Naruto Jiraiya's Birthday

**This is just a****oneshot I put together when I realized it was Jiraiya's birthday today. It's set sometime during his travels after leaving Konoha. I really appreciate any feedback you have for me, and I hope you enjoy the story.**

**I do not own Naruto or it's characters.**

It had been 5 years now since Jiraiya had left Konohagakure. 5 years since he'd turned his back on his old life, turned his back on his Sensei and teammates, though to be fair they did the exact same thing, but that fact only made him feel worse about the whole situation. 5 years was a long time for a ninja. It could mean the difference between life or death, especially considering the growing tensions that were growing between the 5 great nations, and not to mention the many smaller unaligned nations whose ninja and actions were unpredictable. Regardless, he of all people had managed to survive. He was 27 now, considerably older than many shinobi could hope to live till.

He wondered if Tsunade and Orochimaru had lived to reach the age of 27 also.

_Stop it Jiraiya. They can both handle themselves, and besides, you're not supposed to be worrying about the enemy. _He sighed deeply and looked up into the setting sun above his head. He could never bring himself to see Orochimaru as the enemy, no matter how vile his former friend and teammate acted or how much the village painted him as a villain, though that didn't take much. Orochimaru was more than capable of getting people to hate him, whether he tried to or not. So why did Jiraiya have to be the only one to ever care about him?

It was simple. Orochimaru was one of the only people that cared about him back, though he had a twisted was of showing it sometimes. He knew deep down that his serpentine friend truly did hold some form of reverence for him, even if he would refuse to admit it. It was apparent when they were still a team, fighting back to back, watching out for each other and helping each other survive. Maybe that's what it took for Orochimaru to warm up to him, the utmost need to survive, which relied on depending on his teammates. Besides, Orochimaru respected him enough to be his rival. There was a certain compliment to your skill when someone as good as Orochimaru declared you worthy of being a rival.

Then there was always the _other one. _Jiraiya couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips when the angry face of his blonde teammate formed in his mind's eye. He didn't like dwelling on lost memories, they brought to much pain to his sensitive heart, he was truly a romantic after all, but there were sometimes when he couldn't help but indulge in remembering what it was like during simpler times. When he could count on Tsunade being there to punch him in the gut as a greeting and Orochimaru to say something sarcastic about him being an awful shinobi, which would result in bickering between the two, then Tsunade beating them both to get them to shut up. Now that he thought about it, maybe the "good ol' days" weren't as good as he always made them out to be.

He'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't enjoy it though, and miss it dearly now that he had no one to fight and bicker with. He had been a menace as a kid in the academy, and everyone thought he was funny and all, but no one was really his friend. Orochimaru and Tsunade, however, where never amused by his antics even as little kids. It was just his luck that he'd get stuck being in the same team as them, the only two people in the academy to truly despise him. But maybe it was the fact that they thought that he was so annoying that made it so special when they actually started warming up to him. The ones that are the hardest to please are the most satisfying to become friends with in the end, and they became so much more than friends, they became a family. And maybe this wasn't as big a deal to Tsunade, who actually had family growing up, but for Orochimaru and Jiraiya, both of whom where orphans of war, it was something beautiful. It wasn't them individually that made their team so great, but rather the unbreakable bond of teamwork that allowed them to work so efficiently together. Well, perhaps unbreakable wasn't quite the right word to use, looking at how everything turned out in the end.

Jiraiya had stopped at the peak of a hillside when a cluster of flashing lights came into view below him. He had been traveling in the outskirts of the Land of Earth, on the borderline of the Hidden Waterfall village. He had heard that the Hidden Waterfall had some of the most beautiful landscapes, including the largest waterfall in the world. Jiraiya, having always been a sucker for cheesy nature scenes for inspiration, decided he should check are out. He had never been there before, not even on missions, and he had nothing better to do at the moment. That was the beauty of traveling around, there were no strings to hold you down. Although he did admit that it got a little lonely at times, not having a place to really call home that is. Sure, Konoha would always be home to him, but he couldn't very well just show up again and settle down after all that had happened. It would be too painful for him, and not to mention Sarutobi Sensei, and he'd end up having to go back into real shinobi work again.

He made his decent towards the village, cursing his inappropriate choice in footwear when it came to rocky hills like this one. He cursed loudly whenever he stubbed his toe on a rock, muttering "That's why you don't wear open toed shoes," angrily to himself. He wondered if they would give him trouble when he tried to get in through the gates. It was a shinobi village after all, and even though he wasn't wearing anything close to a shinobi uniform, or even armor for that matter, they would undoubtedly read his chakra pool as being potentially harmful. Even without anything indicating that he was a shinobi, well ex-shinobi, he couldn't help the massive amount of chakra that he held. He wasn't good at masking his chakra, and it had given him trouble in the past during his travels. It seemed like every idiot around was raring for a fight against him, even if he was just minding his own business, and he blamed it on the fact that he constantly emitted a massive field of chakra around him just by nature of having it.

There was also the issue that he had become somewhat renowned after the end of the Second Great Shinobi War thanks to a certain incident with a shinobi named Hanzo. Well, in truth they were well known before that simply for being one of the driving forces of Konoha's army, but apparently not dying was a big deal when it came to Hanzo. They received the title of Sannin, and all of a sudden people from all over the world were saying their names. He didn't really understand it, all they did really was not die, but regardless of how he felt about it, people came to view him and his teammates as war heroes. That made things slightly problematic when it came to remaining unknown while traveling around. It also didn't help that he had a very distinct appearance, even amongst shinobi. It was hard being 6'3 with long white hair while still going unnoticed.

Thankfully he had gotten only a dirty look at the gate, for what he didn't know, he was just thankful they let him in. It was getting dark after all and he wasn't particularly fond of having to camp out when there was a perfectly good village right there. Inside the village walls was a quaint little town. It wasn't nearly as big as Konoha or some of the other major shinobi villages he'd been to, but he assumed there was no need for it when you're village was peaceful for the most part. He hadn't heard of the Hidden Waterfall being directly involved in any of the previous ninja wars, including the one building up at the moment.

