Twin Leaves in the Shadow

23章

Madara woke up first in the makeshift tent Hashirama had built the day before. They had fallen asleep there, both afraid to go home. Overnight, the rain had stopped, but their clothes were still damp from standing out in it. Hashirama was laying on Madara's chest, seeming restless in his arms. He would whimper and flinch in his sleep, causing alarm in Madara. He wanted to protect him, at any cost, but he felt useless in this moment.

"Hashi, wake up." Madara murmured, gently shaking him.

He stirred awake, stretching out his limbs across Madara. For a moment, it seemed like he had forgotten they were in a crisis. He seemed like normal Hashirama; just happy to wake up in Madara's arms. But that moment quickly fled. His body became stiff and his breathing became uneven. He pushed himself off of Madara and scrambled out of their cover.

"Hashirama, where are you going?" Madara called out, following him.

"I still have my duty to this village," Hashirama answered, walking towards the path to leave the area.

Madara grabbed his arm and pulled him back. His face was painted with frustration.

"You're seriously going to show up? What about your brother?" Madara questioned.

"Avoiding my duty as Hokage will not make the situation any better. We have to go to prove to them that they're wrong about us," Hashirama explained.

All the color left Madara's face. He looked like a frightened child standing in front of Hashirama.

"Hashirama, I can't."

"Yes, you can," Hashirama spoke quietly as he took Madara's hand into his.

Hashirama could see the fear in Madara's eyes. "Guilty" isn't a strong enough word for how Hashirama felt. Madara tried to warn him multiple times, trying his best to avoid this mess. Hashirama felt careless. He let everything slip through his fingers.

"I'll meet you in my office," Hashirama informed.

"Okay."

They parted ways and headed back to their homes to clean up and change. Both men felt uneasy about what they could possibly face back at the office. They weren't sure of who all knew.

________________________________

Madara was anxiously waiting in the office when Hashirama walked in. He was pacing back and forth in front of his desk, barely acknowledging Hashirama's presence.

"Did you run into any trouble?" Hashirama asked in a low voice.

Madara stopped pacing and looked up at Hashirama with sad eyes.

"No, I've just been waiting for you," he answered.

"I didn't see Tobirama at home, so he must be around here somewhere," Hashirama continued, walking over to sit behind his desk.

Just as he finished speaking, their attention was brought to the doorknob that was rattling. The door creaked open, making the two men hold their breath as they waited for the person to reveal themselves.

"Lord Hashirama? I have some documents for you," a young aide spoke, walking into the office. She was smiling bright and seemed unaware of the situation. In the corner of his eye, Hashirama could see some relief in Madara.

"Thank you. Is that all?" Hashirama replied nervously.

"Yes, sir."

Hashirama dismissed her and waited until he could her footsteps walk away from the closed door. The tension in the room settled and fizzled away once she left. They looked at each other with worry.