Naruto 1. Ashtray Heart

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All rights belong to Kishimoto, Masashi.**

"You messed up pretty bad with this kid," Tsunade snorted in seeming indifference, raising her sake cup in mock salute towards her drinking companion. Her cheeks had darkened to a scarlet hue, courtesy of high alcohol consumption. Once again. Getting drunk to the point of forgetting even her name was a normal occurrence for the retired kunoichi, especially on nights when the moon seemed to taunt her with its silvery reflection. It reminded her too much of long, silken strands bearing the same iridescent shade. Tsunade _despised_ the cursed sensations the full moon forced upon her – and _craved_ them. They were the only things remaining, never to fade.

"I know, I _know_, and yet –" Hiruzen merely shook his head in aching resignation, unable to utter more in his defense because there was nothing really he could say. His gruff voice oozed with regret and his features appeared to have aged even more under his burdens in the time Tsunade had not seen him.

"Don't let it bother you too much, it's not like you can change the past – what's done is done," the blonde woman shrugged bitterly with a slight slur, not bothering to mince her words in her current drunken state.

_Is that what you keep telling to yourself, Tsunade? _Hiruzen leveled her with a knowing stare, his dark eyes seeing through her weak façade, but chose to keep this thought to himself. He took a long drag of his smoking pipe, his withered gaze drawing away from the mess of a woman before him. His mind recalled the hot tempered, vibrant girl he had once known, yet he could not recognize even the smallest trace of that girl in her now. _But it's not working for you, is it?_

"I mean, you know how those Uchiha were, always thinking they were wronged or some sort of foolishness like that. And Danzō is a bastard; I'm not surprised he pulled a nasty stunt like that. I don't know why you keep giving him free reign when you're well aware of his rotten personality," Tsunade ranted with an almost bored tone, her nose wrinkling in distaste and her expression turning sour at the mention of the elder shinobi.

"Danzō and I are sides of the same coin. I may not agree with his tactics, but I can't deny their merit – despite the heavy price. You'd understand if you had followed after your grandfather's steps and were in my position," the Sandaime returned with a heavy sigh. Then, a wry laugh escaped his lips at the thought of his former disciple being in his shoes. A tempestuous woman with a fondness for alcohol and gambling was probably the worst possible candidate for the Hokage position.

"That's not a funny joke, old man," the volatile female exclaimed in a fit of anger, slamming her empty cup on the table with more force than necessary. Wooden splinters along with empty jugs flew around them as the table was smashed into smithereens instantly.

**Word Count: 500**

**A/N: Why this crack pairing one might ask? Because Tsunade is badass and Itachi makes me wanna… ehem, you prolly dun wanna know the answer to that. Another fic? Yes, because my muse is a slave driver and plunnies are evil creatures from hell. Oh, also, expect long time gaps in the plot and a distinctive lack of author's notes from now on. Onwards!**


	2. Second Sight

_If you knew I'd become the Godaime, you'd turn over in your grave, old man; or you would laugh at the absurdity of it,_ Tsunade mused, chuckling softly as she made her way out of the hospital. A familiar, rambunctious laughter echoed in her mind, causing her lips to curve in a forlorn smile. _Maybe you are…_

"Hokage-sama, please wait!" a feminine voice stopped her in her tracks, dispersing her peculiar musings. Tsunade turned to peruse the pink haired girl before her with calculative eyes.

"Sakura… was it? You're on Kakashi's team I assume?" Tsunade made the connection quickly, having seen the girl's relieved expression after she had healed the Uchiha boy.

"Hai, Hokage-sama! My name is Haruno, Sakura. Thank you for healing Sasuke-kun!" the nervous girl expressed her heartfelt gratitude before she bowed deeply.

"I healed the physical damage, but the boy suffered deep emotional trauma. I've done my part; now you must do yours as his teammate. That boy…" Tsunade exhaled a long suffered sigh at the difficult implications, stilling her tongue. She was privy to the horrid truth regarding this affair, yet she couldn't divulge more without betraying the Sandaime's trust.

The young kunoichi stared at her with confusion in her emerald gaze before Tsunade waved a dismissive hand then turned to walk away. _They are shinobi. It's not my job to hold their hands; they'll figure it out on their own_, the blonde woman tried to convince herself that getting personally involved would only complicate her work and possibly end in disaster. Really, she was the last person anyone should ask advice from on such delicate matters.

Her amber stare focused on the previous leaders' carved faces with a grimace of displeasure after she exited the hospital. _They'd better put only my face up there or there'll be hell to pay_, she thought miffed, remembering Jiraiya's perverted comment about displaying her generous bosom in order to attract more clients. It was certainly true they needed the extra funds after Orochimaru's disastrous invasion, but she would pummel anyone who dared suggest such a thing in her face – much like she had done to her fellow Sannin.

"Incorrigible pervert," Tsunade huffed under her breath, restraining herself from hunting down her former teammate to beat him senseless once more. She was about to head towards the Hokage's headquarters where a huge amount of paperwork undoubtedly awaited her when her attention got drawn to a back alley near the hospital's side. Tsunade may have been out of action for the past decade, yet she was by no means out of practice. Those overbearing geezers wouldn't have appointed her as the Godaime if is she was after all.

"I figured you'd make an appearance sooner or later, kid," she called casually after appearing before the cloaked figure without wasting her time. Chances were he had purposefully allowed her to sense him because he wished to have a talk with the new Hokage, and Tsunade could pretty much guess what he wanted.

**Word Count: 500**


	3. Teenage Angst

Tsunade perused the dark haired male before her with curiosity, dragging her gaze all over his cloaked figure slowly. His natural poise betrayed not the merest hint of tension and his visible features were etched in perpetual apathy as if carved from stone. However, Tsunade was a highly skilled medic nin; she could tell without any physical evidence that he was _not _well. No – he was anything _but _well, actually. The dark honey of her eyes finally met his crimson stare without the barest hesitation; and stayed there.

"You _know_ –" Itachi stated in a low, dispassionate timbre, his long lashes fluttering once before she nodded curtly.

"I heard the truth from Sarutobi-sensei a while back, so cut the crap and drop the act, kid," the kunoichi ordered in a no nonsense tone, her intense stare never leaving his.

Itachi stayed quiet after the words left her mouth, and Tsunade exhaled a dejected sigh. _Why do I always get saddled with the difficult ones?_ She could have feigned ignorance and let the kid do his routine, which would be delivering information as he had done for the previous Hokage, but she _had _to stick her nose into his affairs, trying to right her sensei's past wrongs._ You owe me for this, old man._

"Your kid brother will be fine in case you were wondering," Tsunade informed him through narrow eyes. "You know, if you don't include all the hate you just inflamed in him," she then added in an attempt to get a reaction out of the stoic brat.

Itachi merely inclined his head in mute gratitude before he threw a scroll at her then turned to leave.

"You know you're dying, right? You better do something about that soon," Tsunade remarked in a seemingly disinterested tone, catching the scroll easily.

He stilled at her words, his neck turning to grace her with his regal profile. "I died a long time ago."

"I'm just saying that maybe there's a cure, but what do _I_ know? Suit yourself, kid," she returned with an aggravated snort, peeved at his monotone reply.

"Don't you think it's rude to keep calling a dying man a _kid_?" Itachi asked in a lighter tone, catching her off guard with his unexpected comeback.

"You _do_ have a sense of humor; albeit quite morbid for someone so young," Tsunade chuckled amused, shaking her head at his retort.

"And you have the smoothest skin I've seen," the rogue nin remarked, "in someone your age."

"What did you just say, you damn brat!?" Tsunade exploded in white-hot rage, slamming her fist against the nearest wall, but he was already gone. Then her mood took a turn for the worse when she saw the debris all around her.

"That better _not _come out of my paycheck – if I even _get _a paycheck. Thanks a lot, old man; and damn you, Jiraiya!" she cursed in exasperation.

"I need a drink…" the Godaime murmured in defeat, deciding her paperwork could wait for now.

**Word Count: 500**


	4. One of a Kind

Tsunade was on the verge of a mental breakdown. If she had to use a word to describe every single one of the shinobi working under her, that would be _unique_. It had taken her a month to familiarize herself with the village again, not to mention become accustomed to being a Hokage. _I don't know how you did it, old man, but you were a hell of a leader. _

She was about to reach for her secret stash of sake when an ANBU member appeared before her seemingly out of thin air. Tsunade was getting used to them making sudden appearances well into the night, yet this one was quite peculiar. For one, this particular shinobi was _not _one of her ANBU.

"Smooth, very smooth," Tsunade commented wryly, pinning him with a displeased glare for rudely interrupting her break time.

"I try," Itachi replied with an imperceptible shrug, and she just _knew_ this meeting would not end well. The Godaime forced her awakened temper down before she threw a scroll at him with a deceptively sweet smile, watching with satisfaction as he proceeded to read the document intently.

"You're charging me with a bill for public destruction?" the rogue nin asked after a small pause.

"You have a problem with that?" She raised a brow in a manner that dared him to defy her.

