Kiraabi: Killer Beauty (UP FOR ADOPTION)

Celebrations

Even with the help of Captain Yamato's clones, returning to the Leaf Village was not easy carrying the weight of four unconscious captives. Shizune took point, keeping a careful eye out for dangers to their envoy. Yamato's group were determined to safely reach the village to turn the gorotsuki over to the interrogators before night fell and they found themselves babysitting the roused thugs.

So for the sake of their shared goal, the three ninjas pushed their bodies without rest breaks, arriving while the sun was still high in the afternoon sky. After relinquishing their prisoners, Shizune headed to the Hokage's office to file a mission update. She was generous to cover for Sai and Yamato, knowing that they needed a good rest before they had to rise in the early twilight hours to return to their mission.

As they parted ways, Sai headed straight to his home. But Yamato did not head for home, he turned on his heel, his first and only thought being: 'Find Anko.'

"Why, Tsunade?"

"Why what?," she replied angered that he acted like the injured party in the drama that was their past.

"Why did you reject me? You left me with nothing. No reason, no hope...all I could do was wonder what I did wrong. That's a horrible thing to do to a boy of 16."

Try as she might, Tsunade could not stop the ache in her heart that his words caused - even knowing that they were not true. Again she tried to escape the subject, "Please don't do this...it was so long ago. Please just let it die..let the pain stay in the past."

"Dammit Woman! I've spent years trying to understand what went wrong! Do you know why I started down the path to becoming a sage? I turned my life upside down for you trying to figure out what I could do to make things right. When I couldn't find answers, I became desperate for just a small measure of peace and happiness. A man can hide himself in the search for enlightenment."

"You want to know what you could have done differently?! Nothing! Absolutely Nothing!" Tsunade finally retorted her voice coarse and tight. Honestly, what would she have changed? What would she have wanted him to do differently?

The words cut through the air and Jiraiya's pride like the sharpest kunai blade. He stopped speaking to sit staring at her wondering how he could have ever loved someone so cold and heartless.

Quietly he rose, then turned to leave, finally ready to accept the end to their story, as Tsunade said in a small voice, "Don't go...please."

"Tsunade.." Jiraiya's voice faltered. His ego warred with his heart, demanding answers or an end to this cycle before it killed them both.

It was her turn to move to him, but she still could not find the words that he needed to hear. So instead she rose, sliding her arms around his waist, pressing her chest to his back, offering the only solace she had to share.

Could he feel the depth of her heart?

The tension in Jiraiya's shoulder slowly bled away as she leaned into him, her embrace, her warmth sinking into him, her breath soft upon his neck. Silently, he took what she had to offer, covering her hands with his own, trapping them in the embrace.

Why is it easier to hold on to the pain than let it go?

"Jiraiya, I broke up with you because I had to leave...My father was adamant that I leave immediately and that our relationship end that day."

With confusion, Jiraiya asked, "But why, I know I wasn't his favorite...but did he hate me that much?"

Tsunade took Jiraiya's hand and led him to the plush sofa in her reading nook, her eyes avoiding his."On that day," she told him solemnly, "yes I believe he did."