Dark caress of someone else.
There´s a terrible and agonizing scream resonating in his ears; it’s so heartrending that he can´t hear his own thoughts. It takes him a long time to realize that he´s the one screaming; it´s only when he needs to take a breath is when he grasps that he´s throat is hurting.
That his entire body feels like it´s on fire. Blood bubbling inside his veins and his flesh burning like it´s over a bonfire.
He´s in hell.
Cold hands touch his face and his attention is reclaimed by two beautiful hazel eyes; full of concern, so kind and familiar he feels his heartbreak. The owner of that eyes are speaking to him. But James can´t hear her voice.
Her lips are moving; making a lonely word. A name.
There´s another pair of hands touching him, these ones are even colder and thinner, and after they touch the pain withdraws. It´s so welcome that James´ heart skip a beat and he forces a smile on his lips to show his gratitude before the sweet darkness of unconsciousness reclaimed him.
.
.
.
James awakes slowly; feeling slightly disconnected to his own body. His mind blank and without worry. He blinks sleepily a few times before allowing himself to get up of the bed, the room is in total darkness…
But he can see perfectly. Every crack in the rock walls, every detail in the candlesticks that are near the corners. Just as good as if the room was filled with light.
This is the first thing that feels wrong inside him. The second one is when he looks back and he´s faced with the dark robes he´s using: robes that have distinctive red clouds on it. James´ breath easily becomes erratic and his heart is beating with so much force in his ears that he´s surprise none can hear it.
He gulps heavily and centres his gaze on his hands. His nails are painted in shining purple and there´s a ring sitting heavily on his thumb.
There´s a feeling of wrongness in this that he can´t understand. He has use this same outfit so many times that he feels more comfortable on it than with some of his more casual clothes. But. Right now, he only wish for them to disappear.
He doesn´t get why until the door opens and an unforgettable face greats him. It´s only when Konan pours her beautiful eyes on his own that he gets what is going on.
“Yahiko.” Konan breathes; big eyes full of wonder and hope. So different to what she has become, so different to the cold sentiment that froze her heart so many years ago. But she can´t help herself. Not with her long lost friend in front of her. A miracle.
James do not flinch at the name. Even when his heart is shattering and he feels like if he allows himself to be anything but strong he would lose his mind; laughing and crying, screaming and sobbing, clawing his eyes out as he howls the names of the loved ones he has lost.
“Konan.” His lips move and his voice´s has the same kind of love he uses to refer to Kate when she´s not near to hear it.
Noah would laugh at him. Remarking that for all he´s a fucked up man he has a heart of gold when it comes to the people he cares about. And he cares about Konan. Incredible so, considering that ´till two seconds ago she was just a drawing.
A peace of something he enjoyed, but nothing more.
Now, he can´t help himself as he shakily gets up and extends his hands towards her. Embracing her and kissing her hair as she weeps against his chest. Both of them repeating the other name over and over again; a plea and a promise at the same time.
Then, as pierced by a lightning.
“…Where´s Nagato?”
He sounds like a scared child.
Konan flinches. And James, even though, his mind telling him that Nagato is fairly well and safe, feels the terrible clutch of fear taking hold over his heart. He asks again “Konan. Where is Nagato.” this time, in a more forceful tone, trying to maintain his voice from breaking.
“He´s fine.” Konan reassures him, caressing his face. Her eyes sincere. “But…he´s not as you remember him.”
It does not help him much.
“I want to see him.” James closes his eyes; his words really close to be a plea. Fuck, he hates how weak he sounds but can´t help himself. Nagato is as important to him as Konan is and the idea of him hurting is making him an emotional mess.
Konan presses their foreheads, sweet and comforting. “It´s alright.” Now is she the one repeating that phrase and it´s hilarious, Yahiko would have laugh if he wasn´t afraid the sound that would left his lips would be a sod instead.
Konan takes his hand, her eyes are soft and kind. “Come, Yahiko. I will take you to Nagato.”
James knew exactly what to expect. He was still heartbroken when he saw the pitiful form of his best-friend.
Nagato looks at him stoically. Or so it seems. But James knows better, he knows the red hair as well as he knows himself. He can see the fear and the crushing hope that hides itself behind the impassive mask.
He walks slowly towards him, his hand never letting go off Konan´s, until he´s in front of the Uzumaki.
“Nagato.” James whisper, voice shaking. “I´m sorry. I´m so sorry. This is all my fault. I´m—“
His friend shush him, embracing him. “Yahiko.” His name is spoken with reverence, with so much sorrow and love in it.
James can´t take him anymore. He burst into tears, babbling incoherently as he takes in what had happened.
Somewhat he´s on Naruto, using the body of the Deva Path. Of course, Nagato and Konan would take his presence as if Yahiko had returned to them. He can tell that he died on the car accident. He´s not James anymore. Not really. Not anymore.
