Watcher Of Pain

This is my first shot at a Pein and Konan story. Two of my current favourite character's at the moment, they're cool together but their real relationship in the story at the moment is still unclear, so possible for anything.

This is a possible couple parter of a story, so most likely not a one shot, will have to see.

In this chapter it takes place when they are still like kids and is just after maybe Jiraiya had left them and were left to fend for themselves. It's just a one way perspective on what could've happened in the time gap. A bit more time has past since the previous chapter but not totally adult yet. Whatever way I enjoy writing this part and hope you like : )

Note: Written before new parts added in the manga.

"Here we are." A male voice announced as the figure it belonged to pushed open the door and entered the small house. "Coming?" It questioned, figure turning around to look at it's friend who slowly but surely trailed in behind.

"Are you sure we are aloud in here?" The female friend asked with concern. She didn't want to just enter someone else's home. Home... A word that she never had to use personally on herself... She never did have a real 'home' of her own. She felt lucky just to keep a few memories of her family... But that was nearly all she had now... Memories.

"I'm sure." He replied with a common firmness in his voice.

"How can you be so sure?" She continued to question, giving him a 'tell me the truth' like look.

The male figure turned and look at her directly with his uncommon eyes. "Why? You want me to go into all the details?" He shot back, feeling under appreciated after what he felt was a good thing.

The blue haired girl saw the look in his eyes and shook her head in return, the look said everything about the situation. He'd killed someone for it... It wasn't the first time in their travels that he'd been doing that. In fact, it was starting to become so often that it was becoming... 'common' to them. She thought it was weird to call it that... But what other word described it? Their lives weren't normal. They weren't normal... She was starting to notice her best friend's attitude wasn't like his old one... She was very worried about it. She was virtually the only person he wouldn't lift a finger at and that attitude appeared overnight. Like a different person at times... "It wasn't a family was it?" She finally asked with sadness in her voice.

"No." He replied in a blunt tone. "The person here wouldn't let us stay here, that was unacceptable."

The girl's head quickly darted around to make sure she couldn't see anything of the 'person'.

"Don't worry." The figure added, looking at her distress. "I cleaned up afterwards. It's one thing seeing dead bodies and remains but it's another to have it where we will be living for a while."

The girl was getting more used to fighting and seeing dead bodies but hated the thought of seeing someone that was dead for no real reason. "Hmm..." She replied simply and nodded. Carrying a very small amount of the stuff that they had into the house. Her friend gently placing their dead friend's body on the floor in a corner. "Why do you have to keep bringing his body along?" The young woman asked with a frown on her face as she watched her partner. "Isn't it bad enough that our best friend is dead? Let alone you disturbing a corpse."

"He'll be of good use to us." He replied simply, not even flickering an eyelid at her.

"How?"

"I'm working on that. You'll see how soon Konan."

"You're not like experimenting on him or anything?" She continued to question. Konan did spend most of her time with her partner, Pein, but there was times when they both went and worked on their fighting skills and such by themselves. They trained together too, Pein seemed to enjoy helping her improve her skills and tried to make her act more 'grown up' with him. She didn't mind though, he was a quicker learner than her and he liked to pass on some knowledge on to her and her unique skills were improving quicker.

"Don't worry, Konan." Her partner insisted, basically meaning 'drop it'. And Konan could take the hint and didn't continue her questioning.

Pein had set to work and cleaned up the small one floored house to how he liked it, not that he was fussy but he knew how him and his partner liked it. They'd known and been together for as long as they could remember, they were basically family. Didn't really know any better but were both happy and gotten used to what they had, Pein being more happier with it just being them two. As far as he was concerned he didn't need anyone else, they were all pawns for him and his partner to use, whether they liked it like that or not. Pein had just set up their beds on the floor and he looked over at Konan sitting in the corner, making sure she was alright. "What are you doing, Konan?" He questioned in a plain tone of voice.

