The promise Hashirama made to himself about the mysterious god was harder to keep than he thought.

After their first meeting, the sun deity could never run into him again. The other had said that he lived in the Moon Realm but no matter how often Hashirama visited or explored, Hashirama could never find the other god. Like he never even existed.

Sometimes he thought he might have spotted the other. A flick of a dark robe behind a corner or a flash of dark star shine hair. But whenever he went to check there was nothing there. It felt like he was intentionally being avoided.

As of the latest visits, he started to think that perhaps he was going crazy and imagined the person.

To confirm or deny the idea, he asked the only person he knew who would know all the residence in the Moon Court.

"You mean Obito?" Madara asked as he placed down his cup. "The star god?"

He, Madara, Izuna, and Minato currently all sat at a table in the Sun Palace. Hashirama had invited them over for a meal to enjoy his friend's company and ask his questions. They were off on a covered balcony that overlooked many of the green and colorful gardens. As it always was, the weather was warm and pleasant with the projection of the sun overhead that constantly lit the realm. It was such a contrast to the Moon Realm's continuous darkness that had low lights and lanterns.

Sadly, the sun god's siblings were not present like they normally would have been. Tobirama, Itama, Kawarama, and Touka were with the earth god, Yamato, holding a small meeting that was sure to be brought up to Hashirama and Madara's attention at a later date. Hashirama honestly wished they were here just because it was very rare for everyone to come together. His siblings all had their own things to take care of between the Moon and Sun Courts, just how Izuna was in his brother's realm.

"His name is Obito?" Hashirama sat up straighter in his seat while a smile grew on his face. The name also tickled something in the back of his mind, like he had heard it before. But then his thought and grin dropped when he comprehended the last part of what Madara had said. "Wait!? He is the star god!?"

The moon god rolled his eyes with a huff while Izuna giggled.

Hashirama slumped back in his seat and tilted his head with a pout. "He looks so young though..."

"His appearance is very deceiving," Minato agreed with a chuckle and it made Hashirama look towards him. The lightning deity smiled in understanding. "But, believe me, Obito is the god of the stars."

Madara raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought his attire would have given him away."

Hashirama felt his ear grow warm as he stuck out his bottom lip. "I thought he was the star god's consort or something."

"Honestly, it isn't surprising," Izuna said after he swallowed his food. "Afterall, Madara didn't introduce the two of you like he was supposed to."

This gave the sun god pause and he frowned. Before he could ask for clarification, Madara snarled and slammed his fist on the table. "Izuna!"

Everyone grew quiet, leaving only the sounds of animals from the gardens below them to break the silence.

Observing the moon god, Hashirama noted how tense the other's whole body was now. Added to it was the dark red coloring of his face and his lips twisted into an ugly frown.

Izuna, for his part, just eyed his brother with a neutral expression. He met his elder's eyes dead on. There was a silent communication between the two of them- something Hashirama couldn't possibly understand but knew well.

But then Izuna's face softened as his shoulders relaxed. He rested his left elbow on the table and leaned his head onto his hand. "Really, brother? What is the point of keeping it a secret now?"

Madara's visible fist tightened even more while he pressed his lips firmly together.

"Madara..." Minato's left hand reached out and covered his consort's fist. The gesture proudly showed off the red and black Essence Ring on his ring finger that held Madara's Essence. Madara also wore the lightning deity's ring on his own unseen left hand. A statement to others that they were only faithful to each other.

Madara turned to look at his partner, and Hashirama knew from experience, the heavy weight of the moon god's stare when he was upset. It spoke volumes of Minato that the deity only smiled softly and reached out with his other hand to cup the other's face. "Surely it can't be that bad...," he reasoned. "Izuna speaks as it happened years ago."

Hashirama released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he saw Madara's shoulders slowly loosen. And when the moon deity opened his hand and flipped it over to take his consort's, Hashirama was truly at ease.

"Might as well have happened yesterday," Madara muttered as he gazed down at the table, eyes troubled," for all its worth."

"Your pride will be the death of you," Izuna huffed. He ignored his brother's sharp look and continued, "Plus, don't you think that Hashirama finally has a right to know?"

Hashirama's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name while Madara made a sour face and seemed to be struggling with himself.

