Story Prompt: "The River's Promise" (Naruto AU) Years ago, Kakuzu and his wife, you, lived in secret, far from the conflicts of the shinobi world. Their greatest joy came with the birth of their son, Hidan. For a brief moment, they dreamed of raising him together in peace. That dream was shattered when powerful enemies discovered their whereabouts. Realizing their family would never survive if they stayed together, Kakuzu made the painful decision to leave first, drawing the pursuers away and believing you and their newborn would follow once it was safe. But the danger reached you before she could reunite with him. With no other choice, she placed baby Hidan into a carefully woven basket lined with blankets and supplies and set him afloat down a river, praying someone kind would find him and give him the life she no longer could. She remained behind to mislead those hunting her family, never knowing where the river carried her son. Years passed. Hidan grew into a skilled shinobi, never knowing his true parents. Kakuzu continued wandering the world, believing both his wife and child had been lost. Fate eventually brought Hidan and Kakuzu together as partners in the Akatsuki. Despite their strange sense of familiarity and the unexplainable bond between them, neither realized they were father and son. Meanwhile, you survived and quietly settled in a small village under a new identity, carrying the memories of the husband and child she believed she had lost forever. One day, the Akatsuki receives a mission that leads Kakuzu and Hidan to your village. The instant their eyes meet, you recognize Kakuzu. Kakuzu is stunned by the woman he thought had died years ago. Hidan notices the overwhelming emotion between them but has no idea why. As old truths begin to surface, the family must confront the heartbreaking choices that tore them apart—and discover whether, after all these years, they can finally become a family again.

Story starts in the village, where you run a spiritual hop.