Sacrifices: When Things Go Dark by WonderBat
SUMMARY: How far would you go for the one you love? The gift of sight still remains useless without the gift of love. [JiraTsu RNR PLS !
AUTHOR'S NOTE: SACRIFICESis a series of Tragedy/Romance or Drama/Romance shipfics I have written for various categories. Please support this crazy idea of mine. You really don't have to be an expert on the category. The plots are very easy to relate with. Some of you might even know my stories already. Either way, no flames: please and thank you. Read and review!
A./N.2; I wrote this within 3 hours' haste and a gap of about another 3 hours before the ending. Please forgive me if it's not satisfactory enough for ya. :P Read & review, either way! TY!
"I never thought you knew how to smoke." Jiraiya was stunned at Tsunade's sudden actions. Tsunade stood up and exhaled one last puff of thick nicotine-filled smoke.
"I learned three years ago." Tsunade answered without much concern or effort. She put out the fire of the cigarette on her ceramic ashtray and swept past Jiraiya, who, at this point, was still serious and concerned. "I stopped though. And thanks to you, this job brought my way back to it."
Tsunade opened her enormous glass window that was behind Jiraiya and swooshed all the smoke she produced outside the office.
"But Tsunade-Hime—"
"Shh!" Tsunade placed two of her fingers on his lips. "Don't call me that, okay? Alright." She let go of him and he started to talk again.
"As much as I know, smoking is really dangerous Tsunade."
"Yeah yeah, dangerous schmangerous." Tsunade waved a bored hand at him and sat back down on her chair, searching for the papers she was working on even before Jiraiya came by when he saw her lighting up a stick of cigarette.
"Especially at your age." Jiraiya had a hint of extreme cautiousness in his tone for he knew damn well Tsunade was very sensitive about age matters.
She stopped.
Tsunade turned her chair to him and had a violent expression. Jiraiya, on the other hand, was ready for it. He knew it was going to happen but he could not resist lecturing her about it. He was too concerned because he really has this emotional…attachment to her that she doesn't even dare feel or think.
"I'm just telling you the truth. No offense or personal smut with it."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes on him, but then it was focused behind him.
Jiraiya noticed her eyes flickering up and down in little slits. It was as if her eyesight was flawed. He looked behind him and was dumbfounded when there really was nothing in there. He turned back and was more dumbfounded when Tsunade stood there, inches away from him, and threatened him with a deadly voice…and a deadly view of something down there.
"Listen Jiraiya. I have been exhausted for the past few days, and I don't want any more lectures coming from you, got it?" She said lowly, in that hissing tone he rarely heard from her. "Now, if you would just leave, I won't hurt you." She backed away and let him breathe.
'Would it even make a difference? You always do that, that's not something I should be surprised about.' He wanted to shout that in her face, and to tell her that he's only doing as such for her own good. But she never really seemed to care.
Jiraiya just looked down, maintaining his pride on neutral. Tsunade did not wait. He knew how Jiraiya came to be a very obedient person, especially to her. So she sat back down and made herself busy with the paper works.
She turned around to check on him, but he was already gone.
After a few months, Jiraiya came back to Konoha and was surprised to see Tsunade in her office…not sleeping.
He smiled and decided to pay her a little visit before leaving for another 'research'.
"Hey hime." He welcomed himself inside and sat on Tsunade's desk.
"Hey yourself." Tsunade did not look back at him but continued to sign things on her desk.
"Hey! What's up with the props?" he took off the spectacles that have been hanging onto her nose. She shrieked.
"Jiraiya!" She got it back and almost stumbled on the way doing it. "This is not a prop!" She sat down furiously; Jiraiya was surprised.
"You wear glasses now?"
"You got a problem with that?"
"Couldn't you just, you know, cure yourself?"
Tsunade sighed and looked at him.
"Look Jiraiya, I can deceive people about my age and what I look like, heck, I may even be the best medic around! But, I am not an expert on eyesight problems." She let out a confident chuckle; Jiraiya was confused. "Don't worry, it's not as if I'm gonna go blind, you know!"
"Well…We can't really say…"
"Jiraiya! Why are you always discouraging people? Go on with your research or something instead of bothering me in here."
And being the slave one for his love, he left.
For another three years, he did not return. It was the first day of August that he remembered something.
'Oh darn, tomorrow's Tsunade-Hime's birthday.'
He decided to go to Konoha that very same day and when he went to his usual hang-out, he didn't see Tsunade by the huge window that he could see from atop his tree.
He let himself in the office, as he has always had. It was completely empty. Things inside it have changed. The mess of paper works was gone and the room rather looked formal. The photos of the past Hokage's were hung around the office, including Tsunade's.
He was bothered when the door suddenly opened. Shizune turned on the lights and slightly jumped when she saw Jiraiya in the middle of the now spacious room.