"No, I simply never expected this from a woman with so many invoices hidden in her drawers," came his aggravating reply.

"You seem to be intent on incurring my wrath, _kid_. Don't think I won't smash your face to the floor because I don't want to draw attention. Chances are nobody will recognize your face after I'm done with you," Tsunade warned him with a strained grin still curving her lips.

"If you're referring to my comment in our previous encounter, it was neither an insult nor a compliment – merely an observation. Also, would I be paying for the damage in your floor as well if you were to acquaint my face with it?" Itachi returned, unaffected by her threat.

"_Uchiha, Itachi_… you've got a lot of nerve!" the medic nin hissed, a vein bulging notably on her temple.

"I see we're making progress," the masked man retorted when she called him by name for the first time.

"Enough – I'm done playing this game with you. Next time come by my house, so we won't worry over someone overhearing us and I can at least have a drink. Alcohol will probably make me less eager to punch your face," the Godaime offered, willing her seething ire down. Getting riled up by a damn brat was ridiculous.

"Are you inviting a man to your house for drinks?" Itachi asked, voice low, almost carrying a mocking undertone, but she couldn't see his expression behind that damn mask.

"I'm inviting a cheeky brat to my house, so _I _can drink and _you_ can be less irritating," Tsunade managed to bit back before he pulled a disappearing act again.

**Word Count: 500**

**A/N: I felt the need to add another author's note, i.e. babble. So, this is **_**loosely**_** based on Canon, meaning I'll use some parts, but obviously add my own. Also, regarding portrayals, I always thought Itachi had a playful side, teasing others with a straight face and aggravating them to no end as is shown in flashbacks with Sasuke and recent manga chapters. Tsunade also acts like a 5 years old brat at times**_** and **_**a 50 years old wise woman when the occasion calls for it. Basically, they might sound OOC, but that's my take on the characters. Onwards! **


	5. Speak In Tongues

"What the hell happened on the hospital's rooftop today, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked, leveling the white haired shinobi with a murderous glare.

"Nothing much, just kids playing around," Jiraiya returned with a nonchalant tone.

"Cut the bullshit! Those _kids _destroyed a water tank and half the rooftop by just _playing around_. If Kakashi hadn't interfered, I'm pretty sure I'd have a bloody mess in my hands now. I warned you it was too soon to teach him the Rasengan…" the blonde kunoichi shot back with a heavy sigh, her tongue clicking in irritation.

"Save that lecture for Kakashi. That Chidori is quite powerful, too. Plus, the Uchiha kid doesn't really need it while Naruto _needs _to be able to protect himself," he bit back with a scowling expression.

"I know, but _still _–" Tsunade couldn't really argue with him. Both techniques were high level and dangerous, but Naruto needed all the protection he could get – being who he was.

"Don't make that face, you'll get more wrinkles under that youthful guise," Jiraiya jested in a clever attempt to lighten the mood.

It had the desired result as she immediately pinned him with a withering glare. "Do you want some broken bones? You have 206 of them; breaking one or two won't make such a difference."

"It was a joke… relax, woman!" the Sannin sobered up, taking her threat seriously.

"Jiraiya," the Godaime spoke after a small pause, "I want you to stop gathering intel on Akatsuki for now and focus on Naruto's training. They have already made a move to kidnap him once. The kid needs to be able to fight back in case they decide to finish the job, and Kakashi has his hands full with Sasuke. Not to mention, you're more suited to be his mentor since the Yondaime was your disciple to begin with and Naruto bears an uncanny resemblance to him."

_You might kill that smart-mouthed kid if you happen to chance upon him_, Tsunade also added mentally, an unpleasant feeling gathering in the pits of her stomach at the possibility.

"Tsunade, you –" her former teammate began, but stopped midsentence. Jiraiya knew there was more to this than she admitted, but he chose to keep quiet. "Never mind; I'll lay off the investigation and stick around for now since the kid needs me, but if I get a lead on Akatsuki…" he hinted, reminding her that he had his own way of doing things.

"Fine," the medic nin conceded, knowing this was the best he would offer.

"You need a break, Tsunade. You know, Sarutobi-sensei and I went to the hot springs when we needed to release some stress. How about it? Wanna go? I know a place with mixed baths," he wiggled his brows at her suggestively, his lecherous side rearing its ugly head.

"Perverts, both of you!" the kunoichi huffed, making a low aggravated sound deep in her throat and resisting the temptation to make true of her earlier threat at his lewd suggestion.

**Word Count: 500**


	6. Kings of Medicine

"Figures you'd choose to appear_ today_ of all days," Tsunade grumbled under her breath. She silently cursed the cloaked man who had just intruded into her home and interrupted her much needed away time from paperwork and Shizune's incessant nagging.

"Sit down and have a drink with me," the blonde kunoichi barked with a prominent slur, motioning towards the low table, full of empty sake jugs.

"You're offering sake to a _kid_?" Itachi raised a finely arched brow at her offer, his deep voice laced in veiled sarcasm.

"Sit your smart ass down! We need to talk about your brother," the Godaime exclaimed after his infuriating comment, not having the patience to deal with his derisive attitude tonight. Thankfully, he complied without another cheeky retort, sitting down cross legged as she got up to fetch another sake bottle.

"Sasuke got injured during a recent mission, nothing serious though. What worries me most is his mental state right now. I can treat practically any malady and heal every broken bone or cut he has, but I can't do anything about his emotional baggage," the medic nin revealed with surprising clarity in her drunken haze. She carefully slipped her special sleeping powder into the bottle, vowing to give the kid a physical this night – whether he wanted one or not. He was obviously worse than the last time she had seen him, and Tsunade simply refused to have the kid die on her watch just because he harbored some kind of anti-hero complex.

"No one can," he surprised her by actually replying, his utterance slow, almost remorseful.

The blonde woman stifled a heavy sigh after his depressing remark, walking back to sit across from him. Her half lidded gaze bored into his crimson depths, attempting to lift the veil behind his cryptic thoughts, but gave up when his expression remained passive. Shaking her head in resignation, she poured him a drink.

"_You _could – or you could at least stop adding to the poor kid's trauma. I don't understand why you insist on tormenting your brother when you pretty much sacrificed your life and killed your pride for him," the Sannin made one last effort to peer into the stubborn brat's mind, but he simply graced her with the blood painted silence of his eyes.

_Giving me that none-of-your-business stare again, huh? _Tsunade drowned the urge to smother the kid in her cleavage for his intolerable attitude. "Fine, be that way. Kakashi will make sure to beat some sense into your kid brother. Sasuke is a clever kid when he's not in avenger mode – has a smart mouth, too," she shot back, chuckling lightly at the similarities between the siblings before she emptied her previous cup.

The potent taste of strong sake burned her throat like slow fire, and she almost moaned in pleasure. However, a narcotic wave coursed through her body after a few seconds, limbs unbearably heavy and vision shadowy.

_Genjutsu? No – this… my sleeping powder… sneaky brat… you changed th- _

**Word Count: 500**


	7. Sleeping With Ghosts

A scarlet ocean of mystery and the warmth of lean muscles registered in Tsunade's clouded mind before her vision dimmed and she succumbed to blissful oblivion. The long forgotten sensation of being embraced by strong arms and the rich, spicy scent of _male_ lingered as she lost consciousness. Then – sweet nothingness. Not even the shrill sound of her cup breaking as it hit the floor could disturb her deep slumber.

"I'm sorry," Itachi uttered in a low whisper against the satin of her hair after he enfolded her waist in a gentle hold then slipped his other arm under her knees to carry her into the bedroom. Her shallow exhalation ghosted over the steady pulse at the hollow of his neck before bare arms tightened around him and blunt nails dug into his shoulder blades instinctively. He took a small pause when a husky murmur escaped her lips within her drug induced sleep, soft lips moving over the smoothness of his skin as she spoke.

"_Dan_ –"

Itachi stilled at the muffled sound, recognizing the suffocating despondency in her voice with aching comprehension. _A loved one – lost. _He cast a knowing glance at the blonde woman, noting the faint redness of her cheeks and the pained furrowed lines on her otherwise youthful face.

"I'm sorry," he reiterated, for a very different reason this time, his deep voice tinged with shared anguish and underlying ardor before he resumed walking towards her bedroom.

The rogue nin kneeled slowly when he reached the large futon on the far end of the room, placing the unconscious woman with rare delicacy on the white bedding. Her smooth cheek grazed lightly against his for a mere moment, strange heat permeating his skin at the close contact. Itachi wondered how much she had actually drank for a subtle touch to burn so hotly, but dismissed the thought as soon as it formed, knowing full well that each person dealt with loss differently. He had no right to criticize or chastise anyone when it came down to it – much less the Godaime Hokage, the shinobi who had fought in that terrible war, the woman who was trying to _help_ him.

