AN: This was also prompted because of letliv3 (on tumblr), this time because of her tags whenever MadaKaka get mentioned. I can't remember exactly what they were, but they are in reference to Madara's reaction when Kakashi gets hurt/targeted (spoiler alert: he goes on a murderspree).

This takes place a few years after Konoha has been formed (and since both are somewhat emotionally stunted, Kakashi has not admitted to his own feelings to himself, and Madara knows how he feels but hasn't done anything about it). Other Hidden Villages are forming, and Konoha is trying to reach out to them (without the bijuu, because that's dumb why would you do that?).

Also, in case you didn't know, the Sannin are called as such because they are three (san) ninja (nin). So the Gonin would be the five (go) ninja (nin).

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(Un)Resolved Feelings (On All Fronts)

The Legendary Gonin of Konoha were considered an unstoppable force across the shinobi nations—whether together or apart. To face even one was a death sentence, and the bingo book—a new device to catalogue ninja from the newly formed Hidden Villages—issued a "Flee on Sight" order for each of them. So, it would stand to reason that confronting two of them at the same time would be suicidal… unless you were part of an army of over one hundred shinobi. It was still ill advised, but there is only so much chakra in a human body, and even the greatest of shinobi can be worn out over time.

Unfortunately, this was exactly the situation Kakashi and Tobirama found themselves in. What was supposed to be a diplomatic mission to create an alliance with the Land of Lightning was actually a trap to try and weaken the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and consequently, the Land of Fire.

The Village Hidden in the Clouds—or just Kumo to the natives—though newly formed, was already trying to solidify its reputation as a powerhouse and cement the Land of Lightning and the Kaminari daimyou as one of the strongest amongst the shinobi nations. They did not have a school, or a much of an ordered bureaucracy, which is why Tobirama was sent. He had spearheaded many of such projects in Konoha, including the introduction of the first Ninja Academy. Hashirama hoped that this show of good faith would show Kumogakure no Sato that cooperation and peace between the shinobi nations was both possible and beneficial to all parties involved.

Kakashi was sent as backup; while Tobirama was strong by himself, Kumogakure had at least one shinobi who could match his strength—the newly dubbed Shodai Raikage. While Hashirama would have felt better sending more people with his younger brother, he had to juggle a delicate balance between what could be considered protection and not cross the line towards aggression. Sending Kakashi, who had mastered all of the elements and held a reputation of an S-Ranked shinobi himself (as all the Gonin did), was akin to sending Tobirama with a box of explosives. Adding anyone else would have sparked a fire of aggression. Hashirama would trust Tobirama's life with Kakashi over an entire contingent of Leaf shinobi; such was the gap in ability.

Things went well initially; though regarded with suspicion and trailed constantly while in Kumogakure, there was no outward hostility. Neither shinobi was harassed, and talks with the spirited Raikage—though trying to Tobirama's vast patience—went well. Instruction on how to manage and arrange the school was taken graciously and with due appreciation. It was only after they left the village that trouble found them.

Near the boarder between the Lands of Lightning and Frost, where all the water was frozen to ice, a series of explosions changed the tone of their mission from "Complete" to "Complicated." Tobirama and Kakashi had to dodge to separate sides, isolating themselves as the enemy shinobi had planned.

The ninja surrounding them were not just from Kumo—most of them wore no headband at all, and seemed to be from clans that resided in the Land of Frost. Kaminari had somehow convinced the Shimo Clans into assisting in the elimination of two of the Legendary Gonin. Both were convinced that Konohagakure meant to insinuate their ideals into every country, and that Konoha's show of "good faith" was more of a taunt than help.

It did not seem like much trouble at first; while both were met with a disadvantage—the lack of water for Tobirama and the dry chill meant the water for his jutsu was created mostly from his chakra and not gathered from the environment, while Kakashi's main element of lightning was not as effective against his mostly lightning-natured opponents as it would be others—it wasn't much of an issue for either. Tobirama had his Hiraishin no Jutsu and was a master of many kinjutsu, while Kakashi had all the other elements and over one thousand jutsu to play with.

But as time went on, and more and more ninja just kept coming, both began to tire. It was Kakashi who started fumbling first; while his resolve was strong, there was only so much chakra in a body, and Kakashi's transplanted Sharingan took more than its share of that precious energy. Slowly, he began to accumulate injuries—mostly superficial—but with increasing frequency as his stamina drained. But between Kakashi's own jutsu and the Hiraishin marked kunai Tobirama had equipped Kakashi with before their journey, the duo managed to conquer their opponents, prompting the survivors to flee lest they meet the fate of their comrades.

