of Hidan-kun's best works, I must admit."

"Hidan really did this?" Kakuzu asked before turning back to the art piece, running a hand over the dry paint and enjoying the feel of it crusting. He brought it up higher to his eye level and unconsciously smiled. This was beautiful. After viewing so many effort-less works by the other students, Kakuzu had to say he was pleasantly surprised to find something like this. He liked the way how the background colour was made a bit darker so that the white could stand out and how Hidan had shaded the area around the steps and door with, what was that, crayon? It made the steps and doors seem to glow. Where did Hidan get this artistic talent? "With no help?"

"No help," Konan-sensei assured with a nod. She chuckled when he saw how intently Kakuzu was staring at the art piece. The tattooed man seemed almost mesmerised. "The topic was your goal in life and Hidan-kun painted that. He called it Almost There. If you'd like, I can show you his other art pieces. Hidan-kun is really very talented."

Kakuzu glanced over his shoulder to look at Konan-sensei. He then cast his gaze to the ground in concentration. Did he want to see all of Hidan's works? It wouldn't mean that he was interested, he just needed to see more of works like these. That's right. No interest in Hidan whatsoever, just his works. He placed Almost There back in to the cabinet, along with the other works before he shut the drawer, turning to face Konan-sensei completely. "Are Hidan's works always so...deep?"

"Most of them, yes. Hidan-kun paints with his soul, a little fact that I'm very proud of. I'm sure you know this, Taki-kun, that most students his age don't dare open up to people. I have to say, Hidan-kun is quite different," Konan-sensei said as she took a gulp of the tae she held in her hand. "So, would you like me to gather up some of his works for you to see? You won't regret it, I can assure you."

Kakuzu knew he would regret it but nodded anyway.

*****

I don't know, I just saw Konan dressed in a business-ish sort of suit and teaching a class. I think she would be a friendly, encouraging teacher ready to unleash her fury should any of the students get in her way though. :P I also could just picture Hidan as a tattooist so, ta-da, we have him as a excelling art student and well, I kinda saw Kakuzu in front of an easel, painting a bee-u-ti-ful bowl of fruits and ta-da(again), the link between them became art and ta-da(for the last time), this story came about. :P

Reviews are appreciated and loved. :)