"You are a far better Hokage than you think you are, Tsunade-san, but you cannot help me any more than you can help Sasuke. The die was cast a long time ago and we are mere pieces to _his_ game. We might as well play to win – no matter the consequences," Itachi revealed with a kind yet forbidding timbre while gazing at her sleeping profile, even though she could not hear him or, perhaps, _because_ she could not hear him. He took a step back, then executed a deep bow in respect towards the hardened woman before him. Turning his back to leave, he could not help but ask a last favor of her even if she would have done as such regardless.

"I entrust my brother to you after I'm gone, Hokage-sama. Please, take care of Sasuke."

**Word Count: 500**


	8. Ask for Answers

Tsunade slumped to the lush pillows in her living room and rubbed her lids tiredly the moment she stepped foot into her house, allowing herself to finally _feel_ – and feel she did. Rage. Frustration. Sorrow. Underneath it all, however, an overwhelming wave of helplessness came crushing down on her with vicious ferocity, the copper taste of blood saturating her tongue as she bit the inside of her cheeks, lost in consuming guilt. _How the hell did this happen? _The question resounded within her jumbled thoughts, drowning all others and causing her to wallow in misery.

"You knew this would happen. You're a first class shinobi, and I'm positive you have been keeping tabs on the boy. Why didn't you warn me about this!? I've got a bunch of injured kids – some with life threatening wounds – and Sasuke is gone!" the Godaime snapped at the black clad figure, standing quietly before her all this time, but he made no move to reply – as always.

"I don't get it – I don't get _you_! Why the hell do you keep torturing your little brother? What are you thinking?" Tsunade ranted with an exasperated tone without really expecting an answer, but needing to take out her frustration on someone other than herself before she went mad.

"You keep supplying me with random information regarding other villages and what not, but never definite intel on any of the Akatsuki members or your 'leader's' motives. _Who _are you truly, Uchiha, Itachi? Is the witty brat persona I'm dealing with on a regular basis another façade you came up with in order to hide your true self? I _know _you're not the cold blooded killer you want others to believe, but you practically _breathe _deception!" the Godaime turned this into a personal discussion, having had enough of his evasive nature.

Itachi owed her some answers and she would be damned if she didn't get them tonight. Her reluctance to press the kid harder and pry some information out of him had caused this bloody mess – and Tsunade could blame none other but _herself_. Not that she cared at the moment, though. Not when she had someone else to pin the blame for even for a passing moment.

"You know I cannot reveal vital information or I run the risk of blowing my cover. Pein is an intelligent shinobi and has eyes and ears everywhere. I am already compromising myself by sharing intel with you – no matter how insignificant you might think it is. I have come too far and have done too much to fail now," Itachi deigned to gift her with an explanation, voice cold and expression unreadable, dismissing most of her queries with his choice answer.

"Enough, Itachi. Either be the goddamn spy you claim to be or a rogue nin in true meaning, but cut all this misleading bullshit. Either be an ally or an enemy, but choose a fucking side!" Tsunade pinned him with an accusatory glare, recrimination bleeding in her harsh tone.

**Word Count: 500**


	9. In the Cold Light of Morning

Tsunade had immersed herself in paperwork and medical affairs for the past month, trying to forget her last encounter with Itachi, but her nerves were shot to hell. She had not seen the rogue nin since that disastrous, one-sided conversation. Tendrils of guilt and regret wrapped around her mind every time she recalled their tense meeting.

_Freaking hell! I can't believe I pulled a Danzō on him and acted like that bastard. _The Godaime cursed herself for her thoughtless outbreak, her attention straying from the documents before her for the fifth time this day.

_It's not easy dealing with this kid, is it, old man? And I'm doing a piss poor job of it. Why did you have to go and die, sensei? I miss you; and I miss Nawaki; and I miss Dan; and I – I need a drink. _The blonde haired kunoichi exhaled a dejected sigh, burying her scarlet painted nails through her hair.

"Tsunade-sama? Are you well?" Shizune gently asked with concern, but a soft knock on the door saved her from having to answer.

Was she well? Hell no – she was anything _but _well. Tsunade had not been well for many years now; and she highly doubted this would ever change. Her depressing musings were interrupted when a pink haired kunoichi entered her office.

"Please take me as your disciple," Sakura requested, her emerald gaze brimming with determination and expectancy.

Tsunade nearly blinked in confusion at the unexpected request before she gathered herself and leveled the young girl with a serious stare. "My training will be harsh."

"I'm prepared for that," Sakura returned with a small nod, voice strong and eyes hopeful.

The Godaime assessed the pink haired girl with piqued curiosity. She knew Sakura possessed all the qualities to become an excellent medic nin, but she had her reservations regarding her motives. Deciding to take a wild chance, Tsunade agreed with a pleased smirk.

"Very well, Shizune will instruct you on the basics for now."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," Shizune complied with a faint smile gracing her delicate features, having the same train of thought as her master.

"Sakura," Tsunade called before the two females left her office, "you made a good choice."

_Never give up, Sakura, and don't repeat my mistakes. Take your loved one back with your own strength._

"That girl has potential to become a second you. Now that's a scary thought – in more ways than one," an amused voice came from the window as Jiraiya made his unwelcome entrance, interrupting her chance to have a break.

"Any sign of Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked sharply, not in the mood for idle chatter.

"No – but you already knew that. You only agreed to send the kids in that mission because you couldn't crush their hopes. You have a soft side underneath that harsh exterior, Tsunade," her fellow Sannin remarked solemnly, pinning her with a pointed stare.

"Shut up. I don't want to hear that from the man who went around saving kids during a bloody war."

**Word Count: 500**


	10. Plasticine

Tsunade had almost given up hope of ever seeing the raven haired shinobi again after her last blunder, fearing she might have inadvertently pushed him away with her rash behavior, but she needn't have worried so much. Itachi stood tall and silent in the middle of her living room once more. The blonde kunoichi suppressed a relieved sigh before she raised her eyes to stare into his crimson depths undauntedly, flecks of gold shimmering in her caramel gaze.

"I'm sorry," Tsunade uttered slowly, sincerity coloring her soft voice, willing him to understand that she truly meant it. She would have proceeded to make amends if she hadn't noticed a slight flicker in his eyes after the words left her lips, revealing his surprise at her admission.

"Why so shocked? You thought I was incapable of offering an apology?" The blonde woman decided to tease him a little instead, amused by his reaction.

"I assumed as much, yes," the rogue nin returned with an imperceptible nod, but his tone was lighter and she could tell he was simply repaying her in kind for her previous comment.

"You know, your face is a real piece of work, but your _eyes_ – I'm beginning to see through you, Uchiha, Itachi," the Godaime replied with a contemplative expression, recognizing the mirth dancing in his crimson hued eyes.

"You think my face is handsome?" Itachi raised a brow, voice coated in dry sarcasm, but she was prepared for his taunt this time.

"Very funny – I meant that you have an excellent poker face, but you're liable to slip up and reveal a sliver of emotion in your eyes. Probably because everyone try their damnedest to _avoid _looking into your eyes, so you don't feel the need to try too hard to conceal it," Tsunade explained with a condescending tone, but she was actually enjoying their verbal comeback.

"You claim to know my thoughts then?" Itachi asked with hints of curiosity and merriment lacing his cultured voice, truly intrigued by her assessment.

"No, I can catch glimpses of faint emotions at times, but I don't know what the hell you're thinking, kid. What I _do _know is that you're laughing at me right now, but you're doing it all wrong. Here, let me show you how it's done," she answered truthfully, refraining herself from smacking him in the head for keeping up this infuriating attitude when they both knew it was a _lie_.

Tsunade approached him in measured steps, her amber eyes never leaving his, showing him she wasn't perturbed or buying his tough kid act in the least. Her hands rose slowly to cup his cheeks in a gentle caress before slender fingers smoothed over the lines on the corners of his lips, pressing against his skin until a forced, awkward smile formed on his rigid features.

"We – normal people – call this a _smile_. Try it out – you never know, you might even like it," she dared him, her own lips curving in a lopsided grin.

**Word Count: 500**


	11. Bright Lights

Itachi's leisure posture turned stiff and his expression became guarded when soft hands touched his face. Tsunade frowned at his instant change before she released him with the barest hesitation, the pads of her fingers tingling with an electrifying sensation she did not wish to ponder on further lest she came to a very unpleasant realization; this was not a boy, but a _man _– a man she had caressed in a careless whim.

"Shame. I might have called you _handsome _if you smiled more often," the blonde woman joked light-heartedly, taking a few steps back in an attempt to escape the ensnaring spell she had fallen in after their seemingly innocent contact.

Needing to distract herself from the fact that he was the first man she had touched in a long time without the intention of healing, she spoke again, asking a question that had been bothering her with nagging intensity lately.

"Why do you insist on having that stoic, insufferable façade all the damn time?"

He perused her mutely, his scarlet orbs alight with strange fascination before his lips parted to answer.

"I suppose I lost this bet, so I will tell you," Itachi uttered, his low voice laced with wry resignation.

"Bet?" Tsunade asked with puzzlement after his peculiar wording. She could swear his mouth curved faintly before he replied.

