Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.
Chapter 5: Tomorrow
"I don't know Hashirama… I just have an uneasy feeling about him," Mito said.
"What do you mean?" Hashirama asked.
The two were in their kitchen, cooking dinner for the evening. They were both at the kitchen counter, with Hashirama chopping some Japanese cucumbers into slices and Mito assembling rice balls beside him. They discussed many things throughout the evening, and Madara happened to come up in their conversation.
"He's just been acting… unsettling lately." Mito tried hard to choose her words carefully, knowing how much Madara meant to Hashirama. She glued her eyes to the ball of rice she was molding in her hands and continued, "I don't know, over time he's seemed very distant, very closed off, as if he wants nothing to do with Konoha anymore."
Hashirama continued chopping the cucumber and responded, "What makes you think he wants nothing to do with Konoha anymore?"
"There's just something going on, I don't know, I can't put my finger on it. I don't know if you should trust him, Hashirama."
Hashirama paused, her words cut through him like a knife as he processed what Mito just said. He then carefully continued chopping the cucumber until he got to the end.
"Well, I do agree that something is going on. But the real question is what is going on? Is he okay…?" Hashirama's voice trailed off. He picked up the chopping board and walked over to the sink, pushing the chopped cucumbers into a colander.
"I mean, can't we kind of guess? He has a history...," Mito said as she finished making the last rice ball.
Hashirama quirked an eyebrow as he searched for the salt in the cabinet by the sink. "And what is that history?"
"Didn't it take you forever to convince him to agree to a truce? To stop the endless fighting and lead both clans to peace?" Mito asked as she handed Hashirama the salt he was looking for, which was sitting on the counter beside her. He thanked her and proceeded to salt the cucumbers in the colanders and wash them.
"Does that matter anymore? We eventually came to a truce and built up Konoha together," Hashirama responded as he squeezed the cucumbers between his palms to ring out the excess water. He then transferred the cucumbers to a bowl on the counter and started adding the ingredients to finish making the cucumber salad.
"Who's to say he won't tear down everything you both built up?" Mito asked as she took the plate of rice balls and walked over to the dining table, where the rest of the food they prepared was already placed.
"You're speaking as if you know what's going on in his head. What do you even know about Madara anyway? You barely talk to the man."
"He barely talks to anybody."
Mito wasn't wrong. Madara wasn't the most outgoing, social guy out there, but he's an open book. Talk and you shall receive. Well… besides when it comes to his emotions, then he's a sealed iron, triple-chained casket with a lock whose key has been thrown into a haystack.
"What I do know is that he stepped down as the leader of the Uchiha clan."
"What?" Hashirama exclaimed, shocked at the information he was hearing for the first time. His eyes widened as the weight of the news hit him. He turned around to face Mito, who was sitting at the table. "When? Why?"
"You didn't hear? He stepped down a few days ago. They're saying there was an internal disagreement within the Uchiha. They believed Madara was leading the Uchiha down a road to more conflict… especially with the village."
Hashirama took a moment to process what he just heard. He grabbed the bowl of cucumber salad and made his way to the table. Once he sat down, he met Mito's gaze.
"Where did you hear that from?" Hashirama finally asked.
"From a friend of mine, as well as other villagers. You haven't heard?"
"How are you so sure they're telling the truth?"
Mito's furrowed her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't they be?"
Hashirama grew silent. Madara didn't tell him any of this. He had no clue he had stepped down as the leader of the Uchiha clan, nor was he completely aware of the internal conflict. All week, he's gone out of his way to see Madara every day, and they had brief conversations here and there. But none of this ever came up.
Mito added, "Is it that surprising though? Given what we know about him… Sooner or later he might turn on the village."
Hashirama let out a deep, audible sigh and flashed a slight smile despite his inner irritation. "Forgive me, Mito, but you're starting to sound a lot like Tobirama." His smile slowly faded into a subtle frown as he continued, "And I don't like it."
A flicker of surprise flashed across Mito's face at the unexpected comment before it quickly shifted back into a concerned expression. Truthfully, she did feel a pang of guilt at Hashirama's words, knowing he didn't like it when Tobirama lectured him on Madara Uchiha and the Uchiha clan. Hashirama vents about it to her all the time. Though she felt remorseful about doing the same thing as Tobirama, Mito felt like the conversation needed to be had.