Konan had been looking down at her delicate locket, she didn't wear it, to much risk of getting something bad happening to it during things like a fight. She was just sitting in a corner, quietly and gently holding the locket in her palm. Sneaking glances at the contents of it from time to time. "Nothing, Nag... Pein." She replied, trying to correct herself. If that was the name her partner wanted to be called then who was she to judge? Names didn't matter much, did they? It was still the same person and that's what counts, to Konan anyway.

"You can miss them, you know." Pein said simply, walking over to her and bending down to stare at her locket.

"Huh?"

"You don't have to now cover that from me, Konan." Pein explained roughly to her, gently placing his arm around her waist. It started to seem that it was Pein's only way to show another some comfort at times. "You can miss your parents, Konan. It's not a crime."

"I miss them at times..." Konan admitted, leaning into Pein. "This is the only thing I have left of my parents... Special to me, I guess..."

"We've known each other for as long as I could remember, why haven't you mentioned it before?" Pein asked, still in a fairly blank tone of voice but tightened his grip around the her waist, not minding her leaning into him.

"... Don't know. Thinking that we need to move on and... Didn't feel grown up by mentioning it to you." She explained.

"Do what you need or like to." Pein replied, it was the one thing he didn't really mind. He could relate to his partner and wasn't going to have a go at her for it. Konan didn't reply, just enjoyed a one of a kind soft moment from Pein. Well... Not totally soft but it was something from him and she wasn't getting any cold reaction from him. "It's a special object, understandable, it's from your parents. Look after it well." He added, still with a blank facial expression but pulled her in even more for a deeper comforting hug like embrace.

"Thanks."

"Konan."

"Yes?"

"I'm your partner, best friend, like family member, you can tell me anything. We have each other, don't forget that." Pein replied in an insistent tone.

"Ok." She replied simply, letting a little smile escape but quickly covered it back up, not to show her partner it. She was happy that he was certain to keep his promise, that he wouldn't leave her alone. Truth was she would have no idea what she'd do if she didn't have him on her side. But she knew she wouldn't have to face that idea, Pein was pretty insistent that it was never going to be an issue on his part. She flicked open the locket again, both looking at the photos that was inside. The pictures was nothing new to Pein though. He'd known Konan before the death of both of their parents, the deaths just brought them closer in his opinion, not sure that it was a curse or blessing though.

Konan sat on her bed practising her origami, practice makes perfect. Well, at least better anyways and she hoped soon to be able to make anything, it would improve her fighting and techniques. She'd become a unique ninja, not wanting to be common, Pein wouldn't have let her anyways even if she did. The blue haired ninja was partnered with a person that was known as a 'god', she had to make sure she was above level, her being an everyday person wasn't acceptable.

Konan's head suddenly jumped up from the concentration of her origami when she heard a sudden bang on the door. Not a knock kind of bang either, someone breaking in kind of bang. Her breath sank into almost a faint panic, she was all alone. Pein had gone out to find food for both them, was insistent that it was going to be his job and hinted that she should take the time to practice or train.

The door suddenly burst in and there stood a large enemy ninja from a rival country. "Only a little girl in here, huh?" He grunted, who he was talking to Konan didn't know but looked up at him, stunned for a second.

"What do you want?" Konan demanded from the single ninja who loomed over her when she finally found her voice.

"Give me all your stuff." The male ninja demanded, glaring down at her.

"I have nothing." Konan insisted, showing firmness in her face. "Leave."

"Don't tell me what to do, Rain brat." He spat in return and barged himself further into the small house. Started to go through things. "Not much here."

"Told you." She sneered with severe annoyance. Konan was getting stronger, that much was true but she didn't want to fight a possible higher ranked ninja by herself.

"Look here, brat." The ninja barked angrily. "There is nothing much to eat, no real money around...etc... Give me what you got! Even a ninja like me has got to eat, you know!"