The sun god's chest grew tight at the expression. "Madara," the other man looked up at him. "It's only us four here. But if it is something you don't want to talk about you don't have to." He added a gentle grin at the end of his statement.

He would be lying though if he didn't say his curiosity wasn't piqued. What wasn't Madara telling him and what did it have to do with Obito?

He was pulled back from his ponderings when he heard a deep sigh. Looking across the table, Madara had slumped into his chair with a small frown. But his visible eye was sharp, assessing Hashirama. It made goosebumps rise on the sun god's flesh.

But Hashirama kept himself open and relaxed, and continued to smile pleasantly.

Next to Madara, Minato continued to hold his partner's hand with an encouraging smile. Izuna just looked bored with all the proceedings.

Finally, Madara just sighed. He closed his eyes and his face was very tired. "Fine," he murmured. When he opened his eyes, he stared pointedly at Hashirama. "But just to clarify, all this happened when we were younger."

The sun god nodded but his smile turned a little questioning, wondering what the other meant.

Madara's mouth twisted in a grimace. "When we first were 'born,' the goddess of time and space, Kamui, came to my Court with a small child. It was Obito. She tasked me with raising him and then I was to introduce you two when he was of an older age."

This made Hashirama frown. "Then why didn't you?"

Madara sent the sun god a sharp glare. "I am getting to that!" Then his expression became a bit pained and he shifted his seat. He didn't speak though, and, finally, Izuna just snorted at his brother.

"Jealousy," the god of secrets and truths finally spoke, before he took a bite of his meal.

Hashirama tilted his head to the side with a raised eyebrow. "Huh?" Hashirama turned to look at Izuna while Madara sent his younger brother a glare.

Izuna developed one of his infamous, knowing smirks. "You know Madara was in love with you when we were younger," he stated in a matter of fact tone as he waved his fork. "Even thought of being Tied to you at one point."

Madara growled. "Izuna..."

The other god merely just shrugged before he took another bite of his meal.

Hashirama's eyes went between the two men with his bottom lip in between his teeth. Madara being in love with him was no secret; he was once in love with the moon god too. They had even been each other's consorts for a number of years before they parted ways amicably. But he certainly didn't know Madara's feeling had been that deep.

"So," Izuna went on, drawing the sun god's attention, "of course he wouldn't want to introduce you to your Betrothed."

Hashirama inhaled sharply. "My what!?" His voice was high and tight, coming out choked.

Everyone at the table looked at him, Minato's clearly more surprised than the other two.

"Don't tell me you forgot!" Madara looked torn between laughing at him or being annoyed. "Kamui told me she was going to tell you!"

Hashirama felt his face grow warm as he desperately scrambled through his memories. But, frustratingly, nothing was coming up. "I... I..."

"Hashirama." The sun god snapped his gaze at Minato. The lightning deity smiled soothingly. "Please, take a deep breath. I am sure you will remember. Anyone would be likely to forget something like that if they hadn't met before."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hashirama saw Madara stiffen, his face turned stricken. He made to break their hands but Minato held fast, even going so far as to give it a little squeeze. The moon god looked at his consort and, although Minato continued to gaze at Hashirama, he slowly began to relax.

The sun god would have laughed at his friend but found his mind and body were too wound up to do so. Instead, he focused on what Minato had suggested.

He closed his eyes before taking in a deep breath. One the slow, exhale he fell back into his seat. He took a few more deep breaths until his mind was clear again and he was easily able to go back into his memories.

It took a moment but he did finally find it. A memory so old he had forgotten it.

Hashirama stood in his newly minted realm and palace. Being just "born," he already knew who he was and what his role was to be. The sun god; the light from him would help give birth to living things, to everything that revolved around his orbit. Even now, in his realm, he could feel his siblings and others coming forth, and he silently pledged to give them all they needed to survive. For he was the god of everything and nothing, only a small part in the grand scheme of creation. A helpful tool to bring everything into birth.

Distantly, somewhere off that was not apart of his realm, he could feel another realm- one that was his counterpart's, the moon gods. Together they would bring everything into fruition. All in accordance with the creation god's, Tenji, plan.

He thought that was all and the Infinite Deities would leave them be. So it was rather daunting when one of them appeared before him and just dropped heavy news on his head.

