(Hashimada) The Adventures of a Hedgehog and Some Idiots

34: Our river

For the next few hours, they wandered the woods and spoke about what they wanted to - things they did and didn't know about each other, weird clan protocols, how frustrating the elders were, jutsus that they were working on, their relationship. . . Until after so long, their chakra exhaustion from their fight was starting to set in.

"We have wandered pretty far away," Madara noted.

"Don't worry. . . I know where we are. I actually led you here on purpose," Hashirama said.

"Why?"

"You'll see."

The trees started to thin, and they stumbled upon a clearing in the woods. Madara immediately recognized it. He said quietly, "Our river."

"Yeah. . . Where everything started for us," the Senju smiled. "This river holds so many precious memories - it was the one place we could get away. The one place we could be together without meeting in combat. . . That's why I love it so much."

Madara walked along the riverbank, and Hashirama stood back towards the edge of the trees, just watching. The Uchiha picked up a stone and turned it over in his hands, remembering the first time he met the Senju. He had been attempting to skip stones across the river, but he couldn't seem to get it. . . That was when Hashirama chimed in and told him to aim higher. This sparked his competitive streak with the Senju - however, Hashirama always seemed to best him, no matter how hard Madara tried. . .

Hashirama smirked and walked over to the Uchiha. He put an arm around him and said, "If you just aim a little higher. . ."

"Pfft. I was so weak back then, it is pathetic."

"No, you weren't."

"Hm?"

Hashirama sat down and put a hand in the river, feeling the current. Madara sat beside him. The Senju stated, "You weren't weak. Neither of us were. . . We were helpless, left to fight a war that wasn't ours, but we still stayed strong. You, especially. . . You lost everything and still found a reason to fight. That is true strength, Madara."

The Uchiha considered his words, turning the stone over repeatedly in his hands. The two of them became lost in thought - this place was one of many memories for them, and they were all coming back to them. This was the first time they were meeting at the river since they had been asked to betray each other. . .

There was a long silence between them, until Madara finally said, "Our fathers inflicted so much suffering on us, for the sake of pride. . . It is almost shameful. I only hope that history does not end up repeating," He trailed off sadly.

"It won't. Because we're different - we love each other, and we love our village," Hashirama smiled, leaning into the Uchiha.

Madara said quietly, "Stupid Senju. . . I suppose you have changed a little since then. . ."