Reunion
Chapter 1
Summary: Madara obviously didn't die at the valley of the end. What happens when the founding fathers of Konoha meet again years later?
Disclaimer: I don't own either Naruto or the characters. Only the plot... maybe.
Update 29/4-2014
I re-read this story today and decided to fix some grammatical errors that bothered me, if I missed some feel free to let me know.
Also please bear in mind that this was written years ago, when Madara had just been resurrected with edo tensei so yes there are probably some things that doesn't make sense given recent manga chapters. Let's call it a cannonish AU... XD
Hashirama Senju was walking alone down the busy streets of Iwagakure, absentmindedly watching the people he passed as they went about their morning business. He wasn't supposed to wander around in a foreign ninja village all on his own, but his bodyguards and especially his own brother's constant presence had begun to wear down his patience. And so he decided to go out by himself anyway. After some time of more or less pointless wandering he decided to just sit down on a bench and observe the city scenery and the people. He rather enjoyed sitting there by himself; mostly because few of the Iwa civilians walking the streets at this hour knew who he was so he was left in peace without having to worry about the formalities that came with being the Hokage on a diplomatic mission.
It was a lovely morning, with all the cliches you read about in books; sun shining, birds chirping and children playing happily on the streets. He was happy the world had come this far, as only a decade ago there had been nothing but misery and hostility between everyone. But even though things were greatly improved with the founding of the five hidden villages, a new world war had soon broken out and had already been raging for years, hence why he was on the diplomatic mission to Iwa in the first place. At least it wasn't nearly as bad as the constant fighting from before, and Hashirama still had hope that sooner or later the world would be at peace, even though it may not happen during his own lifetime. Tearing his thoughts from the rather depressing path they had taken, Hashirama once again let his eyes wander over the moving crowd of people; a mother comforting a distraught child, the merchants that were bragging about their products and-
The Senju froze- and a tall man with pale skin, long and spiky black hair and red eyes that could burn through stone. But surely it couldn't be him? That person was long gone, Hashirama was sure of it.
His thoughts were interrupted when the man suddenly raised his gaze form the book he was holding and looked Hashirama directly in the eyes. Placing the book back onto the stand, the other turned on his heel and left, and without thinking the Senju followed, pushing his way through the crowd, his eyes never leaving the retreating man's back. Finally after pursuing the man through the crowd and down a variety of alleyways the other finally stopped, and so did Hashirama, a few feet away from him.
"Since you followed me here I presume you recognize me?" The other man said coolly, and Hashirama found himself unable to form words as he got a proper look at him, at this proximity it was clear his eyes had not deceived him.
"Madara?" He managed to force out after a few seconds, disbelief in his voice; because he didn't even appear to have aged a day since back then, even though it had been almost ten years. Instead Madara looked exactly the same; his stunning features were the same, his long, untamed black hair was the same, his skin and his body... Even his clothes resembled the ones he used to wear, except for the absence of the Uchiha clan crest on the upper back of his coat.
Hashirama was almost unwilling to accept Madara was still alive after all the years of telling himself otherwise, and the Uchiha seemed to sense this as his next comment snapped the Hokage from his thoughts, "you're not hallucinating, Senju. I'm really here."
Said Senju then finally reacted and rushed forward in a second, wrapping his arms tightly around Madara, who started and tried to wriggle away. But Hashirama wasn't going to allow that and merely tightened his grip.
"I thought you were dead! Why would you let me think that!?" The Senju whined into the shorter man's hair.
"Why would you even care whether I died or not? You were the one who tried to kill me!"
"Because you're my friend." The usual reply to whenever Madara doubted his motives as to why he would care about him. At least that hadn't changed.
Madara raised a sceptic eyebrow, "really now? And I suppose it's normal for friends to try and kill each other?"
"I didn't want to do that!" The Senju's voice was thick with regret as he recalled the battle at the valley of the end, and the remorse he had felt ever since he turned against his own best friend; even though he supposed he was the only one who considered them friends at all. "But the council deemed you a threat to the village and as the Hokage I had to act accordingly. Or try to anyway since I quite obviously failed."
"But I wasn't going to come after Konoha! I don't want anything to do with your godforsaken village!" Madara finally managed to free himself from Hashirama's grasp and turned his face away. The Senju once again didn't hesitate to follow when he then walked into the house they were standing outside.
Madara sat down on a worn couch in what Hashirama presumed was the living room, while the Senju took a look around said room. He noticed it was quite impersonally decorated, with only the sofa, a bureau, a table and an ancient looking rug on the floor. It completely lacked photos and books or anything that could tell something about the person living there. Actually, it didn't seem like anyone was living there at all.
"I find it hard to believe you live here." He stated thoughtfully.
"I don't." Madara said simply. "Since I'm quite easily recognized as an Uchiha even now I have to keep moving around or someone will eventually figure out who I am."
"Makes sense..." Hashirama sat down next to Madara on the couch.
