His love is like light. It is bright, sweet sunshine illuminating everything he touches, and when he touches her, it is as if the same fervid brightness flows over her skin, making every nerve sing in answer to the adoration he shows her. In his arms, there is safety and joy, laughter and softness, everything that she never thought she would be allowed to have. His kisses are sweet on her lips, and as they love under the canopy of trees, she dreams of what will be in the years to come. Ceaseless and constant, from the very first time they came together in joy, Dan is her safe place, her home, and with him, anything is possible.
Tsunade can scarcely believe it when their time away from their unit leads them here, to a brookside stretch of trees opening into a fragrant bower like something out of a fairy tale. So much time spent in gloomy Ame has made her deeply grateful for any chance to soak up open sun, and she takes off her cloak, rolling up her sleeves as she watches the play of light through the leaves and along the water.
"It's pretty here, but you know there is an inn I found in the town a few miles from here? If we get there quick, we'll be able to spend a little private time together before we have to get back to take the night watch." Dan says, sidling up to her with a gentle smile.
"An inn? I don't think that's necessary for us to enjoy our time away, do you, love? Or are you that much of a traditionalist?" She grins, stepping into his space, their noses nearly touching.
Dan laughs, a rakish glint in his sea green eyes as he pokes her sides and catches her around the waist. "A traditionalist, am I? I think I have to defend my honor here…"
Her lover is clearly not beyond taking on her challenge with lighthearted zeal, and as he kisses her, she wonders at how it will feel to have all these warm sunbeams cast their light along her naked flesh, what bits of it might be bared to the open sky. Such a tryst is not without its risks, of course, but therein lies the thrill, especially within the borders of Fire Country. They are far from the fighting, and they both know that this bit of sweetness is something they will each be able to cling to until their assignments bring them home once more and back into the known comfort of their mundane lives together.
Body armor and the outer pieces of their uniforms fall soft upon the grass and brush as she meets him kiss for kiss, touch for touch. A florid blush blooms along her cheeks and her skin as he falls to his knees before her parted thighs, his hands cupping her hips, bowing as if to pay homage to all that she is, his lips and tongue plying her flesh as if he knows it better than even she does.
Their cloaks pillow her back against the bark of a fallen oak as Dan lifts her into his arms. The only witnesses to their lovemaking are the birds, and other woodland creatures driven from their homes at the sound of sensual delight. With a single utterance affirming their love, he warms the darkest, coldest places within her heart, and shows her how to live.
The rain is cold, stinging like shards of ice that might as well be whittling away her bones, but she scarcely feels it, with the warmth of Dan's life's blood soaking her hands and her clothes. He was not supposed to be here. He was not supposed to be here.
Desperately praying to all gods and powers she can think of, Tsunade forces her chakra into his body to ensure his heart keeps beating, but as she scans him, she realizes with increasing horror that luck is not on their side. One kidney is a mass of shredded tissue and he is hemorrhaging faster than she can even begin to repair the damaged blood vessels. He's growing colder and weaker far too quickly and she can't stem the tide of blood. She can't stop it.
"Tsu… I don't want to die yet...I have so many things left to do…" Dan's eyes are frantic, fearful, even though he is one of the most courageous people she has ever known. He's been injured before, but never like this.
His voice is weak, and it jars her concentration; if she can get him to calm, to quiet, maybe she can buy them more time.
"Don't speak!" she says quickly, knitting the ragged edges of arteries together cell by cell, anything to patch him up and get him to safety.
"I… can't die... here…" he chokes, blood spilling past his lips.
"Don't worry, I stopped the bleeding. You're going to be alright. You'll be okay, Dan!" she lies, trying to believe her own words. Everything will be okay if she can get one more chakra stitch to hold.
"Good...I'm so glad…" he gasps, eyes half-lidded and closing against the icy rain.
Tsunade feigns a smile, though his breath starts to fade and he can no longer see her. Her hands grow strikingly hot as more dark arterial blood flows over them. One of her patches gives way, and his pulse falters after pumping out more blood, the beat stuttering beneath her hands.
"Dammit... don't bleed out!" she finally pleads, as if begging will make any difference, but it has to - this is not how things were supposed to be.
"Stop! Stop! Stop! I said Stop! "
But there is no one to heed her, no gods, no saviors, not even the distant glow of a teammate whose solemn presence flickers in her head before darkness surrounds her and all she can do is scream as she registers the very moment in which pulse and breath have left Dan's body. His soul is freed upon the bone-chilling wind, this time against his will, and every dream she's ever had goes with him. Dies with him.
He was not supposed to be here.