"Aren't we just having a nice meal here?" Tsunade said as she fed Tōshirō another bite.
Jiraiya (_): "Tsunade, Tōshirō has hands and feet. If you keep feeding him like this, one day he'll turn into a good-for-nothing who expects everything done for him."
"Wouldn't that be perfect? That way, he'd always rely on me, wouldn't he?"
Jiraiya was speechless.
They say women in love are brainless, and Tsunade was proving that to be completely true—if not worse.
Damn it...
Channeling his frustration into appetite, Jiraiya stuffed his mouth full of something called "Blue Slimy Mushrooms."
"You're just jealous, aren't you, Jiraiya?"
Orochimaru's sudden comment dealt a massive blow to the single Jiraiya, making him tear up on the spot. He clenched his fists and pounded the table, which made a loud thud: "Shut up! Just because you know doesn't mean you have to say it out loud!"
Maybe realizing that always being fed wasn't ideal, Tōshirō picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and offered it to Tsunade: "Then let me feed you this time."
Tsunade happily agreed and ate it, letting out a cute sound: "Ahh... nom~"
"Is it good?"
Tsunade covered her cheeks with both hands, smiling sweetly (O(∩_∩)O): "Delicious!"
Even though the two had been in love for over three years, due to special circumstances, they were often apart. That made them cherish every moment together, which kept their relationship feeling fresh and passionate.
Jiraiya nearly choked on all the public display of affection. He couldn't even eat the blue slimy mushrooms anymore—he'd lost his appetite. He suddenly brought up the most inappropriate topic: "By the way, have you guys hit a home run yet?"
The two lovebirds froze.
Tsunade: ???Tōshirō: ???
Jiraiya rephrased: "Don't get it? I mean, have you two done it?"
Tsunade: ???Tōshirō: ???
Seeing they still didn't get it, Jiraiya switched to the most direct way possible: "Tsunade, you're probably not a vir—"
Before he could finish the last word, a fist crashed into his face.
Boom! Jiraiya spiraled through the air.
Tsunade's face was bright red and steaming, panting heavily and stuttering: "Id—idiot! W-what are you saying? There's no way we've done something like that!"
Tsunade wasn't clueless about the final step in a relationship between a man and a woman.
Jiraiya, long since hardened by Tsunade's punches, slowly got up from the ground as if nothing had happened, even managing to joke: "Don't tell me you two haven't done it yet. No way."
Tsunade's face turned even redder: "Of course not! Why would we do something like that!"
Jiraiya looked at Tōshirō with suspicion, as if saying: Are you really the Tōshirō I know?
Tōshirō, ever the upright gentleman, looked puzzled: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Jiraiya stroked his chin, muttering, "That doesn't make sense..."
Tōshirō: …
Jiraiya, based on his understanding of Tōshirō, explained: "With your personality, you should've devoured Tsunade by now."
Tōshirō, playing innocent, blushed slightly: "What do you mean by 'devoured'?"
Only someone like Jiraiya could say such things out loud.
Jiraiya chuckled—he knew Tōshirō too well: "Playing innocent, are we?"
Tōshirō coughed twice, silently begging him not to point it out.
Jiraiya raised a finger and gave an example: "Even in this village, there are plenty of 12- or 13-year-old girls who've already had kids. You two have been together this long—logically, you should've already—"
Tsunade cut him off, eyebrows raised furiously: "Jiraiya, if you keep spewing this crap, I swear I'll bash your brains into a flowerpot."
With that threat, Jiraiya didn't dare keep pushing like a long-legged white bird testing the shoreline. Otherwise, he really might get himself killed. So, he changed the subject:
"Alright, alright, I'll drop it. Can I change the topic at least?" He paused and smirked. "So… when are you two planning to get married?"
"M-M-Married!?"
This hit even harder than the previous questions. Tsunade started stammering, sneaking glances at her lover, hoping for some kind of commitment.
Tōshirō stroked his chin thoughtfully and finally responded: "Marriage? I haven't really thought about it yet."
Tsunade lowered her eyes, a bit of disappointment in her gaze. But Tōshirō's next words quickly rekindled the light in them.
"But... I've been seriously thinking about living together with Tsunade."
Tōshirō said this with sincerity.
He didn't have a choice.
Before long, he'd be sent to the battlefield. When that time came, Uchiha Madara would come after Tsunade and try to kill her.