Carefully choosing her words, Mito responded, "Maybe you should listen to him… Hashirama, you are a very kind, caring man. I am very aware of how loyal you are to the people you love—"
"Don't worry, Mito. If it ever comes down to it, I will prioritize Konoha. I won't let anybody bring harm to the village," Hashirama said almost robotically, clearly revealing he'd probably already said this line many times before.
"It's not just about Konoha, Hashirama. I just… I just don't think you should keep stretching yourself thin to try and reach out to him when he's turning his back on you."
"So, I'm supposed to give up on him?"
"You can't save people who don't want to be saved, Hashirama."
Hashirama's eyes slightly widened as he felt a sudden sinking feeling in his chest. He looked down and fiddled with the chopsticks in his hand. He knew that. He knew that very well. But it was… Madara. He couldn't just give up on him.
Hashirama kept his gaze downward and finally said, "If it were you, wouldn't you want to be saved?"
Mito paused, her chopsticks right in front of her face as she was just about to take a bite of her food. She lowered her chopsticks and said, "If it were me, yes. But that might not be the case with Madara Uchiha."
Silence washed over them. Neither of them had any more words left to say. So, they continued eating until they both finished their food. Hashirama stood up and started grabbing the empty dishes off the table to take to the sink. Mito assisted, bringing more dishes to the counter to be washed. Hashirama didn't hesitate to get started on the dishes.
"Oh, don't worry honey, I can wash the dishes," Mito offered as she walked towards the sink.
"It's okay, I got it," Hashirama responded.
"You shouldn't. You did most of the cooking tonight."
"I insist."
Mito pouted and finished clearing out the table. She started packing the leftovers in containers. Now and then, she would glance over at Hashirama, who was focused on the dishes, appearing a bit tense. Mito has known Hashirama long enough to know that she might've pushed his buttons a little too far. She walked over to Hashirama and looked up at him.
"Are you mad at me?"
Mito saw Hashirama's tense shoulders slowly relax.
"No, I just don't agree with you. But we can agree to disagree." Hashirama turned to Mito, who looked up at him with worried eyes. He smiled and leaned down, planting a kiss on her lips. "Don't worry. I'll handle the dishes," he said in a reassuring tone.
Mito flashed a smile and gave Hashirama another brief kiss before turning around to clean the table.
Meanwhile, Hashirama grew lost in thought, thinking about his conversation with Mito. Yeah, Madara and Hashirama used to be… frenemies? Enemies on the battlefield, but friends deep down. The war between the Uchiha and Senju was long and drawn out, but it eventually came to an end. Hashirama knows Madara has gone through a lot, and it isn't fair for him to be antagonized the way he is.
Madara… Hashirama only briefly saw him today, and he'd love to so him again. He yearned to see him again. Maybe he should bring him some food? They had leftovers anyway. Once Hashirama was done with the dishes, he took out a basket from the cabinet and started making a bento box for Madara.
Mito took notice. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to bring some food to Madara."
Mito pouted. She had wanted to spend the rest of the night with Hashirama, and maybe get some intimate time with him. Given he's been busy, they rarely get the time to enjoy each other's company at night or have sex.
"How long will you be out?"
"Hmm… I'm not sure," Hashirama responded as he finished packing the food into the basket. He picked it up and headed toward the front door, slipping his shoes on. As he straightened up, he turned to find Mito standing behind him.
"I'll try to be home soon. But if not, don't wait up too late for me, okay?"
"Okay…" Mito responded, her voice barely audible as she looked down at her feet. She hated that her husband was willingly leaving her alone in the house to be with someone else that evening.
Hashirama could see the sadness etched on Mito's face. Gently grabbing her chin, he lifted her face and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips slowly moved against each other's before Hashirama pulled away and locked eyes with his wife.
"I just want to check in on him. I've been worried about him lately."
"I know," Mito whispered.
Hashirama smiled before planting a final kiss on Mito's forehead and heading out the door.
As he walked towards the Uchiha district, Hashirama couldn't help but feel guilt wash over him. He felt like he was lying to his wife. Was he visiting Madara to check in on him? Of course, and he truly was worried about him. But this was… so much more than that. He wanted to see Madara, to be with him, to hold him, to have him.
Hashirama sighed at the emotional war going on in his head. Mito doesn't deserve this.
As he walked the streets, he admired the sunset before him. Hashirama was met with occasional greetings from passersby, to which he would smile and greet back. He soon found himself walking up to Madara's door. Good, he's inside. Hashirama could sense his presence, which brought him relief.
