Adventures
In the
Afterlife
A Tsunade x Jiraiya Tale
By: June
Chapter Seven
I woke with a splitting headache and the morning sun shining directly into my eyes. Grumbling, I burrowed into the warm body and robes I lay on top of. Why in hell would I leave a window open when I was this drunk last night? Judging by the hangover, anyway, I wondered grumpily. It didn't click until I heard (and felt) a low, male grunt come from the chest I was curled up on. I was curled up on Jiraiya. . . Oohhhh. . . I stiffened briefly as I sensed all the small indications of Jiraiya being asleep.
Jiraiya wasn't great at faking sleep, so by now I knew the difference between him awake and asleep. The even rise and fall of his chest told me he was asleep, among other things. I was, for some reason unknown to me, hyper aware of him, being so close for the first time since we were children. He was. . .muscular. . . distractingly so. I tentatively put my hand to his chest, worming it under the short green kimono he wore, his haori and was happy to realize there wasn't much of a barrier to his bare chest besides the usual ninja mesh armor after that. I snuggled to his chest, enjoying the sound of his heart so close to my ear. Jiraiya, this close to bare skin, still smelt of wood smoke and something unidentifiable that, well. . .made me feel uncomfortably aroused. Ugh! Why am I thinking this? Why am I feeling like this? I can't still be drunk. . . And the other option I just. . . I just can't contemplate. Not after years and years of rejecting him. . . Not after I was basically the one who. . .who. . . Agh! Not this damn early in the morning! Not when the man I'm thinking about is. . .is under me. . . I felt a flash of very very ill-timed arousal streak through me at the ideas drifting into my head. Dammit! Jiraiya's perverted tendencies are rubbing off on me... Just to put the icing on the cake, I heard a knock at the door.
I yelped as I scrambled upward, and very nearly staggering into a wall as Jiraiya woke with a startled noise. Swearing and stumbling, I managed to stand up straight and stay still long enough for the world to stop spinning. I snarled when the knocking continued insistently, feeling like a drum in my poor, aching head. It helped some that Jiraiya, when he recovered from the rude awakening, stood and closed the blinds. I took and released a relieved breath; the blinds being closed helped, but the insistent knocking was driving me crazy. Jiraiya was wincing as well; I smirked just a bit to realize he had the same whopper hangover.
I yelled bad temperedly, "I'm coming! Stop trying to beat down the door will you?!"
I staggered painfully when the nausea and the shakes hit, at the same time. Jiraiya was looking decidedly a bit green himself before I rushed to the bathroom as fast as my trembling limbs could carry me, knowing full well I needed to get it out before it CAME out. I vividly remembered those few times when I hadn't directly obeyed this impulse; suffice to say, Jiraiya would have laughed his ass off if he hadn't been hung over with me each and every time. I felt his hand grab the ends of my long blonde hair, raising it away from the danger zone as I leaned over the toilet, my arms shaking like a leaf in a gale.
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"We shouldn't have come today, Sarutobi-sama, sorry. . . It figures Jiraiya-kun would take Tsunade onee-chan out drinking her first night here. . ."
A distinctly familiar exasperated sigh issued from male lips, "That's alright Nawaki-kun. I knew they'd be hell raising all night and I still wanted to visit this morning. . . I really should learn from knowing you two so well."
"Heheh, you should know us well Old Man." I cracked open an eye and caught Jiraiya smirking at an all too familiar face. One I hadn't seen in more than forty years. . . More if you count the fact I was seeing him at a particular age I hadn't seen him at in a long time. His tanned brown face was crinkled in a smile, his spiky nut brown hair wind ruffled. Nawaki sat beside him, grinning under his dirty blond mop. Obviously pleased as punch he'd interrupted his big sister's morning. I scowled briefly at the little mischief maker. However, that left me wincing as even scowling hurt after that storm of crying last night and the hangover just was NOT helping. Not wanting to reminisce on that particular subject, I refocused in on the other man in front of me. The non-exasperating and confusing one.
"Sensei?"
"Yes, Tsunade, it's me," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a fond smile on his lips. He then snorted quietly, "I know alcohol affects cognizance, Tsunade, but really? To not recognize me?"
"I did recognize you!" I winced at my own voice; eliciting a rough chuckle from Jiraiya, stifled giggles from Nawaki and a sympathetic grin from Sensei. "It just took me a minute, drat it." I rubbed my temples, feeling very much hung over and just not in the mood for the rush of emotions that seized me when I saw Sensei. Especially when he looked so much younger than when he died. I squeezed my eyes; painful memories, not the time to go there. Not the time to unearth THAT old guilt. Sensei just chortled and I scowled in embaressment.