"I told you! I have nothing! I'm just a kid!" Konan snapped back, now shouting.

"Oh really? What you got there?" He sneered. Snatching her precious locket off her, making Konan go on the verge of tears. Hadn't she suffered enough? That was the only object she cared about, didn't hold any regard to anything else.

"Give that back!" She screamed.

"Bet it'll fetch in a good little chunk of money." The enemy ninja smirked, holding it up and observing it closer. "Looks expensive."

"Give it back!" Konan repeated, now with an even angrier look on her face.

"I suggest you do as she says." Sneered a voice from behind the ninja, sounding as threatening as ever.

Konan almost gave a sigh of relief when she saw Pein standing angrily behind the large ninja that was holding her locket.

"Do what she says." Pein demanded, getting a killing look in his eye's.

"Oh great another brat." The ninja sneered. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"Why? Want a closer showing of them?" Pein replied in a blank tone, eye's squinted at the enemy. Pein was almost getting ready to attack when he was cut short with Konan's words...

"Please... That's the only thing I got left from my dead parents. It's precious to me." Konan continued in an almost begging kind of voice.

"Don't beg for this thief, Konan." Her partner demanded with firmness.

All of a sudden the enemy ninjas arm flew towards Konan. Konan quickly covered her eyes, mostly being stunned by suddenly being attack out of nowhere. Her hands slowly moved off her face when she soon realised that she hadn't been hit, did Pein stop him or something? No. Her eyes soon revealed that the enemy ninjas hand was placed open right in front of her. "Huh?" She was the only word she could muster.

"I'm not going to say sorry or anything but..." The large ninja replied, still in a rough voice. "I understand. My parents died from this war too and... I know what it's like to have only a one special thing from them. Take it before I change my mind." He demanded it at the end, virtually shoving the locket back into Konan's hand.

"..." Konan was stunned beyond words and just stared at him with an confused face.

"I better go, I'm getting to soft." He grunted and turned around and walked past Pein to reach the door.

"You shouldn't be stealing from a child in the first place." Pein barked, still with the killing look in his eyes. "Especially one that's caught up in this war."

"Whatever, brat." He grunted back in reply and continued to walk up to the door and almost leave.

"Don't ignore when a god's talking to you." Pein continued, not willing to let this incident drop.

This time that made the enemy ninja turn around with a annoyed expression on his face. "Ha, god. You?!" He laughed. "Playing with childish fantasies, huh? There's no god ninja, and even if there was... It wouldn't be from a dump hole like this country."

"Don't mock me." The unusual eyed ninja warned, the look of killing increasing in his eyes.

"Pein, leave it." Konan butted in, with a stern look on her face. "He's leaving and he's given me my parents locket back. There's no need for this."

"Stay out of this, Konan." Her partner replied with a stern look as well.

"This is not needed, Pein. No harm." She continued, not taking his suggestion.

"It's not acceptable to attack my partner like this." Pein insisted with his common blank expression. "It's also not acceptable that he tried taking your locket either, Konan."

"Pein, I'm asking you, please. Don't make a fight out of this." Konan begged, seeing that her best friend wasn't backing down.

"Sorry, Konan. My mind's made up. This guy needs to be punished." Pein continued, mood not shifting in any way, shape or form. Pein shifted his head back towards the door to find the ninja had already disappeared while he was discussing with Konan. Pein hurried towards the door with still no expression.

"Pein, please. Just leave it." Konan added in a last ditch attempt to get him to change his mind.

Pein just continued walking and went through the front door to the outside, not saying a single word in response. As soon as he'd totally left Konan collapsed onto the floor again, trying to regain her breath and shake off her stunned state. The look in her best friend's eye's... Enough to unnerve anybody. She'd never seen him look so mad and vicious, she'd seen the killer look in his eye's before but not that serious... And deadly. The rest of his face was emotionless but the eye's... The eye's on Pein seemed to show what he was really feeling and thinking and judging from what she'd just seen, nothing good for that enemy ninja.