Hashirama knocked on the door, hoping Madara would open it.
No answer.
Hashirama waited a brief moment before knocking again.
No answer.
He sighed. This has happened a lot these days. Hashirama would try and visit, Madara would ignore him, and Hashirama would eventually walk away and count on catching him when he's outside.
Hashirama slowly set the basket of food down in front of Madara's front door and started walking away, but then he stopped. This is what always happens. If he walks away now, what good is he doing for the both of them? He didn't want them to grow more distant. He wanted to be there for Madara.
So Hashirama walked back to the door, picked up the basket, and knocked again.
xxx
Madara shifted in bed and groaned after hearing Hashirama knock for the fifth time. Why was Hashirama being so persistent these days? Why was he making things so hard? He wrapped his pillow around the back of his head and pressed each side against his ears to block out the sound of Hashirama's knocks.
"Madara? I know you're in there." Hashirama's muffled voice made its way to Madara's bedroom.
Madara continued to ignore him, not saying a word. He didn't want to face Hashirama. Hashirama was making it harder and harder for him to leave everything behind and go, to start working towards achieving his ultimate dream, his mission, his purpose.
He hated the hold that Hashirama still had on him. The tug at his heart was enough to stop Madara from completely falling over the ledge. But can't he just let him fall? Can't he just let him cast away all his emotions, put an end to his misery, and be the savior the stone tablet said he was?
"Madara? If you don't answer, I'll force my way in."
Madara exhaled and sat up on his bed. He looked towards his window and decided to escape. He was wearing a black T-shirt with an Uchiha crest on the back, and some black lounge pants. It's not the most ideal thing he'd want to wear outside, but it'll have to do. But first, he needed his shoes. Madara begrudgingly slipped out of bed and quietly walked over to his front door, where his shoes were.
He slowly bent down to grab his shoes, making sure not to make any noise.
*Knock knock knock knock*
"Madara?"
Madara froze. He waited a moment before successfully grabbing his shoes and subconsciously grabbing his gloves. He then made his way back to his bedroom, opened the window, and slipped out of his home, making sure to conceal his chakra so that Hashirama wouldn't notice.
xxx
Hashirama could sense Madara's presence dissipate. He pouted. Was he trying to run away from him? He materialized a key with his Wood Style Jutsu and used it to successfully open Madara's door. A picture of Madara and Izuna on a nearby table was the first thing to greet him when he walked inside. A soft smile spread across Hashirama's face despite the pang in his chest. He knew how much Izuna meant to Madara, and how things changed for him ever since his death.
Hashirama slipped off his shoes before searching for Madara in his home. He looked in the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, and finally, the bedroom.
As Hashirama walked into Madara's bedroom, he was hit by the alluring scent of Madara. His smell alone was enough to make Hashirama's heart melt. Subconsciously making his way to the bed, he gently lifted the bedsheets and brought them to his nose, taking a long whiff. He slowly exhaled and smiled at the smell of Madara's scent. It was so…comforting.
Embarrassment quickly washed over Hashirama as he realized what he was doing and quickly released the bedsheets from his grasp.
Hashirama started looking around Madara's room. He laid eyes on Madara's gunbai and gently caressed the weapon, something that was important to Madara. He then moved his gaze to a nearby dresser, where a sheathed katana lay. As he edged closer to the dresser, he saw some folded clothes beside the katana with a necklace laid on top that had the Uchiha crest on it.
The items looked familiar, and Hashirama was able to realize they belonged to Madara's late brother, Izuna Uchiha.
"So, he kept his things, eh?" Hashirama whispered to himself as he reached out to touch Izuna's sword. However, he quickly stopped midway. "These must be precious to Madara, so I probably shouldn't touch them," Hashirama thought.
Hashirama felt a breeze hit his skin and turned around to see an open window. He walked over and looked outside; there were no signs of Madara. He must've escaped through here.
Hashirama sighed and closed the window. He walked back to the front door, slipped his shoes on, and walked outside, closing and locking the door behind him. He went on a hunt for his best friend. He couldn't have gone too far, right?
Madara slowly walked around the forest area of Konoha. He didn't anticipate having to avoid Hashirama tonight, but at least he was able to witness the sunset. Depending on his mood, sometimes he really did appreciate nature.
