A/N: Prize for CookieZZ, who won my 23,456 kiriban over on DeviantArt.

I don't think I've ever written exclusively from the viewpoint of a headstrong teenage girl so this was a challenge for me. And I don't think I've ever approached Orochimaru from this angle, so that was another challenge. This idea has been in my head for a couple of years, though, so it was fun to write. New angles and approaches to familiar characters are always fun for me.

As for Tsunade, I let the fact that she's young here give me some maneuverability with her interpretation, but otherwise tried to keep things as IC as possible for both of them. I've always seen her as forceful and decisive, with a thread of impulsiveness, and Orochimaru always struck me as being somewhat mean to her, as if there was history between them. ^_^

Enchantment

Other than the librarians who moved up and down the aisles placing books, Konoha's library was still and silent. This late at night, it was closed to the public and only allowed Jounin or Tokubetsu Jounin to conduct research.

Unless you happened to be the Hokage's students. Then you were allowed a few privileges. Especially if you were as bright as the two sharing the last table on the library's west end.

Tsunade slouched down in her chair. It was a position that allowed her to prop the large textbook up on the table so that she could hide behind it and pretend to be reading. She'd be done for over an hour, but Orochimaru never could seem to get his fill of research. While she pretended to read, she snuck peeks at him from around the edge over her book. Just one eye. She always zipped her gaze back to the page in front of her whenever he looked up, but his head was bent often enough so that she was able to stare long and hard.

She couldn't really pinpoint just what it was about him that had been fascinating her for the past few months. He was certainly mysterious insofar as one never really knew what he was thinking. His behavior likewise skirted the edges of socially acceptable; he was almost completely detached, possibly even borderline schizoid, if not outright so. She didn't think her attraction stemmed from the fact that he was humanoid, either, instead of just human. Humanoids were a common part of society and their world. She'd read of other societies that were strictly human, but the Five Great Nations were not one of them, and it wasn't something she thought about.

Still, she had to admit that his looks did attract her. That was strange too. She was normally attracted to strong, silent types, which Orochimaru definitely was, but he was also decidedly sinister. Dark. And there was that mystery that hung about him. He occupied her thoughts more and more of late, and when they were alone, like they were now, she could feel a pull towards him that blocked out thoughts of everything else.

"Stop staring at me."

She jerked her eyes back to the text in front of her immediately, face heating with embarrassment… and a moment later she was looking at him again. She saw his eyes narrow at his own book, saw the way his lips thinned, and knew that he was aware of her staring again. He'd probably been aware of all her stares; Orochimaru was nothing if not observant.

This time he merely shut the book and got up.

-oOo-

He was halfway down the stairs outside the library before she caught up to him. "Sensei wants our hypothesis drafted by tomorrow morning," she panted.

"It will be." He didn't so much as look at her.

"Well, we should probably do it toge-"

He was gone.

She didn't see him the next day. She dropped her draft off at Hiruzen-sensei's office, and saw that he was already reading Oochimaru's. "This is excellent," he murmured around his pipe. "You and Orochimaru have the finest minds to come along in generations."

"Thank you, sensei."

"How old are you now, Tsunade?"

"Seventeen."

"I think you're old enough to consider becoming an official medic-nin. More than old enough, and certainly skilled enough."

It was something she'd thought about more than once. She waited as he finished reading her draft.

He picked up Orochimaru's draft again and held it side by side with hers, comparing something. "Your team mate has some truly pioneering ideas," he frowned. "As do you. I'd like you two to get together and discuss this point here," he circled something in red on Orochimaru's paper, "and get back to me with applicable scenarios." He looked up and saw the expression on her face. "Something wrong?"

"No, sensei."

He studied those averted amber eyes a moment. "You understand that now, while missions and conflict are at a low, is the perfect time to conduct research?"

"Of course, sensei."

Hiruzen nodded. He handed her the drafts and dismissed her with a small smile. "I look forward to seeing your results."

