Beanbag chairs. He'd expected a lot of things, but beanbag chairs were not one of them. He had no idea why it threw him off so much as he sunk into it, but he expected something different from a supposed S-Rank criminal.

"Tea?" Said S-Rank criminal asked, receiving only a shaken head as an answer. Neglecting to pour herself a cup, Konan took a seat across from Zabuza, perfectly at ease in her own room.

Konan watched as Zabuza processed her earlier words. She would admit that her curiosity was peaked as the slivers of brown watched her, picking her apart to see if she was lying. Kisame had talked at length about his former partner, citing his eyes as particularly important. That the bored, uninterested look he constantly wore was just another mask underneath it all.

"And here I thought the only shinobi of note from Ame was Hanzo." He mused out loud. "Would explain the black out..."

"Times change, and tyrants die." She responded, Zabuza watching her as if waiting to pounce on the slightest lie or contradiction.

"And you did it?" No tone of disbelief or doubt, just simple curiosity.

"I didn't hold the knife, but I was among the few responsible for Hanzo's end." Konan said with a humble incline of her head. She watched as Zabuza's arms unfolded, a hand going up to run through his hair as he locked eyes with her. No words were exchanged as his hand dropped back to his side.

"Just my luck. I run into an S-rank criminal, and can't collect the bounty." He said with an amused shake of his head.

"I imagine you'd have been worth far more. Our coup succeeded, so I was little more than another Ame shinobi." Konan smirked, she missed this. The idea of having someone, anyone who understood part of her past. Her new family meant well, but she was not a child to be coddled or a disinterested teenager. Even if she was conversing with a reputed monster, at least he knew what it felt like to be unwillingly ripped from one life and transported into another.

"One part of the most wanted group of individuals on the continent... That's how you weren't caught, wasn't it?" She nodded, watching as Zabuza put a few more puzzle pieces in place. "Interesting." Was all he said, barely above a whisper as he looked at her with something almost akin to respect.

"Indeed... Would you care to rejoin the party?" She asked, glancing towards the door. She'd taken him out of sight so she could have this conversation without

"Hardly." Zabuza didn't move from his seat, examining the confident slouch of the blue-haired woman across from him. If she was S-rank, he was thankful she was born human. He hadn't had a chance to test himself against anyone he'd consider above A-rank, and if she had powers, things would have gone differently when she pulled a knife on him. If things had gone Konan's way, his throat would have been slit and his body tossed into one of the many rooms to be disposed of at her convenience. Wouldn't have left a stain either. Zabuza thought to himself, the carpet under his feet a dark crimson that could hide blood with ease.

Konan's desire to return to the mass of well-wishers and sycophants matched Zabuza's. Too many people in such an enclosed space brought a lifetime of paranoia to the forefront of her mind, never mind the fact she knew less than half of the occupants as only names. Shinobi rarely made for social creatures it seems. She weighed a question. "You are different than I expected." She admitted.

"If Kisame was your only source, then you have a rather skewered view point." Zabuza shrugged. The former Akatsuki had caught his interest, and anything was preferable to another headache. So he would play along.

"He talked about you quite often."

"Nothing nice, knowing him."

"On the contrary." She said, watching him in turn. "He spoke quite highly of you, which is why I am intrigued. He praised your ruthlessness, your ambition and your cunning. He spoke of the lengths you would go to complete a mission, and your loyalty to your village. In his own words, he viewed you as neither the strongest, or greatest shinobi. But a model to be followed. Which is why I am curious. Why did such a man dream of killing his Kage?"

"The victorious rebel asks the failed revolutionary, why?" Zabuza's voice was a low growl, lacking any heat behind it even as old wounds came to the forefront of his mind. He shifted in the beanbag, resting his chin against his fist as continued. "Why were you part of Akatsuki? Safety? Power? Money? Ideals? The purpose of a ninja is simple. Serve and obey the village. You are a tool, to be wielded by your betters. When the village commands you kill the enemy, you do it with purpose, each death bringing further prosperity. And yet, out of every hidden village. Why is Kiri, known as the Bloody Mist?"

