Blood Lust

Chapter 7

Hashirama watched the shallow rise and fall of Madara's chest as he slept. The medical part of his mind was fascinated over how close he was on the edge of being dead. When he'd put his hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat, the thumps were so faint and slow. If his hand lingered on his skin, the beat would grow stronger for just a few seconds. There were things he never knew before his encounter with Madara. He liked learning the deep intricate details, and seeing them with his own eyes.

But the strategist and hunter part of his mind thought other things. Madara was vulnerable to him. There was still daylight shining outside so he was far weaker in this moment. If Hashirama so desired, he could pull back all of the curtains and allow the sun to pour in. Madara would be dust within seconds. The door was unlocked, so it'd be easy to just slip away. However, for some reason, he chose to stay right where he was.

He pushed back all of his thoughts and separated himself for a moment to clear his mind. He pulled himself out of bed and went to the farthest window in the corner of the room. Peeling back the curtain just slightly, he looked out and admired the sun setting on the villages down below. It felt like forever since he had seen it. He wondered if Madara ever missed it, too.

Once the sun dropped below the horizon, he noticed Madara starting to stir awake. It was right in cue---another fascinating detail he has learned.

"I'm surprised you didn't take your chance to kill me," Madara huskily announced across the room. "I made the mistake of falling asleep next to you."

"I feel like I know you too personally to take cheap shots," Hashirama replied solemnly.

"Hm, I see."

Hashirama closed the curtain and sauntered back to the bed. Madara seemed apprehensive, studying every little detail of the brunette that stood beside him. The silence was agonizing for him, fearing that Hashirama was filled with regret again.

"Are you going to lay in bed all night?" Hashirama teased.

"Do you have something better planned?" Madara quipped as he sank into the pillows.

"Hm," Hashirama hummed. He leaned over the bed, meeting Madara halfway. "Show me more of the castle."

Madara leaned forward, inches away from satisfaction. A smile beamed on his face and his scarlet eyes glowed with excitement. "What will I get in return for obeying your wishes?"

Softly, Hashirama placed a gentle peck on Madara's lips. A simple way of answering his question.

After a while, they found their way out of the bed and into the bath to wash away the evidence of the night before. All the kisses and touches placed on their skin whirled away into the soapy, warm water. Hashirama rested against Madara's chest, his eyes fixated on his wrists. The bite marks were now fading scars. The pain from them was long gone, but the emotional attachment lingered.

"I won't do that again," Madara stated, taking notice of Hashirama's fixation. "If that's what you're thinking about."

"I'd rather it be me than an entire village," Hashirama sighed.

"I won't do that either."

"Then how will you survive?" Hashirama asked.

"Animals," Madara answered. "They don't taste as good, but I'll make do."

"Why couldn't you do that from the beginning?" Hashirama was audibly frustrated.

"I enjoy killing those who make others suffer," Madara huffed. "The taste is always satisfying."

Hashirama raised up and out of Madara's grasp, whipping his head back to look Madara in the eye. "What about the villages you would rampage through? I'm sure there were innocent lives."