Chapter 9: Her Personal Sun

"This is so cool!"

Tsunade didn't think so.

"Our first real mission together, boss!" Sarutobi Konohamaru shouted excitedly.

Tsunade mumbled something under her breath about damned offspring of old monkey bastards.

"Yeah…" Her idiot sounded conflicted. As he should be!

On one hand, he was able to spend some time with someone he viewed as a little brother and pupil. On the other, the little brat was cutting into their alone time!

Why that smut reading, poor excuse of a Hokage assigned a brat to her protection detail last minute was beyond her. Really, what couldn't two S-ranked ninja handle on their own?

It was infuriating.

"Don't worry, Lady Tsunade! I'll guard you with my life!"

The brat's enthusiasm pissed her off.

| Her Personal Sun |

After the first day, Tsunade got over her irritation at the less than satisfactory situation she found herself in with regards to Konohamaru crashing her trip, and found herself enjoying his company.

Naruto seemed different with him around, even more mature than she thought he was.

Sure, he joked around and acted a bit childish in Konohamaru's presence, but there was a subtle undertone of maturity to it. Like an older brother messing around with his younger sibling.

And they didn't just goof around, either. She watched Naruto train with the boy for at least an hour and a half the night before. It was oddly heartening.

Like… like peeking into a window that showed the future, or a possible one. One where… where Naruto passed down his knowledge to his own son, his own child.

The thought did strange things to her stomach.

Whether those strange things were positive or negative, she wasn't really sure.

| Her Personal Sun |

The soft click of her door closing was all the warning she received. It didn't matter that someone had snuck into her room, though. She knew exactly who this person was.

Strong arms wrapped around her after pulling the blankets back to allow entry. A warm body settled behind her, a warm chest pressed into her back.

"About time," she said, wiggling a bit into the body behind her, trying to find the most comfortable spot.

"Sorry," Naruto's voice whispered into her ear, his warm breath sending small shivers down her back. "Konohamaru was too excited to sleep."

Tsunade snorted. "Figures. That kid's way too much like you were back then." The thought brought a small smile to her face.

Naruto was Naruto, no matter how old he got.

She felt him chuckle breathily, tightening his grip around her slightly, much to her delight.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Tsunade nodded her head minutely. "Of course I am."

His breathy chuckle felt nice against her skin.

| Her Personal Sun |

The journey to the Land of Water wasn't too terribly long. Most of it entailed walking east through the Land of Fire (from Konoha, at least). After that, the trip consisted almost entirely of boat rides.

The Land of Water was a string of islands, centering on its Hidden Village, Kirigakure. To get to Kirigakure, you had to travel to a total of three islands, both for security and necessity.

Tsunade didn't mind the voyage, though. It was one of her favorites, actually. She had travelled many places in her youth, and the trip to the Land of Water was always a beautiful one.

And having her blond lover along for the ride this time was a much appreciated bonus. Konohamaru, on the other hand, not so much.

"When will it ever end!?" the young chunin cried, annoyed. "We've been on this damn boat for two days!"

"Relax," Naruto snickered, having experienced water transportation with someone who had sea sickness before. "We're almost there, the captain just announced it over your vomiting."

Tsunade could tell that her lover was trying his best not to laugh. It would be rude for a master to laugh at his pupil's weakness.

She, on the other hand, had no reason not to.

"It's not funny! Ugh!" Konohamaru shouted, trying to sound indignant, but failing masterfully. He only sounded sick, which made Tsunade laugh again.

| Her Personal Sun |

"Land!" Konohamaru cried, jumping out of the boat with haste. He landed on the cobblestone walkways of Kirigakure no Sato.

Tsunade could appreciate the architecture all day. Stone, cobblestone, and earthy beach colors covered the village from top to bottom. It really felt like a beachside town. It was beautiful.

The faint mist that hung in the air just made it feel even more authentic.

"It's nice here," Naruto said while stretching. "I've never been to this village before."

"It's a beautiful place," Tsunade smiled, glad to hear his general approval.

"I'm glad you two think so," a friendly male voice said to their left.