Orochimaru was in his lab. She suspected that it was one of many, and that this one only contained his less controversial experiments. He didn't react to her entering other than to say, "I'm busy."

Looking at the way he stood with his back to her as he held a vial up to the fluorescent light, Tsunade hesitated as a rush of boldness overcame her. She had the drafts in her hand, but she tucked them into her blouse now. She knew things about him that would frighten most people, but she also knew herself, and that she was capable of handling his reaction. If she didn't say something now, she could expect to spend the rest of her life waiting for him to notice her as a woman. It would never happen, not unless she got the ball rolling.

No harm in asking, she thought with a flutter in her belly. She cleared her throat. "I want to go out with you."

He did turn his head marginally to regard her with one pale eye, but it was a brief look. He was facing away from her again the next moment, clearly with no intention of answering.

Maybe he hadn't understood her. "As, um…more than friends."

He continued to work at his station, pouring something from a beaker into another vial and swirling it around to mix it.

"Will you-"

"No. Leave me alone."

Her face must have been beet red; she felt it go up in a hot flash of indignation, but she stood her ground. "One date won't kill you," she said through her teeth. "It might even improve your disposition." When he continued to ignore her, she gave in to her rising temper and swung her fist at the wall to her right.

The entire thing cracked. Fissures appeared in the ceiling, and plaster sifted down on them both. Orochimaru stared upward, before turning around to glare at her with wide eyes.

Knowing full well that nice girls didn't threaten the boys they were interested in into going out with them, Tsunade drew herself up to her full height, face still scarlet. "The waterfalls. Tonight. Moonrise." She managed to walk out with what little dignity she had left.

At the appointed time that night, she abruptly lost her nerve. What was she doing? Orochimaru was questionably sane at best. She ran down all the reasons to stay home, before reminding herself that she didn't want a relationship. Not really. I'm just really attracted, and he's very intriguing, and he's probably never had anyone show him any love. Not since his parents died. Who knows…maybe he'll change a little if he sees that someone is interested in him despite his personality. I'm sure once he sees that I care about him he'll be more personable.

Courage in hand, she left to meet him.

-oOo-

At first she didn't see him. Thinking he was late, she took the time to smooth a hand over her shirt and fluff her ponytail. It was while she was doing this that he unmasked his chakra and dispelled the Genjutsu that had hidden him from view. He walked a few feet toward her, face unreadable, and said, "What is this, Tsunade?"

Immediately, she could tell that he hadn't come because he'd been intimidated. More like his curiosity had been peaked; she wanted this meeting with him bad enough to get angry over a rejection, therefore it would behoove him to find out what she wanted the meeting for.

Words wouldn't work with him. He would either ignore them or simply leave, and she had no idea how to voice what she really wanted anyway. She'd been thinking of this approach for several weeks now, in full awareness that Orochimaru wasn't the dating type, so her hands didn't shake too badly when she reached for the hem of her shirt and lifted it off.

A girl had a right to decide when and with whom she lost her virginity. She wanted Orochimaru, and she felt grown-up enough to know it would probably never go beyond sex. She still harbored a secret hope of softening his indifferent exterior, but for now, she wanted him to be the one.

She forced her chin up and held her hands still by her sides as she silently dared him to ridicule her. He wouldn't be walking away in one piece if he did, her look said.

There was surprise in his unblinking eyes, but there was more wariness and confusion than anything else. He gave a cursory look at her bare breasts, a sight that would have had Jiraiya hemorrhaging from the nose, but for the most part he searched her defiant expression for understanding. She could see this. He was genuinely skeptical over the fact that she'd blatantly asked him here tonight so that he could have sex with her. She'd always been direct, but this was a bit much for him to swallow. He continued to stare at her, apparently trying to decide if she was serious or not.

Even now, so nervous that she was close to calling it off, the way his eyes passed over her nudity had her nipples tightening. She felt a pleasant shiver work it's way through her, before it settled low in her belly, where it coiled thickly. An answering awareness made itself known as a dull throb between her legs, and Tsunade moistened her lips.