"Oh, Jiraiya-sama. How have you been?" Shizune cheerfully greeted him. But, she was a little too cheerful, which made Jiraiya think she was just covering something up behind those sweet smiles.
"What happened to this office, Shizune?" Jiraiya started to worry.
"Uhm…" She took an audible gulp and looked down on the carpeted floor.
"Well?" His patience was running short. 'Not Tsunade.' He was starting to tremble. 'If anything happened to her…'
"Jiraiya-sama…this is no longer Tsunade-sama's office. She has been long replaced."
"Replaced?" He was of total shock by the statement. "Wha-What happened?" It was almost a whisper; he did not seem to be ready for all this.
"Come with me." Shizune left immediately, not even bothering to get Jiraiya's answer.
They were walking along the long corridor, even the walls were changed in color. The carpet was no longer the scarlet one and the ceiling had new shades of light. He was enlightened when he saw a tall figure by the building's window, her pigtails behind her back and…well, he did not even bother because a smile already formed in his uncontrollable lips.
Shizune did not utter a word and bowed down in front of him in respect before she left the two alone.
Jiraiya approached her and put a hand over her shoulder. She did not bulge but she did speak.
"Jiraiya?" She did not turn to him.
"Tsunade."
She gasped an audible gasp and suddenly embraced him. Of course he was surprised.
"I missed you so much. You're the only one I've got left." She started to cry. Although Jiraiya did not know why, he just returned the embrace and looked at her. One thing was odd though, she did not seem to move; it's almost as if she didn't want to let go of him.
Until he pulled back with force.
She was blankly staring, it was as if she was blind.
"Are you alright Tsunade?"
She merely shook her head, her vision still fixed on his chest.
He waved a hand in front of her eyes. She did not even blink. His eyes widened for a moment, trying to sweep away the idea that was building up in his mind about the situation.
"Tsunade…" He whispered.
Her eyes started to tear up for her own confession. "I'm blind."
His eyes were wet then. He truly did not expect it.
"H-how?" He stammered at his own words, his shock completely unbearable.
"I…" She sobbed and tried her best to hide the shame. "You were right about me and my habit of smoking." She turned back to the window and embraced herself while sobbing. "I was diagnosed with cataract last year. I ignored it and…it turned to this."
"Did you even consider operation? You know, to remove the infection in your lens? So you could see again."
"My fear of blood came back. I'm wasted Jiraiya." She turned around again, not really sure of where she turned back. "Can you help me?"
"You don't even get to see blood while operation."
"I don't want them to lacerate me!" Tsunade was never like this, especially in Jiraiya's eyes. She started to cry again.
"Okay, okay. Shh." He hugged her tightly and whispered, "From now on I won't leave your side."
She hugged back and sobbed even more. "Thank you."
Jiraiya kissed her head and they stayed there for a while. He decided to walk her home after that. He had a place of his own in the village so he took the liberty to take care of her.
After a few weeks, things in Jiraiya's life did not become so simple anymore. He had to take care of a blind person each and every day. But, sacrifices must be made. He loved Tsunade, and he still does. He swore to do everything just to keep her safe.
One night, they had a talk over dinner.
"I am very thankful for this Jiraiya. You have done so much for me." Tsunade said to him from across the table. She was staring in blank space, as usual. But that did not stop Jiraiya to let out a sad yet happy smile.
Jiraiya was sad because of Tsunade's fate, but he was happy because he got the time to be with her, under one roof, 24/7. Even though it was a different case for she was blind and that Shizune could not afford to be of her assist everyday, he still did not complain. Half the reason was because he really pitied his hime for it and half was because he really promised himself that whatever happens to her, he would still be there for her.
"I'm glad Tsunade."
"What?" She asked, confused, before her last spoonful of gyudon.
Jiraiya was finished with his meal though, so he got the opportunity to explain. "I've dreamt of this when we were young, Tsunade."
"That I'd go blind?"
"Ye—No! Not that. I dreamt that, someday, we would be together, under one roof, and I'll take care of you."
"Aw, that's sweet Jiraiya." Tsunade could not help but let out a grateful smile.
She was finished with her dinner and Jiraiya stood up to put the plates in the sink. Tsunade heard a faint clunk when Jiraiya suddenly said something as if he were cursing.
"Oh, bastard!" He said in a low voice. Then he sat back down, this time, beside Tsunade. Tsunade knew that he spilled something on his clothes, so out of nowhere, she gave him a hanky, a white one, which he used for wiping off the stain in his clothes.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." She smiled that ever rare, enchanting smile that drove Jiraiya mad for her.
Ever since she went blind, her senses were enhanced. It was doubled than what she skillfully had when she could still see. After all, senses take over as the eyes of a person if one is blind. So it was no surprise to Jiraiya when she faced his direction from the moment he sat down beside her.
He looked straight into her eyes, which were now as white as snow. But he did not care. He loved her still. And it seems like he will love her forever.
