Healing Touch (Part 3)

Another part for this AU (Here's Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed it). Yeah, I just can't help myself.

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“So you've finally come to check on your team-mate,” Jiraiya said, giving her a strong disappointed look. 

At his bedside, Orochimaru rolled his eyes. “He's been like this ever since he regained consciousness. You did the smart thing by staying away, Tsunade.”

As the persistent knot of worry about his condition faded into a relieved ease, Tsunade said, “I knew you weren't dying, so there as nothing to worry about. Besides I had family matters to deal with.”

Jiraiya gasped, looking betrayed. “I could have died.”

“Fools don't die so easily,” Orochimaru said. 

Tsunade nodded solemnly. “And you are a super fool.”

“You're both horrible. No one else has to suffer with such horrible unfeeling team-mates,” Jiraiya bemoaned. 

Ignoring his dramatics, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. “Your family?”

It took a moment for Tsunade to follow his line of thought and understand what he was asking, “Oh, no no. Everyone is fine and their usual selves. Nawaki made a fool of himself in front of Reina again.”

Orochimaru smirked in amusement.

“Poor boy,” Jiraiya said, sounding more amused than consoling. 

Tsunade couldn't help smiling at the lighter atmosphere. “And grandma is very happy since her relative came to visit. Harii is really nice to be around. He always shows genuine consideration and warmth when he talks to you. It's no wonder that she's so happy.” Noticing the strange expressions on her team-mates' faces, she said, “What?”

“Your face,” Orochimaru said vaguely, his golden eyes assessing her.

Looking stunned, Jiraiya tried to elaborate. “You're blushing.”

“I am not,” Tsunade said indignantly as she resisted the urge to pat her cheeks. 

“And you had sappy eyes,” Jiraiya said. 

“I had no such thing,” Tsunade groused in annoyance.

Orochimaru intervened, his voice calm even as his eyes narrowed. “How old is this... Harii?”

“Why do you want to know something like that?”

“You seem...” Orochimaru seemed to search for a proper word to use. “smitten.”

Jiraiya nodded. 

“You're both being stupid,” Tsunade said. “I'm not like that. I would never act like that.”

Orochimaru looked as clinical as ever as he said, “Aren't you at that age?”

“Age?” Tsunade asked even though she knew she shouldn't have. 

“Puberty,” Orochimaru said. “All those hormones in your body are probably causing all sorts of changes.” He gave her a critical once over. “None of the changes seem to be physical though.”

Jiraiya snorted and covered his mouth hastily but his shoulders shook with mirth.

“What?” Tsunade snarled. 

Unfazed as usual, Orochimaru continued, “You know, an older male would appreciate a well developed figure more. Maybe...”

“Orochimaru,” Tsunade interrupted. 

Orochimaru blinked. “What?”

Tsunade smiled and lowered her hand, “Enjoy my new poison mixture.”

Orochimaru's eyes widened as a thing red line appeared on his cheek. He glanced behind at the thin needle embedded in the wall. “How did...”

“Ah, look at the time,” Tsunade said with a smug grin. “I have to do some shopping for dinner.”

“Wait,” Orochimaru called out even as Jiraiya laughed uproariously.

Tsunade raced out of the hospital and into the village with relief. She didn't actually have to buy anything because the servants had probably already taken cared of everything. She just needed time along to fix her thoughts.

Her idiots team-mates always had the ability to make her thoughts get tangled in a useless heap.

It took a good while of aimless wandering for Tsunade to get a grip on her thoughts and emotions. And thankfully by the time she reached the Senju compound, she felt more in control of herself. “I'm home,” she called out as she opened the house door. 

“Welcome back,” a chorus of voices greeted her. Instead of it being Nawaki and Harii, it was Jiraiya and Orochimaru seated with her grandmother.

Jiraiya grinned and Orochimaru smirked even with the bandage on his cheek. 

“What are you two idiots doing here uninvited?” 

“Tsunade-chan, your team-mates don't need an invitation. They're always welcome here,” Mito said with a smile as she pushed a bowl of sweets towards them. “I hope Nawaki-kun hasn't taken Harii out too far or they'll be late for dinner.”

Orochimaru and Jiraiya shared a look.  A look that she couldn't decipher.

Suddenly worried and wishing she had poisoned Orochimaru with something stronger, Tsunade said, “I'll go get them.”

The main door slammed open. 

“Granny, Harii's gone mad. He's bringing a strange poisonous snake from the forest.”

“Snake?” Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her unsurprised team-mates, especially at Orochimaru. He was the only one from their team who had made progress with his summoning contract. He was the only one who could summon snakes. A skill that wasn't known to anyone outside their team.

Orochimaru ignored Tsunade and kept his gaze on the main door where his glee turned into confusion. 

“Nawaki, she's not poisonous,” Harii said as he entered, completely at ease with the sapphire blue snake curled around the entire length of his arm. “She's too young.”

“You don't even know what kind of snake it is,” Nawaki said, keeping a wide berth from Harii. “And how can it be young when it's so big?”

“She's harmless,” Harii said with a sigh. Noticing the people in the room, he paused, “Oh, uh, hello there.”

“Ah, Harii, these are Tsunade-chan's team-mates. Jiraiya and Orochimaru will be staying for dinner,” Mito said. “Such a beautiful snake.”

“Isn't she?” Harry said with a smile as he rubbed the snake's head. “She's the same blue as the pond in the turtle temple.”

Mito gasped in delight, nodded and patted the snake as well. “Yes, that's it. I knew the colour was familiar. It's been years since I was there but that beautiful blue is so memorable.”

Contrary to the first time Orochimaru had summoned her during team practice, the snake was completely docile and seemed to be enjoying the two Uzumakis' attention. 

Dinner was wonderful. Not only did she get to revel in the absolute failure of whatever her team-mates' had been scheming but she also got to enjoy the warm presence of Harii who had taken a seat beside her. 

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Harry has just earned himself two fans enemies.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if Tsunade and her team eventually had crushes on Harry? And then Tsunade had to fight them off? No? Come on, it's a little bit funny. Maybe.

The more I write for this AU, the more I like it. 

I should probably stop, 

Polar.