Title: Days Gone By
Rating: PG
Pairing: Orochimaru/Jiraiya
Summary: Something special once existed between them and now its time to say goodbye to it for good.
A/N: This was done as a drabble exchange on LJ and boy it was fun. Hard pair to right but quiet fun especially since I have never wrote a Naruto fic before. Unbetaed. Dedicated to Matsutake for wanting a JiraiyaOrochimar drabble )
It was a beautiful day outside and the perfect day for peeping. Laughter could be heard from within the public baths and especially the ladies area. A tall white haired man carefully sneaked towards it and had a wicked grin on his face. Today was a good day for peeping and he would get good mental images for his next book.
Raising a hand, he was about to open the door when a loud obnoxious voice called out, "Ero-sennin what do you think you are doing? Are you peeping in the bathhouse again?"
Screams could be heard coming from inside and Jiraiya's face fell. Turning around he glared at the blond boy and shook at fist at him.
"Stop calling me that! And anyways Naruto what are you doing here?"
Naruto shrugged and pointed at his companion. "I was following him again?"
Said person glared at the other boy and frowned. "Stop pointing at me Naruto and stop following me."
"Oh ho and why should I Sasuke……..kun?"
Sasuke narrowed his black eyes. "Because it is rude to point dobe."
"Don't call me dobe!"
"Well then don't point at me!"
"Why you!"
Jiraiya let out a huff and rolled his eyes. He continued to watch as the two boys argued and couldn't help smile. Naruto and Sasuke always bickered with each other and yet there friendship sparkled though. The way the two of them would fight over the littlest things or even call each other such silly names. And yet dare anyone else say something or threaten the other then they would defend each other to the death if need be. Somehow they both reminded him of his old teammate Orochimaru and him from so long ago. Once upon a time before they became the legendary Sennin, they had been a three man team with Tsunade. He sometimes wondered if he had perhaps fought for Orochimaru as hard as Naruto had fought for Sasuke then maybe things could have been different. Maybe then Orochimaru might not have taken the dark path he had taken but instead stayed with him forever. Maybe then that something special between them would have lasted instead of dying so suddenly. Letting out a tired sigh, he left the two boys and vanished in a puff of smoke.
It was dark and gloomy in the clearing when Jiraiya appeared there several hours later. In one hand he held a Sake bottle and strolled over to the small lake. The moon reflected off its surface and he smiled faintly. Sitting down on the ground, he fished in his clothes and pulled out two small cups. Placing them both on the ground, he popped the cork on the Sake and began to pour them.
"I see you remember then." A gravely voice hissed from behind.
Jiraiya let out a small chuckle. "How could I forget?"
A gentle hand grasped his jaw and tilted it back. Black hair spilled around him and warm lips met his. The kiss seemed to last forever and yet in reality only for a few seconds.
Opening his eyes Jiraiya smiled up at his companion. "How could I forget the place and day were you told me you loved me, Orochimaru?"
"And the same place and day when I told you goodbye." Orochimaru said quietly.
A pained grimace flashed across Jiraiya's face and then he turned away. He listened as his old lover sat down next to him and felt a gentle touch on his shoulder.
"I never did stop loving you Jiraiya but what we once had must stay in the past."
Jiraiya turned around and faced his companion. Raising a hand, he cupped the pale face and shook his head. "But what if I don't want it to remain in the past? What if I want it to remain in the present and never die?"
"Then you are truly a fool. Now I am head of Sound and enemy to the Hidden Leaf village." Orochimaru stood up and walked closer to the lake. He gazed up at the stars and smiled bitterly. "For my dreams to succeed the love we once had must die Jiraiya."
Jiraiya stood up and walked over to his ex-lover. Spinning him around, he grasped the pale arms and shook him angrily. "How can you say that? Didn't what we have between us meant anything to you? Didn't what we share when we were teammates mean anything? Dammit answer me!"
A cold chuckle escaped purple lips and then Orochimaru shoved him away. Cold yellow black eyes glared at Jiraiya and he shivered.
"If you have to ask such foolish questions like that then you really don't know me at all. Either way I have come to say goodbye to our love forever."
"No I…." Jiraiya's words fizzled out as he watched a tear slide down Orochimaru's pale cheek. Yellow black eyes met his and the sadness in them, made a few tears slide down his face as well. He knew that no matter what he said or did, Orochimaru would not listen. In that moment he realized that the past and love was truly dead between them.
Orochimaru smiled sadly and shook his head. "It is wrong to torment us both in this manner Jiraiya and you should just let me go." Wiping the tear away, Orochimaru took a few steps back and looked at him one last time. "When next we meet we will be enemies again Jiraiya and this time I will stop at nothing in achieving my dreams."
Bowing his head, Jiraiya nodded. "So be it."
"Then farewell beloved."
Snapping up his head, Jiraiya let out a pained gasp and watched as the one he loved faded from view. Collapsing to his knees, he threw back his head and let out a howl of grief. Broken dreams lay around him and nothing he could do could stop his love from walking away.
In the distant, Orochimaru listened to his lost love for a moment and walked away.
The End