Author's Note: Although it's about these two, it somehow came out not at all graphic...don't these two seem weirdly fluffy in canon? Because of that...this fic. Hope you enjoy!

Odd Couple

(No one really understands why Kakuzu and Hidan get along, not even the men themselves.)

They're a total mismatch, really. Hidan is fussy and vain and whiny. He has no patience and not much sense. Kakuzu is a man who barely contains his murderous impulses for the sake of the money he loves. They have nothing in common but the fact that they are both killers, both missing-nin members of Akatsuki. The only reason they were partnered together was so that Kakuzu would stop killing his partners.

Hidan annoys the hell out of him, and Kakuzu's tried ripping his damn head off more than once. That just makes Hidan complain even more, of course, until Kakuzu finally resorts to stitching his mouth shut and ignoring the resulting death glares. Hidan thinks Kakuzu is too uptight and too obsessed with his money, not understanding the truth of Jashin. Kakuzu thinks Hidan is an idiot; Hidan feels the same way about Kakuzu.

Pein doesn't care what they think about each other as long as they accomplish their missions, and they do. Not much can stop the two of them, effectively immortal as they are. And they do work well together. Hidan is the only one who can survive Kakuzu; Kakuzu is the only one who can put up with Hidan (being able to repeatedly maim him is very stress-relieving). As mismatched as they are, they are a team, a good one.

And sometimes, when they aren't bickering about this or that, when they aren't occupied by bounties or rituals or chasing down the next jinchuuriki, they almost enjoy each other's company, although neither will ever admit it.

Hidan likes how rough Kakuzu is; Kakuzu likes the feeling of that complaining tongue on his stitches.

They tolerate each other, and in their own twisted way, they do take care of each other. "Don't let your guard down, or you'll die," Kakuzu says before each battle. Take care of yourself, Hidan hears. "That's not something you say to me," Hidan always replies. Don't worry so much, Kakuzu hears.

They are a strange pair, a total mismatch that somehow has its own twisted harmony. And sometimes the other Akatsuki members are jealous of them, because they are so damn happy in their screwed-up way.