Blood is Full of Empty Promises

Hidan dragged Ayaka behind him as they continued their journey to meet up with his partner, Kakazu. Ayaka wasn't even sure if Hidan knew where his partner was. She felt as if she'd been walking for hours and she was hungry and tired. "Are we there yet?" she whined and dragged her feet with every step. She could tell by Hidan's expression that she was getting on his nerves. She smiled to herself.

"No," he muttered and continued pulling her behind him.

"But I'm hungry and tired," she complained some more. She watched as his grip on the rope tightened making his knuckles turn white.

"I don't remember you being so annoying," he mumbled quietly to himself, but she heard him.

"Does that mean you'll let me go?" she asked almost too hopeful.

"As if, woman," he replied and gave the rope a good hard tug making Ayaka stumble a little. She glared daggers at the back of his head.

Hidan stopped. "Ah, finally we found you," Hidan said as he saw a figure walk out of the shadows. Ayaka felt chills go down her spine. That man seriously creeped her out.

"Sorry, but I heard of a bounty in the area and had to take it," he said stepping completely out of the shadows caring yet another body. What was with him and bounties?

"Aya-chan is hungry," Hidan stated and his partner grumbled too low for Ayaka to hear.

"I don't understand how you two can go so long without eating," she complained and Kakazu glared at her.

"Because money is precious," he stated with a stone-cold stare. Ayaka gulped and avoided looking at him. He really, really creeped her out.

"I'm pretty hungry too, Kakazu. What do you stay we stop for a bite before turning in your new collection?" Hidan suggested and Kakazu shrugged. Ayaka guessed that Kakazu agreed with Hidan because their next stop was a small restaurant nearby.

Ayaka was forced to sit down next to Kakazu and straight across from Hidan. She didn't even think about trying to run out of fear of Kakazu. She watched him from the corner of her eyes.

"How can I help you gentlemen today?" the waitress asked while standing by their table. She apparently decided to ignore Ayaka seeing as she looked like a poor woman. Ayaka didn't blame her since she was covered from head to toe in dirt and probably smelled bad too.

"We'll have the special today," Kakazu said in his deep and creepy voice. The waitress nodded and ran back to the kitchen. She immediately returned with small cups and a pot of cold water. She poured them each a drink before disappearing again into the back.

"I can't wait for this food," Hidan complained and Ayaka's stomach growled in agreement. Kakazu just sipped his water in silence.

"So Aya-chan, what have you been doing for the past four years," Hidan asked nonchalantly and smiled at the woman he loved. Ayaka glared at him and drank her glass of water all at once.

"None of your business," she said and folded her arms in front of her chest. She refused to make small talk with the likes of him.

"But Aya-chan, I'm curious," he whined and reached over the table grabbing her hand. She tried to pull it back, but he had a pretty sturdy grip.

"Let go of me," she growled through gritted teeth. Hidan sighed and let go.

"Why do you have to be so mean?" he pouted.

"I don't know," she stated sarcastically. "Maybe because you betrayed me and our entire village!"

"Those bastards betrayed me," he snorted and finished off his water. He reached over to pour everyone some more.

"I'm done having this conversation," Ayaka said right as the waitress came out caring a huge tray of food. Her mouth watered at the sight and smell of it. Ayaka pulled out the chop sticks and put her hands together to pray before digging in. She looked up and saw a disgusted look on Hidan's face.

"How can you praise anyone but Jashin?" he asked with disgust and took a bite of his food.

Ayaka was too busy stuffing her face to even care who Jashin was. After she finished off her plate Kakazu waved over the waitress to get her some more food. Ayaka thanked him. It felt weird thanking the people that kidnapped her, but honestly they didn't have to feed her. She was just glad they were being considerate enough to do so.

"After we finish here, we'll make a quick stop at the bath house. You smell," Kakazu stated while looking at the girl next to him. Ayaka glared at him, but then continued eating.

She stopped in between mouthfuls to tell them that it's their fault she smelled so bad. They should've let her bathe days ago. Neither of the Akatsuki members argued because they knew she was right.

___

Gaara and the tracking team finally stopped at a collection site and waited in the shadows. Hours passed and Gaara became restless. What if one of the other teams found them first? Would they have the strength to recover Ayaka alive?...if she was alive? He honestly didn’t want to think about the possibility of her being dead. He just pushed that factor into the back of his mind. He had to believe that she was still out there waiting for him to rescue her.

___

Ayaka put her towel on her head and sunk down into the warm water in the bath house. She pretty much gave up on the idea of getting away. Hidan and Kakazu had the place surrounded. Kakazu honestly just thought of her as burden. He didn’t really understand why Hidan was keeping her around. She knew that if he found her escaping then that would be the end of her. Kakazu didn’t want her around anymore than she wanted to be their prisoner. He would definitely kill her.

She sank deeper down into the water and exhaled making the water around her mouth bubble up and splash the rest of her face. She then looked up at the sky and thought about Gaara. She should have listened to him. She deeply regretted not saying goodbye to him, but most of all she just regretted leaving him. What if she never saw him again? Her heart ached at the thought of it.

Ayaka finished washing up and returned to the locker room where she stored away her clothes. They were gone and in their place were different ones; these were actually clean. Hidan probably bought them for her and had one of the workers replace her dirty ones with these.

Ayaka put on the form-fitting, black shirt and gray pants that went a little past her knees. She saw her blank ninja band and sighed. She remembered her village and the Hidan she used to know. Those days were gone now. She had a new home, Sunagakure. Ayaka looked around and found a kunai in someone else’s clothing. She took her ninja band and hesitated before carving the sand shinobi symbol into it. She carefully placed the kunai back with the owner’s belongings.

Ayaka smiled down at her ninja band before tying it around her waist. She then took a deep breath and walked out of the bath house. Kakazu and Hidan were both waiting for her at the entrance. “Oh Aya-chan, you’re so cute,” Hidan gushed and Kakazu turned bumping his shoulder hard into Hidan. Hidan stumbled before grabbing Ayaka’s hand and dragging her along. The next stop was the bounty collection site.

As they were walking Ayaka thought of ways to escape. None of them played out well in her head. She was doomed. She sighed in defeat, but continued to think. There just had to be a way for her to return to Gaara.

___

Shikamaru’s team all became uneasily quiet when they heard complaining off in the distance. They were here, but Gaara wasn’t sure if it was the right Akatsuki members. They all waited in the shadows ‘til the group was in sight.

Gaara saw Ayaka and moved, but Shikamaru grabbed the back of his clothing. Gaara looked back at Nara and he shook his head at the Kazekage. “Not yet,” Shikamaru mouthed. Gaara looked back at the Akatsuki members and then to Ayaka who was being dragged by the grey haired one. He felt his blood boil, but he kept his feelings in check. He had to trust Shikamaru. He was the Hidden Leaf’s greatest strategist after-all.