Suteta - (Akatsuki fanfic)

Part 2

Commotion didn’t arise as Zetsu entered the base. He wouldn’t expect there to be at this hour. Most, if not all, members would be asleep long before now anyway. It certainly made his life easier, but not by much.

                The warm air quickly melted the thick snow clinging to him and the child, causing frigid water to soak him to the bone. He was just able to keep most of the snow off of the girl by shielding her with the baggy sleeves of his cloak, so she stayed dry for the most part. She shook more violently, though her features hadn’t changed in the slightest. Nor had she opened her eyes again. Hopefully she was merely sleeping and not dying in his arms. Of course Zetsu wasn’t entirely sure if he would care one way or the other, but he knew part of him did. Though, before he could make a final decision, he needed to find Pein and take it up with him.

                Zetsu walked down a dark hallway with a new urgency in his step. The girl’s shaking had slowly come to a stop, and that meant a decision needed to be made now. He could scarcely sense the dimming life in her as he passed doors to other members’ rooms before coming to the leader’s. Normally Zetsu would have simply phased through the door, but he couldn’t with the girl in his arms. He didn’t know how it would affect her.  So he just knocked repeatedly until someone answered.

                But it wasn’t Pein. It was his roommate Konan, second in the chain of command. She wore a blue, long-sleeved night gown that matched her disheveled hair. And her irritated expression became apparent when she spoke. “Zetsu? You’re soaking wet! What the hell is wrong with you? It’s two a.m! I outta-”

                Zetsu ignored her. There wasn’t time for this. “Where the hell is Pein?”

                Konan looked as if she was about to blow a gasket for being interrupted. “He’s out on a solo mission and won’t be back for a while. What’s this about?” Zetsu didn’t have to answer as her eyes drifted to the moments-from-being-dead toddler in his arms. “You better have a damn good explanation,” she said coldly.

                He spoke quickly. “I found her abandoned on the border. She is injured and freezing to death. Konan, with all due respect, if something is not done right now she will die! Help her!”

                Konan’s expression changed into something Zetsu couldn’t read and she was easing into being wide awake. She moved past Zetsu and said, “Put her on my bed and get her warm. I’ll be right back.” Her footsteps faded down the hallway.

                Zetsu stepped into the room and turned on the lamp. It didn’t give much light, but enough that Zetsu could see where he was going and not trip over anything. He pried the sopping wet teddy bear out of the toddler’s stiff arms so it wouldn’t keep her cold and get in the way, and he set her down where Konan instructed. After that he found a plug-in heater on the dresser and turned it on the highest setting and faced it toward the bed.

                Muffled protesting and a demanding shout came from the other side of the base. Soon Konan appeared in the doorway ahead of an aggravated Kakuzu. Made sense. Of all the members of Akatsuki, though he was mainly the financial adviser, he was also the closest to a medic. What Kakuzu said when he spotted the toddler made Zetsu want to punch him. “You want me to help some insignificant brat?” he growled.

                “No, I’m ordering you,” Konan hissed. “The leader may not be here right now, but that makes me your superior while he’s away. So get to it!”

                “Ugh. Get out of the way!” Kakuzu shoved Konan and Zetsu aside.

                Zetsu’s black side about snapped but was kept in check. I want to kill him so much… Don’t lose yourself. It could give him enough reason to kill the girl instead. He watched Kakuzu build his chakra and place his hands on the child to examine and, supposedly, attempt to heal her. Knowing the man’s hatred for children, he didn’t know what to expect.

                “Zetsu.” Konan spoke quietly so to not disturb Kakuzu.

                “What?” He noticed he had been too sharp, but for some reason he didn’t really care as long as the girl got the attention she needed.

                “I will stay here and keep an eye on things, but you need to get rest. And believe me,” she added in such a quiet tone that the old miser couldn’t hear. “Kakuzu doesn’t dare try anything stupid with me around.”

                What was that hostility in her voice? Zetsu wasn’t sure if he could quite name it. He just nodded and hesitantly left the room.