Walking through the central street brought a smile to Jiraiya's face. Seeing all these people going about their daily business, closing up shops and bidding each other good night, gave him hope that there could be good in the world. He had seen far too many war torn villages in his time, so seeing a normal village such as this one brought him a sense of peace. He stayed on the lookout for an inn as he perused the town, taking in the distance cultural differences of the people around him. He earned a few curious looks from the villagers, as well as a few cheery greetings, which made him feel less out of place. It looked like they didn't get that many tourists, especially in such a tense time as this, and he couldn't tell if people were put on edge or relieved to see a new face.

He noted how everyone was dressed, as well as their accents and the architecture around him. Everything looked much more traditional than in the surrounding nations, like this little town was taken straight out of the past. People wore more traditional kimonos, compared to his loosely fitted olive green one, with more intricate designs and richer colors than his own. He decided that this would be the perfect place to draw inspiration for his newest story, one that didn't revolve around gratuitous sex and cheesy romance, that he would keep all for himself. The paychecks from the book that he had recently written, one that, much to his surprise, spread like wildfire throughout the nations, but he got tired of writing meaningless dribble. The first book he had ever written was a story about perseverance, and it completely bombed when it was released. He wasn't even sure if it was still being sold anymore. But those are the type of stories that he would hold close to his heart, the ones that reflected his own life and his ideals, even if no one else wanted to hear about it. This story had been gnawing at him for a while now and he just had to sit down and flesh it out into something that he could hold, even if it took him years to finish.

A small hot springs inn caught his attention as he ventured further into the town, and he quickly entered through the clothed entrance to be greeted with the welcoming smile of the receptionist. "Hello," he offered with a wave, "do you have any open rooms right now?"

The receptionist seemed delighted to have someone in for once, but he asked anyways out of courtesy. "Of course we do! Actually, there's only one other person staying her right now. Business is a little tough now with the way the nations are, people aren't traveling quite like they used to." She had a worried crease in her brow, but maintained the lighthearted smile of a receptionist.

"Is that so?" he feigned shock and handed her a stack of bills to pay for his room. "How unfortunate, this is such a lovely country."

She nodded her head in agreement. "It truly is. May i ask, if I'm not intruding, what brought you this far out?" She seemed to be blushing if he didn't know any better. He would have put on his classic Jiraiya charm, especially for such a pretty young woman such as herself, but his heart wasn't into it at the moment. Besides, she was blonde. In all the years that he'd been hooking up with women and flirting, he had never targeted a single blonde, and had always turned them down should they make an advance onto him. He could never bring himself to follow through with blonde women because he would always be burdened by this immense guilt, and he knew exactly why. In truth, there was only one woman for him, with her silky blonde hair and amber eyes, and a mouth as loud as hell. He always felt like he was cheating on her when he approached a different blonde woman, but that was just in his mind. Tsunade had turned down every single advance he'd made, but still he remained loyal to her in his heart, and he always felt like he would be betraying himself by being with any other blonde woman like her. It was silly, he knew, but he couldn't help it.

He grabbed the keys that she handed to him, noticing how her fingertips lingered on the rough palm of his hand, and pulled away subconsciously. "Well I'm just sort of traveling around right now, and I happened to end up here for the night," he said sheepishly, completely aware of how uncool he sounded. Her eyes lit up regardless.

"But it's not safe to be wondering around right now, there's rogue ninjas everywhere and a war is starting." She covered her mouth and leaned in closer. She was thoroughly entranced by him now, not that he could blame her. He was pretty good looking, if he dared say so himself, and his track record with woman only backed up this belief. Still, he wanted nothing more than to put down his heavy backpack and destress in one of the hot springs right now, so he was beginning to get a little impatient.

"I haven't had any trouble yet. Besides, all those thugs that are running around are nothing but losers, I have no trouble dealing wi-" he cut himself off abruptly, not wanting to reveal that he was a shinobi. He got a little carried away when he was tired and forgot to keep his identity at least somewhat unknown. Her eyes implored him to continue, but he set his mouth in a tight smile and pocketed the keys in his hand. "Anyways, I'm pretty tired. Which way are the hot springs?"

She didn't bother hiding the disappointment in her expression. "Go straight then take a left," she said in a bored voice. He gave her one last nod before stepping into the main hallway towards his room. The room in question was simple, much like the rest of the town, with only a single roll out mattress and a small desk, which he put his backpack on. With a sigh, he flopped down onto the floor and stared at the ceiling, feeling his achy limbs tingle from resting. He didn't know how much time passed, but eventually his stomach got the better of him and he found himself digging through his bag for his wallet.

He walked out into the lobby once more and found the receptionist spacing out. He tapped the counter, startling her, when he said, "I know it's late, but I was wondering if there were any restaurants still open?"

She blinked at him for a moment then shook her head. "Yeah, there's a bar right down the street from here that stays open pretty late. I can't think of anything else that's open right now unfortunately."

The word bar made his heart jump with excitement. "Thanks a lot, I'll go check it out." He nearly skipped out of the inn, now looking forward to a warm cup of sake to calm his nerves. If there was anything he loved more than women, it was alcohol. He was the first to admit that he was a faulty shinobi, which is why he was always shocked when people bowed their heads in respect to him nowadays, going as far as referring to him as "Jiraiya-sama." It was laughable for someone as messed up as him, especially considering how everyone treated him growing up.

The bar was surprisingly empty. There were maybe 6 people there in total, and some of them weren't even drinking. The room was dimly lit, so he couldn't really make out the faces of anyone there without staring creepily. That was unfortunate, he didn't like to drink alone and the people there didn't seem like the type to appreciate him trying to strike up a conversation with them. He took a seat at an empty booth that looked out over the rest of the bar and quickly ordered off the menu that he was given, not wasting any time in ordering a bottle of sake for himself.

He rested his chin in his palm and scanned the room as he waited for the waiter to return. Everyone there was just so normal, it looked almost weird. Even for a shinobi village, it seemed far too peaceful in there. Usually you would see some of the armed shinobi walking around the village and such, but the only other shinobi he saw besides himself were the ones that were guarding the gate. He closed his eyes and concentrated on sensing any chakra around him, just for the sake of it. He wasn't a sensory ninja by any means, and he certainly wasn't very good reading chakra, but at the very least he was able to vaguely sense it around him, though it was always hazy.

