N\A: It's only chapter three and I already missed my schedule. I'm grounding myself for this.
Enjoy!
Moonlight Confessions
"Hmmmmm…" Hashirama yawns still half asleep. He had laid down after lunch, for a quick power nap, and ended up spending the whole afternoon sleeping.
"Get up Nii-san" Tobirama tugged on Hashirama's arm "It's almost dinner time"
"I'm not hungry" came the mumbled response.
"If you don't get up, I will have to go to dinner without you, and then father will start asking why you're not eating with us. Obviously, I will have to say that you're sleeping. He will ask what have you been doing to be that tired, and I, will have to explain to him that, you have spent the whole afternoon sleeping, so you would probably be tired of all the sleeping. And then he will…"
"Fine, fine, fine. I'm up" Hashirama got up, and started to comb his hair with his fingers. Tobirama smiled triumphantly. "Let's get down then"
"Daisuke-sama, Naomi-san" Tajima got up from the table after the abnormal talkative dinner. This was a sign that everyone else was also excused "I would appreciate to show you the rooms where you can stay"
"Thank you Tajima, dear" the old lady got up and grabbed Madara's shoulders "and what you two boys are going to do?"
"I'm going to finish a Katon Scroll" Izuna smiled "Would you like to see it, Naomi-chan? It's in my room but I can bring it to the living room."
"Thanks, I would like that" she said glancing at Madara "maybe I can help you in something."
"Good. I'm going to get it. Aniki, will you join us?" Izuna had noticed Naomi's glance.
"Thanks, Otouto, but I think I'll take a walk" Madara got up and left the room. As soon as he found himself in the dry cold of the night, he felt his members start to shiver with all the repress adrenaline and energy from earlier. Also, a sense of guilt was itching in his muscles, and all that combined made him realize, a calm walk down the path that surrounded the Uchiha compound wasn't enough to discharge all his energy. So, Madara started to run, leaving the compound and not really realizing where he was going, just concentrating in his own breath and heart beat, hoping that would clear his mind.
Hashirama yawn again. He was sitting at the table with Tobirama and their father, Butsuma.
"Hashirama behave yourself" the harsh comment cut through the air like a well sharpen kunai "We need to start planning for our next mission. I believe the rival merchants will be employing the Uchihas, so we'll have to be careful in our preparations"
All this arrangements sicken Hashirama. He was a shinobi, but it was hard for him to berate with the fact that they were planning the best way to attack and kill other people. He thought killing others to defend oneself in the middle of a heated battle was bad enough. He didn't saw the need for planning it. For him, the best plans they could ever made, was to map the best way to avoid the others blows and keep themselves safe, not chart the best way to decimate their opponents.
By the time, Butsuma was finished with the preparations; a massive headache had taken over Hashirama. Finally they were excused by their father, and he rushed outside, hoping the cold air of the night would help him with the pain. Although, for his dismay, was followed by Tobirama.
" Ani, you need to stop" Tobirama's stern voice sounded behind him "I know you don't like it, but it's inevitable. We must kill the Uchihas"
"No we don't Tobi" Hashirama's headache was, in fact, getting worse with the cold and Tobirama wasn't helping with the pounding feeling "They're just like us. They're doing their job"
"So we must do ours. You know, as well as I do, that they would never hesitate to kill one of us. Not even your friend, Madara" as soon as he said it, he sensed a change in his brother posture. He was obviously affected by the comment.
"You're wrong Tobirama. I know, for a fact, that Madara would never lay his feet in the battlefield if it wasn't to protect his clan and his family. I hope you can, some day, understand what I've been telling you all these years" Hashirama turned his back on his brother and start walking towards the forest that surrounded the Senju complex "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going for a walk. Alone."
Madara felt his breath start to calm down, and his heartbeat decreasing. He hadn't realized how far away he was from the compound until he saw his childhood playing site, the creek. Now, sitting at the riverbank, all the thoughts and feelings he had tried to erase with the race were coming back to him, along with a weird sentiment of loss accompanied by memories of some stupid friend he once had at that same riverbank.
"Hey! Apparently, you're not so aware of your surroundings anymore" Madara was startled and cursed himself for not pay attention. He hadn't noticed someone approaching him from behind. Controlling his surprise, he turned around attack the insolent intruder.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu" he heard someone scream, meaning the attack had hit the target.
"Madara stop! It's just me!" He saw Hashirama perched on a tree that wasn't there five seconds ago.
"You're a Senju, hence, you're an enemy" Madara start gathering chakra in his chest, so he could attack again.
"Come on Madara! I'm not just a Senju. I'm your friend!" Hashirama stumbled when the tree started moving and growing more branches "Ouch"
"Tsk. Can't even control your own jutsu" Madara look at his feet where Hashirama was, twitching and holding his head "I could kill you now, Senju"
"You wouldn't kill a man, already on the ground and unarmed" Hashirama, looked at him smiling despite the pain.
"You're right. Not worth it."Madara grinned at him, and, for his surprise, laid out a hand "Get up, and then I can kill you"
Hashirama smiled and reached for Madara's hand. This had been a coincidence, but didn't had to be a bad one. Or so he hopped. He followed Madara to where he was sitting at the water's edge.
"So, do you still come here often?" Hashirama sat next to him, still rubbing his sore head. He didn't answer, instead grabbed a rock and skipped it across the creek "You're improving"
"Well you're not. You're jokes are still as bad as I remember them to be" Madara grabbed another rock.
"That's hurtful!" Hashirama laughed "It's something wrong? You seem awfully mean today"
"We don't see each other every day, what makes you think I'm being more critic than the usual?" Madara's eyes drifted towards the trees, but by the corner of his eye, he could see Hashirama smile grows wider.
