A shiver ran down Tsunade's body as the life she had housed for nearly ten months finally left her body. She slumped back against Jiraiya's chest as the first cries of her newborn were heard across the room.
" You did great, Hime." Jiraiya said as he wiped the sweat from Tsunade's forehead. He had always known that Tsunade possessed a physical strength that is no match for anyone. A flick of a finger can knock someone out cold but after seeing her endure the pain of child birth for nearly two days, Jiraiya gained a newfound respect for the woman.
" She's here." Jiraiya could hear the smile on Tsunade's words.
"She is." He placed a light kiss on Tsunade's damp hair. He knew he will never be able to call them his own but he was damn glad he was there to witness the birth of his goddaughter.
It was a miracle that Tsunade let Jiraiya into her room in her most vulnerable moment. However, as time trickled down and Tsunade grew more helpless and desperate to relieve the pain in her lower back, she wasn't able to argue when Jiraiya stormed into her room and took the nurse's place next to her bed and began massaging her back, giving her the relief she so desperately needed.
Under normal circumstances, she would have never let him near her in any state but now she couldn't careless that she was half naked in front of him with only a blanket to cover her lower body. She just couldn't think of anything besides the pain that enveloped her to what seems like eternity but merely a few seconds in reality and Jiraiya seemed to know exactly where to press his fingers to relieve the pressure on her back.
His presence proved to be helpful as Tsunade fell asleep for a short while and regained some of her strength back.
Jiraiya silently prayed to the Gods to make the child come sooner and end Tsunade's agony. He had never seen her in so much pain before. Even with her temper and boisterous attitude, she was the kind of person who prefers to suffer silently rather than curse out loud but this birth took Tsunade to another level. From outside her room, Jiraiya could hear the groans of pain escaping Tsunade's lips and when he heard Tsunade cried from frustration, he was in her room before he realized what he was doing. For the next eighteen hours, he sat next to her bed, let her crush his hands with every contraction, wiped her sweat with a cold towel and tried his best to relieve the pain she was in.
The midwife placed the screaming newborn on Tsunade's chest. A few tears escaped Tsunade's eyes as she held her baby for the first time. She was still covered in fluids but a fair amount of blonde hair can already be seen.
Tsunade couldn't believe she was finally holding her baby in her arms. She was more than anything Tsunade could have ever dreamed of. She was perfect in every way.
Jiraiya watched as Tsunade cooed her baby, now covered in a blanket as the child slowly settled in her mother's warmth and the nurses helped Tsunade wipe off the fluids from her baby. He noted
Jiraiya taught he had seen beauty when he first met Tsunade when they were kids but seeing her now, with her newborn child snuggled closely against her, brought a whole new meaning to the word beauty for him.
" I'll cut the cord now." The midwife, who happened to be the Third Hokage's wife, Biwako Sarutobi, announced as she clamped the cord and prepared to make the cut.
"Wait!" Tsunade called, looking up from the bundle of joy sleeping on her chest.
"Let Jiraiya do it." Jiraiya's eyes widened in surprise from Tsunade's statement. His cheeks flushed pink as he realized what Tsunade was letting him do. He felt absolutely honored.
" Are you sure, Tsuna? Me?" He asked, looking at the woman still leaning on his chest for support.
" It's just a cord, Jiraiya. It's not a big deal." Tsunade shrugged.
" Of course it's a big deal. She's your daughter." Jiraiya cautiously lifted himself up from Tsunade's hospital bed, careful not to make any sudden movements. He figured Tsunade must still be sore after all the hours of pushing. He replaced his spot behind Tsunade with some pillows and helped her settle in.
For the first time, Jiraiya finally got a good look at his goddaughter. His heart melted as he realized how much the child looked like her mother. They both shared the same golden colored hair though the child's was noticeably a shade lighter than her mother's. Her long lashes rested against her cheeks and Jiraiya wondered if she too had her mother's caramel colored eyes as well. He smiled as the child's screams finally died down. She has a good pair of lungs too.
"Here." Biwako handed Jiraiya a pair of surgical scissors to cut the umbilical cord with.
Tsunade grabbed Jiraiya's shirt with her left hand and gave him a stern look. "No peeking." She said, showing him that she could still kick his ass six ways to sunday if she wanted to.
"Of course." Jiraiya nodded. She knew him too well. But in all honesty, he hadn't thought about anything like that since he came back to the village to assist Tsunade in her last weeks of pregnancy. All he did was marvel about how Tsunade never looked so beautiful with her swollen belly and a glow that always seemed to surround her since then. He remembered once when he caught her cradling her bump with so much love and affection as the room was filled with a soft lullaby that has been passed down from her clan.
Biwako instructed Jiraiya to cut in-between the two clamps placed on the cord. His hands slightly shooked as he made the cut.
" All done." Biwako said as she took the scissors from the Jiraiya.
The white-haired Sannin sat next to Tsunade's bed. He watched Tsunade as she stared at her daughter with so much love and adoration it was practically oozing out of her. Jiraiya made a mental picture of the scene taking place right before his eyes. He memorized every small insignificant detail like how the child's tiny fists clenched her mother's shirt or how he had never seen Tsunade this kind of happy since he'd known her or how she softly stroked her daughter's puffed cheeks and how he realized that he will do everything in his power to protect the two most important people on his life. He knew for a fact that he will remember this moment as long as he is alive.
" What's her name?" Jiraiya finally asked the most important question of the day. A smile formed on Tsunade's lips, her eyes never leaving the sleeping child. She was her little miracle.
"Akira." She said, her eyes brimming with tears that could only be of joy.
Her amber orbs met his onyx ones.
"Akira Senju."