Disclaimer: Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraya do not belong to me.
Author's Note: Just a little Orochimaru+Tsuande oneshot. Pretty angsty, really. Enjoy this one, and I am forever in your debt for reading and reviewing.
The thing I treasure most in life cannot be taken away.
A thirteen-year old girl with golden blonde hair stood alone in a clearing. Her honey brown eyes were closed as she listened closely to her surroundings, the breeze running over her face. She focused carefully, not making a single movement or noise.
Leaves rustled to her left, and she shot up her bent arm to block the approaching fist. Stepping back and kicking her leg out, she sent her attacker flying away from her.
"Tsunade-chan!" A boy's low voice whined. "I can't attack you if you keep blocking me!"
Opening her eyes, she saw the boy sitting about a meter in front of her. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail, further defining his sharp, pale facial features. He was wearing black pants, blue shoes, and a white shirt that almost matched his skin. His silver eyes looked up at hers as his lower lip quivered. She was not phased. "That's the point." She told him calmly.
Crossing his arms across his chest, he opened his mouth to speak. "You never even attack me back! I think you're scared." He stuck his abnormally long pink tongue out at her, sure he had gotten the last word in their argument.
Honey-brown eyes blinked in amusement. "I'm afraid I'd hurt you." She told him point blank. Crouching close to him so she looked right down into his shimmering eyes, she smirked. "Orochimaru-kun, you're just so delicate."
Pride wounded, Orochimaru hissed. "You're just a sissy." He sneered, voice tinted with a good-natured tone.
There will never be a reason why I will surrender to your advice.
Tsunade ignored him, closing her eyes and rocking back onto her heels. Falling back, she sprawled out on her back. Orochimaru crawled over and layed himself down next to her.
"Hey, Tsuna-chan?" He spoke after a minute or two of silence, turning to face her.
She turned her head so her dark sun-like eyes were looking into his. "Hmm?"
A blush, made all the more obvious by the pearly white color of his skin, rose in his cheeks. "Can I tell you a secret?"
Tsunade was a bit taken aback, but didn't show it. Orochimaru wasn't usually one to expose himself to others, but Tsunade took his secret sharing as an oppuntunity to get to know him better. Knowing your teammates well would help them in battle. She listened intently, nodding to him.
His silver eyes flashed uncertainty as he began to speak. "I-I want to become Hokage." He said softly, as if he were afraid that one of the trees would overhear.
Smiling warmly, Tsunade realized that he would make a good Hokage. He was very loyal to his team, and he mulled over tactics and ideas in his head where Jiraya would immediately jump into battle. "And what am I going to do? Cook you food?" She laughed.
Orochimaru smiled, a sight Tsunade enjoyed seeing. "Actually, I would love to have you as part of my coucil." He said kindly, making a slight blush appear on her peachy face.
To change myself, I'd rather die.
Part of his council? The fact that her snake-like teammate valued her opinion showed that he had faith in her descision-making skills. Grinning, she spoke to him. "I would have to make sure to keep you out of trouble, of course." She turned onto her side, facing him, and extended an arm to lightly punch him on the shoulder.
"Only you could, Tsuna-chan." His voice was more lighthearted, his silvery eyes glinting with mischief.
Tsunade's stomach filled with butterflies. She knew Orochimaru could be a troublemaker sometimes, but she didn't realize he had the willpower to even consider behaving himself. And for her? Tsunade was speechless.
Though they will not understand.
Before Tsunade could muster enough intelligent thoughts to say something back, a loud and booming voice sounded from the edge of the clearing. "Tsuna-chan! Orochi-kun!" Jiraya, the third member of their team, bounced up to them. He was wearing the brightest shade of red possible, which peeved Tsunade. Surely an enemy could see him coming from miles away?
Jiraya spoke again after running his fingers through his snowy white hair. "Guys! Wanna go get some ramen with me? I'll pay." He offered, a deal he didn't make very often.
"I'm in." Tsunade replied immediately. "So long as you aren't lying, dobe." She said while laughing jovially. Orochimaru soon agreed, and the three walked out of the clearing in the direction of the ramn shop.
I won't make the greatest sacrifice.
Fourty-seven years later, Tsunade was slammed into the ground by a brutal force. A long pink tongue was wound around her neck, and hands grasped the tan cloth on her arms and held her in the dirt.
Unwraveling his tongue from her neck, her attacker licked his lips before speaking. "Tell me where the scroll is!" She heard his voice, threateningly hissing in her ear. Black hair fell in her face, silver eyes narrowed and looking into her own honey-gold ones.
Spitting up at her former teammate's face, she stayed silent. His nails dug into the fabric of her shirt as he shrieked. "Tell me where the damn scroll is, Tsunade!"
You can't predict where the outcome lies.
Tsunade didn't open her mouth, and instead glared defiantly into his silver irises.
"I will kill you." He said, voice suddenly frightenly calm as his eyes widened slightly, menacingly boring into her soul.
She opened her mouth. "Go ahead." She would rather die at the hands of a former comrade then give away the wereabouts of the scroll that had all of Konoha's secrets inked into it to the enemy. She arched her back slightly, exposing her neck. "Kill me." She dared him.
You'll never take me alive.
Orochimaru stared into her eyes, letting go of one of her arms so he could draw a knife out of his belt. He held it to her throat, drawing blood. Even as the crimson liquid rolled off her neck and into the dust, she didn't flinch.
He pulled the weapon away from her skin. Hissing angrily to himself, he loosened his grip on her arms. This was the woman he had admired from afar for most of his lifetime, his best friend, the person he always had gone to when he needed someone to be there. He hated himself for not killing her, because love and friendship were weaknesses, but he just couldn't kill Tsunade.
I'm alive.
Taking his hands off her arms, Orochimaru disappeared as he leapt off her and up into the treetops. Tsunade lay there a moment, breathing heavily.
He had let her live. The one time he had ever gotten close enough to defeat her, he had stopped. Tsunade's heart beat wildly as she wondered why he would possibly let her live without obtaining his information.
She had seen him take out people without having a second thought, he was ruthless. He had no emotions, no doubts, no regrets. He was Orochimaru.
I'm alive.
Sitting up slowly and ripping part of the bottom of her shirt off, she pressed the cloth to the blood that was slowly spilling past her skin. She remembered his words from the clearing that day he had first told her of his lust for power.
"Only you could, Tsuna-chan."
Only she could escape from his clutches alive.
I'm alive.