The Whisper || FullbusterFic » vonlane

Chapter 16: An unexpected end

That temple had since then become the only witness of the encounter between the three ninjas from different clans. Many battles had there been between clans but for that night, the three seemed to be calm despite their nerves. The storm didn't seem to die down and their glares couldn't stop crossing each other.

Minato was the first to get up from the floor and walk towards the window to watch how the rain continued falling. Perhaps he thought or dreamt about what his life could've been—whether or not that rain could wash away part of his pain and sadness. Madara approached him but when he went to place his hand on Minato's shoulder, he stopped and noticed how he trembled. 

"You should come closer to the fire," Madara said, throwing a glance towards the back where a few logs burned in the chimney.

"I'm fine," Minato replied.

"You're cold."

The tense silence was maintained.  The Hyuuga didn't dare say anything in front of them. Madara felt there was an insuperable abyss between him and the blond; an abyss that no matter how much he tried to jump over, cross or climb it... didn't seem to shorten the distance. He thought about leaving and going back to the fire, leaving Minato to his own [space]. He had already turned around to excuse himself when he heard the blond's voice more alive than ever with a grand smile and an innocence [Madara] had never been able to imagine seeing in such cruel world of death and war.

"Snow," Minato smiled, watching the snowflakes fall on the humid earth on the other side of the crystal.

Madara observed the strange phenomenon. They had never seen snow before; the Uchiha dominated flame. Their village was set up on suitable land to avoid this kind of climate and so were the Namikaze who were too distanced from the mountains.

Only once had Madara seen snow and it was during a long, dangerous mission that took him to a most remote area of the country—a zone more elevated than the mountains. He smiled and did so simply because he remembered his own surprise when he had seen those cold flakes drop softly against the ground for the first time. Minato had used the same expression of surprise and enthusiasm—the same one that Madara recalled his brother, Izuna, making whenever he saw something new and beautiful.

Minato's hands touched the cold crystal, losing his gaze on the snowflakes that fell and froze everything in its way. He looked back, seeing how the two men were behind him, watching him with surprise.

"What's wrong?' Minato asked, scared.

"You've reminded me of my brother when he went with me on a mission and saw the snow. Perhaps you've also reminded me of myself. We were very surprised to see it."

"I've never seen anything like this before. They've told me about it, but... I suppose seeing it in person is much better. I didn't expect to see something like this. I always thought my competition would end soon."

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you," Madara said, grabbing Minato's cold face between his hands.

"Please... leave that for another moment," The Hyuuga intervened, making a face of disgust. "Don't [be touchy] in my presence."

"I had no intention of it." Minato said, pushing away Madara's hands from his face. "I'm going to sleep. I'll leave at dawn."

Without anything else to say, Minato marched off to one of the corners next to his horse to sleep. He covered himself as much as he could with the quilt his horse also had over him and closed his eyes as he was set to rest from the tough day he had. He should be as refreshed as possible because the race was coming to an end.

When Madara woke up the following day, he turned around towards the corner where Minato was supposed to be but saw how he was no longer there. In his place, he heard a neigh coming from outside. He quickly got up and looked through the window watching how Minato, dressed and armed, mounted his horse to leave. The first rays of the sun hadn't even been up yet.