Author Note:

This chapter is mostly about Tsunade visiting her therapist Jiraiya, but there will also be a confidential conversation between Sasuke and Naruto :P

Chapter two

Tsunade get ready for her weekly conversation with her therapist. Although she found the idea quite stupid, that she needed help because she herself apparently failed – which the guy tried to talk out of her head by the way – she was glad to go there, she could pour out her heart to him. She toke a shirt out of her closet, one with a low round décolleté that attracted the eye to her gigantic boobs.

Jiraiya wouldn't mind at all, that could have been proved with the fact that the man wrote erotic novels. Pervert! But anyway, he just was the best specialist of all times. Patients and colleagues admired him and she found in the friendly man someone who tried to help her. That helped her, for how long hadn't she gambled? Also she was drinking far less than before. Sometimes she was wandering for what she was trying so hard, but the solid circus group always turned out to be something worth fighting for. She put on mascara, colored her lips pink, she sprayed some perfume in her neck, toke her cell phone, keys and handbag and then left.

'So, how is it going?' the man with the long white hair asked.

It's going … okay.' She answered. 'I do worry about Naruto though. He has no idea of what he will do in the future. He quit school years ago, but I think it would be better if he returns to school. But he doesn't know how. And he feels needed in the circus and said that he isn't needed anywhere else. Tried to talk that out of his head. He has a whole life laying for him. He can make a change.'

'You too,' Jiraiya said, 'you also have a future. You also can make a change.' He smiled.

She smiled back.

'I know it's hard not to fall back in your old habits.'

'I feel so guilty each time I gamble again, I'm so irresponsible.'

'You're important for the people around you.'

'I try!'

'I know. You try, you don't give up. You're brave you know. A fighter.'

Tsunade smiled, tears in her eyes, but she smiled. He had confidence in her, this man. He gave her confidence.

'You know, you set a big step by coming to me, because circus people are known for being secretive and for not trusting other people than their community.'

'I know, but sometimes you just have to get out the tent, the group also can be oppressing.'

'You did a good thing by coming to me. Do you want something to drink?'

She wanted to joke and ask the man for a wine or something, but then she thought that wasn't really funny so she smiled and asked for a water.

He came back, two glasses of water in his hands and then just when she wanted to make him a compliment on something he said: 'Let's talk about Naruto.'

Was she going to make him a compliment? I never pay anyone compliments! She realized that she liked the man and immediately tried to get that out of her head. No way such a thing would work out, he would turn her down, being professional, and she would never see him again. And she really needed him.

'Ehm, yeah, Naruto..'

'You worry about him.'

'That's right.'

'That's sweet.'

Tsunade blushed.

'You want him to have a better life than the circus life. But from your prospective the circus life shouldn't be that bad. So, why do you think it would be better if he left?'

'I didn't say that. I just think that he should have more than one option for his life.'

'That's understandable. How many options did you have?'

'We were talking about Naruto, not about me!'

'I don't really know Naruto, except for the things you told me about him. I am your therapist, not his.' His voice was soft. 'You did had some other options yourself, didn't you, when you started working in the circus?'

'My father asked me to take over the circus. The tradition was that the oldest son would take over the circus, but after Nawaki died, there was nobody else to take over the circus than me. I said I would do it, but then I met Dan and we had other plans, not one including taking over the circus. We had wanted to travel the world, to buy a house near the beach, to have children and to live happy together. Than Dan died too. I had nothing else to do, I was depressed and the circus people took care of me, they helped me. Dan was my other option, and he died.'

'Now were getting somewhere. Isn't Naruto in the exact same situation? His parents died, the orphanage people were treating him bad, than you came in his life, you offered him an option. He had no other options.'

'That's why he needs to go to school! That creates more options for him!'

Then Jiraiya made her talking about herself again. She said she was doing great, but Jiraiya thought that she used taking care of Naruto as a distraction, for not having to think about drinking or gambling.

'If you want to solve your problems, you have to look at what causes the problems, and what is a permanent solution. You can't solve your problems alone. I think you're making great process, but maybe you will have a more solid base when you talk to fellow addicts. I m trying to say that maybe you can follow a rehab program. '

'Well, I don't know,' Tsunade started.

'Just try it. There's this clinic nearby, and they have a 28 days program, and there will be peop-'

'And leave the circus for a month? I am the director; I'm the one who arrange the shows, who talks with the municipalities. Gai and Kakashi are actually helping with the finances, but that's because of my gambling problem. But I am the one who arrange all the other things.'

'You just said you have a gambling problem yourself. Acceptance is a big step, -'

'Which I took a long time ago already!'

'I know, I know,' he was trying to calm her down, 'but if this therapy helps you, and I'm almost sure it will, everything will be better. See it as an investment.'

The business talk was a good way to convince her. Plus his soft eyes might have helped aswell. 'Ok, I will do it.'

Jiraiya smiled. 'You're brave, I wish all my patients were like you.'

She blushed, and hoped he didn't notice. She had contrary emotions, on one hand she was glad she had such a good therapist, he really helped her a lot already, on the other hand she wished she met this man elsewhere, because if he hadn't been her therapist they could have become friends, or more than friends. She couldn't fall in love with him, she knew, it would bring him in a difficult position.


Naruto was cleaning the cages. He liked all the animals. At first he was a bit afraid of the snakes, but Orochimaru showed him he didn't have to be afraid. He dared to hold them now and he was putting them in a temporary terrarium so he could clean the other one.

Sasuke walked by. Despite of the fact he was always calling him names, Naruto really considered him as a friend. 'Hey dobe.' Sasuke's greeting.

'Teme!'

'So, can I ask you for some advice?'

Naruto was stunned, nobody asked him for advice before. 'S-sure...' he stumbled.

'Well, you and Gaara go along well, don't you?'

'Yeah, why?'

'Do you think, he might li-, I mean does he-, what kind of things does he say about me?'

'Uhm, Gaara doesn't do gossip.'

'But do you think he likes me?'

'Why wouldn't he?'

'I mean,' Sasuke sighed, 'do you think he'd like to go out with me?'

'Why don't you ask him yourself?'

Sasuke gave him the eyes. 'Okay, okay, he doesn't really talk about you much, but when he does it is mostly positive.' Naruto said.

'Do you know if he is gay?'

Then the penny dropped. 'Oh! You are in love with him!'

'Shh! Be quiet!' Sasuke hissed. 'Okay Naruto, I told you this in confidence, you really can't tell anyone!'

'Okay, that's fine, but I didn't know you were gay Sasuke, I mean Sa-su-gay.' He chuckled. Sasuke facepalmed.

'Do you want me to ask Gaara how he feels about you? I mean, I will be discrete, I won't ask it with that many words.'

'Okay.'

'O, Sasuke, I have to tell you something confidential myself.'

'Are you in lo-ove?' Sasuke asked childishly. (Totally not Sasuke! He was always so serious and self-called mature.)

Naruto blushed, and whispered: 'You can't tell anyone, but I feel incredibly attracted to our hot knife thrower.'

'I don't know hardly anything about him.' Sasuke said. 'He is so mysterious with that mask covering his face. But I have to admit that you're right about him being hot. So you're gay too! I always thought you might be gay!'

'But if something between you and Gaara works out,' Naruto changed the subject, 'then how about our little rope dancers?'

'I told those chicks a hundred times I am not interested in them.'

'As if Ino and Sakura will ever listen to you when you say so.'

'You're right. Okay, now I really have to go, I have to practice my act again.'

'May I watch? I always like your fire spitting act.'

'Sure.'

Another Author Note:

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