"Mokuton no Jutsu." Syllables uttered in reluctance. Each consonance and vowel heavily saturated within a coppery, crimson, taste of blood. Memories of lives snuffed out of existence like the extinguishing of candle light. The never ending cycle of violence and revenge, predator and prey relations, pervaded every aspect of conventionally recorded history. Many had sought to break the vicious cycle. Weak and lacking influence, they had failed. Others had strength and authority to end bloodshed and misery. They were interested only in conquest and attempted glory. Peaceful co-existence never occurred to them. There were only the old ways. How things were done yesterday. A song of war, ledger of casualties.

Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha represented a different breed of hope. For the first time, powerful and influential leaders sought to remake the topography of the ninja world. Rather than wield authority solely for gain, they endeavored to strive in the best interests of all.

It is a rare thing to find a man with the rigid determination and forthright character to survive a hell of youth in a warzone while maintaining their sanity. To be an old & weary man in the body of an adolescent having fought countless battles. Witnessed the deaths of childhood friends and family. Feeling emasculated, powerless, to prevent it. The emptiness, a vacuum left in the soul at conclusion of vengeful outcome.

The guilt and misfortune exact a heavy toll. The responsibility a lonely burden to bear. Hashirama hides it behind an innocent clownish smile. Madara embraces it and becomes one with the madness. Like yin and yang, two sides of the same coin. Two extraordinary men who would make more progress within a few decades than in all the millennia of ninja history, combined.

A whisper of silken skin sighing upon immaculate garb announced his arrival. The Uchiha fan crest emblazoned on his attire between his shoulder blades marking him as elite. Highly evolved mangekyou sharingan twinkling in his eyes denoting him as more elite still. Uchiha were the best. Only the Senju Clan were their equal. He could move as silent as a shadow. Leave as much trace as an errant sparrows path across the sky. He made his presence obvious as a formality. Not that it mattered. Hashirama always seemed to know when he was around. Just as Madara always seemed to know when Hashirama was in the vicinity.

They had shared the same childhood dream. Betrayed their clans. Sacrificed much to save the life of the other who convention dictated should be their mortal foe. There would always be a special connection between them. Something only they shared. Still, that was ancient history. Many battles had since been waged. Much blood spilled, lives ended.

"Madara. My friend. I am pleased you answered my request for parlay. I feared a breakdown in relations might lead to war. It is... nice to see you."

Hashirama was unassuming as always. He stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world, wielding the power of a god. Entire nations could crumble to dust at a single word escaping from his lips. Entire ninja clans exterminated with any trace of them blotted from history. He was of the senju clan, the only rival to Uchiha and his name uttered aloud was fear itself. Yet, he still behaved as an awkward child as if the violence and bloodshed had never touched him. As if he had never borne witness to the atrocities his eyes had seen.

"Hashirama. My friend. It is good you sought to parlay and rectify circumstances. Else, there might be war. Uchiha wouldn't know what to do with itself if it conquered the territory of all the other clans. It is good of you to spare us from boring ourselves with such lowly mortal concerns war might compel us to consider."

Both Hashirama and Madara laughed in unison. "You haven't changed one bit, Madara."

"Nor have you, Hashirama."

"Madara... Promise me if war ever does ensue between Senju and Uchiha. Promise me, we shall always be friends. You and I."

Madara fixed him with a quizzical look. "I can't make promises I'm not certain I can maintain. I like you, Hashirama. Its your brother and the other senjus whose existence I have occasion to question."

Hashirama smiled weakly relieved his younger brother Tobirama was not present to take offence.

"Then, I shall free you of the obligation." Hashirama held out his hand. "I Hashirama of the leaf pledge that Madara Uchiha and I shall always be the best of friends. Rivals. Perhaps... Soul mates."

Madara laughed. "Soul mates? What nonsense has Mito instilled in you, my poor friend? I have heard she is the top and you are the bottom. I expected Uchiha rumors to be biased. Perhaps, I was hasty in my judgements."

Hashirama sighed. Grammar and word usage weren't his strong suits. He and Madara both knew this.

"You know what I meant, Madara. I have heard Uchiha enjoy parting like gendered cheeks and piercing the forbidden valley. That doesn't mean I'm going to judge you."

Madara grinned. "How does a man whose woman wears the pants in the relationship, dare to judge anyone? Or is the reference to man on man love affairs a form of your homosexual repression?"

"Don't go there, Madara. You can't handle this."

"Is that a challenge? Or a plea for help? Maybe, you're just cruising for a piece of gay ass to sate your innate homosexual tendencies?"

"When do you plan to find yourself a woman, Madara? Or is the love of man flesh the only guilty pleasure in your sex jutsu arsenal? Is it time to roll in the hay with the hairy bearded Uchihas in dresses?"

"Wouldn't you like to know how men who have retained their masculinity do things!"

With a faint growl, Hashirama undid the part of his attire girding his lower parts. "Madara. I bet mine is bigger than yours."

A second later, Hashirama stood stark naked.

"Your wood is indeed boundless and without equal. As expected from the god of shinobi."

A second later, Madara stood stark naked. "But, I think mine is about as big, if not bigger."

Naked, Hashirama and Madara looked at one another sheepishly.

"Madara. What the fuck are we doing?"

"I don't know, Hashirama. This is mad gay. I'm outta here." Madara and Hashirama quickly dressed.

"Hashirama, I'm going to start a war with the senju. Its the only thing that'll allow me to feel like a real man again after today. Prepare your anus."

"That's not funny, Madara!"