A/N: Ok, so ever since I wrote the opening scenes of chapter 33 in Pain and Hope, I've had this story taking root inside my brain. So, unable to keep it bottled up anymore, I put it on paper. This is for me a further in-depth level of Pain and Hope, though it is easily a standalone story. The premise would be that these are things that happened in Uzumaki Mito's past. In the beginning, and all that is written in italics are passages of her secret, sealed journal. It is then followed by a scene detailing the happenings of that journal entry.

Now we all know how this will end, but we don't know how it began! And in my canon, Mito and Hashirama are two very different people. So if you want to see a very human story about love, betrayal, and loyalty, take a peek!

-Tea-

When I was 15, I was informed that by the time I am 17, I will be married and sent to another country. I met my future husband that very same day. He was older than me by a few winters, but he had a spark in his eyes that spoke of many battles fought and of many loved ones lost.

I was the daughter of one of the three Uzushio councilmen and have been taught form cradle the intricacies of politics, etiquette, and restraint among the theories of seals and chakra values. I have always known that I will marry for political reasons, most likely to a Damyio or a village leader that would fancy the exotic notion of having an Uzumaki wife. When Ashina-sama, our esteemed Uzukage, told me that there was interest in my hand in marriage, I held both excitement and apprehension in my heart. What was to wait for me behind the village boundaries? What manner of man will my future husband be?

I did not have to wait long to find out… and much more...

.

.

"You have to be perfect today." Said Mito's mother as she brushed her long, crimson hair. "Remember, Hashirama-dono and Ashina-sama are entering a crucial understanding. Our clan and the Senju go back from the time of our ancestors."

"Yes, mother." Fifteen-year-old Mito knew well of the connections between the Uzumaki and the Senju. She had spent her entire life learning of the world's clans, of their politics, and the turmoil of war happening outside the safety of her village. But today was the first step of many that she will take in the outside world. Today was the first day of her new life.

They were to meet for the first time at midday, following the preliminary discussions between Ashina-sama and Hashirama, the newly appointed leader of the Senju clan. She waited in the tea room of the main house, exchanging a few words with Ashina-sama's wife, Shirai.

The woman was much younger than her elderly husband, but for the Uzumaki, that played no role. Their village was the village of longevity, their clan the clan of long lives. What for most would be a lifetime, for the Uzumaki was merely half of it. Ashina-sama himself was in his fiftieth year of life, yet by Uzumaki standards, he was in the springtime of his life. A fact which was evident by the already noticeable baby bump she had.

"How is pregnancy treating you, Shirai-sama?"

Shirai gave the young girl a kind smile as she stroked her belly. "Ah Mito-chan, after five children, pregnancy no longer holds any surprises."

Mito giggled girlishly, yet when the door of the tea room slid open, she straightened immediately, years of etiquette lessons snapping her to attention. His back was straight, her large eyes pointed to the floor. With the corner of her eye, she saw Shirai retreat through a side door. Once she heard the footsteps of the guests, she made a deep, formal bow and spoke in an even, pleasant tone.

"We are honored to welcome you to our village and home, Senju-dono." And waited.

"Ah… ahem." Was the answer that greeted her, and Mito had to use all her sense of restraint to keep her bow. "Don't forget my companion."

At that, she could not take it anymore, her curiosity eating away any type of restraint. And as she looked up, she saw the room's occupants. The man with long, chocolate-colored hair and strong chiseled jaw could only be Senju Hashirama. Even if his looks were not a clear indication of his heritage, the bandana tied around his forehead was a dead giveaway. He was handsome, strikingly so, with warm eyes and a kind smile.

That is when her eyes traveled to the man sitting one step behind Hashirama and looking as if the room had done him personal harm. He was tall, maybe even taller than Hashirama himself, with long midnight black hair that seemed chopped around the edges as if he could not care less how his hair looked like. And where Hashirama was all broad chinned and strong-jawed, this man was made of sharp angles and high cheekbones. And yet the most striking thing about him was his eyes, as dark as tar and as hard as diamond. One look at him, and Mito already knew of his allegiance, though she was definitely surprised to have such a man here.

"My deepest apologies Uchiha-dono, I had not known that you will come as well."

Uchiha Madara turned to look at the slip of a girl from the corner of his eye. He hated these frivolous encounters, and right now, he despised Hashirama for dragging him into it. Sure, the meeting with the Uzukage was interesting to say the least, but this... Why did he have to be there when Hashirama chatted away with his silly future wife? She most likely had nothing to say anyway and was being catered away as a means to seal the deal. Yes, such things made him think that he would never, ever take a wife. Women were nothing but distractions in the way of one's goals. And now that peace had been made, he and Hashirama had a purpose. They had a village to build. A silly useless wife would only be a hindrance.

So he scowled at the girl, because she was nothing more than a girl, and answered in a dismissive tone. "Let's get on with this Hashirama, there are more important things to do."

