Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto…Moment
Moment
Maybe it's the pain that makes them so special or maybe it's the feelings that follow, but there is one thing to be certain of…
When tragedy is inevitable, it's the little things that get us by.
That's why we live in the present…
The night air is cool, pleasant against his skin, and the feeling of steady heartbeats fluttering against the palm of his hand. The warmth that radiates from the body within his arms, the steady rising and falling of that person's chest soothing to his soul.
It feels okay.
It's times like these that make Hashirama remember that there is more to Madara than the ravages of war and the promise of anguish.
They are quiet, neither willing to be the first to break their fragile peace.
But they have reason.
Their fingers are intertwined, laced together in a loose hold, gentle, or as gentle as they'll ever be. Madara's blunt nails are digging into his callused palms in silent warning, but the Senju doesn't mind the Uchiha's threats.
He adores Madara all the more for it.
It shows just how much Madara wants this moment, because in the end, this single moment of breathless serenity is all they'll ever have. All they'll ever need.
The connecting of their essences into a sole entity and the feelings that lay within it. A small eternity of helplessness that they can share together, trapped in the pain of their own fears and uncertainties.
A heart to heart union.
They are lying motionlessly in the long, cool grasses made slick from dew, basking in the other's closeness. Their breath fans out in ghostly sheets and the cold bitterly nips at whatever skin it can touch. Their legs and arms are locked together, as is the rhythm of their heartbeats.
This is their moment…
And perhaps their last.
It is Madara who breaks the tranquility first, pushing the Senju away and sitting up to tower over the other with a frown. Hashirama quickly follows the young Uchiha's lead as to prevent himself falling prey to Madara's opportunistic ways.
They are weary.
And with good cause.
Without word or a glimpse of acknowledgment, the Uchiha stands to his full height and turns to leave, heading off towards his base camp in silence.
There is nothing to be said.
The Senju watches his retreating back as Madara disappears into the thickly wooded forest, his lips turned down into a grimace. But he understands the Uchiha's reasoning all too well.
War is upon them, and he must prepare for the upcoming battle.
Hashirama stands and starts to walk off in the direction of his own camp, his eyes dull and lips broken despite the determination in his face. The sounds of dry leaves cracking under foot sooth him now, preparing him for what is to come.
Sometimes the Senju wonders what it is that makes those moments so special to him and Madara.
But he already knows the answer to that.
For now though, he must prepare for the upcoming battle.
…The Uchiha won't be an easy opponent to defeat.
…Because nothing lasts forever.