Author Note: This just popped into my head and I had the urge to write it out, no questions asked.
Italicized = Thoughts.
Always Watching Over You
It was nighttime. She felt the cold, crisp, air, brush right through her. She honestly, could not believe where she was standing in front of.
His apartment.
She couldn't help but feel…sad.
For some odd reason, she was sober. She didn't drink for the whole day, which made Shizune worry. She reassured her that she was perfectly fine, but Shizune knew she wasn't. Shizune knew what today was, so she didn't push Tsunade's buttons.
Tsunade walked slowly up the stone steps. When she got to the top, she stood at the front of his door.
It was hard enough dragging herself here. She never wanted to come back to his apartment, but for some reason, the inside of herself told her to come back.
He told her to come back.
She despised herself for listening to him. Listening to a dead man. However, she just had to.
She slowly brought up her hand and placed it firmly on the doorknob. Again, she paused for a few minutes, but finally opened it.
Step by step, leg by leg, she walked in and shut the door. His apartment was surprisingly neat.
Tsunade wasn't surprised, not even Naruto walked into his apartment. His living room didn't have much. Not even a television. Just two plain couches and a computer desk where he probably wrote his stories.
"Hmph. Really now? No television? I guess he preferred himself to be in a porno rather than watching people do it."
She walked into the kitchen, turning on the light switch. On the table were mostly canned foods with long shelf life, considering that he was on missions most of the time.
On the kitchen counter was a bottle of her favorite sake. She walked to it, and grabbed it. She opened a cabinet and got out not one, but two glasses.
She didn't know why she grabbed two glasses. Maybe she didn't want to feel lonely. Nonsense, she just grabbed it for the hell of it.
She exited his kitchen and turned off the light. The only place left was his room. The bathroom didn't have much, so she didn't mind it. She had to be honest with herself, she hated being here.
She lowered her head, bangs covering her eyes, and started walking slowly across the hall, to his door. While walking, she left a trail.
A trail of crystal, clear tears. She also heard thunder outside. The sky was crying with her too.
"He won't mind…he's dead anyways…"
She got to his bedroom door. It didn't take her long to open this door, for some reason. As she opened the door, her eyes widened and Tsunade let out a light gasp.
"Hime." a stern, but gentle voice called out to her.
Tsunade couldn't believe it. It was him. It was Jiraiya, smiling and sitting on his bed.
"J-Jiraiya…" Tsunade whispered. "Is it really you?" she asked with desperation in her voice.
Jiraiya chuckled. "You aren't the one to cry. Stop being so weak, hime. Oh and, yes. It really is me."
Tsunade scowled and wiped her tears with her arm. She walked over to his nightstand and set down the sake bottle and two glasses.
She raised her fist in the air, ready to punch Jiraiya in the face. Jiraiya shut his eyes tightly, waiting for her to beat the crap out of him, just like old times.
Instead, Jiraiya felt her hands cup his face and her lips crush onto his. He was shocked. Tsunade? Of all people? Kissing him? He thought he'd never see the day, even when he was dead.
Jiraiya had no choice but to take advantage of it. He knew if Tsunade was showing her emotions out in the open, then that someone was special. He brought his hands to her face, kissing her back. He felt Tsunade's tears flow against his cheeks.
Jiraiya broke the kiss and looked into her beautiful, amber eyes. They were filled with tears, and he could not bear the sight of it. He wiped her tears with his thumbs tenderly.
"I'm sorry I didn't come back." he frowned.
Tsunade sighed deeply. "I knew I shouldn't have made that bet in the first place. I was just…so sure that you would come back, but you didn't…"
Jiraiya shook his head. He mentally punched himself in the face. He couldn't believe he broke his promise to her.
"Get the sake. I'm surprised you haven't drank all day." Jiraiya said chuckled. Tsunade did what she was told, and handed the sake to him with the glasses.
"I haven't ate anything all day, either."
"Hime, you need to take care of yourself." he warned her as he opened the sake bottle and began to pour it in the glasses.
"I do take care of myself." Tsunade shrugged.
"I don't want you to suffer because of me." he handed a glass to Tsunade. She gladly took it and sipped her cup. It's only been hours and Tsunade felt like she hadn't drank in ages.
"How could you say that to me? You know what today is." Tsunade looked into Jiraiya's eyes and clenched her teeth.
Jiraiya nodded. "The anniversary of my death."
"Exactly." Tsunade chugged her glass and held out her hand. Jiraiya poured more. He always knew Tsunade could take in a lot. He was barely done with his glass.
"I want…you to come back." Tsunade couldn't believe she was saying it, but she truly missed him. She missed when he fooled around in the hot springs, asked her out on dates, and made fun of her.
"You know I can't do that." Jiraiya put his arm around her shoulder. Tsunade leaned on him.
"I hate you, idiot." Tsunade muttered.
"I love you too." Jiraiya smiled and kissed the top of her head.
Tsunade sighed. "It's hard coming here."
Jiraiya chuckled. "Took you all day. I was surprised once you got here. I thought you'd destroy everything, but you seemingly came here sober. What a great achievement." he grinned.
"Shut up. This particular room has too many memories." Tsunade blushed, remembering the night they shared together.
"On this exact bed too. I didn't wash my sheets for a week. I was too proud of myself to do so." Jiraiya smiled. Even though he had the chance to be with her once, it was well worth it.
"You're disgusting."
