A/N: As said in the description, this is just a written form of a Doujinshi I found on Tumblr, so I am NOT the original writer of this story. I have edited out some parts of this, though only the few parts that contained nudity and/or smut. There wasn't much of it, but I took those few bits out anyways. Warnings for blood/gore, violence, and cursing. If you want to see the original that I wrote this from, here's a link to it: /rauhreif-yuki-inoue-my-dear-80-years-naruto-dj-eng/ Please do support the translator and original author! Now hope you enjoy!

Am I really dead..?

He weakly opened his eyes to a blurry landscape that was almost entirely dark. He thought he could make out a barren, rocky horizon in the distance, thought it was too far off to make out much detail.

Where am I?

Kakuzu didn't waste much time looking at the scenery though, instead favoring to look up at the figure standing over him. He was greeted with the sight of a familiar face wearing a curious expression. The Taki nin carefully pushed himself upright so he was no longer face down on the oddly hot ground, looking up at the silver haired man standing over him.

"Hidan?!" Kakuzu asked in shock, though got a blank look in return.

"I'm not... Hidan." The man replied in an odd speech pattern that Kakuzu had never known his Akatsuki partner to have.

He looked just like the Yu nin in every regard, though he had large, black-feathered wings sprouting from his back, carried a lantern with the symbol of Jashin painted on the side, and had bare feet.

"I'm Jashin-sama's angel. He's the king of Hell. I came to guide you." The Angel replied, his sentences still short, choppy, and to the point without any emotion.

"Hell..?" Kakuzu asked, still trying to comprehend what was happening.

The Angel replied almost instantly, "You died. You sinned greatly. You fell to Hell."

Kakuzu stayed silent, unsure how to respond when he heard a sound behind him. He turned to see a minotaur like creature dragging a bloodied corpse across the ground. He was distracted from the unnatural sight when the Angel spoke again.

"Hidan is my Present-World's counterpart's name. You were good to Hidan. I'm going to take you to Jashin-sama."

"..Wait," Kakuzu said suddenly, casting him a sidelong glance. "Why are you talking like that? It's strange."

The Angel covered his mouth with one hand and looked at the ground for a moment, then looked back up at the miser and said, "I... I'm not talking strangely!" He opened and closed his hand a few times in a talking gesture, then pointed off to one side. "Come on now." He then turned and left in the seemingly random direction without waiting for response, leaving Kakuzu to stare after him for a moment in confusion before getting up and following him across the empty earth.

Kakuzu wasn't sure how long they had been walking, time seemed immeasurable in this place, though soon they'd passed by a large pit of fire and over a broken, stony pass before he asked, "Hidan?"

The Angel stopped and glanced over his shoulder at him. "You mean. Me?"

"Yes. In regard to my situation, you.." The Angel had turned part way around to face him and give him more of his undivided attention. "Knew it would happen, didn't you? You were always telling me I'd go to Hell."

"Hidan doesn't know about Hell. Jashin-sama's Shinigami of the Present World. He just sends them to Hell through pain." He explained, and Kakuzu knew he was referring to Hidan's Curse Ritual.

"What became of you in the Present World? Are you here because you died too?" The Taki nin asked.

"Angel's don't die. Hidan is at the bottom of a pit. He's alive. He doesn't know anything about what's happening now. But he lives in pain. So that I can guide you." The Angel replied, closing his eyes.

Kakuzu frowned and stayed silent for several heartbeats. "To what extent are the two of you connected?"

"Hidan isn't aware of Hell. And he isn't aware of me. But I'm aware of him."

"Can you read his thoughts?" Kakuzu pressed.

The Angel's eyes narrowed slightly, then he said in a monotone voice, "Jashin-sama. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu. Kakuzu."

They continued walking after that, this time the path being defined only by the skulls and bones lying on either side of the bare ground. Once they passed the bones and reached an open clearing near a cliff edge, the Angel turned and faced Kakuzu. "Here. Wait."

Kakuzu stopped hesitantly and gave him a questioning look.

He noticed the other's confusion and added, "You were a heavy sinner. There's a lot of sin for you. I'll take your punishment."

"Take my punishment?"

"It's what Hidan wants. Jashin-sama allowed it. Sit here. Wait. It would be dangerous to separate for a long time. Wait."

Kakuzu watched as the Angel disappeared down the cliff and waited as he was told for a while, putting his head in one hand. I still can't comprehend this... After a while, a noise from below him caught his attention and he looked down the cliff to see another minotaur demon creature holding a spike with multiple corpses impaled on it, as well as another gripped by the throat in its free hand.

