Author's Notes:
I'm sorry for the wait! =( I was busy with the exams in school, and I couldn't really think out how to write this chapter… I hope you guys like it…
Read slowly!
10. Leaving a Baby Alone
Tsunade sighed as she sat heavily on a rock in front of the warm fire. Pulling strands of hair out of her eyes, she looked at her young student, Shizune. She was busily cleaning some fish, preparing them to cook them. Next to her was Naruto, sitting next to the raven-haired woman. He was curiously looking at Shizune's hands, watching the process of taking out the heads and spines.
It was already night, and she had been looking for Jiraiya the entire day. He had disappeared in the morning when she had waken up, and she still hadn't been able to find him. They were now in the middle of nowhere in a forest, resting for the night to come.
"Shizune, you need help?"
Shizune looked at her direction startled. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't know you had come back!" She smiled. "How was it?"
"How was what?" Tsunade replied absently. She was gazing at the fire, flames dancing on her eyes.
Shizune took another fish from the basket next to her. "Did you find him?"
Tsunade turned her eyes towards her assistant. "No. I'm sure that moron is in one of the hot springs, peeping on girls…." She stood up and took Naruto from the rock. "Although I've searched in all of them, I haven't seen him…" She went back to sitting in the rock, this time with Naruto in her arms. After a pause, she added, "It makes me kind of mad."
Shizune giggled and glanced at her master. "Why? It's not like you have a crush on Jiraiya-sama or anything, right?"
"Tsk. How could you even ask that." She looked at Naruto who was playing with her hair. "You feed Naruto-kun already?"
"Yes, of course."
Tsunade smiled and caressed his spiky, blond hair. "Good." She chuckled as Naruto smiled at her.
Shizune smiled too. "Isn't he cute?"
Tsunade didn't answer, she was now startled when one of Naruto's little hands grabbed one of her fingers tightly. He babbled happily, his other hand now wrapping another finger. Then Naruto looked up at her honey eyes and he smiled and giggled. She smiled back, her maternal instincts kicking in.
"What are you doing to him to make him be so happy!" Tsunade snapped from her calm moment and looked back to face the new comer.
"Where the fuck have you been, Baka!?" She shouted standing up.
"Researching." Jiraiya simply said, a mischievous look on his face.
She glared at him, giving him the angriest look she could give. "I've been looking for you since the morning." She sighed exasperatedly. "You left secretly! At least you could have given us a note!" Jiraiya's smirk widened.
"Did you miss me?"
The blond Sannin blushed lightly. "Err, Shizune was worried about you!"
Shizune's head shot up. "Hey! I was the one telling you to not worry!"
Tsunade continued blushing and shot a deathly look at Shizune direction. "What a great student I have, ratting me out like that!" She hissed.
Jiraiya crossed his arms and leaned over a tree. "Really!" He smirked goofily. Tsunade walked to him angrily.
Then Shizune stood up. "Ehh… I'm leaving you guys alone…" Awkwardly, she got out of the camp.
Tsunade frowned and sat on the rock, giving him her back. "So what. It's not fair!"
"What do you mean?"
"You can do whatever you want, while you're being a pervert out somewhere. And I can't! Having to be the only adult around, worrying about everything! I can't even go and have some fun in a bar, 'cause I have to take care of Naruto-kun! Why can't I have a fucking free day?!"
"Tsunade…"
She went back to the rock. "I am tired of having to look for you, not knowing if you're coming back, or if you're running away!" Jiraiya gave her a confused look.
"Running away?"
"Yes! I know you don't like being around me, so it's a probability I may have to face…" She sighed and looked at him sadly. "I'm truly tired, and I worry every time you leave…"
Jiraiya smiled gently. "So you worry about an old pervert like me, eh?" She didn't answer. "It's just… I'm not going to make up an excuse so I'll just say it… I'm sorry, okay?" He sat down next to her. "Look at me Tsunade…… Look at me!" He took her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. "Who told you I don't like being with you, huh? Just tell me the name, and I'll kill that bastard!"
Her eyes became teary, shimmering with the Moon's light. "Jiraiya…"
"Hey hey! You're not going to cry are you?!" He panicked. "Where is my strong and brave woman who never gives up!?"
Tsunade chuckled a little and quickly wiped out the tears with the back of her hand. "Sorry about that…."
He seemed to panick even more. "What about the insane, temperamental, and bitchy woman who would beat the crap out of me by just standing next to--"
Shizune had gone to the shore of the river to wait for the to finish talking. She sighed. She then remembered about Sarutobi's words.
"Make them fall in love with each other."
Was that even possible? For God's Sake, they're both so stubborn!
