Blinded

Roughly ten years ago-

"Mara?"

"Hmm?"

"What did you write in the time capsule?"

They were lying in a grassfield around plenty of colorful flowers after a tiring training. The young Uchiha raised her back and huffed while the Senju boy shifted his attention from the blue sky above to his friend.

"I already told you, wait for ten years and you will know."

"But it was too long~~" Hashirama whined as if it wasn't his idea for them to make a time capsule.

"You're the one who made that rule!" Madara reminded him.

It was a good day, the weather was warm but the wind coming from the mountainous part of the forest was cool. The birds chirped loudly in the background and the trees around shielded them against too much sunlight. Hashirama closed his eyes, listening on the relaxing sound of nature. It was so peaceful and to top it all, he was with her.

"I want to be with you, always."

"What?"

Hashirama grinned while lying flatly on the ground.

"That's what I wrote!" he raised his back to meet her gaze. Madara's onyx eyes widened. A faint blush started to appear in her face.

"Why did you tell me about it already?!" she scolded, he laughed.

"What's wrong with it?"

Madara glared at him with reddened face which he founds adorable. Hashirama once asked her if she ever wore a kimono before where Madara replied with a cold gaze and a loud 'YES,WHY?' He wanted to tell her that he hopes to see her wearing one but Hashirama hesitated. Especially when she started complaining how it was straining her movements saying "I cannot kick while wearing that stupid dress, I don't like it!" he wonders if ever she will act more ladylike in the future.

"Well, you already spoil me the contents so what's the use of it?" Madara raised her thin eyebrow.

"You haven't tell me about yours, right?" the boy smiled brightly as a sunshine, the girl shrugged.

He stared at his friend with a shit-eating grin as if telling her to say what she wrote in the ridiculous time capsule.

"As if I'm telling you and also stop looking at me like that!"

"Why?

"It's annoying, uncomfortable." She answered with her eyes looking at everywhere except his gaze.

Hashirama blinked wondering why Madara was acting strange, she usually do not complain on the way he look at her. She also looked like a nervous wreck.

"Are you sick, Mara?" Hashirama asked concernedly, tilting his head on his side while taking a good look on her face.

"Why?"

"Your face..it's red." The boy placed a hand on her cheek to check her temperature but he was rewarded by a growl.

"Don't touch me! I'm not blushing!" Madara screeched, Hashirama flinched.

"I never said you're blu...wait, you're blushing?"

She opened her mouth in an attempt to defend herself to no avail. Hashirama burst into laughter. Madara's cheeks turned red as tomato in embarrassment realizing she accidentally admitted that she was blushing. They rolled in the field and the place was soon filled with laughter, giggles and echoing voices as she jumped to stop him from laughing at her.

"Stop laughing Hashirama!" her high pitched voice echoed.

Hashirama continued to chortle with Madara on top of him. She was pinning him to the ground with a sulky expression and still furiously ashamed of herself.

"I can't help it, you're adorable." The boy said in between laughs. "But why are you blushing?"

"I am not!" The girl responded with a pout as her dark, messy hair flew softly in the air. Her face however has betrayed her words.

"Does it have anything to do with our time capsule?" The boy guessed innocently.

Madara shrieked, flailing her arms sideways and addition to this, she blushed even more. Hashirama was deeply baffled.

"I hate you!" She leapt making a distance between them. Madara turn her back at him while mumbling incoherent words.

Hashirama sniggered but got worried later on. Especially when it was the first time he had seen Madara sulking. It was like she was taken aback by something that he failed to figure out.

In all honestly, who on earth would be mad if someone wanted to always spend their time with them? Hashirama's eyebrows furrowed as he thinks, is she mad because he said what he wrote in the capsule? Or is she mad about what he wrote in it? What is the truth?

"Mara?"

"Shut up."

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"..."

Hashirama sighed in surrender. He reached to touch a strand of her hair, a habit that he had grown fond of whenever she refused to talk with him. She did not move an inch, even though he was sure that she can feel his fingers on it.

"What?" Madara asked in a rather more composed manner, much to his surprise. Although the hint of irritation was still in her voice. She tends to lose her temper easily but it doesn't take too long for her to calm down again. They have been meeting for months now and they never separate with unsettled arguments within a day.