His eyes shot open and a small gasp escaped his lips. He narrowed his gaze around the room, scrutinizing the figures of the people seated around him. Maybe it was just his imagination, or maybe he was worse at sensing chakra than he thought, but he could have sworn that for just a split second, he recognized a chakra signature that he hadn't felt for a very long time now, 5 years to be exact. His heart rate had skyrocketed and he could feel the all too familiar rush of adrenaline course through his veins. _It can't be. I must be crazy to even think of that. Or maybe I'm just so goddamn desperate that I'm fooling myself. _

Then something caught his eye from across the bar, nearly causing his heart to cease beating altogether. He had completely ignored the waiter that set down his sake as he continued to stare at a lone silhouette not 10 feet away from him. He couldn't see the face, but he didn't need to, all the evidence was clearly visible even in the dim light.

"106," he muttered under his breath as he rose from his seat. He began walking, almost in a trancelike state, across the bar, mouth slightly open and brows knit. He stopped right in front of the person he'd been staring at and simply stood there, too shocked form words. It was unmistakeable. How could he have missed it when he walked in?

Whiskey colored eyes glared up at him and a small hand wrapped around the lapel of his kimono, pulling him down to eye level. He could see a snarl begin to form on the other person's lips, only to stop abruptly. The glare became a look of confusion, and now the two simply stared at each other, faces inches away, holding their breath.

"J-Jiraiya?"

"Tsunade?"

They had spoken at the same time and instantly jumped away from one another, eyes wide and frantic as they tried to comprehend the person standing in front of them. Some of the other bar patrons had taken up watching them from their respective places, but no one said a word. The two shinobi continued to stare at each other with their mouths open, but nothing came out. There wasn't a single word that would do the moment justice, so they simply conveyed all their emotions to each other with their eyes. There it was, joy, anger, betrayal, relief, worry, disbelief, more anger, all flashing behind their irises.

Jiraiya was the first to compose himself, "What the fuck Tsunade?"

Hearing his voice brought her back to her senses, as well as causing her anger to bubble up inside her. His voice always seemed to have that effect on her. "What the hell do you think you're doing you creep? Just standing over me like that, breathing all heavy down my neck."

"Well I couldn't believe it was you! The only reason I even noticed you were because of your massive tits just chillin out in the open," he couldn't help the annoyance that crept into his voice. Of course the first thing she would do is accuse him after not seeing him all these years, how else are you supposed to greet old friends?

She grabbed him by his collar again and shoved her face right into his, so close that she could feel his unruly hair tickling her forehead. "Damn pervert," she growled. Of course the first thing he would do is comment on her boobs, what else was she supposed to expect from her pathetic friend?

"Rowdy bitch," he growled back, unwavering against her heated glare. Despite his height advantage, she managed to hold her ground even on her tip-toes. The air was tense around them, and everyone in the bar had stopped what they were doing to watch the scene before them.

Suddenly, the two broke the stand off to throw their arms around one another. Jiraiya hunched over his small teammate, wrapping his arms protectively around her shoulders and holding her head close to his chest with his hand. Tsunade squeezed his torso tightly, burying her face into his robe and resting her cheek against the exposed top of of his chest. They stayed like that for quite some time, afraid that if they let go the other might disappear in their arms, leaving them alone again.

"God i've missed you, you big idiot," Tsunade mumbled into his robes. His deep chuckle reverberated through her entire body, making her squeeze tighter around his massive back.

"I'm surprised Hime," he grinned at hearing her nickname leave his lips for the first time in far too long, "I didn't think you'd much care to see me again after all that."

He didn't have to elaborate by what he meant by _all that_. She knew exactly what he was talking about. The last time they had seen each other is when she stormed out of the village with a young Shizune in tow, cursing the village and basically renouncing her loyalty to her homeland. Jiraiya chased after her, yelling at her for being so stupid and selfish by leaving when they needed all the help they could get tracking down Orochimaru. He'd even called her a traitor, if memory served correctly, and would have gone on to say a lot more if Sarutobi hadn't stepped in and told him to let her go. She had called him a fool for being so optimistic, for always believing that things would work out and trying so hard to make things right. She'd very plainly said that the world was a cruel place, and that idiots like him would die for nothing fighting for what they believed in, fighting with the belief that they could change things when they couldn't.

She regretted saying all those things later on. The look on his face as she left the village for one last time, that look of absolute betrayal and hopelessness, was something that would haunt her conscience for years. She had completely crushed him. She didn't mean the things that she'd said, well she'd meant some of them, but they weren't meant for him. She was just angry and bitter about the war, about losing her loved ones, about not being able to change things herself. He was just so easy to take it out on, and it came so naturally for her to blame him for all her misery. He always was her punching bag after all, and just as always, he simply stood there and took her blows.

Looking up at that crooked grin now though, the one that had imprinted itself into her memory without he even meaning to, she wasn't so sure anymore. As she looked into his dark eyes now, she saw no trace of animosity or even irritation. He seemed genuinely happy to see her. The twinkle in his eyes made her feel even more guilty about how they had parted so many years ago, because she realized that he had full heartedly forgiven her already. He never could hold a grudge, and she was no exception it seemed.

She finally untangled herself from him and invited him to sit across from her in the booth. The waiter had already brought over the sake from his table along with his plate of tonkatsu and rice. Tsunade immediately poured him a drink to match her own, and they gulped down the burning beverage without a second to waste.

"So," Jiraiya began with a mouthful of food, "what brings you all the way out here Hime?"

She rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of his food without asking before placing it delicately in her mouth. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that."

He laughed into his sake cup. "Knowing that it pisses you off makes it that much more satisfying."

She ignored his comment with a sigh, knowing full well there was no point in even trying. "Anyways, the same could be asked of you. What the hell are _you_ doing out here in the middle of no where?"

"Nuh-uh, I asked first," he said with a wag of his finger.