"I bet that if I acted in this manner, you would not get attached out of misguided sympathy or pity, but it appears I was wrong. You seem determined to like me however I may act," Itachi revealed with an elegant shrug, leveling her with a bemused stare. _Why do you insist on trying to fix a broken man_, he seemed to inquire silently. Tsunade's eyes widened in shocked comprehension before she quickly erased all traces of bewilderment.

"Cheeky brat… don't confuse _tolerance_ with _fondness_. Who said anything about liking you?" the medic nin huffed, feigning indignation; though, she didn't sound convincing even in her own ears. She made to chastise him for acting in such a provocative manner again, but the words died in her throat. Instead of the lean shinobi, a young boy with light brown hair and green-gray eyes stood before her now. The Godaime choked back a strangled cry at the familiar visage, well aware of the boy's identity.

"N-Nawaki?" Tsunade whispered longingly, her arms lifting of their own accord to embrace him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Now you have information on the abilities of _one_ Akatsuki member," Itachi remarked nonchalantly as if he hadn't just given her the greatest gift of all. Not days, not hours, not minutes, not even seconds had passed in real time, yet Tsunade had been lost in that idyllic world for three long days.

"I already knew what your Sharingan could do," she bit back almost angrily, her back turned to him. Silent tears ran down her cheeks in thin rivulets, marring her skin with liquid woe.

"_Itachi_," Tsunade called softly, her voice thick with unnamed emotion, "thank you."

**Word Count: 500**


	12. Black-Eyed

"Do you think it's prudent for Naruto-kun to leave the village?" Shizune asked worriedly. Jiraiya had proclaimed he was taking Naruto on a journey to train him without leaving much space for discussion this morning.

"Jiraiya will guard him at all times. Naruto is much safer with him than he would ever be if he stayed here. Those annoying geezers can't have a say in his growth or influence him this way. Shrewd, old vultures!" the Godaime spat with vehemence at the mention of the two elder councilors and Danzō. If she hated one thing about her position was having to deal with their kind.

"How is Sakura's training progressing?" she asked her disciple, changing the subject.

"She is an excellent student and I'm truly impressed with her ability to learn so quickly," Shizune confessed, her dark eyes shimmering with pride, but her voice held a troubled tone.

"But?" Tsunade prompted Shizune to spill whatever was bothering her with a stern timbre. "I can hear it in your voice. What's wrong?"

Shizune made a grimace of discomfort, but she knew there was no subtle way to say this, so she opted for honesty. "She appears to be obsessed with the Uchiha clan, always sneaking around in the library and," she paused before adding with disapproval, "I caught her trying to break in the abandoned Uchiha establishment a week ago."

Tsunade exhaled a heavy sigh at the news, thinking she should have seen this coming. Not wanting to cause Shizune additional distress, she decided it was time to become personally involved with her newest disciple.

"I see – you did right by telling me this, Shizune. I'll take over her training. It's good that she has a clear purpose, but dwelling in the past will only make her suffer; and there are some secrets better left buried for everyone's sake," the medic nin stated cryptically, dismissing Shizune before she asked any difficult questions.

_What would you do if you were in my place, old man? This is getting complicated…_ Tsunade mused with a foreboding feeling, fearing the consequences should she tread without caution.

Tsunade had been contemplating whether she should inform the rogue nin regarding this delicate matter, yet the thoughts eluded her when she took in Itachi's drained appearance later that night.

"I'm flattered, really," she commented with a sickeningly sweet smile, her voice dripping in venomous sarcasm.

Itachi took a hesitant pause when he heard her acidic tone, but decided to humor her for the time being. "Should I ask why? I'm slightly conflicted; do I want to know?" he returned caustically, making her ire reach frightening heights.

"_Cute_," Tsunade drawled, peeved by his attitude, but refusing to take his bait. "Should I assume you have deactivated your Sharingan because you trust me enough not to constantly be on your guard around me?"

"Well, I cannot argue with your perfect logic."

The dam keeping her rage contained broke with a cracking sound after the contemptuous answer spilled from his lips.

**Word Count: 500**


	13. Battle for the Sun

"Enough – don't play coy with me, kid!" Tsunade snapped at him in full medic nin mode, refusing to waste another minute with useless arguments. His condition had reached a critical point by the looks of it; delaying diagnosis and treatment could very well prove fatal.

"The way I see it, you have two options. You're either going to _let_ me run some tests and figure out what the hell is wrong with you or I will have to _force_ them on you, but either way you're getting a physical tonight," the blonde woman ordered with an unyielding tone, leaving him no room for refusal. _You no longer have a choice in the matter, _she conveyed mutely, golden fire slithering within the depths of her eyes.

Itachi could tell by her fierceness that she would not take a negative answer this time. His jaw tensed imperceptibly before he surrendered to her fiery will. Still, he could not help but show his displeasure at her meddling nature with an eristic remark.

"Isn't it counterproductive to cause additional injury to your patient?" the rogue nin deadpanned, yet the grudging acceptance in his onyx eyes belied the bluntness of his words.

"No need to worry. I assure you I'm perfectly able to heal whatever damage I may inflict on you in the process if you resist," the kunoichi bit back in a scathing provocation, passing him a silent warning. _I _will_ hurt you if you don't behave._

Itachi exhaled a soft sigh, tension leaking from his shoulders in tangible waves as he finally relaxed his posture, signaling his reluctant submission to her demands.

"It's good that you know. Come this way," the blonde woman nodded with a pleased expression, motioning for him to follow after her.

Tsunade congratulated herself mentally for having the insight to create a small laboratory in her own house as she couldn't have possibly brought him in the hospital or ran the tests under a fake name. This needed to be done in utmost secrecy and she wasn't taking any chances.

"I need blood and urine samples for starters. You can fill this cup while I prepare the syringe," she stated with authority the moment they stepped foot in the examination room, providing him with a small cup.

His coal depths danced with wry amusement, but he took the cup without any resistance and disappeared in the toilet after discarding his cloak.

"Thank you," Tsunade replied almost mechanically when he came back with a full cup, tilting her head towards the pristine, simple exam bed. He took the hint, taking an upright seat promptly.

"I must admit, never has a woman tried so hard to get _physical_ with me – I must applaud your persistence," Itachi uttered in what she could tell was almost a playful timbre for him.

His offhanded comment broke through her practiced shell of strict professionalism, lips curving in a devious smirk and eyes alight with glee.

"Keep dreaming, brat. You ain't getting _that_ kind of physical."

**Word Count: 500**


	14. 36 Degrees

_Damn! Of all things… it had to be an autoimmune disease!_ Tsunade cursed the cruel fates for weaving the worst possible scenario. Her eyes scanned the indisputable tests results for the millionth time, pleading for a different conclusion, yet all she saw was binding despair. If Itachi had been anyone else then there would be a dim sliver of salvation, but Tsunade was a realist above all else. Given his current situation and lifestyle, the chances of surviving were close to nil.

"Microscopic polyangiitis is the result of blood vessel inflammation – a type of vasculitis – which can damage organ systems. The areas most commonly affected include the kidneys, lung, nerves, skin, and joints," the medic nin revealed in a detached manner, her voice betraying not the merest hint of the storm raging within her at the implications. Unable to look into his obsidian depths for fear of losing her momentum, she continued in an impersonal tone.

"Patients may feel generally ill and fatigued, have fever, or have loss of appetite and weight. They usually also have symptoms related to areas of involvement such as shortness of breath or coughing up of blood from disease affecting the lungs, rashes, muscle and/or joint pain. MPA affecting the nerves may cause an abnormal sensation followed by numbness or loss of strength. Sounds familiar?" She felt rather than saw his slight nod of agreement, steeling her nerves before she continued with her diagnosis.

"The treatment comprises of immunosuppressive medication and their primary effect is to influence the behavior of the immune system in a manner that results in immunosuppression. However, each immunosuppressive drug has a unique set of potential side effects. This fact requires ongoing monitoring, especially since the kidneys might shut down without any prior symptoms," she explained clinically, willing him to understand how dire the consequences were without proper medical care.

"The goal of treatment is to stop all damage that is occurring as a result of MPA. If disease activity can be completely "turned off," this is called "remission." Once it is apparent that the disease is improving, the doses are lowered and eventually discontinued completely. The treatment duration of the maintenance immunosuppressive medication may vary between individuals. In most instances, it is given for a minimum of 1 to 2 years before consideration is given to possibly slowly reduce the dose toward discontinuation. Although, even after achieving remission, it is possible for MPA to recur – a "relapse" as we call it," Tsunade finished her medical assessment, her features etched in grim determination as she mastered the courage to look at him. Having no inclination as to what would greet her gaze, her mouth fell open in shock when she saw him shaking lightly before he erupted in mad laughter.

"I-Itachi –?" she whispered with uncertainty, taken aback by his bizarre reaction.

"I killed my blood and now my blood is killing me – how apropos," he spoke humorlessly between hollow laughter, his bleak words cutting through her like a rusty knife.

