Jiraiya stared deeply into Tsunade's hazel eyes in an attempt to figure out what exactly she wished to speak to him about. He felt somewhat conflicted and anxious, for he could not tell what she was thinking. The expression on her face was hard to read, which was out of the norm for Jiraiya since over the years he has become quite adept at figuring out how she was feeling, "What do you want to talk to me about?" He asked, feeling unable to remain in the dark.
She held his hand a little tighter than before and was about to speak up until a group of intoxicated men came stumbling out the tavern. She quickly let the hold she had on his hand go and nervously tucked some blonde hair behind her ear. Her actions further confused Jiraiya and at that point, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer to his question. Suddenly, unfavorable thoughts invaded his mind and drove him absolutely crazy. Perhaps she was going to tell him that the sparks between them have been extinguished and the obvious attraction he felt towards her was not mutual. Or maybe she was about to inform him that she gave up her Hokage title and was going to leave the village once again. He had no idea what to expect from Tsunade but felt compelled to know despite the fact that it might cause him a significant amount of pain and anguish.
"Tsunade, what's wrong?" He asked while stepping closer to her.
She thought she was prepared for this. She was almost certain that she could approach the man she harbored intense feelings of love for and express how she felt. However, here she was avoiding eye contact with him and nervously biting her lip instead of standing before him in confidence to reveal the truth she's been concealing for years. She couldn't believe she came this far only to be crippled by anxiety that forced her into silence. She was nervous to say the very least and that was due to the history she had with the white-haired Sannin. In the past, she chastised him, embarrassed him, used him, and rejected him countless of times. She was the cause of some of the worst days of his life, where he was subjected to feelings of worthlessness and complete sadness. How could she possibly expect him to welcome her with open arms and vow to love her back? Yes, she thought she was ready for that moment where she would declare her love for him, but it turned out that when she was actually face to face with him, she just could not bring herself to utter a word. Therefore, instead of answering his question, she tried her best to avoid it.
"What did Kakashi talk to you about?" She asked, feeling like a complete failure.
Jiraiya looked at her with nothing but confusion plastered on his face. Surely she has not been looking for him all day to simply ask him about what topics his conversation with Kakashi consisted of, "That's what you wanted to say to me all day?"
What was she going to say now? Jiraiya could obviously see through her façade, "Yes." She started before formulating the rest of her lie, "You mentioned he wanted to speak to you about Naruto." She said, "If it was something important such as his control of the nine tails or even the Akatsuki, as the Hokage I ought to know."
"That's not what you came here to say Tsunade." He pointed out, "Just tell me the truth."
"That is the truth." She lied, "I just wanted to know about your conversation with Kakashi so stop being so stubborn and tell me."
"No." He said with folded arms.
"What do you mean no?!" She asked in a raised voice, "I'm your Hokage, you can't tell me no!"
"And I'm also your closest friend and I know when you're lying to me." He reminded her which caused her to look away from him. He reached for her hand and held it with his, "You can tell me anything."
He said those words with such sincerity that for a second she felt as if she could reveal her truth to him without any fear of rejection. However, she kept thinking about all the wrong she did in the past and how many times she hurt him, that no matter how hard she tried to right all her wrongs, she knew that it simply could not erase the past. How could he possibly want to be committed to her after everything they have been through?
"How can I tell you?" She said in a weak voice with tears forming in her eyes.
He could tell that she was getting emotional and felt the dire need to have this conversation elsewhere after remembering where they were. He wanted to avoid all the people entering and leaving the tavern as well as the wandering eyes and inquisitive natures of the people in the village. The last thing he wanted was for whatever encounter they were about to have to be put on display and be the topic of everyone's conversations for the following day.
"Let's go somewhere else." He said and tightened the grip he had on her hand in order to lead her away from their current location. He had to get her away from all the chaos around them in order to have the conversation they desperately needed to have. But where would they go? Surely they couldn't sit down over a meal together without villagers hovering over them, and the Hokage mansion was a definite no since more than likely Tsunade would be bombarded by paperwork and Koharu's demands. Furthermore, he felt as if his apartment was too intimate of a place for such a situation and would do little to nothing to put Tsunade at ease. Therefore, he had to think of a location that was quiet and not filled with the population of the Leaf. He looked behind him and saw Tsunade looking at their intertwined fingers, allowing herself to be led by him. He genuinely did not know what was happening in her mind and yearned for a time when he could figure out what she was thinking. He let out a deep sigh and then thought of the perfect place to take the Hokage. He decided upon a bridge that was situated just above a small river that ran through the village. He didn't go there very often, but he knew that it was always deserted at that time of the day so it would provide them with the privacy they needed. His mind brought him back to a time, many years ago when he was just a Genin ninja, when he encountered Tsunade on that same bridge.
