Red String of Fate

Chapter 9 - Their dream

There was one hour before the sun began to set as the three made their way out of the shop. After talking about politics and such for so many hours Tadashi felt drained. As if his will to stay awake had been stepped on and dragged out of him.

"Well, I must return to the Uchiha Compound now. I leave you both to yourselves." Tadashi announced, giving them both a respectful nod before leaving with a flash.

"That leaves the two of us." Madara spoke, his deep voice floated in the silent air before Hashirama mumbled a noise of agreement.

"Let's walk." Madara suggested, starting to walk down the less populated lane, followed next to by Hashirama. They walked for a good ten minutes in complete silence.

"Do you prefer walking on the road or in the forest?" Madara asked, Hashirama thought hard about it, his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration. Madara watched this with a fond expression, some things never change.

"The forest." Hashirama ended up answering. "In fact, can we go visit a particular place?" Hashirama requested, Madara gazed at Hashirama's familiar face and smiled.

"You lead the way."

Madara followed Hashirama and throughout the whole way, he was studying the man's face, which shone bright under the dim moonlight.

He was always smiling, Madara wondered what this revered individual had felt like when Madara had killed himself.

Horror? Despair? Betrayal? He decided at this very moment that he can't get upset over his insecurities. In this life he must protect Hashirama, and ensure he lived the life he desired. One could say, there was no time to be upset over trivial matters.

When the two had arrived, Madara's eyes gradually stung with tears, but he forcefully blinked them away, his heart aching more than ever.

"When I was younger, I used to come here every day with my best friend." Hashirama explained, walking over to the cliff and taking a seat. He turned around with a sad smile and patted the spot next to him. Madara walked over and sat down, feeling infinitely nostalgic.

"Was he the man you mentioned last time?" Madara asked, despite how nervous he should've felt, his heart was tranquil and his feelings were undisturbed. Even though his heart ached and seemed to weigh a mountain, he felt safe sitting next to Hashirama, knowing that he was by his side made him feel oddly relieved.

"Yeah." Hashirama replied, gazing down at Konoha village below them.

"We once had a dream, to build a village here." Hashirama spoke, the shallow breeze caused both of their long hair to wave gently in the wind.

"I wanted to build a village here and reunite everyone, so that nobody had to be born during a warring period. So that nobody had to go through what Madara and I had to go through." Hashirama quietly spoke, his gaze saddening as he watched the lanterns in the village slowly light up.

The sun began to set, from where they sat, it was a pleasurable view. Madara, who was looking at Hashirama the whole time, raised his hand and lifted a few strands of his hair.

So innocent, he thought. How could I have forced him through such despair in the past?

"That's a lovely dream." Madara said gently, letting the soft strands of hair slip out of his hand.

"But now that it has been achieved, he is unable to see it." Hashirama said with dejection, Madara felt the aching in his heart increase by tenfold.

But I can see it, Hashirama, I have seen it.

"I'm sure that even if he's no longer alive, he is still watching over you." Madara suggested, watching as Hashirama turned around to look at him, his eyes sad yet hopeful.