It must've been an hour now since the incident with the enemy ninja but still Konan was stunned. And still her partner was nowhere in sight. Even with his attitude from earlier she still worried about him, didn't want him getting hurt or anything. The only she'd managed to do was close the front door, it was to cold to leave it open. In all the craziness of their lives both her and her partner had forgotten what time of year it really was. Christmas was only a few day's away! When you had a life like them two it was like any other ordinary day, trying to survive and such. What was the point in celebrating? Neither had a family to do that really with. Konan sometimes thought about Christmas and was more aware that it was approaching at times but Pein hadn't mentioned anything, so most likely forgot.

"So cold..." Konan whispered to herself as she tucked a blanket around her in attempts to make her a little warmer. She wished this place had a fire but what more could she really ask for? She had a roof over her head, for now anyway, she should be thankful for just that.

Suddenly the front door swung open and a familiar figure let himself into the house and quietly shut the door behind him, trying to block out the cold. Blood splattered over his top half of his clothing, Konan didn't need to ask anymore. "What did you accomplish by doing that?" She shot at him, giving him a look of distaste.

"What is you're problem?" He shot back, eye's locked on to her as he sat down close to her.

"He gave it back. It was unnecessary." Konan continued, firmness showing in her face. "You just killed someone over nothing."

"What he did was unacceptable." Pein answered simply with minimum effort.

"You couldn't even be bothered to listen to me!" Konan was starting to get really annoyed with her partner now. She asked he several times to quit it and just leave it but no, he had to carry on to the death point when it wasn't needed.

"What you said had to be overruled, I was only doing what's best for you." Pein continued to reply, still with no real effort. Wasn't understanding why she'd be upset over someone that had broken into their place and tried to take her precious locket.

"I'm not a something you can overrule, Pein!" She shouted back at him. "You're supposed to listen to me. Not listen and still do what you want!"

"Cool it, Konan. The job's done." Pein replied blankly.

"I can see that!" She hissed in return and motioned towards his clothing. "And I won't. You're overstepping it! How about I just leave!? How about I just do that?! Then you can go ahead and do what you want without listening to me!" With that Konan got up off the floor, dropping the tucked blanket, and started to walk towards the door.

"...!" For once Pein actually showed a bit of emotion in his face, a look of horror. Didn't like that suggestion, not one bit. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm serious." Konan replied bluntly with a firmness in her face. She just glanced at him for a second, who was still sat on the floor and then turned her attention to walking towards the door.

"And you'd seriously just walk out that door? Without even taking some of your stuff?" Pein continued, now with a tad bit of annoyance on his face. Why was she doing this? Was what he did really that wrong? He was only defending her honour really.

"It doesn't bother me really." Konan replied, not changing her facial direction towards the door. "I've got all I need right on me."

"You wouldn't survive by yourself." Pein commented, now with a frown on his face.

"Maybe... Maybe not." Konan shrugged. "Guess we're going to find out. I know you can look after yourself, no worries there."

Konan was now at the front door and placed her hand on the front door, getting ready to open it. "...!" She was stunned flat when a hand suddenly grasped her wrist with quite some force. She slowly looked to her side to reveal it was Pein's hand that was strongly wrapped around her wrist. "Pein!" She said with a touch of horror in her voice.

"I don't think you leaving is a good idea." Pein announced, face was blank but his eye's were intensely serious.

"What's you're problem?" She said sternly at him, looking at him directly into his swirly eye's. With that she yanked her wrist out of his grasp suddenly but soon found his arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her directly to him. How does he do thing's so quickly!? She thought to herself, trying to turn her head enough to glare at him in the face. I didn't even see him move off the floor! It's like he did that within a bat of an eyelid! I've never seen him move so fast! It's like all of a sudden not only did his personality change but quite a lot of his everything! He's definitely a lot faster and stronger. Why haven't I seen these changes coming? Konan started to try wriggling under his grasp but was quick to find it was useless. Yes, she had become more skilled and strong but it was still no match for her partner. Plus the more she wriggled, the more Pein started to tighten his grasp. Almost putting her into a bear hug from behind. "Pein!" She screamed. "What are you doing?! Stop it! I don't do anything much for you anyway, you'll be alright without me! I won't be getting in you're way anymore, slowing you down."