"I'll see you later mom!" Jiraiya said as he placed his shoes on his feet before opening the door of his home. He was running late and had no time to waste. Earlier that day, he was told to meet his team at the main gate of the village for they were given a mission. It was only a C-Rank mission, but Jiraiya was excited nevertheless to be able to have the opportunity to spend time with his team members as well as to hone his skills as a ninja.
"Be careful out there Jiraiya!" His mother called out to him before he left the house, "Don't be reckless!"
Jiraiya was well aware of how worried his mother became every time he received a mission, so he tried to tell himself to be as cautious as possible. However, it wasn't in his nature to simply stand by and allow his teammates and sensei to do all the dangerous tasks. His goal was to become a full-fledged shinobi and being too careful was not the way to achieve that. Furthermore, he thought that girls would not be impressed by a ninja who played it safe.
He ran happily through the village with a smile on his face and his backpack fastened securely on his back as he made his way to his destination. As he was running through town, he approached the bridge that was built over a river that ran through the village. He was about to just run over it in order to get to the main gate faster, but saw a familiar blonde standing on it while staring out into the vast distance. He wondered what she was doing there, since she was assigned a mission as well, but then noticed the backpack that was on her back. Perhaps she decided to stop there for a while before heading out on the mission. However, they were to meet at the gate at a certain time and they were late. It was quite unusual for Tsunade to be tardy, so he decided to approach her to ask her what was wrong.
"Hey Tsunade." He said and walked up beside her.
She looked at him with her hazel eyes and immediately looked back out at the distance afterwards, "What do you want?" She asked in a slightly agitated tone.
"We're supposed to be meeting Sarutobi sensei and Orochimaru at the main gate." He stated, "Remember we were assigned a mission."
"I'm aware of that idiot." She grumbled, "Just leave me alone."
He didn't understand what was happening with her, for she seemed to be colder and even more agitated with him than usual. Furthermore, it appeared as if she was in deep thought. However, he had no intentions on simply leaving her there to go through whatever she was going through on her own. She was stubborn, but he had to find someway of getting her to talk to him.
"Are you okay Tsunade?" He asked but received no answer from the young blonde. He was not going to give up so he continued to speak, "You can tell me anything you know. I would never judge you." He said with a smile which caused Tsunade to look at him once again.
There was something about him that made her feel as if she could talk to him without the fear of being ridiculed or judged. He was annoying and perverted, but he was a genuine person. Despite the fact that they have not been on the same team for very long, she felt as if she could trust him.
"Today is the anniversary of my grandfather's death." She said and tried her best to hold back the tears threatening to leak out her eyes. She was very close to her late grandfather and missed him dearly every day. The population of the village viewed him as the strongest, most well-respected ninja to ever grace the earth, but she just saw him as her dear grandfather. She went on with her life after his death, just as he wanted her to, but every time the anniversary of his passing came around, it filled her with sadness and reminded her of the great role model and precious family member that she lost.
"I didn't know." Jiraiya said and laid his hand upon her shoulder, "I'm sorry Tsunade."
"I just miss him so much." She started, allowing his hand to remain on her shoulder, "We used to have so much fun together. He even taught me how to gamble even though my grandmother scolded him for it." She said as she held on to the crystal pendant of her necklace, the precious memento her grandfather entrusted to her.
Jiraiya was surprised that Tsunade was sharing so many personal details with him. She had never spoken to him like that before. In that moment he realized that she was so much more than just a pretty face. She was a girl who experienced great loss and all he wanted to do was protect her from feeling the pain of losing those dear to her.
"He's always with you, you know." Jiraiya smiled and held her shoulder a little tighter, "When my grandparents died, my parents told me that no matter what they will always be with me. I didn't know your grandfather, but I heard that he was a man who cared deeply about the village and everyone in it. You're his granddaughter so I know you've inherited not only his bloodline, but his will as well. No matter what he's always watching over you and I know you'll grow up to be a great ninja just like him. Who knows, maybe you'll become Hokage yourself one day!"