**Word Count: 500**


	15. Every You, Every Me

Tsunade stood petrified, numb. For a stagnant moment time stopped, his harrowing laughter penetrating her senses with bleeding rawness. A sharp sound reverberated within the white room before she heard herself speak, voice carrying a throaty nuance, hands clutching at his shoulders in a vicious grip, thighs straddling his lean waist, knees pressing against the cold floor beneath them.

"Get it together, kid! This is not the time for such macabre jokes! _You are dying_!" the blonde woman all but screamed at him, eyes wild and darkened with maddening care. That terrible laughter had ceased after her desperate assault, yet its painful echo was still ringing in her ears. Tsunade doubted if she would ever forget it.

"I know." The sober timbre of his low voice held no trace of his former insanity and Tsunade barely suppressed tears of relief. Her palms splayed wide on his chest, despairing gaze boring into the darkness of his eyes, seeking answers.

"Then why are you acting like this?" she uttered slowly, voice breaking under the weight of her concern.

"Because it changes nothing. This disease has merely shortened the inevitable," Itachi revealed, eyes half lidded and lips curving into a devastatingly painful smile, simply lying underneath her.

"You – you were planning on dying anyway…" Tsunade surmised after his reply, heaviness settling in her heart at the mere thought of not seeing his piercing eyes or hearing his sarcastic remarks ever again.

"Yes," he confirmed leisurely, even though he could see the reality sinking in her amber depths with each passing second. Her slender fingers curled instinctively, gripping the fabric of his shirt until her knuckles turned white.

"When will you stop being a martyr, kid?" Tsunade surprised him by asking in such a straightforward manner that he almost winced at having dragged her into his hellish agony – but it was too late, for either of them.

His arm rose of its own volition, fingertips brushing against her white cheek, his thumb gliding over the sultriness of her lower lip slowly.

"When will you stop calling me a kid?" Itachi murmured in return, fingers sliding over the column of her neck to pull her down in a lazy motion, giving her ample time to turn away if she wished. She didn't.

"I don't need to be forgiven; I only need a moment from the living," he confessed in a tangible whisper against her lips, allowing her to take that final step.

His warm breath titillated the plumpness of her lips, heat seeping through her skin from the merest touch of a fingertip. Damning herself to hell, she closed the miniscule distance between them, sealing their lips in a slow caress of feverish flesh.

_I knew you were _not _a kid from the first time I saw you; that's why I kept calling you a kid. Damnit, why do I keep doing this to myself?_ Tsunade mused incoherently before she allowed want to overtake logic, lost in devouring sensations, unwilling to deny him this request.

**Word Count: 500**


	16. Post Blue

It had been a long time since Tsunade had kissed a man – had felt the compelling need to share intimacies with another. Yet as her lips sidled over his with tender urgency and her hands slid up his torso to entangle in his ebony locks, she couldn't deny how much she had longed for the slow burn of another's skin against hers. Tsunade was vaguely aware of deft fingers grazing at the curve of her waist and curling around her neck, holding her close as if afraid to let go for reasons unknown – yet painfully known.

His heady scent enveloped her drugged senses, causing a wave of rapture to course through her – jasmine and fire and male and _more_. Tsunade stilled above him, moments away from succumbing to the irresistible call of forbidden attraction, breath escaping her lungs in soft gasps and heartbeat pulsing in irregular patterns.

"Talk to me," she uttered in a husky murmur against his lips, voice overcome with clandestine passion, yet carrying an unyielding timbre.

Itachi perused her heatedly, the dark intensity of his smoky gaze belying the mellifluence of his voice when he spoke. "What do you want to know?"

"_Everything_," Tsunade demanded, drawing back slightly to flee the entrapping prison of his eyes and the drowning sensations of his touch.

An overwhelming desire to murder Danzō, Madara, and even Itachi himself slithered under her skin with each grave sentence he spoke as Itachi revealed his past in detail. Tsunade wanted to strangle him for playing a role into their sick, twisted scenarios, but she more than understood the _why _of it all. Never before had she heard such an anguished tale of deception, ambition, and sacrifice. The moment he stopped talking, she rushed towards him, her hands hovering above his temples, an iridescent azure glow spilling from her fingertips.

"I didn't even think of checking your Sharingan before…" the medic nin explained in a sharp tone, chastising herself for her negligence inwardly. Focusing on the problem she could potentially solve seemed an infinitely better choice than dwelling on past mistakes she had no hope of reversing or means of healing. She needed time – time to think, accept.

"I am well aware of your incomparable skill, but you cannot alter genetics, Tsunade-san. The Sharingan will slowly rob the user of his sight after excessive usage and the only method of prevention known is a transplant from another Sharingan user," Itachi reiterated what he had explained in his previous speech, but he knew she would likely refuse to listen to reason.

"I don't care! And stop adding that suffix on my name; we're way past that," Tsunade bit back stubbornly, not acknowledging him in the least. She would be damned if she stood back and simply watched as he went on his suicide mission for the blood stained sake of his clan and his immense love for his brother.

"Sasuke wouldn't want this if he knew," she muttered in a hushed whisper.

"He will never know."

**Word Count: 500**


	17. Bruise Pristine

"Sakura!" Tsunade yelled in a sharp command, censure coating her harsh tone.

"If you're not focused on _here_ and _now_, you will regret it," the blonde kunoichi warned a second before she split the ground in two with a punch, watching with disapproval as the pink haired girl struggled to escape the brunt of her attack in the dusty aftermath.

Tsunade shook her head, exhaling a heavy sigh when Sakura landed in an awkward tangle of limbs, rolling a few times before she crashed into a tree with mild force. _You're lucky I seem to be suffering from the same lack of concentration or I would have buried you by now, girl._

"I-I apologize, shishō! It won't happen again," the young shinobi managed to bit through gritted teeth, wiping a thin trail of blood from her chin as she staggered to her feet.

"It will – you can't help it," the older woman stated in a dejected timbre. _Neither can I._ She pushed the unwanted thought out of her mind, motioning for Sakura to follow her. "Let's take a break."

"Your nightly activities are having a bad effect on your concentration," Tsunade commented sternly, pinning the young girl with a knowing stare; though, she could practically choke on the thick irony of her comment. If anyone should be reprimanded for _nightly activities, _that would be her.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura blurted with mortification, lowering her head in shame, knowing she couldn't feign ignorance any longer.

"I just want to _know_," she muttered in an agonized whisper, raising her eyes to level her master with a pleading expression.

_No, you don't – trust me. It's better if you _never_ know._ Tsunade couldn't very well satiate the girl's curiosity without betraying the Sandaime's and Itachi's trust, so she opted for placating the girl by _talking _to her. "Why?"

Sakura remained silent for a few moments, biting her lower lip nervously before she answered in a soft murmur, regret bleeding in her voice. "I could have stopped, Sasuke-kun," she confessed, then stopped again only to begin anew.

"No, that's a lie. I knew I couldn't, but I _had_ to try," she uttered slowly, nails digging into the stained fabric of her red dress. Tsunade could almost taste the suffocating sorrow accompanying her words.

"It's not your fault, Sakura." The medic nin placed a warm hand on the girl's shaking shoulders in reassurance. There were other people Tsunade would gladly put the blame on, but Sakura was not one of them.

"It isn't? Maybe," the pink haired girl looked up at her with a trembling smile, her jade gaze revealing more wisdom than Tsunade would have expected from her on any other given occasion. "But it _is _my fault that Naruto made that promise. I-I can't let him fight my battles, I _need _to do this on my own – and for that I _must_ know," Sakura continued more strongly, grim determination shimmering in the greenness of her eyes, surprising Tsunade.

_Maybe I underestimated you a little, Sakura._

**Word Count: 500**


	18. For What It's Worth

"You didn't make Naruto do anything he wouldn't have done regadless. You're not the only one who cares about Sasuke," Tsunade corrected the girl's self-imposed assumption with a rueful timbre, her amber depths drowning in melancholy.

"Even more so," Sakura insisted with fervor, "Naruto is determined to take Sasuke-kun back and I want to be by his side this time, not stand behind him as I have always done. I don't ever want to feel that way again – weak, helpless, unreliable."

Tsunade perused her apprentice comprehensively, taking in the prominent scowl on her forehead and the miserable look in her dimmed eyes. The girl's hunched posture exuded self-recrimination in thick waves.

"You're not weak," Tsunade denied quietly with a heavy stare, "but you're not strong either."

"Shishō?" Sakura asked softly, taken aback by the intensity of her master's gaze, not understanding what Tsunade was trying to tell her.

"If you truly wish to stand on your own two feet and not hide in their shadows then focus, learn, train – and _believe_," the Godaime explained seriously, her penetrating gaze boring into Sakura's with deep empathy, intoning the last word.

"Believe?" the young kunoichi repeated with a bemused expression, utterly enthralled by the older woman's charisma.

"Believe in the future; don't cling in the past. Forget the childish dream you could never have for now. Grow up and _make_ that dream a reality with your own strength," Tsunade elaborated, chin raised and tawny gaze burning with fierce resolution, instilling an overwhelming sense of bold confidence in the younger girl.

Sakura stood perfectly still after Tsunade's speech, lips half parted in awe and emerald gaze coming to life with renewed vigor. Straightening her back, she bowed deeply in utter respect towards her master.