Suddenly, Madara felt his eyes sting and his vision slightly blur. He softly groaned and stopped walking, rubbing his eyes with his gloved hands. He's been straining his eyes too often for the past couple of weeks to decipher the tablet, it must be catching up to him.
Madara was so focused on his eyes that he didn't sense a presence walking up behind him.
"Are your eyes bothering you?" Hashirama whispered as he leaned into Madara's ear from behind.
"Shit!" Madara jumped forward. He turned around and went for a punch, but Hashirama effortlessly grabbed his fist with his hand before it could make contact with his face and chuckled.
"Did I scare you?"
"Hashirama, don't do that! You know how I feel about people standing behind me."
Hashirama laughed, "Sorry, Sorry, I couldn't help it!"
Madara sucked his teeth and continued his walk, refusing to acknowledge Hashirama any further. Great, of course, Hashirama would search for him. What was the point of jumping out of the window then?
Hashirama quickly joined Madara by his side, and glanced over at him, assessing his face. His eye bags were slightly more prominent than usual, causing Hashirama to wonder if he's been getting much sleep lately.
"I tried stopping at your place earlier."
"Oh. Sorry, you missed me," Madara responded, his voice flat.
Hashirama frowned. Liar. "I could sense you were inside at first, but then you snuck out huh?"
Madara's eye twitched. Busted.
"Are you avoiding me?" Hashirama asked.
"I just wanted to go out for a walk."
"So, you snuck out when you had a guest at your door to go for a walk?" Hashirama asked teasingly.
"Can't a man go for a walk?"
Hashirama chuckled, "He can, he can! You still didn't have to leave me at the door."
"Whatever. What do you want?"
Hashirama smiled and held up the basket he'd been holding. "I brought some food."
"I'm not hungry."
Hashirama softly sighed. "Well, you can save it for later then."
The two kept walking alongside each other in silence. Although Madara was adamant about avoiding Hashirama at first, he really did enjoy his presence. He always felt a warm, fuzzy feeling that he couldn't shake. He would never admit it though. Spending more time with Hashirama just makes it a lot harder for him to leave.
Even though Madara wasn't talking, Hashirama still enjoyed being by his side. He relished Madara's presence as he also appreciated the nature around him. His gaze slowly traversed the environment in front of him until it made its way to Madara's face. He was reminded of how tired Madara looked.
"Have you been sleeping?" Hashirama asked.
Madara initially hesitated to answer the question truthfully but decided to anyway. "Not really," he muttered.
Hashirama's eyes slightly widened at his unexpected response. He was fully prepared to hear Madara deny it.
"Why not?"
"…I've had trouble, I guess."
Hashirama and Madara continued walking until they heard the trickle of a nearby river. The feeling of nostalgia welled up inside of them as they slowly approached a tranquil stream of water that shimmered with the golden hue of the setting sun. Memories of their childhood flashed through their minds as they recalled their times skipping rocks together.
Hashirama crouched down and started searching for the ideal rock for skipping. Once he set his eyes on a rock, he grabbed it and stood up, turning to Madara with a smile. Madara could feel a slight grin tug at the corner of his lips as he looked at the rock Hashirama held up in front of him. He guessed it would be nice to skip rocks like old times.
Interpreting Madara's smile as a 'yes,' Hashirama hopped to the other side of the river and gently placed the basket of food down on the ground beside him. He then proceeded to throw the rock, watching as it bounced across the surface of the river and landed in Madara's gloved hand.
For a moment neither of the men spoke. The silence between them was broken only by the rhythmic splashes of the rock dancing across the surface of the river. The chirps of crickets echoed from the forest, and the orange sun rays bathed the two men, who were savoring the moment.
Though Hashirama was enjoying his time with Madara, he still couldn't get his worries about him out of his mind. He recalled his conversation with Mito earlier. Why didn't Madara tell him about what happened with the Uchiha clan? Why isn't Madara sleeping? What's going on in Madara's head? Hashirama did not want to give up on him. He wasn't going to give up on him.
Hashirama finally parted his lips preparing to engage in conversation once again just as Madara was about to skip the rock back over to him.
"Madara, is everything okay?"
As soon as Hashirama asked that question, he noticed the rock tumbling towards him quicker than the usual pace they had maintained. He promptly held out his hand to catch it and was met with an unexpected sting against his palm from the sheer force of the rock. Wincing in pain, Hashirama figured he must've struck a cord.
