A/N: Ok, just to say, I gave that whole Hashirama chapter the barest of skims…I mean, I looked at the pictures for a few seconds, and saw Hashirama, saw Tsunade, saw cards…so do excuse me for the lack of detail, and any inaccuracies that may (will) occur.
Luck Be My Lady
By LawlietLennoxLove
"NOOOOO!"
The offending cards were thrown up in the air, coming down like oversized confetti. A losing hand, again. Hashirama barely contained a chuckle, and the result was that it was a great gale of laughter that burst out in its stead, much to the chagrin of the scowling child opposite him. Whilst he was rocking his chair with his mirth, the girl, with hair up in two pigtails made messy by frustration and wild roving-abouts, was up on her feet, and currently putting those feet to good use. Namely, stamping them as hard as she could, shaking her fists and shouting, too, at the top of her lungs, just in case some shinobi or civilian fifty miles away hadn't yet realised that little Tsunade was having a tantrum. …Again.
"Now, now, Tsunade," Hashirama grins, failing spectacularly to look stern. "That's not the type of behaviour that befits any shinobi, much less-"
He's interrupted (well, what did he expect) by Tsunade (surprise surprise) pulling at his hair.
"I've decided," she began. Yes, Tsunade was nothing if not decisive. It was just that she happened to be decisive every ten minutes. But oh, yes, when she had an idea she'd stick to it with all the spirit (and superglue) of a limpet.
"Are you listening!"
"Uh…of course." Liar, was what anyone else would have instantly accused, but Tsunade didn't so much as notice anything. Well, no wonder she was so terrible at poker. Or any other card game. Or gambling, full stop.
"…and I want a nickname, too. I mean, you have too many! And some of them are so boring, like 'Hokage'. What kind of a person calls themselves Hokage? I-" Nope, no eye for value either.
"…so, from now on you'll call me Miss Fortune."
He almost splits his sides laughing.
"And so you sneaked out past midnight?" He's almost disbelieving, that anyone, even Tsunade, would have the….guts? Said Tsunade nods, defiant. "And drove everyone near crazy looking for you? None of us could sleep, you know! We were worried!"
She glares, crossing her arms. "I can look after myself, she defends, looking distinctly unimpressed by their lack of confidence in her. "I was fine." It was a good thing that looks couldn't kill: there would be two bodies to scrape off the street otherwise.
He groans in response, giving up on the idea of pursuing his lecture. Plenty of others could do that: he needn't waste the effort. He may as well go lecture a doorpost, anyway, for all the message was getting through; at least a doorpost wouldn't come flying back at his face.
"So…care to enlighten my where you went?" Her response is prompt.
"M-hm, the gambling den."
It was lucky, that being weak of heart wasn't one of Hashirama's many and wonderful traits. Otherwise, Konoha might just have had to find themselves a new Hokage, there and then.
"That notorious place?"
"Yes," she flings back at him. "The very one that you slip off to every other night."
It occurs to him that it might be a bad thing that he feels like laughing. Ah, but surely he wasn't…irresponsible?
"And what business did Miss Fortune have in a gambling den?" he couldn't help sniping. Responsibility, haha.
"Lady," she flashes at him. Well, that was certainly an…interesting…response. Never mind that it had no connection whatsoever to their conversation.
"Lady," she emphasizes, seeing his blank expression. (Yes, he really did feel so much more enlightened.) "Lady Tsunade," she adds, impatient. Oh. "And. I'm going again tonight, whether you like it or not, so if you really want me to be safe you've better take me with you."
He's definitely grinning. Damn. But he reaches out and arm, anyway. Such cheek deserved something in reward.
"Come on then, my lady."
That night, Hashirama lost all his games.
A/N: Ah, lucky little Tsunade.