The shower did nothing to help. Tsunade leaned against the tiled walls and let the warm water wash over her. If she shut her eyes, her body could still feel the touch of his hands as they weighed and pinched… she shook her head to kill the thought. That was the problem though wasn't it?

She had known Orochimaru her whole life, had even crushed on him when they were children, and when they were a bit older than children. Her hand touched the empty spot where her necklace used to hang. After Nawaki died, she had blamed the snake ninja for it and poured her thoughts into revamping the medical corps, trying to save lives to escape the sorrow.

There she had met Dan, light haired, tanned skin, and so sweet it made your teeth ache. He was the exact opposite of Orochimaru, both in looks and demeanor. She had thrown herself at him. The man, bless him, had opened his arms to her and been her wailing wall and then her rock. He was one of those people you almost had to fall in love with. When he had died too…Well that was something else she didn't want to think about.

The blonde turned off the taps and stepped out, wrapping her towel tight around her. She laughed lightly to herself. The thoughts running through her mind were more troubled than when she was under him on the desk. She let herself have one last shiver of denied want, and then blocked it out. Tsunade would work on her research and hopefully, before the next time she had to see him, the feelings will have calmed down.

Later, much later at her desk and working on the paperwork that had been sitting and waiting on her along with fresh tea, Tsunade was nearly sure that she had hit a wall with her research. The Sannin had the theory of what she wanted that much was sure. She even had a way to make a mechanical patch that connects to the nerve processers. But she needed parts and really a guinea pig to test it out on.

The last she wanted was the Snake Sannin to slip into his old ways and start kidnapping people, but how to convince him that it would be in his best interest to let her experiment on his eyes of all things? Her brow furrowed as she thought weighting options. The best approach would just be a direct one, while Orochimaru was famed for his round about and flowery speech Tsunade was known for her bluntness to the point of being rude manner of talking.

Mind made up she gathered up her dishes to put in the sink and hunt him down.

The Sannin wasn't in the kitchen. He wasn't in his office or even any of the other dozen rooms she checked. Did he leave the base altogether? The blonde cocked her head to the side and listened, no there were faint sounds of something coming from down the hallway. She padded silently towards the sounds until she came to a large wooden door. Her hands gasped the knob and she eased it open to peer in.

Amber eyes widened at the sight. Orochimaru, snake Sannin and S-rank criminal, was stripped to his pants and… training. She watched in appreciation as his long sinewy muscles bunched and stretched. The man was working through a kata they had learned as children. But these weren't the clumsy steps of a child. They were the practiced and measured deadly dance of a man. A thought, slightly wicked formed in her mind and took root. It had been longer than she cared to admit since she had a good spar, and who better than someone she had known all her life and in a small dark corner of her mind wanted to get her hands on.

The door opened wide and she sauntered into the room. He paused in his motions and looked over at her with an inscrutable expression. The blonde smiled inwardly and set her trap.

"You must be truly lacking in skill, if you've had to so all the way back to the basics." She taunted her amber eyes glowing hotly. "I mean, I always assumed that out of the three of us, you were going to be one to surpass us all. I guess I was wrong though… I mean, I doubt you could even take me on at your currents level."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at her. He knew the Senju was up to something, she was as nearly as crafty as himself, but he knew her weaknesses as well as she knew his. "My dear," he drawled. "I don't mean to insult you, but I know that you wouldn't win in a spar against me."

He held up his healed arms. "You saw to the imbalance of our powers yourself. Although… I wouldn't be opposed to placing a bet on the outcome of our match."

Tsunade bit her lip to stop the laughter from escaping. She had him; of course he would throw in a bet to tease her. It had been crucial to her plan.

"Alright Oro, what's the terms."

He smiled at her and licked his lips. "Why don't we surprise each other? After all it's just a friendly spar between comrades; let's add a little mystery to the mix."

Tsunade's eyebrow rose as she considered. "I can live with that wager, especially since I don't intend to lose."

Her shoulders rolled to drop the green jacket to the floor behind her. "I'm ready when you are."