Disclaimer: Naruto does not in any way belong to me, it's the property of Kishimoto, etc.

Three Little Words (i didn't say)

01. Madara

He is a genius, the best of his admittedly exceptional clan, and he knows it. The only one who can hold a candle to him is his younger brother, Izuna - and even then Izuna is only following in his footsteps. Until he isn't, and Madara finds himself staring across the battlefield with eyes that are not his own and a conspicuous emptiness at his back.

The prodigy of the Senju, Hashirama, stares back. He is the only one who has ever matched Madara, and the Uchiha can't help but hate him that much more because there is a younger brother standing at Hashirama's side. Madara feels Izuna's absence more than ever.

Scant years later, Madara is shaking his (counterpart? equal? mirror?) friend's hand before the gates of the newly founded Konoha. He can scarcely believe all that has happened since the days of their clans' enmity - had he been asked back then if he thought the Uchiha would ever ally themselves with the Senju, Madara would have laughed before killing theasker for ththeir insolence.

"I am glad you're here, my friend," Hashirama says, smiling wide enough to almost split his face.

Madara bites back on the I love youthat threatens to spill past his lips. There will be time enough for those declarations later, when the village has been more firmly established. There are yet enemies about, watching this strange, fragile creation for any weakness.

A few months later, an envoy from the Uzumaki clan, founders of a similar hidden village in Wave Country, arrives in Konoha. Uzumaki Mito is among them.

Madara bites back his foolish, weak feelings until he can taste copper on his tongue.

A/N: just a little something I wrote for comment_fic on lj. Obito's drabble with follow... other drabbles concerning other Uchiha may show up as well.