"'Betrothed?'" His voice was small, questioning.

Kamui smiled at him softly with a motherly warmth in her pale eyes. "Yes," she nodded, "it means that at some time in the future you and my son will become Life Partners."

"'Life Partners?'" He probably sounded like an idiot with repeating everything.

But just because he knew what his purpose was, didn't mean he knew how to govern like a god- a ruler- yet. He did not have rules that were in place for his realm. And this was not something he instinctively knew. He could only assume that this was something only the Infinite Ones practiced.

But Kamui was patient as she explained, "Your Life Partner is another deity that you will Tie your Essence to."

A shiver ran down Hashirama's spine as he looked at the ground, a heavy feeling in his gut. Essence was a god's life source, their very being that could be manipulated through their will. Tying it to something, let alone someone, was a permanent action. That was... a lot for someone they hadn't even met yet.

There was a gentle touch on his shoulder that made him jump. When he looked back up, Kamui towered over him with a comforting and understanding smile. "Don't fear," she said with a squeeze of his shoulder. "I would not be giving my precious son to you unless I was sure that you two were meant for each other."

Hashirama's hands tightened into the fabric on his chest of his cropped garment. So many questions were going through his mind. But there were two that stood out. "What's his name? What does he look like?"

Kamui's smile turned a little sad. "His name is Obito. And you'll know what he looks like when you see him. I'm afraid I can't tell you more than that even though I wish I could."

Hashirama opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but then he blinked and suddenly she was gone.

"-rama? Hashirama?"

The sun god blinked slowly as he came back to the present. When he looked around, Minato was by his chair with a hand on his bare shoulder and wore a worried expression. Where he touched made Hashirama's skin feel tingly. Madara stood across from the table with a deep frown while his brother still sat and observed.

Hashirama took a shaky breath as he sat up in his seat. "Forgive me. I just... got lost in my memories."

Madara's eyes narrowed while Minato pulled away. "You remembered?"

Hashirama nodded. He then looked down at the table, a hand coming up to cover his mouth. "Kamu visited me when we were first 'born' but it was only to tell me I was Betrothed to her son, Obito. Beyond that, she disappeared before she could say anything else."

"Well, that is certainly odd." The sun god looked up at Izuna. The god wore a deep frown. "Especially when she was in the Moon Court for awhile when Obito was first placed in Madara's care."

"She was?" Hashirama turned to Madara, who nodded in confirmation.

"She wanted to make sure her only son was going to be happy and taken care of." He and Minato sat down again.

Hashirama grew quiet again as he looked back down at the table, biting his bottom lip. He and the star god were Betrothed... Knowing why he and Obito never met didn't make any of the information any easier to process. Suddenly, a thought made his breath hitch.

"Does Obito know I am Betrothed to him?" he asked, snapping his gaze up at Madara. "Is that why he has been avoiding me?"

"I highly doubt it," Madara stated with a shake of his head.

"Why?"

"Because I never told him."

All eyes were once again focused on the moon god. Madara, for his part, just shifted in his seat and refused to meet anyone's gaze as he explained, "I was... meant to. Kamui told me that Obito once knew but after our 'birth' he didn't remember.

"But as Izuna revealed," he sneered, "because I was once in love with you, I never did."

He barely glanced at Hashirama before he looked away again. "And even after our separation, I had kept the secret for so long I never felt the need to tell either of you."

Hashirama slumped back in his seat again. Even though he was stunned with the revelation, he brought up a hand to run his chin and cheek. "Then why is Obito still avoiding me?"

Only silence answered and he didn't expect anyone to know until, "You know, don't you?"

Hashirama looked at Minato who eyed Izuna suspiciously. The other god merely stuck out his tongue and winked. "I do." He then turned to the sun god. "But I think it should be something Obito should reveal to you."

"But first," Minato interjected, "I think Obito needs to be told that he is Betrothed to you. He has a right to know."

Hashirama nodded in agreement. The question was how when the other man just seemed to be avoiding him.

As if reading his thoughts, Madara firmly asserted, "I'll do it."

Everyone looked at him again.

"It is my duty." He raised his head higher. "Even if it is a long time from when I should have, it is still my duty."