Orochimaru kept his narrowed gaze on hers as he took a slow step toward her, then another. He stopped, judging the fright and determination on her face. His eyes flicked downward again. Seeing her arousal, he closed the distance between them.

-oOo-

There were some trees growing a few yards away from the falls. In mutual silence, they turned and walked toward them until they were enclosed by the deep shadows. Tsunade waited with her eyes downcast for him to make some kind of move.

He didn't. He only stood in front of her, his face hidden by the shadows, and his hands straight down by his sides. I wonder if it's his first time too? Uncertain as well as nervous now, she reached up and jerkily undid her ponytail. Her hair brushed her shoulder blades in a thick fall.

Orochimaru seemed to take this small action as his cue. She saw him slowly undoing his belt. She shucked her pants and shoes off in a rush, then stood self-consciously until she saw him bend to undo his own shoes. When he straightened, his bare skin gleamed dully.

He took a step toward her and stopped. She'd entertained ideas of him taking her into his arms and showing her the wonders of the union of man and woman, but that wasn't to be, she saw. Hiding her disappointment, she got to her knees, then leaned back on her elbows. The grass was cool and soft against her skin.

She heard rustling, sensed him kneeling down in front of her, then he was walking forward over her on his hands. Her nerves took a steep climb upward at feeling his leg brush her inner thigh. That simple touch of skin on skin, where she'd never been touched, somehow emphasized what she was about to do. She wondered what he would do if she called it off now, but then her nipples grazed his chest and she couldn't stop the gasp that left her. It was both shocking and pleasant, and not a little frightening. Then he was parting her thighs with the outsides of his own, nudging her wide, and the fear swamped what little pleasure she'd had.

He didn't touch her anyplace else, at least not with his hands. The hard surface of his stomach settled against her belly, and then the hot, smooth head of his penis prodded blindly at her core.

She felt a skittish sort of excitement at touching him this way at last. It mixed unevenly with her fear. Her hand came to rest on one of his shoulders as she felt him reaching down to guide himself. His tip ran down the length of her cleft, parted her finally, and he pushed forward without ceremony or hesitation. She had to squeeze her eyes shut at the stinging sensation, but she didn't stop him. His head lowered at the penetration, so that his hair surrounded her face. There were a few moments where she sensed the feel of her was robbing him of his usual composure; his breathing gusted in and out of his nose, fanning her face. Then she gasped as he pressed past the barrier of her virginity and filled her completely.

The fact that she was dry intensified the sting, but she was soon warm and wet and melting around him as he withdrew and entered her again, deeper than before. He struck up an erratic rhythm that utterly swamped her with pleasure immediately, so much so that she was crying out in time to his thrusts, and then arching into him on a sudden, shocking, pulsating climax. Her convulsions around him caused him to grunt and stiffen; he was pulling out of her quickly to coat her quivering belly with his own release.

-oOo-

It was over. The entire thing had taken mere minutes, and he was already pushing himself off her and reaching for his clothes. Left weak and shaking in the aftermath, and feeling her attraction ten times more intensely now, she felt a sudden sense of loss. A need to be held by him and reassured that it had been okay, to know that he'd found her gift special or that he cherished it at all.

She reached for her own clothes instead, not looking at him.

As they were standing back to back and putting the final adjustments to their garments, she asked quietly, "Can I see you again?"

He didn't answer her. A moment later, she turned and saw that she was alone. She stood for several minutes staring at the space he'd occupied, feeling sick inside. Then she hugged her mid-section and turned for home.

With Jiraiya off at Myoubokuzan, there was no one to act as a buffer between her and Orochimaru, and their sensei when he went off on these research tangents. Jiraiya would normally complain about having to read unsexy material until she punched him, or until Orochimaru was forced to abandon his trademark stoicism in favor of a few cutting, well-chosen remarks on Jiraiya's stupidity. In the end, Jiraiya usually ditched them all to go lurk at a hot springs, at which point Hiruzen-sensei would make some red-faced comment about going to find him. Neither of them ever returned. And so research would get put off indefinitely. Not so this time.