The creature stopped in it's path and looked up the cliff at the missing nin sitting there, then appeared to lose interest and glanced away.

The dead are brought here to be tortured, but I'm being exempt from that. Is that guy going to be tortured in my place? Because that's what Hidan wants? And he's buried alive at the bottom of a pit somewhere...

Flashbacks of his former partner came to mind, the arrogant brat that did nothing but complain about everything, ranging from his obsession with money, the missions they went on, and the cheap food they were forced to get on the road.

Nothing comes out of his mouth but complaints... He tags along while I'm fulfilling my duties. We're just partners on a team. That is all there is to it.

He watched several of the other creatures throwing corpses into a pit or fire and lava.

So why..?

It must have been over an hour he was waiting, and Kakuzu was tiring of seeing the damned souls receiving the torture he should be enduring as well, while he stayed up above it all and remained untouched.

How long will I have to sit here and look at this scene? I'm not hungry. I'm not tired either. I have no idea how much time has passed. Is it that there is no concept of 'time' here? This place...

"Hey, it's you!" A loud, gruff voice called from behind him. "The Angel's guy!"

Kakuzu quickly glanced over his shoulder in alarm to see a minotaur approaching him, eyes widening.

"Relax! An order was handed down not to mess with you. Wanna bite?" The creature said, offering a mutilated corpse it held and had appeared to be eating, though by the disturbed look on Kakuzu's face, burst out laughing in amusement.

The creature looked just like the one he'd seen earlier, wearing only a loin cloth and a pendant of Jashin like Hidan had, with razor sharp teeth jutting down from it's upper jaw.

Kakuzu looked back down below the cliff to see an approaching winged skeleton, magma dripping from the pure white bones. However as the skeletal figure came closer, muscle and tendons began appearing over the flawless surface and crawled back into proper place, followed shortly by flesh and skin until the Angel stood in full form and glanced up at him with a blank expression.

"There's the Angel." The demon said, following Kakuzu's gaze down the cliff.

Two of the creatures from the lava pit caught sight of him as well and rushed over, acting like ecstatic dogs wanting attention from their master. "Angeeeel~! See? We did what we were told! We left that guy alone! Praise us! Praise us!"

Angel regarded them with complete indifference and gave no response.

The minotaur next to Kakuzu chuckled. "Those guys! Angel! They're always like that, aren't they?"

The Angel ignored him entirely and locked eyes with Kakuzu. "Look away. And wait." He went to walk away, but when the miser didn't move his gaze away, Angel turned and yelled, "Look away!"

The minotaur found amusement in this and laughed again. "He doesn't want the man he loves to watch? Although I don't think the two of you are well-suited."

Kakuzu was only half listening to him, his attention focused solely on where the other two demons had shoved Angel to the ground and were tearing him apart, slashing open his flesh and ripping his limbs from his body.

"Hey! You're looking!" The demon growled accusingly, but his words went unnoticed as Kakuzu started to get to his feet to go down and help him, but the creature's staff was put in front of him to hold him back.

"Woah! You'd better stay there, or else your safety isn't guaranteed. Jashin-sama did order your safe passage, but that doesn't mean you can be careless. Because we aren't worried about violating orders just a little bit, y'know?" When Kakuzu didn't respond and kept his gaze even still on the scene below, the it continued, "What was the Present-World Angel like? Did you ever fuck him?"

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. "We didn't have that kind of relationship." He said harshly.

"So you weren't fucking him?" When it didn't get a response and saw the serious look on Kakuzu's face, it burst of laughing yet again. "I see. That's interesting! The Angel's first love. So it was still unrequited then?"

"First love..?"

"It doesn't seem like you felt the same. Interesting."

Kakuzu went silent again, grimacing to see that the Angel's torture hadn't finished yet, and the creature beside him spoke once again. "The dead here don't die, but they wear out quickly and then just end up falling apart. But as the wind blows they eventually come back together again. It gets really old. So boring. They tore the Angel to pieces but he'll completely heal up soon. Tear up, heal. Tear up, heal. It's the best feeling!"

"What will happen," Kakuzu asked suddenly. "If I go over there and interfere?"

"Jashin-sama's mistresses will completely destroy you! Jashin-sama is very scary!"

"...Will he be okay?"

"The Angel is Jashin-sama's prized possession. So he'll do anything for him. But Jashin-sama is very sadistic. You've got such a worried look on your face. Maybe you are in love after all."

