Hardened Hearts(Kakuzu fanfiction)

Chapter 21

I laid on the bed like I belonged there, staring at the ceiling just like Kakuzu did. Not a single word was spoken for at least 15 minutes between us, but it was peace not awkwardness. Finally Kakuzu turned his body to me. I rolled over to fully face him as well. "I still have a lot to.ask about you." I said, remembering how Hidan cut our time short one day. "I know." Kakuzu said. "And I'm ready to finally answer you."

I nodded and took a deep breath trying to gather my thoughts. When I was sure I knew what I wanted to say I spoke up. "So you didn't like your village of waterfall because they tortured for failing a mission. What mission was it?" I waited for his reply. Kakuzu groaned and let out a deep breath that he had inhaled. "Return a success or do not return at all." He simply spoke. I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What?"

"Return a success or do not return at all. Those were the words I took so very lightly." He looked off in the distance and I prepared myself for the vivid mental picture He was about to paint.

"I was born in the village of hidden waterfall by my mother, a loved farmer, and my father, a theif. Theirs was a true tale of romance. Two different world's brought together solely because of love. But theirs is a tale for another time." Kakuzu stopped and looked at me. I nodded in understanding. He sighed and continued his story.

"My mother came down with a harsh illness and at the worst time as well. The time of winter when all the crops failed because she was too sick to take proper care of them. Father couldn't afford the expensive medicine so He went to steal from one of the richest people ever in another village. Me and mother waited for months but He never returned. He was presumed dead. On top of that, mother became too ill to help and she died by my side. I held her hand till the very end. Even afterwards, I sobbed for many days." By this time, Kakuzu was sitting up with his back still facing me and his legs crossed. I propped up on my elbows listening closely.

"Afterward, elders in my village decided to take me in. Though they were very strict, they cared for me. They also trained me roughly for most my life. By the time I reached the age of 25, I was ready they decided. Through a unanimous decision, they put all the faith in me to accomplish an important mission. My mission was to assassinate the first hokage, Hashirama." I gasped and Kakuzu continued the story.

"I can't even say that I came close to success. I completely underestimated my opponent. There's a reason why he was hokage! I failed horribly and barely escaped with my life. On top of that, I completely disregarded the commands of my elders which was return a success or not return at all. I returned regardless. For failing and disobeying, they locked me up. There was no execution because I suppose that was them taking 'pity' on me. In place of death they substituted harsh torture and punishment. One day was my lucky day as I escaped. Before leaving, I sought revenge so I brutally murdered the very men that raised me, stole two of the most powerful secret jutsu's from my village, and went rogue. I've been rogue ever since, before I joined the akatsuki of course."

There was silence between us but I understood everything he said. Kakuzu looked over his shoulder to me and his eyes looked brightened as if he were smiling under his mask. Suddenly He stood up and slipped his cloak off to reveal his stitched up body. I admired the muscle structure and the stitches didn't matter to me. He turned around to show his back. I looked to see four peculiar and distinct masks. "What are these?" I reached to touch one. Kakuzu tensed up but he didn't stop me as I gently caressed on that resembled a bird.

"These are my hearts, excluding the one in my chest. If anything were to happen to one, then it's mask would shatter. There it would be hollow though. It's rather hard to understand I suppose. They are able to assist in battles by detaching and gaining there own animalistic forms." He explained.
"Like the day I fought with you and that strange black haired beast blew fire at me?" I asked him. He nodded and turned to face me, slipping his shirt back on. I stood up in front of him and stared into his eyes. "They are different elements of chakra from each elder I stole them from. The fact that I stole hearts should be enough to effectively terrify you, right?" He joked dryly. I chuckled lightly and went back to staring at him. "Kakuzu, you couldn't scare me anymore than Tobi could. But... " I stopped talking and reached up slowly. Kakuzu tensed up again and reached to stop my arm. I pouted and snatched my arm back before reaching again. He didn't stop me this time because I guess he figured it would be pointless.

I grabbed his head coverings and pulled them off. We spent a good amount of time just staring into each others eyes...

Not even realizing how close our lips had gotten before...