Once more

Jiraiya sighed as he trudged along the forest path, frustration bubbling under his usual nonchalant demeanor. He hated chasing Tsunade—it was like trying to catch the wind. She was always just out of reach, always a step ahead.

His thoughts wandered as he pushed aside low-hanging branches, the forest thick and suffocating around him. 

'Tsunade… I didn’t expect finding you to be easy, but do you always have to make it this hard?'

He snorted at the thought. Of course, she did. She was Tsunade Senju, after all. The woman who could bend steel with her fists and hearts with her smile. She had been like this since they were kids, stubborn and fiercely independent, always blazing her own trail. He smiled faintly, remembering their old team. 

"You, me, and Orochimaru," he mused. "We were something else, huh? The perfect balance of chaos, brilliance, and stupidity… mostly my stupidity."

He chuckled, but the sound quickly died in his throat. The memories grew heavier as he trudged on. Orochimaru’s betrayal, Tsunade’s grief after losing Nawaki and Dan—it all led to this, didn’t it? Her running away, trying to escape the pain she carried. 

But this wasn’t just about bringing her back to Konoha. Jiraiya’s jaw tightened. He had a more personal reason, one he wasn’t sure how to even begin to explain to her. 

"How do you tell someone who’s already lost everything that there’s one more thread binding them to the village?" he rubbed his temples tiredly, his steps faltering for a moment. "How do I tell her about Ryujin? Will she even accept her?"

Jiraiya’s hand balled into a fist. The words stuck in his throat every time he imagined saying them.

He wanted to chase down and tell Tsunade that he was chosen to be the Godfather of twins. He wanted to shook her until she gave in and help him to be a good godfather. After the Kyuubi attack, he wanted to find her and beg until she came back with him to Konoha, even if it is only to be a mother figure for the twins. But life never gave him the chance—or maybe he was just a coward.

'You’re such a fool, Jiraiya,' he thought bitterly. 

 
__________________

Tsunade's gambling tendency was infamous. She was a habitual loser, earning herself the nickname “The Legendary Sucker.” Wherever she went, she left behind a trail of debts and disgruntled creditors. But what made her dangerous wasn’t just her luck—it was her temper. If anyone dared to press her too hard for repayment, they’d often find themselves at the receiving end of her monstrous strength. 

But today was different. Today, Tsunade was winning. 

In one of Takigakure’s most luxurious gambling halls, Tsunade sat at a table, a confident smirk on her lips. Her golden hair shone under the dim lights, and the pile of winnings in front of her grew larger with each hand she played. Shizune watched nervously from the side, clutching Tonton tightly, her brows furrowed with concern.