18

                                    

                                          
Sen did a proper job of keeping Madara off of her mind. She busied herself training with Sora, spending time getting to know the villagers, and fixing up the Hyuga compound for the family's inevitable move-in. She was meditating in the garden whenever she felt someone's chakra presence. She opened one eye and saw Tobirama standing in front of her. 
                          
"I came by to check on you. Sora said you've been sick." 
                          
Fucking Tobirama. Seriously? She groaned internally before smiling weakly and confirming that she hadn't been feeling too well lately. Adding at the end that she would hate to get him sick, praying he gathered the hint. 
                          
Instead of bidding her good health and leaving, Tobirama sat down in front of her and shrugged, "I've always had a strong immune system. I'll be fine. You look like you could use the company." 
                          
"Is that what you deducted from watching me meditate in my home garden?" she asked bluntly. 
                          
"Among other things," he responded, his emotions completely unreadable. 
                          
Her white eyes trained on him as she requested, "Which are?" 
                          
"Impertinent except for the last one, so I'll get straight to it. You asked Madara, didn't you?"
                          
So this is why he came here. Sen kept a collected look on her raised face while she challenged Tobirama silently. With a strong voice, she chuckled, "Now why would you guess that?"
                          
"Because one, you're not sick and two, you're upset," he listed. A condescending smirk played on his face as he finished, "So I'm assuming that you asked and that the Uchiha acted like so. Am I right, Sen?" 
                          
Sen was impressed with his deduction; however, she would never let him know. A sly smile pulled at her lips while she responded, "Even if you were, it would still be none of your concern." 
                          
Tobirama narrowed his eyes at her for a moment. He didn't expect the Hyuga woman to behave like this. She had been so amiable and excited the other day, but now she was indifferent to him.
                          
She stood from her seated position and brushed off her kimono. Looking down her nose at the gray-haired man, she told him, "I know the truth, Tobirama." 
                          
He stood as well, towering over her. His intense ruby eyes bore into her, but she maintained eye contact with him and refused to back down. They faced one another in silence. He asked, almost mockingly, "You trust his word?" 
                          
"I trust what I saw," Sen retorted sharply. 
                          
Tobirama rolled his eyes. He asked rhetorically with a huff, "In a genjutsu?" 
                          
"I watched you kill Izuna using the Flying Raijin technique," she stated assertively. His face shifted slightly. Sen continued, "Hashirama begged Madara for peace before Madara used a smoke bomb to escape with his brother." 
                          
Tobirama was silent. He tried to mask the surprise he was feeling. So she really does know the truth, huh?
                          
Stepping towards him defiantly, Sen spoke again, "Izuna begged Madara to take his eyes. He didn't steal them." 
                          
The Senju man's face was stoic. "You don't know him as I do. You couldn't even begin to imagine what he's capable of." 
                          
"I could say the same, Tobirama." 
                          
There was a tense silence between them while they both retreated to their thoughts. 
                          
He raked a hand through his spiky gray hair as his voice filled with pity, "You're a brilliant kunoichi from everything I've heard. I would hate to see you ruin yourself over someone like Madara Uchiha." 
                          
"I can take care of myself. Now, if you'll excuse me," she pushed past him and entered her house, locking the door behind her. 
                          
He stood outside for a moment more, shoving his hands into his pockets and clicking his tongue. It's a shame, he thought. I could use someone with her tenacity and Kekkai Genkai in the ANBU. 
                          
Sen watched with her Byakugan while he finally left the compound. She let out a long sigh while she rubbed her temples. I need a drink. Where's Sora when you need him? 
                          
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He's so pretty, honestly. *light swooning*