Sakura sat back on her heels, growing tired of waiting in the Hokage's office for an entourage that seemed to take forever to show. She pulled her dark jacket tight, burying her hands in her armpits, trying to warm herself. A chill had fluttered in with the promise of snow laying heavy on the grey clouds that filled the sky.
The comforting sound of a bottle being slammed on a desk sounded through the dimly lit Hokage's office, drawing her attention back to her mentor. How Tsunade managed without a coat, Sakura would never know. It was a skill she would inquire about soon. Sakura gave her a look over. Tsunade was growing pink in the face, from anger, or the sake, Sakura couldn't tell.
But the bottle was on her desk, and not flying towards her own face.
Tsunade wiped at her nose. "They were supposed to be here three hours ago. No messenger birds have come, no omens of bad news have filled the skies. I should have known better than to mediate some stupid meeting in person rather. Letters with that brat should have been enough. I have other things I need to do." She picked the bottle up again and took a long swig. A few drops of sake slid down her chin.
Sakura had heard plenty about the arguments of the councils of Sand and Leaf. They had the gall to demand that all details be ironed out in person, lest something be forgotten or left out.
They really do want to make this exchange program as hard as possible.
She sighed. "You know as well as I do that both our councils are as stubborn as mules. Meeting in person was the best option for both countries to get what we want. Besides—it's the middle of winter, perhaps they just stopped to," she trailed off. "Try and get warm?" It was a weak excuse. But she would do anything to keep her mentor from deciding to play another game of 'your head is my target, and, guess what, I never miss' .
She'd spent a total of three hours fixing the cuts on her ever-growing forehead and taking down the swelling and bruising the last time Tsunade decided to enact a game.
Something that would normally have taken five minutes to heal. Normally was not playing 'The Game' after a seventeen-hour shift because too many people were sick and three nurses were out on combat missions and Sakura just had to take the chance to test out her new soldier pills. She stacked the cards against herself when she said she was fine to stay.
If taken constantly every two hours the consumer of the new pill was fine. A success in that right.
The moment they stopped, however—
Sakura ducked as the bottle came flying for the bookshelf beside her. The impact sent a few scrolls tumbling down to the ground with the shards of glass. Thankfully it was empty. No mop hunting necessary this time. Is that a point on the board for me?
"Get someone to clean that up." Tsunade barked, slumping down into her chair, holding her head.
She bowed. "Yes Hoka—"
A knock sounded at the door, followed by a young girl's voice. "Hokage-sama, the envoy from Suna has arrived! They are downstairs, and the council has returned from lunch. They're all ready to meet."
Tsunade wiped the back of her mouth, her hand glowing green as she drug it from her chin down to her stomach, working the alcohol out of her system. "It's about time." She muttered. "Send them up!" All flush had left her face, being replaced by a hardened look of power. An unmoving mountain against a storm that Sakura was sure was brewing down the hall.
Sakura kicked the shards under the shelf and opened a few windows, hopeful to air out the drunken scent of the room that chakra couldn't wash out. The cold breeze let a few snowflakes dance in the room, quickly melting on the floor.
She leaned out the window a moment, taking a deep breath. A crisp scent filled the outside air, the smell of dying leaves and flowers seemed a distant memory that winter threatened to never return to her.
Konoha was beautiful no matter the season in her eyes—it was in moments like this, however, that she saw the true beauty of it all. Steam and smoke rising from buildings. Children dancing about without a care in the world, something she and her fellows worked hard to keep. It would be the perfect snapshot, if only she had her camera.
"Don't leave that thing open too long, we don't want to freeze out guests—strike that. Leave it open." Tsunade gave her a sharp glare, soon accompanied by a dangerous grin. "Don't let on that you're cold either."
She smiled and bowed, cursing internally. "Of course Hokage-sama."
Tsunade set about organizing her desk, and by the time footsteps sounded behind the door, the office was in pristine condition with Sakura leaned against the window sill, her jacket now hanging on the coat hanger by the door, and Tsunade sat skimming through a pile of D class mission requests.
Once more a knock sounded.
"Enter." Tsunade's voice was clear as it rang through the room.
The door slid open, bringing a burst of warm air in, relieving the chill from her a split moment, before the cold set in deeper, drawing up a small shiver.
Gaara walked in first, dressed to an eight with his slightly formal wear, Naruto came glued to his hip. The few members from the leaf council that would be in attendance caught Sakura's eye, along with a few unknown, tanned faces that were buried under sheets of material that didn't look the warmest. And then she caught a glimpse of red slinking between two haggard bodies that walked in last that Sakura knew better than to underestimate.
"Ah, you're still breathing?" Tsunade lowered her head and shot a glare towards Lady Chiyo.
"And you're still hiding behind that young face—so unbecoming of a Hokage."