Turning, Tsunade noticed the voice belonged to a familiar, blue-haired, bespectacled young man.

"Lady Tsunade. Lord Naruto," Chojuro, the Lady Mizukage's personal bodyguard, and one of the only living, official Seven Swordsmen, greeted. "It's a pleasure to greet you on behalf of Lady Mei."

Naruto snorted, a playful smirk forming on his face.

"Yes, yes," the blond idiot said in a mock aristocratic voice, placing his finger under his nose like a mustache. "Take us to your leader, peasant."

Konohamaru bellowed in laughter and even Tsunade chuckled under her breath.

"Come on, Chojuro, what's up with all that formality crap?" Naruto asked, walking over to the blue-haired swordsman and clapping his hand on the man's shoulder.

Chojuro blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Heh, heh. Sorry about that," he mumbled. "You're the first VIP's to step foot in the village in a long time. The elders wanted you to receive a formal greeting."

Tsunade nodded wisely, understanding completely. Had the situation been reversed, she would have done the same in their situation.

"Yeah, well, forget about that," Naruto said, trampling all over tradition and formalities that usually accompanied diplomatic missions. "Now, a serious matter." He leaned in close to Chojuro, his face set in stone. "What's the ramen like here?"

Tsunade sighed. Idiot.

"Uh… It's pretty good?" Chojuro said, unsure how to answer. "Anyway," he began, changing the topic, "I'm supposed to show you to where you'll be staying, but the Lady Mizukage would like to see you first, if that's fine with you?"

Tsunade nodded. "That's fine."

"Great. Right this way." Chojuro gave a brief salute, and began leading the way.

| Her Personal Sun |

Tsunade couldn't help her irritation.

The Lady Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei, was no doubt a beautiful woman, and despite her inclinations, was rather young. Her dual bloodline limit and status as military leader made her a very prominent figure, not to mention her dedication and victory in the prior civil war of her home country.

In truth, even Tsunade could see the appeal of a woman like Terumi, but that didn't mean she would just let the woman ogle her idiot.

"Welcome to Kirigakure. We look forward to learning from you, Princess Tsunade," Mei said, tone formal.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Of course. Thank you for having us."

Tsunade could see it in the auburn-haired woman's eyes. She knew that Mei understood who Naruto was—who he really was.

The reputation of Naruto was a rather shallow one.

A savior. A hero. A man who was unchallenged and unassailable.

And while those things were certainly true for the most part (he did save the world from an eternal dream, he did become a hero of the people after Pain, and no one but the likes of Uchiha Sasuke could ever hope to challenge him), he was so much more.

Naruto was more than a shinobi, more than a hero. He was an idea given form. He was the Will of Fire made manifest. A beacon of hope for all those who wished for peace.

He was the answer. No matter how cheesy or corny it sounded, Tsunade truly believed it. Naruto was the key to peace, of true understanding.

The mere thought of what he would accomplish in his life brought a warmth to her heart that she couldn't quite explain. It was a known fact that men like Uzumaki Naruto were born few and far between.

Men like Uzumaki Naruto changed the world, shaped it with their own two hands. And Naruto, in only nineteen years, had already started that change. A lesser man would have faulted by then, would have tripped up. Normal men couldn't follow their philosophy all the time.

But not her Naruto. Her Naruto was a man of his word first and foremost. He was a man who never gave up. Whether that was because he was made of sturdier stuff than most men, or just an idiot, didn't matter.

Uzumaki Naruto was perfect just the way he was, in Tsunade's most humble opinion.

"Lady Tsunade?" Konohamaru's asking voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Hmm?" She looked from the young chunin to the sitting Mizukage. "Sorry, I didn't hear that last bit. Could you repeat it?"

The Mizukage nodded. "I was asking if you had your itinerary ready yet or not."

Tsunade nodded, a bit embarrassed. "Oh, yes. I do," she said, searching for her notes in the bag strapped around her shoulder.

When she passed it to the auburn-haired woman, Tsunade caught yet another chaste look at Naruto. It would seem that the Mizukage was, at the very least, aware of the man Naruto had become.

Her man.