He had to stick by Tsunade's side at all times—and living together was the best plan Tōshirō could think of.
Jiraiya curled his lip. "Eh, with how well you two know each other, what's the point of living together first? Why not just skip straight to marriage?"
Tōshirō chuckled, "Why are you so eager to get us married?"
Jiraiya muttered his wicked little thought, "Once you're married, you'll be glued together every day and eventually get sick of each other. Then you'll definitely get divorced… hehehe…"
Tōshirō: …Tsunade: …
"Oops, guess I let that slip."
Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly.
"Marriage isn't the same as dating. It means your lives are completely intertwined. I want to take this relationship seriously and go step by step."
Tōshirō glanced sideways at his lover and asked, "What do you think?"
Tsunade turned her face away, her cheeks flushing red, and muttered, "You don't have to ask me about something like this… Just make the decision yourself."
Seeing this gentle, docile side of Tsunade, Jiraiya suddenly felt a pang of regret. "Even after all this time, I still can't believe Tsunade would act so feminine… Damn it. If only I'd tried a little harder back then…"
He didn't think he'd ever meet another woman like Tsunade.
Some might be as beautiful, but not have her figure. Others might have her figure, but not her beauty.
"Even if you tried a hundred times harder, it still wouldn't have worked," Tsunade said bluntly.
"Hmph," Jiraiya snorted. "I'm the chosen one. Just wait—when I become the savior of the world, you'll regret everything."
Tōshirō glanced at Jiraiya. Clearly, he hadn't yet received that new prophecy from the toad, or he wouldn't be saying such things.
Orochimaru, who had been quiet until now, raised a critical question: "Have you figured out how you're going to announce it?"
Given their identities, it was foreseeable that there would be some resistance when they made their relationship public.
Tōshirō thought about it for a moment.
He couldn't be sure how Tsunade's clan would react, but as for the Uchiha… they'd probably be thrilled.
Though his clan seemed at odds with Konoha's higher-ups, deep down they desperately wanted to be part of the village. Unfortunately, the village leadership remained wary of them.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
Tōshirō was fairly confident in his own strength.
After all, in a world that reveres power above all else, strength is the most persuasive language.
If the Senju clan objected, he'd speak with force—though there were a couple people he probably couldn't treat that way. "By the way, I don't know anything about your parents. Would they have approved of us?"
At that, Tsunade's gaze dimmed, as if a heavy shadow had fallen over her.
Tōshirō quickly picked up on the change. "What's wrong?"
Tsunade bit her pale lip, her expression sorrowful. "They… passed away recently."
Tōshirō's brows furrowed. "Because of the war?"
Tsunade's eyebrows drooped, tears threatening to spill. "My father was sent on a 'top-secret' mission by the village and died in the line of duty. As for my mother, she was killed in the war."
Tōshirō looked at her with concern. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because…"
Tsunade hesitated, as if reluctant to say more.
Tōshirō began to understand. "You were worried about burdening me, weren't you?"
Tsunade gave a small nod.
Her boyfriend becoming a Jinchūriki was already painful enough—she didn't want to add her troubles on top of that.
"…I'm sorry," Tōshirō said, guilt in his voice. If only he'd told her about his situation with the Tailed Beast sooner, she wouldn't have had to bear that grief alone. "I swear, I'll never let you be sad again."
Tsunade gently wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, a smile returning to her face. "Mm…"
Tōshirō gave her a warm hug, silently vowing in his heart to protect this woman no matter what.
One week later.
In the spiritual realm—a dim and shadowy space.
"Hey. Five-Tails."
Tōshirō called out to the beast, who was lying on the ground asleep.
Woken by the noise, the Five-Tails cracked one eye open, its pupil reflecting the slender figure standing before it. It simply gazed down in silence, waiting for a response.
As he stared into the beast's looming gaze, Tōshirō's eyes turned red—glowing crimson.
The Tailed Beast spoke: "You—"
Tōshirō cut it off, his eyes sharp like a hawk, burning with determination—the resolve to protect the one he loves: "I'm challenging you."
The Five-Tails rose from the ground, towering over him, eyes slitted and intense.
Tōshirō stood in the giant shadow it cast, meeting its gaze head-on without a trace of fear. "Bring it on."
(End of Chapter)
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