"It's called preserving your love. The next week I washed my sheets, I died a little inside, knowing that I could never do anything like that to you ever again." Jiraiya took a sip of his sake.
"Whatever. I sort of…don't regret sleeping with you anyways. Why do you even have a bottle of this here? I thought you were the type to drink at bars, not at home." Tsunade said, changing the subject.
Jiraiya appreciated that Tsunade didn't really regret what they did, at least now he can go back to heaven in peace. "I only got it because I know it's your favorite, and I knew you were coming." he smiled.
"I guess." Tsunade said, in simplicity.
"You know I don't have a lot of time, hime." Jiraiya reminded her. "I won't be here tomorrow."
"I hate you. I don't want you to leave!" Tsunade yelled.
"I was waiting for that." Jiraiya said.
"Why do you have to leave? Why did you have to be so STUPID and die like that? You left me! You promised you would come back!" Tsunade got up from the bed and stood in front of him. She dropped her glass, but it didn't shatter.
"I know. I'm sorry, Tsunade-hime. You're wrong about one thing though. I did not leave you. I will never leave you." Jiraiya assured her.
"You're lying. I don't get to see you everyday."
"I see you from above. Remember I'm always watching over you." Jiraiya got up from the bed hugged Tsunade tightly.
Tsunade stood limp. She did not hug back. Her tears were coming back, wetting his clothes.
"Don't cry, hime. You've had enough of that." Jiraiya stroked her hair. Tsunade cried out and clung onto Jiraiya.
"I'm sorry…" Jiraiya kept on hugging her tight. Tsunade was shaking. She has never cried so hard in her entire life, even when Dan and Nawaki died. Tsunade regrets holding in her feelings for so long.
"Please stop, you're breaking my heart, hime." Jiraiya buried his face in her shoulder.
After a few minutes of crying, she stopped. She was exhausted. Jiraiya carried her and laid her onto his bed. Tsunade crawled into fetus position, covering her eyes with her arms.
Jiraiya walked over to the other side of the bed, and laid next to her. He got his blanket, and pulled it over the both of them. There was a slight gap in between the two, and he looked at Tsunade.
"Come here, hime." Jiraiya opened his arms. Tsunade sniffed and revealed her puffy red eyes. The curtains next to them was open, just a crack. It was still raining.
She looked into Jiraiya's eyes. She knew he was waiting for her, to be in his arms. She carefully crawled into Jiraiya's grasp.
Jiraiya secured his arms around Tsunade's waist and held her close. Tsunade buried her face in his chest. They were so close to each other, they could suffocate. They both didn't care though. All they wanted was to be together.
"I love you, hime. So much." Jiraiya whispered into Tsunade's ear.
Tsunade looked up into his eyes.
Dark, onyx, eyes met light, sweet, amber eyes.
"I love you too." she whispered back. Jiraiya pulled Tsunade in a long kiss. After they broke apart, Tsunade looked at Jiraiya one last time, and fell asleep.
The next day…
Tsunade's eyes fluttered open. She was all alone, in bed. She got up from his bed, and looked around the room. She saw two glasses, and a half empty sake bottle sit on the nightstand.
"So I wasn't dreaming. He really was here."
Tsunade fixed his bed, making it nice and neat. After she fixed his bed, she grabbed the sake bottle and chugged the rest of it. She then took the glasses with her and put it in the kitchen.
"This place is depressing. I should leave now…"
Once Tsunade reached the door, there was a small envelope taped on it. The envelope had her name on it, so she took it off the door and began to read it.
Dear Tsunade,
Thank you for last night. Now this is what I want you to do, and you must listen to me, whether you like it or not. I want you to live life. Keep going, until you die. Got it? Don't give up on me now. Just please, do it for me. When the time comes, you'll be with me for eternity, unfortunately. I know how much you hate me, but I know how much you love me at the same time. I love you, a lot. Now turn around, and look what's on my computer desk. I want you to have it. Wear it. I've always wanted to give it to you. Also, remember I'm always going to be watching over you, whether you notice it or not.
I love you,
Jiraiya
Tsunade folded the letter and put it in the pocket of her green cloak. She turned around and saw a picture frame of her and Jiraiya, when they were teenagers. Next to the picture was a small, blue box.
Tsunade walked to his computer desk, and examined the picture. She didn't even remember taking it, but she had to admit, she liked the picture. The next thing she examined was the blue box. Tsunade opened it, revealing a diamond ring sitting in the middle of it.
Tsunade gasped to herself. She was surprised and happy at the same time. She took it out of the box and placed it on her finger. It fit perfectly. The ring twinkled at her.
Tsunade smiled lightly and exited his apartment. It was no longer raining, the sun was shining bright.
"I just married a dead man. You're an idiot, Jiraiya, you know that? Well, even though you're a dumbass, you're mine."
Tsunade walked over to the rail. She saw the people of Konoha.
"Well, it's a new day. I better get going to Hokage Tower before Shizune worries again."
Tsunade walked down the steps and walked to Hokage Tower. As Tsunade walked, she looked up in the sky. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, but she smiled.
A familiar man smiled at her back.
"Of course I knew you weren't lying when you said you'd watch over me. You idiot."
"I love you." Tsunade mouthed at Jiraiya in the sky.
"I love you, more." Jiraiya grinned, as he disappeared into the clouds.
Tsunade laughed quietly to herself and continued walking to Hokage Tower.
Author Note: How was it? I enjoyed writing this. I really did. Review please. Thank you for reading!