"Hai, shishō!" she exclaimed between muffled sobs, shivering body still bent low, suppressing back tears threatening to spill forth.

_Believe, Sakura, believe_, Tsunade forced her heartfelt expectations on the young girl before her, well aware she was reflecting herself on her.

She had lost count of how many times she had repeated those same words to herself. Tsunade only knew she would wake up tomorrow and say them _again_. Her whole life was a cruel cycle of young hope and bitter despair. Time and again, she had believed, only to fall into the deepest abyss. _Why_ she continued to believe was beyond her understanding, but a pair of challenging blue eyes had awakened the desire to bet her life on someone else's dream once more.

Another pair of eyes – different in shade and shape – flashed through her mind, but she refused to ponder on the complicated emotions those eyes had stirred within her – dangerous.

"If I ever hear you went near the Uchiha estate again, I will teach you a lesson you will never forget. If you're not skillful enough not to get caught, then don't do it in the first place, damn brat!" Tsunade snapped at her disciple, erasing all further thoughts. Not now. Later.

"Hai!" Sakura yelled in fearful compliance.

**Word Count: 500**

**A/N: RL has been kind of demanding lately, so I'm slowing down on updates. Basically, expect one daily update instead of two from now on – unless I feel like writing more. A huge thanks to the people who have followed/favorited this story. Onwards!**


	19. Begin the End

"You're _late_ for your treatment. If you keep missing your scheduled appointments, I can't help you," Tsunade chastised the cloaked shinobi, making a stealthy visit to her home in the dark of twilight, yet he merely shrugged in an indifferent manner.

"I don't need a cure, I only need time," Itachi informed her without the slightest remorse, prepared for her fiery retort – but it never came.

Tsunade desperately wanted to argue with him, to tell him he was going to get a cure whether he wanted one or not, but she couldn't. His fatalistic views were not without valid cause, and as much as this fact angered her, she couldn't deny the verity of it. She could tell him she would try her damnedest to find him a cure, to make the standard treatment work – which she undoubtedly would – but she could pretty much guess his reaction if she did. Itachi would either grace her with one of his achingly beautiful smiles, silently conveying the futility of her efforts, or gift her with empty gratitude to placate her fighting spirit. Furthermore, giving false hope to a patient was the worst thing a healer could do. More than that, Itachi was not just _any_ patient – not anymore.

_Are we ever going to talk about that kiss?_ Tsunade mused, unsure if she truly wanted to breach this matter. Her hooded gaze perused him slowly, taking in the handsome, albeit weary man before her. Tall and lean with well toned muscles, testament to his harsh training as a highly skilled shinobi. Then her gaze traveled upwards to focus on his pale features; soft ebony locks framed an angular face, hair tied on a ponytail at his neck, obsidian abysmal pools filled with knowledge one so young should not possess, and lips… Phantom pleasure pulsed within her blood as she recalled the _feel_ of those lips – soft yet firm and so hot pressing against her own.

_Why did you kiss me?_ Tsunade wondered with unquenched desire to know the answer, her thoughts deluged with _him_ and _why _and _heat_.

"Why did you let me?" His low voice infiltrated her hazy mind without warning, alerting her to the fact that she had actually uttered that question aloud.

Tsunade fixed her wide gaze on him with momentary shock before she willed her nerves to calm down. Veiled curiosity laced with something else – darker, alluring – shimmered within his black depths.

"You always put the needs of others above your own, trying to make the impossible possible, but you're only human," the blonde kunoichi stated undauntedly, seeing no reason to hide behind words or excuses. Tsunade was never one to sugarcoat things and she was done with playing cryptic games.

"Because you _needed_ it," she offered simply without useless pretense. Her voice carried a strange softness and her eyes seemed to scintillate with golden flames.

"Did I?" His warm breath teased the shell of her sensitive ear – close, so close she could almost taste him on her skin.

**Word Count: 500**


	20. Because I Want You

"Itachi –" Tsunade called, voice slightly breathy, pressing her palms against his toned chest in an attempt to put some distance between them. Much to her dismay, she found it quite hard to form coherent sentences when he was dominating her personal space like this.

Cool lips glided over the creamy expanse of her neck, eliciting tingling shivers wherever they touched as he drew back leisurely – almost reluctantly. Midnight black eyes regarded her with sensual awareness, drowning her in a violent torrent of eclipsed want.

"Are you suffering from multiple personality disorder perhaps? Do I need to perform a psychological evaluation as well?" the blonde woman asked wryly, her crimson-pale lips thinning in a straight line of disapproval.

"You have shown me so many different faces that my head is spinning at the possibilities – cold blooded assassin, cynical spy, caring brother," she continued in the same caustically blunt tone, unperturbed by the telling curving of his lips.

_Lithe seduction_, Tsunade added mentally, her swarthy gaze irrevocably drawn to those kissable lips. Slow heat churned in her lower stomach, her blood melting at the beguiling promise she saw reflected there.

"Are there more unique sides of you that I haven't had the _pleasure_ of meeting yet?" she asked meaningfully. It was a taunt, meant to be spoken with a drop of anger, yet it came out as an invitation tinged with intrigue.

"I won't tolerate your deceitfulness any longer!" the medic nin bit through gritted teeth, trying to rectify her unwitting blunder.

"All those different fragments are part of my personality; all of them are _me_. I have played the part of the perfect spy for so long – the lines have become blurred. I lost sight of myself for a time as well," Itachi revealed sedately after a small pause, reasoning she wouldn't relent if he didn't gift her with a proper explanation.

"I have never deceived you. I never lied nor did I pretend to be someone I am not. You always react in such an honest manner that makes me want to tease you merely because I enjoy the novelty of it," he stated earnestly, underlying amusement hiding in his deep voice.

Then his reserved expression changed without the barest indication. Wildfire slithered within the shadows of his eyes and the huskiness of his voice, igniting the fires of lust under her feverish skin once more.

"Your assumption is _right _and _wrong_. I didn't merely need – I _wanted_; and so I took what was offered," Itachi clarified in a sensuous baritone, invading her space again and surrounding her with the potent heat of his body. Tsunade barely registered her back hitting a wall softly, his arms lifting to plant on either side of her head, caging her with obvious intent.

"You are doing it again," he whispered a mere breadth's away from her sweltering lips, jet black desire swirling in the depths of his eyes.

"You are offering, so forgive me if I can't help but take once more."

**Word Count: 500**


	21. Kitty Litter

His lips crashed against hers with untamed ferocity – devouring, ravaging, claiming. Unlike last time, this kiss was not spurred by gentle need but raw lust. A wanton sound escaped her throat when blunt teeth captured her lower lip, dragging across the succulent flesh slowly before something wet and rough plunged inside her mouth. Sleek tongues slithered against each other sinfully as eager bodies melded together. Long, slender fingers coiled around her neck, forcing her head against the wall as Itachi abandoned the heat of her mouth to lick the curve of her jaw, carving a leisure trail upwards.

The primal feel of his body heightened her arousal, lips parting to draw in a desperate breath. The wetness of his tongue elicited a deep moan as Itachi nipped at her lobe before fingers stroked her soft cheek and his thumb slipped between her lips. Her teeth clamped around the digit on instinct, tongue lapping at the sultriness of his skin and nails digging into his sides as he slowly withdrew his thumb from her moist prison.

The taste of his skin was intoxicating on her tongue and Tsunade arched into him, aching nipples rubbing on his muscled chest with fervent urgency to feel more – more of _him_. Itachi understood her silent plea, hand gliding down her body to grasp her hip, fingers sinking into the suppleness of her thigh as he ground himself against her. Tsunade panted his name in a husky exhalation when she felt him hot and heavy beneath the barrier of their clothes, reveling in the ragged breath searing her sweltering skin as he buried his face in her neck.

"You do this a lot?"

The curious question spilled from her lips without her conscious approval, breaking the hazy cloud of rapture threatening to devour them both if they didn't slow down. The slight tremors of his chest and the curving of his lips against her damp skin told Tsunade that he was actually laughing at her despite the stirrings of lust still coursing through their blood.

"No."

Faint traces of amusement within the deepness of his voice confirmed her suspicion.

"I only ever took one lover," Itachi murmured against the slickness of her skin, teeth and tongue dragging across the pale expanse of her neck in slow, tortuous licks.

Tsunade stilled after his startling confession, scarlet nails scraping against his ribs with burning intensity, trying to get his attention. He was making it damn hard for her to think rationally with his decadent ministrations, but her curiosity had been piqued.

Itachi seemed to have come to the same unwanted conclusion because he ceased his erotic play on her neck, exhaling a long suffered sigh. He tightened his hold on her hip, rocking himself against her in a telling motion, mutely pleading for her to reconsider, but she only huffed in reply.

"We are going to have that discussion _now_?" There was such exasperation within his guttural rumble that Tsunade couldn't help but smirk at his serious predicament.