"Old Man, why not wait? You knew I'd be spending time with Tsunade-Hime, so why come today?" Jiraiya almost sounded like he was actually sulky to see our sensei, but I knew he had an inordinate fondness for the older man. He'd grieved deeply in private after he was told the news; in fact, his feeling unworthy to take the position of our master had ended up in me being appointed Godaime Hokage. Jiraiya had felt unworthy because he'd failed to save our mentor from a teammate gone bad years ago. The teammate whose defection he had blamed himself for.
"Aren't I allowed to visit two of my students? And don't call me that Jiraiya," Sensei admonished Jiraiya, scowling a bit.
Both me and Nawaki could barely restrain laughter as an (albeit a quieter version of) old quarrel erupted between master and student. I quietly snuck to my kitchen, leaving Nawaki delightedly watching Hiruzen-sensei and Jiraiya squabble. I peeked in the fridge, relieved to find two hangover remedies. As well as grape soda (Nawaki's favorite) and, apparently, Sensei's favorite non-alcoholic drink. Apparently the fridge produced what you needed for a certain occasion. I snagged both hangover remedies and walked back into the living room. Walking behind Jiraiya casually as he argued some point with Sensei, I put the bottle on the top of his head.
"Sensei, I-Agh!"
I smirked. The hangover remedy was ice cold, and I was none too gentle as I set it down. Huffily a scowling Jiraiya grabbed the bottle before it fell off his now damp white hair, divested it of its top and took a pull, making a face at the taste. I sat back down on the couch again and did the same, minus the face. I was too used to it. After a brief minute, the pickle juice cleared my head of aches long enough for me to think of my guests.
"Do you two want something? We have grape soda, Nawaki," I asked.
"Yes!"
"As long as it isn't booze, Tsunade."
"Geez Sensei! I've been here all of two days and you expect me to have a stash already. . .," I groused sulkily.
Sensei chuckled, "I forgot how easy it was to get a rise out of you. Forgive me, Tsunade." He was still smiling as he said it.
"Of course Sensei," I sighed grumpily as I made my way back to the kitchenette. I poured glasses for each, listening with half an ear to Jiraiya resuming conversation. This felt nice. Playing hostess, I guess, even with a throbbing hangover. I reddened as the implications of this struck me a moment later. Jiraiya and I were almost acting like. . . a couple. . .Ack! No! Not in this universe! Nononononononononoooo! I'm not a damn horny teenager! I shouldn't be even thinking this! My cheeks flaming, I went to the sink and ran the cold water. I splashed my burning cheeks with the icy water, praying that dimmed the scarlet flush. Taking and releasing a deep, calming breath, I grabbed a dishtowel that had, again, appeared out of nowhere and dried my cheeks. Thankfully the half wall between the kitchenette and the living space had prevented any of them seeing my flustered moment. Calmed, I grabbed the glasses for each of my guests and took them out to the living area.
Passing them out, I sat back down, sipping my pickle juice rather disgustedly. At least it took my mind off a certain irritating and confusing pervert as he talked to Sensei and Nawaki. Once I was done, I took my glass to the sink, dawdling because I was feeling sleepy again. It wasn't right to deny Sensei or Nawaki face time, but still. . . I blinked drowsily, trying to stay awake. I could already feel the trembling factor setting in again. Damn. . . I hadn't had alcohol in years. Drinking had really been ruined by Jiraiya's death, especially since he'd been my drinking buddy for so many years. Too many of my favorite binge places had been ruined by memories of him there, drinking and laughing it up with me. And occaisionally AT me, if I remembered rightly. The Ero Sannin sure knew how to ruin a great drinking spot without his presence, I thought dourly. I staggered as my head spun; this resulted in an annoyingly loud crash of glass as I dropped my empty glass of pickle juice. I heard pounding feet as I nearly staggered into the counter top. Warm, strong arms grabbed me around the waist as I tipped dangerously over.
"Still tired, huh Tsunade?"