"... I'm..." Pein whispered with her ear but the second word was so quiet that it couldn't be really heard.

"Huh?" Konan glanced at him with confusion.

"... I'm sorry..." Pein repeated, still in a whisper and was saying it quietly in her ear.

Konan looked behind her in amazement, this was legendary. Did Pein just apologise for something he did? She looked deeply into his eye's and could tell he was being sincere, plus Pein wasn't the kind of guy to be joking around in any situation. He was always very serious about what he said and meant.

"I'm sorry... You're my partner, I should've been listening better..." Pein continued, still in a whispered voice and holding his head right next to hers so she could fully hear it. "It was unnecessary to totally kill him... I'm playing 'god' to early... I've still got so much growing up to do. But then again... His pain does help me grow..."

"You come up with the most weirdest comments sometimes..." Konan whispered to herself and to Pein, finding the last sentences a very weird thing to say.

"Their pain helps me grow up." Pein repeated, still in a whispered tone but starting to sound a little more sinister.

Konan didn't have any response to that, the tone of his voice sent a shiver throughout her body. That just made Pein tighten his grasp even more but not in a threatening kind of way, more of a hugging kind of feel.

"It's like when I killed Yahiko's murderer's..." Pein continued, as if he kind of wanted her to understand. "...And you watched. Don't you remember that feeling? That helps us grow up, Konan. There's more to it, of course, but... I'm sure you'll understand one day. To get what we want... We have to kill to get what we want. And I won't give up till we reach our goals."

"... Our?" Konan asked, not totally happy with what he was saying but once again thought, who was she to judge? Did she really know any better?

"Yes. I'm not just doing it for myself." Pein replied with an insistent tone. "Your goals, are my goals."

"Really?" Konan asked, she now brightened up a little from that current comment. Plus she'd prefer just to blank out the comments her partner had just said and the tone of voice that he'd done it in. It was better to just focus on the sorry part anyway, he'd never been sorry for anything else before, surely that was good enough for now?

"Of course, Konan. No one else matters." Pein replied in a 'matter of fact' tone. He felt Konan's body go a little calmer and knew she was letting go of the tension a bit.

"Could you let go of me now?" Konan finally asked.

"Depends."

"...?"

"Promise me you're not going to walk out of that front door on me." He whispered.

"Why? Why does me going bother you so much?" Konan asked.

"I need you, Konan."

"No you don't. You're more than capable of looking after yourself."

"I need you, it might not be visible to you but I do. You're all I've got, Konan. I don't want to be alone..." Pein explained roughly, still in a blank like tone but there was a slight crack of pleading. "... Even a god doesn't want to be alone..."

Konan heard the crack in his tone of voice and knew her leaving was truly bothering him. Plus he was sounded extremely sorry for not listening to her... Plus if she left... What would she do? Where would she go? She'd be all alone... That thought hurt Konan more than what she thought it ever would. Being alone was her worst fear, her worst nightmare... Pein may have changed but he did mean so much to her too... Like her brother... "Promise... As long as you're sorry."

"... I am sorry. This is a two person team, not just me..." Pein whispered softly, actually having touch of gratefulness in his voice. Glad to hear what she said and with that let her go from his super tight grasp and ushered her back over to sit on her bed.

"Thanks." She replied simply and sat back down and wrapped the blanket back around her.

"... For what?" Pein asked in his casual blank tone.

"For saying sorry. It means a lot to me." Konan smiled.