"The mentality." Konan offered with calm assurance.

"The village is part of the whole, and every ninja serves it. Loyalty is raised from birth, clans allowed to prosper, and individuals rewarded for their service. Except in Kiri. Loyalty is forged and beaten into you. Some would say the village was in decline. I'll be more honest, after the death of the Second, it became a crap hole. That which had made us strong, was turned into our weakness. The Third's graduation exams produced killers, and little else. Tracking, medical, diplomatic and various other skills fell to the wayside as it boiled down to who wielded the knife best. For a time it made us strong. Then came the puppet king."

"Yagura?" She asked, knowing only the basic info of the Jinchuriki-Kage. Zabuza nodded before continuing.

"What was a flawed system became an active hindrance under his reign."

"So you ended it." Another nod.

"Every ninja serves the village, the Kage is not exempt from this. And in Kiri, the moment you become a determent to the village. You are dead. The Bloody Mist had started to devour itself. I was one of many to attempt to put a stop to it."

"Kisame did mention a traitor." Konan's amber eyes bore into Zabuza as she processed the information.

"Shirochi got what was coming to him." Zabuza resisted the temptation to snarl out the name, reigning in his temper. He sighed, wondering what his life was coming to that he was lounging around with a member of the Akatsuki, swapping stories. Death makes strange bed fellows-... He glanced over Konan, cutting off any thoughts about bed fellows, the last thing he needed was to bring home another woman.

"Interesting." Konan concluded, unaware of Zabuza's train of thought as she stood up. The tea from earlier was still warm as Konan poured herself a cup, before settling back down, curling up like a cat.

"Hardly..." Zabuza snorted. "Traitors get what they deserve. Kisame or I made sure of that. Though I am curious, the Akatsuki originated in Ame?"

Konan nodded slowly. "Another sob story of people of people looking for peace or demanding better of their village. We both could probably list dozens, and I don't feel like boring you with my own."

He shrugged and rolled his shoulder. "Seems to be the trend, yes."

"Guess we are the lucky ones then. We got a chance at a better life." Konan said with a grim chuckle.

"One way to look at it." Zabuza mumbled, thoughts going back to Japan, specifically Haku and his peerage. He'd made a rare find, but he'd prefer to be back home, training. He could only hope they weren't slacking without him.

"Ah, here you two are..." Zabuza's gaze shifted, he had heard Milan's footsteps coming down the hall, so he wasn't surprised when the door opened to reveal the aging mobster. "Enjoying the party I see." He said with a knowing smile.

"Hello Grandfather. We seem to have lost track of time." Milan just waved a wrinkled hand dismissively.

"Bah, don't be bothered. Most of the guests have already gone home, and I plan on kicking the rest of the drunk bastards out within the hour. More important matters after all. Did you have fun?" He asked, glancing between Zabuza and Konan, giving them a smile as large as it was genuine.

"It was enjoyable... Yes." What shocked Konan was the fact that she meant it. She hadn't enjoyed anyone's company as much in years, even if it was swapping stories about missions, some funny, most of them just recounts of interesting scenario's that popped up in the line of duty. There was no roaring laughter, or the chaos that was characteristic of her time in Akatsuki, it was simply... peaceful. She had expected Zabuza to be.. far more different that Kisame's stories painted him. He didn't seem to radiate anger. Power, and confidence, sure but nothing compared to the bloody monster she'd heard tales of. It was, intriguing.

"Excellent." Milan exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Now, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your grandmother says the young ones best get to sleep." His attention shifted to Zabuza. "We have a room for you a few halls away, I'll be happy to show it to you."

"Already got a hotel." He countered.

"Nonsense. It's late, you are young, and don't have a car. You'll stay the night. I'll send someone to pick up your things in the morning, for now, come. Get some rest." Milan's tone was light but broke no argument, leading Zabuza to pull himself up and give a gruff 'Good evening' to Konan alongside a nod before waiting in the hallway. He listened to the pair wish each other a good night, hearing Milan close the door and start to lead him through his labyrinth of a mansion.