And it hurts. It hurts so much.
But at the same time….
He´s relived. He´s so fucking glad.
Because Nagato and Konan deserved the world. Deserved much better than the canon have gave them; much more than to perish to fulfil Obito´s fucking master plan. Alone. Broken. Unhappy.
His presence here can change it all.
He can give him them the happiness they deserve.
And he will.
.
.
.
After crying himself silly, he tries to put the pieces back. To pick himself up and create a functional individual that will be able to make a reality his wish of seeing his loved ones as happy as they deserve.
He was James Heller. The man he was, died trying to protect his sister in all but blood. He died along the two persons he loved the most.
Now, he´s Yahiko. He´s the Leader of the Akatsuki. And will survive along the two persons he loves the most. Because dying for them was something that he had already done and had not helped anybody. It actually made everything worse.
His own life is probably the most important thing right now. Because of what it means to Konan and Nagato.
So the first thing he needs to do is guarantee that they (but most important, himself.) is safe of the treats Obito and Zetsu represent. Neither of them will take his return well for his presence here ruins their plans.
“Bring the other paths. Nagato.” Yahiko says; voice firm and eyes full of determination.
His words take Nagato aback, he looks at him with surprise and horror. “…You…”
“How do you know that?” Konan is the one to actually say what he is thinking, though. She does not tense or change the way her fingers are intertwined with Yahiko´s, but her eyes narrow and her chakra spikes. She´s ready to defend Nagato if necessary.
“It´s a long story.” Yahiko smiles sadly to her. “And I will explain it all. But first we need to make sure Madara can´t hurt us.”
Konan breath catches as she hears the name of the man Yahiko had warned them to not trust. Immediately, she feels guilty. Nagato´s face tells that he feels the same. “We…”
“I know.” Yahiko interrupts her sharply. Then, softer. “I know.”
Yahiko takes their hands and squeeze. “I can´t say I´m happy or proud of what you two have done. But. I can´t say I would do anything different if something had happened to any of you.”
And it´s true. He´s not a good person. Not like the original Yahiko was. But at the same time he understands on a base level that mass murder was a bad thing. So yeah, he could see that the Akatsuki had twisted until it was nothing near to what it was in the beginning.
His words should not have so much power over them, but it did. His friends relaxed immediately, even if Nagato looked incredible sad at his admission. He would have to work on that, Yahiko noted with an air of tiredness, but allowed a caring smile on his lips.
“Now, bring the paths. We need to prepare.”
Nagato´s eyes are a reflection of his own. “To war.” He states heavily, knowing exactly what Yahiko is thinking even now that their minds are separate once again.
Madara´s a treat. He always have been. But right now, the treat is stronger than ever. Because they have just regain Yahiko and he doesn’t want to lose him again. Never again.
Yahiko and Konan nod. Both of them with a mask of imperturbable calm to conceal their fears about the idea of facing an enemy who is as strong as Pain is.
.
.
.
Yahiko pours the tea. He shares with his team all the information he has about Madara and Zetsu, about the Akatsuki, about Jiraiya, about Konoha and Naruto. This because the three of them are one.
He and Nagato are Pain. Konan is their angel.
They all need to be on the same page for this to work. But most importantly, Yahiko loves them. He does not wish to have secrets within them. Well, not more than the necessary.
He seeing all this from the Pure Lands and gaining the favour of a God is easy to accept when one takes that he just came back to life in account. And sure, Nagato and Konan deep trust and love in Yahiko helped a lot.
They had always seen the brown eyed boy as their leader. The center of their universe. Both of them loved Yahiko above all things. And so, it´s almost ludicrous how easily Yahiko can convince them of believing everything that lefts his lips.
They´re lucky Yahiko loves them as much as they love him. Otherwise this would only end in tragedy.
They agree on two thing after a long night of plotting:
The first: They will send the five paths of Deva after Zetsu. Intending to make the first move. Thanks to Yahiko´s information they have a more deep understanding of the danger he represents and are aware that he needs to go. The paths are replaceable. They´re the best option to go against the putrid thing.
The second: They need to face Obito together if they intent in defeating him. Two rinnegan and Konan´s unique abilities would gave them the upper hand on the oncoming battle. But to ensure they defeated him, having the Akatsuki at their back would be the key on their plan.
Thus, they needed to reclaim their organization as soon as possible.
“They will be in Ame in two days.” Konan states, after having sent the orders to their other members by origami birds. A more discreet summon than the accustomed.
“Good.” Yahiko and Nagato say in synchrony.
They both jump a little and turn to see each other.
Nagato blushes. Yahiko laughs; free and bright. Konan does not giggle.
It´s good to be back, Yahiko thinks seeing his friend with what can only be described as love, It´s good to have them back.