"Everything looks great." Mei nodded at the notes. "Once again, on behalf of both my village, and the Shinobi Alliance Exchange Program, thank you."

Tsunade nodded, giving a small, genuine smile. Regardless of Mei's 'harmless' examinations, she was still a kunoichi Tsunade respected.

They had fought together, side by side, against the seemingly infallible (to the Five Kage, at least) Uchiha Madara. They had bled and nearly died together. And most importantly, they had helped kick-start what would hopefully be a long-lasting alliance between all shinobi. It was hard to dislike someone like that.

But that didn't mean she had to like it.

| Her Personal Sun |

When he was bathed in gold and orange light, his fingertips felt like so many stars, warm and bright, and they would shine only for her.

His fingers, filled with more power than most men could even dream of holding, ghosted up and down her body, sending shivers through her soul. He was the stars, and her body was the sky.

His lips were like the sun, bringing her new light with every gentle kiss.

He started with her own lips, sending warmth through her mouth as his tongue slid across hers.

When he pulled away, she frowned, already missing the heat it sent through her, but not for long. His lips continued downward, coasting down her body slowly, softly, deliberately.

He took his time, as if mapping out every piece of flesh he placed a kiss upon, as if savoring his favorite meal. She couldn't help the horribly absurd thought from passing through her mind: did he love tasting her more than even his precious ramen?

The small laugh that the question brought her was quickly drowned out by a cry of great pleasure from her throat. He had made it to his destination, it would seem.

She looked down at the bright light between her legs, and couldn't help the desire, the need, to run her fingers through his hair and hold on tight.

It felt like his tongue could read, and the sweet spot between her legs was his favorite book. His tongue read every word of that book carefully, diligently. He didn't want to miss a single letter.

Her hands holding onto locks of golden fire, she rode the maelstrom until her whole body was filled with pleasure, and release came.

Hard.

Panting, with sweat glistening over her body, his next words nearly made her whimper.

"We're just getting started."

He licked his lips when he spoke. That drove her crazy, more so than she would ever admit.

She felt him push into her, filling her up inside just the way she liked. Tsunade closed her eyes, sighing in content. She wanted this. She wanted this all the time.

She wanted Naruto more than anything else in this world.

| Her Personal Sun |

Inhale.

"Hey, Konohamaru."

Exhale.

"Yeah, boss?"

Inhale.

"Are you staying perfectly still?"

Exhale.

"I'm trying, boss!"

Inhale.

"Try harder."

Exhale.

A beat.

"You're doing it wrong."

"Screw this!" Konohamaru jumped up from where he was sitting, groaning. "I don't know what kind of 'super-duper ultimate training' this is, but I hate it! What's staying perfectly still have to do with anything!?"

"You just gotta trust me and be patient, Konohamaru," Naruto said, peering up at his "student". "I trained this way, too. You can learn an even more awesome technique than the Rasengan."

Konohamaru looked skeptical. "Are you sure?"

"Would I lie to you?" Naruto gave his best, biggest smile.

"Hmm…" Konohamaru hummed, unsure.

"What kind of response was that!?"

| Her Personal Sun |

The first day they spent in Kiri was spent mostly touring the village and its many beauties. Tsunade, Naruto, and (insert sigh here) Konohamaru visited many sites in the village, most being local sweet shops and, of course, a bar.

Tsunade, even with Konohamaru tagging along, had fun. She was with her lover, and even though they weren't alone, it was still fun nonetheless.

On the second day, Tsunade was introduced to the class she was to lecture. Her plans were set.

She would introduce to them the basic Medical Ninja Rules, after which she would begin to teach them her best and most clever techniques, techniques that could—and already had—saved many lives.

When introduced, she saw the many awe-inspired expressions that were a common occurrence with these sorts of things. Without trying to toot her own horn, she was kind of a big deal in the medical field.

She saw all the aspiring medical-nin, all hopeful to learn all they could from the woman who literally wrote the rule book for medical ninja and medical ninjutsu.

And for a moment, she smiled the same smile that Naruto brought to her face with every gentle kiss. This was where she belonged. Teaching what she knew to the next generation.

