Chapter Two.
Lantern Parade.
Sunagakure turned really pretty at night. Many Orchid Dotted Lanterns were put up to brighten up the streets of the Hidden Sand Village. Orchid Lanterns, besides being incredibly pretty created this irresistible romantic mood that swept the visitors off their feet. Natives, used to the magic charms of the Lantern Lights simply brushed the whole romantic mood aside. Yet this time it was different. The village was full of strangers. All these nins, guests, merchants, who gathered at Sunagakure for the Hidden Tournaments became simply drunk with the whole Orchid Ordeal. Of course, tons and tons of Orchid sake served by generous Kage didn't help a bit.
They met in a small restaurant this time. It was evening of a long, and tiring day that they spent apart, doing whatever. Yanagi had a training session with Temari and Kankuro, whom she worked ragged, while Jiriaya had an awfully tiring day of flirting with these positively delicious looking Jounins. Both women were Council Members. The day was long and tiring, because in the end, the two women simply laughed and left.
"Sennin, we will see you later" One waved as she walked away, swaying her hips. Strangely enough she had the same sway in her walk as did Yanagi. He arched his chest forward at the thought of the kunoichi. It's been quite a long time since he.
Yanagi looked a little estranged. She completely ignored the Lantern parade going on in the middle of the street, right across from the restaurant. Jiriaya on the other hand, kept on glancing, wondering how come this woman could totally ignore something so.what was that word? They brought sake and Yanagi's mood perked up. She smiled at the waiter and allowed Jiriaya to pour some sake into her cup.
"Uhm..Yanagi san.."
Deep green eyes darted towards him.
"Mmm??"
"You seem a little.er.distracted."
She sipped a little bit of her sake and cocked her eyebrow at his words.
"M? Do I really?"
Jiriaya nodded again.
"Is something the matter?"
"Well you see..I've got this rash."
Jiriaya's eyes popped out of his sockets. Yanagi rolled her head back and laughed.
"Ano..Jiriaya-sama. I don't have a rash. I was just teasing you."
Jiriaya frowned, slightly angered and still a bit shaken.
"Saa. That's not a nice joke to play on a Legendary Sennin, Yanagi-san."
She smiled and her eyes became two little arches again.
"Yes. But I just thought it'd be funny. Besides. You seemed a little too nervous."
"You were spacing out. No offense, but with a woman like you every man needs to be thankful for every second he's still alive. I was planning a hasty exit, just in case."
Yanagi laughed again. He liked the sound of her laugh.
"Yanagi san?"
After a few cups of sake Jiriaya became a little more brave. He reached out and touched her hand, resting across the table by her plates. She looked at his hand and than at him. They were both a little more loose now. Alchohol did wonders for those first date jitters. But wait. this wasn't a first date.
"Yes, Jiraya-sama?"
"I was thinking..maybe you'd like to go see the Lantern Parade. I would hate it if it has ended and we didn't get a chance to see it together."
"Ended? Oh don't worry. It won't be over for a LONG, LONG time."
Jiriaya arched his eyebrow.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, we've been sitting here for the past two hours and it hasn't stopped. These idiots do this every year. They do a few laps around the village before they collapse from total exhaustion. They grab a lantern and march until a sunrise. And we haven't yet figured out why."
"Would you like to go see it anyway?"
"Sure."
He paid for the dinner. Yanagi handed the waiter tips and they walked outside, arm in arm. Of course, she wasn't hanging. She was just holding him there so they wouldn't loose each other in a crowd. It was a sight to see. Lanterns, all shapes, colors and brightness danced in the crispy desert night. Jiriaya totally forgot how cold it really got in Sunagakure. Now, despite all the alcohol circulating in his system he felt his nipples getting hard. Yanagi seemed completely indifferent to the temperature changes and Jiriaya sulked. He couldn't help but mourn the fact that Yanagi's nipples were native to this harsh environment.
They stood there for good half an hour, gawking at the procession. Suddenly, Jiriaya felt nervous. That was not good. Each time Jiriaya felt nervous it meant he was getting sobered up again. He looked at his arm. Yanagi was still holding on to it and he sighed with relief. He isn't dead yet. That's good. He scolded himself at the idea he had, hoping to.what was that word?. a woman who obviously didn't care for the silly light show. He began loosing the feeling in his toes and than his fingers. He wanted to say something to her, but his self preservation instinct held him back.
"Jiriaya-sama" she leaned so close to him. She smelled like blueberries. Her soft breath tickled his skin.
"Mmmmm??" He replied, trying not to get his teeth chatter.
"I'm cold.would you like to come home with me?"
"This isn't such a bad date" he thought to himself.
"Of course. I shall escort you, Yanagi san. A weather such as this is very..unhealthy.." he uttered out loud.
