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“Tsuna...! Tsunade!” Jiraiya exclaimed in terror as he felt the huge depression on the floor, “damn, she could kill me…!" He muttered wearily.
Product of Tsunade's brute force.
Tsunade sucked in a shaky breath as she sat up and cleaned her clothes from the dust and other grasses on the grass. Noticing the overwhelming mess around her, she could swear an earthquake kicked off, in addition to the huge hole; other cracks spread in every possible direction, there was no doubt that her fists were not just made for the art of healing. Jiraiya looked nothing but amazed and, at the same time, with hints of fear.
Orochimaru did not seem to flinch, he had jumped in reverse with an agile movement. Touching the grass with grace, without losing his composure or breath.
"You should have done it when you had the chance ..." Orochimaru said, mocking with a slight amusement in his gaze.
Jiraiya gave him a hard reprimanding look, almost offended.
"It's all for today" said Sarutobi, breaking the fragile tension between his students, "you can go home, you've tried your best this time."
And as usual, the praise and other looks of approval took place in Orochimaru's outstanding abilities and Tsunade's strength, fruits of incessant training alongside her perfect control of the chakra. Truth be told, Jiraiya could argue some of his recent improvements as an apprentice to the toads; still lacking, but had purposes to engage.
"Great, tomorrow I want a rematch" Tsunade commented with a challenging look, brushing her messy hair off her face, going slowly and gently, the other set of gazes followed her silence for a moment.
Jiraiya continued to stare at the horizon in disbelief, damn it, it could be worse tomorrow if that meant Tsunade would use almost all of her ninjutsu medical forces to compound the intensity of her punches. Now what? He thought about following her and insisting on a date or, on the contrary, following Orochimaru. Yes, they were one of the least dangerous options.
And as usual, Orochimaru's trail faded similar to the silent movement of a snake in daylight, searching for prey or where to shelter. Knowing him, he would rather disappear after training. Fortunately, he sometimes glimpsed that Orochimaru often enjoys reading on long scrolls with light-colored images and everyday ninja scenes. Sometimes, he found that he used to write his own stories. No, they were rivals, and therefore; Jiraiya would have to expose his latest work in search of seduction.
Jiraiya knew that Orochimaru used to disappear after training for a couple of years, he knew that he always had tendencies to loneliness or no interest in sharing with his team. Jiraiya could not help but resign himself, he missed his friend, he missed that they were all together when they were still genin rank, he missed that they had no worries in the future and the predictions of the old toad were obligations to their goals, goals that he did not know if he was capable to achieve it.
[...]
It was getting dark, in the month of October the light did not usually prevail for a long time in the sky, covered and disordered in orange and pink colors, the last breaths of the sun and the faint reflection in the lazy clouds. The trees were dry, about to die, only to be reborn in the joyous spring; all in all, it looked calm and depressing at the same time.
An adorable collection of little Buddhas with the Leaf insignia greeted him along the way, Jiraiya was exhausted and had no intention of even attending the hot springs. He listened to the cry of the kettle under the fire, looked for where it came from and located it miles ahead under the mountain. In front of him, a great cluster of steam and wood-scented smoke rose to the twinkling stars. He ran in a hurry; but without causing the least noise on the withered leaves.
There, to his surprise, he instantly recognized the black hair and the overwhelming number of scrolls rolled in different lengths.
"Orochimaru!" Jiraiya exclaimed, still on the mountain, undecided whether he should keep him company despite the discontent on his pale face. "What are you cooking?"
Orochimaru sighed in defeat, decided to extinguish the fire and finish today to capture all the knowledge that Danzo had recently provided him.
"Wait, don't do it!" He exclaimed again, and because of the emptiness of the village, everything used to bounce around every corner.
And yet, Jiraiya jumped after the fire, grabbed the other man's wrists, with no intention of hurting him, a simple squeeze as part of his act.
"Leave me, alone" he ordered roughly.
"Why are you so lonely?" He answered without releasing him, taking care not to come into contact with the flames between them.
"Why does it matter?" He diverted with another question, frowning, "almost nobody tells you if you should stop going or to the thermal baths to spy, you never listen. Does it matter that no one else is with me?"
Sure, Jiraiya somehow got it. There was no importance in insisting if both did not seem to yield to their respective vices, both absorbed in writing but without the same purposes. Orochimaru wanted to go, back to everything Danzo had promised. He promised that immortality was nothing more than a metaphor.
Slowly, he released the pressure on the opposite wrists. Quickly both kept consecutive distances, moving away as they took steps back and the flames returned to light with fervent hyperactivity.
"I just thought that ..." he said, taking the small leather book hidden in his yukata, "spending a birthday alone should be lonely."
"Will you stop spying on the th-"
"One second". Interrupting abruptly, he took his place in front of the fire, extended the small book and olive eyes looked at him without understanding the reason. "Read it" Jiraiya added, seeing lack of movement.
Before even considering it, Orochimaru returned to the kettle, removing the bottom from the heat; he reached for a small pair of cups and served the steamed water.
"Right, take it", he said, still annoyed.
"Tea, of course" Jiraiya replied slowly, noticing the small bags. And the glorious scent of jasmine surrounded them both.
Orochimaru muttered in recognition. Sitting where he originally came from hours ago, noticing the scrolls, he began saving the contents: letters and drawings that could be suspicious. He knew it was a bad idea to try to do this when the Sun was not hidden or some peasants and ninjas were passing by. However, he still appeared to be helpless and completely loyal to Konoha to the rest.
"Did you want to show me something?" He asked, sighing without encouragement.
"It's a book" he added, obviously showing it.
"Can I see it, will this take you away from the bathrooms?" He said wryly, holding it up.
