"Izuna? IZUNA!!"

"MADARA!!"

I screeched and dropped my suitcase on the neat gravel of the driveway up to the Senju mansion and ran into Madara's arms. I couldn't help it, but I just broke down crying.

"Oh, dear. Oh, gorgeous." He kissed my forehead over and over. "Let me look at you. What's that scar? Oh my God, they gave you a scar? Has it been that bad?"

He sounded terrified. I sniveled and dried my nose with my sweatshirt. "It's not that bad. I kind of like the scar honestly. It's just..." I broke down again, the weight of Henry and Tobirama and everything weighing down on me.

My parents came and hugged us both, like one big family hug. We stood there for a long, long time, my parents having been driven by Helen's driver.

"I'm proud of you, son", my dad said.

"Thank you", I snivelled.

"Izuna! And Izuna's family!" I heard Helen's voice. "Welcome! Oh, you're early."

Helen reached out her hand, and I beamed with pride to see with how much dignity my mum carried herself, with how much warmth my dad greeted Helen, how happy and excited Madara seemed in this new situation. They were all immaculately dressed, my mother in her best light purple dress underneath a coat, my dad in the only real shirt he owned, his shoes, albeit a bit worn, shining immaculately, Madara in a vanilla-colored, long cardigan and black jeans, his hair in a high ponytail. I was clad in just a sweater and baggy cargos made for traveling, planning to change before our first dinner together.

"Where's Tobirama?" I asked.

Madara looked at me quizzically, his eyes saying who? I didn't meet his eyes.

"Tobirama is my son", Helen explained. "He came yesterday. He didn't expect you this early, so he's still riding his horse." He's WHATing his WHAT? "She has become a bit wild since Tobirama usually rides her four times a week, and now she's been ridden by me only once weekly." Wait, what the fuck? Tobirama could ride a Goddamn horse? "The paddock is in the back, if you'd like to say hi." Wait, why did she think I'd want to meet him?

"Thank you", I said, walking away determinedly around the house. It took me an eternity to round it, it was so large. The mansion was white with sharp angles and ginormous glass panels, the grass surrounding it emerald green despite the cold season. Winter plants stood green all over the place, making it feel almost summery, even if the fruit trees were bare.

I heard them before I saw them.

"Get out of it!" A laugh. I had never heard him laugh that way before. It sounded like pearls landing on a wooden floor. "Oy! Babgirl! Snap out of it! There you go, easy. Eeeeasy."

What the fuck? I heard the hooves of a horse and a heavy, happy breathing that must've come from the horse as well. I'd never seen or heard a horse before, but I would be very surprised if it was Tobirama breathing that way. I mean, that would take the term "dad breathing" to the next level. When I rounded the final corner, a ginormous paddock opened up before me, and on it was Tobirama riding a fucking horse?

Even if I'd never seen a horse before, I'd had them described to me. But what I saw went past my wildest imaginations. It was absolutely stunning. It was a fiery red with a blonde mane, a colour I knew was called "chestnut", and in the sun, she gleamed so much it almost hurt my eyes to look at her. Her mane was half-long and flying in the wind alongside her perfectly trimmed tail. Even if I had nothing to compare to, I understood that this horse was huge; even Tobirama looked small on it.

And Tobirama... Holy mother of fucking God. Who knew a man on a horse could be hot? Probably many people knew that, but not me. He wore white, figure-hugging trousers with black boots, a bright red coat and a black helmet. The worst part was he wore black gloves that made my knees go weak. The horse was clearly excited, but he handled her expertly, calming her down and making her gallop with her neck elegantly bent and her ears pointed forwards.

"One more time?" he asked her, and steered her towards a polka-coloured fence that was about as high as me. I almost didn't dare to look, but couldn't resist. The horse jumped with power and grace, Tobirama following her every movement. He turned her round for another fence, which was a double one, forcing the chestnut to jump much longer. He went for four different fences before suddenly, he noticed me and lost all focus.

"Whoa!" he screamed as his horse, noticing his distress, suddenly stopped. "Oh, so sorry girl. Easy. Easy." He patted her until she calmed down and stood still in front of me where I was leaning against the fence, her ears happily pointing forwards once more, looking at me with a curious glance. "God, I didn't see you", he breathed, looking down on me with huge eyes as if he was staring at the greatest gift on the universe. I didn't understand.

"Sorry", I said.

An awkward silence formed between us then. I looked away. Shit, he's hot, I thought. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, he's hot. Seeing him handle such a fireball of a horse turned me on beyond measure. I wasn't really used to it. I knew I had feelings for him, but to actually desire him...

"What are you thinking about?", Tobirama asked with his dark voice, a laugh and warmth in it. His horse started to step beneath him.

"Nothing", I said childishly. "You're horse is getting impatient", I said.

"You wanna ride her?"

I just stared at him. "She looks really, really difficult to ride."

