This Hole in my Heart
One year. Has it really been a year since you didn't come home? Tsunade thought to herself, looking at her old team photo. She never imagined that she would be the last of the Sannin to survive. She found herself remembering the night before he'd left to what would be his death.
Somehow he'd convinced her to go out with him to a restaurant, and both had drunk too much sake. Jiraiya led the Hokage through a moonlit park, a light blush on their cheeks and a slight sway to their movements.
"You'd better not try anything, you perverted old bastard." Tsunade growled, but there was no menace in her voice.
Jiraiya chuckled softly, looking at the one woman who'd stolen his heart.
"You should marry me, Tsunade-hime."
Tsunade snorted.
"You say that every time I get drunk. When will you give it up?"
"When you say yes." He laughed.
Tsunade grinned in spite of herself.
"I couldn't marry a man who can't keep his eyes on one woman."
"I would stop for you."
"No you wouldn't."
Jiraiya paused, thinking.
"No, I wouldn't." He admitted. "But with you as my wife, I'd have a lot less reason to conduct my important research."
Tsunade jabbed him in the side painfully.
"Baka. I should ban those damn books of yours."
Jiraiya smiled at her empty threat.
"Will you at least consider my offer?"
Tsunade glared at him.
"No."
"Come on, Tsunade. We're old, and lonely. I trust you more than anyone. And I'd even cut down on the peeping!"
"If you want me to even consider it, try asking me when we're both sober." she said haughtily, straightening her shoulders and lifting her impressive bosom.
Jiraiya grinned.
"Alright. When I get back, I'll ask you."
"But you never came back, you bastard." She whispered, glaring at the photo.
Sometimes in her weaker moments, she wondered what she would have said. But it didn't matter now. Jiraiya was dead. But that didn't stop her missing him terribly. Hating the grief racing through her body, she angrily threw the photo out of her window, shattering it into a million pieces. Breathing hard, she sat on her bed, burying her face in her hands. She looked up quickly when she sensed a nearing chakra presence, but recognised it moments before the ninja leapt into her room through the shattered window.
"Baa-chan?"
"Naruto?" she whispered, then cleared her throat. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking!"
Naruto looked guilty and held out something to her. It was the photo frame.
"Sorry. I was passing by and this nearly took my head off. I thought I'd better bring it back."
Tsunade took the frame and saw the glass was broken, right over Jiraiya's face. She sighed and look up at the blonde ninja.
"It's the middle of the night. Why aren't you sleeping?"
Naruto's blue eyes saddened and he looked away.
"It's been a year. I guess...all that pain is coming back. I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk."
Tsunade sighed.
"You really have too much heart for a ninja, brat."
Naruto smiled sadly.
"I know. But...he was one of my precious people. I can't just..." He paused, closing his eyes.
"I know, Naruto. Believe me, I know." Tsunade surprised them both by pulling the boy to sit beside her. "But I am grateful to him. He bought me home, and I got to meet you. Because of you, I remembered how much I love this damn village, in spite of all the paperwork."
Naruto chuckled softly, squeezing Tsunade's hand.
"I'm glad that I can be here for you, Tsunade-baa-chan. I don't think anyone else could miss him the way you will. I only knew him three years, and I miss him heaps."
Tsunade smiled and rested her head on Naruto's shoulder, sighing tiredly.
"We can miss him together. Just because I knew him longer doesn't mean your pain will be any less. I...I'm glad you're here."
"Me too."
"But don't tell Shizune. She'll think I've gone soft."
Naruto laughed a little.
"Only if you don't tell Sakura-chan."
"It's a deal."
A bit of angst. I love the way tsunade mothers naruto. so sweet :D