Kakuzu simply shot it an incredulous look.

He sat next to him on the ground and waited for the ritual to be over. He hated these wastes of time; he'd seen too many of them and they'd grown old. But this time he was surprised to see a single tear leak from Hidan's wide eyes that seemed so oddly clear and devoid of thought and emotion.

He was broken from his thoughts when the remains of Angel stirred and picked itself up, quickly healing as he had before, making him whole again in a matter of seconds.

Once he'd healed, he made his way back up the cliff, where the demon called out in greeting, "Angel! Your boyfriend was bored. Get him some women next time." It grinned savagely at the silent look Angel gave it, and he added, "You don't like that idea, Angel?"

The Angel turned away and held his lantern in front of him, looking at Kakuzu. "Let's go."

After getting out of earshot of the minotaurs, Kakuzu asked him, "Did you... Get smaller?"

"The sufferings of Hell shrink the spirit." Angel replied without looking back. "But I won't die. We're halfway to the next stop."

They made their way over a series of low peaks until they reached what appeared to be a restaurant of sorts.

"Cooking?" Kakuzu asked in confusion.

"Looks like we're here." Angel said. "There's the human fish tank."

Kakuzu followed the Angel's gaze to a large see-through box fill with dead bodies, and after remembering the other demon offering him a 'bite', he realized the corpses were the meal.

Angel lead him to an oddly shaped building carved out of a giant stone. "This time won't be boring."

Kakuzu stopped a few feet behind him. "..Hidan..."

Another large creature suddenly appeared behind Angel, surprising the ex-Akatsuki by saying loudly, "Welcome!"

Unlike the others, this one was more horse like in appearance instead of that of a bull's, though it's teeth were just as razor sharp.

"This is where demons come for a warm reception and a full course meal. It's a three star restaurant!"

Angel opened the door to the odd building and shoved Kakuzu inside, his eyes focused on the apparent chef. "Get in."

"Hidan," Kakuzu said again in attempt to get his attention, but Angel looked at him with a hint of betrayal and detached-ness, simply closed the door in his face, though his expression reminded him too much of a time in the past.

Hidan stared at him in confusion, his pike buried in his chest and ritual markings in place. Kakuzu felt pain stabbing through his chest from the affects of the ritual and gripped at the cloak above his heart.

"Hey, I'm sure now..." Hidan said. "Hey you?! You're immortal?!"

"That's right," Kakuzu replied calmly. "An immortal man. With a 50 million ryo bounty."

Hidan stared at him a moment, then grinned childishly.

The memory was shortly followed by yet another.

"We're actually staying somewhere for once?" Hidan asked, glancing around the motel lobby nonchalantly.

Kakuzu finished at the reception desk and said, "Your room is this way."

Hidan hesitated a moment, then asked, "We're staying in separate rooms?"

"Of course," The Taki nin said.

Hidan looked down at the key Kakuzu had handed him in disappointment. "Isn't it better if we stay together? I mean, you hate wasting money, right?!"

Kakuzu gave him a half lidded look. "What are you planning?"

"Huh?!"

"You probably intend to be a nuisance and keep me from sleeping properly. There's never anything of worth going through your mind." With that, Kakuzu turned and walked up the stairs to his room.

Hidan watched him for a moment, his expression a mixture of disappointment and hurt. "Hmph... Such a lame son of a bitch..."

The next morning Kakuzu knocked on Hidan's door. "Get up Hidan. We're leaving."

After several seconds without a response, Kakuzu tried the door handle and opened the door. "It's unlocked..." He murmured to himself, stepping into the room. Hidan wasn't in the room, and the bed looked completely untouched, still perfectly made. He wandered to the bathroom half of the room and found Hidan unconscious in the tub, his scythe propped against him and his pike stabbed through his left eye. His face was entirely covered in blood, and Kakuzu regarded him silently for a moment before shaking his shoulder.

He didn't get an immediate reaction, but the Yu nin slowly opened his one good eye and recoiled at the sight of someone standing over him, his mouth opening in a silent scream before he realized it was only Kakuzu.

"What are you doing?" Kakuzu asked bluntly.

Hidan stared at him for several heartbeats before looking down shamefully. "I couldn't sleep, so... I'm trying to sleep..." He suddenly stood up up and grinned cheerfully. "It's morning! You're so slow Kakuzu! Let's go!"

Kakuzu shook himself from the memories of Hidan's rituals and happy grin despite the suffering he put himself through.

Now that I think about it... This world's version of him is similar. He made that same face. But then his usual energy would come back.