Tsunade had to admit, she felt giddy talking to her old friend, even if he did irritate her. Even better, they could talk as if there hadn't been a 5 year gap since the last time they'd met. It was as if no time had passed, as it everything hadn't changed…

"I came here with Shizune to relax is all," she lied. She was hoping that she was smooth enough, or perhaps he was starting to get drunk enough, that he didn't notice her fib. There was no way in hell she would admit to him that she'd needed to get away from a group of tenacious bill collectors who she owed an absurd amount of money to. In truth, she could take on anything they threw at her if they attempted to take it by force, but the last thing she needed was to be targeted by nations as some kind of money stealing menace, so she opted to try and slink away instead. "And what about yourself? I thought you of all people would have stayed in the village, if not for Sensei at least."

He couldn't help the grimace that formed upon hearing her bring up their old Sensei. He felt awful for leaving the old man by himself, especially after he asked Jiraiya to take up the position of Hokage after Minato's death. There was no way he could accept though, especially if he couldn't even protect his own student. How was he supposed to protect the entire village if he couldn't even manage that?

"I left shortly after you did," he said. "I guess I just couldn't stand being in the village with so many people gone. I mean, who else was I supposed to turn to? Sensei was busy rebuilding the village, Orochimaru had up and left, and eventually I didn't even have you to turn to." He regretted saying all those things when he say the guilt in Tsunade's face. He wasn't trying to blame her for anything, or even make her feel bad for that matter, he was simply explaining how he felt at the time. "Just think about how lonely I was, not having anyone to boss me around and puke all over me because she couldn't hold down her sake," he said lightheartedly, trying dispel the serious turn the conversation had taken.

A smile graced her lips, much to his relief. "That does't explain how you ended up all the way out here though," she pressed.

"Oh, right, well I started traveling around for a bit…well for a lot of bits. I've been traveling the world since the day I left Konoha. I've just kind of been taking in all the different people and places around me, y'know?" He rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. He sounded silly hearing it come out of his own mouth, but Tsunade only raised a single styled eyebrow in response.

"Do you actually expect me to believe you when you say you're traveling the world just for shits and giggles?" Her tone had sounded harsher than she meant for it to. He closed his eyes and sighed, then moved his empty plate to the side so he could lean in closer to the woman in front of him.

"You're too smart for me Hime," he said with a dark smirk. "And you're absolutely right. True, I've always wanted to travel the world, but i've also been trying to keep tabs on Orochimaru, as well as other potential threats to Konoha." His voice dropped to a low rumble, just loud enough for her alone to hear.

"Tch, stupid man," she teased with a sideways grin. "Even now, you're trying to protect that place. What have they done for you to earn that kind of loyalty?"

He didn't even wince at her cynical tone. This is the exact response he was expecting from her, and she did not disappoint. If anything, it made his smile widen because her knew her so well. "Well Tsunade, I would tell you more, but it's all top secret information pertaining to citizens of the leaf, and since you obviously don't align yourself with the village anymore…" he trailed off, looking at her from the corner of his eye as he pretended to be preoccupied with his nails.

She wouldn't show it, but his words had gotten to her. He could see it in the way her jaw clenched and he head tilted downwards. She could dismiss Konoha all she wanted, but that would never change the fact that it was the place she grew up in, the village that her grandfather created through sheer will. That had to mean something to her. "Ha, as if I could care about what goes on in the village." He did admire her consistency however.

Her entire body language had changed suddenly, and he could almost feel the tension rolling off her body. She had a serious look in her eyes, and her hands entwined themselves in front of her mouth like they always did when she was about to talk business. "So, any word on him?"

Jiraiya noted how she wouldn't say his name. "When I first started looking, I couldn't find any trace of him. There wasn't anything to go off of, and everywhere I went people all told me the same thing: Never seen him before. It was almost as if he completely dropped off the planet. It wasn't until a year ago that I caught wind of him, and it was completely on accident. I had all but given up on my search, but I stumbled upon a caravan group that had just passed through a territory known as the Hidden Sound Village." He waited a moment to see if she would recognize anything that he'd said so far, but she kept her concentrated gaze steady on him the entire time. "Anyways, long story short, it seems as though our friend Orochimaru has started up his own small nation and is living underground there. I haven't found it yet, but I'm assuming that's where his hideout is. So for a while I was snooping around, trying to get some information, but eventually I got tired and decided to take a vacation for myself. So I guess I ended up here on the same terms as you," he paused to let all the information sink in. "Guess we were destined to meet here, huh?"

She watched him sip his sake as she processed his words. Jiraiya had to be telling the truth about Orochimaru. He was a bad liar to begin with, especially with her, and even though they sat on different sides of the fence when it came to how to deal with their old teammate, he would never lie to her about information he'd found on the man. And if what he said was true, it was nothing more than a miraculous coincidence that they ended up meeting each other that night. She reached for the sake and refilled her glass. Hearing all this was making her sober up and she didn't like that one bit. "Enough of the business talk, it's ruining my buzz."

"Okay then, how's Shizune doing?" He leaned back and hung an arm over the edge of the booth. Tsunade could tell he was getting thoroughly drunk from the way his eyelids drooped and the sloppy grin he had. Whenever he got drunk, he just looked slightly stupider than he usually did.

"She's becoming a fine medic thanks to me," she boasted. "She's probably asleep in the inn right now, or maybe she's worried sick that I haven't gotten back yet," she mused irritably. She loved Shizune dearly, she really did, but the girl was such a worrywart when it came to her mentor. Tsunade couldn't so much as fart without Shizune hounding in on her for it.

"Well, better not keep her waiting then I suppose," Jiraiya slapped his hands on his knees to prepare himself for the task of standing. He wasn't so sure he was up for it in his current state.

Tsunade stood awkwardly and made her way to his side of the table, grabbing his arm to pull him up with a grunt. "God you're such a fucking fatass," she slurred at him. He grumbled something in response, but she couldn't make it out. The two managed to stumble out of the bar after Jiraiya had left a stack of bills on the table. He probably overpaid them a couple hundred or so, but he wasn't in the mood for counting right now.

"Are you staying at that one inn?" Jiraiya asked as they made their was down the desolate streets.

"Yeah, I don't think they have any other one," Tsunade hiccuped in response. The two entered the lobby together, leaning against each other for stability, and were greeted by the very flustered receptionist. She opened her mouth to say something, but was at a loss when Jiraiya waved lazily at her before disappearing into the hallway.

