A/N: Merry Christmas, everybody, have another big surprise!
The night came, and Tsunade was moving through the forest with Jiraiya in the moonlight, laughing and talking.
He'd found a little spot in the forest that he wanted to show her, yet unbeknownst to her he was planning to finally tell her how he felt.
He didn't know if she loved him, but he had to get it off of his chest... especially since neither of them could come out of the invasion alive.
"I need to man up and do it," he told himself, clenching his fist. "I can't hold off until it's too late."
Tsunade, meanwhile, found the trip nice. She didn't get to spend enough alone time with him for her comfort. She was still conflicted about what she felt for him, but she could safely say she did love him. Perhaps they weren't meant to be together yet, but she yearned for the day they could be.
"If I don't seize this chance now, I'll never get to," she mused to herself, stealing a glance at the taller, white-haired man. "He's been such a faithful friend, I... I don't want to bury him before he knows."
When they got to the small clearing, Jiraiya pushed aside a low-hanging branch to reveal a well-lit pond surrounded by low-hanging trees. Lanterns were floating on the water, giving it a magical feel.
Tsunade smiled widely up at him, moving to sit by the water. "This is beautiful, Jiraiya. When on earth did you find this place?"
"I found it while I was fishing one day," he explained, sitting beside her and lightly dipping his bare toes in the cool dark water. "I was walking back to camp and I accidentally tripped on a hole and fell through the bushes here."
She chuckled, shaking her head and resting her hands on the grass behind herself. "Classic Jiraiya. Had anyone else told me that story, I would have a hard time believing them."
"Hey, I'll have you know that I can be sneaky, Tsunade!" The white-haired man wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"You better not be peeking on my girls in the river!" She glared, scrunching up her sleeves to punch him. "If I find even one line about them in your porn-"
"No, no no no, nah, not them," he shook his head rapidly, raising his hands in surrender. "Other villages I've been to. You'd be surprised just how easily I can come across, ahem, inspiration ."
"You lecher," she grumbled, pulling her sleeve back down. "Anyways, what did you want to bring me all the way out here to say? You know how I feel about being away from camp right now."
"Uh, yes, right." He coughed, looking over at her. "Tsunade, we've been comrades since we were adolescents."
"Of course."
"And we've been friends for ages."
"Depends on who you ask, but yes."
"And you know that I'd do anything to keep you safe."
"More nights than I'd like to admit, correct."
He paused in his speech, eyes bright. "You think about me at night?"
"I'm friends with a lowly pervert," she groaned, slapping her forehead. "You know I get nightmares, Jiraiya!"
"Oh, uh, yeah, of course." He coughed again, awkwardly. "I knew that. The whole time."
"Just finish, please," she tiredly replied. "I don't want to leave Shizune and Rin in charge for too long with Karin still out."
"What I'm trying to say is that I've been in love with you ever since we were training cadets," he finally spat out, breathing a sigh of relief once he'd gotten it out. "And with the invasion of the castle coming, I feel like this is the best night to tell you."
She blinked. She stared at him for a good ten seconds.
His cheeks were slightly pink from embarrassment, and he was looking everywhere but at her.
Then a smile spread across her lips. She shook her head.
"Jiraiya, you coward, look me in the eye when you tell me you love me." She gently took his cheek and turned his head so that they were eye to eye.
She smiled softly at him and pulled him close. "I love you too."
When she kissed him, his brain short-circuited for a few seconds. Then, after a stunned silence, he kissed back, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame.
Their lips moved together in harmony, their eyes closed in bliss. It felt as if all of the romantic tension that they'd been weighed down with for more than half of their lives had suddenly lifted, leaving them lighter than air.
The kiss wasn't passionate in any way, but it was slow and sensual. A quiet tango between two eager participants, supplemented only by one tangling their fingers in another's hair and the other pulling them closer by the small of their back.
Once they parted, Tsunade was in his lap and gazing up at him with twin honey irises full of adoration and love.
"I've been wanting to do that for longer than I'd like to admit," she said, gently stroking his face with her fingertips.
"I thought I would never be able to tell you before either of us kicked it," he joked with a rumbling laugh. "But now that I've said it, I feel better than ever. I almost want to hold off the invasion just so that I can spend my time catching up on everything we've missed."
"Believe me, that sounds wonderful right now." Tsunade agreed with a soft sigh as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"But?" He was almost scared to ask, but the hesitance in her eyes compelled him to.
"But we need to focus on our mission."
"Right, yes, the invasion," he reluctantly replied, resting his chin atop her head.
"Don't be so sulky about it, you idiot," she laughed, glancing up at him. "I never said that I wanted to get rid of what we just gained."
"You wanna wait?" He asked, his eyes flickering to the nearest floating lantern in the water.
She was silent for a few seconds, tracing patterns on his wrist.
Then she nodded slowly, looking up to press a soft kiss to the underside of his chin.
"Please, wait for the war to end," she pleaded, squeezing his hand.
He chortled then, a rumbling one that vibrated all through his chest and made him take a breath. When the fit subsided, he gave her a big grin.
"I've waited forty-something years to tell you how I felt," he replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "For you, I would gladly wait another forty years if I needed to."
"So you do agree that going into a committed relationship now would be rushing it?" She asked softly, eyes full of concern. "I don't want to lose you to that."
"Are you serious? Tsunade, just knowing that you want this is already making my lifetime right now." He shook his head fiercely, cupping her face with his hands. When she reached up to spread her hands over his, the grin was back. "We can start exploring our options once we restore peace. For now, I'm content to wait."
"The second we change this kingdom for the better, I'm holding you to that ridiculous lunch date to Ichiraku," she giggled, getting to her feet. "Your treat, of course!"
"You still remember that?!" He squawked in surprise. "That was when we were teenagers!"
She only cackled in reply, the sound echoing around the lit lake. "Better hurry up, old man! Last one to camp has to help cook breakfast tomorrow!"
He took off after her, shouting in embarrassment, but he couldn't help the wide beaming smile drawn across his face as he gave chase.
For a fleeting few moments, it felt like they were teenagers again, goofing off after practice as youth are wont to do. He could almost see her swaying ponytail ahead, the girl turning around to playfully stick out her tongue at him, taunting him to go faster.
His heart was light, and it felt like he was flying through the trees all the way back to camp. For once, the future looked bright as day, and he couldn't wait to explore a new, peaceful era with the love of his life at his side.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed. Please tell me what you thought!
