He had blinked. Or at least, that's how it had seemed.

One second Jiraiya was an old man, drifting downward on a gentle current. The next he'd been a young man, dancing wildly to an indescribable melody as he pranced around a bonfire. Then he'd blinked, and he was younger still, sitting in a familiar village, with a familiar presence next to him.

It was Tsunade, young and beautiful. The both of them were sitting together on a bench, in the Hidden Leaf Village.

But how did he get here? What was happening? None of it made any sense. He turned, looking at Tsunade. Judging from their ages, this was probably shortly after they'd become shinobi. But wait, hadn't that been long ago?

A splitting a headache crossed the top of Jiraiya's head, and he clapped a hand to it, sucking in a breath. As his heart steadied itself, Tsunade suddenly turned her face to him. The sun seemed to frame her head like a halo, and her cocky smile was ruined by the large patches of blush upon her face as she said, "Hey, Jiraiya, let's go get some ramen!"

Jiraiya had opened his mouth to say, 'Yeah, let's go!' when the words caught in his throat. He had been floating downward in the ocean, old and alone. But he had been entrusted with a test, too. So why was he sitting on this bench, with a girl he'd loved since he'd met her? And why on earth was she asking him out?

Was this his chance to go back and change things? Was this part of his test? Was this his greatest regret, coming back to haunt him, or a made up scenario that would trip him up?

No matter what happened, he was Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, and a prophecy that could change the world of shinobi rode upon his shoulders.

"Uh, sorry, Tsunade, I can't. I have to go train."

And that was when he felt it- a curious tugging sensation upon his person. Before Jiraiya could even begin to resist the calls of the Reanimation Jutsu, it had sucked up his soul and spirited it away to the land of the living.


"J-Jiraiya? Is that you, Jiraiya?!"

It took a few more moments for the smoke to clear, and when it finally did, Tsunade could hardly believe her eyes.

Spiky, long white hair, a warty nose, and an infectious smile. Standing before her with his skin cracked and his eyes black was none other Jiraiya, the Legendary Toad Sage.

"Tsunade, you look as ravishing as ever I see."

"Do I? Am I still so attractive to you, even though I cast this foul jutsu and pulled you from your eternal rest? Do you really still love me, Jiraiya? Even after all I've done?! You still remember our bet, don't you?"

"Tsunade, you can't blame yourself for what I did. And for what it's worth, you've only gotten more attractive since I've died! So stop crying already, you're wasting your tears."

The Hokage wiped at her face furiously, but it was no use. The tears had started of their own volition the moment she had seen Jiraiya through the smoky room.

"Jiraiya, I know that I'm disturbing your rest, and that the Hokage shouldn't use Forbidden Jutsu, but I needed to see you again. One last time… because I have something that I need to tell you."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"That I love you," Tsunade admitted, her voice soft as she ground her heel into the floor.

A pause followed, and Tsunade blushed furiously as she glanced at Jiraiya, only to find him smiling rather bitterly.

"Well, I suppose it's better late than never," he shrugged.

"I'm so sorry, Jiraiya-" Tsunade began.

Her words failed her as the reanimated shinobi's arms circled around her, tugging her into a bear hug. The tears stopped as she found herself being clutched tightly to Jiraiya's chest.

"You've nothing to be sorry for, Tsunade. We just never got the timing right. But I think…"

Jiraiya thought about his memories, and how they had seemed to bleed together. He thought about his vision of himself and Tsunade, and how she had asked him out to ramen, instead of outright denying his offers of a date.

"…I think we'll see each other again. And maybe we'll figure things out next time around."

"Jiraiya? What do you mean?"

"You'll see what I'm talking about when we're reunited. Until that day… I'll wait for you, Tsunade."

And with that, the Toad Sage began to fade away as his soul found the peace it had searched for all of Jiraiya's life. But in those fleeting moments, Tsunade took the opportunity to express how much she cared for him by stepping in close, and planting her lips against his.

She blinked, and then he was gone. Tsunade sank to the floor, shaking as she pulled her knees to her chest, and sobbed silently for the second man to die in her arms.


The next morning, Shizune arrived at the Hokage's office to straighten up the place and prepare the Hokage's schedule, only to find the Hokage herself in her chair, at her desk, sleeping.

All of the reports were stacked on one side, each had been gone through, with notes added, pages marked, and return orders written out and stamped, ready to be sent to shinobi in the field. Only one report needed finishing, and when Shizune pried it from under the Hokage's slumbering hand, she found it was already done, and that Tsunade had fallen asleep signing it.

"Lady Tsunade," Shizune muttered to herself. To be so overcome with grief was a terrible burden all its own. Add to that the heavy drinking, and the stress of busywork (which Tsunade despised with a fiery passion) and you got a recipe for disaster. In the end, Tsunade had remembered that even in her darkest hour, one can never truly shirk their duties.

Meanwhile, Tsunade dreamt of being cradled to Jiraiya's chest. She could still feel his breath against her neck, and hear his soft words as he said, "-I think we'll see each other again. And maybe we'll figure things out next time around."

The Hokage mumbled in her sleep as Shizune crept out of the office to fetch some breakfast and strong coffee.

"Jiraiya," Tsunade murmured "I love you."


Author's Notes:

IM NOT UPSET

IM NOT

IM NOT UPSET

THIS COUNTRY IS UPSET, WITH ABSURD PRICES

FIVE DOLLARS FOR A MEAL AT MCDONALDS

I NEED MORE MEAT IN MY DIET

Ahem. Moving along, here we have the third and final chapter. I expect no shipping wars because Naruto hasn't been uber popular in roughly ten years. That said, I really wish I'd started watching it sooner. It's a very uplifting and inspiring show. Sorry I've been gone for so long btw, I kinda wrote a book.

Music to moisten your mood:

Day and Night-Last Dude (xxxtentacion, juice wrld, lil tay)

the treehouse-sewerperson

start/end-eden

Beggars Song-Matt Maeson (stripped)

L8er

Stay safe, work hard, live well