"You were the first person to treat the Angel as an equal." The chef told him, as if reading his thoughts. "It made him happy. But he doesn't know what real friendship is. He only knows what it's like to be hated. He's cursed after all. It's a pity. He thought you hated him as well. But that didn't matter. As long as he could be with you, he was happy."

Kakuzu walked down the busy street, Hidan following close behind as he always did, looking around at the stores on either side of the street curiously.

Suddenly a woman's voice called from behind them, "Kakuzu-danna!"

They both turned to look at her as she continued, "I don't believe it! Do you remember me?"

She looked fairly young, maybe somewhere in her thirties, with her hair tied back in a bun and a large kimono on.

"Ahh.. It's been a while." Kakuzu replied.

"I missed you! You're still alive I see!"

Hidan watched the entire exchange in shock and disbelief, seeing that they had clearly been close once.

"Hey, that's my store." She said, pointing to a small shop several buildings down. "Please help yourself!"

Hidan was pulled from his staring when a passerby man bumped into him and murmured something that was presumably 'sorry', though it was lost in the voices of the crowd.

The woman glanced at Hidan and offered, "You can come along as well if it pleases you."

Before the priest could gather his composure enough to answer, Kakuzu handed him a small pouch of coins.

"Wait for me here tomorrow morning."

"Huh..?"

"I'm doing something different tonight. You can go and do whatever you like."

Hidan watched silently as Kakuzu followed the woman through the crowd and down the street, disappearing into the store she'd pointed out.

He stayed in place for a few moments before putting a hand over his heart, frowning in confusion and hurt. Eventually he shook himself and glanced around, seeing nothing but strangers who in his vision were distorted to demons closing in on him. He suddenly felt shaky and nervous, hyperventilating in panic at realizing he was alone. He quickly took off away from the crowded street and found a tunnel that lead underground to the sewers, following it until he found a smaller side corridor. Hidan squeezed his way into the small, dark space and hugged his knees to his chest, still shivering from before, and whispering barely audibly, "Kakuzu..."

The next morning, Kakuzu arrived at the designated meeting place in the street and was greeted with several people screaming in horror and pointing at something on the road.

"It's been cut off!"

"Is it real?!"

"Call the police!"

"Oh my God..."

Kakuzu made his way over to where the disturbance was and stared in shock to see a severed hand lying in the street, having Hidan's ring with the kanji of three carved into it.

"Look! It's still there!"

"Is it real?!"

"How should I know?!"

The miser ignored the surrounding people and crouched down to pick it up, despite a nearby woman yelling, "Ah! You shouldn't touch it! The police are on the way!"

"You really shouldn't do that!"

"Hey! Stop!"

The Taki nin followed the trail of blood to another part of Hidan's arm and down to the sewers, finding his partner huddled near a wall with his back to him and his entire arm missing.

"What are you doing?" Kakuzu asked.

Hidan slowly turned to face him and suddenly grinned. "Kakuzu! I cut my arm completely off! Can you sew it back on for me?" He asked cheerfully, laughing.

Kakuzu wasn't nearly as amused and glared, punching him in the face and sending him flying several feet back.

"Do you think this is funny?!" He yelled at the silver haired man, furious at his actions.

Hidan weakly lifted his head off the ground and began laughing like a madman all over again.

"The Angel is here."

Kakuzu looked up at the chef's voice, looking out the window of the small building to see that Angel had just walked out of a flaming field, healing as soon as he was out of the burning flames, his expression as indifferent and empty as usual. The masked nin walked outside to meet him.

"It's time. Let's go." Angel told him, turning and walking away back the way he came.

Once Kakuzu caught up, he observed, "You got smaller again."

He didn't get a response, instead the Angel said, "Be careful," as the flames around them swirled and danced and licked at them, though Angel kept him on the clearest and safest path.

After clearing the flaming field, they began climbing another rocky outcropping.

"Hidan. Why aren't you talking anymore?"

"One of Jashin-sama's orders is to speak no more than necessary."

"...Hidan, I know I told you the same thing before coming here, but not anymore."

Angel didn't slow or spare him a single glance. "When you were Hidan's partner, he was happy for the first time in his life."

A loud screech cut through the air just above them before Kakuzu could answer, and Angel immediately reacted, shoving Kakuzu aside as a bird like demon with bat wings and a straight horn on its forehead swooped down on them, stabbing Angel through the back with a lance and landing on the ground.