Pein didn't reply, he hated admitting he was in the wrong for anything and he wasn't repeating it. But he did give a secret smile inside, was happy that it made her happy.

"Pein!" Konan called for her partner. She was standing outside, it might be seriously cold but that shouldn't affect training, at least that was what Pein had said. Often mentioning, what good would a ninja be if he wasn't prepared and wasn't willing to improve himself? And that included in most weathers.

"A problem?" A voice asked suddenly and with that Pein suddenly appeared into view. He kept on shocking and surprising Konan by doing that, he was so fast that you didn't hear or see him coming. But that wasn't a crime was it? That was a good thing really. Just made him a better ninja really.

"Know what day it is?" She asked, looking directly at him.

"... Should I need to?" Pein asked back, wondering what she was getting at.

"Christmas day! Don't tell me you forget!?" Konan blasted but knew that he most likely had.

"Oh... Merry Christmas, Konan." Pein replied in a blank tone, didn't even faze him that he'd forgotten a magical day. "Don't usually remember those things when you're people like us..." He was hinting towards the word, 'orphans'. People with families usually celebrated the holiday.

"... I've got a present for you..." Konan added, in a now sort of saddened voice. She didn't really like being reminded that they didn't have any family to celebrate it with but it was the truth, wasn't it? Can't be angry at someone for mentioning the truth.

"... Konan... You didn't have to..." Pein said softly.

"Well as you know I couldn't afford anything... But I thought... You would be interesting in seeing my new... Technique... I've been working on. I'm hoping you'll like it..." Konan explained with clear nervousness in her voice.

"I'm sure it's fine, Konan." Pein reassured her. "If isn't perfect already I'm sure we can work on it together."

Konan smiled, glad to hear him be supportive, at least he was making an effort. Plus he seemed keen on seeing new things from her, they were still trying to find her 'place', like he was going to be 'god'. With that Konan kept the smile and nodded and followed up by doing hand signs. With that swarms of paper swam around her and started to fix into shaping. Within a minute they attached themselves to her back and formed a rough set of wings. She continued to form them better and better and a few seconds later was starting to look more perfect and her feet started to lift off the ground...

Once Konan started to look more stable using the wings she looked at Pein who for once had a smile on his face. And not even a nasty smirk like smile either! A sincere happy smile! "Like it?" She asked.

"Love it." Pein replied simply. "I think we've just found you're future 'place' to match with me."

"...?" Konan was confused for a second at what he meant.

"My angel." Pein carried on in a soft tone of voice. "God's angel!"

Konan finally understood what he was saying and returned no words but a happy smile. She finally had her future place next to Pein and it matched perfectly! The blue haired ninja was surprised she didn't notice this sooner but was excited and very happy by Pein words and reaction.

"This is the best Christmas present I could ask for, thank you Konan." Pein continued but the smile fainting just a little now. It showed Konan that Christmas miracles could happen, Pein never smiled anymore... Until now! Plus he looked really thankful, a look you didn't really ever get from him.

"I'm glad you like it." Konan replied bashfully.

"It's the best." Pein assured and then started to lift up his long sleeve. He walked over where Konan was flying slightly over the floor. "I've got something you too."

"Really? Thought you'd forgotten it was Christmas." Konan gasped in surprise.

"That was an act... We can't afford things so I didn't know whether you wanted to know..." Pein replied, face now back to it's blank self. He held up his wrist to Konan so she could see what he was on about.

"'K'?" Konan read with question in her voice. On the inner part of his wrist read the letter 'K', it looked like a very deep cut.

"I made it." Pein answered her. "It's to prove my dedication to you, as a best friend and as a partner. I made the cut so deep that it will permanently scar."

"Thanks. That's the best present you could've given me." Konan smiled, loved the dedication behind the 'K' dent in his wrist. Not much happened for the rest of the day but it was all Konan wanted at the same time... They had already been through so much but... They had a long path ahead of them still...