"Me, the Hokage?" She giggled, "I don't think so."
"You might be." He said, "You're smart enough for it and you're even stronger than me!" He explained, "But don't worry, one day I'm going to be really strong too."
"We'll see about that bird brain!" He smiled and stuck her tongue out at him, "Come on, we have a mission."
The pair walked off the bridge together on their way to meet their sensei and their other teammate at the gate for their mission. She didn't say it, but in her heart she was thankful to have Jiraiya on her team, for deep down she knew that no matter what she could always depend on him to make her feel better in any given situation. It was on that day Jiraiya fell in love with not only her beauty, but the person she was underneath her independent, strong-willed exterior. He promised himself that no matter what, he would always be there for her.
It didn't take too long for the two members of the Sannin to arrive at the bridge. It was peaceful there as it was quiet and only the sounds of the river streaming along could be heard. The sun set and the streetlights started to be illuminated one by one. He then looked at the woman he had known for years and noticed that she seemed to be extremely withdrawn into her own mind and was in deep thought. She looked out at the river below, more than likely trying to avoid eye contact with him and wrapped her arms protectively around her body. For as long as he knew Tsunade, she has always been a confident, straightforward person, so the persona she was displaying was completely out of character for her. He kept wondering why she was behaving in such an unsure manner but knew that he would not get any information out of her unless he somehow managed to calm her nervous spirits.
"Whatever it is that's on your mind Tsunade, you don't have to be afraid to tell me." He said with nothing but sincerity evident in his tone.
With his words, she turned her head to look at him and as she did, she saw sincerity beaming through his eyes. As she looked at him and noticed the care and concern that he was displaying towards her, she couldn't help but wonder how she ever treated him so badly in the past. He was a kind, honest, and decent man. He has always been there for her, through good times and bad. He was the type of person who was slow to judge, but quick to offer support. Surely he deserved better than the abuse she bestowed upon him for years, and he deserved to know how she felt towards him. Suddenly, she realized that no matter what the outcome would be, she had to talk to him. If she were to withhold the truth from him, she would not only be lying to herself, but she would be doing herself a major disservice by robbing herself of the opportunity to truly be in a committed relationship with him.
"Why have you been looking for me all day?" He asked again, hopeful that this time around he would receive an answer.
She took a deep breath and started to explain herself to the man standing before her, "I wanted to talk to you about something." She admitted and gained his attention.
"What about?" He asked, giving her his undivided attention.
She closed her eyes and reminded herself once again that it was Jiraiya she was speaking to, and that she could tell him anything before opening her eyes and revealing her truth to him, "Do you remember the last time I left the village?" She asked.
How could he possibly forget that night so long ago when she left the village and took his heart with her? That was easily one of the worst days of his life other than the day his sensei and treasured student passed away, "Yes." He nodded his head and wondered where this conversation was headed.
She remembered every detail of that night vividly, as if it were only a few days ago as opposed to years. She recalled how nervous she felt before joining him for dinner, and how unsure she was on what to say to him in order to start up a friendly conversation. Back then, it was as if they were a million miles apart even though they were in each other's company. Both were completely lost in their own thoughts, but they were desperate to fix their broken bond. Eventually, they managed to break the ice and he invited her to have some tea with him back in his apartment. They then spoke of the reason she initially left the village, and when it was clear that he had forgiven her for breaking his heart, they made love. She remembered every kiss, every touch, and every single detail of how comfortable she was being completely exposed and vulnerable before his obsidian eyes. In his embrace she felt safe, as if she belonged there with him. But then, when it was done and they were both exhausted but experiencing bliss, she started to panic when he told her not to leave him again. Her heart was twisted into knots as she had to muster up enough strength to leave him once more for at the time she felt as if it was the right thing to do. That was when she realized she loved him with all her heart. Leaving him that night was one of the many regrets in her life, and she felt the desperate need to let that fact be known.
"I want you to know that leaving you that night was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make in my life." She confessed and felt as her heart started to pound rapidly in her chest. She couldn't believe that she was actually telling him all the things she kept to herself for so many years. It was difficult and nerve-racking to stand there and reveal everything she tried to conceal from him, but she also felt as if a weight was being lifted off her shoulders. Finally, her feelings would be out in the open and it was for him to decide how to act upon them.
"Why was it so hard for you to decide to leave?" He asked, wondering what exactly her answer to his question would be. Did he even want to know the truth?