"Because we're friends. One friend can sense mood swings on the other"
"We're not friends anymore, remember?"
"Just because you're not my friend, it doesn't mean I'm not yours. I'll be yours forever" Madara looked at Hashirama frowning "sorry, that came out wrong. I'll be yours, as your friend! Not yours like yours…"
"I got it. But thanks for clearing that up" Madara grinned, and seemed to relax a bit. Hashirama couldn't even remember his headache anymore. Maybe he was dreaming, but Madara was right there, sitting next to him, not trying to kill or attack him, it was like they were still friends just enjoying a relaxed moment together. He choose to ignore the previous fireball, Madara only did that because he was shocked. Hashirama sighed contently and look at the sky. Despite the cold, it was clear and full of a thousand shinny dots.
"My brother is turning 16 tomorrow" Madara broke the silence, skipping another rock across the whispering water.
"Well, that's a good thing… no reason to be in a bad mood"
"You didn't let me finished" Madara looked wearily at Hashirama "Because of his birthday, we have special guests at home. Our Obasan and a long time friend"
"I'm still failing to see the reason for you bad mood…" Hashirama looked wide eyed to Madara "Wait! When you say Obasan, you mean the Obasan that told you about the baby thing?"
"Yes exactly. Daisuke Obasan" Madara gave him a small side smile "You remember that?"
"Of course I do. Not because I manage to embarrass myself terribly, but mostly because your explanation on human reproduction still gives me nightmares" Hashirama shivered dramatically.
The clearing echoed with Madara's laughter. He remembered that afternoon in the creek, when they were still busy with their silly dream of changing the world to a perfectly peaceful paradise.
"You were really behind. We were twelve and you didn't knew how babies were made!"
"Hey I had an idea. It was nothing like you explained but that doesn't matter" Hashirama smiled "So, are the guest your reason for the bad mood?"
Madara was silent. He didn't knew how he would explain it. Unlike Hashirama, he never had been very descriptive, and never had the ease to unburden to other people. Strangely enough, the person he had shown more of himself had been that curious Senju sitting next to him.
"Come on Madara! Spill your guts! No matter how ridiculous I swear I'm not going to laugh" Hashirama put his hand on his chest "or make silly jokes. You are my friend, you can count on me"
"Even if you did, they would be terrible. No, I'm the reason for my own bad mood" he buried his face on his cold hands "we have been friends since I can remember. When Obasan took care of me and Izuna, we would sleep in the same bed, take baths together, play around with shruiken, and everything felt normal. But now, I can't even drink tea with her, and keeping my mind from drifting to some perverted place"
When he finished, Madara was panting lightly. Half because he have said that in one breath, and half because he had reviled so much about himself. That dreadful Senju, always getting more from him that he was willing to give.
"Who is she?" Hashirama's voice was low. Madara glanced at him, but he wasn't laughing. Not even a hint of a sneer crossing his face.
"Naomi. You don't know her. She is from the Uchiha clan but has been absence for five years"
"Well, you're wrong I do know her" Hashirama looked at Madara "You told about her remember? You told me she was the first girl you kissed"
"I told you that?" a small smirk took over Madara. That didn't sound like him.
"Yes, you did. You even told me how you did not enjoy it" a grin appeared on Hashirama's lips "Apparently, you don't think that anymore…"
"No, I guess I don't" Madara sigh "I always thought off her like a sister, and now, I get shameful thoughts when I'm around her"
"As I see it, you don't go around kissing your sisters in the mouth" Hashirama gave a small pat on Madara's shoulder "and like you once told me, it's normal. You need to relax more. "
"As weird at it is to say this, I think you're right Hashirama" Madara rubbed his eyes "and you? Why are you here?"
Hashirama was caught off guard. He was happy enough just to listen to Madara, maybe gather a little more knowledge on his introverted friend that would help him understand his behavior better.
"I had a huge headache, and they say that the cold helps" he shrug his shoulders looking forwad. He didn't wanted to spoil this fleeting moment, telling Madara that he had been planning the best way to kill him, his brother and has many Uchihas as possible.
"Who says that? Senjus? I believe it's more likely for you to get a cold" Madara looked at the sky "don't get sick Hashirama, or else it wouldn't be fair for me to fight you in a weaken state, when the merchant season begins…"
"Could you possibly be concerned with my health?" Hashirama smiled playfully at him "Are you going to scold me about not eating enough vegetables?"
"Well you should eat your vegetables, especially if you can grow them whenever you want. I don't want to you to stop being a challenge in the battlefield" Madara smiled to the sky surprised by his own words. Again he had said to much "What is wrong with me tonight?"
"Sometimes the night as an odd effect on people" Hashirama leaned, and rested his back against a big rock. He was floating in his bubble of pleasure, enjoying the warm feeling of happy childhood memories, performed in that same spot.
"You're right again. Twice in the same night! Must be a personal record" Madara grinned and raised himself from the thin grass "I must get going, it's getting late and cold"
A pained expression crossed Hashirama's face. They had spent five years fighting each other, antagonizing each other, and he just wished to enjoy his friend's company a little longer. He could ask him to stay, but he knew Madara too well. Whenever he decided something, there's no turning back and anything was up to discussion. Also, a small light of hope had found its way to Hashirama's heart. Maybe nothing was lost; perhaps they could rekindle their friendship, and maybe share their dreams again.
Not wanting to blow off the little candle already, he got up. "Of course Madara. I hope we can do this again, sometime."
"Who knows? Maybe, when the night catches me again in its peculiar effects" Madara gave him a small smirk "but tomorrow, it all remains the same, Senju."