"You can open any page" Jiraiya said, smiling with his eyes, almost as proud of everything he tried to write the first chapter and the subsequent drafts, "there's not much difference" he said.
Jiraiya tried by all means to maintain a form of absolute seriousness, enduring the urge to laugh when Orochimaru reacts with disgust or any grimace of disapproval or discontent.
Orochimaru saw the front and back covers: he didn't have a title yet, uncomfortable, he turned to the pages because of Jiraiya's expectant gaze. And just like he said, he opened anybody, without caring. He searched for the most striking paragraph and found:
"CHAPTER IV: FIRE
Against what burning desire, I searched her lips desperately, finding ourselves submerged under the flames of overwhelming pleasure, the clothes began to hinder and I proceeded to untie her bra to see her b— ".
The loud laughter burst in and overshadowed the winged insects and other small toads hidden in the tall grass for a moment, moving in time with the icy autumn wind; but Orochimaru's face was almost an open book, he seemed to freeze when he reached the penultimate line of the paragraph. Without comment, he did not dare read the following actions explicitly, he had never been so close to mature content before. Even, he was not naive about the nature of the human being if he was interested in its composition, in any case this was more than sudden and in a certain way, unpleasant.
"Our bodies were united, moving rhythmically ...".
"So?" Jiraiya asked, wiping tears from her cheeks." C'mon, don't tell me you've never thought of something like that ... or read something like that” Still laughing, he held his stomach, which ached with every loud laugh.
Moments after coming to his senses, he looked at Jiraiya with as much contempt and disapproval as he was able to express; closed the book and its burning pages. So sudden that he felt the desire to throw it into the fierce flames, all based on disordered graphite lines by a plot of the seductive protagonist and the woman he seeks, in the first scene: they lie under the water of a waterfall, it is no coincidence that they also is spying.
The fire lit up in a faint position, nuances as warm as sunset with a homey look. Illuminating both looks; one more threatening than the other, and anyway; Orochimaru looked so confused and at the same time as if he really - which was true - had never consumed this kind of prohibited reading before.
"It's more than evident that you wrote this" he said, trying to blur the mental image.
Both 14-year-old Orochimaru expected nothing more from the perverted mind of Jiraiya, who, according to him, had no use other than spying in the women's toilets. Still immersed in fiery dialogues, the only thing that made him increase his temperature were the orange flames with the wood crackling in a soft sound, accompanied by some birds resting on the branches of the trees with a periodic song.
"Hah? Don't tell me it didn't cause you something to read it”Jiraiya's suggestive tone finally exasperated him. Nodding him with a mischievous smile, Orochimaru ignored him, drinking from his steaming tea. Almost intact for staying immersed in the book.
"It's just stupid things" he growled as he spilled some of the drink, "it's not a coincidence that Tsunade is interested in Dan" Then, an attempt at a cynical venomous smile took place on his face.
Jiraiya avoided the insult by using the aromatic drink, even with the boy's cynical smile.
"At least I'll do something important that has my own signature" he replied, leaning on the rough trunk (next to the rock) behind them, looking towards the luminous stars and imposing moon, "you'll only learn jutsus that were invented by someone else."
Being a contrast of an orange light and another platinum on them, creating games of colors on the shade of hair and eyes between them in time with the movement of fire.
"I'll make them up, rest assured" he said with a steady gaze, "instead of writing erotic books that will be read in secret" He took another sip, Jiraiya sighed.
"Good, good. But they'll succeed", he turned his gaze to the other dark-haired man. "And cheer up! Your birthday is coming."
"They are a total waste," Orochimaru almost completely erased the opponent's enthusiasm.
Of course he expected that particular answer, he has no choice, Jiraiya thought with disappointment.
"I know ..." He mumbled a finger in front of him thoughtfully. Still with the indifference of his friend, he continued: "What do you think of being the seductive protagonist of my books?" He suggested taking the pencil.
Orochimaru coughed choking on the tea, and even burning on it. Jiraiya's outrageous laughter broke out again with the calm sound of wildlife singing. The fist in his ribs also made him cough, still writhing with laughter at his partner's intense gaze.
"Bastard," he replied exasperated, looking at his laughing friend, taking his stomach, it hurt from the blow and the laughter that seemed to have no end, "I will castrate you if you get to do it if my name is there."
The little laughs began to fade, with Jiraiya embarrassed by the joke, it seemed even funnier to see Orochimaru notoriously avoiding his gaze, offended.
"Relax, I was just kidding," he guided both hands behind the nape of his neck, copying the jet's gesture when he looked at the moon. I don't think you're five years old not to understand humor, Orochi-kun.
"Just ..." he sighed wearily, "don't do it, it would be stupid."
"If you say so, I will make you famous." That way you'll have a chance with the girls, ”he winked, arching an eyebrow.
"It's a waste of time," he carefully removed the kettle from the fire on the fertile earth, "I don't plan to spend my time like that, we are limited" and in a lower tone, trying to make the voice only be heard by itself, Orochimaru added, "I'll change that."
Jiraiya secretly nodded, almost out of inertia, every time Orochimaru spoke that way he was secretly terrified of his fine line between ethics and morals. Luckily he did not continue, imitating the gesture of admiring the taciturn sky that little by little began to turn violet with pink tints. The notion of time vanished like the campfire itself, reduced to sparkling ashes.
"I will sleep for a moment," Jiraiya declared, yawning. I was exhausted after a relentless fight with the Slug Princess and tonight sleepy, "let me know when we have to get back to training."
Jiraiya turned on his back, turning his back to try to fall asleep in a few hours. Lying on the grass stirred in the morning dew, he fell deeply "asleep"; instead, Orochimaru took the book to read it once more behind the back of his partner, and a bit of false interest earlier.
Jiraiya smiled unconsciously as he listened to the pages of his book being flipped through constantly.