She recalled sitting outside the small tent she set up for Shizune in the middle of a grassy field outside the village. She remembered how heart broken and sad she felt and how she cried and cried for what seemed like hours. She could not stop thinking about him and the night of passion they shared. However, at the time she was completely unaware of the fact that their encounter would lead to her pregnancy that would unfortunately be cut short. She loved him, that was evident through her tears, but she was too afraid to allow her feelings for him to will her to stay. Now she was face to face with the man she loved so much and couldn't withhold the truth from him any longer, "It was hard for me to leave you that night because I was in love with you."
Jiraiya didn't quite know what to say. Was he dreaming? Did Tsunade, the woman who rejected him time and time again actually tell him that she was in love with him? He was blown over by her confession and wasn't sure if he was hearing correctly, "Tsunade." He started but was interrupted by the blonde.
"I'm so sorry for leaving you that night without even saying goodbye." She apologized, "You see, it was in that moment after we made love that I realized I loved you. Maybe I was in love with you even before then, I'm not sure. However, I was afraid to love you and I was terrified to stay with you because I thought that I would just end up hurting you and that was the last thing I wanted to do. I didn't realize until recently that leaving you probably did more harm than good."
"I was devastated when you left." He said, recalling exactly how he felt when he realized that the woman he loved had left him once again, leaving him with nothing but the memories of the night they spent together, and her beautiful scent lingering on his sheets and pillows. He also felt worthless, and undeserving of love. It wasn't until later that he realized he deserved better. However, he made peace with the situation long ago but still yearned for her affections.
She knew that she caused him a great deal of pain and realized that the pain he felt turned into anger towards her. She was just grateful that they managed to leap over that hurdle. However, she didn't want to jump over it just to remain his friend. She wanted to jump into his arms and stay there for the rest of her life if he wanted her to, "I've spent the majority of my life telling myself over and over again that there was no way in hell that I would ever be in a relationship with you." She started as her hair blew in the chill wind, "But here I am, completely in love with you and all I want to do is be with you if you'll have me." She expressed and felt so nervous awaiting his response to her confession, "I'm not perfect, but I promise you that I'll try my hardest not to hurt you anymore."
Jiraiya looked at her, lost for words. What he saw before him was a beautiful woman who was confessing her love for him. He thought of this day quite a few times in the past and always wondered to himself how he would react upon hearing those words come out of her mouth. He never came up with an answer to his own question because for all his life he always thought that he never had any chances of ever being with her. From their first meeting, she had always made it clear that she showed absolutely no interest in him, but here she was doing the complete opposite. She loved him; he still couldn't believe it. He felt his heart soar and believed that he was the luckiest man in the world because he indeed loved her too.
He walked closer to the nervous blonde, held her delicate yet strong hands, and looked into her eyes that he loved so much. He smiled and asked, "What took you so long?"
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. After debating with herself on whether or not she should confess her feelings to him and going over every single unfavorable outcome in her head multiple times, she finally received her answer. She smiled to herself and could hardly believe that after years and years of pain, rejection, and animosity, she was finally his.
She let go of his masculine hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You're such an idiot." She smiled, "I'm going to do what I wanted to do last night so don't say anything."
"What would that be?"
"Didn't I just tell you not to say anything?" She asked and stood on pointed toes so that her face could be in a close proximity to his.
His question was answered when he felt her perfect lips land upon his in a sweet and tender kiss. As she stood there kissing him, he finally felt as if he had found everything he has been looking for. He thought he was going to miss out on having a great love in his life, but here he was, in the presence of the woman who just admitted her love for him, and he could not have been happier.
They broke apart and looked at each other lovingly, both finally experiencing true happiness. They turned to observe the river below, but this time Jiraiya's arm was around her waist and she had her head resting upon his shoulder. They felt at peace to at last be in a true relationship with each other, without any reservations that they did not even notice the presence of another person.
"There you are Lady Hokage."
Tsunade broke away from Jiraiya's side and turned her head to see one of her security guards looking at them. Instead of acknowledging the fact that he had been looking for her, she turned to Jiraiya, "Oh shit." She muttered under her breath and grabbed hold of his hand before running away from her security with Jiraiya trailing behind her, "Let's go Jiraiya!"
"Wait Lady Hokage!" The guard said, knowing that running after two of the Legendary Sannin would not be an easy task, but knew it had to be done. If he was not successful in catching up to the Hokage, the village advisors surely would not be too pleased with him.
