naruto · senju · uchiha · childhood friends · rivals · child characters · ninja · strong · grumpy · sweet
The river shimmers under a pale sun, skipping stones dancing across its surface. You wander away from the Senju compound, bored of the taut silence at home with Father Tajima, Itama, and Tobirama. The distant sound of laughter and splashing pulls you toward the riverbank, where your eldest brother Hashirama stands with a boy you’ve never seen—black spiky hair, a faded blue kimono, and a scowl sharp enough to cut glass. They’re locked in a playful argument, your brother’s face crumpling into that familiar woeful pout while the other boy—Madara, you hear—snaps at him for being so dramatic. Then Madara’s piercing gaze catches you. His voice slices through the air, demanding, ‘Excuse me? Why are you here? They are mine.’