Konoha: The Honored One

The early morning sun blazed high in the clear, blue sky, casting a golden glow over the quiet village. Inside a dimly lit room, Tsunade stirred, her head pounding like a war drum.

"Mmm…" she groaned, sitting up sluggishly. Her white bathrobe hung loosely around her, baring a scandalous amount of skin. She blinked at the sunlight streaming through the window, her expression caught somewhere between dazed and mortified.

After a long pause, she muttered, "Hiss… it hurts." She attempted to swing her legs off the bed, but a sharp ache shot through her body, making her flinch. That unwelcome sensation immediately brought back memories of last night.

Images replayed vividly in her mind.

Last night… Oh, heavens… Last night!

Her face flushed beet red as she recalled how things had spiraled out of control. Not only had she gone completely off the rails, but—oh, no—she had been the instigator. She buried her face in her hands.

What the hell was I thinking?

Instead of regret, however, she felt oddly… lighter, like a burden had lifted.

Now, the real question was: how on earth was she supposed to face him?

The sound of the door creaking open made her heart leap to her throat.

"Yo, breakfast?" Gojo sauntered in, carrying two plates piled high with sandwiches and salad.

Tsunade jolted like a startled deer. "H-Huh?" she stammered, quickly turning her head away to avoid his gaze. Her cheeks burned as she tried to pretend the conversation wasn't happening.

Gojo raised an eyebrow, his trademark smirk plastered across his face. "Wow, someone's shy today. Never thought I'd see you—of all people—flustered. You're, like, ancient; isn't it a little late for this phase?"

CRACK.

Tsunade's fist shot out so fast the room practically quaked. The punch stopped millimeters from Gojo's smug face, suspended mid-air.

He tilted his head, unfazed. "Did I say something wrong?"

Her sweet smile didn't reach her eyes. "Care to repeat that?"

Gojo chuckled, clearly unbothered. "Oh, nothing. Just that, you know, you were the one who made the first move last night."

"You… Shut up!" Tsunade's voice wavered as she whirled around, hands trembling with equal parts embarrassment and anger.

"Well, it's true," Gojo teased. "But hey, no judgment. A strong woman knows what she wants."

Desperate to change the subject, Tsunade pointed at the plates. "Are these for me?"

"Of course. I stole them fair and square," Gojo said proudly. "The salad's courtesy of Xiao Hong, and the sandwich? Thick Brows whipped that up."

Tsunade froze mid-bite, nearly choking on her food. "Wait, you didn't make these?"

"Me? Cook? Please." Gojo leaned back against the wall with a lazy grin. "I've got better things to do. Like eating."

Her initial warmth evaporated, replaced by exasperation. "I was actually touched for a second there! You're insufferable."

Gojo shrugged nonchalantly. "Insufferable, maybe, but at least I'm charming."

Tsunade rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. Despite her frustration, it felt good to know their dynamic hadn't changed. He wasn't awkward, and she wasn't awkward—everything was as it should be.

"So," Gojo began, biting into his own sandwich, "I hear Shikamaru's been drowning in Hokage duties. Poor kid."

Tsunade chuckled, setting her plate down. "Yeah, he's regretting life choices right about now. Lujiu's roped him into every boring task imaginable. They're both swamped."

"Well," Gojo said, wiping his mouth, "it's good practice. Naruto's gonna need a solid right-hand man when he inevitably takes the job. Can't have the village burning down just because our favorite knucklehead's Hokage."

Tsunade tilted her head. "Wow, Gojo. That's surprisingly… responsible of you."

"Don't get used to it." He smirked. "I'm not sticking around to babysit. That's what Shikamaru's for."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, laughter filling the room. For a brief moment, everything felt easy—natural.

But Gojo, being Gojo, couldn't leave well enough alone.

"So, Tsunade," he began, a sly glint in his eye. "How'd you sleep last night? Ninja stamina treating you well?"

Her face went beet red again. "You… you PERVERT!" She hurled a pillow at him with the precision of a kunai.

Gojo dodged effortlessly, his grin widening. "Oh, come on. You can't seriously expect me not to mention it."

"Say one more word, and I'll—"

"What? Reenact last night?"

Before she could respond, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her effortlessly.

"Put me down, you idiot!" she shrieked, squirming half-heartedly.

Gojo just laughed, carrying her toward the bathroom. "Relax. It's daylight—plenty of time for round two."

"You're impossible," she muttered, though a small smile tugged at her lips.

As he stepped into the bathroom, Tsunade sighed dramatically. "No wonder everyone calls you a scoundrel."

"And proud of it," Gojo quipped.

Her laughter mingled with his as the door clicked shut. For all his teasing, there was no denying it—life was never boring with him around.