Madara tilted his head down, causing his black locks to cover his face. His mind raced with all the things that bothered him, and he could feel a familiar unsettling heaviness develop in his chest. But he quickly forced himself to remember… he remembered that the Infinite Tsukuyomi would change everything. It will bring true peace. And Madara will be the one to deliver everyone from evil. His lips slowly curled into a smirk.
Madara's smile quickly faded when he heard Hashirama calling out his name. He looked up and maintained a neutral expression.
"Everything is fine."
"Mmm, like I've said before, I can tell when you're not being honest," Hashirama responded as he threw the rock toward Madara.
"Why are you being so stubborn?" Madara asked as he caught the rock.
"Because you're being stubborn, so I need to be."
Madara sucked his teeth.
"Is it so wrong for me to want to be there for someone?" Hashirama added.
Madara averted his gaze.
"J-just… stop asking me that," Madara finally muttered as he threw the rock back at Hashirama, but the rock only skipped a few times before sinking into the river.
Hashirama smiled. "No," he respectfully said. He then pointed down at the river. "And I won."
Madara's eye twitched. He pointed at Hashirama and started yelling. "Listen! You're really starting to irritate—"
A deep growl escaped from Madara's stomach, causing his cheeks to flush. Silently, Hashirama picked up his basket of food and smiled. Madara huffed and turned his head away as he pushed his lower lip out into a subtle pout.
xxx
Madara's face lit up when he felt the amazing flavors from the rice, cooked vegetables, and salmon dance across his tongue.
"This is good…"
Hashirama flashed a proud smile. "Isn't it?!"
"Did Mito make this?"
"Mm-mm, I did. Though she did help assemble the onigiri."
Madara looked down at the bento box he was eating from. It had a diverse selection of food: rice, onigiri, fish, cooked vegetables, fish cakes, cucumber salad, etc. Still in the basket was a thermos with hot miso soup.
After skipping rocks, they found a small clearing to sit at so that Madara could eat. It took a little convincing, but Madara had finally given in to Hashirama's nagging. They created a small fire for light and warmth since the sun had officially set, and night time arrived.
Madara placed the bento box down and reached for the thermos inside the basket. He gently unscrewed the top and was hit by a wave of heat and the wonderful scent of umami. As he brought the edge of the thermos to his lips, Madara slowly titled the container, sipping on the warm soup. He was captivated by how good it was. Fuck. Why is Hashirama so good at the things he does? Actually, he took that back; Hashirama definitely falls short in a couple of departments.
Madara brought the thermos back down to his lap and whispered, "Mito is very lucky…"
Hashirama's eyes slightly gaped as he took in what Madara just said. He could feel his cheeks grow warm as he thought about the idea of making food for Madara in the future. He would love to cook for him. Just like he would love to hold him, kiss him, and keep him by his side.
Hashirama nervously scratched his cheek with his finger.
"I-I can bring you more home-cooked meals in the future if you'd like?"
Madara turned his head away from Hashirama to hide his flushed face and mumbled, "It's not that good."
Hashirama was immediately overtaken by his habitual depressed demeanor. However, he soon shook it off and chuckled before refocusing his gaze on Madara. He watched Madara practically scarf down the food, not wasting any time between bites. He must've been very hungry.
Madara was so focused on the food that he didn't realize he had sauce on the side of his lip. Without thinking, Hashirama reached out and gently used his thumb to wipe the sauce away from the corner of his lips. Madara froze at the feeling of Hashirama's warm touch.
Entranced, Hashirama slowly ran his fingers up Madara's cheek, gently pushing aside his raven locks to reveal his entire face. Wow, he's so beautiful. His eyes slowly scanned the features on Madara's face until they locked eyes.
Madara could feel his cheeks grow warm as his heart started beating against his chest. He felt like Hashirama's deep brown eyes were pulling him in and was enticed by his intent stare. Butterflies formed in his stomach as he felt Hashirama's fingers slowly brush back down the side of his cheek to his mouth, his thumb brushing across his bottom lip.
Madara's breath caught in his throat as the gravity of the situation sank in. He swatted away at Hashirama's hand.
"W-What are you doing?"
Hashirama quickly snapped out of his trance and blushed. Fuck. "S-Sorry! Habit… you had something on your face and I just…" Hashirama's voice trailed off as he brought his palm to his face in embarrassment, turning his head to hide his flushed face.
