Soul-bound

12. The cave by the waterfall

The sound was oddly comforting.

The scalpel-like metal against wet hair.

I hadn't asked him twice if he was sure. I had just told him to sit down, taken a knife and got to it.

He was sitting still as I chopped off his hair, slowly and neatly, wanting to get it perfect. He was obviously deep in thought.

"I want to tell you something", he said.

"I don't want to hear it", I said.

"What if it's important?"

"Then I want to hear it even less."

He respected my wish and sat silent. I cut each and every little piece of hair to perfection, then thinned it out at the top.

"It's done."

I walked around the chair and stood in front of him.

"What do you think?" he asked.

He looked fantastic in short hair, his high cheekbones, accentuated by years, even more sculptured now.

"It's on top of your head. You tell me."

He smiled, but made no attempt at standing up to look at what I had done.

"Madara-"

"I need to go."

I left.

I didn't have anything with me except the clothes on my back and my best sword at my side. I left through the gates Hashirama had made out of wood on the outskirts of our village.

But I was only a few steps out when a knife flew past my ear, and hit a tree right next to me.

Years of training made me immediately turn around, my sword drawn before I even faced the danger. I didn't feel the white-hot pain in the cartilage of my ear until seconds later

"I knew you were up to something."

Hashirama stood there, hands in his pockets, a lopsided smile on his face.

I relaxed.

"Why are you following me?" I asked.

"Because I care about you."

"I'm leaving", I said, seeing no point in lying.

"I don't want you to."

"What will you do about it?"

"Fight you. And lose."

I frowned.

"Why would you lose?"

"Simply because you're stronger than me", he said matter-of-factly with a shrug.

"Then so be it."

I ran away. All the way to the Nakano river which I followed until I came to a beautiful waterfall rising up above us. I didn't need to check or try to sense whether or not Hashirama was following; I knew he was.

I turned round with my sword lifted, and it immediately clashed with his.

On top of the water, the waterfall roaring in our ears, we fought. I used fire. He used wood. We used swords. For hour after hour, we battled, we danced, panting, covered in sweat, covered in soot. The battle became slower and slower the more exhausted we got.

Finally, he was the one who got me.

His entire demeanour changed, which caused me to make the mistake of lowering my guard.

"Madara..." he murmured, and somehow I could hear him over the roar of the waterfall.

And he threw himself over me, put his gloves hand harshly on my face, and kissed me.

"Mmm..." I said, stepping back.

But then, I relaxed into the kiss, and I opened my mouth to his.

I dropped my sword.

It fell into the water with a satisfying sound.

We broke free softly, and we looked at each other. The air around us was electrified with desire.

Finally... Finally!

This time was so, so different. The innocence of youth had washed off us completely, and we were not two hungry young men, but two starving grown adults starving.

He took my hand, and took me to a cave right at the waterfall that was spared its roaring sound but tinted with the dripping of water.

There, he turned to me, and he put his large hands on my shoulders, pulled my robe off with them, revealing my bare chest.

I stroked his chest upwards to his neck and then out, letting the fabric of his robe follow my hands until it slid off him.

We took off each piece of clothing from the other, one at a time, until we stood in front of each other, naked.

He stepped to me, connected our hips, leaned his forehead to mine. I leaned in and closed my eyes, enjoying him, enjoying all of him.

We kissed again, slowly and with passion. He put his hands around my waist and turned me round. I lifted my hands to support myself against the cave wall, leaned forwards. He pushed himself in softly, took me lovingly, thrusting deeply. I moaned softly to his thrusts, enjoying the feeling of us, trying my uttermost not to be swallowed completely by longing for him.

The longing increased, up and up, until it became so strong I couldn't take it, and that was when both of us came, loudly, convulsing. He grabbed my waist with his strong arm, leaned his forehead against my back. When I turned and braided our fingers together, I noticed his hands were much larger than mine.

I didn't hate it.

We dressed each other gently again. He grabbed my chin with his index finger, put his lips dangerously close to mine.

"My little fox", he breathed.

He was waiting for me to kiss him.

"I can't do this", I said. "I love you. I can't do this."

I left before Hashirama understood what was happening, picking my sword up on the way.