**Word Count: 500**


	22. Scene of the Crime

Tsunade prepared her special blend of green tea while she gave Itachi some time to calm down after their stimulating activities. She would have opted for sake on any other given occasion, but she valued Itachi's health above her own insalubrious cravings. Aggravating his liver to top it off would be like adding oil to fire.

_Patient care, my ass! _A vexing sound low in her throat accompanied her mild scowling when she realized the actual reason behind her attentiveness. If she wanted to be completely honest, there was no need to deny herself alcohol on his account. In reality, Tsunade simply didn't feel the urge to drink because – for once – she didn't want to numb her senses.

No. Tonight, Tsunade wished to _feel_, not _forget_.

Her caramel gaze strayed to the young man lazing around in her living room and she barely suppressed a chuckle at the peculiar sight. Tsunade might not have known him for long, yet she was certain Itachi didn't usually lay sprawled on lush cushions in such a devil-may-care manner. He was reclining back on his elbows with a leg bent, silky hair untied, coal eyes half lidded, and looking attractively… disheveled. Her lips curved in a cat-ate-the-canary grin, knowing she was the primary reason for this.

The telltale sound of soft footsteps alerted Itachi to her return before the blonde kunoichi entered the spacious room and kneeled to place the tray she carried on the low, oak table. He moved slowly to settle in a sitting position, long legs crossed and lethargic gaze focusing on her rosy lips as she lowered herself to the pillow across from him.

_Really, he's so easy to read right now. If I knew this earlier, I might have used this tactic to my advantage, _Tsunade mused with mischief, resting her chin on one hand and staring at him with a knowing gleam in her amber depths.

Itachi must have caught her devious train of thought easily because his eyes darkened to onyx gems, boring into hers with blatant provocation, insinuating that two could play this game should she wish to test her theory.

_For a man who claims to have had only one lover, you sure are bold, kid_, the medic nin thought, visibly bothered at how affected she was by the heated invitation dancing in his obsidian gaze. Speaking of which… Tsunade opened her mouth to initiate the conversation, but he beat her to it.

"Her name was Uchiha, Saeko," Itachi revealed, voice devoid of emotion.

"_Uchiha_?" the blonde woman repeated with a flabbergasted expression when she heard the surname.

"Then that means you –" she made the connection, but stopped before she finished the sentence, not knowing how to phrase this without evoking unpleasant memories in him.

Apparently, Itachi had no qualms over stating facts because he completed her sentence in that damnably apathetic tone Tsunade had come to utterly abhor.

"Yes, I did kill her; along with my parents, my cousins, and my whole clan."

**Word Count: 500**


	23. Haemoglobin

Tsunade was stunned speechless for a few seconds before she reached a disturbing conclusion.

"Wait – you were…" Her brows knit in confusion as she tried to wrap her mind around it.

"How old were you then? _Fourteen_!? And you had a lover?" she exclaimed with wry disbelief, finding this fact quite hard to digest.

"I was quite mature for my age." Itachi confirmed her estimation, but Tsunade could sense that he found her astonishment rather hilarious.

"Apparently," she muttered back in a fairly splenetic tone.

"We are shinobi," Itachi stated as a means of elaboration.

Tsunade exhaled a heavy sigh, grudgingly accepting his point of view. Shinobi didn't follow the common rules applying for humans; or, more accurately, they weren't given the luxury to grow up as sheltered.

"But it's more complicated than that…" the rogue nin added, voice burdened with intricate sentiments Tsunade was well aware of. She knew this man was haunted by ghosts of the past, yet he had never allowed her to witness the merest sliver of them. Not wishing to interrupt him with insignificant trivialities, she pressed her lips tightly shut despite the urge to move closer – to_ touch_ him.

"The Uchiha clan was obsessed with the purity of our blood. My father had already chosen suitable partners for Sasuke and I. Although, I was never close with mine nor did we ever act as a real couple."

"I'm guessing her name was not Saeko then," Tsunade surmised softly.

"No."

"Saeko was four years older than I," Itachi nodded with a forlorn expression. His utterance bled such bittersweet anguish that Tsunade had a feeling she would hate what he was about to say next. "And she was Shisui's lover."

"_Shisui_? Uchiha, Shisui?" She recalled the name from an earlier conversation, her tawny gaze dimming with pained comprehension. No – this was surreal… she couldn't be hearing this.

"He was the only person I ever called a _friend_ and I held great respect for him. I felt that Saeko needed to _know_ the reasons behind Shisui's death and so I shared with her the truth – the _whole_ truth. She held on to me that night because_ I_ was there." He inhaled a deep breath then spoke the words Tsunade dreaded the most. "And I couldn't refuse her."

Itachi didn't really have to explain more. Tsunade could piece the jaded fragments together and see the twisted painting of his thoughts on that cursed night.

_Because she was the only one who knew. Because I owed her at least this much. Because I was angry and envious of Shisui. Because I felt raw with pain. Because I _needed_… _

"You're making it a habit," she whispered, comparing the events that had transpired that night with what had occurred between them.

"No."

His low voice held a throaty nuance as if he had struggled to speak the words, yet his eyes blazed like dark embers when he looked at her.

"I needed then, yes – I won't deny this, but I didn't _want_."

**Word Count: 500**


	24. Loud Like Love

_Why must you tell me this? Why? _Tsunade silently pleaded for him to take these words back, to pretend he never voiced them.

His tongue spoke of_taboo_ and _fire __and __ache_. Flames of temptation and whispers of yearning, licking at her skin and echoing in her ears. Delving. Invading. Binding. She feared more than his heavy words, the heart which uttered them. Tsunade knew of the _power_ in the heart and its whimsical nature. She truly hated Itachi at that moment because he had torn down any and all barriers between them. Yet as the dark gold of her gaze merged with the black ocean of his own, she couldn't help but forgive him. His tongue spoke of _want_, but his eyes spoke of _denial_.

_Because I have nothing left to lose. Because I've tangled myself in a web of lies for too long. Because I don't want to hide any longer. Because the truth hurts and I deserve this pain. Because, please, deny me._

Tsunade could see with cutting salience the tightrope under their feet. Itachi was offering her an escape, but she had already walked past the threshold of no return when her lips had touched upon his that fated night.

_Too late, damn male. If you wanted me to reject you then you should have never shown me your heart. I'm a hopeless fool and I'm no longer afraid of bleeding wounds._

Her bones had turned to liquid heat beneath her skin, yet her limbs moved with lithe grace as she rose languidly. The gentle tapping of her soles and their hushed breaths were the only sounds in the room as Tsunade reached him and stood above him for a deciduous moment. Then feminine thighs straddled his crossed legs and she settled her weight on his lap, warm hands pressing against his temples and honeyed eyes capturing his shadowy depths.

"The sclera of your left eye shows signs of inflammation. I'm assuming continuous use of your Sharingan renders your eyes more sensitive to irritants and susceptible to infections. I'm going to fix this and further study your Sharingan through the process. Just close your eyes and relax," the medic nin explained in a low, yet strong voice. Her actions spoke louder than words ever could, and her expression louder more.

_You don't need to lie. Not now. Not here. Not with me._

Tsunade worked in tranquil ambience, acquainting herself with the daedal paths of his chakra, tuning out all other sensations but the streaming flow of his energy and the slow strokes of his hands as he caressed her clothed thighs. Her arms wound around his neck when she was done, breathing in his scent and fingers weaving within his black locks.

"Itachi –" Her soft lips moved against his pale skin, sultry breath fanning on his cheek bone and arms tightening around him despite the contradiction of the words she uttered next, "you should go while it's still dark."

"Don't be late again, please. Just. Don't."

**Word Count: 500**


	25. Slave to the Wage

Tsunade had spent an immeasurable amount of time contemplating the dangerous turn her relationship with Itachi had taken, yet she could only come to one simple conclusion. They _had_ a relationship. Period. The _when_ and _why_ and _how_ of it mattered little before the rendered reality. She could torture herself with endless sleepless nights, trying to gain some insight on this mess, but it would change nothing. In the end, her decisions were made for her even before she had been conscious of them – find him a cure, prevent his blindness, save him from his own stupidity. Tsunade would deal with the consequences of being with a wanted man after she had made damn certain Itachi would be alive to share them with her.

Her sole comfort was that he had acceded to her pleading demand and was now patiently waiting for his treatment as she prepared the necessary medicine. Needing to fill the silence with light conversation to distract her from the depressing fact that she still hadn't found a way to reverse his ocular damage, Tsunade opted for sharing the cumbersome events of her month.

"The Chūnin Exams will be held soon. Given the previous catastrophic events, all Kage voted against a collaboration project this time. Each village will test its own shinobi until we stand on less shaky grounds. I have enough on my plate without adding foreign shinobi roaming around Konoha, and most of my Jōnin are dispatched to various missions. Our finances are suffering…" the blonde woman stifled a weary sigh at the mere mention of money problems.

"And Sakura? She was on your brother's team as I'm sure you already know. She'll be undergoing an additional exam since she's training to be a medic nin," Tsunade resumed her ranting without really expecting an answer.