Sometimes he wonder why girls are so hard to read especially the likes of her. He doesn't know if the other girls in their clan are like that since he doesn't really spend time with other Senju around his age except maybe with Toka who happened to be very close to him and his brothers.

Suddenly, Madara jerked to stand up and face him. Her lips were shut in a thin line and it was as if she wanted to tell him something but chose not to. Yet her eyes spoke a thousand words.

"Wait for it, you idiot!"

-xxx-

He pried his eyes soon as he woke up. It took several seconds for him to remember what happened before he went on a deep slumber. Still on his torn, ragged armor, Hashirama tried to sit up. He can still feel the weakness of his body and even though his wounds were slowly healing - thanks to the Senju genes, his chakra hasn't fully recovered yet. His eyes then wandered outside where he saw the lush green surrounding outside the cave. They were in the middle of a forest and neither one of them knows exactly where they are, but it wasn't the thing he was so concerned about.

"Madara?"

He called after finding himself alone in the dark. There was no one but him in the place. Hashirama gathered a strength to stand up. Balancing himself with his hand on the wall, he managed to reach the mouth of the cave. He covered the half of his face as his vision adjusts on the sunlight. The rain was gone and he can smell the earthy scent that it left.

Hashirama concentrated and listened to the sound of nature while channeling his chakra in an attempt to track her presence. Out of curiosity, he decided to take a stroll until he reached a river.

"This place…."

The riverbank was too familiar and although the entire place greatly change over the years, there was no doubt that it was the place where they first met.

He can still remember that day, meeting a cute girl skipping rocks. He unknowingly smiles at the thought of remembering everything since that fateful day. But ever since, he knew that she was far different from any other girl.

Hashirama sits beside a tree and watched the mesmerizing reflection of the sunlight from the water as he reminisce on the past. As he sat down, his vision was struck by something - a reflection coming from a shiny object not far away from him. He peered until he saw a part of a transparent bottle with half of its body buried. He hasn't took an interest to check it out until he remembered something.

The Senju approached the bottle and blinked at its familiarity. He slowly pulled it up, revealing that it was one of the bottle they buried years ago. Given that it was sitting on the west part of the river, the bottle was Madara's.

He can practically hear her voice whining once she found him holding her bottle. Hashirama removed the wooden lid and pulled the paper outside to read it.

"Hashirama,"

The Senju almost dropped the bottle. He instantly turn around to face the owner of the voice.

Madara frowned and raised her eyebrows before approaching him.

"I was looking for-"

She paused upon seeing the bottle on his hand.

"-you…" she continued, reluctantly. Her face became pale as a blank sheet of paper. The Uchiha then gazed at him then back at the bottle.

"Give me that." she breathed nervously, and in the blink of an eye, the air between them shifted greatly.

"Why would I?" Hashirama grinned, the usual childish grin whenever he tries to tease her. Without further ado, Madara marched forward to grasp the bottle away from his hands.

"Hashirama!"

They banter with the Senju refusing to give it. He secured the thing on his back while laughing giddily. All the while, Madara was blushing furiously, attempting to either grab the damned bottle or force Hashirama to drop it.

"Do you remember when you said you will let me know the contents of this bottle after ten years?" Hashirama teased. Madara glared at him gritting her teeth. But then lets out a sigh of defeat.

Madara shifted her vision on her side.

"Why are you so secretive about this?" The Senju asked.

"And why are you so eager to know it?! It was made by a twelve year old girl!"

Hashirama gaped and then laughed again at how she looked troubled. Their exchange was indeed funny given that they almost kill themselves on their fight yesterday. Draining all their energies, destroying an entire valley using their massive forces, and now bantering like twelve year olds.

"I'm always curious about anything when it comes to you. That's why, I want to know."

"But it won't matter anymore! Since you'll be spending the rest of your live with that Uzumaki bitch!"

Both of them was surprise at her words. Hashirama was baffled and Madara wanted the ground to eat her alive for saying such things.

"What do you mean?" he wondered.

"Just..forget it." she answered in a calm but shaky voice.

Hashirama stepped forward and gave her the bottle. Madara looked at it, confused.

"I want you to read it for me." he said and then she snapped again.

"What the hell?! Are you trying to embarass me with myself!" she bellowed and looked mortified at the very thought of her reading it in front of him.

