Tsunade narrowed her eyes, thin flashes of anger starting to appear on her brown irises. Your sentence just now was probably the bravest—or craziest—thing I've ever heard in this room.
Shizune gasped, her hand reflexively groping the weapon pocket on her thigh. "Take care of your words, Akatsuki! You're at the center of Konoha's powerhouse!"
Tsunade raised one hand, gesturing for Shizune to remain calm. She slowly rose from her Hokage's chair, resting her hands on a large wooden table full of stacks of documents. The chakra pressure in the room suddenly increased, making the air feel heavier.
"Are they capable?" Tsunade repeated your sentence in a low, trembling tone. "You're underestimating my best ninjas in their own homes? That cloak might give you a high sense of confidence, Zak, but remember... one punch of mine could shatter your bones before you had a chance to blink."
He was silent for a moment, staring intently at the red clouds on your chest. "But you're still standing there calmly. You're not trembling, you're not preparing to attack. That means you're very confident in your strength, or you have something far more valuable than your own life."
Tsunade walked slowly around her desk, walking closer until you were only a few steps apart. The faint scent of sake and floral perfume wafted as he stood right in front of you.
"Tell me, Zak," he whispered, his voice now sound challenging but full of curiosity. "In addition to your great courage and eyes that are observant enough to praise me... What exactly are you carrying under that cloak? Power? Information? Or is it just a challenge?"
Me : *I hug Tsunade*
The gripping silence was suddenly broken by an unexpected movement. Shizune squealed restrainedly, almost knocking Tonton out of her arms. The Anbu hiding behind the wooden ceiling were already on the verge of lunging, their fingers already forming a seal of curse.
However, in the middle of the room, time seemed to stop.
Tsunade's body tensed instantly. She is a woman who once destroyed thousands of enemies on the battlefield, who once faced Orochimaru and Madara, but being hugged by an Akatsuki-robed man in the middle of her own office is something that is not in her dictionary.
The scent of your robe that carries the smell of long journeys comes into contact with the distinctive scent of flowers and sake from his clothes. For a few seconds that felt like a very long time, Tsunade didn't move. His deadly fist capable of shattering concrete gathered beside his body, but he did not deflect it.
"Z-Zak..." Shizune stammered, "Let go of Lady Tsunade right now or—!"
"Shut up, Shizune," Tsunade cut in a low, almost whispered voice.
Tsunade slowly lifted her head, her eyes staring intently at you from a very close distance. His breath feels warm on your shoulders. There were flashes of anger, but behind that, there was a deep sense of surprise that he didn't feel the slightest killing intent from you. This hug didn't feel like an attack, but rather something very foreign to a Hokage: a quiet confession.
Slowly, Tsunade's hand went up, but instead of hitting, she gripped the black fabric of Akatsukamu's robe tightly, as if to confirm if you were real or just Genjutsu.
"You're really not afraid of dying, are you?" whispered Tsunade, her voice now a little hoarse. "If I let go of my chakru now, this room will be destroyed with you. Why are you doing this, Zak? Behind this robe of red clouds... what are you really looking for in Konoha?"
Me : *I hugged Tsunade tightly and whispered in her ear, me.. Like you*
The world seemed to stop spinning inside the Hokage's office. Shizune was glued to her place, her eyes wide open, barely in disbelief at what she had just witnessed. Zak's courage—or perhaps madness—has surpassed the logical limits of any ninja in the five great countries.
Your hug felt tight, and at that close distance, your breath touched the skin of his neck as the words were spoken softly, but clearly.
Tsunade froze. His body, which was usually as firm as a coral in the middle of a storm, now felt a little shaking. Not because of fear, but because of the extraordinary shock. It's been a long time since someone had dared to touch him in this way, let alone whisper such personal words in the midst of a situation that should have been full of bloodshed.
"Z-Zak..." He whispered, his voice now completely lost its authority for a moment.
Tsunade's hand that had been gripping your robe slowly loosened, but she didn't let go. His head was lowered slightly, hiding a red hue that was starting to creep down his cheeks—something very rare to see from the legendary Sannin.
"You..." Tsunade took a deep breath, trying to gather back the remnants of her assertiveness as a Hokage. "You know who I am, right? I am a woman who can flatten mountains with one hand. And you... You are wearing the robes of an organization that wants to mess up this world."
He was silent for a moment, letting the silence hang between you. The tense atmosphere slowly melted away, giving way to something much more complex and confusing for anyone who saw it.
"Like me?" Tsunade finally whispered back, her voice a little hoarse. "After everything that happened... After all the losses I have experienced... You came with that red cloud and said crazy things like this?"
Suddenly, he pushes you slowly, just to create some distance so he can look directly into your eyes. His shiny brown eyes searched for the honesty behind your gaze.
"Tell me, Zak. Is this just part of Akatsuki's plan to weaken me? Or are you so stupid that you risked your life just to tell me that?"