The following week saw the three of them in the Hokage's office, buried in books, and all Tsunade could think about was the way it had felt to have Orochimaru inside her. For him to be part of her like that had been profound and humbling and everything she'd thought it would be, but Orochimaru sat across from her now, turning pages as if he was completely unaware of her. Which he wasn't.

She was being ignored.

That he was going out of his way to do so wasn't unusual. It was just more obvious now given what they'd done. She still believed that if she showed him interest, showed him the depth of her feelings, that he would respond. He just needed someone to love him, she believed. And she could be that person. The very unobtainable nature of him made her clench her jaw in determination to be the one to get past his defenses and reach the insecure, sensitive, love-starved man she was sure lurked inside. That decided, she focused once more on the large book open on her knees. You can't ignore me forever.

-oOo-

Hiruzen-sensei dismissed them for lunch, and Tsunade followed Orochimaru out of the building with steely intent making her eyes glint. She caught up to him on a nearby rooftop and grabbed his arm. He jerked free, but not before she'd swung him around.

"What do you want?" He didn't shout. He almost never shouted. His face was annoyed, but as always there was that curiosity in his narrowed reptilian eyes.

"Did you hate it?" she asked without preamble.

His brow cleared. "You're tiresome." He started to turn away, and her temper spiked. She swung him around harder this time, and this time he grimaced with the beginnings of anger.

"Did you?"

He paused to consider the question. Or she assumed he was considering it. "I have no opinion on the matter," he said noncommittally.

"Well, I do have an opinion," she seethed. "I liked it. I like you," she went on recklessly. She intended to drown him in her feelings, so that he'd be forced to respond. "I want us to meet again. And if you refuse me," she said quickly when his eyes reduced themselves to slits, "I'll follow you home, and to your lab, and-"

"I think you've gone crazy. Why would you force yourself on someone uninterested in you?"

He didn't even have the vanity to assume his performance had been exceptional, she thought in wonder. The way he tilted his head at her, as if studying some new problem, made her want to kiss him and punch him at the same time. On the one hand, he was showing some interest in her at last. On the other, he'd just said he was essentially uninterested. "I'm going to be at the falls again tonight," she said instead of answering. "You better be there if you don't want me hunting you down."

She turned with a flip of her ponytail and leapt away. Replaying the things she'd said and the look on his face, she decided that baiting him and inundating him with the fact of her attraction was the best fun she'd had in ages.

That night, she sat in the shadow of the trees, in the same spot they'd used before, with her arms encircling her drawn up knees. He was late. She rocked back and forth, chin on one knee, and stared out at where the falls tumbled into the stream.

Maybe I shouldn't have pushed him so hard. That was a ridiculous thought. It was impossible to push Orochimaru too hard, because he didn't react to things the way normal people did. He could and would have ended their rooftop discussion if he'd really wanted to. He'd stayed and listened. And he fucked me that night. He didn't have to do that either, but he did. She'd been wondering why he'd consented to do so ever since it happened, especially if he was as uninterested in her (God, that word really grated) as he claimed. He didn't seem like the kind of person who'd succumb to the desires other boys would. Maybe it really had been his first time and he'd wanted to know what it would be like. That seemed closer to the truth. There certainly hadn't been any finesse on his part, nothing she could label as experience. Still, as short as it had been, she'd enjoyed it immensely. Just remembering it made her ache in places.

-oOo-

She'd all but made up her mind that he wasn't coming when he landed by the stream with a soft thump. He looked in her direction immediately, sensing her even if he couldn't see her in the shadows. He walked forward cautiously, eyes scanning for the sight of her. She kept herself still, and her chin on her knee.

He stopped when he was finally close enough to see her. No greetings between them. He had that wary look of disbelief and confusion on his face again, and she wondered if this was his approach to sex in general, or to her interest in him. Whatever it was, it was clear that he wouldn't make a move until she did.

This time she'd brought a blanket. She leaned back on it now until she was lying down, leaving her clothes on.