Hashirama sighed. "Then, just let me read it in silence?"

Madara stared at him for a while before looking away.

He smiled and proceeded to pull out the paper. It changed from its original pure white color to brownish due to the time it spent being buried into the soil. Even the crystal bottle faded its transparency. Hashirama carefully unfolded the piece of paper and reads it.

Hashirama,

I'm pretty sure that while you are reading this, you already know that I am an Uchiha, a member of your rival clan. Frankly speaking, I don't know if we are still friends once the time comes when we are supposed to read this together. Our life as shinobis are full of uncertainties but I just want you to know…

He glanced at her before continuing.

I wish I can live my life with you by my side.

-Uchiha Madara

Their eyes met in an awkward silence. Madara could not take it anymore and turn around to leave. Not until Hashirama held her wrist.

"Tell me," he began, "Do you still feel the same way?"

"Let go of me." she stammered. "I already told you, it won't matter anymore."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"Tell you what?!" she grumbled and turn to face him again angrily. "Tell you how much I hate that woman? Tell you how much I was hurt when I heard you're willing to marry her?! For fucks sake Hashirama! My life is a messy hell to begin with and you're expecting me to suddenly admit everything to you?! To talk about my feelings when my reputation is slowly dying?! Everything that's important to me is fading away from my very eyes including you!"

"Mara...are you,"

"How dare you!" she screamed and breathes out to calm down. "I..didn't know what to do, what to feel, I was in rage and want to destroy everything including you. I feel so alone after I heard you saying that." She bowed down and wiped the tears clogging her eyes. At this point, she wasn't sure if she hated herself more than him for saying it out loud.

Hashirama was too stunned to even react at the sudden revelation.

"But I know," she spoke in a cracked voice. "That it's all too late."

"Look at me," Hashirama pulled her carefully and slowly lifted up her face.

"And tell me everything you feel about me,"

"I hate…" she began as they stared each other longingly.

Hashirama gazed, in hopes of finding the truth in her eyes. He waited, and waited patiently for her to continue until Madara let the words slip out without thinking.

"That I ...love...you."

Madara bit her lower lip, feeling the surging regret after her confession and slapped his hand away from her face.

"Forget it," She chided and stepped backwards.

Swiftly as she let her guard down, Hashirama grabbed her arm and gently held the back of her neck to press his lips against hers.

In a fleeting moment that seems to last forever, just the two of them alone in the middle of the place where they first met. Where they first talk, where they always spar during their childhood, where they knew each other and where they also went on their separate ways.

And now, it has an all new different memory.

A place where they both accepted their true feelings.

Hashirama parted his lips away from her slowly.

"How could I simply forget it?" he said with and placed both of his hands into her cheeks affectionately. "When that's the thing I desired the most to hear?"

Madara was still dumbstruck to respond properly and remained rooted in the ground with her eyes glued at him.

Hashirama felt he was the happiest man in the world - no, he was undoubtedly the happiest man at the moment, and last thing he could care about was everything around them because the only thing that matters to him was her.

-xxx-

"Tobirama-sama," Toka arrived with an apologetic face. "We haven't recovered anything from the dead bodies and the area that could tell about the Hokage's whereabouts."

Tobirama stood in silence. They had reached the place where the devastating fight had occurred. His eyes wandered with a frown. As expected from the two most powerful shinobis, they wrecked the whole area. The valleys vanished from map as if it never existed. He shook his head and sigh. It has been 24 hours since his brother's departure from the village and just like what he said, he went to follow him once Hashirama failed to return in time. He knew how his brother was powerful but Tobirama cannot disregard the possibilities that something terrible happened to him when he can no longer sense his chakra. Together with him were a couple of Konoha shinobis. Aside from worrying about his brother, what added to his concern was the unexpected view of lifeless bodies from their enemy village. But keeping it aside, Tobirama prioritize to look for his missing brother.

The thought of the Uchiha possibly killing his brother has made his blood boil.

"I swear," he mumbled. "I will kill that woman with my bare hands." Tobirama clenched his fists so hard until it turns white. Toka wanted to reassure him but even her doesn't know the right words to tell.

"Tobirama-sama!" A konoha shinobi pointed his finger on a certain direction.

A silhouette on a misty forest far from them was slowly approaching. The shinobis waited and readied just in case it was something they need to fight. Tobirama watched at the appearing form.

