Moonlight Embers

Embers of Moonlight

The river flowed lazily under the warm, fading light of the evening sun, its waters catching the red-orange hues of the sky as the day slipped into dusk. Tall sakura trees bordered the clearing, their pink petals drifting through the air like delicate promises never spoken aloud. The scent of fresh grass mixed with the distant hint of rain on the horizon. Despite the scenic peace surrounding them, tension hung in the air like a drawn bowstring.

A rare meeting between the Senju and Uchiha clans was underway—one born out of fragile hope, yet marred by the weight of centuries of bloodshed. On one side of the river stood the Uchiha leader, Madara, his piercing gauze sharp as steel as he spoke with Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.

But several meters away from the main discussion, a different battle raged.

Akari Uchiha was locked in a silent standoff with the man who irritated her more than anyone else on earth—Tobirama Senju. His expression was as still and emotionless as the river behind him, save for the faintest hint of amusement glimmering in his scarlet eyes. His pale hair gleamed in the waning light, framing sharp features that looked carved from marble.

Akari stood with her arms crossed, her dark eyes narrowed. She was a proud Uchiha—her raven-black hair flowing in waves over her shoulders, and the red insignia of her clan emblazoned on the back of her robe. But the man standing before her was unmoved by her presence, his cold demeanor only serving to irritate her further.

"Are you done yet?" Tobirama's voice was low and gravelly, as if he had more important things to focus on than whatever ridiculous game she was playing.

Akari scoffed. "With you? Yes."

His thin lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile, but not far from it either. "What a child," he muttered softly, loud enough for her to hear.

Her nostrils flared. How dare he?

"Tssh," she hissed again, partly to mock him, but also to mask her rising irritation. She couldn't help it—there was something about Tobirama's cool indifference that lit a fire in her, a fire she wasn't ready to extinguish.

But the Senju was unmoved, tilting his head slightly as if studying her like a curious animal. His gaze lingered on her longer than necessary, making her feel seen in a way that left her unsettled.

"You should leave," Tobirama said, taking a small step closer, closing the distance between them until she could see the subtle flecks of crimson in his Sharingan-like gaze. His proximity made her skin prickle with a strange sensation—part irritation, part something she didn't want to name.

"And let you have all the fun? Not a chance." Akari smirked, folding her arms tighter across her chest.

"You don't belong here." His voice was steady, but there was a flicker of something beneath the surface—something unspoken.

"And you do?" she shot back, refusing to be intimidated.

Tobirama's smile—if it could even be called that—was brief, but sharp enough to cut. "I'm needed here."

Akari's eyes narrowed as a gust of wind swept between them, sending a swirl of sakura petals through the clearing. She should have felt threatened by him—Tobirama Senju was infamous for his hatred of the Uchiha. But all she felt in that moment was defiance. And curiosity.

"Needed," she echoed softly, her voice laced with challenge. "Well, I guess that makes me unnecessary, then?"

Tobirama didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took another slow, deliberate step forward, until only a breath of space remained between them. His presence was sharp and cold, like the edge of a blade, but Akari didn't flinch. She refused to do that.

"You shouldn't have come," Tobirama murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

"And yet... here I am," she whispered back, her dark eyes burning with the same intensity that her cold gaze reflected.

They stood like that, locked in a wordless exchange, the tension between them like a fragile thread that neither of them dared break. Tobirama's gaze flickered—just for a moment—over her face, and she saw something unfamiliar pass through his eyes. Was it hesitation? Annoyance? Amusement? She couldn't tell.

But then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and Tobirama's expression returned to its usual impassiveness. "You're wasting my time," he said, turning away as if the conversation had bored him.

Akari watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest for reasons she couldn't explain. The shrewd, stoic man infuriated her beyond measure—but she couldn't deny the strange magnetism between them.

Tobirama Senju, she thought bitterly, biting the inside of her cheek. What a cold-hearted bastard.

But when she turned, she caught a brief glimpse of Tobirama looking over his shoulder—just for a second. And in that fleeting moment, Akari realized with a jolt that there was more to the man than he let on.

A chink in the armor, perhaps. A sliver of warmth beneath all that ice.

That thought disturbed her more than anything.

Later that night

The moon hung heavy over the valley, bathingeverything in a pale, silvery glow. The meeting had ended without incident, andthe Senju and Uchiha clans had parted ways—for now. But Akari found herself restless,her thoughts spinning in circles as she wandered through the silent forest nearthe riverbank.

 - Hey everyone, this is my first fanfic! I hope you enjoy it. English isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes—feel free to point them out. 

Thank you for reading!!!