Yo, posting this here from my askblog because I'd like to have this story in a more compact format!
I have the first three chapters already written and I don't plan on giving up on this project.
There are pairings, but it takes a while for them to really be relevant/apparent, so do be patient.
Hashirama thinks it is a good idea.
Konoha was born over a year ago and Madara has lived alone for just as long. It appears as if the creation of the village only served to make him recoil from others more than ever. On missions where he is required to have a team at his side, he leads the way and the others merely follow from a safe distance and words unrelated to their mission's objective are rarely exchanged. And when Madara returns, he has no friends to welcome him back and to kill time with him.
Since he has been elected Hokage, Hashirama can no longer fill that role for him, even if Madara let him.
Which does not mean he stopped trying.
One day, he stops by Madara's house early in the morning, barely suppressing a grin tugging at his lips. This is a serious matter and it must be treated as one, or else Madara will not agree to this; it is questionable in the first place if he will.
The Uchiha is disgruntled and disoriented during these early hours and he glowers at his former friend when he slides open the door to chase away the unfortunate soul stupid enough to wake him.
„Madara" calls Hashirama in that serious tone that is entirely reserved for business to let Madara know that this is a matter of utmost importance; Madara reacts accordingly and straightens his posture, though his displeased scowl remains on his face.
The Senju sighs at the sight of this, momentarily contemplating whether maybe this was not the most brilliant idea, steps aside and the small girl hiding behind him comes into Madara's view.
„This is Sakura."
Madara protests.
He refuses to take in a child, much less one that is not even of blood relation to him.
He is not fit for such a role, he already struggles with keeping himself from doing very stupid things.
He has a clan to run and missions to go on (though he suspects Hashirama would give him less of those, should he agree to this) and to feed himself and keep himself rooted somehow so he won't crumble.
He can't take care of another human being, wouldn't Hashirama know that better than anyone else?
But as usual, once the other has set his mind to something, no matter how outlandish and downright insane, he is unrelenting.
It's like trying to defend yourself against a storm, a tsunami, a force of nature, and Hashirama knows this, and he takes advantage of it. And Madara is too tired to fight at this point, so he struggles for a while but eventually gives in.
It should not be long until Hashirama realizes his mistake in enforcing his will.
While the grown men argue with one another, the child remains quiet with a worried look on her face.
A few times when they raise their voices, she tears up but bites back the tears, which Madara does appreciate.
When he speaks the words of agreement laced with anger, Sakura takes a tentative step forward and squares her shoulders in an attempt to appear confident.
„I am Sakura Haruno and I am five years old. Very pleased to meet you" she says in the most serious voice she can muster and bows respectfully, though she almost stumbles.
Exasperated, Madara nods his head in acknowledgement. „I am Madara Uchiha. I will be your guardian from today on" he responds, frowning. He does not bow, of course.
From his peripheral vision he can tell Hashirama gives him one of these warm, encouraging smiles.
Madara is Sakura's guardian now and he is determined to keep it like that.
It's a term he deliberately chose.
He shall guard her and keep an eye on her, from afar. He will not get close to her. He will not replace her parents.
He shall be her guardian, and nothing more.
The first few weeks are excruciatingly awkward.
For several months Madara has lived in mostly solitude and it rubs him the wrong way to have this peaceful existence ripped from him. He has cats, those are sufficient company on most days and they can take care of themselves.
Now there is this small human he was forced to let into his house, into his little sanctuary and it's incredibly uncomfortable to him to have his space invaded like that.
At first, Sakura avoids him. The only signs that she is around is the blur of pink from her hair and the pattering of small feet on the floor boards when she hides from him.
As on the first day, she only leaves her little hiding places when Madara has prepared some food for them and then, she keeps her eyes downcast and is jittery.
Her parents just died and she was sent to live with this stranger; her behavior is understandable.
He intimidates her.
That is perfect fine with him. It means that she will not bother him with myriads of questions like children tend to do and she will not ask him to play with her and entertain her, and she washes herself and goes to bed early without him needing to prompt her to, so he can pretend he is still living on his own.
But after the first two days, he grows antsy because it is somehow unnerving to have another human in your house who does not talk to you.
Hashirama can try to keep him in Konoha, but all too soon Madara needs to leave for a mission.
There is the issue of finding some place to stay for that little child.
Madara scoffs a little, bitter. When he was her age, he was much more independent; his parents would have left him to his own devices under such circumstances and he would've had to search for help on his own.
Hashirama reminds him though that there is no war anymore and she doesn't need to grow up under the harsh conditions such times dictate.
The words hang in the air between them and suddenly Madara feels like screaming and tearing at his skin, or mutilating Hashirama like that. He feels bitter and envious because he realizes that this generation won't know what he does and the thought seemed desirable before, something he could fight for, but now that he is confronted with it, it is unbearable.
But he stays still, if oddly stiff.
Lashing out would not get him anywhere, it would betray too much of his feelings.
So he leaves Hashirama behind and searches for Sakura.
He finds the little girl in the garden behind Madara's house, squatting next to the tiny pond there and curiously observes the fish beneath the water's surface. She is so engrossed that she does not notice him approaching until he crouches down next to her.
She gasps – she is really awfully inattentive, this needs to change, he silently notes – and almost topples over into the pond, but Madara reaches out to stabilize her.
Sakura gulps, but she manages to meet his eye, which not even some grown men do. He thinks, while he intimidates her, she does not actually know much about him.
She doesn't know who Madara Uchiha is and not why people speak his name as if it were dripping with venom. There's a strange sort of comfort in that, but it has a bitter aftertaste.
Madara explains to the little girl that for the next week he will be absent and she will stay with a clan member, an old woman that he has known since his own early childhood and who is very capable of taking care of children.
The prospect of living with yet another stranger seems to unsettle her and she looks like she's going to object for a moment and will refuse to go live with that woman for a while, but she shuts her mouth again, green eyes large and fearful despite her attempt at bravery.
He has already packed the few things she owns, some clothes and a small box with sentimental content that could be rescued from her late parents' home. He carries the small bundle as he accompanies her to a house on the other side of the compound.
Madara is greeted coldly by the woman, her gaze sharp and oddly scolding, but nevertheless she takes the girl in without a word of complaint.
Without a look back, Madara leaves, too eager to get out of this place.
What he does not know, during Sakura's stay at the other household, she learns about Madara Uchiha.
When he returns to the village, he almost forgets to pick her up again.
When he recalls, he curses loudly and rushes to the other side of the compound to get her; he won't allow the impression that he is incapable of taking care of a little child, no matter how easily they break. He was tasked with her wellbeing, and he will carry out that task.
When he arrives, Sakura looks at him, actually looks at him and she smiles and waves a little.
A hesitant, slightly anxious gesture, making Madara stare.
He's suddenly somehow really uncomfortable in his own skin and he feels awkward all over again.
When he shifts his gaze to the lady who took over his role for a while, he can see the shadow of a tightlipped smile on her face as well and he understands.
He is not yet a pariah among the Uchiha. There is still a remainder of support.
„Welcome back" says Sakura, her voice somewhat steady, when they walk back home side by side.
Madara does not reply, but he nods to let her know that he has heard her.
He hesitates, bites his lip.
He asks what she would like to eat that evening.