"Oh. I see." It said. "This guy had better not interfere." The creature pulled its weapon from Angel's back, the sharpened end coated in blood. "It's been a long time Angel. Since I've been allowed to kill you!"

Kakuzu stood in a frozen stupor as no more then 5 feet away from him the bird crouched next to the Angel's body and ripped him apart with its bare hands, the blood staining the ground just next to his feet.

"Get away! Get away!" Angel yelled to him, though fell silent as his arm was pulled clean from his torso.

All of this... Kakuzu thought. Was meant for me. All of this...

He wasn't sure how long passed, but eventually the demon stood back up, its face, chest, and arms splattered with blood and gore, and it sighed happily. "Ahhh~ That was great!"

Kakuzu watched as Angel picked himself up and healed all over again as if the attack had never even happened, though he noticed his feathered wings were ragged looking and had lost quite a bit of their feathers. Angel glanced at him and said monotonously, "Let's go."

The Angel lead him to a small wooden house that seemed so very out of place in the desolate wasteland.

"This house..." Kakuzu murmured.

"As Hidan's pain grows, so does my power." Angel told him. He was much smaller now from all the torture sessions he'd endured for the stitched man's sake, only reaching his shoulder in height now, though after what he'd said, he turned and left without further explanation or instruction to follow.

"Dad!"

Kakuzu's eyes widened in shock and he turned to face the house once more, where a little boy with chin length dark hair and a woman with equally black hair stood on the porch.

"Welcome home!" The boy greeted.

"Welcome home dear..." The woman added.

Kakuzu watched out the window as the little boy stared at a snail in fascination, and his former wife carried a tray of tea over to the table he was seated at and poured two glasses.

"He's gotten so big. You haven't seen him since he was a baby." She said. "After you left the village, we started being monitored. They put the blame on us. Our daughter became a merchant. Her business is doing very well. I'm planning on leaving the village to join her in the Land of Wind. She found good fortune there. Her children are also living there."

"Is this a dream?" Kakuzu asked, interrupting her before she could go on.

She looked at him sadly. "Do you... Want to believe this is real?"

He was there far longer than expected. The Angel never came back for him, and Hell had been shut off to him. He spent his time there trying to make it as normal as possible, raising the boy, teaching him to write, but he never let himself get comfortable there, and his thoughts never strayed from Hidan and Angel.

What is this place? Is it my sanatorium?

"Clearly Hidan made this world. So why isn't he here?"

His former wife looked down sadly. "The Angel knows.. That in your ideal place of happiness, he doesn't exist. It's painful for him. But pain is all he can receive."

More days passed by, and even still, the Angel hadn't yet returned. Kakuzu started doubting he was planning on returning at all.

"Dad! Teach me to throw shuriken!"

"You're not even going to be a ninja. It's not necessary." Kakuzu told the boy bluntly.

He just whined is response, "But I want to do iiiittt!"

"Read a book! Study!"

"Shuriken is betteerrrr!"

Eventually Kakuzu gave in and taught the boy until he tired out and was put to sleep by his mother.

"Hey dear..? You don't want to believe in people anymore, you say that you can only believe in money. But then someone came along who changed your mind. The truth is, he was important to you, wasn't he?"

Kakuzu glanced back at her with what he hoped was an empty expression. "That's ridiculous..."

"You're actually a person with strong feelings," She continued as if he hadn't spoken. "You were betrayed, so you closed off your heart. But the truth is..."

"It's because he can't be killed!" He snapped. "That's the only reason I was allied with him!"

She was still giving him that upset look.

"Also, I'm practically an immortal myself. It made us an exceptional team." He added.

Kakuzu crouched next to the small campfire and looked up as Hidan approached him.

"Are we sleeping outside tonight?" He asked, smiling in the same manner Kakuzu had always regarded as immature.

"Does sleeping outside make you happy?"

Hidan looked surprised by the question and looked at him in shock. "Huh? Why the hell would something like that make me happy? Idiot. My whole body hurts! This is the worst, seriously!" He suddenly yelled in complaint, dramatically throwing his hands up.

They settled sitting side by side on a rock near the fire. Hidan fell asleep almost immediately, though Kakuzu stayed awake a while longer, casting Hidan a glnace for several seconds before looking into the fire. He was soon surprised by something tugging at the bottom of his cloak, and he quickly looked down to see Hidan had unconsciously grabbed a handful of his cloak in his sleep.

One day while Kakuzu watched the boy throwing shuriken at a target, the Angel appeared from seemingly nowhere, catching the masked man by surprise. He was still smaller than before, and his wings were just as ragged if not more so than the last time he'd seen him.