Inside her house was really warm, and with time feelings returned to his toes and fingers as they thawed. He looked around while Yanagi made herself busy bringing in the Sake and some light food. Her apartment was decorated beautifully.
"Yanagi san?"
"Hmm?"
"I must give my compliments to your decorator." He smiled. Women always fell for compliments to their taste.
"Oh. Well thank you. I'm sure He'll be very happy to hear YOU in particular say that."
"He?" Jiriaya froze.
"Well yes. My brother did this. He's gay. I could never match his particular taste."
Jiriaya shut his eyes tightly, trying to ward off the images. Somehow, every time the word gay was mentioned the images of naked Orochimaru in the same bed, flooded his mind. She served the sake and sat right across from him with her legs crossed. Jiriaya took a cup and poured it into his mouth to wash away the horrible imagery.
"Tell me about yourself, Yanagi-san?"
She followed his example.
"Nothin' to tell. I'm an orphan. Was trained to be an anbu. Became a demon tamer. Same ol' story everyone knows."
Maybe talking didn't work very well. Or maybe it worked well enough because pretty soon they were at the same place they left this morning. The same red wood bed with a canapé hanging above it. But this time, they weren't as drunk. Jiriaya smirked to himself, as he watched Yanagi undress.
"I am finally getting good at this. dating business. This will be a good few issues for the Come Come Paradise. She has a nice set of.wow."
Yanagi finally got rid of all the bothersome clothing and crawled into the bed. She didn't quite remember what happened the night before but at this particular moment it didn't really matter. Their lips connected and she felt Jiriaya's hand squeezing her chest.
"Was he really this forward last night too?" she thought to herself "Probably even worse. I was so damn drunk."
"You know..Yanagi-san. you are a very pretty creature" Jiriaya muttered, smiling happily, staring at her from the bottom. She grinned in her usual, Yanagi manner.
The night finally weaned to morning and they managed to settle down and finally sleep. Yanagi frowned remembering that tomorrow she had to get up relatively early. She had anbu duties. She wanted to sleep a lot more but she guessed that good sex was a lot better than good sleep. She closed her eyes and drifted asleep. Just in time to miss hearing Jiriaya mumble as he slept.
"No.Tsunade..I couldn't.not here..Everyone's looking..You want to do what??? No..wait.you can't..That's my very special private place."
Lantern Parade.
Sunagakure turned really pretty at night. Many Orchid Dotted Lanterns were put up to brighten up the streets of the Hidden Sand Village. Orchid Lanterns, besides being incredibly pretty created this irresistible romantic mood that swept the visitors off their feet. Natives, used to the magic charms of the Lantern Lights simply brushed the whole romantic mood aside. Yet this time it was different. The village was full of strangers. All these nins, guests, merchants, who gathered at Sunagakure for the Hidden Tournaments became simply drunk with the whole Orchid Ordeal. Of course, tons and tons of Orchid sake served by generous Kage didn't help a bit.
They met in a small restaurant this time. It was evening of a long, and tiring day that they spent apart, doing whatever. Yanagi had a training session with Temari and Kankuro, whom she worked ragged, while Jiriaya had an awfully tiring day of flirting with these positively delicious looking Jounins. Both women were Council Members. The day was long and tiring, because in the end, the two women simply laughed and left.
"Sennin, we will see you later" One waved as she walked away, swaying her hips. Strangely enough she had the same sway in her walk as did Yanagi. He arched his chest forward at the thought of the kunoichi. It's been quite a long time since he.
Yanagi looked a little estranged. She completely ignored the Lantern parade going on in the middle of the street, right across from the restaurant. Jiriaya on the other hand, kept on glancing, wondering how come this woman could totally ignore something so.what was that word? They brought sake and Yanagi's mood perked up. She smiled at the waiter and allowed Jiriaya to pour some sake into her cup.
"Uhm..Yanagi san.."
Deep green eyes darted towards him.
"Mmm??"
"You seem a little.er.distracted."
She sipped a little bit of her sake and cocked her eyebrow at his words.
"M? Do I really?"
Jiriaya nodded again.
"Is something the matter?"
"Well you see..I've got this rash."
Jiriaya's eyes popped out of his sockets. Yanagi rolled her head back and laughed.
"Ano..Jiriaya-sama. I don't have a rash. I was just teasing you."
Jiriaya frowned, slightly angered and still a bit shaken.
"Saa. That's not a nice joke to play on a Legendary Sennin, Yanagi-san."
She smiled and her eyes became two little arches again.
"Yes. But I just thought it'd be funny. Besides. You seemed a little too nervous."