"Oh, I wouldn't let you on her unless I had complete faith in her", he said and jumped off. "And you", he added, causing shivers to run down my spine for some reason. He came to me, unbuttoning his helmet and plonking it on my head, and before I knew it, he'd lifted me over the fence and then up next to his horse, who now stood dead still. "Put your foot in the stirrup."

"Ehhh..." I said, but I did as he said.

"No, your other foot!" he laughed. Before I knew it, I was sitting on top of her. "So. The reins need to come out between your little finger and ring finger. Good. You point your toes upwards at all times. A light touch with your heels will make her walk, or increase her pace if she's already walking. If you pull the reins, she'll stop. But if you pull and pull and pull, she'll increase the pace, so you have to loosen up sometimes." This was all very confusing. "Her name is Ride or Die, but I call her Rudy." Her ears flickered, and Tobirama pointed at them. "She knows her name. If you want to trot, make sure to rise up every other step. That makes it less bumpy. If you want to canter, you put your inner leg a bit forwards and your outer leg a bit behind their natural position and squeeze. You turn by pulling a rein. Off you go", he said.

Tentatively, I kicked her very lightly in the sides.

Rudy seemed to immediately realise I couldn't ride because she became very, very mellow and kind, walking slowly with her ears forwards, enjoying the long reins. She was a wild one with Tobirama, but she carried me as if I were an egg. The next time I passed Tobirama, he spoke.

"Shorten the rains! Bring her head in."

I did, and she immediately increased the pace. Tentatively, I patted her sides with my heals again, and she started trotting. She really is large, I thought, looking down. Shit! Don't look down! Don't look down!

"You're a natural", Tobirama said as I came back laughing, stopping in front of him where he was casually leaning against the fence.

"Stop!" I said.

He looked at me, suddenly serious. "I mean it. You probably didn't notice, but she bent her neck. She only ever does that beneath me. I think she really, really likes you."

This encouragement was enough for me to get bold. I smirked, and made her walk. Directly from walk, I put my inner foot a bit more forwards, my outer foot a bit behind and squeezed, and she immediately started to canter. I found the pace soft, much easier to follow than the trot, and this time, I could feel the contact between my hand and Rudy's mouth. It softened as she bent her neck, her ears flicking as she was listening to my every instruction. Not that I gave many, but I made circles and serpentines as I kept cantering. After what felt like an eternity, I stopped in front of Tobirama, sweat poring down my face, even if I'd maintained my running three times a week despite the absence of Henry in my life. Henry... And Tobirama's bonding. Everything had just disappeared as I cantered Rudy, and I had existed in a state of pure freedom.

As I jumped off, I noticed Tobirama stare at me, mouth agape.

"What in the Goddamn fuck was that?" he whispered.

"Sorry", I said.

"Don't be sorry. You must've ridden before. You are amazing. I've missed you."

And I fell down on my knees and burst into tears.

Everything came to me then, as if the pure bliss of riding Tobirama's horse had broken down the dam I had set up for myself. The absence of Henry. The absence of Tobirama. How lonely I'd felt. The guilt regarding falling in love with the person who hurt my best friend so much. The fear of what was wrong with me who could fall in love with an alpha. The girl he'd bonded with. Everything. Everything just tore me apart.

I felt Tobirama kneel next to me and hold me into his red velvet embrace. We just sat there for a while. I leaned my head on his shoulder, let him hold me. For minute after minute, I just cried. Then, he stood up. He released Rudy, who'd walked to the side of the paddock to get some grass to eat, from her saddle and put it on the fence. With one elegant jump, he got up on her back, helmetless as I was still wearing it. Then, he reached his hand to me. Tentatively, I took it and used the fence to climb up on Rudy, in front of Tobirama.

"Can she really carry us both?" I asked, voice still a bit wobbly.

"Yes. She's huge, and you're not that heavy. Let's go forget our troubles for a bit."

He made her walk out of the paddock, rounded it to a vast grass field. There, he let her loose.

I leaned forwards, grabbing Rudy's mane as she galloped for life, both of Tobirama's arms around me as he egged her on. Rudy's ears were pushed back of the wind, but every step was manifested with glee. The wind dried my tears of sorrow from my face and created new ones, new ones of happiness as I felt the powerhouse of muscles that was Rudy work beneath me, Tobirama's chest pressed close to my back. I felt Tobirama lean his chin on my shoulder, and I let him. As he slowed Rudy down, I put my hands on the soft, velvety fabric that covered Tobirama's arms. The sun was setting, and he had Rudy walk to the edge of a cliff, looking out over a glorious orange and olive green landscape. Rudy stood dead still, out of energy and delightfully happy. Tobirama gave her long reins and let her eat.

"I lost Henry", I explained. I just couldn't bare explaining everything else that caused me sorrow at that point. Henry was enough for now. "He hasn't spoken to me. I no longer have a best friend. How did I lose him so quick?"

"I'm sorry", Tobirama said. "For what I've put you both through."

I turned back to face him, forcing his chin away from my shoulder. I unbuttoned the helmet and took it off.

He put his gloved hand around my chin, leaned in and kissed me.

I put my hand in his hair and kissed him back.