The journey to the Land of Frost was less a journey and more a series of complaints disguised as conversation.
But they quickly arrived at the spa town located between a valley like a secret the 'white' mountains were keeping.
Steam rose from dozens of those unnatural hot springs, with traditional wooden structures buildings and curved roofs.
It was, objectively, beautiful.
"This is disgustingly picturesque," Tsunade announced.
"That's the idea." Azula was already walking toward the largest establishment, a three-story inn with a carved wooden sign reading Heaven's Touch.
"The Daimyō of this region understood that people will travel through war zones for the promise of luxury. It's the same principle as casinos, though fortunately, casinos are for the rich, and not sane rich would come to the Land of Frost in this period of time."
Tsunade perked up. "Speaking of casinos—"
"No."
"I didn't even ask anything!"
"You were going to ask if they are also open, but they don't even have one. This is a spa town, not a vice den."
Azula paused at the entrance, glancing back. The setting sun caught her black eyes. "Though I suppose having you here is vice enough."
She slid the door open before Tsunade could process whether that was an insult or something else entirely.
•••
The innkeeper was a small, round man with nervous eyes and the desperate smile of someone trying very hard not to think about the war happening disturbingly close to his place of business.
"Welcome! Welcome to Heaven's Touch! How may I—" He stopped, taking in their appearances.
Two women, travel-worn, one with torn clothing that looked suspiciously singed, both radiating an aura that made his survival instincts scream.
His smile became even more desperate. "—help you?"
"A room," Azula said. "The best one with private access to the springs."
"Of course, of course! Right this way, we have our finest suite available, normally reserved for visiting dignitaries, though with the current... situation..." He laughed nervously, mopping his brow with a cloth.
"Business has been challenging. You wouldn't believe the cancellations! People are so sensitive these days, just a little border skirmish and suddenly no one wants to travel."
He led them through a serene courtyard garden, past carefully raked gravel and frozen koi ponds.
Azula and Tsunade exchanged a look.
"Little border skirmish," Tsunade muttered under her breath. "That's one way to describe armies clashing twenty miles from here."
"Shh." Azula's lips twitched. "Let him cope."
The innkeeper continued his monologue, apparently grateful for an audience not currently trying to kill him.
"And the nerve of some people! Just last week, a merchant from the capital wrote demanding a full refund for his prepaid booking because and I quote 'the potential for violent death interferes with my relaxation.' As if we control the geopolitical situation! Do I look like the Daimyō to you?"
He laughed again, the sound edging into hysterical territory.
Azula's expression remained perfectly pleasant. "Terrible for business."
"Terrible," the innkeeper agreed fervently. "And the worst part? My 'friends' in the Land of Snow are probably thriving! 'Oh, come to the safe hot springs,' they advertise. 'No chance of being caught in a shinobi conflict here.'"
He mimed quotation marks with his fingers, offended on behalf of his entire profession.
"As if peace is something to brag about. Any fool can run a business in peacetime but it takes real entrepreneurs to keep going when the world's falling apart!"
Tsunade choked.
Azula's smile didn't waver, but something dangerous flickered in her eyes. "Quite right. The truly dedicated understand that commerce transcends temporary inconveniences like warfare."
"Exactly! You understand!" The innkeeper beamed, completely missing the irony. "This woman gets it. Now, here we are, the Sakura Suite. Private onsen, heated floors, the finest futons in the prefecture. Normally this would be fifty thousand ryō a night, but for discerning guests who appreciate the realities of business..."
He spoke conspiratorially. "Twenty thousand with breakfast included."
•••
The moment he left, Tsunade collapsed onto the nearest futon, shaking with suppressed laughter.
"Did you hear that man?" She wheezed. "'Any fool can run a business in peacetime.' You fought a Kage just a few walk away from the town! There are probably bodies! And he's worried about his competitors in the Land of Snow!"
Azula lowered herself onto the edge of the futon with considerably more dignity, though the slight wince as her muscles protested didn't escape Tsunade's notice, something she didn't heal with her Fire Release Chakra Mode because of spending much chakra.
"He's a businessman. They exist in their own reality. For them, war is just another market fluctuation."
"The potential for violent death interferes with my relaxation," Tsunade quoted, dissolving into giggles again. "I'm going to use that. That's my new excuse for everything."
"You already use 'I don't want to' for everything. You don't need another excuse."
"Rude. And accurate." Tsunade propped herself up on her elbows, watching Azula carefully remove her sandals.
It was... strangely vulnerable.
"You okay?" Tsunade asked, the question slipping out before she could stop it.
"Just a little bit sore." She couldn't help but smile. "It's been a long time since I felt my body like this. It should be since the day I awakened my Sharingan. It's enjoyable."
"Uh huh." Tsunade sat up fully. "And when's the last time someone made you soak in a hot spring after a job well done?"
Azula considered this. "Never."
"Then you're doing it wrong." Tsunade stood, stretching with a series of pops that made them both wince.
"Come on, let's test if this private onsen is actually private or if our businessman friend is going to charge us extra for 'premium water usage' or something."
•••
The private onsen was actually indeed private, a little rock pool tucked into a corner of the inn's garden, ringed by bamboo fencing, steam rising gently from the natural hot spring into the cold air.
Perfect.
Azula began peeling off her clothes with elegant precision. Her scroll had an outfit for every occasion, especially a spare for after a good fight.
But—swoosh, swoosh.
She didn't even need to look to know it was Tsunade, probably dumping her things anywhere without a second thought.
