Heaven wait (Hashirama x Madara)

5. Peace and quiet (Hashirama)

We phoned each other every evening from then.

I was on video when we called, still only letting M see my torso, and he was without video, but it filled us with such a delicious and enjoyable longing that neither of us wanted to take a step further just yet. Sometimes, we spoke. Madara didn't seem to do a lot of things other than work. Except for getting from place to place in first class or his private jet, the man didn't seem to spend his money much.

One day, I was laying on my couch after a particularly harsh shift reading a book, Schrödinger snoozing on my stomach, a mug of hot chocolate on the coffee table I wouldn't be able to reach without waking my cat, when M spoke.

"H?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I turn on my video?" My hart leapt into my mouth. "Not to show my face or anything. I just want to show you the view."

"Of course", I said with a warm smile.

Truth was, I had worried about M. These past few days, he had been a delight to hang out with, but I had noticed he was slowly becoming more and more... sad, I think. I had worried about the cause being me, but him offering to share his view with me felt like an olive branch.

When he turned the video on, and I smiled at the view he was showing me. It was a classical white beach with palm trees and turquoise waters painted a sugared apricot by a splendid sunset. A few boats were bobbing their way out into the sea. I could almost feel the warm breeze on my cheek.

"Wow, M...."

"I know."

But I found I had a very hard time focussing on the beauty of the beach. I was thinking of the man sitting behind the camera. He's there... He's right there... It's almost as if you could reach your hand out and touch him.

"M..." I began, but he had spoken at the same time.

"H."

We both laughed.

"You go first", I said.

"No, it was nothing, really."

"Fine", I said sternly. "Then I'll go first, and you go first next time we find ourselves in a stand-off. Okay?"

M laughed at my quick solution.

"Be my guest."

"I have noticed something is off with you. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy your company immensely! But I'm worried. Would you mind telling me what's wrong?"

I thought I could hear M open his mouth to protest, but then, he seemed to give up.

"I will tell you", he said. "One day. When we meet. But... My schedule is getting to me, H. I'm tired. I only get a few hours of sleep each night."

I sat up, devastated.

"Then what are you doing on a beach with me? Go to bed!"

"No, I don't mean it like that! I mean, I can't sleep. It takes me hours to fall asleep. I'm constantly jet lagged and to be fair, I don't even know what part of the world my inner clock is adapted to anymore. This helps a lot." He shook his phone a little, indicating the beach. "Calming down before bed time. But sometimes, I get too affected by my schedule."

"I understand", I said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually, there is." At this, M turned his camera off. "I really like your tattoo. Or tattoos. The lightning bolts on your hip bones. I would like to see them. And... Do you have others?"

I smirked a little, which M of course couldn't see as he could only see me from my neckline and down to my hips. 

"I thought we were saving that."