His confusion intensified; his eyes narrowed at the obvious invitation, and yet he couldn't fail to note that she wasn't removing her clothes this time. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at him. That was definitely his first time the other night. She waited patiently.

After a few minutes of just standing there, he began undressing. He left his pants on this time as he knelt near her hip. Another few seconds went by before he tentatively put a hand on her waistband, as if waiting to see if this was what she wanted. His eyes remain locked to her face.

She smiled encouragingly.

He was quick about it after that, moving closer and dragging her pants off in a business-like manner. Her shoes got swept off in the process. He went for her top next and had that off too. She undid her ponytail herself, and sat nude in front of him while he stood and pushed his pants down. He wasn't wearing underwear.

This was the first time she'd seen his cock. It dangled in her face as he toed off his shoes and kicked his pants aside. Half erect, it was long and smooth. The longer she stared, though, the thicker it grew, and she saw veins begin to stand out. She realized with a start that he was watching her stare at him. Then his eyes moved over what he could see of her body in her seated position and he knelt once more.

-oOo-

Apparently he'd come to the conclusion that since she wanted this so much, he was free to take a few liberties. Such as pushing her firmly to her back and spreading her legs. He sat between them, looking her over from head to crotch, and running his eyes over every other part of her. She colored in acute embarrassment and not a little arousal at his unswerving gaze. In fact, he stared at where she was becoming moist for quite some time, as if cataloging the phenomenon for later investigation. He stroked himself lazily, watching her grow wetter by the second. The sight of him handling himself at all, much less to the sight of her excitement, made her shiver. She was suddenly dripping and breathing in deep lungfuls of the summery night air.

Again, he didn't touch her, but only positioned himself over her body. This time she shyly put her arms around him. He allowed this, perhaps because he was occupied with guiding himself into her. He slid in easily this time, and there was no pain. Bracing his weight on his elbows, he studied her face as he began moving, as if filing away her keening responses the way he had her arousal.

It was different this time. She was so wet that the pleasure was even quicker to arrive, and it was both sharper and stronger. She came almost immediately, bucking against him. He went still, narrowing his eyes at the way her inner walls clenched around him, and setting his jaw against the rhythmic squeezing. Then he was moving again before the spasms had quite receded, and she was coming again, and he didn't stop this time, but thrust into her harder and faster…until he pulled out just as he emptied himself on the blanket with a harsh gasp.

He started to get up. "Stay," she whispered. Her lingering aftershocks shivered the word into several syllables. Orochimaru hesitated, looking at her, looking at her damp body.

He stayed.

There were no words between them regarding their nighttime activities after that. They went through Hiruzen-sensei's research or other mild assignments by day, and met by the falls each night.

Most of the time she arrived first. She wouldn't undress until he showed up, and then sometimes he was impatient and removed her clothes himself as soon as he landed. Once or twice he didn't even bother, just pulled her pants down, and took her on her hands and knees with his own garments pulled aside only enough to perform the act.

The times she arrived to find him waiting were times she noticed he was rougher than normal. Usually he took her impersonally, fucking her until he was satisfied, then getting up to leave. On the occasions he arrived first, he sometimes pushed her against a tree and took her standing, or else on all fours. Once he ripped her blouse in his impatience and she had been so excited at him wanting her so much that she'd leaned up to try and kiss him. He'd jerked his head back at once, narrowing his eyes the way he did whenever he was wary. That had been the only time he'd left without fucking her, and she hadn't tried to kiss him since.

-oOo-

Though he never touched her other than to take off her clothes, or position her body a certain way, she nevertheless considered the sex fantastic. She came often, even without stimulation in any way other than his cock in her, and he was frequently able to go two or three times before he left. He didn't push her away on the occasions she put her arms around him in a fit of adoration and gratification, and he never minded if she switched their positions and rode him, as she'd learned to do from some overheard gossip. He only protested if she tried to touch him more than this, or if she stroked his hair. And the one time she'd asked him to touch her breast, he'd given her that narrowed gaze, then proceeded to ignore the request.

