By nightfall, they had travelled most of the distance Kakuzu had wished to cover, though the rain had started again, making travel much more slippery and treacherous. All the rain had turned every open space into a muddy, slushy mess, and he didn't want to chance the trees, given he was carrying Hidan on his back. They had to be close to the borders by now and Kakuzu was hoping the outpost would show itself because he needed desperately to clean himself up and make sense of everything that had happened. In fact he hadn't even thought about anything in the last few hours, save for escape.
The sight of lights through the trees told Kakuzu that he had found said outpost and was now in home territory. As tempting as it was to let his guard down, he knew better. With the luck he'd been having, they'd get ambushed again. He shifted Hidan again onto his back using the white scarf he usually wore around his neck to secure him. After all the man was unconscious and could not hold on properly. With Hidan now securely fastened to himself, he placed one arm behind the albino's legs and the other arm he used to keep Hidan's arms about his neck. Normally he would have no qualms about slinging the man over his shoulder like a rag, but right now, that seemed hardly the way to treat such a self-sacrificing man. Things had changed most drastically, and for the first time in a very long while, Kakuzu couldn't keep track of it.
Reaching the small clearing where the outpost was settled, he crouched down out of sight, watching for anything amiss.
"Soon Hidan. Soon you can rest." He whispered almost to comfort the man, who's only response, was a small pitiful whimper, his body unable to even become aware of his surroundings. Sensing unrest he waited. Something was not right and he didn't much feel like finding out what. There were throngs of ninja about, and any type of confrontation was out of the question. That fact alone decided everything for him. He would wait a short while and then catch one of the ninja that strayed this way and ask them to retrieve what he needed. Anyone could be bought with enough money.
Untying the scarf, he shuffled over to a nearby tree, its roots obscured by large ferns. He placed Hidan within the roots, turning the scarf into a headrest. He settled quickly beside, using he remains of Hidan's jacket to cover the wounds that still lay open, the blood now dried around the edges. He needed supplies to at least treat their wounds, and as soon as he could catch a passer by, he would have them. He was still taking a huge risk in doing so but honestly, he hadn't much choice.
A shift in the wind brought a familiar sound to his ears and scent to his nose. The faint hint of Sandalwood and peony told him of her coming, her moon country accent thick in her voice as she spoke. He leaned forward to peek out, confirming what his senses told him. Pein had sent his runner and her team out to search for them, He knew Pein to be a smart man, but he was impressed. He was really on the ball this time. Kakuzu had respect for the young trio. They were efficient, discreet, obedient and capable. This group did most of Pein's errands, no matter how trivial or where it led them. With all the idiot childish shinobi he had dealt with in the last little while he was grateful for a little maturity.
There was no need for Kakuzu to even lift a finger to call her. She turned to look in his direction, almost as if she had seen him right through the trees. Without showing even the slightest hint she had seen him she glanced at her team mates with a nod. They looked at her briefly before splitting from her and heading towards the inn, leaving her to head towards where Kakuzu waited. It was impressive how she simply disappeared ffrom view and appeared moments later just a few feet behind the tree.
"Kakuzu-Sama? Is everything alright?" she queried as she came around the tree.
Kakuzu didn't need to answer that even. As she came into view her eyes widened at he sight of Hidan motionless and himself equally as injured.
"What happened here?" her voice was quiet yet incredulous. "Pein assumed you were dead. And by the looks of you he wasn't far off in his assumption."
"Funny." Kakuzu grimaced. "All joking aside I need supplies, Yukihime. Have a pen handy?"
Yukihime merely nodded, pulling out a small notepad and a pen. "Here."
Kakuzu wrote on the pad quickly, hands shaking, his normally neat and precise handwriting a mere scrawl. "I apologize for the scribbling. I have not the strength to do more at the moment."
"No worry. I can still read it. I'll get on it right away." She turned to leave, returning the notepad to her pouch. She looked back over her shoulder before leaving the cover of the forest. "It's a good thing you hid. Apparently most of these shinobi are hunting the Akatsuki who caused the Ruckus in fire country. Which I assumed, was you."
Kakuzu though about explaning that it was in fact Hidan who had killed all of those rogue ninja, but the idea of speaking more than her had to right now made him more weary, so he sat, watching her disappear in the direction of the inn. At least Pein had a few good men. Or Women, in her case. Kakuzu liked shinobi who didn't show off, didn't draw attention to themselves and with the younger generation that seemed to be a big problem. For most of them it was a popularity contest, a way to be cool. Not taking this job seriously was also the reason most ninjas didn't survive to Jounin rank. And the kunoichi, oh don't even get him started on those. To Kakuzu the women were useless, not because they were women. Oh no, that was hardly the case. The reason was the abject failure most of them were. Especially those of fire country. They had no ability, no skill and not an ounce of common sense. While there were some impressive ones, the true Kunoichi, skilled and deadly, most of them, it seemed we're merely 'playing the game', and the truth of the profession got to them soon enough. The Kunoichi working for Pein though, now they were efficient. Even that Yukihime, a mere chuunin, was an accomplished illusionist and solid leader. She still made mistakes, as everyone had, but she was reliable.