After moment of silence he finally asked what had been bothering him for so long, "why did you leave, 'Dara."
"Why stay in a village that shuns you?" Madara deadpanned, while grimacing at the nickname. And he was right, so Hashirama couldn't find a satisfactory answer to it, because he couldn't deny it. During his entire stint in Konoha, the Uchiha had been a constant victim of distrust and exaggerated rumors. Of course, none of these rumors were told to him personally, but he must have overheard people spreading them anyhow.
Since he couldn't reply Hashirama choose to instead embrace the other man again, resting his cheek against the other's hair.
"Why are you hugging me?" Was the grumbled response.
"Because I've missed you."
"Really now?" Madara said again. "I find that difficult to believe."
"I don't expect you to believe," the Senju said, vaguely sad. "I have made too many mistakes to ask that of you."
"Indeed."
They sat in silence for a while, with Hashirama subconsciously stroking Madara's cheek, making him wince slightly, though he stopped trying to get away when the Senju just hugged him tighter. Normally Hashirama would have been ecstatic for this chance to hold the Uchiha, but now he had other things on his mind; like whether or not he should tell Madara the reason he proposed the treaty in the first place. He decided he wouldn't get a better chance than this.
"I founded Konoha for you. Because I thought if we were allies I wouldn't have to kill you," he laughed a bit bitterly into the other's hair. "But that plan obviously backfired..."
Madara was staring at him as if he were mad. "Why wouldn't you want me dead? We are each other's worst enemy. I've probably killed more of your men than any other Uchiha, and vice versa."
Hashirama flinched a little at that comment, since he knew that fact would always make him feel guilty over his feelings, but there was no denying them either. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the disgust and rejection his next revelation would cause. "Because I'm in love with you. I have been since long before I proposed the treaty."
He didn't get quite the reaction he'd been expecting. Madara merely turned in his seat to face him properly, a confused but thoughtful on his face as he regarded the older man's expression. "Hm... I suppose that would explain a few things."
"Huh?"
"Like the fact that you're so adamant about being my friend, sprouting that idiotic nonsense about love and friendship and peace. And the fact that you've refused to stop hugging me for the last twenty minutes." The Uchiha smirked. "So you love me, eh?"
"Yes..?" Every time he'd played this moment out in his mind it had always ended with a kunai in the heart or something, but since Madara wasn't threatening him in any way Hashirama wasn't sure what the correct reaction here was.
"And you're not just pulling my leg?"
"No..?"
"Most interesting. Though I can't say I really mind either." The younger man leaned back as far as Hashirama's arms would allow him to look him in the eyes. "Prove it."
The order didn't register in the Senju's mind at first, as it was too preoccupied with processing the surprisingly cute sight of the former Uchiha leader with his head cocked slightly too the side and a curious gleam in his eyes. He mentally shook himself as he realized he'd just referred to Uchiha Madara as cute, and he was glad said person couldn't hear his thoughts or else he probably would have gotten a kunai in his heart after all. Finally understanding the order he was just given, he decided to "prove" his love to him in the most risky way.
Madara's eyes widened immensely when he was suddenly pulled even further into Hashirama's arms and pushed onto his back on the couch, with said man's lips pressed against his own in a warm kiss. He would have expected himself to be disgusted with the mere thought of his arch nemesis kissing him, no less loving him, but surprisingly he didn't mind as much as he thought he would. The Senju's body was warm and his embrace oddly comforting to someone who'd been alone for so long. Even though the images of all the Uchiha Hashirama had killed in the past did flash before his eyes the younger man eventually decided to give up on rational thought for the moment and closed his eyes, moving his lips with the other's, and as he did so he realized that this, this felt so much more right than anything he'd ever done before. Hashirama was the only one capable of drawing him out from his shell; he could make him smile and laugh, and whereas to other people he came of as cold and distant, that image would always crack around the Senju. As Madara thought of this he came to the conclusion that no matter how much he told himself otherwise, he really did enjoy the older man's company and that he would give him this chance to prove his worth.
When the kiss broke after several moments and the Uchiha once again opened his eyes to gaze into the other's he was mildly surprised by the hopeful look in them.
"You believe me now?" Hashirama was almost afraid to hear the answer. But Madara had kissed him back, so maybe his hopes wasn't entirely impossible?
"I'll give you the benefit of doubt."
The Senju lunged forward and connected their lips again, almost smiling when the Uchiha responded by kissing him back, his hands moving to bury themselves in Hashirama's smooth hair to bring him closer and deepening their kiss. Their exchange grew more heated by the minute and they eventually tumbled off the narrow couch onto the floor in a disarray of limbs and rumpled clothing.
"Mnh... Senju stop." Madara panted as said man pulled back to suckle softly on his neck.
"I don't wanna stop." Was the muffled reply, and so the younger man put his hands to Hashirama's shoulders and pushed him off slightly.
"Neither do I but your bodyguards are sure to be looking for you now."