She couldn't wait for the nights. Her days were spent in feverish completion of whatever activity she was supposed to be doing, be it training or research, as she silently counted the hours until she could run to the falls. On the few nights Hiruzen-sensei had them researching with him she wanted to scream. Those were the nights she could detect a tiny smirk on Orochimaru's face, where he sat going through books, and it was at those times that she longed to throw the desk at his head. She strongly suspected that he orchestrated those nights of research with their sensei for the sole purpose of seeing her squirm. But then the next night would be one of those nights he showed up before her and he would be twice as eager to sink into her body.

All things considered, she thought she was making excellent headway with him. He was eager to fuck her, and despite his issues with touching and kissing, she thought he must be coming to care for her. For her part, her feelings were rapidly deepening to the point of obsession, but she didn't care. She just wanted him and would continue to meet with him as often as she could.

A night came as summer was cooling toward fall, and they'd been meeting for nearly three months, where she came to a decision. When he arrived tonight, she would see that things went differently. After all, showing him she wanted him had gotten him to agree to meet, and then to the point where he wanted to have sex with her. It therefore followed that if she gave another tiny little push he might fall in line again. Just a little one. She simply had to have more of him than what he was giving her.

-oOo-

He came and disrobed even as he was landing. They hadn't researched the night before, but Hiruzen-sensei had sent him on a minor mission to Grass Country. They hadn't seen each other in three days and were both impatient to be joined.

They'd never been apart for longer than a single night, not since beginning their clandestine affair. Tonight Orochimaru went so far as to put his face in her neck when he took her roughly against one tree. He lifted her, wrapped her legs about him, and plunged into her again and again in a fit of fierce excitement he'd never displayed before. She clung to him, stifling her wild cries in his hair, and feeling her heart swell and burst with her uncontrollable feelings for him. It happened at the moment of her tumultuous climax, and she shrieked by his ear, even as he continued to drive into her quaking body. He does want me!

And this time, when she felt the tell-tale thickening of his member that signaled his impending release, she locked her legs around him and tightened her arms. She held onto him through his struggles to be free, until she felt what she'd been longing to feel for weeks now: the hot rush of his seed filling and heating her insides.

They were both utterly still for the duration of his climax. She could feel the way his cock pulsed through the ejaculations, just as she was sure he could feel the way she squeezed her muscles around him, holding onto him even there.

But then he yanked himself free of her. She only just managed to get her feet under her as she fell from his body, and still she ended up on her knees. She looked up at him through her hair.

He was furious.

"I…I wasn't trying to get pregnant," she rushed to assure him.

He turned his back and angrily snatched his clothes into place.

"I just wanted to be closer to you," she said brokenly.

He began stalking away.

"I love you!" she cried. He had to understand. She had to make him understand, she thought desperately. She said it again, getting to her feet and taking a shaky step toward him. "Please…I love you."

Orochimaru slowly turned his head to stare at her. There was no wariness or confusion now. His eyes glittered with contempt and disgust. The look on his face said clearly that this, whatever it was, was over, but in case she didn't or wouldn't understand, he said, "Approach me again and I will kill you."

He left her there, with his seed running down the inside of one leg.

-oOo-

The look of hatred on his face and the menace of his words stayed with her. She understood then in a brilliant burst of clarity that she'd loved a dream. Not even that, something less than a dream. There was no lovesick man waiting to be freed from Orochimaru's stunted emotions; he had no emotions save for the ones he'd shown her just now.

She'd made a fool of herself. Thrown herself at him like some desperate hussy, even after he'd said he was uninterested. That hurt the worst. He'd told her the truth and she'd had so little self-respect as to pursue him anyway. She'd threatened him. And then he'd taken what she offered without further comment, knowing full well that her feelings were involved and that his never would be. He'd probably been laughing at her in private the entire time. She would never live down the dishonor of this summer. Never.

The enchantment she'd been under dissolving and running hotly down her cheeks, Tsunade slowly crumpled to the ground and covered her face with her hands.