His musings were interrupted by Yukihime's return with fresh supplies. Her team mates appeared beside her, Oboro carrying a large basin of water and Nise carrying food and a change of clothes. Yuki looked worried as she studied the worn out assassins.
"Kakuzu-Sama, are you certain you'll be alright? Hidan looks positively deathly."
"we'll be fine. I need you to go tell Pein I am on my way. I also need you to tell him I'm in need of five extremely strong and healthy enemies, and I would like them to be there when I arrive. I am in need of a fresh supply."
Yuki nodded, knowing fully what he meant and not about to argue with the weary ninja. "I will. We leave now. Good luck Kakuzu-sama, we will await your return."
He watched them quickly flee in the direction of the hideout and disappear in to the greenery in mere seconds. He waited a short time before moving, ensuring no one would discover his place of hiding. He dropped a wash cloth into the steaming hot water, watching it sink to the bottom as he carried the basin closer to Hidan. His own wounds could wait. His priority right now, was his partner. Placing the basin close to his head, he lifted the albino into his lap. As trivial as it was, a big concern was Hidan's snowy white hair. To him it was so pristine, pure and beautiful, one of the things he could not bear to see tainted, and the blood now caked in it bothered him greatly. Gently, he tilted Hidan's head back into the warm water, working with still-sore hands to get the most of the staining out. The feel of the silky smooth fibres as they slid through his fingers was soothing, even if they were both on the edge of death, and he closed his eyes, enjoying the moments reprieve from the world, hands still working out the snarls and knots.
It took a great deal of time before he was satisfied that Hidans hair was clean. He then set the man down gently, wringing out the cloth and setting to work cleaning up the rest of the blood on the Jashinite's chest. He worked quickly, yet gently so as not to irritate or injure the already gaping wound more. It felt good to care for someone this way and Kakuzu made a mental note of it. This whole fiasco was starting to change the way he looked at everything. Wringing the cloth one more time, he washed the blood away from the fine features of Hidan's face and from the corners of his mouth, pausing for a moment to admire the way the light hit his face.
"Even in death you are beautiful. How ironic." He leaned down, unsure himself why he did so, to place a gentle, chaste kiss, a mere brush of his lips against those of his companion. "I'll be your keeper in this darkness."
He had said it more to himself than to Hidan and as far as his pride was concerned he'd be mighty embarrassed if anyone had heard it, and quickly he returned to his cleaning. Wrapping Hidan's most grievous wounds with bandages, he propped the unconscious man up against the tree, hoping to wake him up enough to eat something.
Pouring tea into a cup he nudged Hidan. "Come on Hidan, You need to drink something."
For the first time in nearly two days Hidan opened his eyes, agony apparent in pale pink irises. "so much…pain. My body….it burns…"
Kakuzu fought back the urge to rip the heart out of his chest and hand it back to Hidan, but he knew that would solve nothing. "I know, the pain must be unbearable." He wanted to ask Hidan why he'd gone and done something so stupid as to give up is own heart, but now was not the time to be starting a fight. And besides, he knew damn well why, he just didn't want to face it. "You need to eat something."
He watched the rosy eyes follow his face, half dazed, fogged with pain and barely registering consciousness. "I can't move…"
"You don't have to, here." Kakzu held the cup to his lips as Hidan drank slowly. He watched him carefully, ensuring the whole cup was gone before reaching for the rice. "Just eat what you can alright?"
He worked slowly, holding up spoonfuls of rice to Hidan's lips encouraging him to eat. And only after an hour was he able to ensure the man had eaten enough to at least keep him until morning. Kakuzu himself ate quickly, ensuring that he wrapped the rest up for the morning. "Are you alright now Hidan?"
"I will survive though…I am so…so tired." The albino slouched over, head falling to rest against Kakuzu's chest, catching him off guard, and he had to scramble to catch Hidan before he fell over himself. He contemplated laying the man back down but after a few moments of watching Hidan's face, which seemed less pained now, he let him stay, shifting to rest his arm about his shoulders, pulling him closer. He could work out the details of why, later. Right now, he was just too tired to care.