Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything else affiliated with the anime by Masashi Kishimoto.
A/N: GUYS! Your dreams have come true! I am back again to deliver a much needed update to my beloved and most popular ficlet, I Hate to Love You. This update is in honor of my 20 years being on this site- can you believe it? This website has been a major part of my adolescence and I didn't have the courage to start publishing until 3 years after I signed up. Since then I've gained so many fans and at one point, I was even a part-time beta reader for some of my favorite authors.
But now as an adult, I enjoy writing for my pleasure and mine alone. However I can't lie and say that I was content with leaving this and a couple other stories hanging without finishing them. So here is my new attempt to bring this story to an end. This chapter has been in the works for some time and I feel confident with it's debut, so please bear with me as I try to navigate past my hiatus.
Also, I have a new poll on my profile so please visit and give the poll a try! I will end my rambling now and let you get to it, guys. Happy reading!
The calamity within his own walls had begun just as it had ended. How could he have been so foolish? Orochimaru was a zephyr of emotions- livid, fuming, disoriented but most importantly, heartbroken. The love of his life had betrayed him, took his trust and flung it into oblivion. The loss of his vessel which should have been detrimental only proved to be minute in comparison to Tsunade's ultimate deception.
She practically begged me to marry her! And then she...she used me to achieve her heroics...That woman has no idea what she has done...
Orochimaru had practically wiped out half of his minions, facing retaliation from the few stragglers who managed to summon up the courage to challenge him. It served all of them right for allowing the conniving kunoichi to escape. He didn't care if his whole fleet was eradicated, just so long as his rage could find an outlet. The true target was Tsunade, in which he had tried his hardest to fight from hunting down.
"Sire. Shall we go after them?"
The loyal followers kneeled before him, albeit cowering as they did so, bowing their heads with closed eyes. All the while, Orochimaru was busy shaking off blood from his hands with a horrible scowl about his agitated face. He thought about it-a mere moment in time, before he spoke with a cool fury behind his venomous command.
"Yes. Bring her back."
"And of the vessel?"
"Do you have ears, vermin?! Bring that woman back to me. And don't come back until you have her!"
His subordinates exchanged worried glances before obediently nodding and flocking without a moment to spare. Now alone, the snake shinobi was left with nothing but his racing thoughts. Revenge was a sure thing, that much he could guarantee. While he was at it, he should definitely act on his beloved's previous pleads and bring their son as well.
Yes. He would crush any kind of hope left in her heart of them having an amicable marriage. She would be his slave, their son his very own disciple that he would groom into the perfect Otokage. The boy was far above merely playing ninja, never putting his potential to the test. Five was plenty old enough to get him acclimated to life as a villain.
And then came another fleeting thought to join the queue clamoring for room inside his overstimulated mind. Five years ago. He had the perfect opportunity that came once in a lifetime. Tsunade, naked and vulnerable after their coital joining, was mere seconds from having her life ended by Orochimaru himself.
I should have gone through with it...I should have ended her miserable life. Eradicated all life from her. Stopped the pregnancy...
Amidst his private thoughts, a presence made itself known in the form of his most trusted ward. The man was absent for a while and it made Orochimaru's blood boil beneath his skin at the thought of it. The thought that this man considered himself an individual rather than an underling. One too many times had Orochimaru passed on the opportunity to snuff out this potentially untrustworthy shinobi.
"And where, pray tell, have you been? I don't recall giving you an assignment," the black haired man spat, knowing full well the man was kneeling feet behind him.
"My apologies, sire. But if you hear me out, I think you'll find some value in the recon I've just done on the Hidden Leaf."
This piqued his interest somewhat, still angry at the fact that Kabuto took it upon himself to once more venture out to satiate his own curiosities. Turning around fully, he gave the man a loathing, condescending stare that made the spectacled shinobi shudder slightly in his place.
Finding the courage to continue, Kabuto announced proudly, "More precisely, about Lady Tsunade in question."
Amber irises turned to slits, Orochimaru slithered softly, "Tsunade, you say?"
"Yes, my lord. Her son is none other than Jiraiya's seed. I believe he will prove worthy down the road to being an excellent vessel."
