TRAUMA

CHAPTER TWO – INTOXICATED

Taking a sharp breath, Jiraiya bolted upright; hands flicking instinctively to his chest, fingertips tracing across his torn shirt, silently searching for his gaping wounds only to find nothing of the sort. Realization hit him like a tonne of bricks as dark eyes scan around the room, the scent of sake clinging to the air as he turned to look beside him. The voluptuous blonde's torso was draped across the couch, eyes closed and a bottle of beer nestled against the palm of her hand; empty bottles of its likeness strewn across the tiles beside her. She's dug into her emergency alcohol rations, He notes silently, eyeing the uncharacteristic substance choice; Just how much has she drank lately?

"You pulled it off" he whispers softly, as he looks across at the blonde; I expected no less from you. You really are a formidable force Lady Hokage. There was no doubt that the process and his sudden return had taken a toll on the strong woman before him. It would've been a lot to process, let alone to handle such a situation at the drop of a hat, a true nod to her unequalled skill.

A soft whimper slips from between Tsunade's lips as her brows furrow; golden bangs fluttering past her eyes as her grip on the neck of her beer bottle tightened. How was it that even in her drunken stupor she still managed to look completely and utterly breathtaking? It should be punishable by law, he muses silently. "Can you hear me?" Jiraiya whispers, edging forward carefully as she shifted her arm down to her side, her ample bosom exposed. Jackpot! I wonder if I can get a better look? Maybe, just maybe, he muses to himself; a giddy grin gripping the corners of his mouth.

Tsunade's eyes flick open as if by instinct, taking in the perverse expression printed across her comrade's face. "You're clearly feeling better. Show some self-control will you?" Tsunade mutters, arching backwards a fraction in an effort to relieve the pressure in her back; Looks like he's back to being his usual indecent self. Head throbbing slightly, the blonde turned and pressed her back against the couch, golden locks draping across its surface as she sighed heavily; I didn't drink that much after the surgery did I? I guess it has been a while since I mixed drinks.

"Control? I've been controlling myself for years," the writer fights back, his voice dripping with enthusiasm as he puffed out his chest proudly. If you only knew what goes through my mind you would struggle to look me in the eye, he thought to himself as he pointed gun fingers in her direction; "I've got the self-control of a saint."

Scoffing the blonde traces a hand through the tail end of one of her ponytails, an intoxicated smile crossing her lips. "That might be the most frightening concept I've heard in quite some time," she declares as she lowers her gaze to the floor; scanning the array of bottles dispersed around her, in the hopes that she might've left one half-empty nearby thus preventing another expedition to the fridge. If anything he is consistent. Always a lecher, she notes silently, lifting an empty bottle up towards the light to inspect its non-existent contents; He does have a heart of gold however. I'll admit that much.

"Don't lie. You are curious about those thoughts in the far corners of my mind aren't you?" the male teases playfully, knowing full well that Tsunade had little to no interest in encouraging his perverse behaviour at the best of times. But there was no time like the present to turn over a new leaf, right? Wriggling his brows mischievously Jiraiya tapped a finger against his left temple, "If you want to know I can give you a few examples, but it will cost you." Can't blame a guy for trying, right?

"At the moment I'm more curious how you managed to make it here with those substantial injuries," Tsunade states; scooping a few empty bottles in her arms, and carrying them over to her cluttered kitchen table. Sighing, she turns into the kitchen, reappearing in the lounge area with fresh bottles in a matter of seconds; "At the moment I'm more curious how you managed to make it here with those substantial injuries. We were advised by Fukasaku that you died in battle. I don't understand how any of this is even possible." Exhaling heavily, Tsunade sat back down beside Jiraiya; thighs brushing against him as she turned to face him offering a single beer somewhat sheepishly. It would be rude to not offer him anything after what he went through, right? She wonders as she places another on the tiles beside her. It still feels so surreal that he even made it back home. I've never been so glad that I lost a bet.

With everything that had occurred, he had completely forgotten to elaborate on his grand escape; let alone to share the intel he had gathered during his battle. Perhaps the later could wait until she was sobered up and back in the office. Now was hardly the time for a mission debrief. "I got away the same way I got into Amegakure. Inside Gamagoro's belly," Jiraiya replies simply, proceeding to shake his head to silently decline her offer of beer. "That type of technique is not intended for long trips, however. It was cramped and torturously slow, but it got me back home," he adds, plaiting his arms across his chest; observing the medic as she took a sizable swig of beer, almost downing all its contents in one fell swoop. Despite her clearly intoxicated state, she was still managing to maintain a somewhat steady posture and sentence structure; Such a drinking veteran. Your age is showing Tsunade.