Madara bit his lip, attempting to contain his excitement. But his body had already started reacting. He hated the effect that Hashirama had on him. Why did he do that anyway? What was Hashirama thinking? Habit?
"Hnn, habit? Don't mistake me for your wife, Hashirama."
"I know…" he mumbled. Hashirama groaned in his head. Why does Madara always have to bring up Mito?
The two men sat in silence, working to calm down their racing hearts. Madara proceeded to finish his food, while Hashirama tapped nervously against his leg, thinking of the next thing to say. What can he say? He then finally turned to Madara.
"…I realize I talk about myself a lot when we're together, but how about you? Is there anything new?"
"No."
"Anything you're looking forward to?"
"No."
"…Is anything on your mind?"
"No."
"Nothing?"
Madara let out an exaggerated sigh. Why can't Hashirama back off? Madara just wants to break away and become the savior he's meant to be. But this damn being is making it hard for him to harden his resolve.
Hashirama was at a loss. He decided that he should stop pressing him for now. At this moment, Hashirama just wanted to have a normal conversation with the person he wanted to be with the most right now.
"How are your hawks?"
"I said I'm fi—" Madara paused. He wasn't expecting that question. "My hawks? They're… okay, I think."
"Finally, a real answer," Hashirama thought. "You think?"
Madara nodded. "Takaya was sick recently, so I had to pin him down to give him a medicine shot because he wasn't having it. I think he's pretty upset with me though because I haven't seen him in 3 months, but he'll come back around eventually."
Hashirama softly chuckled. Hawks were notably fickle, but Madara was great with them. It was one of the things Hashirama admired about Madara.
"Takaya… If I recall correctly, he's your favorite, right?"
"Yeah, but he was always a bit dramatic."
Hashirama chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be back."
"He will," Madara said confidently.
Hashirama smiled, then started snickering as he remembered their time together as children.
"Do you remember when you accidentally called over a bunch of hawks and they started attacking you when we were kids?" Failing to control it, Hashirama's laughter forcefully escaped his mouth as Madara stared at him with narrowed eyes.
"It wasn't funny."
"You should've… seen… the look on your face," Hashirama said between laughs.
"Yeah, and you just laughed at me instead of helping me!" Madara yelled.
"I couldn't help it, Madara. It was too funny! I couldn't… I can't." Hashirama continued laughing, recalling that specific event vividly.
Madara rolled his eyes. "Whatever, it was worth watching them shit in your hair before they flew off."
Hashirama's laughter immediately ceased, and he looked at Madara with a frown, causing Madara to snicker. Madara attempted to stifle his laughter but instead succumbed to his chuckles.
Though Hashirama was annoyed, he loved the sound of Madara's genuine laughter. It was like music to his ears.
"It wasn't funny, Madara. I couldn't get the smell out of my hair for days."
Madara laughed harder, recalling the turmoil Hashirama went through.
"And you kept calling me—"
"Shithead," Madara finished.
Hashirama pouted as he watched Madara laugh at him. He then added, "You know, I even debated on cutting my hair off, but I didn't think I'd like myself with shorter hair."
Without thinking, Madara's next words slipped out of his mouth, "I love your long hair, it's cute."
Madara abruptly stopped laughing. Fuck, did he just say that? He didn't mean to say that. Did he hear him? Madara slowly turned his head until he met Hashirama's widened eyes. He quickly looked away to avoid further eye contact.
Hashirama could feel his chest flutter at Madara's words. Did Madara really just say that? Cute? Once their eyes locked, Hashirama turned away and bit his lip. He fought the immense urge to pull Madara into his arms and kiss him. While yes, Madara always complimented his strengths, he never complimented his looks.
"Ugh, I feel like such a child, why am I reacting like this?" Hashirama thought in his head. "Thank you…" Hashirama finally said once his shock calmed down.
Madara hummed in response. His mind was running in circles as he thought of ways to move on in the conversation. Hawks, they were talking about hawks.
"D-Did I tell you about my brother's pet?"
"Izuna's?"
Madara shook his head. "No, one of my younger brothers'… Shio. He passed away on the battlefield as a child… But anyway, I was outside in the backyard working with my hawks, and I told Shio to stay inside with his pet bunny he kept carrying around with him everywhere he went."
A smile slowly crept onto Madara's face as he recalled the memories. Hashirama was surprised, Madara never really talked about his other siblings.