The raging rivers within his body all but instantly transformed into ice, fury eradicated at the mention of his son and Jiraiya in the same sentence. What was the meaning of this? Sanosuke was paternally his, that much Orochimaru was sure of. The boy was his spitting image. But then came the multitude of questions and accusations that were much too loud, too heavy for his mind to handle.
But one stood out above all the rest.
Jiraiya is playing father...to what is mine?!
Orochimaru always knew of the affections his former comrade had for the slug queen, for the beautiful minx that was capable of having even the most strongest of men fall to her every whim and command. Including him. He also knew that Tsunade had not shown one bit of interest in Jiraiya, his womanizing ways all but completely shutting down her interest. But was the snake shinobi wrong about them? That his previous suspicions of the toad sage being more than just a godfather to Sanosuke true?
"...You know...You can keep me waiting for but so long..."
He refused to believe it was true.
Tsunade. You wouldn't...
In the millisecond it took to analyze the new information spoken from his ward, Orochimaru summoned a will to keep it inside as he searched the man's face for more. Anything that would explain why he had come to that conclusion. Perhaps Kabuto was losing his touch. It was all in his head. Nothing of the sort was happening between Tsunade and Jiraiya. And that Jiraiya had enough sense to not go around telling everyone that Sanosuke was his son.
"Is that so?"
Kabuto nodded. "He told me himself, sire."
Perhaps his suspicions were more concrete than originally thought. But then a sickening flashback crossed his mind from last night, the woman who practically threw herself at him and used her sex appeal to bring down his defenses. The same woman who moaned their teammate's name for no unexplained reason during coitus.
"Ahhh! Ohhh, Jiraiya!"
Once calm, almost immediately the ice in his veins erupted into full blown streams of scalding lava. If Jiraiya was willing to lie about such a thing-why? Did the foolish old man have a death wish? And what was going through Tsunade's head to allow that sort of mockery upon his lineage? The days of allowing that woman to raise his child were limited.
How dare she?! To allow him of all people to claim what is not his?! Just what kind of fool does she take me for?!
The spectacled Sound ninja noticed that not once did his master utter any kind of response, lifted his eyes to witness the most horrifying sight he's seen on his face in the longest time. A sickening scowl coupled with irises that were mere vertical lines fixed in the center of his scleras. Never had Kabuto seen him this angry. No, angry was an understatement. This was the look of Orochimaru plotting murder of the highest degree, massacres unheard of, larger that what he caused at the Chunnin Exams years prior.
"Lord Orochimaru?"
And then came the malevolent chuckles of a mad man. "Kabuto. My vessel is gone. Do me a favor and go retrieve it."
"But what of-"
"The assignment you embarked on without my permission? Trust me. You shall be punished for your disobedience. For now, I require you to go and retrieve my vessel."
"...Yes, my Lord..."
One thing was for certain. Orochimaru was going to get to the bottom of this whole mess. And the only thing he wanted in front of him now was not a comatose vessel and it wasn't even his son. But a dead corpse of a toad sage and a cheating, lying harlot who dared to play with the one organ in his body that no matter how man vessels he undertook, would always remain the same for her.
Tsunade. You're games end now.
Shizune heard the news from none other than Jiraiya, the man a distraught mess of waning intoxication after facing the surprise visit from Kabuto. When the slug queen's apprentice asked if he would join her to go search for her, he surprisingly dismissed the invitation. Saying that he was the last person she wanted to see at the moment.
What is going on with them? They are so good for each other. I've never seen my mistress so happy before in all her days...
It didn't matter at the moment, the young woman more concerned with the welfare of her mistress. She had been acting even more strange as of late, stranger than she usually acted. Now that the black haired woman thought about it, Tsunade had been out of sorts around the time she conceived Sanosuke.
She definitely hasn't been her exact self for a while. I just hope she's okay.
But she doubted it, considering the fact that Kabuto of all people was pursuing the paternity of her son. But how on earth would that benefit him? Was it possible that Tsunade was in trouble with the Sound? Or worse. Could it be that somehow Orochimaru is prowling for more vessels? If so, then why Sanosuke of all people? It wasn't like a five-year-old who could barely control his chakra enough to perform a Sexy Jutsu was prime real estate for a powerful Sannin.