Hashirama smiled as he nodded. Izuna just looked exasperated while he rolled his eyes. Minato smiled too and even leaned over to kiss his partner's cheek.

At that, Hashirama laughed as Madara turned red and sputtered.

Once their meal was finished and Hashirama escorted the trio out, Madara turned to him. "Wait for a day," he stated. "I will have time then to tell Obito."

Hashirama just beamed and nodded. "Thank you."

The moon god huffed. "Thank me when you're finally together. I should have done this a long time ago." With that, he and the others walked away.

Even though a nervous feeling formed in his stomach, Hashirama just chuckled as he shook his head and turned to go back into the Sun Palace.

Hashirama waited as Madara had asked. Since the moon god had not said if he would send a messenger or not to fetch him, Hashirama decided to go by himself. Luckily, when he first arrived in the Moon Realm, he found someone who took him to the palace.

Upon his arrival, a surprised attendant had taken him to where Madara and Minato. The private residence was only for certain people, so the attendant had given directions to where the moon and lightning gods would be before they took their leave.

Now walking down the well-lit corridor, Hashirama's stomach was in knots. Each step brought his nerves closer and closer to the edge as his mind raced. He wondered how Obito reacted to the news? Would he still not want to meet the sun deity? And how was that tied to the secret on why the star god was avoiding him in the first place?

These questions plagued his mind and conjured up all sorts of scenarios.

He was jarred from his thoughts when there was a sudden loud bang that resounded in the hall. He froze and looked to see the wooden double doors at the end of the hall were now wide open. But that was only a brief notation before all his focus was on the person rushing toward him.

Obito's face was blotchy red while the star-like twinkle in his hair was dim to almost where Hashirama could not see them. His eyes were shut tightly, eyebrows furrowed, and his jaw and mouth were rigid. But the most concerning sight was the sparkling star-shine trails of tears that flowed from the corner of his eyes.

When the star god opened his eyes to see Hashirama, he abruptly stopped. His body became tenser and his face a darker shade of red. What left the sun god truly reeling though was when the tears poured harder and his star-filled eyes were clouded with a deeper pain than before.

A choked sob wretched from Obito's mouth as he turned and fled into another direction.

It only took a second for Hashirama to follow, an arm outstretched. "W-wait! Obito!"

But the other didn't stop. He didn't go back towards the doors he had just come through but turned in a small hallway that was nearby. Hashirama gave chase and yet when he rounded the corner it was completely empty.

He froze at the halls entrance, and as his arm fell limply to his side, Hashirama stared dumbfounded and unsure of what he just witnessed. It made his lips press tightly together.

"Hashirama!"

The sun god turned and saw Minato at the entrance of the doors. His bright blond hair and brilliant yellow robes stood out starkly against the darkness, also highlighting the small sparks that were coming off him. He wasn't even the least bit winded as he swiftly approached the sun god.

"Hashirama, have you seen Obito?" he demanded, his blue eyes sharp. "I made a mistake and went to the wrong area I thought he would have gone. Now I can't find him."

Hashirama swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I- I did." he waved uselessly toward the hallway. "But he just... disappeared."

At the news, Minato's whole body drooped as he sighed heavily and hung his head. "I was afraid he was going to do that..."

When he lifted his head, his face was utterly defeated.

"What happened?" Hashirama asked, the knots in his stomach returning with a vengeance.

"I don't know." Minato shook his head. "Madara took Obito aside for some privacy to tell him you and he were Betrothed. Next thing I know, I heard a crash, Obito stormed out, and Madara was on the floor. I didn't have time to ask what happened when Madara told me to go after Obito."

Hashirama bit his bottom lip. His heart squeezed in his chest. "I suppose the only way to know is to ask Madara."

Minato nodded and held out his hand.

The moment the sun god's hand was firmly in the other's, a shock of electricity went through Hashirama and they were suddenly in a new area.

Hashirama had experienced similar teleportation before, but it was still disorientating. Yet with a quick shake of his head, he managed to right himself.

Noticing the thin layer of soot on his long sleeves and pants, he quickly dusted himself off. When he finished, he chuckled good-naturedly with a shake of his head at Minato's apologetic smile.

The lightning god then led him out of the garden patio area he had sent them to and into a living room area.