And yes, they'd booked a single room even though the whole spa was empty. A strategic choice, obviously. Just in case of an attack or ambush.
Definitely.
Azula kept going, until she was down to her comfortable red underwear, draping a towel over them without looking back.
Tsunade, who'd just wrapped a towel around herself after haphazardly discarding her clothes, watched the whole thing in a daze.
It wasn't until Azula started to turn that Tsunade quickly looked away, missing the slight smirk on Azula's face.
With her absolute sensing ability, how could she not feel Tsunade's burning gaze on her?
"Huh? Why aren't you waiting for me?" Azula teased, trailing behind Tsunade as she hurried toward the water.
Tsunade grumbled under her breath, finally understanding why Azula had reacted the same way when she'd seen her naked earlier.
Don't overthink it, Tsunade. You're about to give her the most wholesome, embarrassing moment of her life.
A mischievous plan took shape in her mind as they reached the pool.
She dropped her towel and dove in—completely naked.
She was Tsunade, after all; comfort came before everything else. She couldn't resist glancing back at Azula with a provocative look that screamed, "Do it if you're brave enough" without uttering a word, before slipping underwater.
Azula knew full well Tsunade was naked, but the thick mist was relentless. Even her unparalleled vision couldn't pierce it unless she activated her Sharingan, which she didn't.
Should I just go naked? she wondered. It was only her and Tsunade, after all—and being naked was way more comfortable than wearing underwear.
Knowing exactly what she was comfortable with, Azula didn't hesitate a second longer. She put on another strip show.
Damn mist! Tsunade grumbled, suddenly understanding why Jiraiya always called it his natural enemy.
For a long moment, she and Azula simply gazed at each other—no words, no shyness, just pure clarity and unspoken understanding.
Azula recognized that look. She understood Tsunade even more now, and precisely because of that, a bunch of complicated emotions stirred inside her.
Finally, she chose to dive in too. Instantly, she relaxed, dropping the pressure.
•••
"Sigh. You know, sometimes I really don't get it. Why start a war over a little disagreement? Wouldn't it be way better to just soak in a hot bath, hit the gambling tables, and call it a day?" Tsunade said after feeling comfortable.
Azula recognized it for what it was, though: a vent, not a real question. Tsunade was far too sharp to truly miss the point of war.
So she played along with a smirk. "Most warlords just don't have their priorities straight like you do. They also lack your very specific talent for sniffing out the nearest gambling den in the middle of total chaos. A rare gift and remarkably persistent."
Tsunade didn't even blink. "Still better than throwing lives away just to grab a scrap of territory everyone knows will just get handed back when the war's over."
She was thinking of those endless wartime cycles, troops flooding some outposts deemed a 'vital strategic point' only to lose it days later and start the whole pointless dance again.
"Well, look on the bright side," Azula said, her voice smooth as she drew Tsunade's attention. "Now that I'll be in power, those kinds of wars are finished. This world is about to see peace like never before."
She spoke like it was already a fact without doubt or hesitation. And for someone as bold as Tsunade, that kind of absolute confidence hit just right.
Still, Tsunade couldn't help being realistic.
"If anyone in this world could actually pull that off, it's you. No question." Her eyes flicked to the bruises still scattered across Azula. "But you need to get stronger than this. At least another level or two."
"I know. But at my level, not just anything can boost my strength anymore. I should be due for another upgrade soon, though." She admitted, already thinking about her 'one hundred ways' to awaken the Mangekyō.
Tsunade didn't question it.
"Well, let's not get into all that here. Time to just relax." She paused, a thought popping up. "Speaking of relaxing, I noticed you were pretty tense earlier. Want a medical massage?"
Azula didn't overthink it. It wasn't the first time Tsunade had offered one after a good fight, and she knew from experience it was worth it.
So she nodded.
She assumed it would happen after they got out of the pool. Which is why she was a little surprised when Tsunade swam straight toward her instead.
That brief surprise was all Tsunade needed. She slid past Azula in one smooth motion and settled right behind her.
Now Azula started to catch on. Well, not the full picture. She just figured Tsunade was being mischievous, looking for a little tease.
Still, having someone at her back felt a little weird. She admitted this to herself, thinking of her life back on Earth—where, honestly, she'd been way too dominant in every relationship.
But maybe it's an Uchiha thing? She thought of Madara, who'd claimed he couldn't even pee with someone standing behind him.
Then Tsunade's hands landed on her shoulders, and all those thoughts went straight into the trash.
Damn, since when did I get this sensitive? She was shocked, fighting with everything she had not to let out a moan, which would've been incredibly awkward.
But Tsunade, her hands moving across Azula's body, felt her tense up immediately. She smirked.
"Don't be so tense. You're supposed to relax, not tighten up. Don't you trust my skills?"
She spoke as she launched her offensive, this time even channeling a bit of her chakra to make her hands warmer. The effect on Azula was instant.
Calm down, Azula. You've seen it all. You broke a pelvis on a toy that was too big. You literally died because of—
Her thoughts shattered when she felt something press against her back.
"Hmm, Tsunade, what are y-you doing?" She stuttered, despite her best efforts.
Tsunade didn't let up. "Don't worry, I'm just using chakra. Doesn't it feel much better?"
It does feel better. But if this keeps going, I might be cumming.
(END OF THE CHAPTER)
Sigh, I'm back. Hope I didn't disappointed you.
Honestly, taking account about their age and everything, I was doing my best not to make this creepy, also wanted to end all of this here, but I'm sleepy and yes, I'm back permanently.