I nodded, wrapping suddenly lax arms around Jiraiya's waist. He gathered me up into his arms; with my sudden realization that he was holding me my cheeks reddened. I silently burrowed into his chest as much as could, my head still spinning. I was feeling too dizzy and sick to worry about our image now. Besides, something about being so near him kindled something warm and very agreeable in my stomach. I wanted some alone time with him very badly at that moment. No matter whether my logical side screamed that he should GET AWAY and NEVER COME BACK; honestly, my logical side was getting thrown out the window in favor of craving the contact with Jiraiya I'd missed for twenty years. Admittedly, the contact I'd craved since Dan died. Jiraiya was the only one who could comfort me and it didn't feel like he was rubbing salt in the open wound. He knew how to comfort without words. I curled sleepily closer to him as his chest vibrated, muddled talking to Sensei and Nawaki coming to my ears. I scowled faintly when I heard Nawaki giggle. Thankfully, Sensei knew when to bow out, and took Nawaki with him.
I felt Jiraiya snuggle me close, burying his face in my hair. I let him, breathing a contented sigh. It had been years since I had been held by anyone, so I enjoyed the nearness. Now that I wasn't Hokage, didn't have an image to uphold, didn't have to be a certain way; now I could enjoy contact like this with him.
What am I saying?! What about Dan, you inconsiderate woman? I stiffened as I thought of him. Dan's smile. Dan's laugh, the laugh that had haunted me for nearly fifty years. Dan's light blue hair, blowing in the breeze as he talked of how he wanted to protect Konohagakure with everything he had. Dan's sea green eyes sparkling animatedly as he spoke fiercely on our shared topic, our shared crusade. Dan's body, bleeding out in front of me, helpless to stop it. To make the blood flow cease, to make him live. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to resist the impulse to cry again. So weak. So stupid. Something about releasing my inner beast when I died must have screwed with my control. . . It had to be that.
I barely felt Jiraiya sit down on the futon. What did snap me out of my downward spiral was his voice.
"Tsunade. . .Not tired enough, huh. Stop living in memories. Trust me, that's a bad idea. I did it often enough when I first came here."
My voice came out raspy, "Yeah, yeah. Stop remembering what I did to each and every one of you. . . I'd really be worthless if I did that."
"Tsunade!"
I received a sharp bop on my head for that statement. Irritated, I looked up at him with a scowl. To my surprise, he was scowling angrily back at me. Jiraiya gently cupped my cheek with one hand, anger melting into upset in his onyx eyes.
"You are NOT worthless Tsunade. You are beautiful, kind and -and-," Jiraiya reddened embarrassedly, tripping over his own tongue it seemed. I smiled faintly.
"Beautiful on the outside maybe. Kind, no. How about the years and years I rejected you? Hit you? Teased you? When I was cruel to you? Yet, you still came back. Why in hell would any man in his right keep coming back to a bitter, cold shell of a woman who abused him in every way possible when he could have the pick of any woman in the village?" Maybe that last was stretching the truth, but still... He could have married.
"Because you're not cold. You're the most fiery person I've ever met, Tsunade. I've met a lot of people and forgotten the faces and personalities of even more, Tsunade, so that's a feat. And. . . You were the only girl who could fight back and win, more often than not. Tsunade. . . I. . ."
"Spit it out already Rai-kun," I said, deciding not to comment on the "won more often than not" bit. Nine times out of ten I would win our fights. Unless he resorted to something underhanded.
"He never deserved you anyway! I mean, I don't, but, I'm a better candidate than Dan ever was!" Jiraiya's arm had tightened its grip around my waist, "I mean, I don't mean to make you angry or anything I just- I just-"
"Jiraiya."
"I mean, it's just, I've been wanting to say this for years-"
"JIRAIYA."
"Tsunade, please don't interrupt me! I need to say this! I didn't manage to when I was-"
"JIRAIYA!"I was glaring at him by this point, impatient with him for being so knuckleheaded. He was making my head hurt all over again with that damn babble of his. This isn't the time! My head hurts, I'm grouchy, it's all wrong-feeling. . .
"Tsunade, I-"
There was only one way to shut him up, I realized. I sighed, cupping his jaw with one of my small hands. He stopped stammering the moment I leaned in and kissed him.
Long update! Yay! I know, I know, an evil cliffhanger! ^^' Believe me, chapter 8 is already in the works. Still in the processing stage, however. Be paitent with me and I will soon get it done and up. :) Thank you for all of you who return reviewed! LadyNightRose, thank you for your reviews. Guest, thanks! Reviewers like you really encourage writers like me! tatsumi-hime, thank you. I love writing this story! ^^ Be paitent and I will have chapter 8 up as soon as I possibly can.
-June