As was becoming comically typical of Kakashi, once the last enemy had fled and things were deemed "safe," he fainted from exhaustion. Tobirama, who anticipated this, caught Kakashi on his back, and proceeded to trudge back towards home. Though fatigued himself, Tobirama carried the comatose Kakashi all the way through the Land of Frost and the Land of Waterfalls, back to the Land of Fire and up to Konoha's gates. He did not stop much, just to bandage and clean their wounds, eat, and for short rests. He did not feel comfortable staying out of Hi for longer than absolutely necessary.

Once they had crossed the border into Hi, the sentries had arranged for an escort while sending another ahead to prep Konoha for their arrival. Waiting for them at the main gate was Hashirama and Madara. The former wore a look of worry on his face, while the latter stood stoic with his arms crossed… that is, until he saw the condition Kakashi arrived in. Madara's shoulders tensed, and his eyes flicked red for a moment, before returning to their normal pitch. There was a spike of Killing Intent, and the weight of his chakra had all but Hashirama and Tobirama (and the still passed out Kakashi) buckling to their knees. Madara stepped forward, directing his ire towards Tobirama, as was typical (they still had not resolved their animosity, and not even the even optimistic Hashirama thought they ever would).

"What did you do now, Senju?" Madara's tone was surprisingly level; usually he expressed his anger hackles raised, spitting acid and bile—this was somehow more terrifying. But Senju Tobirama was not one to cow easily—or at all really, he was as stubborn as he was proud—and so he was not moved.

(The men who escorted the duo from the border were too overwhelmed with sensation to think, but if they could, they would have been lamenting their decision to stay instead of leaving once the gates were in sight).

Ignoring Madara and addressing his brother, Tobirama began, "It appears that Kumogakure and the newly formed Shimo do not appreciate our offer of peace." Hashirama's face melted into an expression of sadness, while Madara's brow twitched at being ignored.

"What happened?" Hashirama asked solemnly, approaching his brother and Kakashi, looking over both for wounds. After a quick diagnostic jutsu to determine their condition, Hashirama began to heal the cuts and scrapes on each person.

Madara remained standing apart from the Senju trio, arms still crossed, his nails biting into the flesh of his bicep and chest as he restrained himself from moving forward. The urge to snatch Kakashi from the Senju brothers was almost overwhelming—something he was growing increasingly familiar with—but Madara knew he had no right to it. While Kakashi was not a Senju by blood, he had been adopted not just into the clan, but into the Clan Head's family. It was their duty to care and coddle him, not Madara's, as much as he might itch for the chance.

Tobirama described the incident as he walked to the Senju home the brothers shared, Hashirama at his side, hands glowing green with medical chakra the entire time. Madara trailed behind them, hearing the words Tobirama spoke, but only picking up a few of them; ambush, border Shimo, Kaminari, almost one hundred dead, dozens escaped, chakra exhaustion, superficial wounds, rest. They painted a picture on the back his eyelids, showing him blood and guts bathed in a raging inferno, the flickering hellfire highlighting the angles in a stark relief. He could hear the death squall of the slain, the answering call of the Shinigami, the wail of his Susanoo begging for blood. Soon all he saw was red, feeling his physical and spiritual energy unconsciously mould into fiery chakra, causing steam to waft from his body.

When the group reached the gates of the Senju home, Madara stood outside, watching as the brothers walked up the steps to their home, enter, and disappear. He stood there for just a moment longer, and then he disappeared in a cloud of dark ashes.

No one saw Madara for weeks. No one, not even Izuna, knew where he would be. He was nowhere Tobirama could sense, which was a hard feat to achieve. Either he was suppressing his chakra to unheard of levels, or he wasn't in the village. When asked, Hashirama seemed unconcerned, as if he knew something no one else did. This bothered Izuna and Tobirama in equal measure, something both of them found irksome (as they too had yet to settle their differences, and any similarities they shared were often addressed with scorn).

When Madara returns three weeks later, no one sees him enter the village—just as no one had seen him leave. When asked about the reports of a dark haired fire oni capable of summoning a god, who left a trail of destruction from the edge of the Lands of Frost and Waterfall all the way up to Kumogakure no Sato, he only offers a "Hn," of disinterest before walking away to do whatever it is Madara does with his day. If that involves bumping into Kakashi at the training fields, with an oversized lunch of broiled saury and miso soup with eggplant, that is just a coincidence. When parts of Madara's impromptu picnic go missing without preamble, if he says nothing it is because he doesn't notice the food disappearing, not because he doesn't mind sharing with a certain recovering shinobi. Who would accuse him of favouritism, when the words spilling from his mouth are so scathing?