"Apologies for that. I put it off as long as I could, but you know the wife." Milan chuckled as Zabuza simply nodded along, passing by various doorways and portraits. "Good to see you two getting along though. A pleasant surprise if I ever had one."

"We have.. a surprising amount of things in common." Zabuza answered carefully.

"Oh? Would you be willing to educate an old man in what?" A subtle shake of Zabuza's head, and Milan chuckled. "Didn't think so. Damn brats and their secrets. Still, good to see her opening up to someone." He stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway, a good two minute walk away from Konan's room. "We'll send someone to wake you up tomorrow for breakfast. Assuming you aren't already up of course."

With an incline of his head that Milan took as a nod of thanks, Zabuza took a step into his quarters for the night before he was stopped one last time. "Zabuza, my boy."

"Yes?" He grunted, ignoring the good humor in Milan's eyes.

"Thank you. It means quite a lot to me that you talked to Klara."

"Not a problem..."

"Good, good. Now to bed, and I shall see you in the morning." With that the old man was off, leaving Zabuza in an unfamiliar room in a freezing hell hole of a country.

Could be worse. It could always be worse. He reassured himself as he began to check for surveillance devices. He trusted Milan, he just didn't trust some of the people who worked for Milan that wouldn't be tempted to peak in on him. He needed time to think, and needed to do it in peace and quiet, without his nerves screaming at him that their was a transmitter in the mattress.

He was presented with an opportunity here. An S-rank opportunity if she was to be believed, and even if she wasn't, Zabuza was more than happy to welcome a former shinobi into his midst. He might have to train her up if she was lying about Akatsuki, but she had too many stories of Kisame, and spoke of him with too much familiarity to be lying. Even if she wasn't Akatsuki, being a former shinobi meant he wouldn't have to train her in senjutsu, so much as show her how it worked, and let her go from there.

He only needed to figure out the best way to work the deal. Should he present it as an offer for her to regain her lost powers? Would that even matter to her? Zabuza had long since learned the power of loyalty, of people who serve you because they want to, rather than because they are forced to. He only need think of a way to earn Konan's loyalty.

A task that was best accomplished staring at the ceiling, going through the past few hours conversations and brainstorming what he could offer her that might be of interest. Thinking of all the possibilities that lay before into the late hours of the morning, until he heard a soft click, like a window latch being opened a floor away and the sound of foot prints, far too many to be the household staff.

Zabuza sat up and stalked to the door. Instincts telling him to keep low, and quiet as he slipped into the hallways. Something was up, now he only needed to find out what.

AN: So, another chapter done. On a semi-related note, anyone seen this weeks episode of RWBY? My lord, that was a thing. If anyone wants to chat spoilers and stuff, send me a pm because I'm still freaking out about it. Anyways, Konan and Zabuza had a sit down. Nothing conclusive, just that Konan doesn't seem to mind Zabuza's presence, and after the few weeks surrounded by his adored fanatics, Zabuza is enjoying the more solitary company. I am not going to use the term love at all for the current situation, mostly just pleasantly surprised at the fact they hit it off. Cause I think Zabuza was right, they have a surprising amount of things in common that'll get explored as the story goes on. And for the complaints that neither would open up like that, you are probably correct, but justification is that while Zabuza had Haku and the twins, Konan's been stuck in Russian with noone. She's had noone to talk about her past life. Hella lonely and such, with other things going on. Which will again, hopefully be explored in future chapters.

Anyways, I'm trying to get into the habit of writing more. So that means more one shots (I swear to god, I am going get Barragan the recognition he deserves, or so help me. Or more romance fluff stuff. One of the two), and hopefully more chapters frequently. I'm pretty sure 1 chapter in a year is unacceptable, and I still don't know why the Devour fans haven't strung me up yet like the traitor I am. Until then, mild cliff-hangar. And hope you enjoyed the chapter, comments, reviews and all things are welcome. Hope to see you next time, and have a good day ^.^