Konoha fox

Chapter 16

Shizune nearly had a heart attack.

The morning had started like always: wake up, bathroom routine, dress, and go to make breakfast for her, Tsunade-hime, and little Naruto-chan. Despite the fact that he was already twelve she'd always call him that in her mind. Not that he minded if she used it in public, really, he was absolutely shameless.

Anyway, Shizune had just entered the kitchen when she received one of the biggest shocks in her life.

Tsunade-sama, her mentor was already there. Awake, dressed for the day, and sipping a cup of tea, Tsunade-sama waved lazily at her.

Shizune checked the clock to make sure she hadn't overslept. She hadn't. The dark haired kunoichi stared at her master, whose eyebrow started to twitch irritably.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, nothing..." Shizune continued to stare for a couple more seconds before blurting out her question, "What are you doing up so early, Tsunade-sama? Not that you can't, on the contrary it's great to see you awake before noon but..."

"Breathe Shizune, breathe. I just thought that I'd rather be ready to make a quick retreat when the shit hits the fan." Her apprentice looked at her quizzically while starting to make breakfast.

As she passed near Tsunade, however, her nose caught a suspiciously familiar scent coming from the blonde's supposed cup of tea.

"Tsunade-sama, that isn't tea, is it?"

"No, it isn't."

"It's sake, right?"

"Want some?"

"How can you be drinking first thing in the morning?" Shizune asked with a frown.

The Legendary medic didn't bat an eyelash and answered calmly, "That's why I am the teacher and you're the pupil, Shizune. You'll find out soon enough, though."

Just then a yell came from another room of the house, followed by a half-naked boy who threw himself into the kitchen with tears in his eyes.

"How could you, mom? My clothes, my precious orange clothes."

"I've left you new ones in your closet." Tsunade answered while sipping her sake. "And what are those?"

Naruto looked down at his only piece of clothing, a pair of pink boxers decorated with red hearts and yellow bears.

"Jiraiya's gift. He said something about girls loving men who don't fear to show a tender side... but that's not it. My clothes, they're not orange anymore! You took away my vitamin C! I need my Orange, it's my Loyalty!"

The blond looked at him puzzled for a second before deciding that she didn't care about what nonsense he was spouting, "You can always go around naked if you don't like your new clothes..."

"NO!"

Mother and son turned towards Shizune, who had shouted out.

"I'm not letting you do that! Firstly it's indecent, and secondly last time you did something like that and Kurenai-san decided to tell me about it; she found me when I was hanging out with Anko! No matter what, I'm not risking to be dragged into another of their insult matches!" Naruto blinked, then turned to look at his mother.

"Don't you think Shizu-nee-chan seems stressed?"

"You're right and apparently I was right about an apprentice of Jiraiya not being good for that kind of thing."

"I hate you two." the dark haired medic uttered dejectedly with a red face.

In the end Naruto was more or less forced to put on his new clothes while Tsunade explained that they were for appearances sake. It was her answer to Asuma's declared intention to nominate his team for the upcoming chuunin exams, and she clearly stated she wouldn't let him participate as a patch of orange.