"It's time. Let's go. There's a lot more of Hell."

Kakuzu glanced back at the woman and child.

"After I've stored enough power, you can come back here again." The Angel didn't seem to like the idea of him returning here, but offered anyways.

He didn't respond for a moment. "No. That was enough."

Angel looked caught off guard at that, but didn't question him and lead him away from the little house back to the barren emptiness of Hell. As they walked, feathers occasionally fell from his wings, leaving them in even worse shape, though Angel showed no sign of caring.

Eventually they came to the most peculiar path Kakuzu had seen yet. There was a bunch of stone platforms over a wide gap in the solid ground that went so far, he could barely make out the other side. In between each of these platforms was dozens of sharpened steel spikes. There was no way to jump across them, nor any other means to cross the gap.

"What is this?"

Angel looked up thoughtfully before kneeling at the edge of the cliff. "Jashin-sama's gift. You can get on my back. And I'll carry you over."

Kakuzu quickly approached him before he could start crossing. "Hey.. Can't you just fly over it?"

The Angel looked up at him. "I don't fly. I'll have to slowly crawl over it." He replied, then reached out one hand to put on the spikes.

"Stop!" Kakuzu yelled, grabbing his cloak and yanking him back.

Angel looked up at him in surprise one he recovered.

"This nonsense..." Kakuzu muttered, taking a step onto path.

The Angel suddenly cried out in agony, lunging forward and pulling him back from the path, crouching and staring in horror at the injury Kakuzu had given himself on his foot.

"Y-You got hurt!" He wailed, tears suddenly falling from his eyes. "You're hurt! You're hurt...My heart is crushed... I killed you. This isn't meant for you! I killed you... I killed you... I... I..." Angel bowed his head until his forehead was touching the ground, and an odd glow came from one of his hands, healing the injury. Kakuzu stared in morbid fascination at the Angel's reaction, then noticed that the wound hadn't been healed, it had been transferred to Angel, and several more feathers fell from his wings.

Angel stood then with his eyes closed, then gave Kakuzu that same calm, empty look before returning to the cliff edge again. "I'm crossing." He put one hand onto the spikes and put his weight onto it, impaling his hand, then did the same to his other hand. "I'm crossing," He repeated. More feathers fell to the ground

Kakuzu could only look away in guilt and shame.

The other side of the path was being ravaged by a powerful blizzard, and the two walked on in silence through the flurries and sharp wind. The Angel had gotten even smaller from the suffering he endured of crossing the path, only about half of Kakuzu's height now. His cloak was too large for him and was loosely hung around him, being torn at by the wind.

He suddenly turned around to face Kakuzu and made a gesture for him to crouch down. Kakuzu complied, letting Angel take off the over-sized cloth and wrap it around his neck like a scarf, leaving himself in only bagging, torn short in the frigid temperatures. He then picked up his lantern and handed it to Kakuzu as well. "Take this. It's warm."

Kakuzu reluctantly accepted it, feeling just as guilty as he did from back at the spiked path, but he knew it would only cause Angel more pain to refuse it.

The rest of the journey was carried out in silence until the reached a large empty snow field that appeared to be in the middle of nowhere, but from the look on Angel's face when he faced Kakuzu, he could tell this is where he'd wanted to bring the stitched man.

"Now, for one year's time, you'll return to the Present World. You can do whatever you want except for one thing. You can't be involved with Hidan."

Kakuzu stared down at Angel, who was giving him a dead serious look. Kakuzu sighed and closed his eyes, though when he opened them, Angel was gone and so was Hell. He was standing in the middle of a forest, though soon made his way to the nearest village and found a small, worn looking diner.

The first thing he did upon arrival was get a newspaper to figure out just how much time had passed and what had happened with the 4th Shinobi War.

Nine years... Has it really only been nine years? This world doesn't seem to have changed much. I hear that Akatsuki was defeated... It's just as well. He thought, leaving the diner and starting down the street. Even the subordinate members were likely wiped out. Maybe I'll look into it. I've got a year after all.

Kakuzu stared down at the bloodied body of Hidan as he stitched up the wounds on his chest and reattached the bottom section of his legs he'd cut off. His partner gave no reaction to him fixing his injuries, though soon started mumbling to himself. "Is he dead? That guy? Yeah... I killed him. ...Fucking bastard.. I wasn't finished with my ritual. If I don't find another one..." He trailed off, not looking capable of finishing the sentence.