"You're lucky you didn't bleed out on that journey! You should never remove objects you have been impaled with for future reference," she barks, pointing a finger aggressively in his direction as she spoke. Doesn't everyone know such a simple thing? Surely it is blatantly obvious! Her mind cries out in sheer horror; Did his common sense fly out the window? Tsunade averts her gaze and proceeds to scull the remainder of her beverage, frustration consuming her. "I swear your goal is to just cause me stress," she notes, slamming the empty bottle down on the tiles, sighing in satisfaction.

A lecture. He knew this was coming. She simply couldn't help herself. Over the years it was one thing he had come to expect at any and all opportunities regarding medical emergencies. "Hey, I made it back. That's the main thing," Jiraiya chimes, his untroubled eyes beaming back at her seemingly nonchalant expression. It was clear that the premature declaration of his passing had left her with anxiety regarding his safety. Just what would've happened if I surrendered to the situation? He mused to himself. Would she have found the strength within her to forgive me for departing this life prematurely? Or would she have simply lived her life in a state of never-ending grief, as she had desired to after Nawaki and Dan? The thought was grim to say the least. Her ability to cope with loss was lacking due to the depth of the love she had for those she surrounded herself with.

So much could've gone wrong you damn fool, Tsunade notes to herself as she twisted open another beer; proceeding to turn and drape her torso across the couch cushion once more. A frown claims her lips as she gazes over her shoulder at her jolly companion, The odds were stacked against you. How can you sit there and smile in such a carefree way? His overwhelmingly positive nature was somewhat comforting despite his ignorance. It served to balance out her natural pessimistic nature yet it did little to sway her concerns regarding his brash decision making.

"You're frowning. You know what they say about that," Jiraiya teases as he leans forward, dangerously poking the minuscule wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Come on, that's funny and you know it, he muses with a sheepish grin. Usually, such a comment would land him in a hospital bed, with the blonde refusing to treat his wounds out of pure spite. But instead, she simply scowled; her alabaster cheeks flushing as evidence of her alcoholic indulgence was slowly starting to surface.

He was provoking her, a feeble attempt to distract her from continuing to lecture him no doubt. His comment was cruel and yet clearly in jest, something she could identify even in her current state. Sighing heavily she took a sizable sip of beer, the cool substance slipping down her throat as her mind wandered; I can't even argue with that snide remark. I'm getting old and my transformation jutsu isn't as effective as it once was. "I don't even have it in me to scold you," Tsunade responds, fingers toying with the neck of her beer bottle. Thick lashes flutter downwards as she stared at his torn shirt, dried blood speckled abs peeking out from underneath; "I'm just thankful that you made it home."

"How thankful are we talking?" Jiraiya teases playfully, his eyes dancing mischievously as his gaze flicked down to her cleavage pressed up against the cushion of the couch. Letting me cop a feel kind of thankful? Or just letting me have a few sneaky perves type of thankful? He muses to himself, a broad grin gripping his devilishly handsome face as his eyes instinctively flicked back up to her visage for his own protection.

Tsunade sighs and swigs the last of her beer, the alcohol-induced haze continuing to grip her senses as she places the empty bottle down beside the couch. "You never give up do you?" she states flatly, her eyes fixed on his strong jawline as she turned to face him; "Am I that attractive to you?" The answer was evident, but in her current state, she couldn't help but pry.

"Why would I give up? I am a stubborn old fool who knows what he wants," Jiraiya half laughs as he eyed the Hokage as she swayed slightly; her stern expression impossible to take seriously as she stared back at him. "Attractive isn't the word I would use," he goes on to state, twisting his lips slightly as his bloodied hands trace down his legs; "You are my true north. Whether you even want me here or not, all paths lead to you." Maybe it was cheesy, but it was the truth.

Perhaps she had drank too much, or maybe she had lost herself in the false sense grief that clung to her, but as she sat there listening to those words tumble from his lips with such resolve, it was impossible to not feel the heat rushing through her. She was drawn to him, every part of him. From his goofy perverted smile through to his serious declarations of affection. Plump lips part for a moment as she stares back at him silently, her heart thumping wildly in her chest as she raked her fingertips across the sofa cushion. "Close your eyes," She orders, voice stern as she peered across at him.