There were just too many questions, Shizune summarized, and not enough time to figure out her gameplan. Sanosuke was safe for the time being at least, Jiraiya opting to stay behind and keep watch on the Hokage Tower for any other unwelcome visitors to the sleepy village.
Things were still at a crisis within the village. Yes, the Gennin from years ago had all grown into capable adolescents, but even with their strength it wasn't anywhere near the manpower the village used to possess. Jounnin were in short supply and the ANBU were stretched way too thin nowadays for any kind of offense of grand proportions. And with Tsunade now missing in action, Konohagakure might as well put up a big ass white flag.
This is crazy. She wouldn't just up and leave.
But it wasn't far from the truth. She had been put under a lot of stress as of late, with the Sunagakure tragedy and Gaara being kidnapped for what she knew was Orochimaru's devious plan to use him as his next body. Add having to take care of a rambunctious five-year-old and juggling a budding relationship with her toad sage companion and things really start getting heavy.
I have to notify the ANBU...But they already left awhile ago to pursue the Sound Village. Jeez. Where could she have gone?
This was definitely a job for more than one ninja and Jiraiya was her best bet at finding their Hokage and keeping enemies off their backs. But was she not of Konoha? The bravest and most valiant shinobi and kunoichi came from this prestigious land of Fire. If Shizune had any chance of getting her mistress back, she had to head out on her own. But the question lied-where exactly did she go?
It was early morning, the sky a canvas of beautiful starlit indigo wonder that appeared as if an artist spilled hues of lavender and fuchsia along the horizon. Soon daylight would break, at least the dark haired assistant had that on her side. Every ninja knew that embarking on a mission alone in the dead of night was suicide if you weren't prepared. But every kunoichi also knew that an expecting kunoichi leaving her home to fulfill ninja duties was just as dangerous.
Kakashi...I wish you were here. You would know what to do...
"Now's not the time to doubt myself. It's still early. I can still be of use to my mistress," Shizune murmured to herself as she prepped her travel bag at her hip.
Yes. She would definitely do this. Baby in tow in her arms or within her womb, she would see this through. Because this was bigger than her. This concerned the woman who took her under her wing, taught her everything she knew and trusted her more than herself. In some ways more than one, Shizune considered the older woman to be family.
With that reassuring thought, she finished zipping up her flak jacket and before walking out of her room, passed by the mirror by her door. Slowly, the kunoichi backstepped to gaze forlornly at her flat navel. Reaching down, she delved a hand underneath her jacket to touch the warm expanse that was weeks away from ballooning with the promise of life.
I will be successful. And once Tsunade is back home, I will tell her...
Daybreak brought the blissful sight of Konohagakure's grand green gates and the granderous Hokage cliffside. She made it. And not a minute sooner, she thought grimly as the Kazekage in her arms was heard laboring over his breathing. It wouldn't do any good to perform ninjutsu surgery here in the forest, seeing as she needed the help of trained medical specialists. Tsunade feared that although they made it to the village, it might be too little too late.
"I need a messenger!"
A black op appeared instantly by her side in the midst of their hastened leaping through the treetops. Behind his mask, Tsunade could tell that he was worried.
"Hai, Godaime-sama!"
Focusing her gaze ahead, she announced, "Get the Medical Corp to meet us at the gates! We're running out of time! We're losing him!"
"Understood!"
We can't have anymore interceptions. I pray that Orochimaru doesn't have anything up his sleeve. For now at least...
Tsunade was well aware of his capabilities. He wasn't a member of the legendary Sannin for nothing. With that thought in mind, something else occurred to the Godaime- her Chunnin and Jounnin squads stationed in the Land of the Sand. They would also be returning today to the Konoha. Her mind was starting to ease, knowing that security around the village was extremely crucial at the moment.
Sanosuke...
She didn't have to worry about her son. Shizune was always there to get the little boy up and ready during weekdays, whether Tsunade was stuck in early morning meetings or simply sleeping in due to extreme exhaustion. But what would have made her feel better was knowing whether or not Jiraiya would make an effort to check on her son as well, if not herself in particular.
