Retirement Never Seemed So Nice
The first time Tsunade met was him was the first time she decided that she would get completely wasted at the local bar.
A month after Dan's death.
Tsunade stared at her Sake cup with distaste.
She hated the way it tasted, but she heard what the feeling was like; being there but not there (whatever that meant), and with what she had been feeling since Dan died…
She picked up the cup and made a face.
"You know…you don't have to drink if you really don't want to."
Tsunade almost dropped the cup in surprise. She looked to her right.
Since when was somebody sitting next to her?
"…what?"
The man looked at her and smiled slightly, "You were looking at that cup like it was the devil…"
Tsunade blushed, embarrassed, "Well, um…"
She took a good look at him.
He was wearing all black. Black long sleeved shirt, vest, pants, and shoes.
He was great deal taller than her, purple ringed eyes, auburn hair…nose piercings?
Tsunade smiled weakly and pointed to her nose, "I, er, like your nose…"
The man nodded and took a sip of what looked to be coffee.
Tsunade couldn't believe herself. She felt like a child, her mind racing and blushing and such.
She was embarassed. She was the top medic nin in Konoha, and probably the strongest female ninja they had ever produced.
"Are you ok?"
Tsunade was snapped out of her ravine.
"What?"
"…you were mumbling to yourself about strong females…"
Tsunade found herself blushing again.
Dammit, she was a grown woman!
"Ah…it was nothing. I guess I'm just tired."
The man looked at the entrance way as three men, also dressed in black.
"…I have to go, it was nice meeting you…?"
"Tsunade."
"It was definitely nice to meet you, Tsunade."
Tsunade was surprised when he lowered his head and whispered, "Go to sleep early…wouldn't want such a lovely face to go without sleep."
Tsunade new the exact reason why her face felt hot and why she could feel her heart racing.
And she hated herself for it.
Tsunade gulped her Sake in one determined swallow as she watched the man walk out of the bar.
She did not need this. Not now.
XXX
Tsunade would meet up with him seven months later.
He had asked her to get some coffee with him. She agreed.
Tsunade noticed immediately that he found conversing uncomfortable, and he wasn't very good at it, so she took the liberty to do most of the talking for them.
After a couple of hours, their conversation had lulled to a comfortable stand still when Tsunade piped up,
"You know, it's my birthday tomorrow!"
He raised an eyebrow, "Really…"
Tsunade smiled slyly, "You gonna get me anything?"
"…depends."
Tsunade closed her eyes and smiled.
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"…what kind of things do you like?"
Tsunade put a finger on her chin and said, "Ne…I don't know…surprised me!"
He said nothing and took a sip of his coffee.
"Say, when is you're birthday?"
"…exactly twenty-one days from this day."
"Oh really? What do you like, Mr. Mysterious?"
He looked out the winder and said simply, "Brown eyed blondes with an attitude."
Tsunade spat out her coffee, "W-w-what?"
He stood up and sighed, "I've got to go. Make sure you don't drink too much. It's bad for the complexion."
He walked away.
Tsunade stared as he walked away.
…his butt is so cute.
Tsunade slammed her head into the table and whimpered.
Remember Tsunade, you are a grown woman! The epitome of female strength!
She groaned, her resolve weakening.
She was falling, and falling hard.
XXX
Later that night, Tsunade and Shizune were at a restaurant, trying to figure out what to eat.
Shizune looked up from her menu.
"…so who was that man you were with?"
Tsunade set her menu down, "What man?"
"The one you were with this afternoon."
"He's nobody important."
"Sure seemed like it. Never seen you blush like that before."
"W-were you spying on me? And he is just my friend."
"I wouldn't call it spying…but I know how friends act…I've even seen how friends with sexual tension act and they don't even act like that."
Tsunade stared at Shizune.
"Tch."
She crossed her arms.
"What would a thirteen year old know about this kind of stuff?"
Shizune looked at her menu again.
"Please, any moron could see that you like him."
Tsunade rubbed her temples.
She needed a drink.
XXX
The next day, Shizune woke Tsunade up.
"Tsunade-sama! There's a package at the door…and it's making noise!"
"W-what?" Tsunade asked groggily.
Shizune pushed Tsunade to the hotel door and opened it.
Tsunade looked down to see a medium shaped, white box.
Tsunade opened it and lifted out the content carefully.
Shizune gaped.
A pig!
Tsunade smiled slightly.
"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune trailed off hesitantly.
Tsunade laughed a little, "Either he has a weird sense of humor, or he just has no idea what girls like."
XXX
Tsunade was nervous.
She was nervous about what he would think of his present.
Tsunade fiddled with her pigtails.
Out of all the character traits God gave her, patience was not something she was blessed with.
Tsunade almost squeaked when she heard the foot steps in the other room.
She ran and saw him standing there taking off his black cloak.
"Tsunade…hello."
Tsunade smiled brightly, "Happy Birthday!"
He smiled in response.