"Tsunade, I admit that when I found out you weren't Hokage anymore, I was scared."
"Neji took over. He was the best jounin in the batch, and he was really smart."
"What? Why didn't you consider Shikamaru? I mean, he's like, your left hand or something when you were still in position."
"That was the council's decision."
"Oh." He sighed. "How did you find out?"
"Find out what?"
"That you were…blind."
Tsunade did not immediately respond. Jiraiya understood. It was hard to accept, even for him; until she finally replied.
"I woke up and everything was dark. I thought I was still asleep, only dreaming. But then, I heard Shizune in my room, talking to me. I tried to rub my eyes a few times but, still, no image came out. Shizune knew immediately after seeing me that way."
"I was shocked too." He gave his best sympathy to her.
She chuckled a little. "I know. The whole village was. Until, the council decided that if I didn't want to take an operation to see again, I would be stacked."
"And you chose that?"
"Yes. It was…out of fear, you know." She shook her head and continued. "I thought that, if I were going to quit the job, it would be because it was my only choice."
"But you had a choice, you knew that. Was it intentional?"
She just laughed at the retort. "Is this an interrogation, Jiraiya? Cause if is, I'm not in the mood for that."
"I'm sorry."
"Forgiven."
An awkward second passed by, until she spoke.
"I'm tired."
"You want to go to bed now?"
"No. I mean, I'm tired of this…of being blind."
'Oh no. I know those words.' His mind fearfully said.
"Don't tell me you have a plan…to die?"
It was a little stupid to ask that. And it was frank, yes. But it seemed to be appropriate at the time being.
"Well…If that's the only choice."
"No! Tsunade!" He grabbed her by her arms and shook her lightly. "What's happened to you? You're running out of choices, all of a sudden. This is not like you…To just give up!"
"I'm tired Jiraiya. I'm really tired. This is senseless! Being not able to see and being in your fifties, you know, it's like chocolate chips and cookies! It fits! It spells death to me!"
"Tsunade…" She was right though. And Jiraiya couldn't seem to find the best words to protest.
Tsunade heard nothing out of him from her last statement so she stood up and struggled to find her way to her room.
Jiraiya did not even try to stop her.
The next morning, she woke up and saw Shizune by her bed, smiling weakly at her.
"Good morning Tsunade-sama." She greeted.
"Good morning Shizune. What time is it?" She returned sleepily.
"It's—" But Shizune was stopped when Tsunade sat up, eyes wide open and looked around the room. It wasn't any other room until she realized she was in a hospital. And that she could see again.
"I can see." Tsunade whispered in awe. "But…how?"
She ran out of the room, not caring whether she was in a hospital dress or something. The first person she looked for was Jiraiya. And he was there in the waiting benches, sleeping.
She ran to him as he woke up. She was so ecstatic that she didn't even let go of him when she excitedly said, "I can see again!"
"Good for you Tsunade." He was really happy for her, his tone was revealing it to her ears.
"Oh, thank you for everything you have done for me Jiraiya." She still did not let go.
There they were, on the waiting bench, with Tsunade dressed in a hospital outfit and Jiraiya on his usual uniform.
"Can I ask you something hime?" He grew serious and Tsunade loosened her grip, but still, she did not let go.
"What?" She lightly asked on his ear.
He started whispering against her hair, touching the small of her back. "Will you marry me?"
Tsunade was shocked. She let go of him and stood firm on the cemented ground again. But she did not look at him. "I…"
"Well?"
She still could not manage to lay her eyes on him.
"I can't."
Tsunade's eyes were fixed on the ground and she saw the shadow of Jiraiya as he stood up. She felt his kiss on her head and she heard him whisper, "I love you."
She did not respond; she did not know why; until he left her there, sweeping past her and heading straight to the hallway behind the spot where she was standing.
A tear fell from her eye as she went back to her room, where Shizune was waiting.
"Tsunade-sama, what happened?" She immediately noticed the melancholy in her master's face.
"Nothing." She was forced to lie. "Shizune, how did I end up in here?" She faced her assistant with an unpredictable expression drawn on her face.
"Jiraiya-sama just called me this morning and told me to come here. I was even surprised when he gave me this handkerchief. He said it was yours."
She grabbed it from Shizune and realized that it was the same handkerchief she gave him last night. She went to the mirror and looked at her eyes. She had a hint of what was going on now.
She was flabbergasted when she saw raven black eyeballs instead of her usual hazel pair. She almost cried at the thought.
She wiped away her tears with the hanky in her hand and turned it open to reveal a writing that was of Jiraiya's.
It said:
Just please take care of my eyes…
I know it seems like a cliffhanger, I know it kinda sucks and I know not everybody will like it. Flames may be open, I'm not sure. But I pray to God there won't be any. Reviews please!
Kthnxbye. (: (: