NARUTO: In the Era of Sannin

Yuichi slept like the dead after returning home from the mission, collapsing onto his bed with no intention of moving until his body demanded it. That demand came late the following night when his stomach growled loudly enough to rouse him from slumber.

"Yawhhhhhhhhh~" He stretched with a groan, stumbling out of bed and rubbing his bleary eyes. Dragging himself to the kitchen, Yuichi rifled through the cabinets and the fridge, only to find them depressingly empty.

"Nothing... absolutely nothing," he muttered, staring blankly at a lone soy sauce bottle. His stomach growled again, louder this time. "Guess I'm eating out."

Still in yesterday's rumpled clothes and with an unwashed face, Yuichi trudged out of his apartment, heading to the nearest dining spot. His tired steps carried him to a small, cozy restaurant just a few blocks away. Once inside, he placed a quick order and decided to use the washroom to freshen up.

Splashing cold water on his face, Yuichi felt a spark of energy return. He glanced at his reflection and grimaced, noticing the bandage still wrapped around his right hand. Carefully, he peeled it off, relieved to see the wound had mostly healed.

"I should thank that blood user girl next time," he muttered, flexing his fingers.

Returning to his table, Yuichi froze mid-step. His food had arrived, but so had an unexpected guest. Sitting across from him was Tsunade, her golden eyes calm and unreadable, though a faint blush tinged her cheeks.

"Huh? Tsuna? What are you doing here? How did you even find me?" Yuichi asked, bewildered. He certainly hadn't planned on running into anyone tonight, let alone her.

Tsunade hesitated, her usual confidence wavering. Internally, she was kicking herself for following him so impulsively. 

Earlier, she had declined Jiraiya and other's insistent invitation to grab dinner, opting to head home instead. But when she caught a glimpse of Yuichi wandering the streets, she found herself trailing him without a second thought.

"I was out for dinner," she replied, her tone cool and aloof, though her hands fidgeted slightly under the table.

"Ohhh, I see," Yuichi said, plopping down in the chair across from her. He picked up his chopsticks and began devouring his food. "You won't believe this, Tsuna, but there was literally nothing to eat at my place! I mean, who leaves soy sauce and nothing else?"

As Yuichi rambled about his harrowing lack of groceries, Tsunade couldn't help but smile faintly, watching his animated expressions. Her gaze softened as she listened, though she quickly schooled her features when Yuichi looked up.

"Huh? Why aren't you eating?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Oh… I forgot to order because of you," Tsunade replied, her tone casual, but the words carried a playful edge.

Yuichi paused mid-bite, his eyes widening. He choked on his food, coughing loudly as her words registered.

*Cough!*...* Cough!* "W-what?" he sputtered, his face red. Was she… flirting?

Realizing how her words could be misinterpreted, Tsunade's cheeks flushed a deeper red. "It's not what you're thinking, Monkey!" she snapped, glaring at him. She turned to the restaurant owner, her voice sharp. "Chicken katsu curry, miso soup, and sushi. Now!"

Yuichi held up his hands in mock surrender, barely suppressing a grin. "Relax, Tsuna, I wasn't thinking anything weird. Here, have some of mine while you wait. Don't get so worked up." He picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and held it out to her with a teasing smile.

Tsunade's blush deepened as she met his playful gaze. She knew he was trying to rile her up, but instead of snapping back, she decided to turn the tables. Leaning forward, she took the offered bite straight from his chopsticks, her lips brushing them lightly as she did.

Yuichi froze, his eyes widening in shock. "H-Hey!" he stammered, his face now a deep shade of crimson.

Before he could process what had just happened, a sudden wave of bloodlust hit him like a brick wall. The chill sent shivers down his spine, and he instinctively turned his head toward the source.

Standing just outside the restaurant's transparent window were Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Both were staring directly at him, their expressions ranging from murderous aura to mild annoyance. 

But the real focus of their gaze was the scene they had just witnessed, Yuichi feeding Tsunade, and her happily taking the bite.

"Fuck," Yuichi muttered under his breath in English, the word slipping out without thought.

Tsunade followed his gaze and froze, her mind racing as panic set in. Her lie about being out for dinner was about to be exposed, and Jiraiya's presence practically guaranteed endless teasing.

Orochimaru, standing with his arms crossed, raised a single brow at the duo inside the restaurant. Jiraiya, meanwhile, looked like he was barely restraining himself from bursting in to make a scene.

Yuichi groaned, slumping in his seat. "Why does it feel like I'm in trouble?" he muttered.

Tsunade, her face now as red as a tomato, grabbed Yuichi's sleeve. "Don't just sit there! Do something!" she hissed.

"What do you want me to do?" Yuichi whispered back, exasperated.

"Figure it out! You're the one who—"

"Who fed you?" Yuichi interrupted, smirking despite himself being in hell position.

"Yuichi!" Tsunade's voice rose in warning, but the hint of a smile tugged at her lips despite her embarrassment.

Outside, Orochimaru grinned a little, muttering something about wasting time, meanwhile Jiraiya, while fuming gave a thump to the window and met with an enraged owner who rushed outside and gave him a loud scolding.

"Hahahahaha" both Tsunade and Yuichi looked at each other and their laughter escaped watching the event outside forgetting all of their panic they had earlier.