I haven't been making it easy on him. The past few days he hasn't come by not even once since he decided to give me my space...
Mentally ridding her head of her heavy thoughts, the blonde haired Sannin make an extraordinary leap off of a tree branch before landing deftly onto the dirt path straight to the village. She wasted no time in taking off, using everything in her power to practically race toward the Hospital, stilettos and Sandaime in tow.
Her black ops would definitely be put to the test today. There would be no rest for anyone. Not until she was sure that Orochimaru and his henchman were defeated or even better- dead.
With the first black op dispatched and off in a blur of leaves, she felt another wave of minute relief that soon aid would be arriving. And none too soon. Within her own thoughts was when Gaara let out a shackled breath, his face the calmest she's seen on the boy. It was getting bad.
"Hokage-sama! Do you think they would follow us?!"
She still had five black ops left with three tailing her from behind and two on either side of her. Tsunade gave the one who spoke to her on her right with a hardened stare, furrowing her brows.
"I don't think, I know!"
Swiveling her head to her left, she acknowledged the other black op with equal tenacity. "I need both of you to guard the gates! I will send the messenger to join you! Don't leave your post unless I tell you to-is that clear?!"
"Hai, Godaime-sama!," the two chorused before leaping on ahead to secure posts at the gates.
"As for you three, you will be guarding the hospital while I attend to Gaara! This is critical! Under no circumstances can I have interruptions while I am performing his surgery!"
The one in the middle was the leader of the Anbu, a strong minded individual like herself who was strictly business and didn't take no shit. "Yes, Lady Tsunade!"
Suddenly, a shinobi flanking the left side of the leader spoke up. If not tentatively. "Tsunade-sama?"
"What is it?," Tsunade demanded, highly focused on the destination at hand. She didn't have patience for the meek, and she had no time to tend to the weak minded. Everyone around her knew better than she that her tolerance for anything less than a top ninja was zero to none.
Besides her son anyways.
"Do you need one of us to check on Sanosuke?"
The blonde haired Sannin felt compelled enough to swivel her head back to give him a hard glare, a look that put anyone and anything in it's place.
"No. Shizune is watching him."
As she resumed her focus on what was ahead of her, she heard spew out of the shinobi's mouth, "Are you positive?"
Now Tsunade wasn't sure. Shizune had been acting strangely as of late, and was even going home early some days due to feeling under the weather. Maybe she overanalyzed. There could be a chance that Sanosuke really was vulnerable. If only it were that easy to see him but she had matters even more important than him.
I must save Gaara. But I also need to make sure that my son is okay...
"I have four teams returning from Sunagakure today. Team Kurenai and Team Guy will assist in guarding the gates to the village. Team Asuma has two substitute Chunnin filling in for Shikamaru and Ino-I need that team to tighten up security around the Hokage building. And Team Kakashi will serve as extra protection for Sanosuke. Once these teams arrive, give them their assignments."
Tsunade gazed over her shoulder briefly, a cold look in her amber eyes that could have froze the surface of the sun. "I need one of you to report to the elders. Debrief them on the situation. As of right now, I'm declaring an emergency code red. We must not allow anyone to enter the village. With that being said, you are to guard the hospital while I perform surgery-understood?"
"M'lady!," they all chorused.
"I refuse to allow this nonsense any longer."
"Can we assume you'll be going after Orochimaru, princess?"
"You're damn right. All three of us will meet for the last time as Sannin. We're going to capture him and make him pay for what he's done!"
For the hell he's put me through. For the fact that he will never amount to anything as a father nor a lover. I know now what I need. I need better...
A/N: While the story has been fun and easy to write in the beginning, keep in mind I published this 17 years ago. My maturity and creative outlook of certain topics with this story have definitely changed. So it can get more challenging when trying to revitalize a story I was so passionate about in past years. I posted a poll 15 years ago about who you guys think the right person for Tsunade truly was. If you are an OG fan, you probably remember that poll and for that alone, I am honored to have such faithful readers. I will reveal the results of that poll in the next chapter. Until then, I will let you come to your own conclusions.
