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If there was one thing Madara hated, it was having to wake up early for any reason at all. But there was one he hated even more. Having to wake up early for something related to Tobirama Senju.
His crush on the man was of public knowledge. Hell, Tobirama knew about it, because apparently, Madara had confessed his undying love for him, to him, one night he got drunk at the Senju household. Madara had known that Hashirama and Tobirama sharing a house was a bad idea. It had turned into a nightmare when he realized that getting drunk with Hashirama on weekends would mean Tobirama would stick along with them.
That night had been a complete disaster. Not only because of the unwanted confession. But Tobirama had thought it to be appropriate to look hotter than he already was. With that pair of jeans and that old band shirt, far from his usual neat looks. It probably had been why Madara hadn't been able to resist. Why he had talked about his feelings like this. But he had learned his lesson well. No more getting drunk at Hashirama's. And if Hashirama wanted them to drink, he now knew he had to come to his place, rather than the other way around.
That being said, well. It wasn't as if he could avoid Tobirama, now he and Hashirama lived together. He would have been completely fine with it, considering his usual approach with problems was to run away from them. But as annoying as Hashirama could get, the guy still was his best friend and Madara was sadly too fond of him to break his heart like that. Which meant having to face Tobirama often enough. And Tobirama was a treat to him, Madara couldn't deny he'd spend hours watching him if it weren't creepy as fuck. But. It was a forbidden treat. For, obviously, Tobirama didn't share these feelings he had. He merely ever mentioned the confession but never talked his opinion about it. Which meant Madara's feelings were unrequited.
Today, though, was a different matter. For, as much as Madara wanted to avoid being alone with Tobirama, or being around him at all, Hashirama had asked one big favor from him. Tobirama needed a lift to the capital for one important job interview and Hashirama was working that day. Hashirama had asked him. Well, more precisely, he had begged him to take Tobirama to the city, because it was too important for Tobirama to miss it and Madara, out of his big heart, had accepted.
He had prepared for it. But Madara wasn't sure he was even close being ready for anything that might happen. Or for just driving a couple of hours with the man by his side, for that matter.
The house Hashirama and Tobirama were sharing was a small little thing in a village a dozen of kilometers away from the capital. The kind of which Madara wasn't exactly fond of, it was so generic, really but there was one thing he'd admit he liked about it. It was calm. So calm and he loved to relax in the garden when he came, he loved to spend time there. Not just because then he'd be with both his best friend and his crush but, chilling on the terrace, with only the songs of the birds to be heard was a pleasure he didn't know he needed in his life. And it almost made him enjoy the countryside, he who lived his whole life in the Capital. Almost.
The portal was open and Madara drove his car to stop in front of the garage door, trying to remember why, to begin with, Tobirama had decided to live in the countryside, knowing he didn't have his driving license, he stepped out, invited himself in the house as he always did.
"Tobirama, I'm here," he announced himself, rolling his eyes for the hundredth time because of the unlocked front door, he sighed.
And now was coming the moment he liked best. When he'd see Tobirama. Which was ridiculous, considering. But it always had a special feel to it, to look up at him and see Tobirama watch him back. Which probably had everything to do with his feelings, he was aware of it but Madara couldn't help it. He loved the man too much to hold it back.
It didn't come, though. Madara waiting in the entry hall, growing more and more awkward, he checked his watch and the date on his phone, as well as Hashirama's text, in case he hadn't come on the right day but all was good. He was on time, the exact hour he had told Hashirama he would arrive. And Tobirama wasn't ready.
"Tobirama ?"
No answer again. Madara sighed, rubbing his forehead, he cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. Had Tobirama missed his alarm ? Didn't Hashirama tell him that Tobirama was an early bird and never slept much ?
The wooden stairs creaked a lot under his feet as Madara made his way upstairs, he tried not to stomp too much, remembering how Tobirama once commented he looked like an angry child when he was annoyed but making enough noise so Tobirama wouldn't be startled with his arrival. The bathroom was empty, but its window ajar, allowing the hot damp air out and Madara ventured a bit further in the corridor, he stopped at Tobirama's door, as it was open, he blinked, trying to ready himself for Gods knew what, he knocked at the door. No answer. He knocked again, a little harder but, as Tobirama didn't answer, he sighed, took half a step in, he looked up.
"Tobirama, come on, we're going to be late for …"
The sight he was met with took his breath away.
Tobirama was there. Which was good. Dressed in a dark suit. Which Madara really wasn't ready for. He could have never been ready for anything of the sort, really, not with how perfectly fitted on Tobirama's frame it was, its dark blue color standing out in the light tones of Tobirama's bedroom. Tobirama standing there, in front of a mirror, as he was adjusting his shirt and it was no wonder he hadn't heard him, seeing the headset he was wearing.
Madara was frozen on the spot. Not for the reasons he had expected, though. Not because how gorgeous Tobirama was and how he could never get used to it. But. Tobirama was singing, his beautiful voice filling the air, vibrating softly, humming notes in the pauses between the lyrics and Madara couldn't believe how well he was singing, how perfect he sounded. He couldn't recognize the song, he could barely hear the words but gods, he loved that song already, to the bottom of his heart.
And he saw the reflection of Tobirama's face in the mirror, how relaxed he was looking, the words slipping off his tongue so easily. He saw the small smile on his lips, and the radiant air of his expression and he fell in love again. Gods, his heart was never going to settle now. Not after witnessing such a beautiful moment and he wished he could have filmed it, somehow. Just to be able to rewatch it again and again later.
It was too late, though, as Tobirama stopped singing, as he had noticed him through the mirror and he was quick to pull the headset off, he looked at him over his shoulder.