Jiraiya's room had come first, and Tsunade stopped at his doorway when he finally managed to stabilize his hands enough to get the key into the keyhole and open the door. He looked around awkwardly, unsure for the very first time in a long while about how to tell a woman goodnight. Tsunade took the lead by placing a hand gently on his arm. "It's nice to see you again Jiraiya." There was no sarcasm this time, and her smile was warm and genuine. It absolutely melted his heart, resurfacing all these feelings that he thought he'd buried long ago.

She turned to leave but he quickly grabbed her by the shoulder, making her turn to face him. His expression was unsure, like he was debating whether or not to continue with whatever he had planned. He decided to just go for it. "Tsunade, could you maybe sleep with me tonight?"

The look of pure fury that formed on her face made him instantly regret opening his mouth. "I didn't mean it like that!" he exclaimed quickly. Her face softened slightly, but she was still glaring daggers at him. He rubbed the back of his head self-consciously, "I meant.. like how we did when we were on missions, ya know?"

His voice had gotten quiet when he said that, almost like he felt guilty for even bringing it up, but something about the way he said it made her heart soften completely. He wasn't trying to be perverted for once, he just wanted her there with him. When they were on missions together as teenagers and young adults, they would huddle together in their sleeping bags and fall asleep curled up next to each other, even Orochimaru. It was just something they did to ensure that the three of them, all three of them, would still be there when they woke up. It was the same even now. He had lost her all those years ago, along with his best friend, and now that she was there with him again all of a sudden, he just wanted to make sure she would still be there the next day instead of having ran off again without so much as a goodbye.

_I owe that much to him I suppose_ she thought with a sigh, letting herself into his room and closing the door behind them. He didn't say a word, but the gratitude was clear in his face. He slipped off his red cloak, leaving only his olive kimono top and matching pants, both worn thin from years of travel. She dropped her green jacket onto the floor next to his robe and kicked her heels off as he made up the bed and slipped under the blanket, moving to one side to make room for her. Soundlessly, she crawled into the spot next to him and shivered against his warm body. She'd forgotten how hot he ran, it was like being next to a heater no matter how cold it was. He wrapped an arm under her and around her shoulder to pull her in closer to him, and she let him. She even snuggled into his chest, inhaling deeply to fill her lungs with his distinct scent, one that she had admittedly missed. Laying there, listening to his steady heartbeat, brought her back to her days as a shinobi. It was like they were kids again, huddled against the cold and scared shitless over whether or not they'd be attacked while they slept. She would always be able to tuck her head under Jiraiya and pretend for just a brief moment that she was safe, that him being there like that actually protected them. It was unnerving really how everything felt just as it did in her old life, that even as she drifted to sleep she couldn't help but dream of the life she left behind.

* * *

><p>"Tsunade-sama!" A screeching voice woke the two Sannin unpleasantly. Tsunade cracked an eye open, but everything was still dark, and she was completely enclosed in her teammates musky smell. She rolled out of Jiraiya's arms and glared at her short haired assistant. Jiraiya propped himself on an elbow, gaze unfocused as he yawned.<p>

Shizune's jaw was hanging open, and her eyes widened more than Tsunade had thought possible once she recognized the man smiling sleepily up at her. "Jiraiya-same!" She couldn't contain the scream that left her, causing both Jiraiya and Tsunade to wince.

"How the hell did you even get in here Shizune," the white haired man grumbled, cradling his aching head in large hands.

"Tsunade-same, what's going on? Why is Jiraiya-sama here? And more importantly, why are you two in the same bed?" Shizune hadn't heard him, she was too frazzled to think straight at the moment and her mouth was moving at a mile a minute.

"You probably left the key in the lock," Tsunade offered, ignoring the younger girl. "It wouldn't be the first time someone's walked in on you with a woman," she added with a playful smile. He was too hungover to make a retort.

"You said Jiriaya-sama had gone missing, and that if you ever saw him again you'd knock his brains out, and now he's here and, where were you last night anyways? I got worried sick when you didn't come home! You could have at least let me know that Jiraiya-sama was-"

"Shizune, for the love of god stop calling him Jiraiya_-sama. _You're making it weird," Tsunade interrupted in an exasperated voice. The girl stopped talking for the first time since she'd entered the room and had a look on her face that demanded an explanation.

"Yeah Shizune, stop making things weird," Jiraiya said as he tucked himself back under the blankets, hiding his face from the too-bright light. Tsunade sat up and massaged her temples, regretting all the sake she had drunk the night before.

"Let's go get some breakfast and we can talk, I can't deal with you two on an empty stomach and a hangover," Tsunade groaned. She shakily stood up, using Jiraiya's limp form to push herself up, and grabbed her coat from the floor. She slipped into her heels and walked right past her confused assistant without a glance. "C'mon baka, get some water in your system before you puke," she called back to her teammate. Shizune looked at Jiraiya's bulking figure on the floor for a few moments, swallowing hard, before following her mentor.

They stopped at a small tea shop. Jiraiya was sitting on one side, holding his tea protectively with a grimace on his face. Tsunade was holding up better, and lazily dragged the tip of her finger over the top of her tea. Shizune simply sat there tensely next to the older woman, frowning between the two for not knowing what's going on. "So how long do you plan on staying here," Tsunade asked.

Jiraiya carefully sipped his drink and let out a sigh, basking in the warm sensation that spread through his body as the tea went down. "I'm here indefinitely," he began, "but what about you two?"

"I don't know Shizune, how long do you think we want to stay here," she turned to the girl with a look that told her to keep her mouth shut or else. Shizune understood immediately and cleared her throat.

"I don't know, a couple of days or so, maybe less. It all depends on where you want to go next Tsunade-sama," she replied meekly. Tsunade gave her an approving nod and turned back to the man across from her. Shizune could only assume that she didn't want Jiraiya to know that they were sort of on the run, so she made sure not to hint at anything suspicious.

Jiraiya set his drink down in thought, biting his lower lip. He seemed he seemed hesitant over whatever he was about to say. "Well if you guys aren't going to be here for much longer," he trailed off, averting his gaze, "i was wondering if maybe you'd want to check out the scenery and everything for the day. We could have lunch on top of the waterfall or something." He twiddled with his thumbs, refusing to look directly at Tsunade, who was smirking at him. She knew that look, it was the one he always wore when he was expecting to be turned down.

