Blinded

"Madara wait!"

She has no qualms to stop on her tracks, not until the man chase after her and tap her from behind. That was when she felt a burning sensation of punching the life out of him that will absolutely send him flying off from the cliff.

She never felt anything like that before, the feeling alienated her wholeness like it almost blurred her vision. She landed a forced deadpan look to Hashirama before shooing his palm away on her.

"WHAT?"

Oh, how it sounded so obviously angry on how she asked.

The Senju raised both of his brows without a single thought on how she struggles on composing her violence.

"Can we talk?"

"FOR WHAT?"

"About the…wait, are you mad?"

"SHOULD I BE MAD?"

"But..you are,"

"I AM NOT MAD."

They were standing less than a meter from each other yet the boiling Uchiha was talking loudly as if making a battle cry. Hashirama was confused, he didn't know if it was because their argument before or because of different things. He observed the girl's facial expression and would've sworn he almost saw a steam coming from her nose, she was mad and her face betrayed her.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, skeptical at first but there was no other way to know what in the sage's name her problem was.

"ARE YOU FREAKING DEAF?"

"Mara?"

"I SAID I AM NOT MAD!" She said stepping closer, he stepped back.

"Then why are you shouting at me?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU"

"So,you're mad?" Hashirama has the bothered and confused face combined. Just why can't be the Uchiha be direct to him.

Madara sighed, suppressing whatever emotion she needs to pull. All she ever wanted was to be gone on that place yet the Senju man, a.k.a the reason she had been out of herself blocked her way.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that our renovations is done and that's all, now you can go back to your DATE and enjoy whatever business you're having with HER."

Hashirama's eyes were boldly shocked at Madara's respond, she 'hnn-ed' and smirked in an instant while observing the now stunned Hokage. He blushed, stuttered and shook his head multiple times.

"Wha- we are not having a DATE!"

"There is no need for you to explain anything at all, seeing how you flatter HER was enough."

The Uchiha tapped the ultra baffled Senju in the arm, Hashirama doesn't know how to answer as if he was struck by a lightning, whether to go in a defensive-mode-jutsu. Was she implying that he has 'something' with Mito? Well, she just did. Does Hashirama wanted to call an urgent meeting with the Uchiha to clear things? Yes, he does.

And before his non-existent romantic admiration for the Uzumaki arose;

"Wait- No- Its- What- MadarathatisnotwhatImeanabout her!"

"Hokage-san?"

Mito's arriving figure sent shivers to Hashirama's spine, hoping she didn't heard anything about Madara 's accusations of him 'liking' her. Before the Uzumaki stepped closer on where the two founders were (and before Madara chose to activates her sharingan ) she left the astounded Hokage in his spot.

The Senju was stuck between chasing after the Uchiha again or to wait for the appearing Uzumaki.

And from that moment, he had to choose.

-xXx-

He knows he acted the wrong way at that time.

Fully aware of his own drunkenness last night, he heaved a mighty sigh before entering his brother's office. After leaving his duties and some paper works for two days as the Hokage's right-hand man, he knows he have many things to settle. Firstly, he badly needs to make reconciliation with his big brother. No, he will not apologize for bashing a certain Uchiha girl and for saying crude things about her – not that. He will apologize for hurting the tender, soft, overly dramatic and sensitive brother's feelings – that's all. Secondly, he needed to make sure his paper works and other things to do will be neatly and fittingly done before this day ended.

Of course there will be no 'thirdly' for apologizing to Madara – this was Tobirama Senju we were talking about.

He spotted the Hokage at his seat doing a day to day activity of a village leader.

Hashirama paid full attention on his younger brother seeing how he pinned his vision at him. They were in awkward silence in less than a minute before the albino broke it and started.

"I am sorry about last night, brother." He finally said and quickly avoid his brother's gaze. Tobirama cursed himself under his breath for being sounded so guiltily, yet he was. Showing weakness on moments like this was his weakness.

Surprisingly, Hashirama jumped out on his chair to hug his only brother left.

"What the hell brother!"

"I was the one who must say sorry to you,Tobirama." The older one hugged the young one like a teddy bear.

"Okay, just get off me, brother." The white haired man rolled his eyes. Every time they've got a big argument regardless of whose fault it was, Hashirama was always like this. Pinning his nose under the younger Senju's neck like a child, claiming the entire fault in the world like mad. Tobirama patted his back, wondering why in his 21 years of being alive he never got used on his big brother's idiocy.

"I apologize for being an insensitive brother to you." Hashirama said as if crying and sniffing like a child. Tobirama became more conscious of thinking that they are on the Hokage's office and there might be another person who will walk inside. He slowly pushed the older Senju back before he blows his nose on his collar.

"I really do hope we're fine by now."

"Yes, of course, but this doesn't mean that I will not be anymore against her. I am only apologizing for my behavior to you, not to her."

Tobirama pressed then sat on the seat near the Hokage chair,folding his arms over his chest, Hashirama scratched the back of his head though it was not surprising that the younger Senju will definitely bring the topic again, at least his head was cooler now than the last time.

"Tobirama, you shouldn't have to worry or be angered by that anymore, in fact Kirigakure sent a new letter and I received it just now, stating they wanted to clarify things with us."

Hashirama said and handed the scroll to the sitting man and the albino quickly read the content.

"In Yugakure?"

The letter says the kiri fixed a rendezvous point at Yugakure to meet Hashirama about their 'misunderstanding'. Kiri was located at the eastern part of Konoha while Yugakure, or the 'village hidden in hot water' as it namesake, was located at the northern part of Konoha.

