Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Rating: T for some language and the implication of sex.

A/N: My husband and I ran through the rain today, and this just came to me. I've never written Tsunade before, so please let me know if she's accurate by leaving a review...hint, hint. Please enjoy!

It's in the Rain

"Shizune? Shizune!" Her goddamn assistant was supposed to assisting her, not flitting around like some airhead. She looked expectantly at the door; it didn't open for several moments.

Tsunade's frown furthered to a scowl. "SHI-ZU-NE!"

"What?" Shizune's neatly styled head popped into her office; she looked cross.

"Where are those reports I asked for?"

"Don't have 'em. Besides, it's raining," Shizune answered, as if rain would prevent her from getting the reports. Her dark eyes were over Tsunade's shoulder, gazing at the torrential downpour outside the window. "I'll get them tomorrow."

The door shut with a click.

Tsunade swiveled around in her chair. She glared at the rain. As always, rain made her irritable and moody.

She swiveled back, looked at the message from Lord Gaara.

…reports of the Akatsuki are unreliable. Several sightings of Uchiha Itachi and his partner Hoshigaki Kisame have been noted in the area, but upon investigation…

Tsunade's mind faded after the first two sentences, her ears fixed on the sound of rain on the glass pane.

The Fifth chewed on her pen tip for a bit, couldn't focus on the words in the message. The rain distracted her.

"For Chrissake," she muttered, "it's only rain."

She flinched. Jiraiya, the grinning toad fool, had said that talking to oneself was a sign of aging; in the same breath he'd said that she was eccentric and could get away with it.

In retaliation, she'd drunk him under her desk and spoke loudly to him the next day when he was hung-over.

The driving rain tapped at the glass.

Tsuande flung the pen down. It plopped on Gaara's message, leaving a wet mark where the chewed end landed.

Crap, she thought, pressing her thumb on the spot. It came away smeared, and she sighed, resigned to a shitty day.

Focus on work, she told herself, focus.

It was no use.

Irresistibly, the rain called her. Tsunade stood, looked at her desk like she wanted something. She pressed a hand to her head.

What the hell was she doing?

Turning, she drew up to the window, stared hard at the grey dark that rolled low over the green of Konoha. Droplets scattered and skipped on the glass, and like Fate was watching, Tsunade saw a couple running through the rain to shelter.

Her hand pressed against the cool glass, fingers screeched and vibrated when she pulled them down.

"Dan," the sannin whispered, her memory of her lover as clear as daylight.

The low thunderclouds had threatened and hung over Konoha all afternoon that day, but Dan had smiled at her and had said…

"Why don't we get some ramen tonight?"

She'd glanced out the window and back. "It's supposed to rain!"

"We'll be back before it starts."

Already he had opened the door and had threaded his fingers through hers, tugging her. As always, her will bent for him.

Tsunade closed her eyes; the rain was there, the way his eyes had crinkled when he smiled was vivid, heart wrenching, agonizing.

He had that same smile when the rumble of thunder had brought the downpour.

The wet rain-slick pavement smell, the splash of water on her sandaled feet, Dan peeking through the veranda; it was all there.

"Let's go…it'll be fun."

She'd shaken her head. Running in the rain would mean getting wet. Dry was what she liked, dry and warm. Dan had run his hand down her ponytail and kissed her forehead.

"What's a little rain?"

Tsunade had smacked his shoulder for his tease.

"You know I hate getting wet."

Gentle cunning gleamed in his eyes, and she knew his thoughts before he even spoke them. She thought perhaps she could get a little wet then.

"We can get you dry when we get home."

The dangle had worked; she relented.

Again, he'd persuaded her to do something she didn't want to do. She'd sighed in exasperation, dramatically, which had made him chuckle. His fingers had squeezed hers and before she could properly prepare, he'd darted from cover, dragging her along.

From the surprise, she'd shrieked. Dan had laughed again, ran faster.

Instantly they'd been soaked through. The rain had pelted them, splashed up around their knees as they dashed through puddles.

She hadn't been able to help it; she'd laughed and giggled, speeding up to match Dan's long stride.

Never had she run in the rain, legs pounding in tandem with her true love; exhilarated, lifted, free from the war and missions.

It had felt like the world had spoken to her and Dan, whispering in a way that only they had understood.

When they'd burst into his house, they'd been breathless and utterly drenched. Droplets had splattered on the entry floor. Dan's long hair had dripped, and she had probably looked like a wet rat.

Already their clothes had been half-peeled off, the two of them, in awkward, hasty passion, stumbling and bumping to his bedroom, where he'd dried her off like he'd said.

"Lady Tsunade?"

She jumped from the memory, her heart stuttering.

Shit. She'd not heard the door open. Quickly, she composed herself, biting her tongue to change her expression. She put her hands on her hips to affect her normal stance. Only then could Tsunade turn from the window and answer Shizune.

"What is it?"

"I got those reports you wanted."

Shizune came from behind the door fully, and Tsunade saw that her assistant was soaked to the bone, white robe nearly transparent, and hair gleaming in the lights. The reports were set on her desk in a neat pile. A couple drops splattered the top page.

"You didn't have to do that," the Fifth said, her heart flipping in her chest at Shizune's gesture.

Shizune smiled, her eyes dancing happily. Tsunade detected an increase in her heartbeat, and the telltale nervous shift of weight from one leg to the other.

"That's okay. Izumo came with me."

"I see. Thank you, Shizune."

The younger med-nin ducked her head, paused. She looked like she wanted to say something, but was worried about how it might be received. Tsunade anticipated her.

"I'm fine. You're dismissed."

Tsunade was left alone. It was how she liked it.

Her eyes flicked to the shadowed corners of her office. Something seemed different. Did Shizune's cheer darken the room some?

She glanced over her shoulder out the window.

It must be in the rain.

End.