"Are you asking me on a date Jiraiya?" she said teasingly. "I thought you would have learned by now what that question gets you."

This time he glared at her stubbornly. "No, I'm not asking you on a date." Well, he sort of was, but those details didn't matter yet. "I just wanted to hang out with an old friend, that's all." A mischievous smile spread across his face. "Besides, you could probably use the exercise Hime, you look like you're getting a little soft."

Shizune stared at him horrified, she had never seen anyone dare talk to her temperamental mentor this way, or survive the aftermath of it anyways. Tsunade only scoffed at him thought, much to the brunettes surprise, "I'm sorry, who was it that always lagged behind because he couldn't keep up with the rest of the team? It certainly wasn't my ass." _So this is one of the legendary Sannin, _Shizune thought incredulously. _Then why do the two of them seem so… unlegendary. _

Shizune had known Jiraiya from when she was still a small child in Konoha, it was impossible not to, but she couldn't remember much about him. Even then, he wasn't in the village much since he was out with the other two Sannin on missions for the war. She would see him every now and then when she was visited by Tsunade, but she had never really talked to him until now. Needless to say, she expected a much different attitude from someone touted as one of Konoha's greatest shinobi, but she supposed she should have expected it coming from how her own mentor acted.

They sat in comfortable silence, sipping away at their tea. Shizune was dying to ask why the hell she found them sleeping together that morning, but she was too embarrassed to ask, and besides there didn't seem to be any awkwardness between them so she simply let it be. "Fine, I'll go with you for just this one time. It is a special occasion I suppose." Jiraiya gave her a questioning look, but she ignored it. "Shizune, you can stay behind for today," Tsunade said without looking at the girl next to her.

"What?" She was caught off guard by the sudden request. She went everywhere with Tsunade, and the older woman had never minded, so it was strange to be asked deliberately to not go with her.

"Take a day for yourself. I don't want you getting bored with us reminiscing about old times," Tsunade implored.

"But- but what if someone attacks you or-"

"I think you forget who your talking to Shizune." Her voice soundly slightly irritated now, but she remained patient. Shizune was just trying to look out for her after all. "I wasn't named one of the Legendary Sannin for nothing, and besides," she jabbed a thumb in Jiraiya's direction, "he may not look like much, but even Jiraiya can cast a jutsu or two."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes at the woman. "Don't worry Shizune, I have plenty of practice saving Tsunade's ass," he assured.

Shizune contemplated him for a while, then sagged her shoulders in defeat. She knew there wasn't anything she could do to stop Tsunade even if she wanted to, she would do what she wanted anyways. "Alright, I'll stop by the springs or something," Shizune mumbled.

* * *

><p>The two Sannin climbed their way up the trail leading to the waterfall slowly, even thought they could have made it to the top in less than 5 minutes if they really wanted to. They wanted to enjoy the warm sun and the breeze and just take in nature for a while. Tsunade led the way with Jiraiya close behind, grumpily shouldering the backpack that held their lunch and supplies. "I may be a gentleman and all Hime, but it wouldn't hurt if you carried it for just a few minutes." He was already getting sweaty where the backpack rested on his body and he kept shifting it on his back uncomfortably.<p>

"Yeah but you're the one that invited me, so it's your job to carry all the junk." She throw a crooked smile over her shoulder at him. She was enjoying his suffering quite a bit, it seemed.

Once they finally arrived at the peak of the trail, they found a breathtaking view atop the waterfall. Jiraiya dropped the backpack on a thick patch of grass near the side of the river and walked on top of the water to the very edge where the drop off was. Tsunade followed him, allowing the chakra to flow through her feet and match the force of the water beneath her. He was right, she hadn't bothered to mold chakra for quite some time, besides the chakra that she constantly stored into her forehead that is.

"Isn't it beautiful?" His deep voice cut through the sound of the river and into her ears. It was so surreal, standing there next to him. Even though she was hearing his voice, she still felt as if she was in some kind of weird dream. She'd thought of her teammates often in her travels, especially that first year after she left, but the memories and images of her two friends started to become more and more distant as time went on. Sooner or later, they became something of a fantasy to her, like they hadn't actually existed. It was strange having the man that she had written off so many years ago bump into her and fall into their old routine like no time had gone by.

"Yeah, I've never seen anything like it," she breathed admiringly. He turned back and began setting up the blanket and food far enough away from the river that they didn't have to yell at each other to be heard. She followed and sat down cross legged across from him, slipping out of her heels and jacket to bask in the sun. He followed suite and tugged his kimono top a little looser to let the air flow onto his chest. They sat there peacefully, taking in each other's company in what seemed like forever.

"So what now Hime?" he broke the silence.

She looked at him curiously, "Are you speaking in immediate terms or…?"

He laughed softly and grabbed one of the dango sticks that they had brought, chomping down on one of the colorful balls. "Both I suppose."

"I don't know actually, I guess I'll just see where the wind takes me." Her sentence had a double meaning in it. She knew he was referring to them also, even if he hadn't outright stated it.

"It'd be a shame if we went without seeing each other for another 5 years," he said casually. She could see through his nonchalant act though, and could tell that he had really missed her all those years. He was such a sensitive soul unfortunately, she almost felt bad for him.

"I suppose we could stay in touch better this time," she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't see why not. It's not as if anyone really cares about us anymore."

Her words had obviously irked him, and he shifted uncomfortably. "Don't say that, you know Sensei is still worried sick about you."

Hearing him refer to their old Sensei shot a pang of guilt through her stomach. If there was one person she regretted not seeing anymore, it was the Third Hokage. He was basically their father figure, and he'd cared about them so much, too much in fact. She knew all three of them had broke his heart when they left the village. "Don't put that all on me, you know he's worried sick about you too. You were supposed to take up the throne after him after all," she countered in a harsher voice than she meant to use.

He sucked in air through his teeth and slouched backwards, resting his weight on his elbows behind him. "I guess you're right."