Jiraiya and Tsunade ran through the village as if they were children, trying their best to outrun the member of the ANBU specifically assigned to Tsunade. They knew that the village advisors more than likely sent him to get Tsunade to return to her office to complete the rest of her work for the day. However, the Hokage had no intentions on doing such a thing. It was probably irresponsible of her, but she just wanted to spend some time with her friend turned lover away from all the paperwork and demands of the village elders. She was finally truly happy and wanted to remain by the side of the source of her happiness.
The couple decided to evade their pursuer by hiding out in Jiraiya's apartment for a while, just until Tsunade was ready to return to the mansion for the night. They stumbled through the door, laughing at how ridiculous it all seemed. Tsunade was a grown woman who was more than capable of taking care of herself, and yet she always had to be closely monitored and told when to get back to work. Once they were in the privacy of his apartment, she made herself comfortable on his small couch and he promptly joined her. As they were sitting, she laid her head upon his shoulder and he kissed the diamond that was situated on the middle of her forehead. It felt so good, so natural for him to be in that position with her. He couldn't help but think of all the years they wasted away from each other but decided that all that mattered was the fact that they were now finally an item.
"Would you like something to drink?" He offered, trying his best to ensure that she was comfortable.
She shook her head, not in the mood for refreshments and instead wrapped her slender arms around his neck and planted tender kisses on both his cheeks, and then finally his lips. As she was sitting on the same couch they had made love on for the first time, she couldn't help but feel aroused now that she was officially his lover. She remembered every single detail of that encounter and yearned for the feeling she experienced when they were joined by passion. She continued kissing him, but with each passing moment, it transformed from a simple peck on the lips, to one that was fueled with love and hunger for more. They broke apart when air became a necessity and stared deeply into each other's eyes, trying to read what the other wanted to do next.
Her eyes drifted to the hem of his shirt, and without saying a word, she lifted the fabric and removed it from his body. He was now shirtless, and she recalled the last time she was witness to his robust, masculine frame. He looked amazing, and that filled her with desire for him. She wasted no time and planted kisses along his collar bone until she reached his neck. She gently sucked on his skin, careful not to leave any marks, and he felt himself becoming more and more aroused feeling her soft lips all over his body. He could no longer sit still, so he in turn brought her face up to his so that he could kiss the lips that have been driving him crazy as his skilled fingers worked on undoing her top. Once her obi was no longer tied around her thin waste, he managed to open her shirt to reveal her breasts that were hidden underneath the fabric of her bra. His hands travelled up her back until they reached the clasp that kept her bra together and swiftly undid it. He watched as her bra came undone and fell off her shoulders, revealing the aspect of her body that he admired so much. He stared at her, as if he was looking at a wonderful masterpiece and marveled at her radiant beauty. She was exposed to him and all he could think about was how much he loved her, and how long he had been waiting for that moment where he could finally show her what she meant to him.
He laid her down on the couch and proceeded to kiss the soft skin of her neck, travelling downwards to her bountiful bosom. He was gentle and left no part of her exposed body untouched. As he was pleasuring her breasts, she worked on removing his pants. With nimble fingers, she unbuttoned them and slid it off his body. Now that he was completely exposed to her, she felt herself become even more aroused than she previously was, and desperately wanted more from him. As if they shared the same brain, Jiraiya could tell what she was thinking and knew that she wanted to take their encounter a step further. He ran his fingers along the waistline of her pants and before he slid them off her tiny body, he looked at her flushed face, silently asking permission to do what he most wanted to do. She nodded her head and sucked in some air as she felt him remove her pants. Goosebumps rose to her skin, not because she was cold, but due to the anticipation on what was about to come next.
She wrapped her legs around his narrow waste and pulled him down to capture his lips with hers once again. This kiss was not like the ones before. It was filled with hunger, want, and desire. It was sloppy as opposed to delicate and soft. As their lips meshed together, neither could refrain themselves from joining together. In one swift movement, he entered her and as he did, she let out a gasp of delight. They moved against each other in a steady rhythm continuously until their desire reached its climax. Neither could hold it in anymore and with one last thrust, they exploded with passion and reached their end.