Mito bristled at the man's answer, though she did not show it. She was raised better than that. She was raised with proper etiquette and restraint, and that restraint will not be snapped by one man's rudeness. Little did Mito know that her patience and self-control would be put to a dire test that day.

"I take it that the discussions have been fortuitous." Said Mito as she meticulously began the long and highly traditional tea ceremony.

Hashirama's voice boomed in the quiet room. "Oh yeah! Ashina is one tough cookie, but I bet that he liked our proposition. What do you say, Madara?"

Madara nodded and answered with a muted 'yes' in response, knowing to respect the traditional silent and subdued atmosphere of a typical tea ceremony. He instead opted to follow the girl's graceful, soothing movements, flowing like water over the utensils. He could see the small frown on the corner of her mouth and smirked as its source once more spoke louder than he should have.

"What did ya say? Oh well, I'm sure all will be good. Nice village you're having here… ummm…." Hashirama suddenly blushed, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish gesture.

Madara felt the need to slap his forehead, or at least roll his eyes at his friend's pitiful display. No wonder he had to go into an arranged marriage; on his own, he would have no chance. With another look at the girl, he could see that her future husband's mishap had struck a nerve.

As she answered, her voice was a tad strained. "Mito, Hashirama-dono." Not by much, but if one had an ear for details, it was noticeable.

Luckily Hashirama did not notice such a detail. Instead, he laughed it off and, feeling suddenly in need of stuffing his face with something, anything so that he won't talk again, he grabbed one of the rice cakes from the table and started eating.

Mito felt like she was going to have a heart attack, her hands freezing mid-motion as she heard the crunch of the Rakugan being devoured in one sit. What was thins man? Had he been raised under a rock or something? Was this…this uncouth, loud man to be her husband? When he spoke again, she swore she will kill him.

"Those were good!" said Hashirama mid-chew. "Got any more?"

That was it. Madara could not stand him digging his hole deeper and deeper. Maybe, Hashirama knew why he insisted that he come to this meeting. The poor man was in over his head. Well, it was his fault really for wanting to marry one of high birth. If someone were to ask Madara himself, he thought Hashirama would have done better with one of the soldiers, a girl that would understand his quirks and find them charming. Because so far, the current intended looked like she would soon pop a vein. His friend was definitely doomed.

So with a sigh, Madara leaned over and plucked the plate out of his hands as he spoke in a leveled tone. "These are Rakugan. You're supposed to eat only one with the tea."

Hashirama froze, the color flooding his entire face as he slowly placed the plate on the floor. He made sure from then on to not utter a single word, and as Mito finally finished the tea ceremony and gave each of them and ornate cup, she tossed a grateful look in Madara's direction. He bent his head, acknowledging her thanks, though he felt it was not needed. He had learned the importance of a proper tea ceremony from his mother through long hours of meditation and softly recited poems. They did that until death took her.

As the hours dragged by and the cups were emptied, Mito bowed slightly toward her guests, speaking in a leveled tone. "Thank you for joining me today, Hashirama-dono, Uchiha-dono. I wish you a safe voyage back on the mainland and I will count the days until your return."

Madara smirked at the practiced speech she gave. It almost made him believe that she meant it. Almost. Still, he stood, bowed formally, shoved Hashirama to do the same, and replied in an equally leveled tone. "It was a pleasure, lady Mito." He turned to leave, but then saw that Hashirama was still standing there, gathering his courage to do or say something.

When Madara saw his friend's shoulders square in that stubborn way of his, he intervened before it was too late. With one step, he was right behind Hashirama, his right hand buried in his hair as he forcefully pushed his head in a half bow. "My companion is tired, we will retire now."

As soon as they were out the door, Hashirama turned to him with a hurt look, his eyes brimming with tears. "Why did you do that? I wanted to apologize and make it all better!"

This time Madara did give into the need to facepalm. "Are you out of your mind! I saw what you were thinking of doing! You wanted to grab her hands or something equally stupid!"

"So?"

This was slowly but surely losing its entertaining value. "Were you raised under a rock? You don't just grab a lady's hands like that without permission! And definitely not when you have barely met and made a total fool of yourself! Have you forgotten what they say about this clan?"

At his friend's words, Hashirama deflated like a punctured balloon. "Oh you're right, I made a complete fool of myself back there! She was all grace and beauty, like some sort of goddess, and I stood there with the manners of a peasant."

"Actually, you were worse than a peasant."

"Madara, what will I do? I'm supposed to marry this girl, and I can't even talk to her without shoving a foot in my mouth."

Madara rolled his eyes. Really, since when did he become a relationship counselor?

Back in the tea ceremony room, Mito was gnashing her teeth so hard that she thought they might break. She was supposed to marry that-that…. Savage? Tears gathered in her eyes, but she stubbornly pushed them away. She knew that her fate was sealed, and she would have to make the best of it.