Rise From The Ashes (Kakuzu Story)

Chapter 5.

Kakuzu felt exactly the same as Suzaku did. He barely knew anything about her, she had just turned up out of nowhere and helped him out with all this, and yet he was willing to go along with it regardless of the situation. He accepted her help even at a time when he had given up hope with everyone—that he had come to understand that people would only stab him in the back, and therefore weren't to be trusted. Staying in a building that she had suggested, going to be sleeping there with Suzaku doing the same only a little way away. Yet it wasn't cause for concern for Kakuzu. He didn't feel as if he had anything to worry about; as if she was going to betray him, or that she would slit his throat when he was sleeping, and take his bounty after telling the Takigakure ninjas. He hadn't quite understood why he was doing all this without stopping and doubting her. Without saying he would need some time to think about it first while he examined her background and whether it would be a good choice or not. But now she had said that, he knew why, and it was the same reason she was helping him.

Suzaku just interested him, somehow. But as he thought about it, turning to his room for the night and grabbing a snack from his pouch, standing by the window to stare out into the forest beyond it while he ate, it wasn't much of a surprise. With the way she was...her actions; her appearance, her aura in general...Suzaku wasn't like the majority of people out there, and it caught Kakuzu's attention. It meant he continued to think about her, even after she was gone. It meant he wanted to know more about her, and he was willing to follow her advice and go along with her suggestions if it meant spending more time with her and learning more information. Though he had questioned himself time and time again as he had walked with her to the house, Kakuzu had come to the conclusion that there wasn't really much point—after all, Suzaku was clearly unusual, with no connections to anyone or anything. He had reason to be interested in her. And evidently, she had reason to be interested in him. Why, he wasn't exactly certain, but that was her business.

After finishing eating, Kakuzu remained standing by the window for a little while longer, staring out at the forest as the shadows expanded more and more, until he could barely see what was out there. His mind finally turned to the rest of his circumstances, wondering about the position of those Takigakure ninja, and when tomorrow came, what he would be doing in order to get away and avoid notice. For now, at least, he was safe and hidden, meaning he could get a good night's sleep without having to keep constantly on his guard. It would only help on his journey onward, being able to keep his strength up and allowing him to be ready for anything. Suzaku evidently had some sort of plan as to what he could do—what he should do—to fully leave the country behind him, and even if he didn't fully follow her advice, she had given him enough information while they had been walking to the building for him to definitely be able to make his own way.

With that thought a certainty in his mind, Kakuzu turned from the window and to the bed, rolling his shoulders a little as he sighed gruffly, before lying down on the bed and settling himself into a comfortable position. Though his mind stayed active for a few minutes as he considered everything that had happened over the past few days—defection from Takigakure included—knowing that he could get away from all put his mind at ease, at least for the moment. Taking that into account, Kakuzu slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep, his muscles finally given a chance to relax, though always ready to attack if any threat were to appear, his shuriken easily within reach if needed. Not that they were the first weapons he'd go to if in battle—not any more. Earth Grudge Fear was more than enough of a weapon in itself, and it was only another fact that helped Kakuzu to relax into his slumber, knowing that all the power he needed was contained within his body from now on—and it didn't hurt that it was a technique that he had stolen from Takigakure, the one place he hated more than anywhere in the world.

It wasn't this anger that woke him up a few hours later, however; no, it was thirst instead. Blinking to shake off his sleepiness, Kakuzu glanced around, taking into account the room and instantly remembering all that had gone on for him to end up here when it didn't seem familiar. For a moment he paused, trying to figure out just why he was awake, but as he swallowed, the dryness of his throat and mouth occurred to him, and just exactly what he needed right now. Sitting up, knowing he had no water on him, Kakuzu contemplated what he was going to do. He couldn't exactly just head out to go and buy some, or to search for a source of water that he could drink out of. He wasn't about to wake Suzaku to ask her, but then it abruptly hit him that there was a kitchen in the place, though not much of one. Either way it was a way for him to get a drink, and with that in mind Kakuzu pushed himself off of the bed and headed towards the door.

Automatically he glanced both ways down the corridor, checking for any signs of people or movement, but quickly passed through the doorway and turned right, not noticing himself keeping as quiet as possible, searching through the darkness to try and pinpoint anything that might be out of place, his muscles tensing as he kept on edge, ready for anything that might come his way. It was part of his training, and he'd been doing it so long after he'd left Takigakure, knowing that there was someone constantly on his tail, it was hard for him to just shake it off now. But still Kakuzu continued on, going down the corridor until he reached the living room, where the kitchen then branched off through another door. These rooms were just as basic as the rest of the building, and Kakuzu glanced around, looking everything over a little more closely than he'd done when first arriving.

It was as Kakuzu did so that he finally noticed something he hadn't at first—something that surprised him and confused him at the same time. The couch for the living room was a few metres in front of the door that led to the kitchen, and though it wasn't facing him, he could still see the seating section. It was there that he spotted Suzaku, her head gently resting on one of the cushions, her hair falling back to frame her face and reveal her peaceful expression while she curled up on her side, fast asleep. One hand was tucked underneath the cushion, while the other, though relaxed, still hovered over her shuriken holster. In much the same way as Kakuzu, though she might have been sleeping, she was ready for action if any threat came her way, barely needing to think if she were to be attacked, her body almost acting on its own, like a reflex.

But it was the fact she was there in the first place that caught Kakuzu off guard. He was in his room on his bed getting some sleep, so why wasn't she? For a moment the idea that she might have been doing something out here and simply fell asleep doing it crossed his mind, before it swiftly occurred to Kakuzu precisely what was going on. There was only one bedroom—one bed. The other rooms had no doubt been ruined by the dilapidation of the building. She had said she had been staying here for the last couple of days, but clearly that had been in the room he was staying in. Upon inviting Kakuzu to stay there for the night, she had chosen to give the room—the bed—to him; therefore meaning Suzaku would be sleeping on the couch. It wasn't as if the couch was incredibly uncomfortable or was broken and ultimately would stop Suzaku from sleeping. There was just the fact that she was sleeping there in the first place.

Why? She had already been staying there, and she had every reason to point out there was only one room, and that was where she slept. Kakuzu wouldn't have minded sleeping on the couch—he wasn't exactly fussy, especially in his current situation. Yet instead she told him nothing, allowing him to sleep in the bedroom and staying on the couch. They didn't even know each other and she did this, and it left Kakuzu in a state of confusion. As he continued to stand there watching her sleep, he couldn't help but smirk and shake his head, even with the confusion that remained. He'd said to himself that Suzaku wasn't like the majority of the population, and this only proved it. Still, he couldn't help but rub his temples, knowing he felt bad about the situation but not knowing what to do about it.

For a moment longer he watched her sleeping, how steady her breathing was, before he finally managed to make himself turn away and go into the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. Gulping it all down within seconds, Kakuzu then filled it again, now leaving to head back to his room, glancing behind him to see her tranquil expression one more time. As he placed the glass on the table and settled onto the bed once more, he thought over how ever since he'd defected from Takigakure, his humanity had felt like it was slowly slipping away from him, with all the hate and anger inside of him. But as he remembered Suzaku sleeping calmly there, there was a part of him that hesitated.

Maybe he hadn't lost that connection quite yet.