This feeling was one of the reasons she loved teaching Sakura. It just felt… right.

| Her Personal Sun |

He entered the Inn easily enough. They had paid off one of the attendants weeks ago. The preparation for this mission had been painstakingly complicated. Knowing the time and place to best strike was forty percent guess work. And getting around the security put in place by the Pretender (that's what they called her) was no walk in the park.

Luckily, a sympathizer for the cause happened to work at the hotel the target was staying in. Without that happy coincidence they'd never have been able to take this fortunate chance.

It was risky, but everything that mattered was. All three would be impossible. His skills were legendary in certain circles, but he wasn't that good. No one was. Doing just the old bitch was almost too dangerous. But he could pull it off if he was careful.

With deliberate steps, not even whispers in the silent night, he crept, making his way to the target. A single life of a foreign diplomat could be the spark they needed. A single event to set in motion a series of events that would see the Pretender cast aside.

He would take the life of Senju Tsunade, the Lady Fifth Hokage, a member of the Sannin, and with that life, he'd start another civil war—one that would strike down the usurper Terumi Mei.

And maybe it would have worked. Maybe he would have successfully entered her room without her being aware. Maybe he would have stalked across the dark room and plunged his blade (coated in poison, obviously) deep within her chest. Maybe he would have pierced her heart, ending her life before she even knew what was happening. He was a skilled assassin—some would say he was the best. He'd murdered many S-rank ninja in his time, people who were considered to be gods compared to the common folk.

Maybe. If everything had gone as planned, then maybe.

In reality, however, nothing ever went according to plan.

He got as far as opening the door. It didn't creak or make any other sound at all. His heart wanted to beat out of his chest.

He peered into the darkness of the room, trying to assess the situation. What he saw would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Looking back at him from within the darkness were deep crimson, slit eyes. They clashed against his emerald orbs. He didn't move. He didn't even breathe. And then, after what seemed like a lifetime but what was probably closer to a few seconds, something else happened.

The walls, the eyes, even his own body vanished, sucked into a deep, silencing void. Suddenly, his body returned and the darkness receded. And right before him, a nine-tailed fox larger than any building in the village stood, baring its teeth, a feral growl bubbling up out of his throat.

The feeling of overwhelming evil and hatred devoured him, washing over him like a tidal wave, suffocating him. The sheer magnitude of the oppressive energy was enough to make him nearly faint. But his body betrayed him and he stayed standing, unable to move away from this ultimate evil.

In the presence of this demon, all seemed lost. He was trapped before this beast which seemed like entropy made flesh. The dread of just being near it made it seem like nothing in the world mattered. Like all before this demon would turn to ash.

And then he was back in the dark room. He was on the floor, curled into a ball. When did he fall to the floor? Better yet, when did he start crying? Did it matter?

No… Nothing mattered. He had seen the end and no longer cared. He didn't even realize that there were two people standing over him.

Nothing mattered. Nothing mattered. Nothing mattered.

| Her Personal Sun |

"What the hell?" Tsunade asked, confused. She had been sleeping peacefully in her lover's arms, enjoying a dreamless slumber, when she was rudely pulled from that sleep suddenly.

She felt it before her eyes even opened. An overwhelming sense of dread. Like the devil himself had entered the room. It was like a weight of the purest, most massive killing intent she had ever felt before, had suddenly fallen upon the world, uncaring of all. Had she not been a former Hokage and S-ranked kunoichi with more than fifty years of experience under her belt, she probably would have passed out.

Instead, she jerked awake and sat up, the fog of slumber lifting immediately. She noticed that Naruto was also sitting up, and that he was staring at the door. That's when she noticed the intruder.

The man was unassuming in every aspect. Brown hair and green eyes. His face was forgettable and his clothes even more so. But once Tsunade turned the table light on, she saw the look of terror written across his face. He was just standing there, staring into Naruto's eyes.

"Naruto?" she asked, standing.

Naruto broke eye contact with the man, making him fall to his knees in a puddle of his own fluids, crying like a child who hurt themselves.