Tsunade looked ready to bite her head off but held herself back at the last possible moment with a few coughs sounding through the room. "We'll finish this later. So good of you all to join us, I'm so glad we were able to meet in person to discuss this wonderful event—"
"Can we close those windows, it's causing a horrible draft and it's freezing here. This is why we should have met in Suna. Much better weather—"
Sakura spoke up quickly, gesturing to the windows, all of which were open. "We're terribly sorry, but the windows are broken." She gave her best-practiced smile, usually reserved for patients she wanted to kick halfway across the country.
She caught the grin growing on Naruto's face. He gave her a wink and nod.
"I find that unacceptable—"
The rascal shot up, which must have been the first time he let go of his friend since his arrival. "I think I can manage to close them. But if they break it'll be pricey to refit new windows into the office."
She could always count on him. Tsunade gave him a nod of her head, a bitter look growing behind her eyes.
Sakura made her way to the back wall to free up space for Naruto to work. Ending up closer to the door, and, consequently her jacket which she draped slightly over her shoulder. He took five minutes to slide them shut. Grunting and groaning the entire time. Impressive.
" What disrespect." She heard someone mutter.
To her surprise, the puppet master slid closer to her along the. She hadn't seen him in a few months. He wore a tight-fitting black, high collared shirt that was tucked into a pair of wine pants that matched a scarf that fell across his shoulders. A sturdy-looking pair of boots donning his feet. She craned her head backward.
Yup. She thought. Black nails.
She thought back to their first encounter, well, second after the genin exams when they were younger. She had tackled his poison that had been turned against them in the attempt by the Akatsuki to take Gaara.
When he'd arrived back in Suna, not hours after she'd cracked it, he was as fuming as red as his hair. Insisting to know exactly how she had filtered it out of his system and created a cure.
She gave him an answer in the form of a smirk and returned to her room. She wondered if he was still bitter about it. Looking over to him she found herself catching his gaze. Sasori's eyes bore into hers, and then moved to look her down and up. She promptly looked away, returning her attention to the conversation being held. She did her best to keep from shuddering—both from the cold and the look she could feel on her skin.
"The exchange program sounds like a moderate idea. What all do you two suggest? Something like this sounds extensive, and costly." A Sand council member asked.
Gaara spoke up. "In an attempt to strengthen the gaps between the two countries, considering we are now allies, Tsunade and I have spoken about an intercultural exchange program. Academy students training together later come Spring. A medical program being formed between the two," Gaara spoke on, Tsunade chiming in on occasion to strengthen their argument. It felt more like the two Kage were battling the councils combined.
Hot breath ghosted against the shell of her ear. "What would you give a patient laced with afromore flower?"
She turned her attention back to Sasori, who had now taken to leaning against the wall in a way that should be considered illegal, and an act of war against her person.
It was a simple question, insultingly easy.
She leaned towards him, noticing the scent of desert and sandalwood on his skin, and whispered the information off the top of her head. "It depends on how much is in a person's system. A little bit of pollen from working in the fields in Tea and I would say drink plenty of water and rest up. Administered in concentrated, heavier doses would require thespiz root tea or a poison extraction—which is best avoided on weaker patients due to the stress of it all."
He smirked, crossing his arms and drumming his fingers. A dangerous move for a puppet master to be making. "If you found yourself in a patch of clovin what would you do?"
She returned his smirk, still doing her best to keep her attention turned forward, as if she were listening. Getting caught would be a bad idea. She flicked her eyes back to him. "Hold my breath, strip, and jump in the nearest body of water." Time to return the favor . "Mist Poison 347, main three ingredients to counteract the drug," he opened his mouth, she quickly held up a finger, "found in Snow Country. "
His eyes darkened and his smirk grew feral. "Snow Country, clever . Willow bark, dandelion root, and sheep liver. What would you do if I had a vial of estero?"
"What would you be doing with an aphrodisiac?" She almost laughed.
He raised his brows, putting on an innocent look. Forget how he stood, that look was illegal. "Hypothetical situation."
"Hypothetically I'd blow pouler dust up your nose."
"And what would you be doing with an antaphrodisiac?"
"Same as you I'm sure." She shot back, biting her lip to keep from grinning. Tsunade met her eye and gave her a look of warning.
"Clever girl." His smile turned to a pointed smirk. "Shall we find out what is up the other's sleeve over a pot of tea, or perhaps dinner?"
"I hope you've brought something nice to wear, I'm an expensive eater."
"I'll find you, seven o'clock."
Tsunade stood, resting her hands on the table. "I think we've come to a good conclusion. We shall recess until tomorrow, I have some meetings to attend to in the Hospital. Enjoy the beautiful weather everyone." She lifted her hands in a dismissive motion, one that wouldn't be taken as rude as the gesture Sakura knew Tsunade wanted to make.
"I look forward to it." She responded with a smile and slipped out the door and down the hallway, taking the arm of an animated Naruto who started sputtering off his excitement about an exchange program between the two countries.
She would keep the information about her upcoming date a secret, along with her newfound interest in the exchange program.