All Hope Is Lost
Hidan is pretty sure he's in love with you, or at least what he believes love to be. He was cackling before his mind could even register your eyes and hand had darted towards Kakuzu's hip, and when it finally did register, he was stunned. Typically he and Kakuzu were not allowed on missions that required a subject living through their dealings with the Akatsuki. He himself had even questioned Leader when they received the mission and for ‘obvious reasons,’ he reflected as he watched the aftermath of your ill fated attempt to fight yourself out of their clutches.
As Kisame darts towards you and Itachi activates his Sharingan, Kakuzu curls a large arm around your shoulder and slams his open palm into your cheekbone to force you down to the ground in one smooth motion. It wasn't a smack or a punch necessarily, but it might as well have been to you, a fragile civilian; he despised fragility. Truth be told he wasn't even trying to kill you. He felt no anger and no blood lust despite the fact that on any other day he would have ripped off your head. Literally.
You crumpled to the ground in front of him, head spinning and nose bleeding from the sheer force that had suddenly been applied to your face. Your eyes had gone black and your hearing had dimmed for the moment but came back as he took a fistful of your hair in his hand and lifted you up. You moaned in pain, feeling some of the strands ripping from their roots; blood dribbled from your nose and into your mouth as you did. It hurt so badly you wanted to screw your eyes shut but you didn't. You stared, eye to eye with the man gripping you.
You could see Kisame's still wrapped weapon pointed over you and resting on Kakuzu's shoulder. He must have been standing right behind you. If you didn't know the circumstances you might have been grateful to have someone save you. But Kakuzu didn't even acknowledge him, green and red eyes pointed directly at you.
There was a pause, the air felt heavy with tension. Tears were spilling from your eyes like fountains, yet you kept them trained on his. You could hear Hidan's maniacal laugh twisting through the atmosphere. It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked from your lungs and the surrounding area despite no hand around your throat.
To everyone else around the two of you, he looks as they know him to be. A terrifying, ancient, evil. Though Kakuzu isn't lost in your pretty eyes, he has managed to find something. Something familiar, something he despised to the point of hatred. Between the tears, the anger, the suffering. He can see your will, the will to survive no matter the struggle ahead of you. For what felt like ages he stared at that look, the familiar prickling in his chest made the four extra hearts inside him burn.
Kisame let out a warning and he dropped you, his anger has welled up and he does what any terrifying, rogue ninja would do: He turns and uses his thick, black threads to tear into Hidan, who was still giggling. This action knocks down the much younger man and Hidan gladly takes the blows, a perverted look on his face as his blood spatters the ground. He starts directly at you.
As you watch the gore playing out in front of you in horror, the beast of a man levels you with a look. “I find your attempt to stab me commendable, Girl.” His tendrils retreat from Hidan who is suddenly complaining that it wasn't fair because he didn't have a sacrifice. No one pays any mind though. “However, killing isn't something to take lightly.” You hold your hand over your face, partially to stop your bleeding nose but also because the sheer shock of what you were witnessing has left your mouth agape. You feel very small.
You sit near his feet, you flinch as he walks towards you once more; Kisame and Itachi at your side. Finally he says something that gives you a strange feeling, one so powerful your stomach flips. “You wouldn't be able to live with that burden.” His tone is harsh as he walks right past you and you can't take it anymore. Between the stress, the fear, the blow to your face, the disgust at the virtual dismemberment you just witnessed; you hunch over and vomit what little you had to begin with. You hadn't eaten all day and the acidic bile hurt your throat with an ungodly burn.
Kisame slightly recoils from you, you brace yourself on your forearms. Inches from the mess in front of your face, you could wallow in it. You feel lower than you ever have before, all hope is lost. “Just kill me,” You grit out. “Please.”
Tears fall from your eyes with no sign of stopping. “We would love to, Toots,” Hidan pipes up still bleeding on the ground, you would wonder later how he could speak or even survived. “Your future husband wants you alive and in working order, if you know what I mean. If we don't deliver on that we don't get our money.” There's a cheerfulness to his tone but you can't bring anger up at the moment, you're just sad and scared. You're just one girl, a common victim of men more powerful than you. You can't change anything, certainly not your fate.
“Come, now.” Itachi says and lifts you up under one arm. His tone and touch are gentle, his hand is warm even over the cloak, as if he has a fever. You want to lean into that warmth, suddenly feeling so cold. “My head hurts,” you whisper bluntly, beginning to shake.
“It'll be okay, Sweetheart.” Kisame says he mimics Itachi and helps you up. You can't see it, much too lost in the thoughts wriggling through your mind and your throbbing head, but Itachi is giving Kakuzu's back a look that sends shivers down even Kisame's spine.
“No.” You say. “It won't ever be again.” You want to go home. Yet even you realize deep down, you have no home to return to.