The Taki nin looked away from him and stood. "We'll find another one soon, I'm sure. Let's go."

I stopped believing in people. Because of that, I wasn't going to let myself believe in you either. I just wouldn't even let myself think about it..

"What are you doing? Hurry up!" Kakuzu snapped, having to stop for Hidan to catch up and watching in annoyance as the silver haired man stumbled and fell yet again.

"What the hell? I can't..." Hidan replied, then tripped and fell down a small incline. Once he stopped himself, he looked down at his feet in confusion and gasped in shock. "They're stitched?!" He asked, then looked up at Kakuzu and yelled, "You jackass! You sewed my feet back on the wrong legs!"

Kakuzu stayed silent, though Hidan started laughing, suddenly finding it all amusing. "Look at this! It's unbelievable! And I was really worried, too!"

Kakuzu couldn't help but snicker slightly himself at the younger man's reaction.

"No wonder I couldn't..!" Hidan continued, though trailed off and smiled at him. "Kakuzu! You're laughing!"

Kakuzu made his way through the streets on Konoha, glancing up at the Hokage's building.

The truth is... Did I really feel that you weren't important to me?

"Hey," Hidan asked suddenly while he was in the middle of stitching up his wounds after another battle. "Does it hurt? When you... Take those things out?"

"No," Kakuzu replied, knowing he was referring to the threads he used to sew his injuries shut. "No. At least I don't think it does. My body does numb. I don't feel a thing."

Hidan looked lost in thought. "I see... Kakuzu."

He glanced at the priest to let him know he was listening.

"...Nevermind." Hidan mumbled, staying silent until Kakuzu finished stitching him, then looked up at him and said again, "Kakuzu?"

"What is it?" He asked in slight irritation.

Hidan closed his eyes and looked down. "I'm glad you're immortal."

Did I myself even know the truth? The truth...

It didn't take him long to reach the Nara territory from the Hidden Leaf, nor to find the spot the battle had taken place. He killed the deer and other surrounding wildlife first, knowing they'd alert the Nara clan of his trespassing. He came across a large rock surrounded by sealing and explosive tags, though before he could anything, a swirl of black feathers on the other side of the stone caught his attention.

"Don't do it." Angel warned. "You can't get involved with him. The only reason I can protect you in Hell is because of Hidan's suffering."

Kakuzu ignored him and crouched next to the rock, placing his hand on it.

"If you get him out of there, I won't be able to protect you anymore."

"...I don't care. From the start this had been my fault. I'm ready to accept the consequences."

Angel stared at him in shock. "Kakuzu."

He didn't move away from the stone, and Angel called out his name again in warning, but got no results, and instead closed his eyes sadly.

Kakuzu wasn't sure what happened, but next thing he knew, he was only about age 11 again and in his old house in Takigakure, standing in the doorway to the main room where his mother was sat, busy patching a tear in a shirt.

"Mother?" He asked.

Her eyes were closed, and she didn't look at him. "Today you're going to kill a man for the first time. You won't go to the usual meeting place. Instead you will go straight to the entrance of the village. Speak with the retired ninja who are living as civilians now. Since you aren't an official ninja yet, you won't be subject to punishment. and after you've killed the man, we'll be able to live comfortably. If you can provide us with a lifetime of happiness, maybe you won't go to Hell this time."

Kakuzu stared at her in confusion. "How can I do that?"

"You can't. You can't change history. It would be impossible. As for Hidan.." She put the cloth down, stood, and walked over to stand in front of him. "The Angel wishes for your success. He himself was fated to a different kind of Hell. there are no demons, no prisoners. There is no light, no sound. Nothing but complete darkness. He's accepted it. Nothing but endless pain for eternity. As for Hidan of the world you left behind, the memory of his existence will be erased from the minds of everyone. He will never get out of that hole. He will go mad. He will lose his mind entirely. He will be allowed not one second of peace, neither in the Present World or the Afterlife. As for you, by going to Hell twice, your return to life was made possible. Once this conversation is over, all of the memories of your former life, and certainly those of the Angel will be erased. In your new life, I pray that you will find much happiness."

Kakuzu watched as the image of his mother blurred and became Hidan, leaning down slightly to be closer to eye level with him.

"This is the end; so let me, okay?" He asked with a smile, gently giving him a quick kiss on the lips and wiping the corner of Kakuzu's mouth with a bit of his cloak and giving him a big grin.

The person in front of him suddenly became his mother again, and she turned around silently and went back to the main room.

Kakuzu looked down, closing his eyes and clenching his fists in frustration.