"Tell me you know how to tie a tie."
Madara snapped out of his reverie harshly, he cleared his throat, scratched his hair as he stepped closer. Tobirama turned to him, a ridiculously tied tie around his neck and Madara looked up at his eyes. Shaking his head. Couldn't the man just follow a how-to video on the net ?
"We're going to be late."
Tobirama shrugged, looking away as Madara was untying the poor thing Tobirama had mistreated, he smoothed both sides against Tobirama's chest, leveled him with a judging stare.
"Just do the thing," Tobirama huffed at him, light grey strands of hair falling in front of his eyes.
Madara did. Carefully tying the tie again, making sure it looked perfect to go well with Tobirama's beautiful suit and his gorgeous face. But he couldn't help smirking, when he was done.
"I didn't know you could sing," he commented, because he had to. He had to say something about what he had just witnessed and it was half a compliment, which was good, wasn't it ? He hoped it was one. At least he wasn't running away for once.
"I didn't know you knew how to tie a tie," was Tobirama's answer, his sarcasm barely hidden.
Madara rolled his eyes. "We should just go if you're ready."
Tobirama was ready, he merely had to slip his shoes on and grab a huge file beforehand.
Sitting in the car was the awkward part, really. And it took a second for Madara to realize that it really was the first time he was in a car with Tobirama and it was such a tiny place and they were so close. Gods he was ridiculous, he was well aware of it.
But he didn't have the time to dwell on this for too long, as he heard Tobirama's voice again. As he heard him hum the notes of the song playing on the radio, whispering the lyrics, as he was watching outside, leaning on his hand, obviously lost in thoughts. And Madara couldn't help glancing at him. For he couldn't remember a time he heard Tobirama sing before and it had already happened twice today. Did it mean something ? Anything ? Was it the sign that Tobirama was growing more comfortable around him ? That he was more relaxed ? But he was going to an interview, he should be stressed, even if a little. He didn't look it though. If anything, Tobirama was looking entirely confident.
That was until they caught each other's eyes and Tobirama groaned, rolling his eyes.
"Quit staring," he huffed.
"I might just kiss you," Madara answered. He wasn't sure he had wanted to say something like this, the words half slipping off his tongue without him having any control on it. But it was the truth, especially on this moment, especially after hearing Tobirama sing like this. It was too much for his self control. Way too much and it shattered before he could even begin keeping it under check.
"Yes, I am aware," was Tobirama's harsh answer. "Your point ?"
Madara's heart shattered more quickly than his self control just before and he swallowed back everything, focusing on the road, trying to ignore the furious heat of his cheeks.
Now, that was clear, wasn't it ? If Tobirama hadn't made himself understood before, after that uncontrolled love confession, here he was now. Stating clearly that it wouldn't happen. Not in this life and, probably, not in the next either. And it hurt, gods it did so much but Madara couldn't exactly let himself being distracted at the moment, seeing how he was driving and the road was busy. Killing the two of them probably wasn't the right way to escape his shame.
Tobirama's interview was to take place in one of Konoha's skyscrapers, downtown. A huge tower of steel and glass, going high in the sky, known to welcome dozens of very important affairs and Madara parked in one of the drop-off spots in front of the tower, waited for Tobirama to leave.
"Has Hashirama told you about the appointment?"
Tobirama's whisper was unexpected and Madara glanced at him. Couldn't he not talk for the moment ? Madara already was feeling so bad, all he wanted was to just find a coffee shop and get the strongest cup of coffee out there. He'd gladly get drunk instead but he had to drive Tobirama back to his place when the interview would be over with. And as much as he wanted to die, out of shame, he truly didn't want to.
"He said you had a job interview," Madara shrugged, hoping to sound detached.
"I guess he understood nothing. Again," Tobirama rolled his eyes. Then he tapped the huge file in his lap. "I developed a video game. And I am going to sell it. More precisely, editors have been begging to buy it and I received an offer up to my expectations."
Madara was impressed. Of course he was. He had known that Tobirama was intelligent, more than he'd ever be and that he worked with computers but he had never imagined he was able to develop a video game. It was quite something, wasn't it ?
"That's … great," Madara managed to smile. And he meant it. He truly did.
"I'm only missing one thing before I go."
Madara frowned. "What is it ? Did we forget something at your place ? I can drive back there if …"
"I really need a goodluck kiss."
Madara blinked. And again. Not sure he had heard well, not sure his brain wasn't playing tricks on him. Now that would be a cruel thing, Madara thought as he was looking into Tobirama's eyes, as he was holding himself back because he had already fucked things up enough today. But Tobirama was watching him and he was waiting and what ? Was it .. it was what Tobirama had said, wasn't it ? He did hear it properly. But what about earlier? When Madara did speak of kissing him and Tobirama turned him down so harshly.
What .. what if he didn't though ? What if he merely .. well. They did have a history of being harsh with each other. In a playful way. It was how they worked, how they usually interacted. What if it had been just that ?
Madara hesitated, and he couldn't help glancing at Tobirama's lips several times. But he cleared his throat, he leaned to him, he kissed his cheek instead.
Tobirama caught his lips when he was pulling back, in a short, chaste kiss and Madara's mind was blown. Gods, this was happening. And Tobirama's smile was so wide when they parted, adoration written in his beautiful eyes.
"Which is great, is that I will now have all the time in the world to take you out on dates," Tobirama whispered, then pushed his lips against his again, a quick one again, he was late after all. "I call you when I'm finished. Yes ?"
Tobirama was gone before Madara managed to catch his breath again. Mind blown indeed. And wanting nothing but to go on these now promised dates with the man he loved.