"Your chakra reserves are pathetic, Hatake."

"Maa, Madara, it's not my fault," Kakashi remarks lackadaisically, in a stark contrast to his actions. Kakashi is doing one handed, one fingered handstand push-ups, sweat shimmering on his skin. Opposed to his usual layers, Kakashi is wearing only his standard pants and the skin tight black undershirt with attached mask. As he lowers his body to the ground, Madara can see each muscle flex and contract with the effort. He tears his eyes away from the sight for the nth time, forcing back the desires he believes will never be reciprocated.

"Oh?" Only Madara can make a single syllable sound so scathing. "Then who, pray tell, is at fault?"

Kakashi smiles, his one visible eye crinkling into a happy crescent. It is a strange sight to see while the man is upside down, but no less infuriating (it is not at all endearing; nope, not even a little). "Why, your clan, of course!" His words are so falsely cheery, Madara can taste the sweetness on his tongue. "If this Sharingan didn't sap so much of my charka, I wouldn't exhaust myself so quickly."

"It's your inferior physiology that's the problem, not my clan's doujutsu. If you had the superior genes of an Uchiha, you wouldn't be having this problem."

"'Inferior physiology?'" Kakashi questions, and by the tone Madara already knows he's in trouble, "then why do your eyes keep sneaking glances towards this 'inferior physiology?'"

Madara freezes for only a fraction of a second, but Kakashi still catches it. This time Kakashi smiles smugly, the outline visible through the fabric of his mask, slate grey eye open and shining with something Madara does not recognize. Madara scoffs, purposely not turning his head away, so not to give Kakashi's taunt any credence.

"'Sneaking glances?'" Madara mocks, "I am simply checking that you don't relapse, since you've such a delicate constitution."

"Mou, 'dara-chan, I didn't know you cared." Kakashi has moved back to the syrup-laced tone, something which never ceases to offend the Uchiha Clan Head. Neither focus on the small flutter in their respective chests at the utterance of the ridiculous nickname.

Madara scoffs once more. "Care? About you? I am only trying to avoid a lecture from Hashirama. If he knew I let anything happen to you, he'd be on my case for days. I have more important things to do."

"Like watch a convalescing shinobi doing some light training?" Kakashi's teasing prompts a slow blink, which, from anyone else would be akin to rolling one's eyes—Madara is too refined for such behaviour.

"Hardly. If I left once I saw you, and you managed to get yourself into trouble—as you always do—Hashirama would still harass me. I had no choice."

"Well then, oh gracious one, which important duty were you heading towards?" Kakashi intones dryly, without missing a beat in his push-ups.

"Uchiha clan business. None of your concern."

There is silence between them; it is tense and familiar and somehow a comfort to both. Kakashi switches hands, and starts his internal count to one thousand over again.

When the food is gone and Kakashi has finished his push-ups, moving on to some stretches, Madara finally breaks the silence. "This weakness of yours… it is unacceptable," he utters lowly, a contemplative look scrunching his features.

"Not much I can do about it, if I want to keep the eye," Kakashi remarks, one arm pulling the opposite elbow down behind his head.

"No, not you," Madara agrees, swiftly standing up. In two steps he is in front of Kakashi, left hand cradling the adopted Senju's face while the other hovers over Kakashi's transplanted eye. Madara's eyes flash red as they swirl into the Sharingan, and his fingers light up with green chakra. Kakashi is too started to move, frozen in his stretch, and somewhat reluctant to leave the warm hand cradling his cheek. It takes all his willpower to quiet the voice telling him to sink into that touch.

Madara's chakra probes Kakashi's eye, comparing the pathways he finds to the ones he knows an Uchiha has. There are minor physiological details, mainly two tenketsu points missing in the chakra pathway that leads to the eye. Additionally, while the optic nerve is correctly attached to the brain, the chakra artery feeding chakra in and the chakra vein cycling it back out is not optimally aligned. That is something Madara can fix, and so he does, letting his chakra nudge Kakashi's chakra pathways into their proper place—proper for an Uchiha, that is. Unfortunately, this fix will not solve the problem fully. There has never been research done in the Clan on successfully transferring the Sharingan to an outsider, so Madara doesn't exactly know what he could do to fix this.

"I'm taking you to the Clan's eye specialist," Madara answers, keeping his gaze forward and his steps swift and even. "She might be able to fix this."