"You were spacing out. No offense, but with a woman like you every man needs to be thankful for every second he's still alive. I was planning a hasty exit, just in case."
Yanagi laughed again. He liked the sound of her laugh.
"Yanagi san?"
After a few cups of sake Jiriaya became a little more brave. He reached out and touched her hand, resting across the table by her plates. She looked at his hand and than at him. They were both a little more loose now. Alchohol did wonders for those first date jitters. But wait. this wasn't a first date.
"Yes, Jiraya-sama?"
"I was thinking..maybe you'd like to go see the Lantern Parade. I would hate it if it has ended and we didn't get a chance to see it together."
"Ended? Oh don't worry. It won't be over for a LONG, LONG time."
Jiriaya arched his eyebrow.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, we've been sitting here for the past two hours and it hasn't stopped. These idiots do this every year. They do a few laps around the village before they collapse from total exhaustion. They grab a lantern and march until a sunrise. And we haven't yet figured out why."
"Would you like to go see it anyway?"
"Sure."
He paid for the dinner. Yanagi handed the waiter tips and they walked outside, arm in arm. Of course, she wasn't hanging. She was just holding him there so they wouldn't loose each other in a crowd. It was a sight to see. Lanterns, all shapes, colors and brightness danced in the crispy desert night. Jiriaya totally forgot how cold it really got in Sunagakure. Now, despite all the alcohol circulating in his system he felt his nipples getting hard. Yanagi seemed completely indifferent to the temperature changes and Jiriaya sulked. He couldn't help but mourn the fact that Yanagi's nipples were native to this harsh environment.
They stood there for good half an hour, gawking at the procession. Suddenly, Jiriaya felt nervous. That was not good. Each time Jiriaya felt nervous it meant he was getting sobered up again. He looked at his arm. Yanagi was still holding on to it and he sighed with relief. He isn't dead yet. That's good. He scolded himself at the idea he had, hoping to.what was that word?. a woman who obviously didn't care for the silly light show. He began loosing the feeling in his toes and than his fingers. He wanted to say something to her, but his self preservation instinct held him back.
"Jiriaya-sama" she leaned so close to him. She smelled like blueberries. Her soft breath tickled his skin.
"Mmmmm??" He replied, trying not to get his teeth chatter.
"I'm cold.would you like to come home with me?"
"This isn't such a bad date" he thought to himself.
"Of course. I shall escort you, Yanagi san. A weather such as this is very..unhealthy.." he uttered out loud.
Inside her house was really warm, and with time feelings returned to his toes and fingers as they thawed. He looked around while Yanagi made herself busy bringing in the Sake and some light food. Her apartment was decorated beautifully.
"Yanagi san?"
"Hmm?"
"I must give my compliments to your decorator." He smiled. Women always fell for compliments to their taste.
"Oh. Well thank you. I'm sure He'll be very happy to hear YOU in particular say that."
"He?" Jiriaya froze.
"Well yes. My brother did this. He's gay. I could never match his particular taste."
Jiriaya shut his eyes tightly, trying to ward off the images. Somehow, every time the word gay was mentioned the images of naked Orochimaru in the same bed, flooded his mind. She served the sake and sat right across from him with her legs crossed. Jiriaya took a cup and poured it into his mouth to wash away the horrible imagery.
"Tell me about yourself, Yanagi-san?"
She followed his example.
"Nothin' to tell. I'm an orphan. Was trained to be an anbu. Became a demon tamer. Same ol' story everyone knows."
Maybe talking didn't work very well. Or maybe it worked well enough because pretty soon they were at the same place they left this morning. The same red wood bed with a canapé hanging above it. But this time, they weren't as drunk. Jiriaya smirked to himself, as he watched Yanagi undress.
"I am finally getting good at this. dating business. This will be a good few issues for the Come Come Paradise. She has a nice set of.wow."
Yanagi finally got rid of all the bothersome clothing and crawled into the bed. She didn't quite remember what happened the night before but at this particular moment it didn't really matter. Their lips connected and she felt Jiriaya's hand squeezing her chest.
"Was he really this forward last night too?" she thought to herself "Probably even worse. I was so damn drunk."
"You know..Yanagi-san. you are a very pretty creature" Jiriaya muttered, smiling happily, staring at her from the bottom. She grinned in her usual, Yanagi manner.
The night finally weaned to morning and they managed to settle down and finally sleep. Yanagi frowned remembering that tomorrow she had to get up relatively early. She had anbu duties. She wanted to sleep a lot more but she guessed that good sex was a lot better than good sleep. She closed her eyes and drifted asleep. Just in time to miss hearing Jiriaya mumble as he slept.
"No.Tsunade..I couldn't.not here..Everyone's looking..You want to do what??? No..wait.you can't..That's my very special private place."