"It's okay," her lover told her, his voice deeper than it should be, turning her way. That's when she noticed his eyes. Instead of the lovely blue, he was looking at her with terrible vermilion. The eyes of a bijuu. "Kurama just got a little… overly excited…" he said, panting. She could tell he was reeling in the powerful, murderous killing intent.

She forgot that Kurama was a deadly mass of chakra. Naruto did a wonderful job of keeping that power in check, but even he couldn't completely squash a thousand years' worth of hatred and malice. Sometimes, like now, it could slip through the cracks.

"Are… are you okay?" she asked when he took a deep breath. She wanted to touch him, to place her hand somewhere—anywhere—on his flesh, just to make sure he really was okay.

But when he smiled, she felt better. And when he next looked into her eyes, they were the eyes of a sage. He had found serenity in the storm of chaos.

"I'm fine." He looked at the uninvited guest. "But this guy…" He scowled. "His negative emotions were strong enough to wake me up and get Kurama's attention…" He looked back at her. "He was here to kill you."

She nodded. No one knew that Naruto would be here with her. If they came to her room to kill someone, then it had to be her. It was just horrible luck (for the assassin) that Naruto always slept with her.

"I think we should inform Mei's people," she said, composing her thoughts. It was hard to shake off such powerful killing intent. "Get dressed. When they ask you about this, tell them as much of the truth as you can—you felt the negative emotions and rushed to my room, incapacitating the assassin."

Naruto nodded. She knew he wanted to argue. He didn't care if anyone found out. But she knew that the sudden tidal wave of malice had taken him by surprise too. He didn't feel like being difficult right now.

"I'll go get Konohamaru first," Naruto said, sliding a plain orange shirt on. "I don't want you to be alone."

Tsunade snorted but didn't argue. She wasn't a helpless damsel in distress. And what could Konohamaru really do? If she couldn't defend herself from a threat, what use would a chunin be? But she kept her thoughts to herself. Naruto was just worried, not to mention rattled.

| Her Personal Sun |

Naruto didn't need to do anything.

Turns out, the sheer flex of Kurama's might was enough to wake the entire village. Everyone from infants to the oldest of elders had been ripped from sleep, a feeling of cold malice washing over Kiri.

Konohamaru was the first to arrive, only seconds after Naruto reached the door, a kunai gripped in his hand and a Shadow Clone at his back. Tsunade could see that her sensei's grandson was shaken, his hands barely holding onto his weapon.

The Mizukage's guards weren't far behind Konohamaru, and barely in any better condition.

Kurama hadn't held back.

The Kiri-nin secured the would-be assassin, binding his limbs in ninja wire, not that it mattered. The man was clearly out of it, only able to mutter a single phrase.

"Nothing matters… Nothing matters…"

All the while, Naruto wouldn't leave her side, and despite herself, she couldn't help but want to reach out and hold his hand—for his sake as much as her own.

Konohamaru didn't joke or goof around, Tsunade seeing for perhaps the first time the shinobi and not the brat. He reminded her of Sarutobi-sensei, in a way, his eyes most of all.

"Umm…" One of the Kiri-nin, a man with a brutal scar reaching horizontally across his face, approached them. The look in his eyes surprised Tsunade. "The Lady Mizukage requests your presence. We're to escort all three of you there…"

This man, closer in age to Tsunade than her blond lover, was terrified of Naruto. Truthfully, Tsunade couldn't blame him. The feeling of Kurama's wrath had even scared her, if only for a moment. And the broken man that laid on the floor, with no sign of exterior wounds at all, didn't help any.

She saw Naruto's shoulders slump. He tried to hide his true emotions, but he couldn't hide anything from her—not anymore. They were bonded so deeply now, she could feel him when he was close, a sort of sixth sense.

Her Naruto Sense, she jokingly referred to it.

"Right," she agreed. "Lead the way."

She could have argued that the extra security wasn't necessary. That, with Naruto at her side, virtually nothing could harm her. The failed attempt on her life was proof enough of that.

But she wasn't in Konoha. Here, she followed their rules. So she allowed herself to be led to the Mizukage's office, her bright light at her side, close enough that she could feel the heat that radiated off his body in waves.

He was her everything.

Her personal sun.