Love's Test of Time (Madara Uchiha x OC)

III - Fire

Songs:
Sunday Best - Handsome Ghost
Shiver - Lucy Rose
Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens
Arms - The Paper Kites

~~~

Two months had passed quickly, with spring settling in after the last frost and Yumi was doing much better. All her bruises had healed and she was five months along now; just showing underneath her dress. My mother was so excited to become a grandmother soon. The clan still doesn't know we are blood sisters, but my mother adopted Yumi so I can openly call her my sister now without arousing suspicion.

I've been working at the hospital a lot and really trying to practice my medical ninjutsu so I can save more people. Not surprisingly, I haven't been picked to be a battlefield medic since the first time.

Madara and I have seen each other intermittently since he walked me home. When we do talk, it's very superficial and not about anything important. Luckily, he hasn't said anything about my secret so I don't think he knows about it.

"Lea." I started slightly and met my sister's green eyes. "You haven't been listening, have you?" Sheepishly I shook my head. She giggled and continued washing the clothes in front of her, "That's okay. I know you're probably just thinking about Lord Madara." She smiled mischievously.

"Wh—What do you mean? I don't think about him!" She continued to giggle while I tried to stammer out an excuse.

"Just admit you like him, Lea! I'm pretty sure he's into you too." She teased.

"Who's into you?" I screamed and jumped away from Madara's deep voice behind me. Yumi and him began laughing loudly as I released a breath.

"You scared me, Madara! Don't do that!" I smacked his arm playfully.

Stifling his chuckles, he managed out a "sorry" before chuckling again.

"We were just talking about how Lea keeps thinking about this guy who's totally into her, she's just too dumb to see it," Yumi spoke to Madara about our earlier conversation. I turned beet-red and busied my hands with wringing out the laundry then hanging it over the drying lines.

Madara crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "Is that so? Well, I hope he's handsome, otherwise, you're wasting your time with him because you deserve someone nice."

"Oh, he is super handsome!" Yumi squealed for me and I coughed, almost choking on my spit. "Well, did you need something, Lord Madara?" She asked politely, every hint of earlier mischievousness gone.

"Yes. I need to borrow Lea from you. Is that okay?"

Yumi held up her hands, "Take her! She's all yours!" A grin graced her soft features and I glared at her. She just winked back and I turned to follow Madara out of our backyard.

"Where are we going?" I pressed, trying to get some information out of him.

"You'll see," Was all he said.

We continued walking through a forest, slowly going uphill till we came upon a small clearing. "After you, my lady." He gestured forward with his hand and I walked into the clearing, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, well except that I couldn't see past the huge cliff. I took a few steps forward and gasped as a brilliant forest, complete with a small river, spread out before us.

It was a beautiful sight to behold from atop this cliff. Madara smiled and I turned, noticing his gaze on me. "It's very pretty."

He nodded. "It is a nice view, but I didn't bring you here to talk about the forest. I wanted to tell you a story." I cocked my head quizzically and he continued, "Have you heard of Hashirama Senju?" I nodded a "yes". After all, he was the man who tried to attack me in the last battle and someone I had researched during my studies of the Senju clan. "We were childhood friends. We would meet at the river down there," He pointed, "and skip stones across it.