He laid on top of her, panting heavily, and trying his best not to lay his entire weight on her. His body glistened with sweat as he stared down at her. Her blonde hair was messy, her hazel eyes were closed, and she too was panting heavily. They were tired, but he knew that they both felt a calm sense wash over them as they listened to each other's breathing. He couldn't believe that after so many years of going back and forth with each other, they finally became one. She opened her eyes and looked up at him with nothing but a smile on her face. She reached her hand up and allowed it to land upon his cheek. She wiped away some of the sweat present on his brow with her other hand and then brought his head down, so it was laying on top of her chest. She gently stroked his hair and kissed his head as they laid there. In that tender moment between the two, she felt as if she could have stayed there wrapped in his arms for the rest of the night. However, her mind travelled back to the past and caused her to remember the family unit that her most trusted apprentice and adoptive daughter had always wanted. Finally, the dreams of that little girl, now woman have come true, and she was completely unaware of it. Suddenly, she felt the need to find Shizune to give her an update on her personal life.
"Jiraiya." She said softly but then realized that the sage was falling asleep. She didn't want to wake him, but she had to, "Sweetie, get up." She said as she gently shook his body.
His eyes opened and he turned his head to look at her, "What's wrong Tsunade?" He asked in a sleepy voice.
"We need to go back to the mansion." She said and motioned for him to get up.
"Why?" He groaned, "You can finish up your paperwork tomorrow." He said and proceeded to lay his head on her chest once again.
She lifted his head off her body again and slipped out from under him, "That's not why we have to go there." She said and walked around the apartment to gather her clothes. Once she found her clothing scattered on the floor, she dressed herself and walked over to Jiraiya who was falling asleep once again on the couch, "Come on, get up."
He sighed and got up from his position on the couch in order to put his clothing onto his body. As he was dressing himself, Tsunade took the opportunity to fix her disheveled hair.
"Why are we going to the mansion?" Jiraiya asked as he placed his shoes on his feet, "You know you could spend the night here."
As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't. She couldn't go another hour yet alone a day without informing Shizune of the change in her relationship status, "I can't." She said, "I have to talk to Shizune."
Jiraiya was slightly confused at Tsunade's sudden need to have a conversation with Shizune. He knew the two women shared a close relationship, but yet he didn't understand why Tsunade had to speak to her right in that moment "Why is that?"
Tsunade walked over to him and attempted to tame his wild hair with her hand but was unsuccessful, "Shizune has been there for me through everything." She explained, "Ever since she was little, she always wanted you and me to end up together. I just need to tell her that finally everything she wished for came true."
Jiraiya had no idea that Shizune wanted him to end up with Tsunade, but he felt pleased to know that the raven-haired woman wanted him in not only Tsunade's life, but hers as well. He always knew Shizune to be a reasonable and kindhearted person. He was just grateful that when he couldn't be there for Tsunade during the worst times in her life such as her miscarriage, that Shizune was there for her. Perhaps it was Shizune who kept Tsunade going when she felt as if her world was crashing down upon her.
"Let's go then." He smiled and took hold of Tsunade's delicate hand. He came to have the same desire as Tsunade to speak to Shizune. He just wanted to make the person who has been taking care of Tsunade for all those years happy, because when the blonde was at the lowest point in her life, it was Shizune who lifted her up.
Shizune was in the living room of the Hokage's living quarters watching as TonTon played happily with a new toy she was given. It was quite late in the night, and Shizune wondered where on earth Tsunade could be. She knew that Koharu sent out multiple members of the ANBU Black Ops in an attempt to locate Tsunade but had a feeling that they were all unsuccessful in brining the Hokage home, since she was not back yet. Shizune recalled many nights, when she was a teenager, when she would stay awake late in the night holding her pet pig, waiting for Tsunade to come home from a night of heavy drinking. During those times, Shizune would often have to nurse Tsunade's hangovers but she never held it against her because she knew of the trauma that Tsunade lived through when her precious unborn child died within her womb.
She was well aware of the fact that her master was debating on how she felt towards her old teammate, and Shizune wondered to herself what ever became of that situation. She knew that Tsunade loved Jiraiya with all her heart, but she just hoped that fear of rejection did not get in the way of her master's confession to him. Upon Shizune meeting Jiraiya for the first time when she was just a young child, she always thought that he was a kind man who would ultimately bring her mentor joy and happiness. She kept holding on to the belief that they would somehow end up together. She felt as if after all Tsunade has been through, she deserved someone to love her and provide her with the stability she needed. Jiraiya was and would always be that person in Shizune's eyes. As she sat there, waiting for Tsunade to return home, she hoped that everything worked out in her favor.