"…and of course, he didn't listen to me. So, he ran outside with his bunny in his arms and Takaya swooped down and took it."
Hashirama's mouth gaped. "Oh! Hopefully, you were able to get it back, yeah?"
Madara shook his head, "We never saw that damn thing ever again."
Hashirama pressed his lips together to stifle his laughter. He didn't want to laugh but the way Madara said it made it a lot funnier.
"I tried getting him another bunny, but he still gave me the cold shoulder for a week."
Laughter escaped Hashirama's lips as he finally gave in. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing, that's not funny."
Madara softly chuckled, "It was kind of funny."
"You're awful!"
"I told him to stay inside!"
The two men laughed for a few moments, slowly forgetting the awkward encounter they had a moment ago. Hashirama's laughter slowly faded as he set his eyes on Madara, who was still laughing. God, he missed this Madara. His genuine smile, his laughter, his presence. He wanted to keep talking. He wanted to keep listening to Madara ramble about the things he loved.
"Tell me about them."
Madara's laughter finally calmed down. "Hmm?"
"Your brothers. You've only ever talked about Izuna, but I'd love to hear about the rest. Tell me about them," Hashirama smiled.
"My brothers…" Madara initially hesitated to continue but grinned as he thought about his fond memories of his brothers. "Well… Shio was more on the reserved side…"
Hasharama rested his elbow on his leg and leaned his cheek against his fist as he intently listened to Madara talk about his brothers with a smile on his face. The light from the campfire danced across Madara's smooth, fair skin and reflected off his onyx eyes. Hashirama watched in awe as Madara's lips frequently curled into a smile as he talked about memorable moments.
For up to an hour, Hashirama let Madara go on and on about his siblings, chuckling here and there at the funny moments. He was loving every second of it.
But unfortunately, good things must come to an end and Hashirama sighed when he heard the caw of a messenger bird approaching. Madara stopped talking, and they both looked up to see the bird circling them.
"Trouble?" Madara asked.
"Perhaps…" Hashirama stood up and dusted the dirt off the back of his pants. "Looks like I have to go check something out. Would you like to come with?"
"I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle," Madara said. But deep down he could feel his heart sink as he realized his time with Hashirama was over. This is why he didn't like it when Hashirama kept coming back around. He resists until he finally gives in, then he finds himself yearning for more, and hurting when their time is over. Hashirama was making it hard for Madara to leave everything behind. Damn it.
"Well, if you don't want to join me then… I'll see you tomorrow?"
Madara ignored Hashirama and looked away. Hashirama frowned, and walked towards Madara, crouching down right in front of his face.
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
Not this shit again. Madara could feel his eye twitch. "Don't you have something to attend to? What if something bad is happening?"
"Yes, I'll attend to it immediately once you assure me that I'll see you tomorrow."
Madara sucked his teeth. "People could be in trouble, and you, the Hokage, are here being foolish."
"You're holding me hostage here."
"No, I'm no—"
"Will I see you tomorrow?"
No response.
Hashirama dramatically clutched his chest. "Think about the dying children! And the families! And the struggling shinobi—"
"Fine!"
Hashirama smiled.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Madara mumbled begrudgingly.
Finally receiving the answer he wanted, Hashirama stood back up and said his goodbyes before disappearing into the night.
"You're wrong for that," Madara thought as he sighed. He couldn't help but bring his hand to his cheek, where Hashirama caressed him earlier. Butterflies danced around in his stomach as he slowly licked and bit down on his lower lip where Hashirama had touched. Fuck. He really, really hated how Hashirama made him feel.
A sigh escaped Madara's lips as he stood up off the ground. His eyes met the empty basket and bento box on the ground.
"Idiot," Madara thought to himself. Of course, he would leave his stuff behind.
Madara bent down and started picking up the empty containers, placing them in the basket.
"I'll just give this to him… tomorrow…" Madara whispered.
Tomorrow.
Madara recalled how he'd been agreeing to see Hashirama the next day for the past few days. But… he has a mission, a goal. He needed to leave Konoha. But why hasn't he yet? Madara tried to keep telling himself that he would, that he had already chosen his path and would pursue his purpose.
He picked up the basket and started walking in the direction of his home.
"Tomorrow… but one day there won't be a tomorrow, huh?"
Thanks for reading! Tune in for the next chapter! ^_^