Realization dawned on him that his brother and the others would be sure to trace his chakra back here and Hashirama couldn't let them know Madara was still alive or they'd take him away from him again! He couldn't let that happen when they were finally starting to develop a deeper bond. The Senju quickly got to his feet and reached out a hand to help Madara up as well, pulling him into one last bone-crushing hug.
"You really need to leave now, Senju." Was he imagining things or was there a slightly sad edge to Madara's voice?
"But how will I find you again?"
Madara smirked, "don't worry about it."
And so Hashirama pulled his new lover into another desperate kiss before leaving for the inn where his brother were searching for him.
Almost two weeks had passed since Hashirama had met Madara again, and now more than ever he couldn't get the Uchiha off his mind; how soft his hair was, the feel of his warm skin and the way he had reacted to his confession. He still wasn't sure, was this a happy ending or what?
No matter how much he tried to concentrate on his paper work, his thoughts always wandered back to his love and he wondered when he would finally see him again.
Sighing, the Hokage stopped his work for the tenth time that hour and turned his gaze out the windows of his office. It was a rather gloomy day with rain clouds threatening to shower them with cold water any minute. Since it was already well into the afternoon he decided to give up on his work for the day and return to his apartment, which he still slept in occasionally even if he now lived with his wife in a house a few blocks away.
Turning on the lights in the hallway he strode into the living room and sat down on the couch, sinking into it exhaustedly with his face buried in his hands.
"You'd think a husband would sleep in the same bed as his wife after nearly ten years of marriage." A voice suddenly sounded close to him, nearly making the Senju jump out if his skin in shock.
Hashirama's head immediately snapped up to look around the room, and he actually started a bit when he noticed Madara Uchiha sitting there next to him on the couch.
"Your focus is lacking." Madara drawled. "Obviously, since you didn't sense me."
"Wha- where? When did you get here!?"
The other rolled his eyes, "that question merely proves my point."
"I am focused!" Hashirama said indignantly. "...usually."
"Shut up and kiss me." Madara ordered, and the Senju immediately forgot to be insulted and complied; their lips molded together perfectly. While never breaking contact from the kiss, Madara moved to straddle Hashirama's lap and the older man wrapped his arms more tightly around the Uchiha. The kiss lasted for some time before they pulled away a bit to look the other in the eyes.
"I love you." Hashirama said quietly.
Madara in return leant in to brush his lips against the skin of his neck, "so you've told me."
The Hokage still couldn't quite believe his lover was really here. It takes more than a few weeks to rewrite ten years of history after all. Before, just the prospect of him holding the Uchiha like this would have been a hallucination or a daydream at most. He decided to kiss his lover again to prove it wasn't.
"You're still not convinced I'm actually alive, are you?" Madara mumbled when they parted.
Hashirama shook his head absentmindedly as he gazed into Madara's hypnotizing red orbs, while the other merely returned his gaze with an elegant eyebrow raised slightly in inquiry. He seemed to contemplate what he could do about this, and then smirked when he came up with a decent plan, leaning in close to his lover again so their lips nearly brushed against each other.
"How about I convince you this time?" The dark undertone to his voice caused the Senju to lose his ability to speak again, and when Madara a second later moved to kiss him again he didn't respond for the first few moments; until his mind caught up with what was happening and then he kissed back fervently, deepening said interaction by slipping his tongue into the Uchiha's mouth. Said man moaned slightly when he then moved his hands beneath Madara's shirt to caress his chest and the sound almost made Hashirama snap completely as he flipped them over so Madara was laying with his back against the cushions and himself perched over him.
They soon lost control after that, and proceeded to defile the living room couch.
When it was over, Hashirama nearly wanted to cry at the thought of Madara leaving again, even if it was only temporary, and tightened his arms around the other considerably, making him flinch slightly at the contact. If it was one thing he'd begun to realize about the Uchiha, it was that while he had no problem whatsoever with any sexual touch he was extremely self-conscious and tense when it came to other shows of affection, as he seemed to cringe whenever Hashirama hugged him or stroked his cheek.
"I love you." The Senju said again.
Madara was quiet for a moment. "I can't say the same to you."
Hashirama's heart dropped, and Madara obviously sensed his disappointment as his next comment made him hope again.
"But I'll try my best." Kiss. "So you will just have to wait."
The Senju smiled happily and reached out to stroke his hair, the only affectionate touch Madara didn't seem to have a problem with. "Good things come to those who wait. And I've already waited over ten years; a little more won't hurt me."
The Uchiha nodded and sat up, making a move to stand, but his lover grabbed his wrist to keep him from doing so. "Please don't leave yet."
"No, but I will have to soon." Madara removed his wrist from the Senju's grip and stood, reaching his hand out to the other. "Until then, how about a shower?"
Seeing the smirk on the Uchiha's face, Hashirama stood as well and obediently followed when Madara dragged him in the direction of the bathroom.
To be continued