Madara Uchiha blinked as they reached the surface.

Hashirama was certain Madara would notice something was wrong as soon as they reached the surface. 

But Madara didn't notice something was wrong. He noticed something was different.

"This..." he said. "This..."

Hashirama smiled a crooked, sad smiled; he would have been amused by the unusual sight, or sound, of a speechless Madara hadn't he felt so bad.

"I know", he said. "I'm sorry. This is why I don't come up."

Madara, who had stood with his back against Hashirama to view the skies beyond the cliff on which they were standing, turned to him now, confused. 

He had been to this cliffs many times, but he had never seen it like this. Who knew that when the world bathed in light, the valley beyond would be a rusty red? Who knew that when the world bathed in light, water was not dark blue but an amazing sapphire? Who knew that when the world bathed in light, the sky wasn't black but azure blue, looking as soft as if it was a piece of clothing to be worn?

Madara turned to look at Hashirama, the source of the light, in more senses than one, but his eyes longed to turn back. The white clouds, looking edible. The waterfalls, looking drinkable. Who knew there was so much beauty in the world when there was a source of light as strong as Hashirama?

"Why do you apologise?" he asked. 

He was looking down, shamefacedly. Madara understood that this was not a game, not a way of Hashirama to seek confirmation. He had shunned the surface for billions of years; this must be caused by something that truly made him feel terrible. 

"The stars", he whispered, so silently first that Madara didn't hear.

"I'm sorry, what?" Madara asked. 

"The stars", he said, more loudly now. "Whenever I come up, the sky becomes so bright that they disappear. I can't cause them that.

Madara melted at this utterly selfless reason to stay underground. 

"Do you think it maddens them?"

He nodded.

"And even if it didn't, it feels wrong. Why should my right to shine outshine theirs?" 

Madara turned back to the beautiful, red ruby valley with the sapphire river once more, thinking.

"But... Can't you wander?" 

Hashirama frowned. 

"What do you mean?"

"You and the stars should be able to share the skies. You keep wandering. So when you wander this side of the planet, the stars can shine on the other side. And when you have wandered to the other side, the stars here can shine."

Hashirama sat down on the cliffside. Madara sat down beside him. Hashirama snivelled a little; not being able to come to the surface had saddened him more than he knew. 

"That could work", he said. "I can try."

Madara reached his hand out and took Hashirama's in his.

"We can try."

Hashirama, who was the sun but didn't know he was the sun, turned to Madara, who was the moon but didn't know he was the moon.

"What do you mean?"

Madara smiled softly.

"I'll come with you, silly."

Hashirama just gaped. Then, he threw his arms around Madara.

The sun cried while the moon laughed and they held on to one another.

They wandered. Oh, how far they wandered. Madara couldn't help but look at Hashirama from time to time, smiling.

"What?" Hashirama asked once when he caught him looking.

"Nothing", Madara said and looked away to hide his blush, but he couldn't hide his smile.

They were back at the cliffside where Hashirama had first revealed his ability. 

"Come on, you can tell me", Hashirama said mildly with those kind eyes that Madara had come to love so much.

"You seem different", he said, hugging his legs and leaning his cheek on his knee to look at Hashirama from underneath his black mane that was blowing in the wind. "Up here. Something obsessive about you has melted away, leaving someone who I think, and hope, is your true self."

Hashirama looked out over the valley. It was hard, tearing his eyes off Madara, but he needed to think, and the sight of Madara always distracted him from that.

"I feel different", he said. "Or rather, I feel like... before."

"Before what?" Madara asked.

Before I knew you existed.

But he couldn't say that. But he didn't want to lie, either. 

"A long time ago, I was much more like this. Calmer. More satisfied. Not always desiring more. I think what I truly wanted was the surface, and I tried to replace that with anything else, becoming obsessed with it."

"Was that why you... kidnapped me?"

Hashirama sighed. Of course, Madara was smart enough to figure it out.

"Yes."

"So now, when you have the surface..."

He took Madara's hand and squeezed it.

"I can choose to be with you because I think I can be good for you. I don't need you. I would be saddened if you left, but it wouldn't kill me."

Madara looked at their hands, then out at the valley. He didn't miss the stars. 

"When you let me up here... Weren't you scared I would flee?"

"Terrified", Hashirama said so immediately that Madara turned and looked at him in surprise. Even more surprised was he when he noticed Hashirama was smiling. He had gotten some humour back in his life since he was allowed to shine. "But..." He leaned forwards then, closer to Madara. Madara felt as if his heart would stop. He couldn't breathe. "Trusting someone is choice. And it's the best choice I have ever made."

Madara licked his lips, parted them. He could feel the warmth and softness of Hashirama's breath on the sensitive skin. 

"Hashi..."

"I'm sorry I kidnapped you", he said. "I shouldn't have done that. But I am glad we met, although I would have wished for the circumstances to be different."

"Shut up now", Madara said.

And the sun leaned forwards and kissed the moon.