Shizune then heard something coming at great speed towards her. She looked back, but there was only darkness. She looked up in front, but there was only water. She looked at her right. Trees and more trees. She looked to her left. Mountains in the distance. What the heck? The sound was closer. Confused, she warily looked up and gasped. A large figure was coming from the air towards her.
Shizune shrieked and moved out of its way. Then it crushed the ground. Shocked, the young woman looked at the figure. It wasn't moving, and because it was too dark, she wasn't sure what it was. "Hello?" She whispered, not expecting an answer.
Grabbing a stick near her, she touched it, and the thing grunted. "Hello?" She repeated scared.
The figure stood up, and Shizune then could see it was no other but the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya. "What happened!?"
When Jiraiya was about to answer, they heard another sound. This one seemed more dangerous and wild, full of anger. It was even hard to breathe with all the killer intent it hold. It was coming closer and closer.
The Sannin's eyes widened. "Oh shit!"
Then Shizune saw a figure coming out of the trees. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!!"
From the forest, a very pissed off Tsunade was running towards Jiraiya. He began to scream, running to escape from the Princess's wrath. "You crazy womaaan!!! Let me liiiiiveee!!!"
Shizune winced and closed an eye in pain when saw the poor Sannin getting beat by Jiraiya. Luckily, Tsunade then apologized and began to cure him. "If you ever insult me again, I'm going to kill you, without thinking it twice." She hissed at him while healing his lungs. He nodded painfully.
Then Shizune remembered something very crucial. "Where's Ototo?"
Tsunade then froze, her eyes widening. She looked back at Shizune. "I left him in the camp."
The young woman looked at the blond in horror. "Alone!?"
"Oh shit." Tsunade swore.
She then stood up and began to run heading back to the camp. Her heart was pounding rapidly on her chest, as she began to understand the mistake she had done. Leaving a child of three months alone, in a forest!!??
Shizune followed her, leaving Jiraiya on the ground. He tried to stand up, desperate, but his legs where broken, and it hurt in the chest if he tried to move. Fuck, Tsunade!
The two woman were now able to see a small light, surely of the fire they had started. How could I had left him!? Only to chase Jiraiya? How could I be so fucking careless!!??
Then they began to hear sounds, like a snake hissing and a child crying. Tsunade eyes widened in fear. Oh no! She jumped from a branch and landed on the camp. She hurried to the baby cries, terrified.
Tsunade stopped death in her tracks, weaving a hand to Shizune to stop moving also. Her heart was throbbing loudly. A black snake with dark eyes had wrapped its cold body over Naruto, its eyes now staring viciously at the Sannin. Its tongue was near Naruto's cheek, hissing dangerously.
"Don't move, Shizune."
"Why…?" Scared, Shizune asked.
"I think it's a black mamba." Tsunade heard her gasp.
Tsunade's heart rate had increased tremendously, fearing for the little boy's life. She didn't know what to do… If she moved too suddenly, the snake might react wrongly and bite Naruto…or bite her… But it was her only way to save her son, right?
Then Tsunade made a quick movement and tried to grab a crying Naruto, when the snake opened his mouth threateningly and caught her hand between his sharp, poisonous fangs, letting go of Naruto.
Tsunade screamed painfully as she knelt down heavily. Between sharp breaths she grabbed the snake's jaw and tried to open its mouth desperate, but her strength was disappearing. It didn't let her go.
It had happened all so fast Shizune was confused. Then she saw the snake biting her mentor. "TSUNADE-SAMA!!" She ran towards her.
"No! Shizune…! Take Naruto… somewhere… safe…!" Tsunade began to feel nauseated, her mind about to explode, her now venomous blood numbing her limbs.
Shizune grabbed the snake's jaw and began to pull hard. "No!!"
"Damn it! Take Naruto!" Tsunade growled weakly.
"TSUNADE-HIME!" Tsunade looked at the person who had called her name, and saw Jiraiya painfully running to her side. Jiraiya had heard Tsunade scream and he had stood up right away, he wasn't sure how he was able to run, maybe the adrenaline of the moment, or maybe the fear and worry. Maybe both.
Shizune let go of the snake, and Jiraiya took its jaw. He pulled really hard. He gritted his teeth in effort; this snake was really stubborn. He pulled harder as he began to groan. "I'M NOT LETTING YOU KILL TSUNADE-HIME!!"
With a crack, the snake's jaw was split in two. Tsunade then was able to free herself. She began to breathe sharply in effort to get air inside her lungs. She then heard Jiraiya yell something at her, something she was not able to comprehend, as her ears began to only listen to her slow heart. Everything around her started to become blurry, their faces full of concern disappearing slowly as her eyes started to close.
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Author's Notes:
What will happen!!??
….You will have to find out in the next chapter, that's for sure! ;)
PLEASE!! Reviewww!!! I really appreciate all your comments, really!! :D