Suddenly, the door of the Hokage's living quarters opened and Shizune watched as Tsunade walked through it. She was about to greet her mentor but stopped when she saw Jiraiya walk through the door as well. She was hopeful, but also confused upon seeing the white-haired Sannin appear at the door with Tsunade, but she felt her heart leap with joy when he saw her wrap his arm around Tsunade's waist.
"Hi Shizune." Tsunade smiled and looked at Jiraiya.
"What's up Shizune?" He smiled as well with his arm still around Tsunade's waist.
Shizune stood from her previous sitting position with her eyes still focused on where Jiraiya's arm was, "What's going on here?" She asked, anticipating their answer.
Instead of them telling the younger woman what happened between the two of them, Tsunade blushed and Jiraiya pressed a tender but quick kiss on her temple. Shizune knew exactly what their actions meant and ran over to the two Sannin and wrapped her slender arms around their bodies to envelope them in a tight hug.
"I'm so happy for you two!" Shizune exclaimed with tears of happiness brewing in her dark eyes. She felt overjoyed that at last the family unit she had always yearned for was finally a reality.
When she broke apart from the hug among the three of them, Tsunade placed both her hands on Shizune's shoulders and smiled, "Don't cry Shizune." She said, noticing her tears and then wiping them away with her hand.
"I'm just really happy." Shizune explained and hugged Tsunade once again, "This is what I've always wanted."
Jiraiya placed his hand on Shizune's shoulder, "Thank you for taking care of Tsunade for all those years."
Shizune looked at Jiraiya with joy evident on her face. She was more than happy to have been there for Tsunade through good and bad times. It was the least she could have done since Tsunade saved her from her certain demise when she was only six years old. They were a team back then and they would always be one. It would be slightly different since Jiraiya was now in the picture but nevertheless, they were all going to be extremely happy on this new journey they were embarking on.
"Lady Tsunade and I have been a team the moment she found me when I was six years old." Shizune explained to Jiraiya, "I'll be happy to have you join our team."
Jiraiya wrapped his one of his arms around Tsunade's shoulder and then wrapped the other around Shizune's, "I would love to be apart of the team!" He declared.
As they were talking and laughing with each other, Tsunade couldn't help but picture the drawing Shizune made so many years ago of them. They were exactly as they were in that image for she knew that her beloved son Riku was looking down at them and smiling at the fact that his parents were finally together. She then thought about their history. She recalled how he comforted her when Nawaki passed away after succumbing to his war injuries, she then remembered how he stayed with her that night when the darkness and nightmares overwhelmed her and drove her crazy. She remembered the unfortunate battle they had to endure during the raging war. She then thought back to the time when Orochimaru almost succeeded in killing Jiraiya. So many other events happened to them such as her miscarriage, Minato and Kushina's death, as well as their dear sensei's passing. They have all lived through the worst of circumstances, but they survived and made it out on the other side.
After an hour or so of Shizune's burning questions on how they got together, they all decided to head to bed for the night. Instead of returning to his apartment, Jiraiya decided to spend the night with Tsunade. Instead of sleeping, they both stayed awake, cuddled up to each other while talking about their past and their future. It was silent for a moment as they laid there with interlocked fingers. Tsunade chuckled to herself as she realized how every event in her life, both traumatic and exhilarating led to that moment.
"What are you laughing at?" Jiraiya asked before pressing a kiss to her temple.
She turned her body so that she was facing him and told him everything that was on her mind, "When Nawaki died, I was a broken mess and when I miscarried Riku my entire being was shattered." She explained, "But then you found me and brought me back to the village when I was at the lowest point in my life. It took a while, but because of you all my pieces were put back together, and you made me whole again."
He pulled her closer to himself and said, "It was my pleasure doing all that because I love you."
She smiled upon hearing those three simple words that carried so much meaning and felt overjoyed thinking about the fact that after so many years of coming to him when she was broken, she was finally put back together and that was because of his love and support.
"I love you too idiot." She said.
With her heart bursting with love and happiness, she allowed herself to fall asleep in the arms of the one she knew for her entire life, and the one she could finally call her lover.
I know I'm finally yours, I found everything I thought I lost before, you call my name I come to you in pieces, so you can make me whole…
Thank you so much to everyone who has read/reviewed/followed/favorited this story!
It took years but it is finally done.
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Thank you again!
xoxoxo