Taken back, the white-haired male raises a brow unsurely as he complies. "If you're going to hit me like usual, I don't need to close my eyes you know," he muses softly, voice unwavering as he heard her shift from beside him; piercing silence filling the air until an unfamiliar warmth slipped onto his lap. His eyes flick open and immediately widen as his gaze locks with the blonde's.

Tsunade presses a finger against his lips, her pelvis shifting nervously against his groin. "If you say anything disgusting, I swear I will change my mind," Tsunade whispers under her breath, fingertips raking from his lips and proceeding to trail down the length of his neck. Call it a celebration of life if you will, she muses, eyes locked on his startled gaze.

The Sannin gulps hard, his hands seizing the voluptuous woman's waist as he tries to halt her advances. This exact situation had played out in the theatre of his mind countless times, but there wasn't an instance in which he reacted the way in which he was about to. It was evident that she was intoxicated. He was accustomed to that, but this time it was different. She was emotionally vulnerable to an extent he had only witnessed twice before and knowing just how deeply those wounds cut her on previous occasions, it was impossible to put his carnal needs before her wellbeing. Furthermore, if she passed off an intimate moment with him as nothing other than a drunken mistake, it would be shattering. Taking a deep breath he reached up, hands cupping her flushed cheeks, as he smiled gently. Nothing needed to be said, Have I lost my mind?

Lips tremble as the blonde blinks back tears, her stubborn gaze fixed on his softening features as calloused thumbs trace tenderly across the apples of her cheeks. "You're not supposed to look at me like that," she whispers, her strong voice wavering as her shoulders slumped; did she really look so pitiful right now that he would gaze upon her in such a manner? "I'm fine you fool," Tsunade adds feistily, her hands flicking up to his chest, fingertips tracing down the centre of his pectorals as her gaze drifted down to one of his fresh scars. Wetness traces down the curve of her plump cheeks, further impairing her drunken vision as she hunches forward; crying was weak, and yet today the tears never seemed to stop flowing. Damn it, she curses silently.

"You are a terrible liar. You are crying," Jiraiya states flatly, a weathered hand slipping down to the Hokage's jawline gently lifting her chin. I'm not going anywhere, you made sure of that, he muses silently, his other hand tentatively raking stray golden strands behind her ear; I've waited this long. There's no rush.

"I'm not crying," she fires back, pressing her forehead into the nook of Jiraiya's neck; "I wouldn't cry over you." Squeezing her eyes shut, she glided her hands around the sides of his broad chest, pulling him into a tight embrace; If I lost you, I wouldn't even know how to move forward. I won't make this mistake again. Strong arms envelop the small of her waist, her beloved's head rubbed against hers for a split second. If she denied the cathartic nature of his embrace she would be lying, his unwavering affection was therapeutic; just as his presence had been when she found herself sitting in a pit of grief in the past. He was always there, no questions asked. Perhaps he knew the comfort he offered without so much as a word being uttered between them.

"I guess I was just seeing things then," Jiraiya replies calmly, his companion's warm tears dripping onto his exposed chest, trailing downwards; "Can we sit here like this for a little longer? For my sake only of course." She was proud, far too proud to admit to any of it, drunk or not; so he would play along until his presence was no longer desired, whatever helped put her at ease. You are without a doubt the most stubborn woman I have ever set eyes on, Jiraiya muses as he presses his eyes shut; I love you.

Quivering fingers tug at his shirt, Tsunade's shoulders slackening as she relaxed into his comforting embrace. Lips part, silence befalling her for a moment as she pulls backwards; tear-filled eyes locking with his ever-patient gaze. He had never put that look into words, it was simply an unspoken truth; even as the years passed, it remained unchanged, a constant in her whirlwind of a life that formed a safety net she took for granted in hindsight. Chest tightening, she slides her hands from his back and down to her lap, tugging at the hem of her top, it needed to be said; I won't live with regrets. "I love you," she admits at last, her glassy gaze lowering as she averted her gaze; Jiraiya's strong arms enveloping her tighter than before, his warm breath caressing her neck as he sighed contently.

"I know," Jiraiya replies gently, warmness swelling in his chest as he buried his forehead into the nook of her neck. "You better remember this in the morning you alcoholic," he teases, a warmness present in his voice as he felt her settle into his embrace, fingers sinking into his snowy locks. Who would've thought? He muses, elation consuming him as she hit his back playfully in response to his prior comment. Maybe I should knock on death's door more often?

AUTHOR:
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