Inside, Madara was kneeling at a low table with his eyes closed while his fingers massaged his forehead tiredly. His robes looked rumbled but what stood out the most was the dark bruise that was on his right cheek.

Hashirama winced in sympathy and Minato rushed to his partner's side.

Madara opened his eyes and they were penetrating as they looked over everyone. He turned to his consort. "Were you not able to catch Obito?" he asked as the lightning god knelt next to him.

The blond haired man shook his head while he reached out and carefully brushed the moon god's cheek. "No. Hashirama told me he disappeared just before I could."

"Tsk." Madara didn't swat his consort's hand away but gripped his wrist firmly and lowered it. "Leave it. It's fine."

Minato looked skeptical but Madara gave his wrist a squeeze and continued to hold it when he turned to Hashirama.

"Did he say anything?"

Hashirama bit his bottom lip and shook his head. "He was... very distressed." And that was putting it mildly.

Madara sighed heavily.

"What happened?" Hashirama inquired as he moved to sit across from him.

"I told Obito you and he were Betrothed." He pinched the bridge of his nose with his unoccupied hand. "At first, he didn't say anything. I assumed from the shock of it." He looked up at Hashirama, mouth twisting.

"I... apologized for not saying anything for so long, and said that you seemed willing to agree with being Betrothed to him.

"He continued to remain quiet," a corner of his mouth tilted downward, "perhaps that should have been my first warning sign- given him.

"When he started to shake, I reach out to grab his shoulder. I wasn't prepared when he smacked my hand away and punched me in the face before he ran out."

Hashirama's heart plummeted to his stomach. While he didn't necessarily like the idea either, Obito's reaction could only lead him to one conclusion: the star god hated him now.

His throat grew tight as he thought about their first meeting. He had an aversion to being touched and was shy, but there was no full indication of dislike from the other- he even smiled at him. It was such a juxtaposition to what he had seen moments before.

But the more he thought about it, he frowned. It wasn't a look of disgust- more like devastation. Surely if the other hated him now, there would be more anger, right?

It left a continuous loop on questions as he analyzed everything but with no answers. It started to make his head throb.

"He didn't say a word?" He heard Minato ask. He looked toward the two across from him, their hands now intertwined.

The lightning deity's face was a mix of graveness and worriment, leaning into his consort's personal space. "Nothing at all?"

Madara shook his head and, whether he realized it or not, leaned more towards the other. "Not a single word."

Hashirama's felt a sharp pain his chest at remembering again how Obito looked in the hall. Because even if he didn't speak his mind, that face spoke volumes, even if he didn't understand it all.

He and the star god needed to talk about this. In the end, they were still Betrothed.

Hashirama licked his lips before he asked, "Could- could you send for a formal summons?"

Madara snorted. "No. He probably wouldn't come if I did." He leveled the sun god with a tired look. "He most likely didn't disappear somewhere else in my realm. Probably went to go hide in his, and you no one can go there."

Hashirama grimaced. He knew the rules of the other realm. Though Eternal deities lived in the Sun and Moon Realms, there was a third one that only they could go to, the Star Realm. And, even then, many Eternal Ones were reluctant to visit.

Madara sighed, drawing Hashirama's attention again. "We just have to wait until he appears again. And before you ask, no. I have no idea how long that will be."

Hashirama closed his eyes and bowed his head. Those weren't the words he wanted to hear. But, really, was there any other choice?

He raised his head and saw both other men eying him. Hashirama attempted a poor smile and nodded.

After, he didn't bother to stay when they asked. His heart was too heavy for him to be a proper company and he felt the need to be alone.

When he returned to his realm and to his personal bedroom, he took to sitting on the window seat that opened to his private garden. But rather than finding solace in his flowers, he looked up to the clear blue sky. Even though he couldn't see the stars, he knew they were there- just like they were in the Moon Realm. The Star Realm so far away but still visible in the dark sky. Just like the god that created them.

As he continued to stare, as if he could actually see the sparkle of those stars, he wondered if he would ever be able to see Obito again. He had so many questions that only the god could answer.

But would Hashirama ever get a chance to ask? Or would Obito just stay away permanently?

A sick feeling formed in the pit of his stomach as he was unsure of what he feared more.