"Yes, well maybe it's because they wanted us to assume they truly want peace with Konoha."

As someone who knows politics, Tobirama understood clearly the good point in meeting on a different locale, especially if the issue was a complex one. But the far location of the rendezvous bothered him a little.

"Isn't it too far? I mean from Kiri to Yugakure they will have a long week of journey."

"I was just about to ask it on the letter I sent but I as you can read, they wanted to have the talk as soon as possible. Look Tobirama, it is us who made a fault to them in the first place so-"

"Oh stop that will you?! It is not us, it's just Madara who killed their village hero, this is why we are on this situation in the first place!"

Then he closed the scroll and put it back on Hashirama's desk, and angrily shot a glance at his elder brother, but then seeing the Hokage's stance going in front of him, he can already predict he will have another round of long debate and hearing words like how Madara was a vital part of the village.

"Fine! I am not saying anything ever again, just please do not bombard me how I should rather blame you saving that girl's name again for sending her to that peace talk because I wouldn't. You can forget the issue and I do believe it's a good move to agree on that scroll."

Tobirama rolled his eyes as if agreeing on his elder brother was mandatory, Hashirama just sighed but smiled.

"Thank you, my little brother"

Another person entered the room, both Senju gazed at the door. Talking about someone who exempts knocking before entering, it was none other than Madara.

The said girl have papers on her hands, totally ignoring Tobirama's presence. She didn't even bat an eye after seeing the albino inside. Meanwhile, Hashirama had a series of flashback and mentally panicked remembering what happened on the cliff.

"Guess my business here is finished, I'll just go and do my papers, see you later brother." and with that, Tobirama made his exit, wanting to at least save his day from ruining again. Although he already left their issue, he still doesn't want to spend the same place with the Uchiha.

He walked passed Madara and finally leave the two founders.

"Here."

Hashirama looked steadily at the papers which Madara put on his desk, still didn't know what to say first after a series of flashbacks about last night.

"I completed the information on that report, all you need to do is to sign that and it's done. You can check it if you want."

"Uh, Madara?"

"I adjusted the budget in financial column by the way."

"About last night.."

"We used some spare funds from our clan that's why."

"Mito and I practically went on our cliff because-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! JUST SIGN THE DAMN REPORT ALREADY SO I CAN GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

The Uchiha changed her state from collected to a scary one. Hashirama held his breath, the poor Hokage didn't had the chance to continue his statement once again. But he doesn't want to aggravate the issue of 'he and Uzumaki Mito had a date on the cliff last night'.

"But its not a DATE!"

"Ah, just the two of you there?"

"We were just talking!" he argued as he literally stood up trying to get his point.

"And what about you carry her? Let me guess, bridal style, you jerk!"

The Senju was caught off guard and was loss for words, the Uchiha turned around and on her way of leaving him.

And then all of a sudden, a realization hit him.

Do they really need to argue if he had a date with the redhead girl? Why are they arguing about that? Why would Madara pick fights on a certain topic?

"Why are you mad about that?"

Hashirama asked simply, not with an angry tone but with an innocent one. On the other hand, all of her energy was almost out of her body realizing the same thing.

Why?

Saying things like she's not mad or the likes would fail this time. Hashirama maybe stupid in her eyes at times, the dork, but he's intelligent to know that she was denying the fact that she's indeed mad at the moment.

"It's because people might misinterpret your closeness to that girl, that's all!"

I really don't know why I made it sound like I am protecting your prestige this time.

I hate you.

Hashirama blinked, trying to process Madara's response.

"No worries Mara, Mito and I were childhood friends remember? And also I think villager wouldn't put malice over my friendship with her." there goes Hashirama's usual sunny mood that irked the Uchiha in an instant.

"It's because you don't think like them, seriously? Have you read their minds for you to conclude it?"

"No but, they didn't put malice over my friendship with you, right?" Hashirama had a nervous smile. Madara was the one who's at loss for words this time.

I freaking hate this idiot

"Also, it's not a date, I promise" she was slightly surprised by the sadness in his eyes the way he said it. They knew each other for a long time and minus the tragic confrontation in the river (in Madara's knowledge) he never lied to her, more importantly not on the silliest things of life.

"Heh, I really don't care if the two of you are dating or not, it's all about the Hokage reputation, I don't want the people look down on the position that I will handle in the future."

The Senju was struck of her line and there was a vibrating effect on his chest after hearing Madara saying she doesn't really care at all. Overall Hashirama was hurt but then, he can't blame her.

He's just a friend to her.

Hashirama shrugged at her last statements and didn't take it too personal and proceeded to sign the report Madara wrote for it to be finalized. Knowing how meticulous and perfectionist the Uchiha was, he knows there was no error on it ,so he just look on the page where he needed to sign.

After that he handed the copy of the report to her.

"Thanks." a cold thank you from the girl then she turned around again.

"Madara!" Hashirama called after a few steps away of the Uchiha

"What?"

"C-can we eat somewhere..together?" He said scratching his temple.

The raven haired girl scrutinized the Hokage, narrowing her eyes at him.

"You have workloads to do!"

"It's a part of my workload! Here I am going to discuss this to you." Hashirama smiled a toothy grin and held a scroll from Kiri.

"What is that?" he gained Madara's attention using the scroll, the Senju was glad by that.

"About the village." Hashirama playfully smirked bouncing the scroll over his hands, he knows the Uchiha's curiosity always heightened up when it comes to the village concerns.

"Let me read it."

"I am going to reveal this if and only if, you will have a date with me tonight."

"What?!"