"Wait," he stepped forward to look at it closely.

As it gets nearer he noticed that there were two shadows, indicating it was actually two people. He held his breath on what he saw.

His brother had his arm around the Uchiha's shoulder, walking side by side.

"You're damn heavy." Madara complained for the fifth time along their way. Hashirama sniggered, looking afar.

"Im sorry Mara, but this is the only thing I know so it won't be too suspicious." he replied.

"Heh," she rolled her eyes. "By tricking your brother that I helped you eliminate those Kirigakure buffoons, he wouldn't buy this shit." she declared like her statement was foolproof.

It was Hashirama's idea. He knows that sooner or later, Tobirama will follow and look for him. He was also well aware that once they found them, the first person Tobirama will blame for his condition was none other than Madara, and by that he needed to think of a convincing scenario that will clear things. He had enough of dilemmas since yesterday and the last thing he want to deal with was a clash between his brother and Madara, especially now.

"Besides, I'm too weak." he smirked.

"Oh yeah? I can drop you any minute and prove that you're lying!" she warned.

His hands motioned in surrender. The truth was, he was enjoying their close contact but of course, it was half truth that his consciousness was waning. He still needs proper medication and rest after a long fight.

"Brother!" Tobirama called, rushing at full speed towards them together with Toka. Hashirama smiled weakly at his brother.

"What happened?!" the younger Senju demanded and turn his head at the Uchiha.

"Things happened, Tobirama. But as for now, we need to get back in Konoha. I'll tell you more later." The older Senju replied.

Sure, he wanted to know the details, but seeing his brother in a bad shape was what made him save his queries for later and decided to follow his order. He held his brother's free arm and put it around his shoulders.

"I can do this alone." Tobirama looked at Madara. Her eyebrows slightly twitched upon their eye contact.

"It's alright, Mara." Hashirama assured and she remove herself away from him without saying anything.

The group return to Konoha in peace with occasional scolding coming from the younger Senju to his older brother while the others particularly Madara kept quiet. But Tobirama did not fail to observe the perplexing exchange of eye contact between Hashirama and Madara.

What's up with these two?

Tobirama can see that there was something hidden beneath those glances, but what confused him was that it wasn't the kind of look coming from two people who almost exterminate each other. Seeing how his brother was supported by the Uchiha was already confusing and he can only wonder what really happened before they found them. He made a mental note to make Hashirama spill everything out.

By the time they reached Konoha, a small group of shinobi together with Mito were waiting for them at the gates.

"Hokage-san!" the redhead spun her heels towards them.

Madara's mood drastically changed and went from glowering at Mito to walking away from the group. It's not like she belonged with them anyway.

The Uzumaki gazed at the Hokage worriedly.

"Don't worry about me, Mito." Hashirama casually said, then his eyes met with Madara's.

The medics arrived to give them first aid yet the Uchiha refused and keeps on saying she doesn't need it. But the truth was it was only an excuse for her not to stay on the same place with Mito and Tobirama. She cannot stand it and would rather endure the physical pain of her wounds than seeing their faces.

"Madara," Hashirama called before the medics escorted him on the hospital. Tobirama was still standing beside him and Mito in front of them.

The said woman barely move her head to face him.

"I'll see you later." he said. It confused the hell out of the people around them more specifically Mito and Tobirama.

Madara only nodded in response before walking away.

-xxx-

Tobirama cleared his throat and folded his arms, leaned on the wall of the hospital room watching at his brother lying in the bed. Mito just left few moments ago and the albino witnessed how she was so concern about his brother. He can see how lucky Hashirama is once he marry her. She's the type of woman who submits to a man and take care of her family. Although he still want her to stay since he cannot look for Hashirama all day long because he had so much things to do, Tobirama essentially want to hear the whole story behind whatsoever happened the day before.

"Alright," the younger Senju started. "Tell me everything about it. And no, I don't believe she wasn't a part of the reason why you end up in that condition." Tobirama stated with his eyes turning into glare.

"Madara was right, you wouldn't buy it." Hashirama had a sly smile.

"Brother," it was almost a growl coming from Tobirama but soon, his annoyance that was quickly transforming to anger came to a halt when Hashirama's face and tone changed.

"I need to tell you about something."