They soaked up the image of each other, noting the small differences that hadn't been the 5 years ago. Tsunade noticed that Jiraiya seemed to have gotten bigger. He was the same height, but he seemed a bit bulkier than before, and he filled out his clothes a bit better. He was no longer the lean teenager that she remembered him as, but rather the strong man that he'd grown up to be. His chin even looked a little wider and his jawline more defined, and she thought she even spotted some stubble that hadn't been there before. The most noticeable change was how he held himself. There was a confidence in his walk, but he stilled remained humble. He'd always been confident, even a bit too confident, but now he just seemed more… mature. His obsidian eyes sparkled with wisdom gained from experience rather than knowledge. There wasn't any other way to put it. Her idiot of a teammate had somehow manage to grow up while she had her back turned.

Tsunade on the other hand remained more or less the same since the last time he'd seen her. Sure, she had lost whatever traces of baby fat stored in her young fcae, but overall she looked identical to her teenage self. He could sense something inside her had changed, something that wasn't as apparent as her physical features. She had gained a sort of grace, one that only came with age when a woman aged. She was still the same hot tempered blind he'd always known, but now she seemed more rooted than she was before, more stable. He'd hoped it wasn't because she'd become more cynical over the years, because he would hate to see that she'd lost the fiery ambition that made him fall for her when they were just kids. And beneath that grace he sensed something even more sinister, that she had become absolutely lethal. He couldn't quite pin what it was, but he believed this new Tsunade had lost come of the innocence and naivety that made her hesitant when they were younger.

They were growing older, and it was almost frightening them.

"You know Hime, I was surprised when you said you'd join me here," Jiraiya admitted after a long stretch of silence.

Tsunade let out a heavy breath and looked at him steadily with her whiskey eyes. "Well I couldn't very well turn you down, now could I?"

"Huh? what do you mean?" His face twisted in confusion. She just rolled her eyes at first, but later realized that he was being serious.

"Jiraiya, I thought you only bothered asking because you knew I couldn't turn you down today," her brows knit together in puzzlement. Had he really forgotten what the date was?

He answered her question with his own puzzled expression. His hand rubbed his jaw thoughtfully as he racked his brain for anything in particular that she could be referring to. "I don't get it, what's the date?"

She couldn't believe him, it was impossible for someone to be so dense, even him. "Jiraiya, it's November 11," she stated incredulously. He stared back at her blankly. "It's your birthday you moron."

A wave of realization washed over his face, making him sit up in amazement. "Oh my god, you're right. I completely forgot it was my birthday." He laughed softly to himself, shaking his head at his own stupidity.

"Wow, I guess that white hair of your's isn't just for show then," she teased. His laughing grew louder, until eventually it echoed throughout the valley below. She couldn't help but join him, his laughter was always contagious.

He wiped his eyes as he calmed down some, "Man, I can't believe myself. i guess when you're by yourself for so long, you kind of forget about celebrating stuff like that."

Hearing him say that brought a sea of pity to wash over her. She couldn't even comprehend how lonely he must have been all this time, especially being the type of people's-person that he naturally was. It must have been hell for him to just wander around without anyone to come back to on a regular basis. "How have you managed it after all theses years Jiraiya? Being alone, I mean."

The smile he wore almost seemed sad, but his tone remained nonchalant. "It's not all bad. It build's character in a man, just like being rejected by _you _all these years has, it makes you stronger in the end." He sounded confident in his beliefs, but she wondered if he really meant it. He would be the last person to admit that he'd been suffering, he was too damn proud to appear weak, or perhaps he was just too selfless to allow others to worry about him. Either way, it pissed her off to see him try and carry all this burden on his own. "I guess there is one thing that would make it easier for me though."

"Like what?" she asked suspiciously. He had that lecherous grin on his face again, the one that always got him beat up, mainly by her.

"I have always wanted a kiss from you Hime," he murmured soothingly. He had his signature crooked grin, with a daring glint in his eyes that spelled trouble. His voice had dropped to a deep rumble that sent a shiver down her spine. It was no wonder so many women fawned over him when he put on a show like this, it was making even her feel a bit uncomfortable, and she thought she'd seen everything there was to him. Obviously he had honed his craft of seduction over the years.

But so had she, and she was not one to be outdone.

She matched his smirk with her own playful one, eyes lidded as she leaned in closely to his face. He flinched away from her only slightly, much to her amusement, probably because he hadn't anticipated her playing along with his advances. "Oh really Jiraiya? And what makes you think you deserve something like that." Her voice was smooth like velvet, bringing a tingling heat to his cheeks.

He leaned in ever so slightly, until his face was just inches from hers, close enough that he could feel her warm breath tickle his face. "Well it is my birthday after all, as you pointed out. And if I recall correctly, you have 5 years of missed presents to make up for." He wouldn't show it, but his heart was pounding dangerously fast in his chest. He didn't expect anything to come out of this, and in fact he was waiting for the moment when she'd finally drop the act and shove him away jokingly, laughing as she did so, but being this close to her was making his heart skyrocket. Even if it was just a game to her, he had never gotten this far in trying to seduce Tsunade before. She usually ended it at him greeting her actually.

Maybe it was the fact that she hadn't seen him for years, or maybe it was the pity that she felt for him, or maybe it wasn't pity at all and she had actually come to admire the man he'd grown into. Maybe it wasn't any of that at all, but rather the stubble that she'd never seen on him before, or maybe it was the way he looked at her longingly, even if it was just for show, and the timbre in his voice that replaced the whiny screeching she remembered him having. Or perhaps she just hadn't seen him for so long that she was desperate for some familiar contact, anything that would bring her back just briefly to simpler times. Or maybe it had been too long since someone had displayed any interest in something besides her boobs, which he had somehow managed to not stare at the entire time they were there, much to her dismay.

Whatever the reason was, she found herself leaning into him without thinking, closing her eyes as she placed her lips gently against his. He almost recoiled away at first, she could feel him tense against her, but eventually relaxed into the kiss, bringing his rough hands up to cup her face as she pulled away. He blinked down at her, too stunned to reply. A victorious smile graced her lips. She had managed to bewilder the man who always kept his cool, and it caused pride to swell up inside her. "Happy birthday Baka-kun," she whispered against his lips before locking onto his once more. He responded immediately this time, slowly massaging her soft lips with his own. She could feel him smiling into their kiss as he pressed himself against her. Even through their clothing, she could feel his heart pounding erratically against her breast and it brought a smile to her lips. It was amazing really, how she could actually _feel _his love for her, but she knew it wouldn't last.