"Have you informed her of this matter yet?" Itachi's deep baritone came from behind, pleasantly surprising her.

"Not yet. Compared to what I have planned for her, the Chūnin exam will seem like child's play. I don't want to scare her away too soon," Tsunade chuckled, imagining her disciple's reaction when Sakura learned of this.

Her rising amusement was cut short when her back was plastered against a well defined torso and strong hands settled on her supple hips. Lips and teeth and the slightest touch of tongue teased the lobe of her shapely ear.

"I need to –" Tsunade made to protest, yet her voice failed her. The wanting pressure of his chiseled body against her back, the warm feel of his hands as he stroked her flesh in slow circles, and the decadent sensation of his mouth on her skin stole her breath away.

"Later."

The low, rapturous sound of his sensual timbre turned the blood in her veins into liquid fire. Searing heat and molten wetness gathered low in her abdomen and a strangled gasp of uninhibited lust echoed in the magnetized atmosphere, internal muscles clenching in slow spasms. And, then, he stopped.

"You have an unwanted visitor."

**Word Count: 500**


	26. Scared of Girls

"What –" Tsunade panted, breath heavy and mind laden with undue pleasure. Frustration – deep and consuming – coursed through every cell in her body when she was denied the sultry promise of his tongue and the arousing cadence of his voice. Heart beating in erratic patterns and eyes glazed with golden flames, she turned around only to discover Itachi was nowhere in sight; though, she was certainly _not _alone. Chilly dread struck her at the creature who greeted her.

"Hiii~, Tsunade-chan!" A high-pitched squeal resounded in the eerily silent room after a stagnant moment.

"Gamariki!?" Tsunade exclaimed with utter disbelief when she finally registered what she was seeing, yet she could not mistake the mass of light-green leathery skin and peach shaded lips for anyone else.

"My, my, you appear to be flushed!" The eccentric toad giggled in a cutesy manner which disturbed the blonde woman more than she would ever admit. Then he tilted his head back, nostrils flaring slightly as if he was attempting to scent the air.

"Do I smell the delicious musky scent of a male!?" the obnoxious frog drawled in a sing-song voice, his lavender eyes shimmering with wicked suggestion, snapping Tsunade out of her momentary trance.

"You have a message from Jiraiya, right? Cut the theatrics, deliver it, then _go away_," the Godaime ordered in a no-nonsense tone, not appreciating the effeminate creature's perceptiveness in the least.

"Hmm? Defensive _and _secretive? Now I'm even _more_ intrigued," Gamariki leveled her with a piercing stare, letting her know he was convinced of his assumption.

"Just give me the damn scroll!" Tsunade demanded, her aggravation reaching unimaginable heights. If a mere toad could surmise as much then she had a terrible poker face – not that she didn't know that. She, also, had terrible luck to top it off.

"Well, I've delivered my message, so I'm off. Sorry for… interrupting!" Gamariki winked at her with mischief before disappearing in a cloud of pale smoke.

Tsunade silently cursed the weird creature for utterly ruining her evening. Furthermore, she wouldn't be surprised if Gamariki shared what he guessed with Jiraiya. Her unfavorable musings were interrupted by a low baritone voice from behind.

"That frog is a strange creature – with a loose tongue," Itachi remarked seemingly uninterested, yet Tsunade could tell he had found the interruption as irksome as she had – maybe even more so.

"You think?" the blonde kunoichi bit back through gritted teeth, her irritation returning with force before she willed her tethered nerves to relax. Casting all murderous thoughts aside, she twisted her neck to stare at him, her caramel eyes softening in intensity when she saw him leisurely reclining against the door with his arms crossed. Her home was the only place safe enough where Itachi could shed his snakeskin and act without pretense. And that damned toad had messed it up, she thought, her ire rising once more.

"Anger becomes you," the dark haired male commented, lips curving slowly.

"You suck at complimenting women," Tsunade retorted, laughing heartily.

**Word Count: 500**


	27. B3

"The treatment seems to be working from what your test results show, but I can't guarantee this will continue to be so if you disregard your scheduled visits again," the blonde kunoichi revealed with a pleased yet troubled expression after she had administered the usual drug cocktail. A strange mixture of resigned admonishment and hopeful anticipation dwelled in her amber depths when her gaze connected with his. Tsunade refused to look away until she had extricated an answer from him, yet even she didn't know what she expected to hear. For the first time, she wished for Itachi to_ lie_ to her for his lies were _sweetness_ and _cruelness_ and _forlornness_ –and they hurt worse than his truths.

"Shinobi are prepared to die at any given time – and _I_ most of all. I cannot promise I will appear on time every single time either," Itachi uttered slowly, choosing brutal honesty over lulling lies. Those were not the answers she sought, he knew, but they were the only ones he could offer her.

_I cannot give you what you want. Not now. Not ever._

Tsunade understood what he silently conveyed, yet still she did not avert her eyes. It made no difference; she would accept anything he was willing to give, uncaring of what happened to her in the process. She had haphazardly glued the shattered fragments of her heart back together over time. One more time, for him, she would do it again.

"Even if I did wish to survive this, there is no way to get regular treatment with my rogue nin status. Unless you capture me and lock me in a hospital, or you quit being Hokage and become a rogue to join the Akatsuki in order to monitor me at all times," Itachi jested, resenting the dimmed luster of her glazed eyes.

"Although I have no complaint with Kisame as my partner, considering he is far more bearable and easy to work with than the rest of them, I would more than welcome some female company since neither of us can cook. I do miss home-cooked meals on occasion," Itachi remarked in his usual wry manner, an amused grin tugging at his lips when her expression turned thunderous.

"That was a_ tasteless_ joke," Tsunade snorted in a peevish voice, suppressing the urge to smack him for always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. She shook her head at his pigheadedness, but contemplated his words nonetheless. Neither of his suggestions was a viable option. Even if she took his aggravating joke under serious consideration, and decided to capture him, Itachi faced interrogation then imprisonment or – worse – death, not treatment.

In the end, Tsunade was painfully aware that she was left with only two options. She could either despair at this predicament or make some tough choices – choices Itachi might not like.

_If you cannot give me what I want then I will take it on my own._ _It's time__ for the truth to be laid bare._

**Word Count: 500**


	28. Taste in Men

"Thank you for the _delayed _report, Kakashi," Tsunade bit through gritted teeth, irritation leaking off of her in thick waves.

"Ah, well, there was a los-" he started to say, but never got the chance to finish as Tsunade slammed her palm against the desk menacingly.

"Spare me the lame excuses, Kakashi. I know the real reason behind your horrible punctuality. However, that does not excuse why you keep skipping your arranged medical check ups," she snapped at him, fed up with males and their total lack of self preservation.

"I frequent the hospital more often than I would like as it is. The nurses are even making bets as to how long it'll take before I'm carted in lately," Kakashi explained, weariness showing in his visible eye.

"_Indeed_. You have been overexerting your Sharingan. Considering you are _not _an Uchiha, it is understandable why you end up in the hospital at least once a month," the Godaime agreed, reigning in her ire. In reality, Kakashi was more aware of this fact.

"Fine, I'll make an exception." Tsunade relented, albeit grudgingly, leveling him with a murderous glare in order to put emphasis in her next words, "but only if you show up tomorrow for a rather _extensive _physical. If you are not at the hospital when I arrive, you will _not _like the repercussions, Kakashi."

The white haired shinobi regarded her coolly for a moment. "I understand, Hokage-sama," he nodded curtly.

"Good. Dismissed," the medic nin all but shooed him away, wishing for privacy. Unbeknownst to him, Kakashi had provided a plausible solution to her most pressing problems. The gears in her mind were already turning, creating a favorable scenario.

_Why didn't I think of this before? This could work… I need to run some tests, but it's possible…_

Unfortunately, her musings came to an abrupt stop by a distinctly familiar voice.

"Hiii, Tsunade-chan! Long time no see – or not!" Gamariki appeared in all his annoying glory, displaying a most irksome sight.

"What now!? Another message?" she barked at the eccentric creature.

"That's what_ I_ said! Jiraiya-chan is a slave driver, but he's _cute_ and I can't refuse him." Gamariki pouted, cheeks flushed.

"I can only imagine…" Tsunade commented wryly, unsealing the scroll.

"Jaa ne, Tsunade-chan!" The flamboyant toad croaked, but her gaze was glued to the contents of the message.

_5 – 7 – _∞

_Can he beat that?_

"Jiraiya – you are a _dead man_!" she bellowed enraged, her control breaking with a deafening sound.

"Tsunade-sama!?" Shizune rushed in, alarmed, but stopped in her tracks when she saw the destroyed desk and the veins bulging on Tsunade's temples.

"Burn this, Shizune!" Tsunade hissed, throwing a crinkled piece of paper at her.

"A message from Jiraiya-san? Five, seven, and the symbol for infinity? Is this a secret code? Shouldn't I send this to the decryption squad?" Shizune asked when she read it, baffled.

"You could, but I doubt they wish to know his girth, length, and how he can seemingly perform for eternity."

**Word Count: 500**


End file.