His mother turned back and looked at him, no signs of the previous conversation showing on her. "What's the matter Kakuzu? If you don't hurry, you'll be late."

He glanced up at her and said, "Yes mother," then turned and left the house, running toward the training grounds and ignoring the blood in his closed hand.

Once he was far enough from the village, he stopped and looked down at his hand with a blank expression.

Did you think I'd forget so easily? How foolish. Those memories weren't only in my mind. They had soaked into my blood. They were there, and you didn't know that would happen? There was nothing about me you knew know. and there was nothing about you I...

"You're late Kakuzu!" One of his teammates, a blonde girl with her hair in two pig tails yelled at him once he arrived.

"Yeah, sorry." He replied.

His sensei smiled. "Alriiight, let's go."

Kakuzu followed behind his teammates soundlessly, staring at the now dried blood on his hand.

I let you down... Your wish didn't come true.

After 80 years... He was with his teammates still, but they were older now, all jounins.

I had lived the exact same life... He met his wife again.

That I'd lived before. He failed assassinating the Hokage.

I became Akatsuki's Kakuzu. So I would meet you again. It's been 80 years. So keep waiting for me. 80 years isn't much time where you are, is it? I did everything exactly the way I'd done it before. When I ate. When I slept. When I committed my crimes. When I laughed. While each and every moment, you were bearing with that agony for my sake. Your pain is unimaginable. I know you've forgotten about me. I've been crushed by the weight of my despair. But still... Wait for me. Please wait for me.

Hidan stared at him in confusion, his pike buried in his chest and ritual markings in place. Kakuzu felt pain stabbing through his chest from the affects of the ritual and gripped at the cloak above his heart.

"Hey, I'm sure now..." Hidan said. "Hey you?! You're immortal?!"

"That's right," Kakuzu replied calmly. "An immortal man. With a 50 million ryo bounty."

Hidan stared at him a moment, then grinned childishly.

It didn't last long though, as soon he was complaining again. "Hey! Take this off! Hey! I won't run away!" Hidan insisted, pulling at the rope tied around his neck like a leash.

"Not until I get you to the collection office."

"But you don't need to restrain me! I already decided I'm going to follow you!"

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "Don't use words you don't even know the meaning to."

"You're immortal!" Hidan stated cheerily. "And so am I! What are you anyways? A bounty hunter? I really hate that kind of thing... I mean, I won't do it myself, but... I could just come along! You need someone to be your partner! I can help you!"

Kakuzu stopped and pretended to be undecided on it. "Well... Considering I've killed every one of my previous partners, I suppose I'd never likely find another with more long-lasting potential..."

"Oh!"

Kakuzu suddenly turned and faced him. "But it's not going to work."

Hidan's eyes went wide in shock and he leaned forward slightly. "Whaat?!"

"You don't have the face of someone who will help me make money. So this conversation is over."

Hidan pouted at that and groaned slightly, then quickly perked up again. "Hey! Dumbass!" He grabbed his rosary and held it up to show Kakuzu. "Religion can make money! Right?"

Kakuzu glanced back at him and put on a look of interest. "Is that so?"

Hidan grinned at him and flashed him a peace sign with his free hand. "So it's settled then! So what's your name?"

"It's Kakuzu."

"Kakuzu! Kakuzu..." Hidan repeated, then added, "So what group are you a part of?"

"It's called Akatsuki." Kakuzu replied.

"Ah... Kakuzu. Aktasuki." Hidan said with hand gestures, clearly trying to commit the names to memory. "Ah! Okay!"

"But today I'm leaving Akatsuki." Kakuzu told him.

Hidan looked at him in surprise. "Huh?"

Kakuzu closed his eyes and sighed. "From now on, I'm going a different route with my life. From the start I've been following the life of a criminal. If I stay with Akatsuki, I'll just keep walking down the same path."

The priest tilted his head in confusion. "Uh... What?"

He didn't respond, instead dropping the end of the rope he held and stepping towards Hidan, pulling him into a hug.

"I'm breaking free..." The Taki nin told him. "And this time I'm definitely spending my eternal life with you."

Hidan blinked in confusion, his eyes watering slightly. "Me..? What..?"

Kakuzu gently tilted Hidan's chin up and kissed him.

And this time I'll surely survive this world with you.

And I'll kiss you again and again.

And I'll say your name again and again.

I'll say it again and again...

A/N: I hope you liked this, and keep a look out for part 2 to this Doujinshi, which I'll try to have published shortly. Reviews are always appreciated!