He broke off the kiss to rest his forehead against hers, cracking his eyes open just enough to gaze into her amber ones. He didn't need to say it, she knew it already, it was painfully obvious in his eyes, and she'd known for years, although she never reciprocated the sentiment. Even now, she knew it was wrong. She was toying with his heart now and she felt an immense regret settle heavily onto her shoulders. She pulled away from him, averting her gaze from the pained expression on his face. He composed himself faster than it took for her to look back up at him, wearing a bitter smile on his face. He knew already.

"Jiraiya, I'm sorry," she stuttered, "you know I can't-"

"It's okay Hime," he said softly. "You don't need to tell me."

God she hated him so much. She hated how he was always so forgiving and understanding, how he managed to always make her feel so goddamn guilty by shouldering all the blame onto himself. He was so selfless it made her livid. She wanted to punch him in his stupid face for making her feel like an utter pile of shit with those sad eyes of his.

Instead, she reached over and pulled him into a loose embrace with her arms around his neck. "I really have missed you though. I wish things hadn't turned out the way they have, I wish we still had Orochimaru with us." Her voice sounded so vulnerable to her own ears, it disgusted her. But there was only one person she would allow to see her like this, and she hadn't let her guard down in a very long time, so it felt good to just unload.

"I know Hime," he rubbed her back comfortingly, sharing the exact same sorrow that she felt. They had both been carrying around a lot of emotional baggage, Tsunade especially. And it wasn't as if she didn't love Jiraiya, he was he best friend after all and she would die for him without a second thought, but it just couldn't be. She had thought it over before, plenty of times actually, and played around with the idea of _them _in her mind every now and then as she travelled, but in the end nothing would come of it. She was broken beyond repair, and he was hopelessly in love with her. She didn't deserve someone like him anyways, not when she was so tainted and bitter. And above all, she was afraid for him. Everyone she had ever loved had slipped away from her, and she was too selfish to let that happen to him. If she let him in any more than she already had, she would risk losing him the way she lost so many before, and she would have no shoulder to cry on after that because he was the last.

"Thank you for everything Tsunade." His voice brought her out of her thoughts and his warm smile reassured her that everything was alright. She didn't know how to reply, so she kept her mouth set in a sad smile. "And thank you for giving me a birthday again," he added lightheartedly. He didn't enjoy the somber mood that had settled between the two of them. "Let's head back before Shizune has an aneurysm again."

* * *

><p>Tsunade dumped her bag into Shizune's arms in front of the inn, grabbing a pen and paper out of the front pocket to scribble on. "Here," she handed the paper to Jiraiya, "It's a seal that you can use to find me with one of your toads," she explained.<p>

He folded the paper carefully and slipped it into his right pocket. "Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" He didn't hide the disappointment in his voice, but he knew it was no use. She had made up her mind already.

_I really am sorry Jiraiya. _"Shizune and I have to keep moving, there's something I need to check out," she said vaguely. In truth, she couldn't stand being with him another day. All these unwanted memories and feelings had come flooding back to her, ones that she thought she buried long ago. He was like a toxin to her psyche, which was unfortunate since she didn't particularly hate the idea of catching up with him for longer. She had no choice though.

"Alright," he sagged in defeat. There was an awkward silence between them, like they didn't know how to really say goodbye. It was much easier when they were furious with each other, because at least back then it had been easy to walk away.

Jiraiya was kicking the rocks at his feet, refusing to make eye contact with Tsunade, when she reached a small hand up to his cheek. She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, right in the middle of the red lines that streaked his face, and pulled away. He had that same bewildered expression on his face as before, and it made her snicker to herself. "Don't stay a stranger this time, promise?"

Jiraiya took a minute to gather his wits enough to speak, and by then the pair had already started to walk away. "Yeah, promise," he called after them, waving slightly at their departing figures. Tsunade turned to give him one last smile before disappearing from his view. He made sure to engrave that smile into his memory.

Shizune looked anxiously at her mentor, who seemed more at peace than she would have imagined for someone that just said goodbye to their best friend. She wondered what had gone on between the two while she wasn't there, but felt like she'd be intruding if she asked. She settled on a less dangerous topic. "What if you want to find Jiraiya-sama? How will you get in touch with him?"

Tsunade reached into the folds of her robe and placed something hard into Shizune's hands. It was a small book with a plain leather exterior. She opened it up to find hundreds of pages filled with someone's handwriting. "It's the first book Jiraiya ever wrote," Tsunade explained to the girl. "He doesn't know that I took it out of his bag yet actually. He'll probably be pissed once he notices that it's gone. He was always really embarrassed when I asked him if I could read it, and I think I know why."

Shizune didn't understand how this answered her question, but she played along anyways. "How come?"

"Because this book is like his memoir, and I'm in it," she said. She took the worn book back into her possession and slipped it into the folds of her robes. "If there's anything I need to know about Jiraiya, it'll be in here, and plus it has his scent all over it so I can use Katsuyu to track him down if I really wanted to." She put her palm over the worn leather in her robe. _And now I'll have you with me everywhere I go Jiraiya._

It didn't hurt as much this time, watching her go. It made him sad, but there was some underlying hope that he would see her again. He reached into his pocket to feel for the paper she left him, gripping it protectively in his palm as he made his way back into the inn. He entered his room and sat at the desk with a blank journal and a black pen. He immediately opened up the page and began to write.

_I know what kind of book it's going to be now. It'll be about adventure and self discovery, but most importantly, it'll be about love. _He grinned at the memory of the afternoon he spent with his friend on top of the mountain top. It had been the best birthday he could have asked for.

**A little bittersweet, wasn't it? I stayed in line with the****story line for the most part so of course they had to go their****separate ways, but I really enjoy writing out****scenes with these two and what better birthday present is there for Jiraiya than a kiss from Tsunade? I hope you enjoyed reading this and thank you for your time. I love reading your guys' reviews so don't be shy about dropping**** one below :)**


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