"I, um, didn't buy you a present, uh, but, I decided that, er…"
Tsunade blushed as she saw the amused look on his face.
"Eh…I...I love...um...well…just damn it all to hell."
Tsunade jumped on him and kissed him something fierce.
…
Tsunade woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee.
She stumbled into the other room of the hotel room and saw him sitting on the couch.
She smiled at him, "Hi."
He patted the couch next to him.
"Hello Tsunade."
She sat next him and sighed happily.
"…Tsunade, I have to leave soon."
"Why?"
"…I have…business to attend to."
Tsunade nodded.
He stood up and grabbed his cloak.
As he closed the door, she mumbled softly, "I love you."
After a couple of moments, the door reopened and she looked at him in surprise.
His voice rang loud and clear, "…I love you more than you'll ever know."
He closed the door and Tsunade sat in shock.
She had better etch that into her memory. That would probably be the only time she would ever hear that come out of his mouth.
Tsunade put her head into her hands.
She really needed something to drink.
XXX
A year later, he found her once more.
It was a brief meeting.
"Tsunade."
Tsunade smiled at him, "I've missed you."
He said nothing, but he placed something in her hand.
"This will probably be the last time you'll see me."
"W-what?"
"…I have a duty I need to do…and it will take all of my effort."
Tsunade stared at her hand.
A ring. A black and red ring.
"Why?"
"…I'll never leave you, Tsunade. You are important to me."
Tsunade didn't have it in her to cry.
"Tsunade…I'm sorry."
Tsunade regained her composer, "Why are you apologizing? You're so silly, I understand."
Tsunade looked up.
He was truly a powerful person.
A born leader.
She made sure to remember what he looked like.
The hair, the eyes…the black cloak with red clouds on it.
She looked at the ring once more.
When she finally looked back up, he was gone.
XXX
It had been years since they last met.
Tsunade sat in the Hokage's office, absently playing with her ring.
She could clearly remember the day when Jiraiya told her of Akatsuki.
"So, these Akatsuki people…who are they?"
Jiraiya sat down across from Tsunade and said, "I don't know much them except for the fact that they are all powerful, and that they wear black cloaks with red clouds on them."
Tsunade's breath hitched. "What?"
Jiraiya looked at her curiously, "Do you know them?"
Tsunade said nothing.
Tsunade got completely drunk for seven nights in a row.
When she thought about it, she didn't think she was heartbroken.
She had given up on her heart years ago.
But she was pissed.
Tsunade sighed.
And yet, for all the things that stupid Akatsuki had done, she couldn't bring herself to hate him.
XXX
When Naruto told her that Akatsuki had been defeated, Tsunade was deeply ashamed.
Ashamed by the fact that she was torn.
Between happiness and sadness.
But she showed them a strong Tsunade who was sure of herself, and that night they celebrated.
When she asked Naruto about the details, he simply said that they destroyed the statue they kept the demons in, and the remaining Akatsuki fled.
Several years went by and no one outside the close nit ninjas could remember who the Akatsuki were.
But as others held it at the back of their minds, Tsunade was always thinking about him.
Always.
XXX
Tsunade couldn't remember ever feeling so much pride.
She had finally passed on the title of Hokage to Uzumaki Naruto.
And as she watched him, and she couldn't remember him looking so happy.
Today he outshone the sun.
She had the sudden urge to cry.
Shizune looked at Tsunade curiously as she saw the tears streak down her face.
She had never seen Tsunade cry.
Not once.
XXX
Tsunade sat on her bed, thinking about her future.
She was retiring soon. Very soon.
And she wasn't sure what she would do with herself.
Maybe she could finish Ino and Sakura's training.
Maybe even take on some new apprentices.
Maybe.
Tsunade fell into an uneasy sleep.
…
Tsunade awoke to a bright sun.
And when she rubbed her eyes and tried to curl into her pillow, she noticed another person was in her bed.
Her eyes shot open to see a red haired man with nose piercings, snoring very lightly.
Tsunade gasped.
He opened his eyes slightly, his face still showing sleep.
"…I've missed you Tsunade."
Tsunade put a hand on his cheek.
"Oh god, have I missed you."
He yawned and pulled her to him.
"…well…now that you're not the leader of Konoha and I'm not the leader of Akatsuki…"
Tsunade smiled at him.
"Just shut up and move in with me. I wasn't born with patience, so let's just skip the whole make up session."
He raised an eyebrow.
Tsunade raised one of her own.
"What? You never did anything that would need a make up session."
He smirked.
Tsunade glanced at him.
"…now get your dirty self off of my clean bed and go take a shower."
The End
The Queen of Ramen
Ramenism
If I owned Naruto, The leader of Akatsuki and Tsunade would be married and have seventeen children.
I must admit, knowing his name would have made this a lot easier.
I've used the words him and he way too much.
Hey, hey, if you have a pairing that you like, but have not seen any stories on them, contact me.
Crack pairings Love.
Hope you liked it!
